.

I'm off. With T-square and an over-stuffed trunk of clothes, I am off to see the wizard... err... go to the national convention of architects.

Magic eight ball, will I be able to survive the Saharian summer heat of Manila?
Reply hazy... Try again later

I'll get back to your comments and return visits when I get back. Wish me luck!

(Blogging architects... If we happen to run into each other, give me a holler!)

Labels: blah (3x)

Last night, I met up with MJ, one of my closest highschool buddies, who I haven't seen for ten years, literally.

Back in the days of uniforms, assignments and extremely thick textbooks, we had hours of fun just doodling on the edges of our notebooks. Give us a pencil, a black ballpen, a red ballpen and some relatively blank paper and we'd have a marvelous time engulfed in our twisted little daydream world filled with cliffs, steam rollers and cartoon versions of our classmates and professors. We had a twisted sense of humor even before pubescence.

We liked defying the laws of physics...


And the laws of anatomy...


Among other things, Disney characters were a staple in our doodles. That is the Little Mermaid amidst a chemistry computation.



For some time we were obsessed with Pocahontas. We would re-write the script and make her Kenny-like, dying in every scene but magically resurrecting after a few cels. There was this serene moment when Captain John Smith and Pocahontas meet. A waterfall-induced misty atmosphere, orchestral music, a dramatic head turn with wind blowing in Pocahontas' hair, John Smith awed by her exotic beauty...


We've always had a thing for cliffs...


And for utter stupidity...


The best doodle MJ ever made in my opinion was this...


Don't tell me you don't remember Mara Clara and the show's title card with the main character's pictures in frames with the squiggly letterings on top... this was his interpretation of the final breakdown of the martyr known as Mara.

MJ now works as a segment writer for a hit noon-time show on local TV. It's funny how things work.

Silence can say more than a thousand words.

This day shall unite us all about this unbelievable painful & shocking event and show some respect and love to those who lost their loved ones.

On April 30th 2007, the Blogosphere will hold a One-Day Blog Silence in honor of the victims at Virginia Tech. More than 30 died at the US college massacre.

But it´s not only about them. Many bloggers have responded and asked about all the other victims of our world. All the people who die every day. What about them?

This day can be a symbol of support to all the victims of our world!

All you have to do is spread the word about it and post the graphic on your blog on 30th April 2007. No words and no comments. Just respect, reflect and empathy.






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Labels: art shmart, blah (3x), kids-r-i

Is anyone else ecstatic the world said "Sayonara Sanjaya"? Finally, the seemingly tone-deaf American audience voted off... err... that sounds wrong... anyways... voted off the multi-coifed AI finalist. I guess faux-hawks, minority representation and charisma (which I never got from him) can only take you so far. The folks at votefortheworst aren't too pleased I presume, and they're looking for a replacement for their papaya Sanjaya.

Kai's post on the show inspired this entry... (Oh and Kai... the Santino "Andrei" thing in your blog's new header is faaaabulous!) The following pic sums it up:


The oh so talented Melinda Doolittle and her Filipino look-a-like. hehehehe... This is sort of an inside pinoy joke few people overseas (or born before the days of vinyl) can relate to. That is half of the Filipino singing sensation that was The Reycards. When I saw the show last Wednesday, all I could think of was "Heshe looks like..."

And so I'm doing the whole "separated at birth" thing...



Everyone already saw the resemblence even before Chris made the David Hasselhoff remark. Jack is the son of Black Sabbath's bat-head-devouring Ozzy Osbourne. This blog thought Chris S looked like a topiary. lol


I thought I was the first to see it but I was sadly mistaken when I came across this blog.


Pretty obvious, don't cha think? Everyone says so. Stephanie got booted for her lack of originality in her singing (Beyonce, anyone?) and apparently, the image as well.


I've been rewatching earlier seasons of Alias and I've always got a sense of deja vu whenever Haley performed... until it dawned on me... Irina (Lena Olin)


Told you I've been watching too much Alias. Everyone says Chris R. looks like Justin Timberlake... I say he looks like Tippin (Bradley Cooper)


Steve is one of those actors you see everywhere in supporting roles... most notably in Reality Bites.


