Maligayang Pasko sa inyong lahat!

Posted at my Ygroup...

got my mojo risin'

Ewan ko ba but I've been in an "Arts and Crafts" mood lately. I bought some colored emboss pens, rubber stamps, multi-color stamp pads, construction paper... and I have been racking my brains and channeling Gary Larson of The Far Side for the 2009 Nengajou year of the Ox.

There's an article about Facebook or Twitter replacing blogging and I am about to agree with it
kaya lang mas madali pa rin mag-post dito sa Blogger o kaya sa Multiply. Here's a couple of stuff I've posted on Facebook...

Dec 10 at 18:15
It's strangely warm... this weird weather change got me today, I overdressed! I could have steamed several dumplings in my jacket on my way to work, it was also like a dry sauna in the train with matching heated seats!
--- I need a shower, now na!


Dec 09 at 18:15
I got ticked off someone's friends list... I guess I was NAUGHTY and not nice at all! Oh well, better not cry, better not pout. Pacquiao is cominggg to town!
--- siguro anti-biotic ako sa kanya

Dec 05 at 18:15
With my eyes closed, I eavesdropped on people on the train on my way home. Some Thais were talking about how many layers of clothing they've put on, one said, she put on 3 layers and she thought it was too much since the train was really packed; a couple were speaking in Japanese then suddenly switched to Chinese so I lost track. The rest were wheezing and coughing, ugh!
--- libreng tsismis (at influenza) sa tren

The Latest GPS model!

My brother said he's got the latest GPS model with superwide-view screen for his batcar, and sent me this photo.

Post-WWII photos

This is from someone in our forum who always posts really nice stuff.
I hope the link works. The hadaka-matsuri photo is something! This sacred festival is still being practiced today and this year's poster I think had to be re-designed because of complaints that it was quite risqué. Perhaps, this is the mother of all male-bonding festivals!

books naman

Browsing books together at Maruzen, near Tokyo Station does sound like a geeky date but that's what C and I enjoy doing. We ended up with a bagful of books, and though I have not finished "The Shock Doctrine" by Naomi Klein yet, I've already started nibbling on "Sexy Origins and Intimate Things: The Rites and Rituals of Straights, Gays, Bis, Drags, Trans, Virgins, and Others" by Charles Panati.

This could be a valuable source of "trivia" para sa usapang lasing sessions. Take for example the penis (p.47) Did you know that the Bushmen of the Kalahari Region in Africa have semi-erect penises all the time? It's because theirs is made of super-dense spongy erectile tissue so it never goes "flaccid".

Nakakalibang basahin since you can start on any page. On "XXX for Kisses", the symbol harks back to the early Christian era when the cross mark or an "X" conveyed the force of a sworn oath. Back in those days, only a few people could write, and their signature cross or "X" was legally binding and to emphasize their complete sincerity on the agreement, they kiss the mark.

There are 3 kinds of "Holy Whores" classified in the epic Gilgamesh. The qadishtu, a full-time temple harlot; the ishtaritu, a servant of the goddess Ishtar who only copulated with men of noble or military rank. And the harimtu, who is semi-secular and when once married could no longer work at her profession. O di ba, saan na kayo nabibilang? hehehe...

It's a fat book and it's fun to read, takes out the negative feelings I get from reading the other book.

pang pababa ng presyon

Totoo nga ba ito? Nakaka-baba ng presyon ng dugo ang UTOT.

Ayon sa balitang parang kuwentong barbero, eh may enzyme daw tayo sa ating blood vessels na nag po-produce ng hydrogen sulphide --- ang sanhi kung bakit mabantot ang ating utot.

May relasyon kaya dito ang heart conditon ng mga "passive utot-inhalers" na laging katabi o kasama ng mga ututin? Mababa kaya lagi ang presyon nila? Sa tingin ko hindi, isipin na lang natin yung pag titiis sa masamang hangin na pumapalibot sa iyo, nakaka stress yun di ba? Lalo na kung di ka maka-angal!

In the future, magiging health consumer item na rin ang bottled compressed fart. 'Gandang business idea ito ha... it comes in different levels of malordous flatulence and sounds! Take a hearty whiff and see your blood pressure drop.

Heto ang article sa BBC news.

weekend mixtape

Looking forward to the next long weekend! 80)

Geraldine
Glasvegas

When your sparkle evades your soul
I'll be at your side to console
When you're standing on the window ledge
I'll talk you back from the edge
I will turn your tide
Be your shepherd and your guide
When your lost in the deep and darkest place around
May my words walk you home safe and sound

When you say that I'm no good and you feel like walking
I need to make sure you know thats just the Prescription talking
When your feet decide to walk you on the wayward side
Up upon the stairs and down the downward slide
I will, I will turn your tide
Do all that I can to heal you inside
I'll be the angel on your shoulder
My name is Geraldine, I'm your social worker


I see you need me
I know you do

Tanderkats are GO!

Social networking sites contain treasure troves of albums, including some pics or worse, videos that you've been keeping to yourself to make sure it does not see the light of day. They are now out in the open, thanks to your loved one, your ex, your friend or your fiend-- be it hi-resolution, or not, uploaded in the vastness of cyberspace for all to see and download (for odd reasons, I guess).

I'm saying this because a childhood friend of mine uploaded our entire High School Yearbook online, hehehe. But rest assured, for privacy reasons, only Batch members can view it. It's fantastic to have "that was then and this is now" pics side by side. I tell you, talagang lahat kami sa Ygroup namin ay aliw na aliw sa aming album! We have some classmates na parang hindi tumanda talaga -- which made me jokingly quip "...you are so well-preserved!", you can imagine the banter that followed!

So far wala pa namang nag-upload ng sex videos...

Well, in 20 years time, our albums would probably look like this... Stylish tanderkats are go!

