Winter stroll

More pics at my Multiply page.

Santa Sucide

Ok, this year, someone will step in for Santa.

Sa wakas! (take 2)

Sa wakas OUT na si Jodie! My partner read about it last Friday night at MIXI, so I frantically googled it and it was not a rumor this time! Here's one story.
Kaya tanong ko ngayon kay kabocha... "So when are you going to have a "Jodie moment?" she asked back, and you? We have to wait for an awards night where we should be getting one, then at the acceptance speech, " this goes out to my cranky partner..."

Yehey! Sa wakas nakapanood rin ako!

Thanks to a friend who gave me a ticket to the semi-final match of the FIFA Club World Cup, I saw the match between AC Milan and Urawa Reds! Getting to the stadium at Yokohama was an experience itself! Since it was my first time to watch a game at the stadium, I did not take into account the 67,000+ people who would be packing the trains and the streets!

My friend thought her ribs were about to crack as we pushed our way into the train car and more people were trying to get in! I nearly did not make it, it was a good thing I was small, and was able to fit onto the threshold, tip toeing to allow the train doors to close! WHEW!

I only watch live football games on TV, and I missed the instant replays and close-ups at the stadium; even if they were shown on the huge screens, I could not take my eyes off the field. There was an exciting and charged atmosphere at the venue, even at freezing weather, we did not mind it. The match was a bit lopsided with AC Milan dominating the game, but watching these football superstars play in person was truly fantastic! Hanggaling nila! Napapasigaw nga ako ng Tagalog, at times. "BILIS!", "Baba na... AY NAKU!".



Urawa Reds fans. I just love the way they raise and wave all the huge flags at the same time.
I have some favorite Reds players, some of them will be playing at the World Cup.


GOAAAAL! The stadium rang with cheers and sighs!

Hapunan, kainan na!

December is when we pack in the kilos. The season of year-end parties has begun and we just had to take a break from the party food sometimes. For dinner, that's goma (sesame) tofu with sweet miso dressing, grilled eggplant with soy sauce and grated ginger, grilled hanpen (fish cake) with soy sauce and wasabi, kimchi and a small bowl of rice, plus nihonshu - atsukan (warm nihonshu) to drink.

Free Rice

Interesting website - http://www.freerice.com/index.php - you get to build your vocab and help in donating rice at the same time! One can even keep a track of his/her vocab level and equivalent in donated rice.

The Terminator goes to the dentist

Ganito ang hitsura ng Terminator kapag nasa dentista. According to this article, this robot cries in pain if the drilling goes wrong and will therefore alert the dentist-in-training. I guess it says..."ITAI!!" (that's "aray" in Nihongo)

old and new

Parang sa atin rin, may sampayan (kaliwa), tindahan, mga kable ng kuryente at telepono, pa-gewang-gewang na mga bintana na circa 1960s pa yata; ngunit ano ang pagkakaiba ng larawan na ito? Walang sandamukal na mga batang maiingay at minsan pa gusgusin na naglalaro sa kalye. Walang mga tambay at tri-sikad o tri-sikel. Sattelite dishes. Vending machines. At yung bisikleta na hindi ninanakaw.


Heto naman, tawag sa kanila "chindon'ya" (marching band, street musicians). I also learned that they are very rare now in Tokyo, and this profession is looked down upon in the old days. Kids used to taunt others with "your mother/father is a chindon'ya!", tapos awayan na yun! These street musicians are advertising a lottery ticket shop, the sax player looks kind of out-of-place with those two in traditional costume with musical instruments.



Have your eyeglasses cleaned - FREE! Most eyeglasses shop have at least one of these ultrasonic cleaners infront of their store. This one has a bank of them, complete with mascot and a jingle that would stick to your mind.

It's the season

Nag-uumpisa na po dito ang pag-litaw ng "Station Pizza" sa iba't-ibang parte ng Tokyo. This is a phenomenon brought on by endless merry-making by battalions of office workers. It is the time to let it all out, forgive and forget, release the stress, and perhaps finally get laid by the office hearthrob!

