Ipalilibing kita. He he.

Heto na ang ultimate 80's quiz. Alam kong purgang-purga na kayo. At masyado nang traffic sa Memory Lane (ayon kay McVie). Sagutin nyo tong last set, tanungin ang mga ate't kuya at mga kaopisina. Boys and gehls, take it away!

1. Ano ang sitcom na pinagbidahan nina Flora Gasser, Janice Jurado, Soxy Topacio at Johnny Manahan? Duplex

2. Sitcom ulit. Pinagbidahan naman ito ni Jay Ilagan at Tet Antiquera.

3. Saan nakatira sina Gloria Romero at ang mga boys ng Palibhasa Lalake? Tayuman Saan sila namamalengke?

4. Sino ang female host ng Kalatog Pinggan?

5. Ano ang mga theme songs ng February Revolution? Magkaisa (Virna Lisa), Handog ng Pilipino sa Mundo (APO Hiking Society and Various Artists), Tie a Yellow Ribbon

6. Sinong artista ang gumanap na Miss Tapia? Mely Tagasa

7. Sino ang tatay ng Escalera brothers?

8. Sino ang co-host ni Pepe Pimentel sa Kwarta o Kahon na napapanood tuwing Linggo ng tanghali sa SM North EDSA? Encar Benedicto

9. Ano ang pangalan ng yaya ni Flor de Luna?

10. Anong Tito, Vic and Joey movie ang tungkol sa isang karinderya? Clue: isang 24 hours tapsilog outlet ang ipinangalan dito. Goodah!

11. Si Ces Quesada ay unang lumabas sa anong gag show? Sic o'Clock News Saan sya nagturo ng Theater Arts?

12. Sinu-sino ang mga gumanap na Fay sa sitcom na Okay ka Fairy ko? Alice Dixson, Tweetie de Leon

13. Ang Rico Mambo ay tinugtog at sinayaw sa anong pelikula ni Manilyn Reynes?

14. Ano ang original title ng pelikula ni Tina Paner na Tamis ng Unang Halik?

15. Ano ang pangalan ng asawa ni Rolly Purontong sa John en Marsha? Madel

16. Anong movie ang pinopromote ni Kris Aquino nang mahulog sya sa butas ng stage ng GMA Supershow? Pido Dida

17. Ano ang pangalan ng sidekick ni Mr. Shooli sa Mongolian Barbeque? Kuhol

18. Sino ang mahilig magsabi ng "OK Ngarud"?

19. Newscaster na may bit role sa Scorpio Nights. Asawa sya ni June Keithley. Angelo Castro

20. Sino si Chona Velasquez? Regine Velasquez Si Donna Yrastoza? Donna Cruz Saang contest sila nanalo? Ang Bagong Kampeon

21. Sinu-sino ang original members ng Smokey Mountain? Geneva Cruz, James Coronel, Tony Lambino, Jeffrey Hidalgo

22. Saang channel pinapalabas ang Gulong ng Palad? Channel 9 Anong oras? 7 PM

23. Kanino pinangalan ang anak ni Vic Sotto kay Angela Luz? Clue: Patay na sya. Paola Luz

24. Anong araw sa That’s si Brylle Mondejar at Lester Samonte?

25. Anong title ng movie ni JP de Guzman na ampon at kasama si Nida Blanca, Nestor de Villa at Maricel Soriano? Clue: theme song ng movie ang kanta ni Raymond Lauchengco. Saan Darating ang Umaga?

26. Sino ang original members ng That’s? Lea Salonga, Lotlot de Leon, ?, ? Sino ang unang new member?

27. Sino ang mga batang yagit? Jocelyn, Tonton at ?

28. Sino ang Liberty Boys?

29. Paano nalumpo si Nonoy Zuniga? Sumabog ang CR habang sya ay nagwiwiwi nung intermission (according to Magpakailanman)

30. Ano ang kinakanta kapag patapos na ang isang episode ng That's Entertainment?

Bakit nawala si Kris Aquino sa stage? Ano ang pangalan ng Manok ni San Pedro? Sino si Lagalag? Buhay ka na ba nung kasikatan ng Aldeguer Sisters?

