Senti Mode

How senti can I get?

Here's a sample list of my 'sound trip' these days especially when I clean full studio scripts into dialogue scripts at work. The ones in bold print are my favorites since I was a youngster growing up in the era of the jukebox, 33s and 45s. They're mostly '70s or early '80s sentimental standard fares that have withstood the test of time and can be called 'classics' in this age of iPods and videokes.


City of Angels – The Miracles (Will L.A. disappear from the earth just like Atlantis did?)
Sideshow – Blue Magic
Here’s That Rainy Day – Kenny Rankin
My Fair Share – Seals and Croft (My 'forced' audition piece (lahat kasi ng buong klase isa-isang pinakanta!) for the Las Piñas Boys Choir when I was in the third grade. Siyempre, hindi pumasa. Hehe. One of the first songs na memorize ko from the SongHits.)
Goodbye Girl – David Gates (Have you seen the movie?)
All My Life – America (Theme song namin ni Mama Joy! Kahit nagulat siya before bakit ito ang naging theme song namin. Hehe. Basta, alang kokontra!)
Lady Wants To Know – Michael Franks (Lush, suave, cool and relaxing melody.)
Make It With You – Bread (Panalo sa pagka-senti ito!)
I Wish That I Was Making Love – Alessi Bros.
Inseparable – Natalie Cole
Whispering Waves – Donna Summer
Penny For Your Thoughts – Tavares
So Far Away – Carole King
Got To Believe In Magic – David Pomeranz
Don’t Give Up On Us – David Soul (All-time favorite for its sentimentality and singability. One of the first MTVs (when they were not yet called MTVs) na napanood ko when I was a kid. Interestingly David Soul's one and only hit in his brief singing career. David Soul was Erik Estrada's police partner in Chips.)
If I Keep My Heart Out Of Sight – James Taylor
It’s Sad To Belong – England Dan and John Ford Coley
She’s My Girl – Morris Albert
Ashes To Ashes – Dennis Lambert
Put A Little Love Away – Sergio Mendez
We Can Make It Happen – Stylistics
I Just Don’t Wanna Be Lonely – Blue Magic
Reunited – Peaches and Herb
I Never Dreamed Someone Like You Would Like Someone Like Me – Katie Irving
Trying To Get The Feeling – David Pomeranz
Where Is It I Belong – The Supremes
I Like Dreamin’ – Kenny Nolan
Walk In Love – David Batteau
It Takes A Man And A Woman – Teri De Sario
That’s The Way of Friends – Paul Parrish (Bihira naming hindi tugtugin ito sa piano when my dear kababata Edlyn visits us at home. Gustung-gusto ko ang lyrics nito. Swak na swak sa mga itinuturing kong closest friends sa buhay ko.)
It Might Be You – Stephen Bishop
Feels So Good – Don Potter
For All We Know – James Griffin
Bluer Than Blue – Michael Johnson
One Day In Your Life – Michael Jackson (Makes me lethargic and mushy kasi naaalala ko ang growing up years ko as a kid sa Kamuning, Quezon City. And considering unadulterated and 'pure' pa noon si Michael J.)
The Trouble With Hello Is Goodbye – Sergio Mendez (Totoo naman, di ba? tipong, pag kararating mo pa lang sa pinuntahan niyo itatanong mo na sa kasama mo: Anong oras tayo uuwi? Harhar.)
Disney Girls – Capt. And Tennile
What Matters Most – Kenny Rankin
No Love In The Room – 5th Dimension
You Take My Breath Away – Rex Smith
Of All The Things – Dennis Lambert (I would never trade the tears, the conversations no one hears...)
Storybook Girl – The Sylvers
The Way We Planned It – Friends of Distinction
Don’t Throw It All Away – Andy Gibb
Star On A T.V. Show – Stylistics (Memorable simply because my eldest sister, Amor, sang this in a competition when we were kids and she won.)
Waiting For Love – Sergio Mendez
Never Letting Go – Stephen Bishop
Mr. Blue – Michael Franks
Mrs. Jones – Billy Paul
Hardcore Poetry – Tavares
Smile We Have Each Other – Spinners (The melody! Or may kinalaman kaya sa malamig na panahong nag-uuulan when I first heard this and it elicited some sense of childhood sadness in me dahil mag=-isa lang ako sa kuwarto?)
Highway Of My Life – Isley Bros. (Ang piano intro!!! Strange, pero pagdating nung lyrics, gusto ko nang ilipat sa susunod na kanta!)
Getting To Know Each Other – Gerard Kenny
Simply Jesse – Rex Smith (One of the first things na natutunan ko in my brief attempt to study playing the guitar. Keys of A, GMaj7, D, etc...)
Just As Long As We Have Love – Spinners (We may not have a mansion on a hill...)
I Love You – Morris Albert
Moment By Moment – Yvonne Elliman
Terminal – Rupert Holmes (Nuong araw sikat ka pag nagtatrabaho ka sa isang computer on the 19th floor...)
Alone At Last – Neil Sedaka
You – Carpenters
If I Could Reach You – 5th Dimension (I like the melody and the singability and the expression of the singer. Tsaka ko na lang nalaman na kuwento pala ito ng isang 'kabit'! Hehe.)
Love Is Stronger far Than We – Esther Satterfield (My Ate Amor included this in her repertoire sa aming wedding ni Joy!)
No Walls, No Ceilings, No Floors – Orsa Lia
Morning, Noon, and Nighttime – Jane Olivar
Touch And Go – Rupert Holmes (All time favorite. One of the few songs na wala akong paki na kantahin pag tinutugtog sa ere no matter where I am. Oo, memorized ko 'to!)
I’ve Never Been To Me – Charlene
Love – Jim Photoglo (Melody! Lyrics! Melody! Lyrics!)
Doors – Michael Johnson
Jennifer – Bobby Goldsboro
Words And Music – Andy Gibb
Sometimes A Love Goes Wrong – Carrie Lucas
Come In From The Rain – Diana Ross
One Of These Days – Barry Manilow
We All Fall In Love Sometimes – Elton John
Sometimes – Karen Carpenters (True. Madalas nakakalimutan nating mag-Thank You sa mga mahal natin sa buhay at sabihin sa kanila - how much we really love them!)
Why – Tina Charles (Senti melody)
Never Let Her Go – Bread (Lyrics. Melody.)
Good Friend – Mary Macgregor (We're not so different you know/ Though we may have different dreams/ When they fall apart/ We hurt the same it seems. Ito rin yata yung carrier jingle ng 'Mellow touch' nuon? Naku, ayan na, mas lalong give-away na mahilig sa senti. Harhar. )
One Hello – Randy Crawford (Hi!)
Miracle – Stylistics (Sabi ni Joy, nung bata siya, bigla na lang siyang naiiyak pag naririnig niya 'to. Same here. :-)
It Takes Too Long – Eydie Gourmet
Morning Girl – The Lettermen (Jose Mari Chan-ish. Malalim ang kuwento, basta, alam ko. Hindi lang ito tungkol sa pagtulog at paggising ni Morning Girl.)
Midnight Blue – Melissa Manchester
Lovin’ You – Minnie Riperton (Sensuality...Sentimentality...Tapos may parang naiipit na ano pag humihiyaw siya....Ahhhhhhh. Hehe.)
A Certain Sadness – Astrud Gilberto (Closed or open windows with raindrops falling on the pane. Very cinematic. Kaya siguro karamihan na malulungkot na eksena sa pelikula ginagawa sa may bintana.)

