EDSAd To Watch This Video

What happened in EDSA back in February 1986? The Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ) asks some college students what they know about the 1986 People Power revolt, and here are their answers:



I wonder, were the camera crew just unlucky that day? Are those students really a good enough sample for us to generalize that their generation is really clueless as to recent Philippine history? But do schools even touch on recent history in class? How can a department mandate a lesson plan on “Philippines, 1970-onwards” when the adults themselves are divided on their beliefs and loyalties?

The line that divided the country between Marcos and everybody else starting in 1972 until 1986 still exists. And when the Marcoses fled, the people who came to power weren’t able (or weren’t willing) to make massive systemic changes that would make for a more democratic distribution of power, opportunities and wealth.

The struggle to create a better country did not start in 1986. And the real meaning of People Power is still to be fulfilled.

Dammit, now I’m beginning to sound like a tibak.

Condomnation

The following excerpt was taken from ABS-CBN.com:

MANILA, Philippines – Barangay Ayala Alabang in Muntinlupa City is now requiring people who buy condoms to present a doctor’s prescription.

In a barangay ordinance last January 3, village officials said condoms and other contraceptives cause abortions. The ordinance also bars teachers, reproductive health advocates, and social workers from holding sex education activities in the barangay without prior consultation with parents of students.

Local officials also banned advertisement of all forms of contraceptives in the village. They said “contraceptive pills, hormonal contraceptives, and the IUD may kill children and injure the health of women who use them.”

Village officials also believe that contraceptives “undermine the solidarity of families by promoting premarital sex, giving rise to more fatherless children, more single mothers, more poverty, and more abortions.”

The resolution also claims that condoms are “unconstitutional” because “they promote and sanction immoral sexual congresses among the unmarried and especially among the young, thereby contradicting the Constitutional injunction that the State ‘shall promote and protect … the physical, moral, spiritual, intellectual and social well-being of the youth.”

Those who will violate the ordinance can be fined up to P500 or jailed for up to 4 months. Village officials said foreigners who will violate the measure should also be deported.

Muntinlupa City officials have yet to comment on the ordinance.

* * * * *

Money can buy you a new nose, new boobs, even a new dick. But as the above shows, money can’t buy you brains or common sense.

When I first read the news, my blood boiled. So I took it out on Twitter. Then I received the following tweet in response to my mine: Bakit naman sila naging tanga? Wala naman sila naviolate na Constitutional right eh. It took all of me not to tweet back: Isa ka pa. Malamang nakatira ka sa AAV.

What makes this more infuriating is that I wouldn’t be surprised that among the barangay officials who signed the ordinance into law, there are those who honestly believe that what they are doing is for the good of their constituents. They think that this is a moral war and that they are trying to keep their exclusive village exclusively for the Pope. (Wait, hold on. Didn’t the Pope himself acknowledge that condoms use can be justified?) Okay fine. Maybe we should just let them be. After all, if their daughters get pregnant, they can afford to raise the child. Or they can always whisk their daughters away to another country, get an abortion, then come back. Oops wait, didn’t they say that “condoms and other contraceptives cause abortions”? Stupid is as stupid says.

Ayala Alabang is such a protected village. The irony is that the officials are now trying to protect their constituents from protection.

The Generations Fabcast, Part 1

It started with a phrase: He’s just a kid.

Of six Fabcasters, two have partners who are quite younger than them. One is seeing a guy just past legal. And one has dated in succession a parade of boys younger than him. Yes folks, we the Fabcasters seem to have stumbled upon Cougar Town.

So it is no surprise that sometimes out talk turns to how we deal with the gap between generations. It was only a matter of time that the topic will make its way into a fabcast.

Well, here it is. Listen to part one.

Download this fabcast (right click and save)

Since I’m On A YouTube Mood

I love this “cinematic” trailer for a video game.



It actually reminded me of Coldplay’s music video for “The Scientist.” It uses playback as a storytelling device. By seeing the story unfold backwards, the viewer’s mind is forced to make sense of the narrative, and the full impact is achieved when the mind puts two and two together. The “Aha!” moment becomes more poignant given that the viewer already knows the end first.



