in between the crooked lines of this twisted heart of mine

at the edge of escape, whoa

i remember when you said, "your starlight is the brightest"

i don't have what it takes no more

sa sandaling ito [in this moment]

nais ko'y nakatago [my desire is hidden]

paghinga'y lumalamig [(my) breath is getting cold]

i can't help it, so i let it flow

say my name

rating: explicit

member: euijoo

notes: song-inspired fic, fem!reader, brother's friend, acquaintances to lovers, kitchen sex, praise, unprotected sex, creampie, maki is your younger brother, appearance by nicholas

a/n: my birthday fic for euijoo! i know his birthday's done both in korea and in where i live lol but it's still the 7th somewhere!!!! the song i incorporated into this is deny's say my name, which is a taglish song but i included translations for the lyrics i used here. this is my first full one shot on this account too aaaa so please enjoy!

there's something inherently exciting about doing things you shouldn't do, in meeting people who are bad for you, in sneaking around behind shadows, ducking from sight as the adrenaline pumps through your veins.

your heartbeat is loud, but your footsteps are quiet.

hindi mo ba napapansin, kung ga'no kainit ang hangin? (don't you notice how the air's turned hot?)

we've all had those moments in our lives when we stare off into space, teetering on the edge of doing something incredibly reckless. a lot of us have these moments more than once. sometimes more than once a day. you've had your fair share of internal battles about a risky decision, but this is the first time you can actually feel the suffocation creeping up on you as you rattle off your internal monologue.

but first, you need to find maki and wring his neck.

your brother has a friend. nicholas. and nicholas, in turn, has another friend.

euijoo.

and maki being the outgoing person he is, quickly became euijoo's friend, too. nevermind that nicholas and euijoo are both four years older than maki and are in their junior year of college while your little weasel of a brother is still in high school.

he met them in dance class, apparently. and they're thick as thieves.

so much so that they're in your living room right now, hogging the couch while they watch dance video after dance video on the tv.

this isn't a particularly new scene to witness. maki invites them over at least twice a week, and thanks to your parents' taste for the grander things in life, your living room has more than enough space for a bunch of young men to do their thing.

again, what business two twenty-somethings have in casually coming to a seventeen-year-old's house to hang out is beyond you. but you digress.

because at least maki has the sense to make friends with cute guys.

euijoo stands out to you, in particular. you're not sure why but there's definitely something about him. maybe it's his eyes, round and cute, like little cartoon saucers. or maybe it's his height. tall men are always a plus.

whatever it is, it's what's causing your inner turmoil, the more rational part of your brain fighting it out with the part of your brain that just makes you want to throw yourself at him.

wait, what?

you're at the top of the stairs, in the tiniest tank top you own, and while your lower half is safely covered in your pajama pants, the tight fit around your waist might raise some eyebrows (or catch eyes). the reasonable voice in your head tells you to cover up. you have visitors, for god's sake! but the small, mischievous whisper tells you to fuck it, flaunt it all to your brother's hot friends.

maybe you're overthinking it.

except, you aren't, because you're not blind and definitely not stupid.

nicholas did a double take the first time you met them, eyes scanning over you quickly. he's been tame since then, only greeting you curtly, but with a friendly enough smile nonetheless. then he turns back to his phone, typing away furiously. probably texting a girlfriend.

but euijoo's eyes linger. and while that may not mean anything now, you know that men are simple creatures. sauntering in front of him wearing what you're wearing now will definitely have him looking.

maybe you want him to look.

kalamnan ay unti-unting 'di maramdaman, natitirang konsensya, 'di na rin nadatnan (can't feel my insides, can't find what little conscience i have)

you climb down the stairs, your footsteps emitting soft thuds on the carpeted floor. your eyes stay true toward the direction of the kitchen, but a movement by the couch makes you shift your gaze.

you catch euijoo's eye briefly as he cranes his neck to look at you. you're still walking, albeit a little slower now. you fight the urge to smile when euijoo lets his line of sight fall to your chest.

"hey guys," you greet nonchalantly, breaking eye contact with euijoo. you glance at nicholas this time, sitting alone on the single-seater. he smiles warmly at you, giving a small wave.

maki is too engrossed in his phone to witness anything that's happening around him, particularly with his doe-eyed friend beside him on the couch.

"can you get me a soda from the fridge?" maki calls out to you as you enter the kitchen. you roll your eyes. ugh, little brothers.

you throw the refrigerator door open, snatching the four-pack of sodas. you pull one out for yourself, kicking the fridge shut before heading back out to the living room.

you press your soda to your neck, exhaling at the sensation against your warm skin. you extend your hand between maki and euijoo from behind the couch, handing them the rest of the sodas.

euijoo takes them from you, hand brushing against yours, and god does it feel like a predictable spicy romcom moment.

"thanks," euijoo says in his sweet honey voice. his lips turn up in the smallest of smiles.

"you're welcome," you reply, keeping your expression mostly neutral, raising your eyebrows in acknowledgement.

you turn away, making your way back to the stairs. you start your ascent and just before you disappear into the second floor, you give one final peek over the banister.

euijoo smiles once more as your eyes meet.

---

you still want to wring maki's neck. but maybe also reward him with a fat wad of cash.

it's late into the night and you're sure euijoo and nicholas have left. you heard the front door slam open and shut about an hour ago and you're certain you heard maki enter his room a little after that. so you practically frolicked down into the kitchen, in dire need of a midnight snack. your parents are conveniently off at an overnight business function so no one would give you shit for banging around with the pots and pans.

you're in the process of rummaging through the ramyeon drawer, scrutinizing the different flavors, when you hear a noise behind you. your heart seizes up in your chest as you spin around, bracing yourself against the counter, eyes wide in shock.

"euijoo?!"

the young man stands in the kitchen doorway, clad in what you can only identify as sleepwear of his own. his face mirrors yours, eyes wide and mouth slightly agape.

"sorry, just wanted to get some water," euijoo quickly apologizes, holding his hands out defensively.

you exhale, stance relaxing as you watch him shuffle uncertainly towards the other side of the kitchen. the only thing that stands between the two of you is the kitchen island.

"maki didn't tell me you guys were sleeping over," you point out, ramyeon long forgotten behind you.

"then again, he never tells me anything," you add. euijoo chuckles.

he's retrieved a glass from a cupboard and before you can think further ahead, you reach over to the fridge beside you, ducking to get the pitcher from within.

it's now that you realize that you're practically sticking your ass out for euijoo to ogle at. you nearly giggle at the thought.

you straighten up, turning to place the water on the island. euijoo is leaning over the marble, eyeing you. you're not quite sure how his expression reads, but you smile politely, sliding the pitcher towards him.

"where's maki, anyway?" you ask.

"with nicholas. nico brought his car and they, uh...," euijoo trails off, silencing himself as he pours the water into his glass.

you cock your head to the side. "did you just send my underage brother out to buy alcohol?"

euijoo purses his lips, not saying a word. he clears his throat, seemingly suppressing a smile.

you exhale, pinching the bridge of your nose. opening your eyes, you see euijoo is looking at you over the rim of his glass as he drinks. you stare back, crossing your arms.

"well, i had my suspicions," you declare. "i started around his age, too."

euijoo nods, setting his glass down. "i see where he gets it from."

you narrow your eyes and euijoo looks back at you innocently.

"why didn't you go along with them?" you question, leaning over the island casually. you're still wearing the tank top from earlier and euijoo doesn't hide the fact that he's still looking.

to his credit, there seems to be the faintest blush on his cheeks. so, he's not completely shameless, at least.

"and leave you here alone? come on, i'm more of a gentleman than that," euijoo says, tone easy. he plants his hands on the island, mirroring you as he leans closer across from you.

i wanna do the things i never tried with ya', i wanna hear you say my name now, won't ya'

"that's very thoughtful of you," you supply appreciatively. euijoo smiles.

"the pleasure is mine, _______."

the sound of your name leaving euijoo's lips sends you back to the hypothetical edge, standing over a steep drop into shame.

are you really this kind of older sibling? flirting with your brother's friend, dressed in ridiculously thin clothing, practically laying yourself out on a big, wide, flat surface? you might as well spell it out for him at this point.

"when are they coming back?" you ask, resting your chin on your palm. you're properly bent over the island now. if euijoo had no idea a few minutes ago, he sure as hell knows what's up by now.

euijoo turns his back to you for a moment, placing the now empty glass in the sink. he looks down at you from where he's standing and glances away briefly as if thinking.

"in a bit," he begins, coming around the counter. your breath hitches as you follow him with your eyes, heart thumping as he stops behind you.

you turn, leaning back against the marble now as euijoo watches you. every blink, every time you shift your weight, every breath, it feels like he's taking it all in.

"it's a friday night, so the traffic might be hell out there," euijoo points out. "i'd say that's another twenty minutes or so. give or take."

baby, hindi na makahinga, i'm suffocating pero hindi masama (baby, can't breathe anymore, i'm suffocating, but it's not bad)

"what do you wanna do till then?" you press on, batting your eyes at the man in front of you. one side of his mouth turns up in a smirk.

he's cute enough that it looks almost endearing. but the sparkle in his eye points to something else.

"whatever takes twenty minutes or so to do," euijoo suggests with a raise of his brow. he steps closer and you're almost toe to toe.

i kinda like it, adrenalina'y tumatakbo, dibdib ay kumakabog, sa tubig kinakapos (i kinda like it, adrenaline's running, chest is pounding, running short on water)

you reach out but euijoo beats you to whatever you're trying to do. his hand circles your wrist as he moves even closer.

kalamnan ay unti-unting 'di maramdaman, natitirang konsensya, 'di na rin nadatnan (can't feel my insides, can't find what little conscience i have)

euijoo's other hand lays on your hip. he ducks his head so he's level with your face. you breathe in and euijoo grins.

isang utos mo lang, hindi na mahindian, bae (just one command and i can't say no to you, bae)

in your head, you're cursing how he's so stupidly hot and cute and charming at the same time that you'd have no problem doing whatever it is he wants you to.

"kiss me," euijoo dares, eyebrows rising for a second, as if in challenge.

it's embarrassing how loud you moan once euijoo's lips are on yours. your hands immediately come up to cup at his face and his own palms smooth around your waist, up your back, before descending again to ultimately rest on your ass.

euijoo is a damn good kisser and you can barely keep up with every slide of his tongue on yours and every pass of his lips over your parted ones.

euijoo's hands move to your shoulders, pointer fingers hooking through the thin straps of your top, pulling them down. you gasp against euijoo's mouth, your chest exposed in its near entirety.

you pull back, watching with labored breaths as euijoo tugs the front of your shirt down, letting one of your tits hang out. you bite your lip as he takes ahold of it, squeezing gently. his other hand maneuvers itself beneath the waistband of your pajamas, wriggling under your underwear, before finally finding purchase against the heat between your legs.

it's pathetic, really, how quickly you turn to putty under euijoo's touch. a man you've known for barely a few weeks, pulling at your every string, playing you like a fiddle.

