This Boy's Life

Movies, Movies, Movies...

Passed on by Oliver to Carlo. Now's my turn to answer...

Total number of films I own on DVD/video: About two DVDs. More than fifty original VCDs.

The last film I bought: Uhm, The Prince and Me starring Julia Stiles and Luke Mably.

The last film I watched: What else? Star Wars III: Revenge of the Sith.

Films that I watch a lot or mean a lot to me: Hmmm.... this is a toughee. I really like a lot of films. Here's a list of some flicks that have made a huge impact on my life.

Dead Poets Society, Sister Act, Dangerous Minds, Mona Lisa Smile. Any movie that is about a teacher, is about teaching, is about molding people will always be a favorite. I think it's because of my desire to also be a teacher.

The Broken Hearts Club. If Andy Tobias's The Best Little Boy in the World is the book that has helped me with coming to terms with myself, then The Broken Hearts Club would be the movie equivalent of The Best Little Boy in the World. Every newbie should watch this film.

Trick. This movie is a movie I wished I got to watch during my teen years. All the drama, all the mushiness. Augh! I love it. Ha ha ha!

The Interpreter. This film shows how critical communication is.

Cheaper By the Dozen. This is included in the list because unexpectedly, this film made me really cry like a baby, especially during the part where the whole family went looking for the geeky outcast kid with a pet frog. I swear, in real life, that kid would be the gay child.

Pret-a-Porter. Fashion, fashion, fashion. Enough said.

Eating Out. Indie film at its finest. I wish there was a parallel universe like this that existed. And if there is, please transport me there any time.

Boys Don't Cry. This movie, in my opinion, gave a voice to the thousands of butch lesbians all over the world. Lesbians are among the most oppressed groups in the world. First, for being a woman, and second, for being a lesbian. I will always be an advocate of women's rights. Thanks to Prof. Enriquez!

Argh! There are more films that have been a favorite, but I just couldn't write them all down.

What's your favorite film?

Oh, God, Oh, God!!!

This is one of the songs from Once on This Island.

I can't really relate the whole song to my life, but the following parts are so appropriate. This is what I've been singing for the past how many months of my life. Ha ha ha!

Oh, Gods
Oh, Gods
Are you there?
What can I do to get you to look down
And give in?
Oh, Gods
Oh, Gods
Hear my prayer
I'm here in the field
With my feet on the ground
And my fate in the air
Waiting for life to begin

Oh, gods
Oh, gods
Please, be there
Don't you remember
Your little Ti Moune Angelo from the tree
Wake up!
Look down!
Hear my prayer
Don't single me out
And then forget me...

Waiting for life to begin.

Stupid Weather


Image via Getty

Twice a year, the sudden change in the weather drives my body crazy.

The symptoms have always been the same. During the month of May, when the summer is about to end and the rainy season is about to start, the abrupt change in the weather would give me colds. Once I get the colds, I already know what's next. Fever. For two, three days. Along with the fever is the coughing and the difficulty of sleeping in the evening.

It has always been like this. And despite my efforts to be preventive, I still find myself in that cycle twice every year.

I've been down with fever since the other day. It sucks, because there's so much work to be done with Icon. And stubborn person that I am, I still go out of the house to interview people, never mind my fever and the fact that I'm freezing eventhough it's a very hot day.

The things you do for something you love.

Anyway, I've decided to just rest this afternoon. I'm supposed to go to another interview, but I just had to ask Richie to do it, especially now that I'm starting to recover.

I need to get better.

Next week is hell week for Icon.

Revenge of the Sith


Master and Padawan During Good Times


Funeral for the Queen

I watched Revenge of the Sith last Tuesday with friends.

It was nice. I enjoyed it, and I might probably watch it again. I just found Anakin's conversion to the dark side, to be rather very abrupt. While I did notice that there was a phase of confusion whether who's telling the truth (Sidious or the Jedis), That scene where Anakin quickly bows down to Sidious and expresses his desire to be an apprentice, was kind of quick. An oppositional reading, however, could be that the fact that Anakin quickly switched over to the Dark Side was a good expression of his youth and lack of capacity to think things through.

