Marina Bay, the second time around

It's practically December already, so I need to post all my travel leftovers from this year. See why people I meet are always surprised to see me in the Philippines?

You can never have too many photos of Marina Bay, even in the space of a few months. It is quite possible that I will be seeing more of Singapore in 2012.

I was there on the day that this opened. There were onlookers inside the LV branch in the shopping center next door. So yes, may uzi rin pala sa Singapore. 

 

From inside the ArtScience Museum

A bit of color on a gray day

Paghihintay kay Godo

Kung teatro ang hilig mo, alam mo kung ano ang Paghihintay kay Godo (Waiting for Godot) ni Samuel Beckett. Absurdo. Bitin. Pumupukaw sa kaisipan.

Itatanghal ng Teatro Baguntao ng Mataas na Paaralang Ateneo de Manila ang dula sa ika-7 ng Enero, alas 7 ng gabi at ika-14 ng Enero, alas 3 ng hapon at alas 7 ng gabi sa Bulwagang Hayes, Ateneo de Manila. Salin sa Filipino ni Rolando S. Tinio at sa direksiyon ni Ronan B. Capinding, ipinapangako ng produksiyon na magiging kakaiba ang pagsasadulang ito at magiging akma ito sa mga kabataang magsisipanood.

P150 ang isang tiket; P120 bawat isa kung 10 ang bibilhin. Para sa mga katanungan, makipag-ugnayan kay Mauel Lacuna sa numerong 09994949466.

To The Moon

An unusual PC game. Not quite sure what to make of it.

Address is Approximate

Gets points from me for scoring, lighting and cinematography, in that order.

AdConfessions

An approachable world-famous designer can be cuter than a popular footballer.

It is amazing how self-conscious even a non-fan can be on the couch next to the Younghusbands.

The most unexpected thing you can do at 9am: walk into Shamcey Supsup's dressing room by accident.

When the male Brazilian models are out, navigate their dressing room with care. Too many shoes scattered on the floor.

The downside to drastic haircuts is having to re-introduce yourself to people you've met before.

My lack of interest in freebies is strangely comforting. My lack of interest in parties, even those with many famous artistas, is comfortingly acceptable. Honestly, Jett Pangan was the only person I regret not seeing. Ok, maybe Lloydie too.

You mustn't take things too seriously, not even at awards shows.

A note to my future big boss

The band you mentioned last year when we spoke played tonight. The perfect timing isn't lost on me. Someday I will walk into your open office and sing one of their songs to you and make sure you don't forget it.

The Spirit of Australia

My favorite series of ads: Qantas 1998-2009. I only knew the song "I Still Call Australia Home" from the Peter Allen musical The Boy From Oz. My brother, who was in Sydney the past two months, showed this to me.

The opening shot of the first one is still my favorite. Great Ocean Road, I will see you someday.


1998

1999
 
2000

2001
 
2004
 
2009

And now, for Oprah: Hugh Jackman, Olivia Newton-John, Keith Urban, Russell Crowe and Nicole Kidman.

Jagalchi Fish Market

The most sea creatures you'll see without having to go underwater. My last post about this year's Busan trip.

  

Water keeps flowing from hoses to the aquariums to the ground

 

Bob vs. the octopuses

shellfish

live crab in the outdoor market

 

Pusan International Film Festival Square is right across the street

Halloween costume option #1 + true graph

My hair looks like this already. I need a trim. If I had a yellow jumpsuit, I'd be April O'Neil. Except I have a laptop, not a mic.

This came from the TEDTalk "What we learned from 5 million books" by Jean-Baptiste Michel and Erez Lieberman Aiden at TEDxBoston. The data are real.

Understanding the Thailand floods

Simple graphics and ideas but very clearly communicated. Informative videos we can apply to the Philippines as well.

Our thoughts, prayers and sympathies go to the Thai people who are suffering from this disaster.

I am changing

I am become more aware of how technology and the availability of content are changing me. It is getting harder to sit still. Or have no sounds coming into my ear. I crave information instantly, in shorter bites. What scares me is the day may come when I can no longer spend long hours painting. Then again, I've been listening to one podcast after another as I work.

I know that I still have my sense of wonder intact, but as my standards get higher, I'm afraid that one day I might not be able to meet them.

It's time to change. As I attempt to evolve my art, I am trying to teach myself a new visual language. It doesn't look good yet, so it will be a good while before I show anything. But I think I'm on to something. Just wait.

The Facebook RPGs: Dragon Age Legends vs. D&D Heroes of Neverwinter

I signed up for these turn-based games because of my familiarity with Dragon Age and Neverwinter Nights. I quickly found out that 2D can still be interesting...until it gets repetitive. Both Dragon Age Legends and Dungeons& Dragons: Heroes of Neverwinter have social aspects, activity outside of combat, and refresh times for characters. However, I prefer DAL over D&D:HoN for the following reasons:

DAL (left) and D&D: HoN (right)

1. The look. There is a clear difference in the aesthetics. I prefer no-stroke graphics and gradients.

2. Loading times. D&D:HoN takes ages to load.

3. Free is fine. No need to spend to move forward in DAL.

The downside is that there is no difficulty level in DAL and some battles are just too easy. And then, there's the refresh times to deal with. We'll see how the higher levels go. But I'm close to giving up on D&D:HoN.

Tried either of these? Tell me what works for you.

Video dump of the week

I don't necessarily agree with all the lyrics, but the son of the queen's chaplain nails it.

One of the more fascinating TEDTalks I've seen lately.

Not fascinating, but a wake-up call. The internet is making the male of the species socially awkward.

Makes me feel hopeful for non-formulaic Filipino films.

Dalmaji

I wouldn't call it breathtaking—not early in the afternoon at least—but there was something unnervingly magical about the Dalmaji district of Busan. The description of the road, however, is breathtaking for the wrong reasons: “The Dalmaji Road is the 15 curves road along the coastline scenery from Mt. Wawoo leading to the Songjeong Beach beyond the Haeundae Beach and the evening moonviewing at this place is beautiful beyond belief and it is one of the Eight Exquisite Beautiful Scenes of Korea.”

Starting from the top of the hill dotted by cafes and wedding photography studios, I worked my way down and only realized that I had missed the very thing I had gone there for when I got to the low end of the stretch. I walked back uphill into the side street for the art galleries and came down again until I returned to the beach.

I just had enough time to lose myself but never quite get lost, thanks to the streetside map that I took a photo of. I stumbled on the asphalt and scratched my palm, with only the incline to blame.

There were some interesting pieces and spaces. I only wish I had someone to discuss them with. I suppose that loneliness lent to the romance of the place. All of it still lives in my head.