September 29, 2002
To all concerned: our pal Marco is Stark Raving Mad!
06:53 PM
September 28, 2002
Do you buy books, vcds and dvds on a whim then leave them unopened and sitting on your shelf, for consumption "on a rainy day"? I'm guilty of that myself but my prescribed bedrest this week provided a perfect opportunity for enjoying my loot.
So far I've watched 4 of the movies on my months-old To View list: The Untouchables, Bugsy, An Affair to Remember, and The Shop Around the Corner; read All The Right Moves about 5 times in an attempt to get a satisfying ending; finished 2 of the 5 Asterix books we got at the BookFair, plus read and re-read my old Tumbleweeds and Bloom County books and the Archie's Double Digests Vinnie very nicely sent thru Arnold when he found out I was sick.
Whew. So I guess I should shift back to working mode on Monday.
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Just a reminder, film fans, CineEuropa is ending tomorrow. We were lucky enough to catch a few movies early this week. More on that on my next entry.
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10:15 AM
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September 25, 2002
Show the world your Bantex, Spartan, or Happy Feet flip flops via Tsinelas.com, now accepting submissions.
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Up at Dean's blog are some of the mind-wrenching scenario questions he poses on us during our weekly dinner-outs.
Sample question: It's 3:00AM and you're walking down the street when suddenly, a bank nearby explodes. Thankfully, you're not hurt. In the ensuing aftermath, you spot P500k in thousand peso bills, nicely wrapped in the bank's billstrip. The thing is, it's held by a severed woman's hand. If you are alone, do you take it? If you see someone else looking at the same hand near you, do you take it? If you take it, what do you do with it?
My answer: "I won't take it."
Dean:"But what if you desperately need money and it involves a life or death situation concerning a loved one? etc etc"
Me: "Okay, but I will only take the exact amount I need then go straight to the nearest chapel to offer my thanks and ask for forgiveness."
Syempre they all laughed because my answer was goody-goody, especially when compared to Marco's (who would pocket the money with no hesitation and simply throw the bloody -- literally -- hand out of his way).
What about you? Will you take the money?
***
J nicely pointed out that my photo albums appear funny on Windows-based computers*. Does it show big blue or purple blocks on your monitors too? Something could be wrong with the stylesheet...
*Haay, and that's just one of the many frustrations Mac designers experience in this PC world (right, Luis?).
***
Sick yet again, am staying in today. Yesterday was stressful -- Arn and I had to supervise the recording of a radio ad and that "simple task" believe it or not took 6 hours to finish*. Well now, it sometimes takes three days to shoot 30-sec TV ads -- and then people would forget about them when they stop airing. (Thankless job, I tell you).
Arn goofing around in the booth.
Anyway, we bumped into some people I knew from advertising and it felt nice re-connecting with them, but when Arn asked me if I'll ever go back to that world, I... grew silent. Next thing I knew I had a splitting headache and had to be taken home soon as we were done. So, there's the answer right there, heh.
03:17 PM
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September 23, 2002
On proud daughter mode: just found out that my dad (who's currently based in Japan) has a write-up in Philippines Today. [Go]
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Lyndon, aka Mr. Beerkada, sent Arnold and me the impromptu comic strip he made at last year's PWA Judges Dinner. Look, it's so cute!
(click on the image)
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Please check out KuboriKikiam's article on After Eden too. [Go]
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And here are our MirrorProject entries for this week: one | two
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Fellow Potterheads, apparently J.K. Rowling isn't suffering from writer's block after all -- she's expecting a baby -- and the next book will be as big, she thinks, as The Goblet of Fire (636 pages). I can't wait!
01:01 PM
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September 22, 2002
The list of Things I'd Buy If Only I Had Some Disposable Income just got a bit longer over the weekend:
RahXephon DVDs. Our resident anime expert Marco introduced us to this Evangelion-esque (it's eerier but not as complicated as Eva -- see Jayce's blog for details) mecha anime series last night and it got Arn and me hooked enough to stay and watch 4 episodes. Believe me, we would've watched more if only it wasn't so late and I didn't have to Cyn-derellize as always.
