Movie Review: Get Real is Pure Gay Fantasy as Campus Jock Gets it on with Campus Nerd

Well, that's why they're movies!  It may happen in real life but just imagine the ruckus that can go with it.  Also, the nerd has to be really attractive since gay men are such vain SOBs!  Well, in the movie Get Real, the campus jock and the campus resident nerd, find themselves cruising each other in their town's public comfort rooms (well, to the gays of today, that's how we used to do it 15 years ago!).  And they hit it off and want to become a couple!  Problem is, it's not that easy to become a gay couple in a small town.  Even now, it will be a lot to take if the school's hot basketball player is the boyfriend of the school's Physics nerd or the campus editor.  Not farfetched, but just imagine how MAD the girls would get!

I really enjoyed this movie, which is incidentally, one of the Top 10 favorite gay movies of most gay men.  (I saw a poll result in the net).  One thing I really like about it is that it has a positive message - and NOBODY DIES IN THE END. 

That thing in gay movies where somebody has to die - should really stop.  We are gay and gay means happy.  We don't kill ourselves because some members of society hates us.  So stop all that self-loathing destructive gay men types already.  They do exist but they're just a miniscule bunch.

This is a teenage gay comedy though so it makes it more fun to watch since there are lots of young bodies on display!  After all, one of the main characters is a jock!  Well, the resident fag hag is there so everyone is in place.

Movie Review: Arthur Shows that Love is Worth a Billion Dollars

Of course it is foolhardy for anyone to throw away a billion dollars for love.  The sane thing to do would be to keep it.  That is the dilemma facing Arthur, a rather simple-headed billionaire brat, who gets into a fight of wills with his distant mother.

Well, the movie works because Russel Brand makes it work.  You are able to transcend your belief that someone could actually just nonchalantly wave that money away for true love.  Of course, not that Arthur didn't struggle.  In true Hollywood fashion by way of a dramatic scene towards the end, Russel Brand strips to his skivvies, in a way, stripping himself of all the trappings of his wealth.  It's good that Russel also had the support of very good actors, like Helen Mirren, his nanny, who has served as his mother since his real mother was too busy at work.  This is also the first time I've seen Jennifer Garner play a really nasty character.  The scene where she's stuck to the bottom of a magnetic bed is just hilarious!  This is the first time I've seen Greta Gerwig and he's Arthur's main love interest in this movie. 

Russel Brand's antics keeps the movie going.  There's no surprise in the end because true love has to win - and Arthur does get to keep his money.  In the end, his mother realizes how strong her son is because he can be willing to give up everything for true love!  A feel-good cliche if there was one!

Movie Review: Beastly Updates Beauty and the Beast for Today's Kids

In 1992, Disney released a very memorable animated version of the classic fairy tale Beauty and the Beast - complete with a fantastic soundtrack and dazzling choreography!  Up to now, the image of the teacup singing to Beauty and the Beast has stuck to my mind! 

Well, Beastly updates the same story for today's young crowd.  It's perfect that they chose Alex Pettyfer - who really is hot - even with the bizarre make-up.  I find it also amusing that they put Mary-Kate Olsen as the 'witch' who casts a spell on Alex's character.  I actually like that they put her in that role!  This is also the first time I've seen Vanessa Hudgens act - and I understand now the attraction - why she is a Disney superstar!  She's coy and sweet and her looks are not too distracting.  Their courtship scenes are even cute - and I'm sure it was placed there to appeal to the sugary expectations of the youth.  There aren't much obstacles thrown in the way of the couple and getting to "I love you" actually happens very quickly.

Lots of eye candy here as Alex gets shirtless several times!  It's also a very tight film, at just under 90 minutes. 

Mi Composición Para Mi Curso Español: Noticias

Esta semana, El Santuario Nacional de Nuestra Señora de Perpetua Ayuda o la Iglesia Baclaran ha recibido doble el numero de la peticiónes y cartas de acción de gracias, comparaba a semana normal. 

Cada semana, la Iglesia ha sido recibir 2,800 peticiónes y 1,500 cartas de acción de gracias.  Los Trabajadores Extranjeros Exteriores o OFWs en Ingles han mandado sus peticiónes y cartas por e-mail.

Los Catolicos se han congregado aqui todos los dias especialmente miercoles.  Han rezado para ayuda y milagroses y han ofrecido agradecimiento.

Our Decision to Hire Older People Was A Good One

I read a letter today in the Philippine Star where a writer asked Socorro Ramos of National Bookstore, if companies were biased against older people.  I admit I had that bias before so everyone in my company was below 23 years old at the time of their hiring.  All that has changed now.

We just recently opened a division where almost all the employees are older - in their 40s actually.  And it has been working fine now for the past three weeks.  Their work comes on time and they're really eager to do their tasks.  Also, their work is more professional and more mature.  That thing cannot be faked since you'd have to have experience and maturity to sound like that.

