i haven't written for a while.

so please excuse my babble.

i am close to the month when i will again depart for the other side of the world. it is not easy peasy, having to reassess everything again and pocketing memories for me to keep. leaving everyone behind, having to endure winter..having to be dependent on other people to get around town. no more long walks or spur of the moment gimmiks. no more saguijo..again.

damn.

after everything that happened in just a few months, i feel that if i stayed...it might not be good for me anymore. so the universe is just kind enough to shake me out of my manila amore mode and get myself back on track in regaining my original purpose of coming home and coming back.

my auntie's perfume smells like my apartment back in Orange County..no doubt about it...it's a sign.

i write in calmness. the first since i stopped moving at a fast pace.

yun na yun.

for more pics go to:

http://origamidreamer.multiply.com/photos/album/18

 

given by D., who said that he bought the bandana in a vintage store somewhere in Manhattan. Tucked between high end stores and gourmet groceries where he is currently upgrading his license and recommendation by training in more complex dishes and techniques, he suddenly had an inkling thought of me when he saw it, while shopping for ingredients. without hesitation he bought this little ditty, and had it sent par avion.

he's a kind of guy who knew his fashion. and knowing me, who keeps a strict code of maintaining 'classic' colors of black and white, he figured he wanted to add a splash of color into my palette. as we're both artists, we should express our sense of color knowledge not just in skills, but in the way we dress. he admitted he was surprised that i could be quite a character, despite my choice of clothing to be limited into 2 or 3 colors (black, white and blue denim). i didn't like it at first, because i rarely wear yellow, and i used to think that yellow/orange is limited to sunshines, buttercups, rubber duckies and the fruits lemon and orange. but as days passed, i grew to like it. and the more i see it, the happier i seem to be. because even with all my schooling in colors, i almost forgot that they evoke emotion and mood..

and also because knowing it was from him, it's an added plus.

now i wear it whenever i feel creative, happy and funky.

well, not really. i just happen to take the time to fiddle about with my trusty FujiCam. back at The Other Side of The World, i only have time to point-then shoot. gyah. yun lang. im usually beat after work.

but one pretty, pretty afternoon, i decided to experiment by being snap happy on one subject...me.

so piccies i go.

i do admit that i am still plowing through my friends list and having to re-establish my contact with them.

but yeh...im getting there. im getting there.

will post a few teenies as a form of amusement. haha.

apparently, my aura is not yellow..it's...

Your Aura is Blue

Spiritual and calm, you tend to live a quiet but enriching life. You are very giving of yourself. And it's hard for you to let go of relationships. The purpose of your life: showing love to other people Famous blues include: Angelina Jolie, the Dali Lama, Oprah Careers for you to try: Psychic, Peace Corps Volunteer, Counselor

uh. yeh.

You Are a Sensitive Kisser

For you, kissing is a way to connect And you need lot of care, attention, and privacy It may take you a while to kiss someone... But when you do, it's total fireworks

'nak ng pating....

You are 93% Pisces

haha...i really should travel..or i'll die trying.

Travel Horoscope for Pisces

When you travel, you really want to feel like you've gotten away from it all. You want a vacation that's romantic and beautiful. You should travel to: Paris Buenos Aires Big Sur Sedona Costa Rica

so yeh.


this is it for now.

proper post later.

decided to pop in to one event/fandom that is close to my heart.

curious? go to

http://origamidreamer.multiply.com/photos/album/4

im not very active in much fandoms that i choose. but more or less, i appreciate people who do. my uncle and his son are very much into it...and i enoy seeing them all dressed up in characters that pretty much made their fantasies sort-of come true.

friends who does such things like cosplays...role-play..are both amusing and cool to watch...and as a spectator, i often wonder if i could have enough courage and style to pull it off.

heh.

something to think about.

