Bags, anyone?

The War of the Handbags is up. Tom Ford did not renew his contract with Gucci and Bernard Arnault of LVMH is planning to play vulture to the scene. This is a very Elle Woods-y parallelism to the state of Philippine politics, and, even, to the travails of everyday life.

People hawk on the weak just to keep on top. And I was beginning to think this is exclusively Filipino. What a sad, sad existence.

WILD, WEIRD FAMILY GAMES

When I was younger, my uncles used to stage a “horror house” at the bodega behind my grandparents’ house in Davao. All the kids would gather at the door with my other uncle ushering us in, reminding us over and over, not to push each other or else we’ll get hurt, or try to attack the “monster” or HE’LL get hurt.

One particular scene that keeps playing in my head, though, was when my uncle threw something wet and slimy at us in the dark, saying it was ATAY (liver). Naturally, the kids screamed in fright on first impact, rushed to the exit and cried all the way to their mommies chitchatting at the front lawn.

The result: 3 kids with scratch wounds and 2 with bruises. Things were about to turn nasty (considering how OA most mothers are) when the uncles emerge from the behind the house, laughing, telling us that it wasn’t really atay but a soaking wet rag. Lunatics.

The crying stopped then. And the kids began laughing! We all actually thought it was a great stunt (much to the dismay of our moms who were so ready to pounce on our uncles). Such was my family. We had a penchant for things scary despite being every inch of a coward ourselves. What happened after that?

We asked for an encore.

(Next family "horror" story/game: the one where my uncle pretends he's dead and the kids would place imaginary flowers on his chest. Now this, my friends, is a classic Doctor game)

*message implied: sana makapunta ako sa Gabi ng Lagim sa Star City

bloody hell!

It’s not a period. It’s a motherf**ng exclamation point! Who in his/her right mind would name such a curse a period, anyway? It’s not a synthesis for a longtime conflict. It’s not even the final say to anything! Gah!

Forgive me. The harbinger of pain and discomfort has chosen to nest on my fragile womanity once again.

Electronica 101

Yesterday's Axe Music Clinic had me leaving the place with an overdose of Electronica. When I took the job, I thought it would be a music appreciation cum fashion show of sorts, pero nooooo... info session pala siya on the history and subgenres of electronica: meaning, house, trance, techno and all things in between.

It was informative but I didn't appreciate it too much. Just imagine being at a sit-down rave at 6 o'clock in the evening. The food was good, at least.

I made a new friend from Pulp. Together, we snickered at one of the speaker DJ's (who I will not name) for his lack of knowledge on the subject. He kept telling us all about trance while playing this song in the background, pero day, he wasn't playing anything close to electronica. It was tribal! Kakatuwa, ang cute.

I'm not really a fan of the music but it's a good therapy for post-dayjob stress. Plus, I got a new jacket. haha!

plastic girl

Kung ang tao ayaw magpatulong, namputsa naman wag mo na pag-aksayahang tulungan. Tutal, ikaw rin naman mapapagod, ikaw rin ang maha-hassle. Buti pa't you go on with your life and pretend that that person did not exist, at all. Or kung medyo sympathetic ka, antayin mo na lang na kusa siyang lumapit, at saka mo na lang ilabas ang iyong pinakakikimkim na WRATH.

Kung ang turing niya sa iyo ay isang speck of dust at ang katawan mo, para sa kanya, ay parang plastic, see-through, mas mabuti pang ituring mo na ring siyang ganoon. The person's asking for it, di ba?

Or hindi?

From the Philippine Daily Inquirer

FRIENDS of filmmaker Lav Diaz are raising funds for his medical expenses. Last Dec. 2, Lav was operated on for cancer (a mass between the lungs, above the heart) at the Lung Center.

Generous donors are asked to drop off their contributions at Joel Torre's Manukan Grille, near the Sampaguita Pictures studios. Call 721-9025. Or, you can deposit your donations at PS Bank near the restaurant under the name of Banaue Miclat.

For other queries, contact Cesar Hernando at +63 2 9173911133.

Fund-raising events are being developed, like the Christmas party concert at JT's Manukan at 6 p.m. on Dec. 13. Also, please pray for Lav's complete recovery!

Lav Diaz is the director of the highly acclaimed Batang Westside.

My ultra pa-intellectual former classmate in PolSci just shot down my comment about migrating to Canada when FPJ wins for President. I AM entitled to my opinion right? It’s not like he has a better suggestion to save the country’s ills. And I wasn’t even suggesting a solution!

This classmate is one who uses hifalutin words in his statements so he comes off as intelligent to most people. Don’t you just hate those kinds of people? They talk a lot, but don’t really say anything. Well I have news for him – we went to the same school, passed the same exams and I even got better thesis grades than you, you slick-haired master splinter lookalike.

Now scram before my eyes burn you.