Everything happens in a well-scheduled, and much anticipated end-of-the-year party, called "Bonenkai". The office will usually book a venue, everyone is invited and there will be performances by office staff and perhaps if totally inebrieated, the boss. There will be scandalous moments, prize-giving, lots of alcohol, so-so food, sexual harassment and perhaps photos as evidence, even YouTube clips! There will be more merry-making after the main event, at the after-party party called the "Nijikai" where chances of getting laid gets more probable, no one is left behind!

The aftermath would be a frantic dash for the last train, with alcohol levels in the bloodstream shooting up the roof, one would reach the station, still pumped-up with adrenalin and coupled with nausea. The next best thing to do is to puke one's innards out, next to a steel beam, for support, at the train platform. This is should be done quickly before the last train comes. Voila, Station Pizza!

Then again, after the after-party-party would be another party, the after-the-last-train party, and why shoud you miss THAT one?

Flying high

Balita sa akin ng kaibigan ko na yung Learning English website na kanyang isinulat at akin namang ginawan ng mga characters ay isa sa mga nominees sa Elton Awards sa UK! HIYEHEY! Manalo sana kami!

Nanahi na rin ako kanina sa opisina, lahat ng butones ng jacket ko naka-kabit na. Makulimlim ang panahon ngayon at malamig dito. 6 na oras pa bago mag-uwian, maghahanap ako ng iba pang mapag-lilibangan.

drama! sa tanghaling tapat

dahil sa wala akong magawa sa opis - nagdala ako ng sewing kit pero inisip ko na medyo masisira street cred ko kapang nagsimula akong manahi dito sa opisina namin, instead endless web surfing na lang ako.
ayon sa balita, nasa manila pen si Trillanes at nagtatawag ng ka mahjong... este ng supporta ng mamamayan para patalsikin si Arroyo. inaantok na ako di ko pa na tatapos itong walang kabuluhang blog na itis.

bagong balita - ipopost ko sana ito sa mulitply - ayun down ang site - malamang dahil sa copyright infringement.

I feel da love

Once every 2 months, kabochan and I usually drop by several Pinoy restaurants in our place and distribute a Pinoy magazine. I would say that all our kababayan working in these places speak Nihongo fluently. This just adds to my frustration, kasi hanggang ngayon, after nearly 10 years living here, my speaking level is of a 5 yr. old. Call me lazy. (bow)

Sabi nga ni kabochan, "it must be the nature of your work, it allows you to speak English, you'd better work as an entertainer." Kasi nga naman yung mga Pinay entertainers dito, kahit bagong salang pa lamang eh they learn to speak the language in no time! Bilib ako sa advice ng pardner ko, oo nga, total immersion ang kelangan! Parang yung mga foreign sumo wrestlers who train in Japan, they speak fluent Nihongo in 3 months! Hmmm, should I train in Sumo instead?

Sabi ko naman sa kanya, siya na lang ang mag-turo tutal Hapon naman siya. Sagot ng lola, "no way, you'll give me a headache, go to a school, you need the competiton so you will strive to learn". Competition=Motivation, tumpak! Sigh, I feel da love.

For the church that should believe

Cause = Time

(Broken Social Scene)

You come in, check my time
You got fornication crimes
I've seen your hope on television
Where you've been, wore my word
They've got tricycles in skirts
This is a mouth that needs religion

And they all want to love the cause
'Cause they all need to be the cause
They all want to fuck the cause

So take me down, down through this
Kill the common law that missed
This is the blood I love to share

Little pistols and companion halls
Desperation tentacles
I've been alone since '89

We've got a menstruating disguise
Then know three completes the five
This is a church that should believe

And they all want to free the cause
'Cause they all need to dream a cause
They all need to be a cause

You've got all and it's
Pretty good but I
Seem to be in disbelief

You come in, check my time
You've got fornication crimes
I've seen your death on television
Cue immortal child like times
Separation is divine
Here is a strike beneath your knees

And they all want to love the cause
'Cause they all need to be the cause
They all want to fuck the cause

