Transitional Period

The next set of blogs may sound gay, but I just want to let this out because I just spent my 1^st working week with a depressing mood.

Last February and March, I finished my final days in school, ready to graduate, nothing to do during the night while I spent days applying for a job. I was in this transitional period between my days as a student towards being an employee and this transitional period would be another blissful time of my life (the other transitional period was my workshop days) and I got to spend it with a friend who I think also had his own transitional period between jobs.

He is working in Japan, and whenever he switches jobs, he spends his time with his family and friends here in the Philippines. He came home last December, he’s my choirmate actually. He spent his Christmas and New Year here, we had drinking sessions and it was all good, just a normal way to celebrate the holidays.

Early last January, a Saturday, I felt this feeling of thirst. Thirst over alcohol (beer to be specific). I texted 2 of my choirmates, I told them I want to drink, and they said, ok, lets drink. We drank 3 bottles of San Mig light each, our pulutan was Sugo and dilis, solve. I had fun and I was satisfied. Before going home, one of my choirmates said, “Actually we can do this every week while our friend is here in the Philippines, so he’ll not get bored”, and so we did, we drank every Saturday night after choir practices.

During weekdays, we spend the afternoon in the park, food tripping in the store of our other choirmate. We eat cheese sticks, quail eggs, isaw, barbecue, siomai, French fries, then we’ll buy a liter of RC or coke, solve again!

We also spent a number of special occasions like the choir Christmas party, Easter (we painted eggs for the Easter Egg Hunt), wedding of Ate Jumai and Jonel, our choir outing, birthday of Cholo and Renren, and we drank in all of those occasions.

It came a time when the Saturday night sessions were ‘bitin’ already so this friend of mine and I decided to drink during Sunday nights also. Sometimes with other choir members but most of the time, it’s only the 2 of us. It does not end with that, the weekend sessions became ‘bitin’ also and since my friend got nothing to do here in the Philippines, we drank almost every other night. If we have money, its San Mig light or Pale Pilsen, if we don’t have enough money and we want to drink beer, we buy Redhorse, if we only have a few 20 peso bills, we buy a 350ml Gran Matadaor brandy if its just the 2 of us (2 350ml if there are other choirmates or Chicoboys).

To be continued… next entry will be about the Chicoboys.

Brought the Awesome

Even in the midst of thinking about our thesis, I just thought, I really need to write something about the 30^th of December, 2007. 

I woke up that day like it was my birthday party, cause I saw this Queensland Catering Services already setting up, it’s our family reunion! The event was a tradition every year from my mom’s side.  My godfather and aunt from my dad’s side also attended the occasion.  It was one happy family reunion because I think it was the first time I chatted heart to heart with my cousins.  I’m not really close to them but that day, I dunno, it was all different and maybe because I feel comfortable because it was held in our place.  The same activities happened, food giving, Aguinaldo giving from our uncles, aunties and my godfather, picture taking of every family, the cousins, the Gocelas, it was fun.

The main event, another tradition, this time by our village.  Every 30^th of December, our village celebrates its Christmas party.  There were raffles, free food and the disco.  That time it was different, I haven’t seen that celebration so active in a decade and a half.  That time, the food was catered, 4 rows of food were served for the whole village! The tables, the chairs, the sound system, the people, it was the best since I was still in pre-school.  The prizes were bigger, and there were more contests, plus, I guess it was the 1^st time that the DBP Youth Choir performed in that event.  My choirmates performed 2 mainstream songs.  Other activities were the dancing contest for the kids, dancing contest for 26yo and up, videoke singing contest (open for all ages), and the main event, the battle of the bands. 

Right after the family reunion, I waited for Jon, then the moment he arrived we went straight to the park and I heard my choirmates performing ‘High’ and they sounded good! They rock!  Then we found Cholo (our new guitarist) and Ysa (our new vocalist) and we sat together in one table.  We watched the program, we waited, we enjoyed, we ate, tried to kill and revive a bug, prayed.  When it was almost time for the battle of the bands, we approached the administrator of the event and asked the order of the bands and how many bands will be performing.  The administrator said there are 5 participants and we’ll be performing 2^nd.  Ok that’s good, enough of the 1^st band curse syndrome.  So we’re sitting there, and the female host announced, “next, the battle of the bands, calling Cursor 63, please be ready.”  WTF! We have no choice but to come in front and ask them, why us? We thought we’re 2^nd, it’s in the list, we’re 2^nd to play, that’s why we did not set up our things yet.  But as I have said, we have no choice.  Earlier that night, the rule 10 minutes/2songs per set was changed into 10 minutes/1 song per set.  Ha-ha, but we were the 1^st to play, 10 minutes is 10 minutes, we played 2 songs without introducing the 2^nd one.  We went straight to the 2^nd song after the 1^st one.  After the soundcheck, we introduced ourselves and on the spot we renamed the band, maybe Cursor 63 has a curse in its name, so Ysa introduced us as Someone Someone.

