leaving the comfort zone
it's official, I am moving here.
Cross-posting apparently didn't work for me. And Multiply feeds my needs as a camwhore and a blogger at the same time, plus, it makes me track my friend's post quicker, too. Will update the links section to keep track of my fave blogs.
It's been a great four years here at Motime. I've been loyal but I need a change of environment. Kindly add me up on Multiply, people.
I don't know how to put a tracker on Multiply so I guess staying there makes me a lot stalker-friendly. Tee-hee.
See you around,
Andrea
mini-reviews
Were also move here in Multiply. I guess people just have to move somewhere else or pass by other places, at least. =)
ikaw ba ay nalolongkot?
Ako, oo. Baket?
~ Kase hindi kame natuloy manood ng "Enchanted" dahil nagmaganda si Trillanes ng Thursday.
~ Hindi ako pinayagang magleave noong Friday, so hindi ako nakapag-cover/nood ng NU107 Rock Awards
~ Maliit pala ung Nike na shin guards na binili ko sa China.
~ Walang bagay na football kit sakin na white or red. Mukha akong kabit ni Santa.
~ Na-outbid ako sa inaalagaan kong Yohji Yamamoto for Adidas na jacket na nagpatalon sa puso ko at maingat na inalagaan sa eBay.
~ I have sipon. *sniff*
~ Tumatanda na raw ako sabi ng nanay ko.
Pero bumawi rin: "Pero hindi naman halata, anak."
Sabi ko na lang: "I try my best to fight the 7 signs of skin aging."
~ Nawawala ang P3k-worth kong Ayala Center electronic gift card. Pati ung Bench na P1k, baka expired na sila. Hala.
Pero hindi na ko sad, baket? Kase birthday ko ngayon, haha. Thanks everyone, this kitten never felt so loved. 
manila peninsula siege (mahaba-habang op-ed)
My mum woke me up with a frantic call around 10 am. And no one with the slightest respect for me wakes me up on my dayoff.
"Rin, sina Trillanes, nasa Ayala! Nasa channel 7. Ang pogi!"
Sure they were, this is just another Oakwood, I thought. Another reason why Page 1 would be late (ang geek). I was still in the news section then and had to help out on the front page when Trillanes took over Oakwood in 2003. And, if I remember correctly, it simply took pleas from the soldiers' mothers for them to end the mutiny.
First edition was finished a little before midnight then.
By noon, I was waiting for Mrs. Trillianes to spank some sense into his son, but news said PNP gave them the 3 pm deadline to surrender in peace, else they would force their way in the posh Manila Peninsula.
I had lunch, watched footages primarily to catch the print people I know on TV, wondered if Lloyd and I would be able to watch "Enchanted," surfed eBay, waited for Trillanes to wave the white flag, and wondered why the hell senior-citizen former VP Teofisto Guingona is walking with those losers.
"Mali-mali na yata si Guingona," I thought.
An hour lapsed after the deadline and by 4 am nothing is happening yet, I placed my bid on a Ralph Lauren wallet.
By 4:30, police declared "heightened alert" for the whole Metro Manila. I saw Tammy of 2bU, Gil and Julie from PDI, and Azhel of Malaya in the Pen lobby. Nice.
Roughly 15 minutes later, tanks were already rolling on Makati Avenue. Marines in full battle gear were deployed in the Pen area. I called to check if Lloyd (kinda clueless in the office), my cuz (deadlined in Pagcor), my mum (shopping in Shopwise) and my nephew (in school) were safe.
I was thinking the government is overreacting. I mean, tanks (that I later on found out were "APCs" or armored personnel carriers; tangke still hardcore, though) on Edsa are too much. It's not YET fucking martial law. Trillianes and his troop are only what, 40-strong? And the deployed more than a hundred officers.
A formation of soldiers framed the Pen, most media people were cordoned off although the persistent ones managed their way in, GMA finally arrived in Malacañang to have an emergency meeting with the security group. I can't help thinking the b*tch is really responsible for the simultaneuos explosions in Glorietta and Congress which left several dead and scores injured.
She deserves to be kicked off the Palace since she's just FG's dummy, but I don't really approve of Trillanes' plan to enact that. Trillianes is not Gringo, he doesn't have the charisma, the capability, the ability to pull it off and get away with it (which Honasan did quite literally).
Where the hell are his guards? Arnold Clavio asked Judge Pimentel if the senator's escorts didn't restrict him to get out of the Makati RTC, but the judge refused to comment.
Then there were shots.
Warning shots, they said. Oh shit, this is real, I said. Kawawa naman si Miko sa day desk, at lahat ng tatamaan ng The Request.
