Poetry

It is 5:30 AM and I can't sleep. Probably because it is my birthday and by virtue of personal traditions, I should be weary. I'm going running in a bit.

Anyhow, I was looking through my computer files and found this poem I wrote a few months ago. Read the whole thing and other originals here on my POETRY BLOG. 

Today is My 19th Birthday (and Smart's Live More Run Promo Video)!

Shoes I've had since sophomore high school. If there is one thing I can't buy, it's shoes for sport. These ones are ruined but it was because of something awesome!

It is very sad that this blog is getting less and less updated. It is just I have been very busy for the past few days. Suddenly, I feel so sad for being unable to maintain my blog properly. (Yes, I am very vulnerable when it is my birthday.)

It's is my 19th birthday, my last run before turning two decades old. There is a lot of fear, worry, anxiety involved but I will hopefully have a good birthday this year. I've tried my best to change the way I look at myself and this world in the past few months and I hope it worked. Let's see

In other news, watch the advertisement for Smart's Live More Run which will happen next year! Exciting!

And yes, I'm in it being professionally awkward forever. Look at that:

But I had a lot of fun! Actually, if you have good eyes, you will see that beneath all the lack of grace is a happy, happy boy. I hope they put this up on TV so I can scratch off appearing on TV commercials off my not-so-secret vanity bucket list.

The Little Women are preachy but adorable

The title of this post says it all.

Little Women is a heart-warming cliche tale but with a well-executed tension: a poor family of girls rich in love for each other. Good cliche is very hard to find but then you get a little bit too jealous of the good-natured and highly self-conscious personas of the sisters. You will definitely start hating yourself for being inconsiderate, untalented, waddling in the marsh of sin, etc. Effective preachiness.

*spoiler alert

I have to be honest though. I wanted to throw my lamp against a wall after Chapter 40 where Beth meets her end and Alcott, as if running away from an angry mob, immediately removes to heating the romance between the other sister and the neighbor... in a picturesque foreign land. Really Alcott? Can't we dwell into the sadness for at least the next two chapters?

Verdict: Read it while you are wrong young. You age faster in this modern society and with age comes a sudden hostility towards an unlimited intrinsic supply of wellness of soul and being. As a coping mechanism, my new block mate lent me her copy of the Virgin Suicides. Oh yes, darkness! I can't believe I missed you! Muwahahaha

Lech Walesa on Solidarity

Former Polish President Lech Walesa at the Irwin Theater Podium alongside a translator.

Last September 29, the Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and past Polish President Lech Walesa visited Ateneo to talk about solidarity in the face of globalization. As it was a very wonderful opportunity (at least for me) to meet a Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, it was rather easy to fanboy over the adorable and brilliant man. His never-ending supply of images to illustrate points were very enlightening and at the same time very playful. 

Three points I will most definitely keep in mind (non-verbatim):

• On the question of true democracy, Mr. Walesa quipped, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world: "Democracy is similar to pregnancy. It is either you're pregnant... or not." Crowd erupts in a laughter of realization: Democracy is absolute and should never be negotiable.

• Solidarity is multi-step. First, you acknowledge that you can't carry on a load by yourself and you inspire/ask everyone around you to help you. They will pass the request on until you are collectively strong enough. 

• With passion and a strong belief in what you are able to accomplish, you can do everything. To illustrate the point, he shares how he grew up with very little education but it never stopped him. Awesome, awesome guy.

And yes (duh) he has a Time Magazine cover.

Solidarity men, solidarity. Of course, even though I was still dust before the Martial Law, I could feel the collective power of recollection in the theatre when Lech Walesa shared his fascination of Former Pres. Cory Aquino and the solidarity she fostered in the Filipino people during World War I. According to him, the Philippines deserved a Nobel Peace Prize in the name of Cory Aquino.

These great men. 

*I acknowledge that his name is spelled with fancier characters but I can't seem to figure out how to put them in this without getting encoding errors. No harm meant. And we actually have a more intimate photo but I couldn't upload it. He was very open to photo ops with the students which he pronounced  his target audience.

Jonathan Pierce's "I Didn't Realize" and an upcoming solo album!

I gave out a little squeak of delight when I first saw the promo photo for Jonny Pierce's solo album which will be released soon! Jonny also released a video for one of the songs to be included in the upcoming solo album. 

Of course, there is no denying that there is still a giant The Drums flavor in the vocals of the song, however, shot in a claustrophobic brick alley in haunting black and white, offers a more purified self-estranging  darkness that we all love from The Drums.

