The Ugly Face of Facebook

I was never a war-freak. We were raised by our parents to avoid fighting at all costs; in fact, if one of us picked a fight, our parents would punish both the one who started it and the one who chose to fight back. Instead, we were always thought to reason and argue, and to not let it degenerate into physical fistfights.

In high school we were taught critical thinking, and to fine-tune that we were taught the rules of debate. We were taught to stick to the point. We were given this long list of fallacious arguments, which we sort of breezed through. Yet a lot of it stuck with us, because we were a class that loved to think for ourselves (a lot of our high school teachers from the different years attested to that).

Ad Hominem (argument to the man) is attacking the person instead of attacking his argument, for example: “How can you argue for vegetarianism when you wear leather shoes?” Argument By Pigheadedness, or refusing to accept something after everyone else thinks it is well enough proved. Non Sequitur, or an argument that just does not follow. There were so many on that list that our teacher had to breeze through a lot of them.

Even back then, I realized just how easy it is to make false arguments and make them sound reasonable. Conversely, I also realized how difficult it is to debate if not done dispassionately. Emotions, especially anger, definitely do cloud our judgement.

Thanks to the James Sorianos, Christopher Laos and Mideo Cruzes of this world, I realized just how many cyber bullies with false arguments abound. I also found out how some people are just plain cruel, even if they have a point. It is one thing to bash someone in the privacy of an offline conversation, it is another thing to broadcast it to the world. Facebook has allowed people to broadcast their unedited selves. It can get really ugly when publicized.

Behind those picture-perfect profile pics on Facebook, some people’s real faces can be quite horrible.

Angst

Around a week ago D told me he downloaded the recording of the musical “Spring Awakening.” He wanted me to check out a song from the musical on YouTube, which I did. I wasn’t particularly impressed or moved, even if it featured a pre-Glee Lea Michele. A few days later D told me he had listened to the whole album, and what struck him was how he found the whole musical tedious after a while. When I asked why, he said that the songs were all about teenage angsts.

I was thinking about what he said on the way home from the gym today, and a question just popped out of nowhere. What angsts do I have? And for a moment I couldn’t think of one. If there is one thing that bothers me constantly these days, it’s my weight and waistline. But it’s not an angst of mine.

Let’s define angst first. Online it is defined as:

1. A feeling of deep anxiety or dread, typically an unfocused one about the human condition or the state of the world in general.
2. A feeling of persistent worry about something trivial.

Frankly I don’t really worry too deeply about the world we live in and life in general. I see the sorry state we live in and I shrug it off by telling myself, “That’s that, deal with it.” I don’t think I’m being cynical nor do I trivialize the human condition. I don’t feel hopeless about things; I just acknowledge that change may take long in coming, and the change may not necessarily be the one we want.

Urban Dictionary.com has a more interesting take on angst versus anxiety:

Angst, often confused with anxiety, is a transcendent emotion in that it combines the unbearable anguish of life with the hopes of overcoming this seemingly impossible situation. Without the important element of hope, then the emotion is anxiety, not angst. Angst denotes the constant struggle one has with the burdens of life that weighs on the dispossessed and not knowing when the salvation will appear. For example: An airplane crashes into the side of a remote snow-covered mountain; those passengers that worry about their lives without hopes of survival only face anxiety. In contrast, those passengers who worry about their lives with hopes of survival but do not know when the rescue party will arrive face angst. 

Still, my weight issue doesn’t exactly qualify as angst because personally I don’t worry too much about it.

I guess my attitude can be summed up by the signature phrase of Alfred E. Newman, Mad Magazine’s mascot: “What, me worry?” Angst is a product of worrying, and startlingly, I have actually learned how to master worrying, instead of the other way around.

How? What helped me a lot is the purported The Serenity Prayer, which goes like this:

God, grant me the serenity
To accept the things I cannot change,
Courage to change the things I can,
and wisdom to know the difference.

(For the complete and unabridged version by Reinhold Niebuhr [1892-1971], click on this link.)