So, it's a good thing to have older people around.  Of course, it has to fit perfectly with what your company needs - and what we needed fit perfectly with what they could offer.

"I have no place left to live but in my own heart"

I got that quote from the book of Anne Enright, The Gathering.  It is probably the best quote yet I have read from the book.  The context behind it is that Ernest, the narrator's brother has just left the priesthood, and has not told their mother yet about it.  This is what he says to his sister when she asks why he leaves the priesthood, when he's already old (should be 50-ish already). 

And it's a beautiful thing to say - especially to many gay men out there contemplating on coming out or not.  It is not easy to live a lie.  If you have to - because the society you live in will kill you, literally, if you don't (hello Uganda, Iran, and many other countries), then be sane enough and lead a heterosexual life.  Your life is more important even if you have to suffer for it. They will come around, soon!  I promise! 

However, if you come from a place which is more tolerant (like the Philippines), then go on and live your life and be gay!  It's not going to be easy or be a bed of roses either, but at least, you are living the life you want and you are not hurting other people (hello, your wife or your kids!)  Also, I've noticed, straight people are more suspicious if you live that double life and would prefer that you be more open to them about your sexuality.  Apparently now, more and more people are becoming more tolerant with the gay lifestyle.  By living a double life, you also expose yourself to the spectre of AIDS and other STDs from having sex with BOTH men and women (oops, a woman - your poor wife).

So be brave - since you have no other place to live but in your own heart!

Are you the type of person who dismantles the world first before putting it back together again?

I grew up with a very authoritative mother and asking questions was not really something we did.  I guess that's how I became a bit passive in my life. I knew I did well in school but I was never really inquisitive about things.  I guess my mother just snuffed it early on.  Can't blame her because we were five children.  Must be tough having to entertain the questions of five toddlers all at once.  So I guess she developed that stern stare that would quiet as down soon as we wanted to ask for something or about something.

Of course now that we're raising Laura and Dylan, I have kept their avenue of inquisitiveness wide open.  I want them to be both dismantlers of the world and allow them to discover how to put everything back together again.  I felt I have been disabled too much because of my inability to ask questions.  I feel I could've lived a more vibrant life if I were more inquisitive, more probing, more brave, more assertive. But my time is up now, and it's time to pass on those skills to the young kids. 

As they used to say in UP, "Ang hindi nagtatanog, tanga!"

Why We Keep On Shagging the Impossible Dream?

Oh yeah, and I mean you too!  Well, all of us have that someone special in our lives (that's your wife, husband, boyfriend, girlfriend, soul mate or whatever you may call it!), but once in a while, we are tempted to go astray, hoping to shag, discreetly of course, that person who we think is opposite of the special person in our lives.  Admit it, you get to feel that temptation too, don't you!  Of shagging that impossible dream - that office dreamboat, that cute guy in the office, that sexy girl in the cafe - hoping that by having that shag, we can say to ourselves, ok, my life's complete now - or so we think, because when another temptation comes around, we tend to have those questions again - to shag or not to shag.

Those thoughts though often lead to catastrophic consequences - divorce, disappointed children, STDs, unhappiness - you name it - the impossible dream has caused it.  That list of having shagged those impossible dreams often lead to us being alone in the end.  Most likely unhappy, most likely sorry that we even thought about entertaining those horny yet deadly ideas!

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Est-ce que vous vivez votre vie dans les virgules renversés?

J'ai lu ce passage du livre 'The Gathering' par Anne Enright ce soir où un des personnages vit sa vie dans les virgules renversés.  Elle va "chez elle" et "culbute" avec son "mari".  Son mariage est juste un fardeau qu'elle a besoin de supporter, sans l'amour, sans passion.  Elle sent qu'elle se fait piéger et ne pouvait pas échapper, surtout qu'elles ont deux filles a élever.

Je ne voudrais pas vivre une vie avec beaucoup de virgule renversé.  Quelle sorte de vie est-ce que?  Nous devons faire beaucoup de sacrifices dans nos vies mais il ne signifie que nous la vivons avec tant de compromis.  Il faut que nous soyons heureux, au moins!

Mi Diario Español: Un Dia con mi familia - 24 Abril 2011

Hoy es la Pascua de Resurrección!  Salimos con mi familia incluyendo mi madre.  Vamos a Trinoma.  Laura y Dylan jugan en el patio de recreo mientras Vic, Mama y yo nos paseamos alrededor de mall.  Compramos varias revistas y unas plumas en National Bookstore.  Cenamos en Teriyaki, el ristorante que Vic quiere mucho! A mi me encanta la comida alli!  Muy delicioso.  Vic compra tambien unas pijamas por sus niños.  Finalmente, compramos dos ordenadores por nuestros empleados.  Ellas los van a traer mañana. 