The smile, the eyebrow, the big bones, the strong voice...


This season's Mandisa and the SNL cast member could be fraternal twins. (I said this in Kai's comment box... I wonder if a Filipino ever came up to Lakisha and told her what her name translated to in Filipino... tee hee)


Again, a set of fraternal twins...


I even placed the bonnet on Gollum just to help you out.


Awwww... a muppet. My first look-a-like was Moses from The Prince of Egypt mainly because of the hair and the svelte body but I couldn't find an image online so I nixed the idea. Then my next choice was one of Oprah's cocker spaniels... but that would be too harsh... Animal is perfect cause he too has lots of charisma and mediocre singing skills.












The tragedy in Columbine happened on this day eight years ago. George Santayana said:

My heart goes out to all the victims and the friends and families of the victims of the Virginia Tech tragedy.

Labels: blah (3x), idiot box, list-o-rama

Historically, April is one of the most catastrophic months. Insurrections, wars, natural disasters... notably, the war of the yankees and rednecks, the war of blue coats and red coats... the assassinations of Lincoln in a theater and Luther King at a motel... the Columbine highschool massacre... the sinking of RMS Titanic... the Bataan death march... the San Francisco earthquake... Chernobyl.

Ironically though, the month starts off with hoaxes and practical jokes, and the tradition of april-fooling has extended well before these tragic events happened.

It must be fate's preemptive permeation of comic relief into human tradition... or maybe the catastrophes were merely practical jokes gone awry. The Titanic engineer holding a couple of bolts in his hands saying... "Got yah!" as the ship sank all the passengers laughing as they met their watery death.

Anyways, my 13th post for April is dedicated to our quirky, plucky comic reliefs. How can we appreciate all our dramas, our comedies and our dramedies without the characters who make us laugh at the moment when we are at the verge of crying or throwing a fit.


Hugo "Hurley" Reyes
Lost

I personally find Hurley as the sweetest, most adorable plus sized actor on television to date. His surfer dude expression "Dude..." is so cool. The Actor: Jorge Garcia

Quirks:
- Thinks he is cursed after he won a multi-million dollar lottery using the "bad numbers", manifestations of the bad luck included his grandpa's stroke, his new house catching fire and a meteor falling on his newly purchased Mr. Cluck's franchise.
- Plays ping-pong like Forrest Gump
- Had an imaginary friend named "Dave"
- Had for some time a working CD player on the island which eventually ran out of batteries midway through Damien Rice's "Delicate"

Comic Relief:
(Artz, the island scientist/ gradeschool teacher, explodes as he tries to handle dynamite from a pirate ship)
Hurley: (looking at Locke) "Dude... You've got some Artz on you."


Hiro Nakamura
Heroes

Everyone's favorite Japanese actor... even more than the always oh so serious Ken Watanabe. He is anime personified. The Actor: Masi Oka. (I was thrilled to see him in The Sarah Silverman Program Batteries episode... thanks to Ann for the comedienne referral. hehe)

Quirks:
- "Herro New York!!!" (need I say more?)

Comic Relief:
(After getting stranded in a diner in the middle of the desert, Hiro meets "Flying man" and asks him...)
Hiro: "Give me ride-o? (imitates car horn) Boo-boo!"


Jack McFarland
Will and Grace

One of the most flambuoyant gay guys to grace the television. "Just Jack" (with jazz fingers please) is an inspiration for all fairies and people with theatrical aspirations. The Brilliant Actor: Sean Hayes.

Quirks:
- Has a Cher barbie doll (as seen)
- Collects celebrity hair
- Laughs everytime "ball" is uttered
- Was married to Rosario
- Has a son with a recurring lesbian role done by Rosie O'Donnell

Comic Relief:
(Jack consoling Will...)
Jack: "You're caring and loving..."
Will: "You're just saying that to make me feel better."
Jack: "No I'm not. I mean, what would I get out of that?"


Karen Walker
Will and Grace

My favorite fabulous politically incorrect socialite. She is so morally and socially retarded, you can't help but worship the ground she walks on. The Actress: Megan Mullally. A comic relief in a comedy is pretty much redundant but Jack and Karen push the humor to a whole new level making Will and Grace depressing people by comparison.

