Of switching off and tweeting

It’s our (family’s) first time to participate on Earth Hour and we enjoyed it. It felt good being a part of that scheme. I know 1 hour is just a short span of time, but it would do wonders if it’s done simultaneously. I actually think that we should observe it every single day. Really. We can all do our part by having our version in our own little way. Let us all take part again next year! Calling our neighbors who “actively” participated!

Elsewhere…

I am now on . A friend asked me to check it out, and I kinda liked it. I think I’d get hooked. Good thing WordPress has this Twitter widget, I just had it on my page hehe! Tweet, tweet!

My Idol picks

This would be my first Idol post for this season. I don’t know but I am not in the blogging mode most of the time, especially this month. Oh wait, I did post an entry before the season premiere and after the top 36, so this will count as the third. Memory gap! Let me rephrase then. This is my first post since the Top 13 (that’s more like it!). Anyway, as I type this, another Idol got axed so it’s now down to the 9 hopefuls. I won’t spoil it for now because I haven’t watched the result show, but instead I’ll just enumerate my top picks. But before that, here’s a picture of the Top 13, back when they’re still complete:

I know it’s still a bit early to predict who’s gonna win, but this season offers a lot of promise to its viewers through their finalists. There are a lot of good ones, actually. Although some are being hyped up at the very beginning, still they make the show more exciting. Here are my top 3 picks:

To be honest, Danny Gokey tops my list when top 36 was announced, but dang Adam Lambert is freakin’ great! If there’s someone who really defines himself in each performance, Adam has got to be it. Disregarding the fact that he’s gay, this Idol seems like he’s already seasoned with experiences it shows everytime he performs. And I am pretty sure the audience/voting public feels it too; and with the talent he’s got, he definitely will go places in the industry.

Danny’s beginning to bore me, but he’s still one of the best in the competition. No doubt about that. But with Adam on his sleeves, he badly needs to play his game and give Adam a run for his money. I seriously think it’ll be a Danny-Adam finale, but since American Idol is such an unpredictable show, it’s too early to say. Back to Danny haha, I really love his raspy voice. It’s like he can sing anything! I just hope he’ll have this lasting impression and will keep the hype up.

Judge Paula Abdul won’t label Allison as the dark horse for nothing. This 16 year old girl proved it and is still making her mark on the show. Her amazing (unmistakeable) voice would really wow anyone who’ll hear it. She’s really one of the best 16 year old I have seen since the start of the show. Back in Hollywood week, I didn’t even notice her and didn’t even liked her rendition of Kelly Clarkson’s Because Of You. But the moment she sang Alone in the semi-finals, I knew this girl also got it and that she’ll sail thru the top 12 (which later on became top13).

I’ll stick with my top 3 picks until the end of the season. I hope (and I know) one of them will end up as the grand winner (I can feel it haha!). Having said that, I think it would be unfair for some finalists if I’ll discuss only three among the nine left.

I also like…..

… but he seriously needs to work on choosing songs that will really define himself in the competition. The only thing great about him, I think, is that he’s very likeable. He’s got good voice, nice tone and all that, yes, but let’s see how far his likeability will put him. You’re still dawg for me, though! For making me download Monica’s Angel Of Mine, yes you are.

… because it’s good that he keeps the ball rollin’ for him. Giving him a great chance to score major points in terms of song choices and just by being himself. His charm might be a factor, but I’ll give chaps to his good rendition of Man in the Mirror, To Make You Feel My Love and How Sweet It Is. You can tell he’s found his niche with those songs. If he keep it that way, he might make it to Top 5. Who knows?

… but she always give me this “bitin” kind of feeling everytime she performs. It’s like she hasn’t unleashed the bad in her yet. Nakukulangan ako, to put it more bluntly. But she still has a lot of time to do that. I’m just hoping it won’t be too late for her, especially there are only three of them girls left. Don’t do it lil by lil, Lil. Drown us with your presence and kill us with your killer belting voice each friggin’ week.

… and his amazing vocals, but I think what he needs to improve on is his personality. What Simon told him sometime ago, that he looks just an average guy who has a great voice, should have a great an impact on him. He has to show that he’s not just that guy who sings, and that he’s also the guy to beat and watch for.

So there, it looks like the season is shaping up to be a great one! Whoever wins, let us not dwell as to who’s deserving or not, or who’s more talented or who’s got big fanbase. I am pretty sure whoever it is, it will be one of my top 3 picks haha!

