Behind the Song: DROWN

I never intended to write on this broken-relationship theme. I just wanted to write a sad song, but with a hint of hope for the people of Japan. I already made up my mind. I even inserted the sound of the March 10 earthquake as intro, fill, and outro for the song. But when I wrote the lyrics, the feel brought me to another place. This is the joy of songwriting. It will take you nowhere.

For the music, I was arranging a cover tune for our band soundcheck the other day. That song is To Build a Home by The Cinematic Orchestra. It is so alive that it is still breathing in my blood when I began writing this new song. Resulting to using the same chord progression, but embedded a different melody.

So, hear ye.

Drown by Andy Calope

DROWN

Andy Calope

The water came right up to me

While you were leaving me for someone new

But you came back, swam back for me

Don't let me drown

Don't let me drown

Don't let me drown

Our love is breaking up in two

I thought you're gonna stay but you let go

The waves came back, came back for me

Don't let me drown

Don't let me drown

Don't let me drown

Top 10 Animated Movie Songs

A good animated movie wouldn’t be complete without the songs.  A classic animated movie usually has several good songs in it.  But only one or two – or, in the case of Tarzan, three – songs would stand out to define the movie.  This kind of songs would even become classics on their own.  They are generally inspiring, moving, and powerful.  They would make your skin crawl and fill your heart with emotion.

yup. a lot of which are from Disney

My top 10 picks, after the jump:

zombie lovin'

Pardon my typos if I do have any. It's 10:56pm and we just came from a drunking and tag-you're-it session at the public playground. Our chlidish ways resurface at night. While my head is still fogged up and constantly singing Rebecca Black's Fridday, I would like to introduce the apple of my eye.

He makes other zombies turn into dust and he'll eat it too. He's Rick Genest and famously called Zombie Boy, because of his body literally inked with anatomical parts, is the muse of Mugler's Fall Campaign. Genest wears a tux (and he wears it well) like he did in Lady Gaga’s “Born This Way” video. I'm so glad someone is using him a muse because he sure knows how to inspire the industry.

The Crappiest Song Ever!!!

WARNING: This is going to be a massively sadistic torturing of your ears.  Listen at your own risk.  You've been warned!

The effect of the song to a listener

And this vid actually went viral!  As I write this, it has more than 28 million views.  But look a bit closer at the ratio of likes to dislikes.

my point exactly...

Ok, I might be exaggerating.  There might be a worse song out there than this crap.  But nothing comes to mind as of now (remind me if you thought of a worse song).  Nonetheless, this is at least one of the the worst songs ever made.

Or at least when it's sang by Rebecca Black, it's the worst song ever.  Because, when covered by others, it sounds better!

Here's how it sounds with actually some "talent" in it:

There are other covers of "Friday" that you can watch in youtube that is better than the original.  

Here's another one:  

Made me LOL.  As one youtube commenter pointed out:

The fact that this video was made for fun, and the original video was made seriously still makes me laugh.

This cover > Original.

Exactly.


Is this song the worst song ever?  Or it is just real bad because Ms. Black sang it?  You be the judge.

When not criticizing in the "Experimental Theatre", Bernel is criticizing in "The Bernel Zone"...

I ♥ CEBU FOOD-- Part 1

I ♥ CEBU food

Part 1

A short history.....

....on learning to love local food...

Ever since I was a kid, I have a high appreciation for food. It probably started off as me-- a kid forced by my parents to finish everything on my plate and whether I like it or not, I should eat. That was when I started to be more daring in my attempts in exploring new tastes. And what could be a good start to explore than those food readily accessible and easily prepared. As a kid, I prefer eating food that are homemade as snacks rather than junkfood and softdrinks. Credits go to my Lola Maria-- my grandmother...who took good care of us cousins and siblings when we were young. She was the first to introduce us to the many different kinds of originally pinoy food and pinoy style of eating.

*by the way guys, terms I will be using especially those in italics are in bisaya or cebuano terms...terms vary in different dialects, but since I am Cebuana, you can learn some Cebuano terms too... ^_^

Savory Sepia Moments...

