Sunday, December 31, 2006
here's to 2006!
I can't recall any other year of my life as jampacked as this one. Hard to pinpoint what the high-lights of my year were, because this entire year was a high-light. I've been here long enough to feel a bit settled, but short enough so that everything still seems like an adventure.
These are the things I'll remember (in no particular order):
1) The last 2 months before I left the Philippines where I learned to play samba, did poi with fire, got my scuba diving license, had the last few gigs with my band, made my last TV appearance, and spent time with the most important people in my life. There were so many goodbyes, so many send-offs, so many people wanting to hang out with me one last time before I left that I spent my last 2 nights in the Philippines dead-asleep from exhaustion.
2) Someone very special coming here to see me.
3) Walking. I did so much walking this year. I'd go out and walk when I was depressed. I'd walk when I was homesick. Walking kept me from going insane during the times when I hated it here and wanted nothing more than to catch the first plane to Manila. But because of all the walking I did, I was able to complete the City 2 Surf Fun Run (14 km, baby!). I've walked pretty much all of the city of Sydney. I've also done the Coogee to Bondi walk twice!
4) And because I did so much walking this year, I must have caught dozens of sunsets. They kept me company, and I painted alot of them.
5) The Byron Bay Bluesfest, and all the live acts I caught this year! Femi Kuti and The Positive Force! Peace, love, and music! A fantastic sunrise, and the longest road trip of my life. Mos Def! DJ Shadow! Vai, Satriani, and Petrucci! And in 2007... DAVE MATTHEWS!!!
6) Passing my driving test on the very first try!
7) Getting into capoeira. I seriously think I would have gone home by now if I didn't get into it.
8) Moving house... twice!
9) Reconnecting with art. I abandoned it for years thinking I had lost it, but I've been going through a great renaissance since I moved here.
10) The day I woke up and decided I'd be happy, even if it killed me (and things did start getting better then).
11) The kindness of strangers. All the people who took pity on me during the bad days, and offered to take me out, even if they were complete strangers. I must've gotten a dozen e-mails that said, "I know you don't know me, but I'm from Sydney, too, and I read your blog, and awww, I couldn't help but notice how sad you were, and hey, we've all been through that. If it's okay with you, I'd like to meet you for lunch or coffee..."
This is how I met almost all of my closest friends here.
Much to my regret, I was never able to respond to all these e-mails because I'm either busy, or just completely disorganized. I'm taking this opportunity now to thank all of you for the gesture. I really, really appreciate it. Yes, I am interested in having that cup of coffee, I just don't know when!donations for Bicol
To all of you Sydney-siders who have clothes to give to the Bicol typhoon victims, we're sending a shipment of donations home in January. We're shouldering the cost ourselves, so it's at no expense to you. You can drop the clothes off here, or I can maybe get them from you. Send me an e-mail at ala.paredes@gmail.com.
As for those who want to buy artwork, I have received your e-mails! Will respond them next year (which starts tomorrow, hehe). A commenter named Kaye, who lives in Melbourne, had the idea of sending me a self-addressed express post document envelope so that I don't have to handle the cost of shipping outside of myself. I thought it was a brilliant idea! However, you will have to send me a tube for shipping large documents that you can't fold, because these prints are poster-sized. You can get them at the post office. Just make sure that an A2-sized document will fit into it.
For those of you outside Sydney who want to buy a print, e-mail me and I'll respond with my address (I don't want to post it online). Buy more than one and give it out to your friends ;-)
Thank you for helping out! Happy New Year!and due to popular demand
This is what my hair looks like when it's curly! Hahaha!I'm happy with it. Feels loads lighter (or "heaps" lighter as the Aussies would say).
My brother took this shot! Hehehe.
Ayan, di na ako Barbie Almalbis :-p
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at 11:41 AM 15 Comments!
Tuesday, December 26, 2006
namaste
"Namaste" means:
▪ The Spirit in me meets the same Spirit in you.
▪ I greet that place where you and I are one.
▪ I salute the Light of God in you.
▪ I bow to the divine in you.