"cute," euijoo murmurs, leaning in to plant a brief kiss on the side of your mouth.

euijoo draws small, tight circles on your clit and you squirm, knuckles white as you grasp onto the counter behind you. you tuck your chin against your chest, squeezing your eyes shut when you feel euijoo tease at your entrance.

euijoo's hold on your breast disappears and instead, he gently handles one side of your face, tilting your head up. you meet his eyes just as he plunges one finger into you.

your eyes flutter shut and euijoo kisses you again, hot and messy and slick with both of your spit. he adds another finger and you whine, hips stuttering against his hand. your knees feel weak and you're convinced they're ready to give out.

euijoo pumps in and out of your slowly, letting your wetness coat his fingers. he curls his digits just as he pushes up and you clench down, a pleasurable heat spreading across your body.

"fuck, euijoo," you whisper. he pulls back slightly, observing your expressions.

"tell me when you're close," euijoo instructs. his voice has dropped, making you shiver.

euijoo picks up his speed, curling his fingers periodically, movements almost calculated like he's done this a million times before. the thought of euijoo being experienced, mastering the ins and outs of this, makes your whole body prickle with excitement.

"c-close," you manage to whimper out.

euijoo maintains his speed but presses harder and harder each time against your spongy walls. you clamp a hand over your mouth as you feel your belly tighten.

"euijoo, i'm gonna—oh my god!"

your orgasm wipes all coherent thoughts from your head, knocking the air out of you in one fell swoop. euijoo wraps an arm around your torso, keeping you upright as you ride your high out on his fingers. he presses his lips to your temple as you start to calm down, chest rising and falling rapidly.

euijoo pulls his hand from your pajamas, holding your gaze as he licks his fingers clean of you. your face burns but you can't look away, mesmerized by the way his lips and tongue move.

don't gotta get emotions if it's okay with ya', but I might fuck around and catch feelings for ya'

euijoo smiles, eyes raking over your disheveled form.

"we better hurry," euijoo speaks up, dipping down to kiss you. you taste yourself faintly on his mouth,

you tug your pajamas and underwear down, letting them fall to the floor. you kick them off to the side, pulling back as euijoo does the same. your eyes travel down to see his cock standing red and angry against his stomach.

"like what you see?" euijoo asks playfully, a hand coming down to stroke at his shaft a few times.

you bite down on your lip, trying to suppress a grin. euijoo chuckles, large hands taking hold of your hips. he maneuvers you to face away from him, your front digging into the marble of the kitchen counter.

you lean forward, letting your front squish against the surface, back arched perfectly. you hear euijoo whistle lowly, a hand smoothing down your back.

"looking good, _______," euijoo compliments, knees knocking against your thighs, signaling you to part them. you adjust your stance, exposing more of yourself to euijoo.

"that's it," euijoo mutters and you feel something poke against your waiting hole.

you let out a mix of a sigh of relief and a choked-up sob as you feel euijoo push in. you crane your neck to see what euijoo's doing and his eyebrows are knit together, concentration on his features as he fills you all the way in.

you see his eyes roll into the back of his head as he bottoms out, hands automatically gripping at your waist, keeping you steady.

euijoo starts moving and your head drops onto the counter. the stretch feels euphoric, euijoo's cock dragging deliciously against your walls.

"euijoo," you whine. his hips snap up repeatedly, pace starting to pick up as he loses himself in your cunt.

"so good," euijoo whispers. "you feel amazing, _______."

you preen at his words, burying your face in your folded arms. the angle lets him hit that spot deep within you perfectly and you already feel the beginnings of your second orgasm creeping up.

you gasp softly as you feel fingers tangling themselves in your hair and you cry out fully when you feel euijoo tug your head back by your locks.

"fuck, come here, angel," euijoo implores, an arm around your midsection as he pulls you against him.

euijoo's holding you up all by himself and you let him, too weakened by the way he's fucking into you.

euijoo's movements quicken, thrusts turning shallow as he ruts against you. you wonder for a moment if it's possible to go mad over cock. the thought is a ridiculous one, but with the way euijoo fucks you, harsh yet contained, with all the finesse and enthusiasm combined, you start to think it might not be too much of a stretch.

euijoo presses his mouth behind your ear, sucking lightly and you shiver, his breath tickling your sensitive skin.

"where?" euijoo asks, voice strained. it's obvious he's holding his release back.

it takes you a second to register his question and euijoo grunts softly, movements now erratic.

"where do you want it, angel?" euijoo repeats.

"inside," you say, walls clenching down as you feel your own orgasm approach. "please, inside."

it doesn't take long for euijoo's hips to stutter, fucking into you at a brutal pace for a few seconds before he stills, spilling himself deep in you. the feeling of him finishing inside sends you over the edge in turn, euijoo's name falling loudly from your mouth.

euijoo lets go of you and you slump over the counter, sweaty and spent. he slowly pulls out and you wince, pushing yourself upright with shaky arms.

"put this on, quick," euijoo reminds, handing you your underwear and bottoms. "before you, uh, make a mess on your kitchen floor."

you blush violently at his words, hurriedly pulling your clothes back on. euijoo does the same, wordlessly putting on his pajama pants.

you make eye contact and a second goes by without either of you saying a word. a moment later, the two of you burst out in silent giggles.

"i'd say that was about twenty minutes," euijoo comments, rubbing the back of his neck, a sudden shyness overcoming his demeanor.

before you can get a word out, you hear the front door slam open, hushed voices carrying through the house to the kitchen.

"_______? are you awake?" maki asks.

you and euijoo exchange a look.

(I'm definitely not procrastinating)

⭐⭐⭐SPAMMING YOU WITH STARS NYEEEEEOW ⭐⭐⭐

⭐⭐⭐

I wanna learn more about your Kapangpangan fic! I need crumbs please I'm begging KAJHSDKJAS Anything you wanna share! (Also love love love your work and your support! Literally you are so kind HNNGGG)

Hehe thank you Nelly! I'm actually struggling with part 2 right now so this will help me sort my thoughts out! I'll do 9 facts for each star 😘

Where the Spirit Meets the Bones was partly inspired by the Little Mermaid. I was surprised I haven't seen a Little Mermaid AU for Namor, so I decided to write one! I debated on making her a Sirena because I did see a few Sirena/Mermaid fics in the tag, but after doing some research, I decided to settle on Sirena because I felt that a Sirena was right for her.

The title and premise of the fic is inspired by the song ivy by Taylor Swift, my favorite song from my favorite album by her (Evermore is her best work and completely underrated, imo). The entire song screamed Namor to me and if you look closely at the lyrics, it'll give many hints to more of the reader's backstory. 👀👀

Speaking of the reader's backstory, it's been hinted at throughout the first part, but she was human before she became a Sirena. How she became a Sirena and why the ocean spared her life will be revealed in part 2! She may seem sweet in part 1, but she has just as many skeletons in the closet and darkness like Namor. She's just better at hiding it.

Originally I was going to have Namor and our Sirena meet when she rescues him at sea because she was intrigued by the wings on his ankles and pointed ears. But I scrapped that idea because I wanted more of a slow burn and build up before that meeting. That’s when I got the idea of her finding Namor visiting his mother on the seashore and leaving behind the jasmine flowers as an offering.

Although he did not know what our Sirena looked like when she rescued him, Namor painted jasmine flowers in his cavern to mark that that was the first time he was nearly discovered by humans in a foreign land, but was saved by her.

His original intentions were to learn more about her to see if she was a princess or goddess that he could have diplomatic ties with, so he restored her necklace with vibranium and offered two Talokanil pearls as a possible token of diplomacy and courtship. But all that changed when he and the Sirena meet face-to-face for the first time. It was almost love at first sight, but it was definitely love at first sound. 

I went back and forth on having it be a standalone, but then I decided to make it a duet. I have several ideas for part 2 that I don’t want to spoil too much, and depending how long it is, I might make it 3 parts if people are still interested  👀 It would take place over the course of the 20th century and lead up to modern day 

Part 2 will go more in-depth about their relationship, and I may or may not be planning on incorporating the bakunawa as a metaphor for their relationship since I already did a lot of emphasis on them meeting under a bright moon 

Ultimately I made the reader a Sirena Kapampangan because while I do love reading Filipino!reader fics, I felt a little isolated because I don’t understand a lot of Tagalog. My parents only spoke Kapampangan at home (I can speak a little bit (but understand Kapampangan fluently), my mom made me speak English when she spoke to me in Kapampangan so I wouldn’t struggle with English) so I struggle with grammar sometimes and don’t really know which is my first language. I did pick up a little bit of Tagalog from watching TFC and most of my Filipino-American friends are Tagalog. We would do Taglish with each other but I’d get my Kapampangan mixed up with Tagalog words and get frustrated with myself for not knowing Tagalog, but also feel incredibly guilty because I’ve heard that back home, Kapampangan is slowly dying out and I want to preserve it. I can’t read or write Kapampangan and some of the Kapampangan terms I used in the fic, I had to double check the translations to make sure I spelled it right. This is getting a little personal but even among my Filipino friends, I always felt like the odd ball and a fraud because we don’t know any other Kapampangans here in the States (and a majority of my immediate family are in Pampanga). So this fic is really personal to me because for once, I feel a bit more included in the Filipino space. The Asian diaspora is real and even my Fil-Am friends feel it too, so we try to learn more about our history. It’s just even in the Asian-American community here in the States, Filipinos are still looked down on by our East Asian cousins that I still struggle with my Southeast Asian and Filipino identity. Doing research for this fic has made me want to learn more about my history, specifically Kapampangan history, which sadly I did not learn much about from my parents because  growing up they did not get a chance to teach us much about it since they were working to provide for my Ate and me. So in a way, this fic is really personal and self-indulgent because this is the kind of fairytale that Little Me would have wanted to read. This fic is a fairytale for my younger self and other Filipino girls, not just Kapampangan, to read. It’s a love story for our younger selves.

i'm not gonna say that all recent opm sounds the same or anything because i don't listen to a lot of opm and can't really form an impression of the whole genres recent outputs based on my limited experience of it. but damn all the popular opm songs i end up hearing all have a samey sort of vibe. guitar and piano, maybe some drums if you're lucky + lyrics are about love in one way or another (it's either "ooh mahal kita baby we're going to be together forever young love ftw" or "i miss you so bad baby balik ka na sa akin". something like one of those) (forgive my taglish) + soulful-sounding main vocalist dude, sometimes sort of plaintive-sounding. or maybe it's just that my peers are all into the same sort of opm

Kailan: A Michael Palin x Filipino Travel Buddy AU Fanfic

Notes: - Language is Taglish (Tagalog-English) - Word Count: 1109 - Italics = Thoughts - Bold = Song lyrics - Beh, isipin mo na lang hindi kasal si Michael - Around The World In 80 Days era - The song for this fanfic is released on 1989 kaya magkunwari na lang tayong 1988 siya lumabas - Okay pwede ka nang magbasa happy reading ingat always kain ka na love you yie

Shoutout po kay @pauls-mccharmly !!

