http://www.makepovertyhistory.org Twisted Grooves: May 2006

Wednesday, May 31, 2006

one



"one love, one blood, one life
you got to do what you should
one life, with each other
sisters, brothers...
we get to carry each other, carry each other...ONE"

when i saw the newsbreak article saying that all 3 summiteers were in malacañang at the same time, i couldn't believe it. i had doubts. but the videos last night and this picture confirms that indeed they were together. it seems that only the networks were portraying that there was a race and that these guys had bad blood with each other. the blogs and interviews told otherwise, but still you had to go with the networks. we had to rely on their story, until now. now we know that indeed they had communication. probably trying to push each other up emotionally or probably simply sharing old jokes as they did back in the days. we're not really sure. but now we know with finality that they were not each other's adversary. their climb was something personal but at the same time had the nation on the edge of the cliff, carefully watching.

in the end, they turned out to be patriots trying to make a difference for their divided country with their message of unity. will it make a difference in the political scene? i bet not! but it definitely inspired us, ordinary citizens, to reach for our personal dreams and not lose hope no matter what. because nothing is impossible if we are ready to sacrifice, ready to give way and ready to carry each other.

excerpts from the inquirer article.



Oracion said they were saddened by the "battle of [the] networks."

"Actually we came to Everest to show unity, hindi bangayan [not conflict]," Oracion told reporters. "Sana maiwasan natin ang ganyan [I hope we can avid this], let's just support any Filipino who is doing something extraordinary."

"We just did not climb, we delivered the message na [that] just for once without kulay [color] or politics, Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao, let's just unite for a better Philippines, na kaya ng Pinoy mag-unite [that the Filipinos can unite]," Oracion said.

Emata said there was really no race to the summit and that at one point, all three of them were communicating during their climb.

"Sa bundok hindi ka pwedeng magkarerahan, kasi ang kalaban mo bundok [There is no race to the mountain because your enemy is the mountain]," Emata said.

Garduce said it was "inherent" for climbers to display teamwork during a trek, especially in an expedition as difficult as Mount Everest.

Monday, May 29, 2006

steady lang



we passed by anilao after our company outing to check out the house we're leasing. we listed some things to buy and to repair before we begin moving in furniture and decorating the place. we're very excited with this place, it's a simple hideout but would be a great escape from the realities of urban manila.

one of the constant scenes infront of the beach is this kawayan balsa. bad news though, the past typhoon that battered batangas sunked it. even the elevated aplaya was washed out. but everything's alright, the windsurfers were there and the diver-filled outriggers were out as if nothing happened.

no worries...steady lang.

groove grind getaway


representatives of the 6 "competitive" teams of the sportsfest

the fuSZion sports committee. finally it's over.

we had our company outing at the batangas country club last weekend. it was also the culminating activity of our sportsfest where i was one of the committee members. the fun games (ala amazing race, survivor) we prepared proved to be the deciding factor for the overall championship. the teams battled hard and in the end the most consistent team won it.

after the awarding ceremonies, most of the people stayed for the party while others had their own in their rooms. let's just say, i'm beginning to love my new company (or at least the people in it). they know how to have fun, play games and party hard. got a little tipsy saturday night. shots of vodka, gin, san mig light, dry and strong ice, whatever was on the table was drowned without hesitation. hehehe!

Saturday, May 27, 2006

10 years na!





happy anniversary CIS batchmates!

Friday, May 26, 2006

under a blood red sky

after a hard day's work, scenes like this jump starts the night ahead.


Thursday, May 25, 2006

perks of the trade

i was invited to see and shoot the manila times and technomarine exhibit at the edsa shangri-la mall last night. we shot most of the technomarine image models (iya, nancy, cheska garcia and marco). after the event, we had nothing better to do but to shoot more. so we asked them to post with us. hehehe. perks of the trade. :D

thanks vina for the invite. thanks noel for the chat. vina is my friend from techno while noel is a photographer of the manila times. i got the chance to shoot several weddings with noel for decisive moments. now he's a full time photojournalist. his photos are some of those on exhibit.