Aside from learning how to recognize the forest for the trees, I also realized that the act of worrying is, in and of itself, actually useless when it goes beyond 30-seconds. Okay, I’ll be generous and make it one minute, in case you like a bit of wallowing. Really, it’s the wallowing in worry that’s unnecessary and useless; you just worry but you don’t get anything done. Instead of worrying, change your mindset and view your situation as a problem-solution opportunity. They say the Chinese word for crisis is the same as opportunity, so think of your problem (or crisis) as an opportunity instead.

It sounds simple, but it actually takes practice to eventually get the hang of it. And eventually, you slowly learn the art of detachment. But that’s for much later.

The downside? Well, angst is a powerful fuel for writing blog entries. Now that I worry less, I seem to also be at a loss as to what to write about. Ah, excuses, excuses.

Hmmm, maybe that is my current angst: What do I write next?

Love Yourself Tomorrow Night!

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Everybody Loves Zombady!

The Alem Fabcast, Part 2

Okay, so if you’re not sold on watching Ang Sayaw Ng Dalawang Kaliwang Paa yet, then maybe listening to part two of our interview with Alem Ang, producer of the film, will get you even more interested.

In part two, Migs and Tony are joined by the late Gibbs and the even later McVie (D was also with me, but listened mostly to the discussion; he did contribute a comment or two later on). Here we discussed if the movie can be described as a “gay movie” or not, the art of the armpits of Rocco and Paulo, Rocco’s dancing, a couple of poems in the movie, and more kilig sa kilikili moments.

Listen and enjoy!

       

Download this fabcast (right click and save)

Music credits:
“Dancing With Tears In My Eyes” by Ultravox
“Symphony No. 6 ‘Pastorale,’ Cheerful gathering of country folk - Allegro” by Ludwig Van Beethoven; Christoph Von Dohnanyi and the Cleveland Orchestra
“The De Lesseps’ Dance” (from the soundtrack of “Shakespeare In Love”) by Stephen Warbeck
“Waltz Of The Flowers” (from “The Nutcracker Suite”) by Peter Tchaikovsky
“Many Meetings” (from “The Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring” soundtrack) by Howard Shore

 * * * * *

And if the Fabcast still doesn’t convince you to watch, then these pictures will! (*All photos from the Sayaw Facebook page.)

An Open Letter By The Fabcasters

Hello friends,

For some time now our friend and fellow Fabcaster, AJ Matela (of “Bakla Ako, May Reklamo” at http://baklaako.com) has been quite sick. Upon the advise of doctors, he has resigned from work and is now focused on getting his body back in shape. But he’s finding out the hard way just how tough this battle is going to be.

Some time ago AJ contracted mycobacterium avium complex. Nodules have been discovered in his lungs, and he has been coughing a lot. Immediate treatment is necessary to halt the spread of the disease. It means he needs to submit himself to several lab tests plus new multiple medicines on top of the daily ones he’s currently taking.

And today, Aug. 18, 2011, just after lunch, AJ was rushed to the emergency room. He has difficulty breathing on his own; on top of that, he has diarrhea. His weight has gone significantly down. AJ is currently confined in Medical Center Manila along UN Avenue.

All this time he has relied only on his family and relatives for help. All this time he’s kept details of his medical condition to just them. But it has now reached a point when help from relatives, generous as they have been, is not enough. Because he has resigned from work, he doesn’t have any health card to bank on.

All his life AJ has always prided himself on being self-reliant and self-sufficient. But now he realizes that he cannot do this alone. So now, as close friends of AJ, we turn to you for help.

Friends, at this point we appreciate any and every assistance we can receive. And with God’s help, plus your generosity and prayers, we hope for AJ to bounce back soon. You can personally send your help to me or any of the Fabcasters.

Joel McVie (on behalf of the other Fabcasters)

Whining In Unison

Let me begin with several clarifications. I am happy for the Philippine Dragon Warriors for bagging 5 gold medals and 2 silver medals. I have nothing but respect and admiration for the hard work and dedication that the Warriors have exhibited, all for the love of the sport, dragonboat racing. And D has also taken up rowing.

