Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Brief post on blogging.

I've been concerned about not blogging as regularly as before every time I catch myself writing entries sporadically. I've been thinking about it again earlier while I was looking through some entries from last year.

(Here comes a lousy segue.)

Then a friend suddenly messaged me on Facebook, and we started talking about a really good play that we had both seen recently on separate occasions.

During an idle moment, I checked out his profile and this particular event caught my eye. It was a sort of blog camp this summer. Curious, I asked my friend about it and he said that he had attended it last year. I got even more curious, so I started checking out the event and related links. Suddenly I was seriously thinking about joining. It would be a good excuse to travel and meet new people as well. But we'll see, as I told myself that I'll decide by the end of this month.

Sunday, March 20, 2011

Next to Normal, and some other stuff.

My goodness, because of these busy days, I've been neglecting my blog even more.

This current project I'm working on has been keeping me busy, and at the same time wasting a lot of my precious time due to one person in charge. I swear, I hate people who think they know a lot when they really don't.

Anyway, I'll let them learn on their own.


Last Sunday, I first had a nice surprise during the wee hours of morning when I had received a couple of text messages from a friend. We then had a spontaneous rendezvous later that morning, which was a nice start on a Sunday.

I was supposed to go straight home after that, but on a whim, I decided to go straight to Makati to check out Atlantis' Next To Normal in RCBC. I already heard from a lot of people who had already seen the play that it was really darn good, so I wanted to check it out.

My goodness, I knew it was a tearjerker, but I guess that was an understatement. I loved the music, I loved the story, and the actors were awesome. The play revolved around a typical dysfunctional family with a mother who was suffering from a bipolar disorder, and how the family copes with it.

I already knew the pivotal plot twist, even though I didn't know much about the musical prior to watching it. But when I was already watching it, I was so immersed into the entire thing that I was really struck by what was unfolding onstage. I was trying to be discreet while I wiped off tears from my eyes during Act 1. But I wasn't prepared enough when Act 2 began. My goodness, I was doing my best trying to hold back my tears, then I finally gave up and let them loose. But oh my, both my cardigan's sleeves were practically wet with tears during the last few scenes. I doubt that there was a dry eye in that theater.

Congratulations to the cast and crew of Next To Normal! Hope I can catch it again, or at least drop by next week.


I got another haircut this past week, and it's so funny how people had noticed that my hair just keeps getting shorter and shorter. And to think that before I had my hair cut, it went halfway down my back. Yes, it was that long until I had it cut into a short bob. I wanted to have it cut shorter, but I wanted to get used to having short hair first. Last Wednesday, I had it cut in the exact length I had originally wanted and I love it! I think I'll keep my hair at this length for quite a while.


So in other news, to the people who still read this blog, how was your previous week?

Thursday, March 3, 2011

Catching the Caredivas.

I haven't had the chance yet to blog about watching PETA's Caredivas last Saturday.

But before I get started, because a friend had commented that my last post seemed too much of a spoiler about the previous shows I watched, I guess I'm obligated to give a little disclaimer regarding spoilers. That was because the Zsazsa Zaturnnah Facebook page had found my blog entry and linked it to its page. So that was when I was told to put down a warning should there be spoilers or not. But then again, and my apologies if I sound like an airhead, I just have to say that I don't think I really have to do so, considering this is really my personal weblog. I don't really do those hardcore reviews and whatnot. I'm merely blogging about my personal experience.

Or maybe as a note to the person who linked my blog to the Facebook page, shouldn't he or she had gone through the entire blog entry to ensure that all posted links are free of spoilers?

Oh well.

Anyway, on to the entry.

After my shift last Saturday, I headed over to PETA's theater in New Manila to watch Caredivas. Jerald had gotten me a ticket to the 3pm show, and of course I couldn't pass up the chance to watch him play a drag queen, ahahaha. It was my first time to commute to PETA alone (considering the fact that I almost never go to that area), so I had to keep my eye out on where I had to get off from the FX. I arrived fairly early, so I had lots of time to have lunch at one of the nearby fast food places.

Found Meann in the lobby of the theater once I arrived. I haven't seen that girl in ages, and it's great to see a familiar face. After claiming my ticket from the FOH, I found that there were some people already waiting around, and before I could settle down anywhere, one of the ushers directed us to where we can line up and wait until open house.

Erik had watched the 10am show earlier that day with some friends, and he had texted me about the set once they had entered the theater. I was curious about that when he texted, and when I saw it once I entered the house, there it was. Platforms and ramps. Interesting.

The play was set in Israel, the story revolving around 5 gay Filipino caregivers, sidelining as drag queens by night. They were hilarious, they were endearing, they were touching. Right off the bat, each character exuded with their own unique quirks, giving it justice with their own crazy quips all throughout the show. I liked how they tackled certain issues about finding work abroad, plus dealing with the dangers of doing so, and acceptance. I swear, the entire show will make you laugh, cry, and laugh and cry at the same time.

I have to say, I found it interesting that the 5 main characters were "color-coded." Each of them wore a distinctive main color, from their regular clothes, to their caregiver clothes, right down to their drag costumes (except for the bongga finale, where they all wore the same color).

It's so funny how just the previous Saturday, I had watched an old flame perform a gay role. Here's another openly-straight friend do so in another musical production. Haha, baklaan talaga eh. But it's pretty cool that they did justice to their roles, and still be confident about their sexuality.

Congratulations to the cast of Caredivas! I had a blast watching it. Thanks for the ticket, Je! Ikaw na ang na-feature sa Jessica Soho, hahaha!

Oh, February, I had a blast.

Auditions tomorrow for Tanghalang Pilipino's Noli Me Tangere. I can't wait to work for this production. Thanks for the offer, Ate Jen!

And speaking of work, I received good news yesterday morning after my shift. My probationary period is over. I'm finally regularized! Woohoo!