Three Stars And A Sun!

.:Three Stars and a Sun: How To Sing #NeverForget For Two Hours:.

Allow me to make this very short and sweet... if you haven't yet, you should be watching Three Stars and a Sun in PETA Theater. There really is no other way to say it.

Greetings from the Mirror Universe!

I'm not going to bore you with a review here, but needless to say, 3 Stars and a Sun reminded me exactly why the PETA of old was considered a political activist during the Marcos era. While "Rak of Aegis" was entertaining and definitely a great musical, 3 Stars was all that, and downright subversive, as it attempts to challenge the notion of power and the perpetuation of a cycle of power-grabbing that leaves the empowered paranoid and the disempowered disgruntled.

It's not just a musical: it's a harsh lesson on history, and how forgetting history dooms us to repeat it.

It's not just a musical: it's a soulful tribute to patriotism, and it took the form of Francis Magalona's music, which has always been patriotic at its very core.

It's not just a musical: it's a cynical yet hopeful lens put upon the dynamics of power and Philippine society, and a reminder to us that Filipino Pride comes from within, and not from how many Mexicans Pacquiao has dispatched in the ring, or how many times Lea Salonga stars in Broadway or Hollywood.

I profess to have my misgivings over "Filipino Pride," but this play stirred it within me, because it showed me what I am personally capable of : the ability to make things better. The ability to put to use the freedom granted unto me.

For anyone who wishes to blame the spectre of EDSA for whatever perceived ills we go through today, the message is clear: why blame a stretch of asphalt when we had 30 years to make good on our freedom in the first place? Freedom never promised us anything beyond freedom, after all.

While watching the musical, I was absolutely enthralled by the story, even when stripped of its allegorical value: who knew that a sci-fi musical could be done, and done well? To posit a third world war, one that was a nuclear disaster, and to posit life in a nuclear shelter that houses only a select few that ended up dividing into two classes, and to infuse all that with the timeless and always-relevant music of Francis Magalona, is to put together a masterpiece that mixes history with recent pop culture and presents a package that can easily be enjoyed on so many levels.

Admittedly, while watching it, I felt a mild pang of regret because I wanted to audition for the musical, but who cares? Whether or not I was there (and I probably wouldn't have made the cut anyways), getting to watch the finished product was what mattered, because it can truly stir you in ways you don't quite expect.

When people say, "wow, that's deep," there's an air of pretentiousness that normally comes with uttering those words. 3 Stars and a Sun doesn't attempt to be pretentious or even unsubtle about its metaphors and allusions, yet still achieves a depth few contemporary pieces of art can match without compensating for their paltriness with pretentiousness.

The message is deep, because it is deep within us: the Filipino is only as powerful as we collectively act as Filipinos, and for as long as we divide ourselves among different lines in the sand, we will remain easy pickings for the vultures who have so much yet leave so little for us. It isn't a revolutionary cry of taking the Triangle and turning it upside down, but of taking the Triangle, and creating unity from within.

And while China steps upon our territory, and while threats from within and without threaten the very fabric of Philippine society, we learn to fight the many battles on many different fronts, as our heroes no doubt did. We learn to look at them and never forget, not just the good they have done, but the mistakes and weaknesses they fell prey to, lest we repeat the very same.

To never forget is not to be mired in nostalgia or historical cynicism, but to be more cognizant of how we go to where we are today. To never forget is to appreciate the Filipino spirit, with all its idiosyncracies and failings, not blindly, but lovingly. To look at what is wrong with us and correct it, instead of rebuking ourselves ceaselessly.

Otherwise, we would be too busy fighting from within to know that from without, we are hopelessly surrounded. But both battles are no less important to fight.

 A happy battle, no less.

3 Stars and a Sun, ladies and gentlemen. Watch it. Enjoy it. And if on some level, it stirs that patriotic spirit in you, find it in yourself to put it to good use. Dahil nasa palad mo ang kapalaran.

