HOLIDAY...Celebrate!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas... Well, not really. But it surely is becoming one long MADONNA holiday for me! As if to officially usher in the holiday season, I spent most of my time lately watching Madonna videos and hanging out with my Madonnista friends.

It started Wednesday last week when I finally got hold of several VCDs/DVDs I ordered from my friend Madonnamazing who sells rare Madonna videos. From compilations of commercially unreleased music videos to M's live performances and her old films, I got really good stuff at reasonable prices. My friend was even nice enough to give me some 'bonus' items in consideration of my relatively large order.

But what really stood out among this set is a copy of Madonna's latest documentary film, I'm Going To Tell You A Secret. A sequel of sorts to Truth or Dare (In Bed with Madonna), Secret is a behind the scenes look at Madonna at the height of her 2004 Re-Invention Tour. I instantly fell in love with the film as it showcases how Madonna has evolved to a more mature and mellow individual juggling her roles as wife, mother, and entertainer all the while maintaining a semblance of sanity in her hectic life.



Watching the film, I couldn't help admiring her more as she opens up to the world a more intimate picture of what it's like to be in her world. Unlike Truth or Dare that sometimes feel contrived, Secret feels sincere and candid as she expands the film's focus not only on her show and her relationship with her entourage, but more importantly, her relationship with her husband, her 2 children and her aging father. At one point, I found myself crying while Madonna delivered a heartfelt speech to her dancers right before the last show of the tour. Somehow, in the middle of it all, it felt that I was a part of their group and that Madonna was delivering the words for me. Wishful thinking...

Secret also features some amazing footages of songs from the Re-Invention Tour that made me more restless waiting for the release of the concert DVD. Without a doubt, Madonna has not lost her touch in staging the best shows. From what I've seen, I especially loved her Nobody Knows Me performance. Simply extra-ordinary!

After seeing the documentary a few more times, I decided to bring the VCD to the Club Madonna Philippines year-end party last Saturday. Though technical problems prevented my Madonnista friends to watch the entire film, we nonetheless had the best time chatting up and watching other Madonna videos. We also had a Madonna trivia game (I WON!), a game of Charades and a mini-raffle where we won some rare Madonna items.

A few days ago, I received more Madonna stuff from my wonderful friend from San Francisco who brought for me my much-awaited copy of the Rolling Stone magazine with Madge on the cover along with a couple of US-edition Madonna CD's. I also met up with my Club Madonna friends who gave me VCD's of recent Madonna interviews and promo performances for Confessions On A Dance Floor.



This just makes me think that apparently, I have been good this year. Otherwise, Santa woudn't give me all thse stuff that I want!


Santa Baby, and hurry down the chimney tonight...



MADONNA
Movies

DIVAs' Weekend II

My past weekend went off on a good start as I took time off work last Friday to catch a concert of another favorite singer of mine, Regine Velasquez.

Entitled Reflections, the concert showcased medlies of songs of Regine's favorite singers as well as numbers that have become memorable to her since they were those that she sang during her 'singing contests' days. Clearly, this concert was much better than the last one I saw Reigning Still that did not have the best choice of repertoire and line up of musical guests.

I was so happy to hear Regine sing a medley of songs of my ultimate local fave, Sharon Cuneta (Mr. DJ, Dear Heart, P.S. I Love You and Kahapon Lamang), another medley of Mariah Carey's hits and as a part of her encore number, she performed Lucky Star, Borderline and Holiday from the Diva of all divas, MADONNA. I was like in heaven that night! And considering that Regine's voice that night wasn't exactly in its best form, she was still able to hit the high notes that she's been known for. What a trouper!

Her guests were the 1st Pinoy Pop Superstar, Jonalyn Viray who proved herself worthy of her title with such a lovely & powerful voice and singing comedienne Ai Ai Delas Alas who brought the house down with her wacky antics and her Regine-twenty-years-from-now spoof. Both of them really gave good performances without overshadowing Regine's own brand of stage presence.

I really had a great time that night. After the concert, we decided to go to Malate and spent some time checking out a new 'pink' shop Top & Bottom and got ourselves some rare gay-themed movies. My Sunshine, who was not able to come to the concert because of his work later joined us for a few rounds of drinks (that night was our 19th monthsary!).

