I just finished reading the fifth issue- titled "A Little Known Murder in Studio 4 -of Alamat Comic's Trese. And it's definitely another winner for the Tan-Baldisimo team-up.

Previous issues have dealt with malevolent characters directly from our local mythologies, this one is no different. Alexandra Trese investigates the case of a young movie star- Heather Evangelista -at the brink of stardom who is found murdered at the studio where she was filming her latest movie. Snooping around the vicinity for evidence, Captain Guerrero and Trese comes across chocnut (!) and what appears to a child's shirt with some sort of reddish powder around it. Also, her Best Actress award is missing.

Trese seeks advice from the Nuno (now living under a manhole in Balete Drive, as showed in Trese #1: At the Instersection of Balete and 13th Street) who tastes the chocnut found in the crime scene and finds that it's overflowing with pain and despair. Finally, our detective decides to give ageing ex-actress Nova Aurora a visit- the movie Heather was making was about her, after all, and they have been meeting for some time now so that Heather could study her.

Trese and the Kambal must fight their way past an angered group of Laman Lupas to finally get to the truth. It's a fun yet simple journey that is mixes 70s crime storytelling with local ancient folklore; remarkable forensics tweaked to the mystical side.

Although my favorites are still Our Secret Constellation and Rules of the Race), the 5th ish still definitely packs a punch and grabs you by the neck for the trip. At this very moment, the Trese books are not yet available at ComicQuest and I'm not pretty sure when they'll be back, but I will definitely wait so I could buy all issues.

And at P30.00 an ish, there's seriously no reason why you shouldn't buy yourselves copies.

Just got from Comedy Centrals's daily joke email service.
So blonde's do get more fun!
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Not Going To Try This Again

A blonde decides to try horseback riding, even though she has had no lessons or prior experience. She mounts the horse unassisted and it immediately springs into motion. It gallops along at a steady and rhythmic pace, but the blonde begins to slip from the saddle. In terror, she grabs for the horse's mane, but cannot seem to get a firm grip. She tries to throw her arms around the horse's neck, but she slides down the side of the horse anyway. The horse gallops along, seemingly ignorant of its slipping rider.

Finally, giving up her frail grip, the blonde attempts to leap away from the horse and throw herself to safety. Unfortunately, her foot becomes entangled in the stirrup, and she is now at the mercy of the horse's pounding hooves as her head is struck against the ground over and over.

She starts to lose consciousness, but to her great fortune, Bobby, the Wal-Mart greeter, sees her and unplugs the horse.

Dead Thoughts

I just woke up from a long sleep that was neither refreshing nor restful. I had an odd dream that I was conducting an interview with Naima from America's Next Top Model 4. I seriously find it particularly weird because not only don't I care much about her (because I like Brita), but I only saw one episode- and that's the one where Brita got the boot.

Here's something to wait for! And I'm a little excited, especially since I missed on last year's leg, where they featured my favorite bands (Twisted Halo, Sugar Free, Imago, Cambio among others), simply because I didn't have the cash.
Now, this year's event features 6Cyclemind, Hale, Itchyworms, Urbandub, UpDharmaDown and The Dawn. Athough I must admit that I'm not that excited with The Dawn being in the list, and I care about Hale as much as I would a wart in some Chinese girl's toe in Tibet. But Urbandub and UpDharmaDown makes the event a whole lot more interesting!

I've been wanting to buy Budjette Tan and Ka-Jo Baldisimo's collaborative work titled Trese. It's an awesome work that is expressed in monochromatic pages ala-ashcan comic.
It features occult investigator Alexandra Trese as she investigates one mystical case to another, spanning mostly everything from local mythical creatures to crime noir stories.
And this is a great project for Alamat Comics, since it has been a while since they released something new. And I am determined to collect each and every issue. Even if you can read some of the issue here, I still prefer the feel of the pages of the comic in my fingers.

During the start of the week, I made the mistake of passing by Megamall on the way home. And almost impossible to avoid was a casual peek at both Comic Quest and Filbar's. And now, I'm itching to buy both the compiled editions of X-Men: Age of Apocalypse and DC's Infinity Crisis.

