|
I just came back from Singapore yesterday. It was just a quick day trip since I had a free ticket which was expiring and I had a shoot this week so I didn't want to stay long and blow my savings in one place. Good thing Josie was in town and I was able to catch up with my dearest friend (from my Shanghai days). I arrived at their apartment around 1030 am and was surprised to see her mom, older sister, brother in law and baby Justin. They were in town for Justin's shots but had to extend since he got sick. But they were flying out to Jakarta at 1245. So I got to hang out with my main boy, Justin, who is super cute and looks like Josie (ie her dad). He kept giving me big toothless grins. Then Joanne whips out her boobs to start breast feeding her baby. She told me to sit beside her while she nurses. And I was the one who felt uncomfortable, but after 3 minutes it was like normal life. Then they left for the airport with Josie's mom and we went to grab our Ba Kut Te（肉骨茶). I told her that I was so curious since I kept seeing it all over Asian Food Channel but my mom was like: "it's nothing special". Anyway, so we drive to their favorite Ba Kut Te place and it was closed. Apparently, after consulting with her driver, Josie said that Singaporeans don't eat pork during Mondays. And that particular Ba Kut Te place closes on Mondays because that's when they cook their soup, which means it doesn't get as tasty as they do during Sundays. So we decide to get Chicken Rice instead. So we drive over to the next eatery and we get roasted Chicken rice, with something like Kecap Manis but it's sweet Singaporean soy sauce with ground garlic and chilli sauce. We also ordered Kangkong. Thinking about it makes my mouth water already.
After lunch we head out to Wheelock. Where I got my Tokidoki Frenzies. I was wondering why the boxes were numbered, Josie explained that the store already opened the bloxes and marked it with corresponding numbers to the picture of the character. Isn't Singapore, great? I know it kinda takes the fun out of the blind box concept but at least I got to choose which toy I really wanted to buy. I had a fun looking around and checking out the other toys. There was so many Hello Kitty stuff!! While Josie was looking at her next Blythe purchase. She's gone gaga over these big headed barbie dolls (hmmmm that description sounds like Bratz, she'll kill me if she reads this!). I gave her a crocheted hat for her Blythe and promised to make an outfit. I am kinda excited since I've wanted to try out making crochet dresses.
Then we went to check out the Onitsuka Tiger store "Star three sixty". The Tokidoki X Onitsuka Fabre hi tops that I wanted was out of stock. Every time I go to that store the Filipina sales lady always tells me everything is out of stock. SIGH. They only had guy's sizes of the other sneaks that I wanted to get. GRRRR. While Josie checked out the Tokidoki X Onitsuka Lawnship shoes, I explained to her that the weird prints on the shoes were glow in the dark. I think I inadvertently made her a fan, because she bought the grey ones! While I bought Asics Tiger hi tops in yellow. HAHAHAHAHAH! And I think it was the first time we shopped together. I don't really count the times when we "shopped" while I lived in China because being on a tight budget I was scared of spending money there because I had a fixed amount without any immediate means of getting more money.
After she toured me around the food court and we grabbed this particular Takoyaki which was super famous because the line for it snakes around the food court but luckily there was no line while we were there. I thought it was ok. It has a crunchy outside and it was gooey inside but the Tako (squid) was really big. Although, I'm so used to the Takoyaki they have in Samurai Balls from Harrison Plaza, which I love because their red sauce is spicy, sweet vs salty sweet with mayo. Ever since mayonnaise got banned from our house, we've all kept off the extra weight and I don't enjoy the taste compared to when I was a kid. After which we went to Muji, to get my pens and date book. I got my dad a memory foam butt cushion and my mom a inflatable foot bath basin. Going up the elevator..I look up and it was UNIQLO. Oh God, I had to restrain myself from going crazy. I got my sister a Jean Michel Basquiat dress while I got a Uniqlo X G.V.G.V dress, another Jean Michel Basquiat Dress and this top na Uniqlo X japanese girl collab (forgot her name). And still I came up to $100+ Singaporean! Which got me a free copy of the Uniqlo 2009 Fall/Winter Magazine plus free tote bag, which cost $20 sing at Kinokuniya. After Uniqlo we snuck into Topshop and all I can say is, how come they have better accessories there then the ones we have here? I got me 2 necklaces. And the new earrings they have out were scary. HUGE! It's like as big as half of your face! Then the necklaces where GIANT BALLS! I don't think so. Then we moved to ION, this new mall which had Kinokuniya. I went nuts there. But with full restraint. SIGH. I found the 35th Anniversary Hello Kitty Book with free bag and got Dadang a black one. I decided that I didn't need to have it. I found Ramon there, he was deciding if he should get the more expensive Sonny Lieuw graphic novel. While looking around Josie liked a graphic novel, which turns out to be the one which Ramon was thinking of getting. She got it and I made Ramon get it autographed because afterwards he was going to interview him. After years of waiting for Ramon to finish choosing his carefully selected books and then changing his mind over some books due to Josie having a discount card at Kinokuniya. I was soooo tired. I ended up purchasing the Hello Kitty book for Dadang and got a Japanese Magazine called Potato with Arashi in it (for Mads). I spent money so I could see what was inside and then give it as a gift, because I know she'd appreciate it more. I was thinking of buying Men's Non-no with Takuya Kimura on the cover but it was a little more expensive. But I know myself, I see it twice and I'm already over it. So I decided not to get it.