My warmest thanks to a good MB Philippines friend, Dave, who was generous enough to give me (and Sonny) free tickets. Here's hoping it wouldn't be the last time!

And to you My Sunshine, thanks for the 19 wonderful months we've had together. I look forward to more love, laughter, lust, learning and leisure through the years!


Can we get together?
I really wanna be with you...



MADONNA
Sharon Cuneta
Regine Velasquez
Mariah Carey
Music
Love

Lo Money, Mo Problems

I am not much of a complainer, especially not in this blog. When something unpleasant comes, I choose to not write about it.

As they say, if you've got nothing nice to say, just shut up.

But please, indulge me...

Yesterday, I was really bummed when I received my 13th month pay and learned that it was much, much less than I expected. I was really pissed when I learned that it was because of tax deductions that ate up almost 30% of my pay! Yes, 30%!!! MotherF!@#!@$!!!!

I know it's not wise to count the chicks before the eggs hatch, but I already allocated my expected cash for stuff I intend to buy. Now, my plans have been thwarted. Sh!^%#!!!

I guess it's not gonna be much of a Merry Christmas then...


If you don't like my attitude, then you can F*** off!



Money
Christmas

A Boy Named Maxi

After reading about it in newspapers & magazines, I was finally able to see the much-acclaimed and anticipated 'independent' digital movie Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros (The Blossoming of Maximo Oliveros).

I was supposed to see this film months ago when a college friend (who came up with the film's concept) invited me to catch its Cinemalaya festival run, but was unable to due to my work schedule. Soon after, I learned that it bagged the top awards and won special citations from various film festivals here and abroad. Luckily, a major distributor was smart enough to pick up the movie and release it in major theaters. The public deserves this cinematic masterpiece! After seeing supposedly good digital movies that turned out to be just over-hyped pieces of trash, Maximo promises to be a refreshing breath of fresh air for the local film scene.



Ang Pagdadalaga is a sweet and funny story about Maxi, a gay adolescent whose father and two brothers make a living as petty thieves and crooks. Being left as the only 'girl' in the family, Maxi has taken on the role of mother by willingly and ably taking care of the household. Fortunate to have a family who has accepted his sexuality, his world revolved around his father and brothers until he met the first love of his life, Victor, an honest and idealistic cop. Soon, he was faced with the hard choice between protecting his family and that of pursuing the 'blossoming' relationship he thinks he's having with Victor.



The movie was effective in tackling issues of homosexuality, poverty, corruption, love and (most importantly) family in a humorous yet realistically poignant approach . It is really touching to see how Maxi's family maintain an admirable love and affection with one another amidst their depressing slums surrounding. It is also good that the film seem to not take itself too seriously with funny moments spread through out the movie aiding to get the message across rather than distracting from it.

The entire cast was superb, but the show was definitely stolen by Nathan Lopez, Maxi herself. That this is his first movie (and that he's actually straight) only highlights the very promising talent he posseses. I hope for greater things to come for this teen thespian.


After countless local gay films that center around the tired subject of male prostitution, I am glad that Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros is experiencing its own taste of success. It's only right that Filipinos would get to meet and appreciate Maximo before the rest of the world fall in love with him.


Little girl, dont run away so fast...



Movies
Gay

Just JOSH'n

Among the newer artists to come out in recent years, I have been somehow a fan of Josh Groban. I remember a couple of years ago when I was still unaware of who Josh is, a classmate in this voice workshop I attended commented that I should try singing his song. In his own opinion, I kinda sound like him when I sing! Go figure!

Gullible that I am, I got his first CD out of curiosity and soon found myself hooked. And after his Live in Concert DVD, his 2nd album Closer and his Live at the Greek DVD, it has now been my pleasure singing his songs everytime I get the chance to, mostly at karaoke bars. Do I really sound like him? . . . Hardly!


Anyways, I was recently asked by an office colleague and friend to sing at his wedding this December and of all the songs that he could have picked, he requested The Prayer to be their wedding march song (it's going to be a duet with my good friend Liza). For those who are familiar with the song, they would know that though it is a beautiful and moving song to listen to, it's quite a difficult piece to sing.



