My Fortress of Solitude

30 Les Mis Challenge

2012-01-20T05:17:00.003+08:00

It has been centuries since I last did a challenge, and I lost. Haha! A week before opening night for our own humble interpretation of Les Misérables, what could be a more appropriate challenge than a one about the world's greatest musical. I will start tomorrow, and hopefully be able to continue despite my SUPER busy schedule.

1. Favourite Valjean and why?

2. Favourite Javert and Why?

3. Favourite Fantine and why?

4. Favourite Cosette and why?

5. Favourite Marius and why?

6. Favourite Eponine and why?

7. Favourite Enjolras and why?

8. Favourite M & Mme Thénardier and why?

9. Favourite Grantaire and why?

10. Favourite Les Amis and why?

11. How did you first discover Les Miserables?

12. A part from the musical that makes you sad?

13. A part from the book that makes you sad?

14. Favourite line or song from the musical and what it means to you?

15. Favourite quote or part of the book and what it mean to you?

16. Your opinions on the upcoming movie?

17. Who is your favourite character from the book and you favourite character from the musical?

18. Is there a part from the book that you wish was in the musical?

19. Least favourite song from the musical?

20. Tell us about your first time seeing the musical?

21. Tell us what you experienced reading the book for the first time?

22. Which character can you relate to in the book or musical and why?

23. Is there a character you dislike? Why?

24. Favourite cast?

25. Favourite members of the ensemble and swing?

26. Favourite pairing? (I don’t mean favourite ship. Your favourite established relationship or friendship in the musical or book).

27. Dream cast for the upcoming movie?

28. Dream cast for the stage show?

29. Favourite overall actor you have seen from the musical and why?

30. What does Les Miserables mean to you?

And I just noticed that the word favorite is spelled as it is spelled in London. Haha!

Realization

2012-01-14T03:19:00.001+08:00

Inspiration despite the Disappointment

2012-01-14T03:16:00.000+08:00

This is my second post for 2012. A lot of things have been going on and I'm sorry if I've not been updating my blog as often as I would've wanted. I know no one reads this so for this year, I'm going to make this my online diary once again, the keeper of my secrets, successes and disappointments.

Something happened tonight during rehearsals. It made me see real commitment - at least, commitment in my eyes, and the eyes of my friends who's working so hard to make our show not just a reality, but to make it something worth watching.

Tonight, I also saw complacency disguised as confidence. Confidence that's borderline arrogance, honestly speaking.

Yes, the concerned people supposedly went to rehearsals to "ask my permission" if they can be excused from rehearsals so they can support our friends who were joining a contest. Nothing wrong with the support thingie, my issue is that since they knew beforehand that they're going to the contest, they should have informed us beforehand so that we can just cancel rehearsals altogether. And with the permission thingie, do you think they would have stayed if I said no? They didn't need my permission. That was just a "sign of respect" but asking permission is the wrong term - they were actually just informing me.

I take my hat off to the members who stayed behind even if they had every reason to go to the contest, and I would like to really mention their names because they've inspired me to go on with this despite the disappointment. Therese, Alfie, Valerie, April, Emilyn, Iris.. these people have showed their passion, sincerity, commitment and respect, and young as they are, will surely go a long way in life.

As for me, I again sacrificed my time with my family and braved through the heavy rains to go to rehearsals on-time, I sacrificed my time for work (yes, very late again), and I sacrificed my very rare time with Shin Shin who's in Cebu for a show with her fellow Kapuso artists. She comes to Cebu once in a blue moon, and I had to miss her because I was committed to our rehearsals - rehearsals that never really happened.

I promised myself that I'm going to be harsher this 2012, and what happened last night is another reason, but somehow, someway, the Super 6 who remained has given me the inspiration despite the disappointment.

Happy 9th Birthday, Katrina Alyssa!

2012-01-06T02:27:00.007+08:00

It's not only children who grow. Parents do too.

As much as we watch to see what our children do with their lives,

they are watching us to see what we do with ours.

I can't tell my daughter to reach for the sun.

All I can do is reach for it, myself..

Happy 9th birthday, my dearest daughter ♥
I love you always and forever ♥

A little girl's wish for Christmas ♥

2011-12-28T12:46:00.000+08:00

I found this video on the web and just wanna share it with everyone since it touched my heart, and never fails to make me tear up whenever I watch this ♥

Every time there is LOVE and Christ in our hearts,

it is CHRISTmas for me

so MERRY CHRISTMAS, everyone! :)

Being a Part of Her World ♥

2011-12-14T11:32:00.027+08:00

First of all, I would like to say a BIG THANK YOU to all those who helped me just so I can go to Manila and watch the second to the last show of Disney's The Little Mermaid. I didn't just go there to watch as a fan and friend of Rachelle Ann, but as a fan, patron, performer and director of the arts - theatre and music.

It was an adventure for me going there alone with very limited budget in my pocket, but I survived, and I enjoyed the show so much. In my 31 years of existence, I can say that it was perfect. From the songs, to the staging, to the orchestration (yes, a live orchestra), to the performances, to the sets and props, it was absolutely PERFECT!

Some people are born to play certain roles in their lifetime that no one else can. Shin was born to play Ariel, period. With all objectivity, she was so much better than the original Broadway Ariel (Sierra Boggess). She captured the spirit of Jodi Benson (the original Ariel in the cartoons) and made the character her own.

Bravo, Shin! Bravo, Direk Bobby & Direk Chari! Bravo, Erik! Bravo, Atlantis Productions! Bravo, everyone! You so more than deserve the standing ovation that you got in every performance! :)

Congratulations, Shin Shin!

7 years of friendship, and watching & hearing you perform,

you really outdid yourself.

Soo proud of you!

Love you! ♥

20 Years in Theatre

2011-12-10T11:40:00.000+08:00

People come into our lives for a reason,

bringing something we must learn,

and we are led to those who help us most to grow.. ♥

Today, as I celebrate my 20th year in theatre, I would like to say a BIG THANK YOU to the Almighty for giving the seeds to plant & nourish, and the passion to keep going; to my ever loving family who have always been supportive and super understanding through the years; to everyone whom I had the honor of sharing the stage with; to everyone who has never ceased to support the productions that I've been fortunate enough to be a part of, and most especially, to those people who unselfishly shared a part of themselves so I can be who and where I am today. I believe that I'm who I am today because I knew you.

Thank you for helping me grow, thank you for helping me change for good :)

RJ Rosales (1974 - 2011)

2011-12-05T12:15:00.000+08:00

A very sad & shocking news I received tonight..

RJ Rosales, one of my Filipino theatre heroes and a truly amazing person, just passed away. So young, so full of life. He's only 6 years older than me, and I will always cherish the rare opportunity of sharing the stage with him once, a long time ago. He'll always be one of my most fave voices EVER!

Fly in the wings of the angels, Kuya RJ!

RIP Roseo José Rosales (+)

Built Champions, Discovered Friendship, Created a Family ♥

2011-11-28T12:54:00.006+08:00

To my STC Champions, CONGRATULATIONS and THANK YOU. My only regret in this experience is not having enough time to get to know each one of you personally. You are all such wonderful, beautiful persons and it's a great, great honor to have met you, and to have staged this event with you.

Wilma, we've known each other for 7 years and you never really cease to amaze me. Thank you for the trust & confidence, and for the neverending love & care. You know I'm always here come what may. Let's do more projects coz I'm really getting used to you driving me to work almost everday. Love you much!

Ruby, this was your show. You made it all happen. Thank you for being my alter ego, and for going the distance. You steered the ship safely through the storms, and I'm so proud to see you make it through the rain. Always and forever, I'm here if you need me, just a text away. More power and hope to do more projects with you soon! God bless you :)

Lorie, I so admire your amazing hardwork and dedication, and you don't only do things superbly, you also do it with great love & care. I hope we'll have the chance to do more projects soon. You're really amazing! God bless you :)

Nikka, Judalyn & the CSC, thank you for all your hardwork and dedication. Amazing jud kaayo mo to have staged something like this with oh-so limited time. Congratulations, and rest assured that you have my support and commitment for any projects that you'll have. God bless you :)

Bea, your talent, your leadership, your bright aura is very contagious. Thank you for making a positive difference in the lives of the performers, and everyone involved in the project. Stay as amazing as you are. God bless you :)

Trisha Rovin Gale, no, you don't have bad pictures and that is that! Haha. Bitaw, thank you for being you. You have touched my life without you knowing it. I will always and forever be here for you come what may. Yes, I mean that. God bless you :)

Malaya, is there anything that you can't do? Haha. You have it all, but more important than those skills and abilities is the passion that I see in you. May you continue to perform with that passion, and hope to share the stage with you soon. God bless you :)

Tara D., Chloe, and the rest of the 'Dream' dancers, the 'Challenges' dancers & the High School dancers, you are all such a joy to watch onstage. I've always believed that dance is a poem of which each movement is a word, and watching all of you - poetry in motion. My hats off to you. Continue sharing your talent to the world. God bless you :)

Cindee, so happy and proud to share the stage with you. You have so much to share to the world, don't hold it back. Thank you for the love, care, support and the really amazing pictures. God bless you :)

Tara M., the only thing that's more beautiful than your voice and face is your heart. You have touched my heart more than you know, and I am so much grateful to have shared the stage with you. Ato tong dayonon ang mga 'plans' because I'm very much excited to see your career and your life soar higher. God bless you :)

Maigi, I am so glad and proud to have shared the stage with you. I've seen how hard you've worked in perfecting your song, and it surely paid off. Hope that this will just be the start of your singing career. I'm a fan all the way. God bless you :)

Janiel & Bless, continue sharing your amazing talents to the world. It's really an honor to have shared the stage with you, and I hope and pray that I would be able to finally sing with you soon. God bless you :)

Nap & Audrey, you both have the confidence, and so much potential. Continue singing, but more importantly, open your ears and minds and absorb as much learnings as you can. As they say, the biggest room in the world is the room for improvement. I look forward to hearing you both sing again soon. God bless you :)

Trisha Nichole, Magill, Robin, Glee Club & the rest of the singers, continue singing not because you have to, but because you love to. Continue touching the lives of many people through your music. Sing from your heart. I hope to have the honor of singing with you soon. God bless you :)

Buhilaman, I am so happy to know that there are still people in the new generation who are passionate with theatre as we are. I look forward to your productions, and I will always be here if you need me. Keep the faith, you guys.. er.. girls, ROCK! God bless you :)

Deneb, thank you for making my job so much easier. I don't easily entrust the controls of the sounds to just anyone, but you gained my trust right away. Haha. Looking forward to doing more projects with you. God bless you :)

Sister Rosie and Ms. Sol, thank you for the trust and confidence. You are so blessed to have all these amazing women doing all of these for the school. I am so proud to be in their presence, and I will continue to be here if I'm needed. God bless you :)

Kitchie, thank you for sharing your beautiful music. An honor standing on the same ground (stage) as you. More power and more lives to touch. God bless you :)

I'm sorry if I wasn't able to mention each one of you by name. As long as you were a part of that special event, apil mo sa akong pasalamat, and I really hope & pray to get to know each one of you jud, be it another project *ahem, CSC* or just to hang out and bond.

Not bad for a concert with just 2 weeks to prepare from scratch. I am so proud of EVERYONE because you did not only share your talents and time, more importantly, you gave your HEARTS and that made all the difference.