Dugong inialay para sa bayan, sayang naman ang kanilang ipinaglaban...

Project 52 2014 (10/52): Sinta

.:Project 52 2014 (10/52): Sinta:.

Pag-ibig ko sa iyo ay tunay at totoo...

Last week, I was fortunate enough to actually find myself watching "Rak Of Aegis" on its gala night, thanks to my old friend, Ren Aguila. I got there, ran into several people like Jazz Nicolas of the Itchyworms, and even a few other big names in the Philippine music scene, such as Ogie Alcasid and Gary Valenciano, who apparently attended a meeting for artists immediately before the play.

But the highlight of the night would have to be the fact that Jose Mari Chan was also in attendance - and it was nowhere near Christmas!

Singtamis ng wine, singtatag ng sunshine...

"Rak Of Aegis" really rocked hard that night, and I couldn't help but resist the urge to sing along to the songs throughout the night, as was requested by the theater voiceover before the play began. Considering that this film was originally just a joke or meme on Facebook before it ended up becoming reality, it's good to know that someone liked the idea enough to really make it happen, because Aegis's discography just lent itself perfectly to a powerful performance all around.

The cast was, in a word, perfect. Every single performer onstage was appropriate for the role they were playing, and it was clear that they were adding little touches here and there to the play as current events that could not possibly have been referenced a month ago when the play's run began made its way into the dialogue, such as "foods" and another recent thing that hit the news just that day, like Enrile's wife or something. I don't want to spoil anything and I don't really want to get into the nitty-gritty of the plot, but it was lighthearted but very heartwarming at the same time.

Tunghayan mo sana ang aking pagsinta...

That night, there were so many ships to be shipped: Tolits x Aileen, Kenny x Aileen, Kiel x Mercy, Kiel x Mary Jane, and maybe even Kenny x Jewel. It was love in the time of Yolanda, as it were, what with the play set in the middle of a lengthy flood afflicting a small town. 

Truth be told, I was surprised by the set PETA ran with, because I didn't expect it to be water-filled. When I initially sat down to watch the play, I thought that I was looking at glass, but it turned out to be water, which added to a kind of theater magic that I have probably never seen before, given my limited experience with the medium.

Langit ng puso ko, oh ang pag-ibig mo, sinta...

Funny and endearing, the play was amazing from top to bottom, and of course, the cast handled themselves exceptionally well as they sang very familiar songs from Aegis, including "Luha," "Sinta," "Basang-Basa Sa Ulan," and even "Christmas Bonus." The songs really shone throughout, with their lyrics being changed here and there to fit the context of each key scene better, and while the conflict and drama within the play took a backseat to the musicality, I don't think I would complain about that when it's supposed to be a feel-good experience in the first place.

But next thing I knew, my eyes seemed to deceive me when I saw there was more after the musical ended. Okay, not really. I knew they were going to be there. But still...

Nananaginip nang gising, nakatulala sa hangin...

Aegis showed up. Aegis!

Pictured: Aegis!

I knew they were going to perform that evening, but it really was a treat to see them in the flesh, and belt out their songs like there was no tomorrow. One would have to admit: there's something unbelievable about the pipes on these ladies, given how difficult it is to sing these songs non-stop, which they've been doing since I don't even know when.

Nagsusumidhing damdamin, kahit halik lang ang akin...

The audience was so appreciative of Aegis, and why not? It doesn't matter how snooty you may be and how much you may despise OPM. It doesn't matter how "bakya" you might think their lyrics are. Aegis has talent. They can sing, and boy, like how!

In fact, it was so raucous already that the theatre people didn't bother stopping anyone from taking videos of the Aegis performance, as nearly every person inside PETA theater felt compelled to bring out their cameras to just capture a piece of these amazing performers, as they gave their all to everyone watching.

Nababaliw ako sa'yo, bawat silakbo ng puso ko...

Aegis was awesome, and so was Rak of Aegis. I heard they're expending the play's run a bit more, and it's good that they did, because this is a musical you really have to experience, and I say this as someone who's not particularly a theater person!