Yesterday, we had our first chance to rehearse the song and it was really a challenge! I haven't sung in a while and it took some time for me to get warmed up. Luckily, we were able to pull it off. Okay, it was still kinda rough around the edges, but given that we still have a month to fine-tune it, we're still very hopeful.

What makes this quite exciting is that it will be my first time to sing with live musical accompaniment (aside from the fact that it's my first wedding singer duty ever!). Though it takes some getting used to, it's such a refreshing break from the usual karaoke CDs. Yesterday during rehearsal, I was so impressed at how good the violinist was that I almost forgot to sing as I tried to listen to him play.

I have no idea how this singing endeavor would play out but I just hope it wouldn't be so bad that we would ruin a supposedly memorable moment for our friend and his bride. Talk about pressure!



Guide us with your grace,
Give us faith so we'll be safe...



Josh Groban
Weddings

I am Gifted!

I received my first of (hopefully) many gifts to get for this year's holiday season!



It came from my clients based in California who have never failed to send me a package every year since I started handling their account. Though the element of surprise is no longer there since they ALWAYS send me boxes of assorted nuts (no pun intended) and fruit candies, I am still happy to have them again this year.

I will not have the candies and nuts by myself. I'll share these with my colleagues who readily back me up everytime I can't come to the office (it happens a lot!). But I still get to keep the beautiful boxes!

Just one more thing to be thankful for this time of year...

And to all of my friends in the United States,
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Slice a turkey for me, why dontcha?



Was it all worth it, and how did I earn it...



Thanksgiving
Holidays

A Weekend with HARRY and MIMI

I saw Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire over the weekend and I have to say that this has got to be my most favorite of the film series so far!

Watching the movie was like seeing the book come alive just as I have imagined it to be when I read it a few years back. Though there were some parts of the book that were deliberately ommited due to time constraints (at 2 1/2 hours, the film is still relatively long), it nevertheless was as faithful an adapatation as it could be. Luckily, the film had more than enough sense of humor to provide respite from the darker feel of most of the film's sequences.

It's really amusing to see how much the lead characters have grown since the last Harry Potter installment, particularly Harry and Ron who now appear to be more men than boys. I couldn't help but gush over how Harry is getting sexier as he matures. And along with new characters Cedric Diggory and Victor Krum, he definitely was able to put some fire in my goblet!!! (Hah!) Meanwhile, Hermione is surely turning out to be one lovely lady especially in the Yule Ball scenes where she easily outshone the rest of the girls and captivated the boys with her unassuming charm. More noteworthy is how much the child actors have improved in their acting even alongside more established and veteran actors. I couldn't help expecting more from these 'kids' in their subsequent films.

As I look forward to the next Harry Potter movie (Order of the Phoenix) and hope it would be at least as good as the latest, I am only left with the urge to get back to my copy of the book and enjoy it all over again.


Meanwhile, I also purchased a new CD last Saturday and to the dismay of some of my Madonna friends, it is that of Mariah Carey's The Emancipation of Mimi. I have been planning on getting this CD for some time but had to hold it off learning that the Ultra Platinum Edition would be released featuring 4 additional un-released tracks. I already was able to listen to the album and so far, I like it (especially the tracks We Belong Together and Get Your Number) although it still has to take a backseat to Madonna's Confessions on a Dance Floor which is still my constant music background at home and at the office for the past week. Until I get tired of listening to Madge's latest, Mimi would have to be content to being just a breather from my Confessions-filled days.




Celebrate me for who I am, dislike me for what I ain't!



MADONNA
Harry Potter
Mariah Carey

Leave No Stone Unturned

While I am still under the MADONNA spell cast by her just-released amazing CD Confessions on a Dance Floor (it's on an almost-continuous repeat play on my CD player since Monday!), I found one more thing to look forward to in the coming weeks...





Doesn't she look absolutely divine?!


In the evidence of its brilliance...



MADONNA

DIVAs' Weekend

The past weekend proved to be one weekend with my ultimate DIVAS!

