Follow me in twitter @momblogger.”A lot of it just has to do with luck, serendipity.” Emanuel Ax

Yesterday, HBO asia launched its new original series Luck that premieres February 20 at 10 PM. Media was treated to the pilot episode starring Oscar® winner Dustin Hoffman and Oscar® nominee Nick Nolte. I am not into gambling or horse racing so the terms used were alien to me. The thought occurred to me: could the racing be fixed ? or is it luck?

I was brought up to be prepared, work hard, and hope for a little luck. I do recognize that the harder one works and the better prepared I am, the more luck I might have. That is one reason I never mess around with gambling. I don’t like taking risks like that. In fact, I have never played Lotto.

The HBO Luck launch was a exception when the PR had this game “Pick two” where I had to list down the color (red, blue or green) in two sheets of paper. I thought of the Corona Impeachment Trial to decide the color. Red is associated with the Supreme Court protest. I scribbled RED on two sheets of paper. Mind you , this was before I even saw the horses.

Well, as luck would have it, seven of us WON. RED was the lucky color of the day. The only sure thing about luck is that it will change.

Go and wake up your luck. ——————————-
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Yes I am one of over 50 million people all around the world who have fallen in love with the characters, the story and the music that make MAMMA MIA such a hit! It is (to me) the ultimate feel-good show. Cast members of the hit musical “Mamma Mia!” will deliver a “great” performance every single night of its four-week run in Manila which started January 24. I was lucky to get three tickets to the Partierre box for the Opening night at the Cultural Arts Center of the Philippines. (Thanks Tim Yap and Concertus) Good thing my husband and daughter were eager to watch it with me.

I was 19 years old at the time Dancing Queen became a hit in the seventies and I remember twirling around and around to the music. I loved the music!

This time around , writer Catherine Johnson’s creates a sunny, funny tale that unfolds on a Greek island paradise. On the eve of her wedding, a daughter’s quest to discover the identity of her father brings 3 men from her mother’s past back to the island they last visited 20 years ago. Since I knew the story from the Mama Mia movie in 2008 already, I found the musical a bit boring except when the ABBA songs were sung. There’s also something striking about watching a live musical that cannot be captured in film.

The show is definitely a feel-good story, a nostalgic trip to my free-spirited and dancing years.

The best part of the musical is the finale where all the cast members dance and sang. It felt like a mini- concert. The audience stood up and even danced along with the cast. That was so much fun. I wanted my husband to dance with me but he was too shy. My daughter wouldn’t let me either and I didn’t want to be a source of embarrassment. I looked around me and spotted much older women swaying their arms and shuffling their feet to the beat of the “Dancing Queen”.

Holding my husband’s hand, I pretended to sashay to and fro on an imaginary dance floor.

Mamma Mia evokes those warm and feel-good feeling that makes you want to jump up from your seat and dance along with the cast.

Expect a great night with a lot of glitter, a lot of glamour, and a lot of beautiful ABBA songs. When I left CCP , I felt like singing (and dancing) “Dancing Queen”, the theme song of my life…Having the time of my life.

You can dance
You can jive
Having the time of your life
See that girl
Watch that scene
Dig in the dancing queen

Check out ticket and show information of Mama Mia in Manila.

Some photos from Mama Mia website——————————-
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Follow me in twitter @momblogger.When I was a little girl, I loved reading books about saints. It must have been their courage and faith which struck me the most. There was even a time I imagined the Virgin Mother Mary to appear in front of me. Sitting on a rock at the back of our house, I prayed, clutching on to the rosary beads and waited for the Blessed Mother …and waited. I may never be a saint but I can try to be good to others and do service to my country.

St. Josemaria Escriva, known as “the saint of the ordinary” is a one saint that most of us can relate to. He believed that we need not do ‘great’ things in order to become saints but rather we must find God in the simplest and most ordinary events in our lives.“There be dragons” is a movie inspired by the life of Escriva. It deals with the inner dragons one must face while making tough decisions in life. The movie centers on Josemaria Escriva and Manolo Torres, two childhood friends who took different paths in their lives due to several reasons. One chose the path of peace and becomes a priest while the other chose the life of a soldier driven by jealousy and revenge. Each struggled to find the power of forgiveness over the forces that tore their lives and friendship apart.