:-)

'Lika na sa SS! (Summer na!!!)

"Summertime and the living is easy, fish are jumping and the cotton is high…”

For us adults, there will always be quaint memories of summers past. We remember not the painful scorches of long walks under the not-so-friendly torturous sun, or the wind’s humid humor. We remember summer for the unnerving smiles extracted honestly as we cajole and fidget at the childhood memories stored firmly in our hearts.

I remember summer for its spontaneity. (What to do but idle away the endless days of outdoor games with both my friends and dear cousins?) I remember summer for its promise of cool waters. (What pool or beach resorts to visit next?) I also clearly, oh so clearly, remember that summer normally ushers in my anticipated hiatus from doing that menial task of facing away the rigid confines of the classroom. Alas! No more assignments, projects, and trepidation over that ‘terror teacher’. But that was during my elementary days. No more jeers from my bully classmates who seem to relish my failure in my Waterloo subjects. High School brought the dread of facing my worst fears as a student, that of failing my Math subjects and having to endure the agony of taking back subjects for over two months in some zombie-atmosphere of a school. (Imagine wearing your school uniform while riding the jeepney, and the puzzled look on some faces: Bakasyon na ah? Ba’t pumapasok ka pa, ‘Toy?) When all my siblings were content and excited at doing their summer whims, there I was, figuring out if I can ever escape the incarceration of fractions and algebraic equations, all under the not so-pleasant summer skies.

My summer back subjects aside, I can proudly say that my childhood was the staple of old movies pertaining to the wonderment of this enchanting season.

From Grade Four up until I graduated from High School, there is only one place for me and my 3 siblings: #85 Olive Street in SSS Village, Marikina. Our eldest sister, TJ, normally would not be with us, clearly as she was already a teenager with her gang of barkadas in our village at Las Piñas. Know what? Maybe it has something to do with my Ate Jhe’s maturity, but those times I have this picture of her as the young lady in stiletto, garbed stylishly in older women’s clothes, makeup and all while my other sisters, Ate But and Liz, were still in short pants, camison and still playing jackstones and Chinese garters.

Or maybe she did grow up fast. That’s how the eldest child is, I hear people say. Or, maybe, just maybe, she had to fill up the gap caused by my father’s absence. While the four of us were enjoying summer, my 15-year old sister would be sitting behind a desk, working as a secretary in our church. At the outset, my father promised us not the moon and stars, but some better days where we can board a bigger school bus or where we can wear more stylized clothes to show our friends. He also promised us more toys or gadgets or M&M’s and Ruby Ruths and Teen Mags. I did wonder before if there were muses of dreams-not-happening, but it was when I was already in High School did I figure out that my father was on the throes of doing his disappearing acts, a la Harry Houdini. My eldest Ate was not always with us at our vacation hideaway, but she always brought us four siblings to that destination.

Mornings spent packing were always feverish. Normally, we’re all done in a jiffy. Next stop: the transportation trail. We always rode on those smelly, decrepit red buses along the stretch from Baclaran up to Cubao (We can’t afford aircon buses then), and that humongous chesa-colored bus that brought us to Olive St.

Without fail, my cousins, the Zafras would always rush to us with open arms as we entered their gates. Definitely, summer is here. And we are here in the Summer Place. I remember my maternal grandparents used to live in that street. It was not the definitive venue for us to roam and cavort. The whole SSS Village and the adjacent V.V. Soliven subdivision will be that to us. But it was the diving board area where we are yet ready once more to unfurl summer’s childish cahoots, ready to dive any time into the exciting waters of our young lives. It was the place were I began to munch on Book Of Knowledge encyclopedias, the recuperating room when I first wore a skirt after I was circumcised, and the place where I bonded with my dearest favorite next of kin, my Zafra cousins.

There are games, and lots of it! Mornings, we bike and trek to the nearby V.V. Soliven Village or run dashes along the eskinitas or the Chestnut St. basketball court. Vic normally wins here, having mastered the curves and nooks and crannies of the streets. All the ball games were exploited, using even a soft basketball for volleyball. Guess who wins this game every time (well, almost every time)? Our fecund minds would always find something to do whether we are inside the house or just outside its perimeters. We figured out a way to use an ice cream cap with a short wood hammered on it and presto! We have our own mini-tennis. Bong (Icko) invented this game and for a couple of summers, the garahe was the Wimbledon court where furious battles were exchanged between the little McEnroes and Lendls. Do we here Deuce here? If thinking games were your forte, Liz and Ferdie were the undisputable Queen and King of Chess and Word Factory, respectively. Ate But normally would just be a benchwarmer, devouring her share of Kislap Magazine and Funny Komiks because she was always sidelined by her skin allergy that has for its favorite hangout, her palms!

