Ready for the big day...

Looks like Hong Kong is all ready for the coming of the Lunar New Year tomorrow. The malls are all decked out. Cherry blossom trees are in view wherever you turn.




Dragons are dancing all over the place.



And everyone is excitedly waiting for the big day.

The reasons for being excited are actually quite varied. Some are excited because they'll get to go on a long holiday out of Hong Kong. Some are excited because of all the Lai Sees they're hoping to receive. Some are excited because it's time to see their long lost relatives again. And some are excited just because the Lunar New Year here is big and something to be excited about.

As for me, I'm just excited because It's going to be my first Chinese New Year in Hong Kong.

Eating like a boy

Had lunch at McDonald's again today. Found out they were giving out the "Chronicles of Narnia" toys with their Happy Meal and I just had to get one. Whilst I tried collecting them during my 4-week stay in Manila, my Mom gave them to my niece and nephew in Georgia. So, from having 4 action figures, I now have none.

There I was, standing in line, waiting to order. Beside me was this little boy, around 8 years old, wearing a colorful fleece jacket, nerdy eyeglasses and carrying a backpack. Needless to say, he was a student who must've just completed school and is about to grab lunch before going home. He spoke very clearly for someone so small, and while I don't understand Cantonese, it appeared to me that he speaks with authority. I didn't eavesdrop regarding his order, but something told me that he's going for the Happy Meal as well.

As luck would have it, 8-year old boy and I were seated beside each other. When I saw his tray, I found out that he did order the happy meal. To be exact, he ordered:

- Filet-o-fish
- Regular fries
- Regular soda
- 2 piece McWings
- Jadis the White Witch toy

Then, I looked at my own tray. Guess what i saw:

- Filet-o-fish
- Regular fries
- Regular soda
- 2 piece McWings
- Jadis the White Witch toy

We looked at each other and smiled. Despite the 20+ year gap, this kid and I share the same taste in food and toys. That moment, he was like my little brother. There we were, gnoshing on fries and wings and a filet, then washing it down with soda. And of course, we were both waiting to go back home to open our new toy!

While assessing the scenario, I kept on thinking: Does the boy eat like an adult? Or do I eat like a boy?

McDonalds + a toy? I think the answer is pretty obvious.

"Mommy, Mommy, guess what I learned..."

Today I learned how to say "Excuse me, but I need to fart" in Cantonese!

Don't ask my why, but i've inadvertently picked up this phrase and repeated it again and again and again. According to my colleagues, I've got the accent just right. So yes, people will understand me when I say it.

Now all I need is an elevator packed with people, then I can practice to see if it really works!

OMG! I'm wearing the same outfit as...

Today was one of those: "I-just-can't-figure-out-what-to-wear-today-days". And as anyone with a fascination with fashion would say, on days like this, you can never go wrong with black. So that's what I did: black t-shirt, black pull over, Zara Jeans and black, leather Chuck Taylors. On my way out, I grabbed my olive green blazer to add a punch of color to the look.

Later on in the day, one of my colleagues stops in front of me, looks at me intently and says: "You're wearing the same thing you wore yesterday."

Looking back - 24 hours back to be exact - I realized that I WAS wearing the same olive green blazer yesterday. But the look was: Esprit Jeans, green American Eagle Cable knit sweater, and Zara boots. So technically, it was a totally different look from yesterday.

So I said: "I'm just wearing the same blazer. Everything else is different." To which he replied: "But the blazer is what people see first, so they'll think you're wearing the same outfit as yesterday." Perplexed by all this attention on a blazer worn two days straight, I asked what was wrong with seeming to have worn the same thing twice. His answer was one that made me smile and scratch my head at the same time:

"You're a style meister, you can't go out looking like you wore the same outfit twice. It's just not right. People might think you're slacking off!"

Me? A "style meister"? Cool beans! It reminds me of the time when my other Hong Kong officemate said that she thinks that i'm so fashionably dressed. Coming from someone in HK - where people are notoriously fashion forward - that's quite a complement. But then again, as that line from the movie goes: "With great power comes great responsiblity." What I learned today is that - if I were indeed a stylemeister - I shouldn't wear the same blazer twice. Along with a couple more "shouldn'ts."

