My Visual DNA

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He he. Halata bang walang mai-post? Hayaan nyo na. Cute naman eh.

Actually, kasalanan to ni Blue Arden. Nang-engganyo. lol

"Kid-napped!"

It was a Saturday like no other. For instead of spending it somewhere downing bottles of beer with drinking buddies or in the gym feeding the fantasy of being buffed, it became a bonding time with kids as I unabashedly joined them in pursuing kiddie stuff.

It started mid-morning of Saturday when a law school mate’s child was baptized. As expected, the entire gang was there. And more expectedly, I was not able to escape the reglementary ribbing as regards my remaining a bachelor. Standing as ninong (godfather) always arouses the interest of friends to egg me to plunge into family life, pronto. Yeah right! As if it’s simply like picking an apple in your neighbor’s orchard.

After the reception, I had to rush back home as I have promised the entire brood of nephews and nieces that I will bring them out. We’ve been to the regular malls before so we decided to go for some leisurely walk at the Marikina Riverbanks.

Unfortunately, it rained. So we had to stay indoors. Thus, aside from the playtime at the kids’ zone, it also became shopping time for school supplies. And you know how it is when shopping with kids. You always must have ready cash for the toys they fancy. The good uncle that I was (ahem), I of course can’t help but give in.

Truth is, I haven’t had a decent sleep at the time as I got home only the next day after an exhausting Friday night out. But it was fun being with the hyperactive kids. It makes you feel energized (or else, you’d just lose any one of them in the crowd) and it brings you back to a time in your youth when simple things were major sources of joy. And who doesn’t enjoy incoherent, repetitive and out-of-this-world childtalk?

Needless to say, it was a Saturday worth the exhaustion.

But then again, having my own kids is a different story altogether.

There's a Snake in My Car!

I was cruising España Boulevard last night when, from the corner of my eye, I saw this shiny little black thing slithering through the left edge of my windshield.

I had to take a second look to confirm what it was. And wonder of wonders, it was a snake! Yes, a snake!! More than a foot long and about my forefinger’s size!

I almost screeched to a halt when it moved towards the center of the glass, now right in front of my face. Fortunately, it returned back to the edge, safely grabbing the radio antenna for support.

Then it disappeared. Or so it appeared.

I tried not thinking about it as I drove home but I was edgy, okay, paranoid, all through out the trip. Where on earth did that dreadful thing come from? And the bigger concern is, where could it be now? Is it just camping on top of the car door? Or could it be crawling just beneath my feet? Now, is it a painful sting I’m feeling in my legs?

It’s funny how irrational one gets when he’s afraid.

I could not even get out as I reached home. I had to transfer to the passenger seat first and push the door from there to check if nothing would fall.

Then the count down: five, four, three, two, one …run!

I was laughing when I finally got out, but I still can’t assure myself that it was indeed gone.

Now I need someone who could coax it to get out just in case it’s simply lurking out in any of the car’s recesses.

Or better yet, will anyone of you want to have some joy riding with me? Everything’s on me, I promise.

Frustrations

While surfing, I saw this quote from famous NBA coach Red Auerbach: “music washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life”. Do I agree? Of course! He could actually be referring to me.

I sing. Some people like it, some don’t. But when people who know me hear me humming a tune or heartily blurting out a melody, they already have an inkling of what’s going on – I’m probably just doing my “laundry”. Didn’t I tell you long before that I am a soul starched with the dust of life? You get the drift.

But I am more of what people would regularly call a “frustrated singer”. Or better yet, “castrated”. You know, if only to highlight the impossibility of the dream ever being brought to fruition (grin).

I’ll let you in on a secret. I did fantasize about singing professionally (I joined a singing contest before and won second place). But I had an early realization that the amount of talent given to me could only land me, at best, in provincial karaoke bars. That can hardly qualify as a profession, so the dream ends there.

But the fantasy lives on when I empathize with real singers, as they battle against each other in hard-core singing contests. That’s why these contests, local and foreign, are number one in my viewing fare.

Which brings me to this season’s American Idol.

I’ve been watching the show even before Sanjaya became a joke. And while at first I was convinced it should be Melinda Doolitle and Lakisha Jones in the finals, I was not really surprised when Lakisha had to bow out. Lakisha became inconsistent as the stakes grew higher. But what actually did her in were when she sang the hits of former Idol winners and she obviously paled in comparison. And of course, she ran out of breath in her final song. That was mortal sin even in barangay-level contests.

But I did think that it will be a Melinda vs Jordin finals. Blake is unarguably not within their league (although he’s surely a pop icon material).

Then came last night’s shocker. I can’t believe that Melinda Doolittle is out of American Idol finals. This was extreme shock. Don’t these American voters have ears? Oh well, I forgot. AI is not a just a singing contest.

Melinda, I know, was not booted out. I surmise the voters thought she was safe that they concentrated on saving their other bet. I’m sure the results would have been different if the viewers were instead asked to vote for the one they’d chose to eliminate. But then again, AI was so patterned to create upsets of this nature and thus fuel controversy and generate more patronage. Need I say this was all for the money?

I hate it that the AI finals will be featuring half-baked but popular talents. While certainly, viewership will still be high, whether both will make it big after the contest will still be one big question. But Melinda? I’m sure she’ll do a Jennifer Hudson and she will, in the end, have the last hearty laugh. Wanna bet?

