It was a good thing that purchasing the unit does not require a downpayment of any amount, but a hefty five digit reservation fee and a much heftier move-in fee was required before I could move in. I got my condo on loan, and at age 24 I already own 32 square meters of living space.
I moved in my own place back in December 31st, 2007, so I can spend my first night on a New Year. I got nothing but a few plastic bags of clothes, a foldable cot so I can sleep on the floor, 1 pillow, my CD, DVD, and books collection, the curtains, plates and utensils. Good thing that my unit was already finished with nothing to do anymore but to move in; white walls, vinyl tiles, tiled bathroom.
After several months, I was able to purchase my first appliance, something I cannot live without, a micro component; I need anything that plays music. Then after that I was able to buy an adequately sized bed, then a TV, then a ref... the list went on. Now, my condo feels cramped sometimes.
The photos below were taken back in 2009. I already have a sofa and the old Mac keyboard was replaced by a slimmer, aluminum bodied one.
Once again, I judged a movie by its cover! Well, not just by its cover but also what was written on its cover... It says "Across the Universe sweeps you up on a wave of terrific Beatles songs." and I love the Beatles! This particular movie often catches my attention whenever I browse a whole rack of DVDs every time I visit a record store. So earlier, I went straight to the mall from the office and while in the bus, I was singing a medley of Beatles songs in my head, so this movie came in mind and I was itching to buy a copy, which I did.
After the usual movie introductions and all that, the first scene took my breath away and made my eyes grow big. The boy was singing Girl, then I realized at that very moment, this is a musical. As the movie progresses, I realized that this is not just another "gayishly" made movie.
As what the review said on its cover, all the songs in the movie are from the Beatles and were re-arranged in a very different but very beautiful way. So beautiful it will make you sway and sing along, and just might make you click the rewind button. "It's like Glee and Grease rolled into one" a friend said through text as he watches this movie a few minutes after I watched my copy (coincidentally, he has a downloaded version of it). Compared to Grease, this movie is way better (IMO). Excellent cinematography, with shadows in the right places, angles with awesome views, dramatic lighting, moody scenes, psychedelic effects and costumes that will really give you a visual delight of what it is really like to be living in the '60s. There were also dance scenes as any musical would be, choreography was simple, but delighting. There was a part in the movie where you will be taken to a psychedelic trip by Bono, yes, the great U2 main man is in the movie!
I was very astounded with the arrangements of most the songs in this movie. All of them were surprisingly well arranged, some were far from the original, but despite of such, it will make you sing along and listen more to them, very addictive indeed. I was very astonished of their version of the song I Wanna Hold Your Hand and one song that almost made me cry was Let it Be, it was very soulful yet sad; watch it to find out. The rest of the songs were sung on how they were really supposed to be sung, with exceptions of some that will really surprise any Beatles fan.
This is not another "gayish" musical that targets girls and gay men as its main audience. I do believe that this movie will fit a variety of individual tastes. Straight men will find this movie appealing to their taste, mainly because the songs are from the Beatles and the plot is about sex, love, and heterosexual romance. No "poppish-rubbish" in this movie, despite of it being about pop music, culture, and lifestyle. Girls and gay men will like this movie as they will swoon over the gorgeous men singing rock ballads, if you like Mod fashion, you will like this movie; don't expect any high pitched singing divas in this one as well as glitzy and flamboyant costumes, there aren't. Overall, if I were to rate this movie with 5 as highest, I will rate this as 5! Midway into the movie it already became one of my top favorites in my growing collection of DVDs. I highly recommend this movie to all music lovers who listens to a wide genre of music, specially to the fans of the Beatles. I also highly recommend this one to all who loves watching quality movies with a good interweaving storyline and loves the artsy-fartsy kinds of stuff. This movie is light, fun, psychedelic, and an epic.