The defectors said they would die for their cause. I was glued to the news till Magdalo declared they'll surrender. One of our TV sets was tuned in to GMA, the other is on ABS-CBN. Apparently, ABS wins this time.
Sorry mga Kapuso, but kudos to Pinky Webb and Ces Drilon for staying inside the Pen, deglamorized and all. I was surprised these senior anchorpersons were sent on the field to cover, and I am so tempted to e-mail Ces that the animal-print headband doesn't really go well with the black-and-white kaftan and chandelier earrings. GMA-7 pulled out their reporters from the site, I thought Inquirer did, too, till I saw Julie, Gil and fotog Jim Guiao on screen.
I quite freaked out when the APC rammed into the hotel lobby and tear-gas were thrown inside. I rushed into my room and prayed for the trapped media people and civilians. A shift of beats and it could have been Alli or Margaux there.
These are the moments that reminds me that being a journalist is a calling---pretty much like being a priest or a doctor. I remembered my month-long stint as a Metro reporter when I covered the Valentine's Day bombing in Ayala. After doing rounds in the presintos and courts, I dropped by the Greenbelt chapel, played emo and prayed for an, ehem, boyfriend, then boom! Three buses exploded on Edsa and I chased the story with other journalists while in a dress with a heavy, ancient laptop in tow.
God granted me not just the boyfriend but also the realization that I am not cut-up for news---daily doses of negative stuff and too much exposure to idiot politicians might drive me to a shrink. Besides, bad news is bad for the skin.
I have very high respects for news reporters, though, but I'd rather write about the latest lip gloss and current hemlines than headlines. I need a controlled environment.
Some people forwarded messages such as: "Sayang naman yung Pen!," "Sinira nila yung Manila Peninsula, ang ganda kaya there," "Makapasok lang ng hotel, kahit ano gagawin."
I don't really care much about the damages to the Pen. Yes, the foreign guests evacuated the area and it will suffer losses. Yes, it's sad that the glamorous five-star hotel was torn and would carry the coup-d'-etat stigma, but it's THE PEN, a franchise off the international chain! They could replace the stuff and rehabilitate the building for an amount; employ marketing tactics and assure everyone of safety and soft sheets. Oakwood evolved into Ascott and I've heard is doing well as a luxury hotel.
But the possible harm and death inflicted to civilians and media people around the area? Those cannot be repaired. The damn senator's stupid impulses put a lot of people in danger. We are on international news again and foreigners would think the government is not unlike the Burmese junta. Investors, tourists, probably even international performers would back out. The slowly strengthening dollar could lose it's hold. Stocks might go down. People would feel even less secured.
We don't need GMA, but we don't need someone with obviously no clear mandate on leadership who thinks people would follow him on the streets to topple the administration just like that either! Feeling ni Trillianes sha si Forrest Gump, sad. A sadder fact is that I voted for coup-hungry, rally-happy dude in the recent elections.
It was a Thursday, a regular work day to most employees. My boyfriend is just in PBcom, and I was thinking if Magdalo resisted arrest, the military could have easily taken over the buildings in the entire stretch of Ayala. I may be too pessimistic but there could have been an unnecessary bloodbath, just because of Trillanes' fucking WHIM to change the world.
Now a curfew was imposed midnight-5am in Metro Manila and Central and Southern Luzon. Such never happened in the metro since martial law. Is a military rule in the works? Not impossible. Scary facts remain that the Marcoses are back in power, we have an evil of a president, and the people are getting more and more frustrated with most sporting dreams to flee the country to work and live abroad.
I don't want to think we are hopeless, the Philippines is a beautiful country, but we are severly mismanaged. We lack credible, legitimate leaders (one of the reasons why Pacquiao has been glorified as a "hero"---he gave the saviour-feel to the desperate---"a balm on broken skin" ika nga ni Lourd).
I recently saw a homeless man licking sauce off a fishball tray from the trash on the way to dinner with Lloyd. My heart was broken. I didn't give him anything because it's against my belief to "tolerate" beggars (and I still regret not giving him food till now). But how many more Filipinos lick trash daily to survive?
They say we are poor, yet we have free-standing Louis Vuitton, Pradat, Tod's, Bulgari and soon, Marc Jacobs boutiques in Makati. We have BMW and Mercedes-Benz hubs, and people actually buy these stuff.
They say we are poor because Pinoys are tamad... but what if, just what if that homeless man tried to find a job before he was a hobo but wasn't lucky or qualified enough to have one?