The movie tells the story of London-based investigative journalist Roberto Torres (Dougray Scott), who visits Spain to research a book about Josemaría Escrivá (Charlie Cox), the controversial founder of Opus Dei. A New York Times article cited Heriberto Schoeffer, an independent film producer in Los Angeles and a member of Opus Dei when he first conceived of a film dramatizing the life of Escrivá. “All I wanted is for people to see a good side of him, because so many bad things are said about him and Opus Dei.” Schoeffer mentioned.

I will not be a spoilsport so I will end there and leave the review to a certified movie critic and others at the Review section dragons.ph.

However, let me share a few reflections on my life as I watched the movie.

Loving God in times of grief

A death in the family especially that of a child is impossible to describe in words. The young Escriva asked her mother “do you hate God now?” when his sibling died. The mother tearfully replied that she loved God. Not everyone will react the same manner as Escriva’s mother. Some will question “Why God? Why me? why my child?” in anger. Others will accept their loss as God’s will. How should a believer in Jesus, a follower of Christ react when they are in deep grief? It is so easy for others to say not to question God’s will when they have never lost a child. This is a process that bereaved parents have to go through in order to reach the next stage.

The answers were never clear to me for the first five years after my son’s death. The reason “Why?” unfolded when I earnestly prayed and sought God’s will. I have written about this before that it happened when I sat down on Luijoe’s favorite chair and just like that, I felt God’s presence.

Faith is shown by Escriva in many ways.

Faith is a gift, Escriva tells his disheartened companions, “and God has called us to manifest it in love here on earth. Unwavering love for every child of God no matter who it is, no matter what side, no matter what circumstances.”

There is another scene where a woman catches Escriva praying. She goads him “He doesn’t hear you does he? All this pain and he stays silent. I don’t know how he can allow such thing.” The woman even referred to God as a monster.

Yet the woman said that she loved God which Escriva found odd. “Even though he is a monster?”

She replied. “A woman can love a monster. I fight him with love”.

Just like her, my faith was shaken but in the end, I turned to Him for comfort. I can say the same thing as Escriva did when he uttered, “You were there tonight, Lord. I felt you there.”

God’s world is so full of goodness

“God’s world is so full of goodness,” Escriva says to the Archbishop as he opens a window to showcase the beautiful scenery outside.

There is so much to be grateful and be joyful about.

Did I really think the world is full of goodness? It took some time to realize that and in the end it was a matter of choice. The road from mourning to joy was not easy. Pain is my greatest teacher. Regardless of where the pain comes from, there are always lessons to be learned. Pain from losing my loved ones moved me towards finding the joy. Grief is inevitable but misery is optional. Joy over misery is the path I chose. I tried to find the good in this world, finding the joy in myself, from my husband, friends and family.

Finding joy was tantamount to finding myself.

God’s work

‎Escriva referred to his work as God’s work. Opus Dei — the name is Latin for work of God — “teaches that ordinary work can be a path to sanctity if the believer maintains a demanding regimen of religious practices intended to achieve holiness.” I may not belong to the “Opus Dei” but I believe God’s work lies in each one of us.

When my son died, I wondered why God took my precious boy away when he was so young and full of promise. Why didn’t he just take me away? For a couple of years, I just wanted to waste away and die of natural causes. After a couple of health issues, I found myself, still alive…and wondering ” so why am I still alive?”

There must be some work I have to accomplish.

Bobit Avila in his article, Evil dragons still live within our midst , clarifies the message of God’s work. “Indeed, in the past, the clergy taught the idea that we can only find Jesus Christ inside the church. But St. Josemaria Escriva preached the idea that we are all called to a life of holiness even in our most ordinary work.”

I don’t know enough of the “Opus dei” to write an objective look into it . All I know is the Opus Dei is violently opposed to the Reproductive Health Bill. I have no information whether or not Illuminati shares the views of Opus Dei on the subject of reproductive health interpreted by the Catholic Church as an abortion proposal.

As you might all know, I am pro-life and pro-RH which is part of my work as an advocate for children’s rights and women’s health. It is ordinary work that I took upon myself out of deep concern for women’s health and the quality of life of their families. (more on Why I support the Reproductive Health Bill)

Learning to forgive

The dramatic point of the movie reveals Manolo and his son Roberto in a touching scene where one hopes for a last opportunity of forgiveness.