This Week I Will.....

Probably the best reflection I got over the weekend is how I've misplaced Christ in my life, so this week, I am making some reparations for that.  I used to go to mass everyday, precisely because I can. I have designed my life in such a way that I'm not too busy to do things that really matter - like spend time with the kids, write and have time for God.  I am not really big on rituals but I read in a sermon guide today that the main reason that you go to mass, is not really for the rituals or to make your weekly beeline asking for favors but because you love God, and nothing more. 

So this week, I am going back to my previous habit before of going to mass everyday.  I actually already planned the Monday and the Tuesday schedules.  So let's see if I am able to achieve this throughout the week.

I was also thinking of fasting at least once a week, to maybe let my bowels rest and not go overdrive like they do, since I eat like a pig!  Anyhow, I have to really think about this since my daily activities do not change and I should have enough energy to do things lest I faint!  I was thinking of making Thursday my fasting day.  It's possible!

Oh well, I hope I can follow through on these little sacrifices.  I know I can!

My Favorite Quotes from Anne Enright's 'The Gathering' - Set #1

I am almost finished reading Anne Enright's The Gathering, and although the subject matter is depressing, I surprisingly find many amusing quotes that describe the lives of the characters in the book.

I won't enthuse too much about the plot so that you will find time to read the book.  All I can say now is there is sexual abuse in it which leads, as always, to themost catastrophic consequence - death.

Anyhow, here's the first set of my favorite quotes from the book -

1.  "Emily needs to dismantle the world before she can put it back together again" - Emily here, is the young daughter of one of the narrators of the book.  The narrator is the sister of the one who gets sexually abused.

2.  "I have no place left to live but in my own heart." - One of the narrator's brothers just left the priesthood, and they don't tell their mother, because it would break her heart.  This is what the guy, Ernest, says to the narrator, after he leaves the priesthood.

3.  "I was living my life in inverted commas.  I could pick up my keys and go 'home' where I could 'have sex' with my 'husband' just like lots of other people did.  This is what I had been doing for years.  And I don't seem to mind the inverted commas, or even notice that I was living in them, until my brother died."  - Very powerful stuff!  Do you live your life in inverted commas?
3. "Kitty sleeps with lots of men, and she loves each of them and they are all married.  Is that a sexual orientation?  It should be - the little bitch. She only shags the impossible dream."  - Love this line!  I was laughing after I read it.  Kitty is one of the sisters of the narrator.

4.  "Tom leaves the property supplement out on the kitchen table, with rings and ticks around derelict bits of the inner city.  He underlines the words, "In need of refurbishment'.  I think he means me." - Tom is the husband of the narrator.  Their marriage is going through that phase where, everything is in "inverted commas". 

5.  "My brother has a trained heart; compassion is a muscle for him." - Here, she's talking again of her brother, the ex-priest, who just knows what to say at the right time.

Easter Thoughts: How I Did My Own Resurrection

I have always been an optimist in many ways so you could say that Easter is just an extension of who I am in real life.  But that was not always the case.  I went through a phase in my young life where I even thought of committing suicide.  But I guess, like Jesus, after three days, I rose again, of course, in reality, it was more like twenty years later.  So today, being Easter, I'd like to share my thoughts on how you can have your own life's resurrection -

1.  Cut off all the negative people from your life.  Really!  Even if they're your family.  So now, except for my mother, who is one big baggage herself, I have just cut off everyone who has brought me down or made my life miserable before.  I just simply said Adios to them.  Negative people are never nice to be around with so stay FAR FAR AWAY from them.  Unless of course, you are a negative person yourself, tsk tsk.....

2.  I am an awesome person.  I am a good person.  I am a wonderful person.  I always say this everyday to myself.  As early as eight years ago, I was my own worst critic.  My self-depracation was so bad, even my close friends were alarmed by it and warned me not to be so hard on myself.  So I followed their advise and just accepted my faults and weaknesses and magnified my abilities.  Of course, without being a brag about them.

3.  Trust in God.  Everything will fall into place.  I used to worry a lot before but nowadays, I just leave it to God.  Not very easy to do since the truth is, you'd have to do your share first before things fall into place. God is not a genie and will not do things for you.  As they say, 'Nasa Diyos ang awa, nasa tao ang gawa."  If a cloud passes through my life, I just stay calm about it and believe that God will soon blow that cloud away.  And He always does.

4.  Continue to grow.  I try my best to grow physically, spiritually, emotionally and intellectually.  Stagnation is not good and will lead to a lot of self-doubt.  Challenge yourself with new tasks and if possible, get out of your comfort zones.

