Another Meme

Tagged. This time, its from bingskee.

6 Weird Things about Me:

1. I like to roll soft things within my thumb and index finger. Especially if it's siopao or puto or muffin. it relaxes me, and it warms up my fingers to be flexible enough to draw.
2. I'm left-handed with everything I do (writing, drawing, scratching, etc) even in eating with spoons or chopsticks. But if I eat with my bare hands(nakakamay), I just can't help but be right-handed.
3. It seems that my brain is wired better to my hands rather than my tongue. I find it easier and faster to communicate in writing than in person/ orally. So I guess I wrote more love letters compared to actually courting a girl face to face.
4. I like it when my back is tickled/scratched. I used to pay my younger borthers a ransom just to tickle me to sleep. Now, it's Jean's big cross to bear. :)
5. I like eating sotanghon or pork barbecue while watching movies, instead of popcorn. I used to smuggle these in my bag and open them only once I was already inside the cinema.
6. Having parents who has a small fleet of jeepneys as a form of living, I used to really like smelling burnt carbon monoxide (usok ng tambutso).

Love, ME.

Ever since I came to Singapore, I tend to have widen my music horizon and came to know country music too. Though I like country mainly because of the stories they tell in their song, I wasn't really much into it until a friend introduced me to the music of Collin Raye. Like Garth Brooks and Tim McGraw, Raye was a hitmaker in the US, though most of his hits were in the nineties, and the only one I think that you people heard of him was that he's the duet partner of Anne Cochran in Jim Brickman's The Gift, a huge hit in the Philippines back in the late 90's.

But there's a lot to like on this man's music than just that song. Even Ronan Keating liked his song so much that he decided to remake "In this Life" whic hwas originally sang by Raye.

Though I like most of his songs, like "I wish I could" which tells a father's point of view of how fast his child grows and wanted to protect her from life's pain though he knew he couldn't; or "In this Life" which narrates how loving someone is a gift and should never be regretted; or the destiny-like song "One boy, One Girl".

But I guess the song that made an impact to me most was "Love, Me." A song about a single note that has become an anthem of love from youth to greying, and even after death. You can view the music video if you want to really understand what I'm saying. And below it is the lyrics of the song. The video doesn't really relate so much on the song so you can just play it and read the lyrics as it goes. :)

For slower connections, pause the player just after you press play. Let it load first (for around a minute) and play after.



Love, Me
(Collin Raye)

I read a note my Grandma wrote back in 1923
Grandpa kept it in his coat, and he showed it once to me
He said, "Boy, you might not understand, but a long, long time ago,
Grandma's daddy didn't like me none, but I love your Grandma so.

We had this crazy plan to meet and run away together
Get married in the first town we came to and live forever
But nailed to the tree where we were supposed to meet instead
I found this letter, and this is what it said :

"If you get there before I do
Don't give up on me
I'll meet you when my chores are through
I don't know how long I'll be

But I'm not gonna let you down
Darling wait and see
And between now and then
Til I see you again
I'll be loving you

Love,
Me."

I read those words just hours before my Grandma passed away
In the doorway of the church where me and Grandpa stopped to pray
I know I've never seen him cry in all my fifteen years
But as he said these words to her, his eyes fill up with tears

"If you get there before I do
Don't give up on me
I'll meet you when my chores are through
I don't know how long I'll be

But I'm not gonna let you down
Darling wait and see
And between now and then
Til I see you again
I'll be loving you...

Love,
Me."

The Power of THREE

...Or whatever it's called. No, it's not CHARMED. It's just a meme tagged to me by Eric (a.k.a Senor Enrique). Had a little bit of time after taking lunch this afternoon so i answered it while drinking coffee.

3 things that scare me:
- Not being able to care and help people that matters most to me
- prostitutes
- dying without making a difference

3 people who can make me laugh:
- My son
- Ricky Gervais
- pretentious people who thinks they're so special and is somewhat glorified by a bunch of suckers

3 things I love:
- My family
- Allan Moore and Frank Miller graphic novels
- Some clean empty sheets of nice white paper to write, draw and put ideas with

3 things I hate:
- war
- people who brands comics as "children's books" ( children's book my ass) and comic artists as "some cartoonist".
- parents who breeds too much but are not responsible and incapable of tending to their kids' growing needs, from the very basic of food, clothig, shelter and education.

