senti

Tears fall easier when it rains. As I have proven once again this afternoon. Despite my very tight schedule (and I mean crazy tight), I, for some stupid reason, was still able to make time for some recreational watching this afternoon. I'm so pressed for time that even while I’m typing this sentence right now, I am wondering what in God’s name am I doing posting a blog at this time when I only have less than a month to finish my thesis?

Perhaps only a handful of people would have an idea what The Classic is, but it is one of the many non-American films that I really love. I have seen it lots of times, but amusingly, each time is always like the first time. I laugh, cry and say “awww” at the same old scenes I have already seen for about a dozen times. Take into consideration that my copy isn’t quite as good as I would want it to be. It’s a VCD copy I ripped into my computer so the sound and picture aren’t that as clear as when you watch it in a real VCD player. And of course, it’s nothing compared to the clarity of a DVD copy. Also, my copy has that annoying Mandarin Chinese voiceover that tries to translate even the parts where the characters are crying. Panira talaga ng moment, I tell you! Grrr! Nevertheless, I still love the movie – and for many reasons. And the experience of watching it (or any senti movie for that matter) wouldn’t be as wonderful as when you watch it while the weather is cold and you have a nice cup of joe with you. *Sarap!* =)

That is why I love the rain. You can just let it all out. Kung gusto mo umiyak, ibuhos mo lang ang iyong luha kasabay ng pagtangis ng langit. Kung gusto mo tumawa, sabayan mo lang ang masayang ingay ng mga patak ng ulan. At kung sesuwertehin, malay mo, may isang taong makarinig sa iyo at maisipan kang damayan. *cue Nescafe commercial*

My original title for this post was “Out of Focus, Out of Sync”. Out of focus, meaning I can’t concentrate, which is something that isn’t new to me, and is proven by my recent impulse to blog when I’m severely crunched for time. Also, I’m seriously beginning to have doubts whether one can really make a movie out of the script I’m writing. Out of sync (a term I got from russ’ post, thanks again russ) because my body clock has totally gone haywire. I worked last night from 7:00 until 10:30 this morning nonstop, had breakfast at 11, slept at 11:30 and woke up at 5:30 in the afternoon to have lunch. I wonder what time I will be having my dinner. Even when I was lying on my bed this morning, I was wondering if I really still do need to sleep, or whether it would be better if I just do away with it and sleep early tonight. Apparently, my eyelids got the better of me. Out of focus and out of sync also applies to my current disposition in the greater scheme of things. I have a lot of things on my mind but I can’t seem to straighten them up in my head. Oh well, the universe can go on very well without me. As the great smelly Pumbaa would say, Hakunah Mutata!

Anyways, there goes my internet break. I need to go back to work now or else, at the end of the term, I would again be crying. And it wouldn’t be because of the rain. By the way, a little trivia to go along with this post, did you know that the war sequence in The Classic was shot in the Philippines? Some of the things you learn when you actually read the credits up to the end. =)

quick post

very busy busy. 30 days before deadline of thesis. very busy busy. but my friend russ was kind enough to let me borrow some of her words. thanks russ. =) so for toni's post for tonight, please click on this link and go to russ' posts for july 7 and july 15 (in that order). 'til the next post. =) thesis thesis thesis. =)

over the moon... almost...

had a really wonderful day! except maybe for that unwelcome phone call which woke me up early this morning, the day was fantabulously splendid (please excuse the cheesy superlatives). in the morning, my mother and i jump-start our day with the usual sunday morning mass, the usual meeting with the Big Boss. then we go to cainta to have a small salu-salo at the house of my cousins for a post birthday kainan. grilled liempo, chicken barbecue, inihaw na bangus at sinigang na hipon. sarap! =) then kwentuhan with the family while we have dessert -- a very very long dessert that stretches up to merienda. then, the thing i was waiting for: red horse beer. it's about time i get some alcohol into my system! =) then UAAP. am i drunk or is that score really 50 Lasalle, 20 Ateneo? (hehe, evol laugh)
>:)

yun lang. antok na ako. and i can hear bells ringing (too much alcohol i think. yun bang parang namimintig na yung tenga mo. hehe.)

