Rockestra

ROCKESTRA
When Two Musical Worlds Collide
by Kristine Lim



When an immovable object like classical music meets an irresistible force like indie
rock the results are nothing short of explosive.

ROCKESTRA brings together six of the Manila's finest rock bands and the prestigious Manila Symphony Orchestra.

Forget what you think you know about classical music. ROCKESTRA will coax it out of its dusty old box, polish it shiny and new and make it ready for the future, with a little help from our local rock scene.

Imago, Cambio, Sandwich, Silent Sanctuary, Sugarfree, and TwistedHalo will share the stage with the MSO in a mind-blowing collaboration that will happen on August 19, Friday at the Tanghalang Francisco Balagtas (formerly Folk Arts Theater) at 7:30 p.m.

The Manila Symphony Orchestra has a long and impressive history as being the oldest symphony in the Philippines. Despite its age, the MSO has the youngest and most vibrant group of musicians in the country. Not only are they exceptionally trained musicians; they
also have many influences outside of the classical genre. With Professor Toti Molina waving his baton and leading them on, their passion for music is always evident in their performances.

Imago is a coed band with a handful of impressive awards under their belt, including the Awit and NU Rock Awards. Their highly awaited second album, "Take 2", was released on an independent label.

Cambio rose from the ashes of one of the Philippines' best-loved rock acts. But to dismiss them as less than their predecessor would be a horrible mistake. Equal parts pop-rock and witty cultural references, Cambio resists comparisons.

Sandwich combines the best of B-boy rap and lo-fi rock. Their unique stylings and electric live performances sets them apart from the pack. They released their long awaited third album,"Thanks to the Moon's Gravitational Pull" early 2004

Silent Sanctuary are the perfect fit for ROCKESTRA. Already possessing their own string section, they create a sound that combines their many influences Bob Marley, Dave Matthews Band, Mozart and Yo-yo Ma among others) into something completely unique.

If you've ever experienced heartache then you'll know what Ebe Dancel of Sugarfree has gone through. Taken to heart by youths everywhere, Sugarfree's odes to true love are as true as what's in your diary as they are perfect examples of pop songs.

You could describe Twisted Halo's music as art-rock. Or avant-funk. Or maybe even a little 80's. You would be right and you'd also be really wrong. Twisted Halo defies definition by
making music the way they want it. A hardworking band by nature they can be seen playing clubs and schools all over the city.

At ROCKESTRA, the bands will rip through their sets with the usual enthusiastic abandon, only this time they'll have the awesome firepower of a complete orchestra behind them. Imagine songs like "Mariposa", "Divisoria" and "Two Trick Pony" played like you've never heard them before.

And while you're imagining that: Imagine buying yourself a ticket to ROCKESTRA, telling all your friends about it, showing up at Folk Arts Theater and having the best night you will ever have in your entire life. Now quit imagining and go buy the ticket. Leave your top hat and tails at home. The dress code is strictly smartly caustic.

Tickets priced at Php 975/ 630/ 350/ 175/ 75.
Tickets are available at the CCP Ticket Booth, major National Bookstore branches, robinson's Department Store (Malate, Galleria, Cavite & Pampanga), Tower Records (Makati and Alabang), Music Museum (Virra Mall, Greenhills), Ayala Center Inc. Greenbelt 1 Ticket Booth Cinema Lobby, Glorietta 1 Ticket Booth Cinema Lobby and on the TicketWorld website found at www.ticketworld.com.ph. Call 891.9999 for inquiries and reservations.

Temporary Hiatus

The Shadow Laboratory is currently in a self-imposed hiatus. No more new posts.

this is yomz... now signing off.

*National Anthem plays on the background*

static...

static...

static...