▪ I recognize that within each of us is a place where Divinity dwells, and when we are in that place, we are One.
▪ My higher energy salutes your higher energy.
▪ The God in me sees and honors the God in you.
▪ May the God within you, bless you
▪ The Divine within me sees and honors the Divine within you.
In other words, it recognizes the equality of all, and pays honor to the sacredness and interconnection of all, as well as to the source of that interconnection.
Source: Wikipedia explains it best.
I didn't feel like it was Christmas all day, until during mass when I said a prayer of thanks for all the love in my life. There's the love I left behind back home, with all the people I have known all my life, that hasn't diminished a bit just because I'm far away. Leaving your life behind to move to another country really makes you realize what the important things in your life are. Usually, the most valuable things are also the ones that are the most simple: your family, and the people who love you.
Then there's the new love I've found here, new relationships I've formed that, though seemingly shallow, fleeting, and insignificant right now, are slowly growing and unfolding. I may not have alot of memories with my new friends, but the the intention to make new memories throughout the next few years is definitely there.
I am thankful for every, single new person who came into my life this year. The universe brought them to me, and though it may not be clear to me yet, they all have a purpose for entering my life. All encounters are meaningful if you are open to the interconnectedness of all things. Many people don't know how much I quietly appreciate them, and how grateful I am, just for their very presence in my life: friends, acquaintances, and people I am just beginning to know.
I came here not knowing a single person. At times I felt very alienated and like I'd never feel part of this new world I'm in. But throughout this year, I've experienced so many great acts of kindness from complete strangers who felt they had extra room in their lives to accomodate a lost, lonely immigrant; people who made the initiative to reach out to me, connect with me, and invite me to partake in their lives. I feel infinitely blessed.
This was an unforgettable year, and I will never forget those who were part of it, even in small ways. It's been the greatest adventure of my life.
To all of you, Namaste. Here's to a new year up ahead.
And to all of you back home, I want to remind you that I value you all very much, more so that we don't live in the same country anymore.salamat
First of all, thank you for the overwhelming response regarding my hair. It's funny how many comments I got over an entry about my haircut! As requested, I will post more pics of it when I have them hahaha. I didn't like it the first few days, but now I think I do.buy my art, help people
A few weeks ago, 8 villages were buried under flood water and mud in the Philippine province of Bicol when they were hit by a super typhoon. The storm killed thousands, while hundreds are still missing, injured, and have lost their homes, families, and livelihood.
My dad told me about his friend who stayed on the rooftop of his home with his relatives, in the rain, for 3 days because the floodwaters were so high. His cousin was bitten by a rattlesnake that had been swimming in the floodwaters. He died 3 days later, because no help had arrived.
Calling all Sydney-siders. I'm selling signed prints of my artwork for 25 AUD each. They are A2 in size, full-color, matte paper. All money that does not cover printing costs will go to the victims of the Bicol typhoon. Imagine what your Aussie dollars will amount to when converted to Philippine pesos. These people need food, clothes, shelter, and medicine. Though international relief has been pouring in, they need more.
To those of you around the world and in other parts of Australia who are interested in buying, I'm sorry, but I can't be sure if I can handle the shipping. If I find a way to accomodate your orders, then I definitely will.
Sydney siders, I could meet you all somewhere on some day of the week to give you your print.
This is exclusive artwork. I won't be posting it online. I'll be taking orders till the 13th of January, 2007. I have to set a time limit, because it's cheaper to print in bulk than to print them all one by one. If you don't get to order by then, I'll start another round of orders.
Your money will be wired to a charity organization, most likely the Ateneo de Manila University (I have been giving them my cash and kind donations for different causes for years).
Come on, let's do this. E-mail me at ala.paredes@gmail.com
Read more about the typhoon here.
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Tuesday, December 19, 2006
even flower children must shed their petals
I.Just. Lost. ALOT. Of hair.
The Pinoy, bading, parlorista went psycho on me. I should have known. I spent twenty years of my life in the Philippines in Katipunan, an area where salons and their accompanying bading parloristas abound. Haven't I learned my lesson?
