The Phoenixes

The Phoenix is a feathered specie that is fabled to be one of its kind. It has a gorgeous plumage that never fades even over hundreds of years, it can survive longer than any nation in the Arabian dessert, and then burns itself to rise up from its ashes with renewed youth and live another series of centuries. Mythical but definitely splendid.

He was a Phoenix. Everyone envied him for he was beautiful. He always got all the sweet deals. Life was really easy on him, he just made it difficult. He would certainly be a tale. And his tale would be told and retold for years. And he, a Phoenix, would live on.

He was famed because he was a Phoenix, or because he came from a family of Phoenixes. A renowned doctor for a father, an elegant mother, a genius brother and a lovely sister. What his friends lacked, he surely had. Whoever said that "birds of the same feathers flock together" is definitely wrong.

I said the Unicorn is equally astounding. Legendary for its form, with magical properties on its twirled single horn, usually magnificently white and bright, flies graciously, a charger in the Arm. Remarkably fabled on legendary battles.

Everyone in the crowd wanted to be the Phoenix. I wanted to be the Unicorn. But bad news for me, they say, I am a Phoenix too.

Many times that I dared to emerge from my ashes. Many times that I was envied and my beautifully colored feathered precious back stabbed. Many times that I got what I wanted. Life was also easy on me, I just made it difficult. Many times that my tale has been told, and retold. And I would live on.

What happens when two phoenixes meet? A smorgasbord of spiteful and amused eyes. A feast of smoldering stories, of vivid circumstances. A very mighty combination of two birds of a rare specie, the envy of the ones who wanted to be with a phoenix, and the secret loathing of some who wanted to be the phoenix. A romance of two beautiful birds, gleeful with every flail of their wings, flying past over everyone in the Arabian desert.

Sure, two phoenixes finding each other in the throng is already a star on its own. Being happy together makes it a supernova. This tale would definitely live on for gazillion years. But whoever said that "birds of the same feathers flock together" is definitely wrong.

Two phoenixes soaring in the dessert sky would do the trick for them to just fly and be happy for hundreds of years. But in the city sky where there is nothing but the weather and pollution would really tire them flying above everyone else and they would want to be less self-important. And would rather not flock together.

Even before burning up to my ashes and rejuvenating, I have already realized that his friends were far better than him in terms of priority, romances, relationships, life, and love. Because they were not phoenixes who are colorful creations of The Gods so they strive for flying colors and Aces. They were not phoenixes who could live for ages so they knew the worth of time. Most importantly, they were not phoenixes who could rise up from their ashes to pass up from good friends, or family, and they knew the value of love. They were not phoenixes who always had the leisure and the second, and the next chances in their lifetimes.

How I envied these non-phoenix creatures so much. Maybe they would not have tales to their names to be told and retold but they would absolutely live on. And their loved ones would exalt their names. I wish he wasn't a phoenix. I wish I was never a phoenix myself. Because you know what happens when two phoenixes meet? They still burn up to their ashes, together.


The Phoenixes @ Peyups.com

My New Pencil Case and Micro SD

We did our grocery at Eunilaine yesterday and I impulsively bought a 39-peso pencil case, that's actually a small clutch bag. I made it my new personal (hygeine) effects kit. I am so happy, I've been wanting to replace my tribu mesh bag for so long.

This afternoon, Amrei and I had lunch at SM North and went to Cyberzone to canvass for a laptop, or, if my discipline would help me save money, I would like a Macbook/iBook best. Then we thought, maybe I should finally buy a Micro SD for my 3250 phone. I've been using this phone for about half a year now, but have never used its mp3 and video player features because my phone memory could only store up to four mp3s and 13 photos! It was ok with me, anyway I wasn't really particular with mobile phone accessories.

But I never thought that having a memory card is so much fun. I downloaded two pretty themes from the internet and currently searching for games!

My new pencil case and micro SD card made me so happy today.

Simple joys from simple things.

Ang Huling Araw ng Linggo

Dear Friends,

Please support Nick Olanka's film, "Ang Huling Araw ng Linggo." You may repost this in your blogs. If you want a digital copy of the poster, you may grab it from the photos section. Thanks!

Cinemalaya presents a VitalStrats Creative Solutions production in cooperation with Red Door Productions

A Nick Olanka film

"Ang Huling Araw ng Linggo".

Ang Huling Araw ng Linggo spans a week in a life of seven individuals with interconnected narratives. Domeng is involved in networking or multi-level marketing business and plans to encourage his estranged daughter Luna to join in this unscrupulous business. Luna is abandoned by her husband and son so she asks help from her mother Aling Tess. Aling Tess is a land lady who lives alone and fancies a young male boarder named Kulas. Kulas is a grocery store employee who aspires to become a store manager to impress Julie. Julie is a laundry shop attendant who is obsessed with a male costumer named Brian. Brian is a nurse in a local hospital who wants to work abroad so he persuades his girlfriend Sally to provide for his "fixer" fees. An accounting graduate who failed to pass the board exam for two consecutive years, Sally enters Domeng's networking business in the hopes of proving her worth. When she found out that networking is a scam Sally plans to take revenge on Domeng. The film illustrates the interconnectedness of our lives, a cycle of random events in which the decisions we make are as important as the choices we didn't take.

