I slept over at the main set of ES’ and Jerwin’s short film in Cubao Friday night. By Saturday morning, we were shooting at Himlayang Pilipino. Went back to Cubao for lunch and continued shooting till 2 AM Sunday. I had a few stolen naps while I wasn’t needed in a scene, so I survived. Tupe, Joma, AD, Kid and Prech were part of the production team too, so I didn’t feel too out of place. Sagana rin sa pagkain, so that wasn’t a problem. The whole film was shot in 16mm stock. That was really daunting at first because it meant around 7 pesos per second of footage. I was especially apprehensive during the piano scenes, because I really couldn’t play the pieces so I just pretended playing the piano like a pro. Wow, I hope I pulled it off.

I slept almost the entire day Sunday.

—

Last year, I was invited to run for Film representative. I said the idea is fine with me, but then we realized I was ineligible because I was just a freshman. A few days ago, I was asked if I wanted to run this year. Again, the idea is fine with me. It’d be a responsibility, but I think I’m up for it. I said I just needed to learn more about the party I’m supposed to be running under before totally committing myself.

—

I’ve been having my moments of delinquency these past few weeks. I cram (as if that’s new), I cut classes, I don’t touch my readings. I don’t know. Call this an offshoot of… something I’d rather not tell. I hope I get over this.

Brokeback Mountain is such a tragic and heartbreaking movie. It’s not difficult to look beyond its apparent gay-theme at all. It’s just really… such a beautiful yet sad love story anyone can relate to.

I’ve been trying to learn a piano piece as part of my role as a pianist in ES’ and Jerwin’s short film thesis. I’ve had piano lessons back when I was in grade four but I didn’t take them seriously. That was just for a quarter of a school-year. Never continued my lessons since then. And it’s really frustrating that I can’t get the piece right. What’s really pressuring is that the short film will be shot on 35mm film, which I think costs as much 30 pesos per second of footage. Huhuhu, no room for take two’s.

–

I’ve been seeing more young beggars in UP these days. There was a pair of them standing by the entrance of CASAA who asked for my bread stick when I came out of there yesterday afternoon. Then the day before that, Abby and I were eating our own pieces of bread with Chesa while walking from our Math class when a young kid blocked our path and asked for our bread. We tried to ignore the boy and continued walking but he kept blocking our way! Normally, we we would have given the guy our bread but we were really hungry. He even chased us when we ran off! Sort of annoying, really, but… very sad.

I was browsing my LiveJournal friends page when I came accross Kenny’s latest entry. It was about a discussion from one of his classes which revolved around the question, “Is it okay for a girl to ask a guy out?”

Then, I asked, what I think, was a pivotal question: “Ano ba talaga ang mawawala sa mga babae if they are the ones who ask?” The almost-collective answer was simple and quite telling (no offense to anyone). It was PRIDE. What they said verbatim? “PRIDE.” Anton put it quite bluntly, saying, “Girls just like to be sought after.” Yes, I think so, too. Girls like that feeling that a guy is chasing them. It’s very self-satisfying, yes, but damn it’s just wrong.

We also had a similar discussion, but I forget in which class. I think it was an offshoot discussion from Comm 100 last semester. We’ve also talked about this in small debates in my org tambayan.

Okay, I’m not saying that there should be role-switching right now. It’s just that, if a girl really likes a guy, I don’t see why she shouldn’t do anything with what she’s feeling, aside from subtlely hinting off. I can’t speak for girls of course. Mm, this may come off as unmasculine in my part (which brings me to another point later), but I myself haven’t attempted formally courting anyone. And sometimes it’s just frustrating when people see that as an abnormality for a guy or when they interpret it as something else. When did the concept of torpe become exclusive for guys? It’s a social construct, (like all things). Can’t I wait too, like girls?

I remember one petty debate we had in the MCO tambayan when one of the girls asked the question, “While on sitting on the MRT and you see an old man and a girl standing up in front of you, to whom would you give your seat to?” Of course, to the old man. But that’s not my point. If there was no old man, I’d normally stand up to allow the girl to sit down. But come to think of it, why should I? I want the seat as much as the girl, and I got there first. Why do I have to open doors for girls, or automatically take the responsibility of taking on the heavy tasks? I lose my masculinity if I don’t?

Also, (this might be a shallow argument but I’ll say it nonetheless), there are statistically more girls in the Philippines than guys. The burden of abundance is on the girls. The privilege of choice is not on the girls, but it’s on guys, because the guys are scarcer! (Especially in UP).

Also from Kenny’s entry:

I think it good to point out that equality of the sexes becomes an issue as well because, as I said, while women ask for the same privileges and rights a man has, they are not too keen on some responsibilities men carry as masculine people.

(I think I’ve written an entry with a similar tone. But I’m too lazy to look for it.)

I am really itching to buy myself a digital SLR. But that would mean drying up my entire savings account. Auggh, but that’s something I’m really at the brink of doing just to quench this technolust!!

Female students in Korea can now avail of monthly menstrual leaves from school. [via Buhay sa Korea]

We attended anticipated mass at Sta. Maria yesterday. For his homily, the priest talked about the feast of the Sto. Niño. He started off by attempting to narrate the history of the Sto. Niño. He began by asking a question to an audience of mostly high school and grade school children. “Alalahanin natin, sino ba ang nakadiskubre sa Pilipinas?” he asked, in a fishing kind of way. “Si…?” he continued. “Si Magellan!!” the children in front answered in chorus. The priest affirmed, “Tama! Noong nadiskubre ni Magellan ang ating bansa, dala-dala niya ang isang imahe ng batang Hesus…” and so he continue with a narration of the Sto. Niño’s history.

Tsk, tsk.

Woman marries dolphin. Congratulations?