musiklaban (kunyari)

NOTE: Quotes are not verbatim, sometimes paraphrased. Event and exchanges, however, really occurred.

15 minutes to the first ever R a d i o C i r c l e MusicQuiz and Jam and I are in the bathroom at Balay Kalinaw.
"What's your specialty?" she asked.
"Umm. Rock?"
"Me too! Oh no... pareho tayo..."
"That's okay. We'll work with what we have."

13 minutes to MusicQuiz en route to contest area.
"What was Nirvana's first album?"
I shrug.
"I think it was "Bleach". Was it?"
Actually I really have no idea.
"Or "Nevermind"?"
"Okay. Never mind."

12 minutes to MusicQuiz. MJ tells us to win. More like suggests. Very nicely.
We say this repeatedly. "Our org is broke. So kailangan na talaga ng pera."

MusicQuiz begins. They rattle off instructions.
"Go UJP!" Kim says, all support. "Go Jam!"
"Go Journ!" Dan says.
I think this is because we are the only team from CMC. The rest are variations of speech Comm org members. I was outwardly trying to convince Jam and myself to think positive, that thoughts become things (so sayeth "The Secret") and so if we think we'll win, we will.

Insert fits of nervosity.
"Jam, don't hate me if we lose okay?"
"I won't."
"Promise ha?"
"oo."

That doesn't change the fact we still didn't know what Nirvana's first album was.
Amidst the cheers.
"Please," I yell. "Lower your expectations."

5 minutes into the MusicQuiz and we are performing better than expected. I say this with emphasis. BETTER THAN EXPECTED.
Demonstration.

[Question: first female to ever enter the rock and roll hall of fame.]
I look at Jam.
"Janis Joplin?" she says. Good, very educated, quite plausible, legitimate answer.
I ask, "Hindi ba si Britney Spears?"
[Answer: Aretha Franklin.]

[Question: first US female artist to enter the UK charts at Number 1.]
I stare at Jam.
"Madonna." she says, and writes it down.
"Um...." I say. "Hindi ba si Britney Spears?"
[Answer: Madonna.]

Some surprises along the way though. Like Gwen Gurthie. And Rosemary Clooney. Whoever the hell you are.
And, like, how the hell should we know Creed sang a song that has Satanic/Amish lyrics when played backwards???

[Question: Which N'Sync Member has an honorary English degree from Rutger's college?]
"Okay," Jam says, "let's make a rundown. Justin Timberlake?"
"No. DOubt it."
"JC Chasez? Super showbiz talaga sha eh no?"
"Yep. Joey Fatone."
"No."
[We forgot the dude with the Pineapple hairdo. I'm sorry, 5th member of N'Sync.)
"Who else?" asks Jam.
"Oh, it's Lance Bass definitely."
"Lance Bass?" She writes.
"Yeah he's the N'sync guy who even trained to be an astronaut."
[ANSWER: Justin Timberlake.]
"Oh." Jam said. "We underestimated him."

[Question: Sino yung tumulong kay ...[dude who sculpted Oble] at ang totoong modelo ng Oblation statue, hindi si Fernando Poe Sr.?"]
In what I think is a Eureka moment: "Aha!" I scribble in, furiously: "Wilfrido Ma. Guerrero."
Jam says, "Oh my god, I love you Tin." Thinking I know what I'm doing.
[Answer: Anastacio (?) Caedo]
We show our answer to MJ behind us.
"Bakit naman daw yung theater Palma Hall?" she asks laughing.
I say, "Eh guwapo daw siya noon eh." Ganun lang yun.

Toink moments talaga. Lesson for the day: Go with your gut feel. Kung feeling mo John Lennon was contractually obligated to die last then say it. It pays.

In the end, I don't know how the hell we got to the finals. Sheer force of will. Carlos P. Romulo. Jam getting the "fucking" Switchfoot soundtrack. It was love for the org, I say.