Quirks:
- Has an alter ego named Anastasia Beaverhausen
- Has a Pharmacist and a Back-up pharmacist in her personal staff
- Drinks more alcohol than H20

Comic Relief:
Grace: "What you're feeling are pangs of guilt."
Karen: "What?"
Grace: "Guilt. Oh, boy. Ok. How am I gonna explain this one? Uh... guilt is an emotion that - Ok. Jumping ahead. An emotion is something that..."
Karen: "Hey, hey, hey. Come on. I know what guilt is. It's one of those touchy-feely words that people throw around that don't really mean anything... You know, like "maternal" or "addiction."


Marshall Flinkman
Alias

He is the inhouse CIA "Q". Marshall is a mumbling, rambling, babbling tech guy who never fails to impress me with how he speaks the way he does. The Actor: Kevin Weisman

Quirks:
- Has photographic memory
- Almost always adds inconsequential factoids in his presentations

Comic Relief:
(Marshall talks hysterically to guard to get past security and succeeded)
Sydney: "What did you say to him?"
Marshall: (nervous) "I don't know. I think it was "Go away I can smell you from here" in Ewok. "


Greg Sanders
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation

If he isn't fictional proof that not all scientists are boring and dreary then I don't know... He has, what I think is, dorky sex appeal. He has, however, become less comical in the current season... Hodges is taking his place as comic relief. The Actor: Eric Szmanda.

Quirks:
- Likes listening to heavy metal while working in the lab
- Has an evolving hairstyle

Comic Relief:
Sara Sidle: "So relax and lie down on your back"
Greg Sanders: "You know, this is exactly like a dream I had once, except it wasn't in a garage and Grissom wasn't watching."


Debbie Novotny
Queer as Folk

Outspoken, stubborn, nagging, red-haired... the physical TV representation of my mom. The Actress: Sharon Gless

Quirks:
- Is almost always chewing gum
- Has hilarious shirts. The one in the pic says "Got Lube?"

Comic Relief:
Debbie: "If I have to watch Martha Stewart make one more goddamn thing out of goat cheese, I'm going to kill myself."
Vic: "AMC has a Joan Crawford festival all week."
Debbie: "Nobody's THAT gay."


Stanford Blatch
Sex and the City

SATC's "Fifth Lady". The shirt, tie and matching cap says it all. The Actor: Willie Garson

Quirks:
- Did I mention the outfit?

Comic Relief:
(Convincing Carrie she can pull off a short-lived modelling career)
Stanford: “Okay, so you're not Heidi Klum, but you're the 'modeliest' of the real people.”


Phil Stubbs
Ed

The head honcho of the Stuckeybowl staff. Stuckeybowl, to the un-ED-ucated is a bowling alley/ law office. Phil holds fort in the shoe counter. He has this obsession with fame and devises numerous ridiculous schemes to achieve it that always go awry. The Ingenious Actor: Michael Ian Black (a great poker player too)

Quirks:
- Poses as a MENSA member smoking a pipe
- His catch phrase is "Shave my Poodle"

Comic Relief:
Phil: "I never liked kids. They're like small drunk adults."


Phoebe Buffay-Hannigan
F.R.I.E.N.D.S.

A flaky, eccentric, New-agey bohemian/vegetarian. She can be totally innocent one second and completely psycho the next. I love "Smelly Cat". The Actress: Lisa Kudrow

Quirks:
- Still believes Santa Claus is real
- Has an alter ego named Regina Phalange
- Has a twin sister, Ursula, a pornstar whose most notable film was "Buffay, the Vampire Layer"

Comic Relief:
Ross: (leaning over and talking to Rachel's womb) "I can't wait to play with you all day, and to hear your first words."
Phoebe: (wide eyed) "Why are you letting him talk to your crotch that way?"
Rachel: "He's talking to the baby."
Phoebe: "Oh, that's good. Because when I heard, "I can't wait to hear your first words" I thought, "Boy that's some trick!"