Lola made us eat our meals with ripe banana or ripe mango-- like it is really included in each spoonful of rice and viand. Weird as it tastes at first, especially when you're eating it with inan-unan (a dish of fish cooked in vinegar, onions, garlic, ginger and sili espada), but eventually I got used to it, but kept on wondering why my Lola does that. All I remember is her explaining that it helps us in digesting the food that we eat, and how it will help prevent us from getting tummyache no matter how much and how many different kinds of food we eat at the same time. And it indeed works! As to the detailed chemical dynamics-- I am not so sure about the explanation. It could also be a psychological factor, but yeah, I don't get empacho or indigestion. Until now, I'd prefer to have banana with my meals. And though mangoes are quite costly these days, it's a special delight to have one in your meals.

Other foods I remember that my lola introduced to us were champorado, bibingka, banana-cue, camote-cue, linung-ag na camote and saging, sinugbang mais, puto (sometimes eaten with buwad and sikwati)... and many more...

As I grew older, went to school and etc. I learned about other pinoy delicacies in which I delight-- cassava cake, palitaw, budbud, linusak, pinaypay and others...( these were actually my favorite snacks after my swimming lessons back when I was in Grade 1 and 2)

Salty foods are one of my early cravings too like buwad, ginamos, uyap and mani. Fruits sold on the sidewalk ready to eat include indian mango, singkamas, bayabas, tambis, santol, kapayas and manggang hilaw...sliced and sometimes tinuhog with a stick.

....Kinamot

Yes-- a lot of pinoy food are on a stick, or in bite-sized servings. Reason is because Pinoys love to eat using their bare hands-- not using much utensils. Kinamot is a favorite way to eat and it's not really a hard skill to do. You just have to pick or punit the food and hungit-- place in your mouth. Okay okay...some foreigners find it hard..and that's most likely because they find it awkward-- it's not really about the skill that they find kinamot difficult.

So I will end my PART 1 here...just a little childhood background on the food I have tried. The food I mentioned above are also available elsewhere in the Philippines. But on the next article.. I ♥ CEBU food PART 2 , I would begin focusing on CEBUANO food...

... Mabuhay!

^___^

Jasmine: Part 2

Jasmine was still observing the crowd, when it parted. He was tall and dark and handsome and he made Jasmine’s throat dry. He stood out in the crowd, an unfamiliar stranger – to her that is. Some of the merchants greeted him cheerfully. His fez told her he was a probably from Turkey. He was pulling a horse with packages. Carpets, he’s selling carpets. Jasmine told herself. The man started to unpack the packages and display his wares. All kinds of carpets were on display. Some of them even have gold lining. The women started gathering around this young charmer and Jasmine snorted. Women are so gullible; she thought and bit into her now dry apple. The man talked to everyone who came near. He flattered the older ladies and winked at their daughters. After an hour, only a few more carpets remained. A young lady went near him and he quickly offered the remaining carpets but the lady pointed to one that he didn’t offer. It’s been reserved, he said and the lady pouted. He offered the other carpets and the lady finally relented to buy another. When the lady left, Jasmine was left curious about the carpet. She didn’t notice anyone take interest in it earlier and the man was already packing his things. Jasmine crossed the space between them and paused.

“Won’t you let me buy a carpet?” She asked. He turned around to see a pair of blue eyes and felt them familiar. He had seen the girl sitting across the corner when he came. He thought he was an older child and he had felt the curious stare from her all day. 
n fact, he had thought of going near them after selling the carpets.

She doesn’t look so young up close, he thought.

“I’d like to have that one.” Jasmine pointed to the one he had refused to sell.
He looked at her and at the carpet.
She’s the one. It seemed to say and he had no choice in the matter.

Jasmine watched in awe as the carpet unrolled itself and the young merchant stepped on it.

“Well then, shall we try it?” He asked. Jasmine looked at him puzzled.
“Try what?” She asked.

“This magic carpet” and he smiled.

*pic taken from Google, I cropped it. ^_^

Jasmine: Part 1

Jasmine's Lily Pond

Another hot day ruled over the streets of Agrabah and Jasmine wished the monsoons would come soon. She sat on a floor pillow and basked in what little air the servants could fan. Suddenly, she got up and demanded the servants to leave. What a boring day it is in this castle, she thought as she gazed on the city. Moments later found her wandering amidst the city crowd wrapped in commoner’s clothes. Her solitary escapades would raise hell with her father, she was sure but her room was almost hell to her anyway. Jasmine bought an apple here and some grapes there.