‎”So many wrong turns in my life,” the dying Manolo told his son. The journalist muses: “When you forgive, you set someone free: yourself!”

How many wrong turns have I made in my life?

A few maybe. Some of these wrong turns were beyond my control. It is not the number of wrong turns that matter now. It is about getting up and moving forward to pick up the pieces. Part of this involved learning to forgive. In learning to forgive and keeping a clean slate, the person I am really freeing is myself.

The capacity of every human being for sainthood

Oscar Wilde once said “Every saint has a past, every sinner has a future.”

Even good people have a past. They’ve done things before which were bad. Every one who’s led a bad life still has a chance to do right. Maybe my childhood dream to be a saint is all gone but I can always strive to do good and not commit the same mistakes in the past.

My childhood dream to become a saint may not qualify me anymore but a dear friend reminded me that “the only difference between a sinner and a saint is that the saint stands uo and tries again when he/she falls”.

Nothing can change the past, but forgiveness can change the future.

The director of the movie says this is a story for “every human being” — who feels, who thinks, who has a family, who feels angry, feels the need for revenge, who feels love, wants love or needs love.” Who hasn’t grappled with these emotions? The movie is “100% about humanity” that will surely touch your hearts.

Here are the complete details of ‘There Be Dragons’ Cinemas and Showtimes (MTRCB Rating PG-13).

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“The hills are alive with the sound of music…” is so much a part of my childhood memories ever since I first saw the “Sound of Music” movie in 1966. I was nine years old watching a movie for the first time. The movie fascinated me simply because I came from a family of 7 siblings where music played a huge part of my childhood. Years later as a mother, I often played the soundtrack as we drove the hilly road to Baguio. My two girls also loved this timeless classic.

Rodgers & Hammerstein’s beloved music “The Sound of Music,” “Sixteen Going on Seventeen,” “Do-Re-Mi,” “Edelweiss,” “So Long, Farewell,” “Climb Ev’ry Mountain,” “My Favorite Things,” and more are tunes I carry to this day.

It’s been more than 45 years and still the music is cherished by the old and young generation. I took the opportunity to watch the first private viewing of “The Sound of Music at the Newport Performing Arts Theater; featuring a powerhouse cast of theater veterans and most promising newcomers.

Roxanne Lapus who is responsible for the staging and direction put together a play that is traditional, yet contain the wonderful values of the 30s. One thing new about the play is the use of the LED wall and state-of-the-art technology. The scenery of the hills and the clouds added to the wonder of this family musical.

You can see a snippet of the LED backdrop in the video below, as the scene unfolds in the hills.

The set was just amazing that made me say “WOW”. Even the audio was clear , however here is the bad part…my ticket was upper balcony, the last row. The faces were all a blur to me. I was tempted to use the zoom lens of my Nikon D7000 but the ushers might think I am using the camera. I contented myself by just listening to the soundtrack.

Beyond the great soundtrack, singing, acting and , “The Sound of Music” conveys a heart-warming story about God and family.

“The Sound of Music” has at least two main messages.

The first is conveyed through Maria: “The best way to serve God is to do his will.”

The second, on the other hand, is delivered by the character of Georg von Trapp: “Stand by your beliefs. The true measure of a man or a woman is his or her integrity.”

This family musical wil truly warm your hearts.

The Sound of Music” will run starting October 15 at the Newport Performing Arts Theater at Resorts World Manila in Pasay City. For more information, call (632) 836-6333 or 908-8833 or visit www.rwmanila.com for more information.

Tickets are quite affordable at these prices.

Tickets are also available at all TicketWorld outlets, but price may vary from the one listed above.
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You might also want to read Positive Mental Energy and Affirmations and my other blogs like Free Filipino Food Recipes, Shopping Finds, Pinoy Food Photo Blog and Techie Gadgets. Or Follow me in twitter @momblogger.

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Spoiler Alert ….

Most weekends, my husband and I watch the movies. Today, he felt like watching “Priest” and he says it is a movie about a priest who is for the RH Bill.

I knew he was kidding “Aww really?” I quickly searched for a synopsis.

Apparently, the movie is an adaptation of a Tokyopop graphic novel, Bettany’s Priest with a cross emblazoned on his forehead. The priest tries to rescue his kidnapped niece with the help of her boyfriend (Cam Gigandet), a warrior priestess (Maggie Q, “Nikita”) and a sheriff (Stephen Moyer, “True Blood”).