Or we really just needed the money. The 300 pesos worth of Mr. Softee gift certificates was just a bonus. To U J P: tara na. shopping na.

noooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!

oh my god oh my god oh my god!!!!!!
oh my god oh my god!!
oh my god!!!!

i just found out that M L. Q u e z o n the T h i r d frickin linked my blog (T h e N o s y I n t e r n) sa blog niya!! oh no!!! oh no!! oh no!! hahaha!! it's embarrassing!!! he linked my post on the M i k e D presscon!!! waaaaah!!!!!!! he said in a post about said politician's concession of defeat titled "P a l a ce : d on't d e s t a b i li z e e m o t i o n s": [in parenthesis] "charming account of the press conference courtesy of T h e N o s y I n t e r n". oooooooooooohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh nnnnnnnnnnnooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!

this is bad. you know why? cause my rants sa blog na yun are really senseless. really really senseless. think conduct unbecoming of a journalist. waaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh!!!

tell me google cache doesnt last forever tell me google cache doesnt last forever!!

check it

I got a paycheck from N e w s b r e a k, which incidentally, is also my first evahh paycheck for work done as a quasi-journalist. Hahah. I thought it was, like, compensation for intern work, but I found out later when they gave me free copies of the new p o s t-e l e c t i o n i s s u e that my story on Mickidee got published. Yessssssssssssssss!!!!!

my story on page 26. :) shameless plug.

So I swung by the office a few weeks ago and everyone was there except Ms M a r i t e s and I was so so happy to see them again, felt slightly nostalgic, haha.

I forgot to bring my camera lang, was supposed to launch a photo session. Shucks.

Anyway, I told them about my Dad's suggestion to have my first paycheck framed, and Ms G l e n d a was joking about it. Hahahah. She went like, "That's a great idea, Kristine. Framing your first paycheck! Hindi ko yun naisip nung bata ako." Hahahahahah!!

Ma'am G e m m a was scandalized when she heard it, I could see it on her face, she said to me, her voice pitchy, "Picture-an mo nalang!!!!" Id est: 'You silly silly girl, you don't fricking FRAME money!"

See, my Dad had it in his head to make a big frame collage out of it, like those things that record companies give to their artists at awards shows when their albums go platinum or whatever? The ones with their album covers on it and some gold CD's pasted on it. Sort of like that. He said that someday when I look back on my life, these are the things worth looking back on.

Like, "Eto mga apo, gusto ninyo makita yung pinakaunang cheke ni lola? Pakikuha nga sa aparador yung malaking malaking picture frame... oo, ayan... sige buhatin mo lang, ingat kasi mabigat... oo, yung frame na kasing laki ng cabinet..."

My Mom said, yeah, make a colored xerox copy of it nalang.

Only she failed to tell me that it's fricking illegal to photocopy checks!! The S h o p p i n g C e n t e r people were all looking at me like I was some criminal woman on a bank fraud operation. I calmly explained that if I wanted to cheat money out of banks by photocopying checks, I wouldn't be doing it at my school and second, that if I really really wanted to, I'd give them the exact kind of paper they use for checks instead of relying on their useless bond paper diba?? Hindi ba halata, ate Xerox, na super photocopy lang yun?

But no, they threatened to call the police on me.

So I made it like G e m m a and just took pictures of it nalang.

Granted, I have but a few days before paycheck gets cashed in, and before it um... "expires." Here are some pictures of it to remember it by. Although it's not my first time to be given compensation for something media-related (thank you C M F R is in the heart always!!), I'm still very proud of this.

A Tribute to Paycheck

The mag that brought paycheck into my life.


eating paycheck. mmmmm.


paycheck reclining on couch


paycheck sleeping with teddy

and finally

paycheck and i.

hahahahaha thank you. bow.
--------------------------------------
P.S.
Asked family friend ultimate corporate lawyer, he said it's NOT illegal to photocopy checks. take that, ate Xerox!!!

check it

I got a paycheck from N e w s b r e a k, which incidentally, is also my first evahh paycheck for work done as a quasi-journalist. Hahah. I thought it was, like, compensation for intern work, but I found out later when they gave me free copies of the new p o s t-e l e c t i o n i s s u e that my story on Mickidee got published. Yessssssssssssssss!!!!!

my story on page 26. :) shameless plug.

So I swung by the office a few weeks ago and everyone was there except Ms M a r i t e s and I was so so happy to see them again, felt slightly nostalgic, haha.

I forgot to bring my camera lang, was supposed to launch a photo session. Shucks.

