Mitsuru

i used to play  this a lot  back in the days  growing up in  Tiwi  when  the Beatles  ruled the Radiowealth turntable  at home . listening  to a 45 Parlophone record  me and my friends  would sing-along-   "Obladi-Oblada, life goes on bra..." 👁   seeing as we were only 7 or 8 years old, we found the “mention” of a bra in a song quite hilarious *Memories of Childhood in Tiwi #1970sTiwi #TheBeatles

...early Sunday morning, driving on a deserted Southfield Freeway. the sun's rays are trying to break through the grey clouds' spell. Michigan in winter; beautiful and lonely.

"In all our quest of greatness, like wanton boys, whose pastime is their care, we follow after bubbles, blown in the air." - John Webster  *Troy Marriott/Troy Michigan

The Mackinac Bridge: the longest suspension bridge in the Western Hemisphere, connecting the two peninsulas of Michigan.

...drove 30 miles for this, a one-night-only showcase (in Michigan and other parts of the US) of Leonardo da Vinci's works, live from London's The National Gallery. "the greatest geniuses sometimes accomplish more by working less" - Leonardo da Vinci on why he would go on for days without working on 'The Last Supper'

I was walking along the Westin Book Cadillac Hotel when I heard a voice say "cut"! Some people were shooting a TV series called Detroit 1-8-7 on State St. just beside the hotel. The security people told me that I could not pass on that particular side of the street. So, I turned around and headed back to the hotel and bumped into a familiar face at the door but didn't register. Then I realized who she was and whipped out my iPhone and took some shots on an unmade- up Alicia Silverstone clad in gray sweat pants, blue shirt & flip-flops while on her way to a film shoot for her movie Vamps just two blocks down on Griswold Street. It could have been better if I managed to take a photo when she came out of the door while looking straight and smiling at me. Btw, I liked her in the movie titled The Crush back in the early 90s. Alicia Silverstone (partly hidden by her PA) while talking to the lady in shades inside the SUV who turns out to be Krysten Ritter, her co- star ...

How can one do something of substance when your mind is in a state of complete disarray? It's an exercise in futility although one now realized that spontaneity is not equal to our sense of judgment and direction. How can one unclutter his mind of impure thoughts, crazy ideas and magical impulses without being punched in the gut in return? One can try as he must but until hell freezes over it will not matter. Why can't we just purge the remnants of the past and just shove them deep in our sorry asses, then? Who really cares whether one is lonely or happy? Who gives a fuck on how and what one feels or thinks? Who cares whether one is right or wrong? How can one pour his soul onto something and regret it in the end? Nobody but the damned themselves but who gives a fuck. ^^Photo @ the ledge of the '103 floors, 1,353 feet in the air' Willis Tower (formerly Sears Tower) Skydeck .

Guilty as charged. Yes, I have not updated my blog for a month and a day. I have been remiss with my bloghopping, too… I guess I am just in hibernation mode (okay, lazy mood) ever since I saw the mole lazily crawling out of his hole while walking around Elizabeth Park in Trenton early in Autumn. I took a picture of his fat ass but I forgot to ask the gray mammal about his predictions for the season. But the way I see it and based on the events that occurred the past weeks, it will be a long nasty winter. The gray mornings, gloomy afternoons and long nights probably further contributed to the situation too. The mood is just somber and sometimes when that evil idiot box possesses you as soon as your butt touches the couch after a long hard day, you can bet that it will be glued there for hours and hours until you fall asleep, snoring and snugly fitting into its bosom until the alarm clock wakes you up at six the next day. It has become a cycle for me that I decided to exorcise the demon...

I was 13 and had just came back from a day of playing ball with some friends in the neighborhood basketball court when I saw my Lolo and Lola huddled with serious looks on their faces around the old Sanyo, listening intently to the commentator’s pronouncements and unmindful of everything around them. After the radio announcement, my Lolo could only mutter in his soft voice that, “Marcos is finished.” The assassination of Benigno S. Aquino, Jr. or Ninoy on August 21, 1983 further stirred my interest in Philippine politics. I decided to know him better and managed to learn more about him-- from the stories and anecdotes passed on by people who were old enough to remember him to the old issues of the Philippine Free Press and other magazines in our possessions at that time. My uncle who was in the United States would send us photocopies of the San Jose Mercury News and the New York Times as well as betamax tapes of news about the assassination from foreign networks that were not av...