The song:

***

September 25, 1988.

“Kalma lang, Sinang. Kalma.”

I said to myself as I head to the train station. See, I had agreed upon assisting Michael Palin for his trip around the world in 80 days. Yes. Like the Jules Verne novel. A 6-person crew and Michael. I’m one of the 6. It’s going to be very difficult for the lot of us.

Michael Palin! Nananaginip ba ako?! I’ve been working for the BBC for 2 years as a journalist and I have occasionally heard of him a thousand times, pero jusko! Working with him!

Before I knew it, I had reached the Orient Express. I would know where the crew are – they’d stick their bags together. “Okay, mukhang ito na nga.”

But before I could place them, a man with blonde called me. It was one of the crew. “Sinang Gerona?”

“Yes, it’s me! Clem Vallance, innit?”

“Yes, glad to have you on the trip.” We shook hands. Well, at least the crew is friendly. “Have you seen Michael, perchance?”

“No, not yet-“

Then I saw him. Michael. Jusko, ang gwapo. He was wearing gray pants, gray button-up shirt, white jacket and a necktie, and holding a big shoulder bag. Though he’s very handsome, one will wonder, isn’t it too much? Well, anyways. He’s Michael Palin, anong pakialam ko sa kasuotan niya?

“Ginoong- Mister Palin.” We shook hands, and went to talk to Clem. Quite surprised with the quick interaction, but eh, he’ll acknowledge me later.

So, we boarded at the Orient Express. Michael boarded last as he had to bid see you soon to his friends and family.

I watched him through the curtain window, not wanting to be a creep. If I could only do this to my family and friends in the Philippines… But before I knew it, the train started to move, I looked around the train, then I saw myself…

“SINANG! GAGO KA, KATAPAT MO SI MICHAEL PALIN!”

Sitting in front of Michael Palin! This table is only keeping us apart… Tanginang mesa na ito!

He was also looking around… Then his eyes met mine.

“Hello.” I made the first move.

“Hi.” His voice was low. “Sinang, yes?”

“Yes. Sinang Gerona.”

Then we had hot soup… And that was the only time we interacted.

***

Kung feeling mo gago ka, mas gago ako. Hindi ako pinapansin ni Michael Palin. Pak! Shet! Anong ginawa ko?! Lord, ano ‘to?!

I mean, ayos lang kung ‘di ako pinansin ng iba… But Michael Palin. THE good-looking Python… Hindi ako pinapansin?! Huhu! Rethinking life choices…

Halos mapuntahan ko na lahat ng mga simbahan, mga mosque… Kung saanman mapadpad! Italy, Greece, Egypt, India… Lahat na!  

Until one night, we were crossing the South China Sea through ship. I had nothing to do but see Michael jog. Or film. Or write. It was painful. Hindi niya ako pinapansin. At this point, pwede ko nang itapon sarili ko sa dagat.

And you know what’s more painful? Michael and I have the same room. Aray! Masakit! Pighati! Dalamhati! Nagdurugo… Ang aking puso…

One night, I was looking out to the sea, the air was cool and calm, it was the perfect time to take pics. But then again, it’s dark. The camera wouldn’t see a thing.

I put on the cassette player and brought something fresh from the Philippines. A new group, Smokey Mountain, has released their first album. “Kailan” came on. A jazzy tune, perfect for the night. Then, the voice came on (which I later discover, it’s Geneva Cruz).

“Bakit kaya nangangamba, Sa tuwing ika'y nakikita, Sana nama'y magpakilala. Ilang ulit nang nagkabangga, Aklat kong dala'y pinulot mo pa, 'Di ka pa rin nagpakilala.”

Those lyrics hit home, and it hit hard. Harder than the time Mama threw the tsinelas at me. Carried away, I started to sing.

“Bawat araw sinusundan, 'Di ka naman tumitingin! Ano'ng aking dapat gawin?”

Hopefully, no one is recording me…

“Bakit kaya umiiwas? Binti ko ba'y mayroong gasgas? Nais ko lang magpakilala. Dito'y mayroon sa puso ko, Munting puwang laan sa 'yo, Maaari na bang magpakilala.”

Oh, ayun na nga! Sinang ninyo, kumakanta na!

“Bawat araw sinusundan, 'Di ka naman tumitingin! Ano'ng aking dapat gawin? Kailan? Kailan mo ba mapapansin ang aking lihim? Kahit ano'ng aking gawin 'di mo pinapansin? Kailan? Kailan hahaplusin ang pusong bitin na bitin? Kahit ano'ng gawing lambing 'di mo pa rin pansin!”

But then I heard someone calling me.

I would know that voice anywhere.

“Haha, gago ka Sinang. Si Michael.”

I looked, and it was indeed Michael! “Ah! Ginoong- Master- Ay! Mister Palin…”

He looked tense. “Sinang, may I talk to you?”

“Yeah, sure.”

“… Privately?”

“I… Yeah, sure.”

Okay. Ano ‘to. Save your prayers, Sinang! TANGGAL KA NA SA TRABAHO MO, TANGGAPIN MO NA LANG ‘YUN!

So, we went to our shared room. I started to compose the things I’ll say.

As he closed the door, I became a rapper. Multi-talented yata Sinang ninyo.

“Mister Palin, look I am very sorry If I did anything wrong if I did anything wrong, just tell me and I would gladly acknowledge that, if you need me to change my face I would do that-“

He stopped me by putting both his hands on my shoulders. Ginoong Palin, hindi po siya nakakatulong. Pinapabilis niyo lang po puso ko.

“Sinang, calm down. You didn’t do anything wrong.” He chuckled. That chuckle… My gosh…

“W-What are we going to talk about then…?” I asked as we sat on his bed.

“I… I should be the one who’s sorry.”

“Huh?”

“Notice that I’ve been ignoring you for days other than the times when I need to ask something from you?”

“Yeah, why?”

“It’s, uhm… It’s because I have a crush on you.”

… HA?! ANO?!

“What?”

“Yeah…” He swallowed the lump on his throat.

Jusko. Michael Palin? THE Michael Palin?! Having a crush on someone like me?

“H-How…”

“I don’t know really. You’re appealing to me.”

“Intellectually?”

“And physically.”

My gosh… This is a sign! OKAY, GO!

“Mister Palin-“

“Michael. Just Michael.” He smiles.

“Oh, alright then. Michael, I also have a crush on you too.” Pareho kaming nagmumukhang tanga dito.

The two of us felt like high school students… I did a bold move and held his hand.

“So, does that mean I can kiss you now?” I asked. Okay, sino ang sumanib sa kaluluwa mo at sinabi mo ‘yan?

He didn’t answer. He showed me the answer.

First kiss! In a ship crossing the South China Sea… Now, that’s a dream…

I spent the night on his bed instead of mine. Barely even touched the sheets.

At last, my “Kailan” was answered.

How I’m learning Tagalog. Resources and more

if a link doesn’t work or if you’d like to suggest resources, message me. 

Tagalog.com dictionary - HIGHLY RECOMMEND! includes: flashcards, song lyrics, and detailed explanations. Basically everything

textbooks for grammar

HiNative - ask native speakers questions

PODCASTS

“Go Filipino: Let’s Learn Tagalog” by Kris Andres 

Campfire stories | Earl Jerico (ito yung fav ko. Maganda yung boses niya)

Balitang Pilipinas available on other major apps

YouTube

talk to me in tagalog 

The Pinoy Grammar

The IdeaFirst company -  includes lgbt shows such as Gameboys and Pearl Next Door

PaoLUL gaming

Hello stranger - BL show, sfw

ABS-CBN entertainment shows, movies etc

Re.Create - similar to Jubilee, taglish, personal favourite 

Pinoy animation youtubers are especially useful because they provide a visual demonstration, they’re entertaining, and you learn useful words for casual conversations. Here are my favs:

Arkin 

Hunyo 

Yogiart 

ReeOkun

Reading

Beginner / intermediate

Fanfiction on ao3

filo social media (specifically Twitter) accounts are helpful for learning slang

Change the language of your phone/apps to Filo

Advanced

Katitikan: Literary Journal of the Philippine South

Music

IV of spades

Zack Tabudlo

Apo hiking society

General tips since this has gotten really popular:

Make mistakes. Make a lot of mistakes and have native speakers correct you.

Aim to speak taglish first (a mix of Tagalog and English) as it’s easier and most Filipinos will still understand you

The grammar is hard if English is your mother tongue. Review the basic principles then focus on constant input i.e. reading and listening. You’ll pick up the grammar intuitively

Many Tagalog words don’t have a direct translation. So long as you get the gist of those words and you know when they’re used, don’t worry about finding an exact English equivalent.

To improve your speaking, know when to make a glottal stop. Tagalog words can have entirely different meanings depending on which syllable you emphasise e.g. mabāsa (to read) vs mabasâ (to get wet)

HAVE PATIENCE! It took me 2 years of (inconsistent) practice to even be able to have a basic conversation with relative ease. Tagalog is hard and the beginner stage is hell, but if you keep picking at it you’ll improve.

Buwan

summary: where hanma dance you to Buwan by juan karlos

taglish /// unedited

Its a beautiful night, at ang tangi’ng ilaw ng gabi ay napaka-ganda rin.

You and Hanma decided to go for a late night drive, while random opm songs play in the background of your moment— both above the car, eating the snacks that you guys brought on the nearest convenience store.

The views of the city, random airplanes passing by while the big baby man beside you randomly waving goodbyes to them “bye bye airplane ingat kayo!!” is just very cute for you.