You may tire of me
As our December sun is setting
Because I'm not who I used to be
No longer easy on the eyes
But these wrinkles masterfully disguise
The youthful boy below
Who turned your way and saw
Something he was not looking for
Both a beginning and an end
But now he lives inside
Someone he does not recognize
When he catches his reflection on accident
On the back of a motorbike
With your arms outstretched, trying to take flight
Leaving everything behind
But even at our swiftest speed
We couldn't break from the concrete
And the city where we still reside
And I have learned
That even landlocked lovers yearn
For the sea like navy men
Because now we say goodnight
From our own separate sides
Like brothers on a hotel bed
You may tire of me
As our December sun is setting
Because I'm not who I used to be
I just woke up a few minutes ago, opening my eyes to hunger and thirst as the song Manila was playing in loop inside my head. What was interesting was my dream. There, was a music video and a very wonderful song comparable to the melodies of the band Silent Sanctuary. The song was in Tagalog, and there were three characters in the music video. At first it was in a cartoon format, then eventually, as the music video progresses that the characters became real life actors and actresses, and I was there in the set, watching how the music video was being made.
The story was about a girl trying to win a boy's heart. Both characters were students and one guy, being an extra in some scenes. The guy hates the girl because of her attention grabbing and desperate moves to win his attention and affection. At first, in the cartoon part, the boy was playing a sport and the girl was cheering for him. Then a scene came where the girl was hiding from behind a huge trash bin trying to stalk her crush. The characters were drawn in a very cutesy-fartsy way,not anime-like, they were little with fat body parts and big heads. The video goes on and it transitioned to real life actors. In the end, the girl and the boy were stuck under an umbrella in a downpour and they confessed their affection for each other, and they kissed. The "extra" guy was the one who was somewhat pulling the curtains leading to the end of the music video. So I was there all the time, from shooting the video until the final review. The irony of it all was that my friend is the one who plays the guy being stalked by the desperate girl, and he's gay. Hmm...
The scenes were like ripped from a very colorful Japanese school girl and school boy style but was set in some colorful places in Metro Manila. The singer was a guy. I just cannot remember what song it was because it does not exist in real life, if I can only remember, just even the tune of it, I can perhaps write down the lyrics.
Now back to bed and perhaps I will be able to watch that video again and remember what song that is or how it goes.
I was hungry for something old, nostalgic and can bring me away to some far away land or perhaps "time-warp" me into another era and to another place. So when I got home, I searched for old songs and even older songs... Local of course! Some of you might have this impression that I am not much into pop music, yes, I am not into pop music at all, modern pop music that is. Exceptions of that are the pop music of the 90s, 80s, and even 70s... Just because pop music these days are just full of crappy lyrics and crappy sounds and shitty arrangements and compositions... That's my reason for not liking most modern pop music(local or otherwise), at all.
In the local music scene, where did the brilliant composers go? Yes, we have so many marvelously gifted singers locally, but songwriters? Where are they? Even Gary Valenciano and Ogie Alcasid, who are two of my most favorite local singers and composers don't make music the way they used to back in the olden days. If ever they make new songs now, it just doesn't have that "ooomph" anymore. Unlike back in the 80s or 90s, lyrics and beats just captures everyone's ears, hearts, and imaginations. Lyrics were beautifully written, cheesy but intelligent, and they were composed well enough for both the masses and the other classes of society to get hooked and stir their emotions.
Manilyn Reynes, she was a hit back in the 80s, where are the people who used to write songs for her? Ogie Alcasid could be one of the people who wrote songs for her. Do you remember her first single Sayang na Sayango as well as her major hit Ikaw Pa Rin? Which I think the latter have been remade several times by many singers, but still, nothing beats her version, the one and only original.
Ikaw Pa Rin
Rachel Alejandro, I remember when I as a small kid, while fetching water or waiting in line in the local hand water pump facility of our neighborhood, I sung some of her songs... In my head. Nobody has ever heard me sing out loud voluntarily, except in the rare occasions where I was drunk and forced to sing in karaoke lounges. Back then, I was very fond of the song Kay Tagal, but lyrically, the song Bulag sa Katotohanan is heart wrenchingly beautiful.