Tomorrow is the start of the three- day Fiesta celebration in my hometown Tiwi in Albay in honor of the town’s Patron Saint, the martyred Saint Lawrence and the Miraculous Our Lady of Salvation, the Patroness of the Diocese of Legaspi. It’s a celebration witnessed and participated upon by various pilgrims from places all over the Bicol region and beyond. Although I am not that religious anymore and a self- confessed non- practicing Catholic nowadays, I just cannot forget the customs and traditions that have been a part of my growing- up years. Yes, I still remember my religion class quite well, also being a “Sacristan” when I was a kid helped me a lot in knowing things beyond the four Evangelists. In fact, I still can recite Padre Huestro and Dios Te Salve Maria in a heartbeat. The Fiesta is usually highlighted by a colorful grand parade through the crowded streets of the town participated by various schools, organizations and local government units and culminating with the tradi...

Back in 1989 when many of friends were reading Mao, Lenin and Marx, I got hold of a book whose narrative were based mostly on eyewitness accounts as well as the writer’s own experiences as a political prisoner inside the Soviet GULag. GULag by the way is an acronym for "Chief Administration for Corrective Labor Camps" which is the name of the Soviet Union’s concentration camp’s governing board. The three- volume Arkhipelag GULag or The Gulag Archipelago is such a compelling read and quite an eye- opener especially at that time where all things Russian was either based on hear- say or propaganda. The book which was smuggled in parts out of the Iron Curtain and first published outside of the Soviet Union in 1973 was written by a Russian novelist and historian who was also the recipient of the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1970. I have only read one other book by the said author which is One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich (although I have August 1914 in my book shelf) b...

Here's a blast from the past... Summer in New York City and the heat was just unbearable. And yet we were out walking the streets and avenues, doing our own version of the Theater Tour in Broadway’s Theater District when we decided to take a breather near the historic Ziegfeld Theater at the intersection between 54th Street and 6th Avenue (a.k.a. Avenue of the Americas since 1945 but Mayor La Guardia’s ploy did not catch up with New Yorkers. Hence, 6th Avenue is still 6th Avenue until now). It was one of those days that can easily classify as a Dog Day Afternoon (No, I am not about to do a stunt ala Al Pacino in that Sidney Lumet film although I am tempted to shout “Attica!” in the midst of this August heat) and a bottle of Gatorade chased by cold water from a Dasani bottle did not help that much to quench our thirst and ignore the heat. We have been walking since 9 o’ clock in the morning from our not-so- comfy room at the Skyline Hotel, a three- star structure l...

It’s late April and still snow continues to fall in Minnesota not surprising for the state at this time of year where the weather forecast says the region will be blanketed in thick snow anytime soon. We arrived in Minneapolis- St. Paul Airport late last night on our way to San Diego and what greeted us was the nipping wind blowing right into our faces, numbing us in the process. Our Northwest Airlines Flight 755 out of Detroit was delayed by the plane’s spoiler malfunctioning and had to endure a 4 hour flight delay, transferred to another aircraft and missed the connecting flight that will take us to California. Northwest gave the passengers $100 service recovery vouchers to appease us for the delay and inconvenience. They also booked us in some hotels in downtown Minneapolis to spend the night and catch the first flight to San Diego the next day. On our way to downtown Minneapolis, we caught a glimpse of a city that is quiet and fast asleep, which was expected though for it was alrea...

In about two weeks or so, the 2008 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) will open at the Cobo Center in downtown Detroit. It is one of the biggest auto shows in the world and a must- see event on this side of the planet. This year, I plan to be there having missed the last two years of the event. And if you're a car buff, you're going to love it. Let me just give you an idea of how big and prestigious this event in the Motor City with this blast from the past... The 2005 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) was held from January 14- 22 at the Cobo Center in downtown Detroit, Michigan, USA. Hundreds of thousands of car lovers and enthusiasts converge in the Motor City to watch the latest and trendiest car of their dreams- from the traditional high- end auto makers to the affordable ones; they made the 2005 edition a roaring success by their new and innovative designs that were a feast to the eyes of everyone. The show was a showcase of the latest technologica...

Despite having to run almost two miles from the other end of the Terminal to catch the Northwest Airline Flight from Detroit- Metropolitan Wayne County Airport to La Guardia having missed our original morning flight earlier, we were still in a very good mood. And flying all the way from Michigan 2 days before the event and then “hitching” a ride from the Bronx to Tarrytown, New York on the day of the concert with old friends in tow in exchange for the promised prime concert seats, we were in cruise control. The uneventful 30- minute trip on the slow, lazy road to this little picturesque village on the eastern shore of the Hudson river did not dampen our enthusiasm a bit. We arrived at historic Tarrytown at quarter past seven of a cool and chilly evening of November 2. We were in high spirits in anticipation of a wonderful evening of music at the Tarrytown Music Hall. Yes, we traveled far for the much- awaited concert of Broadway Star and Tony- Award Winner Lea Salonga in this side...

