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I’ve only been to very few plays and none of those were intentional visits. I was either invited or was required to watch for school projects. And last Saturday, another invitation came up to CCP and this one’s Golden Child.

Paulo, through Kaye, was so kind to provide us free tickets. Since it was a last-minute call, Lhen arrived so late and the three of us, including RJ, entered the theater door when the national anthem started playing. We were put to a halt throughout the song. The rest of the gang was already inside and we crammed our way in the dark to find our seats. The background music of the first scene was already playing and a bed was being put under the spotlight when we finally settled down.

Golden Child is about Eng Tien Bin, a businessman who has spent years doing business in the Philippines, and his return to China in the early 20th Century. Having been exposed to Christianity and western ways, he sets about unbinding his traditional Chinese household. His efforts lead to a game of one-upmanship among his three wives, leading to unintended consequences. His daughter, Ahn, is the Golden Child of the story who narrates the Eng history to her son, Andrew.

You see, I am prejudiced towards shows with cultural themes and this one’s Chinese so at the beginning I thought I wouldn’t like it. But eventually, I liked it. The show was funny and witty. I loved it each time the three wives would exchange dialogues, usually bitching each other out, and marvel on how they can deliver as if it weren’t scripted. They seemed real – quite old lines but authentic delivery. My favorite among the cast was the second wife – an ambitious woman who will do whatever it takes, even scheming against other people, to get what she wants. She’s funny.

After the play we took pictures with some of the actors. And then we took Paulo to dinner to say thanks. It was a fun night because Bhu was with us again after a long time. So… Til the next time. Plays really aren’t my thing but with this kind of witty script, I can make CCP my favorite place to hang out.

When you’ve known your friends since the day you were still discovering your own personality (in my case for almost a decade now), you can easily tell what’s good or bad for each other. You’re like siblings – or sometimes parents to those who are childish. As youngsters in high school we were easily influenced by our friends words because we didn’t really know how to handle things on our own. We needed them by our sides. But as we grow older, we learn to think for ourselves. And as friends, it also gets harder for us to get our points across.

Only twenty something, I still consider myself young yet I am already firm in following what I think is right unless I’m proven wrong – I’m open to that debate when necessary. I have high regard to my intellect and unbiased reason. Yabang noh . Well… As a believer of that, I also respect the choices that my friends make. Though, whenever we disagree, I give my side and insist on making them understand but I stop when I feel they won’t really get it. I just rely on the possibility that they’ll eventually know what I mean. I refuse to talk if no one will listen.

…

People change and we have to adjust even if they’re the ones we’ve known all our lives. We may not be comfortable with the changes but we can’t control them if that’s what they want. That’s the essence of living. We have to co-exist to live a harmonious relationship. And today, to happily co-exist with the people I’ve always cared for, I’ll stop talking and will just mind my own business. Hehe. It’s like I’ve overplayed my part already so it’s just fair to retire. I have a big pile of other things to have to face anyway. And in lieu of this, I wish for peace of mind, success stories and a whole lot of love for all of us.

If Mom were here she would’ve liked this song. It’s one of those self-help tunes – a charity single to benefit cancer research – only this one’s packed with more celebrity fame than essential lyrics. With an all-star female crew that has fans from a wide demographic, this will surely be a hit once released as a single. The song is catchy and passes my criteria for a workout song – I picture myself with my body sore in lifting weights and these divas on my head singing: If the mind keeps telling you’ve had enough but the heart keeps telling you don’t give up… Through it all just stand up! Hehe.

An original concept is a rarity nowadays. Gossip Girl fans, here’s a reason to hate on local TV – TV5 is gonna run a show loosely based on the Gossip Girl concept with an intentionally hilarious corny stupid the title “Lipgloss”. Yeah. It’s true. Based on the teaser (look for it on YouTube), Lipgloss is a amateur ugly social/gossip website about the students of a school called Linden High who came from big time families. The characters will be portrayed by new faces in showbiz but I recognized two of them who were from Pinoy Big Brother Teen Edition – Mikee and Fred. There’s another new hunky youngster there named Kevin Lapena who may draw viewers from the naughty bunch of local TV watchers.

Anyway, I’m not gonna watch this – I’m merely expressing my disgust for coming up with something like this. Really, Lipgloss??? Hahaha! They still have time. I really hope they change the title into something sensible. And postpone the show till next year and require their actors to take more workshops. Teaser pa lang di na convincing ang arte. Anyway, I barely have time to watch TV and I won’t waste my few moments for it on this show. Maybe I’ll catch it online out of curiosity. Or maybe to check out the guys. Hehe!

