LifeTrack: Let's Do This!

"Music makes the people come together." - Madonna.

Killin' it with mah boys—the Hamilton College Buffers.

Music undeniably touches each of our souls in many different ways. Some of us love Rock, others Pop, others R & B, and others yet, Country. But with no doubt in my mind, for all of us, there is always music.

When I walk down the street, or when I clean my room, there is almost always a song in my head (or most likely on my lips). I sometimes take 30-minute showers with only about seven minutes of actual showering and the rest is devoted to my own private concert for the tiles. I even sometimes bust into song while walking through the mall or while strolling down the street. My life most definitely has an ever-present soundtrack.

I've always loved music, and I've always wanted to do a blog series featuring some of my favorite songs and why I love them.

Songs; whether it's with their lyrics, the story, the beat, or its mood; have a way of evoking an emotional response. Sometimes an event is brought to mind, sometimes a place, an emotion or a special person. I wanted to not only feature certain songs, but to also share what they mean to me, and what they make feel, when I want to hear them the most, and most of all, who they make me think of. 

As a blessing in disguise, the first time I tried to embed a video from YouTube onto my blog was unsuccessful. I guess it was due to copyright reasons, etc. which made borrowing vids and posting them on personal pages impossible.

Well, for quite a while now, many of my friends have been egging me to post videos of me singing, and since I can't post 'official' music videos of songs I love on here, I got the push to actually go and do it: I'm gonna sing the songs I'm going to feature

I love making things for the people I love. Plus singing the songs makes it that much more personal.

Another source of inspiration to really go ahead and do this came from an unlikely place:

Anne Curtis-Smith's Annebisyosa Concert

Beetling, Beets and Me waiting for the show to start.

Annebisyosa is a play on the word ambisyosa. It doesn't quite translate to ambitious... In fact it has more of a pejorative connotation. Telling someone they're ambisyosa is equatable to saying: "Dream on."

Spotlight Anne Curtis. A self-proclaimed non-singer (no kidding! But what she lacks in vocal talent is more than made up for by guts and gusto), Anne has always dreamt of staging her own concert despite being, let's face it, kinda' tone-deaf. I'll admit, I was a bit hesitant on the way to Araneta Coliseum last Saturday night. Oh gosh, how much of this girl's voice can I possibly take?! Surely not three hours... I thought to myself. But, boy was I wrong.

The production was amazing! I had so much fun watching the concert, from the over-the-top fashion and costume changes, the spectacular guests, the pyrotechnics and videos, and the HOT dancers, I was thoroughly entertained. Seriously, after the first two songs I was this close to jumping on stage and wild-ing out.

Here are a few pics from the concert:

Anne with the G Force Angels.

The dancers were seriously hot. I felt like I needed to smoke a cigarette after each pelvic-thrusting performance. Plus I loved the costumes! Male dancers stepped onto the stage in tuxedos and heels!

Part of the concert's success comes from the nods given to some of Music's top female icons. You will see hints of Cher, Katy Perry, Madonna and Kylie to name a few, in most of the production numbers and styling choices.

♫ Baby, you're a firework! ♫

♫ How do I get you ALOOOONE!? ♫

No Other Woman: No Other Concert.

Aside from Christine Reyes and the über hunky Derek Ramsey, Anne had a slew of super entertaining guests. Among them was one of my favorites:

The Unkabogable, Vice Ganda!

Seriously one of the most engaging and entertaining performers!

Another of Anne's guests was the goosebump-inducing Sarah Geronimo. Seriously, I was so in awe of her vocal chops that I couldn't take my eyes (and ears) off of her for a second to take a picture.

The Annebisyosa concert was definitely a success—tickets were sold out and Araneta was FULL!

Here was a woman who has dreamt of performing in her very own concert despite the knowledge that she couldn't really sing. Anne pulled off her concert with fun and a slight self-deprecating humor that adds to her charm as the newly-dubbed Concert Sweetheart.

In Anne's words: "Dreams do come true."

I was inspired.

*********

I love to sing and I love to perform.