Happy Endings. Dean showed us Mike Mignola and 7-year-old daughter Katie's very touching 6-pager in the anthology and yes, for that story alone, the book is worth its P550 price tag. In fact it's quite a steal considering that biggies Bendis and Miller and our faves Craig Thompson, James Kochalka, and Peter Kuper have stories in it too.
Beach Life. Another simulation game for me, the Sim addict. Question lang: Why can't they make (affordable) Mac versions of these cool games? My mom's laptop could be about to burst from all the software Calvin and I have been installing in it.
Zed by Michel Gagne, the story of the misadventures of a little alien. Didn't get to look at it properly but any book with a cover that cute is certainly guaranteed space in my book case heh.
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Culture Crash is organizing the 1st ever Philippine Comic Book Convention to be held sometime in December and so sponsored a lunch meeting for comic book creators at Sukhothai yesterday. Almost all the prime movers in the local comic book scene were there -- the CCC guys, Pol Medina Jr., Lyndon Gregorio, Robert Magnuson, Dean & Nikki, Marco, Jason, Vinnie, Arnold, and representatives from Questor, SkyCable, and Anima Anime. Carl Vergara, Gerry Alanguilan and the Ground Zero guys were also invited though for some reason couldn't make it.
I was of course on hand to be the dutiful picture-taking girlfriend.
01:28 PM
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September 20, 2002
Site-see with me: Dreamscapes, the blog of Jason's s.o. Camille, who I've known since her NU107 days; A Walking Accident, Alia the Gameplan Girl's journal, and El Preso Desnudo, Neva's talented artist friend Carlo's blog.
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According to this site, I lived in North Canada, around the year 425. My profession was that of a banker, usurer, moneylender or judge. I had a Bohemian personality, mysterious, highly gifted, capable to understand ancient books. With a magician's abilities, I could have been a servant of dark forces.
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Arn finally caved (after I nagged him all week) and had a haircut at a salon-of-my-choice yesterday. Look!
Bagay, diba?
* when we weren't together yet, getting a haircut for him was as simple as going to a barber and walking out with shorter hair.
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Aha, more people are calling me Ate Cyn now (even Dean, who's really 4 years older calls me that) so I thought I'd give you a history lesson.
"Ate Cyn" was started by Kelvin, Jugs & Jazz of the itchyworms! who would run to me for advice (they still do) years ago when they were but wee college sophomores. I hung out with them during gigs, and eventually met the now-famous Quark who became a real good friend and confidante and started calling me "Ate Twin" after someone mistook us for brother and sister. Met Ramon through him -- I met Neva a few months later -- and they, along with other friends, would frequently pick me up from work and then we'd go out to gimiks and stuff. I really loved being with them because even if they're much younger, they never made me feel the age difference.
... And then Arnold came into my life*, and even if I don't see my young friends as much anymore, I know they all love him for taking care of their "Ate". (:
*Quark used to say that God had someone special in store for me, giftwrapped with a tag saying 'to Cynthia, have a nice life'. Yes kuya twin, that's definitely Arnold. (:
11:31 AM
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September 17, 2002
ÅEFor the Awesome Movie Site department: So Close
(via Notes from the Peanut Gallery)
ÅEFor the Brain Junk Food department: A Sucker's Guide to Teen Movies
(via Kanto Girl Blues)
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I'm seriously considering getting a Wacom, maybe an Intuos 2 (any other suggestions?) because last week and the entire weekend was spent tracing and coloring over Arn's ink drawings* -- with a mouse! Sigh. The coming weeks won't be any different... not until the main site launches anyway.
*i.e. vectorizing
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Arnold came over last night bearing a vcd of Fantasia 2000 ("You gotta watch this baby! You gotta!"). I enjoyed it so much more than the original, and particularly loooved the Rhapsody in Blue segment most of all (I just loved that they used Hirschfield's illo style!).
