Emily's Americanization

No other movie has moved me more than this film.

 

“The Americanization of Emily” Starring Julie Andrews and James Garner

This is ultimately one of my favorite romantic-comedies of all time. 

Julie Andrews is Emily Barham, a driver to the Dog-Robber Charlie Madison.

Dog-Robbers are one of the most essential men who work for the military who aids Men of higher ranks in the institution such as Admirals and Generals. They see to it that these men of honors are well fed, well dressed and aren’t lonely when the evening has loomed in.

Set in World War II, the film depicts the absurdities and casualties of war in a less grotesque manner and still with the quirkiness of the humor in those times. Presenting the shameful reality of war that has been cloaked by the flying colors of honor, valor and insignificant monuments to cover up the harsh realities of death.

An immature man would rather die an honorable death rather than live an honorable life.

War is ugly, it’s irrational and it’s still alive in our times. It’s still quite evident everywhere and perhaps would never disappear on the face of the planet.

It is nothing more than a play between two entities, one has power and the other one wants it.

I am for peace. Om Shanti.

I saw a vintage photo of this film in one of the flea stores in Cubao Expo, and bought it since I was sort of excited to move to a new apartment this month and I can’t wait to have it framed and displayed in my new room.

Julie Andrews The Americanization of Emily

“I’ve told myself a hundred times, don’t get earnest about this man, it’s a casual thing. A brief passionate explosion. Don’t get sticky about it for heaven’s sake…

Well I’m sticky Charlie, I’m sticky as hell. I’m insanely in love with you. “

What do the Toxic Titties and Jessica Zafra have in common?

I am fascinated by performance artists and I’m not talking about dancers, singers, actors you find in the local television.

The Toxic Titties captured my attention, they are a feminist group in California.

Toxic Titties is a collaborative group of feminist artists working with performance, video, and film, bringing a subcultural phenomenon into the frame of conceptual art. Using pleasure and play, the group mutates with each performance to include a multiplicity of participants and embody queer perversions of cultural ideals. Through failure and excess, Toxic Titties simultaneously invokes and destabilizes collective identity formations. 

What do we want?
Freedom! Power! Money! Respect! Pleasure! Representation! Sex! Indeterminacy! Revolution!
When do we want it?
NOW!

I am not a fan of simply rallying on the streets with raging fists in the air, stomping feet on the pavement and lung-out shouting for the audience or bystanders to get the message. I believe we can send the message in ways that won’t really need throats and lungs to exit our mouths or to convey the message with either eloquence or such profound vulgarity, which ever works best.

I wish there would be more young artists and groups here in the country who deals more in art rather in a pure political agenda. Can’t we infuse art and politics? There are a lot of issues in the country that spraying sublime wit on walls is simply unoriginal and just plain classless and tasteless. KMU does that, the Farmer’s Union does that, everyone does that, do something different.

We need more artists in the Philippines.

The answer to the Title question: World Domination (Of course, what else?)

Coal is not our friend

I love commercials, they don't last that long yet they send out the message in only a few seconds.

Currently, our battle against coal isn't over. Facebook uses coal as their source of power, that means using Facebook would definitely add numbers to your carbon footprint and environmentalists would probably deactivate their accounts in protest. Which means I would have to deactivate my FB account as well and stick to my blog.

Share the commercial below to your friends on FB and LIKE the Unfriend Coal Page.

The GreenPeace Unfriend Coal TV Ad.

This is an online revolution. Join Us to decelerate Global Warming even just for a tiny bit.

Is Allergic to the Ocean

Another insult to my penury lifestyle, it seems that I have a case of rashes that have now invaded my abdomen. After seeing a friend in Paseo de Sta. Rosa (Danke mein freunden) I have decided to put an end to these rashes, I thought they would go away but it’s been months.

Ever since I went to the beach last January my skin has started to mutate, rashes have invaded my back, chest and neck which I practically ignored. However, things have recently gone for the worse.

I went to the doctor and it seems that I am again reminded of my extreme skin sensitivity in which I have deliberately erased in my memory.

The doctor asked if I were allergic to seafood, I said yes but since I’m vegetarian, I haven’t eaten any seafood since last year.