I have to watch the last five episodes again, before I rank them but I would have to say that this was the most dramatic, most thrilling, and most intense, at least for me.

Why?

First, the Execution of Order 66 was actually very dramatic. I felt a stirring in my heart as all these innocent people were murdered. Second, the funeral of Padme. Oh my gawd! What can I say? It was solemn. It was noble. It was moving. It was the kind of funeral many people would probably want when their time comes. I have to give credit to the production design, from the coffin design to the way Padme's water gown (which was very haute couture-ish), to the way her hair was all laid out and flowers were placed. Awww! That was something.

Anyway, enough of my weak attempt to give a film analysis. I'm sure real Star Wars fans would be way better in giving an analysis of the film.

Pink Film Festival



The 2005 Pink Film Festival will begin next week, June 3, 2005 at Gateway Mall in Cubao.

I'll try to post the schedule of the recommended films.

Just Wait...

The past week and the coming few weeks has been and will be extremely toxic, since we're about to enter into full production mode for the magazine.

Thus, the reason why I haven't been posting, and why I will probably be not able to post regularly in the next few weeks.

But I will try.

Because there have been so many nice things thas has happened, and I swear I love the coming issue very much.

I wish I could write down what you can expect from the next issue, but that would get me killed. Hahaha!

Here's what I can share. Richie and I already interviewed him, and him. The following night, we also interviewed him. We also got to interview her. And she just agreed to be interviewed. Argh! We still have yet to hear from him, and he's still not here. I have yet to receive and email from her and her.

Makes no sense right now.

Just wait till you get hold of the next issue.

This has to be my favorite issue so far.

Happy Birthday, Richmond!


Party People


The Hunskis and the Bunnees with Richmond

The highlight of my weekend was a suprise birthday party for Richmond, a doctor friend who's in town vacationing. Along with other friends, we went to faraway Fairview since that's where the party is. I say faraway, because it's really far for most of us who live in Manila, San Juan or Makati.

It was a good party though.

We haven't seen Richmond for more than six months so the whole night has been full of boisterous laughter about his "conquests" (wink wink) in various US states. Hahaha! Quoting Richmond, "Ms. Aruba ang drama ko dun! Mabentang mabenta tayo!" Hahaha!

Anyway, Xochi and I, along with best couple friend - Richie and Suki - left a little after midnight. We were just all tired and Xochi and I were suffocating from the smoke around us.

Anong Nangyayari?!

Looks like things are starting to pick up with this barkada project of ours. Hahaha! Barkada project!

It's been just a couple of weeks since we delivered copies of the magazine to newsstands, bookstores, malls from Cainta to Alabang, from Ilocos to Davao, from the cities to the countryside...

And we're already getting calls from suppliers to deliver more!!!

What do we do? We already have every copy we printed out. Some Icon staff and contributors don't even have their own copies yet!

Anong nangyayari!?

My Element is...



Your element is Light. Your heart is pure and shining with love. You believe in the goodness of those around you and give almost everyone a smile. You are not the kind to hide your happiness and tend to smile all day long, both in and out. But when sadness hits you, you become very devastated and may be upset for quite some time. What you need in your life is friends, friends who will love you unconditionally, like you love them.

But you have a naive nature and don't always notice when someone is trying to hurt you. Some would say you are oblivious to mean people, which makes you an easy target. However, your true friends will probably be there for you and save you. In school you are either the popular one or the little weird one. It all depends if "the higher people" find your caring side irritating or not.

Nevertheless, you have a bubbly personality and are social. Big paryies may not be your thing since you want bonding time with your friends, so slumber-parties fit you more. You like the happy things in life and like everyone else to be as happy as you are.

What is your element? [with pics + 7 outcomes + detailed answers!]
brought to you by Quizilla

What's yours?

Half Around the World Guy

Amidst all the work for Icon last week, something nice happened. I gained a new friend.

I've been receiving emails from other countries inquiring whether Icon was available in their country, or whether there was a subscription service available.

Of course, I would sadly tell them that Icon is only distributed in the Philippines, and that their only option is to pay for shipping costs if they really wanted the magazine.