I love thriller movies but I wasn’t sure if I wanted the horror part of the movie- the vampires. Still, we went to watch it in 3D at Eastwood Cinema 6.

As the movie unfolded with my eyes closed at times, I thought my husband was probably right when he kidded me that the movie is about a priest who is pro-RH bill.

Though the Catholic Church does not say this quote , “To go against the church is to go against God” , I feel sometimes it is implied when the RH Bill is being debated.

In the movie, the protagonist is a good and tough priest and a warrior in an alternative universe. The priest is a metaphor for the fight between good and evil. Even good guys can be corrupted or destroyed by the dark side like Black Hat, the head of the vampires (who used to be a priest).

The good versus evil is also seen in the institution such as the Church in the movie.

The Church was initially good. The Church unleashes “the Priests,” humans with super-human-like reflexes, who drive the vampires into exile. They protected them from the vampires but later on, got corrupted by their own power by invoking their infallibility, “To go against the church is to go against God” .

The head of the church (in the movie) insisted there were no more vampires but the priest didn’t think so. The Priest breaks his sacred vows to venture out on an obsessive quest to find her niece, Lucy before they turn her into one of the vampires. I will leave it at that so there are no more spoilers.

The movie got me thinking that there are probably many Catholics that are conflicted and/or have left their faith because of disagreement with certain teachings such as Humanae Vitae (Latin “Of Human Life”) , an encyclical written by Pope Paul VI and re-affirms the traditional teaching of the Catholic Church regarding married love, responsible parenthood, and lawful and unlawful ways of regulating birth.

The Catholic Church in the Philippines are still in denial when it comes to the need for the RH Bill. It has always been referred to as “evil” during the homily by some priests.

Priest , the movie just struck me as having so many similarities with the way some bishops of the Philippine Catholic Church particularly the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) are exerting authority over its faithful.

Let me give you just one example out of many. Last April 27, San Pablo (Laguna) Vicar General Msgr. Melchor Barcenas said RH bill advocates are using “tactics of Satan.”

“In this fight against RH Bill, our true enemies are not the people (who proposed it) but Satan. It is the evil that is manipulating the minds of all (pro RH Bill Congressmen) or those higher ups in the world. This is the reason why it is difficult to fight this enemy,” he said in an article posted on the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines news site last April.

There goes Satan again.

Just watch the movie.

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I watched both “Ang Tanging Ina Mo: Last Na ‘To!” and “Rosario”. The only reason I watched “Ang Tanging Ina” is because it won Best Picture in the recent Metro Manila Film Festival. Ai Ai delas Alas won Best Actress award and Ang Tanging Ina Mo, O Last na ‘To won Best Picture over Graded A Rosario.

Jennylyn Mercado was not even nominated for best actress. But Marian Rivera was nominated for her super-hero role? How much acting prowess can that show?

Just like the producers of “Rosario”, I am just as disappointed with the results. I would never watch a movie like “Ang Tanging Ina” but I did, out of curiosity.

Why did the judges choose “Ang Tanging Ina”? Let’s take a look at the criteria for Best Picture as follows: Artistry, Creativity and Technical Excellence, Innovativeness, Thematic Value and Global Appeal (70 percent) and Filipino Cultural and/or Historical Value (30 percent).

It is truly understandable why the judges chose it to win first place. It has the elements of drama-comedy that Pinoys love. The movie often shifted from dramatic scenes to slapstick comedy . It dealt with the theme : loss, death, life changes in a positive way, and enhancing filipino values. This sudden shift reminds me of the way Pinoys handle crisis, such as laughing it off during an uncomfortable situation It also portrayed the Filipino theme of family where conflict and challenges occur. “Ang Tanging Ina” is a movie that most Pinoys can relate and even sympathize with the character.

“Rosario” is breathtakingly beautiful and quite a well-made motion picture despite some imperfections and inaccuracies. I mean , compare it with “Ang Tanging Ina” production to get the whole picture. Its story and production design is something Pinoys can be truly proud of and call our own. Two people involved in the movie, director Albert Martinez and actress Jennylyn Mercado, were not even named as nominees for their respective categories despite the film winning Second Best Picture and the Gatpuno Antonio J. Villegas Cultural Award. It had also been graded “A” by the Cinema Evaluation Board.