I just read my crush Igan’s take on the Nescafe event and my heart was crushed to pieces. I blame my parents for not buying me comic books and introducing me to the realm of artistry when I was younger. I grew up maiming my Barbie dolls and playing house in that little bahay-kubo my grandfather had built for me in Zamboanga. I oriented myself with the media through That’s Entertainment, GMA Supershow and Ultraman.

No, I did not know who the Transformers were, nor did I ever watch a single episode of Voltes Five. I only knew Superman and Wonderwoman. Batman, The Green Hornet and the rest of the gang only came much much later in life (when I began collecting Marvel cards in grade four). Further introduction to Liberty Meadows, Ronin, Squee and Asian movies only began when I started seeing animator.

Woe to the girl who got so tangled up in pop culture she never knew who Mazinger Z and Doraemon were. And this girl was born in 1981.

Reading his article, I was comforted by the fact that he took a different angle on the event. So I really can’t compare. Namangha lang ako kasi ang dami niyang alam na superhero characters. Boohoo!

I saw my disgusting ex of two weeks walking along Buendia on the way to work today. He got so porky and slimy-looking I had to shudder at the thought that I was once hanging out at the mall with this guy. And from the looks of him, he couldn’t even buy a decent lunch as he was walking with a sorry sandwich from the nearby 7-11 and munching with his mouth open while walking rather leisurely under the scorching hot noontime sun.

Why did I even go out with him in the first place? And on another note, why do I only see him during December? Strange.

--

Animator is on the Atkins diet. That means, no carb or sugar AT ALL until he gets his desired weight. Last night, me and him went to Chili’s for a good “lamon” since he just got half of his pay for part of the commercial he was working on. We deserved it, you know. We have been devouring McDonald’s since we both realized we were flat broke.

Anyway, I had to pity him yesterday. I was so sure he wanted to snatch that piece of garlic bread on my plate, but no, sir, he was required to stay away from anything that has the slightest hint of sugar. Tsk Tsk. I’m glad I am not pressuring myself to get thinner. (Which I should be doing because a walk from the bed to the door has now become too taxing for me.)

--

Executive is currently in absentia because of his work. I wish I could do something to help him, but my presence seems to make things worse for him. The best I could do is keep my distance for a while and save my yakkety-yaks until he is sober enough to listen. Hmmm, nice tactic, though. By then, I would have forgotten what I wanted to say.

I pray his new business picks up soon. He owes me time. :)

--

What's up with Travel Time host Susan Medina? Doesn't Studio 23 have anyone better than a socialite who can't even pretend she's not reading? The woman has one to two second pauses between phrase for crying out loud! Not sentences, PHRASES.

I imagine her to be a very good party hostess, but I doubt her ability as a TV show host. While the woman may have some charisma, her speech is a bit faulty and her actions contrived.

Truly someone could do the job better.

In this episode... we will discover... and explore... the wonders... of Philippine... gastronomy.

(There you go! Now breathe.)

MORE KAWEIRDOHAN

I feel so empty right now I could not help but call on Him.

Dear God,

Since I am seeking happiness in this world, one that would truly stay and never leave, should I:

1) go back to Davao and live there for good?

2) stay here in Manila and try to work things out despite the fact that the only person whose opinion I valued does not want me anymore? oh, and maybe try to make a career as a recluse?

3) go out of the country for a change of scenery and finally pursue studies there?

4) drink a bottle of shampoo, similar to Rules of Attraction, so I could try to find my happiness in a place beyond this?

Please help me decide what to do, Dear Lord. I don't want to keep wondering and wandering anymore.

Amen.

PS. Lord, alam mo ba yung feeling na watak-watak ka na dati, tapos an angel came and put you together, but in the end scattered you into pieces again? Try mo. Masakit.

(nawe-weirdan na ako sa sarili ko)

paranoia

I hope I'm just PMS-ing. The past few days have been hell for me. For one, I almost think I lost the person who meant so much to me. Right now, I really don't have answers to my own questions. And I don't have any idea whether he really has chosen to live a life separate from mine, or that he just needs time to simplify his life.

I do understand what he's going through. Maybe sometimes, I get too selfish and think of how his absence impacts on myself. Whatever it is, it's not good for us. And since it's already there, the best thing I can do is deal with it and wait. I wrote something about him on my journal last night, which I intended to bring to the office today to upload on my blog. But I forgot to bring it, so I'm guessing it's not meant to be posted here.

I pray things get better soon.

My laptop is still out of order and it makes my bare room more depressing than ever. I used to drown myself in vcds and games whenever I felt bored. But now, all I could do is shut up and stare at the blank walls again.

I also have been picking fights with a lot of people recently. It's odd because I get these flash moments when I think nobody gives a shit about me. Maybe that's why I get all these ideas in my head. Maybe that's why I believe the world has conspired against me.

I wish this is just PMS.