Makes me wonder if I do want to be a style meister. It's bad enough that I have to watch what I say. Now, I need to watch what I wear, too.

Handy!

This Christmas, Joe gave me a nifty pair of Abercrombie & Fitch mittens. She said that since I was such a big fan of the brand, she knew they'd be a great gift for me. (Yup, she didn't buy it because it would be useful, but because of the brand.)

I thought that i'd only get to use those mittens on my next Spring trip to Europe. But the weather today is so cold, my fingernails are turning blue. So today, i'm wearing Joe's gift - a few months earlier than I expected. What a handy dandy gift!

Thanks Joe!

Suits me

Unlike my Dad and 2 brothers, I was never big on suits. When we were young, we'd troop to Prince Albert to have our school pants made, and Dad would have his coat and pants set made the same time. My brothers had their first suits made during their High School proms, and have been enamoured by it ever since.

My first encounter with a suit as a lucid adult was during Emin's 18th birthday party, which means I was also 18 that time. For the cotillion de honore, we were required to wear suits. Actually, they were tuxedos, complete with the lilac colored cummerbund and bow tie (faux, of course. We were just 18.) While I thought it looked dapper on me, the "suit bug" never bit me. So after that party, I didn't don that tux again.

It took me over a decade to wear a suit again. When I went to Mexico as part of our exchange program, we were asked to bring 2 different suits since we were going to meet dignitaries, governors and other heavyweights. Because of my apathy to suits, I suggested that we wear Barong Tagalogs since that was our national costume. So in the end, we brought 2 different barongs AND 2 different suits! (More luggage!) I had 2 new suits made, one in classic black and the other in gray pinstripes.

When I fit my suit in front of my sister, she said: "I know that you're my brother so I shouldn't say nice things about you, but you really look handsome in a suit." That got me a-runnin' to a mirror and check. Chucking modesty for a bit, I thought she was right. I did look nice in that suit. So for a few months, the suit became part of my sartorial repertoire. Before, i'd only go to weddings wearing a barong. That year, 2003, I started appearing in some wearing my nice, gray pinstripe suit.

In 2004, after my European trip that led me to eschew meat, my body shape started to whittle down. The 2 suits suddenly became too big for me. Initially, I was thinking of having the suits tailored again to fit me, then I found out that it'll cost the same as making a new one. Ergo, my decision was to have a new one made. A year after making that decision, I still haven't had a suit made.

Today, Gigi and I went to Causeway Bay to shop for jeans. She was a big fan of Antik Denim, so we decided to check out my favorite haunt where there were a lot of uber cool designs. Before we could even go there, she saw a G2000 store and insisted that we stop by. Gigi is a big suit fan, and with the words 70% OFF festooned all over the display window, she couldn't help but go in. While Gigi was going gaga over the nice suits in spring colors, I was sitting in one corner, sulking.

After 20 minutes, she looked like she was still on a roll. This made me decide to get off my flat butt and look around the store. A rack of coats were in front of me, and I started browsing. One coat caught my attention. It was a charcoal gray coat with fine burgundy stripes. It was so fine, you have to be a few inches in front of the fabric to see it. Off the cuff, it looked like a very "English" suit. Since I was wearing my gray green pullover, I decided to see how it fit me. And once the coat was worn: VOILA! It was a perfect fit, and it was begging me to buy it.

Then I thought, why don't I really go the deep end and try on the matching pants. The one on display was size 29, and so I asked if they had one in 31. (I like my slacks big and low slung). Unfortunately, they only had a size 30, which looked small. But what the hey, let me fit it anyway.

There I was, trying on a suit after 2 years of not wearing one. I felt the pants were a bit too tight (although Peter says that suit pants are supposed to fit snugly. Even if it's too snug that you can see the... uhm... package you're carrying.) So I took it as a sign that I shouldn't buy this suit. Then Gigi arrived and shouted: "My Gosh! That suit looks perfect on you! The spring colors, the cut, the fit! It was made for you!" Skeptically, I asked: "Is it really?" To which she replied: "yes, knowing suits very well, that suit is just perfect for you."

So today, January 21, is a red letter day in my Sartorial life. I've hated suits, then liked suits, then outgrew suits. All this time, I've had suits tailor made for me. But today, all that has changed.