Last week, I got an email from a guy from the US asking the things I wrote about. After I gave him my usual reply, he replied back and told me that he was willing to pay for the shipping costs. Hunski and I then went to FedEx to check the rates and they were just too expensive. The cost for about three magazines including shopping was about $50. That's about $40 for shipping!!!

I wrote the guy back and told him the cost of the shipping. But I had good news for him so I told him that he was in luck because Hunski's brother was leaving for Los Angeles over the weekend and he said he could ship the package to the guy when he gets to LA.

In one of my emails to the guy, I told him that we were already preparing for the fifth issue. I gave him an idea of what we were thinking for that issue. My problem with the fifth issue is that we needed some information, which I can't find on the Internet. I told my problem to the guy, thinking he might be able to help.

And help he does.

In his next email, he happily announced that he got the information I need. I could sense the happiness from the way he wrote his email. And not only that, he tells me that he sent me a book and a magazine, which I could add to the information he gave me.

When he said mentioned that he sent a package, I was just surprised. I thought it was really nice of him. But I thought it was too much. All I did was just send him the magazine. After another email or two to him, he then tells me that he wants to subscribe Hunski's brother for a year to Out magazine. It was his way of thanking Hunski's brother for shipping the magazine. I was like, "Wow! Do you do this to every stranger?" I had to tell him though that Hunski's brother is straight.

I've continued corresponding with the guy, and eventually I found out more things about him. He is a Filipino-American, in his mid thirties, studying to be a graphic designer.

But what struck me was when he told me he wasn't out, and that he was actually thankful that he now has someone to talk to about things. He says that I'm the only gay guy he knows, and I happen to be half around the world.

In his last email, he wrote, "As soon as I read your e-mail, I know I’ve made my first and only gay friend."

When we were starting with Icon, I never imagined that I would be getting emails from around the world. Now, I'm actually happy that there are people who actually write us and tell us nice things.

But of all the people from other countries who've written, I'd have to say that Half Around the World Guy is the first and only friend I've made. That's just happy. And I'm even happier that somehow, by corresponding with this guy, he now has someone to talk to about things he never talked about. Gay it Forward!

You know who you are. Good luck with what you're doing.

What a Week!

Last week has got to be the most tedious week of my life with Icon Magazine.

Richie, Suki, Hunski and I sort of had a reshuffling of assignments. The one I got involved coordinating with a lot of people, making sure they understood what they were supposed to do, making sure they turn in things correctly, among other things.

I knew it would be difficult. I knew it would entail facing the computer for several hours to send emails and reply. I knew it would be toxic.

I loved it.

Right even before the week started, I already had to prepare letters for people. I had to research contact information. I had to get some background on the individual. And above all, I had to make sure that they were out and proud.

My schedule last week went something like this. Check my mail in the morning. Reply to emails. Print out letters. Deliver letters in Quezon City and Makati. Research. Research. Research. Check my mail in the evening. Reply to emails.

Sounds easy? Not.

There were days when I had to commute, and walk under the scorching heat of the sun. There were days when people turned me down for my request for an interview. There were days when I had to be on the phone for a certain period of time and keep on dialing and dialing just to get through. There were days when I had to get up early, despite having only had a small amount of sleep, to go to a scheduled interview.

When I didn't have any scheduled work for the day, I accompanied Hunski to the different bookstores so he could collect sales reports and bill them. We've gone all the way from the glamorous Eastwood Cyberpark to the crowded and unglamorous Divisoria, Recto and Avenida, all for the love of Icon.

And what was the prrof that we were really swamped with things to do? Hunski and I were at his house last Thursday afternoon. I was writing my emails and Hunski was reading. We were waiting for the clock to strike sevenand then we're off to the gala performance of "Once on This Island" at RCBC Tower in the evening.

In the middle of my emails, I suddenly saw what day it was, and was surprised. I got up for a moment, turned to Hunski and gave him a kiss.

He asks, "What was that for?"

I replied, "Hunski, we've been so busy that we already forgot. It's our monthsary today! Remember, this Once on This Island was scheduled as our date!"