“Okay!! ang ganda ng vibes tonight dj dont you think?? Okay for our next song lalo pa nito pakikiligin ang ating gabi so wag na natin patagalin— this is Buwan by Juan Karlos, enjoy” the lady on the radio announced, making hanma stop eating his snacks and look at you— who’s still munching foods.

“Tara sayaw tayo” He jumped off first para tulungan ka sa pagbaba mo— hindi kana naman na nag reklamo at bumaba na rin.

Right before the music starts, you guys are already on your feet— Hanma’s hands around your waist “pwede ko ba ilagay hands ko dito?” he asked still wanna know if he’s making you uncomfortable “yes you can” you responded with a smile— he nod smiling smugly while his other free hand guided your arms around his neck.

[0:28] “Ako’y sa’yo, ikaw ay akin”

His grip on your waist tightened, while he’s slowly swaying you left and right.

[0:35] “Ganda mo sa paningin”

He locked his eyes on yours, lips syncing with the lyrics, and his deep voice mixing on it.

The song continues so does your little dance under the street light and the moon.

[2:29] *guitar riff

he lift your other hand a little higher and sway you with a little more energy this time, while you just have your face on his chest admiring his scent that you really loved— his chin on the top of your head, eyes closed just feeling this one’s in a lifetime mood.

[3:03] “Ang iyong……ganda’y umaabot sa buwan”

Pag sabay niya sa kanta, still swaying you under him.

[3:17] “Ang tibok ng puso’y rinig sa kalawakan”

Its like you guys owned the world, or more like its just you and him against the world. The rain start to pour the music playing inside the car cannot be heard anymore, but you guys didn’t care, you guys were love drunk

then the part came on

“SA ILALIM NG PUTING ILAW!!!” you guys scream the lyrics together “SA DILAW NA BUWAN”

And just a little bit more the song already ended and the dj from earlier again spoke about how perfect the song for the night.

Indeed it was, because both of you were now soaked still swaying like an idiot— then both of you start giggling and let go of each other’s embrace

“that song is for you, you own that y/n, para sayo yon sabi ni juan karlos saken” with his hair down and sincere eyes— god this is just perfect, he’s so perfect.

It felt like a dream, you cant believe what just happened, you want to do it again but for sure that its gnna happen again— because hanma too, he felt the same, if its possible he can dance you and be his muse forever.

—inspired by this tiktok!!!

Ten Interesting Filipino Novels

1. State of War: A Novel of Life in the Phiilippines by Ninotchka Rosca

An endless festival amidst an endless war is the central image of this novel of the Philippines of the time of Marcos. Three young people seek relief from the suffocating repression and brutality of the Dictatorship by joining an ancient festival in the island of K----. They find instead that the war has followed them and that the festival is but a metaphor for an entire society and culture in conflict. The three find distinct destinies of death, liberation, affirmation and ultimately, salvation. This book is now considered a classic of Philippine literature.

2. Dogeaters (Contemporary American Fiction) by Jessica Hagedorn

Welcome to Manila in the turbulent period of the Philippines’ late dictator. It is a world in which American pop culture and local Filipino tradition mix flamboyantly, and gossip, storytelling, and extravagant behavior thrive.A wildly disparate group of characters—from movie stars to waiters, from a young junkie to the richest man in the Philippines—becomes caught up in a spiral of events culminating in a beauty pageant, a film festival, and an assassination. In the center of this maelstrom is Rio, a feisty schoolgirl who will grow up to live in America and look back with longing on the land of her youth.

3. Brown Boy Nowhere: A Novel by Sheeryl Lim

What’s the problem? Sixteen-year-old Filipino American Angelo Rivera will tell you flat out. Life sucks. He’s been uprooted from his San Diego home to a boring landlocked town in the middle of nowhere. Behind him, ocean waves, his girlfriend, and the biggest skateboarding competition on the California coast. Ahead, flipping burgers at his parents’ new diner and, as the only Asian in his all-white school, being trolled as “brown boy” by small-minded, thick-necked jocks.

Resigned to being an outcast, Angelo isn’t alone. Kirsten, a crushable ex-cheerleader and graffiti artist, and Larry, a self-proclaimed invisible band geek, recognize a fellow outsider. Soon enough, Angelo finds himself the leader of their group of misfits. They may be low on the high school food chain, but they’re determined to hold their own.

Between shifts at the diner, dodging bullies, and wishing for home, Angelo discovers this might not be nowhere after all. Sharing it can turn it into somewhere in a heartbeat.

4. The Ghosts Go to Court: Tagalog English Legal Thriller Novella by C.J. Evangelista

Mayroon bang legal remedy laban sa mga maligno at haunted house? Nagtatagpo ang court drama, science at mga elementong supernatural sa Taglish novellang ito. Ang author na si C.J. Evangelista ay isang abugado.

5. America Is Not The Heart: A Novel by Elaine Castillo

When Hero De Vera arrives in America--haunted by the political upheaval in the Philippines and disowned by her parents--she's already on her third. Her uncle gives her a fresh start in the Bay Area, and he doesn't ask about her past. His younger wife knows enough about the might and secrecy of the De Vera family to keep her head down. But their daughter--the first American-born daughter in the family--can't resist asking Hero about her damaged hands. An increasingly relevant story told with startling lucidity, humor, and an uncanny ear for the intimacies and shorthand of family ritual, America Is Not the Heart is a sprawling, soulful debut about three generations of women in one family struggling to balance the promise of the American dream and the unshakeable grip of history. With exuberance, grit, and sly tenderness, here is a family saga; an origin story; a romance; a narrative of two nations and the people who leave one home to grasp at another.

6. The Filipino State And Other Essays: Is Rodrigo Duterte the Savior of the Filipino People? by Guillermo Gomez Rivera

The Filipino State and Other Essays is a compendium of historical facts about the Filipino nation and people as never told before. Guillermo Gómez Rivera reveals for the first time the truth about the birth of the Philippines which is being deliberately omitted by history books taught in Philippine schools. Find out why there is an ongoing cultural genocide with regard to the Filipino language.

7. Patron Saints of Nothing by Randy Ribay

Jay Reguero plans to spend the last semester of his senior year playing video games before heading to the University of Michigan in the fall. But when he discovers that his Filipino cousin Jun was murdered as part of President Duterte's war on drugs, and no one in the family wants to talk about what happened, Jay travels to the Philippines to find out the real story.Hoping to uncover more about Jun and the events that led to his death, Jay is forced to reckon with the many sides of his cousin before he can face the whole horrible truth -- and the part he played in it.As gripping as it is lyrical, Patron Saints of Nothing is a page-turning portrayal of the struggle to reconcile faith, family, and immigrant identity.

8. A Tiny Upward Shove: A Novel by Melissa Chadbum

“Addictive and headlong” (Lauren Groff), A Tiny Upward Shove is inspired by Melissa Chadburn's Filipino heritage and its folklore, as it traces the too-short life of a young, cast-off woman transformed by death into an agent of justice―or mercy.

9. Dark on the Inside: An Emotional WW II Thriller by Virginia Cantorna

Two sisters, one feisty and flirtatious, and the other responsible and demure, eagerly await their arranged marriages. Their dreams are threatened when the Japanese invade the Philippines just hours after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. A storm of unspeakably evil and savage torments are mounted upon the villagers, so devastating, they only speak of it as “The Event.” How will the sisters navigate World War II’s cruel and shocking dangers? Virginia Cantorna examines pain and suffering with tenderness and sensitivity. A riveting page-turner you won’t be able to put down. If you cried reading Charlotte’s Web or Shogun; if you were moved by The Color Purple, then Dark on the Inside is for you

10. The Mango Bride by Marivi Soliven

Banished by her wealthy Filipino family in Manila, Amparo Guerrero travels to Oakland, California, to forge a new life.  Although her mother labels her life in exile a diminished one, Amparo believes her struggles are a small price to pay for freedom.

Like Amparo, Beverly Obejas—an impoverished Filipina waitress—forsakes Manila and comes to Oakland as a mail-order bride in search of a better life. Yet even in the land of plenty, Beverly fails to find the happiness and prosperity she envisioned.

As Amparo works to build the immigrant’s dream, she becomes entangled in the chaos of Beverly’s immigrant nightmare. Their unexpected collision forces them both to make terrible choices and confront a life-changing secret, but through it all they hold fast to family, in all its enduring and surprising transformations.

source: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=filipino+novels&ref=nb_sb_noss_1

DEVELOPING LATE-BREAKING NEWS: Barangay 143 was Renewed to Season 2 and Moving for the Online Streaming Platform [#OneNETnewsEXCLUSIVE]

TONDO, MANILA -- The first season was a huge sucess for an Anime industry of Japan's distribution. An original production of DZBB-TV's GMA 7 Manila in an Anime of Sports and Drama, in partnership with Netflix, JOEX-TV's TV Asahi, Synergy88 Entertainment & August Media Holdings.

For those you don't know about Barangay 143, a compiled short summative reference of both IMDb & Wikipedia from our Research Team of OneNETnews says, "Basti Sebastian Jr., his son's coach of Bobby Sebastian Sr. was killed that night by a gunman from a Large Syndicate for it's unknown reason (around 2 years before the show). The powerhouse team of Brgy. 143 in Tondo town was introduced to Bren Park from a Korean basketball import, which is actually he lost all of his family in a tragic accident during a snowstorm in South Korea, leading to it's total discouraged for the basketball. However, a mysterious revelation that he was his mother's child to a Filipino man. Bren has decided and went to Manila to search for him. He is now officially joined a Basketball team called Puzakals of Brgy. 143. So, it's a story about love and family set against the action-packed world of street basketball, where the stakes are always high and life is the biggest game you can win."

Season 1 was started by mid-October 2018 at 10am in Manila local time. But for Season 2 as televised at the end of the Season 1 FINALE, OneNETnews was confirmed for this screengrab... is legit. DWGT-TV's PTV 4 Manila was reported on "PTV News Tonight", the new season will commence ONLY on the App to POP TV: Watch to Sawa. All on this are totally made in the Philippines with several Taglish (Tagalog & English) dialects on this season. Jyotirmoy Saha is a Founder and Chief Executive Officer of POP TV.

If you're wondering about a full Opening Song of Barangay 143, have a listen to this Lyric Video or just listen only in Audio to yourself if you prefer.

So, here are the Episode Synopsis... straight from the POP TV App.