***

btw, i have turned apolitical for the moment. there's just too much noise but no one's really saying anything worth listening to. the issues will die eventually of natural death for the very reason that there ISN'T really an issue -- just a monotony of senseless bickering. let her stay and follow the due process of impeachment. tapos ang usapan di ba? and also, asking for someone to voluntarily resign is just plain stupid. that wouldn't be voluntary if you force someone out of office, would it?

yun lang ulit. pagod na ako sa gobyerno. pati yung mga nagtatrabaho ng matino nadadamay.

while i was thinking...

currently listening to: Dido - Do You Have A Little Time

... about my story, an image of a crow came into mind. then i remembered a phrase Malate has been using to name their yearly poetry event: reinkarnasyon ng salita. and thus...

reinkarnasyon ng salita - mixed media / photoshop 7.0

last days

currently listening to: Dido - Sand In My Shoes

Libre ni Sir Oliver kanina. Last day ko na kasi sa STAGES. Para bang Last Supper at bukas ay ipapako na ako. Well, mapapako ulit sa Thesis. =) The truth is, it’s not really my last day. I’ll still be working with Sir for Art Petron, Footloose, Once on This Island rerun and some marketing stuff for Trumpets. Tomorrow, we’ll be at Red Crab Greenbelt for the blockbuyers’ orientation (can’t wait to see Ate Ria!). Also, Sir Oli says I’d still be his priority writer if he needs some press releases and feature articles done. When I asked if STAGES had a replacement already in mind, Sir Oliver said they will try as long as they can not to have me replaced yet. There were days when Sir Oli would say, “Ikaw kasi, di mo pa kasi tapusin yang thesis na yan!” (That’s why they can’t hire me to be permanent) Strangely, it seems they liked my work. Hehe. Salamat naman. I hate disappointing people kasi e. As Ms.Tess said, “You’re always welcome to come back after you’ve finished your thesis.” =)

***

It’s basic film theory: A film is a suspension of disbelief. But I guess I was counting sheeps when that particular subject was being discussed in class. Imagine Spielberg’s E.T.s on drugs, driving monstrous 90-foot mechanized tripeds, emerging from sky, water and land to make spaghetti sauce out of human beings! And don’t forget the all-enduring protagonist who effortlessly escapes harm’s way trying to get to Boston and manages to destroy one of those giant contraptions using 2 grenades (which conveniently appeared out of nowhere) when an entire team of air and ground forces couldn’t even scratch the damn things. And what’s with that van of theirs? – the one which happened to survive an EMP shockwave, an airplane crash right next to it, a crash into an electrical post, an attack of a desperately insane mob and still run God-knows-how-far-a-distance on a single tank of fuel.

Yes, I’m talking about that oversized road-trip movie War of the Worlds. Heavy-handed, artificial, and ridiculously unbelievable, War of the Worlds is everything you’d expect a Hollywood sci-fi film to be. My mother never was a film person, except perhaps when you ask her about the tandem of Guy and Pip or the loveteam of Nestor De Villa and Nida Blanca and maybe some memories about Rogelio Dela Rosa and Rosa Rosal. But when we were watching the movie and I was calmly taking mental notes on what I was going to blog later that night, quietly, she was the first to react, “bida nga.” Aside from those I have already mentioned above, the list of irrefutably improbable and preposterously impossible occurrences in the movie goes on and on and on. But above all these inconsistencies, the most glaring fault of this movie is the way they have presented extraterrestrial beings – ironically, the manner to which these aliens have waged their war is so characteristically and unmistakably human: devious, unsophisticated, and recklessly stupid.

First point: They rely entirely on brawn. Using World War 2 standards, there is a basic formula to which one can gauge the effectiveness of a war machine:

E = f (p,s,a) ; where Effectiveness in warfare is the function of firepower, speed and armor.

What’s wrong with the picture? Read again: World War 2 standards. The formula doesn’t factor in other capabilities that present war machines have such as stealth (as in the case of B2 bombers or germ warfare perhaps), sustainability (as in the case of nuclear submarines that can go underwater for ages without refueling) and ability to be dispatched quickly (as in the case of VTOL’s – vertical take-off and landing fighters). To cut the long story short, trampling over and firing laser beams at puny little humans is as primitive a manner of aggression as Barok smashing Cheetae with a club. Strangely, it is the humans who have (unknowingly) employed the more “advanced” tactics of galactic warfare, making use of their ultra-fantabulous, uber-powerful and super-califragilisticexpialidocious immune system. This brings me to my second point.