If you've been reading this blog long enough, you'll remember that I keep complaining about Disney -- the company, not Mr. Walt of course, r.i.p. -- becoming too commercial*, but the original Fantasia was conceptualized during their "for art, not money" years so that makes it an exception. Glad they're keeping it up somehow.
*Sorry, I don't even care to see Lilo and Stitch.
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So is Simone real or not?
Aha! Ramone (as in Simone) has the answer: [Go ]
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Arnold's Trip to Tagaytay site is back up, folks. Just had to move it from my old server to his domain so I'm sure there are still some broken links in there. Please let me know if the sound clips (by Squid 9 and Ely Buendia) are working.
Oh, kudos to Luigi for finding it even before I could announce it, heh. (:
10:55 AM
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September 13, 2002
For all you romantics out there --
ï Shoeboxed v2002: 25*8er AJ's repository of old "shoeboxed" letters and such; and
ï The Love Stories Blog: a compilation of, what else, love stories trawled from the net by Neva's friend Carlo.
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Random recent fabulous finds :
ï Revlon Straightening Brush. I had my hair up in a ponytail for so long that I forgot how irritatingly "flyaway" it can be when it's short. I'm happy to say that the clamp-like thing can really tame those unruly strands and keeps them "behaved" for hours, so long as you spend at least 15 minutes blowdrying your hair all around using the brush*. Available at Watson's for P300.
*I don't expect to use it everyday though since I have absolutely no patience for blowdrying.
ï Drysdale Flavored Water. Very refreshing, just like good ol' water, but with a hint of fruitiness! Only 60 calories per 8.5 oz bottle. Comes in Passion Fruit and Grapefruit. (FYI, they're not paying me to write this, ha. (: )
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Remember the manga vs. "Pinoy" style issue that erupted in the local comics scene last year? The Culture Crash whiz kids (unarguably the most successful comic book group in the country) finally break their silence in this Kakosa interview. [Go]
If you ask me, I'm all for having a personal art style -- be it manga, European-inspired ... anything -- as long as it eventually evolves into the artist's own. (: My Arnold believes this too.
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And speaking of manga, Marco Dimaano (creator of the wonderful Angel Ace) posted a great review of After Eden on his message board.
Overall, the pacing and plotting of After Eden, coupled with the wonderful and simply gorgeous artwork and panels (a huge improvement over Mythology Class, IMO), the snappy dialogue and the pop references make AE an enthralling, entertaining and wonderful read.
10:21 AM
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September 9, 2002
From Signs that you are becoming a geek:
[snip] #1. If you someday have kids, you want to name them after your favorite fonts.
Hmmm ...Arial, Desdemona, Chancery, or Verdana can be carried off stylishly, I think. Can't say the same for Helvetica, Courier, or *shudder* Dingbat, though.
What font name/s would you consider, if ever?
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These yummy-looking thingamajigs are actually blank CDR sets that can be ordered via 5inch.com. Nice, huh? I wouldn't have known about them if Zoorex didn't give Arn and me samples (hi Zoo!). They're affordable at $7.50 a set though of course that amount doesn't cover shipping to 3rd World destinations, heh.
*Speaking of 3rd World, Mona has a funny entry about how we Pinoys are made of "sterner stuff", considering that we have to live through conditions people in the 1st world will probably never even experience. (Claire Danes was a rare case.)
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Funny. Halina told me that J said that Arnold looks like the lead guy in Bootmen. I didn't see that movie so naturally, I googled and came up with this:
My brother and I always tease Arn that he looks like John Travolta, and yeah, this guy does kinda look like him too, haha.
09:53 AM
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September 8, 2002
Someone please tell me that my page loads faster now -- I spent more than 5 hours transferring files to my host's new datacenter and the last thing I want to hear is that there is *really* no pronouced difference.