So I'm guessing Infinity Crisis is created in the mold of Crisis on Infinite Earths and Zero Hour; a way to wipe the entire DCU slate clean and restart the entire universe. While X-Men:Age of Apocalypse is the compiled edition of the Age of Apocalypse phenomenon Marvel launched during the late 90s. Although I've managed to read some issues and eventually how the entire event concluded, I want to read the entire story to know how the other books' scenarios affected the main storyline.

My first rest day in the production floor is nearly over. And since it's a Friday, most of my friends are probably out partying or in some bar getting too drunk, while I'm at home trying to recuperate from an untterly exhausting week. Frankly, I was beginning to think that the week would never end and I ended up forgetting what day it was. Those were two very unpleasant feelings I did'nt really miss when I resigned from Ambergris. Plus add the bizarrely savage treatment I got from my TM during our talk, and I guess it's safe to say that I WANT OUT!


In a few hours, I will be going to bed and sleep. And I am desperately hoping that when I wake up, I'd find myself still working on the Tanduay Cofeetable Book!


I sorely miss seeing my byline printed in a newly published copy of a magazine. Those were the days when I had fun interacting with people, interviewing sources and finding time to write for other magazines on the side. Those were simple days when my biggest joy would be to get a free CD of a band inside the PR kit for an event I'm covering.



I miss Admit One and, of course, Twisted Halo so much. The crux of the matter is that I miss the entire gig/concert setup of a stage (no matter how small), screeching guitars, pounding skins and the cheering crowds and hearing my own voice go out as I shout my aggressions away. I miss feeling the bass drums and bass guitars vibrating through the floor, the guitar solos and the effects crawling up my skin to the tips of every strand of my hair and the everyone singing in unison.

It's the communion of music. A mosiac of emotions and every sensation trickling from every iota of your being, as you are transported from one facet of your psyche to another tucked in the pocket of your sanity, where everything cascades in the ebb and flow of the rhythm, and all confines of the physical attributes have no recourse than to anwer to the beat.

This is the cabbalistic chant of he soul.

I am now in the middle of my second week of aBay. Got past the first one without a cinch, but for this week, all nine of us remaining ZEN TS agents were divided for the other teams to partake.

Last Friday I asked our beloved floorwalker if I have a nice TM. She frowned. I stared unblinking at her.

So I let the week slide.

Moday. Got to meet the dreaded TM. Although I didn't sense anything sinister in her aura, I can't help but think of how the week would end up.

Tuesday.

Wednesday.

The week seemed to be exhaustingly long, the calls dragging and I found myself surprisingly somewhat uptight, somehow I felt I wouldn't like my stay with my new team wouldn't be that pleasant.
I dropped by the church on the way home and attended mass. My first mass in a while. Surprisingly, I finally felt relaxed. The priest's sermon was about asking/expecting something in return. And it sounded like it was directed towards me.

Thursday. I started the day, with remnants of the inner peace I encountered the day before. Got to the MRT station at around 5:15am so I knew I was gonna be early. However, it wasn't until 6:00am when a train did pass by- and I had no idea why. I guess this is what literature majors would consider an omen: something seething was on its way. Suddenly lost my peaceful state of mind.

Halfway through my shift, my TM talked to me. Apparently, there's a 75% chance I 'd get the boot even before the week is over. Good grief! This was one of the reasons why I was eager to migrate to Xbox; I knew my technical skills all too well to expect myself to pass this account.

So, Xbox or no Xbox, I want out! Now!

I was browsing through Jenn's blog when I happened upon a post. It's probably one of those forwarded emails but I still think they're funny. And since I am indeed in a crossroad (sorta like a pre-mid-life crisis really) because I know I'm getting OLD (a feeling that is both equally overwhelming and confusing), I found it appealing that some of them are actually applicable- although I won't tell which ones are.

