30-Day Tumblr Challenge: Day 25 - Your day in great detail

Today was a mix of boring and great.

Nothing spectacular happened during the day. Went about with tasks at work. March and April are kind of busy because of Earth Day celebration. During lunch time, I went out to get some sun (LOL!). No, I went out to do some bank errands. Colleague/friend Engel did the same.

In the evening, I missed spinning class again because I left work around 7. Hitched a ride with Tey to Gold's. Since I was late for spinning, I just attended Reagan's dance class. My mood in class tonight was way better compared to last Tuesday. Afterwards, I did some weights. Before going home, I got myself a papaya and melon shake.

From GG, I walked to the bus station in fron of Makati Stock Exchange. Traffic was pretty bad going home because of all the f-ing trailer trucks. Got home before midnight.

Dead tired. Sleep.

30-Day Tumblr Challenge: Day 24 — Whatever tickles your fancy: Broadway Docu

Here's an interesting documentary that Twitter buddy @DaveSi shared - Show Business: The Road to Broadway.

It's a docu about four musical that fought for the top Tony Awards prizes in the 2004 Broadway season. Quite an interesting season because it was this season that Wicked and Avenue Q came on stage. The docu is a musical feast for any showtunes lover, as it takes the viewer through the conceptualization, casting, rewrites, rehearsals, and opening nights of the two aforementioned musicals, as well as Taboo and Caroline, or Change.

I've downloaded the videos via Youtube and I'll probably watch it this weekend. Woohoo.

30-Day Tumblr Challenge: Day 23 — A YouTube Vid: Chanel Commercial

This has to be one of the best (and probably, one of the most expensive) TVCs to be made ever.

TVC for Chanel No. 5 featuring Nicole Kidman and Rodrigo Santoro. Directed by Baz Luhrrman.

It’s brilliant. A movie told in what, two minutes?! F-ing amazing.

Thank heavens for Youtube.

30-Day Tumblr Challenge: Day 22 — A website: www.10mm.ph

www.10mm.ph

That's the web addy of the Earth Day 10 Million Movement campaign.

The 10 Million Movement is part of the Earth Day 2010 celebration. (In case you don't know yet, April 22 is Earth Day.) The 10MM movement aims to gather ten million commitments for our planet from Filipinos.

The website is part of our support for DENR and Earth Day Network Philippines. If I'm not mistaken, manual registration of your pro-environment commitment may also be done via the 10MM Signup Booths at SM Malls.

For easier registration, just go to the website and sign up. Please tell your family and friends about it, too.

Yeah, I sort of became a "green" advocate thanks to my work.

30-Day Tumblr Challenge: Day 20 — A hobby of yours: Collecting stuff

Uhm, I guess one of my hobbies is collecting. Thanks to being a packrat amd a sentimental freak, I collect all sorts of things - old issues of Vogue, Out, GQ; nice bottles from favorite get-together with friends; magnets from places i've visited; magnets from places my friends have visited (wahaha!); books - particularly, queer fic and chick lit (haha! so shoot me!).

And oh, oh! Since I found myself to be in an industry where I get to meet popular peeps, I sort of started a "Fans Kita" collection. Hahaha! Some of my favorite Fans Kita photos are the ones with the late Pres. Cory Aquino,  with National Artists Arturo Luz and Mauro Malang, with fave artist Anita Magsaysay-Ho, with film director/actor Quentin Tarantino, with PBA legend Alvin Patrimonio. Hehehe! I'm still on the quest for a Sharon Cuneta pic. Seriously. Haha! Can you say OGT?!

30-Day Tumblr Challenge: Day 19 — A talent of yours

Jeez, I'm really embarrassed to post this, but I can't think of any right now. Haha!

Uhm, if there's one thing I actually look forward to every Tuesday and Thursday night, it's my dance class at the gym.

We have the best instructor. His name is Reagan, and he used to be a member of the Philippine All Stars. He was part of the team that won the 2008 World Hip-Hop Dance Competition. He's really, really good. But the best thing about the guy is he's super down-to-earth and really nice.

Anyway, I've been attending his class for more than a year now, and it's always a happy time for me and the rest of the class. The class is always, always full. If you want to have a spot there, you have to be sure to get there early. Haha!