I thought Jennylyn acted well and conveyed emotions in an effective yet subtle way. She used her eyes to convey these feelings “without resorting to over-acting or even shouting” just how Ai-ai de las Alas did. The film indeed looked and felt like an old Hollywood cinema. The cinematography “achieved the vintage tone demanded by the period. A lot of interesting long takes and amazing establishing shots of picturesque landscapes and luxe locations have made the film a masterful work of art as well”. I loved the movie. For a more detailed review, read Must-see Movie: Rosario and Must-see Movie: Rosario Part II and Film review of Rosario: Love’s many faces.

Though well written, Rosario is not a sympathetic character. She is shallow , vain and selfish (at least in the beginning) so a great majority of the movie-goers will not be able to relate to her motivations. The jurors probably decided based on the theme, the message of the movie and how it connects to the mass audience. Just by looking at handful of people in the movie-house, “Rosario” does not connect so well. What more with the jurors?

I think the audience is intelligent enough to discern that the main character in “Rosario” is not typically Filipino in her values and conduct. It is the almost the exact opposite of “Ang Tanging Ina”. Though Ina had four husbands in her life, Rosario had only two. The difference is Ina tried to keep the family together and is the stronger woman since she was able to provide for her 12 children. Rosario, on the other hand, was weak and needy in the sense that she was always dependent on the men and other people in her life and could not face life on her own terms. It can’t be helped that this was vintage 1920 where men were controlling freaks , yet she could have done more than just being a victim.

Ina seems like a better role model than Rosario. No doubt “Rosario” is a quality movie. It lost based on the criteria set forth by the Board of Jurors. I think the criteria should have been more specific and not just 70% lumped up to Artistry, Creativity and Technical Excellence, Innovativeness, Thematic Value and Global Appeal. What percentage does thematic and global appeal comprise of? 50% or 69%. If I were the juror, “Rosario” would still win Best Picture because my criteria would not rest heavily on global appeal.

Even if the jurors think “Rosario” does not have the thematic value and global appeal, it doesn’t mean “Rosario” is a bad movie. I believe the movie teaches us to reflect on the lessons of “Rosario”:

1. Set boundaries. One can’t repeat the same mistake all over again. At the same time one must be aware that we should also give allowances for recovery to take place.

2. Forgive. When we hold on to pain, old grudges, bitterness and even hatred, many aspects of our lives suffer. Through forgiveness, you choose to no longer define yourself as a victim.

It is just too bad, Rosario was not given second chances. A second chance to be a more loving wife and mother. A second chance to be a better person.

Do you think “Rosario” the movie will have a second chance at other award-giving bodies from the movie industry?

Photo credits: Must-see Movie: Rosario

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Follow me in twitter @momblogger.“A million dollars isn’t cool. You know what’s cool? A billion dollars.” Sean Parker, Founding President of Facebook

I first came to know about Facebook around May 2004. I was browsing through my daughter’s message board looking for the latest web trends. I clearly remember the post from my daughter’s friend …that Facebook was the next best thing after Myspace and Friendster. Of course, I could not join Facebook then because one needed to be a student. Eventually, it became public and my first profile photo shows that I started on May 23, 2007.

I didn’t really think Facebook would grow that big. Friendster seemed unbeatable in its popularity. In 2007, everyone else I knew was in Friendster. Good thing that I had my blogger friends as my first few friends in facebook.

Tonight, I had the chance to see a special preview of “Social Network” (Thanks to Nuffnang Philippines) with my husband and blogger friends. I really enjoyed the movie. I was mesmerized by Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of Facebook. I didn’t even know Sean Parker of Napster was part of Facebook. Indeed, there are lessons to be learned especially in broken relationships, intellectual property, ethics and lawsuits.

Spoiler alert

1. Business or copycat ideas are not protected by law.

One can make an idea even better than the originator. In this case, Mark Zuckerberg bought time to move ahead of the Winklevoss twins.

The background here is that Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg worked for ConnectU’s founders — brothers Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss, along with Divya Narendra — to help set up a dating site called Harvard Connection back when they were all students at the university in 2003. Narendra and the Winklevoss brothers alleged that Zuckerberg delayed their site while stealing code and ideas for Facebook.

Happy ending for the twins because Facebook paid the brothers (and presumably other ConnectU stockholders) a cool $65 million to settle long-running lawsuits they brought against him after he left their company to start his rival site.

