A Night Among Star(let)s

I had a funny recollection last night.

When I was young, I used to think that showbiz stars are people who came from a single line of gene pool. They are so named because they embody star-like qualities - our very own human stars in a world of human constellations.

These thoughts crossed my mind because while having coffee at Mocha Blends, talking to the Marketing Officer about holding my team's christmas party, one of my charges mentioned that the manager was a model for Mossimo.

He did look like a star.

To seal the deal, I asked this lady marketing officer if the manager can pose as our very own Santa Claus! And guess who Mrs. Claus would be?

Later on, I was accosted by one of my team's support people who brought along a local magazine show host. He's this young soon-to-be-hunk that we often see on TV these days.

Of course, I had several pictures taken.

A night out with stars...

Although I no longer believe they are essentially of a different race than most normal people, I still feel a little star-struck. I can't wait to be Mrs. Claus!

Baby Steps

In a few days, I will be one year old in my present company... And I am currently celebrating this feat with my baby lappie...



Just soaking the mushrooming coffee-wifi spots all over metro Naga with nothing really important to do.

Silver Thoughts

I am now officially 25 years old. It's my silver anniversary. Twenty five years since I first opened my eyes to the world and cried because of the surprising experience. I would imagine the burning feeling of every impulse in overdrive as I was suddenly thrust into the unknown - the biting coldness of the antiseptic air on my skin, the cloying dampness and the metallic stench of blood overwhelming my nose and the harsh brightness of the room assaulting my eyes. I can only imagine the horror of it all.

And now I'm here. All 25 years worth of experiences writing this down as I again add another testament to my existence.

I am at a loss. I swirl my Merlot and breathe in the fruity notes of raspberry as I ponder on this blank space. Later today, I plan on hearing Mass to thank the Almighty for giving me life in all its beautiful imperfection. Above all, I will give thanks for all the friendships I have found and nourished in my life for they are the family of my heart.

I have always been a little theatrical on my birthdays but I guess this is pretty normal. We can't help but look back on our lives, sorting out memories that stand out and crying and laughing inside at all the funny mishaps we've survived. I look like a fool now as I recall fond memories of birthdays past and pause as I silently wish for the people I no longer have with me.

Birthdays, I now understand, are reminiscent to what I construe as the chaos of impulses when we are borne in this world. That's why, as babies, our instinct is to cry.

Now I feel the same. I'm deeply grateful for everything I have in my life and at the same time I feel a distinct sadness that punctures my very soul. My thought drifts to the man who passed away unexpectedly. To put it simply, I have lost when he died. And today, I am gripped with an overwhelming sense of longing for him. I miss my dad terribly even after all these years. The pain of losing someone never really leaves us; we just find ways of distracting ourselves eventually.

In a few hours my family will start waking up and I will summon my greatest smile as they wish me a Happy Birthday. No gifts and no sweet frills - only the uncomplicated greetings reserved for birthdays.

I will have a happy birthday.

'Good morning, Little Piglet,' said Eeyore. 'If it is a good morning,' he said. 'Which I doubt,' said he. 'Not that it matters,' he said.

A. A. Milne (1882 - 1956)

British writer.Typical of Eeyore's gloomy outlook.

Winnie the Pooh, "Eeyore Has a Birthday"

Microsoft ® Encarta ® 2007. © 1993-2006 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

Song Bug

I'm following a few blogs online and two of them currently feature Whitney Houston. MisterHubs currently has MTV Icon: Whitney Houston featuring Mad TV's fun gibe at the artist and Ruff has One Moment In Time using the song (of the same name) as his inspiration for this year's resolution. Copycat that I am, I'd like to share and help preserve this beautiful, beautiful song that I can't seem to get tired of (plays on my iTunes and my mobile) by the same wonderful artist.




Don't mind the last part. I know there's a boo-boo somewhere at the end; she must have been rattled by performing live in such an intimate venue with Mariah. I'm a Whitney fan through and through but we all know Mariah can out sing her when she belts out those high C's of hers. They both have outstanding voices and amazing vocal ranges but Whitney's songs are the ones I grew up with.