On my last day at The Company Located at the Other Side of the World, the boys and girl decided to treat me out for lunch at iHop (International House of Pancakes)and conversations involved new programs for Mac, movie special effects, star wars and the forever mystery of the fetish that involves princess leia's slave outfit, 300 delicious men and spunky sexy spa-partan women and random plans of what they will do when/if they go back to their country of origin.


at the left: Thien (Vietnam), former-roomie Kyle (Phil.)
at the right: Anne (Phil.), Me (duh) and Bryan (Phil.) 
Photog: Anh (Vietnam)


we all watch in rapture as Kyle does his Jabba the Hut impression (the hand gestures are suppose to imitate Jabba's sort-of blobby body) 


waiting for our food, cracking up at Kyle's mimic of Jabba the Hut


Bryan and Me, still cracking up


appetizers! i got the ever so delicious chicken soup...bad bad for the photographer who took this pic...it is rude to take pics of people eating. *glares at photographer*


at last! food! Pot roast with veggies and mashed potatoes really do wonders for me.


former-roomie Kyle and the mysterious textmate that we have no right to know about. sheesh.


well-fed and happy: the boys and girls headed toward's Bryan's Car

last night was the night that i finally got the taste of SaGuijo...after months and months of living at the other side of the world, Manila truly opened up her inner recesses of colors and natural high..and i happily drank it all in.

thankee to papa bear, for his fun fun presence and never ending charm...

so.

on to the pictures!


Sa-Gui-jo Entrance (Please Do not mind the Bald Man), The Many many advertisements, fliers and posters over flow their welcome.


Papa Bear at his most profound
Papa Bear is a former co-worker back in the old company i used to work for. one of the most esteemed and respected pencillers of the bunch, he is looked up as a father/older brother figure of the younger set. at the time of my stay, i was adopted in his ''clan'' as "the illegitmate daughter", claiming that i was a result of an affair he would rather forget...haha.

now that i left and came back, he now calls me his "prodigal daughter". :D


Owel-well...blinkies!

Owel and i met way way back at the time i worked on Fete dela Musique. he's the family friend of one of my co-workers that time and we gave no more than passing glances and a short exchange of hi's and hellos. it was only last year that we got to talk and bond...one of the people who kept me up to date on the months of my stay at the other side of the world.


Ean, ean, ean! Funky Eyeglasses Man..haha. I lav it!

Ean is another one of the peeps that i recently got to talk to..he popped up one day with a myspace message, reason that he wondered why he never saw me around the scene. he was surprised when i told him..

and from that day on, he kept me up to date with the manila music scene...among other things. but last year, the only form of acknowledging our presence with each other was a smile and a handshake. many people thought of him as a snob..suplado would be a better term. but seriously, even with our rare moments of seeing each other at the time, not once did it crossed my mind that he is such.


Armi-mo-mu flashes those pure pearly-whites. but nothing..as in nothing, justifies the pureness of her voice.

ohhh armi. i do admit that she could sing her way to heaven if she could. at the other side of the world, she was my constant character in all the sketches that involves anything cute and pretty...even some product developement first drafts that my boss and i would pitch, armi would somehow end up sketched in one of the fairies, dolls or a flowerhead...diyos ko, if anything, there could be an armi doll/plushie floating about somewhere.

*idea pops*

oops.


um...yes Ean. Me take picture for record.


Wall Art..by Team Manila "Papa Bear, project!"


Owel with his Happy Beer, Me with Happy Bear. :D

UpdharmaDown: Inside the Embryo.

Red does wonders for intimacy, and for heightening the performance level. after not hearing them live for months, i was refreshed with the way they re-arranged their old songs into something new...expectations run high for their sophomore album, i do hope all will be well with them when the time comes.


Paul Yap, Bassist. back then, i thought of him as brilliant...and i still do. i admire the way he pounces on each bass line and solos like a soul possessed...all while keeping his exterior self in a state of serenity.


Armi Millare, Vocalist/Keyboards. i've always imagined her as a Siren of sorts...with her long locks and powerful, haunting vocals. Her innate ability to transfix the audience with her voice alone, generating whoops of joy/appreciation/orgasmic admiration to long silences of respect, proves the saying, that she "got the whole world wrapped around her little finger".


Ean, Drummer. accompanied by his tech equipment (sorry for not finding a better term for it), he added spice to their sounds with impromptu beats and unusual mixings...not only that, his drumskills are much to be raved about. Each resonated with force, power and fleeting moments of intensity, as he closed his eyes in concentration and let his hands/drumsticks do the talking. the audience suddenly fades, and it is only him and his drums.


Carlos, Guitarist (Guy wearing hat, by the left). His riffs and solos are taken in a sort of ambient flow...and it reminded me of some rock bands in Japan who have at least one track in their albums dedicated for instrumentals and experimentations leading to ambient (think X Japan, Malice Mizer, Laruku and Luna Sea), and Carlos, with his own style and genius, molded according to the song's aura and taste.

thanks to stompboxer and my companion called ''boredom'' i decided to go along with this little ditty. tsk.