Wag yan ang sagutin mo. Heto na ang Set 2. Roll VTR!

1. Sino ang nakadiscover sa Softdrink Beauties? Dr. Rey dela Cruz Sino-sino sila? Coca Nicolas, Pepsi Paloma, Sarsi Emmanuel

2. Ano ang kinamatay ni Joel Alano? Ni Dindo Fernando?

3. Speaking of patay, ano ang favorite song ni Julie Vega? Somewhere in my past

4. Ano ang background music ng Lovingly Yours?

5. Sinong bold star ang namatay sa isang car accident? (Hindi si Halina Perez. 80's nga eh.) Claudia Zobel

6. Sinong artistang Pinay ang kasama sa Taiwanese movie na Magic To Win? Kris Aquino

7. Saang show nag-propose ng marriage si Martin kay Pops? Penthouse Live! Saang show inamin ni Martin na hiwalay na sila ni Pops? ASAP

8. Name at least three Roderick Paulate movies. Petrang Kabayo, Jack en Poy, Binibining Tsuperman, Bala at Lipstick, Tsikiting Masters, Engkantadang Kangkarot, Kumander Gringga, Inday Inday sa Balitaw

9. Ano ang wallet na maswerte? Seiko Wallet Kantahin ang jingle.
Seiko Seiko Wallet
Ang wallet na maswerte
Balat nito ay genuine
International pa ang mga design
Ang wallet na maswerte!
Seiko Seiko Wallet

10. Name at least three sponsors of GMA Supershow, bukod sa Bellestar Promotions. Birch Tree (sabi ni Kuya Germs, Berts Tri), Richies, Fairmart (?), paki-correct ako rito: Sodeska Egg Noodles, Pagoda Cold Wave Lotion, CY Gabriel Wonder Soap

11. Sino ang bumasted kay Herbert Bautista (in real life)? Lea Salonga

12. Sinong sumikat na komedyante ang manliligaw ni Shirley Porontong sa John en Marsha? Brod Pete

13. Saang pelikula ni Snooky Serna sya tumalon mula sa tulay? Eh yung gumaganda sya kapag may sinusuot? Blusang Itim

14. Sinu-sino ang mga artistang gumanap na Darna? (Napaka-obvious ng sasagot ng Angel Locsin) Vilma Santos, Nanette Medved, Anjanette Abayari

15. Sino si Rene Mariano? Isang manghuhula Ano ang title ng horror film na related sa kanyang buhay?

16. Speaking of horror, ano ang pinakasikat na pelikula ni Jestoni Alarcon? Huwag Mong Buhayin ang Bangkay

17. Sinong talk show host/showbiz columnist ang pinukpok ni Divina Valencia ng mic sa ulo? Rey dela Cruz

18. Sinu-sinong mga artista ang nakapagsuot ng Tanga (tang-ga) sa kanilang variety shows? Alma Moreno, Vilma Santos, Sharon Cuneta, Maricel Soriano, Carmi Martin, Nora Aunor

19. Sino ang sidekick ni Joey de Leon bilang Starzan? Rene Requiestas Ano ang pangalan nya sa pelikulang iyon? Cheetae

20. Sino ang nagsabi nito: "Careful, careful!"? Si Ate Luds Eh yung "Sa totoo lang...ah-um."? Babette Villaruel

NB: Inuna ko muna itong quiz na ito dahil sobrang hirap maghanap ng lyrics ng mga 80's pop. Halungkatin ko muna yung mga songhits ko sa bahay.

Noong naroon pa ako sa kabilang istasyon, napagtripan ng Bas2sgang na mag-reminisce tungkol sa 80's (and beyond). Nung una, test lang kung gaano ka-jologs. Eh yung original na author ng e-mail na pinagkunan namin akala, jologs = 80's. Hindi a. Jologs is a lifestyle. Wehehe.

Sige na nga, tama na ang segway. Nasa baba ang ilang bahagi ng e-mail na yon. Halina't sagutin ang mga katanungang babagabag sa atin ngayon at sa susunod pang mga araw/linggo/buwan. Take note: Tatlong set po ito. At dahil Martes pa lang, mahaba pa ang linggo, marami pang panahon at libreng internet sa opisinang kakainin natin. Unang set pa lang ito, madali pa. Warm-up ba. OK ngarud?