I meant to lose half of my hair, not 2/3rds.
My brother, after getting over the initial shock of seeing me with short hair, told me it looks nice and it somehow seemed 'normal', as if I've had my hair this way for quite awhile. "But I'm not a flower child anymore", I told him. "Yun nga lang ang nawala sa iyo (That's what you lost)", he said.
My friend Trish says I look older. Do I like looking older? I look young for my age. But even though I get asked by people every week what year I am in high school (to which I smugly reply that I got my degree 3 years ago, thank you very much), I know I'm older here than I was in my old life. This is the year I became an adult. I feel it. Something has changed in the way I think, and the way I look at life, and it's a change I'm ready to embrace.
But it was a bit difficult parting with my wild-child, bohemian image. My hair has been the ultimate bohemian accessory for the past 4 years, envied by many. It made me look like a nature fairy, a mermaid, a Penny Lane, a flower child. With my hair, I made my statement in the fashion/ showbiz industry I was part of. I kept it curly despite constant pressure to have it rebonded. My hair made me a rebel. Now it's in a garbage bag, in a rubbish bin, outside a salon in Blacktown.
In a way, I'm glad the bading went psycho on me. I knew the hair had to go. It was looking old and tired, and weighed a ton when it was wet. When brushed out straight, it went almost down to my waist. Also, it carried too much emotional baggage with it: too much excess vanity, an image I knew wasn't me anymore, and too many memories of shoots, showbiz, and old boyfriends telling me I looked prettier with my hair long. I wasn't allowed to cut my hair when I was modeling. I was under contract to allow people to use my hair to make money.
It was hard to part with something that had defined my image for so long, but the bading accomplished what needed to be done with a few swift strokes that left me in semi-shock. It feels nice to do what I want with my hair, not for men, or for modeling, or for showbiz. This one's for me. Of course, I don't have hair to flirt anymore, but it will be fun to discover what my other *ahem* assets are. I look older, taller, and my legs look even longer than they used to. Time to bust out the mini skirts! And maybe I'll start attracting guys who are actually my age!!!
I feel like this completes my transformation: cut away the old hair, cut away from the old me. Flower children must eventually shed their petals, but the flower child inside will never wither.
Besides, it's just hair. It'll grow back.Goodbye.
Hello.It's blowdryed straight. It'll be curly again by tomorrow.its not as fun anymore
Blogging is not as fun when not everyone can comment. And so, I have enabled anonymous commenting again, except this time they are subject to my approval before they actually show up on the comment box. I think that's fair for both sides. :-)
Merry Christmas!
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Monday, December 18, 2006
on it's 3rd run
I bring out this old survey every year's end. Everybody does.
What did you do in 2006 that you'd never done before?
Move to this crazy country hahaha! I walked 14 km, learned right-hand drive, learned to cook a good meal, and did tons of other things I have never done before.
Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I can't remember them, but I somehow know I kept them, except one. I know that one of them was to improve my posture, but I've been saying that for years, and I still slouch.
Did anyone close to you give birth?
Ate Mel and Amina!!!
Did anyone close to you die?
Not this year.
What countries did you visit?
Australia, mate! It's been a very long visit.
What would you like to have in 2007 that you lacked in 2006?
Direction. A yellow belt in capoeira hehehe.
What date from 2006 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
The days before I left. I must've cried like 200 times, and I remember collapsing from exhaustion one night. I sat on the sofa, closed my eyes, and didn't get up till morning. Goodbyes are so draining.
Oh, and also the terrible day I had to get my nose re-pierced. God, now I know what it's like to be a torture victim.
What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Deciding to stay when I could have gone home. Finding happiness here.
What was your biggest failure?
That damn fundraiser, but that wasn't my fault.
Did you suffer illness or injury?
Injury!!! Got pummelled in the ribs in capoeira and couldn't bend to the side for 3 weeks!
What was the best thing you bought?
El Janna Charcoal Roasted chicken hahaha! I was very easy to please this year.
Whose behavior merited celebration?