In the 2 weeks that we were together, we did not only build champions, we also discovered each other, built a friendship that became a family and created a bond that will hopefully last forever

Building Champions

2011-11-21T04:31:00.001+08:00

I find it quite amusing that I am in mixed emotions as I'm doing sooo many things for so many people, yet I still consider my life boring. Makes sense?

I'll take about my disappointments next time because right now, with a lot of things to do in less than 4 days, I want to think that I don't have time to think sad thoughts. Yeah right. As if I have full command over my emotions.

Before I wander off, let me just promote the something big I mentioned in my last post. It's actually just a concert which I'm directing. It's Building Champions, a concert for a cause with the best and the brightest talents of Saint Theresa's College - Cebu. Special guest is Kitchie Nadal. Yes, it's THE Kitchie Nadal.

It will be on November 26, 2011 (this coming Saturday, actually) at the STC Auditorium. Your Php 150 (per ticket) will go a long way to help the STC foundation Program and STC Community Involvement Program in support of their scholarship programs granted to our fellow theresians and to our partner communities.

Under the spell of ‘Little Mermaid’

2011-11-20T12:12:00.000+08:00

by Lea Salonga

Philippine Daily Inquirer

I brought Nicole out for a mommy-daughter date to the theater last Friday, the opening night of Atlantis Productions’ mounting of Disney’s “The Little Mermaid” at the Meralco Theater.

All of us in the family have seen the Disney film on which the stage version was based. But we haven’t seen the stage production, so I jumped at this opportunity.

From the moment the music played (under the excellent musical direction of Ceejay Javier), we were magically transported to this kingdom under the sea.

The plot is similar to that of the movie, besides moments that would have been impossible to stage (there is no shark chase here, nor is there a gigantic Ursula).

New songs by composer Alan Menken and lyricist Glenn Slater (the same team behind “Tangled and Sister Act: The Musical”) were added, which seemed to blend seamlessly enough with the original tunes from the film.

This stage version stars Rachelle Ann Go as Ariel, Erik Santos as Prince Eric, Jinky Llamanzares as Ursula, OJ Mariano as Sebastian, Calvin Millado as King Triton, Ikey Canoy as Scuttle, Felix Rivera as Flotsam, Jamie Barcelon as Jetsam and Raymond Concepcion as Grimsby.

Add to that a mix of Atlantis, Repertory Philippines and Trumpets/Stages regulars with a few fresh faces, and you have a very strong, principal-player quality ensemble.

The way the show was orchestrated, I swore you heard far more than the number of players who were actually in the pit. The sound was rich, bright and full. Kudos, too, for the sound design team. There was only one crackle the entire night, and even then it wasn’t disturbing.

Inventive

The sets and costumes were beautiful and inventive. I loved the “Kiss the Girl” scene—where fireflies, frogs and large birds came alive, creating a colorful and romantic atmosphere. “Under the Sea” was one big calypso party, with neon creatures and sea plants. The silhouette puppetry deserved praise as well.

I couldn’t ask for anything more from the performers. From ensemble to principal, each one was completely committed to creating this beautiful world. But of course I have my standouts.

Llamanzares rocked my world with her mind-blowing vocal skills as Ursula. Each time she opened her mouth to sing, I got so gigil at just how amazing she was, not to mention the bigness in her personality to actually make those humongous and unwieldy costumes come to life. Ang sarap kayang hagisan ng sapatos sa sobrang galing.

Millado was more than sufficiently regal as the ruler of the seas; Rivera and Barcelon were a lovely electric eel team (they were so clear that even my 5-year-old knew what kind of creatures they were supposed to be); Canoy was a really funny and endearing Scuttle (he was also great in “The Kitchen Musical,” now showing on Studio 23 and AXN); and Concepcion was a very dignified Grimsby.

Mariano was fantastic as Sebastian, although his Caribbean accent found itself in Ireland and Scotland once in a while. Kudos to the six princesses, too, each for being so unique whether they were on land, or in the ocean. To the male ensemble, you were all muy macho.

Improved diction

Now, for the two artists making their musical theater debuts. Santos has vastly improved in his English diction. It is clear that for “Mermaid,” he put in a lot of hard work, which was beautifully on display here, especially when he sang. There is still room for improvement, but he has made great strides in the right direction. And yes, he actually can act, too!

As for Go, I don’t know that the superlatives in my vocabulary could cover just how wonderful I thought she was. Bundles of charm oozed from her, as well as an easy sense of humor and adventure. Her voice was also a great mix of that clean and pristine Disney sound, plus a deep pop sensibility that made this score (and her Ariel) accessible to everyone.

She was a perfect Ariel, and her portrayal will only continue to deepen and improve. She blew me away on opening night. Whatever management outfit, studio or record label is currently handling her needs to realize, if they haven’t already, just how big a treasure they have on their hands. Go is incredibly talented.

So run, drive, and yes, swim to “The Little Mermaid.” They have three more weekends at the Meralco Theater. If the standing ovation on opening night is any indication, they are in for a stellar run. Congratulations to the entire cast and crew, including co-directors Bobby Garcia and Chari Arespacochaga and choreographer Cecile Martinez. Break fins until December 11!

Source: http://entertainment.inquirer.net/22015/under-the-spell-of-%E2%80%98little-mermaid%E2%80%99

As I start my 31st year..

2011-11-12T12:34:00.002+08:00

What can one say to a dream come true?

What can one say to have sung for you?

All these years have been a blessing to me,

all of you included, not to mention my family.

And to the people whose faith took me to higher places,

too many names, but I will always remember the faces.

You are all in my heart, in my soul you belong

Wherever God puts me, you're in every song.

Chasing time is what I'm all about

"Time, don't chase me" is my prayer, my shout.

I thank you all for the 30 awesome years

Songs, smiles, laughters and tears.

I will make a promise for you all today

I will sing for you forever, can't stop me, no way.

I'm chasing time! Catch me if you can..

Will I make it or not? It's all up to the MAN!

Something BIG

2011-10-21T04:25:00.000+08:00

So many things to do, so little time.

What else is new, right? I haven't had much time to rest the past month because of so many things to do, and I'll be getting much busier in the coming weeks until the end of the year, especially because I have a very big project coming up. I consider it a blessing that it came to me, and though I'm kinda stressed thinking about it, I think it will be the biggest challenge for my almost non-existent musical career. A lot is at stake, and even more people are depending on me. Yes, I'm very excited. I just hope I won't screw up.

I will hopefully be able to give more details the next time I'll have the.. er.. time, to update my fortress of solitude.

Are you a Reason, a Season, or a Lifetime?

2011-10-11T23:34:00.000+08:00

People come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime.
When you figure out which one it is,
you will know what to do for each person.

When someone is in your life for a REASON,
it is usually to meet a need you have expressed.
They have come to assist you through a difficulty;
to provide you with guidance and support;
to aid you physically, emotionally or spiritually.
They may seem like a godsend, and they are.
They are there for the reason you need them to be.

Then, without any wrongdoing on your part or at an inconvenient time,
this person will say or do something to bring the relationship to an end.
Sometimes they die. Sometimes they walk away.
Sometimes they act up and force you to take a stand.
What we must realize is that our need has been met, our desire fulfilled; their work is done.
The prayer you sent up has been answered and now it is time to move on.

Some people come into your life for a SEASON,
because your turn has come to share, grow or learn.
They bring you an experience of peace or make you laugh.
They may teach you something you have never done.
They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy.
Believe it. It is real. But only for a season.

LIFETIME relationships teach you lifetime lessons;
things you must build upon in order to have a solid emotional foundation.
Your job is to accept the lesson, love the person,
and put what you have learned to use in all other relationships and areas of your life.
It is said that love is blind but friendship is clairvoyant.

~ Unknown

Spark of Inspiration

2011-10-10T23:21:00.000+08:00

I'm sorry if I haven't been blogging for the longest time. I didn't even blog about our play which is quite unusual because the play was a huge, huge success, and I wanted so much to talk about it. It's just that I became uninspired to write or blog again. The mind and the body was willing, the spirit was just not there - or it's there, but not what is used to be.

Yes, I'm back blogging again, at least for this entry, because I got a sort of spark of inspiration last night from an unexpected person, in the most unexpected event. I never expected anything from attending a debut last night. It was one of the very rare times when I was just a "normal guest" - no singing, no hosting, no behind-the-scenes job. For the first time in a long time, I was just one of the guests and I loved it.

What I didn't expect was that during the debutante's speech, I was one of the people she thanked, and even stopped in the middle of her speech to ask if I'm around and said "Hi" when people told her I was. I was really touched. She was just "one of the kids" when we formed CTC 7 years ago, and through the years, we never really kept in touch that much. Yes, that small thing of looking for me and including me in her speech made my day, it made my week.

Thank you, Lace, for the spark of inspiration to write again, to blog again - at least for this entry. I hope to continue this, a sort of rebirth for my fortress.

To My 1832 Family

2011-09-16T12:28:00.005+08:00

For those of you who know me, you know this is going to be LONG. For those who don't know me that well yet, I apologize as this will be quite LONG. As what I always do after every production, I'll open my heart to you..

Now that the curtains are down and the lights are off, I can finally tell you a secret:

I've been sick and in pain for quite a while now, from rehearsals until the playdates. I've tried my best not to show it to you, but there were times when it became unbearable and some of you noticed it. For a lot of you who see me as 'Superman', I didn't want to show you my human side as much as possible. A lot of you were already making extreme sacrifices for the play, so I tried my best not to add to your burden. Now I can ask for your forgiveness for the times that I was useless and the times when I seemed 'not myself', which was most of the time.

The reason why I made my own "dressing room" during the last day was because I wanted to have a place where I could be alone and talk to Him because my body almost gave up already. He's really good as He gave me the strength to last the day, and though my body gave up after the last show, He still gave me enough strength to arrive home safely.

Special thank's to Ate Gio, Dawn, Algen, MyAngel and Macoy for seeing through my "brave" facade and staying with me for as long as they could.

Now on to the lighter side of things..

Les Mis opened in London in 1985, Broadway in 1987 and was first staged in Cebu in 1996. It was my first production outside of school, and it was the reason why I fell in love with musical theatre when I was in high school.

A lot of different groups have been presenting their own interpretations of Les Mis through the years after 1996 (most of them concerts), but none in recent times, and I really felt that it was high time to reintroduce it to society, as well as introduce it to the new generation because for me, it's one of the greatest novels of the 19th century, and probably of all time, and it's a story that continually speaks to people today, an epic tale with great characters that people can relate to with a beautiful heart-wrenching, heart-felt score.

I dreamed that dream to do Les Mis again in Cebu, this time making it more faithful to the Broadway and West End productions with the limited resources available. I dreamed the dream, but it was all that I had. I needed people to help fulfill that dream, people that share my passion for the performing arts, diverse people who complement each other. I found those people - YOU.

YOU made this all possible.

YOU dreamed the dream and then YOU made it a reality.

Immaculate - The best decision I've EVER made with regards to CTC was to ask for your help, and you never even hesitated or stopped to think, you said YES right away. You're simply amazing. You are truly a real-life Supergirl. You have the biggest heart I know and your capacity to care and to love is just, wow! You are our ate, but you're also our mama because that's what you are. You give without expecting anything in return, you see through us even with our 'happy' faces, and you feel everything that we feel, sometimes even double the pain that we're experiencing. You are our light and our biggest pillar. I love you, Immaculate, so much! God bless you.

Dave - You remind me so much of myself, but a much, much improved version in all aspects. Haha. Thank you for being a little brother who can quickly transform into my kuya when the need arises. You will become 24601 - not 24607 - soon, I will be with you every step of the way. I love you bro! God bless you.