But with “Dead Island” it is less about the “Aha!” moment (the “surprise” is quite obvious early on) and more of the bittersweet contrast between the bloody, tragic end versus the sweet, innocent beginning that’s revealed at the very end.

Bloody good trailer. (Alas, I’m not a gamer.)

Another Video Break

Watch first before reading any further. Nakakalurkey!



Sakit sa bangs, di ba?! Wiz ko knowingz kung maji-jiniz akiz o matatawa-tashiwa. Op corrs da horse, laftir na laftir akiz. Pa-kill yung sey ni Pudrakelles: “Ambisyosa ka, anak.”

Bwhahahahahaha!

Let’s Take A Video Break

OMG, Nigahiga and KevJumba in a Valentine’s video?! I heart the two! Oh no, I can’t choose. Aaaaaargh. Between the two of them, i-sandwich mo na ako!

Before We Celebrate EDSA

Before the kids of today ask, “Why are you so against the Marcoses? Haven’t they gone through enough as a family?” I submit here Exhibit A, thanks to HotManila.ph who enumerated the loot that the Marcoses brought with them from Malacañang to the United States when they fled the country in 1986. For years there were whispers of the Marcoses “hidden wealth,” but thanks to the US Customs inspection, part of the hidden wealth was exposed.

There is also a list of the things they left behind in Malacañang, including “2,142 pieces of jewelry, 508 gowns, 427 dresses, 71 pairs of sunglasses and those by now immortal shoes of Imelda, 1,060 pairs of them.”

For a time they claimed that those were personal belongings acquired through the years. Imelda’s poor beginnings are well-documented; in fact, David Byrne released a musical about it. Ferdinand didn’t come from the upper crust of society either; in fact, he would frequently use that to distinguish himself from his chief political rival, Ninoy Aquino. So tell me, how can two Philippine public officials, even if they were the president (Ferdinand) and the governor of Metro Manila (Imelda), amass “22 boxes of pesos valued (then) at $1.4 million, a gold crown studded with diamonds, 60 pearl necklaces with enough pearls to cover an area 12 feet by four feet, and several gold bars”?

Inventoried along with the ill-gotten wealth are documents that allow us a partial glimpse of just how corrupt the Marcoses were when they were in power.

My god. The gall of this family.

Nice Guys Finish Last

A friend of mine tweeted: A friend is asking why a "nice guy like me" is still single. Hmm. I honestly don't know.

I used to ask myself that question too. But then I got tired of asking the same question and getting no answers. I went deeper and asked myself if I qualified as a “nice guy.” For years I tried to be Mister Nice Guy as my way of deflecting suspicions that I’m gay. But what I didn’t realize is that I was just pretending to be Mister Nice Guy; I honestly didn’t believe my own hype.

So I stopped being a “nice guy” and just concentrated on being the guy who I want to be. And in the process, I began to know more who I was and what my values were. Besides, what’s a “nice guy” anyway? More importantly, I eventually found the answer to that question.

But first, another realization: the question is framed wrong. “Why is a nice guy like me still single?” assumes that nice guys always get partnered; ergo, if one is nice, one will get a partner. Being nice is no guarantee for immediate coupling. Besides, how many “bad” guys (and girls) you know are in relationships? See?

The right question to ask is, “Why am I still single?” Then you’d realize that there are many factors involved in getting a partner that a person cannot possibly be totally responsible for his single status. It takes two to tango; the other person is someone beyond your control or your responsibility.

So what is the answer to the right question, “Why are you still single?” The answer? Just because.

Dear friend, the next time someone asks you, “Why is a nice guy like you still single?” answer nicely, “Because I’m not nice.” Wink, then walk away.

Tickets (Or, I Wasn't Swift Enough For Them!)

D is an uber-fan of Taylor Swift, so when we found out that she had a concert here in Manila, and our company is one of the major sponsors, I knew I had to get him tickets.