Today, I buy my first off-the rack suit. And yes, I think it suits me quite well.

Threesome!

550.00
459.00
379.00
319.00
189.00

This is how the price tag of Zara Jeans looked like. And when something goes from 550 to 189, first instinct kicks in and every part of your system yells: BUY IT!

And I did. Not only did I buy it, I bought 3 of it! Like the jean addict people know me to be, I walked out with 3 new pairs of jeans:

Jean 1: Dark washed denim, low rise, straight cut with a bit of flare at the hem. Three metal studs at the back pocket.
Jean 2: Medium washed denim, low rise, boot cut, with a gaping hole below the left knee which is covered by a dark denim patch.
Jean 3: Dark washed denim with copper wash accents. Low rise, loose fit. Stenciled design at the back. Way cool!

With these babies, my jean pool in Hong Kong has just hit the 40+ mark!

Back to the Other Reality

After almost 4 weeks of work/vacation in Manila, I find myself back in HK, writing this blog from the Internet Cafe near my flat. After getting used to waking up to my own bed and seeing my family in the morning, taking the MRT to Makati or Ortigas to check out the malls, meeting friends both old and new, meeting photographers and arranging shoots, today, I'm back here in my "other reality."

Traveling to a nearby country is a funny thing. Just this morning, I was in Francis' studio with Maricar, and her 2 very able talents - Joel and Ynez. We were shooting this print ad, and for first timers, both Joel and Ynez performed really well. At 15 before 2, I quickly hailed a cab and headed to the airport. Check in was quite fast, the flight was relatively on-time (this was PAL, so it's a big thing), and by 6:15 pm, here I was. Chek Lap Kok, taking an Airport Express train to Kowloon, then riding a cab going to Pak On building, my "other home."

When I arrived, a couple of pleasant surprises greeted me. First, was a couple of Christmas cards from the US, and it's always nice to open and read Christmas cards. Second, the building guard said: "Where have you been?" Which means my absence was noticed. Third, I found out that I left a pack of bread in the flat - and it transformed into a hideous, mouldy monstrosity. I had to make a beeline to the trash can to dispose of it. Thank goodness the pack was sealed, so there was no smell.

After checking out the apartment, I proceeded downstairs to see if there's anything new in the neighborhood. Taking a walk along my usual route, it was pretty much the usual stuff. Stores on sale, people shopping, and salary men on their way home.

Next stop was Harbour City. When I got there, my two favorite four-letter words greeted me:

ZARA
SALE

Like a dog who hasn't been fed for 3 weeks, I quickly ran in and sniffed around for good buys. There weren't that many, although there were a couple of promising choices. This got me a-thinkin', since the IFC branch is better stocked, maybe they have more stuff there. So quickly, I took a ferry to Central and headed off to the original Zara store in HK.

Zara Men wasn't too exciting, though the women's store yielded a couple of great finds. The Gujrat wedding skirt I was lusting over was there, from $1299, it was now $399. But as I was about to snatch and pay for it, I noticed that some of the beadwork at the hem were gone. That's the reason why the price is that low - it was damaged. I decided to forego buying it, maybe they have better ones in Pacific Place or Times Square.

But I did walk away with 4 items of clothing: 2 beaded jersey blouses (one each for my two sisters.) It had one of my favorite color combinations - aqua blue jersey and brown embroidery and beadwork. The workmanship alone is worth the price tag, and since it's 50% off, who can resist. I was also able to buy an green empire cut blouse for my pregnant sister, and a brown bolero made of corduroy. For this stash, I only paid $479. Since this is Zara I bought, that's really a great buy.

Let me see, I've been in Hong Kong for less than 3 hours, and already I've shopped at Zara for my sisters.

Yup, I'm back indeed.

Fabulous at 40!

As our invitation stated:

40 years ago, in a beautiful church in Malinao, Albay, a General's son married the Mayor's daughter, and their story of life and love began unfolding. Today, 40 years later, witness as the story unfolds once more.



The General's son is my Dad, and the Mayor's daughter is my Mom. Today is their 40th anniversary, and my brothers and sisters worked together to give them an anniversary party that they'll remember and cherish.