Take me down, down through this
Kill the white within the bliss
Here is a waiting room
That wants to save your life

And they all want to love the cause
They all need to be the cause
They all want to dream a cause
They all need to fuck the cause

butones

Do buttons have a sort of "shelf life"? Like at a certain point in time the threads would just unravel leaving the buttons dangling on, waiting to be wrenched free or snipped off?
I think they do. It started last Saturday, after visiting a dear friend, while saying our goodbyes at the door, a coat button just suddenly seemed hanging on to a thread. I had to step back in my friend's place to snip off the poor button, then another one, on my left breast pocket, if it had a teeny voice, it would have been yelling... "here, here, me too!" so , snip! We were already laughing at the situation, and again, a button on the right cuff sort of dangled on, which made me think to leave it as is. My friend insisted that I snip that one off, and that I might lose it later and regret not doing so. Snip!

So I have 3 brown buttons at home, waiting to be sewn on. Until today, in a very slow day at the office, another button on the same coat was doing a Tarzan of the jungle, this time the right lower pocket! Snip! It's sitting on my table between me and my keyboard, and sends me some vibe which got me blogging about these buttons!

So far my winter coat still looks ok, I might just save this activity for the weekend. Hmm I have this nagging urge to go check the remaining ones.

Um, on second thought, someone must've been slacking off at a factory, somewhere in China.

...

I just looove all these children by Nara Yoshitomo. There's a card I have that has a girl wielding a knife but I might have sent it to someone. Cute sucks.

muni muni muli

One time at the dining table, kabochan and I came to talking about infidelity. I forgot why we arrived at this topic, it definitely was not the kaki nabe that triggered it. We looked at so many possibilites we might be facing, from the one night stands to the stalker-mode ala "fatal attraction" and whether to tell all or just keep mum, and asked the question, "would I ever forgive you?".

We also looked at our level of tolerance, and though I can say we're pretty much liberal and would perhaps view an incident objectively first -- I am saying this because of myself, I do get emotional and sometimes, irrational - we also could not figure out where to draw the line we dare not cross.

Some of the people we know have lived through these experiences and the answer to the question above shows who they are with now at present. We both don't know if we can make a decision similar to theirs if ever the moment strikes, our relationship is strong right now, but who knows?!

We watched a football game afterwards.

Patak ng patak

Last week, my partner and I were stuck in traffic one rainy night, and I thought this view of Tokyo Tower (without Godzilla this time) was quite a nice one. Kulang na lang ang bgm, take your pick, hindi kasali si Kenny G.

Anyway, we rarely take a cab since it's too damn expensive, but that night we just had to. Ganda sana ng view, until my eyes veered towards the meter. HOMYGASS!

Kaki Nabe

I hate winter, but I loove all the food in season! Our nabe pot is out of storage and ready for a hearty combo of seafood, like fugu, cod, salmon, hairy crab, oyster, then mixed with veggies, mushrooms, tofu and when there's some soup left, we add udon and break an egg and eat again!

Soba aaad!

Hmm, interesting, buckwheat pancakes for breakfast. Masubukan nga para maiba naman. That's what I said when I saw this on the shelves at Dean and Deluca.

Well, I guess our tastebuds have already been hardwired to associate buckwheat with noodles - as in SOBA! We had an uneventful breakfast courtesy of D&D, hikbi...hikbi... pass the wasabi please.

Back at my "hometown"

A business trip last week to Bangkok sent me to nostalgia overdrive.
Taxis still smelled of pandan or jasmine or that minty nose inhaler which is surprisingly still around 10 years after I have left!

Get a whiff of the countryside with fresh pandan car freshener!

I am forever hooked on "Cha Yenh" - this is really sweet strong tea and nothing compares to the one sold on the sidewalk, since the tea is brewed by hand and hawkers do not use the powdered ready mix stuff that one can also buy at supermarkets.

Here's a jumble of photos I took from work...
Really, there was nothing of interest to post here except for these warning signs I took from the machines that were on exhibit. I thought I might get myself into trouble from standing too close to these signs, like getting zapped or clobbered by some machine part. Shows how bored I was, huh?!