Bilog ang Buwan... Puro Kalokohan

ano ba ang meron sa bilog? bakit pag bilog ang buwan, sinasabing puro kalokohan ang mga tao? bakit pag sinasabing binata ka na pag bilog na ang iyong utot? hmmm... bilog. bakit boxing ring ang tawag pero hindi naman ito bilog? bilog ba ang pinanggalingan ng sumisikat na mga blog? hindi ko alam kung bakit bilog ang topic ng entry ko ngayon. siguro naisip ko na ang bilog ay kumakatawan sa tuluy-tuloy na pag-ikot ng buhay, minsan masaya minsan malungkot. umiikot. parang katanungan na manok-itlog (chicken and egg question). hindi mo matukoy kung ano ang nauna. ewan ko. pero sinabi kasi kanina ng kagrupo kong si Kate na bilog ang buwan, kaya pala makulit ang grupo namin. haaay... ayun, naalala ko na. bilog ang buwan = puro kalokohan

Kalokohan # 1: The more entries you send, the more chances of winning

May nagbigay sa amin ng brochures kanina. wala namang interesado. kaya pinasa namin sa iba naming kamag-aral. pero paano namin sila makukumbinsi? ewan ko, pero bigla ko na lang sinabi na: "kailangan mo yan. the more entries you send, the more chances of winning." hindi naman ito contest o raffle. brochure lang para sa review center. hmmm... naisip ko. paano kung ang mga application form ng anumang institusyon ay may ganitong pamamaraan? tipong, "gusto ko makapasa sa college na iyon! magpapasa ako ng 10 application forms. the more applications you send, the more chances of getting accepted." isang malaking kalokohan.

Kalokohan # 2: Mga Taong Walang Isang Salita

ung klase namin kanina. "Don't read your book! Explain in your own words" ika ng guro. Wala siyang isang salita. ayaw nyang magpabasa, basa naman sya ng basa at hindi namin maintindihan sa bilis. gusto nya ipaliwanag namin sa aming sariling salita ang aming binasa, pero gaya ng aking nasambit kanina, basa lang siya ng basa. parang kausap nya ung pader. mayroon talagang mga guro na walang salita. tipong, ayaw ng guro ang mga nale-late. pero sya naman ay once a month kung pumasok. busit na kalbo un. kalbo masamang tao. hence, i will dedicate a whole entry just for him. meron talagang mga klase na ayaw mong matuloy. kapag nasa silid ka na, nanalangin ka na lang: sana may bumagsak na cometa; sana may dumating na UFO at kunin sya; sana may pumasok na lasing sa klase at sumigaw na "Itigil ang klaseng ito!!! Ito ay isang malaking kalokohan!!!" at kami ay magpapalakpakan.

Kalokohan # 3: Ang Blog ni Yomz

Axilla Force. Why I Hate Swimming. Torpe Entries. ang blog ni yomz. isang malaking kalokohan.


Food for thought:

"Poems are made by fools like me. But only God can make a tree."
- excerpt from Tree by Joyce Kilmer

Hyperopia

Myopia or near-sightedness is the problem of most people. They focus too much on trivial things that they fail to see the big picture. But I think many people also have the problem of hyperopia, including me. People tend to be far-sighted. They look to much on the future, while not assessing what they have right now. There is nothing wrong at considering one's future, but everything should be done in moderation. For the past few days, I learned about hyperopia. The future is unclear, for it may be have something good or not so good in store for us. One thing is for sure, it will help us be better individuals.

People tend to look for the wrong things. What they don't know is that something better is at hand.

We search for so much things that we tend to take for granted what we have. We want more, while we don't know that we have the best. We search so far, yet what we really want is here. Many small things can be bigger than the biggest things in life. Appreciate the small and the trivial for these might be bigger and more important in building touchpoints.

.:yomz:.

Something to ponder upon...

Many people are confused, including me. So here is something to ponder upon..... and this will be the last mushy entry i will post. no more torpe entries. no more love-related entries. ayoko na. i'm sick and tired. maybe you are too... this will be the last... until the appropriate moment comes.