3 things I don't understand:
- why MacDonalds just throw away tons of unconsumed food daily when there are so many people in the world dying from hunger
- women with pms
- people associating club drinking with having GROs

3 things on my desk:
- Piles of papers (drawings, correspondence, printouts)
- pencil and multi-point filt-tip pens
- some pictures

3 things I'm doing right now:
- Thinking if I'm going to have another cup of coffee after downing the 4th cup just now
- Drafting the revised landscape working drawings for an india project
- Answering this, of course

3 things I wish to do before I die:
- Publish my very own 300-page graphic novel
- See my son in a professional football league (he likes to play)
- To know that I've made a significance to the lives of people that means to me and in turn realize their collective contribution to my growth as an individual

3 things I can do:
- draw
- love
- telling anyone in their face what they are

3 ways to describe my personality:
- quite (though i'm often labeled arrogant because I don't talk too much)
- plain but never boring
- simple but creative

3 things people might not know about me:
- I used to teach Architecture classes part- time in two colleges in Cagayan de Oro while having architectural job full- time (before coming here in Singapore)
- Had a huge, huge crush on Jennifer Conelly as a teenager in the movie "Labyrinth". The movie also featured David Bowie.
- Bought my first record at 6th grade. America's "One in a Million" album. Played it over and over again especiallythe track "I don'r believe in Miracles". My parents got so fed and sick with it they hid it.

3 things I can't do:
- I don't drive 4- wheels. The only one in my siblings who don't. i've had an accident in high school that nearly killed me and it serves as a reminder to me everytime I took the wheel.
- stop admiring beauty
- fuck around

3 things I think you should listen to:
- Collin Raye, Direct Hits Album
- Gut
- your baby's laughter

3 things I don't think you should listen to ever:
- thigs that are contrary to your own belief
- other people's business
- People who propagate other people's business (Uzi's)

3 of my absolute favorite foods:
- Native chicken Adobo
- Chinese Fried Rice
- Grilled porkribs on soysauce/vinegar/chili/tomato/union sauce

3 things I'd like to learn:
- Play the guitar
- Dance like Fred Astair
- Pilot a plane

3 beverages I drink regularly(excluding water):
- beer
- coffee
- carbonated drinks

3 shows I watched when I was a child:
- The Fall Guy
- Superfriends
- Akira Korusawa movies

3 people I have tagged to do this meme:
Man this is hard... Since i don't really want to bother other people.
Okay, I'm tagging these people. But it won't be compulsory.

- Neil (he's in Spain, but i don't really read a lot about him personally other than his escapades and parties. :)
- Melaine (The party wife and fellow Bisaya in Doha)
- Tintin (sorry, I guess I'd have to get back at you. hehehe)

My Redemption

Last Saturday was Fergus' 3rd Birthday. The Friday before i made a poem for him called "My Emmanuel", saying in my best attempt for poetry how his arrival in my life was a redemption to me, emotionally.

Before him I was so fed up with the things in my life, and i don't even know why. I quit my work and went back to the Philippines. With it was a year-long conflict with my father and a daily dose of alcohol. Back then I let Jean do all the work. I just stay at home, drawing and painting crazy things or watching tv all morning and go with friends for a booze in the afternoon untill the wee hours, stuffing my mouth with anything that would enduce a "feel good" sensation and escape the broken-ness I felt within me, breaking the bank account along the way. Looking back now, I considered it as the worst days of my life. And the most stupid ever.

Good thing my wife was there. She just took care of me. Didn't even call me a jerk even once when i've been all but good. And when she announced to me that I'm going to be a father, something in my head flicked. I don't know if it was God's touch or me coming to my sense eventually, but from then on I did a 360 in all I did. I made ammends with my father and went back here in Singapore so I can make a fresh start and have enough money for Jean's CS.

