gengki the newbie

*** gengki the newbie ***

Wednesday, 30 March 2005

TOURISM 101

I am now listening to Carole King's It's too Late. (Such a powerful song!) I dream of having Gemma Cruz-Araneta's work for the Department of Tourism. What a blast! I'm sure the her beauty title would be a plus too. Anyway, just to let you know what i did on Holy Week. I went to Palawan, Coron. It's the north of Palawan on the Busuanga Island with mon amour. I have this feeling that i want to be a poster of the WOW Philippines and promote this blasted beautiful country. AT least i served my country well, even i was just a tarpoline with attitude.

Chapter 1: GOING THERE

There's a Superferry trip. And believe me, riding the SuperFerry reminds me of my ogle moments with Ate Shawie and the movie Titanic. Frenchy was Jack aka Leonardo DiCarpio and i was not Rose aka Kate Winslet. I was Lydia DiMagiba from the province of Polomolok---- it was my first time and i was on the third class where everybody was there and sleeping like a third world country. There's this teeming longing to be with the masses and to be identified as dukha within my personality. I just like the drama of struggling and going from rags to riches then to the dishes. 10 hour trip honey. It felt like titanic since the first class people were in cabins like the ones in the movie. My lungs can't stand too much aircon and too much fragrance from that side of the ship. And there's beer on board too. Leila said that they watched I amSam and the Punisher on board the Negros Navigation for 60 pesos while they came from Boracay to Manila. Come 4:30 am, you can now the feel the mystic islands of Coron and they are looking at you as if they've seen your nipple peek out. Very enchanting. I think the Coron Islands are male by nature.

Chapter 2: BEING THERE

It's quite cheap there. The rooms go from 300-500 a night. You need a pumpboat (1000-1500) to go from island to island. And yes, while travelling by pumpboat to go to the islands i imbibe the PAL song in the 80's: "The beauty of the Philippines come shining through... the Philippine airlines... come shining through... tralalalala. i hummed that in Eva Peron mode while she was on her way to Buenos Aires with matching fluttering hair and exposed legs. But beware of the sun dahlings, they can really scorch and flake our beautiful skins while travelling on pumpboats. I was sunburnt even before getting to the beach and i did apply some sunblock but its really UV rays with the capital U and V without us knowing it. So right now, I am as dark as the night and looking like a bangkera. At ang paa ng lola mo, talaga namang highlighted na highlighted ang nail polish in rich white platinum!

Chapter 3: THE ISLANDS

It is beautiful. Period. The Cayangan lake makes you want oxygen. It's the cleanest lake in the country and makes you wonder how the hell such a thing existed here. The place was so pure it makes you want to be like Adam and Eve if your jowa is with you ( syempre we fell on that category) or the serpent for that matter (kung mag-isa ka lang at bitter). The sands on some parts of the beach were as white as bond paper. Too bad for me beacuse i don't really know how to swim. Frenchy says how can i live in such in an archipelagic country and not know how to swim. That's a good point. I think i drowned in my past life but at least i can project knowledge in swimming. There's also the Calawit area 2 hours away from Coron. This is where you can hobnob with actual zebras and wildlife imported from Kenya during the Marcos era. But of course, we didn't have enough money to go there so it remained a hearsay. Samner, my prodigal roommate, told me that they went to this underwater cave in the middle part of Palawan in Purto Princesa.

We practically blew our money to get the most of the islands there. The total gastos per person can be 5,000. We just brought 8,000 for the 2 of us so that's why we're a bit short. I came back to Manila with just 2 pesos and 50 centavos. I never felt so poor since i just ate Skyflakes for dinner. I was a rat. A happy rat, if i may add.

posted by gengcooker at 03:04 | link | comments (7)

Tuesday, 22 March 2005

WORDS

It's so easy. You try to evoke a feeling and re-scan all the good books you've read or maybe remember a movie line that strikes you the most or even from a song by a very cool artist. And then you have that. You have that phrase engraved in your mind to do something about it. But it doesn't come out with step by step instructions. It was never easy. I am a victim of that. Following your dreams is as easy as it is written but it was never known how to go fucking about it. We are bombarded by hallmark cards and inspirational stuff but then the mobility of those words end when you know you are inspired by it. You just love the inspired feeling because it gives you a jolt of your feet to move. Then you stop because when you are inspired to move you are enveloped with monstrous realities that you yourself made unconsciously.

You just don't think about the words and then try to go about things that make you really happy. And when you know you did something then you start to create the words apt for whatever thing that you did. For example: Try and try until you succeed. So it's like a post-thought. And you can smile becuse you have applied that. Am i right? of course, i'm the only one here so i should agree unless this computer suddenly speaks and argue with me.

and

i guess we just love words. it's like the icing to our prized and dazed cake. women love words especially when they see and hear it from the ones who ought to create them. whoever said that hamburger should mean like a real hamburger with beef patties and not a nailcutter that cuts the nails. i think it would be best not to really announce them but work it underway so that when they come out it becomes really true words.