That's how busy we were.

Personally, I am having a good time. I am feeling every inch that I work for a publication. I love the toxicity of work. I love the fact that I'm preoccupied with things to do. This is so much better than doing nothing. And when I get emails from readers telling how much they love Icon, how much Icon has helped them, how much they look forward to buying the next issue of Icon, every drop of sweat, every frustration, every need to stay up late at night just becomes okay.

I am particularly excited about one section I'm going to do for the next issue, because it's a first for me.

You better like it, especially now that you have an idea how difficult it is to come up with a magazine. Hehehe!

And we're not even monthly yet.

I Wish I Could Go...



If you're in New York and you love Coco Chanel, there's an ongoing exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

The exhibit presents more than fifty designs and accessories from the Museum’s Costume Institute collection, Chanel Archives, and other international institutions. From what I saw on the Chanel website, the exhibit presented the works of both Madamoiselle Chanel and Karl Lagarfeld.

Augh!!! I wish the exhibit would be brought to Manila. But that's like asking Madonna to perform here.

If you ever get to visit the exhibit, email me pictures or send me a catalogue please.

Highly Recommended


The Peasants' Lively Dance


Bituin Escalante in "Mama Will Provide"


The Gods Plan Ti Moune's Fate


Ti Moune and Daniel Bridge Two Worlds

If you're looking for something good to watch on stage, try to catch the musical, Once on This Island.

The musical is somewhat a twist on the traditional "Little Mermaid" tale. It tells the story of a poor peasant girl, Ti Moune, who falls in love with an rich, young man, Daniel. The two cross paths when Daniel's car crashes in the village of Ti Moune, and despite the objection of everyone in the village, Ti Moune insists on taking care of the man because she was meant to meet the guy. Central to the story are the four gods who the villagers believe were the ones responsible for the crossing of the lives of Ti Moune and Daniel. These are Ezrulie (the god of Love), Asaka (the god of Earth), Agwe (the god of water), and Papa Ge (the god of death).

The musical boasts of vigorous dancing and upbeat numbers such as "Mama Will Provide" and "Some Say". For the romantics, there are ballads such as "The Human Heart" and "Forever Yours".

Included in the cast are the country's best theater, music, and film talents such as Bituin Escalante, Radha, Jett Pangan, Jeffrey hidalgo, Michael De Mesa, Menchu Launchgenco-Yulo, Michael WIlliamsn, May Bayot, Bodjie Pascua, and Cathy Azanza.

Book & Lyrics by Lynn Ahrens. Music by Stephen Flaherty. Directed by Bart Guingona. Produced by Actor's Actors Inc.

Once On This Island will run from May 13 to May 29 at the Carlos P. Romulo Theater, RCBC Plaza, Ayala Ave., corner Gil Puyat Ave. Friday and Saturday shows are at 8 p.m. and Sunday matinees at 3 p.m. For ticket inquiries, please call TicketWorld at 891-9999 or Silang Productions at 751-7646/47.

Watch it.

Another One of my Faves...



The next movie I plan to watch is In Good Company.

To give a gist of the story, it's about an ad executive whose career is put through the test when a hotshot half his age becomes his boss. And as if that wasn't enough to complicate things, he discovers that his boss is dating his daughter.

The movie stars Dennis Quaid, Topher Grace and Scarlett Johansson.

In addition to Nicole and Julia, I am also a fan of Scarlett.

The only movie I saw of hers was Girl with a Pearl Earring yet after watching that movie, I already fell in love with her.

I just find her so pretty and fragile. Her eyes, her hair, her lips. She really looks like she stepped out of a Vermeer painting.

I don't know. I swear, sometimes I feel like I'm a lesbian trapped in a man's body. Haha!

Busy Week

The next four days will be very busy since I just got a new assignment with the magazine.

Add to that that the other two bosses are currently out of the country and enjoying a wonderful Penang-Singapore-Phuket cruise. Waaaah! I want.

Anyway there are so many things I want to post but I'm just too tired and there are other more important magazine related things I have to think about.

Sigh.

I think I love this magazine too much. Haha!