1. Isang Malaking Kasinungalingan - Susubukan muli ni Jinri na Kumbinsihin si Bren na bumalik sa Korea. 2. A Father Like You - Malalagay sa peligro si Bren at reresbak si Wax sa kanya. 3. Done with All the Lies - Magpapaliwanag si Coach B sa nagawang pagsisinungaling kay Bren. 4. Welcome to your New Home - Magpapalam na si Bren sa Team Puzakals. 5. Lions Only - Papasukin ni Bren ang Blue Valley Lions at haharapin ang mga dating karibal sa court. 6. Ganyan Kami Maglaro - Magkakainitan ang Lions at ang Puzakals matapos ang isang intense na laban. and 7. Mahal ng nga yata Kita eh... - Aamin na si Wax sa nararamdaman kay Vicky.

POP TV: Watch to Sawa is newest Streaming Platform in the Philippines are only in the App to watch, as the Manila Standard and PTV News Tonight reported. POP TV was started last October 1st, 2019, 3 months after the 1st Season FINALE of Barangay 143. In order to watch the entire Season 2 of Barangay 143, for those if you're ONLY in the Philippines... Search on Google Play to "POP TV Pinas" and download. Once there, sign 'em up via e-mail or straight to your Facebook account. When you're done everything in credentials, tap to Search and type "Barangay 143". You can either stream online or download offline for your personal use, in preventing you from buffering later on your internet connection and enjoy yourself legally for a best episode content possible.

We'll try to reveal all of the description for the entire Season 2, as soon as our new information will become available.

In a meantime, catch the new episodes of Barangay 143 (Season 2). Every Wednesdays, streaming ONLY on the POP TV app. Stream responsibly.

SOURCE: *https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6126874/plotsummary *https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barangay_143 *https://manilastandard.net/showbitz/digital-media/339542/after-dominating-netflix-barangay-143-comes-to-poptv.html [Referenced News Article for Barangay 143: Season 2] *https://www.facebook.com/POPTVPH/posts/451220105479040/ [First Facebook Banner of POP TV App Philippines] *https://www.facebook.com/POPTVPH/posts/722614515006263/ [FB Photo - Barangay 143: Now Streaming for Season 2] *https://www.facebook.com/POPTVPH/posts/733722227228825/ [FB Poster - Barangay 143: Season 2 premieres December 12] and *https://www.facebook.com/POPTVPH/posts/756325511635163/ [Anime Wednesday Line-up from the POP TV App Philippines]

HONEST DISCLAIMER: The views and opinions expressed from this news article are not those from the GMA Network Inc., TV Asahi, Synergy88 Entertainment & August Media Holdings. Furthermore, the assumptions of this news article will NOT state, intervene or reflect those of our affiliated reporters. The station, management, interwebs and the network. Thanks for reading, stay safe and may the Celestia blesses you. Later!

-- OneNETnews Team

853

1. What is your first language? Filipino.

2. How many languages do you know currently? (Even if you’re not fluent) I can read and speak fluently in Filipino and English. I can slightly read Cebuano and Spanish if there’s enough context and if I recognize enough words haha. There are also phrases in other Filipino languages that I’ll be able to catch but they are very few and far between, like Kapampangan and Ilokano.

3. If your first language is not English, when did you start learning English? If your first language is English, have you ever picked up another language and when? I started reading from a very early age and since all the books my parents got me were in English, that’s where I learned my first English words. My grandpa also always preferred speaking to me in English so I learned more phrases and sentences from him. Then the ball rolled when I learned even more English once I started going to school, and then I got exposed to TV shows and movies.

4. How do you feel about films being dubbed and voiced over? Do you prefer to have it in its original language with subtitles or does this not bother you at all? Dubbing is very important at least in the Philippines because we don’t have a completely literate population, especially in the lower classes. It helps them a whole whole lot to just hear voiceovers speaking in Filipino when watching movies that are in English. But for my own personal consumption, I prefer subtitles.

5. Speaking of subtitles, have you ever read them and disagreed with their translation? Yessssss. Some Filipino phrases can be super harsh and when I read the English translation they just don’t pack a punch as much as it would have in Filipino.

6. Do you listen to music with lyrics in languages you do not understand? What draws you to it? I never do that. I personally don’t enjoy listening to music I don’t understand.

7. Do you try to learn a language through music and films? Well I don’t specifically *try* to learn Korean through films and shows. It’s just that I watch too much Korean media that I just kinda pick up words and phrases and end up learning.

8. What is a language that you’ve always wanted to learn, but feel that you would never be able to learn? Any Philippine language other than Filipino.

9. Is your household bilingual? Yes.

10. What languages sound harsh or rough to your ears? Probably German and Russian. Sometimes French. Chinese people also always sound like they’re mad when they’re really just having a normal conversation haha. Koreans sometimes do it too.

11. Do you think the native speakers of the languages that you find rough to be rough as people or have a “harsh” personalities? Not necessarily. Like what I observed from the Chinese and Koreans, it’s really just how they normally speak. They can be completely calm but sound super pissed off to a non-native speaker. Takes a bit of getting used to.

12. In your opinion, what languages sound pleasant? Japanese sounds incredibly soothing to my ears, as long as it’s not a squealing schoolgirl/anime girl talking.

13. What accents and/or regional dialects do you have? I speak Philippine English. Sometimes I’ll codeswitch and speak Taglish, but I only save this for informal settings like if I’m with my friends.

14. Do you think that there are certain situations where it is necessary for a person to speak “properly”? In your opinion, what does it mean to speak properly? I guess. I speak ~properly when I’m in a formal or serious situation, like when I was attending my internship, or when I’m in an oral examination, or when I’m speaking with my friends’ parents.

15. Do you believe that a structure of a language shapes the way a person thinks and conceptualises the world? For sure. For instance, Filipino’s a gender neutral language. We have no term for ‘brother’ or ‘sister’ or ‘she’ or ‘he,’ and instead we simply have a term for sibling and the pronoun they. That’s why I was puzzled for quite a while when I saw that other languages had gendered nouns even for inanimate stuff, like Spanish. Your social standing will also dictate the language that you speak and the words you choose to say.

16. What do you find most beautiful about your first language? It’ll be hard to explain to a non-speaker but deep Filipino sounds very poetic. I’m very envious of those with an exceptional command of the language. Also, we have a billion verb tenses and while that’s not necessarily beautiful, it’s fun to see non-speakers get tongue-tied about all of them HAHAHA.

17. How do you feel about linguistic erasure (when certain countries deliberately try to eradicate a language that isn’t considered the standard)? Do you think it happens in your country? Yeah Filipinos act so embarrassed about Filipino and always prefer English. That’s why so many kids now are more fluent in English – some even have a British accent thanks to Peppa Pig??? – and I think that’s even more embarrassing.

18. Can you roll your ‘r’? Yes.

19. Can you pronounce the French ‘r’? How about the German ‘r’? I can do the French r in a way that will probably be considered stereotypical. I’m not claiming that I can do it 100% because I don’t speak the language. I don’t know what the German r is.

20. What grammatical rule or feature in English do you find most bizarre or fascinating? Probably double letters. Thankfully I was always good at spelling, but I know it’s difficult for non-English speakers to memorize the double letters in words like committee, obsession, commemorate, bookkeeper, etc.

Remember how Darren is accused of hiding and being ashamed of his Filipino roots and his mother, until he won awards for ACS? Really?...

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Glee star Darren Criss is proud to be pinoy and he is coming home to the Philippines!

December 21, 2010

[x]

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Half-Pinoy Darren Criss of Glee on his "bizarre kinship" with the country, his favorite Filipino dishes and more

Catch him live at the Trinoma Activity Center on December 22, 7 p.m.

Greenbelt Mall concert soundcheck

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Dec 21, 2010

Darren Criss, Glee’s out-and-proud gay student Blaine who made the world feel like they’ve been living a teenage dream within seconds of his TV show debut, is in Manila to perform in two Ayala Malls, last night at the Greenbelt 3 Park in Makati and tonight, 7 p.m. at the Trinoma Activity Center in Quezon City.

Though he is now more known for his Glee character, Criss was already enjoying a cult following before appearing on the hit musical TV show. Criss worked as an actor, singer, composer and songwriter on the viral Youtube videos A Very Potter Musical, A Very Potter Sequel and Me and My Dick along with his partners in StarKid Productions.A graduate of the University of Michigan with a degree in acting, he also came out with an EP titled Human, containing five acoustic songs he wrote, this year. 

SPOT.ph got a chance to spend a few minutes with the multi-hyphenated Irish-Filipino artist who gamely talked about his Pinoy side.

We saw your Tweet ("Goin back to the Philippines... Sweet! So pumped! Wonder if they’ll serve lumpia on the plane...") Is lumpia your favorite Filipino dish? What else do you like?

There was no lumpia on the plane, unfortunately. Yeah, that’s the first thing that I’ll say. I’m a seasoned Filipino food eater. The first thing (I thought) when I landed was I want my lumpia, pancit, cassava cake, bibingka, adobo, everything, all at the same time.

I don’t know if we have the same kind of aunts and uncles but all of my aunts are like, "Darren, eat! You’re so thin; eat!"

So it’s always, always food... (Now,) I have my calamansi juice which is good for my throat.

Do you know any Filipino traditions?

As much as I want to say-you know, because I’m in the Philippines-that I lived a very close life to the Philippines, that’s really not the case.

My mom’s the youngest of seven. She’s Cebuano. She was born and raised here, and she came to the States looking for a different life... But that’s not to say-I don’t want to get this confused-that she disavowed Filipino culture. But she’s very much an American. So aside from (having) adobo... or having my Filipino family over, I can’t say (we have) other Filipino traditions other than having Filipino (food). To me, that’s tradition enough. My favorite thing about being Filipino is just having Filipino family and relations, and the grander community. 

(Also), there are just little things like really silly Filipino jokes-puns and a lot of Taglish jokes... I can’t think of any, but you know what I’m talking about, right? They all have to do with puns on the Filipino accent.

Have you been to the Philippines before?

This is my third time in the Philippines with (my) family. I was here in January 2008, almost three years ago. My cousin and aunts live in Makati.

My aunt has a restaurant called Lemuria in (Quezon City). [gorgeous place] My cousin got married in San Antonio Church... We (also) spent some time in Puerto Galera and Cebu because that’s where my mom was from.

Before that, I came to Manila when I was very young so I wasn’t very conscious of where I was. It’s interesting coming back here under very different circumstances... I’m not from the Philippines but I have this bizarre kinship (with the country). As soon as I got off the plane, I was like, "Ah, this is me back in the Philippines." I love this place. It’s cool. Whatever Filipino blood (I have) in me, it’s very happy to be here.