Also, I am neither a big fan of the Azkals nor of soccer. (I am a bigger fan of male players as underwear models, but that’s a whole different story.)

But the recent flooding of tweets and Facebook statuses pitting the Philippine Dragonboat team and the Azkals have made me somewhat wary of the paddlers’ online supporters. It’s great to be passionate, but I just wish their zeal be tempered by some good old fashioned common sense.

My beef started with all of the whining and the woe-is-us attitude that have accompanied the dragonboat press. The local media happily picked it up and made a spin on how the paddlers went into competition with no support and no sponsors. It has gotten to the point that my housemate, when he found out that D had taken up rowing, said, “Di ba yung RP team nanalo? Kawawa naman sila ‘no, hindi sila sinuportahan ng gobyerno.” Even from an average Juan’s point of view, the dragonboaters are better known as the kawawa team who gave the country honor.

Wait a minute here. They had Cobra Energy Drink and Philippine Airlines as sponsors. Sure, those two alone may not have been enough to cover all the expenses of the athletes, but that’s better than none. More importantly, they were still able to fly and compete.

Many of our athletes do not get a lot of financial support from the government, even if these athletes bring honor to our country. The reality is, when you talk of limited public funds you run into the problem of which to prioritize. Sports? The arts? Public utilities? Health? Reproductive health? Military and national security? Transportation?

The dragonboat supporters cry, “Unfair!” when they see how Manny Pacquiao and the PBA are seemingly prioritized more, both by government and private sponsors. Well, tough luck. You mean the three Bs (boxing, billiards and basketball) are more popular and more familiar with more Filipinos? Deal with it. So the Azkals are more billboard-friendly than your athletes? Deal with it. There are just too many sports, too many teams and too many players for the government to subsidize. Deal with it. The world is unfair, but I don’t hear our sepak takraw athletes whining (at least, not yet).

In 1987, President Cory Aquino had the daunting task of rebuilding the Philippine economy after decades of plunder by the Marcoses and their cronies. One of the first things she sacrificed was culture and the arts; in the budget she submitted to Congress, government subsidies for the arts were slashed mercilessly. 

I got a job at the Cultural Center of the Philippines the following year, and I saw first-hand how the CCP tried its best to maximize whatever monies they had. Yes, many of the artists decried Cory’s decision at first. And yet, after all that whining for support and pining for the good old days when Imelda was the patron saint (and primary purse) of the arts, the artists eventually just shut up and worked. They worked on getting corporate sponsorships. They worked on getting subsidies from abroad. And all the while they also worked on their craft. And despite the lack of government support, even up to today we still develop world-class Filipino artists, in ballet, theater, music and visual arts. (And an occasional Mideo Cruz, but I digress.)

If you really think about the bigger picture, a group of paddlers wailing “What about us?” pales in comparison to more urgent national issues. I wish they and their supporters stop bellyaching and crying to the government like a kid dependent on his parents’ baon, shut up and just start raising money on their own.

And as for their supporters, they should be more constructive instead of divisive. If they really believe that the dragonboat team deserves support, then maybe they should stop reposting and instead donate 1000 pesos to the team. Why wait for the government to decide to use taxpayers’ money on the team? It’s our money anyway, might as well give it directly to the athletes.

Support ba ka’mo? Then put your money where your mouth is.

Big

At the Love Yourself Open Call Photoshoot, one of the organizers grabbed my arm and introduced me to one of their volunteers.

“McVie, this is O,” he said. “He has a crush on you.”

Then another organizer told me almost the same thing: “Hey, have you met O? You’re his type!”

I checked O out. Pleasant enough face, quiet type, seems like the kind who will quietly blend with the background if you let him. Nice ass. It’s not everyday that I find out that someone has a crush on me; I was never the crushable type. So I played nonchalantly and engaged O in conversation.