Friday evening was a night we Madonniacs have been waiting for when MADONNA's album Confessions on a Dance Floor was officially launched through an all-night party in Government Bar. The theme of the night was pink or fuschia. Devout Madonnaphiles that we are, we trooped to the bar garbed in all forms of pinkness! I myself had to buy a new shirt just for the party and it was all worth it! (In the pic, I was no longer wearing pink since I already took my sweat-soaked pink shirt off after the party)

After a brief program involving a video presentation of a retrospective Madonna tribute courtesy of our website clubmadonna.ph and a quick video greeting from Madonna herself, we all had the chance to finally hear all the tracks in her new album and by all accounts, it is very, very promising. Of the 12 tracks in Confessions..., the stand outs are Hung Up, Sorry, Future Lovers, Jump, Isaac and Push. My instant love for the album was so much that I could not believe I had to wait 2 more days before I get hold of my own copy of the CD! Well...

Soon after the last album track was played, the DJ kicked in a slew of Madonna's past hits that drove the whole party crowd crazy! It was exhaustingly fantastic! This is my third time to attend an all-Madonna party and I don't think I'll ever tire of doing it!




As if the Madonna album launch was not enough, a fellow Madonnamaniax was kind enough to give me a CD of yet another favorite diva of mine, Megastar Sharon Cuneta. It is the 1990 album For Broken Hearts Only which to this date is still one of my most loved Sharon albums. I have a copy this but in the old cassette form and since I do not have a working cassette player anymore, it's been ages since I last heard this album. I took the opportunity while I still do not have Madonna's Confessions to play Sharon's lovely renditions of Now That You're Gone, Hindi Na Muli and Hanggang Kailan Kita Mamahalin. Truly, a Mega-Divine weekend!


Speaking of divas, a friend of mine (a diva in his own right) treated us to a birthday dinner on Saturday night with our friends from MB Philippines. As always, it's such a nice time when we get together for some rare night-out. And for this, THANKS, WOOKIE for the sumptuous meal! Again, Happy Birthday . . . Mwah!

Today, I finally claimed my pre-ordered copy of Confessions on a Dance Floor and I am now playing it non-stop! And each time, I am loving the album more and more and more and more and . . .


Now I can see things for what they really are
I guess I'm not that far
I'm at the point of no return
Just watch me burn



MADONNA
Sharon Cuneta
Music
Friends

Who Knew?

Allow me to share some of the lyrics from this Avenue Q song that I very much enjoy listening to.

This is for you Sunshine, for the 18 incredible months we've had together so far (and hopefully so many more to come...)


All those nights I lay in bed
Thoughts of you running through my head.
But I never thought the things in my head
Could really happen in my bed

All those years I missed the signs,
Couldn't read between the lines.
Who'd have thought I would see the day
Where I'd hear you say
What I heard you say?

And now I find
What was always in my mind
Was in your mind too.
Who knew?
Fantasies come true!

And now I see
That what I'd always dreamed of
Was meant to be.
You and me,
Me and you.

Fantasies Come True!


We've gone this far, longer than we expected, and I hope this would be as long as forever...



Eye to eye we need no words at all...


Love
Avenue Q
Broadway
Romance

When the Going Gets RAF

Thanks to my roommate Rolf, I finally got my first look at the new issue of ICON Magazine with their latest cover boy Rafael Rosell (the Bench underwear model whose huge billboards along main roads in Manila should be considered traffic hazards!).




Kudos to everyone in Icon for coming up with another winning issue. It is supposedly their 1st anniversary and it's just encouraging to see that more and more local GLBT magazines are thriving in the market lately. Looking forward to the next issue...



This photo is NOT from the magazine photoshoot.

What a lovely way to burn...



GLBT
Gay
Magazine

Hung Up on E.M.A.donna

Just when I thought I had to wait for days (maybe weeks) to finally see it on local TV, I had the good fortune of chancing upon a video link for MADONNA's scene-stealing opening performance of Hung Up for this year's MTV Europe Music Awards.

I mentioned in my last blog entry that I was not totally impressed by the Hung Up music video. However, seeing Madonna's live performance, the song was amped up to a whole new experience. I was totally blown away!

And now, I just can't wait for the Confessions on a Dance Floor album to come out!

And as Hung Up goes...

... Time goes by so slowly for those who wait!










