My mom's 2nd visit this year

Start:	Jul 3, '09 4:00p
End:	Jul 14, '09
Location:	Makati City, Philippines

this time, she will be in a nice position to help me move my things to the place I will be transferring to..hopefully she will enjoy the cleaning and rearranging of ...uhm...stuff....lots of stuff ..... *coughs*

my parents visited just this June, but this time it will be just us girls doing girlie things *wink*

have to temporarily be offline from Multiply ....but I will be back next month (which is around the corner anyways) ttyl guys and gals! take care!

Goldman Sachs: “Engineering Every Major Market Manipulation Since The Great Depression”

http://www.tradercurrencies.com/currency-trading/8647/goldman-sachs-engineering-every-major-market-manipulation-since-the-great-depression/
mandatory reading for people who are working the hell out of their days and nights...hehehe

I have just devoured 500 grams of crispy pilinut with honey in one sitting. It sure pays to be an only child in this case...

Philippines - Japan Friendship Month

Start:	Jul 1, '09
End:	Jul 31, '09
Location:	philippines

I got this from the link of the Japan embassy in Philippines: http://www.ph.emb-japan.go.jp/pressandspeech/press/pressreleases/2009/50.htm


Originally celebrated in the month of February, the Philippines-Japan Friendship Month is now celebrated in the month of July to commemorate the designation of July 23 as Philippines-Japan Friendship Day by H.E. President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo in the Golden Jubilee Celebration of the diplomatic relationship between the two countries in 2006.


Some of the cultural events and activities to mark the Friendship month which I am interested in are:

Eiga Sai'09

A select lineup of films which have garnered positive media reviews and attracted the attention of a large number of Japanese viewers will be shown in Manila (July 2-12, Shangri-La Mall Cinema 3, Mandaluyong City), Baguio (August 7-11, Baguio Center Mall), Cebu (July 28 – August 2, Ayala Center Cebu Cinema 4) and Davao (July 18-19, Gaisano South CitiMall Cinema). This year's Eiga Sai brings together eight feature films from different genres that will provide the audience with a glimpse into Japanese culture and society (from 1950's to contemporary). Admission is open to the public and free of charge. (For the detailed film screening schedules, please visit www.jfmo.org.ph or call 811-6155)

J-Classic Concert - A Night of Japanese Harmony

The highlighting event of this year's Friendship Month. Four internationally renowned and acclaimed musicians from Japan will serenade the audience for two nights (July 14-15) at the Cultural Center of the Philippines' Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino with their rendition of a repertoire of well-loved western classical music and Japanese popular pieces. Mr. Susumu Aoyagi (piano), Ms. Takako Hagiwara (flute), Ms. Ayako Ishikawa (violin) and Ms. Risa Kataoka (koto) will be joined by special guest guitarist Mr. Sixto “Butch” Roxas for their performance. (For ticket reservations, please call 811-6155 or email: email@jfmo.org.ph )

New Generation Art Exhibit

An exhibition of contemporary Japanese art including paintings, sculptures, installations, photographs and video works by eleven young artists. This exhibit will be held at the Museum of Contemporary Arts and Design of the School of Design and Arts of the De La Salle College of Saint Benilde from July 7 to August 7.

J-Pop Anime Singing Competition Grand Finale

Ten best groups selected out of eighty-five will perform their favorite J-Pop/anime numbers at the Market! Market! Activity Center on Saturday, July 25. The audience will also be treated to other activities such as the JFM's manga library, anime-making demonstration by TOEI Philippines and musical performance by special guests. Short classic animes produced during the budding period of Japanese animation (between the 1920s and 1950s) will also be shown on the Activity Center big screen to coincide with the J-Pop Anime Singing Competition. This event is presented with the cooperation of HERO TV, TOEI Animation Philippines, Nihongo Center Foundation, Ayala Malls Market! Market! and MAX FM 103.5.

3rd International Silent Film Festival

From July 30 to August 27, classic masterpieces from the bygone era of silent films will be brought back to the limelight with the screening of the 3 rd International Silent Film Festival to be held at the Shangri-La Plaza Mall, Mandaluyong City. Live musical performances from talented artists accompany the screening to recapture the glory days of silent films through music.

My dog died...cathartic spiel

I went back to my hometown on April 4, 2009 - my birthday as well as my mom's had already gone by but since I could not come back to Cebu City earlier, I thought at least we could celebrate together belatedly.

