gengki the newbie

*** gengki the newbie ***

Friday, 28 April 2006

KUMUSTA KA NAMAN?

Ako ok lang. Keri pa naman mabuhay.

Ano bang ginagawa mo ngayon?

Right now kagagaling ko lang sa taping ng show namin. Huhu. Kinakabahan ako dahil tatama sa episode ko ata yung anniversary episode ng kalaban naman sa family station. Vilma Santos episode yun eh. Tsk.Tsk. Ate Vi is Ate Vi ika nga. Speaking of ate VI...

Anong huling pelikulang pilipino ang napanood mo?

Well... i have to admit ang pinaka-huli ay yung D' Lucky Ones ni Sandara Park at Joseph Bitagcol. It's about 2 Vilmanians. Period. I do not wish to acknowledge the other plots because its been all over the faces of Sandara Park and that Bitagcol guy. But! But! But! I didn't watch it for the sheer sight of Sandara and Joseph oozing with contrived kakornihan ha. Would you believe that i watched it because and just because of Ms. Eugene Domingo? Uhuh. I really like this actor. There's something about her that's so marked on the screen saying that " I am disciplined by my mother that is theatre " Just love it. Just love her. Her chin. Her nose. Her siko. I even like her split ends. And it goes to show that she is not duly recognized because she is just too good on screen. I wonder how she would be if she would do some drama as main character.

Anong huling libro nabasa mo?

Actually, i finished reading 2 books in one month. First one is Of Love and Other Demons by Gabriel Garcia Marquez and the second one is Shanghai Baby by Wei Hun ata. Of course, the one by Marquez is another weird book. Hmmm... but i love Marquez's characters and all its topsy-turvy and non-linear attack on simple things. Somehow i can relate just a bit. The shanghai baby is ok. Feels like watching an American series set in China.

Anong huling kinain mo?

Itong lecheng tuna pandesal sa Starbucks na parang 1/4 lang ata ang laman ng tuna. Tapos isa pang napaka-pangit na lasang Banana Caramel na inumin. Lasang ampalayang hindi naibabad sa asin bago lutuin. Yelk. Pangit ng lasa.

Sinong huling kausap mo?

Itong jowa kong prench na nasa kabilang linya. Long distance relationship pa rin. Hay nako. Natutuwa akong naririnig ang boses niya. Parang comedy.

So, kumusta ka naman?

Ito, di pa masyado fulfilled. Pero masaya naman. Kahit di mataas ang sweldo, At least may time pa ako mag-tennis de bah. Kahit di pa natutupad ang pangarap ko, at least andito nako at medyo abot kamay na. Kahit malayo ang mahal sa buhay at least may mga ilang malapit lang dito. Kahit maraming kahit at least merong nandito.

Teka parang inulit yung tanong ha.

posted by gengcooker at 16:25 | link | comments (1)

Saturday, 22 April 2006

AKO AT SI DENNIS TRILLO

Bakit ba naman kung kelan ka mukhang hulas at may deadline saka magpapakita sa harap ng computer mo ang mga ganitong tao? Bakit ba naman sa lahat ng araw na pwede akong maglugay ng buhok, eh naisip kong itaas ang buhok ko nang walang tulong ng suklay at salamin? Bakit ba naman sa tagal ng panahong nagtratrabaho ako sa showbiz eh ngayon lang ako nagpa-picchur sa artista? Bakit ba naman sa lahat ng tatambayan ko eh dun pa ako sa mga white lights tumambay kaya't kitang kita ang mga blemishes ko? Bakit ba naman kasi sobrang lamig ng air-con at naging violet na bibig ko? Bakit parang puyat na naman ako? Bakit? Bakit? Lord? Bakit ngayon pa?

Bakit parang effortless yung katabi ko?

Actually, nagpa-picture din pala ako kay Marky Cielo pero keri lang yun kasi ininterview ko naman siya. Ito kasi medyo nagmaganda pa ako sa friend kong may camera phone. Sabi ko: AYoko ngang magpa-picture sa kanya noh! Then biglang may sumilip at yumukod sa pwesto ko. Napa-yukod din ako napatingin. At siya nga. Siya nga.

