We had a Korean feast last night. Imagine this: at around 12:30 M.N., I was munching over some of the best Korean cuisine. The problem was, I had a sumptuous dinner before that. But as I was informed that we will have a so-called ehem, "meeting" after work, I didn't have time to control my food intake during dinner. I was already full but out of courtesy and "panghihinayang" while thinking many street children don't even have a single crumb to lick, I have no choice but to gobble up whatever was served on the table. Thank goodness, it's a Monday so everyone was hurrying up so as not to cut short of sleep for the next day of work.

I'm not that adventurous when it comes to food. But I am not selective neither. I eat what is served for as long as I know that it is edible, clean and unspoiled. But last night wasn't that good because my tank is already full and I couldn't anymore figure out if what was I eating. I couldn't even tell the difference of pumpkin from potato in their dishes. Nevertheless, free food is still good food. Therefore, aside from the obligatory "Annyeong haseyo" midnight greeting of the waiters in the restaurant, they oriented and served us with these basic and popular dishes: (info courtesy of english.tour2korea.com)

Bulgogi 

Kimchi

Bibimbap

So far, those are the only dishes I can recommend because aside from eating a lot of pineapples for dessert, I am not that good at remembering the other foods I've tried. The only thing I remember?  All of them are plant-like and spicy :p

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I have another blog... another space to vent my random thoughts to...
http://elinia-witch.livejournal.com... gusto ko yung mga Current Mood icons eh!

Do check out din yung mga bagong pics ni Bi

Again, I've been sleepless because of colds and err, the new Sandwich album. Did I already mention that I reviewed it wonderfully?

This song is just so amazing. I can't stop listening to it. It's a sappy rock song. As you listen to it, the times get weirder and weirder. Hearing Raims' repetitive line, "All the way for you, all the way for you" flooded my mind with a gazillion of melancholic memories. As the song progresses, you are situated at the brim of nostalgia that you can't f*ckin' explain why the hell have you been listening to a stupid song and why do you have to feel stupid emotions when you have to do more stupid things? 

Oh, I might forget, here's another pic of Mong. Isn't he charming in yellow? Yellow mellow? haha... the jelly beans... nothing related, I need a filler for the 4x4 :p

push the button in case of panic/ a manual rule on this fantastic
everlasting/ change of setting
manic static

i'd go down with you/ if you go down with me
all the way and all the way you know

and i can see the reasons/ despite all the treasons
i'll be waiting all the way for you

try listening to it... In Case of Fire

At dahil Ash Wednesday kahapon at dahil lahat tayo ay paulit-ulit nagkakasala at dahil lahat tayo ay paulit-ulit umiibig at dahil lahat tayo ay di nadadala at dahil gusto ko itong kanta...

Walang Kadala-dala (Track 6, Sandwich's Five on the Floor)

Laging naniniwala/ Hindi nagsasawa/ Nahilo sa gayuma/ Kaya nawawala
Laging umaasa/ Ano bang meron siya/ Paulit-ulit lang naman/ Pinapaikot ka

Walang kadala-dala/ Napapatulala/ Walang kadala-dala/ Naghihintay sa wala

Nilumot na ang lupa/ Wala pa ring tiyak/ Napagod na ang luha/ Di na makaiyak
Sana ay matauhan/ Pusong nakabitin/ Kalimutan mo na sya't/ Ako ang pansinin

Walang kadala-dala/ Napapatulala/ Walang kadala-dala/ Naghihintay sa wala

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Review for the new Sandwich album, Five on the Floor

courtesy of Cheddar

Gusto ko ng i-review ang bagong Sandwich album ^_^

Our organization in the church had a short but successful group planning yesterday in Cavite/Tagaytay. People might haphazardly wonder, "what do these people in off-white uniforms should plan for when they all need to worry about is how to stand in the lecturn, read accurately, precisely, audibly and uhm, wonderfully as they think highly of themselves in the limelight?"

Err, just a 411: we aren't programmed robots who just read on a specific time and place. We may be less than that of saints and more of sinners and we may not be bible freaks but we also try our best to be as kind-hearted and humane as we can, should and want to be. Thus, we also engage ourselves in socio-civic activities. And as young (haha after getting the mean/average) and agile individuals, we do want to have some fun, too. Wait, wait this is too long for a quick info.