Are your palms sweaty, is your heart racing and is your voice caught within your chest??
-It isn't love, it's LIKE.

You can't keep your eyes or hands off of them, am I right??
-It isn't love, it's LUST.

Are you proud, and eager to show them off??
-It isn't love, it's LUCK.

Do you want them because you know they're there??
-It isn't love, it's LONELINESS.

Are you there because it's what everyone wants??
-It isn't love, it'S LOYALTY.

Are you there because they kissed you, or held your hand??
-It isn't love, it's LOW CONFIDENCE.

Do you stay for their confessions of love, because you don't want to hurt them??
-It isn't love, it's PITY.

Do you belong to them because their sight makes your heart skip a beat??
-It isn't love, it's INFATUATION.

Do you pardon their faults because you care about them??
-It isn't love, it's FRIENDSHIP.

Do you tell them every day they are the only one you think of??
-It isn't love, it's a LIE.

Are you willing to give all of your favorite things for their sake??
-It isn't love, it's CHARITY.

Does your heart ache and break when they're sad??
-Then it's LOVE.

Do you cry for their pain, even when they're strong??
-Then it's LOVE.

Do their eyes see your true heart, and touch your soul so deeply it hurts??
-Then it's LOVE.

Do you stay because a blinding, incomprehensible mix of pain and relation pulls you close and holds you there??
-Then it's LOVE.

Do you accept their faults because they're a part of who they are??
-Then it's LOVE.

Are you attracted to others, but stay with them faithfully without regret??
-Then it's LOVE.

Would you give them your heart, your life, your death??
-Then it's LOVE.

Now, if love is painful, and tortures us so, why do we love? Why is it all we search for in life? This pain, this agony? Why is it all we long for? This torture, this powerful death of self? Why? The answer is so simple cause it's...LOVE. It is such an addictive thing that even people who are not having it wish to experience it and share it with others as well.

________________

until then, i'll keep my mouth shut. see no evil. hear no evil. speak no evil. nuninuninuninu...

.:yomz:.

Torpe's Trouble

while reminiscing in my old e-mails, i found this piece. this piece first appeared in PDI's youngblood on May 7,1997 and was included in The Best of Youngblood. hmm... i think i'll submit one of my entries to Youngblood too.
**

Torpe's Troubles
by Arem

"Torpe" is one of those Filipino cultural words. Its English equivalent, timid, does not fully capture its real meaning. But then again, neither does its local popular meaning. To most Filipinos, it simply means being shy with the opposite sex. Yet it is something more than that. In order to fully comprehend the term, let us observe a typical torpe and how he goes about his love life.

While most people fall head over heels for voluptuous women, our torpe does not. The usual object of his affections is someone who is, as childish as it may sound, nice. Our torpe easily falls for a lady who is amiable, congenial and smiles a lot (it would seem that he looks more for personality rather than for physical beauty). He doesn't go after a lady just so that he can have someone to brag to his friends about. Rather, he likes someone whom he could talk with, share some thoughts with, walk under the stars with. But neither the talk nor the walk really ever happens, for how can he talk to someone whom he shies away from?

Being a torpe, he does not have enough courage to talk, or to do any form of interaction, with his crush. He sweats at the mere thought of saying something to her. He runs (yes, this does happen)whenever he sees her coming and hides in some desolate room (torpes have sharp eyes and can easily spot their crush from miles away). And when he has no place to run or hide, our torpe simply passes her by and pretends that he did not see her, from fear that he may have to say something to her. The most that he ever does is to take an occasional glimpse at her. And should his crush just happen to look at him too as he glances at her, a thousand stampeding horses rush about in his chest.