Hooked

It's amusing to find out that some of my friends/family have been hooked on Facebook. Ika nga ng aking kaibigan... "Welcome to Facecrack!"

Yeah, that's potent crack indeed, worth billions! What could be the next? YouPorn? And how are we going to call this... wankcrack? or some kind of adultery? -- corny naman... anyways, the website actually exists and I can't wait to hear someone update their status on Facebook as... "I'm hooked on YouPorn!" -- o di ba?

I on the other hand, have not been bitten by the Facecrack bug yet, perhaps it's because I'm already hooked on the net, lahat-lahat na. I've kicked my smoking habit ages ago, 13 years to be exact and I've drastically cut down on my drinking, the binges are history, tanderkats na kasi -- believe me, my tolerance to alcohol is getting waaay too low. I shudder at the sight of an open bottle of tequila. Dry baby, dry!

My internet addiction is a perfect distraction from the things that I should be doing. How to kick this, I am figuring out, still. Maybe I should go back to drinking....

ang may huling halakhak...

Na-aalala ko noong bata pa kami, mga kalaro kong lalaki, ang laging tuksuhan sa isa't-isa ay kungdi "bakla, bakla!" ay "supot! supot!". Pagkatapos nun, kinabukasan may mga wala sa patintero at pagbalik nila, nanga-ngamatis ang...

Hanggang sa pagtanda ko, naririnig ko pa rin sa ilang mga ka-inuman kong lalaki, the straight ones mostly, ang pag-lait nila sa mga "supot". They still sound like lil' boys, really.

Well, I hope they read this blog on "artificial foreskin". Ayon sa blog, "There is now conclusive medical evidence that a circumcised penis with the glans exposed has less nerve receptors and is less effective than a naturally covered penis."

There really is artificial foreskin now being sold and it comes in 10 sizes! Ano ba yan, sounds so desperate! Para namang pag binalot mo sya eh mag reregenerate ang mga nerve endings! hahahaha! Kaya?!

Tekaaaa... eh paano na kung may suot ka ng artificial foreskin tapos kelangan mo pang mag-condom! Aba, tinalo pa ang lumpiang shanghai ng aking good friend dito!

tsk...tsk...tsk...

Napansin ko lang, kahit saang lupalop, walang paltos kong maririnig sa kapuwa kong Pinoy ang parinig nilang "tibo yan" o kaya naman eh "lesbee-yan". Sa Manila, talgang parang kasama na ito sa soundscape, pero di ko sila ma-sisi... ikaw na ang maging kalbo.

Dito rin, na-alala ko, kumakain kami ni C ng hapunan sa isang Chinese restaurant nang may isang grupo ng 3 lalaking Hapon at 2 Pinay na umupong isang mesa ang pagitan sa harapan namin. Napansin namin sila dahil narinig namin yung mga babaeng mag-Tagalog.

At kunwari pa nilang pabulong na sinasabi sa kanilang mga kasamang lalaki na kami raw ay mga "lesbee-yan". (Siguro ngayon lang sila nakakita ng 2, magkaibang lahi pa!) Natawa na lang kami dahil hindi talaga ma-gets ng mga lalaki yung sinasabi nila, ang the girls made it a point that we could hear everything (to our amusement). They had to explain to the middle-aged guys what they were blabbering about --- and eventually, the guys just shrugged them off! Ni hindi nga kami tinignan! (inisnab kami ng mga oyajiii!, hahaha!)

Sabi ni C, usually bale wala itong issue na ito sa mga Japanese guys, lalo na yung mga middle-aged oyajis. What matters to them are the young girls' Ts and As. We were already chuckling to ourselves at this point, to let them know that yes, we heard everything... and as we stood up, we also made sure they heard... "well at least we're not going to bed with that!"
tsk...tsk...tsk...

Awesome rockers talaga

Blogged about this awesome band last year and I still have not got enough dough to buy the box-set "First Time In A Long Time", I also thought that this website was by a fan... ay mali!
Check out the Fanny website by one of their very own drummer, Alice de Buhr!

Anyway, ang galing talaga nila. I came across another article about them at After Ellen, "When Fanny Rocked", nakakatuwang basahin ng mga anecdotes ng mga band members. When I first saw clips of the band in this documentary, "Radical Harmony", kinutuban ako about the Millington sisters, aba Pinay siguro sila (Pinay nga!)... and June registered a blip-blip-blip on the gaydar! Salamat sa Google at YouTube and devoted fans, marami silang clips online!

Bakit kaya noong kapanahunan at kainitan nila ay hindi sila sumikat sa Pilipinas? Or did I just miss it -- kasi bata pa ko nun? Bakeeet?!

"the first all-female rock band to be signed to a major label... they played hundreds of fantastic live concerts for thousands and thousands of fans and were instrumental in founding the modern world of women in rock"

Ah, alam ko na ang aking Christmas wish...

my tainted love of food and drink

Hmmm, I am eyeing my last Chocopie (parang isang mega-Mallows ito), sitting on top of our dining table and at the same time wondering whether this sweet treat has got traces of melamine in it. What da heck, I've already eaten the rest of what was in the box!

I guess were just looking at the tip of the iceberg here. Aren't we actually ingesting other kinds of chemicals everyday through food containers and kitchen stuff?

What about the teflon coating on cooking pans, rice cookers which we all have ingested one way or another through out our lifetime? Have you checked your pans lately, I bet you can already see through patches of exposed metal. And the tocino sticks to the bottom of the pan more often than before. It's really convenient to cook on non-stick pans as long as we're in denial about the chemmy stuff.

Check out your spatulas and other cooking utensils, some of them are plastic and heat resistant right? But how sure are you that tiny bits of heated chemicals do not get mixed with your sinangag (The "tutong" sure tastes good! ) or stir-fried beef with broccoli?