Me :-)
Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
All the anonymous a**holes on the internet who had something to say on my comment box about my father, our decision to move, my family, my upbringing, and all the other things they never knew sh*t about. May the New Year give you what you deserve :-) And this is the last time I will make mention of them. Happy new year, happy new me!
Where did most of your money go?
God, I don't want to know.
What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Capoeira!!! And the Dave Matthews concert in 2007!!!
What song(s) will always remind you of 2006?
"Harbor" by Vienna Teng. "Destiny" by Zero 7.
Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? -- happier.
ii. thinner or fatter? -- I gained 8 kilos here, man! The first world makes you fat.
iii. richer or poorer? -- If you convert my Aussie dollars to pesos, I'm richer. But since I live here where everything is mega expensive...
What do you wish you'd done more?
Exercise
What do you wish you'd done less of?
Waste time on the net.
How many one-night stands?
Wala.
What was your favorite TV program?
Pinoy Dream Academy :-p
Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
Nope.
What was the best book you read?
"The Time Traveller's Wife", Audrey Niffeneger
What was your greatest musical discovery?
Zero 7, Gnarls Barkley
What did you want and get?
Happiness and fullfillment. A chance to be an artist.
What was your favorite film of this year?
I barely remember any movies I saw this year.
What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
Byron Bay Bluesfest with Jace, Marty, and Nin! 23.
What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
I can't think of anything I'd like to change about this year.
How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2006?
The stoner/ hippie/ backpacker look, hahaha. I dress like a hobo in this country. There is no reason to get dressed in the suburbs. Nobody knows me anyway, and nobody's looking.
What kept you sane?
Long walks, sunsets, capoeira, and art.
Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Panky Trinidad! ;-) Idol!
What political issue stirred you the most?
I was so out of it.
Who did you miss?
EVERYONE.
Who was the best new person you met?
Every new person in my life has been really cool ;-) I'm so grateful for all the people who reached out to me when I was still new, and lost, and lonely. I would have gone home a long time ago if not for them.
Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2006:
I am braver, stronger, and wiser than I ever thought I was, and I really do know what's best for me.
What was the nicest thing someone told you about yourself:
This year, I had several strangers tell me that I'm intelligent and interesting after chatting with me for a few minutes. It's nice to hear when you're a foreigner in strange country, and you feel like you don't know anything.
The most touching experience you've had this year?
That is too special to share.
What did you like most about yourself this year?
My guts.
What did you hate most about yourself this year?
My internet addiction haha
Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
"Fear is the brightest of signs, the shape of the boundaries you leave behind. Sing your questions to sleep, the answers are out there in the drowning deep"- "Harbor" by Vienna Teng
Was 2006 a good year for you?
It was a big year, and a good year, although it didn't always seem like it was.
What was your favorite moment of the year?
Crossing that finish line at City 2 Surf. Seriously, it was an indescribable feeling.
What was your least favorite moment of the year?
The horrible day I had to get my nose repierced.
Where were you when 2006 began?
My garden in Manila.
Who were you with?
Aycs, Gina, and Dan
Where will you be when 2006 ends?
Who knows? What do people do here anyway?
Who will you be with when 2006 ends?
That remains to be seen. With someone who won't try to kiss me :-p
Do you have a new years resolution for 2007?
To not be scared to kick ass in everything I do.
What was your favorite month of 2005?
Now.
Did you lose anybody close to you in 2005?
No, but I will if they don't e-mail or call me soon *ahem ahem*
Did you miss anybody in the past year?
Everybody!
What was your favorite record from 2006?
"St. Elsewhere", Gnarls Barkley
How many concerts did you see in 2006?
Mos Def, G3, the Bluesfest!
Did you drink a lot of alchohol in 2006?
Barely. I don't think I'm a drinker anymore.
Do a lot of drugs in 2005?
Nope
You do anything you are ashamed of this year?
Let's not enumerate.
How much money did you spend in 2006?
I don't want to know.
What was your proudest moment of 2006?
Passing my driving test on the first try!!!
What was your most embarrassing moment of 2006?
Let's not enumerate.
If you could go back in time to any moment of 2006 and change something, what would it be?