And if it doesn't turn out as planned just remember Clint Eastwood in the Bridges of Madison County and his words: It's good to have dreams even if they don't really come true. or something like that.

posted by gengcooker at 08:10 | link | comments

Monday, 14 March 2005

TALES OF THE REEEZERCHER (a lenten episode)

I need 2 miracles. The one for my topic on actual himala and the other for actually getting these topics a day before the taping. I am so drained and laughing hard for letting God put me into really weird situations of my life. Trying times if i may put it bluntly. And my writer asks me religiously every hour on what happened on my 1 day search for these.

I want La Aunor to make sapi at me and go hysterics by telling the writer:

"Walang Himalaaaaahhhh! Ang Himala ay mahirap hanapin ng isang araw lang at bukas magco-confirm ang mga taong hindi naman artista para lumabas sa TV! Ang himala ay nasa sa inyo para i-move man lang ang taping ng isang araw pa para makahanap ako ng taong nagpa-pagising ng mga na-coma at nagpapa-wala ng mga gall bladder stones! Ang himala ay nasa puso nyoooooh...."

All of these remain imagined verses.

Because right now, I think it was given to me, infairness naman kay Lord. I found a healing center that heals people through water, got a former congressman and a CEO to speak up and be spiritual on TV. So instead of texting my writer those written earlier, i just said that i'm ok and that the nuns gave me a gallon of miracle water for the taping tom. Haha! They even made me drink that while having lunch and merienda.

Writer: Wag mong inumin yan ha! Baka maging immortal ka! hehe..

Me: Sori ka. Mangumpisal ka na. Ako na ang bagong Diyos. haha!

Me: (while walking with the 1 gallon miracle water and sending the text. I looked above) Huy... Jok lang yun ah.

posted by gengcooker at 10:49 | link | comments (2)

Saturday, 12 March 2005

ASSUMPTIONISTA

I woke up really early to go to Valle Verde 2 (that posh village--uhuh!) to get a book my artsy ninang told me so i can research on small miracles. Of course early is subjective. I went to megamall after that and scanned 2 books at Starbucks. My gosh! Ang mahal sa Starbuck ha. I am light years surprised since this establishment sprouted like tengang daga in the mad metropolis. I don't really go to Starbucks for the basic reason that i don't drink coffee. Well, i was a bit ashamed of my feet because they were in the farmer mode. And to rub more salt, i painted the nails with rich white platinum. Tantananan! I am a trying hard socialite with swelling feet ordering a clubhouse sandwhich and an iced white chocolate in full Tagalog. I notice that everybody speaks english in Starbuck. It comes with the aura of the place, you are compelled to act like a Starbuck.

After that, i went inside the mall. I bought 3 pairs of shoes.

And it ends there.

posted by gengcooker at 03:48 | link | comments (8)

Wednesday, 09 March 2005

TITIKLOPIN KITA

Grabe. Nanood ako ng play sa tapets. Weird. Shet talaga ang feeling.

Although it was never a shet feeling pero kasi some things happened between me and my love. ok, ititigil ko na nga ang mga personification at metaphors ko. I refer my love to theatre. I had to let go---muna. It was never a mutually beneficial deal kasi para akong nabasted. Hay, my gosh. On that night that they talked to me on what to do about my life, i felt like all my dugong buo wash down my vagina. Alam mo yun, i-triple mo pa. Kasi i never saw it coming and i felt robbed (so anong connect ng puke ko don?). To put it in more dramatic setting--- para akong itinakwil.

Ah yes. The nerve of myself to state that. Tinakwil. It was my final blow and i won't give a damn if it doesn't rhyme with what my feelings were. Medyo matagal na ring nangyari to pero ngayon ko lang naisulat kasi masakit. Hay nako, buhayin mo na si Anna Luna at iba pang di pumatok na Telenovela, pero ito talaga ang naramdaman ko--- masakit. May kasama pang musical scoring yan na pang Lovingly yours nung panahong natapos ang meeting tungkol sa desisyon nila sa fledging theatre life ko. Ang iyak ng lola mo talaga. Luha with the bold lettter L.

"Bwakanangshet na gobyerno to eh". At ayan ang naisip ko. Hehe. Actually, it all boils down to that. If artists were given a fee proportionate to their talent then artists could be richer. Kaya nga talent fee de bah? At siguro medyo mayaman na rin ako ngayon. Oo na feelingera na kung feelingera pero at least may pinaghuhugutan ang feelings ko at alam kong totoo yun. Anyway, ang saklap pa rin. MAhirap lang naman ang bansa natin at bulag ang mga tao. Grabe, so deep na ang mga pinanggagalingan ng mga frustrations na ito.