The princess walked around town careful not to go to places where there were only a few people and making sure no one was following her. Capricious she was, careless she wasn’t. Being the only heir of the city, she was always being reminded to keep herself alive.

Jasmine sat in a shade with some children and watched the crowd go by, there was always something to do in the market. Haggling, making, and dancing. There was so much activity. She smirked as she remembered the servants who wouldn’t laugh at her jokes or the soldiers who stumbled upon themselves when she accidentally walked in on them gambling. They had let her join but it was obvious they were letting her win. Jasmine decided to look for other ways to occupy her time.

*pic taken from Holy Bell in deviantart.com, entitled: Jasmine's Lily Pond

5 Random Interesting Things I Found in the Internet #2

Here's another installment of some internet finds of mine...


5.) Meow

Really funny.  But what was the reaction of the cats to vid?

4.) God Smiled


If I get it right, this was the original version of "Lord, You Are Good" Dance (by Israel Houghton)...

My lovely sisters (in Christ) performed the dance, too, in one of our concerts...

But still this is the best cover of the dance...

Ok, the last one was hilarious.  But nonetheless, all three performances made God smile (or laugh) and was glorified.

3.) Facebook Fails

For your laugh trip sessions, go to http://www.lamebook.com/ 

"Funny Facebook Statuses, Fails, LOLs and More" as the site describes itself.

I, myself, am starting to learn to print screen epic moments I encounter in Facebook.  For the purpose of having a collection of hilarious and embarrassing fails by my FB friends.

2.) Crazy Drummer

Just enjoy it.

1.) Disturbing... but Hilarious

Here are some drawings done by kids that were labeled as disturbing:

http://www.barnorama.com/disturbing-childrens-drawings/

These are my favorite of the bunch...

For me, they were more hilarious than "disturbing".

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Facebook is eating me alive!

This was an old post I did for our class on Social-Networking a little while back. It's kinda funny how Facebook and its similar genres changed the lives of people around the world, and yet here I smirk and imagine the faces of 500 million users of Facebook, just as Mark Zuckerberg presses the SHUTDOWN button. Evil me. :D

Everyone aboard the “social” bandwagon are required to at least know of the popular social networking and blogging sites like FaceBook, Multiply, MySpace, Twitter and Friendster, just to name a few. To them, it’s already a way of life, something to augment their daily existence, something to spice it up – albeit the consequences it could bring.

It may be fun for you and me at the alpha-stage of our “social-networking” stage, with all the status updates like what’s on the minds of our friends, what do our friends think of us via testimonials, what are their thoughts about our blog. Yes, we want to know. It’s human to err, and it’s also human to thirst for knowledge, nonetheless our unending search for it.

Does it not make you curious whether or not your crush likes you the same way you do?

What’s the latest gigs your favorite bands have to offer?

Who was that girl I met at the party?

Bombarded by questions, yet answers could always lie in the internet. You could always try asking Google for answers, but I don’t think it’d give you the answers you’d want. Heck, that’s not enough – mind you. It searches for definite things, not things we barely know of its existence.

‘Nuff said, the whole paragraph summarizes to the internet as an endless plethora of knowledge, and social-networks amps your virtual experiences up. Let’s be honest, who can’t live without ‘em? I can’t.

Now unto the darker side of things. Social-Networking is a drug. Constant usage, then turning into an addiction; may it be the applications that keeps you going or it’s the status of your friends that keep you pushing the refresh button. Have you the guts to overcome an addiction nearly 500 million people haven’t gotten over? That’d be something of a marvel.

Oh guess what, I can call your cellphone now. Thanks for supplying your personal info in your social page. I also know where you live. Oh, and in case I don’t see you, I could always ask anyone in your naive little family. Now ain’t that a bummer, you’ve got nowhere to run thanks your “social-networking” page. And may I also complement you for being such a wonderful prey to stalk.