Verdict: Jonny Pierce is mature enough to stand on his own, however The Drums is still a gift that humanity isn't ready to let go of so no one dare talk of a break-up!

Guesting on RX 93.1!

Last Saturday, at around 1:40 PM, I was on-air at RX 93.1 promoting my organization's party which happened later that day. I was on the radio!

I would like to say thank you to the guys at RX because they are so awesome, so warm and nice I was actually having fun beneath all the nervous trembling! Hmmm... what if I do this professionally? I've been forcing my friends to tell me that I sounded good on the radio and they yielded fast. I might have a future in this field. Ehem. 

Taxing smoke: luxury sticks

A screen cap from a fashion film by Ruth Hogben:
There is no denying cigarettes, a major target of the bill, is a cultural phenomenon. 

With the senate voting for the Sin Tax Bill, a great number of anti-smoking individuals are rejoicing the predicted curbing of smoking in the Philippines by a sharp increase in the prices of tobacco products.

Well, while I am one in the cause of dramatically decreasing the incidence of smoking-related health problems in the country, I can't deny the fear of some other less attractive complications with the indoctrination of the bill. A very obvious one will be the more defined gap between the rich and the poor. Smoking will be less accessible to those who belong to the lower echelon and the rich will be the primary consumers of the products.

This will propel the stronger symbolisms behind cigarette use. It is very noticeable that the use of cigarettes (and alcohol for that mater) are more prevalent in creative groups - an explanation would be the more liberal and experimental approach creatives have towards substances. Smoking is not only a vice, it is a shared experience that pulls a crowd together. Like it or not, it is very symbolic as it is detrimental.

And with this new bill, cigarettes will not be only a display of liberality but also of luxury. Yes, on a national level, a significant decrease in the demand of cigarettes will most likely occur but in a more sociological space, it will strengthen the connotation of smoking. A stick will not only be more expensive, it will replace/compliment a Keepall 45".

Andrea's 18th: Friends and being almost emotional!

Andrea's 18th Birthday from Leo Lutero on Vimeo.

Fun!

There is no point in denying that we have communal insanity. The public place becomes our institution but of course, only when we our in a good number (more appropriately, in a herd).

Andrea has been a wonderful friend and she has been a classmate since first year high school. We would often fight over trivial things and I remember making her cry over a silly argument when she accused me of wearing fake glasses ("I'm not one of those people!"). She consistently performed well in  school while I failed at balancing academics and hormones. Come college, she was accepted in the country's most selective medical degree program and triumphantly remained humble.

The peak of our relationship was reached around second year when she got comfortable engraving my forearms until they bleed with her teenage nails. She gets that annoyed when provoked. Haha. Also, I like it when she finds things funny and tries to hide her giggles because she always fails. For her 18th birthday we all concluded that she should get a guy.

It is awesome to still be with friends from high school. Especially someone you are sure will be successful but will never forget you. 

I've been wanting to work with video again for a long time and dropping by the vicinity of UP Manila for one of our closest friend's 18th birthday was just an awesome opportunity to get back to shooting and editing. We had a lot of fun albeit the commute being very taxing.

PULSE - November 24 at Fiamma, Makati. Party for a cause!

If you're looking for a night-out on November 24, 2012, head down to Fiamma in Makati for a night that will be fun no doubt! The PULSE 2012 party is organized by the Pre-Medical Society of the Ateneo and will benefit the programs of Ateneo Gives Back and the number of medical missions initiated by the organization every year. It is definitely a party for a good cause so be sure to go!

You can contact me at 09064986672 (Globe) for tickets. Check out the ClicktheCity.com page here and don't forget to like it! Also, click "Going" on the Facebook event page here. 

This event is brought to you by:

L'Oreal Paris

Garnier

Asianic Knitting

Greenstone Packaging Corporation

Monster Radio RX 93.1

Tommy Hilfiger

The PMSA

***

Due to a recent change in my college schedules, I am able to volunteer and participate more in events around the campus that I am really interested in. I hope you guys will get tickets for the party and enjoy a great night with the Pre-Medical Society of the Ateneo. See you!

Philippine Fashion Week 2013 Favorites: PART 1

Well, I've been intending to make a round-up of all the Philippine Fashion Week Spring Summer 2013 shows (for a more popular Filipino website) by focusing on the crowd favorites but also with regard to my personal biases but time has been nothing but all too rare. All I could do was browse through the photos archived in StyleBible.ph and pick my personal favorites.