“So how did you get to be a volunteer here?” I asked.

He was hesitant at first. “I was invited by Sir He Who Will Remain Nameless For Reasons That Will Become Obvious Later to volunteer for this event,” he replied.

“Oh!” I said. “And how come you know He Who Will Remain Nameless For Reasons That Will Become Obvious Later?”

O smiled. “We’re both members of Big Manila.”

“What’s Big Manila?” I asked, naively.

“It’s an online community for chubs and chub-chasers.”

TOINKZ!

Ask and you shall receive. Seek and you shall find... out the answer, with a vengeance! LOL

So I wondered how he’d react to my next sentence. Smiling broadly, I asked him (again) nonchalantly, “So chubby pala ako?”

He just smiled.

Letche, hahaha! But come to think of it, even D said to me one time out of the blue, “Hon, I think I’m becoming a chub chaser.” I was going to pinch his singit but I realized he might actually like that.

Shet. Love Yourself ba ka’mo, ha? Ano nga yung letcheng URL ng Big Manila?! Charoz.

Shock Therapy

What’s the big deal with being shocked or offended? Watch the following clip of author Philip Pullman on freedom of speech:

(Okay, okay, so your internet connection sucks. For those people, here is his soundbite: “No one has the right to live without being shocked. No one has the right to spend their life without being offended. Nobody has to read this book. Nobody has to pick it up. Nobody has to open it. And if they open it and read it, they don’t have to like it. And if you read it and you dislike it, you don’t have to remain silent about it. You can write to me. You can complain about it. You can write to the publisher. You can write to the papers. You can write your own book. You can do all those things. But there your rights stop. Nobody has the right to stop me writing this book. Nobody has the right to stop it being published, or sold, or bought, or read.”)

What struck me most were his first two sentences. If we are to champion democracy and freedom of speech, then we must be ready to be shocked, offended and presented with ideas different or even contrary to ours. That is the price we pay.

What democracy champions is a free market of ideas. In such a state, people are free to discuss, debate and even agree to disagree on ideas. What democracy does not tolerate is vandalism, threats of physical harm and the bullying of one Church over ideas contrary to theirs.

Of course, that is in an ideal world where adults are supposed to think in a mature way and act in a decent manner. Watching the Senate hearings on art and the Mideo Cruz exhibit issue, I’m woefully reminded of how much Reality bites.

The Alem Fabcast, Part 1

Isn’t Rocco Nacino such a sweetheart?

The Love Yourself Project is having a special screening of Ang Sayaw Ng Dalawang Kaliwang Paa (starring Rocco, Paulo Avelino and Jean Garcia) and Zombadings 1: Patayin Sa Shokot Si Remington on Aug. 23. And what better way to whet your appetite than a Fabcast with the filmmakers, right? We’ve already featured Zombading Raymond Lee, so now we focus on the producer with the two left feet, Alem Ang.

Listen in as Alem recounts his “accidental” foray into the world of producing indie films, and his experiences as a producer.

Download this episode (right click and save)
Music credits:

“Symphony No. 5, Allegro con brio” by Ludwig Van Beethoven; Christoph Von Dohnanyi and the Cleveland Orchestra
“The Shadow Of The Past” (from “The Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring” soundtrack) by Howard Shore
“Waltz Of The Flowers” (from “The Nutcracker Suite”) by Peter Tchaikovsky
“El Tango De Roxanne” (from “Moulin Rouge” soundtrack) by Ewan McGregor, Jose Feliciano & Jacek Koman

Who Art In Heaven?

What is art? What is freedom of expression?

My initial knee-jerk reaction to those who were against Mideo Cruz’s art work (which I have personally seen for myself before all this hullabaloo and vandalization occurred) was simple: irritation.

But then religious groups threatened to sue the CCP and the artist. People started tweeting and posting on their Facebook status that freedom of expression has limits, and that art should respect other people’s sensibilities. Imelda Marcos jumped into the fray. And my blood began to boil. Who are these neo-fascists? Who are they to be the arbiters of truth? And who said art is only what’s true, good and beautiful?