Tuesday, May 23, 2006

please don't take my picture it's been a bad day

i hate makati. it's one of those places that for some reason or another, i always end up feeling bummed out. this started after graduation and i had to go to all these job interviews. the pace of the people there are just not to my liking. just like any big city, it's so fast. everybody's in a rush. and everyone seems so into fashionionable stuff. coming from marikina, where there are still small patches of green fields, mountains and rivers, the pace there just wouldn't align with my taste. so i decided that i had to find a job in ortigas. luckily i did. it's been 10 years and i still have no plan of leaving.

there are other incidents like being late for a date because i got lost going to greenbelt (hehe), getting lost again with claire looking for this place in buendia, and being accosted for crossing the yellow lane in edsa (eventually they forgave me), having my cellphone confiscated and fined 500 pesos for bringing out my cellphone while watching a boring play (yes they have an ordinance for that). because of all these incidents, i really don't go to makati if i had a choice.

last night, i had no choice. i had to do visit the makati office of Gold's gym to sign some documents. my friend jo-ann accompanied me. on the way home, we were traversing makati avenue when a traffic enforcer asked us to pull-over. apparently, i entered a one way street. but in all honesty, i didn't see any sign. after pleading for a while, i let the guy issue me a ticket. but not after telling him that their signs are inadequate. no one would be looking at all the side streets lookin for one way signs. it wasn't that visible. in fact, there was another car after me who entered it. obviously, the guy also didn't see the sign. now, i have to go back to makati again to pay the fine and get my license back. i hope my luck favors me this time.



Thursday, May 18, 2006

conquering ourselves

"it is not the mountain we conquer but ourselves"

so goes the mountaineering saying i read somewhere. true enough, as of this time, 4 out of 4 (dale's climb though has not been confirmed) Filipino mountaineers have reached the summit of mt. everest and not only conquered the mountain but their own struggles as well. more than the environmental difficulties they had to face, it's the inner will and emotional distress that they had to bring out and overcome. for that, we can only give our praise.

the whole nation, especially the mountaineering community will continue to stand-by and watch your next expeditions. let's keep on praying for our countrymen.

i wrote the editor of inq7.net addressing an article of beth celis that says that the everest team climbers perhaps had a "blackout" on news of their expedition until several days or a couple of weeks ago. i just told them that the whole mountaineering community knew all about it ever since. probably the media wasn't picking on it because mountaineering is not as popular as the other sports. now that they reached headlines, it's high time that we give focus on these expeditions.

one of the reasons that we were more than 50 years late in climbing this mountain is because of the lack of funding. romi garduce is an IT manager in one of the big consulting firms and yet he isn't rich. he spends his salary on trips like this. he is also an advocate for the environment. my friend met him in anilao taking care of a marine sanctuary. that's where his money goes because of the lack of sponsors. i don't believe the reasoning that we are just a third world country that's why we can't fund these guys. there is money all around. corporations are willing to spend, but the media has to help popularize and create a market first. i don't care if there are network wars if it helps the cause.

this october, it's my time to conquer myself. nope, it's not everest. it's not even in the "my things to do before i die". hehe. i'll be in mt. apo-the highest peak in the Philippines. hopefully, it will be a leisurely climb, so i can take a lot of decent pictures. 3 days up, 1 day down and we're off to samal island. don't worry i won't be asking for corporate sponsors or media coverage. it's just a personal adventure for me to reconnect with the mountains and appreciate God's work of beauty.

Tuesday, May 16, 2006

beautiful love

at first i thought it was Kent or at least they had the same singer. i later found out that it's a new group. and they were a Christian band, although not marketed as such. more than the inspiring lyrics, it's the melody that really struck me hard. one time, i just stayed in the parking lot listening to this song on the radio.

oh my God! i've been on a CD buying binge the past two weeks. i bought a total of 6 cds locally and ordered 4 more on the internet. now i'm thinking of buying this cd next. what the heck, it should be a fun album based on the reviews. i'll have a lot of music in stack for all those lazy rainy days coming.

here's the lyrics and some notes on the song from a website. read on...