2. Friendships and business can mix if there are signed agreements.

Eduardo Saverin, the other co-founder, roommate and best friend of Mark Zuckerberg is the true accidental billionaire when the former filed a lawsuit when things didn’t work out between them. The movie shows that Saverin didn’t even bother reading legal documents because he trusted Mark.

3. Not everything is about money. Build content first.

Saverin wanted to “monetize” TheFaceBook which served as a major point of conflict between him and Zuckerberg. Mark always felt it was better to avoid offending users with intrusive advertising, the better to expand the service quickly and add even more users. I think it was a wise move to build the network first and gain trust of the community before aggressive advertising is shoved at our screens.

Just like blogging, I believe that the focus should be in building content and engaging the community before thinking about earning money .

What I found even more interesting is not all of the Social Network movie is accurate. One needs to know the facts from the fiction. But who cares? I enjoyed the movie. The movie is well made even if it is a fictionalized account of what truly happened after six years and 500 million friends later. Truly remarkable is , Mark Zuckerberg as the youngest billionaire in the current history.

In the end, is success worth all the personal and legal complications as tagged in the movie “ You Don’t Get to 500 Million Friends Without Making a Few Enemies”?

Other Links

• Facebook Movie Grosses $23 Million, Backlash Begins [The Cinema](gawker.com)
• Facebook movie paints unflattering portrait of Zuckerberg(showbizandstyle.inquirer.net)
• With a Little Help From His Friends (David Kirkpatrick/Vanity Fair)(techmeme.com)
• The Social Network Movie vs Facebook’s True Story (chasingthefrog.com)
• No Stopping Movie View of Mark Zuckerberg (dealbook.blogs.nytimes.com)
• No Stopping Movie View of Mark Zuckerberg (nytimes.com)
• Truth and fiction in the Facebook film (blogs.ft.com)
• I Gave In: Facebook: The Movie (technbiz.blogspot.com)
• “Social Network” criticism: Here comes the Facebook movie backlash(shortformblog.com)
• What’s True in the Facebook Movie (thedailybeast.com)
• ‘Facebook Effect’ Author Discusses Movie and Company’s Prospects (mediabistro.com)
• Facebook Privacy Hysteria (thedailybeast.com)
• Lessons I Learnt from “The Social Network” Movie (penn-olson.com)
• Live-blog: Zuckerberg and David Kirkpatrick on the Facebook Effect (Kim-Mai Cutler/VentureBeat) (techmeme.com)
• Talking Business: Capturing the Facebook Obsession (nytimes.com)

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You might also want to read Positive Mental Energy and Affirmations and my other blogs like Free Filipino Food Recipes, Shopping Finds, Pinoy Food Photo Blog and Techie Gadgets. Or Follow me in twitter @momblogger.

How about visiting my Beauty over 50 blog?

Hope you can drop by! Thanks for visiting…Noemi Lardizabal-Dado.

Add me in Facebook by introducing yourself. My facebook is at facebook.com/noemidado

Follow me in twitter @momblogger.
When Concertus, the local producer of Cats sent two complimentary tickets to the musical “Cats: Now and Forever” , I knew there was no more excuse not to watch the show. They had invited me to the press conference but I was busy finishing an ebook at that time. Anyway, I thought of buying two more tickets for my daughters so they could tag along with us and watch Lea Salonga as Grizabella. I miss my stage mother days and I was certain the daughters still love watching the arts and culture. The last time I was at the Cultural Center was watching my girls dancing ballet.

I thought it was just me but I didn’t get the plot of the musical. One should really read the synopsis before watching the musical. Despite not understanding the story, I loved the cat playground, elaborate lighting, the props, the makeup, the costumes and Lea Salonga of course. She is the only Filipino artist in a production dominated by Australian “triple threat” performers. It was also good that I bought the 50 peso binoculars which I peered into during solo singing. Though seated at balcony 1, I just couldn’t see the details of their “cat-like” makeup in their faces.

Hearing a short stanza of “Memory” sang in Tagalog was applauded by the audience but it sounded like Chinese initially. The 20 minute break was fun because the Cat actors milled with the audience even up to the balcony. Like real cats, it was difficult to take photos as they kept moving too much.