Thirsty? Bottled water infused with PET chemicals will definitely hit that dry spot. Same goes for canned or boxed drinks, different container liners but can we have some reassurance that chemicals do not leach through? Gaddemmet, I just wish that glass wasn't as breakable as it is.

I can only imagine a world without plastic food containers, no ziplocs, tupperwares, rubbermaids, nalgenes, etc. It's possible but there's no other convenient way around this right now, I guess.

I'll pass on the Chocopie and just go for that cold can of beer in the fridge.

Almusal Pinoy

Imbes na Tabasco, dapat pala suka't bawang ang sawsawan ko, kaso naman may pasok ako ano!
Kahit mag-sipilyo't mumog ako, amoy-bawang pa rin ang hininga ko. Mantakin nyo ba naman ang longganisang Lucban na siksik sa garlic flava! Palugit na nga't plain rice ito, wala na akong oras pang mag fried garlic rice!

Before my longganisa phase, dahil sa sobrang miss ko ang tapa, I made it myself! Madali lang naman pala. Just marinate the tapa in the basic suka, bawang, toyo, paminta at bay leaf (plus worcestershire sauce) and let the beef strips dry out in the sun for several days. Food orgasm ako sa unang subo ng tapsilog ko!

Next in line would be my homo-made tocino. Ilang taon na rin akong di nakaka-kain nito, tulad na rin ng tapa't longganisa. Yung tuyo kasi di pwede dahil ma-amoy syang lutuin -- sa Manila na lang ako kakain nito, kasama na rin yung daing na bangus at danggit!

Honga naman...

I am nearly halfway through "The Shock Doctrine" and the book just gets more interesting. Ika nga ng Clinton administration, "it's the economy, stupid!" Hooonga naman....

Kahit sino pa ang manalo sa mga presidential election neo-con, neo-liberal chuvaness na yan it all boils down to the economy. Halimbawa na lang, sa ating bansa, hangga't na pabor sa mga multi-nationals at sa bansang USA ang economic principles ng incumbent administration, mananatili sila sa puwesto, kahit maghalo na ang balat sa tinalupan.

In short, talo ka kapag pabor ka sa islogan na "people before profit". The once stable economies of Latin American countries like Chile, Brazil, Argentina and Bolivia were all brutally torn down and crushed in one sweep by dictators with the full sponsorship of the USA --- na nag-padala ng mga economists nila doon (tulad ni Friedman) to literally write down and forcefully implement an economic model that will favor US multi-national companies.

Itong nangyayari sa US economy ngayon, dahil sa aklat na ito, ay napa-isip ako, ito kaya ay intentional?

Yun pala ang tawag dun...

Ito ang aklat na binabasa ko ngayon, The Shock Doctrine by Naomi Klein. Nababanggit kasi ito ni John Cusack sa kanyang blogs at dali-dali ko naman itong igi-noogle (paano ba gawing Tagalog ang "googled"?) at ako ay naging interesado sa nilalaman ng aklat na ito. Bihira akong mag-basa ng mga aklat na ganito ang tema dahil madalas di ko maintindihan. Pero ito, dahil sa mga pangyayari na nagaganap ngayon, mas madaling maka-relate sa nilalaman ng aklat.

E ano nga ba ang nilalaman nito? Ito ay tungkol sa "Disaster Capitalism". Ayon kay Milton Friedman, "only a crisis --- actual or perceived --- produces real change. When that crisis occurs, the actions that are taken depend on the ideas lying around..."

Nakaka-kilabot basahin yung Introduction, ngunit mas-nakakahigit pa yung Chapter 1. Grabe, tungkol ito sa "torture" at yung CIA project ("to erase and remake the human mind") kung saan na-develop yung nga existing torture tactics nila na ngayon at ginagamit sa mga "enemy combatants".

Ito pa ang karugtong ng sinabi ni Friedman --- "That I believe, is our basic function: to develop alternatives to existing policies, to keep them alive and available until the politically impossible becomes politically inevitable. "

Tatakbo kaya si Gloria sa 2010? Mananalo ba si McCain sa eleksyon tapos ma-titigok ito at ang sasampang Pangulo ay si Palin? Magiging kauna-unahang African-American President ba si Obama? Tatakbo bang Presidente si Bro. Mike at mananalo ba ito? Magiging manager nga ba ni Charice P si Oprah? Pare-pareho tayo siguro ng mga kuro-kuro kapag nasa kubeta, barberya o tagayan...

Tiyak na puputi ang uwak, iitim ang tagak.

HS reunion pa rin...

Sayang at tiyak na hindi ako makakadalo sa Silver Tanderkats Jubilee namin sa Disyembre. I am inspired by what my batchmates are currently doing in preparation for a bonggacious event. May presentation na sila para sa theme, which was already approved by the Alumni Committee, at nararafat lang ah! Yung mga nasa US naman ay may grand reunion sa Las Vegas!

Patuloy pa rin sila sa fund-raising activities at soul-searching on the side (may retreat chuvaness sila ngayon). Sino ba naman ang hindi maiingit... it must be just like the old days talaga. Miss ko na kayooooo!

Mapapangisi kahit si Lucifer dito!

Jesus is My Friend - Sonseed

kapag malungkot ka, panoorin mo lang ito, kapatid
" Jesus came and found me and touched me down inside..."

pati na rin yung comments sa youtube XD --- (((ngiting pitbull)))

Anak ng... ano yan!

Seen at Wired, the "Epidermits", is a robotic toy that's covered in a human-like tissue organism. Aba, ayon sa blog eh "They require minimal maintenance, can be stored in state of forced hibernation in standard refrigerators, and are customizable with different body, skin and hair selections and through tanning, tattooing and piercing."