I asked, through my boss, our COO, for two tickets. I didn’t ask for complimentary tickets; I told him I was willing to pay. Given the unusually high demand for the concert tickets (sold out within days!), he said he’ll get back to us (I wasn’t the only employee buying tickets through him) on Feb. 14. Monday came, and he told us that the ticket situation looked grim; we all thought that was it, no more tickets.

Then Friday morning came, and lo and behold! For some miraculous reason, there were a total of 8 tickets still available for selling. I immediately grabbed two, even though they were SRO tickets. And so this is how D and I will celebrate our monthsary this Saturday evening:

But that’s not really the point of this particular episode of The McVie Show.

You see, later that evening I, along with the rest of my officemates, was at our department head’s residence, celebrating her birthday. We were all having fun, enjoying the overflowing food and drinks, when she suddenly announced: “Hey peeps, I have three free tickets to Chippendales tomorrow night. Who wants?”

Time literally stopped. For me.

Most of the people at the party were straight guys and girls.

Most of the girls were either married or were too young and embarrassed to be seen watching a Chippendales show.

I was the only openly gay guy in attendance.

The Chippendales tickets were for Saturday night too. The show is at 7:30pm. Taylor’s concert is at 8pm.

And then Time started again.

Tick. Taylor.

Tock. Chippendales.

Tick. Taylor.

Tock. Chippendales.

Tick. Taylor.

Tock. Chippendales.

Tick. Taylor.

Tock. On the clock. But the party don’t stop, no... wait, that’s Ke$ha.

Before I could decide, a female officemate raised her hand and said, “Me! Me! Give ‘em to me! I’ll bring my friends.” She is in her late twenties; she went to the U.S. for college, and she’s the type who won’t mind being seen at a Chippendales show.

Later that night I told D of my ticket dilemma. He slapped my arm and said, “You should have gotten the Chippendale tickets! You could have given them to our friends!”

Oh well.

I Come To Bury Marcos, Not To Praise Him

“Hon, ano ba ginawa ni Marcos talaga, ha?”

D is turning 21 years old this year. When he was born, the country already had Cory Aquino as president for four years. The euphoria of being the world’s darling of democracy had given way to coup d’etat attempts and, several years later, power outages. For him, the Marcoses can be reduced to the legendary shoes of Imelda. Even the phrase “martial law” isn’t top of mind. Forget about Plaza Miranda, “salvaging,” political prisoners and cronyism; to him, they are meaningless words. Why? Because no one bothered to tell him exactly what happened 39 years ago, as well as the years leading up to it and the ones after that.

Are we that such a forgiving nation? Or are we just forgetful? I fear we are not passive amnesiacs; worse, we would rather forget. But why? They say that the Filipinos are one of the happiest people in the world. Maybe a reason why is because we easily let go of the past. I have no problem with letting go of the past, so long as what we let go are feelings of anger, hurt and a desire for revenge or payback. But we should never let go of the lessons we learn from our past, our sense of justice and the determination to never let past atrocities happen again. Too bad we throw away the baby along with the bath water.

So now the Marcoses are back in power. And they and their minions want to finally have Ferdinand E. Marcos buried in the Libingan Ng Mga Bayani.

It will do us well to heed Marc Anthony’s words in Julius Caesar, “The evil that men do lives after them; the good is oft interred with their bones.” Let the younger generations hear of the evils done to our country by the Marcoses and their ilk! Let not their wrongdoings be buried in pomp and circumstance and national denial. I come to bury Marcos, not to praise him.

So I told D of the time when the Philippines was ahead of everyone in Asia. I told D of Marcos who declared martial law to prolong his stay in power, and of his cronies that plundered the country. And I told D that, five presidents after, our country is still struggling to get out of the hole that the Marcoses and their cronies and supporters buried us in.

Hon, ano ba ang ginawa ni Marcos talaga? Inilibing tayong lahat, ang sambayanang Pilipino, sa utang at hirap.

YouTube Fil-Am Watch!