Though Lea Salonga’s feline role is short, her powerful rendition of “Memory” was beautiful. I now recall that “Memory” was one of the songs used by the videographer of our wedding video in 1985. I think it is her first time to dance and sing at the same time, as she performed “Memory” in scattered 12-minute duration.

For cat lovers like my two daughters and myself, I adored the characterization of various cats. We felt sad that the Siamese felines were portrayed as meanies because our very own Siamese cats are purr-fectly sweet and gentle. I guess I am biased because our two Siamese kitties are just so cute.

I loved the talented cast, the dazzling lights and choreography, the flawless singing and of course, Lea Salonga as she sang Memory towards the end of the show. You can still watch it until August 22. Don’t forget to read the synopsis so you can follow the flow of the musical. Better yet, buy the 500 peso program.

(will continue…so sleepy)

For ticket inquiry, call TicketWorld at 891-9999 or visit www.ticketworld.com.ph. ——————————-
You might also want to read Positive Mental Energy and Affirmations and my other blogs like Free Filipino Food Recipes, Shopping Finds, Pinoy Food Photo Blog and Techie Gadgets. Or Follow me in twitter @momblogger.

How about visiting my Beauty over 50 blog?

Hope you can drop by! Thanks for visiting…Noemi Lardizabal-Dado.

Add me in Facebook by introducing yourself. My facebook is at facebook.com/noemidado

Follow me in twitter @momblogger.Do you know that when I just want to relax, I watch funny or entertaining youtube videos? It takes my mind off work, gives me a lot of laughter to just be and let worries go away for the moment. Even just the expectation of a mirthful laughter involved in watching funny videos has some very surprising and significant neuroendocrine/hormone effect. Experiments showed that viewing a favorite funny video can offset symptoms of chronic stress, which can suppress various components of the immune responses, particularly those related to anti-viral and anti-tumor defenses. See, that’s why I look forward to my entertainment breaks.

In the rare times that I watched television, I caught the PLDT MyDSL Piano man commercial. It basically says it is just you, the piano man, and an endless bunch of wonderful, colorful, crazy characters from the Internet. I found the piano man singing and dancing with a bunch of characters portrays the various ways we use the internet. It was nice to see the representation of the inmates of the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center dancing to Michael Jackson’s Thriller. The image of the inmates in that Piano Man commercial represents my love for Michael Jackson music and my hometown in Cebu which is all part of my youth. I remember when that video first came out, I’d play it on repeat countless of times. Byron Garcia the brains behind the dance routine was a good friend of my sister so I made sure to compliment him of his endeavor.

I have been a PLDT myDSL subscriber since April 2007 and never encountered major problems with their broadband connection. Goodness, I never knew that there is such a thing as Watchpad, an online entertainment hubs of sort until I saw the Piano Man commercial. It pays to watch a catching commercial to learn all about these new offerings. I must have been living in a cave. I checked out Watchpad and discovered even more good news. It allows me to watch 20 cable channels like Animax, Cartoon Network, CNN, National Geographic Channel and connect to social networking sites in the background without ever leaving my computer chair. The possibility of watching TV in the computer while doing my other online activities can only be possible with a fast broadband connection as opposed to a plug and play device or wireless connection. I can keep my Facebook open, play my scrabble game without losing due to dropped connections and still watch my favorite videos on repeat. I should know. Playing online scrabble in a wireless connection often leaves me with low scores just because my internet connection failed me. Those cable channels are definitely worth watching while taking my break.

I better install the Watchpad now coz’ it’s free and a friend of mine told me that if I upgrade to PLDT myDSL’s XCITE Plan 1995 which is up to 2mbps my computer is going to serve as my cable TV as well. That is just 500 pesos more than my current plan.

I’ll let you know how that works out. How exciting!!!

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You might also want to read Positive Mental Energy and Affirmations and my other blogs like Free Filipino Food Recipes, Shopping Finds, Pinoy Food Photo Blog and Techie Gadgets. Or Follow me in twitter @momblogger.

How about visiting my Beauty over 50 blog?

Hope you can drop by! Thanks for visiting…Noemi Lardizabal-Dado.