Anyway, I told them about my Dad's suggestion to have my first paycheck framed, and Ms G l e n d a was joking about it. Hahahah. She went like, "That's a great idea, Kristine. Framing your first paycheck! Hindi ko yun naisip nung bata ako." Hahahahahah!!

Ma'am G e m m a was scandalized when she heard it, I could see it on her face, she said to me, her voice pitchy, "Picture-an mo nalang!!!!" Id est: 'You silly silly girl, you don't fricking FRAME money!"

See, my Dad had it in his head to make a big frame collage out of it, like those things that record companies give to their artists at awards shows when their albums go platinum or whatever? The ones with their album covers on it and some gold CD's pasted on it. Sort of like that. He said that someday when I look back on my life, these are the things worth looking back on.

Like, "Eto mga apo, gusto ninyo makita yung pinakaunang cheke ni lola? Pakikuha nga sa aparador yung malaking malaking picture frame... oo, ayan... sige buhatin mo lang, ingat kasi mabigat... oo, yung frame na kasing laki ng cabinet..."

My Mom said, yeah, make a colored xerox copy of it nalang.

Only she failed to tell me that it's fricking illegal to photocopy checks!! The S h o p p i n g C e n t e r people were all looking at me like I was some criminal woman on a bank fraud operation. I calmly explained that if I wanted to cheat money out of banks by photocopying checks, I wouldn't be doing it at my school and second, that if I really really wanted to, I'd give them the exact kind of paper they use for checks instead of relying on their useless bond paper diba?? Hindi ba halata, ate Xerox, na super photocopy lang yun?

But no, they threatened to call the police on me.

So I made it like G e m m a and just took pictures of it nalang.

Granted, I have but a few days before paycheck gets cashed in, and before it um... "expires." Here are some pictures of it to remember it by. Although it's not my first time to be given compensation for something media-related (thank you C M F R is in the heart always!!), I'm still very proud of this.

A Tribute to Paycheck

The mag that brought paycheck into my life.


eating paycheck. mmmmm.


paycheck reclining on couch


paycheck sleeping with teddy

and finally

paycheck and i.

hahahahaha thank you. bow.
--------------------------------------
P.S.
Asked family friend ultimate corporate lawyer, he said it's NOT illegal to photocopy checks. take that, ate Xerox!!!

q u e e n paranoia

I have nothing to contribute to the H u m a n S e c u r i t y A c t debate cause everything that can be said of it (including expletives) has already been said before.

So all I'll say is this. I am terrified na. Seriously. So to the past Congress that drafted this stupid bill, congratulations. Awards for all of you. Consider pa na I don't get scared easy, the general exception being lizards.

It's funny kasi while some of us were drafting our org's statement on the H S A, may halong panic na. We were repeatedly checking the wall ornaments for possible hidden cameras or bugs. We kept our voices down kasi baka may Intelligence o f f i c e r rin sa SC canteen! We kept an eye out for a suspicious-looking, hooded, trench coat-wearing, mustachioed figure glancing at our table from behind a newspaper. In short, siya:

J a m was saying baka yung bust ni P l a r i d e l ay may camera na naka-embed sa mga mata. Super laking kabastusan na yun kung i-bug nila yung statue ng aming patron hero. T i n e also kept doing headcounts everytime we'd leave a building kasi baka may nawala na. haha.

Sure, the law is supposedly for security of humans (hindi rin obvious sa title ng law diba?), but which humans? And who the hell defines what constitutes t e r r o r i s m? Kung t e r r o r i z i n g ba ang pag-uusapan, o di i-wiretap at i-detain na sana si S o l i t a M o n s o d (who is like a Dementor. I am seated on the aisle in E c o n class, and i just feel so cold and sad all of a sudden when she passes by me every morning to take her place on the lecture podium.)

They're "fighting t e r r o r" but causing t e r r o r too. Why I'm so against this law is because I personally don't trust the government not to do anything bad with it. Yun lang naman.

Meanwhile I'll practice na my covert-op skills. I'm getting quite good at dismantling wall ornaments now at madali lang maghanap ng wiretap equipment kasi sabi sakin ng dad ko na sa Pinas hindi pa tayo high-tech at malalaki po ang ating supposed "bugs." Bale, watch out lang po for mga giant bubuyog sized suspicious-looking equipment.