A shame I couldn't find Jose Mari Chan after the show, though. But hey, at least, I ran into Earl Ignacio!

"Rak of Aegis" was a masterpiece. it really was. Here's hoping for a second run sometime in the near future! In the meantime, I will be waiting...

Sa isang sulok na lang, umiibig sa 'yo, sinta...

Review: Battalia Royale!

.:Review: Battalia Royale!:.

Kuya Bodjie: Ruining my childhood since "Ang Pagdadalaga Ni Maximo Oliveros."

This review will be as spoiler-free as possible, and will not even mention any character names aside from the teacher.

If you've known me for longer than a month, you'd probably know that one of my favorite films is Battle Royale. Based on the novel by Takami Koushun, this follows the tale of a class of students sent to an island to kill each other off. Needless to say, the premise alone has incited a lot of controversy, and more than a few people have accused Suzanne Collins's "The Hunger Games" series as nothing more than a rip-off.

That being said, the premise isn't particularly unique, but the execution could always very well be switched around to make for variety. Sipat Lawin decided that this meant a good Filipino adaptation could be produced based on the premise, and from what I heard, the initial CCP run was actually pretty good, albeit that wasn't the one that I got to see.

There's still one playdate tonight, and I'm contemplating if I should try to shoot for a walk-in ticket, seeing how awesome the whole experience was last night, despite all the imperfections.

In any case, I don't want to get into spoilers, but the premise for the live-action game does away with any attempt at explaining how the Philippines could possibly ever be party to a Battle Royale game. That's fine, really, since we hardly need that backstory just to get to the core, and the core naturally has to focus on the key students, and how they develop themselves over the course of the game.

I'm rather desensitized to gruesome deaths after Final Destination, so my eye was trained more towards the character arcs in the play. I don't know if it was because of the way the whole play was set up, where three separate groups would mobilize and then watch the play from three different vantage points and then at the last moment, be free to choose one of three endgame scenarios play out

The ever-reliable and amazingly talented Kuya Bodjie Pascua played Frazer Salomon, the teacher of the class who facilitates Battalia Royale. Throughout the play, several character arcs were developed that both mimicked as well as played on the expectations of people who saw the film, and assuming that they don't change the endings for every game, I have to admit that the way the play ended for me last night left me cold because I couldn't really identify too well with the winner of the game.

I don't know if it's the weakness of doing the game in this setting, or if it really was just scripted poorly, but whether or not the frenetic running and herding of the audience had anything to do with it, nearly all the characters in the game felt raw and underdeveloped, especially if they did not parallel any of the characters from the movie.

Set inside an abandoned high school building, the atmosphere really lent to a gritty and realistic feel for the game. With ghost house rules guiding the whole audience as well as the cast, you get to see the players of the game up close and personal and try to gain some semblance of affinity for them, yet very few of them manage to pull that off.

I liked it, because I was a fan of Battle Royale. I'm sure many others would like it because of the themes they played with were brilliant and there wasn't really a dearth of talent going around that night. Despite that, if you aren't easily dazzled by gory faux-death scenes, you might find the entire game to be rather weak. It doesn't have the punch of the film because there were no clear ramifications for the winner of Battalia Royale after the fact, nor did it have any catharsis when it comes to a very important character who was dealt with in the film. This terrible combination of an anti-climax and a non-resolution left me cold and expecting more.

Ultimately, though, I enjoyed the game, despite my rather high standards. I think the realistic feel of running around the abandoned school to get a good view of what was going on really helped, and so did having Radioactive Sago Project play live music during the game.

Much love to Dang Ching and her friends, as well as all the random people I ran into during Battalia Royale last night. It made for a very great experience, and if they ever do another run of this in the future, I will certainly be on hand to support it.

JCS: The Second Coming

.:JCS: The Second Coming:.

They could've had a bigger poster, though.