From the Tarrytown Music Hall Website: Celebrated Tony-award winning Star of Miss Saigon, Les Miserables, Flower Drum Song as well as the singing voice of Jasmine in Disney's Aladdin ("Whole New World")and in Disney's Mulan ("Reflection"), Lea Salonga's smooth, perfectly modulated singing voice has mesmerized audiences worldwide since that famous day when she walked into the auditions for Miss Saigon as an unknown 17 year old, blew the competition out of the water and instantly became one of mega-producer Cameron Mackintosh's favorite performers. She is also considered by many as the best Eponine in Les Mis ever. We are incredibly excited to be able to offer our patrons this very rare opportunity to experience Ms Salonga in a solo concert. She will be accompanied by a group of her favorite handpicked musicans. 8 p.m. Tarrytown Music Hall

'Tis now the very witching time of night, When churchyards yawn and hell itself breathes out Contagion to this world. ~William Shakespeare On mounting a rising ground, which brought the figure of his fellow-traveller in relief against the sky, gigantic in height, and muffled in a cloak, Ichabod was horror-struck on perceiving that he was headless!--but his horror was still more increased on observing that the head, which should have rested on his shoulders, was carried before him on the pommel of his saddle! It was, as I have said, a fine autumnal day; the sky was clear and serene, and nature wore that rich and golden livery which we always associate with the idea of abundance. The forests had put on their sober brown and yellow, while some trees of the tenderer kind had been nipped by the frosts into brilliant dyes of orange, purple, and scarlet. . . . he would have passed a pleasant life of it, in despite of the Devil and all his works, if his path had not been crossed by a being...

Much has been said about the outrageous prices of his concert tickets for the Manila stop of his Awake Tour. Much has been said about the scarcity of the tickets whenever and wherever he performs(In New York City, tickets for his Madison Square Garden Concert were sold out in 20 minutes after the opening bell!). Much has been said about many people not being able to afford them. Much has been said about all the fuzz about him and his songs by the uninitiated. Much has been said about some fans feeling disenchanted because of the unfortunate situations above. You can blame the unscrupulous businessmen for their stinky business savvy but blame not the man. You can blame the greedy producers for the unpalatable ticket prices but blame not the singer. You can blame the sharks in the music industry but blame not the entertainer. And you can blame the tone-deaf ignoramuses for their hatred but blame not the person. In fact, you can also blame his legion of fans worldwide especially the ladi...

Having been out of the blog loop for a time, this one’s taking me a long time to start. But what the heck, I’m back and that’s all that matters. So, to all my blog pals out there who never fail to visit this site even if I have posted a lot of inane and insignificant material in the past months or have never posted at all, thank you very much for bearing with me. You know who you are. Peace. It’s 12:51 in the afternoon and having just woke up a few minutes ago after another night of staying up late until the wee hours of the morning which was really the norm for me rather than the exception in this hot, hot summer of ‘07. My mind is still foggy and I am still groggy not just because of that never-ending booze and plenty of that three-letter word (ha-ha) but rather more so of my disrupted circadian rhythm. To put it simply, I am still dazed and confused in my bed and have no desire to get out of it. Anyway, in the next couple of posts I’ll be doing some re-programming and reformatting o...

MAALAB NA PAGBATI SA IKA- 35 TAON NG KAPATIRANG PI SIGMA Agosto 15, 2007! (Paragon of Scholarship/ Paglingkuran ang Sambayanan) 'twas 14 years ago (UERMMMC Batch 93) SO THE PEOPLE MAY KNOW... OF LIVES AND SACRIFICES FOR THE PEOPLE On December 1987, Edwin Laguerder (Batch '79, UP), an adviser of a farmers' organization in Davao, was brutally murdered by unidentified men. The following month, Bernie de Guzman (Batch '82, Chevalier School, Angeles City) who joined the left, was gunned down along with his companion by the Philippine Constabulary (now known as the Philippine National Police) troopers in Tarlac City. On July and September of 1988, Benito Clutario (Batch '77, UP) of the Kilusang Mayo Uno (May First Movement or KMU, the most militant nationalist workers' union in the Philippines) and Benjamin Lazaro (Batch '77-C. UP) of the Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA) involuntarily disappeared at the height of the ...