And from now on, I'll be carrying mace.

a much needed vacation

Went to Lake Caliraya last weekend with my family and my dad's boss and officemates and their families. Actually commuted there and survived!! hahahahaha.

anyway, had a nice time.

espeysyal parang enseymada

N e w s b r e a k 's special p o s t-e l e c t i on issue is going to be released this month! Finally! Yehey! Woohoo!

The 8 0-page issue (hindi rin makapal. obvious na na-miss nila ang print version. hahaha) will contain in-depth reports and analysis on the surprising, dramatic, and noteworthy happenings during the 2 0 0 7 e l e c t i o n s and takes a look at the lessons we can learn from it. Top stories include:

• 1 0 0 Y e a r s of Voting
• V i l l a r and his businesses
• Big L o s e r s
• Unexpected L o s s e s
• The T r i l l a n e s and C h i z E z c u d e r o Phenomena
• P o l l W atch ers Prepare for 2010
• The C ase Against A b a l o s
• The M u r k y Politics of P a s i g
• The Old and New D y n a s t i e s
• The C a n d i d a t e s W h o Drove Us N u t s

I vote the last one for "catchiest title ever."

I dunno lang if they used my crappy story on M i k e D e f e n s o r hahaha. But I'll be picking up my check tomorrow. :) Details later.

Meanwhile, watch out for it when it hits newsstands on July 16 (that's next Monday) and will be sold at only one hundred and twenty pesos. Again, that's only one hundred and twenty pesos.

Call now and you will receive an order slip from the staff and your copy will be delivered to you F R E E! What are you waiting for? Buy N e w s b r e a k's special post-election issue!

It will be worth your while. Promise.

Per DTI-NCR Permit number 000917-854-14344

espeysyal parang enseymada

N e w s b r e a k 's special p o s t-e l e c t i on issue is going to be released this month! Finally! Yehey! Woohoo!

The 8 0-page issue (hindi rin makapal. obvious na na-miss nila ang print version. hahaha) will contain in-depth reports and analysis on the surprising, dramatic, and noteworthy happenings during the 2 0 0 7 e l e c t i o n s and takes a look at the lessons we can learn from it. Top stories include:

• 1 0 0 Y e a r s of Voting
• V i l l a r and his businesses
• Big L o s e r s
• Unexpected L o s s e s
• The T r i l l a n e s and C h i z E z c u d e r o Phenomena
• P o l l W atch ers Prepare for 2010
• The C ase Against A b a l o s
• The M u r k y Politics of P a s i g
• The Old and New D y n a s t i e s
• The C a n d i d a t e s W h o Drove Us N u t s

I vote the last one for "catchiest title ever."

I dunno lang if they used my crappy story on M i k e D e f e n s o r hahaha. But I'll be picking up my check tomorrow. :) Details later.

Meanwhile, watch out for it when it hits newsstands on July 16 (that's next Monday) and will be sold at only one hundred and twenty pesos. Again, that's only one hundred and twenty pesos.

Call now and you will receive an order slip from the staff and your copy will be delivered to you F R E E! What are you waiting for? Buy N e w s b r e a k's special post-election issue!

It will be worth your while. Promise.

Per DTI-NCR Permit number 000917-854-14344

i haven't been this obsessed since...

high school.

I have a crush at school and it's fast becoming a love-hate relationship, a feeling I haven't had since my ill-fated oh-my-god-he-glanced-at-me-he-loves-me-na!! thing with A r i B u n u a n in fifth grade.

This time's no different. All I know is that he's nice-looking and smart. He's an artist, he draws so well, paints like craazy, is active in school, is a WRITER for frickin sakes for a national broadsheet. He's been to nice places all over the world. He's a stand-up guy, really ethical and nice and friendly and COOOOOL. He's got values. He's a GOOD person. He has droves of fans, 90% of whom are women, and is into sports. He likes the music I like and reads the things I like. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!