I also missed my dogs, and most of all my favorite remaining pure Japanese spitz. He was quite old and the "last of the Mohicans" as I liked to to tease him while rolling his dog food on the sloping floor towards him for pouncing (we played games this way)...he was the last of the pups begotten by my first ever Japanese Spitz, named Snow.

Snoizy is or rather, was, the youngest of his batch and only became my fave because one by one his brothers died. Yeah, the strong survive eh? Snow, his sire, was never able to sire again..because I never had another female spitz until such time I left for Manila to pursue post-grad studies. I was painfully aware that all the time I was away in Manila to continue my life, there was a chance he would die while I wasn't around. But there wasn't really much I could do..I could not stay in Cebu to be with him, and he could not stay with me as the place I live forbids dogs as pets.

I arrived late at our house in the evening of April 4, 2009. Consequently, I could only wave to Snoizy and say a quick hi to him from where he stays at (he was collared at the back of my room). I could not see him at all since the light could not reach where he was sprawled. I like to think he heard me or could even see me with the light at my back, even if he didn't really answer. Being an old and deaf dog he usually just snoozed even while I was talking to him and only jump up in surprise when I stroke his head.

I woke up the next day only to be greeted with the news that he had died that dawn.

For a good 10 minutes (although I could have sworn time was moving very slowly) I felt depressed and just sat on my bed - staring at my palms and not saying anything at all to anybody (knowing myself and my moods, that is a long time for me to be feeling down).

I realized that I was just sleeping peacefully nearby when he went away and left me and I never knew it!  He had gone physically away from me...he would never again look devotedly into my eyes...he would never again lean over to have his ears scratched and his stomach rubbed. He would never leave any of his progeny behind, and I had nothing left now except my memories and the few photographs I had taken of him and his siblings a long time ago....

I decided not to look at his stiffening corpse, but I had a lump in my throat when I told my mom that since the usual place we buried our pet dogs was already inaccessible (underneath a plump jackfruit tree in the vacant lot already bought by somebody else), I would like to dig and bury him myself, on the spot near the common driveway. At least if I see the plant he is buried under, I will know he is just underneath and near our house. And I'd remember....

And so, I determinedly took the shovel and with my mom's help we plunged him into the dark and dry soil, in his sack - in a not a very deep grave, as the soil was quite hard-packed. Then we placed a plant on top..sort of a marker. Afterward, I was suddenly gripped by a rush of cleaning fever...I noticed the fallen leaves from the numerous neem trees lining up the drive had all piled up since we had no helper for the last couple of months.

I felt conflicted. I wanted to rake and sweep and burn the leaves immediately. I also wanted to rush back inside the house, closet myself in my room and put pen to paper ....to write about the wrenching feeling I had at the thought of my dog waiting for me to come home so he could die. Maybe it is just a sentimental thought and up for debate - the idea of beloved animals or beloved pets waiting for its owners or masters...but I....I like to think of it that way. Because there is always a bond between a girl and her dog, a woman and her pet..or as some people may see it...just Cat and her fave dog.

I saw again a photograph I took after we buried him that day and I remembered...the smell of the rotting, dry leaves burning away... the sun shining through the swaying neem trees lining that driveway...and my dad leaning over the gate to hand me the camera as I pointed out the rays of light on the spot where Snoizy was buried. {picture at left shows his burial place}

It is only when life stops for those who are short-lived creatures of God, that I pause to think life is really just a blink of an eye. It goes by so fast...

And so I write this immediately after I see that photo..in tribute to one dog who shared a part of my life...and to grieve once more..for a little while.

Even ducks...

March 3, 2009
Greenbelt Chapel
Makati City, Philippines


Didn't I feel a teensy little bit guilty at all?

There I was strolling towards Greenbelt 3 when I came across these ducks. (btw, pic taken with cam of my Nokia 6300 mobile since the ducks waddled faster than they could quack!)

Apparently they were on their way to hear mass at the chapel located in the garden separating Greenbelt 3 and 5 (where I came from).

I only hear mass on special occasions. After high school where we had the usual prayers and masses and other rituals religiously observed in a school like St. Theresa's College, I guess I sort of made up for it by not attending mass regularly afterwards :-)

But here were these ducks...and here I was going somewhere else.

So says I, didn't I feel a teensy little bit guilty at all?

Quack!

Listening to all the songs on "The White Album" while being swamped with work...