Kay Tagal
Bulag sa Katotohanan
I love Sharon Cuneta Movies as well as Sharon Cuneta songs. Although I have not memorized her immortal movie lines and movie lineups, but I know and very much like some of her old songs, like the very famous "Bituing Walang Ningning" that was also the title of the movie where that song was a theme song. The song Mr. Dj, was a cutesy-fartsy pop song written for the teenagers as well as the massive radio listeners of that era. Which I think, way back in those days, radio was a very big business with the absence of fast and instant access to different music and entertainment, thus, the song was inspired to be written. Do you guys remember Joe D Mango's Love Notes?
Mr. DJ
To Love Again --- I did not know that this was a Sharon Cuneta original until earlier.
The 90s, my two most unforgettable hits back on the 90s were one hit wonders. The first one is Agot Isidro's Everyday, and the second is Viktoria's Dahan-dahan. Whatever happened to her? The music video of her song Dahan-dahan is simple and nicely made, one my fondest memory of the first ever Filipino music video I ever watched when MTV was made publicly free in channel 23.
Everyday
The 70s, where our mothers and fathers are having the time of their lives in school, when it was their turn to be carefree and fall in love. This was the decade where some local artists made their mark in music history and became the pillars of what is now our local music culture. Where local songs were played in discos and people were not ashamed to dance to the beat of their local bands. Danceable songs back then were nicely written, has danceable beat, and makes sense. Unlike most local upbeat songs today, which are made in such a novelty that targets the masses with ridiculous lyrics and even more ridiculous dance steps! Popular songs made in this decade were socially conscious (Asin's Masdan Mo Ang Mga Bata) and raised environmental awareness (Masdan Mo Ang Kapaligiran). There were also songs made in this era that were made for the love of the country or city, celebrated national pride and inspired patriotism.
Sumayaw Sumunod - Boyfriends
Manila - Hotdog
Masdan Mo Ang Mga Bata - Asin
I know that globalization is forward thinking and people's taste for music evolves through the years, this also means that song writers need to evolve with time in order to thrive. I know too that Filipinos' taste for music is becoming global, but does that mean we do not write songs with our own unique sound anymore? Songs that talks about local politics and local issues, and inspires patriotism. Like the recently disbanded Bamboo, they write beautiful songs that have messages regarding social and political issues. If you listen to their lyrics, one will know this is a Filipino band talking about Filipino issues. The Apo Hiking Society, wrote a song for President Aquino's inauguration, that song was patriotic, most people liked it, but I think it only had airplay during that event, never to be heard again. Noel Cabangon, writes songs regarding different issues aside from the pains of love, in a beautiful way; he whom I heard will make his last album because sales are just low. I just miss those songs that contains lyrics and have beats that we can be proud of, which are uniquely ours. I've noticed that as Filipinos' taste in music become global, we tend to lose our identity as we sound no different from many western artists and singers. We tend to write songs about the great pains and bliss of love in a very western way, and shameless to say... Shallower way. We need to listen more to patriotic songs, to songs that discusses local issues as well as songs that are written so well that it can be appreciated in a global way but written intelligently and composed beautifully. There are so many amazing artists in this country, there are so many exceptional writers locally. There are so many bands that make songs so amazing they can uplift the very ill local music industry. Yet, they are given less opportunities to shine or perhaps, there are not much enough interest in local society for producers to invest in such talent. What I kept hearing on the airwaves from most (note... most, not all)local artists are just crap, or a bunch of remade songs! What is there to listen to? They don't make songs like they used to anymore. All the good ones are either unpopular, or you can only hear them play in their gigs around the city or just unappreciated by many and avidly listened to by few.
