>Blog on leave.

I won't be updating here for a while, until I move the blog to a new home. Harhar. But while this is out, you can still visit my starfish galaxy if you like.

The rainy season's here! So be sure to take your vitamins because the weather's going to be a bitch.

Posted 5:41 PM by alia

>Put your shorts on!

Hoist! All indie kids, film buffs, triggerhappy people and anyone and everyone.

If you've got a short film, then here's something for you.

Living Asia Channel is looking for submissions for its "Short film Revue: Filipino Shorts". This will be a 1-hour weekly short film revue for independent and student filmmakers to showcase the best of Filipino cinematic talent. It is hoped that with the airing of these films that the show can grow to carry the best of not only Filipino but also the best of the rest of Asian indie/student short films in future episodes. Submissions must be: - A maximum length of 15 minutes. (There is no minimum length.) -Free from all copyright (images, music/scoring) -Free from any "exclusivity" contracts with any film outfit or television channel. -Free from excessive nudity, graphic violence, obscene language and overtly sexual/adult content. Submissions may be shot on either film or video but must be submitted in either mini-DV or in DVD format. Tapes/ Discs must be submitted with the following details: -Title -Producer -Director -Writer -Cinematographer -(Other credits are optional but may be included) Submissions may be fiction/feature, documentary, animation or experimental films. By submitting material to Living Asia Channel, it is implied that the owner of the material allows Living Asia Channel the right to air the material free of charge and for as often and as long as they see fit. Living Asia Channel will not require an exclusivity contract for the films selected for "screening". Living Asia Channel reserves the right not to air any material it deems unfit. For submissions and inquiries, contact Paolo Abrera, CCI Asia, Inc. 3rd floor, Caresma Building, Polaris Street, Belair, Makati. Telephone number 7573161, email kid_peklat@yahoo.com Living Asia is now shown in North America and Canada. So to all you student/ indie filmmakers, here’s a great chance to get your work seen!

Oks, diba? :)

Posted 4:37 PM by alia

>Visiting my old space.

I passed by Probe yesterday to finish some business and pay a visit to the gamePlan peeps and my old desk. Sigh, I miss my desk. It was always messy (because as they say, "a genuis always has a messy desk") and whenever Ma'm CLL complained, I used to say, "Ma'm! When it's messy, that means I'm working reeeally hard!"



This is how my desk looked before I left.



And this is how it looks now.

Can you see, can you see? It says BAGGAGE COUTNER!!! Huhu, wawa my desk.

I looked at Riza, the new producer-in-training to whom I passed on my desk. I wanted to tell her things like don't let anyone dump junk on your desk, but she looked the exact same way I did when I was in training. Young, exhuberant, ready to work, work, work; but most of all, tired.

I'll be visiting the office from time to time and I hope to see Riza's face glow again, and I hope she decides to decorate her desk to match her personality. Having the perfect desk is essential to surviving in this industry you know.

Posted 10:40 AM by alia

>The ERASERHEADS ANTHOLOGY...

...so rawks!!! (here I go again!)

I just got home from Vigan and the first things I did were visit Probe to settle some things, get a wax in the parlor, and play frisbee in Alabang. But before playing, I passed by Town Center to get the new Eraserheads Anthology album, a double-disc collection with 33 songs.

My God, I'm so nostalgic right now. I've been listening to the Eraserheads since high school, and it's so nice now that college is over, I can actually relate to the songs more. Hehe.

It brings lots of nice memories. it has such timing, too, now that I'm playing disc with my high school friends and a few other Southern characters. Sigh, I love this album. And kudos to Ate Cyn and Arnold Arre for the wonderful album design.



Go get it! It's only 280 bucks in Tower Records!!!

***

I also got a new pair of Tribu slippers because Olympic Village is having a special sale in the center of the newer wing (Oh my gosh, I don't know what that area is called. Basta, the one with a roof, inside mismo, some kind of a sorta.) The sale's until this weekend I think, so go ahead. I'm sure you'll be able to score some good stuff there.

I want to buy Adidas spikes for frisbee! Oh no, I'm becoming such a sports brat. Stop it, stop it.