Second point: For a pretty advanced civilization, they surely are pretty dumb. Let’s work with the story’s premise, a remorsefully unscientific but still valid attempt to put some internal logic to the film: The aliens have been planning this for millions of years (which is stupid since if in the first encounter the aliens already had the technology to travel into space, and burrow into the earth to hide such extremely large robots which have the capacity to blast everything on their path to kingdom-come, why didn’t they try at that moment to take-over the world when all the Neanderthal had were implements made of wood and stone… actually, to be historically accurate, the Neanderthal did not exist until 60,000 years ago, and what were existing 2 miilion years ago were homonids (creatures resembling human physiology) who actually don't have an idea what a stone is, thus erasing any decipherable opposition to their diabolical plans). It’s common sense, the more you plan, the less room for error. With such level of intelligence, and such a long time, one is left to ask: Is this the best they can do?

Third point: War is a concept created by man’s greed. The underlying principle at work here is that aliens are anthropomorphic. They indulge, they desire, they conspire and they kill – the way humans do. But the fact of the matter is, they would probably not think the way we think. Physiologically, there is little chance that they’ll be humanoids (beings which have some resemblance to human form). They probably won’t even have a physical form. Many planets have gaseous compositions, and to have a physical form like ours in that environment would surely be of disadvantage to them (or they won't even be in that form in the first place because they have to evolve to something else). Thus, concepts of mobility through walking, or digestion through sucking, or slaughter through laser beams, would probably be missing in their dictionary. But for a second, let’s imagine that aliens do look like what the creators thought of them to look. On a sociological standpoint, it is still unlikely that they would be able to conquer new worlds if their civilization can breed such destructively hostile behavior. It is most likely that with the technology they have, they would have probably blown themselves altogether before they could launch a single pod into space. If that be the case, then at least, we won’t be the only species in the universe who are capable of blasting itself into smithereens.

Interestingly, the most convincing representation of alien beings in a movie that I have seen is that of another Spielberg film. No, it’s not E.T. (duh?) Contact, where Jodie Foster plays an “orphaned” (in parentheses because she had no one and nothing to believe in except herself, alone in her search of that universal truth) scientist. It was a film dedicated to Karl Sagan, one of the greatest astrophysicists of our time. He (Karl Sagan) has authored several books regarding the possibility of extraterrestrial life, religion and philosophy.

And once again, I have stretched another topic to excruciatingly boring lengths. Tsk, tsk.

For all its worth, it is as suspenseful as my friends told me it was. Technically, I was amazed with how they made that freaking camera move so mobile. Especially when the family was in the van while going down the expressway, zigzagging its (the camera as well as the van) way around cars and other obstructions. Also, I have to admit that they did try to explore the main point of the story which is human’s desire for survival (but why do they have to make it so melodramatic? and it felt artificial. hay…). thus making any scientific incongruence a secondary if not an irrelevant concern. Story-wise, the best parts for me are: 1) when Ray, Robin and Rachel are inside the diner as gunshots are fired at the man who took their van 2) when Ray chooses between Robin and Rachel as the unstoppable leviathans try to make space dust out of poor helpless humans.

But again, going back to my original point, even a great director can’t hide the many inconsistencies in the story – a perfect example of the difficulties of adapting a story from one medium to another. I don’t blame them though for trying. CGI has made magic out of movies, making possible things older filmmakers only dreamed about during their time (a special mention goes to Orson Wells who did a stunt on radio in the 1970s which caused him some time behind bars and a deal of government fines for starting a public disturbance – apparently, people thought that Orson Wells news program was true: that aliens were trying to take over the world).

Final judgment: A popcorn movie of colossal proportions. Even H.G. Wells would have been happy, if only his other novel “Time Machine” could have been as real.

***

Last day of being 21 yesterday. Ang daming nangyari sa taong ito. And I have a hunch there sre plenty of exciting things to come. I’m really getting old. Hehehe. Maraming maraming maraming salamat po dun sa mga bumati. =) really really appreciate it.

By the way, as you may have noticed, this is my second post in 3 days (and very long posts at that). Kasi, I’ve noticed that my folder for unpublished posts is starting to get bigger and bigger; ideas and feelings that get wasted in harddrive space. You know, it’s like when you mean to say things but you’re not good in writing so you postpone it. And then even when a post is really necessary you still don’t publish your thoughts because somehow, you feel you still have to post those stuff that you have postponed to post but you don’t feel like finishing them anymore. And then, if you don’t write for awhile, it gets harder to write and then after awhile, it feels like it’s too late to write, and so you don’t, although you always know that you should have posted something. Gets?

So there, my second post in 3 days. =)

panalo!

The DLSU Green Archers sweep the series with a 2-0 standing, winning against the Ateneo Blue Eagles at the Big Dome this afternoon. Yes, you read it right. And nope, the UAAP won’t be kicking-off until next Sunday.

