ramblings, random musings, fascinations, rants, raves and revelations

WARNING : Before you read this, make sure you have a fully developed brain to understand what I’m saying and why I’m saying it. So backoff pea-sized brain! If you don’t know the art of writing or blogging per se, don’t read one. I don’t want people reading my blog then use it against me. I hate to hear people making “parinigs and pahagings” because their brains couldn’t seem to grap the essence of writing.

This is my sanctuary, my place of thoughts. So if you don’t have what it takes to understand it, jump off the building. You’ll realized how stupid you are before you even hit the ground.

While having our banchetto lunch earlier and with the neverending stories to be shared by one another, Abhi shared what Ron made her watch through YouTube. It was the “Ang Lihim ni Antonio” flick. Everybody turned so interested as we all tried to picture all it’s scenes in our minds. I have heard of this film before but never took time to watch it.

For whatsoever gift Abhi has, I got so curious and decided to watch it also. It was really one hell of an effort to view it through YouTube but it was nice and all anyway.

It’s the story of a gay 16-year old and the random events that happen in his life. First time actor Kenjie Garcia was okay and very brave. Brave that he had scenes where he had to literally touch another man’s penis and go full frontal for a masturbation scene. The story is really simple. That’s all there is to it. A falling out of friendship after drunken sex; coming out to another friend; living with a compassionate but broken mother; reaching out to an absentee father; and the arrival of a hunk uncle. The plots don’t exactly bleed into one another in a satisfying, cause-and-effect, or thematic fashion. Collectively, they paint a portrait of a coming of age that is incoherent, and maybe that’s the point.

The director really knows how to push beyond the boundaries. Unlike his previous film ]Ang lalake sa Parola], I felt his versatility as a director on this one. He used the “videocam” technique in almost the entire film. Some people are bothered by this style since the camera moves constantly but on the contrary, it gives a more dramatic effect, especially if you’re trying to get a more realistic approach. It was just right for this film.

The “uncle” played by Josh Ivy Morales [which of course immediately became my crush] wasn’t as bad as well with his piece, since it didn’t really require any major acting. I can presume that the reason why he was cast for this film, is because he had a past experience in doing porn [Manila nights]. So, I wasn’t really surprised when he had frontal erection scenes. These set-ups are not new from film maker Jose Altajeros, too bad if you decide to watch his movies in the cinema, these hard core scenes are deleted but you can always wait till it gets released in the video house. The VCD/DVD version will always have the director’s cut. My take with Jose’s films, when it comes to feeding your sexual appetite, he is the master! He knows how to get to the root of your sexual desire [homoerotic] and at the same time balance it with a good script, good acting and good directing skills. I guess, this is where we can draw the line between porn and film. These kind of movies aren’t new in the french cinema, but for a filipino audience, this movie can be considered extreme.

I got disturbed in the last part of the movie, I was there in my office [alam kong bawal sana but I can't help it] table totally awed by the scenes. I felt the anger, the trauma and the cursing “putang ina mo!!” That very same line played in my head while it is being delivered by Sharmaine. And on another note, the acapella version of “silent night” played in the background which made it more striking. Sharmaine Buencamino has always been a fine actress, if it wasn’t for her performance, this movie would have been a waste.

The movie’s main fault is that it doesn’t really make us care about any of this. Antonio is a walking empty shell. None of what he does, or what happens to him, seems to have any gravity. What keeps us watching is not that he’s interesting, but that the occurances are familiar to us as gay men who’ve been there before or at least heard stories about it. Sure, I giggled at the memory of wearing somebody’s used underwear on my face, but what was so special about that scenario, really? I got tired of scenes unfolding without distinctiveness or consequence. I stayed on my seat mainly because I already know uberstud Josh Ivan Morales will eventually flash his hefty manhood and that he will finally do it with cute newcomer Kenji Garcia. It was just a matter of when.

Talking about being naughty [hehehehehe].

0 Comment

I’ve always been fascinated by this practice. As most people know, it is a tradition in many parts of the world to bake up a birthday cake for a friend or family member celebrating a birthday. Typically this cake is decorated nicely and topped with birthday candles, one for every year of the celebrant’s life. When the time comes to eat the cake, there is a tradition that the candles are lit and the birthday boy or girl makes a silent wish and then blows out the candles. If they are successful in their comedic [and sometimes spittled] extinguishing, it is said that the wish that they made will come true within the year.