25 ways to know if you've grown up...
1. Your house plants are alive, and you can't smoke any of them.
2. Having sex in a twin bed is out of the question.
3. You keep more food than beer in the fridge.
4. 6:00 AM is when you get up, not when you go to bed.
5. You hear your favorite song in an elevator.
6. You watch the Weather Channel.
7. Your friends marry and divorce instead of "hookup" and "break up."
8. You go from 130 days of vacation time to 14.
9. Jeans and a sweater no longer qualify as "dressed up."
10. You're the one calling the police because those %&@# kids next door won't turn down the stereo.
11. Older relatives feel comfortable telling sex jokes around you.
12. You don't know what time Taco Bell closes anymore.
13. Your car insurance goes down and your car payments go up.
14. You feed your dog Science Diet instead of McDonald's leftovers.
15. Sleeping on the couch makes your back hurt.
16. You take naps.
17. Dinner and a movie is the whole date instead ofthe beginning of one.
18. Eating a basket of chicken wings at 3 AM would severely upset, rather than settle, your stomach.
19. You go to the drug store for ibuprofen and antacid, not condoms and pregnancy tests.
20. A $4.00 bottle of wine is no longer "pretty good stuff"
21. You actually eat breakfast food at breakfast time.
22. "I just can't drink the way I used to" replaces "I'm never going to drink that much again."
23. 90% of the time you spend in front of a computer is for real work.
24. You drink at home to save money before going to a bar.
25. When you find out your friend is pregnant you congratulate them instead of asking "Oh sh** what the hell happened?"

Bonus: 26: You read this entire list looking desperately for one sign that doesn't apply to you and can't find one to save your sorry old ass. Then you forward it to a bunch of old friends 'cause you know they'll enjoy it and do the same!

May 2006. During my initial application interview, Dodie (my interviewer / accent trainer) asked me if there was an account I’d specifically want to be a part of. I answered promptly: “I’d LOVE to be with XBOX.” And it was to my slight dismay that when I was called back, I was proudly told by an HR person, “Congratulations for passing our evaluations for the Technical Support positions.” I was mildly stunned. Me? Tech support? I don’t even believe in my own technical skills, and now people from the US are gonna call me up for technical help/advice?

But I decided to go along the flow, hoping that there’d be a chance to move to Xbox. Hey, if the opportunity doesn’t show itself, I can always wait until the sixth month (IF I survive the initial months) and resign and go back to writing and research work.

Jump to our last week of Product Specs. People from up above (aka the Big Bosses) got inside our doorknob-less training room and announced that they were looking for agents to migrate for the new Xbox CS account. And that made the entire class think about their future with this company; and both Jenn and I squirmed with delight! Xbox was, after all, the entire reason why I even decided to march with my resume in tow and sought employment here despite my inner writer’s protests.

And so naturally I signed up and had my interview a week later. The next day was our second day of nesting, some of my batchmates were being pulled out one by one and asked to go a room, with glass windows. I could see them all sitting and looking at each other, wondering what it was all about.

A few minutes later, I could see them staring intently at someone I couldn’t see, and then came their exultant cheers. They turned to me and motioned that they have just been accepted for Xbox.

I didn’t. Blast it!

Your results:

You are The Flash

Fast, athletic and flirtatious.

The Flash 80% Green Lantern 70% Robin 65% Iron Man 65% Spider-Man 60% Hulk 55% Supergirl 50% Superman 45% Batman 40% Wonder Woman 30% Catwoman 30%

Click here to take the Superhero Personality Test

It's been more than two weeks since I began losing sleep, all in the name of the money-making devise we all have come to know as Call Centers. Yes, once again I drive myself headfirst onto a couple of training sessions. First up was the unavoidable accent training, which I actually had fun attending, and now I'm on my second week of Client Specs, which is the wierdest I've ever attended thus far since we don't have a manual.

It's been seven months since my last gig. I even missed out two integral events of my entire gig life - the Sugarfree annual party and Twisted Halo's farewell gig. I was in the middle of the Accent Neutralization when they took place. I'm roaring to go back to the gig scene and have fun with my friends. And it sickened me that while most of my gig buddies were drinking themselves blind as they bounced around to live music, I was behaving myself listening to lectures and slide presentations.

It's been two months since my last venture into the cinema. I saw Rent in April. But last Saturday, right after last Friday's training and a drinking sessions with my batchmates, I finally saw X3:The Last Stand. I almost didn't because my batchmates were telling me that it sucked big time. I knew it I'd be severely disappointed if I watched it as the big comic-book fan that I am, so I tried to see it as cinema viewer and avoided all expectations.

More on the movie later

Two posts a month. Now that's a low. Not that I've been gone for months, but this is a lowest I've gone following a blog overhaul. But of course, there's nothing new in my life and I've pretty much gotten stagnant since February, so naturally there's nothing new to blog about.