Would've shopped more in the Philippines. The clothes and shoes are cheaper, and they're much nicer.
What are your plans for 2006?
Uni, art exhibit, be a better capoeirista, and maybe a band. ;-)
How are you different now that the year has ended?
I feel like I'm nothing like the person I was in Manila.
What are your wishes for the new year?
That some of my friends come over here... or that they at least write more often *ahem ahem*wala lang
I don't have much to write about. I'm too busy, and I'm too content. Also, I have a life now hahaha! I'll leave you with some pictures!
I find it extremely odd to have crossed paths with Mig Ayesa twice in my lifetime, and almost exactly a year apart. The world is so small.
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Sunday, December 10, 2006
merry christmas everyone!
Isang handog para sa inyo!"Pasko Sa Pilipinas" by Ala Paredes, in the December-January issue of "The Australian Filipina". Click here for a large view.I got very nostalgic making this. It made me think of my childhood, and spending Christmas with my grandparents, and cold, Manila air in December, and Simbang Gabi, and Noche Buena...
I played Ryan Cayabyab's Christmas album on loop to really summon the Pinoy Christmas vibe. Everytime I sat down to work on this, I would cry.
Anyway, I hope you all like it :-)
Here's one for all of you Pinoys spending Christmas abroad!"How Not To Pack a Balikbayan Box"
Art and I have found each other again. For years I was stuck in a rut, and would draw the same things over and over again. I went through a sort of creative rebirth when I moved here. I feel like imagination is the only limit of what I can come up with. When I was a kid, I used to draw non-stop, completely without inhibition. I feel almost the same creative liberation right now.
Art is my joy, my gift to give to others, my true love.big changes are a comin'
I got a letter in my mailbox yesterday from the University of Sydney, Faculty of Arts.Dear Ms. Paredes,
The Faculty is offering you a place as detailed below:
Course of study: Master of Development Studies.
Department/ School/ Centre: Anthropology
When I sent in my application, I seriously felt it was wishful thinking to apply for a masters degree, what with my almost non-existent background in Development Studies. I honestly thought they'd bump me down to a diploma or certificate course.
I'm still stunned, and for some reason, I can't be happy about it, at least not yet.
I thought about this decision to go back to school long and hard, what course I wanted to take, and the changes that I knew would take place if I got in. Still, there's always that sense of panic and disapointment you feel once your life's plans start actually start pushing through. I think what makes having ambitions so great is the very fact that they haven't come true yet. It's a scary thing to get what you want, because it means life is going to change in a big way.
I should be used to change by now, since this year has been nothing but one big change. Why is it that everytime I get too comfortable, the universe kicks me out of my comfort zone?
I hated this place when I moved here. I felt like the suburbs was Pleasantville hell. I used to tell myself that if I had to pack up my bags and leave for another country the very next day, I wouldn't shed a tear over leaving the suburbs, or Australia for that matter. But now, I think I might shed a tear or two. I love it here. I've grown quite attached to my life here, my neighbourhood, and the people I'm still discovering and slowly beginning to become fond of. I love my capoeira class, and I love doing art.
Well, it's back to school for the next two years. Woah. Wow. I'm still reeling, honestly.
Big, big changes are coming my way again. Oh well... bring it on!!!para kay Yvan ito!
I can't believe how into Pinoy Dream Academy I am. I actually found myself in tears during Yvan's last song number.
I have never seen such a gracious and dignified loser. When they anounced his expulsion, the first thing he did was to step forward and give a full, sweeping bow. Then he launched into "Iris" by the Googoo dolls. His voice never cracked, and if he felt any bitterness over his defeat, his face never betrayed it. He's given great performances in the past, but I don't think he ever shined brighter than he did tonight. It was a heroic exit.
I'm sad though. He was such a talent, and my hands-down favorite after Panky. I really, really loved his voice.
And Panky MADE IT!!! Yeah!!!3 That makes my week! The finals are going to be huge this Saturday!and lastly
I may not have alot of friends in this country, and I may be far from home...