Unang pumasok sa isip ko ay, hmm ma-aaring gamitin ang konseptong ito para sa mga sex toys o kaya naman sa prosthetics... or was it the other way around? Chicken or the egg?

© Karten Design

May nag comment sa blog entry ng "Epidermits" (parang kili-kili ang dating nito..) na mayroon pang mas shocking na bioengineered toy. At sinundan ko naman ang link nya, and behold!
Totoo ba ito? Ayon sa website nila... "Genpets are not toys or robots. They are living, breathing genetic animals."

Imagine either one of this as your Christmas present.

©Genpets

Malapit na ang HS Reunion Namin!

Sa December na ang aming 25th year Silver Jubilee, mga tanderkats na kaming lahat, at ang iba may mga tsikitings o kaya naman mga dalaga't binata na, o kaya may mga apo na rin sila! Haaay... all the merrier! Bukod dito, makikita rin namin ang aming mga guro, yung mga "terror" dati, siguro ma-teterrorize ko naman ngayon...

It was great to see childhood friends and classmates again in person at tsaka via the internet! Noong unang nagbukas ang Ygroup namin, halos araw-araw, mga 100 emails yata ang pumapasok sa inbox ko! May mga iba, sumurrender na dahil napapabayaan ang mga anak at pamilya, bwahahahaha! Ang saya naman kasi ano, yung mag-kita kita after all these years!

25 years na hindi nag-kikita ang iba sa amin, so far mga 77 ang naka-talang bilang ng members ng aming Ygroup, kung saang nagsimulang mag-bonding muli ang mga barkadas, friends, fiends, at siyempre ang mga mag-ON dati. (parang ang nostalgic ng "magka-ON"... ano na ba ang tawag dito ngayon?)

A friend of mine quipped, "hmm, mag-karoon kaya ng brokeback moments sa reunion natin?"
Excited ako sa totoo lang na makitang muli ang mga crushes ko noon, as for the brokeback moment, kung meron, fleeting or whatelse, why not?

Paalam sa Tag-Init

Tapos na ang mag araw ng pawisan na singit at kuyukot, at iba't ibang level at uri ng "putok" na ma-aamoy sa tren. Kaninang umaga, bandang 7am ay nagising ako sa tunog ng 2 piraso ng kahoy na pinag-kakatok, kasunod ng malalim na dagung-dong ng tambol, "klakk-klakk, boom-boom, klakk-klakk-klakk, boom-boom-boom". Ito yung senyales na nagtatawag ng mga taga-buhat ng "mikoshi", o "portable shrine". Parang sa atin rin kapag may kapistahan, yun bang pinaglalagyan ng mga santo, ito nga lang walang santong nakapatong pero binubuhat ito ng ilang katao na may kasabay sa mga pampaganang "cheers".

Medyo presko na ang ihip ng hangin, unti-unting humahaba ang gabi at mababa na ang sikat ng araw at paglitaw ng mga ulap. "Ber" nanaman - tiyak marami sa atin ang mag-sasabi nito, flashforward sa "Pasko nanaman..."

Paalam sa "ramune" --- matamis na soda sa siguro eh noong "peacetime" pa ito naging summer drink ng mga bata dito.


Hanggang sa susunod na "hanabi taikai" - "fireworks display, muli! Itong taon na ito, lubos na nag-enjoy kaming manood mula sa best seats in town, sa condo balcony ng kaibigan namin, overlooking Tokyo Bay and the Rainbow Bridge!


Mga summer concerts ng Pinoy community, tulad ng "After the Storm", para na mga nasalanta ng bagyong Frank. Ito ang Lahing Kayumanggi.

Ito naman ang Tampipi.
Tampipi with Rain (cutie!) on vocals.

And another band, Alab Ng Musika.


Iba ang dating ng isang malamig na mug ng beer sa tag-init... sa susunod muli!

Yee-haw!

Now I get it... the Europeans built the "God Machine" as a precautionary measure for instances like this one; in case the Republicans win the presidential elections, the EU can zap out the White House from the face of the Earth.

Copyright © Steve Bell 2008

Pils na pils!

I looves beer. Ever since I learned how to drink beer properly, that is, chilled with no ice and if possible, in the proper glass, I began to distinguish the distinct flavors in a brew.

Noong bata pa ako kasi, ang beer ko ay San Miguel. After-office 1-bottle-lang sessions taught me how to drink beer with ice cubes in it. I guess it was because we order it in buckets (forget the 1-bottle), hindi na malamig yung next bottles so we had to put ice in it. I remembered the horrified look on my German colleague in my Bangkok days, when I nonchalantly plonked ice cubes into my beer.

Para sigurong pinunit ko sa mukha nya ang original score ng "Ride of the Valkyries" ni Wagner.

He told me that the brewer and the beer had to be "respected", thus the brew should be drunk properly. Hindi ko na lang kinuwento sa kanya kung bakit naging habit ko ang mag yelo sa beer. Honga naman, masarap ang Singha Gold kapag walang yelo, matamis ito, at hindi mapanghi ang lasa ng Kloster Bier kapag ito ay well-chilled.

I finally understood why he was so horrified about my ice-beer when I came upon the German brews. My first encounter with a Weizenbier, got me beer-orgasms. To plonk ice-cubes in it is pure sacrilege. This has been my favorite brew ever.

Of course, I still enjoy other brews like Pilsner, and to put San Miguel Pilsner head to head with Sapporo Edelpils, I have to say that any reason to plonk ice cubes in a San Miguel is justified. That is to mask the thin, sweet, skanky smell and flavor that also leaves a metallic aftertaste in your mouth. Parang may naka-babad na bottle-opener sa beer. I wonder how the original San Miguel brew tasted, hindi naman siguro ganito, parang sweet-metal juice. No wonder San Miguel Beer does not list its ingredients.