Cue flashback:
Post-break-up madness and high on vodka mudshake:

TIN: Basti, I swear, I'm not settling for anything less than what I want na talaga.
BASTI: (drunk) OKEY!!! What's the standard then?
TIN: Ah basta, maghahanap ako ng artist-musician-athlete. Nothing less than an artist-musician-athlete.
BASTI: ... OKEY!! Masasabi ko lang GOOD LUCK sayo!! You'll frickin need it.

Thank you thank you. And I have found him.

But he's not available. It's too complicated. Okay, it's religion-related.

I don't want na to make papansin, I know I went overboard today. It's just, GOD! He's like the hotness I never had.

And prolly never will.

(insert violent expletives)

i haven't been this obsessed since...

high school.

I have a crush at school and it's fast becoming a love-hate relationship, a feeling I haven't had since my ill-fated oh-my-god-he-glanced-at-me-he-loves-me-na!! thing with A r i B u n u a n in fifth grade.

This time's no different. All I know is that he's nice-looking and smart. He's an artist, he draws so well, paints like craazy, is active in school, is a WRITER for frickin sakes for a national broadsheet. He's been to nice places all over the world. He's a stand-up guy, really ethical and nice and friendly and COOOOOL. He's got values. He's a GOOD person. He has droves of fans, 90% of whom are women, and is into sports. He likes the music I like and reads the things I like. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!

Cue flashback:
Post-break-up madness and high on vodka mudshake:

TIN: Basti, I swear, I'm not settling for anything less than what I want na talaga.
BASTI: (drunk) OKEY!!! What's the standard then?
TIN: Ah basta, maghahanap ako ng artist-musician-athlete. Nothing less than an artist-musician-athlete.
BASTI: ... OKEY!! Masasabi ko lang GOOD LUCK sayo!! You'll frickin need it.

Thank you thank you. And I have found him.

But he's not available. It's too complicated. Okay, it's religion-related.

I don't want na to make papansin, I know I went overboard today. It's just, GOD! He's like the hotness I never had.

And prolly never will.

(insert violent expletives)

i haven't been this obsessed since...

high school.

I have a crush at school and it's fast becoming a love-hate relationship, a feeling I haven't had since my ill-fated oh-my-god-he-glanced-at-me-he-loves-me-na!! thing with A r i B u n u a n in fifth grade.

This time's no different. All I know is that he's nice-looking and smart. He's an artist, he draws so well, paints like craazy, is active in school, is a WRITER for frickin sakes for a national broadsheet. He's been to nice places all over the world. He's a stand-up guy, really ethical and nice and friendly and COOOOOL. He's got values. He's a GOOD person. He has droves of fans, 90% of whom are women, and is into sports. He likes the music I like and reads the things I like. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!

Cue flashback:
Post-break-up madness and high on vodka mudshake:

TIN: Basti, I swear, I'm not settling for anything less than what I want na talaga.
BASTI: (drunk) OKEY!!! What's the standard then?
TIN: Ah basta, maghahanap ako ng artist-musician-athlete. Nothing less than an artist-musician-athlete.
BASTI: ... OKEY!! Masasabi ko lang GOOD LUCK sayo!! You'll frickin need it.

Thank you thank you. And I have found him.

But he's not available. It's too complicated. Okay, it's religion-related.

I don't want na to make papansin, I know I went overboard today. It's just, GOD! He's like the hotness I never had.

And prolly never will.

(insert violent expletives)

i haven't been this obsessed since...

high school.

I have a crush at school and it's fast becoming a love-hate relationship, a feeling I haven't had since my ill-fated oh-my-god-he-glanced-at-me-he-loves-me-na!! thing with A r i B u n u a n in fifth grade.

This time's no different. All I know is that he's nice-looking and smart. He's an artist, he draws so well, paints like craazy, is active in school, is a WRITER for frickin sakes for a national broadsheet. He's been to nice places all over the world. He's a stand-up guy, really ethical and nice and friendly and COOOOOL. He's got values. He's a GOOD person. He has droves of fans, 90% of whom are women, and is into sports. He likes the music I like and reads the things I like. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!

Cue flashback:
Post-break-up madness and high on vodka mudshake:

TIN: Basti, I swear, I'm not settling for anything less than what I want na talaga.
BASTI: (drunk) OKEY!!! What's the standard then?
TIN: Ah basta, maghahanap ako ng artist-musician-athlete. Nothing less than an artist-musician-athlete.
BASTI: ... OKEY!! Masasabi ko lang GOOD LUCK sayo!! You'll frickin need it.