I was so pooped but Ramon hasn't had his lunch so we scoped out the Ion Food Court. Ramon chose Lemon Chicken while I got my Hong Lou Bo Gao 红萝卜糕 which is known as carrot cake. Funny, because I was lazy to speak in Chinese and regretted after since I couldn't understand the lady's thick accent. I've had Hong Lou Bo Gao 红萝卜糕 in Makansutra at the Manila Ocean Park but it's cooked different. I love the Sweet soy sauce and the spiciness! YUM. Now I'm craving for it! *mouth waters*. Ramon leaves to interview Sonny Lieuw while we head back to Josie's apartment. Where she insists on serving me more food. This time she let out some Indonesian dishes. This humba type dish made from loads of garlic and a bottle of black singaporean vinegar and this Chicken dish which looked suspiciously like Afritada but didn't taste anything like it, since it had Cinnamon, which gave it a funky taste. Then I asked her if I could vegge on her couch, which I did for one minute...then I heard my name. Apparently, I passed out on Josie's couch while watching TV and still holding on to the remote control. AHAHAHAHAHAHA! I was so tired.
Off to the Red House for Chili Crabs dinner with our Japanese friend Tac. We had an order of Chili crabs, 2 mantou 馒头 each person (technically, Mantou is steamed bread but in this case, in Manila it's called Silver dollar, it's the Chinese Fried bread you dip in condensed milk), to be dipped in Chili Crab sauce, we also had ho fan, this really tender barbequed squid dish, and tofu skin with veggies. Man, now I'm hungry!! Topped off with Thai coconut juice, which the owner of the place recommended. Who knew coconut from Thailand was so magical? It was sweet with the lovely smell of coconut and the meat was thick and tender. I love it! After dinner we were meeting up with Ramon and Ling at Dempsey Hill to have a few drinks. So we end up at this little place with a pool table and we get drinks and got to know some cool Singaporean girls. Boo is an up and coming actress who is complaining that roles for her are few and far in between since she's Australian Chinese and she barely speaks Chinese. And to be big in Singapore she needs to act in more Chinese tv shows. While Jean, an Indian Chinese girl is studying Musical Theater in Singapore. She used to be part of this hip-hop group called Illers. HEEHEEHEE. Ramon kept on speaking in Taglish! HAR HAR HAR. And kept repeating what he said again in English. He thought that Josie was Filipino and kept talking to her in Tagalog until he finally realized that she wasn't talking back in Tagalog. AHAHAHAHAHAHA. It was fun meeting all these interesting people. Hopefully, they'll get a break and become famous. I told boo to come to Manila to get gigs, since she's caucasian looking. She said she didn't speak Tagalog so Ramon and I were trying to convince her that it's not important but telling her about the Legend that is Sandara Park. AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Anyway, at around 1130pm we decide to call it a night. Since Tac had work and the girls had a grueling day in school tomorrow with dancing, singing and acting everyday. We get back to the apartment, I take a shower and crash immediately to bed. But before that it's set that we have Ba Kut Te 肉骨茶 before I leave for Manila.
I hear my alarm at 7am and Josie is surprised that I didn't even press snooze, I just got up and rushed to the bathroom. After taking a shower, we drive to the Ba Kut Te 肉骨茶 place. Although I am not blown away by it, I really do like how it tastes like, the spicy-peppery taste along with the herby smell. I really enjoyed the soup with the youtiao 油条 (Chinese Fried bread or Chinese Crullers). And the tea was amazing! It paired well with the spareribs! I would definitely go back next time but maybe at night or on a Sunday when they've cooked the pork longer and maybe try the offals (YUM!). Josie then brought me back to the airport and I was back in Manila by 2pm. Nice! I was able to make catch the Pond's fashion show so I can show my face to my Pond's client.Current Mood: accomplished Current Music: 黑洞裡 (Hei Dong Li) In a Black Hole- 方大同 (Khalil Fong) |
|
Period
|
Oct. 7th, 2009 @ 10:20 am
|
|---|
|
Not getting your period is alarming but charging period cycles is the bitch. Most especially when, you're like me, your period strikes without warning, without notice (well, there was notice but then it waned and when I've accepted that it has gone, it decided to just pounce on me). It just has a freaking life of it it's own. And it loves tricking me into thinking that either it's not coming or we're done. BUT NO! I just wanted to complain about my PEROID once again because it decided to come on an opportune time, while I was helping out in Marikina (one of the places really hit by typhoon Ondoy). But there are a few silver linings (VERY THIN, I might add). While J was driving towards our first location, he noticed that the pick up was about to overheat so we made an emergency stop to Petron. D then decided it was time to get our first bathroom break and told me that I should do that same lest we do a repeat of the last Soup Kitchen (wherein my bladder was about to burst into kingdom come). I decided that even though I didn't need to go, I would have to make a little visit. Well well well...look who decided to pop in? Good thing, D brought extra sanitary napkins. I'm not a prissy princess but that night just took a turn for the royalty in me. It was due to the fact that I was already grossed out at myself because periods make you feel gross all over. Then there was the mud. The mud killed me. I became irritable and uncomfortable hundred fold. Imagine, you have blood and mud in your mind. Then came dysmenorrhea, back pains and leg pains. I didn't even mind the unruliness or the pushing or the clamoring of the outsiders for more egg, I just didn't want to deal with the mud and the blood.
But all in all it was great to have helped people without even knowing who they are. Thank you for saying thank you. I really appreciate it but I really didn't know how to respond. |
|
I am so sick of all this. I am trying to help out in my little way but all I see on TV and on FB is so sad, heart wrenching at the same time there's the sickening thought of people taking advantage, then there's the frustration of the vicious cycle and finally this helplessness that even though I am helping help is really not going to those who really need it.