I'll write about the party a bit later. Today, i'll just look these photos that serve as testament to the truth that years may pass, appearances may change, people may grow older, and wrinkles may appear. But despite that, true love will always remain.





Here's to 40 years for my Mom and Dad, and looking forward to 40 years more!

Public Service

Given all the bad rap that Government agencies are given, people - including myself - see the prospect of going to a government office to avail of some service as a trip to purgatory, or maybe even hell. Visions of long lines, outdated systems and fixers easily come to mind whenever people need to apply for NBI Clearances, passports and IDs.

Despite being an eternal optimist, I visited the SSS office today with a gray cloud looming over my head. More than a year after having my papers verified, I found the time to have my ID card produced. Initially, the plan was to go there really early to beat the crowd and get out in a jiffy. But since I slept really late last night (again), I woke up past 8, with a throbbing head and a disoriented mind.

Because of that, I arrived at the SSS Makati office past 10 am. And, as expected, there was a crowd inside and most of the seats were taken. I saw a guy checking a bunch of papers, and everyone was either bored or napping. The moment my paper was received by the reception guy, I was prepared for the worst. Having come in at 10, I was expecting to be served at around 2 or 3pm.

This suddenly transported me back to when i was getting my resident ID in HK. In their immigration office, the waiting time for each procedure is emblazoned all over the office. For example: 1st time ID applicants - 25-30 minutes; ID replacement - 15-20 minutes. They are so confident and proud of their turn around time that they had it there for everyone to see.

Then again, they won't boast of something that they can't deliver. From the time I walked in, to the time I got my temporary ID, it was less than 30 minutes. So, it was a promise that was kept by the organization.

Of course, when I snapped back to reality, I wasn't in HK but in Makati. And the 30 minute rule definitely won't apply.

Suddenly, something surprising happened. Names were called one after the other, with an interval of about 3 minutes. There were 4 counters serving everyone, so one by one, people started to stand up, do their business, then disappear.

Less than 30 minutes since I stepped in, my name was called. Once inside the cubicle, I did the requisite "write on the log book" and my ID process began.

1. Photo
2. Thumbprint
3. PIN
4. Signature

In less than 10 minutes, I was done. My collection slip was given to me and I was asked to expect the ID within 30 days - the same timeframe given to me in HK.

As I stepped out of the SSS office, there was a silly smile plastered on my face. The government really impressed me this morning. The process was fast, efficient and hassle free. It was so good, in fact, that I can compare my SSS ID experience with my HK ID experience. And when some 3rd world guy in a 3rd world country thinks their processes are as good as a 1st world place, hey, that's news to me.

Now if only our government offices were as snazzy as the ones in HK, or Amsterdam, then we're really getting somewhere.

Having fun...

Yes, the adage "Time flies when you're having fun" is simply SO true. I've been in Manila for almost 3 weeks, and in a few days time, i'd be back in my alternate reality.

For some people, 3 weeks is a considerable amount of time, and that "some people" includes me. But as we were having pancakes at Heaven and Eggs (at 10 in the evening), I realized that my 3 weeks felt more like 3 days. After all that partying, outreach programs, reunions, movies, wedding planning and accidental get-togethers along the streets of Makati, you realize that time really is short. As much as we think there's a lot of time left, when you start seeing the people you love and start spending time with them, you realize that time really isn't enough.

Suddenly, I found myself mumbling those words that I once found so cliche: "Grabe, ang bilis talaga ng panahon..."

The Kindness of Strangers

Like some people I know, lately i've found myself losing faith in the kindness of strangers. After all, media and forwarded emails have been telling us that people are out to get you and your money, and will not even think twice before scamming you for any valuables you might have.

This phenomenon isn't unique in the country, though. Even in my travels abroad, i've had a lot of run ins with these people. There was a time when I dropped my mobile phone on the plane, and the person who picked it up (probably the person seated behind me), didn't even bother to return it. In fact, she even kept it for herself! In Jakarta, an immigration person openly asked me to put money in my passport so i wouldn't have problems getting in.

One time in Singapore, I left a bag of bossini stuff in a fast food outlet. When I came back for it a few minutes after I realized my absent-mindedness, it was gone! And the staff there didn't know where it went. (Of course, I was hoping that the kind stranger who found my bag would leave it with the cashier... but no...)