Lunchtime would have us imitate whatever noontime games the just opened Eat Bulaga were offering. Didn’t we dance Reno or Let’s Get Physical till our bodies collapse from both laughter and fatigue? How about our lip synching of the timeless hits Rock Lobster, Cars, or even Leah Navarro’s Isang Mundo, Isang Awit? We were babies of the then novelty called MTV and were randomly assigning singing parts among ourselves whenever We Are The World comes on the TV screen. Not really fond of having siesta, we do our Horror Rooms inside Tita Jo and Tito Poco’s master bedroom and even turn their Sheraton bed into a gymnastics trampoline! I can still remember Vic and Bong having close fights whenever they do their trampoline acts. And who can forget that time when Kuya Jo served as the referee between Pacquiao Joy and Morales Bong in their boxing matches with layers of socks as boxing gloves? Tita Jo was fuming mad when she saw Joy’s swollen face later that evening.

And who can ever forget the Beauty Pageants like the Mr. & Ms. Gonzaf Cousins? Liz who did not bother to brush her teeth in the Best Close-up smile award defeated Ferdie, who briskly brushed prior to the pageant. Joy, having answered, “Sorry, I’m nervous” during the Question and Answer portion was adjudged best I.Q. In the afternoons, we also did a lot of stage plays and singing contests that whenever we eat merienda, mostly kakanins cooked by Lola Juaning, we were hardly-contented cows and would yearn for more. We also did our version of the Oscars, or Ostars, where Liz and Joy were the constant Ate Vi-Ate Guy scrambling for honors! And did I mention Bong was elevated to the Best Actor Hall of Fame?

Evenings were pure delight. In front of the television, we were enchanted for the nth time by the mysteries uncovered in Ripley’s Believe It Or Not. We always had a good laugh watching the Facts of Life or Jennifer Slept Here. The horror and suspense genre were a favorite then, what with the giant rabbits in Food For The Gods or the murdered boy heir in The Changeling scaring the wits out of us. We were a bunch of kids then who gobbled up on Milo by the spoonful every night before bedtime. (Can just imagine why we cannot sleep early because Milo’s supposed to be an energy drink, diba?). We also did a very bad thing to Doray, the Zafra’s domestic help then because we ate her duhats that she safely put inside the refrigerator. After devouring the plum fruit, we put back the dressed seeds in the same container and brought it back inside the refrigerator. Segue to: Morning. Doray was fuming mad and blabbering no end while all of us, the perpetrators, were still sleeping like babies in the sala, oblivious of her ramblings. Poor Doray! But can you blame us? She always accuse us of making kalat when in fact, what we were making then was art! At nighttime, we all sleep on the sala, kanya-kanyang puwesto. Tired that we were after another long day, Tita Jo and Tito Poco would find all of us slumped by morning that they thought we looked like refugees from Vietnam! Hahaha. I can clearly remember Vic as always the first to get up. And who knows, maybe he’s off again to his mechanical ministrations at the back of the house, fixing and re-fixing anything electrical or mechanical. But that was when he grew up a little bit later.

And so goes the cliché, how time flies! All of the gang from The Little Rascals and The Muppets must soon grow up and assume the role of mature adults. Most of the gang are already living in the U.S., with Ate Jhe and Liz in California, Joy in Colorado, and Bong in Guam. I revel in calling them the USAsians, because even if they are living in that promised land of milk and honey, I know, in my hearts of hearts, that they are proud Filipinos. Ate Jhe, the quintessential Ate of the universe, now works in Goldilocks and continues to practice her writing, getting published in Fil-Am, and even has an inspirational column all her own. Liz is working in a medical firm. And she still plays good chess! Joy works as a P.T. in Colorado. And now, she’s nervous no more. Bong, or more fondly called as Icko now, is a noted Arts Instructor in a school in Guam, having recently feted by the Ambassador of Guam himself for an outstanding art directing of a school play. Back here in Manila, Kuya Jo is now Rev. Jo, a pastor of a congregation based in Marikina. Ate But is a full time mother but she’s a very promising graphic artist and counselor, a la Oprah. Ferdie works in an advertising firm. Vic, the handyman continues to exert his powers now on caring for the sick and the elderly, being a Caregiver. Yours truly, works as Creative Director in a multimedia firm based here in Makati. I still write, a vocation I truly love. Only now, I’m more comfortable writing in the vernacular.

Summer is here. And I can’t think of a better way to start something on my blog but write my experiences on my previous memorable summers with you guys. I know there’s more. But that would altogether take another ride down memory lane, and perhaps, a brand new article too to write about. In the meantime, let’s just let summer be. “Summertime, and the living is easy…”

Kuting GA last March 24

The 'Kutings' invade the Kuting GA.
The mini-me's of Papadoms and Mama Zarah: Zoe and Nico.



L-R: Don, Robin, Ace and Zarah.



VP Ace Elgar and President Zarah Gagatiga.



Robin Rivero smiles for the camera.



"You want more Chip-Ahoys?" Eline's offer we can't refuse.



Looking at Eline's wonderful anik-aniks.



Ace gives her critique to Don's story.

Even if Pasig was a distant place from where I was coming from, I can confidently say that I had a pleasant and worthwhile time during the last Kuting GA held at Zarah Gagatiga’s abode yesterday, March 24. I was able to meet for the first time Zarah’s wonderful kids, Nico and Zoe, and they were adorable saling-pusas most of the time during our lengthy discussions on things pertaining to the Filipino children and children’s literature.

Papadoms, Zarah’s husband welcomed me at the gates. From outside the front door, I saw Mama Zarah preparing some stuff at the table.

“Para akong nag-panata sa pagpunta dito!” I joked upon entering Zarah’s garage.

Our gracious host replied: “Kaya nga ako nag-prepare ng meryenda dahil alam kong malayo ang biyahe niyo.”

Before we started, those of us who came were treated to Zarah’s sumptuous heavy merienda of spaghetti and lumpiang shanghai. (Ang sarap!!!)

Before Zarah’s lecture on “Writing For Kids”, some of the agendas discussed were the Olongapo Kuting Worshop which shall be held on April 23-29. Panelists/Authors/Facilitators in this one-week summer project include Augie Rivera, Astrid Mae Tobias, Cynthia Villafranca, Germain Yia and Zarah Gagatiga; The KUTING probees’ fundraising project was also discussed. If you’re a Kuting probee, please wait for further announcements via email or text from us.