Radiana - From the cute girl that Rubi brought to the house, you've bloomed so beautifully into the multi-talented seasoned performer and director that you are now. I can never thank you enough for EVERYTHING. Thank you for fighting for and with me. Thank you for all your sacrifices, and for opening up your heart and letting us all in. Thank you for bringing out the best in everyone. I love you, Radiana, and as I will fight for you as you have for me. God bless you.

Rubi - Thank you for sticking with CTC and for staying by my side all these 6 years. Thank you for the sacrifices and the 'sosyal' touches that you did just to make our productions bongga. Haha. I hope CTC will still be here if and when you come back from the land of the long white cloud. Never ever forget to keep your feet on the ground wherever you go. Keep the faith, and keep the fire burning. God bless you.

Allan - Master, I can never thank you enough for sharing yourself to everyone. Our learnings from you we will never forget because you did not only teach our minds, you taught our hearts. Thank you for sharing your amazing talents as well. It is an extreme honor to have shared the character with you. Bow jud ko basta ikaw. God bless you.

Andrew - Your passion is contagious, thank you for rubbing it off to everyone. Thank you also for joining our crusade and for sharing yourself. On and off-stage, you're one amazing person I truly admire. God bless you.

Junrey - Thank you for the support, for the extra push and for sharing yourself to me, and to everyone. You've always been an amazing performer, and now you're on your way to become an amazing director. Continue sharing your God-given abilities. God bless you.

Tingge - More than a decade of friendship, a lot of wala'y klaro duets & recordings, we've finally performed on-stage the song we've practiced years ago outside the Yellow House. Haha. Thank you for sharing your beautiful heart. It's truly a blessing making beautiful music with you through the years. Love you, Tingge! God bless you.

Nicole - Thank you for sharing your talent and your heart. Thank you also for helping others develop their potentials. Keep up the excellent work, and looking forward to making more beautiful music with you. God bless you.

Mikko - Thank you for joining our crusade, and continue sharing your gifts. Take good care of your voice, and since you're already becoming in-demand, choose your gigs wisely. Remember that as much as you'd like to, you just can't say yes to everything. Thank you for the love and care, bro! God bless you.

Pot2x - Thank you for joining our journey, and for staying. Continue developing and sharing your talents. With your talent and your kind heart, you will surely go a long way in whatever field you'll want to pursue. Keep the faith. God bless you.

Peter - You are such an amazingly talented person. Continue sharing your gifts, and continue keeping your feet planted firmly on the ground. I hope that your parents see the happiness that you bring to others with your gift of music. Thank
you for staying. God bless you.

Justine - Thank you for bringing out the best in me, and thank you for our heart-to-heart talks and texts. Looking forward to more bonding time with you soon. Continue sharing your talent to the world. Love you, Justine! God bless you.

TePau - Thank you for the never-ending inspiration and friendship. You have a lot of God-given gifts, never ever waste it. Continue performing not because you have to, but because you love to. The passion I saw in you in KH is still there in 1832. Keep the fire burning, and stay happy. I'll always be here come what may, a fan and a friend. Love you, TePau! God bless you.

Baby Insik - Is there anything that you can't do? Haha. Thank you for the smiles and laughters that you've given me, and thank you for your beautiful heart which you've shared with me. I'm always here as always. Love you, Insik! God bless you.

JJ - Thank you for sharing your most beautiful gifts of music and friendship to us, to me. Thank you also for the cathartic heart-to-heart talks, looking forward to more. I will be with you every step of the way until you fulfill that "dream" of yours that we talked about. I'm so proud and blessed to be a part of your life and to have shared the stage with you. I'll always be a fan and a friend. Love you, Joanna Jane! God bless you.

Fitz - It's an honor sharing the stage with you 2 years in a row. Thank you for sharing yourself and your talents, and for joining the crusade. I've always believed in you. God bless you.

Fritz & Warren - I never regret passing on that very special character to you because you did not only give it justice, you brought Thenardier to a whole different level. Thank you for taking care of that role. It's yours until we find someone else worthy to share it to. Thank you for the love and friendship. You guys are just amazing! God bless you.

Stella & RyZa - You pulled off one of the most difficult female roles in Les Mis in effortless fashion. You were so effective that you can alternately enter in one scene and the audience wouldn't even notice you're 2 different actors. Thank you for staying and for helping. God bless you.

Veralyn & Adi - You girls almost always make me cry every time I watch you perform. It is such a joy seeing your love for the performing arts at such an early age. Keep developing and sharing your talents, you both have the world to conquer. If you'll need me to guide you, I'll just be here always. I love you both! God bless you.

MyAnGel - Thank you for always being there most especially during my down times, even when you were in down time yourself. Thank you for all our bonding moments and looking forward to more. I'll always be here for you as you are for me. Love you much! God bless you.

Atchick - You're one of the most helpful, respectful and friendliest person I know. Keep it up. You are very talented at such a young age. Never waste your God-given gifts, and continue developing it and sharing it to the world. Your family is lucky to have someone as caring and loving as you. God bless you.

Algen & Rina - Thank you for joining our crusade and for staying. I am happy to see your passion for performing, and how much you've matured as a performer from the auditions to our playdates. Keep it up. God bless you.

Manuel & Sly - Thank you for finding time to join our crusade even with your super hectic sked. It's really an honor sharing the stage with you for the 2nd time in 2 years. Thank you most especially for the care and for your big heart. God bless you.

Dawn - Thank you for the love, care and support. You're like a not-so-little brother to me and you remind a lot of myself. Keep the faith and continue the passion burning inside you. You have a heart full of love, follow it. God bless you.

Mariel, Anther, Mona & Adeth - The super teachers! Thank you so much for joining our crusade and for always finding time to insert 1832 into your busy lives. It's such a joy seeing your passion to perform and getting to share the stage with you. God bless you.

Gio - From officemate to friend, to a theatre colleague, it has been a real pleasure sharing my life with you. Thank you for all your help and thank you for finally joining CTC and 1832. Thank you for being a great ate not just to the group, but also to me. Haha. God bless you.

Macoy - It's such an honor to be graced by your mere presence, much more by your amazing assistance. Never thought I could meet someone who's more a Les Mis freak than I am. Haha. Looking forward to finally sharing the stage with you soon. God bless you.

Miming - I can't thank you enough for your invaluable support, much more for your very big heart. I'm hoping that you won't leave us, but I know it's for your own future so go, go with our memories tucked safely in your heart as you will always be in ours. I feel so blessed to have a friend like you, and though I may not say it, I love you very much, Miming! God bless you.

Gerald & Rio - Thank you both for your invaluable assistance. I hope to get to know you both more soon, say like, next production? ;) God bless you.

Franz - Thank you for all your assistance, and for being ever so supportive of Justine. God bless you.

Danj - Thank you for your amazing assistance. For the first time in my theatre life, I wouldn't have to worry about hand props because I know you've got it covered. Perfect match jud mo. Ayeee. Haha. God bless you.

Ami, Flor & Donna - Thank you for coming in and saving us behind the scenes. Your experience and expertise has helped and has taught us a lot. God bless you.

Topher - Thank you for your sacrifices and for being so fast to pass on my instructions. Congrats on your newly-grown muscles. Haha. God bless you.

Katherine, Rica, Marky, Rian & Enzo - Thank you for finding time to help even with your hectic schedules. I really appreciate everything that you've done. God bless you.

Jaja & Frankie - Thank you so much for finding time despite your busy schedules. The shows wouldn't have been that smooth had not been for your assistance. God bless you.

Sir Rainier and the ANS CMC - You're one of the biggest reasons why the shows were successful. Thank you for adopting us into your humble room when we had nowhere to go to, and thank you for accepting us into your family. God bless you.

Special thank's to Wilma and Mikhz, pioneer CTC family members who've given their amazing support to the new family members and the new production. Love you both, Elizabeth and Mikhael! God bless you.

To those whom I failed to mention here, and to everyone else, my journey to 1832 became a memorable and worthwhile adventure because of you - THANK YOU!

When Gayle and I formed CTC in 2004, we wanted a theatre group that will be the closest thing to a family, and ever since the first batch (Anastasia) until the present batch (1832), I'm so proud that we've achieved that level. You guys have proven yourselves more than worthy, and I'm confident that even if I'll be gone right now, CTC will live on because of you.

I LOVE YOU SOOO MUCH, GUYS & I OWE YOU A LOT! :)

The laughters and the tears were all worth it because I got you all as BLESSINGS.

Si Papa God nalang bahala ug balos ninyo sa inyong tanan nga na-share diri kanako ug sa usa'g usa.

*hugz*

*lights off - - close curtain*

Bad and Very Bad News

2011-08-26T03:08:00.000+08:00

It has been a while and I've been uber busy with the play coming very soon. And yes, the past week has been eventful, to say the least.

To cut the long story short, a close friend had her necklace snatched from her and I wasn't able to do anything but hug her only because I didn't want to leave her, and I thought (I still think) that she's way more important than any material thing, and it was in the middle of an unsafe trip at almost midnight. Yes, I think she's blaming me (even if she says she's not) but what can I do, she's just more important than a silver necklace.

Second event this week is the death of a cast mate's father. Her father had been bedridden already for a year since he got a stroke, so even if it's so sad, the family was somewhat already prepared for the inevitable. As the eldest (she just turned 18), I truly admire her strength.

Now on a lighter and happier note, we were able to perform publicly for the first time last weekend as a promotion for our musical, and we were also featured on TV with my short interview. It was somewhat impromptu, and I didn't think it will come out okay, but it did thank's much to the amazing Rachelle Dangin of ABS-CBN Cebu.

Two weeks more before our play, and I am not at all pressured production-wise because I know we're all gonna be doing our best. What I'm kinda worried about is the marketing. Now everyone has been doing a superb job with the marketing and all, it's just that the Cebuanos are really not that educated yet with things like these. It's sad but I'm not losing hope. We will continue doing our best, and with all the bad and very bad news the past weeks, I'm sure a ray of light, a bunch good news are coming our way soon.

Love is never blind ♥

2011-08-13T02:39:00.004+08:00

There was a blind girl who was filled with animosity and despised the world. She didn't have many friends, just a boyfriend who loved her deeply, like no one else. She always used to say that she'd marry him if she could see him.

One day, someone donated her a pair of eyes.

And that's when she finally saw her boyfriend. She was astonished to see that her boyfriend was blind. He told her, "You can see me now, can we get married?" She replied, "And do what? We'd never be happy. I have my eye sight now, but you're still blind. It won't work out, I'm sorry."

With a tear in his eye and a smile on his face, he meekly said, "I understand. I just want you to always be happy. Take care of yourself, and my eyes."

I'm Back.. I Think :)

2011-08-12T02:39:00.000+08:00

After almost 2 months of sorta ignoring this blog, I'm back. Well, kinda. Haha. I lost the last challenge I started and I haven't been around here for ages because I became so busy preparing for our play. Yes, you heard (or read) it right: We will finally have our play next month.

I still have a lot to say but I'm sick and sleepy here at the office so I will reserve it for another time. It's nice to be back though.

Day 17: A photo that makes you want to cry.

2011-06-22T01:14:00.004+08:00

This is not a photo but a video that makes me cry every time I watch it.

Day 16: A photo that makes you smile.

2011-06-21T02:28:00.004+08:00

Day 15: What you would if you were pregnant or got someone pregnant.