Coming from a late lunch at the friendly neighborhood carinderia, I got home this afternoon and turned on the television for some pre-thesis and post-siesta viewing. And then, as I switch the channel to Studio 23, I saw some guy wearing a green and white jersey shooting a free throw. And I said to myself, “this can’t be the UAAP? It’s just July 2.” But curiously, the faces and the names of the players were strangely familiar. And then it dawned on me, “I get it!!!” Hilariously, as they were going to pause for a commercial break, they replayed a footage of Franz Pumaren making a tree point shot… to the tune of Holding Up for a Hero!!! Hahahaha! How retro can you be?!

The title can’t be more self-serving: The Ultimate Showdown: Ateneo VS. La Salle. But who’s complaining right? And besides, it’s no news that the school war between Ateneo and La Salle has been there at the top of the list among such great battles as The Peloponnesian War, The Crusades and World War 1 and 2. Hehehe. Yeah, it’s a tad exaggerated (duh?) but it’s true that the competition between the two schools is one of those realities of Filipino society permanently lodged in the country’s psyche (did I mention self-serving? Hahaha!). From the dug-out to the boardroom, the tension between the two schools can’t be more apparent.

Coming from that quaint little place along Ortigas Avenue called LSGH, I had my share of stories about the rivalry. I can still remember the time when groups of the 3rd year would assemble at the amusement center at the basement of “Gale” (Robinson’s Galleria) to meet up with you know who for you know what. And then, you hear of stories of troops among troops of security guards and police men assembling at Paeng’s (a bowling center by Paeng Nepomuceno, also at Robinson’s Galleria) to stop a group of kids from doing you know what. By the way, when I say “you know what” I mean it in a gang-war kind of way and not in a bastos, sleazy kind of way. Kayo talaga, green talaga kayo! Hahaha. Wait, I’m not sure which is better. Hahaha. Anyways.

As I have said, mostly are just stories and accounts from the higher batches but I did read some newspaper clippings of some incidents, especially that of the car window smashing spree at the Araneta (tama ba? Now I’m not quite sure of the place). I choose to tell it like this – a somewhat bystander-slash-chismoso kind of stance – because I never did have a first hand experience with those sorts of events. Fortunately, being part of the high school swimming team has kept me away from having my head bashed and my back whacked by a baseball bat. By the way, I have added a link to the Green Oysters (that’s what we perennially and lovingly call our team although officially, we are the Stingrays) site. Feel free to check it out and meet some of my friends. Interestingly, we have Ateneans on our team. How? Long story. Hehe. Also, don’t bother looking for me in the pictures, I have been a “no-show” guy for a very long time. The last party that I have attended after a long while was that 2 weeks ago. And unfortunately (or fortunately), we didn’t have camera that night. Oh well, there’s always the next time. =)

Back to the story.

But even without the baseball bats, the rivalry has been apparent in many areas aside from the basketball court. I need not expound on this so I won’t. But rephrasing what a good friend said in one of her speeches, “Ang lamang na lang ng mga taga-Ateneo ay wala pang Lasalistang nagiging presidente.” Point well taken.

The games this afternoon was an interesting mix of euphoria brought by the same school spirit that has fuelled the UAAP through the years (as well as poured money into the pockets of countless opportunistic scalpers) and a nostalgia of days gone by when you watch the UAAP games not just for the games but because of the fact that you had someone to watch it with with. Again, I’m not going to expound on the natural high you get from screaming your lungs out, jumping, thumping, waving, clapping your hands until your palms become a beautiful bloody pink, clenching and throwing your fist on the air every time your team gets to score (or when they don’t) – that’s pretty self-explanatory. But I guess the latter is something many people take for granted, or at least, don’t realize yet – not until the noise, the cheers and jeers have died down, that they find cheering beside them a person not only someone who goes to the same school and shares the same color they’re wearing, but a friend who has always been there for them, whether they win or lose in that ultimate game we call Life.

As Noli Eala has commented, “There’s a lot of pointing going around here.” If you’re scratching your head and asking what the heck that meant, so did I. And then he explained it. Every time a player makes a shot, he points to the crowd. He points out to the crowd where his family is seated, a simple gesture to say thanks to their support for all that they’ve been through. There were two games played this afternoon, one for those batches 84 and older (The Legends Game) and another for those batches 85 and younger (All-Star Game). This gives you an idea how old these people are. Following that train of thought, we can say that many of these players already have their own families. So for many, it didn’t come as a surprise (if they’re Atenean or Lasallian) to see their dad, uncle, older brothers or even lolo’s suiting up for their Alma Maters. And of course, if the daddies, uncles, kuyas and lolos were there, so were their better halves (halfs). It was heartwarming to see parents wearing their caps on reverse, mingling with their children’s barkada (hmmm… come to think of it, it was the opposite – I think the more mature crowd outnumbered the younger ones, a change from the usual teen-packed audience of the UAAP). The nostalgia comes from the fact that these player are paying tribute not only to the schools which have helped them become who they are now but more importantly, to their families who have been there beside them, in or out of the court.