Stalking isn’t a rarity these days, no one has to get the binoculars out just so someone could see some skin (forgive me for the words I used, I couldn’t find anything else befitting the situation at hand). It’s not the stalkers fault if the user hasn’t learned how to set things to “private”.
On lighter terms, we’d like to call it “public profiling”, viewing only the things the users have set to public, admiration over the person would most likely prevail. Why would some people stalk at someone’s profile, befriend and get to know them better? Because the victim has left themselves vulnerable and open in the first place; that my friends, is either stupidity, carelessness or both.

I’ve nothing else to add nor to say, and I’ve also passed through the 350 words mark. But before I bid you my dear readers adieu, I’d like to impart a few words of care.
The information superhighway has limitless possibilities, possibilities that could make you or break you. Take things into careful consideration, because everything can “virtually” happen.

i miss home

I really do.

This is probably it. This is the moment when the mother eagle pushes her little baby eagles off the nest and let them fend for themselves (well, more like flapping until they finally gain momentum). I'm flying but I have yet to soar really high.

Reasons why I miss home:
-home cooked dinners. Nothing beats good old Filipino foods. Lately, I've never had this much microwaveable food but I'm glad my flatmates and I still do home cooked dinners when we can.
-sharing my bed with my mom. I have this king size bed for myself and I keep filling up one side with things just so it can take up some space.
-conversations at the table or just the plain silence whenever we have our meals make me miss home
-making pasta/salads with my mom. We work in silence but we work it with love.
-corny jokes from my siblings. It may be corny but at least we share some laughs.
-my witty niece. I hope she'll be just as witty when I come back.
-my valuable possessions: CDs, albums, posters, books. I just hope moths won't take over them when I come back.
-our garden. It may be a bit crowded with all those orchids around but the sweet smell of natural perfume makes my day.
-siomai, tempura, fried egg, pancit canton, lumpia (gosh, my mouth is watering). Well, you know what I mean.
-friends. Old or new. I miss you guys.
-the heat. The sun comes out and shines but it doesn't shine like it shines back home.

I could go on and on with the most simple and mundane stuffs that I can probably miss but my back is currently aching (damn you cold!).

Scotland isn't that bad really. I've only been here a month. I have yet to really embrace everything it has to offer.

I'm a Fan

...of art. No particular genre or medium as long as it excites my sleepy soul. Once I saw one, I usually stop whatever I'm doing and just focus on it and be captivated by its grandeur.

Here's one made a few weeks ago and let it consume you whatever.

Final.

Raw.

Behind the scenes.

Now you can go back to whatever you're doing.

Flipped

For the guys: Do you remember that moment when girls where something gross and some kind of creature you could never understand? (I do hope you've outgrown the gross part)

For the girls: Ever remember your first crush? :)

Flipped is a 2001 movie about puppy love and something more. This movie was directed by two time Emmy Award winner, Rob Reiner.
The story started with the two characters meeting back when they were 7 years old and progresses to puberty. Juli, sees the new next door neighbor and falls in love or however a 7-year old girl sees things, unfortunately, Bryce doesn't see the same things she does and thinks she's a stalker and hides behind his momma. He starts to develop
a great aversion for anything Juli-related and finds ways to make her avoid him. But in the long run, when Juli decided she doesn't like him anymore, Bryce finally notices her.
The setting is way back in 1957 but it seeing the movie doesn't make you feel too far out even if they didn't have cell phones during that time. The "he-said, she-said" way of the script makes me laugh especially when these two characters think differently about the same situation. It has a touch of drama but not the type where you would cry buckets so those who don't like tearjerker movies could handle it.

I think its a very cute movie perfect for a Saturday without anything else to do. Not too heavy, not to light. I'm sure you can relate to some of the events surround the two characters. :)

Flipped Trailer

Ragnarok Online ~ A Reminisce and Art Appreciation

One day, I was walking down the dessert caves of Morroc... I was especially alien and unfamiliar to the place. This was the first time my friends brought me here. They assured that I will be okay. I lacked the training and I was still an average level swordsman... But never will I forget those days I played Ragnarok Online.