On the other hand, the excellent taste of Pilsener is in Edelpils. Hops - yes, the flavor of hops lingers, it is bitter and flowery, not like you've just sucked on a rusty bottle opener.

tayo'y mag-aliwww!

If you're my age and you used to listen to early morning AM radio as you prepare for school, you'll probably remember Paeng Yabut's morning radio show where he'd holler... "Tayo'y mag aliw!" That was my lola's favorite station and program, and when she passed away, Cho Paeng was sidelined the dial toggled between Rod Navarro's and now Mr. VP Noli Boy de Castro.

Hayy, those where the days... ngayon, Internet radio na, but I listen to it for non-stop streaming music. The news, of course I get to browse for free as well, pero iba na yung newscaster na may character di ba? It looks like the bloggers are the new "Cho Paengs", "OK NgaRuds" and "Noli Boys", di nga lang naririnig ang boses (unless ito ay video blog o podcast).

Na-alala ko lang kasi ito dahil September na. Usually, pag "ber" months na, tiyak na Christmas Songs na ang pinatutugtog ni Cho Paeng. Kaya naman iwas ako sa programa nya kasi, by the time Christmas comes, I am sick to the gills of Christmas Carols, mantakin mo namang 3 buwan yung pinakikinggan mo tuwing umaga ano!

Einiwey, heto and isang ka-aliw-aliw na blog tungkol sa bayan ni Godzilla, ng sushi at Cup Ramen. Dito ko rin na-discover si Toast Girl.

Ito naman ang link sa Pinoy Gay Blogs, and its sponsor site, tiyak na mauubos ang oras nyo dito sa sangkatutak na chuvachenes blogs ng ating LGBT community!

Tayo'yyyy maag-aleeeeewh!

Kuwentong boys naman...

I'm lucky to have a friend who's a certified "film otaku", so if I miss seeing some films on the big screen, all I have to do is ask him. Among the stack of dvds I borrowed for my summer vacation, (Himala, Sister Stella L, Oro Plata Mata, Pan's Labyrinth and Insiang) is "The History Boys".

Ang galing nito! It's about a group of bright history students in grammar school who are preparing for the Oxford entrance exams. I googled for more info and it turns out that this movie was based on a play. Kaya pala... (hindi ko na kukwento yung mga highlights, manood na lang kayo) I wonder how the play went, it could have been more interesting I guess.

The soundtrack has got New Order, Echo and the Bunnymen, The Smiths, The Cure, Aztec Camera... all nostalgic 80's new wave stuff plus Rufus Wainright (o ayan, may hint na).

Hmm, the next time I borrow dvds, may "Hot Fuzz" kaya sya...

the day of reckoning

Some scientists say that there's a miniscule chance that the LHC would actually produce a black hole that would eat us up, so here's crossing my fingers on next Wednesday!

I'm just keeping abreast of this so called "God Machine" which its website defines as: "The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) is a gigantic scientific instrument near Geneva, where it spans the border between Switzerland and France about 100 m underground. It is a particle accelerator used by physicists to study the smallest known particles – the fundamental building blocks of all things. It will revolutionise our understanding, from the minuscule world deep within atoms to the vastness of the Universe."

AMEN to that!

laging "in girl scout-mode"

September 1 marks the 1923 Kanto Great Earthquake, whose magnitude was recorded at 7.9 and took more than 100,000 lives. This is the best time to update oneself on earthquake-related stuff, like the ones found in this online-English website.

A comprehensive Earthquake Survival Manual is provided by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government. It lists the 10 rules to remember in an earthquake... with I guess, #1 being "DON'T PANIC" -- so you can remember the other 9.

In case the big one strikes during office hours, there'll be millions stranded on the street, something like 6 people per square meter! This (Nihongo) website will help one plot the nearest route from the office to one's home on foot and download the map afterwards.

Nationwide earthquake drills are regularly held in Japan, this month's drill had around 590,000 people participating nationwide. So I guess, when an earthquake strikes, grab the nearest Japanese!

しんじられなに! WTF! Ano ba yaaan!?!

EHHHHHHH?! Yan ang malamang na collective reaction ng buong bansang Hapon ngayong gabi, 9:30pm nang magbigay ng emergency press conference ang incumbent PM Fukuda Yasuo.

At vaketch kamo?! He quit his job! Reason: parliamentary deadlock. Dahil malakas na ang opposition (DPJ, Democratic Party of Japan) eh laging napupurnada ang mga balakin ng partido ni Fukuda, ang LDP (Liberal Democratic Party).

Hindi daw nya magawang isulong ang mga policies na makakabuti sa bansa dahil sa pagiging tigasin ng mga opposition. O di ba, imbyerna ang lolo! Sayang lang kasi si Fukuda ay napaka-liberal compared to his colleagues at the LDP. Ang malamang na papalit sa kanya ay si Aso Taro, isang über conservative nationalist and is also gaffe-prone. Ano nga ba yung kasabihan natin sa "islip op da tang"?

Imagine this happening in the Phillipines... si Gloria na nahuli sa isang taped conversation na nangdadaya sa ELECTION, ayun nasa puwesto pa rin. At least nag-resign ni Abalos...
Mahaba pa rin ang listahan natin... sayang ang lang bandwidth.

hay buhay...

Naaalala ninyo siguro yung 2 lola na taga San Francisco na nagpakasal after all these years. Pumanaw na yung isa sa kanila ayon sa balita. Nakakalungkot naman para dun sa naiwan.

"Ever since I met Del 55 years ago, I could never imagine a day would come when she wouldn't be by my side," Phyllis Lyon, 83.