Beautiful Love
By The Afters

Far away, I feel your beating heart
All alone, beneath the crystal stars
and staring into space, what a lonely face
I'll try to find my place with you

Chorus:
What a beautiful smile
Can It stay for a while
On this beautiful night
We'll make everything right
My beautiful love
My beautiful love

Larger then the moon, my love for you
World's collide, as heaven pulls us through
The secret of the world is written in the stars
I'm carrying your heart in mine

What a beautiful smile
Can It stay for a while
On this beautiful night
We'll make everything right
My beautiful love

Maybe a greater thing will happen
Maybe all will see
Maybe our love will catch like fire
As it burns through me

Maybe a greater thing will happen
Maybe all will see
Maybe our love will catch like fire
As it burns through me

Maybe a greater thing will happen
Maybe all will see
Maybe our love will catch like fire
As it burns through me

What a beautiful smile
Can It stay for a while
On this beautiful night
We'll make everything right

What a beautiful smile
Can It stay for a while
On this beautiful night
We'll make everything right
My Beautiful la-la-la-la-love
la-la-la-la-love
My beautiful la-la-la-la-love
la-la-la-la-love
My beautiful love


“Beautiful Love” doubles as male-to-female or human-and-God communication. The singer searches the night skies for signs while acknowledging that the love he feels in return is carried within his own heart. Even as the worlds collide (personalities, ideas, heavenly bodies themselves), “heaven pulls us through,” they sing. The focus that turns the tide toward a spiritual relationship is that the fire of the love burns within the singer (singularly), with the hopes that it will catch on with others, similar to an evangelical understanding of sharing faith.

The album's first single, "Beautiful Love" opens with a crescendo of guitar, piano and drums before Havens' nimble voice and a chorus of ringing guitars break through the din. The song was written, Havens says, while his wife was in Mexico on a humanitarian-aid trip. "Shortly after we got married, she left to help build houses for people who were living in shanties. I was back in Dallas strumming on a guitar thinking about how people say 'love can change the world.' It's usually a cliché, but my wife was living out that ideal. That night I wrote 'Beautiful Love' for her and all the magical things that can come from love."

from http://www.hollywoodjesus.com/afters_wish_we.htm

Monday, May 15, 2006

stormed-out summer

braving the strong winds and heavy rain, i went to UP for Dominique James' free seminar. it was an interesting discussion on beauty and photography, but a little short and sort of a marketing strategy for you to enroll on their full-blown seminars. but that's alright, the free teaser was worth the trip.

after UP, i rushed to Welfareville in Mandaluyong for Nicole's party with Sibol kids. it was a fun afternoon. i had to restrain myself from eating too much barbeque hehe. thanks Nicole!!!

and finally, yesterday, the sports committee of my company's sportsfest spent one whole day at the Batangas Country Club in preparation for the company outing. we planned the activites and "fun" games for the 6 teams competing. i'm excited on the "survivor" type games. :D

some pics from the past week:


batangas country club with chenai,poopie and reena

nicole and the gang with sibol kids@welfareville

with sfc friends@welfareville

mcdonald's party for chenai

with the sagip kids@mc donald's

Friday, May 12, 2006

the texas backlog

It's been almost two weeks since I left Texas. These are some of the images I will remember for the rest of my life. :)









Thursday, May 11, 2006

90s rock



Pearl Jam and the Red Hot Chili Peppers just released very interesting albums. Check them out.

And not to forget, Dong Abay also has a new album. The album also features Raymond Marasigan and Buddy Zabala. It's like Yano and E-heads together. Exciting ey?!

Lastly, with the recent release of Sugar Hiccup's third studio album, the craving for their old music has risen. Simple supply and demand logic brings us a compilation of their past albums.