When I was in college, I auditioned for the Hamilton College Buffers—an all-male a cappella group. It was pretty much real-life Glee. My four years as a Buffer were four of the best and most memorable of my life yet. I love those guys with all my heart.

During a Buffer's senior year, he is given a chance to pick his own song to perform: The Senior Solo.

Choosing a Senior Solo is a difficult matter. It is usually the song that represents you, the song that Hamilton students will remember you by.

As a boy who looks like a girl who like boys that likes girls, it is almost inevitable that people begin to speculate about your, uhmm, history. This is why I decided on the song:

Something to Talk About by Bonnie Raitt

Real-life Warblers, right?!

Imagine: A real-life Transgender on Glee... Aaaah, that'll be the day! Not gonna lie, I often fantasize about being a cast member.

*********

About a year ago, I felt a similar need to get the LifeTrack series started. There was one big problem. I am quite technologically challenged. I had no idea how to work my webcam... So I ended up downloading a program that allowed me to capture videos. This was the result of that first attempt:

After finding that it worked, I got excited and almost immediately started thinking about what the first song in the series should be. As I started preparing, another twist of fate: the program I installed was only a tester. I could only continue using it if I purchased the actual program. Blech. Lifetrack series = postponed.

*********

Fast forward to last month.

I was walking around the house and noticed my sister taking photos with her friends on her laptop. "How did you do that!?" I exclaim. "Uh... It's so easy," she replies. After a quick tutorial, I immediately hopped on my bed, and tested it out.

I was still in my sleeping clothes as I waited to see if the file saved. It worked. Then I waited excitedly to see if the video was uploaded to YouTube. It did. Here it is.

Quick Sample of Someone Like You by Adele 

So, the webcam works.

The LifeTrack series has officially begun.

And you best believe that the LifeTrack series will continue.

Stay tuned!

♥

Thanks to my friend Sam for putting the Buffers Video together. Click here for his YouTube page.
And you can click here for my YouTube page.
Also, I may have borrowed some of the Annebisyosa pics from Tim Yap's Twitter. Thanks Tim!

Welcome 2012!

Before anything else, I want to wish you all a (super) belated Gregorian and Chinese

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Another year has passed, and a new one has just begun. For this year's resolutions, I have resolved that I shall live out my passions (right T3? :) ), and to show the people I love exactly how much I love them.

I have also resolved to blogging more often and more regularly.

Now that I have finished my UnBEETable Adventure series, I am pretty sure that I'll be able to accomplish that. I wanted to finish all twelve chapters before posting anything else—but that's not to say I haven't had some posts in the works.

So please stay tuned! =)

I will be posting a lot of random stuff; featuring lots of cool people, places, shows and things; and will hopefully start a new blog series too =)

I'd also like to take this opportunity to really thank you all for reading and supporting my blog through your comments, tweets and emails. It really does mean a lot!

So. Another new year, huh?

For all of you (all of us, really), I pray that you find your passion, and that you live it. Really live it and do what you love. I pray for happiness and contentment, and for inner and shared peace. 

♫ You just gotta' ignite the light ♫

♥

An UnBEETable Adventure: Epilogue

One event.

Two people.

Four cities.

Eight days.

It took over three months and twelve blog posts to compile and catalog innumerable memories of laughter, tears, bites, and steps.

It's been over three months, almost four actually, since I hauled my suitcase down the NAIA terminal to board my flight to Madrid, but I can still remember each moment of that trip as if I were still on it.

In that time, each member of the wedding party has been re-immersed into the normalcy of our everyday lives, but I guarantee that all of us had, for at least two weeks after, recounted and reminisced about this adventure of joy, excitement and love.

Maybe I reminisce because I haven't seen Twin since we parted ways with tears in our eyes at the Charles de Gaulle Airport; or that I haven't seen Beets or T3 in over a month. Or it might just be that that trip was truly memorable, so full of love and good vibes that revisiting those places, even if only in my thoughts, would inevitably lift my spirits.

PS. I'm seeing Beets tomorrow, T3 the day after, and Twin next month. Triple YAY!!!


Aside from that one event, those two people, and those four cities, it was the company—family, old friends and new friends—and also all the little things that made those eight unforgettable days a truly UnBEETable adventure—every bite, every sip, every hearty laugh and heartfelt tear.