Shine a Light

This ongoing series about the Ninoy Aquino assassination written by Fe Zamora of the Philippine Daily Inquirer and another article by Joel C. Paredes, PCIJ.org shed some light over cracks and crevices that were once unseen or ignored. Time and again some "new" tidbit of fact or trivia comes out every 21st of August that would refresh my already fading memory of those who perished while fighting for our country. I cannot remember the names right offhand, but I do recall Lean Alejandro, student leader, assassinated at age 27 and Evelio Javier. Marami pa.

I was in my early 20's when these people were murdered (and the list does not stop there), I had other things in my mind then, though by reading the dailies I had cultivated some interest in the politics that was going on; and perhaps this was also brought on by some close relatives who were pro-Marcos. I remember my mom asking me not to even enjoy the thought of going to Mendiola to join the student rallies, though she praised the nuns who were always seen at the forefront. Sabi ko sa kanya noon, "I might consider being a nun" -- hahaha, ala Sister Stella L... but then that is entirely another story.

Ispektakyular!

Araw-gabi naming inaantabayanan ang mga live broadcasts ng Beijing 2008. Tulad noong women's softball semifinals between Japan and Australia, we ran out of beer and food as the game was stretched to 12 innings! Ang galing ng ace pitcher ng Japan, si Ueno Yukiko who had been throwing 300+ pitches in 2 days, and she never failed the team, at all. She's got nerves of adamantium! Japan won, of course!

© Japan Times 2008

The final match between the USA and Japan was in order the next day, which was also a "heartbeats game", as C would put it. We also had to flip to another channel to watch the women's football bronze finals match between Japan and Germany! I noticed that our beer food, edamame and fried potato wedges were the perfect complement to the match. Germany won, but the Japanese team performed more than was expected of them in all their matches, not like those over-hyped, puny men's team who were the darlings of the press but were already sent packing home even before the semis!

Back to softball, Yukiko Ueno had been pitching 400+ by this time. Both teams were really good, the USA having the upper hand in their power hitters. Again, the nerves of adamantium delivered! Japan takes home the gold... luhaan kami sa tuwa!

Haay, sarap rin sana if only I could cheer for a Pinay Softball team... sa 2016 naman!

Congratulations sa Philippine Wushu team, for bagging a gold, a silver and 2 bronzes! Aba kahit na demonstration sport ito, it shows that we are strong contenders in Wushu! Bring it on sa next Olympics, 2012!

Freak me!

I just had to check out all the fuss about Google Map's "street view" so I sought out my own address. Lo and behold, not only did I get a satellite view of the area, there is indeed a 360º street view that even has my apartment building in it! This composite was probably taken late-winter or early spring because the people were still in down jackets. The rotating and zoom feature really freaked me out! I could zoom into the row of vending machines and clearly see what's selling! Once could virtually get close to the entrance of our apartment building!

Kaya pala, privacy issues are being raised here in Japan and it was reported that a "street view" of a couple entering a love hotel has already made it into an online bulletin board! hehehe, dito kasi uso ang "walk-in" (at "walk-out") sa mga motel.

mamasyal naman tayo...

C was off yesterday, and since she was wanting to buy one specific book, we found ourselves at swanky Marunouchi, Tokyo. There is a huge bookstore near Tokyo station that's about 5 stories high, and chock-full of the things we love most. We laughed at what we ended up carrying, 2 bags full of books, instead of what the Tokyo OLs tote, bags of LV, Coach, Hermes.... haaay, certified nerds kami talaga.


Snacktime, we had pho but it was really so-so... at least the beer was chilled.


Then off we went to "shitamachi" (downtown) nitty-gritty, smelly, Ameyoko, Ueno. If you have been to Jatujak or Divisoria, then this place will be so familiar to you.


This perhaps is very typical in Tokyo - wala lang, anyone, I mean anyone can walk in here and not be worried about anything. The last time we went into one, there were 2 Korean women who bought vibes for each. Of course there are classier sex shops than this one, but can you imagine something like this in the middle of Divisoria or Quiapo?

These are displayed right outside the store and there's no one loitering around... I can just imagine, kung sa atin ito o sa Bangkok, dami nang nag-aaligid sa tabi-tabi soliciting other "services".

This alley would be just like in Paco, Carriedo or Ongpin, right? Oh well, minus the street children, tambays, and basura. Pareho na rin....

summer's nearly over

After swimming in the outdoor pool we were just too lazy to cook lunch. Obento to the rescue!



Typical summer snack, edamame and chilled mugi-cha. The beers were for the women's football match, Beijing 2008 Japan vs USA. Japan lost, so saaad 80(

Kitchenware Town

Kappabashi, is the place to go shopping if you are an owner of an izakaya, cafe or restaurant or a kitchen gadget otaku. I'm neither of the above, just a plain curious tourist who found this place a bit boring, save for the coffee place and the wax works.

I bought "stainless soap", it's a bar of stainless steel that you wash your hands with together with regular hand soap to get rid of strong odors like garlic or fish. Dunno if this really works, I hope it does; so romantic home dinners would really be "romantic" without C complaining that my fingers stink of garlic! (dang, it's difficult being the chef and the date at the same time). I also bought a bag of espresso beans from the coffee specialty shop since they recommended that I try their roast and it was also a bargain at Y800 (300 pesos) for 200grams.

Next town is Asakusa which is way much more interesting hence, touristy. I thought of walking towards the Senso-ji, a very famous temple but the weather was not really good for taking photos.

Iron brands

If one can't read Japanese, all one has to do is point to this.
They're usually on display in front of restaurants and izakayas.

The time is kappa/maguro maki o'clock and ika sushi minutes.