The collection that immediately caught me is  Dodjie Batu's SS Collection for Men. There is no denying that it can be more challenging to make clothes for the men because if you intend to make something wearable, it will be far less imaginative as what you can do with womenswear. To make a good collection for men, there is a need for infinite fine tuning and ingenious creativity at the right things and the collection reveals just that.

By taking advantage of sharp cuts to provide that clean-cut luxurious flair, the collection was able to remain manly and very wearable without giving up its forward flair of plaid patterns in earthy colors with pastel accents of flowery vintage print hemlines.

There is something very luxurious about earthy, muted colors and crisp fabric on men. 

Although it isn't perfect and the vision still kind of hazy (but who am I to say?), it is a good collection and if I had the money I would probably buy pieces. The spring summer collection could have done with a few cardigans or blazers here and there which will couple wonderfully with the aesthetics used.

Odelon Simpao S/S 2013

Aris Pico - Luxury! Vera Wang anyone?

There are a lot of designers who showcased their collections at the PFW 2013 and it is my goal to go through each of them. This list is, of course, incomplete so I am making this the Part 1 of a series with a still unknown number of installments. 

If you are interested in any of the designs showcased, just research the designer's name and I'm sure you will be able to find their contact details easily on a designer phonebook somewhere here on the internets. Remember, it is always better to buy local pieces and promote the scene!

PFW 2013 might not be as big as its Milan, Paris, New York, London etc counterpart but I am very confident in saying that it is getting there! And it will soon with the help of undying enthusiasm towards the growth of the industry.

PS: I'm thinking of doing a podcast/videocast about my Philippine Fashion Week picks however I have to overcome the disabling disdain I have towards my own recorded voice and fussing with video-audio editors. I will try but there is no guarantee for success.

Lana del Rey and why prejudice sucks

It is very heartbreaking for me to admit that only a few months ago, I dismissed Lana del Rey as a talentless wannabe and altogether removed her songs from my playlist. If it is right to prejudge an artist or a person in general, Lana del Rey's talent can be easily misunderstood. The brilliance of her songs is just not very apparent upon first contact. It is probably that antipathetic quality in her songs which can be easily mistook as sloth.

Yep, there is also the theory that she is faking her way into the industry with her elegant, all-American glamour look but Lana del Rey does deserve a few more replays and when you start unearthing whatever context from your personal memories that can relate to her songs, you will understand that quality of untouched, almost cruel laid-backness and realize how much you love it.

I can't write music reviews which makes me wonder: What can I actually write?

I have a link to a Grooveshark playlist of four of my favorite Lana del Rey songs (one a remix). Consider it an Introduction to the Appreciation of Lana del Rey. Enjoy! (click here)

Pitch Perfect Comedy - You'll hurt laughing

After lusting over trailers and GIFs I could find on Tumblr tagged with "Pitch Perfect" I finally was able to watch the whole movie. 

Unfortunately, the gargantuan movie house chains in the Philippines decided not to show the film so my friend had to do additional research. She found out it was only showing in Robinson's Galleria (you can do a double check if you doubt her research skills). With Rebel Wilson as our new master, we were giggling our way to our movie seats twenty minutes early with a third friend who had no idea what she was in for.

Pitch Perfect is a good movie. The plot line was kind of worrying as it was kind of overused. A new girl who doesn't want her (free) college degree wants to produce music in L.A. She is stuck in college then ends up with a bunch of girls who sing a cappella. But...

we flailed our extremities laughing and although it was sad to see the cinema almost empty, it was for the better so no one was hurt from our physical exploits.

How to feel worthless and suicidal: an almost funny guide

Go back to the dormitories far too early as if you're that excited for classes to resume.

Instagram (@leolutero)! Cause I'm a photographer, that's why.

Because of a good number of things I have to talk over with people from my university, I would have to return to my college dormitory about a week ahead of everyone else. The dorm will not be empty but there will only be at most one person per floor. That is sad. Yes, there is the prospect of going out for dinners with friends living nearby but that can only be enjoyable for so long. If you repeat an activity, it will definitely reach a point which, in Filipino, is a very interesting word: nakakaumay. 

Reach or reread the "Dark Days" chapter of Little Women. 

Lose your wallet. 

I keep on losing my things that it has come to a point that people start believing the sole purpose of my existence is to get rid of objects by misplacing them. Of course, if these people just took a closer look they will realize what a painful slashing it is to my heart whenever I lose something. There is the terrible amount of blaming oneself followed by immense doubt on the capabilitie, and a lot of other symptoms that are just horrible. The reputation for losing things often associates you with words as "rash" and "disorganized" but it's like scolding a pig for being fat.