So much online chatter about how Lady Gaga’s “Born This Way” sounded like Madonna’s “Express Yourself” that it was inevitable that YouTube would be awash in mash-ups. True enough, one kinda stood out:



The name Manny Garcia alone is so Pinoy sounding, he just had to be a Fil-Am. And turns out, he is. Based in Chicago, he’s formed a band and has his own site as well as a Facebook page and a blogTV channel. He’s not afraid to do Disney tunes as well as Lady Gaga songs, and isn’t above dancing a bit to Beyonce’s “Single Ladies.” Is your radar a-buzz? Well, I wouldn’t jump to conclusions just yet, ladies. For now, he’s got a wonderful voice and he’s cute to watch; those are enough reasons for me to watch him.

Go visit:

His official website:

http://iammanny.com/main/

His Facebook page:

http://www.facebook.com/MannyGarciaMusic

His blogTV page:

http://www.blogtv.com/People/mannygarcia

Post VD

So, it was my first non-single Valentine’s Day, and what did we do? Go on a group date! D and I joined a group of mostly single guys (plus one or two taken ones) on a late dinner at a quaint old house in Sampaloc for our Friends’ Valentine evening.

Why didn’t we do what the other couples usually do on the day of hearts--dinner for two, maybe a movie screening, then boink ‘til the morning? Because whenever D and I go out by ourselves, it’s already a date. And we usually go out on dates. So to make Valentine’s day special, why not spend it with people who are special to us? D even met up with his mom and sister earlier that evening; I thought that was really the sweetest of gestures.

So we ended up with some of the Fabcasters and members of our peanut gallery eating and drinking the night away. We enjoyed the scrumptious food lovingly prepared by our host. We shared jokes, barbs and stories, from the mundane to the academic. We laughed our asses off. Some of us even witnessed a gang war (well, we were in Sampaloc; it was two groups shouting threats at one another and making hostile gestures.) We had our pictures taken. And we hugged one another tightly when we said our goodbyes.

Valentine’s is a celebration of love and life, and last night we did just that.

Write Off

Yes D, you’re right. I don’t need you. I can continue to live even if you leave me or vice versa. But I choose to stay, I choose to love you.

I don’t need you to take me out to dinner, though that would be nice, whether out of the country or not. I don’t need you to drive me around; you can just drive me crazy with that look you throw my way.

I want you to be a better man, not for me but for yourself. I want you to be a better man because you have so much potential. I want you to be a better man because you can be so much better.

For now you may just be a 20 year old boy, but you’re the 20 year old for me.

Happy VD, D.

* * * * *

(This is my reply to your “Bills.” I promised I’d keep us out of this Show, but I guess today gives me a great excuse to do it just this once.)

Shout Out

To the girls who were overheard asking one another, “Di ba yun si McVie?” just outside the entrance of one of the buildings inside the University of Sto. Tomas. (UST) campus Friday night:

Yes, that was me.

I was with D and two other friends/bloggers/members of the Fabcasters’ peanut gallery. We were on our way to watch a friend compete for The Search for The Ideal Thomasian Personalities 2011, which I feel is a mouthful of a title for a pageant but that’s not really my point. It was D who exclaimed in a loud, almost attention-grabbing voice, “Did you hear thaaat?!” That was the first time he experienced someone recognizing me in public.

After the pageant ended, we were on our way back to my car when another friend, who was an alumnus of your alma mater, texted me: “What were you doing in UST?” I replied, “Hahaha, I guess you’re friends with the girls who saw me earlier.”

So of course my friends teased me, “McVie! Your target audience pala are college females!”

*Toink!*

The Devil Wears Iron

Prepare to be amazed. When I saw the picture below, I couldn’t help but gasp. It is Meryl Streep...

...as Margaret Thatcher.

And now, side by side:

Is there nothing Meryl Streep can’t do? Maybe we ought to vote her in as the Philippines’ next president. If there’s anyone who can do the impossible, it’s her.

The image taken from the full LA Times online article here.

My Vagina Monologue

I always buy this mega-pack of toilet paper so I don’t have to keep on going back again and again to the grocery. I have latched on to this particular brand, and this particular pack size. When I went to the grocery today to buy that particular pack of that particular brand, I saw that there was a freebie attached to the supplies displayed on the shelf.