Go to Google and type in quotation marks your name and then "likes to" (ex. "Tom likes to"). Type in the first ten things that come up and repost in your own blog.

Camille likes to motivate people and said that "if I wasn't a professional musician, I would have been a psychologist."

Camille likes to read stories to Katy before bedtime -->who the hell is Katy? but i used to read stories to my little bro before bedtime...

Camille likes to dance, dance... and dance! --> depends who i am comfortable with and whether i am...well, sloushed...the Green Room People knows what i mean! haha.

Camille likes to play...--> i am not even going to say where this came from. -_-;;

Camille likes to rule everything. --> um..not true....not everything...just some things that mattered.

Camille likes to live intensely and has no respect for people who are weak or avoid confronting life. --> ay, encountered people like that everywhere and man, it pissed me off to no end.

Camille likes to socialize and will use any excuse to celebrate with friends.

Camille likes to show us the raw, real woman on stage. --> um.....

Camille likes to excite me with the fetish; it also excites her. --> ok......this is getting weird.

Camille likes to play basketball and softball. --> nuh-uh...

Meet...


Elle-Panty... Jong and I's pet mini elephant. adopted 2 years ago from India beneath mounds of abandoned cloth and ceramic dolls rejects, this little trumpet has seen better days. cleaned and repainted by loving hands, she now runs free in the Green Room, where she would seek warmth between computer monitors and look cute when visitors poke their heads in the room.

i left her back in the US, under the care of Bryan and Kyle...that is, until Jong will come back from his Singapore/India trip..

i miss you Elle-Panty.

LSS na naman

Thanks again to the Green Room People, who loaded my iPod with various songs before i left..this is the latest of my LSS.


this triggered a memory of me, the boys and a bottle of red wine by a small resto in Laguna Hills. this video was playing on a small, flat screen TV by the bar...usually a Laker Game would be on, but for some reason, they were switched to MTV. the boys and i were engaged in conversations that include upping their credit value, latest cars and properties for cheap by the beach. these are grown up conversations..where i am more comfortable talking about art, photoshop, different color mediums and sketching techniques... things like property equity, credit value, yearly payments, apartment location values, car maintainence, insurance, lawsuits, medical insurance...those are things i can never relate to when i first started. in truth, it irritated me because i really am in no mood to sour my day with such concerns...what mattered was that at least i have a job, i earn, and my only concerns were my rent, laundry, food and mobile phone bills. compared to others, i worry very little.

i think i would rather worry little than worry a lot. it would drive me crazy.

......

first thing my mom said as soon as i met up with them at the arrival gate:

mom: (with eyes wide with disbelief)"anak, what did you do to your hair??!??"

me: (runs fingers across newly chopped hair)"um..you likey?"

mom: (squints) "likey? you look like a boy!"

(dad and younger bro started to snicker.)


after a 16 hour flight (inclusive of a stopover to taipei, taiwan) coupled with great conversation and in-flight movies, i finally landed home. in fact, i was so overwhelmed that i even welcomed the humidity...much to my friends and family's amazement.

i think it would be better if i let the pics do the talking:

introducing...

mi familia:

these pics were taken on the day i landed home. we went straight to my grandmother's (dad's side) house (yes, jetlag and all) and had a happy happy reunion...


my mom and dad


my dad


my younger brother, Cholo (but we're changing his nickname to Enzo...he is no longer a baby...)


my cousin lianne, her mom (tita christel), my mom, my grandma and me...


uncle carlo, my tita christel, my mom and dad, trying the mac photo booth feature


my cousin (model, host and businesswoman extrodinaire) jaylyn and me


another goof pic (with mom at her so-called "goofiest")

after a short rest, we went to edsa shangrila hotel and checked ourselves in...we met up with my mom's sister and her family...and had a mini reunion...prelude to the big one tomorrow. yikes.


my mom, tita janet and me (hidden)


this is what they call "goofing around"

see, my mom and tita's definition of goofing around is not by funny faces...but funny faces na may "poise"....i was suppose to be crossed eyed in this pic..but heck, i just decided to go with the flow. hehe.


mom took this pic as i was trying to write this entry.

i haven't had proper sleep yet...jet lag's pretty bad. but so far...i don't really mind the less sleep. i enjoy every waking moment...yes even the humidity.

i am so glad to be back home.

yellow orange-saffron dreams

these past days, i'm seeing orange and yellow everywhere.

now i am liking yellow and orange.

it just feels so springy and fresh

justin timberlake and ne-yo tracks have the most tracks in the male singers section of my iPod...