But then I decided to step back and ask myself. Is it still art if it offends my sensibilities? Because I’m not too religious these days, Mideo’s exhibit didn’t shock me one bit; in fact, I was quite blase (or at the most, mildly amused) by the whole thing. In fact, I thought that the exhibit was too unsubtle, too obvious, too in-your-face (I’m just more partial to art that’s subtle and forces you to think). But it obviously offended others.

So I wondered how I’d react if someone came up with a painting or an exhibit that depicted gay activists like Harvey Milk and Larry Kramer in Nazi uniforms. Or showing an all-male orgy (wherein everyone’s engaged in unsafe sex) happening inside what is clearly an Auschwitz gas chamber. 

If I were to be perfectly honest, I’d personally be offended. And while I do think that the artist has the right to exhibit his works, I would then worry about how this piece of art work can affect others who view it. What if it incites a viewer to further discriminate against homosexuals? How would I react if someone beside me says, “Ay, oo nga. Salot nga ang mga bakla sa lipunan.”

Let’s step down from high art and go to popular art. What if there’s a popular song sung by an act that’s popular and well-loved? What if instead of a pro-gay song like “Jay,” the Eraserheads (stay with me on this one, this is obviously a “what if”) came out with, “Bakla, Bakla, Bakit Ka Pa Ginawa?” Or a daily teleserye that depicted several gay characters as pedophiles preying on tweens and teens?

Then I’d really worry about those works spreading a message of intolerance and hate.

Let us widen the scope further. How about allowing a painting that depicts Filipinos as mere domestic helpers and scavengers, circling a billiard table in a layout replicating the “dogs playing billiards” scene which we see in so many Saudi-made pop paintings? What about a sculpture that shows Malakas and Maganda as pole-dancing sex workers, except the poles are made of bamboo? How would we feel if the works were done by a Filipino artist? Or will those feelings change if they were done by a foreigner?

But are they art? What if the paintings are excellently-crafted, the use of colors and its composition flawless? What if the songs are very catchy, melodically perfect and lyrically witty and crafty? What if the medium is excellent, and the only thing that offends me is the message? Will I be as cavalier in saying, “They’re free to say whatever they want”?

I know myself enough to say that I will never go out of my way in vandalizing any painting or sculpture. And I will most probably not buy any record or refuse to watch a particular program that I personally find offensive. But can I demand that radio stations not play the song because it not only offends my sensibilities, it spreads hatred towards gays? If I get all the gays on Planet Romeo and Grindr combined to sign a petition asking that all radio stations pull out “Bakla, Bakla, Bakit Ka Pa Ginawa?” from their playlist, are we then guilty of bullying and censorship?

Perhaps one can raise the argument that those kinds of pieces, whether painting or music or performance, are not “art” but rather “propaganda.” So we go back to my first question: what is art? And who died and made Imelda or the Catholic Church “God of All That Is Art?”

Leni Rienfenstahl’s Triumph of the Will is a film commissioned by Adolf Hitler himself that showed the 1934 Nazi party rally. It is called a propaganda film, and yet Rienfenstahl’s use of film “techniques, such as moving cameras, the use of long focus lenses to create a distorted perspective, aerial photography, and revolutionary approach to the use of music and cinematography, have earned Triumph recognition as one of the greatest films in history.” That the film has artistic merit is clear; that it was also seen as promoting Hitler’s cause is also clear. And we all know what happened after Hitler’s rise to power.

Whether or not we get a precise definition of art, in the end what is clear to me is this. If we are to espouse freedom of expression, if we are to respect other people’s ideas even if they go directly against our beliefs, then we must be ready to allow others to offend us with their art as well.

That’s the price of democracy.

Awaaaard!

The movie starts its commercial run on August 31, but you can jump the gun on your friends and watch it several days earlier, on August 23 at the Special Screening for the benefit of the Love Yourself Project (see previous blog entry).