Add me in Facebook by introducing yourself. My facebook is at facebook.com/noemidado

Follow me in twitter @momblogger.It’s been a trend over the last few years, but it’s just getting bigger and bigger. It’s the clubbing, party-going crowd, and it gives people an excuse to dress up how they normally wouldn’t. Shari Maxwell

Receiving an invitation to a launch is nothing new to me and with my busy schedule, I am quite picky. The cool invite to attend the launch of the new Republiq , a club, a venue of sorts located at the Plaza, Resorts World Manila, Newport City in Pasay City piqued my interest because it was Tim Yap’s latest venture. I met Tim Yap in Singapore last year at the height of Ondoy and got to know him beyond his celebrity status.

I appreciated the invite because I have never experienced the clubbing scene in Manila. Who says I can’t have good clean fun at my age? Having a little adventure is always fun. Bringing my husband was out of the question. It was a week day. Good thing the hubby didn’t complain when I told him that I’ll bringing the girls out on thursday night. Off we went to Republiq club in long dresses, a rarity. It was a good 40 minutes drive away from home.

Like I told you earlier, I thought it was a media event so I brought along my Nikon DSLR. The lady at the entrance told me that my DSLR had to be deposited. No problem, I didn’t feel like dragging my chunky camera along anyway. She placed a stamp on my hand.

At the entrance, the guards inspected the hands of my girls. I looked horrified as I stared at my right hand, ” look, the stamp on my hand disappeared. Let me go back to the counter…”

My daughter, the “club authority” whispered, “Mom….UV light will detect it.”

I chuckled at clueless me.

The Republiq was not ready for the guests so I just sat down and looked around for my media friends.

Noting my disappointment, another daughter rolled her eyes “Mom, this is not a media invite. You were invited. Didn’t you read the invitation? Private launch?”

Then another daughter piped in “You may be hip and cool,mom but still a mom. Clueless about clubs”.

Laughing at my faux pax, I chimed in “I know, haha. well, what I know about clubs are disco clubs…we actually dance.”

As I gingerly sipped my cold orange drink (No alcohol drinks for me), I smiled at the lovely girl seated beside me. Her eyes widened as she recognized me and called out “Miss Noemi” like we were old buddies. I did not pretend that I knew her so I asked her gently “have we met?” I begged forgiveness for my senior moment. Apparently we’ve never met but Mitch had been inviting me to many events the past nine months which I just couldn’t attend because of Blog Watch commitments. Good thing I found a nice person to talk to and we kept each other company for the next few minutes.

The Republiq finally opened its doors. The club can seat up to 200 guests with 800 more standing. It looked like the disco clubs I used to party in the seventies, only much bigger this time.

“Let’s sit down” as I dragged the girls to the comfortable chairs. I ignored the beautiful people that soon filled the room. I wanted to spend time chilling with my girls.

“Mom, you don’t sit down in clubs. You stand up…”, the “club authority” said with conviction.

We hovered near the DJ’s and placed our drinks by the table.

“So what’s next? can we dance?” The music prompted me to sway along with the tempo.

The “club authority” pretended to look bored as I snapped photos of them.. “we just stand and talk…and we should be going home soon because I have work.” They explained that there is also dancing in some clubs but most people just stand and talk.

I wanted to talk to Tim Yap (to wish him good luck and good vibes in the Republiq), before leaving but with hundreds of people in the room it was just impossible to find him.

This mom had enough clubbing 101 lessons for the night yet I enjoyed chilling the night with my girls. I guess they would have enjoyed it more if they brought their friends along. It’s good my girls are grounded and it isn’t really their cup of tea. I am aware that a few can get swept away with the clubbing and partying with celebrities. Life can’t be lived like that though. It seems fake.

It didn’t seem fake that night. The sneak peek at the clubbing scene was fun because I was with my two girls and had great conversation with Mitch. I wonder if my husband would like the clubbing scene though. Maybe he will because he will be with me. Dancing in the club would be cool. The 12 steps, the hustle and the swing was our way of having fun. I often wonder if these can be recreated for the clubbing generation. Tim Yap envisioned the new Republiq as a good venue, a secure venue for good, clean fun. Perhaps make dancing a trend once again?

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You might also want to read Positive Mental Energy and Affirmations and my other blogs like Free Filipino Food Recipes, Shopping Finds, Pinoy Food Photo Blog and Techie Gadgets. Or Follow me in twitter @momblogger.

How about visiting my Beauty over 50 blog?

Hope you can drop by! Thanks for visiting…Noemi Lardizabal-Dado.

Add me in Facebook by introducing yourself. My facebook is at facebook.com/noemidado