Also included in the agenda is the KUTING Workshop slated for May 27, a Saturday, with venue still to be announced. The members, especially the probees were reminded of the submission of manuscripts for workshop critique. The time of submission is from May 1 – 7, 2007. Any writing genres/formats can be used such as fiction, poetry (not more than 4 poems), even non-fiction. The theme and topic must be geared towards children or the young adults. Language used can be Filipino or English. The manuscript must not exceed 10 pages, double spaced with approximately 1 inch margin on all sides. ARIAL size 12 is the font preferred. The name of the author must not appear on the manuscript and all entries should be snail mailed or personally delivered to our Kuting Vice President, Ace Elgar c/o the Ateneo de Manila University Grade School Department. A manuscript should also be sent via email to either Ace or Zarah.

Other topics on the agenda not thoroughly pursued because of lack of attending members were the proposed Kuting Summer Reading Festival, the Membership Dues and other miscellaneous stuff.

Late in the meeting, Zarah lectured on the basic requirements if anyone is interested in writing for children, starting with the child’s psyche and issues that kids in this age are faced with. We were also asked individually why we write for kids, especially in this present times where we, as a nation, is plagued with a culture of mostly non-readers.

To be an effective material, the following are some qualities that should be present in a story or concept to make readers take notice:

It must be well written. Craft is very important as well as the use of language.
It must speak strongly of the Filipinos’ culture and identity.
It must be simple, but substantial.
It must be unafraid. And does not apologize for being so.
It must be a story that children can independently read.

It is also important to consider your child audience. To be an effective children’s story writer, we must take note of a learning child’s needs: the need to love and be loved, the need for beauty and order, the need to play, the need to achieve, the need to belong, and the need to know.

It is also helpful for practicing/aspiring writers of kids’ lit to remember what his childhood was like and draw inspiration from them. It is a must too to reconstruct or re-live childhood memories where we are re-acquainted in identifying events, people and situation from those past years that still make an impression on us even as we reached adulthood.

According to Jean Chall, (1983) children can be grouped in their reading skills:

The Pre-Reading Stage – in this stage, catchy and colorful illustrations are introduced to a child. Wordless books also belong in this category.

The Initial Reading Stage – The Dr. Seuss classics (Green Eggs and Ham) is one of the best examples of where kids are constantly exposed to reading via rote and rhyme.

The Conformation & Fluency Stage – kids begin to understand plot structure. That most stories have a beginning, middle and end.

The Reading & Learning the New Stage – kids start to read longer books, they start studying what they want to learn and acquisition of information begins to take place.

The Multiple Viewpoints Stage – kids 13 year and up now know what is made-up and what is real. “Ay, hindi na totoo ito, kathang-isip lang.”

The Construction & Reconstruction – kids are eager to learn something new. Explorations to read different issues and materials are now posed for the adult reader.

Other than knowing your story elements and story grammar, in writing fiction for children, it is imperative to consider the 3 important things to present and develop: character, setting and plot. Zarah gave us writing exercises and creative visual materials pertaining to these topics to do at home.

As an added bonus to me that GA session, a manuscript of mine was critiqued. I would like to thank Zarah, Ace and Eline for giving their time and honest constructive criticisms about my material. In the world of writing, No Man Is An Island. I would rather take bitter doses of harsh words that will challenge me to improve on my craft rather than receive false praises that would make me chummy with my writing colleagues. Writing is good to the spirit. But it is also hard work.

Till next Kuting GA!

Panahon pa ni Mahoma

I really love watching old movies. My favorite cable channel nowadays, believe it or not, is the TCM (Turner Classic Movies). I was so elated when Cablelink carried the movie channel just last year in their programming. I first saw this channel while I was still creative director of DREAM satellite TV six years ago.

There are times though that I appear or look odd whenever Joy or Belle would barge into our room and catch me watching the movies I prefer but they can’t hardly relate to. Just last night, as I was watching a black and white movie starring Joan Crawford, Belle was flabbergasted because she wanted to watch her cartoons.

“Why are you watching that, Papa? It’s pangit!”

“It’s not pangit. It’s a classic film.” Like she knew what ‘classic’ meant.

“Why are you watching that, it only have two colors, no, three: black, gray, and white.”

At her age, can I force her to like the movies of her grandfather’s father’s age?

At the office where we work on subtitling movies, I can’t count any longer the old classics that I’ve seen, relished, and sometimes pan. They all make you yearn sometimes why they don’t make them like this anymore. There is something about old movies that make you believe in humanity, given the predisposition of our times. But there are times too that those old movies will make you feel that you are at the booty of a bandwagon, effectively turning you into a recluse or an odd fish in the streams of today’s vibrant waters.

“Ang baduy naman! Wala na bang ibang mapapanood? Panahon pa ni Mahoma ‘yan, ah”

That was a common complaint whenever my siblings or my friends would catch me watching my preferred movies, admittedly my ‘guilty pleasures’ in the dark.

I have this strange quirk in me too that there are times when I resent the ‘the now’ trend of pop culture, but once the heat of that fad fades into oblivion, it is then that I will catch their remnants of coal and appreciate ‘the then.’

You sometimes don’t really enjoy the thrill of what is present. Sometimes they need to hibernate so you can feel the pangs of their absence. Who was that author who said that travel only makes sense in retrospect?

In 1985, I kind of abhorred the mushy ‘Ocean Deep’ song by Cliff Richards. But now it is, to me, a classic. The song ‘Tabing-Ilog’ was corny to me then, but not now. The comedy series ‘Cheers’ and ‘Full House’ were not part of my TV-viewing habits then, but now they are standard fares to me, especially now that I discovered that they are the shows that celebrated my novice age. And wonder of wonders, they can be had at any DVD stalls!

One thrill of watching old movies on cable too is the element of surprise. You really don’t plan what you want to watch and all you have to do is just look at their barker segments and anticipate the unanticipated.

And then you found it. You discovered the movies. When they were still movies. It’s nostalgia time all over again.

Last week alone, I saw the following:

The Legend of Lylah Clare (1968). In this Kim Novak-starrer, an unknown actress is hired to play a famous actress who died mysteriously after falling off a balcony. Ms. Novak, a starlet during the ‘60s played the role of the actress who suffers from vertigo, and like the ham actress that she was in the movie, the unrealistic playing of events too would sometimes make me scratch my head and agree at the same time that this was a classic camp movie, in the league of Valley of the Dolls or A Summer Place, only this time, the movie is adorned with Oscar-winning actors Peter Finch and Ernest Borgnine who really must have endured the lackadaisical talent of their leading lady.