Personally, I find Mariah's songs a little impersonal. Wikipedia has this to say about Mariah,

...is well-known for her vocal range, power, melismatic style, and use of the whistle register. However, some critics have said her efforts to showcase her vocal talents have been at the expense of communicating true emotion through song.

Or probably it's just the way she sings them. I have great respect for her as an artist and I admire her songwriting skills, spewing out those words, playing with phrasing and making them sound so liquid the words just melt together.

In Mariah's Breakdown, can you catch these words?

underneath the guise of smile gradually I'm dying inside
friends ask me how I feel and I lie convincingly
'Cuz I don't want to reveal the fact that I'm suffering
so I wear my disguise 'til I go home at night
and I turn down all the lights and then I break down and cry

Hunks of Justice

Impulse, Green Arrow, Clark Kent, Aquaman and Cybog

I just finished Episode 6 "Justice" of Smallville and this has got to be the most exciting story that I have followed, so far. This is where Clark Kent (Tom Welling) is reunited with super friends who appeared in previous episodes and where the first hints of the creation of Justice League surfaced. Stars Justin Hartley as Oliver Queen/Green Arrow, Kyle Garner as Bart Allen/Impulse, Alan Ritchson as Arthur Curry or AC/Aquaman and Lee Thompson Young as Victor Stone/Cyborg. In one scene, Green Arrow named Clark as "Boy Scout" when he was talking to Chloe at Green Arrow's watch tower.

I (We) Know Why The Caged Bird Sings

Critics have found Maya Angelou's (Marguerite Johnson) narrative in the book I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings running along two traditional themes of autobiography: the triumph over obstacles and the search for identity. The story tells about the young Maya growing up with the stigma of being abandoned by her mother, rejected by the society and subsequently her own feelings of inadequacy. It is shown that she rises above adversity by transcending the tripartite crossfire of masculine prejudice, white illogical hate and the black lack of power. This, I believe, was the main selling point of the novel.

People in all walks of life can identify themselves with the story. However removed we are from the racial prejudices in the West and the stigma these injustices bring, we Filipinos can still see parallels in our society. Early on in our lives, society has challenged us to be inventive in our ways (with food and even power shortages being part of Pinoy life) and develop coping mechanisms like our self-deprecating humor and an amazing supply of empathy bringing forth our sense of hospitality and friendliness even in times of want.

Growing up in hard-pressed areas, the majority of Pinoys also learn that it takes not just diligence to take on life but a surprising sprinkling of luck from the Stars. We are constantly surprised by suddenly successful people (read: nouveau riche) and immediately assume sinuwerte, baka nanalo sa Lotto. We have been enslaved by our horoscopes and pamahiins that we know Chinese never give out money on Mondays. Do-re-mi babies are born everywhere trusting that the gods that be have greater plans in the end, holding on to that elusive cloud of hope. We fervently follow our weekly dose of Showbiz balita, drowning ourselves in soap operas and identifying with the incurably helpless and vulnerable bida, expecting a Knight in Shining Armor (or Darna) to rescue her or a last-minute appearance of a deus ex machina to right all the wrongs in the world.

Although Maya's story did not involve any clear lucky happenstance that turned her world around, we Filipinos would know where to find it. Many of us have dedicated our lives to discovering that one lucky break. Many still would describe a life as a long journey, occasionally helped by an unexpected pedicab which just happened to have a fare to where we're going.

Looking back at our history as a people, it's no wonder we are who we are now. It's even being told that Filipinos behave this way because we have been enshrined in convents for 300 years and brought out to freedom in brothels for 30 years. Our identities are as colorful as a mix of red Spanish Latinos, white Americans, yellow Japanese and inherent brown Asians.

That's why we, as a people, transcend even the face of the tripartite crossfire of poverty, political unrest and plain social indifference. We still triumph over obstacles in the continuing search for our identity. We may not be Maya Angelou but We Know Why The Caged Bird Sings.

The neighbors have videoke.

What's in a name?

I googled the whole phrase, What's in a name? and I got the site What's your Japanese Name?

It asked some questions and voila!

Watashi no namae wa

Your Japanese Name Is...

Yukio Hayashi

What's your Japanese Name?