What happens if, by some freak of nature, our torpe is forced into a situation in which he has to talk to his crush? He usually just stands there and gathers dust, waiting and hoping that it is she who shall initiate a conversation. And if she does not do anything to start they end up saying "hi" and "hello" to each other 10 times over. But usually, after the third "hi" and fifth "hello," the lady says that she has to go somewhere and leaves. Our torpe then blames himself for fouling up what seemed to be the chance of a lifetime for him. Don't get him wrong, it is not that he does not want to speak with her. In fact it's quite the opposite, he zealously wants to talk with her. He does anything he can to get a chance to converse with his crush. He follows her home, to the library, to her classes, to the mall, to the church, eagerly waiting for her to notice and approach him. He would approach if he could, but the nearer she becomes the more his tongue swells. And when she is within talking distance,zoom! he runs away.

So, how does our torpe court his crush? Through letters. What he cannot say personally he says with pen and paper. At first, he sends a thank you note for some trivial thing, or a birthday card, or a Christmas card, or a bar mitzvah card (torpes sometimes employ the most outrageous of excuses). If she sends him a note in return, he then sends her a letter. This time, the letter is a narrative on how his day went, but he ends it with a question on how her day went or on how she is. He hopes that she'll write back, but, almost always, she never does. Yet our torpe still writes to her, and writes, and writes, and writes, until she is literally flooded with letters. As time progresses, these letters start to contain declarations of love toward her. As I said, what he cannot say personally he says with pen and paper. This of course does not mean that he loves her any less than a normal person would. It's just that he's too afraid to tell her.

In the end, his crush distances herself away from him, evades him. She is afraid that our torpe will think that she likes him too. But he'll never think this way. He knows that she won't fall for him; for who could like someone who's too afraid to talk, too scared to speak to the most important person in his life, too frightened to say the wrong thing to the lady whom he loves above all else. I should know --I'm a torpe too.

___________________________

me too.

.:yomz:.

Confessions of a Torpe

confessions of a torpe*
written February 15, 2004
by yomz


hmm...

hi! how are you?
do you have a minute?
great! i have something important to say...
i... i love you!

how i wish i had said that,
in fact, i want, but i won't,
i would love to, but i can't.

the great paradox in life.
they say that things are easier said than done.
when in front with the girl you love...
everything changes.
nothing is easy.
it is easier thought than said.

when you're a torpe,
paradigm shifts are bound to happen

a feeling inside is there
an outside force is present
a mysterious aura envolopes you

it's like you are nailed in your current position
though you are a hostage kept securely in place
if ever you managed to escape, and move,
you'd feel as if you are pumped by strong current of water.
you want to move to the girl you like but you can't.
you want to make the moves, but you can't.
you want to say it, but you can't.
when you can say it... you can't make the moves.

what is this feeling? this force? this aura?
is it because of fear?
is it because of embarassment?
is it because of rejection?
is it because of pride?
is it because of hunger?
or is it because of love?

i love her...
i really do.
i wish i can say it.
i wish she can read it.
i love you.

*torpe = typical shyboy

p.s.
for those who are not reading anything, read this:
ode to nice guys by some sad guy

Pinoy Blonde

kudos for Pinoy Blonde! i really anticipated for its release, because it looked promising and different, and because i'll be watching it with... my very good friend Karla. and i did. i never anticipated any Pinoy film coming out in the market. i watched Keka and i liked it. i watched several indie short film, and Pinoy film-makers really are promising. too bad, only a few Filipinos support films which does not suit their realm: the old, and the clichéd. this really bothers me. can't we be a little more "Out of the Box?"

people often know only the mainstream, the big stars, and the big productions. little did we know that there were local indie filmmakers who already won in Cannes in France. in the realm of advertising, the recent commercial for the documentary Bun-so won the Silver Lion in the Public Awareness Category of the Cannes Advertising Festival. our professor Mrs. Diyco showed us the winning piece, and the piece was very good... but very depressing, but it sure deserved a silver. Filipinos are a great source of talent and creativity. Too bad, only a few have chances to express it and be recognized for their work. Our UA&P Chorale won 3 Gold awards in the 23rd International Choral Festival of Preveza held in Greece. Go UA&P!!! Which reminds me, I have to buy their CD. hearing their voices is really mezmerizing.

