Happy One, Hon!

Maits and I went out to lunch (yummy margherita pizza) and saw Shrek 3 (laugh trip). Love you, Honey!

Skye

Some new pics Leah sent...

Sampaguita at Omega

For those of you who are very close to me, you already know that i don't like sampaguita (jasmine) very much, and i especially don't like it hanging in my car. Last Friday though, I found myself hanging a strand on my rear-view mirror...


I was in line at the local 7-eleven and in front of me was this lola stooped over on her cane. She wanted to buy a bottle of Omega Pain Killer and I heard her ask the cashier how much. She then she looked down at her hand and it was obvious that she didn't have enough cos she quietly walked away and left the bottle on the counter.

Then this little voice spoke up inside me saying, "Pay for it!" and before i quite knew what I was doing, I paid the cashier, grabbed the bottle and went after her. Good thing, one of the female employees saw what was happening and she stopped the lola.

It turns out the lola was a sampaguita vendor and before I drove away, she handed me some and I gladly took it and drove away with a big smile on my face!

My Modess Girl

Four years ago (2003) Maits did her first TV Commercial for Modess:

And now exactly four years later, here she is again:

Suking suki na talaga siya!!

Happy Birthday, Honey!

It's Maita's birthday today and I took her to dinner at HEAT in Edsa Shang. She ate very modestly while i pigged out on the buffet! Hahaha! I didn't even get to the fondue fountain. Strange, considering that I'm crazy for chocolate.

Speaking of crazy, we filipinos really love our dance crazes. From Macarena to Mambo #5, from Ocho-ocho to ispaghetti. Since Korean telenovelas are so popular here now, I'm predicting this Korean song will be the next dance craze in the philippines. It's called "balloons".

Dalian Darlin

My momma went to Dalian and all she brought back were these photos...

Look at the little eskimo child!

Leah and Skye in their traditional Christmas tree pose.

Skye's hair has gotten quite long.

Dalian princesses: Skye with Alisha (the boss' daughter).

Happy Birthdays

As the year ends I was part of Enchanted Kingdom's celebration of our Lord's birthday. Here I am playing one of the magi. Johann and T.Raymond were the other two. Maita as the angel, Ashley as Mama Mary and JC as Joseph (not the dreamer!)


After that birthday, we went straight to alabang for my cousin Franco Laurel's birthday where we enjoyed a lot of singing, laughter and food food food! (I must get me one of those chocolate fondue fountains someday).


This year has definitely been the best year of my life to date (and I know that 2007 will be even better. God has prospered me in every area of my life (health, family, career, ministry, etc.) And here's one of the biggest reasons for my continued happiness:

Love you Meemay!

East of Eden

Did you ever wonder how Adam and Eve felt everytime they looked west at the Garden of Eden and saw what they once had and compared it to what they had now? Ever since Maits received her Macbook and I got her "old" ibook to fix it up so we could sell it, I've become a believer in Apple again practically overnight.

It didn't take long for me to start tinkering with OS X, downloading and installing apps, etc. before I realized that I've always been an Apple user and it's only right that I should return to my roots. The very first computer I ever used was an Apple IIe (but somewhere in the middle of everything I got sidetracked onto PC's and Windows). Check out my rich history with Apple:


So as soon as I buy my new Macbook, I will have come full circle and returned to Eden. And those who still think that the forbidden fruit Adam ate was an Apple don't know the truth. Read Genesis again.

(btw, i still have that old Apple IIc and it still works!!)

Goodbye for now...

My older sister Leah and her daughter Skye are now in China. We brought them to the airport yesterday morning along with our other sister and brother who will be helping them settle in for about 11 days. They'll stay in Shanghai first for training then move to Dalian for the one year contract with Gymboree.

I hope that i get to visit them there before the year is up. I also pray that God keeps them safe there and that they will both grow and prosper in that place. Bye Lea, bye Skye. Before she left, Skye recorded her voice on my phone and I use it as my ringtone. I miss them already.

Capturing True Faith

I was on location at the shooting of the band True Faith's latest music video. It was done at the Jumbo Kingdom restaurant in the CCP Complex. The video stars lead singer Medwin Marfil, of course, and guess who else?


I was impressed by the production team and how fast and professionally they move. Since both Maits and Medwin are non-smokers, the props guys were constantly ready to replace the prop cigarette for every take that needed one.


The band has six members including Benedict Esguerra (the big guy way on the right) who is a member of and also plays the drums for our church New Life the Fort.


Since everything was shot in one day, the schedule was quite hectic so members of the crew (including Rozie the stylist) squeezed in a break whenever they could.


I'm excited to see how the video will turn out and don't forget to ask who the Wong Kar Wai girl is. hehehe. More pics in Maits Multiply.

Lucy and Chase and their Adventures

I'd like everyone to view the first two episodes of a serial cartoon created by a promising young animator. She could be the next Martin Scorsese.

God's Spelled G-O-O-D

Recently, I have really been stirred up inside and I owe that to the fact that God has been tugging at me and telling me not to be satisfied with where I am now, but to keep on climbing to the next level. I look around me now and I can only say that "all is well":

• jobs and money keep being given to me w/o solicitation
• I am free from all forms of sickness
• my relationships are growing stronger and I'm learning a lot
• Trumpets is continuing to blossom and the message of a better life is shared
• my church New Life the Fort is booming

So what else is there to do but head on up to the next level? I'm so thankful that God still has a whole lot in store and I can't wait to see what is coming...