1. Ano ang hit song ni Manilyn Reynes? Sayang na Sayang

2. Sinu-sino ang Gwapings? Mark Anthony Fernandez, Eric Fructuoso, Jomari Yllana Oo nga, early 90's na pala to.

3. Sino ang ka-loveteam ni Jestoni Alarcon? Gretchen Barreto or Rita Avila

4. Sinu-sino ang cast ng Bagets? JC Bonnin, Aga Muhlach, William Martinez, Raymond Lauchengco, Herbert Bautista

5. Sino ang nagsabi ng "I can feel it"? Alice Dixson

6. Sino ang ka-loveteam ni Rey "PJ" Abellana? Leni Santos

7. Magbigay ng mga artistang nag-endorse ng La Germania. Pia Moran, Janice de Belen, Isabel Granada, Liza Galvez (and her sister), Shirley Fuentes, Isabel Granada, Opalyn Forster (?), Chiqui Hollman-Yulo

8. Ano ang tunay na pangalan ni Prinsipe K? Bayani Casimiro Jr.

9. Ano ang pangalan ng musical variety show ni Lotlot? Lotlot and Friends

10. Ano ang favorite song ni Maricel Soriano? I Am What I Am/Shake Body Body Dancer

11. Sino ang pinsan ni Lotlot na myembro rin ng That's? Marilyn Villamayor

12. Magbigay ng tatlong hosts ng Lunch Date. Keno, Toni Rose Gayda, Randy Santiago, Dennis Padilla, Tina Revilla, Mahal

13. Sino ang Triplets? Sino ang mga partners nila? Cristina Paner - Cris Villanueva, Manilyn Reynes - Janno Gibbs, Sheryl Cruz - Romnick Sarmenta

14. Anong grupo ang laging nananalo ang production number sa That's Entertainment? Thursday Group

15. Sinu-sino ang mga original guys ng Palibhasa Lalake? Richard Gomez, Joey Marquez, Miguel Rodriguez

16. Ano ang unang soap opera ni Judy Ann Santos? Ula ang Batang Gubat

17. Sino ang ka-loveteam ni Jeffrey Santos? Anna Roces

18. Saang TV show maririnig ito--"It's my turn to see what I can see"? Coney Reyes on Camera

19. Sinong loveteam ang laging mapapanood sa "Young Love, Sweet Love"? Sheryl Cruz and Romnick Sarmenta a.k.a. Shernick

20. Magbigay ng pangalan ng mga female hosts ng GMA Supershow. Lani Mercado, Mariz, Jam Morales, Dawn Zulueta, Maricel Laxa, Jackielou Blanco

LP, EP, Vinyl, Cassette. "Huh?"
CD, DVD, MP3, iPOD. "Yes."

I dozed off Magpakailanman's Manilyn Reynes bio-feature last night. By the time I wiped the drool off my mouth and crawled to bed I knew that I've had my dose of 80's for the week. Bought some cliched Nostalgia Wax and I'm off stripping to Soft Cell's "I Feel Love" cover in the bath this morning. The good thing about hearing Marc Almond then and now is the convergence of theory and application. Oh well.

Remember the time when piracy meant dubbing tapes on clunky dual-deck cassette players we used to call Boom Boxes? And recording NU107 broadcasts only to be frustrated at the end because the DJ would resume his spiel? Or how to correctly spell Walkman? We didn't need a computer to pass illegal music along--we didn't know that it was illegal back then. And raids in Quiapo for fake Jose Mari Chan cassettes were not as sensational.

To say that the 80's was a great decade is already passe, but it wouldn't be what it was if not for "satanism", Manila ripe for a revolution and Loveli-Ness. Shoulder pads were yesterday's boob job and mint green was the black of soirees. What am I arriving at?

I danced. Secretly. The wife did not know. Orchestral maneouvres in the dark. The swish of Shake Body Body Dancer. Crotch-grabbing Jacko's Bad.