About the Director

NICK JOSEPH OLANKA is a graduate of Film and Audio Visual Communication from the UP College of Mass Communication in Diliman. He has taken workshops in cinematography, photography and theater. For the UP Repertory Company, he directed Damas de Noche, Haplos ng Dahas, Sa Ngalan ng Ama, Sino Ba Kayo, New Yorker in Tondo, Parokyano and Ang Paglilitis Ni Mang Serapio. In film and video, he was director, writer and producer of Lunes ng Hapis, Happy Birthday Millie and Drive. He worked as production assistant for FILMEX under his summer internship program in 2004. His short film Lunes ng Hapis won the 2005 Kodak Film School Competition and was the Philippine entry for the Asia-Pacific Kodak Film School Competition 2006.

Production Staff

Writer/Director: Nick Joseph Olanka
Assistant Director: Emman Pascual
Production Manager: Gavin Herrera
Director of Photography: Pao Pangan
Editor: Amrei Dizon
Musical Score: Nani Naguit
Production Design: Roma Regala and Armi Cacanindin
Sound Design: Raffy Magsaysay
Post House: VitalStrats Creative Solutions

What is Grass Green

We got this project to layout a golf ball box. The project brief that I got said that the main color should be "grass green" but apparently, the person who gave me the brief, did not know what grass green exactly looks like. She noted "...(hindi ko alam kung anong shade ng grass green, yun lang ang sabi ng client. Please find out nalang)". So I 'googled' "GRASS GREEN COLOR" and hit a site for the colorblind. There were various greens, including grass green, in a table that shows the shade, the name, the decimals, and the "hex" (whatever that is), and the "co#". I tried to enter the 'hex' numbers in the pantone number box in Photoshop and voila! The same supposed-grass-green-color from the website appeared on the color picker preview.

But I was not impressed, of course, I mean, it wont hurt to look for another "grass green" testimonial. So I chose another link from my googled links.

I was directed to the Blogthings. It greeted me with "What kind of Green Are You?" Of course, this was definitely not what I was looking for. But hey, it wont hurt to have a little fun as well. So I answered the questions and ticked on my answers. After the 'quiz', you know what it told me?

You Are Grass Green

Down to earth and a bit of a hippie, you are very into nature and the outdoors. You accept the world and people as they are. You don't try to change things. You are also very comfortable with yourself, flaws and all. Optimistic about the future, you feel like life is always getting better.

Funny, right? I mean, I could've been a light green, or a yellow green, or a moss green. But no! I am a grass green! Just when I was wondering 'what is grass green?'.

So I stopped looking for the color grass green. Because hey, what am I looking for? I am grass green.

Actually, I'm just making sense of a coincidence. But still coincidentally, it said that I am a bit of a hippie! No proof! Hehe)

A Twisted Love Affair

Yesterday was EMC2 Fraternity and UP CE's night at the UP Fair. The line up was still as fab as before. And like all the past Schizofairnias, I emceed the night again before the DJs from the sponsor radio station came.

Though i only emceed for like 3 hours, I felt so tired. And I am still tired. Hehe. So I'll finish this entry after I've rested, ok?

Will post photos and stories as soon as I find time.

Random Lunacy @ Wilfredo's

It's been a long time since I've seen my friends Jovi, Charms, Meh, Yvette, and Coi, collectively known as Matilda, play. Partly beacuse I was absent on their January 13 gig at Purple Haze and Freedom Bar because of the World Pyro Exhibit. And mostly because I haven't been watching gigs a lot lately.

Last night, I was happy to see Matilda back, (a)live and better than ever. It's just sad that Coi wasn't there because she's been said to bepracticing for her upcoming recital (April 13, marked!).

Anyway, there were around 10-12 bands. Half of them, I never heard of until last night. Half of them I knew (and my close friends) since college -- Kiko Machine (I hosted both of their album launches), The Brew (hosted their album launch too, had the chance to interview Mr. RA Rivera), Aizo (one of my most favorite bands), Chubibo (the Chubiboys and the Chubibabe), and of course Matilda (hosted their demo launch too, and Meh's bday.)

The other half were (I'll try my best to enumerate all the band names that I can remember) Pentavia, Saffron Speedway (I'm really sorry I said Saffron Subway -- in that hosting stint), 7 days up (or 7 high up? or up high 7? day 7 up? Oh dear..I'm so poor with names), and Descant Gott. I was out there somewhere most of the time, drinking beer or chatting with the other bands, that's why I can't remember the other bands' names. But what the heck, the show was good, in general.

And oh, part of the show was Charm's bday celeb. Belated happy birthday Charms!

My First Rock Story

January 19, 2007. Kublai's Katipunan.

The UP Underground Music Community presents My First Rock Story - some kind of a fundraising event for a school in Katipunan. Nice show. Nice cause. Nice to see my old friends again.

Will post photos and stories as soon as I find time.