I'm happy to say that I've never injured myself or any other person for that matter. Hahaha! So that probably means I'm doing something right.

30-Day Tumblr Challenge: Day 18 — Whatever tickles your fancy

Not much time to do a long post, so I'm just sharing with you one of my fave songs right now.

Telephone - Lady Gaga feat. Beyonce.

Is it everyone's new fave right now though? Hehehe!

But in particular, I love the remixes. My current fave remix is the Alphabeat Remix. I can see it being played in spinning class or in Bed. Haha!

I'm sharing a secret with you. I get all the fantab remixes here.

30-Day Tumblr Challenge: Day 17 - An art piece: Anita Ho's Flower Vendors

This has to be one of my favorite works of one of the artists I really love.

I forgot the title though of this masterpiece (Flower Vendors, I think.). Hehe!

I like it because from what I know, Anita Ho only has a few paintings that have men (or in this case, boys) as a subject. Except for the portraits of her grandsons, most of her work that I’ve seen are of women in the countryside.

One reason I also like this particular work is because it reminds me of my siblings. No, we aren’t flower vendors, nor do we love flowers. Hehe! It’s the number of subjects in the paintings - three. And that’s how many we are - there’s me, and my two younger bros.

The painting was used for the 2006 Christmas greeting card of the company I used to work for. The photo above is the greeting card taken with my cellphone, so please forgive the poor quality of the picture. Hehe!

If I remember correctly, this painting is now with Anton San Diego. Lucky him. One day, I’ll save enough money to buy it. Hehehe! Wishful thinking.

30-Day Tumblr Challenge: Day 16 - A song that makes you cry (or nearly): Ready for a Fall - PJ Olsson

Since I mentioned Dawson's Creek in yesterday's challenge, I thought I'd post DC-related again today. Hehehe!

Here's one of my fave songs from the DC soundtrack.

--------
You sit there in my shadows
And you call it your relief
Don't be the one with bad eyes for
The things that I could see
(Don't give me that)

The darkness has no armor
Need protection from the air
High hopes through time passing
When I see I want you there

[Chorus]
I can't believe
You're the one for me
If it was this easy to find you
I should be ready for a fall
I should be ready for a fall

Now my wonders rally
Around the person I once was
Like a bird that I've been helping
Hope you're healed and strong
You never know when you might have to fly

[Pre-Chorus]
Where will you go after me
Where will you go after I set you free
And I don't know you from a page in my book
Though I should
Though I should

[Chorus]

Where will you go after me
Where will you go after I set you free
And I don't know you from a page in my book
Though I should

30-Day Tumblr Challenge: Day 15 - Fanfic: Jack & Tobey

I’m not a big fan of fanfic. Hehe! If I did have more time in my hands, I’m sure I would be reading much of it though. Hehe!

Anyway, the last fanfic I can remember was that of my favorite Dawson’s Creek characters - Jack and Tobey.

Good ones. :)

30-Day Tumblr Challenge: Day 14 - Nonfiction Book: Front Row

I don't really like nonfiction, and I'm sure I've read a few but the only one that comes to mind right now is the unauthorized biography of US Vogue editrix Anna Wintour.

What an OGT, huh?! I know! Haha!

Anyway, when this book came out, I was really eager to get my hands on a copy. I didn't buy one. Instead, the ex promised to get me one as a present from his trip to I already forgot.

It was a good read because it gave people, whatever their opinions of Anna are, a glimpse of her life. And despite all the negative things written about/spoken of her, I still like her because of her work. I'm quite sure I'm going to get criticized for writing that. Hehe! But, to each his own, I guess.

She has always intrigued me. Her and other women of power - Anna Wintour, Carine Roitfeld, Rosemarie Bravo, Jane Goodall, Angelina Jolie, Mother Teresa, and so on.

I dunno. There is really something about women of power that draws me to them.

30-Day Tumblr Challenge: Day 13 - Fictional Book: Rainbow Boys series

The Rainbow Series is one of my favorite queer fic.

Several Christmases ago, I received the Rainbow Boys title as a present. I completely loved the book. It was a book I wished I was able to read back when I was still in high school. The heroes of the story - Kyle, Jason and Nelson - are very easy to like.