I did, however got out of the house and met up with Donna last Saturday to watch a movie. Kudos to her for successfully getting me out of my hermit state!

We had planned this three days ahead and I was prepared to see some gory scenes with the horror flick The Hills Have Eyes but when we got to Glorietta, we both agreed that we were not up to it. So instead, we trooped over to the Greenbelt Cinema and paid to see Rent, a decision we made because 1) we seriously doubt we'd get to go to New York and see the original Broadway musical within the foreseeable future, 2) I wanted to see what Teza has been raving about since college, 3) as Donna would put it, "we need some culture" and of course 3) Rosario Dawson's in it.


With tickets in hand, we stared at the poster in the lobby, and noticed a sign declaring that "During the last full show, singing will be allowed." I admit I'm not exactly a silent viewer most of the time, but I would probably be raving mad if someone seated next to me is a Broadway nut and keeps on pointing out the difference between the play and the film in a condescending tone, or worse, he is part of a group and they break into song and dance numbers during the movie.

I looked at my wristwatch. Our showing's gonna be at 6:15, and that can't be the last full show. At least I hoped it isn't. And unlike most of the things I had hoped for in life, I was right.

Unfortunately, I cannot write a decent movie review right now. In fact I haven't written anything in months. But I have to say the film was absolutely terrific. Maybe there are songs and entire scenes part of the original work that were deleted for the film, but still Chris Columbus did a swell job of repainting it into film with his direction and Stephen Chbosky with his screenplay.

It's basically a story about friends living in New York's East Village at the end of the 80s, dealing with their foray into everyday life in the city as they face poverty, creative difference, AIDS and firmly standing up for what you believe in. And it rocks!

Playing narrator is the nerdy filmmaker Mark Cohen (Anthony Rapp), he lives in an unpaid apartment with his musician
roommate Roger Davis (Adam Pascal), their seasonal roomie and MIT hacker supreme Tom Collins (Jesse L. Martin). Living in the apartment below is stripper and junkie Mimi Marquez(Rosario Dawson) who falls for Roger. On Christmas Eve, Collins is mugged in an alleyway as he is getting in the apartment, and is cleaned up and taken cared of by Angel Dumott Schunard (Wilson Heredia) and the two become lovers. They are hounded mostly by Benny Coffin III -Mark and Roger's former roommate who married for money and now serves as their landlord- for the apartment's rent. Incidentally he used to date Mimi. Meanwhile, a protest is at hand, lead by Mark's ex, Maureen Johnson and her new lover Joanne Jefferson (Tracie Thoms). And to top it all off, half of the these people have AIDS.


My favorite scene has got to be the after-protest celebration dinner at the restaurant. They did this extravagantly fun number title "La Vie Boheme" as a mock funeral of Bohemia. It's been a week since I've seen the film and I am still singing that song in my head. It starts with Mark, likened to a priest officiating a funeral mass. It's fun when a song keeps on dropping names with neither product placements nor apologies, au contraire the songs is one big salute to everything and everyone Bohemian.

Another great song here is "I'll Cover You" sang by Angel and Collins. It's one of the most sincere and honest, but simple and humble, love songs that I've heard so far. The lyrics are straightforward but sweet, and their voices are splendid and soulful. Collins is black and Angel is Latino. Figures! No white guy can convey such compassion in his voice. Only problem is -and this really throws me off- that this is a song sung by two gay guys for each other and right after the song they share a very intimate kiss. Eyng???

And shockingly enough, I dunno about Jesse L. Martin, but Wilson Heredia is not even gay. So Donna was right.

Also a constant cranial soundtrack is "Seasons of Love" and the opening scene where all eight characters are singing in onstage in an empty theater is very memorable. A line from that song that very well describes the scene, "celebrate, remember a year in the life of friends." It's like, here they are standing here for everyone to see, examine and judge; and they have opinions to prove, ideas to convey, stories to tell, strenghts to show and weakneses to confess.

DEAD THOUGHTS on RENT

With a musical as successful as RENT, how come it took more than 10 years for it to be translated into cinema?

I love Rosario Dawson.

Wilson Heredia has an uncanny resemblance to a fag back in college. I don't know him enough to even know his name, though.

To Hollywood: MORE MUSICALS and none of the Steven Seagal/Vin Diesel crap they keep on coming out with!