“I’m vegetarian, but it did occur after we surfed last January” I said

“There you go!” said the doctor

“So, I’m allergic to the ocean?” I cried

“Well… since you’re allergic to seafood and you surfed, which means you probably swam in the ocean for hours…”

“I’m allergic to even swimming with sea creatures?!”

The doctor gave me a suggestive smile. “Oh…” I exhaled.

She did explain that there are micro-organisms with which my skin wasn’t happy to react with.

She also said to stay away from eggs, I told her it can be done. From now on, I’m swearing off eggs from my diet. 

I paid a fortune for lotions, creams and medicines in which I have to take for weeks. Now I have to eat tofu for at least two weeks in order to survive since a Writer’s salary can’t really afford these things. I have to spend more to change the soap I’m using to unscented and extra sensitive and avoid the sun at all cost.

I can be very strict with my diet, I can exorcise myself to avoid meat and eggs if I have to but my selection would definitely diminish. Taking eggs off my diet can be done easily. What I can’t stand is adding another medicine to my cocktails of pills and apply cream and lotion on my body on a ritual basis.

This weekend will be filled with editing and reviewing my short stories. I am writing this post at Zeus Bascon’s place, my painter friend who is currently painting on three pieces of boards for a contest.

Also, I went to the UP shopping center the other day to find printers for books and I bought a book for only P20 at Booksale! A steal indeed!! Despite the pile of books I got from Libreria, I couldn’t help myself from buying this book! In Love, In Sorrow: A book about the correspondence of two revered poets and writers of post World War II contemporary America. It can be quite effeminate and leaning on homosexuality at times, a good read I must admit.

In Love, In Sorrow for only P20 at BookSale Diliman!!

Cool Laguna breeze and a long weekend... Goodbye Eggs!

One Fine Sunday Afternoon with Zeus and his brother Eros

I Labia Majora from the Bosom of my Vena Cava inferiora!

If you love your body then I suggest you take a trip to this wonderful event this coming Saturday.

This is for your sake and for the sake of World Peace.

Unfortunately, I won't be able to attend since I need to be in Laguna for appointments but don't dare miss out on this!

I Labia from the Bosom of my Heart!

A Pap Smear and Breast Exam Clinic

Saturday, March 26 · 10:00am - 3:00pm

Likhaan Center for Women’s Health Clinic

88 Times St., West Triangle Homes

Quezon City, Philippines

Women’s bodies have been the battleground of many debates—the most significant of which is about women’s reproductive health. Oftentimes, women have been on the losing end. This March—which is the International Women’s Month— is the prefect time for women to assert control over, and bring the love back to, their bodies.

On March 26 (Saturday), the Lesbian Activism Project, Inc. (LeAP!), in collaboration with Likhaan Center for W...omen’s Health, will be holding a one-day pap smear and breast exam clinic at the Likhaan Clinic, which is located at 88 Times St., West Triangle Homes, Quezon City.

Women of all sexual orientations are encouraged to come!

Guidelines:
1. Register by emailing your name, age, contact details, and the service/s you wish to avail of to LeAPPhilippines@gmail.com.
2. If you’re availing of the pap smear exam, please refrain from any sexual activity twenty four (24) hours prior to the exam. Those who have their menstruation on the said date are advised not to avail of the exam.
3. Come to the clinic any time between 10:00 am- 3:00 pm on Saturday. You will be catered to on a first come, first served basis.
4. Orientation about the importance of the pap smear and the breast exam will be held at 11:00 pm and 1:00 pm.
5. A brief presentation on the importance of getting pap smears and breast exams will be given at 11:00pm and 1:00pm.
6. A minimal fee of 100php will be charged for the pap smear exam. The breast exam will be administered for free. 

Celebrating the Spring Equinox at Makati EchoYoga

Unfortunately, I arrived late since I was looking for the building and was lost. When I got to the place, people were already meditating. It was at the Penthouse of the Century Plaza building.

I waited for my friend Ella before I came in, there was also this girl who stuck with me since she said she was alone.