Medyo napa-aga ako ng uwi, hindi na ako tumambay pa sa opisina. Pagkalogout ko ng alas-singko, eh mabilis akong bumaba sa ground floor mula sa 4th floor. Sa labas ng aming building eh andun ang suki naming magtataho, bumili ako ng isang baso at nakipagdaldalan ng konti sa mga agents at mga TL habang inuubos ko ang taho. Nung naubos na, pumasok muna ako sa loob, nag-cr, lumabas ulit ng building, at naglakad na papuntang sakayan.
Ang tagal ng bus, sobrang tagal! Nung una ay ako lang mag-isa ang nagaabang ng bus papuntang SM Fairview, hanggang sa dumating ang tatlomng agents na tila galing ng Convergys. Dalawang bading at dalawang chubby na maliit na mga babae. Yung isang bading ay medyo payat at matangkad, yung isa eh malaki ang katawan at punong puno ng kolorete ang mukha. Ang iingay! Malayo pa lang sila eh hagikgikan na ng hagikgikan. Eh mainit na ang ulo ko at ang tagal ng bus at napapagod na akong tumayo sa kakaantay. Biglang kumanta ng pagkalakas lakas yung baklang chubby! Ang likot-likot niya at nagpoposing posing pa sa waiting shed at sa gilid ng daan at walang pakialam sa mga dumadaangmga sasakyan at mga tao. Gusto ko na nga siyang itulak sa harap ng mga dumadaan na bus sa lakas niyang kumanta! Ngunit hindi nagtagal at ang inis ko ay naging tuwa na rin. Ang galingnaman kasi niyang kumanta at bumirit, sabi pa niya sa mga kasama niya eh kaya daw niyang mag ala-Mariah carey kapag hindi siya paos. Hindi pa siya paos sa lagay na yun! Kaya ako ay tahimik na tumayo na lang sa isang tabi habang naglalaro ng tetris sa cellhone ko. Pareho pala kami ngbus na inaabangan, sabiko sa sarili ko "shet... huwag sana silang umupo malapit sa akin dahil panigurado, maingay itong mga ito". Dumating ang kulay pink at purple na Manrose na bus. Nauna na akong sumakay, at ang baklang chubby eh sa jeep pala sasakay, yung tatlo niyang kasama ang sumakay sa bus. Umupo ako sa upuan na kung saan eh palagi kong pwesto sa tuwing uuwi ako, doon naman sa likod ko umupo ang tatlo. Aba, ang tahimik, napagod yata. Mabuti nalang din ang violente ng palabas sa bus, kaya ang lahat ng pasahero eh tutok na tutok sa palabas, hindi ko nga lang alam ang title. Mayamaya ay ay nagiingay na ang tatlo sa shock sa papalabas sa bus. Ako eh natulog na lang.
Pagkababa ko ng Ever-Commonwealth eh nagabang ako ulit ng masasakyan, iba kasi ang daan pauwi, kaya isang jeep pa. Habang nagaabang ako ng jeep eh kung anu-anu naman ang mganaiisip ko... Tulad ng... Kung anu kaya ang hitsura ng parteng ito ng Quezon city noong 1980s 0 1970s... Gubat? Damuhan? Hanggang sa napakanta na lang ako ng mga lumang kantang OPM. Dahil sa Herbert Bautista ang mayor namin, naalala ko tuloy ang pelikulang Bagets, at napakanta tuloy ako ng theme song nilang Growing Up. Hanggang sa kung anu-anung mga lumang kanta na ang mga kinakanta ko.