Why should you watch it? Martin Escudero is, I believe, quite the revelation here. If I can, I will nominate him for a Best Newcomer Award. Not only does he display amazing acting chops here, he also has the looks that can charm your pants off. I swear, love ko na siya (but don’t tell Rocco that, ha). Also, Roderick Paulate IS Roderick Paulate. ‘Nuff said. Plus! THE Eugene Domingo is THE Eugene Domingo. If you’re not yet convinced, you must be straight. (So what are you doing, reading my blog?!)

A Night With Martin, Rocco And Paulo (Saan Ka Pa?!)

Wanna see Zombadings with the uber-cute and extremely talented Martin Escudero? Now you have a chance to watch that and another critically lauded Cinemalaya film, Ang Sayaw Ng Dalawang Kaliwang Paa, starring sizzling-hot Rocco Nacino and nosebleed-inducing Paulo Avelino. Not only do you get to watch two excellent indie movies, but you also get to help out the Love Yourself Project.

The special screening will happen on Tuesday, Aug. 23, 2011, at SM Megamall Cinema 9. Sayaw unspools at 7pm; after a brief intermission, it will be followed by Zombadings at 9pm. You can choose to watch just one movie; tickets are at Php300 each. But if you choose to watch both that night, ticket prices are Php500 for both.

Check out the following video:

If you’re interested to watch, I’m selling tickets! Just message me here, leave your contact number or email address.

The Evolution Fabcast With Raymond Lee, Part 2

In the second and last part of our interview with Raymond Lee, we discuss about having boyfriends, falling for straight-acting gay guys, being patok with provincial lads, and the incident that sparked the creation of the movie Zombadings 1: Patayin Sa Shokot Si Remington.

Migs, Tony and I had the privilege of watching the world premiere of the movie during Cinemalaya, so we segued into discussing the movie, which was written by Raymond and Michiko Yamamoto and directed by Jade Castro. We don’t give any spoilers, but watch out for the moment when we revealed our favorite moments in the film.

Intrigued? Listen in!

Download this Fabcast (right click and save)

Music credits:

“My Kinda Girl (feat. Nelly)” by Pitbull
“Peace” by George Winston
“Je Me Donne A Qui Me Plait” by Brigitte Bardot
“Carmina Burana - 1. Fortuna Imperatrix Mundi: O Fortuna” by Carl Orff
“...And Then I Kissed Him” (from Pearl Harbor soundtrack) by Hans Zimmer

The Evolution Fabcast With Raymond Lee, Part 1

At the photo shoot for the Love Yourself Project, three of the Fabcasters cornered renowned screenwriter Raymond Lee for an impromptu interview. Migs, Tony and I had a hoot discussing Raymond’s transformation. Listen to Ang Pagdadalaga Ni Raymond Lee, part 1.

Download this Fabcast (right click and save)

Music credits:

“Ikaw Ang Miss Universe Ng Buhay Ko” by Hotdog
“I Just Want To Make Love To You” by Etta James
“Girl, You’ll Be A Woman Soon” by Urge Overkill
“La Molina” by Yma Sumac
“Now We Are Free” by Hans Zimmer & Lisa Gerrard
“I'm Not A Girl, Not Yet A Woman” by Britney Spears

Someone Had A Lao-sy Day

Christopher Lao made several mistakes that day. No driver in his right mind would just plow his car willy-nilly into a flooded street, yet he did (he could have waited, asked or turned around). He allowed himself to be interviewed by a camera crew (he could have easily refused to answer). And then he put the blame on everybody else.

So now he’s all over the Internet. A couple of Facebook pages have been created in (dubious) honor of Christopher Lao. The GMA News video has not only gone viral, several re-edited versions of it have also been doing the rounds (one had the parting of the Red Sea in The Ten Commandments inserted into the clip). Cyber-bullying? More like cyber-gang bang.