Well, your resurrection will not happen in one day.  For me, it took about twenty years and it was a gradual process.  But when you achieve it, it's a most wonderful feeling of emancipation, or more self-love and more self-belief.  It's a harsh world we live in, and if we can't give off positivity to everyone, what use are we to them!

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Mi Diario Español: Un Dia con los niños - 23 Abril 2011

Hoy, he ido a Fitness First ABS-CBN para hacer ejercicio.  No asisto la clase Body Jam porque ellos se han movido el tiempo a las tres y media y no se que ellos lo se han movido.  He jugado con Laura y Dylan y he visto la pelicula Rio.  La es mejor.

Boylet Tales: Guys Who Are Boyfriend Material

I went back to the gym today after a few day's rest due to the Holy Week holidays.  The place was relatively quiet as many Metro Manilans were still in the provinces.  Anyhow, I did meet this guy who I normally see once in a while in this branch of Fitness First that I go to.  He's mestizo, goodlooking, with a wonderful smile and very flirty eyes. He also has a really nice hairy chest and anyhow we got into conversation and in the middle of it, I suddenly blurted out that he was boyfriend material.  I am normally very candid about things so it didn't surprise me that that came out.  His reaction was a bit coy but I think he appreciated it.  Of course, I said, I was already spoken and saying that to him would get us nowhere anyway - at least romantically.  I guess I just said that to him because there are not many guys of boyfriend material around - especially in the gay world where promiscuous sex exists.  It was nice to meet someone who was just cool about who he was although he was ravishingly attractive.  Oh well, flirty me!

Don't Go Breaking My Heart Can Be A Sarah Geronimo Movie if Transplanted Here

When I was watching the first half of this movie - especially the part where Louis Koo flirts with Gao Yuanyuan's character through the window of their respective buildings, I knew that the same formula would fit Sarah Geronimo in her next movie here!  Both Gao and Sarah have the same aura - not too pretty but very charming and cute!  And that really successful and goodlooking guys fall in love with them, follows also the type of leading men Sarah has been getting in her own movies here.

Sarah's last movie, Catch Me, I'm In Love, is currently the biggest blockbuster movie of 2011.  I haven't seen it yet though.  However, if you compare both, the same rom-com formula works.  This movie has some funny scenes and even the ending can rival any Hollywood rom-com for dramatic effect.  I guess the rest of the world has now caught up with Hollywood in the romantic comedy formula.

Tsunami in Haeundae Too Queasy To Watch

The recent events in Sendai, Japan make it a bit difficult to watch the Korean disaster movie, Tsunami in Haeundae.  Although the tsunami waves in the movie are exaggerated, they are eerily quite similar to what actually happened in Japan.  Also, since the tragedy in Japan is just fresh, the anguish and pain and especially the fear that you can see in the people's eyes in the movie makes you think of what the actual 25,000 casualties did really feel in the last seconds of their lives.  The movie is quite graphic so it was queasy-viewing soon as the first waves struck.  And they strike again and again, which makes the suffering of the characters in the movie never ending.  Better to skip this one since the real tsunami is already too much to watch.

Holy Week Lessons From Million Dollar Baby

I intentionally skipped watching Million Dollar Baby during its theatrical run here and during its cable run on HBO because I didn't think at that time that I would enjoy a boxing movie.  I hate watching boxing but I realized now, that if handled by a good director, a boxing story can be very good too - thanks mainly to The Fighter, which was one of my favorite movies of 2010.

Well, the movie won several Oscars and deservedly so, and watching the movie tonight, I realized it had some Holy Week caliber lessons to teach me:

1.  If people say no to your dreams, just keep pushing on.  Hilary Swank's character faced no at every turn in this movie and it was her tenacity that made her realize her dream. 

2.  You have to have heart.  One boxer in the movie had the talent but his heart was as big as a string pea - so his career was going nowhere. 

3.  Humility and the strength to let go.  Clint Eastwood's character had that in boatloads!  Instead of making a big deal when his protege chose to leave him and move on, he didn't make a  big deal about it.  He just said, he has taught everything he knew to the boxer and it was time to move on.

4.  Family can be anybody - doesn't have to be someone who's related to you by blood.  In the movie, Hilary Swank's character has this misfortune of having a family who did not really care for her - even if they were related by blood.  In the end, they were just after her money.  Her character realizes this soon enough but I did not pity her because she had a family - her boxing family really cared for her!

5.  Always have a good heart!  Hilary Swank's character had that even though she was living hand-to-mouth.  Her family even laughs at her back because of her dream of being a lady boxer, but still, she gives her mother a very nice house.  The scene where she gives her Mom the house is truly heartbreaking!