No man could single-handedly save this country, especially not while holding hostage a hotel. We toppled Erap off and I thought we replaced him with "the lesser evil." Apparently that's not the case: ZTE, Jose Pidal, Garci... the list goes on. But if GMA steps down Malacañang who would replace her?
Not Noli or Loren or De Venecia. Hell, no. This country needs a new line of leaders, I just hope they step up in time before we go further down the rabbit hole.
multiply
I confess to the blog gods and to you my blog brothers and sisters that I have been neglecting this Motime blog because I have fallen in love with the enemy—Multiply.
So I have been cross-posting HERE since Multiply pretty much allows us to be as narcissistic as our broadbands could possibly handle. It also made us discover infinite levels of camwhoring unknown to men who were loyal to Friendster.
So please add me up (e-mail address is ex_groupie@yahoo.com) since some of the entries are locked for contacts only.
Since Multiply is not Motime-friendly, I might forget to repost the entries here, so please, let's go forth, click away and Multiply.
iñaki in the house, yo
Here's the Kitten with no other than Sergio of the "Marimar" knock-off fame.
SERGIOSLY (pahiram Tita Rissa), matindi pa to kesa kay Sergios Black.
At sha ang nagpa-Koreana without my instructions. Sweet. He knows my needs. (Pero kung bakit nakabaon ang boobie ko sa tagiliran nya is beyond me.)
Muntik ko ng sabihin na "Dingdong, Dingdong, nanonood ako ng 'TGIS' dati at paborito ka ng nanay ko."
Kaso sa "Growing Up" na pala sha lumabas at hindi sa "TGIS." At si Red Sternberg nga pala yung favorite ng mum ko. Toink.
Call me.
full body at mukha akong 4 ft beside him. sigh.
france vs brazil
futbol crazy/kitten injury
I sprained my right ankle last Tuesdays not even a minute in the futsal game with my officemates. It's fluffy, as if a marshamallow was stuck inside my bukung-bukong. My finger sink when I press it, and it bounces back like pinched foam. It only hurts in the evening and when I'm going down the stairs. Mukhang akong may mini pin cushion sa paa na may time element.
Futsal is indoor football. I've been playing with them for three months and was meaning to blog about it since I first discovered the joys of, ehem, kicking balls, but was too distracted to. Will write about the "correlation between futsal and sex" soon, the draft has been in my head for months.
I am also one of the founding members of the Manila United FC, a group of futbolheads which started from an online football forum that eventually grew into an official football club. 
The initially 12-man team is now a group of 30 players—a mix of newbies, enthusiasts, jocks, former varsity members, coaching staff—we play indoors every Sunday afternoon in Mandaluyong, and, at times, on the field on Sunday mornings. Some members have become great pals, and we usually have post-futsal merienda, gimik, pot sesssions. Oops.
The grand plan is to have regular weekend field games, we're still sorting out the skeds since all members are professionals. I think I'm the weakest player there, and is still to have my "debut" on the field.
I've always known myself as a geek/closet cheerleader so I never delved into sports (yeah, fuck 'em labels). I don't even know to ride a bike! But when Jun introduced us to futsal during last summer's La Union surfing trip, I thought I could give it a shot.
I love the sport. It allows me to be as violent and bloodthirsty as I want. I could smash someone's head and not be charged of attempted murder.
But then I learned that futsal is a non-contact sport unlike football or flag/American football where scary gears are worn. And there are regulating stuff like the yellow card (when you deliberately hit your opponent) and red card (when you draw blood. Rowr) that keeps you from killing people.
It's a good cardio workout and loads of fun. I definitely enjoy this more than badminton. For a time, I was even conviced I could quit smoking for football, but then that would be too drastic, so I opt to lose weight instead.
I quit eating rice for four months (save for some lapses when I had a flu and had to take meds on a full stomach) and soda for a month. I worked out at least five times a day July and August. I actually had discipline (hooray!) and lost some weight. But by September, I had the flu, migraine, hyperacidity attacks and now, this sprained ankle.
I guess you can't hurry slimming. Unless you're under Belo, Calayan or Buenevacz. Or on drugs (Nicole Ritchie and Amy Winehouse, flash your boobs, c'mon!)
I hurt my ankle when teammate Patricia and I collided early in the match. I fell sideways under her, and twisted my foot inwards. Ouch. Apparently, I forgot my ankle support that I always wear while playing. Double ouch. It was the shortest game of my "career." I also canceled a badminton game with a friend last week.
Me: I don't think I can play any sport that uses my feet. Well, sabi ng nurse...
Friend: Maski badminton?
Me: Haller, unless nakaupo tayo. Ano yun, special olympics?
