What does a forwarded email message say about me?

JULY:

Fun to be with. Secretive. Difficult to fathom and to be understood. Quiet unless excited or tensed. Takes pride in oneself. Has reputation. Easily consoled. Honest. Concerned about people's feelings. Tactful. Friendly. Approachable. Emotional temperamental and unpredictable. Moody and easily hurt. Witty and sparkly. Not revengeful. Forgiving but never forgets. Dislikes nonsensical and unnecessary things. Guides others physically and mentally. Sensitive and forms impressions carefully. Caring and loving. Treats others equally. Strong sense of sympathy. Wary and sharp. Judges people through observations. Hardworking. No difficulties in studying. Loves to be alone. Always broods about the past and the old friends. Likes to be quiet. Homely person. Waits for friends. Never looks for friends. Not aggressive unless provoked. Prone to having stomach and dieting problems. Loves to be loved. Easily hurt but takes long to recover.

NEXT GIG/CONCERT:

Fete de la Musique
June 18
Fete de la Musique

Had a blast last night.

Wow, my first Admit One gig in six months. My last was the Admit One third anniversary in Freedom Bar where I went with my Neo Paradiso buddies. And for last night, it was Ebe's birthday party. And it was one hechuva party! I was suppoed to go there with Mimay , Carol or Verns and Lujene, but I no one confirmed, probably because of the rain.

But first I had to drop by the Tanduay office to pick up Ebe's gift so I could bring it to the gig. It rained damn hard, most of the streets were seriously flooded I had a feeling that something not right was gonna happen. Aba, tama ako! When I stepped into the office and asked the guards if Ms. W left my stuff, she didn't. And the rain blazed on outside, and left me wondering what to do.

Empty handed I marched through the drizzle to the highway and boarded a cab to Saguijo Cafe.

The place was packed when I got there but at least I found people to hang out and share a table with. Got there to find Gem, Irish, Lei, Sarge and Reza, so the night wasn't exactly a solo flight to rockdom.

First onstage was Junior Kilat another Cebuano band with a touch of dub. Then Pedicab came up next, with the bar jumping-jumping. However, it wasn't until Twisted Halo played that I started getting high (with the music, mind you).

I am reaffirming this:
TWISTED HALO IS MY FAVORITE BAND IN THE PLANET!
Sugar Free comes next only by a few inches.

Midweek [ FREE ] Gimik


Slap Shocked

It was only for the sake of our friendship that Mimay was able to drag me out on a midweek gimik to attend a gig featuring a band I'd never thought I'd actually watch live in a space as small as Mayric's.

Yes, I'm guilty of watching Slapshock live.

We were there as early as 9pm although the event was slated to start at 10. I had to pick up Mimay at that darn Hindot Strip...este, Indo's Strip in Baywalk and we trudged along to get to Mayric's. Where quite a few people have already invaded, but it was so smokey inside that we decided to get out and wait for the Slapstick mailing listers Mimay was supposed to meet.

These people were the nicest I've met in a gig (next to the Sugar Free listers, that is) and they were unexpectedly tame and pretty normal folks who just happen to like Slapshit's rap-metal music that have recently acquired an emo feel (don't quote me on that one, si Cocoy nagsabi n'yan.)

So as the gig progressed (but not after enduring a Virus Artist set), Mimay and a newfound "buddy" Cocoy (that's because he rarely talked and have this sort of fetish to just disappear and stay unmoving in a dark place for hours- creepy) stood by the bar's wall, watching all these young people mosh like hell. GENERAL RULE: You DO NOT mosh in a very small venue like Bigsky Mind, SaGuijo Cafe or Mayric's. You bob your head, sway a little, but no moshing.

Although the music isn't exactly what I wanted that night, the tempo was just right to move, something I rarely do nowadays, unless you count walk, sit and type. I got all sweaty and tired, apparently the mixture of heat, rapid movements and cigarette smoke can really tire you.



Sugar Free

Ah yes, another free gig. The Sugar Free EB/Lister's Night was definitely for the books. I wasn't supposed to attend it, but ended up being there because Carol and Mimay wanted to go. So I was in Mayric's again, with a bunch of mini party putos and a bilao of Spaghetti from Goldilocks.

I thought I was gonna have unlimited fun with the people I've met during the gigs. But the original hosts didn't show up...the bastards! So Carol and I ended up being hosts. Motherf@#%! I have never experienced a more shaky experience, literally I was shaking onstage with "This is isn't happening." and "Why am I even onstage to begin with?" I may have annoyed the audience a bit, though, but getting to annoy them was the least of my problems because I really wanted to get off the stage and watch the gig like a normal attendee.

