There Be Dragons: My #36 Favorite Movie of 2011

There Be Dragons is one of the more inspiring movies of 2011 since it's about the life of Saint Josemaria Escriva.  Although it covers only a small part of his life, I think it was when his life was at its most dangerous phase, mainly because of Spain's anti-clergical stance.  There are some shocking scenes here, like when they kill priest.  It was directed by Roland Joffe who did the extraordinary The Killing Fields so it plows the same historical vein. 

Nice Changes at NAIA Terminal 3

I haven't traveled for the past ten months so the changes that I have noticed at the NAIA Terminal 3 has been quite welcome to weary travelers like me.

First of all, they don't ask for the ID and the ticket anymore as you enter the airport.  That used to be such a hassle!  Second, Cebu Pacific already assigns certain booths to certain flights.  I remember before that they just coop everyone into into one huge queue!  Finally, I guess the best change I like is that they have wifi inside, and it's fast!!  More good reason to come early!

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Meeting Up With Grade School Friends from ASMC La Salle

I haven't been to Cebu for the longest time now, my last trip being our 20th year anniversary in 2008!  Imagine that!  I was very glad to see some of my former classmates from grade school tonight.  We decided to go to Red Box at the Ayala Terraces.  It's a great place, much better than the one in Trinoma!  Well, the weather did not cooperate!  It was raining very hard!  Anyhow, we still had a lot of fun - singing and dancing and catching up with each other lives!  Interestingly, we are still a bunch of fun loving people considering all the adult responsibilities we now hold!  Thanks to Carol for contacting as many people as she could and to Yvette for choosing the venue!  I saw Caryn Estalani for the first time in almost 25 years, as well as Ida's sister who passed by since she saw us!  Opet was the only red-blooded male around, so thank God for that, otherwise, we would've looked like an STC reunion!

Well, there's more work to be done next year as we have to organize now for the 25th year reunion!

Lucky to Have A Parent Who Understands

I read an article today in Attitude, a popular UK magazine for gay men that talked about a mature gay man who had an easy time breaking his sexuality to his mother since she understood what he was going through and accepted who his son is.  I can actually empathize with him since I have been lucky to have parents who understood me perfectly.  Even my father who died twenty years ago did not hassle me with my being gay.  I am forever grateful for their unconditional love and understanding.

'Fake' Leads MyFABE Theater Awards 2011 with Eleven Nominations

Fake by Floy Quintos, a small, talky play from Dulaang UP led this year's MyFABE Theater Awards with 11 nominations, one nomination more than two big and very popular musicals, Care Divas and Zsa Zsa Zaturnnah; the former, a breakthrough hit this year for PETA; the latter, a theater staple of Tanghalang Pilipino of the Cultural Center of the Philippines which both had ten nominations each.  

Repertory Philippines' 39 Steps garnered nine nominations, while Virgin Labfest's Mga Lobo Tulad Ng Buwan and Atlantis Productions' In The Heights got eight nominations each.

Fake got nominations for Best Play, Best Director, two nods for Best Actor (Joel Lamangan, Gerard Pizarras), two nods for Best Supporting Actor (Ross Pesigan, Jerald Napoles), two nods for Best Supporting Actress (Sharmaine Buencamino, Alya Honasan), Best Script for Floy Quintos, Best Costume Design and Best Production Design.

The winners will be announced on December 31, 2011.  This is the first year where the blog is coming out with the MyFABE Theater Awards.  Thirteen different plays and musicals qualified for the nominations.  Only plays and musicals watched by the blogger are allowed to be nominated.