Back to Pinoy Blonde, it was a very good movie. I would rate it 4 out of 5 shadows. Kudos for Epy, Boy2, Peque, and all the cast, and all the cameos of big celebrities. it was really a fun movie, with no dull moments... in short, asteeg!

They quoted many movies as the movie itself revolve around film-making. They quoted: "Ayoko na sa basura, gutay-gutay na ang katawan ko" or something like that, from "Pasan ko ang Daigdig" starring Sharon Cuneta by Lino Brocka. It may suggest something. Ayoko na sa basurang pelikula. Ayoko na sa basurang kultura. It's time to move on...

Axe, Bench, and Baby Cologne

hmmm....

3 products... 3 consumer insights... yun lang.

after the excruciating thinking experience, our professor in creative strategy told us about the research regarding Axe, Bench and Baby Cologne... and...

BOOM!!!

**end of post**

p.s.

• axe = the brave

• bench = the torpe

• baby cologne = the... the... duh!!!

disclaimer: Dilbert by Scott Adams

Hat or Boa Constrictor?!?

You are the drawing.

Saint Exupery's 'The Little Prince' Quiz.
brought to you by Quizilla

***

hopefully... more and more people see the Boa Constrictor inside me... teka... parang pangit pakinggan. eto na lang:

hopefully, more and more people see the real me. ahh... much better. :)

i can't help but be mysterious...

.:yomz:.

Conspiracy

(click comic to enlarge)

what is happening to our country? there's a big conspiracy. the conspiracy with regard to the Garci Tapes, jueteng scandal... generally, on Arroyo's administration. who will succeed? play of words... the Philippines will not succeed. who will succeed? Noli Panoli is not fit for the job. better yet, if PGMA resigns, Noli will fill in the position, and he will soon be forced to resign, then Senate Majority Leader Drilon will be president, which i think would be better.

media is very strong right now. McLuhan is right. the medium is the message. TV networks have power, but the different forms of media itself has power, such as text messages, emails, and taped conversations. with this paradigm, i will not be surprised if Boy Abunda will run for Presidency next elections. hmm... this is bad.

politics will just cause me vertigo. school stuff is enough headache for me. how i wish that one day i wake up on Konoha village (a village in the animé Naruto), where there is good leadership, and each citizen has a strong WILL OF FIRE, a strong sense of idealism to protect the village and all its members.

Disclaimer: Opinions here are my own, but i do not necessarily espouse them. these are just what runs around my vivid imagination. I do not own comic Pearls Before Swine. They belong to their specific owners. may bumabasa pa pala nito kahit ganito kaliit.

Minsan May Isang Torpe

minsan may isang torpe. WARNING: this is a long read. first post in Filipino. di ako makakatulog hangga't di ko ito mai-post. wala akong pakialam kung may makakabasa ba nito o wala, basta outlet ko itong blog ko.

minsan, napag-isip-isip ko. bakit ba ako kabilang sa NGSB Organization? Anong NGSB? Itanong mo sa buwan, sasagutin ka ng araw. siguro, hindi ako napagkalooban ng genes para sa lakas ng loob. siguro dahil late-bloomer ako. siguro nung bata ako, may namigay sa barangay namin ng confidence, kaso katutulog, nasa huli na ako ng pila. doon tuloy ako napunta sa pila ng creativity at intelligence, wala kasing masyadong tao. hindi ako nagtataka. tignan nyo na lang ang pulitika, puro confidence, wala namang... ...wag na, ayoko makulong, at in fairness, may matino naman sa kanila kahit papaano.

hindi itinuturo sa paaralan ang panliligaw. tinuturo lang nila kung paano maging nerd. sana man lang meron isang elective course na panliligaw 101. pero hindi pa rin eh. in-born skill tlaga yan eh. o talagang pinanganak ka lang na makapal ang mukha.