The rest, of course, was history. And last Saturday it has been 3 years since. I celebrated it with friends who are mostly Filipinos, with Jean's culinary skills put again to action. I let myself drunk. I sang. I laughed. But most of all I thank God for giving me a gift that continues to give me new lessons in happiness everyday. My son indeed was God's gift. My Emmanuel. Though his arrival never made me a perfect man, but he did, make me... complete.

I know it's a bit late, but anyhow... Happy Birthday, son.

Tin's Meme Answered

There's this Meme post from Tin-tin's blog that i have (well, required) to answer coz I commented on it. :) She had to answer some question on how she sees me, and i have to retort back. So... (roll the drums) dan-dan-dan-daaan!!!!...Here it is.
White = Tin's words
yellow= my answers

RANDOM: really soooo talented and a soccer fanatic! i'm envious of you coz i really don't know how to draw.
Well, you're pretty, sexy and nice. That's something for other girls to envy and guys to desire.

CHALLENGE: draw a caricature of me. conceited talaga! hahaha
It should be on your mailbox by the time you're reading this.

COLOR: black and white. black because of the color of your blog. hehe. but it's really black and white because of your sketches
Actually I like black and white. But my favourite colour is blue. I like it's depth. Like the ocean. Or the unfathomable skies.

SOMETHING I LIKE: the good things you say about me. flattering. and really boosts my self-confidence ha
I always meant what I say, and they are, for me, the truth. I won't say you're pretty if you're not. :) I'm that frank and direct. So I guess you really are (as if that's new).

FIRST/CLEAREST MEMORY: also first encountered you in my comment box and i was really fascinated with your picture. a man drawing, moving pa. hehe. clearest is really your post on love united video. hehehe
I really appreciate you liking that video because for me, it's one of the greatest i've ever seen. Better than Shakira. hehehe.

ANIMAL: rabbit. because you want to have more kids, right? hehehe
What the... hehehe. No, I really don't like many kids. But I'd like to have at least 2 or three. :) Actually I don't know what animal I associate myself of. For you, i guess a morning dove will fit well.

QUESTION: had you ever been a soccer player? i mean a real soccer player and not just for PE ha
I did play a bit of soccer in high school. but only in school. i've tried playing again some months ago ang boy did it gave me some real hard time. I'm better off as a fan, I guess.

SONG: i really can't think of anything. but since you truly love soccer and it's my clearest memory of you.. then it's Love United. hahaha :)
That's a nice choice. But I particularly like "I don't Wanna be" by Gavin DeGraw as a personal song.

Hope I answered that well, Tin. :)

Naughty Cartoons

These cartoons has been hybernating in my my brother's Multiply site, so I thought maybe I colud show some of them here... Just for fun and a little smile on awork-filled thursday.





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Comicbook Goodness

And for those of you who like to read a free comicbook online, checkout TRESE, a witty creation of pinoy writer Budjette Tan. It's a detective tale with a twist of the supernatural. You won't be disappointed if you do. Even if you're not a comicbook person, the story alone is worth checking. So far Budjette has uploaded 4 issues of TRESE in his site.

Things I enjoy doing other than sex

Forgive the title, hehe... But really, there are other things I do enjoy doing. Some of these are:

Blogging
Of course, I won't be here updating this blog getting nothing but two readers if I don't enjoy it. :)

Comicbooks

I enjoy reading comics since time immemorial. I guess even before I learn to read myself. It is where I get my drive to draw. When I went home to the Philippines I found a lot of good comics there that are not here in Singapore. Of course, Gerry Alanguilan's ELMER, and some cheap back issues but collectible X-men and X-Force titles drawn by Filipino mega- artists Whilce Portacio, Leinil Yu and Lan Medina.Inks were done by Gerry alanguilan.

Game Console

My ol' reliable X-box is always there for some good fun everytime I feel stressed or bored, or alone. nowadays I am sharing them with my tyke. Almost four years old now, it still never fails to give us the fun.

Portable Game Console

My gaming itchness just won't go and being in the bus or train to work and back is just too damn boring. So this helps really. It even speeds up time when i'm on it, even missing my bus stop one time. I can also pack some movies into it, (around 4 movies in a 2 gb memory stick pro duo) and watch movies on the run. the slick hi-rez screen(almost a mini- plasma) made it more enjoyable to do.