Please people, the world is sad enough! It is only proper, however very pathetic, that we help each other create the illusion of happiness.

Behind the Smiles: Masskara 2012

written by Leo Lutero

The Masskara is known for an almost infinite line of Bacolodnons donning glittering costumes and even more blinding masks with cheek-to-cheek smiling faces. Even though before I moved to Manila to study I was just a ferry ride away from this happy city, I’m unfamiliar with the festival so there was no denying I was just as excited as every other tourist in the city.

I arrived in Bacolod city morning before the festival highlight which is the street dance competition. The city might seem too quite at first with only a handful of people walking up and down even emptier streets. After a drive through several key roads only will you realize that everyone was in the town plaza and the surrounding streets. Because the fiesta was literally on the road, several routes were closed to vehicles. If visiting Bacolod, an experienced guide will prove useful navigating through the roads which I found tricky especially with the special detours for the festival.

The afternoon showed an incline in the mood of the city: street food, music, and a lot of Filipino families scattered on foot looking for a good time and as nighttime approached, the merry-making reaches a whole new level.

Loud DJ mixes will start playing simultaneously on countless 10-foot tall speaker systems scattered around the city and everyone will start drinking their local beers, all in the happy spirit of Masskara. The air will also be filled with smoke and the smell of barbecue as grills will start to fire up. For a while, it reminded me of Roman parties which were synonymous with unlimited wine and meat. Definitely, everyone is ready to have a wonderful time.

I suggest finding a good spot on the streets of Bacolod particularly those surrounding the city’s plaza where the merry-making is concentrated. Seat yourselves, grab some cold beer, wait for your barbecue, add freshly cooked white rice and eat dinner while watching the commotion. Several stages with live bands were also erected in the area. A number of product promotions with games and freebies were also set up. As with all festivals, several stands selling souvenir items were also ready to be haggled with. Tattoo artists with their henna ink and their battery powered flashlights also scatter around ready to be commissioned.

After the first night, I went home with a full stomach, a good level of tipsiness and joy that I was finally able to join the Masskara festivities which have eluded me. The endorphin-charged crowd is definitely infectious.

The next day, when the street dancing competition took place, I unfortunately had a headache that tablets could not tame so I wasn’t able to go out and watch the street dance competition although I am sure it was beautiful. The street dance competition involve a huge number of people in beautifully bright costumes dancing complex choreography retelling the story of the arrival of the Sto. Nino. As I’ve read on the newspaper earlier that day, to cope with changing times, every street dance team was accompanied by a live DJ, a change from the more traditional live music. Bacolod City is definitely like that: willing to adapt but still holding on to the values that keep it together.

When the tropical heat relaxed and my head started working properly again, I went out to explore the city by foot. Walking around the city isn’t much of a problem as long as you’re located near the center of the fun which is the lagoon. Bacolod City is friendly to walkers, especially during a cloudy day where the sun’s heat is friendlier. I saw several more shops. Of course, there were ukay-ukays, a must for someone who likes to find vintage pieces and cheap deals on second-hand items. I saw combat boots that were in perfect condition sold for a bargain! Too unfortunate they weren’t my size.

Walking around the city, you get to see the more toned-down historical influences in the city that gives Bacolod a unique flair. There are wooden houses, the churches, and several other elements growing beside commercial establishments that show Bacolod is a growing city. It isn’t metropolitan per se but the heightened level of activity shows it isn’t a sleeper either. Dropping by the Municipal Hall, a majestic white establishment with a wide circular infinity fountain affront, I was in awe. A sign that Bacolod is ready to take over. There are also several malls in the city like SM, Robinson’s, and Gaisano for grocery needs if ever. The breezy afternoon is perfect for trying several more street food. There are freshly baked bibingkas and you can actually see the special ovens they use to make the treat. Also, there are chicken intestines on stick or “isaw” which I’ve been a fan of ever since my first try. The Bacolod isaw is serious competition to the isaws I have tasted before.