My point here is, everyone's planning. My friends are planning fro our (I hope not, their) summer activities. My sister's planning to buy new shoes. My parents are planning to have a business in the province. My uncle is planning to move to another home. My cousins are planning to travel to another country. Teachers are making their lesson plans. Nurses, doctors and caregivers are planning their migration abroad. CEO's and big-time honchos are planning for their respective companies. NPA's are planning their next onslaught. Police and the military are planning to put up a defense against the people of the mountains. Militants are planning on their rallies. And who knows? GMA might be planning whether to resign or not?

So, I'm the only one left with an unplanned life. Is my life really that in shambles? People might just laugh and take my rant for granted. They always think I'm nonchalant just because I like to laugh. But my life is like Claude Monet's paintings: beautiful from afar when you look closely, a huge mess.

What if I start planning and plotting out my life and then it won't work out? What if Plan B still won't work out? What if I end up with Plan X,Y,Z? Should I regress back to historical days and learn hieroglyphics?

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Pakikibaka

Sige pa, konti pa,

Nabingi na ang nakikinig na madla sa kanilang samu't-saring salita
Nabulag na ang sumusubaybay na mamamayan sa walang katapusang pagpapapansin at pakitaan
Napipi na ang mga makata
Nanigas na ang kamay ng mga manunulat
Napigil ang lakad ng mga rallyista

Konti pa, sige pa

Tuluyang malalagutan ng hininga
Tuluyang babagal ang tibok ng pulso
Tuluyang titigil ang hinaing ng puso
Tuluyang mamamanhid ang isip, salita at gawa
Tuluyang mwawawalan, tuluyang mawawala

Ang hiya ng mga walang hiya!

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For new senseless poetry/prose/rants

Malate, Pebrero 24, 2006

Mistulang purgatoryong puno ng mga kaluluwang nakakulong sa kawalan

Ngayon, ako'y narito at nag-iisang nagdiriwang
sa araw ng paggunita sa naipunlang pag-asa:
Bawat buga ng sigarilyo'y hinihikaban
Bawat hagikgik ay patagong niluluhaan
Bawat lagok ng alak ay dinuduraan
Sayaw at kantahan ay tinutulugan
Salitang Ingles ay pinagtatawanan.

Sa gitna ng usok at ingay, napapaligiran ng mga kaluluwang walang pakialam
Ako'y unti-unting pinapatay, unti-unting ikinukulong ng takot at lungkot.

Nagdeklara na si GMA ng "State of Emergency". O, tawag na tayo sa 911!!! Ay wala pala nun dito sa Pinas! Bakit kaya? Eh di ba pugad naman tayo ng lahi ng kung anu-ano lalo na ng mga Amerikano? O kung di man mga taong may iba't-ibang nasyonalidad, eh sinasabayan at sinasakyan naman natin ang kanilang kultura.

Hay, Biyernes na! Pakiramdam ko Biyernes Santo dahil una, nakaitim ako. Kaya nga medyo may kinalaman ang aking wala na namang kwentang blog entry sa aking damit ngayon. Kasi may "rockstar" o "rakstar" theme sa opisina ngayon. Pangalawa, ang paggunita sa Edsa 1. Di ba dapat pula o dilaw ang suot ko? Ano naman ang kinalaman ng itim? Natawa lang ako sa nanay ko dahil sabi niya baka madampot daw ako ng mga pulis dahil sa suot kong itim na t-shirt na maraming mukha ni Che Guevara. Baka mapagkamalan daw akong galing bundok. May tindahan ba ng t-shirt dun? Haha... Sige basahin niyo na lang ang ewan kong prosa/tula o kung ano man ang kinalabasan. Biyernes na! Gusto ko ng umuwi!!!

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Lamay

Sinabi nang ayokong magsuot ng itim. Bakit ba pinipilit mo ako? Bakit ko kailangan pang mag-itim? Bakit kailangan kong tumulad sa mga taong tali sa tradisyon?

Alam ko kailangan kong magbigay respeto, alam ko ayaw mong may masabi ang ibang tao. Alam ko, dahil sa paningin mo, isa na lamang akong multo. Oo, multo. O kung hindi man, yung patay na nabuhay mula sa hukay.

Sige, magtawa ka. Diyan ka naman magaling. Magpatawa, tumawa, pero di mo naranasan ang mapagtawanan. Ni hindi mo alam kung ano ang nakakatawa. Ni minsan hindi ka lumuha sa sobrang pagtawa.