Gwapo niya. Sarap niya tignan sa malayo at dalhan ng iced tea.

Kumusta naman ang buhok sa gilid ng tenga?

posted by gengcooker at 18:26 | link | comments (5)

Thursday, 20 April 2006

LEYTE

It's my first time to travel by plane for work. I am beginning to dislike airplane rides for the basic reason that i can't hear and my ear hurts. I didn't even know that Cabu Pacific had records of past crashes. There's this joke about 'em airlines: Cebu Pacific-- Fly to Cebu, Arrive in the Pacific or Asian Spirit-- Fly to Asia, Arrive in Spirit. Doesn't bother me anyway about crashing. I am really fantastically distracted with my auditory nerves being repressed. But still, I have the luxury to be paid by the heart station to endure that.

Leyte is Leyte. Tacloban is Imelda Marcos city. Who cares? Good thing though that i wasn't greeted with flamboyant displays of riches and shoes. Upon arriving, i met our driver Kuya Teddy who drove us to the southern part of Leyte. Fuck. 6 hours. Me and my writer were punished by the roads.

The long and winding roads to the south had great potential for cinematic appeal. Tall trees, provincial topiaries, dewy flora, wrinkled Leytenos, gray beach to your left. A Manilenya in the South... reminds me of road movies and the Forrest Gump jogging. Scenery provides redemption. Kuya Teddy drove really fast enough for me to suddenly rekindle ties with God. He told me before that there was this media person who was in such a hurry that he drove a 4 hour ride for just 2 hours. So kumusta naman ang misa habang nasa daan, de bah?

Then we arrive in St. Bernard. Ms. Bea, our gracious house host was so generous to provide 3 viands per meal. She made us eat balot for breakfast with a really maasim na suka to boot, guinamos (white version of bagoong which i don't really like) for merienda, some kamoteng-gata and if you are a banana lover just go to her backyard and you can just pick out the latundan breed. It's utmost hospitality. She even picked flowers for our banyo to smell good and she let me sleep on a water bed...

Off to work. We interviewed victims of the tragedy in Ginsaugon. Every 4 hours somebody was crying in front of me as he/she retold his/her experiences. I prepared a roll of tissue and it was finished by the end of the day. For a while i thought, it was because the loss of loved ones and then you will really be shedding tears if you knew that they were buried alive. Gaahd. I hate dying while losing oxygen. A girl said that it was like the movie Deep Impact sans the water. The same wave. The same picture as in the movie only in mud. As in pure friekin putik. I haven't seen that movie yet.

The mountain was cut and the yellow rocks fell on their town like it was Soddom and Gomorrah. Then comes a tsunami of putik. The victims were running until they were reached by the wave of putik that would slap their backs to death. It was said " Ate, para akong sinampal sa likod nang abutan ako ng putik "

Ms. Bea said that when the rocks and mud fell, it really was meant for Ginsaugon. It had a route of it's own--- those rocks and mud. It didn't follow the natural course of gravity to fall straight from where it started. The mud and rocks turned left even evading the 2 small mountains that blocked the town. It was rooting to go to that town. It was as if it had been planned like some robber on a bank attacking at the most unexpected. It was fast. Attacking with big rocks first the size of a car at 10:30am while a women's parade was going on and all the children were at school.

10:30am at the next town after Ginsaugon, a man was smoking tabako to his rooster, savoring the provincial air and looking to the mountains still green and perfect, then he looked at his rooster and turned again to his mountain view in shock as he saw the mountain cutting itself. He dropped his rooster and froze. The rooster ran away. He thought he was going to die since his kubo was at the boundary of Ginsaugon. 2 meters away from where he was standing, the mud stopped. His knees melted from being frozen and shockingly fell.

One person said that the town was festered by illegal loggers. On that day, the illegal loggers were in Tacloban. Probably while they were being paid for their logs their wives,children, house, land and pets exchanged payments as well.