Thank you thank you. And I have found him.

But he's not available. It's too complicated. Okay, it's religion-related.

I don't want na to make papansin, I know I went overboard today. It's just, GOD! He's like the hotness I never had.

And prolly never will.

(insert violent expletives)

i haven't been this obsessed since...

high school.

I have a crush at school and it's fast becoming a love-hate relationship, a feeling I haven't had since my ill-fated oh-my-god-he-glanced-at-me-he-loves-me-na!! thing with A r i B u n u a n in fifth grade.

This time's no different. All I know is that he's nice-looking and smart. He's an artist, he draws so well, paints like craazy, is active in school, is a WRITER for frickin sakes for a national broadsheet. He's been to nice places all over the world. He's a stand-up guy, really ethical and nice and friendly and COOOOOL. He's got values. He's a GOOD person. He has droves of fans, 90% of whom are women, and is into sports. He likes the music I like and reads the things I like. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!

Cue flashback:
Post-break-up madness and high on vodka mudshake:

TIN: Basti, I swear, I'm not settling for anything less than what I want na talaga.
BASTI: (drunk) OKEY!!! What's the standard then?
TIN: Ah basta, maghahanap ako ng artist-musician-athlete. Nothing less than an artist-musician-athlete.
BASTI: ... OKEY!! Masasabi ko lang GOOD LUCK sayo!! You'll frickin need it.

Thank you thank you. And I have found him.

But he's not available. It's too complicated. Okay, it's religion-related.

I don't want na to make papansin, I know I went overboard today. It's just, GOD! He's like the hotness I never had.

And prolly never will.

(insert violent expletives)

my favorite-est girl in the world

Happy Birthday Agatha!

Bente-uno ka na.

Pwede ka na mag-asawa, mag-ampon ng bata, at pwede ka na mag-file ng kaso dahil may "legal standing" ka na.

Sana naenjoy mo ang pag-inom ng bente-unong shot ng alak kahapon.

Sana magkaroon ka ng bente-unong boyfriend bago mag July 21.

Sana manalo ka ng bente uno mil sa lotto.

Sana magkaroon kayo ng bente unong interracial children ni Brad Pitt someday.

Sana ma-fulfill mo ang Top 21 things you want to do with your life. At sana may listahan ka talaga kasi kung hindi napahiya naman ako diba.

Sana magkaibigan parin tayo pagkalipas ng bente-unong taon and beyond. Till we're 21 million years old.

And many more.

Alavyou, woman. :)



File Photo

meron bang artist's block?

Disclaimer: hindi ko sinasabing "artist" ako pero...

Kung ang writer may writer's block (na meron din naman ako dahil walang opportunity na magsulat kasi wala ako masyadong journ subjects ngayon. Magvolunteer ulet kaya ako sa N e w s b r e a k?) ang mga artist/ painter/ professional doodlers kaya meron din?

Gusto ko kasi mapuno yung mga large empty spaces (for lack of a social life. hahahah) sa Starbucks planner ko ng mga drawings/ paintings. Napuno ko na yung January to April, and then things got busy during the summer with N e w s b r e a k again so I couldn't draw or paint anymore. Now I was looking at all those nice thick cream pages itching to be drawn on and I couldn't think of anything. Aaaargh.

I was trying to get inspiration, browsing through deviantArt, random magazines. I read my Van Gogh book all over again, thinking, hmmm... ano kayang building sa Quezon City ang pwedeng gawin parang "Church at Auvers"? Umaasa pa ako diba. I read "Watchmen" by Alan Moore and wanted to copy one of the panels. But I looked at my ink stash and I ran out of black and titanium white. Waaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh.

Sometimes I just need to draw, even if I know what I'm doing isn't good, or I'm copying someone else's work just so I could go through the motions of brush-and-stroke, shade-and-darken, or whatever crapola I come up with should best be thrown into the trash etc. etc. It just relaxes me kasi. It's cathartic in that special mindless way. After I paint, and I study right after it, I absorb so much more. Painting helped me score all those unos. I swear.

Not to mention it hides all the glaring empty spaces on my planner.