Bakit kong kailangang magluksa ngayon? Magluluksa ako dahil ikaw ay namatayan? Sino ba siya? Ni hindi ko man lang nakilala. Ah, tatay mo pala.

Sabi mo noon, ang mga mahal mo ay dapat ko ring mahalin. Kapag ba sinabi kong di na kita mahal, dapat ko na rin itigil ang pagmamahal sa iba--- ang mga nagtatawanan mong kaibigan, hindi namamansing pamilya't kamag-anakan? Sana ang buhay ay parang domino. Itumba mo ang isa, sunud-sunod na. Ayaw kong lumihis. Ayaw kong may pumigil. Ayaw kong ako'y matigil.

Basta ang alam ko ayaw kong magsuot ng itim. Bakit? Hindi mo alam? Bakit pa kailangan isalin sa damit ang sakit at pait? Bakit kailangan pa ng simbolo ng hinanakit? Gusto mo malaman ang dahilan?

Halika, hubaran mo ako at iyong malalaman.

Ang buhay ay parang bato... it's hard.

Ang buhay ay parang bato... it is rock.

Life is like a rock... ito'y matigas.

Life is like a rock... ito'y mahirap.

++ Life is like a rock... it rocks.

++ Ang buhay ay parang bato... ito'y nakakabato.

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Do check out my song analysis page here

HAPPY BIRTHDAY sa aking BLOG hehe

Sooner or later, they will all end up like this. Alongside the economic and political crisis we have in our country, people (musicians) are in desperation to explore and aim for an easy-pay, easy-way, lucrative job. What would it then be? Form a rock group with attitude and be saved. That's what a lot of people think.

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"I'd rather be hated for who I am than be loved for who I am not" - Kurt Cobain

If only I can resurrect him to harangue and bawl out the imbecilic and the doltish people of rock and droll of our times. But I guess I can't. Let them all be crucified. It's going to be Lenten season soon anyway.

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How I treasure the days when you adore an unknown great band, try to act cool and different because you're the only person or one of the few who knows their music and existence! Sometimes, you gotta savor the perks of learning indie. I wish pinoy indierock could last forever. But that would be pitiful for those who deservedly needs to be heard.

But there comes the risk of getting heard when you are not supposed to get heard. And that is what's happening these days. Too many bands. Too many to mention. Too many to name. Is that something good? If we are trying to build up Filipino music and most especially exalt the name of rock and roll, do we need to flock in random musicians or do we need to be limiting? Always a dilemma.

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Have "musicians" gotten to be courageous to emerge because they're not anymore against the flow? Is it because competition is not acknowledged in the pinoyrock industry? Yeah, I agree. "Nagtutulungan ang maliit na mundo ng mga musikero lalo na ang mga rakista." Look at the credits and shout-outs of artists in their album covers/pages, look at the names of back-up and additional music/vocals/production/engineer. "Sila-sila rin." I salute them for that. But is it time to close the doors and start to screen who's coming in and who needs to go out? I know I am being aristocratic. But we need to drain ourselves from thinking that pinoyrock is always good music. Plus, isn't rock being deliberately aristocratic these days? Sino ba yung mga nagkakaroon at napapakinggan na banda? Di ba yung mga mayayaman at yung may perang pambili ng magagarang gitara at iba pa? Sino ba yung nakakadikit sa mga sikat na musikero? Sila-sila nga rin. Literal na pamilya o di kaya'y parang Friendster.

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But why the need to set a standard for good music? Who needs to make a criteria? Music is art. Art is freedom of expression. Same old story, same old debate.

I just fear for pinoyrock music. It's becoming a circus. I've mentioned new bands sprouting like mushrooms. What's the point of all the rock challenge? What's the use of the garage phase of juvenile bands?

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Artists aim to be prolific. What is their definition of prolific? Is it to be intellectually productive or monetarily motivated? Artists and composers end up creating fragments of their masterpiece. They fall short of what they can be. On one hand, it's the pressure of living it up for the demands of big time recording companies and the thirst of people for new songs. On the other, it's their magnifying greed to just, you know, show off. Rockstars are cooool people.

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Control in creativity. Before labelled artists could never demand for full-creativity rights. They were confined. But now I don't think it is problem anymore. For as long as you can handle a guitar and come up with drum riffs, you can be signed-up for a label so I don't understand what's going on with those people who were supposed to invigorate essential music.