This morning, as part of my plan to have a healthy lifestyle, I went out for a jog with my two dogs Arwen and Shelob. And it turned out to be a disaster.

I never really walked them before but It was not Arwen’s first time outside the house – we once brought her and Tuesday (my cousin’s Pug) out to play when Dad visited months ago. Shelob was the one who was a bit freaked out by the outside world. She kept hesitating to walk and there was one time when Arwen kept switching sides to play with Shelob and she tangled their ropes and then Shelob’s rope slipped out of my hand and she ran. Fast. I ran after her in an alley with lots of adult dogs. Good thing they did not bite us but we caused quite a canine ruckus.

I brought them to a mall’s empty driveway at 6AM. There were other people jogging there that time. At first I tried to urge both of them to walk/run to the point that I was already dragging them. Until Shelob acted out and wouldn’t budge. She just laid there with doggy eyes. Well, I had no choice but to carry her. Arwen was so cute liking her exercise while Shelob was being a baby dangling on my right arm looking at me. After three rounds, I thought it was enough. It was getting too sunny for my tired eyes and Arwen was starting to bark at people (she heard a group of men shouting chants while jogging).

Anyway, I took photos of them when we got home. They were so cute. But I’ll never take both of them out at the same time. Maybe I’ll walk Arwen again this week. She’s easier to handle.

I looked forward to watching the opening ceremony of Beijing Olympics last Friday but sadly I was in the office doing work until around 2AM. Searching for it online was hard because streaming video websites are removing them – maybe they’ll allow it only after the games have concluded. But based on the pictures and some of the low-quality streams I saw, it was quite a show. Even GMA gave congratulatory remarks (hopefully it was a sincere act and not just a ploy to start some politcal arrangements with them – darn I hate politcs) to the Chinese president for her “memorable” experience. 15,000 performers and $49,000,000 worth of production that took seven years to plan and prepare? It should be memorable.

I haven’t watched the entire ceremony yet. It was, I think, more than an hour before the Olympic cauldron was lighted. There was this incredible video that I saw where 2,008 drummers were pounding big LED drums and they, collectively, projected a bird’s eye countdown to the start of the show by turning their drum lights on/off on cue and then boom! Fireworks! And then there was this “footprints” fireworks around the city that made its way to the National Stadium and then another fireworks show. I wonder how Beijing smelled after the opening ceremony. So far, I only saw videos of the start of it and the lighting of the cauldron and they were very impressive and new (for me). I love it and I can’t wait to grab a copy of the entire show.

Don’t these pictures make you excited? Photos taken from random sites on the Net.

Here are some videos:

Olympics 2008 Opening Ceremony – video powered by Metacafe

2008 Beijing Olympic Opening Ceremony – The best free videos are right here

Dita Von Teese, for me, is the epitome of classic/timeless beauty. From any angle, she’s just beautiful. Search online – you’ll see loads of her in different chic outfits. I even saw a pic of her without makeup and she’s still beautiful. Uuuuy … Borgy’s got crush! Hahaha! Gaga! Anyway… Dita is here in Manila for Vicky Belo’s birthday performing in the tune of 8 million pesos! Whoa. And right now she’s going round about town with the prominent people in Manila’s high society visiting boxing rings and male strip clubs. Cute! So nice to be rich noh? Which international celebrity would you want to fly in to perform on your birthday?

When you use stairs in climbing a high building, it’s not a never-ending step to the top. You get to several different landings and floors where you have a chance to explore and learn things about the building. This goes on as you reach for the highest floor and it’s your choice when to stop and when to start climbing again. It is also your choice if you wish to stay in case you found happiness in a particular floor that you think it’s all worth it than reaching the topmost level. Or sometimes you’re just scared or tired to take more steps up.

I’ve learned things that I’m thankful for. I’ve developed this sense of responsibility and eagerness to be significant – not to be identified as common. But as you go, everything will eventually turn common and you feel the need to break out and challenge yourself more. To explore what’s beyond your comfort zone. I am all  for sentiments but not the type to sit around without testing my limits. And those two characteristics of me is a constant tug-of-war that’s why taking flight is never easy. Did you know I’m afraid of airplanes? They’re fun to watch but I’ve never been in one.

I once read from an intelligent junkie: “Never say one thing is not for you unless you’ve tried it.” Time is ticking. We all have things we need to get done. How soon will they get done? It’s not a question but a choice.