I am just so sick of it. I want to puke out my guts till I can taste my bile. So I am going to be frivolous and shallow for a moment and if you want to judge me please don't read my journal, ok?
Gosh, I got myself all worked up now I can't be shallow and frivolous. DARN IT! ARRRGGGGGHHHHH. |
|
我真的真的恨你。 你不知到你食很笨蛋的人， 不听话。 天天你说的对。你是一个白痴！ 我恨你。 你听得到了马？？ 你听我说。 |
|
Here's a little top hat I found. So cute! I am thinking of putting it up for sale. It's a real felted hat! I also have it in black and fuschia pink!
|
| » Cronny! |
|---|
I have been dreaming about this little hat I saw online. I am have devising a way to make it crochet version. It was pretty easy and I really liked the way it looked. It was better than what i've seen in China and way better than expected. It also made me realize that microwave and almirol can be friends.
Here are some of my other stuff that i've been doing. I wanted to make a plain doll and jazz it up after. Essentially, it's a crocheted Munny so I've been calling it CRONNY. HEEHEEHEE.
This guy reminds me of the English artists Munny with the bowler hat. But I didn't realize till I put the hat on top of his head the other day. Cool.
Here is my 3 horned monster, I think my brother was telling me how the ending of Voltes Five while I was crocheting this... I don't think I'll spoil it but the thing about the horns kinda disturbed me so I made 3 horns.
I like my Horny Cronny. He looks like he's balancing the hat precariously on his head and at this angle he looks like he's biting his lower lip. I love his goofy expression.
Jun. 6th, 2009 @ 12:33 am
|
| » sharon the cook |
|---|
You may not know this but I love to cook and of course EAT. And I like asking for people for their recipes mostly from kind parents of friends. So yesterday while hanging out with my parents in Rockwell. My mom called me over to look at this book she saw. She saw this book:
I said to her: You know ma, I submitted a recipe to this book!
Ma: OWS? I don't believe you!
FLIP FLIP FLIP...
First page of the Fish Section...shucks it's blurred... But I submitted a recipe of Greer's Dad. You can see his name if you squint into that blue box on the lower part of the picture!
There! Just to prove to you that I actually submitted a recipe to this book! My mom was sorta proud of me! AHAHAHA
Apr. 15th, 2009 @ 10:21 pm
|
| » Manny The PACMAN Paquiao |
|---|
I was surfing through my usual sites and I stumbled into this:
I found this from mine and pia's favorite website. I don't really know anything about Franco Shade but friends sila ng Triumvir. It's nice to see other "patriotic" designed shirts from other brands asides from the usual that we find in the metro.
Apparently proceeds of the sales will all go to the Manny Pacquiao Foundation. Only 502 produced to commemorate on the date of the match with Ricky Hatton. You can order this at http://www.80spurple.com/
Apr. 13th, 2009 @ 05:52 pm
|
| » My nephew |
|---|
I get this email from my production designer. She sent me pegs for this brochure shoot we're working on. I look through the pictures and a little boy catches my eye. I take my laptop and show it to my brother.
Me: Doesn't he look like, Aiden?
Bro: Kind of.
So I was talking to my production designer and I tell her that the little boy in her peg looks like my nephew, Aiden. And she said, well I got that from the gap website. And I was like: IT IS MY NEPHEW AIDEN! My nephew Aiden, is one of the kids inside the van when my cousin, Arwin was shot. WIERD.
My cousin Abbie, his mom, mentioned that he had a Gap ad. He's half Chinese-half Filipino. But he looks like my cousin Abbie.
http://www.gap.com/browse/category.do?cid=13004
Feb. 12th, 2009 @ 11:19 pm
|
| » Death by Chocolate |
|---|
D.L&Co and Valerie Confections came out with this cute chocolate.
It's called "Mori Ex Cacao". I've always had this fascination with skulls and death (AND OF COURSE CHOCOLATE) ever since I was in grade school. I used to draw skulls a lot and will never forget this Memento Mori poster I drew which got lost in that stupid school in Alabang. I should draw again...
picture and story from selectism
Jan. 24th, 2009 @ 10:42 am
|
| » Ping Pong Playa, my review. |
|---|
Ever since I found about this movie, I've been looking for a way to watch it. It took more than 6 months for me to be able to find a source and to watch it. I am a little disappointed since the scenes in the trailer were the funniest parts of the movie. There was a part of the movie where it seemed like they were just stretching the kids-gambling-joke a bit too far and it felt like the writer fumbled a bit and didn't know which direction the movie was headed. I thought that they could've shown more ABC (American born Chinese) nuances or jokes but that never really surfaced. I also felt like the movie could've been a little more racist but it seemed like they were afraid to offend the 外国人. But I have to admit, I found a lot of the Chinese jokes funny. I guess the fact that there was no audio-video lock between his face and the way he talked was half of the joke.
Oh yeah, the writer and director were good friends with Pinoys (West Covina Pinoys reprezints). They kept advertising Pinoy Snacks:
The tai tais were enjoying this very Ding Dongs:
I saw Boy Bawang several times but 胖子 chubby here was really pouring the bag into his mouth:
I also got the joke of C.Dubb which was a parody of V.Dubb (guess nalang who). I give this 2 out of 5 stars. I give it A for effort. It was a premise with good potential but the delivery found me wanting more.