Bettina
Six Feet Under

Bettina is a recurring role in SFU. She is the most subtle comic relief in this list, but compared to all the gloomy main characters, she might as well be Karen-freakin-Walker. The Actress: the marvelous Kathy Bates

Quirks:
- Manages Vicodin withdrawals
- Her daughter is alluded to as a "nut job"

Comic Relief:
Bettina: "Lucky, unlucky, I don't know. I'm unlucky I ran through three husbands. I'm lucky I got to retire early off the insurance. I'm unlucky my son set fire to the house. I'm lucky I've never had a urinary tract infection. I don't even care if it works out fair in the end. I'm sure it doesn't. I still have to haul my own ass out of bed in the morning."


Elaine Vassal
Ally Mcbeal

Ally's secretary/ assistant/ friend/ spontaneous Broadway singer/ limelight stealer/ homeshopping fanatic. The Actress: Jane Krakowski (Now 30 Rock's Jenna)

Quirks:
- <<< That is a face bra... and yes people ACTUALLY produce them in real life
- She also had a bra that has a remote and jiggles to Jingle Bells

Comic Relief:
Ally: "I mean, with all due respect, you sort of walk around with uppity breasts, and the hair flips aren't the most subtle. And your perfume - you could be flammable. Now what if somebody shut you down as a safety hazard, how would you feel then?"
Elaine: "That was with all due respect?"


Janitor
Scrubs

He is the Janitor. He makes it a point to sadistically terrorize JD and habitually teleports whenever he's the last person JD wants to see grinning his sarcastic grin. The Actor: Neil Flynn

Quirks:
- He often pretends to be Dr. Jan Itor (Jan as in the German name)
- He's unfoundedly clever

Comic Relief:
(JD is at the reception desk, sad)
Janitor: "Girl problems?"
J.D.: "How did you know?"
Janitor: "Well, you look like you've got problems, you're a girl. Hence, girl problems. Watch your nails."
(Slams down hinged door)
(FYI, J.D. is a straight guy)



Sorry for torturing you with two extremely long posts back to back... It's April after all, a month of tragic, tragic events... Au Revoir!






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Labels: area 13, idiot box, quotable quotes

Ok, so last Monday night, I got smashed... A fitting end to the long vacation. I had one margarita too many... and let me just say drinking a margarita after a Bora (a vodka-rum based drink) isn't a fabulous idea. Of course it was all good while I was still vertical and laughing like a hyena but once you go horizontal... all hell breaks loose (and swirls around like a kaleidoscope too). Let me just say that sometime around 2 am in the morning I was face to face with my regurgitated dinner... yum...

Anyways... too much information...


A Movie Meme
from the newly laptopped snglguy...
(I wish all memes were about movies *sigh*)

1. Name a movie that you have seen more than 10 times.
I don't really keep count but I've seen the following movies multiple times:
Before Sunrise (1995) - Celine and Jesse. This is one of my all time faves. I asked a friend of mine to watch it and her initial reaction after was... "They sure talked alot". I can't even begin to tell you how much I love it.
Meet Joe Black (1998) - This is one lone movie, but... Anthony Hopkins, Brad Pitt, Claire Forlani, Marcia Gaye Harden, the actor that plays the Bluth patriarch in Arrested Development... what's not to like eh? Oh, there's also all the long conversationless scenes, the topic of death and peanut butter!
The Truth About Cats and Dogs (1996) - A romantic comedy with the statuesque Uma Thurman, the fabulous Janeane Garofalo and the hot Ben Chaplin. The Premise: "If you were stranded in the Biosphere, who would you take? Time Magazine's Woman of the Year or Playboy's Playmate of the Year?".
The Lord of the Rings (2001 - 2003) - Yes, all three. And the last marathon of it I did was a director's cut which extended far longer than the cinematic releases. It showed many deleted scenes. What I'd give to sound like Cate Blanchett as Galadriel.
There are more, but this is only the first question... hahaha


2. Name a movie that you’ve seen multiple times in the theater.
I don't really go, as snglguy mentioned, Titanic (noun, watching a movie a million times in the cinema) for any movie (especially the blasphemy that is Titanic). Makes me wish there was a theater here in Baguio that shows matinees of movie classics...