The MV Doulos experience

The moment I learned that MV Doulos is back here in the Philippines, I knew I had to go and pay a visit this time. Although they’re staying until the end of the month, I just can’t help but plan it right away. I even checked out their website and took a virtual tour, which made me more excited! Good thing they’re back, because people was informed that it’s the vessel’s last dock here in our country last year. Had they not, I won’t have my share of the Doulos experience.

So off I went to the South Harbor Pier after work one Friday morning, with my two friends. We had fun on our way, although the heat is killing us. It was around 12:30 in the afternoon when we arrived there, and walking at the pier area during that time is not quite a good idea. But still, we had a great time. Especially when we’re already inside the ship, we enjoyed the sight! And yes, the photo op haha!

Me and Gly

Me and Vicky

with the Jamaican and Bhutan (?) flags

I do not intend to do the shop-til-you-drop thing, I just bought one book for myself, a recipe book for mom, activity books for my pamangkins and some souvenirs like keychains, ID lace and a bag. I just really wanted to go and see how it looked like, basically have the feel of being inside the world’s largest floating bookstore. So when finally we’re done shopping and taking pictures, it’s time to step out. We really wanted to have a picture taken with the ship as our background, thank God there’s a lady who asked me to take a picture of her and in return, she’ll take a picture of us.

Take 1

Take 2, our parting shot. Thanks to Ate

So needless to say, we spelled fun with a capital F! Although it is still quite humid (and the traffic’s bad too!) on our way home, we didn’t let that dampen our spirits. We just feasted ourselves with a sumptuous meal over at Trinoma. And just like that, we’re back in our ownselves! Back at home seeing our pictures, I just can’t help but smile; with a hope to be back, probably if they dock in a different country. That would be cool.

Twenty Years

For a few days now, I’m running a marathon of one of my most loved series One Tree Hill. Seasons 4 and 5 in two days, and I’ll start the 6th in a bit. I love how the story is progressing, but what I noticed even more is its soundtrack. One particular song really caught my attention, that’s why I searched for it online. And damn, it’s killing me! Here’s the song I am talking about, Twenty Years from the band Augustana. I’ll include the lyrics after the video.

Twenty Years – Augustana

Well I’ve been running from something
Twenty years in my car
Down a road that’s leading me nowehere
Yeah we drive through the farmland
No one knows where we’re from
Could I kiss you and make you a queen?
Or something in between

Do you want to see
The place where I am free?
Cos in my mind I need it
But you’re nowhere near to me

Move to new york city
Take your woman by the hand
Leave her there with your things on the doorstep
And there’s no way around it
Could this be our last dance?
So fall asleep with the tv darling
I’ll be back again

Do you want to see
The place where I was free?
Cos in my mind I’ve been there
And there’s no one here but me

In the morning it’ll find you
Let the light shine away
Down a road that’s leading me nowhere
And there’s no way around it
Could this be our last dance?
Just fall asleep with the tv darling
I’ll be back again
I’ll be back again

A free man

Not too long ago, I posted an entry about Francis M. and Ely Buendia’s first live performance after their series of hospitalization. Indeed, as I pointed out, it can be considered as history; seeing two Pinoy music icons perform live despite their medical conditions. And now, just yesterday, the 6th of March, the whole nation was saddened by the demise of the Master Rapper Francis Magalona.

I was out having lunch with some friends when I received the news thru another friend’s sms. It was still a shock, of course. He’s one of the persons I look up to in music. I remember when I used to memorize and sing along with his hit song “Mga Kababayan Ko” via a songhits, with the dancing and all that, when I was just a little boy. I then checked online when I got home, and finally confirmed the very sad news. I YouTubed the video when Vic Sotto announced it on Eat Bulaga, and my oh my, it was so heartbreaking! It moved me to tears! Seeing them trying to hide the sadness, their eyes welling up. And just earlier on Eat Bulaga again, the show/tribute they did gripped my heart anew. The songs they sang, the clips they showed, the messages they gave, were really heartfelt it will sure to touch your soul. I was drenched to tears yet again. It was just so sad that a man like Kiko finally left the world and the country he truly loved with all his heart. And the passion he gave for life, especially to his music, is so overwhelming.

But that’s how fleeting life is, and it is evident that he lived it well. Although the latter part was not so good, still it was a Happy Battle. So to my man, our Kababayan, the Man from Manila, our Master Rapper, Kiko… You are now a Free Man; free from all the pain and free to live with our Creator in Heaven. We will all be having Cold Summer Nights, but we’ll sure to get by. You and your music will stay alive in our hearts. May you rest in Peace.