"努力" - "effort" - "sikap"

Ahh that comforting smell of salonpas... I pulled my left tricep last week from swimming (without any warm-up, silly me!) and thought that it had healed already, so this morning I went straight to the pool. The water was quite chilly since it was cloudy and rainy yesterday. There's nothing like a dip in a cold pool in the morning! The cold fired up my neurons and nerves, everything was bright, blue, crisp and clear, both the water and the sky! Gising na gising ang ulirat ko!

After several laps, my left tricep just turned into one hard knot, sheeeat... that means I have to stop, ok lang malapit na naman ang isang oras. Edad na nga ba ito? Oh well, at least I have nudged myself out of this rut today. 2008 has been so far, a bummer year for me. I am still struggling with my putting in enough effort to make things happen, I do hope that towards the end of the year things will get better in terms of my creativity (to produce more artwork or at least finish a couple of commissions that are waaay overdue), my language skills (to pass the language proficiency test in December) and my physical self (to be a gym rat again!).

I know, I know, it all depends on my bloody effort.

そいようことですね！

©Jim Davis/Garfield

August 15

"Profit in Peace" - Ocean Colour Scene

All the people under broken homes
Dont wanna fight no more
All the people nursing shattered bones
Dont wanna fight no more
But theres no profit in peace
So weve gotta fight some more

And all those who are in foreign lands
Dont wanna fight no more
And all those who lost their feet or hands
Dont wanna fight no more
But theres no profit in peace boys
Weve gotta fight some more

Hey, we dont wanna fight no more
Hey, hey, hey, we dont wanna fight no more
But theres no profit in peace boys
We gotta fight some more

And all those just trying to play their part
Dont wanna fight no more
And all those who own a human heart
Dont wanna fight no more
But theres no profit in what you want
So we must fight some more

And all those who got an axe to grind
Dont wanna fight no more
And all those who got their burning lights
Dont wanna fight no more
But theres no profit in ever being right
So we must fight some more

Hey, we dont wanna fight no more
Hey, hey, hey, we dont wanna fight no more
But theres no profit in peace boys
We gotta fight some more

And all the people under broken homes
Dont wanna fight no more
And all the people never going home
Dont wanna fight no more
There is profit in the land you own
So we must fight some more

And all those who got a tired face
Dont wanna fight no more
And all those who lost without a trace
Dont wanna fight no more
But there is profit in the love of hate
So we must fight some more

Hey, we dont wanna fight no more
Hey, hey, hey, we dont wanna fight no more
But theres no profit in peace boys
We gotta fight some more

Hey, hey, hey, we dont wanna fight no more...

Mixtapes are back!

Fantastic at 50

Featured at guardian.co.uk -- Madonna through the years... sabayan natin sya (sa pagtanda)

Pampalipas oras

There's this music that's been looping in my head for days since I read about Issac Hayes' demise. The theme from SHAFT -- yo damn right!

A featured article in today's Japan Times about led me to this website where one can upload his (or her, why not!) photo and try on different styles of mustaches and beards. The 3D feature is pretty cool, so go visit, have fun and get your hirsute mug animated!

Beer and watermelons

Summertime is a great season to enjoy ice-cold beer and watermelon! That is if your grandma is not watching. Masama daw mag-halo ang beer at pakwan ayon sa mga nakakatanda. I grew up hearing this one at picnic tables and though I ask why, the elders would just say, it won't hurt to follow what they tell you.

What's amazing about this "kasabihan", is that even in Japan, I have been told by C that beer and watermelons usually do not mix. Pareho ano?! I asked her why... it's what the elders say. Is there a scientific explanation to this belief? I tried googling for an answer and I have not found a convincing one yet.

Honestly I did not feel anything after beer and watermelons.

Nagasaki

After watching the amazing and spectacular Olympic Opening Ceremony in Beijing last night, I just wished that wars would not happen anymore and that warring nations would all just convert their destructive and truly barbaric energies to celebrate the spirit of sports. This would not happen in my lifetime for sure, as Georgia and Russia are at war right now as I blog; but I hope it would happen in the future.

August 9, 1945 - Nagasaki became the second city to be atom-bombed by the US; as if the death and destruction from the bombing in Hiroshima was not enough. Here is a gallery put up by Tyge O’Donnell, the son of the late Joe O’Donnell, a US Marine Corps photographer in WWII who took photographs of the aftermath of the bombing and eventually became an outspoken critic of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The images in the gallery reminded me of scenes from the anime "Grave of the Fireflies", which was about the firebombing of Kobe in WWII.

If we do not learn from out past mistakes, we are bound to repeat them as our history shows.

I'd rather die laughing

Lumindol ng tatlong beses nga ba ngyong araw dito sa Tokyo? Noong 1am daw, madaling araw, lumindol ng pagkalakas-lakas, M6.5. Tapos mga bandang 7 ng umaga, M4 naman daw... tapos sinundan daw ito ng bandang 1pm ng isa pang M4.5!

Kahit isa sa mga episodes na ito, wala akong naramdaman! Siguro habang sinusulat ko ito eh lumilindol...hehehe. Kung sakali nga eh, OK lang bords... dahil talaga namang nakakatawa itong Ilonggo dubbing ng "300"!

Dyke Olympians to Watch Out For

There's this article on AfterEllen about 10 out lesbian/bisexual athletes competing in the Beijing Olympics. That would make watching the other events aside from softball to be doubly exciting!

Sure bet naman kasi ang softball to be the dykiest sport ever, but the tally says "that's three soccer players, two softball players, two handball players, one cyclist, one tennis player and one fencer. And judging from the amount of gossip online about various women's soccer teams.... soccer just might have scored a goal as the dykiest sport ever."

Team Philippines --- all the best senyo!

Bukas na ang simula ng 2008 Olympics! As the temperature of the heat islands in Tokyo continue to rise, so is the Olympic fever which also raised the sales of HD TVs lately!
Japan is sending a total of 576 athletes, their biggest team so far. Sa swimming pa lang (one of my fave events), 31 athletes na!