Mi Diario Español: Un Dia En Divisoria - 19 Abril 2011

Desde que, vamos a tener muchos tiempo esta semana Santa, Vic y yo hemos decido a ir a Divisoria para comprar varios DVDs cuál podemos ver esta semana.  Hemos comprado muchos DVDs y he electo los DVDs de programas de tele.  Tambien, he comprado varias camisetas y pantalones cortos para mi ejercicio.  Los precios en Divisoria son terriblemente bajo cuál es bien para todos.

He hecho varios mandados hoy y he traido Laura conmigo.  Ahora, conozco que para traer Laura, tengo que traer sus galletas y agua y hacer a Laura lleva sus pampers.  Vamos a los bancos BPI y PNB, y Cubao tambien para pagar los alhajas en la monte de piedad. 

Holy Week Thoughts on a Holy Tuesday

One thing I like about Holy Week is the time it gives me to reflect or to step back and look at the whole picture of my life.  I also love the quiet and the slow pace it brings to the metro, and thanking God for allowing everyone to leave and take their vacations away from the city and, at least for a few days, make it a less stressful place to live in.  Frankly, Manila is the best place to be during Holy Week!

Anyhow, one important lesson I learned during the past year is to pare down my cravings for material things. One thing I am guilty of is my habit of accruing things so much so that they already occupy so much space in my life.  I'd have magazines and books and CDs and DVDs stacked up to the roof - all unread, all unseen, because my own social calendar would not allow spare time for these things.  So last year, I did something about that and I think I'm making a bit of progress already in shedding off that wanton and thoughtless habit collecting things.

This Holy Tuesday, I still thought of continuing to discipline myself in paring down my need to acquire things that I want.  One problem with having extra money is that, since you can buy it, you don't think twice about getting it.  I have been able, to some degree, control that.   
I know you may ask, why do you need God to do that.  Well, changing one's habits is never easy, and it would take God's grace for you to change yourself, otherwise, you'd keep falling into the same bad habit again and again.

Like most people, I have my good days and bad days.  On good days, I can say no, but on bad days, I would have to pray harder to control myself.  In a way, it's a form of cleansing myself from being too materialistic when all I need in life has already been given to me a hundred fold!  Not having another collection of DVDs would not make me a better person.  It would just crowd out space in the house.  It's like by buying this thing, it would make my day better - which is really foolish in a way because it's using an unwanted object and magnifying its importance when in reality, it's just not really needed - and is a waste of money. 

So now, I have refocused that need to acquire things into making experiences instead - which is not an easy thing to do for me, especially that I love to be alone - most of the time.  So I made some trade-offs, by doing the things I love - alone - instead of buying things and just leaving them on the floor of my room. 

This Holy Week, I plan to make a clearer budget so that I'd have an idea on what things to really spend on, and instead, focus on making experiences with friends and people around me.  The truth is, by slowly opening up myself to other people these past few years has made my life more interesting.  I am still very guarded but at least, I get to choose to develop friendships with people whom I think will not bring in too much garbage into my life.

Cinq Mots Pour Apprendre Francais #1

Commencant aujord'hui, je sera choisir cinq nouveaux mots de l'article je lis et fais une phrase utilisant ce mot.

1.  mêler - to mix

     Il mêle ses souvenirs d'enfance, d'adolescense et de jeune.

 2. éluder - to evade

     Le criminel avait éludé le loi depuis longtemps.

3.  tel que - such as

    Elle a beaucoup de passe-temps tel que collectionnant des timbres et tricot.

4. cinglante - stinging

   Tout le monde lui a détesté a cause de ses remarques cinglantes.

5.  recueil - collection, anthology

   Son recueil d'œuvres est impressionnant!

Récit Beaux Mecs: Je peux être petit ami #5

J'ai reçu un text bizarre aujord'hui d'un homme ami qui je sortais il y a cinq mois.  Nous sortions plusieurs fois et il voulait nous d'être un couple!  Mais je t'ai dit que mon coeur appartenait à qqn d'autre déjà.  Ce n'était pas un probléme pour lui!  Donc, nous avons eu un relations bref mais je ne pouvait lui a dit que nous devions juste être amis.  Cependant, il veut plus que ca donc, aujord'hui, j'ai dit oui, ok!  Au moins, je pouvait sortir avec qqn ici sans ayant apporter un homme different a chaque occasion!  Et il est bonne personne aussi, et interessant.

Mi Diario Español: Un Dia Ocupado - 18 Abril 2011

Desde tengo muchas facturas a pagar hoy tengo que empeñar varios de mis alhajas para puedo las pagar.  Conozco lo es pésimo pero a veces tenemos que escarbar en el fondo de nuestros activos!  El bueno cosa es puedo los reclamar tarde.  Es recién que nuestro pago llega tarde este mes.

No hago ejercicio hoy porque Vic y you traemos Laura y Dylan al patio de recreo en Trinoma.  Vemos la pelicula Hop y nos la gusta!  Comemos a Reyes Barbecue donde tenemos pollo y pez. 