3. Name an actor that would make you more inclined to see a movie.
Actors:
a. Anthony Hopkins
b. Al Pacino
c. Giovanni Ribisi
d. Jude Law (ok, eye cand but he's a terrific actor as well with terrific eyes and mouth and...)
e. Kevin Spacey

Actresses:
a. Cate Blanchett
b. Christina Ricci
c. Annette Bening
d. Meryl Streep
e. Emma Thompson
f. Parker Posey

Directors:
a. Richard Linklater
b. Woody Allen
c. Quentin Tarantino
d. Martin Scorsese


4. Name an actor that would make you less likely to see a movie.
Manny Pacquiao? ahhh... actor as in film, I get it. hmmm... I'm stumped.


5. Name a movie that you can and do quote from.
I don't really quote from movies in everyday conversation, it's just cheesy... Imagine:

Them: Good Morning!
Me: I love the smell of napalm in the morning. (Apocalypse Now)
Them: Huh? Na-what?
Me: You talking to me? (Taxi Driver)
Them: Yeah I am, why do you sound like a weird shrieky Robert de Niro?
Me: You had me at hello, my preciousss. (Jerry Maguire, LOTR)
Them: What is wrong with you? Who are you?
Me: Bond. James Bond. (duh...)
Them: What the fuck are you on?
Me: Watch your words Persian (300)
Them: Why you little shit. I'm outta here..
Me: Here's lookin' at you kid... (Gone With the Wind) (Errata: Should be Casablanca... Tnx snglguy... hehehe)
Them: Yeah, yeah... get a life.

6. Name a movie musical that you know all of the lyrics to all of the songs.
Let's see. I know all of the chirpy, alpy, "high on the hill is a lonely goatherd" songs of The Sound of Music; all the rock-flavored "no day but today" songs of Rent; some of the eerie, orchestral "that's all I ask of you" music of The Phantom of the Opera, and all the music from Disney films between The Little Mermaid to Pocahontas from my childhood. I wouldn't be caught dead singing any of these songs... or any song for that matter. My singing voice can bring bloody tears to your eyes, literally.


7. Name a movie that you have been known to sing along with.
You know that "Say a Little Prayer" thing they did for My Bestfriend's Wedding? Not that... You know that "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" montage they did in Zoolander? Not that either. I don't sing in public. Thank you.


8. Name a movie that you would recommend everyone see.
I highly rcommend everyone to see Snakes on a Plane, Crossroads, Battlefield Earth, The Producers and Kazaam. Oh the humanity! They are the worst excuses for films I have ever had the misfortune to see. I don't wanna be the only one scarred for life!!!


9. Name a movie that you own.
Although I do own a lot of marked down original VCDs and DVDs, a greater percentage of the movies I "own" are debatable. Thanks to our industrious DVD Jack Sparrows.


10. Name an actor that launched his/her entertainment career in another medium but who has surprised you with his/her acting chops.
Lately, there's Jennifer Hudson for all the obvious reasons (which neither Madonna, Kelly Clarkson or Britney Spears succeeded in)


11. Have you ever seen a movie in a drive-in? If so, what?
Honey, If I see a drive-in theater in the Philippines, I'll call you okey?


12. Ever made out inside a theater?
I don't kiss and tell. (making a key locking motion over my mouth and throwing the key)


13. Name a movie that you keep meaning to see but just haven’t yet gotten around to it.
On my movie back log:
The Last King of Scotland,
Pan's Labrinth,
The Good German,
Notes on a Scandal


14. Ever walked out of a movie?
Hmmm... how dramatic. Not really... I never walk IN one I don't like to see.


15. Name a movie that made you cry in the theater.
Aside from singing, crying is another thing I don't do in public. Ok, ok... so I cried when Bambi's mother got shot by the hunter. I need to call my psychologist now.


16. What’s the last movie you saw in the theater?
Now that I think about it, it's been ageees ago! 'Twas The Prestige.


17. What’s your favorite/preferred genre of movie?
Indies.


18. What’s the first movie you remember seeing in the theater?
Maria and the Golden Bibe. Hahahahaha! Hahahahahah! In my defense, I was like 6 years old or something with my nanny (A die hard Maricel Soriano fan). I remember eating red Chippy and drinking Zesto and really enjoying that movie, Pinoy slapstick in all its glory.