Yesterday, I was in a computer shop having stuff printed, and while waiting, I decided to surf the net. When the print job was done, I excitedly stood up, collected the maps, looked at them and skiddimarinked away. The maps came out quite nicely, so I was in a rush to cut them and pack them in envelopes.

About an hour and a half later, I was going to call someone when I realized that I left my phone in the computer shop. My heart fell immediately, knowing that my phone was gone. This wasn't the first time, so the sting wasn't that painful. Still, I decided to go back to the internet shop and check whether someone actually returned the phone. Long shot as it might have been, it was a shot worth taking.

The moment I entered the shop, the cashier says: "Sir, naiwan niyo yung phone niyo. Binalik nung mamang next sa inyo," then she hands me my phone. I was overjoyed! Whilst he could have kept the phone for himself, chucked the sim and voila! He has a new phone. But still, he had the kindness of heart to bring the phone to the counter and ask the girl to return it to its owner in case he drops by.

Walking away, I felt a rush of joy all around me. It was that light, tingly feeling that you get when something really nice happens. While reveling in this emotion, I realized one thing. I was happy not because I found my phone, but there are still kind strangers out there that makes you have faith in people again.

Letting go...

Whilst i've delayed this decision long enough, today i've decided to face it. Partly because my Mom has been breathing down my neck for the longest time, but also because it's the new year, and this is the best time to let go of old things and usher in the new. 

 This morning, I've decided to let go of old jeans and clothes that have been clogging my closet. Being a major pack rat, throwing away and/or giving away things is always difficult. 

But seeing my jeans have exceeded the 100 pair mark, and my shirts are over 200, today was a good day to finally sort out the "must haves" from the "nice to owns." 

I woke up early for this. By 7am, I was already lining up and spreading out the jeans and shirts for a better view and assessment. Aside from the sentimental reasons, other factors I used in choosing were: jean rise, color, cut and details. 

For the shirts, it was simply if it still fits my personality now. (Once upon a time, I was actually a plaid shirt kinda guy. I shudder at the thought nowadays.) By the time the clock hit 10am, I was able to dispose around 20 pairs of jeans, 40 shirts and about 15 pairs of shoes. 

Mom diligently packed them in brown boxes and will ship them to Bicol today so my relatives there can give it to our less fortunate neighbors and townmates. They're the same folks who got a lot of my old G.I. Joe and He-Man toys, and I'm still smarting over that. So this little exercise is equivalent to rubbing salt on an open wound. Hahaha. 

But really, as much as it hurt me to let go of these clothes, I'm also glad at the thought that somewhere in Albay, someone is strolling around in a fashionable pair of Big Star Jeans, a Pull and Bear shirt and a pair of Nike trainers. 

At least i've done my part in making Bicol a bit more fashionable.

SM stand for Surprise Me!

It's been almost 7 months since I last had a decent stroll around a mall in Manila, and knowing that the turnover of shops here isn't as fast as the ones in Hong Kong, I was pretty confident to see the same old brand occupying the same old stalls. 

Since SM was the most convenient place to visit from where I was staying, I decided to meander around that area eventhough it's common knowledge that SM becomes a bee hive come Christmas.

Being accustomed to the HK crowd, this shouldn't be too hard to handle. SM is becoming an expert in coming up with surprises, so much that it often leaves me in awe after I step out of its hallowed halls.

First surprise was coming up with an excellent advertising campaign with Charlene Gonzalez. As I've told Lyli, her friends in New Directions have done an awesome job in bringing in class and fashion to this often scoffed upon "masa" department store. The art direction, styling, photography and clothes have succeeded in bringing it a notch higher. 

Another surprise greeted me today, and this came in the form of some chic finds that one wouldn't automatically associate with SM. Upon checking out their teens and young adult sections, there was a plethora of trend staples - all nicely executed and ridiculously cheap. 

Among the fab finds were the following items: 

1. Silk gaucho pants in bronze, brown, black and pink. 

2. An embroidered tank (similar to the one I bought for my sister in Zara a couple of months ago.) 

3. Bubble skirts in tweed, with lengths varying from mini to above the knee. 

4. Embellished empire tops with beaded details. 

5. Slides that are a mix of Chinese and Indian. 

What's surprising here is that i'd expect to find these in their Boutique Square section, but it was just in their regular line. Of course, after seeing how they've "upgraded" their teen/young adult section, I was curious to see if there were any additions in their "high end" line. Again, they didn't disappoint. 