2011-06-20T02:27:00.000+08:00

I already answered this in a previous post around 3 months ago, and since then, I don't have another answer. I'm still sticking with what I said the last time. ;)

Day 14: Something you love about yourself.

2011-06-19T23:07:00.013+08:00

Something I love about myself is that when I love someone or something, I really give my all. Through the years, I've become more frank and brutally honest, sometimes bordering on being fearless, so I've come to a point where I can really give my all without thinking of anything else. Careless? Maybe, yes.

Day 13: Your least favorite female group.

2011-06-18T22:50:00.005+08:00

I don't really hate them, or least like them, but since this is a challenge, I got to say Atomic Kitten. And that's just from top of my head. I'm sure there are a lot worst groups out there as there are really a LOT of them, but listening to one of Atomic Kitten's songs earlier, I'm choosing them as my least favorite female group, at least for now.

And no, I'm not going to post any song here. Haha!

Day 12: Your favorite female group.

2011-06-17T16:29:00.001+08:00

My all-time favorite female group is The Spice Girls. They remind me of my college life, but more importantly, they've got very beautiful songs.

Day 11: A letter to one of your exes.

2011-06-16T16:24:00.009+08:00

Dear Ex,

I'm sorry it didn't work out, and thank you for everything - the good and the bad. I wouldn't be as happy as I am now if not for you, and I assume that you won't be as happy as you are now if not for me. We grew up because of each other, and that's one good thing that came out from our past.

Stay happy.

Your friend,

Kal

Day 9: Your definition of love.

2011-06-14T10:24:00.000+08:00

This is not my own definition, but this is a definition I read somewhere, a long time ago, and perfectly summarizes what I've always believed about love..

Love can see more and it's willing to see less ♥

Day 8: Something you hate about yourself.

2011-06-13T08:35:00.006+08:00

I already blogged about this in a previous challenge, and yes, until now I still hate myself for being undisciplined, and yes, I'm still too lazy to do anything about being obese.

*sigh*

Day 7: Your crush.

2011-06-12T12:38:00.038+08:00

Crush is too shallow. Haha! Joke!

I do have girls in mind who I find beautiful inside-out. The physical beauty is the one that makes me look at a girl more than once, but it's the inside that will really attract me to someone. That goes to say that the attitude and the outlook of a girl is far more fascinating to me than external beauty.

One girl that fits that description is someone I met in theatre. She came as a last minute replacement of a dancer who quit less than a week before the big night. The new girl came in 5 days before the show and perfected all the dances in no time. Yes, she was that good! But what fascinated me with her was that she'so humble, down to earth and cheerful. And I discovered recently that she also has a very beautiful voice. Physically, she's very beautiful and sexy too.

You can say that she's perfect, someone that any guy would be attracted to.

Day 6: A song that makes you cry.

2011-06-11T12:25:00.001+08:00

I answered this with a previous challenge last year, and I still have the same answer today. It's still Crystal Shawanda's 'You Can Let Go'. Just beautiful and heartbreaking.

Day 5: A photo of something you really hate.

2011-06-10T12:14:00.009+08:00

I got this photo from Google (which got it from Tumblr), something I really hate. And since we're talking about drugs, let me just say that I just can't understand why a lot of people take it. Okay, I'm just going to leave it at that. *sigh*

Day 4: About your family.

2011-06-09T06:57:00.012+08:00

My family is far from perfect, and a lot of times we disagree on a lot of thing, but at the end of the day, when all is said and done, we can only depend and trust our lives on and with each other. My parents didn't have an easy life, but they did all they can to make sure I won't experience the difficulties that they've encountered. I am very much thankful for that, and I'm now trying my best to make sure my daughter will have a better life than what I had, and here's hoping that she'll never have to experience the hurts that I went through. That's wishful thinking but I will protect her as long as I can.

Day 3: About your friends.

2011-06-08T12:13:00.011+08:00

What about my friends?

I consider myself a friend to everyone, but I'm really close to a selected few. And just because I don't really understand the topic because it's too broad, I'm just going to post a beautiful song about friendship by Michael W. Smith. I was introduced to the song a long time ago when I was one of the critics of the play, Friends Forever.

This song is dedicated to everyone who considers me a friend.

Day 2: The meaning behind your name.

2011-06-07T11:54:00.015+08:00

Which name?

My real name is also my father's name that's why mine has a II at the end. My parents said they chose II since Jr. is more common.

My father said that they chose my nickname as such because although it's common, it's also quite unique. He said he also likes that name because according to him, it's what most Americans address their sons. You see, my parents, most especially my father, have had this American dream forever.

Day 1: 5 interesting facts about yourself.

2011-06-06T12:47:00.002+08:00

First day of the new challenge, and I'm already challenged. This is a difficult topic. I've never considered myself interesting, so I have to think really hard about this and put my modesty aside, at least just for this topic. :)

Okay, these will just be random facts since I haven't really thought about this at all.

1. I was once an athlete. I may look like a contestant from The Biggest Loser, but I was not always like this. I once flew high on the basketball court.

2. I don't drink beer, wine, liquor, even Cali. The closest drink to alcohol that I like is Rootbeer. It's a personal decision, just like not smoking.

3. Martin Nievera is my greatest musical influence.

4. My greatest dream role is the Beast in Beauty and the Beast.

5. I was a member of our school's dance group, even before I started singing solo.

New 30-Day Challenge

2011-06-05T12:31:00.010+08:00

Since I will be going back to the morning shift starting tomorrow, might as well as start another 30-day challenge. I feel that I would be able to do a lot of things in a busy shift rather than a boring shift so yeah, hope to finish the next 30 posts in 30 days.

New 30-Day Challenge

Day 1: 5 interesting facts about yourself.

Day 2: The meaning behind your name.

Day 3: About your friends.

Day 4: About your family.

Day 5: A photo of something you really hate.

Day 6: A song that makes you cry.

Day 7: Your crush.

Day 8: Something you hate about yourself.

Day 9: Your definition of love.

Day 10: Your best friend.

Day 11: A letter to one of your exes.

Day 12: Your favorite female group.

Day 13: Your least favorite female group.

Day 14: Something you love about yourself.

Day 15: What you would if you were pregnant or got someone pregnant.

Day 16: A photo that makes you smile.

Day 17: A photo that makes you want to cry.

Day 18: A letter to someone you miss.

Day 19: A habit you wish you didn’t have.

Day 20: A letter to your parents.

Day 21: Short goals you wish to fulfill by the end of the month.

Day 22: Your nicknames & why you have them.

Day 23: What you would find in your bag.

Day 24: A song that makes you smile.

Day 25: How you found out about blogger & why you made one.

Day 26: First 10 songs to play on shuffle on your iPod.

Day 27: Your fashion style.

Day 28: What attracts you to someone.

Day 29: Future plans/goals.

Day 30: Who are you?

Shaq Retires

2011-06-03T11:48:00.008+08:00

Thank you, Big Diesel, for an amazing 19 years in the NBA. You truly redefined the definition of BIG in basketball. One of the greatest players of all-time, a class act on and off the court.

Stupidity

2011-06-01T18:40:00.000+08:00

Taking stupidity to a whole new level

To Go (Back) or Not To Go?

2011-05-30T17:48:00.000+08:00

I have started to take the first steps in hopefully going back to the academe. I've always been an educator, even when I'm already in the BPO industry, I've always considered myself as such. There is a possibility though that if I can go back to the academe soon, it will not be in the city where I am now, but somewhere in the nearby cities and/or towns. If that happens, I'll just be going home during weekends, which is difficult for me. One, our production is coming soon, and we'll be having the 3x a week rehearsals, and second and the most important reason is that I am so not used to being away from my daughter. I know I'm busy a lot of times, and once classes start, she'll also be busy, but at least we'll be reading, studying and do a lot of things together, under the same roof.

Sacrifices will have to be made if I really want to go back to the academe, but as long as the timing is right, I am willing to make those sacrifices.

Tumblr or Blogger?

2011-05-29T00:18:00.001+08:00

It hasn't been too long since I tried Tumblr and I enjoyed it a lot for a week. Now I'm thinking of deleting my Tumblr account. I know a lot of people using it, and I enjoyed it the first time I tried it. I had the same realization as Dan, I just realized recently that Tumblr is not really built for what I am trying to do (create content vs. redistribute it).

I'm more comfortable letting out my feelings through my blog, and Blogspot (yeah, I know it's Blogger now) is just right for me, nothing fancy, just allowing me to express myself. Tumblr is more of a social networking site than a blog site.

Don't get me wrong, I still like Tumblr, it's just not right for me, what I need, and what I want to do. Right now, I'm still contemplating if I'll delete my Tumblr account, or just leave it alone with all my posts.

Lebron & the Heat Torches the Bulls

2011-05-27T23:49:00.000+08:00

So much has been said about the Miami Heat, but they've proved wrong all haters and doubters by coming from behind and defeating the Chicago Bulls earlier. The Bulls were still ahead by 12 points with 3 minutes left in the game, and while a lot of people thought it was over, my idols King James and D-Wade took over. I wasn't able to control my tears when the Heat finally tied and took the lead courtesy of King James. I'm glad I stuck with Lebron when a lot of people said he was overrated and couldn't even carry his team in the clutch. Now if you followed the playoffs this year, you know that those haters are now eating their words.

The Heat will face Dallas in the NBA Finals starting Wednesday, June 1, 2011 (Philippine time).

And do you know what Chicago Bulls legend Scottie Pippen said about Lebron James after personally witnessing all 5 games of the recently-concluded Eastern Conference Finals?

"Michael Jordan is probably the greatest scorer to play the game, but I may go as far as to say LeBron James may be the greatest player to ever play the game because he is so potent offensively that not only can he score at will but he keeps everybody involved. You have to be on your Ps and Qs on defense. No guy on the basketball court is not a threat to score with LeBron James out there. Not only will LeBron dominate from the offensive end as well, but he’s also doing it on the defensive end which really makes him the complete package. He’s able to get in those passing lanes, shoot those gaps and create transition opportunities where he is pretty much unstoppable."

Many people will definitely react to that, but hey, he's entitled to his own opinion, and I'm entitled to agree to his opinion. Besides, he played with MJ and he's just witnessed how LBJ shut down the Bulls MVP this year, D-Rose, so Pip definitely knows what he's talking about.

Disappointed Daughter

2011-05-23T23:38:00.001+08:00

My cousin and his girlfriend posted an invitation on my daughter's Facebook wall inviting her to their child's first birthday party. My daughter was so excited that she marked our calendar.

Fast forward to the day, my daughter and her mom went to the venue only to find it deserted. The only person who was there said my cousin wasn't home, period. There was no notice if the party was cancelled or transferred. It was raining hard so disappointed, they walked home. My daughter cried so hard because rarely does she attend parties, and this was one party she was so looking forward to. My heart was in pieces. As my tita once said, "Their hurts are a thousandfold to us.."

I was so disappointed and mad. Then a couple of hours ago, the girlfriend of my cousin posted on Facebook that the party just ended, and told me that the venue was changed and that they sent me a text message supposedly informing me about that. Nice try. Lame excuse. In this age of technology, there's just no reason NOT to be able to contact anyone. If they did text me (which I doubt if they remembered me over all their more important friends), I didn't receive it. My 3 phones are on 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. I am also online on Facebook, Twitter, Yahoo Messenger, Google Talk and MSN Messenger for at least 12 hours a day.

If only I could shield my daughter from the harshness of the world forever.

*sigh*

If only.