About the 1^st band curse syndrome, that time, there were no symptoms of it.  I’m not feeling nervous that time, it was my 1^st time to play in our village park, it was the 1^st time my whole family and my close friends in the village watched me (and I know my girlfriend Dyanne was praying and cheering for me at home), but I was not afraid to put my volume up, we were prepared, we were confident, just like Jon said, it was kickass and we brought awesome to the village!  Ysa is a kickass performer and she was awesome that night, her voice rocks! Cholo at his age, is a pretty good guitar player, I like his stance and he’s just the right voice to back the lead vocals of Ysa, and as for Jon, well what can I say, he is the best cook drummer in the world (he cooks for us during our practices and the food tastes awesome, even the cookies!)!  For us, it was a good performance, maybe for others it’s not, but we were happy.  We were happy because our purpose that night was accomplished, many people were happy with our set, the family of Ysa, the family of Cholo.  Some knew the songs we played, some were stunned by Ysa, some were amazed with Cholo, and a lot banged their heads while Jon was hitting those fast paced drum beats.  After the set, we were fulfilled. Next to play was the band of our former guitarist.

With all due respect, their performance was very good.  They have class, originality, and all of them were really good musicians.  One thing is just missing, the character.  Even France noticed that. 

The 3^rd band to perform was Kamote’s band My-Heart-Broken (people in our village call him Kamote).  They borrowed all the stuff of our former guitarist’s band (Aries’s band also borrowed 2 jacks, the amp and pedal of Cholo) and they performed ‘A Promise’ by Chicosci and ‘Infatuation is Always There’ by Typecast and they still want to play a 3^rd song, ha-ha.  Ysa has a comment to them, she likes… one of the guy’s jacket.

The 4^th band was my choirmates’ band.  Three of them were from our village, one of them is Ryan, the choir’s bassist.  They played clean.  They are good, or should I say better.  They got the crowd going and moving, they played 2 love songs that really caught the attention of most people there.  They performed Your Call by Secondhand Serenade and Crazy for You.

The 5^th band, is the band of my mentor Francis, Turning Point, so do I need to say that they were the best band that night.  Damn, they performed like professionals.  They played ‘Hallelujah’ by Bamboo and ‘Killing in the Name’ by Rage Against the Machines and it was all perfect! “Shut up I won’t do what you tell me” this was one of the final line they substituted in the lyrics of ‘Killing in the Name’ and it worked out, they have the character, they played very clean, they played even better than the guest band who played after them that sounded like Orange and Lemons but they were also good.

After the intermission number of the guest band, they announced the winners.  In 5^th place was My-Heart-Broken, 4^th was the band of our former guitarist, 3^rd was us, 2^nd was the band of our choirmate, and 1^st, none other than the band Turning Point.

We were happy and satisfied in our place, its not that bad, no pressure at all, well, we still got 3^rd knowing that we were the 1^st to play and if it is not for us, the other bands will not play 2 songs, they will not have an additional amp, one will not use Cholo’s pedal and they will not be having extra jacks.  Unfortunately, Jon is fast in setting up and disassembling his snare and cymbals so they can’t borrow his stuff, ha-ha.

It’s disco time! They turned off the lights, it’s time to dance.  Instead of dancing, Ysa’s mom invited us to their place.  We went to our house first, Jon dropped his stuff here, then we went to Ysa’s place which is 2 streets away from us.  It was the after party, Ate Wilma (Ysa’s mom, I don’t know if I should call her tita Wilma because I call her younger brother just Jerald, and she’s young) served us snacks (it was delicious) and a gin mixed with pineapple juice which later became our chaser while drinking Absolut Vodka and Vodka Cruisers.  We even became happier that moment, Cholo while drinking was playing guitar and singing random songs, then Ysa, Jon, and me together with ate Wilma, kuya Jay, Paolo, and later Dominique (Ysa’s younger sister) sang along with him, we chatted, we played truth or dare, got high, and that was the 1^st time I saw Jon very happy after a very long time (maybe since highschool when he can still powerbomb me into their mattress).

Right now, I just missed those guys.  It’s time to go back to work, my priorities, but soon, after all of these, we will jam again and make more people gay (happy)!