Almusal

Kape sa umaga! I had to try this, one of several pasalubongs I got from a friend in Manila, hand carried by her über-cool daughter who is visiting Tokyo. This was my first time to taste Kalinga Coffee, so I was a bit careful about the brewing. Turned out to be a tad weak, but at least I did not come into office bouncing like a spring bunny.

Pananghalian

I had lunch at my desk last Thursday, it was my turn to stay at the office at lunchtime - to answer phonecalls, etc. - dakilang receptionist. Maliit lang kasi opisina namin kaya kami-kami na rin ang janitor, gofer, atbp.

Of course in season ang salmon so I got this really good combo of salmon "toro" (fatty salmon meat scraped off the bony parts) , okra, pickled kabu, and freshly grated sticky potato as in raw "gabi", topping with fresh steamed rice of course! Hindi pa tapos, there's a poached egg (on the left) that you have to mix as well and then drizzle with toyo - wasabi !
KAINAN NAAAA!




If you look closely in the middle, there's some precious "ikura" (salmon roe).

Hapunan

Last summer, unagi was the fish in season. It's supposed to ward off "natsubate" - that lethargic feeling that one feels in the hot months, here in Japan. Hmmm, wala naman akong naramdamang "lethargy", (bakit kaya? hehehe...) pero kain pa rin ako ng unagi after a long day. Of course may kasamang chilled beer lagi! (walang yelo ha!)


This autumn, "sama" (Pacific saury) is in season. Sarap nito, freshly grilled, drizzled with freshly squeezed lemon juice, tapos sawsaw mo sa toyo, sabay habol ng mainit na subo ng bagong saing na "koshi hikari"!

Salmon is also fatter this time of the year, and I saw "harasu" salmon belly w/ skin at the supermarket tonight! My fave pulutan! Yun nga lang, grilled over charcoal tastes so much better than my dinner tonight, which I grilled in our range. No fun... buti na lang may nihonshu.
Ps. the "new" Nissin Miso Noodles also suck.

fresh "harasu"


my uneventful hapunan, save for the
super-sarap na nihonshu (hakkai-san)
served in a "bizen" cup which I crafted myself

function follows form

Floppy CD?! That's what the designers told me their product is. The designmart area at Tokyo Designers' Week is one of the most interesting to visit, you get to chit-chat with the designers themselves and buy their products too!

this is a floppy alright

but it goes into the CD tray!

function follows form

His dying wish

I usually read the morning paper on my way to work and get a pick-me-up from Dilbert and other interesting articles. But last Tuesday morning, one particlular article tugged gently at my heartstrings, touched and lola nyo, so to speak.

This was about the survivors of a hydrogen bomb test at Bikini Atoll and that they recently marked the 50th year of that incident. There was this guy, a radio operator of the doomed Japanese trawler whose entire crew were irradiated by the bomb test, who died at age 40 and whose dying wish was...

"Please make sure that I am the last victim of a nuclear bomb."

I guess my visit to Hiroshima and the A-bomb museum 2 summers ago made me more sensitive to this person's dying wish. What happened at Nagasaki and Hiroshima should never be repeated but the threat is just getting more real than ever.

One moment you are enjoying listening to your fave music at iTunes, then time stops at 8:15, your seated body disintegrates into charred dust and leaves a "shadow" on the last remaining piece of concrete that stands among the ruins. Just like the shadow I saw in the museum, of a woman seated on the steps of bank waiting for it to open, at ground zero in Hiroshima.

Grass

I am not talking about the XTC song, this is more about the smell of freshly-cut grass.

Just in time for Araw ng mga Patay, and in case you are in front of a salad bowl and are about to munch on some healthy leafy greens...read on!

From the yahoo Q&A, "Why does grass smell only when it is cut?" comes a very interesting answer from "glutamate" :

According to botanists (plant scientists), the smell of cut grass is caused by gases emitted from each injured blade. Chopped grass releases a long list of volatile organic compounds, including methane (swamp gas), acetone (as in nail-polish remover), ethanol (grain alcohol) and acetaldehyde, a chemical similar to the toxic preservative formaldehyde.