Reminiscent of Born Free, the movie Clarence, The Cross-eyed Lion (1965) tells the story of a village terrorized by a lion. The problem started to occur when the protagonists discovered that the beastly king of the jungle couldn’t catch his prey because of a visual deformity. The lion is cross-eyed so it cannot hunt properly. Richard Haydn, the choral master from The Sound of Music, is one of the treasures in this find. His antics in this movie, no matter how idiotic, would make you laugh and feel like you want him to earn his ‘little punishments’ at the same time.

Speaking of the black-and-white (like reading a newspaper circa ‘70s), I again chanced upon the Pearl S. Buck classic The Good Earth (1937). The Good Earth is one of the first novels that I’ve read simply because the book just lie around our house. The story is about the relationship of a freed slave, O-Lan, who was betrothed to the farmer Wang-Lung in ancient China. Luise Rainer portrayed the quintessential role that will draw tears from the audience: the long-suffering wife to a stoic and unfaithful husband. The most anticipated scene for me in this MGM classic is the plague of locusts, still excellent to watch after all this time.

If you are a true blue book lover and collector, a writer or even a learner, what’s worse than having your books left unread for generations? And when finally somebody was there to read them, they are moribund and ash! That was a grim scenario from the classic H.G. Wells’ movie The Time Machine starring British actor Rod Taylor. The stop-motion effects when the time machine travels from one vantage point to another is laughable by today’s standards but I can’t help but still feel ecstatic whenever I see the lead actor do his space sojourns.

In watching movies, maybe my standard is this: watch on the big screen what is the ‘now’ and rummage the ‘boob tube’ for what was the ‘then.’ Who would have thought that the advent of cable programming and DVDs would present to us the unlimited wonders of a bygone era? That was not possible before, except if you work at the film libraries or own reels that only the affluent can afford.

Now, when a movie with great potentials is shown in our trailers or was rewarded with positive or controversial reviews from the critics and the box-office alike, the question is no longer, “Will it reach our theaters?” but “When can I have it from the DVD stalls?”

Piracy, arguably, is the great leveler.

Book Launching and Exhibit of "SOL"

Author Agay Llanera smiles for the camera as artist Farley del Rosario delivers his speech.

We are proud of you, Agay! From your KUTING family.



Augie Rivera, Domeng & Zarah Gagatiga, and Carla Pacis



"Amorsolo" fiddles with his violin.



Agay and Don.



Farley del Rosario busy signing books.

Admiring the exceptional oil on canvas.

Jomike Tejido and Agay Llanera

Beautiful artwork to behold.

"Sol."

Zarah Gagatiga and Cynthia Villafranca.

Augie Rivera and CANVAS Executive Director Gigo Alampay.

At Seattle's Best: Sweet couple Papadoms & Zarah, Germaine, Cynthia and Augie.

Germaine Yia and Cynthia Villafranca.

Cynthia, Augie, Don, Domeng and Zarah.

Who's That Crying Girl?

While I was on sick leave, I was able to watch the American Idol round-of-11 at Star World yesterday evening. Eagerly anticipating Sanjaya, Joy and I were so surprised and delighted when he performed but the both of us agreed that he was upstaged that night by a cute little girl who cried buckets.

My KUTING ninang, Zarah and I kept on exchanging texts that night, excitedly sizing up the performances of the remaining eleven at that penultimate event before Saturday's revelation of the final Top 10. Zarah was confident that Sanjaya would make the Final Four (despite finding him at the bottom ladder of three last week.) I also favor Sanjaya landing maybe in the Top 7. Melinda is still my favorite.

Back to that little girl. We can all say of course that that moment was cemented in the annals of American Idol' s judging history especially when the great Simon echoed his 'the-little-girl's- tears-says-it-all' scoring of Sanjaya's somewhat fine performance by default.

Zarah says, "Don't we all love Simon?" But of course.

I discovered this morning this story about the 'Crying Girl' over at Yahoo! Answers:

The wail heard 'round the world came from the mouth of Idol's now #1 fan, 13 year old Ashley Ferl of Riverside, California.

Sitting in the Idol audience, before the show even started, young Ashley quickly made her presence felt to all of us there. 15 minutes before showtime, I saw a young girl approach ousted contestant Alaina Alexander, ask for her autograph and then break into hysterical sobbing after she got it. Good to see Alaina has such devoted fans, I thought. And then the show started and the dam really burst.

After the show I spoke to Ashley outside the backstage exit. Actually, Ashley was still gulping back tears so most of the interview had to be conducted through a translator - her mother. She revealed that the family obtained tickets on a website to attend a taping of “Smarter Than a 5th Grader” a day passage that included not just the taping of the show itself, but also the dress rehearsal of either “Grader” or “Idol.” The fates were kind, and the mother and daughter found their way to the “Idol” rehearsal, where Ashley’s waterworks began. Her prowess was quickly brought to the attention of “Idol” producers who summoned the clan to a ringside seat of honor at the final taping.

When I asked who she was supporting, Ashley could only give her top four picks and refused to narrow it down to a single singer. "Sanjaya, Melinda, Gina and Jordin. All four" she said over and over.You can read my complete interview with the great Ashley Ferl at latimes.com/idoltracker.

Yahoo! Answers Staff Note: Richard Rushfield is a reporter for the LA Times and a member of the Yahoo! TV ‘American Idol’ Expert Pool.

The photos above were taken from the American Idol News.

Belle's Prep Graduation

Last March 16 was Moving Up and Graduation Day at the Playroom Childhood Development Center.

It was a touching (can I say poignant?) time for Joy and me as we see our unica hija, Tiara Ysabelle A. Gonzalez ascend the stage at Philam Club House to get her Prep diploma from Teacher Mai Avelino, directress of the pre-school. That moment froze and I can’t help but be reminded of how my mama fetched me down the stairs of the St. Joseph’s College auditorium in Quezon City when I graduated myself from kindergarten circa ‘75. I can clearly see myself and my mother, still caught unawares on why she needed to shed tears when I handed her my diploma. It was like deja vu, except that now, I took her place at the rostrum.