And that’s how I ended up with a 50ml bottle of pH Care Pure ‘n Fresh Intimate Wash, enriched with chamomile extract.

*Toink!*

(Funny that they should bundle something used to clean a woman’s front door entrance something used to clean her back exit. Hmmmm.)

So now I have a problem of what to do with that feminine wash. I could give it to my sister. I’ll just say, “Here, it’s a freebie from the grocery,” and she’ll take it without hesitation; she loves freebies. But she’s very particular with her brands. She’s the type who would rather go to the next mall to look for her particular brand rather than buy an alternative brand.

I could give it to my mom, but I wouldn’t know if a sixty-plus year old woman will still have need for a feminine wash. Does it get dry down there? I know she hasn’t used it since my dad passed away; heck, I wouldn’t be surprised if they’ve stopped doing the deed after my dad suffered a mild heart attack, and that was years before he suffered his second, and fatal, massive heart attack. I wonder how she would take it if I give her the bottle?

Me: “Mommy, here. I got this for free.”

Mom (looks at bottle for a full minute before looking up straight at me): “So are you telling me that I have a smelly vagina, anak?”

*Eeeep!*

Then again, there’s my aunt. But she’s several years older than my mom, and she’s a spinster. So damn! She must need lubrication down there, right? Or maybe it’s permanently closed.

Ugh, all this vaginal talk is making my skin crawl. Maybe I don’t need to give the feminine wash away. Maybe even a guy has use for a vaginal wash. Yes, we don’t need the “vaginal” part, just the “wash” part. After all, it is pH-balanced, so it must be gentle on the skin. I heard that, in a pinch, feminine wash can also double as skin moisturizer. That is, if you don’t mind your face smelling like a clean vagina.

Not that I know what a clean vagina smells like. But I’m guessing it smells of chamomile.

Mouthwash too?!

Take A Video Break

And I found a different video of Temper Trap’s “Sweet Disposition”! I think this is way cooler than the earlier one I saw that had this 70s visual look and feel: cosmic background with multiple replicated images of the band members. It’s something you can expect from Queen.

This new one looks way cooler and current. And I thought the lead singer was Filipino; turns out he’s Indonesian.

Peace Of Mind

Sometimes I just need to be quiet and stare into space.

In this hurly-burly busy world, the only respite I have is with myself. But even with nothing to do, my mind is often a-buzz with so many things: of worries and plans, of what was and what could have beens, of next steps and what to avoid.

There’s no better rest than letting my mind go blank. One of my most relaxing and exhilarating feelings I know is having my mind shut down, even for just a few seconds. It’s very difficult, you know. Thoughts automatically come on their own, unbidden and incessant. To be free of those is both a treat and a blessing. If I’m quiet I may just be tired, not necessarily depressed or angry. Sometime I just want to rest for even just a few minutes, and quieting my mind is a luxury that’s elusive yet so rewarding.

So if you’re with me and you see me suddenly quiet down, ask me why. And then relax, don’t worry. You just being there with me, for me, is enough.

Do You Want A Different Valentine?

A message from Migs, the Manila Gay Guy:

Couples or friendly friends who want to have “A Different Valentine” now have an intimate and safe place to celebrate V-Day away from the prying eyes of the straight world. Do you want to have a date away from the center of metro’s traffic during Valentine’s evening? Do you want to have a place where you feel safe and among kindred souls? Where food is good, music is just right, and the ambiance cheerful and gay?

You are invited to Happynings, the house of renowned production designer and hobbyist chef Bobot Lota, which will be welcoming gay and lesbian couples, friendly gay friends, and dates on Valentine’s evening, Monday, February 14, 2011. Bobot’s old but lovely house will be converted into a quaint little restaurant especially to cater to us, gay and lesbian couples and friends, on that day only. Dinner is at Php 500 per head. Limited seats available thus reservation is required. If interested, please email manilagayguy@gmail.com, or send me a message on Facebook.