Anyway, I was also able to get my hands on Rainbow High at NBS, I think. Just like Rainbow Boys, it was another title that I liked and enjoyed reading.

Rainbow Road was a present from an old friend. The copy I have is extra special because my friend got author Alex Sanchez to sign it. Woohooo!!!

I wish these books were available locally.

One day, I'm going to open an LGBT bookstore a la A Different Light. Hehe!

30-Day Tumblr Challenge: Day 12 — Whatever post: I like quirky stuff

If you see my office cubicle, you'll notice that I have a lot of items that are not really office-related.

The ones above are some examples. Hehe!

I've realized that I like cute, quirky items. Haha! Actually, it was my friends who noticed it.

I dunno. I just really like these mostly small items, and more often than not, I find them by surprise. Either that or they're given to me.

One favorite store to visit for stuff that you don't need but you just gotta have it is Dimensione. Hehehe! Everytime I visit the store, there is always something there that catches my eye. Hahaha!

That's where I got Bruce and Johnny. Hehehe! They're meant to be used as bookends, but they ended up adding more testosterone to my desk. Haha! Most recently, I got this giant "Glue" tissue holder. Hahaha! Liking it a lot.

Zap, the PAL pilot teddy, I "adopted" on flight back to Manila from Saigon during a trip last year. The moment I saw the teddy, I just gotta have it. Hehe! Don't ask why I named him Zap. The other bear, Ben, was from this Singapore store I love - New Urban Male. I've been looking for a rainbow bear for so long and on my visit to NUM, I found lots and lots of rainbow bears by the window. Yey!

The magnets are souvenirs from my trips. But a lot were also given as gifts by friends from their trips abroad. I super love the magnets from my friend Bernice and the Wicked magnet from Roy. :)

What else? Team Manila is also a good place to visit for unique items. I got the mug two years ago I think? And it's still sitting nicely on my desk.

30-Day Tumblr Challenge: Day 10 — A photo of you taken recently

Uhm, this has to be one of my recent fave pics. Hehe! It was taken during a trip to Calatagan after an office team planning in Tagaytay.

I dunno. We were walking along the cliff. It was past 4 in the afternoon. The sound of the waves crashing. The afternoon sun which always looks beautiful outside of Manila (Haha!). The panorama that surrounded us.

It just seemed like the perfect backdrop for an asana. Wahaha! I've been attending yoga classes for more than six months now, but this was the first time I did something like this outside of the yoga studio. Hehehe!

Thankfully, colleague/friend Judee was game enough (and patient enough) to take my photos. Haha! It was difficult because the ground was rocky and therefore, uneven. Hehehe! It was difficult to ground myself. Hahaha! And I'm sure the pose (dancer's pose) needs so much improvement (though I like it). But out of the so and so number of shots, at least there was this one shot which I think is decent enough to be posted. Hehe! The only thing I adjusted was the lighting. Hehehe!

So there.

Namaste.

30-Day Tumblr Challenge: Day 10 — A photo of you taken over ten years ago

Here's a photo of me taken some time in 1997, I think.

It's me with my Orcom blockmates from UP. I think we were waiting for our Humanities professor. I still remember this room. It was our little Little Theater. It's 302, I think. It's the room beside the Department of Arts and Communication of Rizal Hall! Haha!

Back then, digital cameras were still expensive. What was still "in" back then were the cameras that used the APS (?) film, I think. Haha! So if we had the urge to camwhore, it's either someone should have brought a camera with film (and hope that the photos will turn out just fine after processing. Either that or we go to a studio (Great Image!!!) to have our photos taken. Hehehe!

Gawd, it's hard to believe that it has already been more than 10 years since we last walked the halls of our revered building in Padre Faura. And most of us have changed. Some are married. Others are with kids. Not too long ago, we were worrying how to pass our Math 11 exams. Now, we're worrying about how our kids will pass their Math exam. Hahaha!

What's funny, because I almost did not go to UP. It was either UP or the seminary. Seriously. I thought I didn't pass and I was ready to join the Claretians. Then I found out I did and my father put his foot down. The rest as they say is history.