Last Saturday, seeing as how Typhoon Chedeng canceled an office event we had, I decided to take up Billycoy on his invitation to catch Repertory Workshop's staging of JCS, which is, along with Avenue Q, my favorite musical of all time. I do not exaggerate when I say I've seen the TV version of this musical at least two hundred times already, so I was going to be pretty nitpicky about what I was going to see.

Still, I didn't want to go alone, so I ended up asking a relatively new friend of mine, Jen, if she was interested in watching the musical. I was happy to know that she was, so we went in, pretty much stoked about catching JCS live. Personally, I was also on the lookout to see what role Billycoy was going to play, since he never mentioned which one he was assigned.

True, I really loved JCS like crazy, but I didn't want to watch the staging with impossibly high standards. Indeed, I found the film version to be close to perfection, but I didn't want to foist those same standards on a staging by a group of obviously talented but mostly greenhorn performers. Cutting them some slack in my mind before I went in allowed me to enjoy the play more than I probably would have had I been more exacting.

I memorized the soundtrack from beginning to end, including the film-only song, "Then We Are Decided," which I only recently found out was not ever part of the stagings of JCS. As I saw the cast really give it their all, I couldn't help but realize how much Judas stood out in that cast, as well as Pilate and Herod.

Unfortunately, Jesus and Caiaphas didn't do nearly as well. Jesus couldn't hit the high notes, and Caiaphas couldn't hit the low notes. Maybe they should've switched?

That being said, it was still a fun romp, and Billycoy has me beat in the "starring in a musical" department, which I have never done, despite auditioning for Avenue Q. He even had two roles, as he portrayed both a soldier and a pimp throughout the play, which just shows versatility right there.

And I know this picture makes me look really fat, but hey, whaddaheck. Your moment of zen:

What's the buzz? Tell me what's happening!

Afterwards, Jen and I went for some yogurt for a nightcap, and I saw her off shortly thereafter. All in all, a pretty great time, and one that I hope I can do again soon.

Back From The So-Called Dead...

.:I Wish...:.

... that I at least make it through the first auditions for Avenue Q... hehehe.

.:Tasting The Conditions:.

I don't want to sound too cryptic, but I'm now practicing a routine that only a handful of people know about. I hope I can do it justice, because it's a veritable reputation maker.

With all the headway I've been making in improving my skillset, it's high time I really took this show on the road.

.:Ish Her Birthday!:.

Kathy Chua celebrated her birthday last Friday night, and it was awesome. The food was definitely a treat, and both John and Kathy had a huge hand in it.

That being said, other than Clair, JM, Krisette, and Hrbs, I also met a few people like Honey and a former jock from 99.5 RT. We had very interesting conversations, and as usual, Liquid Metal was the highlight of the night for the new blood.

In any case, the party was really great, and so was the food. I've had some rough spots here and there, but nothing a can of beer (And a rendition of Sinful.) didn't smoothen out, I guess.

.:w00t!:.

I hosted a debut last Saturday at the Intercon, and it was definitely a load of fun.

I got there rather early, and talked to Raizza and one of her friends, Dan, who was acting like the event planner. That being said, I was pretty much expected to perform magic during the party, and so I had a few effects at the ready, mostly relying on Liquid Metal, and a Card Melt effect.

When the debut was in full swing, I was really glad that the audience really responded well. People laughed when some guys tried to clink glasses at one point during the 18 roses, and I reminded them that it's not a wedding. The guests were a joy to perform magic for as well, and it was a load of fun talking to all the people there, including some of Raizza's friends, like Ana and Dan and so forth.

Ah, well. It was really cool. When the party ended, I left in fairly high spirits. You see, while I was surrounded by gorgeous Chinese girls, all they ended up reminding me of was my Beloved. It's unbelievable the kind of effect she has on me.

.:Pride And Shame:.

It's not the easiest of feats for me to meet my Beloved's friends. Truth be told, there's a huge gap between me and them when it comes to what makes us respectively tick. I have my quirks, they have theirs, and unlike my Beloved, they are not inclined to understand these things all too well.