Time to pay respect to James, Wade and Bosh

2011-05-21T02:21:00.000+08:00

This is so well-written that I was in tears reading this so I just had to repost it. Shaun Powell is just an amazing writer.

MIAMI -- An NBA championship was not won last night. It only felt like it, looked like it and seemed like it at American Airlines Arena, where there was a changing of the guard. And the small forward.

It was too much Dwyane Wade at the start against the Celtics, and definitely too much LeBron James at the finish, and a whole lot of emotion when the Heat assured that the East will send a new face to the NBA Finals next month.

LeBron, in particular, was misty-eyed moments after he brought the Celtics to tears, scoring the final 10 points of Game 5 in a blizzard of 3-point shots, a steal and a driving layup. This was his series, because he crumbled against these very same Celtics a year ago as a member of the Cavaliers, and watched his brand collapse as well. And this was his game, seized by the finest three minutes of his basketball life.

So he closed his eyes and knelt at midcourt, overcome by a beating heart and a lumpy throat. Then he took a hug from Celtics coach Doc Rivers and finally, a tight embrace from Wade, who had to be fished out from the crowd, where he was swallowed up after chasing a loose ball at the buzzer.

What was churning inside LeBron's headband?

"Everything," he said. "Everything that happened this summer, the decision to come down to this team. All the backlash I got from it. It is not about the individual. I am happy we got through it as a team. It was just very emotional at that point."

How emotional? Enough for LeBron to give a "my bad" -- officially, regretfully and dare we say, honestly -- for arriving here, to this point, in the manner in which he did.

"I apologize for the way it happened. (Pause.) But I knew this opportunity was once in a lifetime, in order for me to move on in my career, to be able to come down here to this organization."

Well. That may not be enough for Cleveland to re-raise the "Witness" billboard. But strictly from a basketball standpoint, we did witness a new beginning for LeBron (endearing, maybe?) and the team he helped make. Respect must be paid, even if grudgingly so by the haters, for the way LeBron, Wade and Chris Bosh have figured it out, seven months later. They opened the season by losing to the Celtics, sputtered to a 9-8 start, endured constant abuse and scorn, and now just erased the Celtics in five to become a real threat to keep ticking folks off.

"Those three guys are tough," said Rivers. "Those two guys are monsters. When they're making their jump shots, they're tough to beat."

Some perspective here: Miami is only halfway through the LeBron Buffet -- the Sixers were breakfast, the Celtics lunch -- but for a few moments last night, the belly was full because it contained the corpse of the Celtics. Yes, it's true Boston winged it with a one-armed Rajon Rondo. And the Celtics had only three starters on the floor in the final, crucial moments.

But beating the dominant team in the East of the last three years was symbolic, if nothing else. It was an important and necessary step for the Heat, to earn this gold star, to get confirmation that they are worthy of representing the East in the NBA Finals. Even if nobody outside of Miami seems to want them to.

All you had to see was Wade scoring 23 points in the first half and LeBron going bananas after an 87-all tie. There were 34 points and 10 rebounds from Wade, 33 points from LeBron. The Celtics were tagged by the finest tag-team going, and these two players will most assuredly make the Heat the favorite to grab the trophy here in a new NBA world where the Celtics, Lakers and Spurs, the proud old guard, no longer reside.

Wade: "The things we went through over the summer, the summer of LeBron, the Boston Celtics were on our minds."

LeBron: "That was the team I wanted to get over the hump against."

So it's Miami to the East finals, the team formed with the purpose of winning a championship, now with a chance to win one -- or at least the conference title. Although, given their star power, would you rule against the Heat winning the whole shebang at this point, despite their obvious flaws (center, point guard, depth)?

The Heat may never be the people's champion, but even their perceived hatred can and should only go so far. They're the most intriguing team alive, if not the most closely followed. We turn the floor over to Rivers, who couldn't have said it better:

"I've never seen a team more criticized in my life, and a guy, LeBron, criticized for doing what was legal," Rivers said. "He didn't break a law, and he didn't do anything wrong. The preseason parade may have been a little much, but other than that?

"I just told him good luck and keep going. He was very emotional, and good for him. I don't think you can play this sport and be a winner without emotion. For me, it was good to see.

"I didn't like (the criticism) because I thought it helped them. They got booed for everything. I said it all year that I wished (the media) would leave them alone, because it allowed them to go through something and prepare for the playoffs."

And here they are. So deal with it. Because the Heat certainly have.

By Shaun Powell

http://www.nba.com/2011/news/features/shaun_powell/05/12/celtics-heat-game-5/index.html

Smallville Ends

2011-05-20T00:08:00.019+08:00

The series finale of Smallville, after 10 seasons, was bittersweet for me. The very last scene was the exact scene I pictured out to be when Smallville first started. It was a story of Clark Kent's journey to becoming Superman so it was okay for me to end with Clark ripping his shirt to reveal the costume underneath. No problem there.

The main and perhaps only problem for me was the scenes before that final scene. They made him Superman and they showed a lot of scenes with him as the Man of Steel. When you think about it, it's exciting, especially for those fans who really wanted to see Tom Welling flying and wearing the tights. Now because they decided to show him as Superman, they would have shown him up-close with the costume. The problem was they showed a CGI Superman that's very small on-screen, and whenever they show Tom, they only showed his face with the CGI cape behind him. Yes, Tom Welling never wore the costume and never will. That last shirt rip scene was just a t-shirt. How do I know? Because they never, ever showed Tom wearing the costume. It was all CGI.

Disappointing? Maybe to a certain extent, but hey, Smallville's just like a best friend to me. We may have our up's and down's for 10 seasons, but it was definitely a wonderful experience all in all. It's just so sad to know that there will never be a new episode every week.

Thank you for the memories, Smallville.

My Mighty Pug

2011-05-18T21:24:00.016+08:00

My little dog - a heartbeat at my feet..

We already miss you, Mighty ♥

Family Bonding

2011-05-17T20:46:00.017+08:00

Our adventure was fun but very tiring. It was so great having quality time together with my family, but it was just so disappointing that there are still a lot of people who still have the dog eats dog mentality. I'm talking about the taxi drivers who take advantage of their passengers, most especially tourists - local and foreign. So disappointing really.

On a lighter note, we had a lot of fun going to a LOT of places with so little time in our hands. It was my wifey's first time so she wanted to go to a lot of places. The last time I went to Manila was more than a year ago, but the last time I went to Enchanted Kingdom and Tagaytay before our recent trip was 11 years ago with my college classmates. Nothing has changed from the last time I was there. It was more meaningful this time because I got to share the experiences with my wife and daughter.

We just arrived in Cebu an hour ago, and I'm now at the office. Yes, no rest for me yet. I'll be doing the graveyard shift tonight, go home tomorrow at 6:30 AM, then go back to work for the swing shift at 1 PM. Weekend? We'll resume our rehearsals so no rest yet. Saturday evening maybe. Just maybe.

Another Adventure Starts Tomorrow

2011-05-13T01:03:00.008+08:00

Today is Friday the 13th, but I'm hoping luck and good vibes will come my way today being the last day of the work week, as my family and I prepare to go to the nation's capital tomorrow. It will just be a quick weekend getaway. I personally don't want to go to Manila because I know how bad the traffic is and all, but my wife and daughter are excited because it's their first time so I have to go too. No way I'm gonna allow them to explore Manila on their own.

What's exciting and nerve wracking at the same time is that we don't really have a detailed itinerary of our trip. There are just a few places that they'd like to go to, but we don't anything definite on when and how to get there, and where to stay for the 3 nights. Yes, we had the Hong Kong adventure last year, and we'll have our Manila adventure starting tomorrow.

I hope there's internet connection wherever we'll spend the night in since it's Smallville's 2-hour series finale. There's no way I'm not gonna watch something I've loved and followed the past 10 years.

Dallas sweeping the Fakers

2011-05-13T00:56:00.000+08:00

Dream come true this year, at least for us Lakers-haters.

I don't really hate the Lakers, I just really hate their leader.

Yeah, the ball-hog.

Mystery Girl

2011-05-06T17:56:00.029+08:00

Waiting for a jeepney under the rain last Saturday, a very beautiful lady driving a beautiful car asked me to ride with her. She looked like she was a little younger than me, around 2 to 4 years younger, and she was alone. It came as a shock to me because I was a stranger and she opened her doors.. well, her car door and she trusted me to ride with her. I wasn't able to get her name because I was too shy to ask or even start a conversation with her. Through the deafening silence inside her car, she switched on her car stereo and the first song that was played by the DJ was another shock: Remy Zero's Save Me. Now for those who don't know, that song is the theme song of Smallville. Talk about coincidence!

No, I wasn't able to get anything, not even the plate number. I was just too shocked and too shy to do anything. Haha! All I remember was the brand of the car, Hyundai.

I hope to see her again if only to say Thank you. I thanked her when I disembarked from her car, but it was just a hurried thank you. I hope to really thank her not just for the ride, but more importantly, for saving me from the rain and for being late. And yes, thank her for opening her heart to a stranger.

Avengers Assembling Now

2011-05-04T06:56:00.000+08:00

After watching Thor last weekend, and re-watching Iron Man 2 last night, the more I'm excited for Captain America a couple months from now, and of course, the Avengers, next year. May 4, 2012 to be exact. The first time the Avengers sort of assembled in public, I posted their picture in an old blog post. I'm just so excited that I just had to post this video. Enjoy!

P.S. They've already started shooting the movie :)

The Psychology of Revenge: Why We Should Stop Celebrating Osama Bin Laden's Death

2011-05-03T18:24:00.001+08:00

I so like and totally agree with Dr. Pamela Gerloff on this.

While the killing of Osama bin Laden is being enthusiastically celebrated throughout America and parts of the world, to say that such merriment is out of order will surely be considered heresy. Nonetheless, I'm saying it -- because it needs to be said. What I am tempted to say is this: Get a grip, celebrators. Have you so little decency?

I do understand how those who have suffered from the events of 9/11 may feel relieved, even happy, to have "closure" after 10 years of waiting for "justice to be done" -- and I don't quarrel with such feelings. Closure is a natural yearning and can certainly help people move on from serious trauma. And feelings are feelings. If you feel joyful, you feel joyful.

But celebration is not in order, no matter what your feelings of elation. Here's why.

"Celebrating" the killing of any member of our species -- for example, by chanting "USA! USA!" and singing "The Star Spangled Banner" outside the White House or jubilantly demonstrating in the streets -- is a violation of human dignity. Regardless of the perceived degree of "good" or "evil" in any of us, we are all, each of us, human. To celebrate the killing of a life, any life, is a failure to honor life's inherent sanctity.

Plenty of people will argue that Osama bin Laden did not respect the sanctity of others' lives. But I say, "So what?" One aspect of being human is our ability to choose our own behavior; more specifically, our capacity to return good for evil, love for hate, dignity for indignity. While some consider Osama bin Laden to have been the personification of evil, he was nonetheless a human being. A more appropriate response to his killing would be to mourn the many tragedies that led up to his violent death, as well as the violent deaths of thousands in the attempt to eliminate him from the face of the Earth; to feel compassion for anyone who, because of their role in the military or government, American or otherwise, has had to play any role in killing another.

We are not a peaceful species. Nor are we a peaceful nation. The celebrations of this killing throughout the country draw attention to these facts.

The death of Osama bin Laden gives us an opportunity to ask ourselves: What kind of nation and what kind of species do we want to be? Do we want to become a species that honors life? Do we want to become a species that embodies peace? If that is what we want, then we need to start now to examine our own hearts and actions, and begin to consciously evolve in that direction. We could start by not celebrating the killing of another.