Pagkauwi ko, nagbihis na ako agad at naghugas ng pinggan, habang hinhintay mag-on ang modem at ang Mac. Nung ready na eh puro mga lumang kanta ang mga pinagse-seach ko sa Youtube at sa Google. Ang hirap maghanap ah, palibhasa eh mga lumang OPM na kanta ang mga hinahanap ko, kaya napatagal din ako sa pagsesearch. Hanggang sa may mga ilang kanta akong nadownload. O sige na, wala rin namang available na kanta sa mga record bars nung mga lumang albums eh, lalo na nung mga 70s era pa. Ayun. Isang oras yata akong nagsesearch, tapos nung nakahanap na ako ng mga sites na naghohost ng mga kantang gusto ko, isang oras ko din silang isa isang pinagdadownload. Kaya ehto at panay kinig ko na sa mga lumang kantang humubog at naging haligi ng musikang pinoy.
Eto ang mga nakuha kong files mula sa internet... Mga kanta ng VST and Co, Sharon Cuneta, Boyfriends, at ilang mga kantang sobrang sumikat nung 70s, 80s, at 90s. Marami na akong koleksyon ng mga kantang banyaga, oras na para busisiin ko naman ang sariling atin.
I have always been an Apple fan ever since I discovered their existence when the 4th generation iPod was launched into the market. I got the 20GB 4th Gen iPod as a gift from Angel. Since then I have been craving for an Apple machine of my own. I now own a 1st generation Mac Mini which I bought 3 years ago from a friend for a very cheap price (P5k). So now I have two, but with my hobby (photography), I need a faster and a more powerful machine that can handle memory guzzling applications and tasks for post processing, video editing as well as sound editing and recording. That means I need to upgrade to a new Mac Mini, Macbook, or perhaps a Macbook Pro. I have been regularly visiting the Apple website and Apple Store Philippines. An act which has been feeding my frenzy for Apple machines! I also want an iPad for my numerous e-book collection and email correspondence needs. Now that the iPad 2 is out, the iPad 1 is now cheaper than ever, with the iPad 2 selling at the same price as its predecessor.
Wants versus needs, so what do I really want? What do I really need? I really want a new Mac Mini, a Macbook Air, an iPad, and a Nano. Perhaps a Macbook Pro, an iPad, and a Nano. What do I really Need? A machine that can enable me to check my emails, do video editing stuff, record my own music, and of course will enable me to post process big photographic files such as RAW images and do HDR post processing too! All tasks mentioned can be done with a single machine, a Macbook is adequate enough. Although a Mac Mini is cheaper, because I already have an old and working Apple mouse, and a sleek and very beautiful Apple keyboard I bought last Christmas. Plus it will be even more cheaper if I buy a Mac Mini because I don't have to buy a separate speaker system for a laptop. My current setup is a Mac Mini plugged in to a 32" LCD TV... Awesome sounds and an ultra big screen means, a mind blowing computing experience. All those said, practically speaking, a Mac Mini is adequate enough for all my needs, plus I get to enjoy listening to my MP3 collection through the awesome speakers of my TV. However, with a new Mac Mini must come along a new HDMI cable with 24k gold coating for minimal signal loss through my TV's HDMI connection to the Mac Mini's HDMI port. An HDMI cable of that quality costs around P4k-P6k depending on the brand, currently I have the generic HDMI cable for only a couple of hundred Pesos. I also don't need an iPod Nano, because my current phone can support up to 8GB of memory, costing half of the price of a Nano with the same capacity. Then perhaps for the sake of computing portability and saving energy I may need an iPad, of course I might get the cheapest kind.
So there, I finally said it all, all these thinking and day dreaming of what next Apple machine to own... I have decided. I can now sleep soundly and perhaps visit the Apple store less and less and view the Apple website less frequently.
Why Apple? Apple machines are simply... Clean, stable, very durable (My Mac Mini is already 6 years old and still performs basic computing perfectly with no downtimes), absolutely easy to use and almost no thinking involved even for non-techies. They are so much less susceptible to viruses, worms, trojans, and all those software attacking monsters on the internet. They are beautiful machines, yes, again... They are beautiful! Apple has excellent customer service and warranty coverage. Apple products maybe expensive, but those are the things where technology and aesthetics are combined in simple elegance built to last a very long time.