[x]

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Darren Criss Performs Live for Fans in Manila

 posted DECEMBER 26, 2010

TriNoma, Ayala Mall concert stage

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Fellow Dalton Warbler Telly Leung ("Rent", "Flower Drum Song") replied via Twitter to BroadwayWorld.com (Philippines) that said "you're going to enjoy the show. Darren is a stellar performer" as we were on our way to cover Darren Criss's ("A Very Potter Musical") first ever live performance at the TriNoma, Ayala Mall three days before Christmas. 

Criss, who is half Filipino and half Irish, greeted the packed audience (made up of young screaming fans; some parents in tow) with "Magandang Gabi" (which means "good evening" in Filipino) before launching into "I'll Make A Man Out Of You" from the Disney animated film "Mulan" while strumming the guitar.

"It's good to be back in Manila among family and friends. For those of you who don't know me I am Darren Criss, I play music a lot. I have a little EP (extended play) that's called 'Human'. It's very acoustic and simple," shared the charmer before launching into "Jealousy", "Human" and "Not Alone"-- some of the versatile stage and TV star's original tunes.

Criss, who has always had a penchant for singing Disney songs, delivered his own rendition of "Little Mermaid's" "Part Of Your World", which he shared is one of his favorite songs. He also sang "Somewhere Over The Rainbow", a song Darren opined that is one of the best songs in the world. In between sets, Darren goofily joked that his green thermal sweatshirt made him sweat and was inappropriate for the Philippines's tropical climate, but that he was still having a lot of fun, nonetheless.

Though he was enjoying a measure of success through "A Very Potter Musical", which went viral in July 2009 with more than two million hits, Darren is more popularly known to the fans of hit US television series "Glee" as Blaine Anderson, the confidante and potential love interest of the show's lone gay character, Kurt Hummel.  (more pics and rest of article continued at link) 

-- broadwayworld.com [x]

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Glee’s Darren Criss treats fans to a Merry Criss-mas indeed at Trinoma

See photos and videos from the multi-hyphenated artist’s one-man show.

Dec 22, 2010

In front of hundreds of spectators, Darren Criss of Glee and A Very Potter Musical immediately started off his second show in Manila last night, as soon as he stepped onto the Trinoma Activity Center stage. "Let’s get down to business," the Irish-Filipino artist sang, covering "I’ll Make a Man Out of You" from the soundtrack of Disney’s Mulan. The actor-singer-composer-songwriter owned the stage that night, as he entertained the crowd for about an hour by himself, alternating between playing the guitar and the keyboard. The show was the essence of casual, Criss admitting when he played songs wrong, making up a part of the playlist on the spot, and forgetting his own lyrics (which he is charmingly known for). He treated Gleeks to two of the three songs he performed in the TV musical show; he picked up the guitar for "Soul Sister," and for the encore, he teased the audience with a few notes on the keyboard before playing "Teenage Dream."

He showed plenty of love for StarKid fans, playing songs from its theater productions like "Granger Danger," "The Coolest Girl" and "No Way." And, because he said he heard some of the audience members singing a bit of "Goin’ Back to Hogwarts" before the show, he performed practically the whole song. (The official track is almost 10 minutes long.) "There’s a reason I don’t do that that often but I hope you enjoyed it," he said. Judging from the roaring response from the audience-which includes at least two bubbly groups dressed in Criss’ signature pink-they probably found it totally awesome. Criss also played all of his self-written songs in the EP Human released this year: "Sami," "Not Alone," "Human," "Jealousy" and "Don’t You." Any fan of his would know-and anyone who isn’t would be pleased to know-that Criss likes his Disney songs. So it was only natural for him to throw into his packed playlist "Part of your World" from The Little Mermaid and "Go the Distance" from Hercules.

Capping off a surprisingly long show, Criss sent his love and season’s greetings to Filipinos with "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas."

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December 2010 - Interview with SPOT.ph, Manila

 (He sounds like he has a cold)

Darren Criss-Philippines December 2010 (Full Performances + Extras) length 2 hours

This video consists of clips from Darren's visit to the Philippines in December 2010, including his performances at both Greenbelt & Trinoma, soundcheck, interview, & meet and greet with fans.

A Princess of Peace

A Princess of Peace

Madaming pangyayari sa ating buhay, mayroong masaya, may malungkot, may kakaiba, at may mga tao, bagay at pangyayari na hindi mo makakalimutan.

“Uy Ivan!”

Ayyy eto na pala ang aking makulit na kaibigan, magkukwentuhan kami ng tungkol sa inorder kong damit, and her name was Lou!

Ang napili ko na ilagay sa T-Shirt ko “I am a pencil on the hands of a writing God, who is sending a love letter to the world!” at ipinakita sa akin ng kaibigan ko ang kanyang disenyo... and we’ve been good friends eversince.

We’ve had many meaningful conversations like when she is crying out to me and she is saying, “Bakit ako di nabibigyan ng chance na maging frontliner, (Solo Mic singer sa Ministry namin) bakit ganto ganyan” and I would tell her to wait for her time. Natatawa nalang kami pag napag uusapan ung ganung klaseng usapan.

Ayy nakakamiss din nung panahon na nag-aasaran tayo, kasi may gusto ka sa isang tropa natin na nasa ibang bansa kahit sabihin pa namin na may gusto na iyon na iba! Antigas nung ulo mo sa part na yon hahaha.

Also there was a time, I became part of a bunch of great people who has the heart to help others and has the fire to make things possible. And sometime later, you joined us! You became a great support, we saw your heart in serving others, in loving our less privileged brothers and sisters. And that year we celebrated our first Christmas Party as an organization, Cheers to that!

And came 2017, you grew so much as a person! Naks, Frontlines ka na din, Nasa Media Ministry ka pa, Active sa Org natin, and you were doing it all at once! Parang mga highschool students kwentuhan tayo ng mga crush natin noon and may bago ka nang gusto hahaha! Priceless moment! Also there was a time na nasa Lovelife retreat kami and sinundo ka pa namin at tinago ka pa namin sa sasakyan AHAHAHA! Pasaway!

Also we shared to each other our prayer requests, na gusto mo magkawork and it became true, Praise God!! Also you were helping me discern for Worship Lineups, I remember na lagi mong request ung Prince of Peace, pero madalas di kita mapagbigyan, pero when it was lined up, you would be very happy and you would panic ahahaha!

Tanda ko after a few months, nagshare ka sa akin about relationship and sabi mo you were “troubled”, “HABA ng Hair mo Girl!” yan lagi ko sinasabi sayo dahil sa shinare mo, nanghihingi ka ng advice, RELATIONSHIP ADVICE sa akin na single AHAHAHAAH. And we’ve had a meaningful conversation, dito din nag umpisa yung “Kamote ka Van!” HAHAHAAH and dito mo rin sinabi sakin na bago ka sumabak sa isang relasyon ay kikilalanin mo talaga yung person and i think you were really faithful to that. And lagi tayo nagkwekwentuhan, and you were into Calligraphy, and syempre supportive ako na friend, I looked for a pen and got you a Chameleon Pen ahahah hinanap pa natin yun sa Makati friend! And little did I know, that you were into calligraphy dahil sa kaibigan nating isa! HAHAHAH

And that is the start of your lovelife ahahaha! And that year we created Daylight! I don’t know, siguro when you and Van are together nararadiate nyo sakin ung saya ng Daylight! We jived as true friends hahahaah. Also naiba ang pangalan ko ahahah dahil si Van na ang Van, ako na si Ban. AHAHAHHAHA

Also, this is the time when I started writing again and inumpisahan ko ung #isangkathaisangaraw. You supported me! Yey! And nagsisunuran na sina Tonya, Gegs, Jaja, Claire, Kuya Marlon and I was really very happy.

Well nagkatampuhan din naman tayo ng major, I remembered when it was nung bago palang kayo ni Van, I think it was your Baguio trip! Pero naging okay din ang lahat. On my part ansaya lang kasi I gained another kapatid in Van, kayo naging sandalan ko ahaha. And dito nag umpisa yung “Haynako Ivan!” kasi matigas din ulo ko hahahaa! And isa ako sa mga madalas nyong Third Wheel, well Third Wheel din ako ni Sandro at Tonya ahahha so madalas Fifth Wheel, minsan Seventh Wheel pag kasama sina Greeg at Ella AHAHAHA. LESHE!

And naging solid ang tropahan at kasama na si Van! Nag umpisa ung mga Friday Nights, na puro catch up, kwentuhan, planning ng mga swimming na naging drawing,

And tayong tatlo naging part ng dalawang grupo ng mga amazing na tao, and being part of it, I really think that we too became amazing in our own respective ways.

And nung nahiwalay kami ni Van at ate Amiel mo dahil we served in Feast San Lorenzo, you were our takbuhan pag may kulang kami sa slides at lyrics ng kanta ahahah. You’ve been supporting us in the background and several times pupunta ka just to help us not only in the media but also in worship.

And when I started #projectwonderfullife, you were also supporting me kasi I wanted to give hope to ordinary people that might be feeling sad and needed a glimpse of happiness and hope. And to show your support, ginawan mo ako ng design, and I was very very very thankful. For now, I know naman na maliit pa ung network ko pero I know in time I hope i can reach out to the people I intended to reach in the first place.

At marami pang nangyaring happy moments in between! And lahat yun di ko kakalimutan kapatid! Tulad ng panloloko nyo sakin ni Van na magiging Tito na ako and yung mga laughtrip moments, pag pinag-uusapan din natin si wahaha or si ate mo na baka may interes na sakin hahahah. Kabaliwan! HAHAHA Gold moments indeed.

And you know for a fact that I loved anime, and you were enthusiastic din dahil you wanted to watch a specific anime movie with us nina Sandro at Tonya! Isa pa yan sa mga Thank You moments ko sayo!

It’s just sad na this chapter just ended, umuna ka na jan sa heaven. Akala ko sa Anime at Pelikula lang nangyayari ang ganito, na dalawang taong nag-iiibigan pero umuna na ang isa. Ansakit nun sa puso kasi pareho kayo ni Van ang talagang napalapit sakin, i felt Van’s Pain and tears even if it refuses to fall. And I can’t help but give him space sa ngayon. And ikaw talaga ang soulmate nya, you’ve pushed him to grow <3! And never will we forget you and now that you are in Heaven, please always pray for us! Kasama mo na ang Prince of Peace and your joy is complete.

There will never be goodbyes for us, and you will always be in our hearts kapatid!

You’ve been a faithful servant, Come share Your Master’s Joy!

