adventures in neverland

(the songs i will survive  and the winner takes i t all keep playing on my mind while writing this. like an obsessed luver turned stalker, they just won't go away!) what's not to like? a feel good film that celebrates filipino gayness in all its camp glory, gorgeous young leading men who can actually act (take note!), talented supporting actors, dancing gay zombies in killer stilettos and to die for make up, a serial killer on the loose, funny dialogues, great script and a picturesque location that makes me want to move back to the province. what more can you ask? thank god for so-called independently produced (or indie ) films, at least there are local movies worth watching that are way better than those summer hollywood popcorn junks that dominate the cineplexes. after the hilarious ang babae sa septic tank starring the eugene domingo -- the queen/supernova/megawattstar of comedy -- another filipino movie worth your while is zombadings 1: patayin sa shokot s...

ah the things we learned as children from watching teevee, the so-called idiot box that could shape young, impressionable minds.  while kids from more sophisticated neighborhoods (whose parents made it a point to talk to their children only in english) watched only sesame street , we watched all kinds of shows, be it german moreno's sunday special extravaganza showcasing the belle star dancers in their mind-boggling costumes and choreography or annaliza or iskul bukol . but the ones i luv were the old filipino films shown every afternoon, usually around 2 p.m. right after we washed the dishes and cleaned the dining room/kitchen after lunch. anyway, here are the things that i learned from those misspent afternoons in front of the tiny box that showed black and white pictures. from commercials: * you will grow taller, healthier and stronger if you drink milk everyday (from nino muhlach's milk maid commercials. unfortunately, nino didn't grow at all.). * you can...

it's about time he visits manille where he has quite a few admirers ever since   he  appeared in that sad, poignant, cuming of age gay luv story luv of siam.  after watching that film, mario maurer had me at mar. since then, i would search for any latest news about him on google and luckily, there are write ups about him in english, either on blogs or on newspapers. last i heard, mario will be in town to shoot an ad for local clothing brand penshoppe (the same firm that earlier brought gossip gurl's ed westwick. how i wish penshoppe had signed up the gorgeous and hunky chace crawford instead of the petite and ordinary looking ed.) there were also reports that mario might do a movie for star cinema. i hope they come up with a better script and fabulous leading lady (not that anorexic and talentless kim whatever please!) for him. he deserves nothing but the best. otherwise there will be chaos. haha. here are some pics of mario through the years that i found on th...

(i have second thoughts about posting this one because of its very self-indulgent nature even for a blog. but i know that you will forgive me because you love me. after all, love means never having to say i'm sorry, right oliver? this may also sound like i am schizophrenic. i. am. not.) ******** all our unhappiness comes from our inability to be alone - jean dela bruyere, french writer, artist, moralist. “ a   table just for one sir? ” i always get this question in restaurants and bars here or abroad, in a tone suggesting that i am not welcome because i am by myself.  the waiter would always give me that look, as if telling me that i am such a loser i could not even invite my mother for dinner or for a drink.  of course he would prefer a bigger company because that would mean more sales, maybe a bigger tip. i understand that.  but........... why are people so uncomfortable in being alone and in seeing others alone too, not just in restaurants and bar...

"look at market fluctuations as your friend rather than your enemy; profit from folly rather than participate in it." -- billionaire investor warren buffett. i don't want to sound like the weather bureau when there is a storm, or an expert when financial markets are in a tailspin.  so be careful on what you read from here. be smart, call up your stock brokers, your most reliable analysts, read, watch out for any major announcements from policy makers. most of all, listen to your instincts. after all, it is your money, honey. so be safe. always stay ahead of the pack. stop, look and listen (now i sound like the fat traffic policeman who stays hidden all the time until you violate the traffic rules). most importantly, stay calm and fabulous. ****** while stock prices are falling across the board in reaction to the rating cut in the united states, concerns about another recession in major economies and the debt worries in europe, there will always be...

(please read while listening to the bangles' manic monday and culture club's karma chameleon.) after standard & poor's historic but not so surprising move (yes dear, what caught many by surprise was the timing. friday? after the markets have closed? why?) last week to cut the debt rating of the united states of obama by one notch to aa plus from triple a, everyone's now waiting nervously on how the financial markets, particularly in asia, will perform on monday. stock markets in the middle east were hammered on sunday in reaction to friday's rating cut in the united states, the country's first ever downgrade, and asian markets are largely seen to follow when they open today. that will set the tone for europe and the u.s. when they trade later in the day. even before the downgrade, global stock markets had slumped after recent weak u.s. data stoked fears the world's biggest economy may be headed for another recession, dragging down the rest of t...

i have a fascinating (an understatement, mind you) day today, which can be summarized into this: spirituality, extraterrestrials and the forces that keep us from moving on with our lives. ******** i woke up quite early to meet a friend whom i haven't seen for quite a long time for coffee at greenbelt three. still sleepy (i had a late night last night as usual) and hung over, i managed to take a very cold shower, put on my favourite weekend outfit (shorts, shirts, jacket because it might rain again and comfy shoes) and stepped out of the old, creaky building. outside, it was windy and the streets were still wet from the rains the previous night. it was a pretty quiet morning, without the usual crowd of office workers, businessmen, hawkers and policemen. makati on weekends is a ghost town. abandoned, the tall buildings stood still like unwanted luvers. i wanted to walk,  god knows i need to exercise (i feel bloated from all the late night eating and drinking).  but i w...