Friend: Bawal pati sex?
manila united fc
My right ankle is really weak. Since last year, I twisted it four times due to badminton, futsal and a major tapilok. I also had it checked by the doctor and X-rayed twice (Medicard rocks).
I asked our office nurse where I should go and he said I should see an ortho.
Me: Hindi ko na kailangan ng ortho. Wala na kong BRACES. Tinanggal na noong December.
Nurse: Hindi orthodontics. Orthopedic.
So I was in Makati Med this afternoon and the ORTHO asked me what happened.
Me: Futsal po.
Doc: Fut.. what?
Me: Indoor soccer, doc.
Doc: Yan na ba uso sa kabataan ngayon?
Me: Hindi naman po, pero eto ung laro ko ngayon.
I had to explain to everyone—from the nurses, to Medicard, to the radiologist—what futsal is since they need it for the records. And they look back at me, probably imagining a heavy 5'1 curlytop with a helmet and scary shoulder pads on, pinning people down the ground. The ortho checked my ankles...
Doc: I am sure you don't have any fracture or else hindi ka na nakakalakad. But I have to be very honest with you... (long pause)
Me: Ano po?
Doc: YOU ARE TOP HEAVY.
(Akala ko talaga, iwe-wheelchair nako. Yun lang pala.)
Me: Doc, alam ko naman yun. Nag-lose na nga ako ng konti eh.
Doc: You need to stregthen your ankles 'cause your feet are small for your body. Maliit ang paa mo. And you have to lose weight at the same time if you wanna continue with sports.
I was tempted to ask him: "So you mean I need smaller boobs?"
inquirer fc
It sucks, man. I have to trim down to play, but how could I do that when I can't even run? Or do brisk-walking? I know this is a MINOR injury but I saw the doctor just to know when I could play again. I was excited to buy spikes, new jerseys, new football bag (preferably pink), new high socks, new headband, sports bra, hot-pink baller.... and oh, to play on the field.
I wanted to make sure, too, that I won't have any surgery, and won't be using crutches in the office that has four floors but NO elevator. Hindi ko yata keri magpabuhat kay Kuya Warren hanggang editorial. Besides, crutches would clash with my wardrobe.
Dr. Ortho said the ankle support helps very little and could even lend a false sense of security. He prescribed anti-inflamattory painkillers but discouraged me take 'em because it could fool me that i'm "healed." He said I could swim and work out my upper body, instead. Then he capped the checkup with a reminder that he operated on three patients with ankle injuries this year so far. ("Not knees ha, ANKLES.")
If I'm lucky I will be able to play in two weeks. I will miss the Tuesday and Sunday games and gimiks. I will miss bullying Brazil and dodging Lawrence's corner kicks. I will miss my teammates.
Eula Valdes said in an interview that she was a fat kid, and had ankle injuries during her PE class, so she worked out and now she's a hottie. So I guess pwede pa kong maging Amor Powers o Zsazsa Zaturnahh, pero wag naman sanang Rustom Padilla.
What's more is I had to rush to the salon to have a pedicure and get my legs waxed the day after the injury. Why? Because I have to wear bandage/ankle support till the swelling and pain subsides. I draw attention to my feet so I better make 'em presentable.
I wonder where I could get soccer-ball stud earrings in silver? But I think I should buy my own futsal ball first. I want to take up zipping, capoiera, muay Thai and POLE-DANCING, and wear my heels again when I get well. Then maybe I could finally learn how to ride a bike.
wanna hear something funny?
First contestant recently in "Eat Bulaga's" "Itaktak mo o Tatakbo?" segment:
Joey de Leon: Sa fairy tale, sinong character ang binigyan ng mansanas na may lason ng kanyang wicked stepmother? Nagsisimula sa letter S.
Mama: Superman!
Joey: Sigurado ka? Binigyan ng apple?
Mama: SUPERMAN! (jumps up and down)
Joey: Baka may fairy godmother din si Superman? Ang tamang sagot ay....
Audience: Snow White!
Next contestant:
Joey: Ang susunod na tanong ay tungkol sa Beatles. Familiar ba kayo sa mga kanta nila?
Ale: Opo!
Joey: Sige, anong paborito nyo?
Ale: "Sgt. Pepper's!" (O diba, bongga?)
Joey: Sample nga!
Ale: (sings) "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Band... We hope you will enjoy the show..."
Joey: Eto na ang tanong: Anong kanta ng Beatles ang may lyrics na...
Vic Sotto: (sings) "Take a sad song and make it better. Remember to let her into your heart, then you can start to make it better."
Ale: "Jude"!
Joey: Ano ulit?
Ale: "JUDE"!