Plants produce the volatile compounds within seconds of being cut. Some also produce the chemicals when they are damaged by frost.

Botanists are still studying why wounded plants give off a burst of volatile organic compounds. One reason, they suspect, is that the chemicals have an anti-microbial action, protecting the cut part from invasion by microbes already teeming on the leaf surface.

Some scientists suggest thinking of cut grass as a kind of chemical polluter. Volatile organic compounds from wounded grass react with nitrogen oxides in the air, helping to form more ozone near the ground (where we don't want it). And grass sheared off and left drying on the lawn releases even more volatile organic compounds -- up to 10 times as much as the cut grass still rooted in the ground. So mowing the nation's lawns may be a significant source of air pollution, scientists say -- even trumping the pollution belched out by gas-powered mowers.

Still, most scientists say there's no reason not to enjoy the cut- grass smell on a summer day. When we bite and chew raw vegetables, they point out, the veggies release their own small burst of compounds -- just as grass, clover and other plants do when a hungry horse tears off a tasty mouthful.

Mestizo ka ba? Sali na!

Tignan nyo nga naman, may Multiply site FOR FILIPINO MESTIZOS only!
tsk, tsk, tsk... infiltrate ko kaya? di naman nila alam na ako'y hindi mestizo.
Lusob mga kapatid!

dog lover ka, kamo...

Sige nga, spread your love on this one puppy...

Hanga ako sa may-ari nito, ano kaya ang kanyang chaka-threshold? Applicable kaya ito sa tao?
Wag ka, may fan club pa 'to! Hmm, there's a saying "God is in the details". Go and look at the photos and tell me what you saw.

the harder they fall

Hmm, according to this Reuters article, "Having more years of formal education delays the memory loss linked to Alzheimer's disease, but once the condition begins to take hold, better-educated people decline more rapidly".

Suwerte-suwerte lang talaga.

mini muni-muni episodes

ito ang nangyayari kapag wala akong magawa sa opisina, mini muni-muni episodes...

When I go on business trips at kasama ko bossing namin, eh talaga namang nakakahiya po sa front desk, kapag ini-aabot na sa bossing ko ang ilang sheets ng faxes para sa kanya na halos lahat ay e-mail naman! Ito kasing bossing ko hindi gumagamit ng PC pero may e-mai account siya, o di ba ang galing?

Kaya tuwing wala siya sa opisina, eh kelangan naming i-fax sa kanya ang lahat ng emails nya for that day. Sa totoo lang kahit nasa opisina sya, eh kelangan naming i-print yung e-mail nya para mabasa nya! hahahaha! heto, ang sanhi ng pagkakalbo ng mga bundok natin!

Tapos pag may email syang gustong i-circulate, photo-copy nya ito at sabay abot sa amin.
mahal na mahal nya ang copier namin. Lagi ko ngang sinasabi sa kanya na pwede naman itong ikalat via e-mail na lang para tipid sa toner at papel dahil lagi rin itong bossing ko na nag sasabi na kelangan daw namin mag observe ng cost cutting measures.

Di raw, mas mabuti na yung may hard copy. Sows, roll up to da sky ang mga mata ni Anghelina!

Minks run free!

Imagine that, 5000 slinky, furry mammals scampering away to freedom! I wonder why don't these animal activists go free 5000 heifers or release 5000 chickens or pigs as well? If the minks deserve it, so do cows! 8o)

the Plames are HOT!

Lalo na si Valerie. ssssssstttt!

job wanted

Tuwing ikalawang buwan kami ng partner ko eh lumilibot dito sa bayan para mag-distribute ng latest issue ng isang Pinoy magazine. Trip lang namin, kasi nakaka-bisita rin kami sa mga lugar na kung saan ang karamihan ng ating mga kababayan ay nag tatrabaho, mga omise (bars) at Pinoy grocery stores.