“The Sniffles” By Carljoe Javier

It started with me tweeting and Facebook-ing about me enjoying public reading, first during the Threesome book launch, then for the launch of the book about my former employer. After reading about that, a friend hooked me up with Ms. Elyss Punsalan of Pakinggan Pilipinas. It is, in her own words, “a monthly podcast site which features short fiction by Filipino authors.” She gets different people to read these stories, and she produces podcasts out of them and publishes these on her site. You can stream the audio or download the free MP3s from there.

So she got me to read one story, and I recorded it at her “studio” on a bright sunny Sunday morning of January 30. The short story is “The Sniffles” written by Carljoe Javier. It’s a light-hearted story, perfect for the nippy cool February air we’re having; it’s the kind of nippiness that makes everyone and their nipples perky.

Hope this story also perks you and your areola up! To listen, click on this LINK.

* * * * *

As always, whenever I get a chance to either watch or listen to a performance of mine, I automatically spot the parts wherein I feel I could have done better. Call it the curse of the performer. That’s why I like theater; once it’s done, it’s gone (except in the memories of the audience, which will always be inaccurate--for or against you--to a degree). Now I understand those actors and actresses who claim that they can’t watch themselves on screen. I think that attitude is a little OA, but yeah, I know where they are coming from.

Favorite Blogs, Part Two

And presenting our full list of the Fabcasters’ favorite blogs. Take note, we focused on blogs written by Filipinos (or in one case, Fil-Am) who need not be gay (or even a guy).

The Fabcasters’ Favorite Fab Blogs of 2010

(in alphabetical order)
1. Back in the Closet (http://backinthecloset.blogspot.com)
2. Baklang Maton (http://baklangmaton.blogspot.com)
3. Chuvaness (http://chuvaness.com)
4. City Buoy (http://citybuoy.blogspot.com)
5. Discreet Manila (http://discreetmanilablog.blogspot.com)
6. Hot Men in the Philippines (http://rddantes.com)
7. I am Fickle Cattle (http://ficklecattle.blogspot.com)
8. Jessica Rules the Universe (http://www.jessicarulestheuniverse.com)
9. Lexuality (http://lexuality.com)
10. Mandaya Moore (http://mandayamoore-orlis.blogspot.com)
11. Misterhubs (http://misterhubs.blogspot.com)
12. The Bakla Review (http://thebaklareview.blogspot.com)
13. The Professional Heckler (http://professionalheckler.wordpress.com)
14. Tiggah’s Life in Random (http://tiggahslife.com)
15. Tristan Tales (http://tristantales.com)

We ended up with 15 blogs, but in the second part of the Fabcast that accompanies it, the members of our peanut gallery also add their own choices. So listen and enjoy part two.

Download this fabcast (right click and save)

Favorite Blogs, Part One

Late last year the Fabcasters decided to list down our favorite blogs. They need not be the best written, or the most literary. The criteria was simple: each Fabcaster was to note down the five blogs we liked to read. Then Migs compiled our lists and we came up with...

...ta-dah! A Fabcast! We ended up with 15 blogs all in all. Below is the first part of the list. We decided to present them alphabetically, because there is no ranking involved.

Download this fabcast (right click and save)

The Fabcasters’ Fab Fave Blogs of 2010
, Part One
(in alphabetical order)

Blog Name (URL)
1. Back in the Closet (http://backinthecloset.blogspot.com)

2. Baklang Maton (http://baklangmaton.blogspot.com)

3. Chuvaness (http://chuvaness.com)

4. City Buoy (http://citybuoy.blogspot.com)

5. Discreet Manila (http://discreetmanilablog.blogspot.com)

6. Hot Men in the Philippines (http://rddantes.com)
7. I am Fickle Cattle (http://ficklecattle.blogspot.com)

8. Jessica Rules the Universe (http://www.jessicarulestheuniverse.com)

The rest of the list to follow in Part Two.

