Ondoy and Me
Since I started back at work after my hospitalization, I was given the morning shift, but with weekdays off. I’ve had the weekends off for some time, and was happy about it because I can be up and about the same time as most other people. Weekdays was fine this time, since I would have to take the “rest” in restday seriously now anyway, no matter what day it is.
So, I was at work when typhoon Ondoy happened. Work is at Eastwood City, Libis, in Quezon City, and my office has a good view of buildings, residences, roads, and the Marikina river.
A view from the office, morning of September 27, after Ondoy’s onslaught. The last few seconds is of the now silent Marikina River.
When my Twitter feeds started pouring with news about the flood, I went for the AM radio audio stream online. The mix of information from new and old media seems to be an odd combo, but I think its a great one: citizen journalism + corporate media ‘legitimacy‘. I can churn out some discussion over that statement, but I’ll do that sometime, somewhere else.
And then my memory goes blurry from hereon. All I remember is that, during the tail-end of my work-shift, I don’t think I’d be able to go home that Saturday, and quite possibly, no one else can go to the office either. My eyes were busy on Twitter and Facebook and Plurk, and my ears was clinging on to any news on what was happening back home in Bulacan. Mobile phone signals were gone, I couldn’t get in touch with people.
I Don’t Think It’s A Phase Anymore: On J-Pop
My entry into Japanese music came in the form of awesome post-rock/instrumental rock, with band names like Toe, Te’, Mono, and Miaou. Some pop-rock came along with it, like Base Ball Bear. All this started about two years ago, and I’m still discovering new and old music from that part of the world.
There’s something shameless that has been running a good few months, until now, though: I’m getting addicted to J-pop, which I’ve known to be a sure sign of an otaku. I’m far from being one though, as I’ve no intention to cosplay, don’t think I’d buy the latest-and-greatest anime toy figures, or glue my face to Animax on cable TV. Like any of my varied interests, I tend to shun away from scenes, and just like things based on the creation’s merit.
So, let’s start here:
Perfume – One Room Disco
Bringing Out the Old and Unfamiliar: Judee Sill and The Fairport Convention/Sandy Denny
Judee Sill – The Kiss
Discovered via Facebook through old music critic friend Cris Ramos, Judee Sill was a welcome option from most of the J-pop music I’ve had for weeks (not that I’m getting sick of it, though). I still have yet to go through her two released albums. Head on over to her bio for one of those nice artistic-type stories.
Then there’s The Fairport Convention:
Sandy Denny & Fairport Convention – Solo
Landed
From the photo archives: Remedios Circle Kids
Spending the first restday after a month and a half of not being at work, which means I went to work for two days, to download all my emails, and reset my computer to a new image sanctioned for the new network. Catch-up re work matters would be next. I am back, not much has changed, but there are apparent new and unfamiliar things.
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The building in front of mine is now completely demolished. There’re new places to eat: a pizza place for those with a bigger lunch budget, and a carinderia-style eatery housed inside a lesser mall. I haven’t ventured further off, since the realization that sometimes its better to not discover things alone comes to mind more often that I want it to.
And on that sully note, let me share an image that proves how geek-materialism does somehow an otherwise empty and unwanted soul here.
Almost Done
From the photo archives: mid-90s playlist on tape (transferred from audio cd’s from college friends)
The month-long rest will be over in a few days, and this much envied sabbatical will raise one question I expect to get when I show my face at work, and decide to meet again with friends: what did you do?
Not a lot. Took my meds, rested when I felt stressed, I still cooked, did the dishes, felt awfully full with just a fraction of my usual meals. I tried to read Neal Stephenson’s Cryptonomicon again, but I haven’t touched the book in a few days, knowing my unfinished chapter dealt with math, and lots of it. It was a better attempt than the previous ones, tho0ugh. However, the greatest chunks of time spent would be: TV-watching, web surfing, and lying in bed with a chockful of emotions packed in the head.
TV didn’t do a lot of good, and the remote’s not working. The movie channels bored me, Cinemaone may screen some good movies, but they still fail to catch much of my attention. I still tend to watch the cooking and travel shows, watched a lot of Conan, some Letterman, and more un-funny Fallon than I’d ever want.
Plurk, Twitter, Facebook. Made my jabs at social networks to see if people would take notice. Made myself politically-aware than the usual, but I am aware that I’m among hundreds of small fry critics, so that wouldn’t really amount to much. I’m happy with a re-tweet, but the joy is too fleeting.