19. What movie do you wish you had never seen?
See: question #8


20. What is the weirdest movie you enjoyed?
I have a high tolerance to weirdness. But some films I've enjoyed that probably enters the popular notion of "weird" include:
Dogma - Jay and Silent Bob save the day... and Alanis is God.
Evolution - the longest ad in history! hehehe... Head and Shoulders anyone?
A Scanner Darkly - Keanu Reeves looks hot as a toon.
Perfume: The Story of a Murderer - I was totally rooting for Jean-Baptiste to complete his perfume.
Punch Drunk Love - Where can I buy a harmonium?


21. What is the scariest movie you’ve seen?
See: question #8


22. What is the funniest movie you’ve seen?
Fahrenheit 9-11. Not funny "ha-ha"... but more of a "the world is playing a practical joke on you" funny.


So I am tagging a couple of people to do the meme:
Hmmmm... I am pretty curious how Ann and Tin-tin will say about this meme. hehe



I have been meaning to post this meme for some time now... and what better time to do it than right now eh? I first heard of these 10 questions from James Lipton's "Inside the Actor's Studio", It's a talk show where Mr. Lipton interviews an actor infront of an acting class. Will Ferrell does a hilarious kick-ass impersonation of Lipton.


I used to see the show regularly on a Japanese channel in the forgotten 50's section of local cable, but that channel is gone now. I think. These 10 questions originally came from a French series, "Bouillon de Culture" which was hosted by Bernard Pivot.

Basically, just answer the questions. hehehe

"Inside the Actor's Studio" Meme

1. What is your favorite word?
plush

2. What is your least favorite word?
diarrhea

3. What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally?
truth

4. What turns you off?
fakeness

5. What is your favorite curse word?
fuck

6. What sound or noise do you love?
electric guitars

7. What sound or noise do you hate?
blackboard scratch

8. What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?
marine biologist

9. What profession would you not like to do?
long distance bus driver

10. If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?
Aloha


Simple eh? Harder than it seems. Ok, so I did this meme as a sort of retribution, hahaha. I'm tagging snglguy. hahaha








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Labels: blah (3x), memes, movies

The Egyptians had their pyramids, the Aztecs their stepped pyramids... the Greeks had their acropolis, the Romans had their basilicas... and us, Filipinos have our humongous shopping malls.

The monumental forms of architecture of any civilization pretty much sums up the general priorities of the population. Pharaohs who had an obsession for immortality had slaves (with or without the aid of supposed aliens) build the pyramids with cosmological consultation. The Aztecs temples were used for human sacrifices. The Greek acropolis was a haven for religion, arts and democracy. The Roman basilicas for law and government.

The Filipino shopping mall is a refuge from hot humid weather, a warehouse for all thing bright and shiny, a hub for commerce and entertainment. It is our version of the Greek agora and the Roman forum only with video arcades and air-conditioning.


A couple of weeks ago, after the family reunion we attended, the family decided to do a sidetrip to Manila. SM Mall of Asia was in our itinerary. The main draw for me was the IMax theater.

We Filipinos have outdone ourselves. The mall was huge, the only thing I was aching (literally) to buy was a Segway (ala GOB on Arrested Development). Given the landscape and location of the mall (which is along Manila Bay), I could see why they decided to sprawl the mall instead of stacking it up... it can take full advantage of the view without blocking it for the buildings behind it and a horizontal building silhouette works like magic against a body of water... But com'on... haven't they heard of conveyors and moving walks?


SM Mall of Asia (I am productive when bored to death):

1. Alice: "Toto, I don't think we're in Universal Studios anymore..."


2. A cup of yoghurt: "Ooooooh! A huuuuuge refrigerator! with a skating rink?! Joy!"
3. Al Gore: "Lessening the amount of air conditioning is A "moral imperative"!"