The lesson was plain and so elementary as said by an interviewee. Don't cut trees. Don't mess with Mother Nature. It was so simple. When you're good to Mama, Mama's good to you. I think everybody knew that in kindergarten and in Queen Latifah.

Tears were wiped off. So much for the tissue. And then they were comforted by the tissue. Mother Nature must be so comforting yet unforgiving.

posted by gengcooker at 16:05 | link | comments (2)

Friday, 14 April 2006

PARA KAY J.

Hmm.. lam mo ba birthday ko ngayon. Siguro noon alam mo pa yon. Marahil ngayon hindi na.. ANg lamig na kasi ng panahon baka lamig na lang ang namamagitan sa atin.

Bakit ba kita naisip? Actually minsan lang kita maisip. Siguro sa loob ng isang taon 3 beses lang kita naiisip. At alam mo everytime na naiisip kita napapatayo ako sa kama at napapabasa ng libro... sana lunurin na lang ako ng salita at letra na makita ko... ang sakit mo kasi isipin.

Inisip ko... iniisip mo din ba ako? Ang tagal na kasi nating hindi nagkita. Kagra-graduate ko lang ng college tapos ikaw nasa last year mo ata ng engineering na course.

Sa Mcdonald's Intramuros. Hate na hate ko ang Mcdo dahil hindi ko gusto ang interiors, para akong kumakain sa loob ng banyo. Nagkataon dun lang kami nagkita ng kaibigan ko at nagkataon na dun pa tayo nagkita, muli. Sabi mo nag-iba na ako. Well, things change and so do people. Sabi mo mas maganda na ako kesa sa dati. Alam ko naman yun.. alam ko namang mas kuminis na ang mukha ko at gumanda ang bagsak ng buhok ko... buti naman napansin mo. Nga pala, di ko na masyado hate ang interiors ng Mcdo kasi para ka nang nasa lobby ng hotel kumain. Sayang hindi mo nalaman na hindi ko feel ang Mcdo noon.

Kumusta ako? Heto meron akong boyfriend na sa kabilang dulo ng mundo ang lahi. Long distance lately dahil nasa ibayong dagat. Mahal ko naman siya. Sa friendster mo single ka pa rin.

Ikaw kasi.

Kulang na lang ibaon ko ang mukha ko sa lupa nang sabihin ko sayong may gusto ako sayo. Ikaw naman yung nauna eh, late reaction lang talaga ako. Super late. Haay, natatawa ako kapag inaalala ko yung incident na iyon. Tibay kung tibay ng dibdib talaga sa pag-amin ang drama ko. Sabi ko bahala na. Leche. Biruin mo ba naman ang nasabi mo lang ay " Thanks ". Grabe. Kung alam mo lang yung kahihiyang inabot ko noon. Para akong atswete sa pula at kahihikbi ng isang linggo. Sabi ko sarili ko " All the best! "

Di mo kasi ako pinagbigyan noon or baka pareho lang nating hindi pinagbigyan ang isa't isa. Siguro nga. Torpe ka noon. Taas naman ng pride ko. Salungat talaga. Pero di mo ba napansin, nahulog mula sa langit ang pride ko samantalang yung katorpehan mo di naman ako sinalo. Ok lang. At least tumibay ang buto ko.

Alam mo 24 na ako ngayon. Sabi ni Poodraks mukha na daw akong 27. Siyempre babaguhin ko na yung Friendster profile ko, yung 23 papalitan ng 24. Mapapansin mo kaya? Tinitignan mo din ba ang profile ko? Yung mga pictures ko? Yung mga gusto kong pelikula? Yung mga librong binabasa ko? Isa ka kaya dun sa mga numerong dumagdag sa viewer profles ko? Kung mababasa mo ba ito mag-rereact ka?

Naisip mo rin ba na ano kaya kung naging tayo na lang?

O siya. All the best!

posted by gengcooker at 16:28 | link | comments (1)

Tuesday, 11 April 2006

GOVERNMENT DAY

For the first time in my life i was completely aware of my stately existence. I had my ear-splitting experience at the DFA and the processes of getting a passport. Then comes the Income Tax Return.