Napansin lang ito ng partner ko, nakapaskel sa isang pintuan. Nagulat ako nung una dahil di naman nakakaintindi ng Tagalog yun, bakit kaya sya natatawa? Kaya pala... "WANTED STAFF SEE: MOM AND DAD" -- o di ba? Nakakatawa rin yung nasa kanan... "MALAKAS ANG DATING"

Dropkick practice

para sa mga walang magawa. tulad ko.
http://www.dropkickthefaint.com/

Last Summer

The cool autumn wind reminds me of how one would say in Manila, "Malamig na ang simoy ng hangin, "BER" na kasi, malapit na ang Pasko." I could still feel a gentle tug of "nostalgia Manila" everytime.

Summer was a flurry of "matsuri" (kapistahan sa atin), and here are some photos I took of a small "odori matsuri" (dance fiesta), where different dance troupes from all over Japan present their traditional style of dancing. I wish I had enough disk space to capture the event on video, as the music was also something to enjoy.

The special wooden clogs the women are wearing in the photos were made for dancing, a real cliche! These were made to make clackety-clacking sounds to match the accompanying music. I missed other matsuri where men wore the traditional short "happi"(similar to ones you see here, but a few inches shorter) and instead of short pants, they wear "fundoshi" that leaves their buttcheeks exposed! It's more like a buttcheek matsuri, really.

Last summer was also my first time to join a public dance, I had to learn the steps on the fly and it sure was fun! It was like that thing we do at school, everyone in step with the music, but this one was much more exciting, traditional music done live and if you want to take a break, there's beer and fiesta food everywhere! Then you go back and join the dancing throng of mostly inebriated matsuri-goers!

This is SPARTAAAAAA!

Muni-muni

After watching "The Science of Sleep" by Michel Gondry on DVD, my partner quietly slipped into her Nirvana, she did not like the movie but I did, she says I do because I am weird like them, artists. I tell her I have a big crush on Gael Garcia Bernal and Michel Gondry, and yes, weird is fun to watch. She burrows deep into the terrycloth blanket and signs off.
The afternoon autumn sun casts long warm shadows in the living room, there is a constant soft cool breeze that blows into the room, our balcony has wide sliding glass doors which we keep open this season. Joni sings of galleries and big yellow taxis in the background, The wine sure helped set the mood, if I asked for more, it would be just plain greedy of me.

This one i'd loove to see it happen

The last time there were those sanctimonious people calling for Dan Brown's "Da Vinci Code" to be banned in bookstores in the Philippines and it might have gone over the top with some book burning episodes.

Now that Joni Mitchell's album "Shine" is out, and it's been reported that she "never minced words... as Mitchell takes a nice swipe at the Catholic Church by name" in her latest CD, released on Starbucks' Hear Records.

Let's see whose going to call for arms to boycott Starbucks in Pinas!
Place your bets!

What you don't know won't hurt you

The recent airplane crash in Phuket was of course covered in detail online and it led me to several YouTube clips about something I have experienced, those bloody crosswind landings! Didn't know how the landing actually looked like, all I felt was that wobbly feeling as the plane touched down, and hoped that the wings don't scrape the tarmac, and we don't slip and spin, etc, but these video clips show it all, dang!

Here's a nice one, I just love the reactions in the background!

Language learning

Here's something interesting for language learners, check out this language learning site, lang-8 founded by Yang Yang Xi, Chinese by birth but he grew up in Japan. More about him and the site in this Japan Times article of Sep. 18.

Land of the Rising Life Expectancy Rate

The first person I meet on my way to work is an old person - "old" in Japan means he/she must be around 80. She is a sprightly woman who greets me with a smile that would make one's day. My Nihonggo level is of a 4 year-old (minus the drooling), and I try to keep up with her, in addition to having to speak louder if she's not wearing her hearing aid. We usually meet in the elevator on our way down, so any neighbor who might have missed the car must have seen us through the window, as me shouting down a poor old lady. Kyou wa ii tenki desu ne?... EH?!...KYOU WA, II TENKI DESU NE?! ... SOOO DESU NE!