Jan. 22nd, 2009 @ 11:18 pm
|
| » Figaro Figaro FIIIIIIGARO! |
|---|
by Linda C. Corpuz and some insider stuff from me.
FIGARO UNDER HOSTILE TAKEOVER
The country’s largest local chain is beset with a problem for its franchisees as funders under the guise of “investors” brazenly took over the operations to the disappointment of many franchisees and its loyal employees.
It was reported that a group running a pizza delivery chain (Domino's Pizza) paid P20 million to get in through an in-law of the majority stakeholder.
Employees and franchisees are crying “foul” as the new lender suddenly took the reins of the company’s operations last few weeks without notice of legality or due process.
It will be recalled that management of Figaro changed late last year and franchisees were waiting for the next steps of the majority stockholders when all of a sudden, a new investor came in and started running the company.
Employees are aghast at the management style and franchisees are in a quandary if the famous brand will like up to its history of good coffee and excellent service.
The company’s other stakeholders could not be reached for comment as they have reportedly already filed legal suits to protect their interests.
Meanwhile, franchisees and employees are in the dark on what is the next for the coffee chain. Figaro has over 60 stores and more than half of them belonging to franchisees. Famous franchisees are the Jaafars of Tawi-Tawi, the family of Chiz Escudero, the Villar family who all believed in the brand and what it stood for.
The franchisees hope that they could seek relief from the SEC or the IPO as the new investor has no access to the brand’s registered marks which the franchisees are guarding with their lives. Further, employees and resigned employees are seeking relief from the DOLE and NLRC as their termination pay has also been held by the new operator.
How sad, I know Tita Chit won't take this sitting down and won't go down without a fight. But I've heard that the new management wants to add rice to the menu and make cheaper coffee. Imagine that in the Rockwell and Greenbelt branches!
Jan. 22nd, 2009 @ 05:54 pm
|
| » What the fuck 2008, please end na. |
|---|
My mom has this weird habit of waking us up with bad news. I though we were just preparing for our last yoga practice of the year but no.
She said it very calmly to my brother: "Baka kailangan mo samahan si Papa sa Angeles, baka patay na si Arwin at si Jong."
I was like: WHAT?!?!?!
Mom: Iyak ng iyak si 4ko so di namin maintindihan kung ano talaga nangyari.
I was dazed for a few minutes and I thought calmly to myself, I'm not really that close to them so I will not cry. Tears started to squeeze out of my eyes involuntarily after a few minutes.
I don't really like my father side relatives since I thought they were too Chinese and were so fake/pakitang tao. But I always enjoyed being with my cousins from Angeles since they were hoodlums and they weren't shy about it. My kumpare/cousin Drake and I have been kinda close since he was really honest and cool about things. He was never shy about what he did, which was whatever as long as he could profit (may it be selling sub standard steel or try white slavery). And he was the first one to realize that I wasn't a prissy, Chinese prude. As for my cousin Arwin, I started to really like him when he was asked by my other cousins how many kids he had and he honestly declared: Well, the ones I know about are 6 but the ones I don't know about well.... And he's really funny. He was always the good looking one. When we were a little younger around the time when I was in college, he was about to enter show business. He had a gay "manager" but he refused to give them what they wanted the most. He said in the end he's now more successful than that gay couturier even if he never became a start. We actually got to hangout during Christmas. I was with Arwin and Angel (Jong) Christmas day in Tagaytay. The three of us went to Carlo's Pizza and had a few beers. There my cousin Arwin realized that I wasn't a Chinese princess and was kinda cool. There I found out that he was a little nuts (he had OCD and Tourette Syndrome) and he knew it. I remember the day we were going home from Tagaytay, Arwin got my cell number so we could hangout in Manila sometime.
I got a call from my cousin Jess and she was telling me about how uncanny it was, since this year her dad died and my grandmother died and people were saying that "death" might get another one but this time from my generation. In order to prevent this we did that Chinese ritual thing where we got this Chinese "shaman" (for the lack of a better word or since I don't know what you call it in Chinese). He banged the head of a goose at my grandmother's coffin released it towards the sun and left a live turtle into her casket. My siblings and I were laughing at that ceremony. My God it hasn't been a 100 days between my uncle and my grandmother and between my grandmother and my cousin it hasn't been a 100 days either. Please let this cycle end.
Dec. 31st, 2008 @ 09:48 am
|
| » Sam Tsay |
|---|
What started as an odd day, ended like a badly written short film. After yoga, I was driving home with my mom and I told her I had an bad feeling about today. My mom got annoyed at me and I regretted saying it.
Today, we had a lunch to celebrate my granduncle's Sam Tsay which is the third death anniversary, which is when Chinese mourning officially ends. (Which means, that family of the deceased can start wearing colorful clothes and get married). The whole compound went for lunch in Highland's China Palace in SM Mall of Asia. It was the course after the Steamed Lapu Lapu and before the Roasted Pigeon. My youngest cousin Francis, receives a frantic call. He was beside me and I was just staring at him because he said: Sunog. My heart fell to my stomach and I knew that it was in the compound. My body turned cold and my hands trembled as I called my Filipino Chinese Fire Brigade contacts. The lunch guests got cut into half as most of my relatives hurried home to our compound. My cousin Fiona, her boyfriend Gerald, my dad, my brother, my uncle Frank, my aunt Mary and the contingent from Hong Kong, who came home for their father's/grandfather's/husband's death anniversary. The house burning was my granduncle's house. I swear, truth is stranger than fiction.