Drawing

It's more than a hobby. It's passion. It's love. Drawing comics has no relevance whatsoever to my job being an architect and landscape architect, but I just can't let it go. I don't get so much from it, but I enjoyed doing it and completing something is always rewarding emotionally. This shown here is a recently concluded gig for a US indy publication.

Bagong Bayani?

Have you noticed how Manny Pacquiao is just everywhere nowadays? when I went home a month ago, his face was just everywhere-- posters, billboards and tv commercials it's just sickening. Don't get me wrong. I am grateful for what the man has done for the country's pride in the sporting arena, but the man's success in the ring has now become a milking cow for endorsers to sell their products to boxing- crazy Filipino people.

Of course, it's doing Pacquiao good too since he's laughing his way to the bank especially when It's been rumoured that San Miguel beer has paid Pacman a sum bigger than what the late FPJ used to pocket in endorsing their malt drink.

Come to think of it, hindi malayong mangyari ito:




image courtesy of Erwin Cruz

Another Heartbreak to Heal

As of those of you who have been following the World cup in Deutchsland, and on those whose not really keen on soccer but has been listening to the news this morning, you should have known Italy won the recent World Cup finals. It's a pity, I must say, without taking anything from the Italians and all its supporters. Because throughout the whole match, France has definitely outplayed the azzuris, in ball possession and with the chaces they have made.

when Zinadine Zidane made a goal in the 7th minute, I jumped at my feet. I really thought it was destiny. A magnificent farewell and a fairytale ending to one of the best careers in football has ever seen. I thought France would win.

But after 90 minutes, extra time and penalty shootout later, the Le Blues lost. The match, deadlocked at 1-1, ended in high drama with Zinedine Zidane's extra time sending off for a head butt on Marco Materazzi, with Italy taking the title 5-3 on penalties, with France David Trezeguet missing his spot kick to hand over the cup to the Italians.

While I rejoiced the previous night as Germany staked claim to 3rd spot in such a convincing manner, I wept last night for Zidane and his minions.

It's deja vu again. It's like supporting Arsenal i nthe champions league again. They drew first blood and played superbly but in the end still lost to their opponent. But football, like life was never fair. At once it catapults you to highest glory and the next burrying you in disgrace. It lifts the highest of the spirits and break hearts the next.

If you're a fan of Italy and the Azzuris, I congratulate you for your team's achievement. They deserve it I guess. Maybe not winning the cup since 1982 gave them more hunger than the French that lifted it just eight years ago.

But I'll say it again, it's a pity... For the best team did not win.

The Cup of Life

It has been four years since this video has been released, around two months prior to the World cup 2002. Aside from being a great song, this video also features some of the best players in the world-- including Zidane, Figo, Ronaldinho, Roberto Carlos, Totti, Freddy Lungberg, Patrick Viera, Henry, Petit, Veron, Sol Campbell, etc.--literally singing the song! I guess you've already watched this over Mtv. But for those who did not, or for those who just love to see these football legends carry out tunes, you got to watch this video. It's still one of the best humanitarian football songs ever produced. Oh, this was initially produced to fund anti-aids campaign.

Title: Love United (2002)

World Cup twilight

The world cup will end this Sunday. That means it will be the last of the time that i've spent more than a month livng as a nocturnal creature and once again join the rest of the world for a good night sleep.

I have myself to blame for rooting to several teams playing for the World cup. I have England, France and Germany close to my sports heart when the games started and said a silent prayer that these teams progress. Indeed, these teams progress from each of their groups until their lucky thread ran out. England were beaten by Portugal in a lousy quarterfinal performance, and just this morning (3 am exactly) I saw Germany broken by the Azzuris of Italy in the cup's semifinal game. That left me with only France(used to be my less-fancied favourite team to reach the final) as my last team still standing. Again, this night (okay, tomorrow morning) they will clash with Portugal in the other semifinal bout and I hope they win. I'd love to see Christiano Ronaldo cry tears of blood.

I'm betting my "third" leg for France. And i hope Zidane, Henry and co. won't dissapoint this time. Especially Zidane... For this will be his swansong.