SM Makati carries Cesar Gaupo and Avel Bacudio, both very skilled designers in their own fashion realm. Cesar's dainty dresses that channel the 50s and 60s were really nice, particularly the crepe silk shift with a velvet ribbon, plus the shantung dress with a refreshing combination of blue and orange, plus a punch of red. 

On the other hand, Avel's graphic prints would go well with plains to create a look that's both classic yet edgy. Comparing department stores, I think SM is really leading the pack in terms of fashion innovation and really bringing good clothes to the hoi polloi. 

I just hope that the hoi polloi can appreciate good fashion and start dressing well like the Hong Kongers do. 

After this little visit, my belief in the SM jingle is slowly being solidified. Indeed, "we've got it all for you."

My new travel buddy

Melvin and I headed off to Festival Walk today after mass and it was surprising that this was his first time to visit the mall. He goes down at the Kowloon Tong KCR station each time he travels from Shenzhen to HK, but he always takes the subway so he missed seeing one of my favorite malls in HK. One reason why I love Festival Walk is because of its humungous Page One branch. Long before Page Once came (and gone) to Manila, i've seen it in HK when Chris brought Maricar and me to the mall way back in 2001. That time, it was still pretty new and people came in droves to check out the myriad of book choices the store offered. Today, I picked up this book which will be my new travel buddy as of tonight. Entitled "1,000 places to see before you die," it features the 1,000 top travel destinations from all around the world. And man! Do they have every part of the world covered. From usual tourist traps like Europe, to relatively unknown islands like Bonaire, - they have it in their review. What's great about this book is that it avoids the tourist cliches and the oft-beaten paths. In contrast, it visits nice restaurants, unknown museums, houses with historical significance, and other must-see attractions. I leafed through the pages quickly and found out that a lot of the places I visited are listed there, but at the same time, an equal number of my favorite spots aren't even mentioned. Most of my favorite places in Mexico, like San Luis Potosi didn't even appear in the book, to my dismay. From my quick 30 minute scan of the book, here are some things i've learned: 1. I've been to all the "must visit" spots in Prague 2. The author and I feel exactly the same way about San Miguel de Allende 3. The Philippines has 3 entries in the book: Tagaytay, Banaue and Amanpulo 4. I've been to Amsterdam a couple of times, and there's this "must visit" place behind the flat I was staying in, and I didn't even notice it. 5. There are more Carribean Islands than we could have imagined. 6. I MUST VISIT BRAZIL! This book is a good buy, plus a must read, considering i'm off to Spain again next year. After looking at the "Spain" section, my resolve to take a train from Barcelona to Madrid to Bilbao to Santiago has further been heightened. At least now, I have an idea where to go. Ah, the travel bug bites once more.

Feeling so low...

I'm wearing the low rise jeans I got from Zara in Singapore last March. They must be the lowest pair i have. I'm trying not to sneeze, because if I do, I have a feeling they'll fall right off. (I exaggerate not...)

Lookie who's playing hooky?

It's a slow day today, so i'm planning to re-live my Makati and Ortigas days. 

Back in my previous agencies, whenever work would be scarce and there's nothing to do, i'd play hooky and head for the nearest mall. I would either do some shopping, watch a movie, or just meander aimlessly around. 

During my Adformatix days, our lunchtimes would be spent in Greenbelt at Triple V, coupled with some serious shopping along Greenbelt Plaza. Erwin, Xtine and I had lunch at Triple V, then hung out at National Book Store checking out magazines and books. 

Another option would be Makati Cinema Square where we'd check out Angela's for super surplus stuff. Or go to Plaza Fair to buy groceries for our pantry. 

By 1996, I transferred to San Miguel Corporation, and our office was behind SM Megamall. Everday, i'd be at Megamall, either having lunch, buying props, or simply being there. There was even a joke about how our office was connected to the mall. Megmall was divided into two major areas - SM-A and SM-B, and we were SM-C. This was to the chagrin of the management since productivity was really suffering because of our Mega-excursions. 