I'd like to end this Eurotrip series with another toast—

To all of us, but most especially to my Twin, Eloise, and my Triplet, Diego. To happiness and contentment. To life. To beginnings and continuations. May we all appreciate and find joy and comfort in the little things, and the excitement and thrill of life's many great adventures.

CHEERS!

Something to plan on—the Beets take on Toronto....

<3



Thank you all for taking part on this story-telling journey.
Thank you to everyone who was with us in Nerja.
Thank you to the Albas for putting up with my crazy and being ever so kind.
Thank you to Twin and Triplet, for including me in their celebration.
And thank you to Beets, who made this adventure UnBEETable, but more importantly—possible.

<3<3<3

An UnBEETable Adventure 11: (Window-) Shopping

MUD—it is the term the Twins use to describe the condition when our financial statuses are well, less than desirable. The term originated from "I'm so broke I eat dirt," and then, "I'm a mud-eater." Even 'Mud' has evolved. A situation even worse than 'Mud' is 'Tae'. Tae = Poop. During times of absolute belt-cinching, 'Tae' becomes 'Diarrhea'. A bit graphic, I know... But for us, it aptly describes the feeling of when spending becomes a distant airy fantasy.

These terms can be used in the following ways:

1. "Ugh, I'm so Mud right now!"

or 

2. "Twin, I even had to use my Diarrhea money..."

To add insult to injury, the Twins, and the Beets in general, love to shop. Not necessarily to spend, but we like to see what's out there, to be inspired, to find new trinkets and images and textures and scents.  However, even window-shopping/exploring can be a bit dicey. Imagine the agony of seeing something you really like, and then realizing you're Mud.

While in Europe, the Beets still did quite a bit of (window-) shopping. Here are some of the things we saw.

Let's get some shoes!

—at a shoe store in Madrid. More like Mud-rid. There were so many cool designs, but hello, MUD.

NERJA

Cool Rucksacks!!!

Rucksack at about 45 Euros each. Let's see:

         Mud

- 45 Euros

  Diarrhea

No rucksack...

Peg: Midday at the Oasis.

The following photos were taken from the Artisan Ceramic shop that Beets and I adventured to find.

Despite the hour-and-a-half search for this shop, and putting aside the products that Beets and I planned to take back home, we were unable to return to check and see if they shipped to Manila. =( However, this may have been a blessing in disguise: Mud status not threatened.

FRIGILIANA

More Boutiques:

Look at this stuff, isn't it neat?

... gadgets and gizmos aplenty ...

... woozits and whatsits galore ...

—and a wine shop too!

Now, off to—

PARIS

Let me preface this section by saying that most of the shopping done in the City of Lights is strictly of the window variety.

And off we go!

First stop:

Hermès

I'm not sure who the guy on the horse (another guy on another horse...) is meant to be, but it's cool!

The seating areas inside the store were pretty snazzy too.

Waiting for some water and espressos!

We not only enjoyed the complimentary coffees and glasses of water that was offered at the store, but we also enjoyed and appreciated the items for sale by rubbing our faces against the luxurious materials when nobody was looking—well, we would've done the same even if someone saw.

Passing by Lanvin

Mason Pearson Brushes.

Vintage watches and trinkets. <3

Chillin' and chattin' in Chanel.

During our tour of Paris, Beets also showed us Coco Chanel's home and very first store.

"Ah! Perfumes!!!" - Beets.

Beets' feet on scent-ly streets.

How cool is this window display?!

During that first day in Paris, we also stepped into a store that I really like: Colette. Upon ascending to the store's second floor, I saw a lady in a really cool-looking coat. It is at this point that I took this picture:

With my finger barely off of my phone's camera trigger, the store manager, a bird-like blonde woman, came swooping down on me, telling me off for taking pictures. Apparently, photos weren't allowed in Colette's. 'Tis a shame because Colette's is cool. So many words could describe the boutique cum showroom. Urban. Hip. Chic. All those words apply, but the one word that aptly and fully describes Colette's is COOL.

Aaah, Louis Vuitton, the site of the counterfeiter incident.