(Back story)The house where my granduncle lived is my Gwakong's (maternal grandfather). He let him live there because he's family and his family left him to live in Hong Kong. So when my granduncle died by his lonesome 3 years ago it was understood that the house will be returned to my Gwama (maternal grandmother, since Gwakong passed away 4 years ago). But my grandaunt decided for herself that she didn't want to return the house just yet, she thought the house would be given to them. So in order to buy more time, she said that due to Chinese tradition, which WE have to follow, we cannot touch the house in the next 3 years until they come back to celebrate the official end of mourning. I swear this Chinese tradition has been such a burden to me personally since they followed it and I'm suppose to follow it because of my grandmother's passing so they "won't say anything" against us, which means we can't wear read or any happy color. We weren't allowed to go to my Gwama's and uncle's house 49 days after my Amah died because my grandaunt was in Manila and they would find out if we did. (This is just my personal rant against this Chinese tradition, explaining it even more is such a pain but it's now over so this is just my ramblings about it).
When they leave my appetite went with them, but we had to stay on with the other relatives. But I frantically call my friend Winston and James. I have to commend the Chinese Volunteers, they're very fast. I dial to call their HQ and the girl who picked up my call said to me (even before I said hello) Sa Leveriza ba to? After lunch we get picked up by the driver and we go home. I was already dying inside since I wanted to see if my costumes survived. There were 3 trucks left, the Pasay City government fire engines who were the last to arrive and they were the ones who asked for money. Fiona, Gerald and I go and stare at the embers. It was so overwhelming, there was nothing left. I was staring at the gutted house, the stairs were gone and the insides was a mess of charcoaled belongings. Our Little Tikes slide melted from the heat of the fire and there was still a little smoke rising from the 2nd floor. My dad asked our driver to go up and look for my relatives' travel documents since some of them were flying back at 630pm today. But then flames were relighting from the embers. So our driver was asked to go down from the house and my dad wanted to call for a fire truck to come back. THE WEIRDEST THING, a fire truck CAME BACK. They were the first truck who came and they guy lives a block away from us. They left and said that they would come back after they had lunch. WEIRD. Anyway, so this Chinese guy comes and puts out the fire and they assist us in finding the travel documents. THEY FOUND THEM. My relatives who lost everything found their complete travel documents. I actually gave the volunteers a round of applause. I also find out that my friend Winston was actually in full fireman regalia and was in my compound looking for me (while I was in Mall of Asia having Chinese lariat). So in the end my relatives left at 430pm for the airport and are probably back in Hong Kong by now.
So when I have a son, he will be forced/begged/cajoled to join the Filipino Chinese Fire Brigade since my family's so unlucky with fires.
Oh yeah at a time like this my cousin Fiona wanted me to date the Chinese Volunteer dude. WAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHA!
Dec. 29th, 2008 @ 09:20 pm
|
| » Momster Rant |
|---|
I forget what kind of stress I encounter during the holidays since I'm usually well distracted throughout most of the year. When December hits, work slows down, well this year I am once again single and now my mother is in my face 24/7. It gets worse since I do yoga with her and we have yoga friends who want us to go out with them. Anyway, I was stressing over this little project where I was art directing for and my mother wants me to fix her 70s outfit for a yoga friend's party. I told her that I would handle it I just need time for my other project. I have styled and made costumes for a number of people already and for some reason my mother is the most demanding and the bitchiest among all of my clients. She's never satisfied and she's extremely demanding always asking for another outfit and shoes to match. But she always complains that I waste my money on expensive shoes but who ends up using or getting them? She and my sister always get stuff from my cabinet and when something is missing they don't even make any effort to look for it or fess up if they used it or not. One time my wonderful sister lent my bathing outfit (without permission) to a friend of hers and never got it back. I told her to find a way to get it but she didn't lift her finger or even stress her friend to return it. Until now it's still with her friend! Well, I was busy with this art directing job and I don't have a car to use so I kept walking back and forth to Harrison Plaza (since my instructions were coming in after every few hours). My sister goes to Harrison Plaza with a maid in tow. I swear, I feel like such a chopped liver when it comes to my mom's preferential treatment of my sister. Whenever I need the car and I am an inconvenience she tells me to take a cab (who cares if I get raped or killed) but when my sister needs the car, everyone's schedule has to be rearranged and people will be pulled out of things so she get get picked up far far away. She tells me that my sister gets picked up from school because what if she gets raped or killed? How come itls ok for me to get raped or killed? She gets to and from school with a driver while I walked back and forth. She goes to Harrison Plaza with a maid? What's that? She tells me that people tell her that she shouldn't walk because she's too pretty to walk. So what am I, ugly? Thanks ha.
My mom refuses to listen to my costume advise and when I tell her to wear something she complains and tells me to give her 3 or 4 other options. My goodness, I can only give her so many options from my stash and if she's not satisfied I am not going to go out of my way to get stressed for this. Now she's asking for shoes, she won't listen to my costume advice what more for shoes. "It's too high". "It's too big". "It's too white". "I can't wear boots, they're uncomfortable". Costumes ARE NOT COMFORTABLE! LECHE.
Dec. 20th, 2008 @ 02:33 pm
|
| » Violated |
|---|
Last year, for the first time I attended the rock awards in the VIP section. I was able to mingle and reconnect with people I worked with and I also met new people. And I saw some old faces from the past.