Ano ba tong ITR shet nato?

There was a warning just on the employee's entrance at the heart station that says April 17 is the deadline for that. Then another post that you will have to pay 1,000 buck when you don't meet the deadline or even face imprisonment of 2-6 years. For what? For whahaat? I have never been threatened by a paper posted on a comfort room, not even a tarpoline looming all throughout the workplace.

Ah, yes. It's another fucking government thing. I say: why should i let them know how much i'm earning when they won't even give me a friekin passport? I really think that the guy who snubbed me at the DFA had serious identity or even sexual problems because he acted that way but dios mio naman! Don't lash it out on a poor third world but very much dignified Filipina like me. THe government takes a sum of my hard-earned peso then it doesn't want me to give a passport? And i even have to pay it pa! As if it was for free that they refuse to give it. Even Garci can get a passport why not me? Oo na bitter talaga ako. Isa akong Ampalaya syrup sa insidenteng iyon. That's why i wanted to strike back as if naman the government will feel my fangs of snubbing them as well. Tapos ako pa ngayon ang ipapakulong.

Aaahh.. but something saved me from that jaded idea. THe accountant/auditor ng bayan who blocked my way out asked me if i already filed my ITR. And i was persuaded to inquire after all the bitter memory. (You see, i don't easily forget things) I wasn't persuaded actually. I was lured or intoxicated by the accountant who had the concern. Well, she said it in the most cheerful, polite and affirmative way. Para siyang may ningning sa mata, kalmado ang puso at walang halong mga pangit na karanasan niya ako hinarang at kinausap. Attitudinal skills can really save this country from fanning a revolution.

So i did my democratic duties. Got my form in the family and heart station. Have my earnings computed by the very same amiable accountant (buti na lang di kasing laki ni Regine Velasquez ang TF ko!). Woke up the following day really early. Had my papeles photocopied. Wore my summer dress. Lotioned my legs. Trooped down to Q. Ave. Smiled at the taga-tatak ng papers and left as if i was wearing a chiffon dress amidst the wind gustling in the urban society.

Then i also went to the PhilHealth office to apply as member. We have to pay individually because the heart station doesn't do that. And probably i'll stroll down East Ave. after holy week and sign up for voluntary contribution on my SSS. Now i think that's too much government establishments for me. Must go to 7-eleven.

posted by gengcooker at 05:28 | link | comments (1)

Friday, 07 April 2006

PUTUKAN,LEYTE AT WALLET

Putukan

Gosh. 2 nights ago nagkaroon ng barilan sa amin. It was 3am, i woke up from voices of fast-forwarded silly talk. Parang mga taong nag-uusap ng hindi nagkakasundo. i thought it was a drug deal gone wrong. grabe, morato is not the bronx for chrissakes. Anyway, after hearing some men talk a bit faster there goes the first and second putok! Bang Bang. Paulie woke up and asked me if those were guns. (Paulie and i are roomates na pala!). i dispelled it with a 'yeah, so what?' attitude and tried to think that those were just kids. Then comes the 3rd and fourth Bang Bang. I was a bit kabado but very sleepy kabado so hindi talaga totally kabado then the fifth came in Bang! Magnanakaw daw. What foolish move. The magnanakaw attempted to rob a house cum office of security guards. It's like dipping in a sea of bubog and you coming out unscathed, hello?!?. Tignan ko na lang kundi ka araruhin ng bala. Di man lang nag-research about the residents. Know thy enemy nga di ba? Gagawa ka nalang ng bagay na hindi maganda para sa lipunan hindi mo pa kakaririn. Tanga-tanga..

LEYTE

I'll be going to Leyte after Holy Week. It's part of my job. We'll be talking to survivors of the mudslide. Hmmm... ano bang meron sa leyte bukod sa San Juanico bridge?

