Moldy Oldies

As I said in my last post, I have no new favorite songs lately. Here's two among the stuff I have on constant repeat.

Office - Oh My
Holding the gun to our chest as we come looking at them in the eyes before you start to cry. Oh my god, oh my god I really need somebody. Oh my god, I really need somebody else.

Of Montreal - So Begins Our Alabee
I've been an evil tenor I filled the innocents doe eyes with glue
You're my only softness you're my only pleasure it's true
And I never want to be your little friend the abject failure

I'm walking here!

I don't know what it is about these past couple of weeks. Is it the work? It can't be, work is the same as always. Maybe it's the weather. There's something going around perhaps.

Anyway, I can't seem to muster up any enthusiasm for anything lately. So I apologize to the people around me for being such a lifeless hag (cue Manolo impersonating me as Eeyore. Manolo [as Kristine]: That was such a horrible show. The world is going to end. We're all going to die. You suck.)

I don't even have the strength to go look for new music. Everything in my iPod is from a year ago and I haven't heard anything noteworthy since I got back from the States. Sigh.

Is this what they call the blues?

***

Every day I cross the street known as C5 to get on a jeep to Cubao. And every day I almost get run over. There's a pedestrian crossing, so I know that if anybody does manage to hit me they'd be forking over some serious cash (unless of course it's a hit and run. Bastard).

What I dislike the most about the motorists that don't stop when they see me cross the street (on a pedestrian crossing), is when the asshole blinks his lights and honks his horn at me as he approaches. As if I can't see an SUV coming towards me. What's worse is if he's honking and blinking and he fucking slows down. So now I'm slightly confused, which is not a good thing to be when you're crossing a five lane street with no stoplight (albeit with a meaningless pedestrian crossing). And a big truck is coming up behind me and I'm stuck in the middle of the street feeling like Frogger.

Where was I? Oh yes, confused. I'm confused because I don't know if he's blinking at me to cross like, "Hey, I'm blinking and slowing down, you may cross", or blinking at me simply to say that he is there (which is very idiotic because I'm obviously not blind). Slowing down but not actually stopping is the worst because it's like a big 'Fuck you, pedestrian on the pedestrian crossing! I only slowed down to show you my big SUV that you obviously can't afford because you're not driving one and honking and blinking at poor pedestrians who have to use public transportation with no air conditioning.'

I'm telling you, one day I wish a car would actually nudge me a little so I can reenact that scene from "Midnight Cowboy".

***

I don't remember the first time I saw Charlotte Gainsbourg. I think it was in a magazine. However I do remember seeing her in "Jane Eyre" after I tried reading "Wide Sargasso Sea", and she was great in it.

I don't know where I'm going with this except she released an album last year that I'm just downloading now. She was aided by Jarvis Cocker and Air. She's pretty good. And if anyone asked me who my style icon was I'd look at them quizzically first then tell them Audrey Hepburn is passe and Charlotte Gainsbourg the shizz.

Oh look! I have new music!

Girl groups (except for Irma Thomas). 60's. Best.

The Supremes - Come See About Me
Shirelles - Be My Baby
Irma Thomas - Long After Tonight is Over
The Jelly Beans - I Wanna Love Him So Bad

Trivial Pursuits

Last Tuesday I went with Manolo to Trivia Night at Murphy's Bar in Makati.

Manolo hadn't played in a while so he didn't know his team's name. But I thought it was a very good sign when I found out the team was called "Rural Juror". Apparently they hadn't been doing very well in the past few weeks and with Manolo back on the team they were looking to win.

And by golly did he do well. Of course it helped that some of the topics included "The Philippines" and "History". I, however, was completely useless. His teammates really knew their stuff. .

The Rural Jurors placed third which isn't too shabby. The team that always wins are called the Inquisitors or something like that. I'm not exaggerating when I say the Inquisitors were some of the most unattractive people I have ever seen.

Well, in the end we won one round of shooters. And I don't think I've felt so mentally inadequate in quite a while. It was lots of fun though.

Shall I say it is romantic nonsense?

I'm re-reading Still Life with Woodpecker by Tom Robbins because my producer Twink conscripted me into her book club (have I mentioned that before?). Somehow that book gets better everytime one reads it.

From Chapter 45:

Who knows how to make love stay?

1. Tell love you are going to Junior’s Deli on Flatbush Avenue in Brooklyn to pick up a cheesecake, and if love stays, it can have half. It will stay.

2. Tell love you want a memento of it and obtain a lock of its hair. Burn the hair in a dime-store incense burner with yin/yang symbols on three sides. Face southwest. Talk fast over the burning hair in a convincingly exotic language. Remove the ashes of the burnt hair and use them to paint a mustache on your face. Find love. Tell it you are someone new. It will stay.

3. Wake love up in the middle of the night. Tell it the world is on fire. Dash to the bedroom window and pee out of it. Casually return to bed and assure love that everything is going to be all right. Fall asleep. Love will be there in the morning.

My favorite is the second one, because it requires a false facial hair.

Since the book is centered around the moon (as well as a pack of cigarettes) I thought this song would be part of the perfect soundtrack for it.

Fossil - Moon

Later in the Day...

I was debating whether I should still go out with my officemates after work or go home and get a massage (home service massages are totally worth it).

In the end, I went out with Zak and a protesting Faiqah and met up with Warren. Later on Zak's friend Miguel joined us and we headed to my house with some booze and junk food. Patricia and Eri joined us a little later. And this is what happened...


Pizza and corniks are the cornerstone for every good impromptu party.


Eri doesn't mind his girlfriend is cozying up to ladykiller Miguel.


Faiqah stopped protesting after she got a drink in her hand.


Warren is temporarily back from the wastelands of Pampanga.


They're totally on some illegal shit.


I, however, am on legal substances.


Photographing while drunk, Pat looks to the post for support.


It was the mandatory "Show Your Underwear" part of the evening.


Zak is a human receptacle for tossed corniks.


First he steals the girl then he tries to smother Eri to death.

Earlier in the Day...

I bought a new camera!

Yes, it's pink.

I haven't named it yet but maybe something will come to me in a dream.

Here's what it did on it's first day out.


Faiqah contemplating the meaninglessness of her transcription duties.


Zakipoo.


Me in the jean jacket I always wanted.


When we were on our way out of the office, we spied Ricky getting his hair did by hair and make-up lady Darlene. Or he was getting de-liced. I'm not sure.