There was this particular old face, who I've seen since I was a kid. He's been friends with my dad since I didn't have boobs yet. So he's known me since I was that young. I remember a particular incident where I saw him in a Cream Halloween party where some girl was sucking his nipples and I was pretty appalled and made the mistake of telling my mother, who then sugar coated it and told my dad that I might have seen his friend taking drugs. Syempre, my dad being a square straight and narrow guy, calls him up very concerned and said that "my daughter saw you high". GADDAMMIT! So anyway, I saw him last year in the rock awards and I approached to say hi to be respectful. He then proceeds to pull me by the small of my back and shoves me forward to his body. He then gives me a "beso" on the neck. I was so stunned and violated I didn't know what to do. He kept talking to me and pinning me to his body that I had this bothered/distressed look on my face as he continues to kiss me on the neck and finally I was able pull away. I felt so violated and grossed out. How can this guy, who has seen me when I was about 9 years old in t-shirt and baggy shorts do this to me?
Fast forward to this year's rock awards, I see the same old face but I hide. I am pretty inconspicuous and people don't usually remember how I look and since the haircut no one from before the bangs really remembers how I look. So I was with Ramon standing around and suddenly he points at me and shouts: "YOU. Come here." I was like: Oh fuck (in my head). So I go to him and he says: "Are you blah blah's daughter?" And said: "yes". He said: "How come you didnt say hi to me? You should always come over to say hi to me!". While he was talking to me he had his hand at the back of my head and once again he manages to pin me to his body while he shouts to my ear. Then he maneuvers my head with his hand, I think he was trying to kiss me on the lips but I struggle and move my head and he plants a kiss beside me lips.
In another note, I used to wonder what uncles think of their nieces after getting boobs. I thought they just didn't notice but my (new found) Irish (sound dude) friend told me that when his niece turned 13, and she grew boobs and it wasn't just small ones but really big jugs and it was very uncomfortable and weird. He could remember when she was a tiny baby and now she has jugs the size of my head. (he was showing me how big).
Why did things just get more complicated? I can't tell my father about this, so I will keep the peace and not rock the boat.
Nov. 28th, 2008 @ 09:09 am
|
| » Survivor: Capones Island |
|---|
I was asked by my good friend and PD Trinka to be her costumer for a shoot with National Geographic in Pundaquit, Zambales. She briefed me on the matter in between shoots for a TVC that she was doing and I was doing another shoot for an AVP. I didn't know what to expect but I found myself back and forth in Divisoria, SM Harrison Plaza and SM Mall of Asia to source costumes and materials. I found myself a little stressed and very overwhelmed over making costumes for 27 Aetas since they would be having around 3 costume changes. It was a good thing my helpers were so enthusiastic in giving me a helping hand and in the end making most of the grass skirts while I made all the wood bark skirts and embellished everything else with shells. Trinka came over to do a costume check right before I went to the last day of the Gary V concert. We were stressing over the costumes since we didn't really know what to expect from the National Geographic guys. Anyway, we kept on making ourselves believe that it was an easy shoot. It would be like shoot then laze around the beach....
Day 1: Arrival and Ocular Inspection
Mang Rey comes over to my house to pick me up but Marco and Ekis (the setmen) were late. So we get to Trinka's place in Simoun St. and she's also late (I think due to Joc-joc Bolante over at the Batasan. The night before Enrile et al made a senate coup and ousted Villar as the Senate President). Trinka arrives super late and we head our to Mcdo for breakfast and then on to our Zambales adventure. We get lost several times, since Mang Rey isn't the best navigator. When we get to a certain point we went around in circles and had to wait for Henry (the Philippine "fixer" for the Nat Geo crew). Then we head on out to Megan's Resort which was going to be our home for the week. We get there around lunch time and we were told that we would be doing an ocular inspection at the other islands (so do not expect to eat lunch in a while). Oh yeah, I got to meet the crew. First was Isham, the consulting producer then Chad, the director, next was Jim the DP and Mike the AC. The last guy who both Trinka and I met for the first time was Rob the sound guy. I got them all confused for the first 2 days. Then we took a boat ride out to Capones Island, the sky was blue, the clouds were fat and the waves were boat friendly. I didn't know why but I was lagging behind most of the time and it's not as if I don't walk a lot or work out but I was too freaking slow that day. But then we trekked across the island and we were walking on sand with my havaiianas on and we did climb a hill. We then went to the next island which was Megan's cove and this was where they were deciding whether it would be a good idea to have one or two locations. We got back to the resort dinner time already, I'm sure the boys were as famished as we were. We were greeted by a cold lunch fare which consisted of Sinigang, pork chops and tangigue which were both hard as rocks! We were then off to bed in our shower-right-beside-the-lavatory of a bedroom.
Day 2: Prep Day.
Trinka leaves with the Nat Geo team for another ocular, while I get left behind to make some more loin cloth costumes. Mike and Rob get their big breakfast while the Aetas arrive. I spend a few shy moment with them and I learn so many new things like cooking rice inside bamboo, using pung-git leaves to protect yourself from rain and wetting dried wood bark to make a "bahag". Trinka and the Nat Geo team arrives lunch time and I discover I have to make burlap look like leather/animal skin. Good luck to us. Later in the afternoon the team decides to get their feet wet and start shooting some scenes. So they bring some of the costumes over and some of the Aetas out to Capones Island. RSVP Film crew arrives and is set to sleep over with their equipment over at Capones. We had a good dinner care of Inky, the Philippine producer who cooked for us. Then we were off to bed!