As the night falls again, we decide to drop by the popular nigh-out spot in Bacolod, Goldenfields. It is a compound with a good number of clubs and bars. Also, the charming Casino Filipino building is inside and is especially alive during this Masskara night. After hanging out at MO2, a popular bar chain in Visayas, we moved to Flow, a club which was slowly filling up with people ready to party. After realizing we weren’t really up for the club, we moved to Lacson Street which is the merry-making capital of the Masskara’s Bacolod. People were dancing on the streets, finding the spots nearest the towering speaker systems, and wildly flailing to disco mixes “Karma Chameleon” or “Gangnam Style” (I don’t think they even care whatever song is played!) while clutching their half-empty bottles of beer. It was fun watching all the people have fun. Lacson Street was filled with policemen ready to keep everything in order and everyone safe so the energy was just positive. After a few more cold beers and a minute or two on the dance floor, we went home. I was content with watching my fellow Filipinos just enjoy their life and city, dancing on the streets with huge smiles on their faces, at least once a year.

Book Club: Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

photo from here

I know. They're not the March sisters but I can't stop thinking about Sofia Coppola's entirely unique girls halfway through the book.

I am starting my own book club with the membership of myself after convincing (again) myself that actually putting up an organization for my reading will inspire me to read more religiously and not leave my books half-opened. I find not finishing books a very gross habit. 

Close to buying a pricey copy of Alex Gilvarry's "From the Memoirs of a Non-enemy Combatant", I remembered how unkind I can be to my books and opted to test myself with a classic. Little Women is heartwarming, the opening is very appropriate because I am becoming more ungrateful everyday. The March family is very ideal and do not be shocked when you start comparing your own family profile to theirs.

As you go deeper into the book and get to know the family more, prepare to be ashamed of yourself. In comparison to the sisters, you are a demon child, a burden to your parents, and very self righteous at that. So good luck to your self-esteem. However, if you are confident that you are God-sent, read on and nod your head as you recognize the Civil Wartime-American-family values.

Book club question: Why are some people so prim, proper, and nice? Can you survive being one of them (this means no psycho-active substances and TV programs outside the GA rating)?

Airport post after hosting an event

Yay for not sleeping at all!

I'm at the airport waiting for my plane back home to Iloilo. I guess I'm too early for my flight but it is all good because I get to do a quick post in this blog which has been dormant for so long.

Last night, I hosted a party and as part of the promotion, I got to introduce myself through a video. Vanity is coming, avert your eyes!

The first semester of my sophomore year has come to an end and I'm like vomit: regurgitated amongst papers, identity crisis and bad choices. Yes, I'm a survivor! *selfhug

To b or not to bboy

Do not use the grossness of the title against me. I have to make this quick post because my blog has been dead and will be for a few more weeks. It is finals season and I will be reduced to a vegetable-like existence.

It is my agenda to take interesting PE classes and a few weeks ago, I just ended this semester's PE class which was… Introduction to Breakdancin' or Bboying!

Bboying, according to the introductory lecture, is a lifestyle which is more familiar as a form of dance called Breakin'. It is when people roll on the floor, spin and do a lot more flailing as glorified in a lot of pop movies. If you know me personally, you would know I am like the anti-bboy, analogous to matter and antimatter. I would not deny that I took the class to understand the fuss and further rationalize why I was never attracted to the craft.

You can practice your top rocks to this:

Verdict: Bboy is awesome… if you're confident and you are immersive which I am not. The songs are good (but not entirely unfamiliar because I developed an earlier appreciation of Jamiroquai and Skee-Lo). And I do not regret the ligament tears that I diagnosed myself with trying to perfect my CCs and six-steps in between gasps of precious oxygen.

Blur

Trying to survive by replaying a few episodes of Friends (especially fueled tonight by a lecture on another Matthew Perry in History class earlier today). What a tiring string of days it has been and I'm so uninspired. Sad =(( I keep watching movies and reading books which definitely means I'm doing less school work. 

Something interesting: I directed a photo shoot for promotional materials for a party I am helping organize! Unfortunately, it's only open to people in my org/course or those who are affiliated so I can't invite everyone but something/s is coming up which will be very exciting and will be open to everyone!

In other news, my phone is being weird so for the past few days I have been unable to receive any SMS messages. There is now enough empirical proof that there is some cosmic incompatibilities between me and telecommunications technology. I can call, send texts but not receive anything.

I'm listening to Bjork and have a face mask on. Stress depletes testosterone so I'm being very girly tonight because I'm stressed out of not having enough drive to do anything (it's tiring being always in the middle). 

Non-blogger post

I'm not a blogger. (Woah, big shocker.)

My blog is like a scapegoat for my boredom although it does not, on any level, mean that I do not like blogging. It's just I don't have a good level of self-discipline to produce an entry about everything worth blogging that I get into. In fact, I'm writing this in the middle of studying organic chemistry, a beautiful subject I hate with every fiber of my existence because I never grow confidence talking about it. Moving on.