By next month, the number of centenarians in Japan will be at around 30,000. In 50 years, the total population will be at 90 million, a 30% drop from the current population! Japanese might be listed on the endangered species list in 100 years unless the birthrate improves to a sustainable level; or the government may open the floodgates to thousands of Pinays and Pinoys who are expert at breeding.
BRING 'EM ON!

I saw a TV program about old people and how are they coping here as services and institutions here are in dire need of an overhaul. It has been reported that the current national health insurance and pension systems were developed to meet post-war issues. That is why all the worms are coming out of the woodwork and giving a lot of people a hard time, especially retirees.

Anyway, back to the TV program, there's this couple living by themselves, the husband is 91 and the wife 84 and bedridden. It is amazing to see them live their life together, the stronger caring for the weak. Perhaps a caregiver drops by periodically but most of the time they are by themselves. Factor in the harsh weather conditions like wintertime and one can imagine how challenging life is for them.

There are so many stories about old people here, some are truly amazing like 90 year olds skiing down some mountain in the Swiss alps or a grandma still hangliding at an age where you'd think more of hot water bottles and creaking bones.

This morning, I missed "obaachan" but I saw a big group of old people in shining white uniform, getting ready for their game of gateball. What a great way to enjoy life, with your peers!

Living here in Japan is changing my way of perceiving life at an old age.

Hammer of the Gods

Fantastic! Led Zeppelin will reunite in a one-off show in November. I remember getting a sort of "high" that is without drugs,(really!) just by listening to their music in my teens. My first contact with Led Zep was through my cousins, they had these records they'd play many times over and I would just get blown away by the music which turned out to be from Led Zepp's Physical Graffiti and Led Zeppelin IV albums.

Wow, I am so glad these dudes are still alive and rocking in my adult life! I've posted music from their BBC Sessions @ Multiply.

cassette tape skeleton

Hmm, why haven't I thought of this one? Featured on designboom, a full skeleton modeled from casette tape casings by Brian Dettmer. Mas gusto ko ito kesa yung ginawa ni Damien Hirst na diamond-encrusted skull.

I remember having 2 large suitcases full of cassette tapes of music from the 70s to the early 90s, and I just chucked them somewhere, suwerte ng naka-pulot nun! So what's next, Darth Vader in vinyl?

Kyut ne?

A toy to add to your listahan ng pamasko at pasalubong, this is "TolNe", a 35mm toy camera by Takara Tomy. It will be out by Nov. 2007, in Japan. According to Tokyo Mango (dahil di ko mabasa lahat yung nasa Japanese website), this camera comes with several fancy filters to create special effects. Y3990.

“Kagadanan sa Banwaan ning mga Engkanto (Death in the Land of Encantos)” - Paano ba ito panoorin?

“Kagadanan sa Banwaan ning mga Engkanto (Death in the Land of Encantos)” by Lavrente Indico Diaz won the Golden Lion Special Mention award in the Horizons (Orizzonti) Documentary section of the Venice Film Festival. Now that's a LOT of chichiriya and pangtulak and trips to the toilet!

I would like to experience watching this movie; by the way, is there a special term for movies that go beyond 4 hours, I know what you call the ones that run for 3 to 4 hours, "Titanic" and "Lord of the RIngs".

So, tell me, paano ba ito panonoorin?

Laptop Battle Tokyo

Otaku know how to turn this mother out! Kaya lang this is scheduled on hump day, kakainis! That means I will either miss the last train (at midnight) and the climax, OR I can go home bitin but not having to take a cab, that will surely cost me an easy 50US$. Wag na lang!




See more otaku represent!
http://www.laptopbattle.org/videos.php

Up dharma Down

PINOY!


http://www.myspace.com/updharmadown


ANG GALING!

Frank Caliendo

This guy is HILARIOUS!

The Metamorphosis

Naughty or Nice

My tshirt design proposal for the MHF (www.margaritaholmes.com forums) anniversary party on Nov. 30, 2007.