MADONNA

A Hallowing Weekend

It's been days since I last made an entry and now after a long weekend, I'm back with (to borrow from SNL) my Weekend Update.

1. Last Thursday, I had the chance to finally see MADONNA's latest video Hung Up, the lead-off single for her upcoming album Confessions on a Dance Floor. Given that there has been a considerable hype surrounding the premiere, I somehow found the video a bit of a letdown. Sure, Madonna pulled off her dance sequences really well (her 'healing' bones notwithstanding), but the over-all feel of the song was somehow lost in the video. I guess I just expected too much. But I'll give it some more viewing, then maybe I'll like it more and more...


2. I had dinner with my friends on Saturday in honor of our fellow MB Philippines member Kim's birthday. Afterwards, we went to Malate for the annual Halloween street party. We had such a blast watching a number of guys, girls and queers in different costumes and make up as they paraded with amusing gusto. It was also my first time in a long while to dance my heart out. In typical fashion, we almost raced to the dance floor when Mariah's We Belong Together started playing. And as to bid me adieu, when Sunshine already prompted for us to go home since he had work the next morning, the DJ suddenly played Hung Up. What a way to end my night!

3. Yesterday, to commemorate All Souls' Day, I paid my respects to my parents and twin brother by visiting their resting place. As expected, it was quite an experience as I joined the crowds (with flowers and candles in hand) in the traditional trek to the cemetery. I was supposed to go with my brother but that plan fell through and I ended up going there alone. I stayed there for about an hour to pray for Papa, Mama & Ron John and reminisce those times that I was lucky enough to have with them.


And now, I'm back once again at work looking forward to another long weekend this Friday. Though there are no plans to go out, I can't wait to just spend that time at home for a well deserved rest...

...in the arms of unconsciousness.


MADONNA
Halloween
Family

Could It Be?... Is It ME?

I took this test I saw in The Best of Raging Rainbows (btw, Happy Birthday!) and got the following results:

I am 59% Asshole/Bitch.

I am abrasive, some people really hate me, but there may be a group of other tight knit assholes and bitches that I can hang out with and get me. Everybody else? Fuck ‘em.

Take the
Asshole/Bitch Test
@ FualiDotCom

I say, it may be a bit of an exaggeration...

My friends may think otherwise! Damn!


I'm not your bitch, don't hang your sh*t on me...



MEME
Quiz

Sh*t Happens

I haven't much to write about the past few days so I spent some time surfing the net for interesting blogs. And I was surprised to learn that MATERIAL BOY, was featured in a blogsite that is supposedly for "...reviews of blogs that are really boring, stupid, or ugly". O U C H!


click image to read full article

Well, I can't please everybody. Clearly, the Shitty Blog article is not about me or my blog, it's about Madonna. And while I've spent many years defending my MADONNA fandom against some of the most ruthless Madge bashers, I don't see the need to do so this time. As I said in a previous entry, There's a Thin Line between LOVE and Hate...

Good or bad, at least my site got noticed! Somehow, I still have my humor in check.



Blogging
MADONNA

A Bittersweet and Sweet Weekend

Though the past weekend seemed rather uneventful, its significance was somehow important to me.

Last Saturday was the 40th day since Papa's passing while Sunday, the 9th of October, would have been Mama's 67th birthday. I commemorated these by going to a nearby church, lighting candles and praying for them. I would have wanted to go to the memorial garden and pay them a visit but decided otherwise due to the inclement weather. It was quite bittersweet realizing that this would probably be the happiest birthday of Mama in at least seven years since finally, she can celebrate it with Papa. Just the same, I still miss them both.

Anyhow, it's nice that my weekend ended on a high note when Sunshine remembered that the 9th was also our 17th monthsary and surprised me with a simple yet sweet gift, a chocolate bar! Sweet-toothed that I am, I was utterly overjoyed and touched by his gesture.

Can it get any better than this?!? You betcha! Hah!



Life
Love

Everything . . . For Now

I have spent the last few days listening to one of the most entertaining CD's I heard ever, the original Broadway cast recording of Avenue Q. Thanks to my good friend Latte Boy, for giving me a copy of this wonderful masterpiece of a musical.

