blogonhoy: August 2007 | pauline orendain

28.8.07

but i but i, but i wanna know for sure

Lee feels the blues, originally uploaded by pauloy.

How long has Romeo Lee been doing his Wild Thing?! Forever it seems; from college days when we used to climb mountains and share iced buko, to the I've seen Elvis concerts where freshmen gawked at the wild man of Diliman with shock and horror. I was fortunate enough to hang out with him for a while and hear his old jokes again which still make me laugh to this day–not because they're funny–it's all in the telling. I thought he was a little more subdued, but I could be wrong. He still rocks out with Wild Thing.

27.8.07

woohoo, nothing to do

Well, not really. I've loads of sleep to catch up on, but instead I've been reading Luis' book of essays and enjoying it as if he were simply telling me stories of what happened to him on the way to his daily grind. Easy to read, funny, and full of keen observations, Luis' writing is as it always has been–simply entertaining or entertainingly just the essentials, I'm glad I had the pleasure of his company when I was finally able to pick it up from Powerbooks because I was able to force him to write something on the inside page on the way back to Quezon City in the midst of Manila traffic. See, we can accomplish some things while sitting through rush hour. Anyway Luis, I wish you all the luck for the Essay award at the National Book Awards next week!

26.8.07

time is the enemy

L1060054.JPG, originally uploaded by pauloy.

Two weeks simply isn't enough time to see old friends, relive nostalgia and catch up on new developments. It simply isn't good enough to squeeze everyone one day a week when it takes up to a week to even schedule anything between monsoons, floods, and disastrous traffic. But we do what we can and a hurried vacation is better than no vacation at all and I would say my two weeks in Manila were well worth it–having managed to fit in a trip to the beach, a family reunion, a birthday party, a live gig, finally seeing SOME old friends again and catching up, and of course, some shopping which includes the purchase of a stack of local CDs and books, yay!

It felt surreal because everyone looked exactly the same, not a day older, as if no time had passed in the last nine years since I last saw them, and yet so much has happened. We've mostly fallen off the calendar age-wise, some now raising children with husbands or wives, but when we got together over a bottle, glass, cup or sinigang, it was like old times again and we were reckless youth with no responsibilities as the kids were home with someone watching over them. The warm beer tastes like no other, the hot gin trickles between your lips and dribbles down your throat like no other, the oppressive air damp with last night's rain feels like no other, and the food, oh, the food you can only find there and simply tastes like home.

Next time, we ought to try three weeks. At least we can get more people in, and yes, spend more beach time. Time kills your best laid plans and constantly threatens to run out on you when you need it most. It's as if you just never get enough, especially when you're jet lagged and can't sleep in the right time zone. So, I'll try to make use of it and absorb my stack of music, digest some words, and, bahala na bukas.

1.8.07

Stardust, the movie

I went in thinking, "it's going to be awful", thinking Neverwhere, MirrorMask. But, seeing the preview last night with some friends, I came out of it thinking, "it's not so bad". The best part was when Ricky Gervais delivers his line, "Are you havin’ a laugh?" and we laughed out loud because it was Ricky Gervais acting like Ricky Gervais acting like Andy Milman from Extras doing a bit part with some lines. Now, I no longer remember the book, but I certainly don't remember it being a comedy. Sure, it had Neil Gaiman humor, but I don't remember it being "comic". It was a fairy tale, with a sex scene, for adults mostly, with a brightly glowing star with mussed hair who glowed far brighter than Claire Danes, and I imagined her as an albino, Luna Lovegood type with that platinum coloring. But that's the book. Again, the film isn't bad, except for Robert De Niro who, in this movie, truly is.