It's okay, but it would be better if I got...

Haha!

Happy Moms Day!!!


Photo via This Site

Happy Mothers Day to all the Moms in the world!

To my own Mom, thank you very much for being the Mom that you are to me. My life has been so good because of you. I just wish I could do more for you.

I love you super.

Trouble Boy


Trouble Boy Cover and Author Tom Dolby

Complaining to Hunski that I have no more books to read after Rainbow High, he mentioned that he had two more books at his house. One was Shameless by Paul Burston, and the other one was Trouble by Tom Dolby. Upon hearing that he had the latter, I got all excited and told Hunski that I've been wanting to read that book. It's getting so much publicity on the Internet, so I was thinking that it might be a great read. I tried looking for it in local bookstores but again, it wasn't available. Hunski lent me the book a couple of days ago and I finished reading it last night amidst all the work for Icon.

Trouble Boy is about twenty-two year old Toby Griffin, who's just moved to New York and yet, he already wants it all - popularity, a high-flying career, and a boyfriend by his side. Instead, what he gets is a freelance writing job at an online magazine on the brink of closure, a group of friends who introduce him to the gay life in New York, and a series of guys who he knows as Subway Boy, Loft Boy, Goth Boy and Real World Boy.

When the online magazine folded, Toby finds himself working as a personal assistant to a film mogul. He may be fetching the guy's lunch, and picking up his laundry, but Toby didn't care because he knew this was his ticket to the film industry and to selling a screenplay.

Definitely on his way to the top and enjoying the decadent world of VIP lounges with vodka cranberries in his hand, a night of tragedy puts Toby's future at stake and places him in a position that required a wise decision. One could break his career and flush all his efforts down the drain. The other could give him the career he has always wanted, but he has to live with the guilt for his entire life.

My verdict.

I may not have enjoyed the book as much as I have enjoyed Last Summer and Looking for It, but I write that it was well-written because Tom Dolby was able to elicit an emotion from me by painting a vivid picture of what the gay scene is in New York. Michael Thomas Ford drew a setting that was peaceful, more suburban in his novels and by the time I'm done reading, I want to move to the setting of his novel. I guess that was one reason why I loved his novels.

In contrast, Tom Dolby drew a setting that revealed the decadence and debaucheries of the New York gay life. In several parts of the novel, the protagonist and his friends were partying hard almost every night, doing coke in the club's bathrooms like it was normal, and going through men as if they were clothing. And they are only in their mid-twenties!!! Whether these are all true or not, the real New Yorkers have to tell me. It is this backdrop that made me have a different feeling towards the book. If that were the real situation in New York, then I'd probably feel like a newbie once again when I get there.

In any case, the book was a good read. It may not be as pleasant as the cheesy novels I've read previous to it, but the fact that the author made a different feeling arose in me is enough to prove that he is a good writer.

Not to mention he's also cute.

Circuit Asia Party









Have you ever gone through three nights of non-stop partying?

From April 29 - May 1, I have been out partying at night along with hundreds of other people. Circuit Asia, the first international circuit party in Manila, was held during the past long weekend. And thanks to Icon Magazine, I got a VIP Pass for the whole event.

The venue on the first night was at the NBC Tent in Fort Bonifacio. Since I've never really attended an event like this, I had no idea what to wear. Should I be in long sleeeves? Should I wear a polo? Will jeans be okay? After half an hour of going through clothes, I settled for a black shirt and jeans. When Hunski and I arrived at the venue, I then realized that what one wore didn't matter at all, as one had the option to take off his top later in the evening. Haha!

What surprised me, when we arrived around eleven, was that the NBC Tent was almost empty of people. Save for the Icon people and another group, there were more bartenders than the party people. But after around one in the morning, the party started to pick up as more and more people arrived. Before we knew it, the NBC Tent was already packed with male bodies (and a handful of female) dancing to the music of the DJ. Things even got better once DJ Kevin Aviance started his performance, putting the entire crowd under his spell. The party went on til around four in the morning. While other people headed to the after-hours party at Government, Hunski and I decided to go home and get some sleep.