It is hard not to think that some of the impulse to celebrate "justice being done" may also contain a certain pleasure in revenge -- not just "closure" but "getting even." The world is not safer with Osama bin Laden's violent demise (threat levels are going up, not down), so no cause for celebration there; evil has not been finally removed from the Earth, so no reason for jubilation on that count. The War on Terror goes on, so there is no closure in that regard. The truth is that "celebrating justice" when one person is killed -- as happens regularly in the gang wars of American cities -- only incites further desire for revenge, which, from "the other side's" viewpoint, is usually called "justice."

Think of it. If a leader in our country were killed by another government in the manner in which Osama bin Laden was killed, as "justice" for his acts of aggression in the War on Terror -- and people from that other country were shown proudly chanting the country's name, singing their national anthem, and demonstrating in the streets -- Americans would likely feel more sickened than joyful, don't you think? The impulse to celebrate a death depends on what side you're on.

We will only have peace when we stop the cycle of jubilation over acts of violence.

Who will stop the cycle? If not us, who? If not you and I, who will it be?

Do not ask for whom the bell tolls.

It tolls for thee.

--John Donne

By Dr. Pamela Gerloff

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/pamela-gerloff/the-psychology-of-revenge_b_856184.html?ref=fb&src=sp

2011-05-02T23:48:00.000+08:00

Finally, my idol Pope John Paul II is now known as Blessed John Paul II. Now that he has been beatified, I am so looking forward to his canonization. His feast day by the way is October 22.

Blessed John Paul II, Ora Pro Nobis.

Hemsworth Brothers Battled for Thor

2011-05-01T19:03:00.007+08:00

Trivia: Chris Hemsworth has been receiving rave reviews for his performance in the Kenneth Branagh-directed film. But it just so happens that he wasn't even on the director's original shortlist - and his younger brother, Liam was.

After months of searching for his star, Branagh narrowed his list to four actors, including Liam. To make a long story short, fate intervened and Chris got the part - and did great to the role :)

30. Look back on this last month and talk about it.

2011-04-30T23:43:00.009+08:00

This past month has been boring, as has been the past months. We've started reorganizing our theatre group and reorganizing our planned production so I'm looking forward to more interesting next couple of months. I was also in the graveyard shift this last month that made it boring even more. No matter how much sleep I try to get during the day, I still get very sleepy during a graveyard shift. Nothing really beats sleeping at night, that's the way our body clock has been configured by the Almighty.

And by the way, this is the last entry for the latest 30-day challenge, and it was swell. I look forward to finding other challenges online and doing it here again. Haha!

29. If you could be doing the same things you do now, only in your own way, how would a normal day in your life go?

2011-04-29T18:35:00.000+08:00

I'd prefer to go to work on my own convenient time. Haha! Aside from that, I'm okay with how my normal day is going presently. I'm working in my most favorite shift - yeah, the least stressful shift and aside from my gums, I'm not feeling any pain or discomfort lately. I'm thinking - seriously contemplating - of going back to the academe soonest, but before that, I just hope to enjoy the rest of the month in this shift.

28. Would you rather someone tell you the truth up front but gently, or be lied to to spare your feelings?

2011-04-28T17:54:00.006+08:00

I am a very frank person, I got this from my father. I would rather tell the truth up front, sometimes even not that gently, but if it is person that I love or care about, then it would be difficult. I'm a very complicated individual and it's really not easy to be me.

27. Is there a friend you are worried about? Why do they have you concerned? Do you think they’ll be okay?

2011-04-27T04:41:00.006+08:00

I am always concerned about my friends, especially those who are close to me, but through time, I have learned not to really get attached because in the end, it will be me who'll be left alone. A lot of friends have come and gone, and yes, I still consider them as friends. Many of them I have been concerned and worried about, but it was just nothing to them. I was no one to them.

Lesson learned. I care but I have to let people be because they're living their lives.

26. Talk about a moment where you were truly happy. What was happening? Who were you with?

2011-04-26T01:48:00.019+08:00

The happiest moment in my life was seeing my daughter for the very first time. It was in ICU because there was a little emergency when her mom gave birth to her, but the moment I saw her, even with IV attached to her foot, and oxygen attached to her tiny nose, I just knew that she will be fine.

I've been hearing the same thing over and over from my friends that they're not ready to become parent/s. What they don't know is that no one is ever ready, and nothing can ever prepare you for that. But that moment when your child arrives in your life and you become a parent, you immediately become prepared for it. That's based on personal experience, an experience that was also the happiest moment of my life.

Image taken from http://www.graphicshunt.com/images/father-8889.htm

25. What do you think it means to be a good parent?

2011-04-25T01:32:00.020+08:00

I've been a son for 30 years and a parent for 8 years, yet I still don't know how to be a good parent. I'm learning every single day, and I've also stumbled across an article about the Ten Basic Principles of Good Parenting.

Here is a quick overview of those ten according to the article:

1. What you do matters.

“Tell yourself that every day. How you treat and respond to your child should come from a knowledgeable, deliberate sense of what you want to accomplish. Always ask yourself: What effect will my decision have on my child?”

2. You cannot be too loving.

“When it comes to genuine expressions of warmth and affection, you cannot love your child too much. It is simply not possible to spoil a child with love. What we often think of as the product of spoiling a child is never the result of showing a child too much love. It is usually the consequence of giving a child things in place of love—things like leniency, lowered expectations or material possessions.”

3. Be involved in your child’s life.

"Being an involved parent takes time and is hard work, and it often means rethinking and rearranging your priorities. It frequently means sacrificing what you want to do for what your child needs you to do. Be there mentally as well as physically.”

4. Adapt your parenting to fit your child.

“Make sure your parenting keeps pace with your child’s development. You may wish you could slow down or freeze-frame your child’s life, but this is the last thing he wants. You may be fighting getting older, but all he wants is to grow up. The same drive for independence that is making your three-year-old say ‘no’ all the time is what’s motivating him to be toilet trained. The same intellectual growth spurt that is making your 13-year-old curious and inquisitive in the classroom also is making her argumentative at the dinner table.”

5. Establish and set rules.

“If you don’t manage your child’s behavior when he is young, he will have a hard time learning how to manage himself when he is older and you aren’t around. Any time of the day or night, you should always be able to answer these three questions: Where is my child? Who is with my child? What is my child doing? The rules your child has learned from you are going to shape the rules he applies to himself.”

6. Foster your child’s independence.

“Setting limits helps your child develop a sense of self-control. Encouraging independence helps her develop a sense of self-direction. To be successful in life, she’s going to need both. Accepting that it is normal for children to push for autonomy is absolutely key to effective parenting. Many parents mistakenly equate their child’s independence with rebelliousness or disobedience. Children push for independence because it is part of human nature to want to feel in control rather than to feel controlled by someone else.”

7. Be consistent.

“If your rules vary from day to day in an unpredictable fashion, or if you enforce them only intermittently, your child’s misbehavior is your fault, not his. Your most important disciplinary tool is consistency. Identify your non-negotiables. The more your authority is based on wisdom and not on power, the less your child will challenge it.”

8. Avoid harsh discipline.

“Of all the forms of punishment that parents use, the one with the worst side effects is physical punishment. Children who are spanked, hit or slapped are more prone to fighting with other children. They are more likely to be bullies and more likely to use aggression to solve disputes with others.”

9. Explain your rules and decisions.

“Good parents have expectations they want their child to live up to. Generally, parents overexplain to young children and underexplain to adolescents. What is obvious to you may not be evident to a 12-year-old. He doesn’t have the priorities, judgment or experience that you have.”

10. Treat your child with respect.

“The best way to get respectful treatment from your child is to treat him respectfully. You should give your child the same courtesies you would give to anyone else. Speak to him politely. Respect his opinion. Pay attention when he is speaking to you. Treat him kindly. Try to please him when you can. Children treat others the way their parents treat them. Your relationship with your child is the foundation for her relationships with others.”

24. Are you more social or independent? Why do you think that is?

2011-04-24T01:11:00.011+08:00

I am more independent than social because that's how I was brought up by my parents. I was trained not to really rely on anyone else but myself. Growing up, I've tried my best to learn how to play with a team, and yes, I'm a team player now, but I am still independent. I play well with a team but I can also do good even if I'm alone. I've always felt alone in most parts of my life, and that's one of the reasons why I am what I am now.

23. Explain your life plan for the next month, then the next year, then three years, then five years.

2011-04-23T00:59:00.008+08:00

We'll be going to Manila next month and though my wife has planned a full itinerary for us, I hope to find time to meet up with friends I've known for so long but haven't met in person yet. I also hope that our rehearsals will go smoothly next month.

I hope to be back in the academe next year, or even this year if possible. And in the next three and five years, I hope to be working still in the academe, with hopefully another son or daughter, and still in theatre. That would be the dream. Yes, I do believe that dreams come true.

22. How do you think people see you? Be a little negative and a little positive.

2011-04-22T23:31:00.013+08:00

Some people see me as noisy, annoying at times. Others see me as a shy, no-self-confidence-whatsoever. I know that there are also a few people who see me as talented, maybe a little gifted, but those people are extinct now.

Before, I used to think that what people think of me is important. Over the years, I've experienced how unfair life is, and how cruel people can be, so as long as the people that matters know the real me and have accepted me for what I am, I can sleep soundly at night (or during the day).

21. Look back. Why did you choose this challenge? Do you think it says anything about you?

2011-04-21T03:21:00.007+08:00

I honestly chose this challenge because I felt that I've run out of things to blog about, and I wanted to test myself if I would be able to open up about random things at an instant. Yes, the only time I read about the challenges is on the day itself when I blog about it so right now, I don't have an idea on what tomorrow's challenge is, it adds to the excitement and the challenge itself.

The Acoustic Princess

2011-04-20T05:04:00.000+08:00

Get a copy of Princess Velasco's albums and be inspired too. Her latest album is Acoustic Princess which contains 14 beautiful songs. Here's a sample..

1. Firework

2. Love the way you lie ( part II )

3. U Smile

4. Just the way you are

5. Dynamite

6. Teenage Dream

7. Mine

8. Something bout love

9. Please don't go

10. DJ got us falling in love again

11. Beautiful Monster

12.Perfectly lonely

13. Don't go

14. Lonely night

Princess Velasco

2011-04-20T04:52:00.001+08:00

I had the great honor of meeting Princess Marie Velasco, the Acoustic Princess, last weekend and I was in awe the whole time. I was totally speechless, and that's something that don't happen very often. I learned about her show here from Ate Berns, Shin Shin's PA who was also Princess' PA here. We were texting and Ate Berns asked me to drop by the Ayala Center that afternoon so we can meet up. I told her that I had rehearsals and a gig but I'll try my best. After rehearsals, I went straight to Ayala and told my co-performers that I'll catch up with the gig if I can. I wasn't able to but it was fine because they did a superb job on their own, and I was able to finally see and hear Princess perform live.

Aside from having a very beautiful face and angelic voice, what makes Princess more amazing is her background - educational and work background to be exact. She graduated with degrees in Communication Arts and Advertising Management from De La Salle University, then later earned her Master of Business Administration at the University of the Philippines. She was a marketing executive for a few years, and was assistant professorial lecturer on Marketing and Advertising also at DLSU. She left those to pursue her singing career.