And although, it still hurts, dama pa namin, and some songs like these may remind us of the pain

“Parang isang pahiwatig na magpapaalam ka na,

Hindi ba't sabi mo hindi mo ako iiwan?

Hindi papabayaan na ako'y mag-isa,

Hindi ba't sabi mo sabay tayong tatanda?

Bakit bigla ka na lang nandiyan .... sa kabilang buhay? “

Kabilang Buhay - Bandang Lapis

but then another song will remind us of you and your love for us and for God,

Tearing through the night

Riding on the storm

Staring down the fight

My eyes found Yours

Shining like the sun

Striding through my fear

The Prince of peace met me there

- Prince of Peace - Hillsong

So long my friend! Mamimiss ko Taglish mo hehehe, mamimiss namin yung physical presence mo but then we know you are with us, as our Guardian Angel! Bantayan mo kami lalo na si Van hehehe! and pagpray mo na matapos ko na ang #isangkathaisangaraw! <3

You lived a wonderful life! And thank you for saying “I can” with us! You are now a Princess of Peace!

Till we meet again! Magkwekwentuhan pa tayo jan sa langit and we will praise our Savior!

Ivan The Terrible Writer aka Ban

History of OPM(Original Pinoy Music)

Original Pilipino music, now more commonly termed original Pinoy music, original Philippine music or OPM, originally referred only to Philippine pop songs, particularly ballads, such as those popular after the collapse of its predecessor, the Manila Soundof the late 1970s. In the 1970s, popular artists were Nora Aunor, Pilita Corrales, Eddie Peregrina, Ramon Jacinto, Victor Wood, and Asin. The more major commercial Philippine pop music artists were Claire dela Fuente, Didith Reyes, Rico Puno, Ryan Cayabyab, Basil Valdez, Celeste Legaspi, Hajji Alejandro, Rey Valera, Freddie Aguilar, Imelda Papin, Eva Eugenio, Marco Sison, Nonoy Zuniga, and many others. Between the 1980s and the 1990s, OPM was led by artists such as Regine Velasquez, APO Hiking Society, José Mari Chan, Janet Arnaiz, Dingdong Avanzado, Rodel Naval, Janno Gibbs, Ogie Alcasid, Joey Albert, Lilet, Martin Nievera, Manilyn Reynes, Lea Salonga, Raymond Lauchengco, JoAnne Lorenzana, Francis Magalona, Sharon Cuneta, Sheryl Cruz, Zsa Zsa Padilla, and Gary Valenciano, among many others. In the 1990s, famous artists included Eraserheads, Smokey Mountain, Rivermaya, Jaya, Donna Cruz, Jolina Magdangal, Jessa Zaragoza, Ariel Rivera, South Border, AfterImage, Side A, Andrew E., Lani Misalucha, Ella May Saison, Roselle Nava and Blakdyak, among many others. In the 2000s and the 2010s, leading OPM artists include Aiza Seguerra, Toni Gonzaga, Sarah Geronimo, Nina, Yeng Constantino, Spongecola, Christian Bautista, Charice, Jed Madela, Erik Santos, Parokya Ni Edgar, and Gloc-9, among many others. Underground bands emerged and along with them were their perceptions of idealism and self-expression. The famous lyricist of Circle's End, Geno Georsua landed on top as the melodramatic expressionist. Bassist Greg Soliman of UST Pendong grasps the title as the best bassist of underground music. From its origin, OPM has been centered in Manila, where Tagalog and English are the dominant languages. Other ethnolinguistic groups such as Visayan, Bikol and Kapampangan, despite making music in their native languages, have rarely been recognized as OPM. Unusual cases includr the Bisrock(Visayan rock music) song "Charing" by Davao band, 1017. Multiculturalism advocates and federalists often associate the discrepancy to the Tagalog-centric cultural hegemony of Manila. Having successfully created a subgenre of Philippine rock thatvthey called Bisrock, the Visayans, by far, have the biggest collection of modern music in their native language, with great contributions from Visayan bands Phylum and Missing Filemon. However, a band called Groupies' Panciteria that hails from Tacloban, a Winaray-speaking city, launched a free downloadable mp3 album on Soundclick.com in 2009 containing 13 Tagalog songs and only one very short song in the Cebuano language.[1] Following suit are the Kapampangans. The debut music video of "Oras" ("Time") by Tarlac City-based Kapampangan band Mernuts has penetrated MTV Pilipinas, making it the first ever Kapampangan music video to join the ranks of other mainstream Filipino music videos. RocKapampangan: The Birth of Philippine Kapampangan Rock, an album of modern remakes of Kapampangan folk extemporaneous songs by various Kapampangan bands was also launched last February 2008, which are regularly played via Kapampangan cable channel Infomax-8 and via one of Central Luzon's biggest FM radio stations, GVFM 99.1. Inspired by what the locals call "Kapampangan cultural renaissance", Angeles City-born balladeer Ronnie Liang rendered Kapampangan translations of some of his popular songs such as "Ayli" (Kapampangan version of "Ngiti"), and "Ika" (Kapampangan version of "Ikaw") for his repackaged album. Despite the growing clamor for non-Tagalog and non-English music and the greater representation of other Philippine languages, the local Philippine music industry, which is centered in Manila, is unforthcoming in venturing investments to other locations. Some of their major reasons include the language barrier, small market size, and socio-cultural emphasis away from regionalism in the Philippines. The country's first songwriting competition, Metro Manila Popular Music Festival, was first established in 1977 and launched by the Popular Music Foundation of the Philippines. The event featured many prominent singers and songwriters during its time. It was held annually for seven years until its discontinuation in 1985. It was later revived in 1996 as the "Metropop Song Festival", running for another seven years before being discontinued in 2003 due to the decline of its popularity.[2] Another variation of the festival had been established called the Himig Handog contest which began in 2000, operated by ABS-CBN Corporation and its subsidiary music label Star Records. Five competitions have been held so far starting in 2000 to 2003 and was eventually revived in 2013. Unlike its predecessors, the contest has different themes which reflect the type of song entries chosen as finalists each year.[3][4]In 2012, the Philippine Popular Music Festivalwas launched and is said to be inspired by the first songwriting competition.[5] Pop music OPM pop has been regularly showcased in the live band scene. Groups such as Neocolours, Side A, Introvoys, The Teeth, Yano, True Faith, Passage and Freestyle popularized songs that clearly reflect the sentimental character of OPM pop. In the new millennium up to the 2010s, famous Filipino pop music artists include Sarah Geronimo, Erik Santos, Yeng Constantino, and Christian Bautista, among many others. Choir music Choral music has become an important part of Philippine music culture. It dates back to the choirs of churches that sing during mass in the old days. In the middle of the 20th century, performing choral groups started to emerge and increasingly become popular as time goes by. Aside from churches, universities, schools and local communities have established choirs. Philippine choral arrangers like Robert Delgado, Fidel Calalang, Lucio San Pedro, Eudenice Palaruan among others have included in the vast repertoires of choirs beautiful arrangements of OPM, folk songs, patriotic songs, novelty songs, love songs, and even foreign songs. The Philippine Madrigal Singers (originally the University of the Philippines Madrigal Singers) is one of the most famous choral groups not only in the Philippines, but also worldwide. Winning international competitions, the group became one of the most formidable choral groups in the country. Other award-winning choral groups are the University of Santo Tomas Singers, the Philippine Meistersingers (Former Adventist University of the Philippines Ambassadors), the U.P. Singing Ambassadors and U.P. Concert Chorus, among others. Rock and blues The United States occupied the Islands in 1898 until 1946, and introduced American blues, folk music, R&B and rock & roll which became popular. In the late 1950s, native performers adapted Tagalog lyrics for North American rock & roll music, resulting in the seminal origins of Philippine rock. The most notable achievement in Philippine rock of the 1960s was the hit song "Killer Joe", which propelled the group Rocky Fellers, reaching number 16 on the American radio charts. Up until the 1970s, popular rock musicians began writing and producing in English. In the early 1970s, rock music began to be written using local languages, with bands like the Juan Dela Cruz Band being among the first popular bands to do so. Mixing Tagalog and English lyrics were also popularly used within the same song, in songs like "Ang Miss Universe Ng Buhay Ko" ("The Miss Universe of My Life") by the band Hotdog which helped innovate the Manila Sound. The mixing of the two languages (known as "Taglish"), while common in casual speech in the Philippines, was seen as a bold move, but the success of Taglish in popular songs, including Sharon Cuneta's first hit, "Mr. DJ", broke the barrier forevermore. Philippine rock musicians added folk musicand other influences, helping to lead to the 1978 breakthrough success of Freddie Aguilar. Aguilar's "Anak" ("Child"), his debut recording, is the most commercially successful Filipino recording, and was popular throughout Asia and Europe, and has been translated into numerous languages by singers worldwide. Asin also broke into the music scene in the same period, and were popular. Folk rock became the Philippine protest music of the 1980s, and Aguilar's "Bayan Ko" ("My Country") became popular as an anthemduring the 1986 EDSA Revolution. At the same time, a counterculture rejected the rise of politically focused lyrics. In Manila, a punk rock scene developed, led by bands like Betrayed, The Jerks, Urban Bandits, and Contras. The influence of new wave was also felt during these years, spearheaded by The Dawn. The 1990s saw the emergence of Eraserheads, considered by many Philippine nationals as the number one group in the Philippine recording scene. In the wake of their success was the emergence of a string of influential Filipino rock bands such as Yano, Siakol, Parokya ni Edgar and Rivermaya, each of which mixes the influence of a variety of rock subgenres into their style. Filipino rock has also developed to include some hard rock, heavy metal and alternative rock such as Razorback, Wolfgang, Greyhoundz, Slapshock, Queso, Bamboo, Franco, Urbandub and the progressive bands Paradigm, Fuseboxx, Earthmover and Eternal Now. Rock festivals have emerged through the recent years and it has been an annual event for some of the rock/metal enthusiasts. One big event is the Pulp Summer Slam wherein local rock/metal bands and international bands such as Lamb of God, Anthrax, Death Angel and Arch Enemy have performed.[6] The neo-traditional genre in Filipino music is also gaining popularity, with artists such as Joey Ayala, Grace Nono, Bayang Barrios, Cocojam and Pinikpikan reaping relative commercial success while utilizing the traditional musical sounds of many indigenous tribes in the Philippines. Earth music Another genre that utilizes traditional instruments and found objects in primal compositions. Earth music recordings came out in 1994 under Backdoor Records.A series of albums have been recorded and released by Ambahayan Productions like Kubing Album, Chants Album, Kudyapi Album, Kulintang Album, Gabbang Album, Gangsa Album and Native Flutes Album. Airborne music A kind of music popularized by local musicians which is unrehearsed and played in public. Hip-hop Filipino hip-hop is hip hop music performed by musicians of Filipino descent, both in the Philippines and overseas, especially by Filipino-Americans. The Philippines is known to have had the first hip-hop music scene in Asia since the early 1980s, largely due to the country's historical connections with the United States where hip-hop originated. Rap music released in the Philippines has appeared in different languages such as Tagalog, Chavacano, Cebuano, Ilocano and English. In the Philippines, Francis M, Gloc-9and Andrew E. are cited as the most influential rappers in the country, being the first to release mainstream rap albums. Program music Unlike pure music which has no reference in the real world and no story component, program music is instrumental music that may tell a story with explicit episodes, reveal facets of a character, place or occasion, or imitate the sounds of the world. Sometimes this may take the form of a verbal explanation of the "story" or "program" of the piece. The term was invented by composer Franz Liszt, who understood program music to involve a program external to the music that set the parameters and the form in which the musical piece unfolds. Other genres A number of other genres are growing in popularity in the Philippine music scene, including a number of alternative groups and tribal bands promoting cultural awareness of the Philippine Islands. Likewise, jazz has experienced a resurgence in popularity. Initial impetus was provided by W.D.O.U.J.I. (Witch Doctors of Underground Jazz Improvisation) with their award-winning independent release "Ground Zero" distributed by the now defunct N/A Records in 2002 and the Tots Tolentino-led Buhay jazz quartet in the year before that. This opened up the way for later attempts most notable of which is the Filipino jazz supergroup Johnny Alegre Affinity, releasing its eponymous debut album in 2005 under London-based Candid Records. Mon David has also made the rounds of the Las Vegas music circuit. Among the female performers, Mishka Adams has been the most prominent. A recent development is the fusion of spoken-word and jazz and also with rock, chiefly attributed to Radioactive Sago Project. Other notable names of late are Bob Aves with his ethno-infused jazz, The Jazz Volunteers and Akasha which have anchored the now legendary underground jazz jams at Freedom Bar for almost half of the 11 years of its existence. Today, underground jazz jams are now held in a bar called TAGO jazz bar which is located at Main Avenue, Cubao. Newer jazz groups emerged in the local jazz scene namely Swingster Syndicate pioneering in the post-bop and modern trad jazz, and Camerata Jazz known for their Filipino jazz arrangements and sound. Bossa nova and Latino music has been popular since the 1970s. Performers like Annie Brazil were active in the 1970s, while more recently, Sitti has been earning rave reviews for her bossa nova covers of popular songs. While there has long been a flourishing underground reggae and ska scene, particularly in Baguio City, it is only recently that the genres have been accepted in the mainstream. Acts like Brownman Revival, Put3ska, Roots Revival of Cebu and The Brown Outfit Bureau of Tarlac City have been instrumental in popularizing what is called "Island Riddims". There is also a burgeoning mod revival, spearheaded by Juan Pablo Dream and a large indie pop scene. Electronic music began in the mid-1990s in the Manila underground spearheaded by luminaries like Manolet Dario of the Consortium. In 2010, local artists started to create electropop songs themselves. As of now, most electronic songs are used in commercials. The only radio station so far that purely plays electronic music is 107.9 U Radio. 2010s also began the rise of indie electronic producers and artists with the likes of Somedaydream, CRWN, NINNO, Kidthrones, and Jess Connelly. Source:Wikia