So we blabbed onstage, played games and introduced bands like Pumping Pluto, And Bandang Shirley, Juana Salcedo and Moonstar88...oh and Mayonnaise also played, doing a cover of "Hari ng Sablay." Coolness.

And then Sugar Free finally came. I though I was finally sitting to watch a gig, but no, they launched their video for the song "Kwarto" and they needed someone to hold the faulty white trapal. They were mostly girls and small guys so I didn't have much of a choice. So as I was getting numb behind that thing, getting drenched with sweat, I could hear the crowd's oooh and aahs. Disappointing really, that I didn't get to see the video/s.

But it was fun to see old listers like Gela, Chelle (or Mico), Marian, Nato, Ai, Kat and Frances.

And then Vin and I got to chat and it dawned on me that the last Twisted Halo gig I attended was the Admit One anniversary. Sobrang laking utang ko sa kanya!


Next stop: Admit One this coming Saturday. Featuring Cambio, Twisted Halo, Happy Meals, Jr. Kilat, Itchyworms, Pedicab and Sugarfree.

The TV was on while I was typing my article, my brother is watching the A-Team and I just realized that I have no recallection of Mr. T to be this annoying. The loud-mouthed, accent-heavy black guy who is so damn loud you'd want to put your foot through the TV.

Your Birthdate: July 6

A birthday on the 6th of the month adds a tone of responsibility, helpfulness, and understanding to your natural inclinations. Those born on the sixth are more apt to be open and honest with everyone, and more caring about family and friends, too. This is a number associated with responsibility and caring - this birthday lends a degree of concern for others.

What Does Your Birth Date Mean?

It's been a while since I last posted anything, medyo busy e. Pero astig, and ok lang kasi now I have no idea what to say.

I have been staying over at my brother's house in Fairview and of course I've been getting an overload of their cable. I have five new favorite shows now, which I don't think I'd be able to see once I returned to Angono.

Drawn Together is a neurotic cartoon about a bunch of housemates, all of which are spoofs of cartoon pop culture icons like Superman, Pikachu, Betty Boop and a nondescript princess presumably a parody of all the Walt Disney princesses.
Crank Yankers, a group of puppeteers wourk around the concept of making crank calls and the most bizarre situations and the puppets are the reminiscent of the Sesame Street group.
Shorties Watching Shorties showcases a group of stand up comics and their live recordings druing shows, accompanied by Flash animation.
The Joe Schmo Schow is a fake reality show where everyone are actors playing their own roles, playing around Matt, the only guy who thinks all is real in the show called Lap of Luxury.
The Man Show. I know the episodes being shown here are so old, they even have new hosts in the US, but thise show ROCKS! I don't know about the new episodes, but my new favorite host is Jimmy Kimmel, he's chauvinistic and probably one of the most offending sexist any female may have the opportunity to watch and he simply cracks me up. The show celebrates everything male, chauvinistic and beer chugging. The audience is mostly male and they all can be seen drinking beer, that alone keeps me smiling.

The following is a small portion of the interview I had with Myra "Skarlett" Ruaro of the skapunk band Brownbeat All-star. What was supposedly a two-question interview turned out to be the most insightful conversation with a musician I've ever had. I'm printing it in its raw, unedited form. Please take time to read.


Message for younger women?