It’s My Birthday Dammit (kinda late)

My 20^th birthday, the time I bid farewell to my teen years and the time to welcome my young adult stage. Wow, actually I don’t feel like I am getting older or I don’t feel that my age is increasing. I still feel that I’m the same kid who stepped on my college school for the first time. Yeah, a lot of things about me changed already but I’m still the same person they knew all over the years who just matured a little bit.

From my days in highschool to the days right now in college, you can really see the transformation. From my lovelife, the habits, friends, my likes etc. 13, the age I was in 1^st yr highschool, a type of person who had crushes and worries nothing but studies and basketball. 14, the 1^st time I attempted to be a suitor but failed. 15, the time I was in the peek of studying, trying my best to push myself to be one of the top students but fell short, the 1^st time I had a girlfriend, the first time I traveled with my friends and alone outside our hometown, the first time to be recognized by many people, the first time I really had friends who are loyal, waiting during dismissals and eating before going home, friends who calls you when they needed you and when there are gimmicks and tambays, the 1^st time I popped a cigarette and the 1^st time I drank alcohol and get drunk. 16, maybe the most colorful part of my life when I felt the hardest feeling of a teenager’s life, the heaviest break-up I experienced, the days when I thought that life was not important, the nights I really cried for the same reason, the time I regretted some things that’s not suppose to happen, but soon realized that those things I regretted were the things that would make me a mature and stronger person so I don’t really have to regret those things, the time of my graduation, the time I went for an entrance exam for the 2 biggest schools, the time I enrolled in my dream University, the 1^st time I stepped on college, the time when I really made myself busy during summer, enrolled workshop in DBP, be there everyday, Monday ‘til Saturday, enrolled a course in Informatics and be there during Tuesdays and Thursdays, the days when I met new friends, in the workshop and in college. 17, maybe the days when I was becoming more mature, the days when I met the love of my life, the days when I wanted to be adventurous, go to places I never went to, the days when I wanted to be alone and focus to myself, the 1^st time I failed a subject, to be an irregular college student, the time that I opened my mind to music, not just loving it but the first time to learn it also, to play the guitar, the 1^st time I spent my summer in school, the days when I started watching gigs all over Metro Manila. 18, the time when my love of my life texted me saying that she loves me, the time when I joined the DBP youth choir, my 1^st time to be in a band and play an event in front of many people as a bassist and a vocalist, the 1^st time I owned a room and a guitar, the one I am using in the choir, the first time I spent some nights with my classmates because of birthdays and projects, the first time when some of my classmates from college spent the night in our house on my birthday celebration. 19, the time when our band was having opportunities to play as many gigs as we can, the time when I really felt I am a Thomasian because of the spirit of the UAAP and our school became champions, the time I met my real college friends, the time when I failed a subject during 2^nd semester that almost gave me an additional year in school, but I got to spend it on summer by cross-enrolling to La Consolacion College, the school of my girlfriend, and while having it during Saturdays, I spent my weekdays from as early as 6:18 to 5 pm for my OJT in a company called ICTSI in South Harbor, Manila, the time when my thesis mates and I started our thesis.

These are just some of the highlights of my teen life that I can remember. It’s full of harmony and rhythm, lots of ups and downs and I don’t regret any of it. I’m happy and satisfied with my teen life, now it’s time to spend a new time of my life.

Carl

Overnights

 

The final year of college is indeed the busiest school year, too many things to do and too many things to think about.  Last Friday, we had a sleepover in my thesis mate’s house Garry.  We did a little with our thesis.  Last night, we also slept over Ria’s house at Quezon City to celebrate the success of our project in Entrepreneurial Management.  We were so happy this week, it was a good experience. We sell siomai, tuna sandwich and C2 to our fellow engineering students inside our building from Tuesday to Thursday.  Last Monday, we went to Ria’s place to make those siomai and tuna sandwich.  Tyron and Sheena bought the ingredients in the morning.  Last Wednesday, all siomais were sold for only an hour and a half, so Tyron, Marvin and I went to Binondo to buy some more ingredients and we made more siomai in Ty’s house.  Last Thursday, the same thing happen, that time, Marvin and Sheena were the ones who leave to make more siomai.  That night, we decided to go over Ria’s place and celebrate the success of the week.  The success I am talking about was not about our profit but the happiness we felt during this week.