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Marketing of bands. 2005 until this year has been a period of bandemonium. Bands aspire to be radio-friendly to be heard in radio-friendly stations. They have to front a stereotypical rockstar hunkie to join the popularized "pogi-rock" community. Now I'm beginning to understand why the term boyband can also be applicable to rock posers. Noontime and variety shows have become their regular gig. Their albums are being re-packaged to have the "acoustic version", "sizzlin' videos", free calendar or poster and other extra whatsoever to boost up sales.  

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My last question would be, is it okay to tolerate mediocrity? No one will get hurt anyway. No one. Not even I. It's the times. Everyone wants to be mediocre. It's the only way to survive. Look around and you'll understand why. Consider this entry as part of it. So-so. So what. Who cares? It's just a blog entry to show off. It's just. No more, no less.

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New Review: Chris Cornell's Euphoria Morning (backtrack reviews)

If Monday was a tree, I would've cut its trunk off before. If it was a dog, I would've turned it into an azuscena. If it's a dream, I'd rather have killed myself a long time ago.

Don't you just hate Mondays? Okay, I won't generalize. I understand that Mondays are good for those people who get their time or work off on this day, for those who look forward to something or SOMEONE in school or workplace. But for a recluse and pessimistic person such as myself, why would I rejoice for the start of another terrifying week that usually culminates into boredom?

Monday is the only thing that spoils my weekend. Just like recently. Okay, I'll set it straight. I need sleep! I know I've been ranting about not sleeping easily but this time, I didn't get enough sleep. There's the difference! I was too preoccupied engaging in fun activities.

Speaking of fun, I had a new addition to my happy thoughts list! Jay Contreras of Kamikazee! He and his makeshift stand-up comedy during his band's 4-song performance at the Eraserfest in the UP fair last Friday. I can't stop laughing at his "hirits". Sample?

Okay. Someone from the production staff told him that people went on a riot outside the fairgrounds when they knew that the band will play next. Jay loudly said, "Yung mga nanggugulo diyan sa labas! Wag na kayong mang-gulo, mamaya na lang. Bibisitahin ko kayo diyan. Tutugtog ang Kamikazee diyan mamaya!"

And then he faced the crowd inside the fairgrounds, "Pasensya na kayo, yung mga pinsan ko kasi nanggugulo!" XD

Jay's sort of becoming a sex symbol for pinoyrock-loving Filipinos these days. His humor is maybe comparable to Chito Miranda but he is noisier, crazier and sexier. No holds barred. He speaks what's on his mind. He is like Perry Farrell + Anthony Kiedis + Scott Weiland meets Eat Bulaga's Wally & Jose. For more about the band and their new album Maharot click my review here.

Going back to not having enough sleep. I really had a busy weekend. Even if I was compelled to leave the fair because I need to work overtime on the next day (actually 9 A.M.), I still didn't maximize my 2-3 hour sleeping opportunity at home. I still tuned into 97.1 WLSFM (talking about NU-loyaltee) and waited for the band Pupil. They're the band I most looked forward to watch in the concert. And I was still crossing my fingers for a surprising reunion of the Eheads when I knew that 50 years from now, that would still be really really impossible.

So, I took a 30-minute to an hour catnap, took a bath, dressed up and went straight to work. I was supposed to have a movie date later that night but I gave up and decided to go home. When I came home, sleeping was all in vain. I still watched TV, listened to the radio, read this and that, pondered on some things and slept late again (plus, my body still aches from getting pushed here and there by the enraged crowd). I woke up 10 A.M. Sunday. My friend informed me that she already watched "Close to You" (ehem, talking about rockstar coolness). So, I hastily asked another friend (wow! I have 2 friends!) to watch the movie after lunch (since I can't in the evening because I have church service). And we did watch it! It was a tearjerker. It was a slightly serious movie compared to teeny-bopper, love-team inducing flicks of the two main actors before. But still knowing Filipino films, there are the "impossible is possible/anticipated happy-ending" scenes. Aaaah!!! And John Lloyd Cruz was another reason why I didn't sleep early again!

And now it's Monday! -_- -_- -_- I have nothing to say except I have to start my countdown to weekend again.

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New blog:

The Ultimate: Music First, Music Lasts, Music Always - this is for my favorite songs and my own (well, unneeded and crappy) interpretation. Sort of a song analysis for foreign songs of foreign artists. My "song-analysis" blog for OPM is coming up soon.

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Reviews:

Ciudad : revisited/re-reviewed
Kamikazee's Maharot