I LOVE this.

At some point after Louis V, both my phone and camera batteries surrendered. I have to mention one last store, though: Louboutin's. Beets took us to Christian Louboutin's boutique and told us the history of the little alley. I really wish either my phone or camera was working because there are shoes there that really are a work of art. Spikes and studs, feathers and frills, tassels and pom poms.

*********

Despite being Mud throughout most of this UnBeetable Adventure, I really didn't mind going window-shopping anyway. All the cool things I saw, and where I saw them are safely locked away in my vault (I have the memory of an elephant!).

We came across a curious sight one day. It was some graffiti on a wall in Paris. I will never know what the spray-painter's intentions were for splashing this message, but I'm guessing it has to do with the frustration of being Mud. Here it is:

Ha!

And finally, next up—Chapter 12: Epilogue.

The Final Chapter.

<3

An UnBEETable Adventure 10: Golden Oldies, Pets, and other People

I am an avid people watcher. I have an unexplainable fascination with children and the elderly, animals and fashion, weirdos and freaks (like me!).

My sisters find it a bit disconcerting when I ask strangers if I can take their photo (almost as puzzled as the people I ask). Most of the time though, I take the pictures covertly—a bit stalker-ish, I'll admit.

Traveling not only gives you a chance to explore a new place, but it shows you that the world is at the same time small and huge, and is filled with so many colorful interesting people.

This post is dedicated to just some of the interesting people I saw on this UnBEETable adventure.

MADRID

Costumed Couple

I happened upon this couple as Twin took us walking around Madrid. They were just chilling on the square in full traditional costume. No big deal.

FFFRRRRRIEEEEEENNNDDD!!!!

The Beets absolutely love animals. Every time we see an animal of almost any kind, we yell out : "Friend!!!"

Sentry

Rollerblades are so in!

I actually saw this guy rollerblading from a distance and I wanted to try to take his picture right when he crossed in front of us—and I did!

Street performer!

NERJA

Convention.

I'm telling you, I love Oldies but Goodies!

Relax. Put your feet up.

Meryll the Cat.

Chillin' like gelato.

Lounging in Lederhosen

During the first night in Nerja, we stopped by a bar on the way home to the hotel. I spotted this guy just sitting on a couch in the corner. At first glance I thought he was in Lederhosen, hence, we shall call him Hans.

Cute!

More FRRRRIIIIEEEENNNDDDDSSS!!!

Balloon Boy

I saw this lady walking around Nerja clearly looking for something. I asked her for a picture, but she was shy—but that didn't stop me from snapping a few pics anyway.

Christopher Robin.

Spongebob Squarepants

RED

FERIA COSTUMES!

Charlotte, Carrie, Miranda and Samantha. AKA T3, Beets, Twin and Me.

Parasol

FRIGILIANA

Tita Mallorcina and Tito Madrileño

Their outfits were too cute that day! I snagged this pic from Momsy. The picture doesn't show it, but they were wearing matching white shoes!

A few old men.

Haxley the Witch Dog. And Pablito.

Haxley, this little charmer's owner explained that Haxley was a name of a witch, or it means witch in another language. Her owner kept repeating that Haxley was a witch-dog. The funny thing is her owner actually looked like a witch. I wish I took her picture...

Beets with a Friend! And a horse.

PARIS

STEFAN!

Neon.

I tried to snap a picture of this gentleman because his outfit could easily be transplanted on a TDX frat brother.

Cool CoAT

I have saved the best for last. My favorite picture would have to be of this lady from Madrid:

Cinder-Lola.

Doesn't she remind you of Cinderella?! I saw her walking down the street and I knew that I just had to take her picture.




I saw a lot of interesting people, but was only able to take pictures of a few of them. It really is refreshing to see new cultures. The Madrileños are so different from Parisians, not to mention Manileños. I love seeing the people living in their cities—the pace, the fashion, the tastes and styles. I could sit and people-watch anywhere for hours on end. Heck, sometimes I people-watch on the go!

Rest assured that after this Eurotrip series the People Watch and Oldie but Goodie series will continue. =)

Next up—Chapter 11: A Familiar Frenemy

<3