 My favorite working years were between 2001 to 2003 when DYR was still in Wynsum building along Emerald Avenue. Robinsons Galleria - once and forever my favorite mall - was just 5 minutes away by foot. That alone was reason enough for me to consider the office as paradise on earth. Aside from the fact that it was just 15 minutes away from home, it was also within arms distance from 4 major malls - Galleria, Podium, Megamall and Shangri-La! Needless to say, i'd spend most of my time out of the office rather than in. 

When our office moved to RCBC in Makati, getting to a mall was a bit of a challenge. After all, we were at the far end of Ayala, so Greenbelt would be a good 15 minutes by foot. A daunting task, but I was never one to chicken out. So every lunchtime, or whenever I felt bored, or if my groupmates irritated the *h*t out of me, i'd play hooky and go all the way to Glorietta to de-stress and have fun. 

Playing hooky was one thing I knew I'd be giving up when I moved to Hong Kong. For one, our office area isn't conducive to "playing hooky." There's nothing around us but residential buidlings, offices and a few supermarkets. The nearest meander area here would be Provident World, and all you can see there is the Adidas Outlet store and a couple of clothes surplus places. Slim pickings, I know, but beggars can't be choosers. 

Today, though, i've decided to go all out and all the way. I'm going to HMV to look for new magazines and DVD, then head off to the Cinema-Art where they show nice art films. It's not as exciting as going to Greenbelt or Glorietta, but it's a start. 

Again, we have to make the most of what's given to us. This is all I have at this point. Strange as it may seem, I think this little act is something that gives a sense a normalcy to my life. And normal is good.

Cold Rush

And the temperature continues to drop in Hong Kong. 

Today, it's said to be 11 degrees, which would qualify as "a tad bit too chilly." 

There are certain signs that tell you that the weather is too cold, and some of them i've observed the past few days. You know it's too cold when: 

 - People don't drink their Starbucks coffee, rather they use the cup to warm their hands. 

- Women wear socks with their pumps. (And I do mean socks and not stockings.) 

- The upper part of my jaws hurt. 

- I keep the water in shower running even when I soap because I immediately feel cold when it's turned off. 

- I run around the house from room to room in search of a warm spot. 

- My hands turn blue when it's exposed for more than 5 minutes. 

- You'd rather stay inside the office during lunchtime. 

- Staying outdoors for more than 10 minutes makes your nose run. 

Another setback of the cold weather for me is the fact that I can't wear my distressed jeans as often. Today, i'm wearing my Abercrombie and Fitch jeans with a lot of holes, and I must say that it feels like somebody poured 5 bags of ice in my jeans, and let them stay there. I can also imagine an air-conditioning unit attached to the interior of my jeans - and I mean that in a bad way. 

 Now I know why polar bears just hibernate during times like these. A few more weeks of this and i wouldn't mind hibernating myself.

Sunday Funday

Spencer held a seminar on creativity today, and some of us at the office were asked to help out in the event. Immediately, I signed up because not only do I get to see the boss work his creative magic outside the office, it was also a chance to get together with some colleagues in a "non-corporate" environment. By 1;30pm, the gang gathered at the Wan Chai art center. Everyone was visibly relaxed and had that "Let's just have fun" vibe along with them. Of course, so did I. Preparing for the event felt like preparing for a school play back in High School. Everyone was scurrying about doing some menial task, like mixing paints, inflating a pool mattress, wrapping a kung-fu "punching bag" in canvas, and arranging props. The seminar was conducted in Cantonese, so I couldn't understand anything they were saying, or planning to do. But I took this as a challenge to broaden my creative horizons, and try to figure out something just by looking at whatever is happening. Unlike most of the seminars I've attended, this one had no one talking! Yup, it was a silent seminar, with only cue cards telling everyone what they should do. But with the aid of music and a few scribbles on a white board, everyone got into the spirit of the event. It was totally a non-traditional seminar. There was a kung-fu man who used his moves to paint a canvas, there was an exercise where you had to take an object and put it into close contact with a person inside an acrylic container, there was a body painting session where the person's body was the paint brush, and an acting workshop. Even if I didn't understand what was being said, I could see that everyone was enjoying the seminar. And even if I couldn't read Cantonese, I got what they were doing, and what Spencer wanted to do. He was encouraging everyone to think out of the box, and use creativity to do something ordinary. In essence, he was asking everyone to find extraordinary solutions to ordinary problems. Upon further thought, I realized that was the essence of creativity. After the seminar, we started cleaning up and talking about the seminar that finished. Everyone was laughing at the highlights and sidelights, and in between mopping and biting into sandwiches, we began discovering that there is more to creativity than just finding a clever way to make an ad, or making an award winning story, or painting a masterpiece on canvas. Creativity is really opening your mind and finding new ways of doing things - whether that thing is art related, or as ordinary as folding a plastic grocery bag. Personally, i've been so obsessed with equating creativity to my job that i've forgotten to be creative in my everyday undertakings. This seminar, though i really wasn't in it, awakened my want and need to be write letters, draw pictures, make collages and just rediscover the creative spirit I had as a child. To find fun and personal fulfillment is really what creativity is meant to do. Spencer - and participating in is seminar - was successful in teaching me that. And I didn't even have to pay the seminar fee!