Moving On

The tempest has somehow ebbed. Sooner or later, the proverbial calm will have to set in.

This despite what was probably one of the most hotly-contested elections in recent history, particularly so in the municipal level. In the island where I came from, this must have been the only election where politically-related deaths were recorded. I hope this does not become a trend.

Truth to tell, I was nowhere near the thick of things. I simply checked the proceedings from the sidelines.

For I have been trying my best to be totally apolitical in recent years. Some years back, I have resolved to resist the possibility of being bitten again by that crazy bug called politics. I have been there, you see, although as a minor player. But the immersion I had when I was younger was enough to plant the seeds of public service and I know that given only a little push, my resolve may just fizzle out.

And that’s one endeavor I cannot accommodate now. Nor the very near future. I’m just not ready to take the plunge.

But despite being uninvolved, I still can’t help but feel sad for my partymates, mostly relatives and long-time allies. The results have by far shown that the political train we used to ride has been derailed, and that inevitable changes are in the offing.

Just the same, that’s how the game is played, and the only way to meet a debacle of this sort is to face it with grace.

True, the changes that are to come will have impact on the lives of many, including a brother of mine whose livelihood is hitched on the future of Municipal Hall. I recognize the fear that envelopes him now, as with the rest of his peers.

But the march through life goes on and we should let the new victors take the spoils. The verdict is in, and sadly, there’s no room for any motion for reconsideration or appeal. I can only hope that this new step will indeed bring us to better directions and that the new leaders will be magnanimous in their victory.

It is therefore, time to move on.

Dreaming of Leaving

I got my visa to the United States in 2001 while I was still working in Taipei. It was a multiple entry, ten-year visa. I got it without any sweat as my application was endorsed by our de facto embassy in Taiwan. Connections do work, even abroad.

I have always hoped I could use it since then, but no such luck. My schedules, both in school and with the office, were in constant conflict. Now, the visa is way past half its age and it may just expire unused (think of dying a virgin and you’ll know the level of frustration I’m having, he he).

But hope springs eternal, as the cliché goes.

I just received an e-mail from a kababayan with an offer of free accommodations. Whoa! Was I excited! With no more classes to consider, I realized that there is indeed a possibility I could go. It’s just a matter of finding the right timing. Making the itinerary will be easy after that.

Hmm. Will the trip ever come true? I sure hope it will.

Been to much stress lately, I guess I need to be in an entirely different atmosphere. Will a white Christmas be too much to ask?

We’ll see.

Goma for Senator? Really now..

I had a hard time listening to Richard Gomez last night during the “Isang Tanong” episode aired by Channel 7. The exchange was painful, as it went this way:

Asking about his stand on political turn-coatism, Mel Tiangco laid the predicate by noting how he shopped for a senatorial slot in both the Genuine Opposition and Team Unity tickets.

Gomez quickly answered by retelling the saga of his senatorial dream – something already known to every Juan and Pedro. Reminded that he only had 2 minutes to reply, he signaled that he was aware of it and went on. His time lapsed without him saying anything about the real question.

He was then asked who among the many actors and media personalities previously elected to the Senate have by far distinguished themselves in the service. His answer? A very general remark implying that there were those who did well and those who faltered. He ended with the standard “we just wanted to serve” line.

Then the final query, solicited from a fellow candidate. He was asked his take on the parliamentary system of government. Any college student who has gone through PolSci 11 would have had his brilliant stand. Gomez’s? He was all for constitutional change as long as it will not benefit the incumbents, thus, changes must wait until 2010. What happened to his stand on the parliamentary form of government. Nothing.

Richard Gomez for Senator? Spare me.

Just wondering, what process does one go through to be able to convince himself that he could be more than how much his brain could support him? Has self-assessment become such a strange concept?

Catching Mr. Spidey

They were talking about it excitedly this morning - those who braved the long queues on opening day.

And they talked like they just conquered Mt. Everest. Their individual sagas were filled with tales of pushing, shoving, running and fighting in the theater corridors. And at the end of it all, they were all abuzz about how beautiful it was.

Can’t help but give them their day. They after all, had the bragging rights to being among the first to have watched it.

I wish I could have taken the same trek yesterday, but I just don’t have the patience for waiting in line. No, it’s not my legs, joker. I’m just characteristically impatient.

I’m sure it will take weeks for the crowds to clear out, so I would still have to endure days of consciously evading the topic, lest I take out all the excitement in the experience.

But someone somewhere probably read my thoughts. From out of nowhere, this message was in my e-mail:

“We will be having a special screening of Spiderman 3 this coming Saturday, May 5, 6:30 pm. I will be sending 2 tickets for your company. The following are on our guest list:

Mr. Areo Andarino
xxx

Kindly anticipate as I will send the said tickets to your office. Hope to see you on Saturday!"

Ahh… Happiness can be just a ticket to the movies. And with no prospects of pushing, shoving, running and fighting in the theater corridors, I sure will have a better day.

P.S.

Just got the ticket. And wonder of wonders, I-Max pa pala! At me extra pang isa!!

Hmm. Sino kaya i-invite ko he he.