Here are what happened to me recently (not that you care, but I wouldn't assume that you don't care plus it will be fun reading how I had fun when I was young in the future):

Armi showing me how to it properly.

1. Discovered Up Dharma Down. My friends are big fans of the band but I wasn't. Definitely not because I didn't like their music. I was never compelled enough to actually look for their songs and listen to them. My first encounter is a live performance where they played at arm's reach. I'm a lucky guy. Now, as a testimony of how much I adore the band, I'm becoming a problem to my friends. I want to be a singer and dreams as such often involves croaking: "Luhaan, sugatan, di mapa...kinabangan" again and again with an obscene amount of feelings. 

2. Went home to Iloilo for my best friend's party. I don't have photos except this one with my co-host who is just so pretty and so sexy I feel so ugly. Ugh, perfection.

Excuse me for ruining the photo.

It was fun! Got to reunite with a lot of my elementary classmates that you should have seen me talking about the past so enthusiastically. When you're in grade school, you take yourself very seriously that it becomes a self-incriminating memory.

3. I'm with my mom right now. She went here in Manila and she'll be staying for about a week to stay with me for a while and go places with her friends. I like it when my mom is here because I am temporarily away from the shackles of living within an allowance and ironically, the lifestyle of a hoarder. Yay!

4. I have a vinyl disk. I'm still looking for my own player though. It's a magnificent first edition of the LP Loverboy by a band Loveryboy from the 1980s. Canadian!

So there you go, four long and almost useless posts compressed into a short list. Oh the pros and cons of non-bloggers. Joy!

And BTW, I'm in an early stage of creating an online brand selling awesome things. I'm not sure if it's ever going to happen but planning it makes me happy and that is good. If it ever pushes through, support me and buy the shiz!

wingspan300.sulit.com.ph <- shop my preloved items there! (books at awesome prices whattup!)

Indicator of a flaw in the system

Wrong people given authority - a wonderful, giant CHECK!

Sotto's anti-RH speech copied from US writer who writes about recipies

Sotto's description of the purported ill effects of birth control pills on unborn children was lifted nearly word for word from the blog of "Sarah, the healthy home economist," a US-based writer who also opposes vaccines for children and offers recipes for goodies like grain-free pumpkin cookies.

...

3. Sotto’s speech:

“Pathogenic, opportunistic flora that take hold in the gut when the pill is used constantly produce toxic substances which are the by-products of their metabolism. These toxins leak into the woman’s bloodstream and they have the potential to cross the placenta. Therefore, gut dysbiosis exposes the fetus to toxin.”

Sarah’s blog:

“Pathogenic, opportunistic flora that take hold in the gut when The Pill is used constantly produce toxic substances which are the by-products of their metabolism. These toxins leak into the woman’s bloodstream and guess what, they have the potential to cross the placenta! Therefore, gut dysbiosis exposes the fetus to toxins.”

View the whole article here from gmanetwork.com

As a nation, we hire the worst people. This plagiarism was first pointed out by the Filipino Freethinkers.

I did not hear Sotto give the speech or even read a transcript. All I knew was that it was very moving and he shed tears. How dare someone shed tears reading a copy-paste speech from an online blogger who thinks vaccinations are bad? When the ridiculousness of the caliber (or lack thereof) of the people leading our country surfaces, we laugh, then we feel hopeless. This hopelessness would not be made possible without you, Sen. Sotto. 

Reese & Vica: Crossing Neverland Album

Favorite track: (the first song is a jackpot!) Copycats

"Take off your clothes, take off your skin and bones"

Listened to this album while chewing off a Snickers bar for breakfast and sipping on my morning coffee. It felt very appropriate.

The duo will definitely have something good down the road.The lyrics are dark, not cheaply sentimental with very homey guitar play. The album is a good debut because it makes me want to watch out for more of their originals. There is room for creative maturation but this 9-track collection of originals contains a lot of passion and talent that only gives me optimism. I am also hoping they get to play with more instruments soon! This album embodies the reason why I will try my best to go out of my way to support the local music: talent and wonderful promises.

By the way, my friend says (in repeat) that we are new Reese & Vica fanatics. Of course we are. Like them on Facebook here and you should definitely ask them where you can get a copy of their album because I am definitely happy having my own.

Also, check out their first song to be written in Filipino, Silip! Awesome.