... but I'm happy I have awesome capoeira classmates to celebrate the holidays with :-) Saves me from being homesick. I had such a happy night. :-)
More pics here!THE PEACE JOE CHRISTMAS BAZAAR
Please support my sister's new fashion label in Manila! ;-)
HEY JOES! ONE WEEKEND ONLY!
WE’RE TURNING OUR BACKYARD INTO A SHOPPER’S PARADISE. ONE-OF-A-KIND VINTAGE FINDS, REWORKED JACKETS, TOPS, HOODIES, BELTS, BAGS AND OTHER SURPRISE ITEMS THAT YOU CAN ONLY FIND AT THIS BAZAAR.
ALSO, WE ARE LAUNCHING OUR FIRST BATCH OF PEACE JOE GRAPHIC TEES! LIMITED STOCKS ONLY and AT A SPECIAL PROMO PRICE FOR OUR PEACE JOE LOGO SHIRTS!
BE A JOE AND SHOW SOME LOVE!WHAT: THE PEACE JOE CHRISTMAS BAZAAR
WHEN: DECEMBER 16-17, 2006 10AM-9PM
WHERE: 113 B. GONZALES ST. LOYOLA HEIGHTS, QC
*FREE SNACKS ALL DAY FOR YOU HUNGRY SHOPPERS! OPEN BAR FROM 4PM ONWARDS! GOOD VIBES, GREAT MUSIC AND DOPE GEAR! HUG A JOE WHEN YOU SEE ONE ☺
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PEACEJOE.BLOGSPOT.COM
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Thursday, December 07, 2006
the forgotten ones
When I look back at my life, I can recall very few times where I felt I've said a sincere prayer. One such time was a few months ago. I was on the train heading from the city back to my suburb. It was 4pm, just before rush hour, and the train was still nice, and empty. The golden afternoon sun shone down diagonally through the windows as the train snaked onwards towards the Western suburbs.
I had a copy of MX with me. MX is a news/ tabloid publication that is handed out for free on the train everyday. It's just the kind of fun, brainless read you'd want on a train. Most copies are discarded on train floors or seats, whether out of laziness or consideration, for the future passengers to enjoy. Amidst the tidbits and trivia on celebrities and pop culture, there is a small section captioned "Gloom and Doom", with an accompanying picture of the Grim Reaper, where they publish very short, 15-sentence articles on current events- but only the depressing kind.
One article caught my eye, and I can barely remember what it actually said, much less the details. It was headlined "More Tortured Bodies Found in (fill in the blank with war-torn Middle Eastern country)". It went to say that these victims were civilians, and that the bodies had been there for quite some time.
I don't think I even bothered to read the entire paragraph, but I felt my throat tighten, imagining what it must be like to at the complete mercy of your torturers, with nobody to help you or even hear you, far away from your loved ones who must still be hoping against hope for your safe return. These people who are caught in the ominous, cruel underworld of their enemies, the nameless, faceless ones who endure horrible tortures and die all alone... does anybody think of them? Are they like those objects who roll under the refrigerator that we never bother to retrieve because it's too difficult, and the effort isn't worth it, and they lay there forgotten for the next ten years? Right now, somewhere out in the world, far away in a dark and separate reality, people are being held captive, and are being persecuted, and killed. Do they die in terror and pain? Or do their minds eventually find a way to rise above the physical pain to a place that's calm and peaceful?
All these questions raced through my mind, and right then and there, on that train, I bowed my head, clasped my hands, and said a real prayer. I prayed for the forgotten ones, the ones who lie forgotten in dark, cruel parallel universes, the ones who still continue to be alive inside tortured and mutilated bodies. I knew their bodies were destroyed beyond repair, and that suffering had already destroyed their minds, so I prayed to God to make their souls strong. I knew I couldn't save them, but if I thought of them, maybe somehow they would sense it, and it might make them feel that they haven't been forgotten, and that they're not all alone.