Then naisip ko: sana di na lang ako nanuod ng channel 9 at nakita ang Ms. Saigon nung bata pa ko. In that way, di nako nangarap na tumayo sa entablado. Escapism is the art of going inside.

Grabe. Nanood ako ng play sa tapets. Weird. Shet talaga ang feeling. Kasi dapat ako yung andun. Kaya iyak na naman ako. Labas ako ng fort kasi baka makita akong nag-iinarte. Dun ako sa labas kasama si Jose Rizal at nag-iiyak. Ang babaw ko talaga. May panyo pa ako. I folded it in different ways while crying. Upon the last fold, i kept it inside my pocket.

Titiklopin muna kita kasi balang araw pag maayos na ang lahat, lalabas ka rin.

posted by gengcooker at 10:25 | link | comments (3)

Thursday, 03 March 2005

CONVERSATIONS WITH POODRAHBEL: BEFORE AND AFTER

Circa 1984

Scene: Poodrahbel, who looks like a union leader of janitors and is married to a fledging beauty queen, is a new father to 2 kids then. The eldest Daruma, is a 3 year old putik toddler who dreams to be one with the soil and its humus contents. Gengkie is around 2 years old and every inch a diva baby. Poodrahbel spends quality time walking with his little tikes by carrying Gengkie and letting Daruma talk to the bees. They walk past a caimito tree plump with fruits. They look above as Daruma signals gluttony.

POODRAHBEL: Ayun! Ayun yung caimito. Teka akyatin ko.

GENGKIE: (being held by Poodrahbel) Waaaah!

POODRAHBEL: (to daruma) Buhatin mo muna yung kapatid mo para maka-akyat ako.

DARUMA: (looks at Poodrahbel firmly and shakes head as if an upright policeman who refuses a tong)

GENGKIE: Waaaaaaaaaaaaahhhh!

Poodrahbel is caught in a dilemma of the diva baby, the upright hungry policeman and the shining caimito. He looks around. Tries to feign deafness from the crying diva baby and looks at Daruma. In a split second, he let down the unscathed Gengkie in the carabao grass as the cries reach the speaker phone level, climbs the tree and went down in 10 seconds like a thief of mother nature. He grabbed the hollering diva from the grass, split the caimito into 2 and fed it to Daruma. He disappeared in a flash lest he be mistaken for a child abuser because Gengkie was transforming into a crying amplifier.

Circa 2005

Scene: Gengkie on a phone while holding a cellphone. Feedback gets giddy.

POODRAHBEL: Hello, online.

GENGKIE: Pa, si angeli to anak mo. Do you know of anyone who's had a summer affair of some sort. yun kasi topic ko next week. Libre naman lahat ng accomodation. May talent fee pa. Basta kelangan maganda at super kilig ang love story na naganap lang nung summer. kasi it happened one summer ang title ng episode ko. May kakilala ka ba dyan?

POODRAHBEL: ano? taga-Samar. Marami dito. Teka...

GENGKIE: SUMMER. as in march, april, may. yung summer months.

POODRAHBEL: ano? Sonner?

GENGKIE: Summer nga. Yung sa grease. summer lovin happened so fast...

POODRAHBEL: Haha! yung ninong mo. siyempre di naman aamin yun. may summer affair yun nun eh.

GENGKIE: Wag naman yun. Baka mabad-trip si ninang.

POODRAHBEL: walangya ka. nakita ko yung cheke mo di ka man lang nag-pa inom.

GENGKIE: pano ako magpapa-inom di naman ako umuuwi sa bahay. sige nga. tsaka pinapapunta ko dito si aron sa ABS ayaw naman... para magbigay sa inyo... ang layo layo naman kasi dyan... tamad na ako gumising ng maaga...

POODRAHBEL: eh di ako na lang. pumunta ka ng Tubbataha dun sa morato. tamang tama may utang pako dun. wala akong cellphone ha, iniwan ko sa bahay.

GENGKIE: eh, nag-cellphone pa kayo. anong oras? 10:30 ha. magkano utang niyo dun?

POODRAHBEL: 200 lang naman. 10:30 ha. wala din akong pang-inom.

GENGKIE: o sige. akala ko 200,000.00 ang utang niyo dun eh. o sige na sige na...

POODRAHBEL: babay na. magsasara pako ng kolum. babay. i love youoooo

GENGKIE: i love you toooooo!

Gengkie is now caught in a dilemma on how to finish her work by 10:30 to meet Poodrahbel. She tries to act serious and type fast in the computer. She eats too much chocolate cookies until she coughs pulverized grains on the keyboard. She tries to look for some pamunas but failed.

Hinihipan na lang niya yung lumabas na Murray cookie crumbs hanggang malaglag.

posted by gengcooker at 12:46 | link | comments (5)

This has been my sanctuary for four years already. It's my extension. Almost like a limb out in the open. Know that people want to express, to just chuck it out, to just be themselves even on something as artificial as blog. I am that people. So don't mind me...