Lito Villareal with Stephen Schwartz

Speaking of God's goodness, my cousin Lito Villareal is experiencing great favor over in the States. He recently performed the finale number for the show "An Evening with Stephen Schwartz". In case you don't know who that is, he's the guy responsible for the music of shows like Wicked, Godspell, Pippin, and the music of the movies Pocahontas and Prince of Egypt. What's great is that when Stephen was bowing after the last number, he goes and pulls Lito and tells him to "bow with me".

My Sinta

There are certain experiences in my life that are permanently burned in my memory. Last night, I watched Maita play Sinta for the last time this year and what could possibly the last time. If you've never seen this musical by Sibol, then it would be difficult for me to make you understand what it means to me. Sinta is not a show that you just sit and become a spectator of. Everyone who has ever acted, sung, played, produced, or simply watched it has become part of Sinta and Sinta has become part of them.

What makes Sinta even more special for me is Maita. It's not really important whether I love Sinta because she is Maita or I love Maita because she is Sinta. The distinction is blurred already because the two are so much a part of each other. If I ever watch a new girl play Sinta, I will not be able to help but compare her to Maita because she has become the picture of the character for me. Sinta is definitely one of those experiences that I am better simply because I have become a part of it. Thank you, Maits, for introducing her to me. You will forever be My Sinta.

Knick knacks

On Missing Persons
Last week my dad and I brought my mom to the airport where she left to go visit our sister who now lives in Canada. We had barely left the airport when he said to me "I miss her already." I know what he means...

On Mixed Emotions
Last night we dropped by the wake of Robbie Guevara's mom at Santuario de San Jose and he was relating to us the moment of her death. He told us that he was at her side for the past few days and he would constantly watch the monitor and see her heart rate going down steadily until eventually it flat-lined. This brought on tears of course and as they were crying and the resident was called in to pronounce the official time the monitor started recording a pulse again. The resident then was caught in a dilemna on whether to pronounce or not. Robbie said that although they were in tears, this curious situation actually put a smile on their faces.

On Wholeness
I've had a chance to chat with Crisel several times recently and we've been talking about past and ended relationships. We came to the agreement that coming into a relationship when you are lacking inside puts an immediate handicap on things. It's actually best to be whole and secure by yourself first so that when you do walk into a commitment, you are not focused on what your partner can give to you but on how you can give and take care of him/her.

On Doctors

Practice

Just so i will have an easier time adjusting to the MacBook which i will buy sometime in the near future,


i converted my windows desktop to OSX. well almost...

Wet, Weight, and the Wait

I had just taken a shower yesterday when I realized that the shirt I wanted was still in the laundry room so I strode shirtless through the middle of our house. I hadn't made it there when I was assaulted by a yell from my mom:

"Lumalaki ata tiyan mo ah!"

Huwat??? But I've been working out and doing sit-ups and crunches and what have you and it seems like it's taking a long time for the tummy to tone. Maits told me before that for guys, the tummy (or Mr. Tumnus as she refers to it) is the most difficult thing to get in shape. Grrrrr. That of course reminded me of this comic I had that proves it:


Yes friends, even superheroes struggle with the tummy :)

Among Other Things

I'm currently working on a set design for Fujitsu's 10th anniversary celebration so I actually found myself in Makati (which is rare) since I had to do an ocular of the Rizal Ballroom in Shangri-La Hotel. I also had to help out my apprentice with her photo shoot for sabs hernandez portfolio. Had some time to kill betwen the ocular and the shoot so Heaven and Eggs was a convenient place to have lunch. The apple waffle is good.

The artist busily working away.

Flavored syrups and flavored sodas are a specialty.

The artist takes time to pose with his apprentice.

On a side note, this photo taken from Maits' blog reminded me of a comic that I liked a lot. Funny how life often imitates art...

Sakae Sushi

We tried out Sakae Sushi at the Fort (beside McDonald's and UCC) as a sort of Pre-Mothers' Day get together. Yeah, it's one of those restaurants that feature the conveyor belt service.


The all-you-can-eat buffet costs P500 and includes all sorts of sushi dishes and your choice of bottomless iced tea or hot green tea.


Oh btw, the buffet is only from 5-7pm and 10pm to 12 midnight. We went there at 10pm and apparently that was a little bit too late for Pops. Looks like he had a lot to eat though...

Insects

Some quick updates from last week:
* I arrived from a 4-day stay in Caliraya (as support staff for a youth camp) exhausted, slightly tanned, and with bigger calves because of all the climbing up and down from our cottage to the dining hall at the top of the hill.


* I also went to Divisoria to help Maits buy materials for props and costumes for her playshop class with teacher Francis. Along the way, I found this pair of butterfly wings for my niece Skye.


* And finally after a gazillion changes, the call center event pushed through and yes PGMA did show up.

Traveler

I'll be in Caliraya for the next 3 days and I don't know if they have internet there.

Update: They have pala but it's sloooooow. I am currently being mobbed by 250 hyperactive teenagers...