***
>Swimming is on once more!

I announced some time ago that the Swim for Fitness (Or Masters Swim Meet) was moved. Well, it seems that a date has finally been chosen. So get those bathing suits (And trunks! Woohoo, sexy!) ready!

From the Ridgetri mailing list:

Announcing the final approved date for our first ever Masters swim called "Swim for Fitness" series. It will be on May 22 Saturday instead of the previously announced May 23 Sunday. Relive the spirit of competition, have fun and meet old friends.We also included a relay category for those who want to compete as a team.

For more inquiries please contact:
Lito 091809246299
Ricky 09178902963
See you at the pool!

By the way, the picture on the poster is a scene that I miss very much, when we swimmers weren't only dressed to impress. We were actually dressed to intimidate.

Posted 12:54 AM by alia

>Helping kids color the world!


The volunteers showing off our teeny weeny AIK shirts.
Cameraman Bernie, Jason, Marie, Riza, Agay, Beth, and pogi me.

Two weeks ago, I went to Star Mall in Pasig to help out in the Art Is-Kool Workshop on Tour. I was reunited with my friends from Probe and we had a blast watching Kuya Robert and Kuya Jomike (He's the new host! :) teach kids how to draw, make fish with clay, and use their imagination to make their own "Pirmaster" drawings. (If you've never seen the show before, "Pirmaster" is making a drawing out of someone's name or signature. Robert drew a dolphin out of mine before, and a kid climbing up a buko tree out of Buko's. :) I also enjoyed Oni Ocampo's show. He's a ventriloquist and he's really, really a joy to watch. He didn't bring my favorite character Lulu, though, but the kids loved Dodong the Dodo Bird. (Or at least I think he's a Dodo Bird.)

Aside from sports, I also enjoyed art and piano lessons as a child; but my teachers left the country when I was still a beginner, and gymnastics took most of my time when I reached Grade 3 (I also wanted to learn the violin, but the lessons interfered with my gymnastics as well.) So I taught myself how to draw, and I'm what people call a "guido" piano player now (Is that even how you spell it? "Guido"?), and even if I never got formal lessons in the arts, I think that learning on my own did me some good. It's still important for children to learn a thing or two about art. As a grown up, all these things become wonderful outlets for stress, and a means to create beautiful things, even when we feel that the world is a gloom.

If you have kids or little siblings or nieces and nephews who want to do something artsy this summer, even for just a day, bring them over to the next Art Is-Kool Workshop in Star Mall, Las Pinas this Friday, April 30 starting at 1:00pm. I'm sure they'll have fun.

And by the way, Art Is-Kool will be back on the air at 9:30am this Saturday on ABC 5. Watch it! I promise you'll enjoy it. :)

***
>All 5&Up kids grow up.


Our beloved 5&Up mural
in the Probe Office garden, a.k.a Starbuko.

Don't you miss this show? I do. Terribly.

I remember when GMA 7 cancelled 5&Up the day it turned 10. Children sent letters to Probe begging to keep it on the air and one letter made it to our Bulletin Board, although and it wasn't from a child but from a UP college student. She was a Broadcast Major and a die hard 5&Up kid. She said that 5&Up inspired her to become a journalist, and that even if the show was cancelled, she was thankful for everything it taught her and for giving her a path to follow.

Camille and I cried when we read that letter. I didn't watch the show regularly when I was younger (I think it first came out when I was 11, and it had a kick ass OBB!), but I loved it. Every time I caught it, I watched it 'til the end. It's different when you watch kids reporting about issues and art and culture and sports. Even when we were older, and even when I was already working in the same office as the 5&Up Team, watching the kids at work was amazing, and their producers really loved the work as well.

I think that's what I miss about Probe most. There was passion and love for work.

GMA 7, I don't know what you were thinking. Canceling the most awarded children's show in the country...it's ridiculous! But 5&Up still beat you. Oh yeah, it beat you alright. Because the 5&Up kids have grown up and we're entering the world of media, and we're going to start up a storm. You'll see.

Posted 3:46 PM by alia