I remembered this today because my mother was telling me how affected she was when she saw US serviceman, and now convicted sex-offender, Daniel Smith on TV. He's been sentenced to prison for life. "He was only a young boy, only two years older than Mio. He was only a kid", she said. "The expression on his face was tulala (unseeing). His eyes were blank. You could have dragged him anywhere and he would have followed. He's in a cell in Makati Prison, and everytime anyone would enter, he would go to a corner and shrink. I know a crime was committed, and we must respect the law; but it makes me think, what if that was my son... "
A bunch of American army kids go out to have a good time, a night of fun turns ugly, and a 21-year old boy is sentenced to spend the rest of his life in jail; not even in his home country, and in a 3rd world prison at that. Daniel Smith is about to slip into the dark underworld of the forgotten, become one of those misplaced objects under the fridge, along with the dreams his parents had for him, the life he planned to live, and the wife and children he will never have.
I know that what he did was not right, and that we must respect the law. But I'm going to pray for him, so he doesn't feel so afraid. Who else will remember to pray for the forgotten ones?
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Saturday, December 02, 2006
the G3 experience
If you've watched Steve Vai play on DVD ("G3" or maybe "Live at the Astoria in London"), then you probably know his trademarks: his many guitars (the one with the little blue LED lights, 'evo' and 'flo' the white ones with the little vine curling up the neck and, of course, the hand grip). You know that when Vai plays, a heavenly breeze wafts upwards from a mysterious source and makes his hair fly dramatically around his face, even if he's standing completely still. You've seen his body movements, his facial expressions, his 'Vai-ness'; and you've seen what he can do with an electric guitar (which is anything and everything that has ever and probably can ever be done with it).
But after you've seen him live, you'll know that it's not just the guitar acrobatics, the bizarre costumes, and the flamboyant showmanship that makes Steve Vai great. The next generation to come might spawn guitar players that are more skilled and flamboyant than he is.
It's not only what plays, not just the stuff you hear on his recordings, but the state of his being when he plays. Watching him play is to know that you are witnessing a special moment, a culmination of decades of acquired skill, and something else... divine inspiration? Steve Vai has taken his mastery to such a whole new level that he doesn't have to think about what he's playing, and can simply open himself up The Source, and let its energy flow through him. Man and guitar are one. His body dissolves into the music he plays. His face mimics the tone of his notes. You begin to wonder, is he playing the guitar or is the guitar playing him?
How can a man possibly gaze out at a crowd of 5,000 and make every individual in the room feel as if he is gazing only at them? Steve Vai can. His face is so gentle, and he has the liquid, serene expression of a healer. When he played "Whispering A Prayer", the audience, a horde of long-haired metal-geeks clad in Dimebag/ Pantera/ Malmsteen T-shirts, fell into a hush and wanted to weep. I almost did. His utter lack of ego when he plays disarms you. He is so vulnerable, so defenselessly open, that everybody opens up to receive him. In fact, he is so blissfully unaware of himself when he plays, that he tends to be more than a bit effeminate at some moments.
During his performance, I enjoyed his slow ballads more because thats when I could see the meaning and feeling he infuses into every single note he plays. Steve Vai does not play notes; he communicates them.
I believe that creativity and inspiration all comes from the same higher source, but some artists are just more open to receiving it than others. Too many blocks in the way, and the source can't get through to you. Steve Vai is like a clear open channel through which The Source can flow through freely. Few artists can be called sublime, and Steve Vai is one of them. You don't have to be a guitarist to be inspired.
Okay now on to the other two.
Petrucci actually came first. What initially surprised me was how soft-spoken he was. It's needless to say that he was excellent, but I couldn't enjoy his performance because all I could see were the stage lights due to some dinosaurs (very tall people) in front of me.
Joe Sat was bald, suave, and gave off that cool alien vibe just like in his DVDs. It was unfortunate that by the time he played, I had already been standing for about 3 and a half hours straight. I was absolutely worn out, and kept spacing out, and kept wanting fresh air.
Always With Me, Always With You
I brightened up though when he played "Always With Me, Always With You" (how that song brings back a dozen memories). He extended the outro for a good minute and a half or so, creating enough drama for Vai and Petrucci to make a high-impact re-entrance for the final G3 jam! Mind blowing! I missed the very last part though, because I was outside having hot chocolate. I was just too tired, and my eardrums were split. My only disapointment is that they did not play "The Atitude Song" for the finale.
