Some Sort of a Trying Out The Style

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The Dip

Strange.

Right after my birthday comes this inexplicable dip. Some schizo Jekyll-and-Hyde turn.The kind that makes you realize that you're at your worst state, and all the evils tucked within your personality cracks are slowly seeping out.

I would like to believe that this is all fatigue-induced, but a part of me doesn't think so. It's been triggered, ironically by an inconsequential event that nevertheless ticked me off.

It will pass, for sure, as everything else had. But a conviction has been reinforced. Listening is a gift which, unfortunately, is not shared by all.

I guess it's quiet time again.

Birthday weekend

Just a summary of what's been happening...

I didn't do much last Friday, but spent it mostly feeling good. The day was bright and sunny, the kind that wasn't too hot and had a hint of dryness in the air. The morning was spent just bumming over the Web, then lunch took me to Tapa King along Pioneer where I had my usual.

I walked to Dome at the Shangri-La mall to have a couple of cups of coffee. I missed being idle or, more accurately, being able to push aside urgent tasks for just one day. I brought a book along with me--one of those assembly-line self-help guides-- just in case my fingers ached for some activity, but found myself unable to go through a page. I just sat there, watching people, my mind mostly blank.

The grocery store was next. I had to replenish my fruit supply. Fruits have been a major reason for my dropping by the grocery store, and have been good meal substitutes. I just pop some into a blender, add ice and a fiber and protein supplement, and blend away.

Then I went home, and bummed out again, as well as answering messages from well wishers. (Thanks, peeps, for the greets!) By sundown, the feeling of self-hatred began to well. I chastised myself for being unproductive, but then another voice reassured me that I needed that day.
It was all good.

Saturday had a little bit more excitement for me, given that I haven't been painting the town red lately. (Not that I ever painted any town red, really, more like a distinct periwinkle.) The afternoon was for a bit of the arts--Tanghalang Pilipino had Kudeta onstage. I was accompanied by Tuxqs Rutaquio (who designed a stylized but appropo set) and Eugene Domingo (fresh from her supporting actress win). Bravo to TP, bravo to director Floy Quintos, and bravebravobravo to the incomparable Mario O'Hara and the engaging Bong Cabrera.

After dinner, I headed for World Music Room at the Promenade, Greenhills for a new round of videoke warbling. This time I was with my Summit co-workers, and I had a great time trying out a few new songs as well as rendering a number of my standard ditties.

And what did I do when I got home? Back to work.

Later--4:30 a.m. as I write this--I visit the family for a post-birthday merienda. All in all, a great way to spend my 26th birthday. (I've been 26 for the past eight years by sheer chutzpah.)

Floundering: A Comics Conundrum

I don't know why, but my interest in reading comics has been floundering.

It's not like during those bygone years when I'd eagerly anticipate--drooling and all-- the next issue of my favorite comics. I still like making them, but reading them? Well...

In an effort to hopefully revive my fading interest, I registered for a one-year subscription to Marvel Digital where, for a relatively small amount, I get to read every comic book in their online archive. The P2,400 tag can only get me less than 20 printed comics at current prices, and I've already read more than that online in less than three months. In short, bawing-bawi na ako.

But I'm still not solved as far as the whole comics-reading experience is concerned.

There are those who may scoff at reading comics online, and I admit I was one of them. But times have changed as much as needs, and I've pretty much adapted to getting reading entertainment through the Web. Sometimes I wonder if it's the smell or the texture--in a way I miss the reliable color newsprints. I think printing comics on fancy glossy paper isn't very consumer-friendly since the quality of the stories isn't directly proportional to the price.

Or could my fading interest be attributed to the quality of the stories? Not really, methinks. I did like House of M, though Marvel Digital didn't have the complete set. I also liked Civil War, but then that behemoth wore my patience out midway. Still, I haven't found anything that would make me go back to reading comics more voraciously.

There's only one factor left. The kinds of stories. Comics, after all, is a medium, not a genre. Like books and movies and television shows, comics can be about anything and everything, so it stands to reason that there may not be a lot of comics out there that have stories that I might like. Gerry Alanguilan's Elmer is a standout for me. Then there's this preview of a American comic called Blackout Drunk who's art and subject I find appealing (the nicely-drawn half nekkid guy on the cover helped a lot).

I don't want to be a hypocrite. I stopped buying the Sterling comics, only because I can't connect. I realized that I've only been buying them because I felt I had to. I've bought up until five issues and while the efforts are commendable, with moments of oohs and aaahs thrown in, the overall impact has been diluted by lack of innovation. I heard that there's going to be some kind of revamp, so maybe I'll be checking that one out.

Feel like INKing?

Just a public service announcement. :-)

Ang Ilustrador ng Kabataan (Ang INK), an association of artists committed
to the creation and promotion of illustrations for children, is accepting new
members for 2008.

REQUIREMENTS FOR APPLICATION

1. Accomplished Membership Application Form.

2. Three (3) illustrations that are of the same size and medium based on the
2008 PBBY-Salanga Prize-winning story, "Naku, Nakuu,Nakuuu!" by
Ernanie Rafael, available for download at:
http://pbby.org.ph/downloads/pbby_naku-nakuu-nakuuu.pdf

Recommended size and format: At least 8 1/2 x 11, landscape format

** Please DO NOT submit original artworks. All papers, works, and packaging
submitted to Ang INK for screening will not be returned to any applicant.