Viva las Reinas

In my continuing quest to learn more Spanish, I've decided to catch this film at the Broadway Cinematheque - one of the theaters that show art films. Entitled "Reinas" or "Queens", his movie is dubbed as a "Spanish Art House favorite" since it was directed by one of Spain's bad/bright boys of cinema - Manuel Gomez Perreira.

Judging by the film's synopsis - the story of 3 gay couples getting married, and their mothers weighing in on the celebration - you'd think that "Queens" would refer to the gay guys in the story. Once you watch the film, though, you realize that the title refers to their mothers.

The 5 mothers, each from different socio-economic and political backgrounds, try to cope with their sons' homosexuality and marriage in their own quirky ways. In an "art imitating life" twist, we see that the different mothers have a different level of acceptance. Some of them are fag-hags, others are homophobic, while some others are just oblivious to the entire thing.

The most accepting would be Ofelia, who doesn't give an R.A. whether his son Oscar is macking his boyfriend Miguel in her presence. She's also the one who eggs the two guys to try and resolve their differences each time they fight. Magda, Miguel's mom, is a kick-ass chick in a power suit who's more concerned about her business rather than her son. Ergo, her apathy doubles as acceptance in this case. Nuria, the mother of Narciso, is a historian who gladly embraces her son's homosexuality. She even preaches how the greatest men in history had homosexual affairs, which are known and accepted by their wives. Among those she rattles off are: Alexander the Great, Ramses, Attila the Hun and Julius Ceasar. In the middle would be Carmen, the actress who has accepted the fact that her unico hijo - Rafa - is gay. What she's worried about is his future after getting married to Jonas - the son of their gardener. At the back of her mind, Carmen feels that Jonas is only after Rafa's money. And finishing up the list as the most homophobic of them all is Helena - a judge who is more devoted to her job than her family. Mother to Hugo, she was the only one who was very vocal about her disgust with regards to the gay marriages.

These 5 sub-stories are neatly and tightly packed into one big film that's well-paced, neatly narrated, and interestingly arranged. The 5 mothers, though run into each other throughout the film. Interestingly enough. they don't know each other personally, and this continues until the end of the film. Of course, their lives converge in the big gay wedding that punctuates the film - they're all there, but they still don't know one another.

What I like about the film is the fact that it doesn't try too hard to tie up all loose ends. While the ending is a positive one, it's not the "deliriously happy ending" that a lot of Hollywood films wrap up their films with. It's the kind of film that makes you think a step beyond - once the credits start rolling, you begin to wonder what will happen after that last scene. This happens because you know there are still a number of unresolved issues after the finale.

What I like about watching the film is that I realized how much I missed studying the Spanish language. Upon hearing the dialogues, it made me realize that I should really learn more Spanish, because if I just put my heart and attention into it, my command of the language will be better. At times, I didn't even need to look at the subtitles to understand what they were saying. In one scene, there were no English subtitles, but I got the joke and laughed. And according to my anfitrion in Mexico, if you can tell and understand a joke in Spanish, that means you're good with that language. I've done both, so I'll take that as a good sign.

I can't wait 'til they show another Spanish film in Hong Kong. Heck, I can't wait 'til I go back to Spain next year!