Maraming aspect ang pagiging babae. Depende yan sa edad mo, ‘yung sa mga bata pa, tulad nga nung EP namin, if you look at it, it’s very woman. ‘Yung lyrics, ako, very ako. ‘Yung song namin na Ako Ito, is about ano ba ‘yung important sa mga bata? I went through a lot of experimentations, that’s ok as long as ang goal mo e hanapin ‘yung anong gusto mo. Hindi ‘yung direktor ka lang. Kasi there’s the unconscious effort na kung lagi kang lang drift nang drift, wala kang direksyon. Kasi dun sa freedom natin, kailangang meron kang bigger picture na tinitingnan. Kasi kung wala kang direksyon ang buhay mo at wala kang plano, walang mangyayari sa ‘yo. Hindi naman pwede ‘ung lakad ka lang nang lakad. Saan ka ba pupunta? “Wala lang.” Don’t waste your time trying to drift so far, kumbaga experiment but be keen about that. I-evaluate mo, “OK ba ito? Masaya ba ito? Makakatulong ba ito? E kung gusto kong maging ganito? Tama ba ito? Itong mga taong ito kaibigan ko ba mga ito?” I think kumbaga as a parent, paano ko ipapaintindi sa anak ko, kasi I’m writing about it now and I tell it to a lot of people, pero ang ultimate test d’yan is paano ko isasabuhay? Paano ko ipapaliwanag sa anak ko bilang nanay? So I’m preparing myself to be a good mother which I am now, and I’m proud to say that. And kung paano nga ako magiging kaibigan, anak, ka-tropa – ate ko din siguro anak ko paglaki di ba? So being a woman is sa wonderful experience, merong mga sentimental times, mga emo, merong mga not thinking about yourself na akala mo unconditional love pero definitely you have to respect and love yourself first before you can share love to others. Kapag wala ka noon, hollow ka lang e. ‘Yun nga ‘yung point nung Ako Ito, aralin mo muna sarili mo mabuti. Kasi two songs within one song ang Ako Ito, the English part in the middle part is called Unbound, pagdating mo sa Unbound you’ll see na wala s’yang koneksyon sa una pero makikita mo sa huli, kasi nag-start ‘yung story dun sa “Kabataan bakit kayo nagre-rebelde? Alin ba sa experience n’yo sa buhay n’yong nagagalit kayo? Alin dun? Sinisisi n’yo magulang n’yo? Pero nagagalit ka, and you’re not trying to let the good things come to you kasi pre-occupied ka sa anger mo.” So automatic sarado kayo e, kasi gumawa nang hindi maganda sa inyo kaya automatic sarado kaagad. And then kung dumarating ‘yung good, hindi mo nakikita. ‘Yon, ganun kasi ang ugali ko noon, ganoon ako noon. Ang tagal kong nilabanan ‘yon, pero hindi dapat ganon. The only way that you are going back to knowing yourself and loving yourself, you don’t love yourself if you don’t let yourself experience the good things. And if you deny the fact na ‘yung bad things at hindi mo ina-acknowledge na may makakatulong sa ‘yo. Akala mo lang ino-opress ka lagi, hindi mo nari-realize na ang pagmamahal mo ay magiging hedonist, which is hindi dapat. Loving yourself, to love others is different from “I love myself. I’ll do anything I want. Fuck all of you!” And you think you love yourself by doing that? Paano mo mamahalin ang sarili mo? Tanggalin mo mga pabigat! Man, nilalagyan mo sarili mo ng bagahe. Lumubog ka na. Tapos sasabihin mo, “Mahal ko sarili ko, ako lang ang nakakaintindi. Galit ako. Kaya ako nakaka-survive kasi I’m strong and because I’m angry.” Malakas ka pero galit, nakakatayo ka nga pero nakalaylay ka naman lagi. Bagahe ‘yun, everyday naka-simangot ka, ang pangit no’n. How would love yourself? It’s by forgiving, you have to break the chain of hate, and it has to start with you. It may take a lifetime but at least alam ng utak mo at may conscious effort ka na “Tama na mainis, tama na” tapos harap ka na uli. Ok lang magalit pero, pero h’wag mong ikimkim, palabasin mo kaagad. You better start forgiving. You better start believing, maniwala ka sa sarili mo na kaya mo mong baguhin. Kaya, kasi walang ibang unang kakausap sa ‘yo about it, ikaw din. Parang “Since gago ako ngayon, ganito aayusin ko na ito. Gusto ko nang baguhin ito.” Ganun. “Ako ito na nagbabago” Kinakanta ko din sa sarili ko ‘yan, tapos sana ‘yung ibang tao na makabasa nung lyrics kakantahin din ‘yon, kaya nga sana gusto ko kunin n’yo ‘yung lyrics tapos sabayan n’yo, unconsciously you’ll be feeding yourself “Ako ito na magbabago/Ako ito na matututo/Ako ito na binubuo ang pagkatao ko” Para s’yang mantra, everyday mo na sinasabi sa sarili mo, tapos you go around. It’s like meditation, kaya nga ang prayers, ang meditation ng kahit anong religion paulit-ulit ‘yan. It has to be repetitive, para maintindihan ng isang tao ‘yan, paulit-ulit munang kakantahin ‘yan bago pumasok sa kanya. ‘Yun ang goal namin. Na sana may bata na makarinig n’yan, kantahin habang papunta sa eskwela, tapos ‘yung mga yuppie na nagta-type or mga nasa call centers, tapos kakantahin nila, sana magkaroon ng effect sa kanila, magkaroon ng chain para hindi na masyadong galit ang mundo.

A couple of hours ago I attended HIMAYA, an event set up by NU107, over at Metrowalk. So the lineup consisted of female-fronted bands.

Purple. Cynthia Alexander. Narda. Imago. Barbie's Cradle. Brownbeat All-Star. Color It Red. The Late Isabel.

Since I went there to cover the event for a magazine, I got to approach and do an ambush interview session here and there.

I had the most insightful conversation with Myra "Skarlett" Ruaro.
I was too damn close to Barbie Almalbis, which I enjoyed.
I had a cutesy conversation with Ice from Purple, she's nice!


Wohoo!