It's like the 90s again :)

Wednesday, May 10, 2006

perfect albums

103.5 k-lite's morning show's topic the other day was about "perfect albums". These are musical gems that you listen to from track 1 to the last (or side a to side b as the case may be). More than 5 years ago, I made a similar list. I posted it on our company's electronic bulletin board. Now it's time for me to make a new one. So here it is. After digging up my old tapes and CDs I came up with quite a long list. Let's compare notes. :)

Incubus - Science
the album in between the very hard to dig 'fungus amongus' and the poppish 'make yourself'. they've combined rock,funk,metal,electronic beats plus some turntable action creating a genre of their own.

Coldplay - Parachutes
i saw the yellow video on channel v, more than a year later the band became a phenomenon.

Pearl Jam - Ten
eddie vedder's eyes still scare me. black and jeremy are some of my favorites. 'versus' they say is a much better album. but i like the rawness of 'ten'. it captured the band just when they were about to explode.

Red Hot Chili Peppers - Blood Sugar Sex Magik
their first mainstream release. easily the craziest band in the world.

REM - Automatic for the People
this is for those days that you just feel like being a melodramatic fool. i still remember the scene on 'when a man loves a woman' where andy garcia was watching meg ryan from the outside of their house after their breakup. 'everybody hurts' was the one being played on the background.

Counting Crows - August and Everything After
one of those depressing albums.

Dave Matthews Band - Crash
i had a tape for a long time, then decided i had to have a cd. that's how good this is.

Sonic Youth - Dirty
melodic voice of kim gordon, plus the noisy and feedback induced guitars of Thurston Moore.

Dinosaur Jr - Where You Been
J Mascis' voice makes you think he was drunk or crying. A one man band. He's a genius.

Popsicle - Abstinence
i asked my friends to search the whole of europe to get me a cd copy of all their albums.
unfortunately they are nowhere to be found, even on amazon. i'll double the price if anyone of you can do the treasure hunt for me.

Buffalo Tom - Big Red Letter Day
i bought this on my birthday. 1994. focuses on simple guitar work. sometimes less is more.

Green Day - American Idiot
matured punk-iness.

The Black Crowes - The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion
70s junkie rock.

Jimmy Eat World - self-titled
kinda emo.

Alanis Morisette - Jagged Little Pill
angst-ridden.

Smashing Pumpkins - Siamese Dream
ethereal.

A Perfect Circle - Mier de Noms
I threw you the obvious/just to see if there's more behind the eyes of a fallen angel/eyes of a tragedy. This is an incredible album. Very tight, edgy musicianship.

Anthrax - Attack of the Killer B's
exciting considering that these are supposed to be 'B' sides.

Travis - The Man Who
along with Coldplay, they made the Brit-rock scene a fun place to be in again.

The Killers - Hot Fuss
let's just say this is my bathroom soundtrack. hahaha. i listen to it almost everyday while preparing to go to work.

Death Angel - Act III
how Pinoys earned respect in the international metal scene.

Moonpools and Caterpillars - Lucky Dumpling
how Pinoys earned respect in the international alternative scene.

Cranberries - No Need to Argue
Delores O'Riordan has one of the greatest voices in music. The songs are full of emotion but not so much on love but on anger.

plus
early albums of metallica
all U2 albums except POP (everyone makes mistakes hehe)
all Rage Against the Machine albums
all Dashboard Confessional albums (emo! emo!)
all System of a Down albums (political with a touch of comedy)

i also thought of radiohead, nirvana, foo fighters, oasis and blur. but i can't think of one definitive album.

that's it. i might have forgotten some albums. i'll just update the list. comments are very much welcome. let's talk music!!!

Monday, May 08, 2006

abot langit


click here for more images

29 AD's second benefit concert for Gawad Kalinga was held last friday at the Meralco Theater. I was asked by the group to shoot again. Either they liked my pictures or they just had no budget. Hehe. Of course I gladly said yes to the invitation. It's not everyday that you get to shoot at Meralco theater. And its "pro-bono" for a good cause. So why not?! Another exciting thing for me was seeing my photos from last year's concert being flashed on stage. That made me smile. Good thing it was dark cause people might find be weird-smiling at the presentation that was supposed to be tragic. See this previous post

The fund-raising was a success. The group was able to raise 1 Million pesos for the Buayang Bato GK village. :)