Saturday afternoon was spent at Forbes Park. The College of Mass Communication Foundation, Inc. had a small alumni fundraising get-together at the home of Cheche Lazaro and I was there to help some professors with their presentation. The event was okay. Several people made pledges to help the College. I just hope all the pledges would materialize. In the middle of the event, I got a text from Richie asking if Hunski and I were going to the Circuit Asia party that night? I said yes, and agreed to meet them at the mall after the event.

By nine in the evening, I lheaded to Greenbelt to meet Richie, Suki, Jigs and Hunski. We were all planning to go together to the second night of Circuit Asia partying, which was held at the PNB Amphitheater. Due to some problems, we all had to go separate ways and we just met up at the venue around one in the morning.

The open air venue was already packed with people, who were all just dancing, talking and drinking. Once again, Kevin Aviance performed an opening act for the night's very hunky DJ - DJ Brett Henrichsen. And once again, Kevin's performance drove the crowd wild, especially when a fireworks display added life to the night sky. We left earlier that night though, around three in the morning going ahead of the rest of the crowd who can't seem to get enough partying. Wooohooo!

Sunday noontime, Richie asked me if we were planning to go to the last party. I told him I wanted to go because I wanted to check out the set design. Yeah, right! Hunski told him we all needed closure to this consecutive nights of partying. Yeah, right!

By twelve midnight, we all met up once more for the party. The venue was at the World Trade Center in Roxas Boulevard. Just like the first night, the place didn't fill up with people until after midnight. But unlike the first night where we danced and partied like there was no tomorrow, Richie, Suki, Hunski and I left around three. I guess we were just physically tired. Jigs and Richard stayed on, and continued to party.

Tired from the partying, the four of us headed first to North Park in Bel-Air, where we enjoyed a very early morning meal of noodles and congee. Of course, our topic of discussion was Icon (again!!!). Haha! I swear whenever it comes to Icon, it doesn't matter what time of the day it is, or where we are.

Anyway, the Circuit Asia party was such a nice experience. It was really good to see that the events during the three days were all well attended, which means that it was a success. I just don't know if the event was successful, profitwise. I hope it was.

Congratulations to the people behind Circuit Asia! I hope you guys organize more parties like this!

Once on This Island



It's been quite some time since I last saw a musical, so I'm quite excited when I found out that Actor's Actors Inc. will be staging 'Once on This Island.'

I haven't heard about this show but it sounds interesting, not to mention that stars such as Bituin Escalante, Jett Pangan, Jeffrey Hidalgo, Michael de Mesa, Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo, among others, are part of the cast. Based on what I have heard, "Once On This Island” tells the story of a peasant girl from a fishing village, Ti Moune, who dares to ask the gods for love with a rich stranger. Her wish is granted but each of the gods exacts a price for fulfilling her dream.

For info about the musical, click here.

For show schedule, click here.

High Over Rainbow High



Rainbow High is the sequel to the groundbreaking book on being gay and being a teenager, Rainbow Boys.

Rainbow High is about three friends - Nelson Glassman, Kyle Meeks and Jason Carrillo - and how they try to go through the confusing world that is high school. As the three young men prepare for their graduation, they realize that they are faced with the need to make bigger decisions.

First, Nelson is terrified that he may have been exposed to the HIV virus after a night of a careless escapade. While he's scared of testing positive, he also contemplates that being positive may be the only way to be with the guy he loves.

On the other hand, Kyle is having the time of his life as he spends high school with the man of his dreams, Jason Carrillo. However, is Kyle ready to give up going to an Ivy League university just to be with the man he loves?

Finally, high school basketball superstar Jason Carrillo is slowly coming to terms with his sexuality, and is also enjoying his high school with Kyle. But the bigger issue Jason has to face is whether to come out to his team, and eventually, the whole school, or remain inside the closet. Coming out of the closet may jeopardize his college scholarship, but hasn't he stayed inside the suffocating closet long enough?

I just finished reading the book and I loved it. This is the kind of book that I wish was available to me while I was growing up.

By the way, the third book, Rainbow Road, will be released this October 2005. I'd love to have this as a birthday present. Hehehe!