I pulled out my drawer full of cassette tapes (too bad I don't have a turntable anymore--I miss my Information Society LP), still in their rewinded states, some still in their plastics and had their receipts. The beginnings of an OC frozen in time, too bad it didn't work for the fungus encroaching, and seeking their CD equivalents is now a lifetime obsession. I play DJ on a battered player I won during a poetry contest back in high school. There were no such words as "playlist" or "shuffle." Cassette tapes stacked on one another, waiting for the Play button to be pressed.

And I danced.

***

Children of the 80's (well, everybody's invited), hulaan na! If you can name the artist, so much better. And sorry, no Madonna's here. Most used to be called New Wave.

Ang mag-Google, may tae sa pwet.

1. Bring the wheels of time to stop, back to the days when life was so much better. "Turn Back the Clock" Johnny Hates Jazz

2. This one goes out to the one I left behind. A simple prop to occupy my time. "The One I Love" REM

3. I wanna know what you're thinking. There are some things you can't hide. I wanna know what you're feeling.

4. You know I don’t believe you when you say that you don’t need me. It’s much too late to find. You think you’ve changed your mind. You’d better change it back or we will both be sorry. "Don't You Want Me?" The Human League

5. Will you give it to me? Will you take the pain? I will give to you again and again and will you return it? "Strange Love" Depeche Mode

6. Every time I see you falling, I get down on my knees and pray. I’m waiting for that final moment you say the words that I can’t say. "Bizarre Love Triangle" New Order
(Note: Ang magsabi ng Frente panget!)

7. High time we made a stand and shook up the views of the common man. And the lovetrain rides from coast to coast. DJ’s the man we love the most. Could you be, could you be squeaky clean and smash any hope of democracy? As the headline says you’re free to choose, there’s egg on your face and mud on your shoes. One of these days they’re gonna call it the blues. "Sowing the Seeds of Love" Tears for Fears

8. You always wanted a lover, I only wanted a job. I’ve always worked for my living. How am I gonna get through? "What Have I Done to Deserve This?" Pet Shop Boys with Dusty Springfield

9. Shape it up. Get straight. Go forward. Move ahead. Try to detect it. It's not too late. "Whip It" Devo

10. On the floor of Tokyo or down in London town to go, go. With the record selection, with the mirror reflection. "Dancing with Myself" Billy Idol

11. I walk into an empty room and suddenly my heart goes boom. It's an orchestra of angels and they're playing with my heart yeah. "There Must Be an Angel (Playing with My Heart)" Eurythmics

12. When I'm a-walkin' I strut my stuff and I'm so strung out. I'm high as a kite I just might stop to check you out. Body and beach I stain my sheets I don't even know why. My girlfriend she's at the end, she is starting to cry. "Blister in the Sun" Violent Femmes

13. Yesterday I got so old I felt like I could die. Yesterday I got so old it made me want to cry. Go on go on, just walk away. Go on go on your choice is made. "In-Between Days" The Cure

14. Johnny played guitar, Jenny played bass. Name of the band is "The Human Race". Everybody tell me have you heard? "Pop Goes the World" Men Without Hats

15. You run, run, run away. It's your heart that you betray. Feeding on your hungry eyes. I bet you're not so civilized. "The Warrior" Patti Smyth

16. Hey listen, treasure. You know I'm waiting for you. I want some pleasure. I love those things that you do. "Motion of Love" Gene Loves Jezebel

17. On heavenly rain, you fell into my life. Unforgettable smile, unforgettable lies. In the name of the cross or a banner of love. With the hand of a friend or under a blanket of trust.

18. It's time we should talk about it. There's no secrets kept in here. "Wishful Thinking" China Crisis

19. But if I had your faith then I could make it safe and clean. If only I was sure that my head on the door was a dream. "Close to Me" The Cure

20. Ain't it just like rain? And love is only heaven away. "Ghost in You" Psychedelic Furs

21. We were at the beach. Everybody had matching towels. Somebody went under a dock and there they saw a rock. It wasn't a rock. It was a _____! "Rock Lobster" The B-52's

22. They offered me the office, offered me the shop. They said I better take anything they got. Do you wanna make tea at the BBC? Do you wanna be, do you really wanna be a cop?