Aside from making me relax while listening to her songs, I am truly inspired by her since like her, I've achieved a lot in my studies, and maybe in my profession, but haven't really fulfilled my dream to become a professional performer. Being one of the youngest to get a Master's degree and a Ph.D. degree doesn't really mean a thing because what I've always wanted was to inspire and touch people through my singing. Besides, I was kinda forced to finish those degrees just because I was a very young professor assisting the President of the university.

Princess Velasco is a real-life, modern day princess and a true inspiration to so many people around the world.

Mabuhay ka, Princess! ♥

20. Again, pick a song that projects the mood of your week or day.

2011-04-20T03:20:00.000+08:00

This song doesn't really project my mood for the day or week, but I've been listening to this song a gazillion times this week, Princess Velasco's version of David Cook's Time of my Life. I fell in love with the song the first time I heard it during the David's victory in American Idol 7, and listening to Princess' beautiful fresh take of the song renewed my love for it.

19. If you could be anywhere in the world, but you had to be there for a certain cause, where would you be and why?

2011-04-19T05:37:00.007+08:00

There are a lot of places in the world that I'd like to be in, but if I have to choose a place to be in for a certain cause, I'll have to say I would want to stay here in my own country and do what I can to help my countrymen. There are a lot of pain and suffering in a lot of countries right now, and though not as grave as the other countries, there's also much pain and suffering here in the Philippines. I would want to serve my country and fellow Filipinos before going somewhere else to serve others.

18. Talk about your extended family. Why do you think they are the way they are?

2011-04-18T05:27:00.000+08:00

How far are we extending here? Well, my family's always been unique and diverse. Like my cousins and I, we're alike in so many ways, and we're also so much different. I think this is where nature and nurture come in. Nature, like our genes, made us similar in so many ways, but growing up in different environments and with different individuals, the nurture side, made us different.

I am still in awe of the er.. awesomeness of this circle of life so to speak. So much different yet so much alike. Different people but with kindred souls.

17. Who was the last person you kissed? (If you are still with them now, pick the person before them.) What would they say if they saw you now?a

2011-04-17T04:45:00.012+08:00

I don't really understand the question well. With the question, "who was the last person I kissed", I'd have to say my daughter. I kissed her last night on the way to work. But there is a follow up question, "If you are still with them now, pick the person before them", which means, if I understand it correctly, that this is a romantic kind of kiss question because of course, I am still with my daughter or she's still with me. Whatever, I answered the main question and disregarding the follow up question.

4 More Episodes

2011-04-17T00:19:00.000+08:00

I am in tears watching this teaser, and goosebumps surplus to the highest level..

4 Episodes more and everything will come to an end.. ironically, the end of Smallville means the beginning of a new chapter in Clark's life, to finally become the Hero he's destined to be..

16. What are you passionate about?

2011-04-16T01:55:00.008+08:00

I've always been passionate about music and theatre. I got support from my parents, but they were not really enthusiastic about it before. My friends were not too excited about it either. They lacked understanding before as to how difficult this field is, and I don't think they understand better now. I am glad though that I've found people who became my friends who share my passion. I just hope that we'll be able to do this as long as we can, and I hope that like me, these people are into music and theatre because they love it, and not because of anything else. After all, there's never been money in theatre unless you're Lea Salonga.

15. What do you believe in? And not just God or atheism.

2011-04-15T01:48:00.012+08:00

I honestly believe that there is a higher power that's in control, at the same time, giving us the free will to do things that we want to do, and be what we want to be. I call Him my God, others call Him by different names. Yes, I believe in Him, always did, will always do. I am not really religious but my faith is strong. He keeps me strong.

14. When you are stressed, what can you use as an outlet? Why do you think it helps you?

2011-04-14T11:25:00.000+08:00

Before, it was DVD's and Plants vs Zombies when I am stressed, but now, I'd rather sleep and recharge. I'm not getting any younger, and I've not had enough rest for years now so instead of continuing to kill myself slowly, I'm starting to sleep often and longer again. It's not easy especially for me. I've always thought that sleeping is a waste of time, and I'd rather do things than sleep. I still believe in that, but at the same time, I'm thinking about the wear and tear of my body, and how young my daughter is.

It's funny how your perceptions and ideas change instantly when you think of your loved ones.

13. Where do you see your best friend in 10 years?

2011-04-13T03:43:00.000+08:00

10 years from now, I see him still in the same institution where he's working right now, holding a much higher position than teaching. He is very intelligent and talented, and has amazing people skills so he's very much capable to hold a high position in the academe. I will be very proud to see him achieve that in 10 years or less.

12. If you could trade places with anyone for one week, who would it be and why?

2011-04-12T03:40:00.000+08:00

If I could trade places with anyone for one week, or even for a day, it would be either Zachary Levi or Lebron James. Both are doing the things that I love doing most, and getting paid a LOT of money doing it. Whew, that would be the greatest thing on Earth, doing something that doesn't feel like work and getting paid to do it.

11. Do you feel protective over someone?

2011-04-11T03:08:00.011+08:00

I am VERY PROTECTIVE of my loved ones - my soul sisters can attest to that. But I think I will be most protective of my daughter. It's my nature, and for my daughter's sake, I will try my very best to be protective, but at the same time, give her freedom and responsibility, especially when she grows up. I promise this to myself, and I have this blog entry to remind me of that. Yes, I read my blog entries often, they keep me grounded and remind of the things that I should be thankful for - good and not-so-good things.

10. Did you have a good day or a bad day? Where do you think that defining line was?

2011-04-10T03:04:00.006+08:00

It was generally a good day except that our internet at home went down for the first time since we got it installed a little more than a year ago. I'm at an internet cafe right now after a short hike - my usual weekend walk. Defining line? Well, I got to have a long conversation with my dad which didn't end in an argument so yeah, that was one of the highlights of today.

9. Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

2011-04-09T00:11:00.006+08:00

In 10 years, I see myself as a proud parent to my 18 year old daughter who have been everything I dreamed about. I see us in a land far from the Philippines where I don't have to turn the aircon and electric fan at the same time, I'm wearing 3 layers of clothing and I'm not sweating. I see myself as someone who's not rich, but is contented and relatively successful.

8. Write about the first moment that comes to your head when you read the words “childhood memory”

2011-04-08T23:56:00.009+08:00

I remember arriving home from school and watching cartoons on our very small TV inside my parents' bedroom which was also my room, with the sun penetrating the window pane. It's funny that I can also remember clearly going to school, the route I always take, the store I stop by to buy something, but I don't remember much about the happenings inside the school. I know I have a very good memory but it's also kinda selective.

100 Truths - Part 2

2011-04-08T05:13:00.000+08:00

Firsts:

52. First surgery — Wisdom tooth extraction.

53. First piercing — None.

54. First best friend — Ferdie, Elementary best friend.

55. First sport you joined — Soccer.

56. First vacation — Barili.

57. First kiss — My first girl friend.

58. First pair of trainers — My uncle's old Nike's - lasted 2 weeks.

Right now:

59. Eating — Anything.

60. Drinking — Water, Milo 3-in-1.

61. I’m about to — End my shift and go home to sleep.

62. I’m listening to — Martin Nievera.

63. Waiting for — Our short vacation to Davao.

Your future:

64. Want kids? — Already have one, want some more.

65. Get married? — Been there, done that.

66. Career? — Hoping to go back to the academe.

Which is better…

67. Lips or eyes ? — Eyes.

68. Hugs or kisses ? — Both.

69. Shorter or taller? — Shorter.

70. Older or younger? — Younger.

71. Romantic or spontaneous? — Both.

72. Nice stomach or nice arms? — Doesn't matter.

73. Sensitive or loud? — Sensitive.

74. Hook-up or relationship? — Relationship.

75. Devil or angel? — Angel.

Have you ever…

76. Kissed a stranger? — No.

77. Drunk hard liquor? — No.

78. Lost glasses/contacts? — No.

79. Sex on first date? — No.

80. Broken someone’s heart? — Yes.

81. Had your heart broken? — Yes.

82. Been arrested? — No.

83. Turned down someone you love? Yes.

84. Fallen for a friend? — Yes.

85. Raison d’ Etre? — To fulfill my mission in life.

Do you believe in…

86. Yourself? — Yes.

87. Miracles? — Yes.

88. Love at first sight? — Yes.

89. Heaven? — Yes.

90. Santa Claus? — In the spirit of Christmas, yes!

91. Kiss on the first date? — It’s not something you plan.

92. Angels? — Yes.

Answer truthfully…

93. Do you still think about past loves? — If something or someone reminds me.

94. Did you start your day with a prayer? – Yes.

95. Did you sing today? — Yes, Kindred Hearts Theme.

96. Who was the one that got away? — Whoever that is, she got away so I can meet my present and future.

97. If you could go back in time, how far would you go, and why? — High school, I would want to be more serious with my studies and my basketball career.

98. If you could pick a day from last year and relive it, what would it be? — My daughter's birthday, it's the day that she's happiest.

99. Are you afraid of falling in love again? — No.

100. Posting this as 100 truths? — YES!

7. Think of the last person you hugged. What would you do if they vanished completely?

2011-04-07T03:50:00.000+08:00

The last person I hugged was my daughter. I hugged her last night before going to work. She's everything to me and if ever she'll vanish, then my life will vanish with her. It sounds cliche, but she's my life and losing her means losing my life.

100 Truths - Part 1

2011-04-07T03:27:00.000+08:00

Last Sunday, Ruffa Gutierrez had a '100 Truths' Interview with Ricky Lo for the Philippine Star, and I found it quite interesting so I'm adapting it here.

What was your…

1. Last beverage — Iced tea.

2. Last phone call — My mom.

3. Last text message — Ritchee, our "Bisaya Lessons".

4. Last song you listened to — A Moment Like This by Leona Lewis.

5. Last time you cried — Last Tuesday, when I watched 'Tanging Ina Mo, Last na Toh'.

Have you ever…

6. Dated someone twice — Yes.

7. Been cheated on — Yes.

8. Kissed someone and regretted it — Yes.

9. Lost someone special — Many times (Death).

10. Been depressed — Yes.

List three favorite colors:

11. Blue.

12. Green.

13. White.

14. Pink.

This year (2011), have you…

15. Made a new friend — Yes, many.

16. Fallen out of love — No.

17. Laughed until you cried — A lot of times.

18. Met someone who changed you — Not really changed me, more of me changing them.

19. Found out who your true friends were — I already know who my true friends are, didn't learn that this year.

20. Found out someone was talking about you — People talk about me all the time. I’m used to it.

21. Any regrets — None. You can’t turn back the hands of time. I appreciate the person I am now.

General:

22. Prized possession — Old photographs.

23. Hobby — Singing.

24. Do you have any pets? — Dogs, but they're more of family pets, not mine alone.

25. Do you want to change your name? — I like my nickname, but I would want to change my real name.

26. What did you do on your last birthday? — Went to work, then went to a sort of surprise thrown by my Kindred Hearts Family.

27. What time did you wake up today? — 4:30 PM.

28. What were you doing at midnight last night — Tweeting at work.

29. Name something you cannot wait for — To go to Davao and Manila to relax.

30. Last time you saw your mother — Yesterday morning.

31. What is one thing you wish you could change about your life? — My weight, wish I was more disciplined then.

32. What makes you sad? — Hearing tragic news from all over the world.

33. Your happiness — Katrina Alyssa.

34. What’s getting on your nerves right now? — Like right now? My very young over-confident officemate over-teaching our new officemate who's way better and more experienced than him.