Aizo, La Passionaria @ 6UG

I've been gone. For a long time. Haven't seen gigs. Haven't been around to party. I never realized it until Janji said "Good evening po, kami po ang Aizo. Ito pong buong set namin, para kay Roma, kasi ang tagal nyang nawala!"

Imagine, dati, isang song lang ang dinededicate sakin ng mga band friends ko. Ngayon, sa tagal kong 'nawala', isang set na ang katumbas! Where have I been?

Will post photos and stories as soon as I find the time.

That's My Girl!

>Direk Ed Lejano of CinemaOne Originals 2006's Seroks has just sent Ponkee a message. He said that his editor for the film is nominated best editor. Aint that great? and the best part is, Ponkee is the editor! That's my girl!

SEROKS digital movie at Robinsons Galleria Nov 24.

Cinema One Originals and Ledge Productions in cooperation with NCCA and VitalStrats Creative Solutions present "SEROKS". "SEROKS", a psychological drama starring Juliana Palermo unreels at the 2nd Annual Cinema One Originals Digital Movie Festival on November 24-26 at the Indie Sine (Cinema 8 ) of Robinsons Galleria. One of the winning seven digital movie proposals, "SEROKS" will be shown Friday 5pm, Saturday 1pm
and Sunday 945pm. Tickets at P100.

The digital movie written and directed by Ed Lejano, makes use of the film noir style and fuses elements of the thriller, in conveying a recurring pattern of duplication that reflect the film's title.

Set in the vibrant world of Recto, Palermo plays the mysterious woman who moves into a boarding house above a xerox shop. Her femme fatale character soon encounters the xerox operator played by Neil Ryan Sese (who portrayed one of the brothers in Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Olivares).

Their fateful meeting triggers a series of duplicating events. This ushers the film's unpredictable plot developments as it branches out to involve the other offbeat characters that inhabit the world of "SEROKS".

The richly-textured film noir drama also stars Lauren Novero, Soliman Cruz, Mystika, Ramon Bautista, Alchris Galura and Maria Isabel Lopez. Cinematography is by the award-winning Neil Daza, the screenplay co-written by Lye Candelaria and
line-produced by Amor Olaguer.

Catch the intriguing Pinoy digital movie that tackles the notion of life as a photocopy next weekend, November 24-26.

"SEROKS", Rated R-13, 1hr 45mins.
Directed by Ed Lejano
Assistant Director - Lorna Sanchez
Cinematographer - Neil Daza
Screenplay Co-writer - Lye Candelaria
Production Design - Bianca Dadives
Art Director & Costume Master - Ching Danseco
Editor and Sound Designer - Amrei Dizon
Musical Scorer - Nani Naguit
Line Producer - Amor Olaguer
Post Production House - VitalStrats Creative Solutions

For more details and group sales discount of festival tickets, call Creative Programs, Inc. CPI) at the 10th floor ELJ Bldg., ABS-CBN office at 4152272 locals 3162, 3205, 3166. Look for Marga, Jingky and Lani.

Sagot sa 'Tsk, tsk, tsk (at iba pang tsk, tsk, tsk)'

Binasa ko yung entry kong 'Tsk, tsk, tsk (at iba pang tsk, tsk, tsk)'. Ngayon lang. At parang hindi ako makapaniwala kung gaano ako -ka-active sa mga gigs nuong mismong panahong sinulat ko yun. Isang panahon na ang DAPAT na una sa aking priorities ay ang pag-aaral. But no. I was all over town for friend's gigs and drinking sprees.

Ramdam na ramdam ko naman na simula ng nagtrabaho ako eh nawala na naman ako sa "eksena". Hindi ko na nga kilala yung mga banda ngayon. Huli kong nagpunta sa 2 gigs na magkasunod para mag-host, nalula ako sa damio ng mukhang hindi ko kilala. Sa lugar pa naman na pamilyar ko.

Hindi sapat tong sinusulat ko parang i-express kung gano na ako nawala sa eksena. O kung gano katagal nang wala akong naiinom na musika. Matagal. Madami nang nagsabi sa akin na "akala ko namatay ka na". May nagsabi na din sa akin dati ng 'wala, laos ka na' dahil tinutukoy niyang iba ang crowd ng mga banda sa isang gig na pinuntahan namin. At maari na din sigurong masabi na 'lola' na ako. Dahil dati, walang effort para malaman kung sino ang sino. Kaninong banda si ganitong drummer. Ngayon hindi naman ako nag-eefort. Ayun nga lang, gudlak sa akin. Mahirap maghost ng gigs na hindi mo kilala ang mga bandista. Unprofessional yun! Unless sikat kang DJ from some 'cool' station. Okay lang magkamali ng tawag sa bandang nag-lo-launch ng album at ikaw ang host. Duh.

To make the long story short, wala kaseng panahon. Hindi ko alam kung bakit. Eh 9-6 lang naman ang pasok ko sa opisina. Pero parang ngayon, nasa opisina pa ako. Mamayang 9 AM, 24 hours na akong nandito. Tsk, tsk, tsk.