Joey: Pano yang "Jude"? Kantahin mo nga?
Ale and Vic: "Hey Jude, don't make it bad. Take a sad song and make it better..."
They gave the prize anyway. Pero gusto nyong malaman kung anong panalo? Eto.
Me: Anong merienda Ate Yolly?
Ate Yolly the tindera: Eto, banana-que lang.
Me: O sige, isa. Gusto ko ung maraming matamis.
Ate Yolly: Ganyan talaga 'pag MATABA, mahilig sa matamis. Ako rin mahilig eh. (smiles)
Me: (awkwardly holding the evil banana-que) Uh, ok.
Gusto ko sanang i-boycott ang Across na shang nagdedeliver ng banana-que at turon ngunit bisor ko ang may-ari non. Well, yun na ang huling tinuhog na saging ng buhay ko. Goodbye banana-que. Pag naging bombshell ako bibili ako sa Across na dahon ng saging lang ang saplot, I swear.
Akala ko pa naman, saging lang ang may puso. What a disappointment, sigh.
'avenue q'
Sex, fur and rock 'n roll. The purpose of life. Three-time Tony award-winning musical. If those were not enough to make you curious about "Avenue Q," how about "full puppet nudity"?
"Avenue Q" combines people and puppets, and has been described "Rent" meets "Sesame Street." Set in present-day New York, it tells the story of, well, Avenue Q which houses a row of apartments where people (real and puppets) and monsters live. Yep, monster like Cookie Monster.
It tackles friendship, finding and losing a job, racism, being gay and coming out, getting an apartment and getting kicked out, being different, falling in love, promiscuity, commitment, hangovers, porn and the depression caused by not having a boyfriend. (Kate Monster: I like romantic things like music and art, and as you know I have a gigantic heart! So why don't I have a boyfriend? Fuck! It sucks to be me!)
Calling out my frustrated single girlfriends, mambraso na kayo ng tickets. 
This is FUN.
Cliche? Not quite. Unless you define cliche as a horny, grouchy monster who believes Internet-porn is the only stable business there is.
The musical is very witty, otherwise it 's sweet and warm. One-liners are sure make you roll in laughter:
"Is her name Purpose?"—Kate Monster to ex-lover Princeton who vowed to find his purpose but finds Lucy T. Slut instead, a nightclub performer.
"You think that's tough? Try to be a has-been at 15!"—building superitendent Gary Coleman (in reference to the has-been child celebrity). The role is apparently played by Aiza Seguerra.
"The internet is for porn!"—Trekkie Monster
"Normal people don't do that!"—The "normal people"/everybody then comes out and says it is, indeed, for porn.
"What do you do with an AB in English?"—Princeton. Bingo. Exactly the same question I asked after graduation which my officemates and I still ask from time to time.
And I love the cute, fuzzy and evil Good Idea Bears (yellow and blue bears). They're my favorite characters, hehe.
Princeton: I don't know what to do!
Good Idea Bear: Buy a whole case (of beer)!
Princeton: A case of beer? No... I can't get a whole case.
Good Idea Bear: But you're on a budget! You're wasting money in the long run if you don't buy in bulk!
What could be a better idea than that, huh?
Written by Jeff Marx, Bobby Lopez and Jeff Whitty, "Avenue Q" was brought to Manila by Atlantis Production. It is directed by Bobby Garcia and Chari Arespacochaga, and features Rachel Alejandro, Felix Rivera, Aiza Seguerra, Frenchie Dy, Teenee Chan and Joel Trinidad.
I never thought Rachel could be that brilliant. I've always remembered her as the girl singing "Nakapagtataka" on FM radio, but boy, she's a revelation. I wish, though, that someone vampier assumed the role of Lucy because it's quite distracting to watch her shift from Kate to Lucy. Lucy T. Slut should live up to her name.
Hats off to Frenchie, Felix, Teenee and Joel. As for Aiza, she'll always have that Little Miss Philippines charm but I think her diction needs a little work.
Set and costume design is by Mio lnfante, lighting by Jay Aranda, music by lJ Garcia, and puppet execution by Samuel Fuentes and Marvin Choa. "Avenue Q" runs until this weekend at the Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium, RCBC Plaza, Makati. I know tickets are sold out but if there's any way you could score even just one ticket (I watched it alone 'cause I just got a complimentary media pass care of Gibbs), please do. I'll donate a boob to porn charity if you don't enjoy it.
Atlantis will bring “Dogeaters,” the musical from Jessica Hagedorn's novel, in Manila on November. That one I really really really have to see.
team lucy souvernir button on my roll bag, also comes in team trekkie