Justin Timberlake:
- Summer Love
- What Goes Around, Comes Around
- Signs
- My Love

Ne-Yo:
- Don't Get Down Like That
- Sign Me Up
- Because of You
- So Sick
- Sexy Love

i am into dresses now..i used to loathe wearing anything that would bare my legs. with reason that my birthmark will be seen. tsk..but after coming here, i fell in love with ann taylor's delicate spring dresses and Gap's formal/casual combos, that i don't care, birthmark or no...i will wear one. my gulay.

i am slowly appreciating rap and hiphop...thanks to my co-workers (kyle and bryan). although i still find that majority of lyrical content to be shallow and predictable. it is more on textures, looping and arrangement of beats...experimental. but...the lyrics just need work.

i learned that ANYONE can wear skinny jeans. and i simply don't give a damn on what people think of my ass...or the whole "skinny is the new fat" mumbo jumbo. as long as mine is still alive...instead, they should be thinking of their own asses and how long they're going to keep themselves from throwing their insides out. tse.

i swear, i don't know where i get this sudden bursts of energy to update.

call it vanity..but when you're alone and with nothing to do, what else could you do other than take pictures of various random, trippy what-nots?

anyway.

on to the update.

Bandanna Love




Belated birthday present from D. Made from India and of finest silk. sent Par Avion at cerritos before i left for moreno valley to do some last minute shopping and packing...a form of farewell pressie, as we won't be seeing each other for a few months.

i miss him already.


*************************************

LSS

a song is stuck to my head.

and it's all Bryan(The I.T. Guy)'s fault.

the lyrics are senseless and full of typical perversion/objectification of women. but i love the beat, rhythm and the arrangement of texture and tone.

heard it the first time in Bryan's car radio (via KIIS FM 102.7 Los Angeles) as he took me home from work one time. the melody stuck to my head and i downloaded the song to my iPod...and i've been listening to it ever since..on repeat.


BUY U A DRANK (T-Pain feat.Young Joc)



*************************************

Suggestions for other songs that is worthy for LSS?

Please?

Help?

If your life was a movie, what would the soundtrack be?

So here’s how it works.

1. Open your library (iTunes, Winamp, Media Player, iPod, etc.)

2. Put it on shuffle.

3. Press play.

4. For every question, type the song that’s playing.

5. When you go to the next question, press the next button.

6. Don’t lie and pretend you’re cool.

7. When you’re finished, tag some other people to do it!

Opening credits?

Post Modern Sleaze - Sneaker Pimps

Waking up?

Cupid's Chokehold - Gym Class Heroes

First Day of School?

Inner Universe - Origa (Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex)

Falling in love?

First Love (Piano Instrumental) - Utada Hikaru

First song?

Final Distance - Utada Hikaru

Breaking up?

Untitled Song (Instrumental) - Ean and Paul (Updharmadown)

Prom?

Broken Mirrors and Sleeping Turtles - Updharmadown

Life?

Kaze Ga Fuku Ni (And The Wind Blows) - Maaya Sakamoto (Escaflowne OST)

Mental breakdown?

I Adore Mi Amor - Color Me Badd (Oh my Gulay... :D)

Driving?

Talk About Our Love - Brandy feat. Kanye West

Flashback?

Split - Suneohair

Getting back together?

Motherland - Crystal Kay

Wedding?

静かな日々の階段を - Dragon Ash (Battle Royale OST)

Birth of a child?

Walang Kadala-dala - Sandwich

Final battle?

My Love - Justin Timberlake feat. Timbaland

Death scene?

Criminal - Fiona Apple

Funeral song?

Unbreakable - Alicia Keys

End credits?

Final Distance - Utada Hikaru

who am i tagging?: well, anyone who feels like it.