Day 3: First Actual Shooting Day
We wake up at around 430am because we decided that we will just take a shower when we come back from a long day of shoot. We head out to the beach and see that the weather has turned on us. The sky was grey and the clouds were thin, the waves were crashing. No banca would allow us to get to Capones Island. Trinka had to take charge and talk some of the smaller bancas to take us to our location. Finally, they agree to take me, Trinka and Manny the setman over to Capones this was around 8am which was 4 hours behind schedule. We wanted to land on the other end of the island where our first "location" was to be at but the waves were just too high, the beach too rocky and dangerous for us to land. We had to circle back to the original landing. So we get there and we trek to the other end of the island with all our things. When we get there the RS boys were already about to mutiny from hunger and thirst. They already walked across the island carry the jimmy jib and its counter weights. Trinka and I had to step up to be translators and assistant directors to the Aetas. How do you translate intense to an Aeta? HMMMMM... Anyway, we move on to the next location shoot till it was 5:30pm. Let me just explain for a bit that this was a deserted island, there were not bathrooms or even a man made shade. It was just an island with a hill and by the time it was 5:30pm it was too dark because there was no electricity. So Trinka told me that we would stay and I tried to argue. She convinced me if they Nat Geo team was staying we would have to suck it up and stay. I told her that we are girls are we deserve a normal bathroom not the wilderness. But she said she didn't want them to think that we were any less since we couldn't survive without the comforts of civilization and the producer Inky told us that it would be safer if we didn't ride the boat this late. We then trek back to the landing and we have dinner, after which we went back to the other side of the island holding hands feigning bravery. I told Trinka that we should just pick the farthest shed (which she made as part of the set) and as we were about to settle in, I see thing thing which reminded me of the spirit from "Spirited Away". It had that flat smiley face and it was wiggling it's small body and tail. (of course this was all in the darkness but starlit!) Trinka decides that it's a frog (I still think it's some weird creature) and we agree to sleep under the stars. So we spread her malong out as out mat and i have her another malong to use as a blanket and I have another as mine. We then walk to the shore and take our first leak of the day (UTI, HERE WE COME!) We walk back to our bed and Trinka then covers us with a mosquito net and I uncomfortably slip into a fitful sleep.
Day 4: Second Shoot Day
I wake up around 1:30am because I felt drops of water on my face. I pray that it disappears but before that I make Trinka promise me that we'll move to shelter. We then scoot to each other's butt to get more body heat because it was too damn cold out there. We wake up at around 530am because we had to make sure we woke up and did our business before the guys decide to move around. While we were walking to the shore, the American Consulting Producer Isham was following us, we stopped and he told us to get out of the 1st location of the day. SHEESH!!! We retreat to the bushes and I discovered that I have gotten my period. My beige shorts was drenched in blood. I had to try to wash the damn thing on the shore while trying not to be hit by the waves. It was a good thing that I had the Filipino producer's husband bring me a pack of sanitary pads and that I bought an extra pair of panties for the Aetas, which I all wore behind the bushes. Oh, I am not a poop in the wilderness virgin anymore! God just wanted me to do it all in one go during this trip. Man, that was an experience. Good thing, I packed 2 extra shirts the day before and I changed into that and strapped on the malong as a make shift skirt. On with day 2, we starting shooting early in the morning. I was starting to get pangs of dysmenorrhia but I had to suck it up and tried not to be a liability. Breakfast as usual came so late and the RS boys were acting up. I had told them several times not to make snide comments since the women had to take off their tops and they told me if they couldn't make comments to the Aetas they were going to direct it at me. Sexual Harassment! (Hay nako) By the time breakfast arrives, I go over and get my food and I look at the Aetas and ask the producer Inky if they Aetas have eaten. When she tells me that she hasn't asked, my stomach does a flip flop and I feel bile rising to my throat. I loose my appetite for breakfast. Trinka then finds out that the Aetas haven't eaten and just fell apart from the lack of sleep, frustration and the stress. I don't really want to get into details of that but I have never been to a shoot where the lead actors were made to cook their own food. And in order for them to make the early call, the Aetas weren't able to cook their food. Finally, we were done for the day and we all go back to Megan's! I was so happy to be back in our crappy resort, where even if the lavatory was right beside the shower at least we had them! I took a shower and lay down on the gross bed with our air conditioning in turbo cool. We then went for beers because even if it wasn't a wrap yet, we felt like the worse was over. I got a little tipsy but it was all good. Tomorrow was an additional shooting day but what the heck, we were just going to float a raft. Before we went to bed, I called it. I told Trinka, it would be a clear day with fat clouds, blue sky and calm waves.
Day 5: 2 1/2 Shooting day
True enough the Clouds were fat, the sky so blue and the waves at the bare minimum! We went over to Capones in high spirits. But we were shooting just the raft scene on open waters! So we were just on boats the whole time, roasting on the bancas. And eventually getting seasick from the wait. I head that Jim, the DP almost fell into the open water with his steady cam on and that Mike had a hard time making the scuba gear work. After hours of shooting, Chad the director finally calls it a day and gives the island one last shot from the boat and as if on cue, it starts drizzling. We head back to the Megan's resort, have lunch, a beer, take some pictures with our new friends and wait for Henry (the producer's husband and 2nd fixer) to pay for everyone. Then we head back home back to our normal lives.
Nov. 26th, 2008 @ 09:55 pm
|
| » Bonus Time |
|---|
My grandmother passed away Oct. 22, 2008. She was 92. The priest during the first Friday mass said that beyond 80 was bonus time, so my mom things that we shouldn't really be mourning but since we're Chinese and we don't want people talking behind our back about respect and tradition, we're putting on our mourning looks and telling the world we're sad.