Note: I need a lot of improvement as a music writer that is why I don't have much context or comparisons to decorate the band with.

Bottom line: good album, get a copy.

If I am to describe the album: will be played if ever I end up opening my own coffee shop.

I DON'T GIVE A FOLK!

After a long week of photos of people getting displaced and harmed by the flood, and also of volunteering and witnessing the persistence and compassion of the Filipino people, we decided to go out and have a special Friday night for the unlike-anything-else week we just experienced.

A friend's organization, the UP Underground Music Community, created the event at Tomato Kick Katipunan. Of course, with his invitation, we attended. Check the awesome poster below:

They also accepted donations at the event so I was able to drop off a small bag of extra clothes I had sorted in my dorm cabinet for the flood victims. Every bottle of beer bought that night also equaled a 20 peso donation to the flood victims courtesy of Tomato Kick (who also provided food for the volunteers early that day at the U.P. IskOperations.) There you go. The perfect reason to get hammered.

My friend and I are also in the early parts of our immersion in local independent music. I love indie music but my playlist is filled with overseas acts. The event made me realize something. THERE IS A LOT OF LOCAL TALENT that will make you proud and happy once you hear them perform. Manila is a music and art community. Bottom line: Support Local Independent Music (or, according to the Underground Music Community, "S-L-I-M").

Till the World Ends, a Britney cover by Reese and Vica

The duo is just awesome. The one posted is a cover but they have a number of originals. I know this because I got a copy of their "Crossing Neverland" album for free! It is so cute with the doodles (watch out! separate blog post). It's so amazing because they're so young and the album is already so good. If you want a copy(you should get one!), you can contact them through their Facebook here.

Ourselves (The Elves) playing their first gig. "We are not a cutesy band."

A Sound of Music cover by Bullet Dumas. Awesome guy. Check out his Facebook page here and listen to his great originals!

Kaleidoscope Eyes rocking it out. 

I am not partial to the bands mentioned here. I was just unable to take photos/videos/notes consistently. You know that feeling when you discover an awesome band? Multiply that by around ten and that is exactly how I felt so I forgive myself for not taking good photos of every single awesome act that night. For more information, here is the Facebook event where all the acts are listed together with their home pages for your convenience. Make for yourself some juice and take time to go through each of them.

SUPPORT LOCAL INDEPENDENT MUSIC. 

If we are like you in the rest, we will resemble you in that.

Hohol at the Ateneo College Covered Courts #rescuePH

Hohol (noun, verb) - "hang-out hang-out lang", tambay

My high school bunch and I who moved to the capital city has been struggling ever since graduation to find time to hang out. Most of them are in U.P. Diliman, some in U.P. Manila and there are even fewer of us here in Ateneo. Logistics is always a big problem.

When heavy rains and flooding leading to class suspensions hit Luzon, we decided to spend time together helping out at the relief operations in the Ateneo de Manila College Covered Courts. We also checked out the U.P. operations at the College of Kinetics Gym nighttime last August 8, 2012 but it was already closing down to prepare for the second wave the next day. I also wasn't able to take photos. 

It is so nice how universities, being huge groups of able-bodied students, responded very quickly to the call of duty. 

Flooding in Katipunan was very minimal compared to what was happening to the rest of the region so it was easy for us to travel around the Ateneo-UP area.

On our way to U.P., we passed by the "Penetrator" - A Proud Filipino Invention. Made me smile.

Dana sorting out donated clothes into piles for children and adults.

Food which were donated by the box were prepared for repacking.

This was taken during the first day of the operations. The goods were still on their way to the covered courts.

Volunteers can rest.
A well-equipped snack bar was also put up at Manang's where hungry volunteers can grab snacks and chill some more. Finally got to wear the shirt I made! It looks cool. I'm so proud. Haha.

Operations are still on-going today at the Ateneo College Covered Courts. Donations can also be dropped off there. An enthusiastic crowd is always on the watch, jumping up and down, ready to accept your donations and very willing to breeze you through the short donation process.

Yesterday, our shifts began around 11:30 AM and we left a few minutes after 8:30 PM, tired but very happy. Yesterday alone, 2,294 family packs were prepared. These packs include necessities that will keep a family alive for 3 days. There will also be a thanksgiving mass open to everyone later at 5 PM. Also, the operation is in need of more food items (canned meats), clothes, toiletries, medicines, blankets/towels/mats. See you!