As for me, the UAAP has been a very special event to watch out for each and every year. But admittedly, I imbibed the UAAP fever late in school. I did watch some games back in high school but all of them were on the TV. I was more interested in the water, arcade games, the library and schoolwork than watching basketball and having to pay for it (if I ever did go to Araneta). But I’ve heard of their names: Aldeguer, Webb, Allado, Ritualo, Jose. But they were nothing more than that, just names. The funny thing is, if a cousin or a friend greets me with a, “hoy! galing ng La Salle ha”, I was all smiles and I would say “oo nga! galing namin no?”. Then suddenly, they follow it up with, “pero sayang, bridesmaid lang…” When that happens, I just scratch my head and say “ah, ganun ba? hehehe” while laughing nervously.

It is not until college that I got to really feel that energy, being pumped up every time I hear that La Salle has won a game or that they’re (we’re) up against Ateneo. And then there was Plaridel. Aside from covering the EDSA 2 and Mendiola rallies, sneaking inside Araneta was my favorite job as a photographer. Why sneaking? Hehehe. Basta. Hehehe. And the fun thing about it is that I was not alone in this fiendish exercise of wits and pambobola. I had my Retrato friends along with me. Leading our version of Mission Impossible was Boss Obi, and his sidekick(s) Kuya Caloy and Kuya Marco (and Ate Sansan, minsan). Then there was Jam, Betsy, Elmo, Gekgek, Macri, Franco, Jean, Kate, Christine, Christian (I hope I didn’t forget anyone, ngay…). Then there were also our friends from Isports, Lea, Yanyan, Ate Joy (hmmm… sino pa ba?). We were there, cheering and shouting… all of us… at the courtside! Hahaha! I was in first year and we were champions. We had wonderful pictures of those games (and of us watching the games). And we had each other to make those times some of the most wonderful moments of our lives.

Maybe, this is stretching the topic a little tiny bit too much but everyone has to agree that each of us has his or her own memory of the games that are far beyond than just watching the ball go through the hoop. As for me, after last year’s basketball season, UAAP will not be the same way again. Oh well. Let’s see what this season has in store for me.

This afternoon’s games were wonderful. Shempre! La Salle ang panalo e! Hahahaha!!! But besides the obvious (still laughing… Hahahaha!!!), and besides the heart-pumping basketball, the games were also filled with scenes that would surely put a smile on anybody’s face. And I leave you now with some of them:

- Members of the pep squad having a hard time bending down when they were doing the Rektikano routine. *wink wink*

- The beats of the ‘80s punctuating each break or line-up call. Think We Built This City, Buttercup, Let’s Get Physical, Eye of the Tiger, .Footloose, Staying Alive, I’m Coming Out and a song that goes, “Ooooohhh there she comes, she’s a man-eater.” Yah mahn.

- Players on the bench wearing glasses. (And they were obviously not for reading) *wink wink* ulit.

- Gary Lising and Sen. Dick Gordon together on the parquet shouting “Blue Eagles, Blue Eagles” with the “senior” Blue Babble Battalion. =)

- Danny Francisco on the hardwood after 18 (?) long years. His is quite a story. I learned about him when he was featured on a documentary on channel 4 (or 5). He was regarded as the next Mon Fernandez. Until a heart condition totally ended his career, at least, as a player. He was playing this afternoon wearing a Kevlar armor under his jersey to protect his chest. Touching story really.

- Cong. Fuentabella making 7-point shots (2 player shootout).

- Tonichi Yturri and Ren-ren Ritualo going against Jojo Lastimosa and Epok Quimpo, also in the 2 player shootout.

- Vince Hizon vs Mon Jose, each being a shadow to the other, both literally and figuratively. The match-up makes more sense when you see how they looked so alike with their headbands and bald heads. =)

- Coach Franz Pumaren making 3 point shots in the Legends Game!

- And his brother Dindo bucketing 6 of the first 7 points for the DLSU in the All Star Game!

Panalo tayo! Animo La Salle! And Go Ateneo na rin! Panalo tayong lahat! Weee!!!

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By the way, I’m back. In the blogging world at least. =)