I was second year high school when the Ragnarok fever was coming into the mainstream. I am not a gamer- for one thing. I am more like just a spectator, an observer. I really don't like to play games much because of three things:

1. to be defeated painfully and regarded as weak

2. the fear of being addicted to a game and not be able to focus in my studies

3. my parents would scold me... hahaha

Two of my friends insisted me to join them. But it didn't start out that way.

It all began when the game was a fuzz amongst my classmates especially those guys who are fond of gaming. One time, a seatmate of mine asked me to draw his character in Ragna. He told me the characters were cute and unique. At first, feeling lazily, i declined and told him, i cannot relate to this "Ragna" they were all talking about.

One day, one of my male close friends at that time, who also played the game, showed me the game art. Just one image and this was the image.

I was amazed... I stared at it for a long time.. He was just explaining to me that his character was like this, an Assassin by occupation.

When I got home, i researched all artworks related to the game. Until, I got so inspired, i tried to draw in this style and character.

I just fell inlove with the art style, and because of it, I felt that something was lacking. That I am missing the thrill of playing the game. I never really understood the game until I tried playing it. So, one day, two of my friends accompanied me in signing up for the game. I was really annoyed that I had to spend a lot of money on this. But it happened as I feared, I got addicted to the game and blamed it for not being able to save my allowances. Hahaha!

My 2 friends Ogor and Knetz, where my all time companions throughout the game. We helped each other out. The game is not just for individual gaming. It's all about teamwork as well.

Later on I quit playing Ragna, not because I got bored, in fact i miss playing it. But i was the fact I am not getting any wealthier of this. Hahaha... but one thing is for sure. I pay gratitude to those friends of mine who introduced me to the game. Ragnarok, if not the most all time favorite game I played, had been one of the most influential art styles that made a great deal in my art style today.

Example of my Ragna inspired fanart

Hahaha obviously its waaaaaay so long ago haha

For more Ragnarok Online and Game Art

visit my all time favorite site

http://creativeuncut.com/art_ragnarok-online_a.html

www.creativeuncut.com

5 Random Interesting Things I Found in the Internet #1

The Internet is such a rich place for everything bizarre, epic, intriguing, and fascinating.  In this series (which will have no definite regular schedule), I will be enumerating, at a time, 5 Internet finds that I stumbled upon in the Web that you might want to check out for yourself.   They can be links to articles, videos, images, etc.    

So, here’s for the first edition of “5 Random Interesting Things I Found in the Internet”… 

5.) Let’s Start With Something Cute…

Then…

Now…

Awwww…

Enjoy the cuteness.  The rest in the list are not so.

Source: http://www.thatcutesite.com/boy-his-puppy-then-now.html

4.) Axl Rose

Axl was the lead vocalist of “Guns N’ Roses” and second most prominent member (yup, Slash is the most prominent) of the band.  He was as sexy as a rock front man can be. ..

Because of the Internet, I learned that he now looks like this…   

The word “shocking” does not give it justice.

Source: http://www.cracked.com/article_19001_17-images-that-will-ruin-your-childhood_p3.html

3.) Mrs. LeBron Wade

the site: http://mrslebronwade.com 

Lots of LOLs entries (and ‘shopped photos) in this blog…

No.  I am not a LeBron-hater, though if there’s a Kobe vs. LeBron debate, I am with Team Kobe (my fave player).  But, really, this blog is just hilarious.     

Bonus link: http://www.uproxx.com/feature/2010/07/decision-2010-10-things-lebron-james-might-announce-on-his-espn-special/  

This was a hilarious pre-“The Decision” article speculating on what LeBron's announcement could be.

2.) Goblin Fetus From Hell

SWEET MOTHER OF ZEUS!!! WHAT IN THE BLUE EARTH IS THAT???!!! 

Read more here: http://www.chilloutpoint.com/odd_world/strangest-creature-found-on-earth.html

1.) Food Pornography

There are times in these "epic meal time" projects that seem to give you an appetite, but the extremity of it all would eventually look disgusting.   I picked this particular project to embed because, to me, it has the least chance of giving you nausea and has some possibility of being appetizing.
 

Plenty of other interestin, fun, and extreme food trips in their youtube channel.  Check it out: http://www.youtube.com/user/EpicMealTime


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