Donate to the Habagat flood victims, PH #rescuePH

Top: The RecRoom, a venue hall located near the Ateneo dorms, has been converted into an evacuation center for members of the Ateneo community

Since yesterday, classes in the Ateneo has been suspended. The dormers and other groups volunteered to receive goods and prepare them for distribution at the Cervini Hall lobby. Today, August 8, the operations will be moved to the Ateneo Covered Courts where there will be more floor space for more goods that will hopefully come.

You can drop-off your donations at the Ateneo Covered Courts starting 1:00 PM today! Goods can also be handed over at the Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health beside Medical City, Ortigas Center, Pasig

We are accepting biscuits and other ready-to-eat goods, clothes sorted by gender and size, WATER, medicines, medical supplies (Band-aids, alcohol, Betadine), rice, etc. These goods will be repacked or cooked then dispatched to evacuation centers.

Also, the Ateneo DReaM Team has been working with rescue groups since late last night. If you know someone who is in need of rescue or immediate help, please don't hesitate to input their names/contacts/address in the crowd-sourced document here:

bit.ly/besafemanila

There are also emergency contact numbers in the document. Call/text them for immediate help.

The Ateneo Distaster Response and Management (DReaM Team).

Please stay safe. Please do try to do everything you can to  help keep everyone safe. These trying times, we must not falter. 

Emergency numbers from WhenInManila.com

Tie dye shirts - Yes to DIY!

Just retried tie dyeing last night! The plan was actually to make gradients but I had to divide the t-shirt using string and tape to prevent thorough mixing of the two dyes thus the weird outlines. Nonetheless, I'm happy with the outcome. The orange-yellow one used to be a plain yellow shirt I had to buy because we bought an extra one while making a club tee. The red-blue one was a plain, white V-neck tee. I don't have any idea why I own one.

I used powder fabric dyes I bough from a bookstore for a very cheap price (I don't really know dye prices but a sachet was cheaper than a donut!).

***

I'm in the library just fresh from making this decision: I will pass this paper for Organic Chemistry tomorrow, automatically slicing off 3 points from the maximum of 50. The extra night will hopefully give me more time to refine the whole thing and make it look better. The teacher is very particular with content so I think it was ok to let go of 3 points for better content. 

Yay!

Life of Pie (Trailer)

I will definitely watch this movie. I read the book about a year ago and I liked it because it was very simply written but had very interesting themes. I'm so excited. And look at those ocean scenes! They're so beautiful. They should be because the book has very subtle yet powerful magic.

Manila Killa - Strobe (Deadmau5 cover)

"On his birthday, the young Manila Killa drops his take on Deadmau5′s famous “Strobe.” The original melody and chords from the mau5 are enough to power any remix, but MK throws in all sorts of twists and turns in his energetic electro house reworking, and compliments it well with vocals from Eva Simons’ “I Don’t Like You.” It’s an interpretation that’s unique to his own style, and a pretty awesome way to celebrate the day. Happy birthday Chris!"

Read more (and download): http://soundisstyle.com/2012/07/deadmau5-strobe-manila-killa-remix.html#ixzz21lygwbX1

My own (online) book store

I've been wanting to do this for a while already but never had enough time and energy. Because it is a Sunday and it is too rainy to go out, I had time to work and...

My Sulit.com.ph page is now showcasing 8 items and it makes me feel legitimate.

These titles are from my personal collection of books and I'm running out of shelf space so I need to let go of these. My store's direct URL is

wingspan300.sulit.com.ph

You can go visit it and shop!

Titles include Handle with Care, Neverwhere, Stories from Around the World, Hari Manawari, Sambahin ang Katawan, The Moneylender's Daughter, Le Mariage, Dirty Dancing: Looking Back 2, Ana's Story. Hope someone buys something soon!

LG Optimus Me - New Phone from Globe

I got a new phone! It's actually free from the line and it's a cheapo Android phone. LG Optimus Me.  Needed a new one because the previous phone had the worst e-mailing system in the universe. I have accepted the fact that I don't deserve pricey phones because I lose them a lot. Just fresh into college I already lost a Samsung Galaxy and a slew of other cheaper mobile phones. Let us put our hands together and pray that this one will last me 5 years because only then will I prove that I don't have a congenital defect.

Because Instagram has an Android version (also Twitter), I am assuming that everyone of my followers need to know where I am and what I'm doing all the time. Here are some photos to show my complete transformation into a social media freak.

Just found this on our dorm network so I got to watch the first season. Awesome show.

Those are just some photos. My Instagram is @leolutero. Haha. I feel so creative.