I wasn't particularly close to my grandmother. We were always at odds about one thing and another. I remember vividly when I was a kid around 4 or 5 years old. I was a voracious eater (matakaw in short) and anything new in the fridge was free game with me. So I saw some oranges and I went for them. My grandmother scolded me and told me that those weren't for me but for my dad. After that I realized as young as that age that she never really liked me, because what was one orange, right?
And as young as that, I would have weird dreams that would drive me to panic attacks (I didn't know what it was then). So I would want to see my mom and talk to her about the craziness I saw in my dreams but she wouldn't let me. Kicking, crying and screaming I would try to get to my parent's room but she would just stop me. She insisted that I just was going to bother them with my foolishness.
Years later she would annoy my by admonishing my choices of boyfriends, like the Filipino one I had a few years back. "Why in the world would you want a boyfriend not from the same race? What was I thinking? That's not a good choice". Then years later with my last boyfriend: "why won't I get married yet? Isn't he old already? Just get married and get it over with". Those were the hardest questions you can ever get from an old lady would wanted explanations but was deaf and I couldn't speak deep philosophical Chinese-Fookien to appease her curiosity regarding her granddaughter's spinster sensibilities.
Finally during her last weeks in the hospital bed, we would have screaming matches as to why she should have her dextrose stuck to her veins. She would hit, scream, rip and push her way out of my heart. I would go home the next day after a night of sleeplessness and stress to sleep the whole day and wake up dazed and confused as to where my life was heading. During the last days of her life when she needed blood badly and the doctor told me about that which is inevitable, I would cry my heart out to the pillow and to the special nurse (who my smart friend, Boo said, is so used to seeing loved ones of patients crying in front of them).
In the end, I thought I would be fine. I thought her death would just bring closure to just another passing ancestor. I never did cry as much as I did when my grandfather, who was the love of my life, passed. But for some reason, I walked through life in a daze. I did some crazy things that I never thought I would do. I have consciously closed my heart and hoped that it won't break anymore than it has.
The other day, I thought I heard her sigh, I raced out of my room to see what made that sound. When I got to her room and saw and empty bed without a mattress my heart once again, shattered to many pieces.
Nov. 9th, 2008 @ 12:58 pm
|
| » Damn you Earnest Sewn! *waving fist* |
|---|
I have never in my life could fathom what the hell was so special about expensive jeans. What the the fuss about Calvin Klien or Armani or during that time Gerbaud? Then there are those selvage jeans and those bamboo jeans. I don't know what else. Then I got to try a small american brand called CYN jeans, I was lent a pair for like a month (don't ask long complicated story). And I was a little impressed. Then while in Rockwell, ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) hungryalien suggests that we should get me a pair of expensive jeans. Try them on for size. I went to Levi's, I mean the fit was nice but the price was just too out there for me...Then Cheap Mondays, well yeah, this is nice. Then Earnest Sewn. It was love at first fit. It was just tooo damn comfortable for me to take them off. Even though the price was WAY WAY WAY beyond what I would spend for jeans, the comfort was way WAY too heavenly to pry my ass off it.
So here is my first baby:
Today, I wanted to buy a pair of Earnest Sewn jeans I saw online. It was on sale! But the stupid site refused to take my Philippine credit card. So I was in Rockwell today and decide to go to Anthem, yet again. Oh, their Earnest Sewn was on sale. But there was a girl trying out way too many clothes so I decide to eat dinner first and for some reason, I really did come back to Anthem. I tried them on and VIOLA....had to withdraw money to buy them jeans, which I wasn't planning on buying.
Here's my 2nd pair. This was way more expensive online(full price). Good thing it went on sale here:
Oct. 3rd, 2008 @ 10:18 pm
|
| » When doves cry... |
|---|
Today during lunch, my father talked to my brother and I about the reality that we have to face. He had a very brutally honest conversation with his doctor friend regarding my grandmother health, she is currently in the hospital. He told us that we should be prepared for the worse. It was one the most tension filed conversation I've ever had with my father. For some reason, the air at the dining area was so quiet, it was like the whole compound was listening in the conversation. I decided to tell my father that I also think that my grandmother will not live to see the end of this year and that I want her to go as comfortably as she can go. Then my father said something so out of character to my 31 years of knowing him (he's been surprising me for the past few days). He said: "So, hindi na sya magpapaalam sa akin?" And then thankfully he left the table because tears I've been trying not to show started rolling down my face.
My brother says to me: O, why are you crying?
And I said: Ngayon ko lang na realize how much papa loves amah.
Then I leave the table and go to my room. After a few minutes, my father's weak voice calls my name. I worry that he's suffered a stroke. So I hurriedly go to his room.....
I've never wondered if I cried like anyone in my family. Well, now I know. My father was crying, ok more like blubbering into a little towel and I follow suit. After two seconds of not knowing how to handle my father's emotional diarrhea (he's been suffering with emotional constipation for the past 31 years or so I've known him) I touch his hand and I say: Papa (like an idiot). He then tells me (through his tears) to call my mother.
I've never seen my father bawling and this I think is one of those moments in my life that will be seared into my memory. I felt like I was a zombie, it was like numbed sadness searing through me. I felt like I had to take in my father's sadness and translate it into mine since I think he needed more release than he's willing to let out. I had to leave for a meeting but the whole time I felt like I wanted to go but I didn't know where. I'm been doing deep breathing to calm myself down. It's a weird, yucky feeling. I'm so tired.
Sep. 25th, 2008 @ 11:07 pm
|
|