Last Saturday, immediately after the debut, I went ahead to Fiama to find my Beloved, who was hanging out with her friends. It was the birthday celebration of one of them, and I got there and met some old ones, but there were others as well, including this one guy, who happens to be the one my Beloved was head over heels into for years.

It was mostly mundane for the most part. I shut up and stayed in one corner, because I didn't want to seem like I was acting like I was too familiar with them, but at one point, my Beloved was too busy talking to the others in the place and so I had to fend for myself.

At one point, one of the people there tried to start some small talk with me, and it eventually got to the point where she noticed the stuff I do with my ring, and found out that I was a magician.

From there, I was under the impression I managed to entertain her friends.

From there, my Beloved felt it all went to Hades in a handbasket.

One of her friends was not in the least bit amused, to be honest. Truth be told, it could hardly be helped. The guy is the judgmental type, and there was little I could do to make a good impression.

This has been a sticking point between me and my Beloved for the longest time. If the situations were reversed, I wouldn't ever act as if I were embarrassed of her. She understands this fundamental difference between us, and I'm trying to respect that more. Quite honestly, I'm just not used to it because even among my friends, we all proudly back each other, so long as nobody is doing anything hideously wrong.

It's a lot to ask of her that she actually introduced me to her friends. While such a thing is no big deal to me, I really have to consider how much of a gesture it was to her.

In her own way, she is proud of who I am and what I do. It's just that at the end of the day, she still has her image and her long-standing worries to deal with.

It's up to me to temper my expectations. I know all too well that she really wants this to work, and since I do as well, both of us have to learn to not rush and take things one day at a time.

We have our whole lifetime ahead of us to look forward to. I have to realize that and relish that fact. =)

I love you, my Beloved!

.:Instant Click:.

Elbert and I had an interesting Monday since we went to Megamall and met up with my Beloved. It was definitely fun, because Elbert, being how he is, instantly clicked with her, and they ended up ganging up on me, as Elbert promptly denied that he likes having studio pictures taken.

Next thing I knew, it was a two-on-one. We were there at Tia Maria's having lunch, and then headed off to Shang afterwards and found a new arcade at the basement, where we went for videoke. I sang a few songs, but Elbert consistently got higher scores than I did, and my Beloved promptly smiled and agreed that the machine was “reliable” since I didn't score better than El... =(

I'm glad the two got along well enough. I really want my Beloved to feel welcome to the people in my life who have always been there through thick or thin.

In any case, afterwards, I took her home, which was a bit of a problem for me because I had a splitting headache. Despite that, I soldiered on and took her home, and it was pretty much one of the most wonderful times ever spent with her.

.:Simple And Grandiose...:.

There's nothing quite like a lingering hug to cap off the day. A lingering hug that lasts for half an hour, but stays on in my mind and my heart for the rest of the day.

I love her so much. I can't believe how much our relationship has developed over time, and while things weren't instantly amazing, they're getting there slowly, but surely. I'm extremely happy that she makes all this effort, and sometimes, it's the most simple gestures from her that mean the most to me.

You see, she was worried about me because I wasn't feeling well. She felt that I should just sleep instead of, well, watching “Sana Maulit Muli”, and on a whim, I asked her if she would mind watching it for me and letting me know what happens.

Unbelievably, she said she would. I know how much she hates these soaps because hey, it's not like Kim or Gerald are actors who will be winning any acting awards anytime soon. Hehehe.

But so she did it, and she told me that she'd do it because it's for me, even if she probably wouldn't like the show at all.

It's the amalgam of the simple and grandiose that really makes an impression on me. It's how she makes a simple gesture count for so much because of the sincerity that comes with her effort. I can't help but appreciate what she's done, and I can't help but believe her when she tells me that a phrase as powerful as “I love you” no longer seems sufficient for her to convey to me how strongly she feels about this relationship. That forever no longer seems to be enough, for that matter.