4. A cup of yoghurt: "Shut up Gore! have you read this?"
5. Al Gore: "No comment"

6. Minimalist: "Good enough"
7. Utilitarian: "Such a waste of space"
8. Environmentalist: "And energy too! The amount of air conditioning is directly proportional to the amount of enclosed space!"
9. Al Gore: "Yeah! ditto!"
10. A cup of yoghurt: "Here's another one Gore"


11. Dato' Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi: "I am having the weirdest, strongest sense of deja vu... I thought we just left the Kuala Lumpur International Airport?"


12. Peter Petrelli: "I don't remember posing for this ad... Must have been before my bangs were telekinetically chopped off my forehead"


13. Filipino-English lexicographer: "Maldita is the closest Filipino word for bitch, in the derogatory sense"


We also passed by the World Light Expo 2007... and by passed by I meant breezed through without going in cause everyone was too beat up to even consider walking amidst a multitude of light bulbs.


I've read from a brochure I got earlier from my Dad that it had an acrobat exhibition and one of 1st Qin Emperor's Terracotta Army (those unearthed sculptures of Chinese soldiers in flank formation). After reading a blog review, I was satiated with looking at the expo from afar. Review, schedules, fees and other pertinent info from Our Awesome Planet.


On the way to Bulacan, I nearly broke my neck trying to get this photo of the car's odometer. My brother, who was driving, has a thing for "7". That's his number as a basketball/ volleyball athlete, his car's plates end with 777, and so I found myself nudging him trying to get a decent picture of the mileage. No one got hurt.






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Labels: familia, filipinowledge, numerology, travels

The seventh church... I found myself staring blindly into a gold leafed tabernacle. The candles flickering like dancing fireflies, the scent of incense wafting in the air, orchestral music played just a few decibels over audibility. My cousin, to my right, on his knees praying solemnly. My thoughts, aside from my apparent somnambulism, are concentrated on the cascading waterfalls on which the tabernacle was set... a reminder of a project from the office I was supposed to be working on with a similar water feature in the plaza.

I was born into a long line of Roman Catholics... grew up with rosaries, scapulars, 3 o'clock prayers and Santo Ninos. Visita Iglesia is a paternal family tradition. It's basically visiting seven churches, offering prayers and 2.50 PhP candles, on Maundy Thursday. I am not a particularly religious person, (spiritual, maybe) however, I do love my family and its traditions. This is, personally, one of the touchiest subjects. At the risk of sounding crass, me and Roman Catholicism do not "mesh well together" for a number of reasons I'd rather not publish. Hate mail on Pacquiao is one thing, but comments from a devout Catholic and advice on "returning to the faith" would be an argument where neither party would win, concede or get anything out of.

I've always believed religion is a personal thing... If it works for you and gives you a sense of higher purpose, then you're probably doing something right. I have a great admiration for people with a passion for their religion... Catholic penitence during Lent, the Muslim's Salat in the direction of the qiblih, the Buddhist attainment of the Four Noble Truths, the Hindu awareness for Karma in the attainment of Nirvana... and so on. There are so many religions in the world, each with it's own set of enlightening truths... It's a smorgasbord for knowledge, one I've decided, at a young age, to take part of.


Ok, that was a tad too serious... even for a disclaimer. It's Lent talking. While we were doing our Visita Iglesia rounds, Tine and I can't keep our architect "mind voices" stifled:
"That doesn't look like a convent",
"I love the woodwork",
"The ornateness of the gates are impeccable",
"That mezzanine slab with those puny beams can't POssibly support that many pews!",
("Cute guy, 12 o'clock")


Last year, we spent Lent in my dad's home province of Bulacan. There is more to Baliuag than the green buses, the oh so yummy butong pakwan and the lechon manok. There is also the lavish fete known as "Prusisyon" (Procession) It's a parade of numerous floats with statues depicting the biblical stories of Jesus from his return to Bethlehem to his Resurrection. It's like going to Musei Vaticani but instead of walking through wide marbled corridors, you sit idly on benches as the art is showcased infront of you.

The statues are a little larger than human scale. The scent of scented candles, fresh flowers and incense waft after each float passes by. These photos were taken by my bro-in-law.






It's one of those spectacles that never ceases to awe me.





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Labels: blah (3x), filipinowledge, flashback music please, travels