35. Most visited webpage — Twitter.

37. Food that I avoid — Really fatty ones and those high in cholesterol.

37. Nicknames — Sonny, Kal, Kuya, Tatay, Alki, Clark.

38. Relationship Status — Happy and Contented.

39. Zodiac sign — Scorpio.

40. What do you wear on a nightout? — Jeans and Dark colored shirt.

41. What do you wear to a casual lunch? — Whatever I can pull out from my closet.

42. What do you wear on a bad day? — Old shirt.

43. Fashion Icon — Not into fashion.

44. Hair color — Would like to try having a few highlights.

45. Favorite brother — Blood brother? I only have one and he's dead.

46. Height — 5'6"

47. Do you have a crush on someone? — Yes.

48. What do you like about yourself? — I know I can do a LOT of things.

49. Workout — Hiking around our village, going up and down the stairs.

50. Tattoos — None.

51. Righty or lefty? — Righty.

To be continued..

6. Talk about a recent experience that has affected you greatly and how.

2011-04-06T00:54:00.014+08:00

The recent earthquakes in New Zealand, Japan and other parts of the globe. It's not a personal experience but an experience that affected everyone all over the world. It made me worry about my daughter's future. If those great cities, more advanced than us, fell, then I don't want to imagine what will happen to our own city if (Heaven forbid!) the big one happens.

5. Pick a song that projects the same mood as your day or week and explain.

2011-04-05T00:12:00.002+08:00

Will I Survive by Introvoys

This is the first song that comes to mind because pay day is still more than a week away, and aside from work, there are a lot of activities this week that would require my attendance and therefore would need me to spend more than what I can spend for this week.

The lyrics of the song is about love, but the title says it all for me this week. Will I survive?

4. What do you think it means to be in love?

2011-04-04T00:08:00.005+08:00

For me, being in love means wanting someone to be happy even if her happiness means you are not a part of it. And contrary to what a lot of people believe, I believe that love sees more and it's willing to see less.

3. Where have you been spending your time lately? Three/Five/Ten years ago would you have expected to be there?

2011-04-03T23:50:00.000+08:00

Same with the past 29 years of my life, I've been spending my time at home and at work. Up to my 20th year, I spent my time at home and at school. Yes, my life's boring and it's my fault. There were a lot of opportunities before that would have changed my life, but I was too chicken and didn't have confidence in myself. I still don't, actually.

Years ago, I dreamed to be somewhere else. I am still dreaming that dream today.

2. Who are you? In comparison to who you used to be. What made you change?

2011-04-02T23:29:00.022+08:00

I have always been who I am. Maybe now that I'm older, I'm a bit wiser, a bit tougher (the world did this to me), and maybe a bit more confident than before, but still shy, and kinda insecure. I know I am this way because of my parents, that's why I'm trying my best to not do the same to my daughter, and so far, comparing her development from when I was her age, she's way better than me.

What made me change? The world. Society. The people around me. It's a dog eats dog world, and if you don't toughen up, you'll be eaten by other dogs. I know, I have been eaten many times before and left for dead.

1. What happened today? If it was the last day of your life, how satisfied would you be with your final hours?

2011-04-01T09:48:00.007+08:00

Today's the first day of the month so I'm starting another challenge, a more difficult than last month, I think.

I tried my best not to be late today, but I still was - 65 minutes! Starting next week, my shift will start at 930 PM, instead of 6 AM last month so I know I won't be as tardy as I was in March.

Nothing much happened today so far, since it's still early. Haha!

If today's the last day of my life, I would pass to the other side with less burden than before. I have started to appreciate everything, including all the lessons in my life, and if I were to depart this earth soon, I know I will have left a part of me to the few people that matter most to me.

Deep Thoughts 30 Day Challenge

2011-03-31T19:31:00.000+08:00

I again found this while going around online, and I feel this is timely because Lent will be celebrated this April.

1. What happened today? If it was the last day of your life, how satisfied would you be with your final hours?

2. Who are you? In comparison to who you used to be. What made you change?

3. Where have you been spending your time lately? Three/Five/Ten years ago would you have expected to be there?

4. What do you think it means to be in love?

5. Pick a song that projects the same mood as your day or week and explain.

6. Talk about a recent experience that has effected you greatly and how.

7. Think of the last person you hugged. What would you do if they vanished completely?

8. Write about the first moment that comes to your head when you read the words “childhood memory”

9. Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

10. Did you have a good day or a bad day? Where do you think that defining line was?

11. Do you feel protective over someone?

12. If you could trade places with anyone for one week, who would it be and why?

13. Where do you see your best friend in 10 years?

14. When you are stressed, what can you use as an outlet? Why do you think it helps you?

15. What do you believe in? And not just God or atheism.

16. What are you passionate about?

17. Who was the last person you kissed? (If you are still with them now, pick the person before them.) What would they say if they saw you now?

18. Talk about your extended family. Why do you think they are the way they are?

19. If you could be anywhere in the world, but you had to be there for a certain cause, where would you be and why?

20. Again, pick a song that projects the mood of your week or day.

21. Look back. Why did you choose this challenge? Do you think it says anything about you?

22. How do you think people see you? Be a little negative and a little positive.

23. Explain your life plan for the next month, then the next year, then three years, then five years.

24. Are you more social or independent? Why do you think that is?

25. What do you think it means to be a good parent?

26. Talk about a moment where you were truly happy. What was happening? Who were you with?

27. Is there a friend you are worried about? Why do they have you concerned? Do you think they’ll be okay?

28. Would you rather someone tell you the truth up front but gently, or be lied to to spare your feelings?

29. If you could be doing the same things you do now, only in your own way, how would a normal day in your life go?

30. Look back on this last month and talk about it.

Day 30 - A letter to yourself, tell yourself EVERYTHING you love about yourself

2011-03-30T07:14:00.021+08:00

Dear Self,

So many things have been said and done, and I salute and admire you for still hanging on. Continue being who you are, someone with a big heart. People may continue to ignore you, not appreciate you, and misinterpret you but that doesn't mean that you have to change who you are. If it is people's nature to pull you down, let them be. Let the disappointments be not the reasons to change your nature. You are who you are and you are loved and hated for that. You may be imperfect but at least you're real and that's important - probably the most important thing there is.

Keep the faith, bro!

Love,

Yourself

Day 29 - Something you hope to change about yourself. And why.

2011-03-29T05:40:00.007+08:00

Didn't I already answer this in Day 1? Oh, that was Something you hate about yourself. Okay, I still hope to be more disciplined than I am now, especially with matters related to my health. I have so many imperfections and at first, I thought of wanting to change those, but then again, I wouldn't be who I am now if not for my cherished imperfections.

I am not perfect, I will never be perfect. I will just be simply me.

Day 28 - What if you were pregnant or got someone pregnant, what would you do?

2011-03-28T09:40:00.000+08:00

This already happened. I got someone pregnant, and that someone became my wife. Regrets? Not really because I loved her and I love her more now that we're starting to grow old together. ♥

Day 27 - What’s the best thing going for you right now?

2011-03-27T07:44:00.015+08:00

Everything that's going on in my life right now is far from perfect. It is in fact, a work in progress. Having said that, I'm also contented and happy right now. The best thing going for me right now is my family. We're not rich, and we may not have everything that we want, we do have everything that we need so far, most especially each other. I may have been very busy recently, but I always try to find time for them. It's the least I can do.

Speaking of time, I'm also looking forward to our short family bonding when we go to Davao next month. At least we can get to unwind for a couple of days in a different environment, far from the environment we see everyday.

E63 to X8

2011-03-26T21:19:00.001+08:00

After 2 years and 3 months, I've finally replaced my trusted Nokia E63. I was so confused with which to buy, so it took me around 2 hours to just choose. After a week of using my new phone, I can say that I made the right decision though I never thought I'd ever buy a touchscreen phone. I was so used with the QUERTY keys of my E63 that I'm still adjusting to this touchscreen technology.

Oh, did I say replace? Sorry, wrong term. I haven't replaced it - yet. Not yet since it's still good even if it's showing signs of its old age from time to time. And by the way, the new phone that I got is a Sony Ericsson Xperia X8.

So far, I'm loving it with its Android 2.1 OS, and its touchscreen is the best I've experienced so far after trying out my officemates' LG and iPhone. I'm still exploring the Android technology though, especially with the different applications. I'm loving it but it's also kinda sad that it doesn't have a group feature like my previous phone where you can group your contacts. It was kinda fun sending group messages to family and friends, and it was like send to this group in one send - like a send to all feature though it's not sent to all, just those who are members of groups that you chose beforehand.

Aside from the few complaints I have, I'm still loving it so far and I hope it will not disappoint me. I'm even thinking of selling my E63 soon - if I will be totally satisfied with the X8. I chose it over the Xperia Mini-Pro and Blackberry Bold 8250 so I hope I really made the right choice. Checking online, there have been mostly positive reviews about it. Time will tell - soon.

Day 26 - Have you ever thought about giving up on life? If so, when and why?

2011-03-26T17:23:00.013+08:00

Before my daughter was born, I have thought of giving up on life a lot of times. I've always felt alone and misunderstood a lot of times, and I was a coward back then. I never fought back. I was afraid to fight back. I was a loser.

Everything changed when my daughter came into my life. She became my reason, my inspiration, my hope. Weak as she was, she became my strength, and I became hers. I learned how to be strong and brave for her and because of her. I don't want her to be like me that's why I'm teaching her how to fight back everyday. I want her to grow up not a coward and not a loser. She's a lot like me but she will grow not like me. She is loved and she will be loved. I hope to share my life with that she would never think of giving up on life when the going gets tough for her.

Day 25 - The reason you believe you’re still alive today

2011-03-25T01:24:00.000+08:00

I have had a lot of major accidents in my lifetime and though they were not really near-death experiences, they were clear enough to tell me that I still have some things to do in my life, reasons why I'm still alive today. What those are, I don't think I will ever know. All I know is that I was put here for a reason.

Here is a test to find out whether your mission in life is complete..

If you’re still alive and kicking, it isn’t.

Day 24 - Make a playlist to someone, and explain why you chose all the songs (Just post the titles and artists and letter)

2011-03-24T09:16:00.006+08:00

Dear Katrina,

I cannot list the songs that's on my playlist for you because there are a LOT, but just know that Papa has been compiling all the Disney songs from the since Papa was small so when you grow up, you will have an entire collection of beautiful Disney songs.

I love Disney and I love you more.

Love,

Papa :)

I See the Light at the Oscars

2011-03-24T08:30:00.000+08:00

Idol Zachary Levi and the beautiful Mandy Moore singing one of the most beautiful songs

ever created from the most beautiful movie, Tangled, during the 83rd Academy Awards ♥

Day 23 - Something you wish you had done in your life

2011-03-23T08:59:00.023+08:00

There are a lot of things I wish I could have done in my life, but if I choose one randomly, I wish I never stopped working out or playing basketball. I started working out at an early age because I was challenged when I was initially cut from the varsity team. I wanted to be the best basketball player in our school so I worked hard. The hard work paid off, but then I suddenly stopped working out when I reached college because of my schedule, and that's when the fats started accumulating. I've always had really big bones, and going to the gym at an early age gave me a really wide frame. Now without the regular workout that my body was used to, I became fat and wide bodied.

I know it's possible to trim down and maybe go back to my athletic weight, but it will take more than double the hard work, something I could have prevented if I just continued my routine before.

*sigh*

Day 22 - Something you wish you hadn’t done in your life

2011-03-22T08:37:00.007+08:00

I wish I hadn't hurt my loved ones with my immaturity.