Avenue Q is the Sesame Street/Muppet Show-meets-South Park-meets-Rent musical that has recently been the toast of Broadway. Its politically incorrect take on issues like racism, homosexuality, internet porn, love and life is just infectious thanks largely to its catchy music and hilarious lyrics. It's so funny, that instead of taking offense at some of the songs' messages, I just found myself laughing and realizing that it's futile to be upset with something that is true. Apparently, I too am living in my own version of Avenue Q.

With songs like "It Sucks To Be Me", "If You Were Gay", "Everyone's A Little Bit Racist", "The Internet is for Porn" and "You Can Be As Loud As The Hell You Want (When You're Making Love)", it is definitely not a 'puppet show' for kids!

Unfortunately, I can only make do with looking at pictures and imagining how the songs are executed on stage (especially the 'sex scenes' in "...When You're Making Love"!) as it is more likely that it would take a while before a local production will be staged here in Manila. Well if that happens, I will make sure that I won't miss it.



Don't stress,
Relax,
Let life roll off your backs,
Each time you smile,
It'll only last a while,
Life may be scary,
But it's only temporary,
Everything in life is only for now!



Avenue Q
Broadway




Next in line . . . WICKED!

A Mighty BOND

I spent much of the weekend with some of my good friends from Male Bonding Philippines to celebrate the 1st Anniversary of our e-group (we've known each other longer). Given that we seldom get to meet anymore as a group as we each have our own lives to lead, it's always refreshing to once again have some fun bonding moments.

An impromptu group gathering happened during my father's wake a couple of weeks ago, but due to the somber mood at that time, it didn't count much as fun, understandably.

Anyways, along with two of our fabulous friends from San Francisco who are here on vacation, the celebration started with a dinner last Friday and culminated with an overnight outing on Saturday at a quaint resort in Cavite that turned out to be a fun experience.

Despite the fact that most of us were not at all intoxicated, we had a blast with a few parlor games cooked up by three of our resident game masters. Though most of it were more mind games than physical, it was exciting to see who among us were competitive and those who are just in it for the fun. We were divided into three groups: Kings, Jacks and Queens. I was one of the Queens . . . what a shocker!!!

After the games while the others took a dip in the pool, I played the board game TABOO with my my fellow Queens. It was my first time to play it and I really enjoyed the challenge. I did pretty well even though I gave answers that were either funny and ridiculous or just plain stupid! Well, what can I do? I'm a Taboo virgin! Hah!

Too bad my partner and I had to leave early in the morning since he had to report for work (yes, my Sunshine has a job now. Yey!). Still, however brief my chance to be with my MB friends had been, I am so glad we had that chance as it may take another long while before we do this again.


These pics were taken a long time ago. Photos from the anniversary dinner and outing will be posted as soon as they are available.


We could be friends, I'd even be your brother . . .


Life
Friendship

What a WONDERful World

All the world’s waiting for you, and the power you possess
In your satin tights, fighting for our rights
And the old Red, White and Blue...

Today, I am a happy person! A very good friend, San Francisco Guy helped me complete my DVD collection of my childhood favorite TV series WONDER WOMAN.

Needless to say, Wonder Woman is my pre-MADONNA idol. I can still remember how I eagerly awaited each week's episode of the series and made sure that I was home Wednesday evenings just to catch its airing. As a child, I fell in love with Lynda Carter/Diana Prince/Wonder Woman and secretly fantasized that I would also have her powers, my gender notwithstanding.


So it is of no surprise that when I learned that the TV series is being released on DVD, I just had to have a copy. Over the course of one year, in each of his almost-quarterly homecoming visits, my friend would bring home one season worth of Wonder Woman on DVD. And last night, upon his return, he surprised me with the 3rd and final season that will finally make my collection complete.




Sure, as an adult, I now find the series' plots lame and its special effects amusingly crude. Still, nostalgia rules and I am still enamored by what Wonder Woman represents . . . Empowerment.

So, I am now excited to spend the next few days watching the Season 3 DVD and fall in love with Wonder Woman for the nth time!



TV
Wonder Woman




P.S. SanFo Guy, my heartfelt thanks and hugs. By now, I owe you a LOT!!! Mwah!