How I Combat Boredom 2020!

          Tackling about ways to escape boredom during the enhanced community quarantine aka ECQ might offend the patients of COVID19, their families, the deceased, and the frontliners. That’s what I thought. Honestly, I wasn’t affected by the virus nor the long quarantine. We have everything we need to live for a month without going out. I do feel bored at times, even now, but I am always thankful for being safe and comfortable. Just recalling how busy I was from the past four months made me even more grateful. For people like me whose needs were within our reach, we are likely to think of things that could keep us entertained. These days, I’ve been having the last song syndrome from “Bawal Lumabas” by Squammy Beats. If you are aware of the lyrics’ origin, then you could probably imagine how bored my fellow countrymen are.  But what kept occupied during these quarantine days?

          First, books. Sound smart but I haven’t finished a single book which I started reading almost two months ago. Why? Because I am currently reading three and whichever I feel like reading, I set aside the other two. But so what? What matters most is you feed your brain with something worth taking, and you exercise your imagination to keep your brain working. I know mine was kind of freeing itself from physics formula and memorization but it doesn’t have to starve. 

          Second, blogging. For me, it was easier to express myself through writing and typing rather than speaking. I tend to overthink how people would react if I give a statement and it didn’t turn out well, like the “Bawal Lumabas” incident. So by writing, I compose my speech and scan them many times before publicizing it, though I know my grammar wasn’t perfect. Also, blogging seems to be more convenient and cheap than vlogging, as it only requires an internet, e-device, and you. Honestly, I have several blogs but I always ended up discarding them for not satisfying my taste even though I created them. I found out I focused more on what they’ll look like instead of what I should fill them. So if ever you’re planning to blog, fill them with contents before focusing on aesthetics.

          Third, exercise. Home does make you feel calm and easy, and everything is within reach such as food. Whenever I don’t feel like reading or blogging, or I am done with both, I can’t help but think about what to eat until it becomes a hobby. So I figured that I need to exercise and lose some fats, not to be healthy, but to free some space. More space, more food to intake (warning: wag tutularan). However, aside from that main reason, exercise boost my mood to be productive for the day and helps me feel tired. What?? Being tired help me sleep 2 hours earlier! I used to sleep at around 2-3 am but now, I can sleep at 12 am. Besides, being in a sedentary lifestyle feels like wasting life.

          Lastly, religious responsibilities. Before, I used to just wander my eyes in the church during mass. I used to ask God for help when I pray. I used to overlook the bible on the altar. That’s all. I even wonder if there really is a God. I am not a religious person as you think. But something’s telling me to fulfill my duty as a Catholic. Like I said, I am currently reading three books. One of them is the Bible. That is, I think, the least that I can do aside from asking Him lots of things for me.

 But not the bible that you think. I think it was two years ago when my sister bought it. Unlike other Bibles, this book is written in Taglish which made it easier to comprehend. Last time, it’s worth a hundred peso and I doubt it would cost more than before. Aside from the bible, when the number of COVID positives increased, my family would pray the rosary together every night to seek the Lord’s guidance, and to compensate for not going to church (I miss going to church). Now, what do I get from these? Assurance.

          Alternatives!! If you don’t have books to read, go online. Or if you don’t feel like reading, you can watch lots of informative documentaries, some are even available on Youtube or Netflix. When you feel like blogging but do not have the guts to start a blog, you can grab a simple notebook and start a journal. If you don’t feel like doing some exercise, clean your house or your room. Later on, you’ll eventually sweat. Watering the plants can also be an option. If you don’t have the bible like mine, you can read your Bible instead. And, if you don’t have someone to pray the rosary with, you can listen to some audio in Youtube and pray along.

          These things keep me going ‘till now. Lately, I’ve been making sweets from scratch instead of baking. I don’t really like baking as certain recipes must be followed accurately. I hate accuracy. Anyway, I’ll discuss this some other time. One thing that I want the reader to learn, if there is one out there, is to always be productive. Now that the world is no longer safe, cherish every hour of your life ( for now it’s kinda hard to appreciate every minute ) before a single virus steals your chance of living.

On Classifications

“Whether I’m an artist or an idol, I don’t give a fuck; this is my life.” -RAP MONSTER TOO MUCH

There are times when I asked why we need to classify things. Why do we need to differentiate one thing from another?

Of course, I know that this could sometimes be a dumb question. Especially now that I’m already involved in the business industry. Of course, it’s very important for me to know when a transaction would be concerning a payment, an inquiry, a complaint, or a freaking prank. In this situation, it just makes sense to do that. I needed to do that to determine how I would respond to my customer’s demand. Indeed, a payment and a complaint would go through different processes and treatments.

But that shouldn’t be the case when it comes to people, should it? Black people should not go through a different treatment from white people. There shouldn’t be any difference with how we treat a man and a woman. There shouldn’t be things like that, should there be?

My scenario of transactions would also lead me into another dilemma. We have already established payment transaction is different from a complaint. But what do you call a payment transaction that also has complaints with it? Could it be that just because it’s a payment, then it can’t be a complaint, too? I know I’m not the only one who noticed that. That exactly is the reason why the words punk rock, edutainment, Taglish, yellow-orange, etc. were invented. Each of those words are our attempts to classify things that are two things at the same time. That solved the problem for some, but not for most of it. Why? Because it would now lead to the questions such as what to call a punk rock song that is also mixed with hiphop raps and gothic lyrics, or what to call a Taglish lingo that has a twist of the Cebuano dialect in it? It gets more complicated, isn’t it? And you know what’s the worst part of it? It’s the fact that this also applies to us, humans.

Now, that leads me to another question? How do you effectively classify a person or a thing? If you know that a certain person is a kind woman, a teacher, and a mother at the same time, were you already able to classify and determine what she is? How about if you will be seeing a round table that is colored and is positioned near the window, have you already figured out the classification of that certain table? The answer to both of them would be no. There are still other things that you would need to consider for that. How about the woman’s age? Her zodiac sign? Her religion? There are myriads of categories that we would still need to consider for us to be able to effectively classify her. In fact, even a slumbook, a resume, a biography, or even all her legal documents will not be enough for that. And that’s how it is with the table, too.

But you may ask, why am I being too serious with this? Why am I blabbering because of this? That is because this issue gave us the words weird, discrimination, sexism, racism, identity crisis, etc. I’m just wondering why we can’t just accept that we are all different from each other. That way, we won’t need to invent more categories in the future. Because for me, there should only be one category for all of us: we all EXIST.

Lyrics video ng HARI NG PUSO KO sa YouTube channel ko ! WATCH NOW Mula sa Debut album WHERE WILD THINGS ARE, magagamit na sa Streaming Services, pati sa purchasing. WHERE WILD THINGS ARE - Asian Edition, magagamit na. __________ #boysloveboys #pridemonth #gay #gaypride #pride #gayartist #gaymer #philippines #edm #lgbt #equality #equalrights #pinoy #taglish https://www.instagram.com/p/CP1l5g8JhMK/?utm_medium=tumblr