23. Standing in line with a dirty mind. Clean it up on Sunday morning. I don't wanna do it anymore. "Sunday Morning" The Bolshoi

24. I've got a secret I can't explain and all the time I've waited for this day. All along I was never in doubt. I always knew it would never get out. There are things that I cannot tell and there are things that you know damn well. "Secret" Orchestral Maneuvers in the Dark

25. Life it seems, slips away, just like any dream. All I want, is all I need. Still I ask for more. "Everytime I See You" Fra Lippo Lippi

Mechanics:
Warm Bodies: Project 2 will be a blogger-get-blogger program. Bloggers will nominate a fellow blogger's post URL based on the theme "Change."

The following points should be kept in mind:

The Nominator
1. Must be a blogger
2. May or may not be related in any degree to the blogger he/she nominates, but cannot nominate the self
3. Submits the nominated blogger's post URL
4. States the reason why that blogger's post is appropriate for the theme "Change" in a short paragraph
5. Must not be part of the editorial staff, composed of Mananalaysay, Noringai and Buddy.

The Nominee
1. Must be a blogger, of course, from the Philippines or calls the Philippines home.
2. Must be knowledgeable of his/her nomination. Otherwise the WB editorial staff is not liable for any issues arising from nominator-nominee disputes
3. Must not be part of the editorial staff, composed of Mananalaysay (http://jscatalla.multiply.com), Noringai (http://noringai.blog-city.com) and Buddy (http://bodyelectric.blogspot.com).

The Entry
1. Must be appropriate for the theme "Change", whether from the nominator's pov or both.
2. Full entry submissions are not necessary. Nominators can just submit the entry URL. Ergo, index URL's are not allowed. The editors don't have the time to wade into a blog and scour for entries appropriate for the theme. e.g. This is what we like: http://nominatedblog.blog.com/change.html. Not this: http://nominatedblog.blog.com.
3. We require the entry to fill up a standard computer screen, in normal internet font sizes, at the least, in terms of length. Images, marquees and buttons to fill it up are not counted.

The editors are empowered and discretions will be made when appropriate. Scratch-my-back-I'll-scratch-yours are OK as long as we find them appropriate to the theme. We'll make the cuts anyway and you have to live with our decisions. Alright, I may be a bit harsh, but to put it in an afternoon-variety-show-contest manner of speaking, "Judges' decisions are final."

You can send the entry URL's, a short paragraph stating why you find it appropriate for the theme "Change", a short description of yourself (as the nominator) and YOUR blog URL, to this e-mail address: thekrisaquinocomplexATgmailDOTcom. We'll be collecting entries until May 14, 2005 Midnight Philippine Standard Time.

Stay current by viewing the Warm Bodies Flickr group at http://www.flickr.com/groups/thekrisaquinocomplex/.

You can download the mechanics here.

I'm here o.

And this is my first post.

I treat this as a meme and a chance to write in Filipino. A writing prompt from Bopis:

"Anumang landas ay landas lamang. Subukan makailang beses kung kailangan. Ngunit itanong sa sarili mo at sa sarili mo lamang ang isang tanong: 'May puso ba ang landas?' Kung meron, mabuti ang landas."

May puso ang landas, hudas. Ilang beses na itong napatunayan mula nang matuto akong lumayas. Hindi ko man makita ang pagyakap ng lansangan sa aking paglalakbay, nararamdaman ko ang kabutihang nahihimlay sa alikabok at putik na humahabol sa aking paanan.

Nariyan ang samut-saring kapwa lagalag na handang mag-abot ng piso-piso para makaipon ako ng pamasahe, yaong wala naman sa hitsura ko ang nanlilimos. Pulubi sa pag-aaruga, oo. Wala akong barya noong mga panahong iyon. Ano nga ba ang pakialam ng konduktor kung buong limandaan ang iaabot ko kung wala naman syang panukli? Mabuti pa ang taong grasang nakita kong nagpapabuo ng pinaglimusan sa Bangko Sentral.