It comes with the territory, I guess. From the prayers we share with each other at night, to the endless hugs we give each other every chance we get, it's the simple things that make me feel this is going to work.

Just now, while I'm watching Sana Maulit Muli, I'm strongly reminded of what we're fighting for in one of the lines Gerald Anderson has been stumbling about, where he talks about how fast time can fly, and we shouldn't let the time pass us by. You never know what tomorrow might bring. If you don't give your all in the hopes of giving it all another day, you just might never find that opportunity to do it at all.

Thank you, my Beloved. Thank you for making a million small efforts that are worth far more than one gargantuan effort any day of the week. When saying “I love you” no longer seems enough, whenever forever seems to be too short, all of these small acts of love prove far more powerful than they have any right to be.

Random Thoughts On Yesterday...

.:Kris Aquino... Gah!!!:.

I can't help but feel bad how Kris Aquino pushes her contestants' buttons so that she can evoke emotions from them. How she makes them cry at will by bringing up their sob stories, how she finds one of the 26-K girls who can commiserate and make her cry too, and of course, how she puts the contestant through the wringer even after they agree to take the deal.

Where else can you find a situation where someone is actually not happy to receive a whopping 500,000 pesos? Quite simply, when they're told after the fact that they could've won 2,000,000. Why do they not have an option to just let sleeping dogs lie and simply not bother finding out exactly what they would've gotten?

If that were unavoidable, why simulate the rest of the game, instead of just cutting to the chase and opening the purchased briefcase?

Today's contestant ended up crying her heart out because she only ended up winning only 10,000 bucks. It was really sad, looking at her, and the kind of stress she went through definitely wasn't something you'd want to put a pregnant woman through. Yes, the contestant was also pregnant. Yeesh.

I'm glad this is the last week of this program before she gives birth... maybe she can reevaluate the kind of agony she needlessly puts her contestants through.

.:You Know What Hurts?:.

What hurts is how it's so easy to erase and rewind things for some people. I'm not that way. I really don't take things casually. It boggles my mind how other people can, in one moment, profess undying love to each other, and the next, act as if their formerly significant other no longer exists.

How much time does it take for wound to heal and for people to find their smile again? And why is it that it ends up being the one who broke the other's heart who ends up bitter, when you would think it's the one who got left hanging who would be so?

It makes absolutely no sense, and I guess it will always be a sticking point to me. After all this time, I still can't help but feel disappointed that this is how it ended up being, and no matter how I bend, it still stays the same.

.:It Took Some Guts, But...:.

... I pushed through with the Avenue Q auditions. I was actually the last one who went there, and I sang “Herod's Song” from “Jesus Christ Superstar”. I would've wanted to do “The Internet Is For Porn”, but we didn't have the piano guide and all...

That being said, I am very grateful to Charo for practically pulling me out of bed to go there, after all the worries and butterflies I had flying in my gut. I'm extremely glad that I got it over with, and they even said it was “great”.

I don't know if they said I was "great" to shut me up and get me to leave, or if they really meant it, though. Their reactions when I was singing didn't seem like they were particularly impressed.

Whether or not I make it in is irrelevant at this point. What is relevant is that I tried, despite the fact that I was rather scared.

I was just so out of it that when I was asked what my vocal range was, I promptly wrote in “Alto”.

How was I to know that “Alto” is exclusively for females?!? o_O

Backblogging...

.:Avenue Q:.

There will be a staging of Avenue Q in the Philippines sometime this year, and they're holding auditions for cast members.

I know I'll just probably get rejected but I'll be damned if I didn't try to see if I can make it.

Avenue Q is one of the most politically incorrect and unapologetic musicals out there, and I love every minute of listening to the soundtrack, from “The Internet Is For Porn” to “Schadenfreude”.

I'll give it a shot. Heh.

.:An Entire Day...:.

It was eight in the morning when she got to my place. She wasn't in uniform because she apparently changed clothes before going here since she didn't want to go around wearing her uniform. I may have seen her only two days ago, but I missed her like crazy, so I hugged her ever-so-tightly.