According to this article at GMAnews and INQ7, here are our best bets:
Mark Javier - Archery
Eric Ang - Shooting
Marie Antoinette Rivero and Tshomlee Go - Taekwondo
Harry Tañamor - Boxing
Miguel Molina, Daniel Coakley, Ryan Arabejo, James Walsh and Joan Christel Simms - Swimming
Maristella Torres and Henry Dagmil - Athletics
Sheila Mae Perez and Ryan Rexel Fabriga - Diving
Hidilyn Diaz - Weighlifting
Willy Wang, Benjie Rivera, Mary Jane Estima and Marian Mariano - Wushu

At least the Philippines managed to round up 19 athletes. Haay, isa lang pala sa boxing ngayon, ang lungkot naman. Ewan ko ba kung bakit puro basketball na lang kasi ang nasaisip ng ating mamamayan, eh wala naman tayong future sa basketball sa totoo lang. Go to any barangay in Manila, tiyak may basketball court, ano ang unang must-have ng isang paaralan? Basketball court. Anong gusto mong maging sa pag-laki mo? Basketball player. Ano ang paboritong laro ng mga tambay sa kalye? Basketball, kung di sila nag-iinuman. Ano ba ang world ranking natin sa basketball? Sa tingin ko kung meron, mababa yun tiyak. Amazingly, this is one of our most popular sports that's taking us to nowhere. At least in boxing, kilala si Manny Pacquiao sa buong mundo!

If you ask me, I think we'll have more chances in the international field if we take interest in football (soccer) -- mas madaling laruin ito sa totoo lang, at di mo kelangang maging 6footer to play. In Brazil, football is in their DNA already I guess, but look, at their players! Panoorin na lang natin ang Soccer event sa Olympics and wish that someday, the Philippines will have a team (both men's and women's) to field in the future.

Hiroshima

After 2 muggy days of thunderstorms, today is a perfectly bright and clear sunny day. The skies are a spotless blue, perhaps just like one the people of Hiroshima looked up at in August 6, 1945.


63 years has passed and it seems that this horrible deed of the USA is being given short shrift. 4 years has passed since I visited the Hiroshima Peace Museum, an experience that had such a great and lasting impact on me.

bakit kaya "jak en poy" ang tawag dun?

a: Ok, whose turn is it to take out the garbage?"
c: hmmm, I forgot, it's you isn't it?
a: eeeh, I just did, it's your turn!
c: no way! it's your turn!
a and c : JANKEN!

Imagine na lang ninyo ang isang jak en poy scene sa inyong buhay to resolve matters similar to this.

Sa Japan, ganito ang "chant" sa larong ito (Janken)...
Jan ken pon
Ai ko desho... (ulitin kapag tabla)

Sa Pilipinas, (Jak en Poy)
Jak en poy
Hali hali hoy
Sinong matalo, syang unggoy!
(at kapag tabla...)
Jak en poy! (ulitin hanggang sa may matalo)

Heto nanaman ako, siguro kasabayan ng Katol ang Jak en Poy ang pagdating nito sa Pilipinas mula sa bansang Hapon. Magkatunog sila di ba?

Pero saan naman nanggaling yung salitang "Pik"?
(isa pang tawag natin sa Jak en Poy)
bato-bato-PIK!
bato-bato-PIK!

bakit "katol" ang tawag dun?

Tag-init na may halong ulan, maalinsangan, tiyak na may mga lamok sa mga sulok-sulok dyan! Uso pa rin dito ang pag-gamit ng katol at mayroon pa ngang CUTE na lalagyan ito hugis baboy sya at ilalagay mo yung sinindihang katol sa loob.

Bakit nga ba "katol" ang tawag nito sa Tagalog? Di ko alam kung tumpak ang sagot ko pero, sa tingin ko hango ito sa Nihongo. Ang tawag ng mga Hapon sa "katol" ay...Katori Senkou! Kunbaga ay napud-pod na lang ito at umigsi (kaya,"Katol") sa kakagamit, dahil talaga namang sangdamak-mak ang lamok sa atin di ba?

Bukod dito, ayon sa aking pardner, ang mga Hapon pala ang nag imbento ng Katol, siyempre di ako naniwala agad, kelangan kong i-Google muna ito to verify (babaw ng research methods ko, sensya na). Heto ang isang link tungkol sa "Katol".

pimp my rice

Smoked salmon was pretty cheap today so this was dinner. There were some leftover avocado, kuri and Korean seaweed in the fridge so I just mixed in a bit of sushi vinegar with the rice and hora! Temaki sushi desu!
今日スモクサルモンはやすかったので番ご飯になりました。アヴォカソとくりと韓国ののりれいぞこのなかので、すしのごはんにいれました。ホら。。。てまきすしです！


I'm watching my calorie intake so no mayo in the maki, just a bit on some kuri (Japanese cucumber).
メタボまもっていますので、少しマヨネスとくりだけ。いっただきます！

doodles

Chinese characters are a tricky lot.


Why do people who jump off buildings, bridges or any high place to kill themselves must take their shoes off, always?



Quite a boring day, this one.


May he deliver all the changes he's talking about.

'Sali na tayo, dali!

Art In Site

Tako Pasta - タコパスター

The unforgiving summer heat inspired me to combine a basic peperoncino pasta with a marinade of octopus, cucumber, parsely in fresh lemon juice and sweet karashi miso for a cool and seemingly light dinner.



Yummy fresh octopus, I could not help but eat the tips of the tender tentacles as I slice away.



The cherry tomatoes were sprinkled with balsamic vinegar before it was added to the pasta. Fresh shredded basil leaves and a dash of crushed black pepper complete the summery taste. C asked me to do this again next week! よかったですね！