O kaya ang nakainuman namin sa barko papuntang Leyte. Noong isang gabi ay pinagmamasdan namin syang may kaakap na lalaki sa kanyang bunk bed. Economy class lang kami. Nang paggising nya ay sinampal nya ang lalaki at pinaalis. Yun pala ay nakilala lamang nya habang nagdidisco sa Super Ferry ngunit di naman nya alam ang pangalan. Ano nga ba ang silbi ng pagkuha ng pangalan gayong malabo ang tsansang magkita pa rin kayo? At paano kung magkita nga kayo, sinigaw mo ang pangalan nya ngunit di naman sya lilingon. Yun pala'y iba ang pinakilala nya sa iyo?

Pangalan. Guilty rin ako dyan. Napakarami ng pinakawalan kong pangalan, higit pa sa abesedaryo ni Anda. Isama mo pa ang mga nahulog sa poso negro, sa tisyu at sa bimpo. Sa sandaling may kaniig nag-iiba ng anyo. Gayundin dapat ay iba ang pangalan. Bakit ko tatawaging Angel ang sarili kung nagpapakademonyo naman ako hindi ba? Tawagin mo na lang ako sa pangalang Tali. Short for talipandas. Haliparot ka kasi. Ano na nga ang binansag mo sa akin dati?

Bakit kailangang magpakabuti? Dahil lahat ay malungkot. Lahat ay gutom. Sa landas, tatlo ang kailangan: kasama, kausap at pagkain. Ang makapangyarihang Tatlo ng lansangan. Kapag mag-isa akong naglalakbay nagha-hum ako, at ito'y unti-unting nagiging kanta. Sumsususumsum boom. Di ko namamalayan, "A Whiter Shade of Pale" na pala ang nabubuo ko. Sumasakit ang tiyan ko pag napapadaan ako sa Andok's. Idaan ko na lang sa kanta. Pakialam mo ba kung ano ang gusto kong kantahin? Layas hudas hindi hindot.

Malamig sa kwarto ko sa isang di-kilalang hostel sa Causeway Bay. Pagbukas ng bintana, pare-parehong bundok ng konkreto ang nakikita ko. Gusto kong magpakatiwakal, pero may chicken wire sa pagbabagsakan ko. Di magandang paraan ng kamatayan. Mabagal ang proseso. May lagnat ang kaluluwa. May puso ang landas. May zeta potential pa nga. Nariyan ka at aali-aligid sa akin hanggang sa Orchard Road ng alas-dos ng madaling araw, sa Pulag noong Valentine's Day at sa The Bund habang umeebak ako. Hindi mo rin ako tinantanan ng harutan sa Puerto Galera noong Enero.

Nasaan na ba ang bangka papuntang Tsina?

***

Syempre may disclaimer (kay Tekstong Bopis pa rin): "Walang sense ang writing prompt. Wala itong kinalaman sa mga tao sa totoong buhay. Anumang hawig o pagkakatulad ay hindi sinasadya. Bakit, kontrol mo ba ang iyong unconscious? Kaya nga unconscious e: unconscionable? Bakit, may kaibahan ba ang hawig at pagkakatulad? Wala itong silbi maliban sa mailabas ang utot ng utak para masimulan ang isang matiwasay na pagbabawas hanggang maabot ang success! na pangako ng mga diyos ng advertising."

"In the old days, when people had secrets they did not want to share, they would climb a mountain. They would find a tree and carve a hole into it and whisper the secret into the hole, then cover it with mud. That way, nobody else would ever discover it."

Can you be my tree?

*image courtesy of this site.

I've never been this blatant with God, but the recent years of dotcom burst, pentium flops and stock devaluation forced me to pray for money. I even pray for a specific amount. I talk to my dead Mama that I need money like Tita to Chencha in Like Water for Chocolate. When she was alive I used to run to her when the scholarship stipends bleed dry.

And while yesterday I didn't ask for it, I got something unexpected that I didn't know what to do. An office friend wants a Galera weekend. I've been making passes at Jamie Oliver's jamie's dinners, Nigella Lawson's Nigella Bites and a Tefal griddle. A spanking new apron and some ramekins. An LCD monitor and more RAM for my aging P3 for my post-photog works. An iPod to replace my Nomad MuVo. Oh if only I can buy new relatives.

I just stared at the value and thought to keep it safe from my hands, let it grow to six digits before I reach thirty.

How did I save the world? There was taxation on the bonus, around 32%. Every payday I delay the countdown to the Philippine fiscal crisis by five minutes while espousers of the "model debtor" push it by six.