We had the whole day to ourselves. I've practically been on leave for three days already, and I just really wanted to be with her and enjoy her company while she reviewed and while I rendered playlists for the day. There was nothing particularly earth-shaking about what we were up to. We were simply there, and we were simply going to spend an entire day with each other.

It was a fine, fine Wednesday, to say the least. We discovered that we really could be with each other for extended periods of time, and it was awesome being with her for that long.

I left for a short while to upload a bit of stuff, and it was fairly amusing when it turned out that by the time I got back, she was already playing with Gabby, the landlord's four-year old daughter. It was nice seeing her inner child because it made me realize that she still really knew how to have good old plain fun, amid all the serious issues and the deadly deadlines she has to go through day in and day out.

And so we just turned our attention to each other and conversed. It's been a bit tough initially for us to enjoy face to face conversations with each other, but in due time, that got easier and easier. This day was just phenomenal. We opened up about a lot of things. We laughed over good times, we pouted over minor disagreements, we smiled over memories, we groaned over corny jokes, and through it all, we realized that we had a very strong bond that we hope would stand the test of time.

There is friendship, and there is love. Perhaps from her side there is no romance, but I know that in time, if it is meant to be, that will come in and by itself.

It's a good foundation we've built for ourselves. I know someday, the right time for us would come, and we patiently await.

Together.

.:It's A Fair Time:.

Foundation Day was last Thursday in Don Bosco, and it was pretty awesome. I finally ran into Fr. Eli and Ma'am Ting, and it was a really good day. They even asked me to do a bit of walkaround magic, and that was pretty cool.

Ah, well. Next year ought to be awesome... heh.

.:Not Goodbye, But See You Later...:.

It was a Friday morning, and I went to Chua Residence #1 in Bautista, where Sacha would be just before she took her flight back to Canada. We haven't seen her in a while, so we're pretty happy that we got to spend a lot of time with her. There was a short guestlist that morning, comprised of myself, Diane, and Mark.

Sacha's dad, Tito John, was really giving me a rough time because he knew a lot of magic himself, so it turned into an expose-ridden performance, and it's not like I could refuse to stop performing when he practically demands me to. Ahahahaha... ::nervous laughter::

After breakfast and realizing Diane and I both lost our bet with each other (Resulting in seven exorbitant dinners apiece.), Mark and Diane excused themselves, and I went with Sacha and Tita Harvey to the airport, where the three of us really bonded with each other.

We had interesting conversations ranging from Imelda Marcos to future plans. It's amazing because it's very unusual that you'd be bonding with a friend's parent, to the point that Tita Harvey is practically JGL in our eyes already. =)

Sacha's blessed to have a mom as supportive and as caring as Tita Harvey is. Makes me cont my blessings too, seeing how my parents deserve an award for having put up with me for as long as they have... heh.

By now, Sacha's back in Canada and it's business as usual, but that simple and quiet Friday morning with no overlong goodbyes but never-ending see-you-later's is definitely something to remember.

We'll miss you, Sach, but we all know that it's just a matter of time before we'd see you again. Thanks for the great month with you around. Friends like you are truly one in a billion.

.:The Blas Ople Job Fair:.

After taking Sach to the airport, I was dropped off at Market! Market!, where I met up with Estelle for the Job Fair that she's been working on for so long and hard. It was fairly eventful because I was really trying to make her laugh while she was on the mic stand trying to announce job openings. For the most part, I was really just lazing the day away there, completely underslept and so forth.

I did a bit of announcing, a bit of walkaround, and for the most part, I was just observing how absolutely harassed Bessie was throughout the day, albeit I knew she was doing a marvelous job.

I'm proud of my Bessie. For a moment, we were worried she wouldn't make a successful transition from student body to workforce, but she did.

After the job fair, we went to Debbie's place, where we watched “Sana Maulit Muli”, and then fell asleep over the movie we bought for the occasion. It was all good, though.