When Dad Thinks You're Still Not Man Enough

One of the central themes of the animated film Hop revolves around the fact that the fathers of the two main characters do not quite approve of what their respective sons are doing with their lives.  It is a situation which is not uncommon, although I feel lucky I did not have to pass through that.  Papa already passed away when I reached my 20s.  It must really suck if your Dad feels you're a disappointment!

Well, in the movie Hop, the two main characters manage to make their Dads approve of them in the end - it's a Hollywood movie anyway, but in real life, it's not always that simple!  One thing is always clear though - you'd really have believe in yourself first before you can make your father happy.  Usually, they're just really concerned that you're just wasting your young life away.  If you're clear with what you really want in your life, your Dad will eventually come around and realize that if you're happy with your life, then he need not worry about you. 

I Surprisingly Enjoyed Hop - the Movie!

I don't really watch animated films, although in the past few years, Hollywood has come up with some really good animated films which could cater to adult tastes and sensibilities.  Today, since Vic and I have already watched most of the movies in Trinoma, we had no choice but to choose Hop, which it turns out, is this cute animated movie juxtaposed into the real world!  One of my favorite cute Hollywood actors, James Marsden, was the lead actor!  Love it!!  The technicalities of the movie is really flawless!  It's incredible how it looks great on screen.  The interaction between the bunny and the real actors just flowed on really well.

Well, this is a perfect movie to bring your kids with. The theme is very uplifting and EB, the bunny, voiced over by Russell Brands has really some funny lines and Russell delivers them really well!  I actually enjoyed the movie!  Normally, I just coast through these animated films and wish I was watching a more adult-themed movie, but with Hop, I just coasted along, laughing at even some of the scenes specifically directed to children.  I especially loved the chick who danced to EB's drumming, towards the end of the movie - really brought a smile to my face - such a cute chick!!

Mi Diario Español: Un Dia Relajante - 16 Abril 2011

Anoche, he preparado mis cosas que necesito por el concierto esta noche, pero cuando me he levantado hoy, he decidido no comprar la entrada de concierto.  Supono lo no es se vea venir.  No quiero hacer cola en Araneta ya!  He decidido en vez de ir a gimnasio y lo es una decisión bien!  He cambiado mi programa comenzando hoy.  He dedicado una hora y media de mi tiempo gimnasio a soulever des poids y un otro hora y media por ejercicio cardio.  He hecho el programa mismo por varios meses es tiempo por cambiar.

Récit Beaux Mecs: à la louange d'hommes odorants!

Quelquefois, j'ai de la chance et je rencontre un homme qui sens bien!  Ce n'est pas que les hommes que je rencontre ne sentent bien!  C'est juste quelques hommes vraiment sens odorant surtout quand vous ouvrez leur jambes et regard fixement à  cet chose céleste et quand vous enfoncez votre visage là, ils sentent comme un bébé!  Ohh la la! 

J'ai ne rencontre que deux hommes qui correspondre à cette description.  Premier est cet metteur en scène qui vraiment sens bien juste là!  Je ne peux pas lui oublier!  Il est plus gros maintenant qu'avant, c'est dommage.

Ce soir, j'ai rencontré un autre homme, et comme cet metteur en scène, il sens bien aussi!  J'aimé lui lecher là!  Trés excité!  Il était trés mignon aussi avec un sourire beau!  Parfait!

An Evening With Pianist Poom Prommachart

Tonight was a Rach-in night - as guest soloist Poom Prommachart dazzled the local audience at the Cultural Center of the Philippines with Rachmaninov's Piano Concerto No. 3!  What I know of Rachmaninov I owe to the movie 'Shine' since my knowledge of classical music is pretty pedestrian.  As usual, the ticket I got was really in front of the stage, and tonight, I was just in the second row, just in front of Poom.  I couldn't see his hands in action though since there my seat could not afford that view, but I could see his face perfectly - and like most pianists I've seen who do Rach - Poom was just into it - like in a meditative mood - savoring the music and putting his personal stamp on this muscular piece of music.  I am always in awe with how pianists like Poom produce sublime music and command the piano to just spill it out!  Tonight was no exception!

Would You Use A Hall Pass if your Partner Gives You One?

In the movie Hall Pass, two couples try to save their marriages by granting their husbands a hall pass, which allows the guys to take one week off from their marriages - one week without their kids, and having the chance to sleep with other women!  It's an intriguing way to save one's marriage and the movie did try to explain why they had to do that.

Now, the question begs to be answered too, at least from my personal point of view.  Well, if our relationship is really on the rocks then I guess no hall pass is needed.  We just might as well break up - so we can see other people - in a proper way.  Having a hall pass is kinda sticky and may come back to haunt us both, especially, if we entangle ourselves with a psycho or someone who does not understand that it's only sex that we want from them.  It could as easily go the direction of a suspense thriller instead of just one week off from the hubby.