 

Carl  

Now, let’s talk about the DBP youth choir.  We have a yahoo group, http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dbpchoir/ and a friendster account, we have some low quality recordings and lots of new members who joined since my last post about the choir.  I still play guitar every week even though there are new musicians.  1 new guitarist and 1 bassist.  We fixed our skeds, Francis only plays when the lineup is not complete, but when everyone is present he acts as a guide, just like a producer and a sound engineer.  We have lots of new singers, most of them, highschool students.  It’s quite happy to have them, it depends on the attitude they are showing.  Some members are really committed, but some, ahh, not sure.  Hehehe!  I just hope the family like bonding will still be there.  Well, I admit since the current lineup, there are times that I’m not happy anymore with what I am doing cause I don’t feel the faith anymore.  I just thought of God, ask for forgiveness, ask for strength and  guidance.  Things are way different before than now, you know, when you see people having the commitment and the passion for it while you see others are like just doing it for the sake of joining.  1 more thing, we already have lots of musicians so if you like to play but you don’t have enough faith for God, join a band instead ok?  The choir is not a band, we are not entertainers.  Some things are required, faith, commitment, passion, and a little bit of talent (when you join, you don’t need to be good, you’ll develop your talent here).  Our mission is to serve not only for God but for the community.   

 

Carl

Alright, it’s been 7 months since I last posted here. Technical difficulties I should say. I have many things to share for the past 7 months but maybe I’ll not be that elaborative cause you will be fucking bored after reading this.

First, let’s talk about Cursor 63 in this entry. Last December, our drummer Jon sent me a message on YM about a gig in their family reunion. Our second time to play on that event. We jammed and rehearsed but we had some problems with the guitar parts Ana is making. She did not play the guitar for months so she’s having a hard time playing while singing. We have no choice but to get another guitarist. We hired Aries. He is a great guitar player, he can adjust to the capabilities of our band.

We played 4 songs in their family reunion and it was great. We won 3^rd place, there was a battle of the bands there. 3^rd place out of 4 bands. Hahaha… But playing there with the four of us made our performance better, Ana was able to show more charisma and Jon improved a lot behind the drums.

After that, we played at Freedom bar. That was on a February. Dane, drummer of Publico, invited us to his birthday celebration and they let our band play there but that time it’s us minus Ana. Ana was busy with her studies that time and was not able to sing for us again since their family reunion. Fortunately, the gig during Dane’s birthday went fine. We played 3 songs including a Publico cover, “Bukas na lang.”

The next gig was in a bar called Escape in Eastwood. The 2^nd time we played in a DLSU event. We played 3 songs, it was also great and according to Jon, the comments from his schoolmates were positive.

The next and our last gig was in Our Father’s Coffee in an event called Teta Machine! We were very honored that the manager of Publico, Teta, invited us to play in that Event. Summer Shenanigans, Teta Machine 4!!! The night was also fine, but it was the start of us going down. It was the 1^st time we played an original, the 1^st time we played a blink-182 song, but why? Maybe there are things in the band that did not come at the right place at the right time. Maybe because of some attitude problem, maybe because we are waiting for the right time to come back, I don’t know.

Currently, Jon is playing in a metal band called Tragic Parody and they kick ass. Aries, maybe, is currently playing with some other random people, and I, I play guitar (sometimes bass) in a choir and WAS, happy with it. I will tell you about it on the next entry.

Now, in conclusion, I should say that Cursor 63 is on an indefinite hiatus. Maybe we’ll come back during another family reunion, when the kids need us. I hope, with some renovation.

Carl

Francis is back in the choir and he has a new Ibanez guitar and a 10w Yamaha amp! We’ll going to rock you!
 
Carl 

 

Choir Evolving

Here’s the list of the new members; for singing and voicing, my brother Clarence, Gino, and the sister of Alvin and Ricky; Aris for lead guitar, Julius for bass, and Juvy for percussions.

Carl

Celebration
 
Every year, I celebrate my birthday until the end of the 1^st week of September.  Tomorrow I might be treating some of my classmates that were not present in the overnight celebration.  Yes, my classmates, Tyron, Marvin, Dane and Agnes went through the long path I am traveling everyday from school to our house and vice versa last Saturday night.  Dane and Agnes went the way to Alabang because they came from Anonas because of a Publico gig.  Upon reaching the terminal in Pilar before the celebraton, we picked up my girlfriend Dyanne and went to our house together.  Then my choir mates came, Renren, Hajie, Aggy, and Kevin.  Then a bandmate, Jon.  One fine night, me eating with some important people who came to my life this past year. 
 
I’m happy, even though some special people didn’t greet me.  September 1, wow that date is hard to remember (Sarcastic tune).
 
Carl