.....how weird.

but i like the idea of Cupid's Chokehold as my waking up song...hehe

last night was another night of laughter, wine and beautiful accidents.

after work, and gang and i decided to troop over to The Artists Village, for a much needed dose of relaxation, great inspirations and food. We just finished the huge bulk of the work and we all felt the need to celebrate.


photo courtesy of OC Register
Artists Village is located at the very heart of downtown Santa Ana, about 5 minutes away from work by car. most of the old buildings that were renovated, are converted to bars, galleries and restos. but one thing that added charm to this little district was though they had added modern twists to the interiors, they retained most of ''old world'' details of the exteriors. and if you're lucky, you could even catch an outdoor performance. we once managed to watch a street mime goofing off.

anyway.

our first stop is one of ultimate love.


the ART BAR store/studio entrance
The Art Bar. Kyle and I discovered this little shop, one of our 'beautiful accidents' that is meant for us. tucked in between 2 big art galleries dominated by glass and steel, its entrance is almost completely swallowed, if one doesn't look hard enough you would just breeze by it. By the entrance is a store, filled with all kinds of materials that every artists would die for. Vintage distressing ink, crumbling old magazine clippings (get this, you can pick and choose what pages you want, they tear it out for you and sell them individually for 25 cents to a dollar), stencils and stickers for collages. scrapbook kits, paintbrushes, watercolor sets...you name it, they have it.

the other part of the store is a studio...located at the back of the store. huge walls on the sides serves as a gallery of every painting imaginable. and sketching tables on the sides.


i swear, this would be THE place to take my mom, friends, future husband - future kid, future grandkids...


i could blend in.... me with one of the many many mini paintings that dominated the West Wall.


my ultimate dream studio

but the absolute best thing about this place is that you can rent the whole studio for the whole day for a funky price of $15 (PHP 750) including ALL the materials that is stocked, just for you...no added fee on the use of materials...they're all yours for the taking. i once took this opportunity and i fell in lurve.

but our time was limited as we have reservations..so i bought a few things that will keep me oh-so-creatively productive and inky happy.


The "Goody Bag"


inside the "goody bag" are my My good finds

they also have a website and an online store, plus more pictures and info:

http://www.theartbar.net/

Handmade Puppet Dreams and the Gypsy Troop

satisfied with our respective purchases, we finally took another chance to explore the center square, where all restos are lined. but we have a craving for just one more art-lust fix.




they were having an interesting exhibit on handpuppets made by Heather Henson..along with other puppet shows made by adults. independent, dark, gothic films with handpuppets...haha astig.

too bad i couldn't take pictures. rules you know....


spring some love. me with norine of marketing outside the Gypsy Den

after 30 minutes of ooh-ing and ahhhh-ing (of the sense-of-wonder kind), we finally set foot on our ultimate hangout.



located at the center square, this is the place to be to get the ultimate gypsy experience.

they also serve the best coffee and hot tea flavored with exotic herbs..real healthy. they also serve vegetarian. i had a BLT sandwich with vegetarian bacon..tastes like real bacon...but it is NOT bacon. haha.



check out the interior, decked with hanging lamps, persian rugs, middle eastern knick-knacks and paintings...arranged cozily yet an influx of organized chaos. but that chaos serves a charm. and it attracted artists of all kinds. you can even have your work hanged..provided that there is space left.



this is one of things that reminded me so much of Saguijo, the atmosphere, the interiors and even the stage that the live band played on. it is intimate, close and evoked a relaxed, laidback energy that i craved much for these past months.


me and bryan, just me (photo courtesy of kyle)

by the way, their creme brulee is to die for.

so the night wore on with much tales on work, lovelife and the mystery of vintage...coupled with Kyle's fascination with Theater Wardrobe, Bryan's obsession with the iPhone (he made his reservation and is just waiting for his turn to receive it..while i will receive mine in november pa...i think..depends if my order is prioritized :() and Norine's SM Megamall Bowling Days. no alcohol that night, so we had chai smoothies as substitute.


the rooster, the rat/rabbit, the boar and the horse.

The Artists Village really is a great place to live....especially if you need the ultimate place to just kick back, relax and let your creative juices flow naturally....and despite the many moves and finding my place as a little fish in a big pond, there is no other place in the world that i connect to the most..than here.

so now, i'm on a mission in searching for a room to rent....after i get back from my manila-visit stint. hehe

apparently, i have the same Birthday as Kazuto Nakazawa (Japanese Illustrator, Character designer), the same guy who did:



Kill Bill's O-Ren Ishii Anime Sequence


the character designs for Samurai Champloo


....and the Animatrix's A Kid's Story.

me likey my birthday.

absolutely made my day.

even if my birthday already ended a few weeks ago.

*twinkle*

taken in the apartment, with a fresh new coat of red paint.

sometimes, being tired is a good thing.

the world suddenly becomes quiet.

and your body, mind and soul sinks into a blissful state of unconscious.