nung graduation ball namin, meron kaming torpe table. pero meron ding pakipot table. self-explanatory. it takes two to tango. hindi namin paipaliwanag. parang napako ang mga paa namin sa sahig. hopeless romantics. pag nakatayo na, isang hakbang pa lang, parang binomba kami ng tubig ng bumbero. parang may force field. pero in fairness, nai-last dance naman namin sila. lucky girls...

at isa pa, kaya may mga torpe. dahil sa friendship. ayaw kasi masira ang friendship eh. haay... friendship or lovelife? ito ay isa sa mga ironies na hindi ko talaga maiintindihan.

bakit kaya may mga pinanganak na torpe? o sadyang nasa pagpapalaki ito? feeling ko nasa kultura. dito lang sa Pilipinas nanliligaw ang lalaki. sa ibang bansa nga kelangan mo pa bayaran ng dowry ang lalaki para lang kayo magkatuluyan. sa states naman walang torpe... loser lang. hindi ko sinasabing loser ang mga torpe. ibang context kasi, kaya unfair pag in-equate mo ang dalawang term. para mo na ring tinawag si justin timberlake na itang tisoy.

kung hanggang ngayon ay hindi mo pa alam kung ano ang torpe... maghanap ka na lang ng condom ng baboy (kahit i-search nyo sa google, imposible yan, deduce nyo na lang kung bakit). matagal nang may torpe, nagsimula noong ice age. panahon pa ni mahoma. kelan yun? sino yun? itanong nyo sa lupa, sasagutin kayo ng langit.

ayon sa aking masusing imbestigasyon at pananaliksik, karamihan sa mga torpe ay gwapo. ang kapal naman ng nagsusulat nito. hindi ko naman sinasabi na gwapo ako, pero i can be proud to say na hindi ako nilikhang pangit. ika nga ng pinsan ko. pag ang maganda at guwapo nagkatuluyan, meant to be. pag parehong pangit, meant to be rin. pag gwapo at pangit, tinutukan ng baril ang lalaki. pag pangit at maganda, magaling dumiskarte. ika nga nila, you can't have it all. matalino ka man o guwapo, maaari kang mamatay nang single at mahirap. meron namang ilang bobo at pangit, namamatay nang mayaman at maraming chicks.

hmm... matapos ang ilang sandali ng pag-iisip, aking nadiskubre kung bakit ako kabilang sa NGSB. ang madalas na sagot ng mga kalalakihan kung bakit sila taga-NSGB ay: magastos magka-GF; aral muna; saka na lang; marami namang babae dyan; collect and select muna; gotta catch'em all; at kung anu-ano pang kabalbalan. sa aking karanasan, may tatlong kadahilanan:

1. Idealism - (e.g. gusto ko ganito maganda, matalino, blah blah)
2. Pride - (e.g. hindi ako manghahabol, ako ang hahabulin)
3. Katorpehan - (e.g. ...*blushes*)
   

Ayoko na i-expound dahil ayokong i-waive ang aking right to privacy according to Article 3 Section 3 of the 1987 Philippine Constitution. kung sa bagay, hindi ko pa ito nababanggit sa kahit sa anong heart-to-heart talk conversation na nasalihan ko. nagpapasalamat ako sa single-blessedness. masaya maging single, what more pag double. pagkatapos ko sabihin lahat ng iyan, hindi naman ako talaga torpe (at hindi ako pangit... at hindi ako bobo), hindi ko pa
lang talaga nahahanap si Sleeping Beauty... tulog kasi ako nang tulog.

P.S.
Sa mga makakakita kay Sleeping Beauty ipagbigay alam lang sa may-ari ng blog na ito. Huli siyang namataang nag-sleepwalk. at bawal ang plagiarism. salamat po.

.:yomz:.