SUBMISSION

Entries must be submitted on or before February 16, 2008, Saturday, 12:00 noon.
All entries received after the deadline will not be entertained.

Please send your entries to:

Ang Ilustrador ng Kabataan (Ang INK)
Room 307 Ang Bahay ng Alumni
R. Magsaysay Street
UP Diliman, Quezon City

On February 20, 2008, Wednesday, applicants who pass the screening will be notified
and are required to attend Ang INK's Orientation-Seminar on March 1, 2008, and pay
an application fee of P100.00.

For copies of the application form or for questions, please email gloomer7x@yahoo. com
or blooey@gmail.com.

Swamped Thang

Listening to: Numb/Encore, Linkin Park and Jay-Z

Arrggh... I am swamped (mostly my fault). Sorry for not posting lately.

2008 kicked off pretty well for me with heavy stuff on the plate. If this is any indication of how the rest of the year is going to be, I guess that only bigger and better will come my way.

Let it be so.

But then it's all going to take place in a smoother fashion with the right mindset. I was talking with a co-worker yesterday and it looked like the kind of lives we led were similar. We had that safe, tentative disposition, thinking out of the box but not really stepping out of it. Though, in my case, I have stepped out a few times over the past couple of years with every good and challenging encounter. A few foibles now and then, but not bad overall.

I relearned a valuable lesson from El and Jonas on separate occasions. I have to, again, put a rein on announcing anything that's not nearly done. It's that whole udlot thing, which has put me to shame one too many times. But right now I can say confidently that my eight-page little story for El's Love and Heartbreak anthology is done. I just don't know when that will hit the store racks. It's a simple comics story about a gay guy and an alien invasion, in case you're wondering.

So right now I'm a swamped thang, but I'll try to celebrate my upcoming birthday without the pangs of stress. And with feelings of gratitude.

Structural Beauty

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, they say. Then there's that oft-mentioned "rule" that beauty can be seen in the mirror likeness of the left and right sides of the face.

Then there's beauty based on the Golden Ratio, the number that's theoretically the cornerstone of every natural creation. For those who aren't aware of the Golden Ratio (represented by the greek letter phi), which is based on the Fibonacci series, you can get a primer through Evolution of Truth.

A feature on the website Interactive Mathematics presents a pattern for a face that conforms to the Golden Ratio. The site even has a little interactive test where you can match this mask with the faces of Jessica Simpson, Tom Cruise, and Jessica Alba.

As expected, my face doesn't match this mask. But since I'm the kind of person who likes to experiment on myself, I decided to give my picture a whirl and Photoshop my way into Golden Ratio attractiveness. The results are, well...



... parang ta-artits nang slight.

Hardly Desparate

So Resiklo bags Best Picture at the recent MMFF Gabi Ng Parangal, thanks largely to their technical awards haul apart from substantial box office returns. Congratulations to the producers.

I caught Desperadas last Friday, and the Joel Lamangan chick-flick proved to be highly entertaining for the most part. I guess leaving expectations at the parking lot does work wonders. But, truth to tell, the film was worth the watch. The plot lines between the four leads connected well. Nothing too complex or dramatic, but just enough to keep things interesting. Roy Iglesias' screenplay was clean and smooth, and Joel Lamangan's direction was confident and casual. I didn't notice any glaring on-screen product placements, except for that odd breast cancer infomercial before the end credits.

(Incidentally, I was watching Cinema One at the printing press and Chito Roño's Babae sa Bintana was on, also written by Roy Iglesias. I had seen the film during its commercial run and found it to be a solid piece of local cinema, with no other than Rosanna Roces in the title role. She should go back to making movies. She should. Heck, she would have been great in Desperadas!)

Another good thing about Desperadas is that it decides not to employ a cast of thousands sharing almost the same amounts of screen time. And save for a few off moments--mostly involving Will DeVaughn and Jay-R--I'll say that Desperadas is watchable and satisfying. Again, leave expectations at the parking lot.

I wonder, though, how different the experience would be if the first cast pushed through. Do recall that the plan was to have Ruffa Gutierrez along with Dawn Zulueta, Pops Fernandez and Gretchen Barretto. But instead, the latter three gave way to Iza Calzado, Marian Rivera, and Rufa Mae Quinto due to scheduling problems.

But, judging from the finished film, I'm sure a lot of things were altered in the story to fit the younger actors. It's sad, though. I would have really wanted to see Ruffa, Dawn, Pops and Gretchen together in one film. When does that ever happen in local cinema?

Snob

It's happened a few times to me this year, and I believe everyone has gone through this at one time or another.

I was at the Gateway mall with a friend. We were having coffee at the al fresco area of a restaurant and catching up on careers, love lives, and dreams, when my attention was caught by a guy in the near distance. He was waving in my direction. In my mind, I thought that he was waving to someone inside the restaurant, but then there was a dessert bar right behind me. I froze, didn't know how to react.

Was he waving at me? Was he someone I had met once? If so, did I forget? Should I pretend recognition? Gawd, I must've looked like a major snob...

If there's anyone out there who in the past may have waved or smiled at me only to be met by my blank stare, I humbly apologize nang bonggang-bongga. Note that when you do this from a distance, especially if we had met once and only very briefly, a thousand thoughts can run through my head in a second. My hard drive can hang.

It's a very awkward experience, and I hope I haven't been giving anyone any wrong signals.

:-(