If I do get a hall pass, I'd just stick to doing my harmless hobbies.  That way, I don't get tempted to play with fire.  Playing with fire just makes our lives more complicated, when it need not be.

Four Ways to Manage A Long Distance Relationship

I never expected to be in a long-distance relationship.  I did try to date men who were just proximate to me but I just love Alberto, and feel that, even with the distance between us, he is always there when I need him (well, not always really.)  Nowadays, I can easily distinguish between lust and love – and just deal with the lust accordingly.

This was not always the case though but in recent years, since I moved back to Manila, and he, to London, we’ve had to do the transcontinental romance, which has been going on for several years now.    Well, these are the ways that we have managed to be interested in each other despite the distance and despite the scarcity of seeing each other.

1.     There’s always something new to talk about in each of our lives.  Our conversations never gets boring since there’s always something new happening to us.  Like, he just came from a trip to Pakistan which he was very excited about.  My taking Spanish classes and how I found the language is also something we talk about.

 

2.    We meet several times a year.  Yeah, we do meet 3-4 times a year so our situation is much better than most OFW (Overseas Filipino Workers) I know.  It is costly though so we try our best to find the time to enjoy each other when we do meet.  I guess since we are given this chance only a few times a year, we are always excited to see each other.

3.    Calls are important.  We do call each other regularly.  At least once a month.  Thanks to Skype, it’s not much of a problem anymore.

4.    We trust each other.  It’s been our sixth year already and counting!  I guess we have transcended that jealousy thing now.  I sometimes kid him about my young boys but really, they are just passing fancy.

How Do You Explain Euthanasia to a Kid?

In one important scene in Susanne Bier’s In A Better World, Christian confronts his father and blames him for the untimely death of his mother.  The father tries his best to explain to his young son (maybe around 12 years old), why he had to say yes to the euthanasia of his mother. 

In that scene, you could feel the hatred of the son towards his Dad, because he could not believe that his father would allow his mother to die that way.  Even in a conversation scene with his own mother, the father said that his wife told him, ‘He (their son) would blame you (the father) for my (wife) death.’  I guess, the parents, especially the mother, failed to talk to their son, before they proceeded with the euthanasia.  The mother was suffering from cancer and was already in too much pain and just wanted to end it.    

I too, maybe, would react that way, if I was left in the dark.  One day, she’s alive, the next day, they pull the plug on her.  Of course, the kid would feel rage!  I guess the parents were afraid that the kid would not understand and decided not to explain things.  That made matters worse (and led to some catastrophic consequences in the movie). 

As in any relationship, communication is needed, especially in a very delicate matter, like dying and death, especially too, if the person dying is the mother!  Whether the kid can understand yet or not, at least he was told about it.  Not being told really sucks and allows the kid to form his own opinion about things.

Why You Have to Stand Up to Bullies Even When They May Hurt You

Movies which feature kids being bullied is not uncommon in Hollywood.  I watched Susanne Bier’s In A Better World today, and one of the kids there, Elias, was being bullied, on a daily basis, yet he never fights back.  One day, a new kid in school, Christian, sees him being treated that way, decides to take on the bully in a frighteningly violent scene.  He beats the bully with a bicycle pump and then puts a knife on his throat!  That was enough to deter the bully from messing with them in the future.

Bullies in school are never fun and most likely, they too suffer bullying at home, that’s why they vent their aggression in school.  Although I was very lucky never to  be bullied in school (it’s not very common in the Philippines), if I were in those kids shoes, I would fight back, even if it meant a broken nose or a visit to the principal’s office.  I’m sure, my feisty Mom would not agree to it too!  I’m just lucky to have her since she never backed down from anyone in our school.  Talk about having a Tiger Mama taking care of her cubs. So I always felt secure in whatever school I was enrolled in.  Also, it paid that I was smart in Math and Science.  My classmates (bullies included) needed my assignments (which I allowed them to copy) so they just pretty much left me alone.

Boylet Tales: You're Complaining to Me You Can't Find A BF when You're THAT Cute!

I was in a party last week where most of the attendees were gay men but mainly of the pepper type (mga paminta!).  I was glad I immediately struck a conversation with a younger guy (all of them are younger than me now) who had his own events company.  Anyhow, he said he was waiting for his friend so I decided to just hang out with him and chat for a while.

Well, the interesting thing was this friend he was waiting for turned out to be this cute guy with beautiful eyes and a horny sense of humor!  Anyway, after setting aside the niceties (and maybe because they had something to drink already), Mr. Cute Guy started complaining to us about his nonexistent lovelife!  And of course, we were shocked!  I mean, gay men are not blind, and they are still men!  If they see a cute guy, it will not take a second for them to pounce on the prey.  Seriously?! We asked him.  He said, yeah, and down came the list of things he wanted from another guy. 