The program began with the graduation march of PCDC’s 40 plus students, from nursery, kinder, the SPED up to the graduating prep class. The singing of the national anthem was led by Norah C. Almeda while Belle’s best friend Trisha Marie Abella led the opening prayer (Belle herself led the opening prayer last year). The Opening remarks was given by the school directress, who later on introduced her mother, Soledad Avelino, Ph.D as the evening’s Guest Speaker.

The Nursery class headed by Teacher Dianne presented the “Circle Time” to the delight of the audience. In this presentation, the nursery class showcased what happens inside the classroom on ordinary days. The Kinder Class recited the “Aren’t You Glad I’m Me” poem while the Prep class impressed all of us with their exacting rendition of the chorus “Proud To Be Me.” Mrs. Portia Jasmine Sanson, or PJ Sanson, my wife’s kumare shared her four year experience as a parent in the school. The farewell speech was given by the preparatory class’ valedictorian, Alexy V. Gonzalez, one of Belle’s best friends who grew up in the States. The graduating class finale was the singing of the Lea Salonga classic “The Journey”, a special portion where the students gave their mommies and daddies a red rose as token of appreciation. When I trailed Belle with my videocam, what the lens found was my wife who was shamelessly in tears (para namang ako, hindi! Hehe).

Here is the list of Belle’s Preparatory classmates, Batch 2007: Trisha Marie A. Abella, Norah C. Almeda, Karylle Claudette Yvonne L. Corpin, Brianne Allen C. Cruz, Dannelle Zachary A. Dacaimat II, Ivan Rey R. De Isidro, Juan Alfonso Q. Fernandez, Carl Henry D. Fernandez, Alexy Y. Gonzalez and Rebecca Marie H. Sanson.

Happy Graduation, Belle!



School Directress Mai Avelino giving Belle her diploma.



While waiting inside our car for Joy and Belle while my sister-in-law Joan put their make-ups on, I took this photo of my mother-in-law and Ivan.



Dramatic lighting. Belle preparing with her classmates for the line formation.

"Proud To Be Me!" Chorus declamation.

Belle went straight to Lola Luming after kissing Mama Joy when she received her diploma. The yellow ribbon is her 'Most Obedient' citation.

The graduate with her beauteous Mama Joy.

Belle with proud Papa Don.

The FOURSOME best friends: Belle, Alexy, Reby and Trisha. The pillow is gift from PJ Sanson.

Thank you LORD for the end of another school year!

Ivan Loves Clay!

"Hi there folks! I'm CLAY! And my favorite audience is watching me again!"



Hey, Clay! It's you again!"



"Yohoo, Ivan! Here we go again! What do you want me to be this time? What's next, Little Einsteins, Handy Manny or Jojo's Circus?"




Papa Don was surprised one time while I guffawed my way out of Clay's different antics. Sometimes he wears a cape like Superman, sometimes he changes his yellow color, and sometimes he morphs into different shapes like cars, house, or even a hat!"



"I always introduce the next program for the PlayHouse Disney Channel...so they sometimes call my 30-seconder role as Breaker or Interstitial..."



YIPPEEE!!! Hooray to Clay! You always make me laugh, dance and shake my booty!

NOTE FROM PAPA DON: Ivan's other favorite commercial of note that really makes him stop whatever it is he's doing is Tweety de Leon Gonzalez's Nescafe series. Bah, at 10-month old, mahilig na sa magandang tsiks ah!

Have you been to Sorrow, Mama?

Belle is going to graduate this Friday from her Prep level at The Playroom Child Development Center. For days now I always hear her rehearsing by herself the song called The Journey popularized by Lea Salonga. Even now I can’t help but imagine how I would respond when I see my unica hija ascend the stage and see her sing this song. I just said to myself though that hearing this song for days on end now would somehow lessen the emotionalist in me, as I knew what to expect. Or do I?

Two nights ago I heard Belle talk to Joy just as I was about to drift off to slumberland. She asked her, “Have you been to Sorrows, Mama?” like it was a physical place as unreachable as the North Pole or as accessible as her favorite nearby mall.

That question made me ponder. As simple as that question may seem, it pricked me. Have I been to Sorrow myself? Of course that is the elegiac question all of us will come to answer at one point when we come to a certain level of adulthood and maturity. And sure, I have been to Bliss (Sa may Kyusi ba ‘yon, hehe!)

I just hope and pray that in the future, when my daughter would face some seemingly insurmountable odds in her life, she would recall this graduation song with much thought and pedigree the way it moved me once upon a time. But hey, let her enjoy her childhood first. Just I enjoyed mine. :-)


THE JOURNEY

Lyrics by Julie Gold

Half the world is sleeping
Half the world's awake
Half can hear their hearts beat
Half just hear them break

I am but a trav'ler
Been most everywhere
Ask me what you want to know

Chorus:

What a journey it has been
And the end is not in sight
But the stars are out tonight
And they're bound to guide my way

When they're shining on my life
I can see your better day
I won't let the darkness in
What a journey it has been

I have been to sorrow
I have been to bliss
Where I'll be tomorrow
I can only guess

Through the darkest desert
Through the deepest snow
Forward, always forward I go

(repeat chorus)

Bridge:

Forward, always forward
Onward, always up
Catching every drop of hope
In my empty cup

(repeat chorus)

What a journey it has been

Titles Unltd.

The past five days, a number of my family and friends responded when I solicited their own English translation for the title of my upcoming book, ‘Ang Batang Maraming Bawal.’ In the spirit of fun, here are some of them:

The One Thousand No’s
No, Romeo!
The Boy With So Many Restrictions
This Kid’s Do Nots
Limited Childhood
Endless No’s For A Child
No! No! No!
The Helpless Child
The Child With Many Restrictions
Kidstricted
Don’t, Romeo!
Forbidden Child
The Kid With Many Restrictions
The Child With Many Don’ts
The Alibi Boy
The Lad Who Always Gives Excuses
Romeo’s Do Nots
The Boy In The Straightjacket
Kidstrictions
The Child With Limited Capacities

Very creative, right?

To all who contributed, (a number just flat-out pang-asar which I did not include here), hehe, salamat po!