In addition to the lessons that I have learned from my respected professors, one other important part of my UP life was the friendships I built with my blockmates. Up to now, I am still in touch with almost all of them. Thanks to Facebook, we became even closer even if some of us are already living in other parts of the world.

I got to say that the four years in UP were among the best in my life. I've learned so much from that university, and most of who I am today is because of what I learned there.

Salamat, UP Naming Mahal!

30-Day Tumblr Challenge: Day 9 — A photo that you took

The photo above was taken during my trip to Cambodge last year.

I've been dreaming of visiting the Angkor Wat for the longest time, and I was fortunate enough to have had the resources that allowed me to visit the phenomenal place last year.

What made it extra special was I was also celebrating my 30th birthday that month. I was in Cambodge around the first week of October. My birthday is October 22, so it was an early birthday celebration.

No words can describe the Angkor complex. Just standing there in the middle of the temples is the greatest. And realizing that the majestic structures were built by people at a time when there was no machinery like the ones we have now makes it even more stupendous.
That's it. :)

30-Day Tumblr Challenge: Day 8 — A photo that makes you angry/sad

The photo above is from the Pride March in Malate last December.

I was planning to attend the March, but I had an earlier commitment. Thankfully, the event I had to go to and the March were in the same area. So as soon as I got out of the event, I rushed to the street to catch the tailend of the parade.

It was my first time to see the Pride March, and it was also my first time to see something like the photo above. While the parade passed, there was a group of anti-gay religious groups telling "us" to repent for we are going to burn in hell. I thought we were more tolerant. I had no idea that groups like this are also here. Man, how ignorant of me.

It was saddening, but seeing the LGBT groups answer back was a good source of hope and strength. I liked how the groups that passed by stood up to the anti-LGBT group.

Respect, tolerance. From others. One would think these need not be earned but should automatically be given. We're all human beings, after all. But that's not the case.

Like the several generations of LGBTs ahead of us, we still have to fight for it.

30-Day Tumblr Challenge: Day 7 - A photo that makes you happy

Eeeep, another toughie! :)

There are several photos that come to mind that make me happy. I'm a huge fan of taking photos and I do try to bring a camera wherever I go just to make sure I document moments that need to be immortalized - birthday of a friend, simple get-together, first whatever, and so on. Each photo isn't just a photo. There's always a story behind it. Some photos were difficult to take, others, I guess, were because I was at the right place at the right time. Like these photos.

Anyway, It's good that this challenge is for today because I just got a fresh set of photos thanks to the Unilab Run this morning. I got several photos, but the one favorite has got to be the one above.

Thanks to my dad who's a huge Purefood fan, I became a fan of the Captain - Alvin Patrimonio - for the longest time. Gosh, I even recall liking that movie Last Two Minutes (starring Alvin, Jerry C., and Paul A.) very much. Hehehe!

So when I saw Alvin from afar this morning, I gathered all the energy left of me and tried to walk fast to Ivan's car to get the camera and walk back to the Wellness Village hoping that he was still there. He was!!! Yey! I just asked someone to take our photo together. Hehehe! I'm starting to be a pro at walking up to celebs/personalities to ask for photos. Hehe! So far, no one's turned me down yet.

It was good that I already asked for a photo with him because his handler was starting to get irritable. Hehehe!

I thanked Alvin for the photo and then walked away happily.Yey!

My gosh, he's still so fit after all these years, yes?! I hope when I reach his age, I'd be just as fit. Hehehe!

It's a happy photo because I waited for more than ten years to finally meet the Captain and have this photo with him. Haha!

30-Day Tumblr Challenge: Day 6 - Whatever tickles your fancy

I want a working space like this. Hehe! I love the shelves. Right now, all my magazines, my books are in plastic crates because they'll just gather dust if I put them out. Huhu!

30-Day Tumblr Challenge: Day 5 - Fave Quote: Felicity Huffman

Right now, the quote that comes to mind is the one by Desperate Housewives star Felicity Huffman.

Won’t write much about it. Just read it and then take the time to think about it.

“I know as actors our job is usually to shed our skins, but I think as people our job is to become who we really are and so I would like to salute the men and women who brave ostracism, alienation and a life lived on the margins to become who they really are.” - Felicity Huffman, Best Perforance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama, Transamerica.