Notable was the presence of Dream Theater drummer Mark Portnoy, and super-bassist Billy Sheehan (who is Nino's favorite bassist).
I'm glad I've seen Satriani and Petrucci live. But I would have been with happy just Vai. Steve Vai, man. Steve Vai.
I took a million videos and they're all on my Youtube.i heart capoeira
Our capoeira roda of the month at Manly Youth Centre!
All pictures and videos can be found here.
For reasons I myself cannot explain, I'm in love with capoeira. I quit ballet, never took gymnastics seriously, didn't have the means or the time to pursue windsurfing, and hated going to the gym. But capoeira looks like it's here to stay.i'm okay
I don't know if it's obvious, but I'm a happy person. I haven't felt so at peace with myself in years. I've never felt so comfortable with who I am.
Leaving my life behind was a great lesson in non-attachment, learning to let go of material objects, all the old, tired notions you have of yourself, and even the kind of relationships you have (it's not the relationships you leave behind, but the way the relationship operates). All the things I was so afraid to lose, I find that I don't even think about them often, and sometimes forget I ever had them (well, except for the relationships).
I used to think I could only be happy if I had certain things, or if people saw me a certain way. But now I'm happy just being me, and I never thought that as possible. I'm content shedding all the notions I have of myself, and just letting the self happen. I can't describe it any other way.
However painful, the process of moving- the newness, the despair, the depression, the dying away of an old self- it was like alchemy in a way, a melting away of all the impurities to get to the gold in the center. After you go through the fire, all you're left with is the self you've forgotten about because it's been buried under layers and layers of attachment, and emotional baggage, and false notions you have of yourself. Coming face to face with this naked, bare self wasn't a pleasant first meeting. How can this person, so far away from the things and achievements I used to so proudly associate with my identity, be me?
But then I came to realize that I can be much, much more than all of those things; and also that even without those things, I'm perfectly okay. I'm okay the way I am, even if I'm not the hero I used to be (or thought I was), even if I'm nothing and nobody. I'm a hero in a different way now. I used to feel that my victories had to be validated or acknowledged by others. Now it's all about my own, private victories.
I am a hero because...
- I know that if everything is taken away from me, I can rebuild my life from scratch, and I'll be okay.
- I can make new friends wherever I am.
- I survived depression, even if I was far, far away from my support group.
- I can find my way around a new place. (Whoever thought this huge, strange city could one day become a familiar place?)
- I've discovered that I'm alot stronger, braver, and wiser than I ever thought I was.
- I've realized that people can appreciate me for exactly who I am, and that they can be genuinely interested in getting to know me despite not knowing anything about my family name, my former status, or my background.
- Because I'm okay.
I'm happy. The Philippines is still home, but I've learned to find home within myself. I'm happy I'm here.for you immigrants out there
"The process of evolution can require you to undergo transformations that uproot you. Moving from place to place can seem to literally divide you from the foundations you have come to depend on. Since your home is so intimately tied to the memories that define you, you may feel that you are losing a vital part of yourself when you leave behind your previous house, city, state, or country. And as it may take some time before you fashion new memories, you may feel homeless even after settling into your new abode. To carry your home with you, you need only become your own foundation. Doing so is merely a matter of staying grounded and centered, and recognizing that the pleasures you enjoyed in one place will still touch your heart in another if you allow them.
Your home can be any space or state of being that fulfills you, provided you are at peace with yourself and your surroundings. A person can feel like home to you, as can seasons and activities. If you feel disconnected from what you once thought of as home, your detachment may be a signal that you are ready to move one. Simply put, you will know you have found your home when both your physical environment and energetic surroundings are in harmony with the individual you are within."
-Taken from dailyom.comanouncement
To my contest winners, the ones whom I promised artworks to, they will be on their way to the Philippines in a week or so and will hopefully be delivered to your homes before the year ends. (Sorry, it's expensive to send them by post).
As for my one Australian winner, it was posted in the mail a few days ago. I hope you receive it soon!
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