Ella was the one who invited me to go to the event to celebrate, I thought it was quite interesting, so I went with her. Turned out I knew more people in the event than she did so I didn’t have a hard time getting familiar.

We meditated a bit then after 30 minutes, the program was over. I thought it was going to be a whole night event… My friend Ella and I were sort of disappointed, Tim came in just when everyone was leaving.

We hanged with Beau a bit since he had to leave for work, we were all thinking of doing our own meditation session somewhere else, where we can really just enjoy the sudden tilt or change of the Universe.

Guess where this is…

The Lotus Floats on Murky Water

There was a 5.7 magnitude earthquake that I didn't feel yesterday... Sigh, another earthquake I missed feeling. It's quite frustrating I've never felt an earthquake for years now.

My friend Ella said ever since the  Tsunami, she had changed her views in life.
Veronica: Everything we work for in this life will eventually turn to dust.
Ella: I realized how minuscule every problems and worries everyone has. So I just want to live a happy carefree life.
Tim: Yeah, that's why I quit my previous job, my boss was such a bitch!

Not everyone would realize that we are already at the precipice but for those who do and know what to do, then everything would be easy, lighter and less painful.
For those who worry about tomorrow, will be plagued today of something that hasn't happened yet.

What happened in Japan is a small event, more will come, worse... Are you prepared?

The Moon and the Madness

The Vernal Equinox passed and the moon was said to be meters closer to the surface of the earth, in which I have tragically failed to witness. Nonetheless, I’m quite certain that it has induced a lot of people to commit several acts they usually don't. I am referring to the Lunatics, if you haven’t the faintest idea already.

According to Wikipedia, a lunatic is someone who is mentally ill, dangerous, foolish, unpredictable.

It sounds like just another regular guy to me if you take away the mentally ill part. People are dangerous, capricious and foolish at times which gave the idea that perhaps we are all lunatics.

Unfortunately, I didn’t hear anyone from my friends or anywhere in particular who have committed something peculiar while the moon was at its prime. And I was quite expecting something insane…

Nonetheless, I’m sure something will come up soon enough.

Why not take the “Which historical lunatic are you?” test?

I answered the test and the result was…

You are Charles VI of France, also known as Charles the Mad or Charles the Well-Beloved!
A fine, amiable and dreamy young man, skilled in horsemanship and archery, you were also from a long line of dribbling madmen. King at 12 and quickly married to your sweetheart, Bavarian Princess Isabeau, you enjoyed many happy months together before either of you could speak anything of the other's language. However, after illness you became a tad unstable. When a raving lunatic ran up to your entourage spouting an incoherent prophecy of doom, you were unsettled enough to slaughter four of your best men when a page dropped a lance. Your hair and nails fell out. At a royal masquerade, you and your courtiers dressed as wild men, ending in tragedy when four of them accidentally caught fire and burned to death. You were saved by the timely intervention of the Duchess of Berry's underskirts.

This brought on another bout of sickness, which surgeons countered by drilling holes in your skull. The following months saw you suffer an exorcism, beg your friends to kill you, go into hyperactive fits of gaiety, run through your rooms to the point of exhaustion, hide from imaginary assassins, claim your name was Georges, deny that you were King and fail to recognise your family. You smashed furniture and wet yourself at regular intervals. Passing briefly into erratic genius, you believed yourself to be made of glass and demanded iron rods in your attire to prevent you breaking.

In 1405 you stopped bathing, shaving or changing your clothes. This went on until several men were hired to blacken their faces, hide, jump out and shout "boo!", upon which you resumed basic hygiene. Despite this, your wife continued sleeping with you until 1407, when she hired a young beauty, Odette de Champdivers, to take her place. Isabeau then consoled herself, as it were, with your brother. Her lovers followed thick and fast while you became a pawn of your court, until you had her latest beau strangled and drowned.
A severe fever was fended off with oranges and pomegranates in vast quantities, but you succumbed again in 1422 and died. Your disease was most likely hereditary. Unfortunately, you had anywhere up to eleven children, who variously went on to develop capriciousness, great cruelty, insecurity, paranoia, revulsion towards food and, in one case, a phobia of bridges.