Wifi-ed!

Thanks to Wifi (I just subscribed to Smart, yey!), watching funny You Tube Videos like this one is now a breeze! Double yey! :)

Of Passion and Perspiration

As I’m writing this, my housemate Michiko is already in the plane on the way to San Fo. From there, she’ll fly to Utah, the home of Sundance where her film Ang Pagdadalaga Ni Maximo Oliveros is in competition. I’m very excited for Mich. Really. I know she’s just excited to meet Gael Garcia Bernal and Robert Redford and I join her excitement but I’m also excited to find out if her film will win the top plum. I think it has a very strong chance considering gender-sensitive movies are “in” these days in America. Who would have thought the film would go on to compete in Sundance, noh? I mean, remember this blog entry? When they were still trying to raise funds to have the script produced? Galing, di ba! Hay, I’m really proud of my housemate. Sana makagawa rin ako ng pelikula kahit 1/3 lang ng kagandahan ng Maxie.

***

Last night I watched Magnolia again on DVD and saw the production diaries. La lang. Biglang na-miss ko ang paggawa ng pelikula. I got inspired by P.T. Anderson kasi. He was so passionate with his work and I long to have that kind of passion in filmmaking again. Jaded na kasi ako eh. I lack the inspiration. Besides, I also think I’m mediocre and I’m not self-deprecating or whatever, okay! Haha! I guess that’s the reason why I mostly do mainstream fare or mainstream TV work in my case. I used to believe, and I wrote it somewhere here, that it’s easier to write art films coz you have the freedom to express and create whatever you want but now, I think mainstream work is easier. May formula kasi eh. And if people dismiss your work, you can always make the excuse that you were just following the formula. Or pwede ring gawing scapegoat ang masa audience! Bad! :) Of course, the requirements of work and the politics behind it can make you insane but materialistic as it may sound, you can always take comfort in the fact that you’re earning a lot. Bad, noh? Ugh, I need to find that P.T. Anderson in me again! Problem is, up to now I still have no clue as to what I really want to pursue. I guess that’s why I just hide in the contrived.

***

If I will not be fired before the premiere date, I will be working as one of the story editors in the upcoming Pinoy Big Brother Celebrity Edition. I love reality TV but after attending the meetings this week, I kind of doubt if this show is my forte. I mean what I like about working for reality television is the fact that you create a story out of the raw footages that you culled. Sort of documentary filmmaking, which I love. But here, we also brainstorm for the tasks, for the VTR profiles, for the gimmicks and everything, and I’m clearly lost. But I just want to make a reality story! I hope I’ll find the wits to contribute something worthy in those fields.

Holiday Conclusion

January 5 - “Torete, All This Time”

It was the second to the last day of my stay in my hometown. My elementary friends and I met again at the beach clubhouse for another “inuman” session. This time the treat was on Honey, our friend who wasn’t able to attend the reunion because she was still in the metro. Only a few came but that didn’t dampen our spirit to enjoy the “tagay”. I didn’t know if my friends noticed but I sometimes didn’t drink during my turn. It’s just that I already got so bloated during the holidays I wanted to be more fit when I visit my high school friends in the other island in two days. Main entertainment of the night was Spice with her sultry videoke performance of 80’s hit “All This Time” …



…and a not so “torete” videoke performance of Moonstar 88’s “Torete”. Just bear with the blurry videos. They're taken from my ancient camera phone.



We got the most pleasant surprise by the end of the night when we found out somebody already paid the bill. Turned out Peter, a friend's cousin from the States, secretly tipped the waiter. (Thank you Peter, dawg, my homie! Hahaha!) Since Honey only spent a little, she invited us again for another “inuman” session the following night. Ce’st la vie!


January 6 – “Island In The Sun”

Got a bit emotional during my last day in my hometown. I realized I would definitely miss the laid-back life as I go back to living a hard-knock life in the jungle that is Metro Manila. (Ah! Clichés, I know! Haha!) I was also feeling a bit nervous as I was not sure what awaits me in the big city. That time, the job offer I got during Christmas was still 50-50 since they haven’t followed me up yet. I stayed in the house the whole day to spend some precious time with my family. In the afternoon though, I did my usual round of bicycling around town. Took this not so narcissistic vid of myself singing a Weezer song (and jumbling the lyrics) while riding the kiddy bicycle along the beach. Don’t laugh! I'm really this shameful! :)




January 7 – “Leaving on an Ocean Jet”



Hahaha! Took that video inside Ocean Jet, the fast craft that would take me to my high school island. I decided to pass by there to reunite with my high school friends. Weather was not okay during the voyage and it was definitely a seesaw ride due to the big waves but seeing my high school friends again was worth it. We spent most of the night in the reggae bar owned by my friend Sanda, reminiscing about our shiny happy teenage years.

Some pix...







and vid...



The band was playing Simply Red’s “Stars” in the background. So first year high school! :)


January 8 – “Fun at Bahura”

Decided to extend my stay for one more day as my high school friends and I decided to go to this new resort named Bahura. Had fun swimming in the pool with Marita and Renair, or in my case, just dipping as I don’t know how to swim.

Pictures...







and vid (the only one with no music background, demn!)...




January 9 – “Manila, Manila”

Had an early lunch with high school classmates Sanda and Linlei in the former’s seafood resto before going to the airport to finally kiss vacation goodbye. Hay!



Work starts tomorrow for me. Wish me luck!

And yeah, I am fully aware singing while taking the camera vids is corny and embarrassing. Haha! :)

My Favorite 5 of 2005

MOVIES

1. Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros
2. Fever Pitch
3. Closer
4. D’ Anothers
5. Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire

(6-10)
6. King Kong
7. Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events
8. The Constant Gardener
9. Charlie and The Chocolate Factory
10. A History Of Violence


MUSIC VIDEOS

1. Hanggang Kailan – Orange and Lemons
2. Fix You - Coldplay
3. Wake Me Up When September Ends – Green Day
4. Get Me - MYMP
5. Anino - Imago

(6-10)
6. Masilungan – Sandwich
7. Cool – Gwen Stefani
8. Kahit Pa – Hale
9. Maybe – Up Dharma
10. Prom – Sugarfree


SONGS

1. Neon – Sponge Cola
2. Fix You - Coldplay
3. Original of The Species – U2
4. Kwarto – Sugarfree
5. Masilungan - Sandwich

(6-10)
6. Masayang Kalungkutan – Pinwheel
7. Spoliarium - Imago
8. You’ll Be Safe Here - Rivermaya
9. Don’t Lie – Black Eyed Peas
10. Action! Action! – The Brockas


PAST FAVORITES
2003
2004