Well, as with most things, there is more here than meets the eye. I was browsing some of my pictures when I saw those that were taken during Mhel’s birthday. It’s a funny picture with all of us helping her blow her birthday candles. It was then I asked - “What’s with the blowing”?

Good thing there’s always Google Loo to help me. It was something like this:

The blowing out of the candles on the birthday cake originated from an early tradition that believed that the smoke from the candles would take one’s wish or petition up to God.

Of course, such a tradition fits squarely within many other religious incense beliefs around the world, which we’ve briefly visited before here, here and here. The beliefs are that burning incense, a form of candle which often produces a fragrance or aroma, is a spiritual purificatory rite that has any number of benefits:

practical use [obscure odor, particularly in funerary ceremonies to cover the scent of decay]
chronological measurement
repel mosquitoes or other insects [Zen Buddhists use this technique when meditating]
indulgence for the sense of smell
sacrificial offering to deity
It is in this final sense that we find most usage in the Judeo-Christian tradition, and in the Bible. Our Bible Dictionary teaches:

The preparation of incense is described in Ex. 30:34-36; the duty of offering it twice daily fell upon the high priest (Ex. 30:7-8), but in the second temple the privilege was extended to all the priests, and the lot was cast each day to decide who should offer (Luke 1:9). Live coals were brought from the brazen altar of burnt offering, and placed on the golden altar of incense; then the priest to whom the lot had fallen entered alone into the Holy Place, carrying in a censer the incense, which he cast on the fire. Then, bowing reverently toward the Holy of Holies, he returned to the congregation, who were praying outside, and pronounced the blessing in Num. 6:24-26. The choir of Levites at once started to sing the daily psalms. On the Day of Atonement there was a special offering of incense. See Rev. 5:8; Rev. 8:3-4; cf. Ps. 141:2; Mal. 1:11.1

Such an offering of incense by the priests gathered around altars set before the veil in the tabernacle or temple was believed to carry the prayers of the Israelites as smoke up to the throne of God, such that they would be heard by Jehovah more effectively.

Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense; and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice. (Ps. 141:2)

So there. At least we know now “what’s with the blow”.

Something to keep in mind the next time you are blowing out your birthday candles.

These photos were all from that day. Kulit no?

Again, Happy Birtday Mhel!!!
From :
Gay, Kate, Jill. Rhon, Agnes, Al, Cj, Joanne, Dior, Mia, Genie, Princess, Ryan, Aiah

0 Comment

Waiting for calls to be monitored takes like forever. Everybody’s so busy… or at least trying to be. I have been holding myself from opening Adobe because they might use it again against me but I really can’t hold it any longer. What the heck!

So here’s the result of that struggle. I know some will think that I’m being sipsip or nagpapalakas again. Haller!!! di na kailangan. Ako na mismo si Malakas at si Maganda [har har har}. Talking about being Becky. Chot!

0 Comment

I slept like a baby for 8 hours earlier. When my phone alarmed at 8 o’clock, I passed over the clutter in the kitchen and fell into the bed blacked out and heedless of the mess altogether. I was supposed to ask our Yaya to do the laundry but my eyes was wailing to catch up on sleep so I paid heed. I managed to force open my eyes to send a quick reply to my Z’s [I'll introduce him when the right time comes] text message then I pressed my head back into the pillows.

I don’t usually fall asleep within 5 minutes of lying down but earlier was one of those rare instances when my eyes just shut off involuntarily. It’s not that I’ve been deprived of sleep, it’s just that I’ve been feeling woozy in the night time especially at work lately and I sense some twinge around my neck that feels like swollen lymph nodes. I guess it’s cold symptoms.

I got out of bed to clean up. well, having to do the “head-of-the-family” chores myself is both the good and the not so good slice of being a “kuya” lifestyle but I don’t really fret. Actually, it’s exciting. Well, it’s not really the feeling of being responsible at last, it’s the self-discovery that’s more thrilling. Each day sweeps on like a journey to self-discovery. and I’m so pleased to see the other side of my quirky character unfolding, that is “AL-as-he-should-be” self.

It’s a Tuesday and I felt the “I-feel-like-being-nice-today” attitude. So, soon as I reached my office, I greeted everyone with a smile. One of my biggest accomplishment? I even talked to the “hiddenly-treacherous-guy”. I just feel like being nice. I know he’ll always be like that because the attitude makes him breathe but I guess I’ll just maintain my vigilance. And as my YM status says :

Simply ignore the bitchiness, and respond with a smile. He should be pitied, his life is miserable, and that is contagious, but love is also contagious, spread that instead!

More love people!

0 Comment