WALLET

I have a very special wallet. It's so special my ex-roomate seems to have dreamt about it in a horror movie. It's colored pink with patterns of snow and then on the other side is a chaka doll with eyes so big you can jolt yourself in the morning just by looking at it--- my wallet. I think that chaka doll design has worked it's way to people finding it and handing it back to me. I already lost it twice. First in a bar and then in a karaoke bar. It was never really out of my hand for more than 24 hours. I think the chaka doll design has something to do about that. I already lost 2 wallets from my previous non-chalance about my stuff this one isn't spared but it finds a way for it to come back.

posted by gengcooker at 12:03 | link | comments (2)

Monday, 03 April 2006

PLAY

Thanks to Maruja ( fellow Artistang Artlets alumni and blogger) for letting me snatch stills of the play in his blog. As if he can do anything about it if he refused. hehe.

This is the play that i wrote. Memorandum of Agreement. It's true that when you write something you really have to put yourself into it. I had the gall to inculcate my own college life and scandals, my friends' jobs, the name of a friend's boyfriend, places i go to, books that i read, my Frenchy's food culture, my very own personal but very altered experiences, advise i got from a gay teacher and tv stations i worked for. You see, i can't completely own what i wrote. And this is my first baby of which i myself dissected.

Its the story of Arlene, Park, Cromwell and Chiqui. Arlene has it all and likes to get it all. Cromwell is Arlene's bestfriend. Chiqui is fleed by her husband and is impotent. Park has a public 6-year relationship with Arlene and a 10 year relationship with Cromwell in secret. The group comes in on a birthday party reunion hosted by the housewifely humored Chiqui. All of them are from a debating team in college and are now in their early 30's. Our playwright-teacher, Rody Vera, said that the best age for people to tackle conflicts and personal issues are in their 30's. Hmmm... bakit kaya?

This is the scene of opening conflicts-- ala Pandora's box. Arlene (the one in red played by Fritz ) announces that she's going to New York and she is pregnant. Much to the jealousy enveloping Chiqui and the dismay of Park and Cromwell reading the mag. Chiqui played by my AA batch mate Diana Cotia, is a character slightly zapped from Bree Van de Kamp of Deperate Housewives, my Moodrahbel and my Tita living abroad. Crowmell is played by Paulie Mora--- a bit zapped from the person playing itself wahaha! Park is played by Julz Casalan a straight opposite of what is Julz in person.

This is the plastikan scene. Before this toast, Cromwell and Park confronted each other in a seemingly Nora Aunor confronts Christopher de Leon way. What happens now that Arlene is pregnant? What happens to them? Cromwell uses emotional blackmail and relationship genetics to make Park and the audience understand what he's going through. Of course Arlene and Chiqui is out to see the baby room that Chiqui made out of her frustration. They go back to the sala again while Park and Cromwell evades each other. Arlene offers a toast to her achievements-- a New York life with Park and their baby.

PARK AND CROMWELL confrontation excerpt:

PARK: Hindi ko sinasadya… Croms…

CROMWELL: Sinamahan ko yung Tatay ko noon sa Cubao. Matapos umalis yung nanay ko at sumama sa ibang lalake, nagkita sila. Sa Cubao. Malapit dun sa Fiesta Carnival. Nakita ko siya at tinuro ko sa tatay ko. Buntis yung nanay ko, tuwang tuwa pa ako may bago na akong kapatid. Nagtinginan lang yung Nanay at Tatay ko, tapos ang sabi ni Papa “Congrats” Umalis na kami. Sabi ko, Tay, bakit yun lang ang nasabi mo? Sabi niya maiintindihan ko rin balang araw kung bakit yun lang ang dapat sabihin sa mga taong nakasakit sayo.

PARK: Ako ba ang pinatatamaan mo?

CROMWELL: Ito na ata yung balang araw na sinasabi niya.

PARK: Iba naman ang sitwasyon ng Tatay mo sa iyo.

CROMWELL: Ang sakit sakit pala ng ginawa ng Nanay ko sa Tatay ko.

Arlene finds out about Park and Cromwell. She's pregnant, she's drunk and her boyfriend of 6 years is gay! What a life!