The 'Right' Spelling of My surname: GONZALEZ

The image on my left is from our first National Artist, Fernando Amorsolo. Amorsolo's trademark Philippine sunlight is very evident in this rural landscape that makes you want to experience the countryside.

I was named after him, you see.

The painting on the right is from my father, Mr. Serafin Gonzalez, better-known in the art circles as Sergon. Countryside homes are his forte nowadays, but I can't help but remember that from my childhood, I always adore his still lifes. He is now based in Japan.

Much as I treasure my given first name, I can't help but get irked a lot of times when people misspell my surname. (And that happens a lot! I always have to remind clerks when they type my name na Gonzalez with a 'Z' po. Would you believe I had some problems getting my passport before because of this inadverdent mistake from the Manila City Hall registry? I had to return my diploma, or some certificates that I won so the organizers would change the error. When I write articles and see my byline in print as Gonzales, my Mama or other siblings would sigh themselves at seeing that lapse and just say to me again, "Mali na naman ang Gonzalez"? )

Frustrating, 'no?

Again, let me emphasize though that my Gonzalez ends with a 'z', as in Gonzalez. If you're having some trouble remembering that, just think of my namesake, the great Chilean tennis champion Fernando Gonzalez. It's strange when some friends and even co-workers spell my surname as Gonzales. There's something there that makes me shudder and consider, "After all this time, he writes about me as Don Gonzales?"

Well, it's the one detail, a sort of a barometer, that makes me know who among my friends really know me.

That is not to say naman na those who make the habitual mistakes (or those who stubbornly insist on the wrong spelling) are not my friends. They just are not aware of that important detail about me. Besides, that surname is (I had to admit) prone to confusion and mix-up. Since time immemorial, kumbaga.

So please, when you write about me...Fernando R. Gonzalez/ Don R. Gonzalez lang po.

:-)

QWERTY

A Filipino enters Spielberg reality show for filmmakers, ON THE LOT

Filipino cinematographer Paolo Dy is now closer to making it in Hollywood.

Dy is now among the aspiring filmmakers featured on "On The Lot," a competition produced by Mark Burnett and Steven Spielberg that offers a $1-million development deal with DreamWorks. The title of his suspense thriller is QWERTY.

For the full article featured on Inquirer.net, go here.

The 5-minute short film feature Michael Williams, Cathy Azanza, Miguel Faustman, Altair Alonso and Arvin Trinidad as Benny, the seemingly mentally-deranged man obsessed with a manual typewriter.

The claustrophobic cinematography with eerie lighting and the John Williams Jaws-type scoring make this little gem a suspenseful knock-out. The climax is reminiscent of of a Dr. Hannibal Lecter-bizarre-type of an ending especially in the scene where the puzzle unfolds. Paolo Dy surely makes us proud!

Can't wait to see the film? Go here.

Any English Equivalent for "Ang Batang Maraming Bawal"?

Wow! Here's one teaser sample illustration from artist Rodel Tapaya from my forthcoming book this June, "Ang Batang Maraming Bawal" courtesy of the CANVAS blog, Looking For Juan De la Cruz.

In the meantime, I see Gigo and his people over there at CANVAS are having a hard time looking for the apt English translation of the Tagalog title.

I remember the CANVAS Executive Director asking me this at the outset: "How do you translate 'Ang Batang Maraming Bawal' into English?"

Here are some suggestions:

"The Restricted Boy?"

"Boy, Interrupted?"

"The Boy Who Wasn't Allowed to Do a Lot of Things?"

Hay, naku. Sino bang nag-aakalang magkaka-problema sa English translation when I wrote this story? Hehe.

How about you, do you have suggestions on a better and more lyrical English equivalent?

Books I've read recently

In the hustle and bustle of my domestic and church and work lives (especially now that I'm doing shifts), I really find it hard to do my role as the bespectacled voracious reader I once was. There are times when the current page I'm reading would take about one or two hours to complete simply because of the must-do tasks I had to do. (Like, having to make Ivan's milk, having to assist Belle with her never-ending precocious questions that needed some realistic and thought-of answers, or sometimes, biglang nakawala ang aso namin sa kadena nito and I had to look for him roaming around our village, and yes, having to work on my manuscripts-in-progress.) With that interruptions, you can count the hundreds of dog ears in the books I struggle to complete reading.

Since I hardly bring my car to the office due to the stresses of driving at the Manila-Makati traffic and the unreasonable parking rates and the escalating cost of gas, I discovered eventually (and with joy!) that I can read even while standing on queue waiting for my shuttle ride especially at Fernando's Supermarket just outside our village and at the Makati Landmark terminal. During these seemingly idle moments, I take out whatever book I had at the moment and enjoy my uninterrupted reading.

The past three months, my book reading output was frugal but I enjoyed the books nonetheless. When I say my book reading output, I do not include the newspapers, the magazines and the short stories that sometimes come my way.

The recent books that I read are the ff:

JESUS (Everything You Need To Know To Figure Him Out) by Mark Littleton

THE PALACE THIEF by Ethan Canin

TELLING YOURSELF THE TRUTH by William Backus and Marie Chapian

FALL IN LOVE, STAY IN LOVE by Willard F. Harley, Jr.

SO BIG by Edna Ferber

YOUR CHILD'S SELF-ESTEEM by Dorothy Corkille Briggs

Right now I'm reading THE GOOD GERMAN by Joseph Kanon

Happy Reading to Me! :-)

Tito Ix's birthday visit and Ivan's attempt to walk

Ninong 'Tito Ix' and Ivan emoting.



Ivan in his walker, trying to reach for the chessboard (partly hidden.)




Tito Ix gave us a surprise early morning visit here in Manila two weeks ago. It was his birthday and he decided to spend it with us! Ang utol kong ito, ginagawang 'Divisoria' ang 'Pinas, literally! He had to canvas materials for their upcoming stage production in, among other places, Divi! I barely had three hours sleep when I took this photo because I came home from overtime at work around 4 a.m. na. But, no complaints here. Hehe.




Ivan walks with Lola Luming's aid. My ever-efficient and loving mother-in-law visits us in Las Piñas from time to time to assist us and be the doting grandmother to her two apos.