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Thanks to everyone who bought and had their copies of Arnold's After Eden signed last night! We were very happy, and kinda overwhelmed, with the turnout. (:
In case you missed it, you may take a look at the pictures to put faces to the names I always mention here. [Go now, go.]
*Ramon, Neva, Chris: we missed you guys! Thanks for the sms messages, though.
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Gee, my Arn can never seem to escape the limelight:
Fantasy makes Arnold Arre, and Arnold Arre makes fantasy exceedingly well. The 30-year-old Filipino master comic-book artist...has trained his sight on creating a cortege of creatures from the netherworld of Philippine mythology...not for another best-selling comic-book series but for a best seller of another kind ñ the 5th Philippine Web Awards.
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Off the Hey Comics egroups:
Mango Comics, a division of Yonzon Entertainment Syndicate (YES!), will
release the first story arc of Mars Ravelo's Darna under its Mango
Classico line this December. The first three-issue Darna story arc
features new work from Ryan Orosco, Lan Medina, and Gilbert Monsanto,
who have done work for the Big Three.
Ryan Orosco discreetly showed some of the pencilled stuff to Arnold and me a few months ago and I remember how happy we were to note that young and new comics studios (Culture Crash, Yes!, Lyndon's, etc) are sprouting all over. Arnold's gang alone is made up of little studios that are bursting with creative energy, and more importantly, get things done. Diba Dean, Jayce?
08:14 PM
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September 6, 2002
Just a quick note to plug our friends' new blogs: Dean's Notes from the Peanut Gallery and Jason's MyDynatica. Toodles!
07:39 PM
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September 4, 2002
Cuentos du Book Fair:
ï Isaw, Atbp., a comic book anthology by Mike Simbulan, Dean & Nikki Alfar, Carl Vergara, Marco Dimaano, and Arnold Arre won at last night's National Book Awards! Adarna also won in the Children's Book(?) and Poetry categories.
ï We found Asterix books selling for P59 a piece..! Arn, Marco, Dean, Nikki, and I rushed off to buy some soon as the Awards were over, only to find that the booth had already closed for the day. (Sorry, I won't tell which one it is though I'm sure Astrid, who we saw milling about (: , will be more than willing to share the info.)
ï Arn introduced me to writer Carla Pacis who told us about the time she discussed Arnold's works in her class and said: "...and Arnold is guapo and available" -- to which several students reacted, "Ma'am he's not available! He has a girlfriend." (Teehee, my bf is such a rock star.)
ï Met up with Robert who showed us his new Shirley's Pets strips that includes a funny new character inspired by my fascination with penguins*. He also introduced us to his publisher guy who stuck cardboard kiddie angel wings on my back, funny that.
*He's really aliw with the fact that I like those chubby birds and even got me a stuffed penguin from SeaWorld and a Feathers McGraw button pin when he got back from the US a couple of months ago.
ï Bumped into writer friends galore, including Bing Sitoy whom I haven't seen in years. I used to see her a lot, specifically at Eraserheads gigs.
Topics for the week:
ï Isaw's victory inspiring everyone to write more stories. Go, guys!
ï Arnold's new book (and new vcd player. Yes, he's finally putting his overused vcr to rest).
ï Blogs. I learned that Dean, Marco, and Jason have discovered the merits of blogging and so I successfully convinced them to start their own. Award-winning writers pa naman sila.
ï My hair. Alright, so it's much shorter and not up in the usual ponytail anymore.
ï The death of a UP Fine Arts schoolmate. I only knew Dexter Ledesma by two degrees at the most: his college girlfriend is a close friend of mine, his other ex-gf was my AE in O&M, and a lot of my friends are his friends too, so when I got Sheila's SMS about it the other night, I didn't feel anything more than, well, shock. May he rest in peace, finally.
Reminder: Please go to Adarna's launch on Saturday, Sept. 7, Function Room B at the Megatrade Hall. Arn will be there to sign copies of After Eden. Thanks!
10:55 AM
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