The reason why people are ganging up on him is simple. They were reacting to the arrogance that he displayed. Had Christopher Lao scratched his head, smiled sheepishly as he answered, in an embarrassed tone, “Yeah, my bad. I didn’t think the flood was going to be that deep,” then that would have been the end of the story. No one would even remember his name, despite it being flashed onscreen. Instead, he pointed his fingers at everyone else. “Why me?” he was even bemused when the reporter dared to point it back to him. To him, it’s everyone else’s responsibility to keep him informed. Well, Christopher Lao is now finding out that Pinoys aren’t exactly forgiving to ordinary folks who mistakenly flaunt their arrogance in public; just ask Rafa Santos.

(As for public figures who brazenly flaunt their arrogance, like Willie Revillame or the CBCP or any politician for that matter, well, they too get castigated in cyberspace, but perhaps they are too thick-skinned to care. But that’s another story.)

I wouldn’t want to be in his shoes right now. But if I were, I’d just keep quiet. Christopher Lao, if you come out blaming the GMA News team for editing the clip in such a way that it made you look bad, don’t. That will only make things worse. “Why me?” you asked. Now everyone’s pointing out something that you seem to be more oblivious of than the depths of the floodwaters: yes, you. The problem is with you. You already!

Christopher Lao, you have been informed.

* * * * *

ADDENDUM: He has already released his official statement on Facebook (click on the link here). And with that, let us allow him to have the last say.

Star Studded

Na-Stress Drillon akiz dahil ang Mahalia Jackson ng ticket papuntang Dubai. Eh gusto ko sa Majinit Jackson na lugar kasi Haggardo Versosa na akiz sa sobrang Julanis Morisette dito sa Maynila. Afraidie Aguilar na akiz sa baha, nakaka-Irrita Gomez! Tapos na-Julie Yap Daza ko ang housemate ko na pilit suotin pa rin ang kanyang ‘di-pa tuyo na medyas; eh amoy-kulob, kaya ang Smellanie Marquez! Ewww, kadiri. Cynthia Patag, ka’mo? Yung guwapo kong housemate, yung mahilig magsuot ng Skimpee De Leon na mga outfits. Huy ha, hindi ako Bitter Ocampo sa kanya dahil ayaw niya akong patulan! Che! Hay naku, makahanap na lang nga ng may lighter at Makikicindy Kurleto ng yosi, kahit papaano ay makaranas ng konting Anjinit Agbayari.

Video Of The Week

Holy effing shit! OK Go makes the coolest music videos. Watch this one!

The Age-Old Issues

Picking up D at his dorm, I asked the receptionist to buzz him in his room. Because the dorm intercom was busted, the receptionist asked the lady guard to go upstairs and knock on his door. I sat on the sofa at the reception area and played Stupid Zombies in my iPod Touch while waiting.

After a few minutes the lady guard went down and took her place again beside the reception desk. She must have felt the need to engage me in conversation, because as soon as she sat at her chair she asked me,“Bumaba na ba siya?”

“Ah hindi pa,” I answered.

Then she asked, “Anak mo siya?”

Toinkz!

I smiled and said, “Ah hindi po.”

To be perfectly honest I just found that particular question funny. It doesn’t bother me that I’m old enough to be D’s dad. D and I never had an issue over the age difference; if we did, we wouldn’t even be together in the first place. In fact, I do take some kind of pride in the fact that despite the age difference, we can and do work things out.

What surprised me more was that I now look like a dad. Oh dear. After years of people getting surprised and telling me, “What?! You’re already 40-plus years old?!” I now have to get used to the fact that I’m now beginning to look my age.

Along with this obsession with looking young, I’m also letting go of this unhealthy desire to be borta-licious. I just don’t want to be too fat as to be unhealthy; otherwise, I’ve never sought the (un)Holy Grail of most gay men: a six-pack. When you really think about it, how much love can a six-pack give you?

I see all these tweets and Facebook messages of people obsessing to be borta. For guys who are still quite young, I guess it’s understandable. Still, to them and the rest I say, good luck! I hope you find happiness in your obsession with the physical; may your physical goals fill up your life with meaning and joy.