Mana kay Tito Ix. Belle is drawing her artwork here in front of his artist uncle who's doing sketches/studies for their mega-production 'The Little Mermaid' in Guam sometime this summer. I'm so proud to say that my brother was given a meritorious citation by the Ambassador of Guam for his contribution in the arts especially among the students in that U.S. territory.

Kuting GA last February 24

Astrid Mae Tobias stresses her point during her lecture.


Astrid's Powerpoint from her Mac notebook.


Cozy at Direk Dang's pad.
L-R: Ace, Liwliwa, Agay, Dang, and Heidi


"Why You Need Iron-rich Foods for Energy!"
Watching Astrid's video output from the Netherlands' workshop.


Ace reads from "The Juggler."


Take it from the Expert.
Heidi gives her critique to Astrid's story, "The Juggler."


Probees on the block: Anong gagawin nating fundraising project?"
L-R: Don, Liwliwa, and Tin Paita

***

“Think of a Question.”

That was the question that started the ball rolling from our last GA held at Direk Dang’s cozy pad at Masikap Street, East Avenue, QC.

After the customary roll call of all the Kuting members and probees who were able to attend that afternoon’s session, and after the agenda update from Ace Elgar, we were on to serious business as Astrid Mae Tobias shared with us a media lecture from her Netherlands experience.

All of us present started to come up with questions based on “What do kids ask these days? What was your favorite question when you were a kid?”

Here are the highlighted answers from all of us:

Former Junior Inquirer staff Tin Paita can’t help but remember her childhood quintessential query that makes us conjure happy memories of the elusive pot of gold: “What is at the end of the rainbow? Where does its tail go?”

Heidi Eusebio Abad (Polliwog’s Wiggle) shared with us a story about her precocious son when they were in a parking lot just last month and the place had lots of gumamelas around it. The son started to pick one blossom but Heidi warned him against doing it. The conversation goes like this:

Heidi: Don’t pick the flowers.
Son: WHY can’t I pick flowers?
Heidi: Because flowers make the park look pretty.

Heidi noticed that the park was painted green making the contrast with the flowers’ lush colors more appealing and dainty to the eyes.

Her son reiterated the question again. Until his more pronounced question made all of us giggle and went, “Aaahhh…”

Son: You mean I can’t pick flowers even if it’s for loving?

Kapamilya TV writer-director Dang blurted her questions that bordered on the ‘mature’ (Saan galing ang baby?) and whimsical (Bakit ang taho sa umaga? Bakit ang balot sa gabi?)

Agay Llanera (Sol) asked the question practically all children ask at one point in their lives: Totoo ba ang multo? And I can’t help but laugh at the next question she posed that I have also heard when I was a kid about my younger brother when we always tease him about his relation to us, his siblings: Ampon ba ako? Or, Pinulot lang ba ako sa tae ng kalabaw?

Liwliwa Malabed (100 Questions Filipino Kids Ask) remembers asking her elders, “Why can’t I? Bakit mo ako pinagbabawalan?” She also shudders at the thought on why the moon kept on stalking her everywhere she goes when she was little.

Kuting Vice-President Ace Elgar is constantly exposed to difficult questions posed by her pubescent boys both at school and at home. The mother of two boys aged 9 and 3 respectively, her older son one day asked her about his emerging ‘manhood’, “Bakit pag morning matigas ang aking patutoy? Minsan naman parang ‘sad’.”

The queries from her Grade Six students are more cognitive: “Why is there peer pressure? Why is it difficult to say ‘No’?”

Yours truly shared with the group a ‘morbid’ topic that one day, all our little kids will ask of us. I remember sharing this in one blog that I wrote sometime last year: “Will you grow old, Papa? When you grow old, will you die?”

***

Astrid’s wonderful and educational lecture that afternoon posed the many questions that she and her co-team members from different nationalities extracted from the Dutch students: Why do airplanes fly? How do I keep my bicycles safe? The more advanced students asked them: Why can’t I vote?

Astrid tackled on the two most commonly used media forms in reaching out to children: TV and radio. In most third world countries like Nepal and Bhutan or the vast of Africa, radio is used basically by the majority while in our country, television is the dominant media used, with majority of the population having at least one TV set.

In radio, open discussion and arguments for issues are more spontaneous while on TV, visual rather than aural impact is more given weight.

When we present stories for children using the media, it is also important to know our target audience. According to UNICEF, the age category for children is between 0-18 years old. Toddlers up to age six are more inclined to ask the Who, What, When of things. Kids from ages 6-12 tend to ask the technical side of their concerns, now asking the How’s and Whys. The teenagers tend to focus on the emotional and cognitive questions such as, “Why do I have facial/pubic hairs? Or Why do I fall in love?”

Astrid also shared with us the 10 TV formats commonly used for television. The first one, the Wrapper Format, feature several sub-headings that can be mixed or combined to make for a single variety show: Magazine format where there is a presentor, the Report format where there is a single subject anchored by a reporter; the Montage format that showcase live video recording without presentor, the Actuality format that covers live events such as sports and news, and the Games format which now covers the reality programs pervading on air.

Other than the Wrapper format, there is the Individual formats that feature the ff. treatment: Interviews, Testimony, Drama, Discussion and Demonstration. Also, the LEARNING themes discussed include the Stimulus response training, Passive information transfer, Targeted practice training and Learning as persuasion.

The session commenced with twin video showing of projects done by Astrid’s co-workshoppers in tulip country. We were then asked to comment on the programs afterwards using the ‘Mapping’ principles that Astrid shared with us.

After Astrid’s lecture, we all participated in a manuscript critique now featuring a story by Astrid herself, ‘The Juggler’ which, according to Heidi, resonates of the religious theme presented before by the classic film Marcelino pan y vino now only with a sanguine twist.

As last activity for the night, we were also treated to a patriotic short film from Dang entitled “Para sa Kabataan” that featured as the major actors child start BJ ‘Tolits’ Forbes and (Surprise! Surprise!) our very own Kuting co-probee Miles ‘Nono’ Pardalis. Naks, we didn’t know Nono pala is a good thespian!

That’s all, folks! Till our next GA at our Kuting President’s place, Zarah Gagatiga on March 24.



BONUS PIC: Miles 'Nono' Pardalis in the short film, "Para Sa Kabataan"