The Force Is Strong With This One

I just finished teaching a two-day short course on copywriting, and so I had to show the class some examples of classic TV commercials. The following will not necessarily win a Clio or Lion, but I’m pretty sure the “How cute!” factor on this one is enough to make it go viral, with people forwarding the clip to others, saying, “Look, how cute!”



See? I just did.

Walk This Way

Yesterday I brought Orlando, my SUV, to the shop for some much needed and long-delayed repairs. Since the repairs are extensive, I had to leave Orly in the shop for a day or two.

The Rapide branch is located near the corner of Filmore St. and Sen. Gil Puyat Ave., Makati. As I stepped out of the shop, I looked at the buses and jeepneys plying the route. My gosh, it has been years since I last rode a bus or jeep! And the last time I took the MRT train, it was almost 6 months ago. Next option were taxis, but I noticed that while there were a lot of them plying that route, most of them had passengers already. I could wait for an available cab, but although it was nearly 3 in the afternoon and the sun was ablaze, the February breeze was so cool I decided to walk along Buendia, cross South Super Highway Extension, and wait for a bus in front of the Cityland Condominiums.

But when I got there, I decided not to stop. The breeze was so cool, I wasn’t sweating at all. And if I stick to one side of Buendia, the buildings blocked the harsh rays of the sun. It was a nice day for a stroll, so stroll I did.

And while strolling I noticed all those things that I’ve stopped noticing when I’m behind the wheel. The sidewalk vendors with their what-in-the-world-is-that food they are selling. The numerous signs advertising different needs: saleslady, used printer cartridges, lady boarders and the like. The harassed look on the lady as she ran after a jeep. The six Hyundai Getz cars in different colors parked in the lot behind the Aegis People Support building. The construction at the corner of the RCBC Plaza building. The slobbering German shepherd on duty at the doorway. The jaywalkers who refuse to observe the traffic light rules. The sweet smell of frying banana-cue in a Jollijeep. The formal black socks of the guy walking in front of me that had rolled down way below his ankles.

It took me around 30 minutes to get to the office, but I wasn’t even sweaty when I got there. Thank god for the chilly Siberian winds on an intermittently cloudy February day!

I enjoyed my walk so much that last night I did it again. I was with friends for a late-night chikahan at Ziggurat Restaurant. After we went our separate ways, I walked from Makati Avenue to my condo on dela Rosa Street.

At past 1 in the morning, I found myself walking along the sidewalk around the Ayala Triangle. There was a lady waiting by the jeepney stop, the weight of the day’s work etched on her face and her slumped shoulder. A water truck was parked near the entrance of Heritage Library, its hose attached to a water pump located on the sidewalk. A guy was sleeping on the sidewalk, with a flattened cardboard box for a mat; obviously, he was one of those guarding the truck as they filled the tank with water. Two runners were jogging around the Triangle, their eyes intently fixed on the route ahead. One of them was handsome and well-built; as he passed me, I tried to catch his eye. No such luck; he was too focused on just looking ahead.

Sayang, I silently said. And I continued to stop and smell the roses.

7-11 (How Convenient!)

Last Jan. 20 marked the seventh year of The McVie Show. Gosh, time flies fast, whether you’re having fun or not. Happily, I choose to have fun.

It is also fitting that I welcome a new month of a new year with a new season. And to usher in the eleventh season, presenting an ancient TV artifact from my growing-up years, courtesy of Sesame Street:



7th year, 11th season. Wow.

Peach Perfect

I’ve had it for the longest time in my bedroom closet in Marikina.

I remember vaguely, it was a gift that my parents received. My mom handed it on to me when she saw that my bed sheet had already changed color and looked more like a floor mat. But since I’m such a doña señorita in mi casa, I just stuffed the damn thing in my bedroom closet where it stayed for years, untouched by human hands and unseen by human eyes.

Until last Christmas, when I went home for the holidays. I saw it again when I was going through my stuff in my room to bring to the condo in Makati. “Oh, I’d need this,” I said to myself. It was still neatly packed in plastic.

So today I decided to change my bed sheet and pillow cases. Now my bed and pillows are in their finest floral peach glory.

This is further proof that Moms know.