Arlene's hysteria excerpt:

Iinom ulit si Arlene

CHIQUI: Tama na yan. Buntis ka!

ARLENE: My God! I built my world around you. Nagpla-plano pa akong manirahan tayo sa New York. Magtayo ng pamilya. Bumili ng aso at patakbuhin sa backyard natin habang nagpri-prito tayo ng hamburgers. Tapos dadalaw sa atin Si Bob at Chiqui, pati si Cromwell. Tignan mo, kasama ko pa yang baklang yan sa mga pangarap natin. All for what? Ano bang ginawa kong mali? Lord, bakit ako pa?

Iinom ulit si Arlene

Park's bare it all moment that slaps Arlene:

ARLENE: (palambing) Park, Honey, look at me. You’re lying. Everytime na nagse-sex tayo alam ko satisfied ka. I know that. Pumipikit ka pa nga eh.

PARK: Arlene, hindi…

CHIQUI: (sisingit) Arlene and Park, you are not going to discuss your sexlife in front of me ok.. Tinuluan niyo na nga yung sofa ko…

ARLENE: (sabat) Wag ka ngang pa-virgin dyan… If I know atat na atat kang pabuntis kay Bob kaya’t ang aga-aga mong mag-asawa… Tutal nagkakalabasan na rin naman tayo ng baho dito…

PARK: (erupt) Hindi! Hindi ka masarap. Alam mo ba pagka-sex kita, utos ka ng utos. Para akong nasa opisina’t may hahabuling deadline... Bakit ako pumipikit? Ha! Kasi ayoko makita ang mukha mo. Kasi may ini-imagine akong iba.. Hindi mo ba naisip yon?

Park found out that Arlene knew of his homosexuality even before. Arlene wanted to change Park's "problem ". Park was more convinced of his love to Cromwell. Arlene, in a fit of devastation, decided to abort her baby. Chiqui convinced Arlene not to after her own personal monologue of being baog and keeping it from her perfect housewife life and not appreciating somebody who has done everything but still left wanting.Arlene decides to give the baby to Arlene. Park is in stupor over that decision. Then Chiqui tries to draft a Memorandum of Agreement for everybody's sake and especially for the baby. Everybody agrees to the MOA and everything is settled. Park and Cromwell staying together. Chiqui having her own baby. Arlene accepting everything.

Chiqui's breakdown on cheese and redwine:

PARK: You mean to say baog ka. Bakit pa kayo nagpagawa ng baby room?

CHIQUI: Eh, bakit ba? Masama ba ang mangarap magka-baby. Pwede namang magkaroon ng baby room na walang baby ah. Bakit kayo? Naiinom niyo naman yang wine na walang cheese. Hanapan kayo ng hanapan ng keso. Hindi niyo naman kelangan. Nainom niyo rin. Kung maghahanap pa rin kayo ng keso dito sa pamamahay ko, sumama na kayo kay Bob diyan sa Palawan. Pare-pareho kayo. Huwag na kayo bumalik. Iwan niyo na lang ako dito. Hindi marunong mag-appreciate ng alak na walang keso. Lecheng keso yan. Galit ako sa France na may tatlongdaang klase ng keso. Galit ako sa kalabaw. Galit ako sa gatas. Galit ako sa lahat ng Keso. At walang alak na nanganganak ng keso.

CROMWELL: Pasensya na… hindi ko alam… hindi namin alam… I’m so sorry…

CHIQUI: hindi ko maintindihan… lahat naman ginawa ko para sa kanya… tumigil ako sa trabaho… pati pag-yoyosi ko… nag-aral pa ako sa cooking school… nagka-galit galit kami ng kapatid ko dahil sa kanya… wala nang natira sa akin para lang mapaligaya siya… pero naghanap siya ng keso… wala akong keso…

Now that one is me on stage. With Barbie as my demented paralytic daughter and Bombi Plata as the person who helped me with problems of burying my husband. Bombi turns out to be a ghost pala in the end.

posted by gengcooker at 08:47 | link | comments (6)

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...