It doesn't mean that I'm out of the doldrums. Some people get headaches because they don't have money. It's not the case with me. Men have periods too, we just don't bleed (Tori Amos). We keep it inside and bury it in our graves. I choose to simmer in my own juices, leaving tracks on my way to the dark side of the moon.

"Would I be baking it like the one I brought them, or grilled by the maid?"
"They might like it grilled more than yours."
Leaves house, lights three cigs in succession and drinks beer at 7-11. Barks at passing cars.

How sublime.

When's it gonna stop, DJ?
Cos you're keeping me up all night.

The Ides of March managed to gain a foothold until the eleventh hour, scorching the earth beneath her feet and the sensibilities around her. Thirty-five degrees--unless I am in Finland I should rejoice, but no. We are at Tagaytay's threshold, on land borrowed from the termites and close to the concrete jungle of an industrial park. She vengefully hurled all my memories of balm and bedlam, of destruction and destiny.

Of chlorine drying on my sunburned skin on our yearly sojourns to Pansol during high school, the last year veiled in a cloud of uncertainty and relief, and a reprise come college graduation on exactly the same pool, the same room, different people. I was the one left behind in 2046.

Of the papaya tree beside the National Center for Transport Studies, witness to the most devastating, turning point in my entire life. I was too close for comfort, she said. I literally turned away from her and into the woman I am destined to grow old with.

Of M/V Doulos and the humid stench of Manila Bay. How its package stained my yellow shirt in blue patches. Winnie-the-Pooh must've protested inside.

Of cross-stitching while drinking beer because we saw it fit and there were no available beverages around. Of wrestling in the grounds of a phosphate fertilizer plant. Night air laced with silicon dioxide from the copper smelter behind our quarters. Dirty and drunk dancing the rhumba.

Verve Pipe's Freshmen played on a taxi in Davao. Stockton Gala Days.

Walking by my lonesome: Singapore's Esplanade at 3AM. DOST's regional office in Los Banos. An empty University Avenue.

Parting with a newfound friend in a sea of Sunday people.

Every night is just the same. You're leaving me lonely now.

For Slate.

*image sourced from vidi.

So I searched the www for the e-book, and found ours featured on A Gelay Log and Noringai, Mananalaysay and Ederic. Plus on the Sassy Lawyer, of course.

If anyone would like to feature the e-book, you can contact me (through this blog) or Ederic. I'm also doing the rounds to get the publicity we need.

They say bad things happen during the Ides of March. We were on its tailend, and we were the last best thing to happen. (Or make it, the best thing to happen in April, or the First Quarter. He he!)

And, there will be a second issue. Watch out for the mechanics.

What they say about "Warm Bodies: The Kris Aquino Complex":

"interesting"
--Mari

"Really interesting!"
--Marlon

"I like the Nick Bantock project!"
--Slate

"malulupet!"
--Markus

"in a time when i was losing my touch in creating quality blog entries, this compliation inspired me again."
--Coleen

"nice read!"
--abi

" asteeg! great job, buddy. :D
(issue no. 2, anyone?)"
--mud

"I have just started reading the e-book. It is impressive and has an engaging style. Very interesting indeed. Congratulations to those who have put so much work into it. Definitely a labor of love."
--bayi

"...I think every Filipino blogger should read it. To put it simply, it elevates online diary-writing to an art form...You just added another dimension to my blogging experience."
--the Sassy Lawyer

And we are featured in Houseonahill.net! Follow this link. Thank you very much, Sassy Lawyer!

Now the question is still hanging: Second issue, anyone? I've opened up the Warm Bodies flickr group for some lively discussion. Go here.

And there's more! Wanna have this banner?



Copy this code into your site and it will direct you to the flickr group:
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/groups/thekrisaquinocomplex/"><img alt="warmbodies.png" src="http://www.dekarabaw.com/chicharon/archives/warmbodies.png" border="0" height="15" width="80" /></a>

It's here. And somebody thought it couldn't be done.
It's still March, isn't it? Yes, in Iceland.

Download Warm Bodies: The Kris Aquino Complex here.
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Thanks to Kuya Ederic for temp hosting. I owe you.



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