Basically, he was just asking for someone like him - in interests, educational background, social status and wealth.  But he said he wanted someone not in his social circle. (From the back of my mind - Yeah, because you've slept with all of them already, you whore!)  Well, turned out, his friend, Mr. Events Guy also fancied Mr. Cute Guy but was too shy because he knew he'd just get rejected. (Which Mr. Cute Guy denied immediately.) Mr. Cute Guy was even thinking of just settling for Mr. Right Now but we both said NOOOOO.  We told him to just be polite and turn down those you really don't fancy.  We all get rejected anyway, and it just makes it worse if you lead them on.

A lot of the guys in that party were checking him out because he really had the bearing and the face but he purposely stood behind a wall to hide from them.  (See!  How can you find a bf when you hide everytime an opportunity presents itself!) He also said he didn't want anymore call center guys, or nurses, or people from his gym.  (Yeah, you've effectively crossed out 90% of the gay crowd in Manila.)  Worse, he wanted the guy to come from certain schools only! (Ok, since I went to Poveda and Assumption, I'm out of his list already).  Mr. Events Guy and I could just sigh.  We need not ask anymore why he could not find a bf.  His demands are just too ridiculous. 

Anyhow, I didn't want to hear any more of his rants on that topic since it was useless advising him.  He was set on his ways.  I suggested we leave the party and go somewhere I can have something sweet to lick.   Everything after that is not for public consumption anymore but I may have found out the reason why he could not hold on to a guy - especially in a community so obsessed with 'taille'.  Nevertheless, I still got his number and we're going out soon.  Turns out we both love classical music!

My Summer Memories of Oroquieta: Swimming Everyday at the Beach

When we were kids, my parents would usually bundle all five of us off to our grandparents' place in both Ozamis (maternal) and Oroquieta City (paternal) - and I always look forward to those summer vacations since it meant going to the beach everyday or playing in my lolo's big house, or eating all these fruits which were readily available since lolo had so many fruit trees in his garden.  We also got to play with our cousins who were based there and were almost about our age too. 

The picture above shows the breakwater which protected the shore of Oroquieta.  We always walked there everyday and I would always be amazed by the sheer strength of the waves that would hit it.

I love the daily swimming at the beach. I learned to float and swim because of it.  We used banana trunks to help us improve our kicks and stay afloat!  My auntie Myrna would bring along bananas as food and I remember eating it with ginamos (galunggong) and it was very tasty!  In those days, swimming in the beach was free!  No entrance fees or cottage fees.  All you needed was to bring your towel and you were set!  Those were such simple days.

On days when the tide was low, we would go out to the sea and search for marine life which was pretty interesting.  Tuyom (sea urchins) and starfishes were ordinary fare, plus all those barnacles clinging to the wooden posts of the pier.  It was really educational on one end, and pretty exciting, since we lived in the mountains and seeing all these fascinating creatures come to life and not only in books was a bonus.

I remember going there when I was Grade 3 and every year henceforth till I was in first year high school.  It stopped after that since my maternal grandparents went to the US as citizens, while both my paternal grandparents died within 6 years of each other.  However, they left me with such beautiful memories of my childhood summers, something Vic and I want Laura and Dylan to have when they are also growing up.

Care Divas Encore!

When I told my bff Mabel about the play Care Divas, she wanted to see it!  Unfortunately, when I told her about it, it was also the last weekend of the musical.  However, last week, one of PETA's marketing guys texted me and said that they were doing an extra weekend this past weekend - and asked if I wanted to buy some tickets.  I immediately said yes, and last Saturday afternoon, I accompanied Mabel to see this really funny yet issues-charged musical.

The truth is, don't let all that glitter in their costumes and their acerbic gayspeak distract you from the real issues the musical is addressing.  There are actually two points of view being examined in the story.  The situation of our OFWs in Israel, and how the Israelis themselves are coping with having to live in a region surrounded by their 'enemies'!  Mabel even commented that the writer really knew what he was writing about since nothing in the script was phony.  The writer knew details which only someone who actually worked in Israel would know, since some parts of the script were in Hebrew!  One of my favorite scenes was between the son and his Mom who was allowing one of the Filipinos to work illegally in their house.  The son felt ashamed that his mother was using people - in this case, Palestinians and Filipinos - without paying them proper wages.  Now that is a STATEMENT, if there was one.

Anyway, although the themes were heavy, five gay caregivers can put fluff and feathers and wrap it around the iron-clad themes of OFW abuse and the treatment of gay workers in Israel.  I did have a grand time again, and actually bought the cast recording.  There are some songs there that I actually like.  I wouldn't be surprised if PETA restages this musical again and again.  The show I went too was full!