My Christmas Gift

I have been going out with a very nice Mexican-Swiss. It is very cool to say that he is a singer for a jazz band. How butch!

But then I am really happy when I am with him. I feel relaxed and I do not feel like he is hiding anything from me.

I met him on Christmas Eve so he must be my ultimate Christmas gift. Oh by the way, he is the very first man who has given me a rose. He is so sweet.

This means I have to consider going to Switzerland next year.

First Christmas outside of the Philippines

I was thinking of my family the whole Christmas Eve. I miss the gathering, the misa de gallo, rice cakes, lanterns and the energy of Filipinos at this time of the year. I also miss my mother's homemade ham, the gift-giving, our old Christmas tree and the warmth of my home in Manila.

Here you can see Christmas trees and other decors but you will not feel anything. There is no warmth. There is no meaning. There is no feeling. There's nothing. These are only for tourists but they cannot mask the artificiality of all.

But then surprisingly, I enjoyed my Christmas Eve last night. I met a new man and some of my new friends here.

I cannot mention names right now but I will in the future. It is just amazing how I enjoyed this Christmas Eve in a way I did not expect. Romance can go a long way it seems.

I still miss the Christmas I am accustomed to in the Philippines.

Manderlay

I am a fan of Lars von Trier. I know that most sequels suck but I think the US trilogy is supposed to be a trilogy. The first one is Dogville with Nicole Kidman.

Although Manderlay is not as strong as Dogville, the message is very different and equally intriguing. I just never thought that slavery can be presented this way. I will not write anything more for those who have not seen the movie yet.

I miss Nicole Kidman. I do not know why she is not in this sequel. I cannot wait to watch the last installment.

Oh by the way, can anyone tell me if Isaach De Bankolé's dick is really blurred in the cinematic release?

Koh Samet: my first beach in Thailand

I was in Koh Samet from December 12 to 14. I went there by myself and it was my first Thai beach. All in all, I enjoyed it and might go back there next year.









There are lots of animals on the island. The most noticeable ones are the dogs because they keep some of the residents awake at night. They are very friendly though.











Koh Samet is a volcanic island so it was very interesting to see the rock formation. I spent a lot of time here because it is quiet and not many people go there.








Night can be exciting as well but I did not drink throughout this vacation. I simply walked along the beach and snapped some more photos.





Oh I also saw more titties in three days than dickies in my entire life. You won't see them here though.



Thanks again Bob for lending me your camera.

Where is my Rocky Horror?

Thanks to John Wilber for sending me a DVD-R of this movie.

What can I say but I adore Peter Hinwood. He is an Adonis. Too bad he did not do anything after this film. I would buy his porn if there is any available.

Back to the movie, it is very entertaining and I was surprised how stunning Susan Sarandon looked at that time. Damn, she had the curves! Tim Curry is also convincing as a TV. I think he still would look as scarey if he appears in drag now.

Oh I would appreciate it if you guys have pictures of Peter Hinwood in drag. Yummy!

My Second Bangkok Apartment

I live at UK Mansion. It is an apartment building on Silom Soi 6. I have been living there for about five months now. I do not like it that much but it is home. Here are some pictures:













Thanks to Bob Chopp for lending me the camera.

Seven months in Bangkok

I have been living in Bangkok for seven months now.

Do I know more about this country? I am not really sure. Only Thais can judge that.

Do I know more about my country? Yes and I can now appreciate its uniqueness. I thought the Philippines is Westernized but it is simply Americanized.

Do I know more about myself? Well, I have a very good idea about myself before I flew here. But the period I have been here just reinforced the things I know about myself. I have known for years what kind of people I like and dislike.

Sometimes, I am with people I do not like and I am with them out of loneliness and desperation. Sometimes, I ignore my gut-feel because I just want some company. And then I end up being sorry for spending some time with this or that person.

It can be very lonely out here and it is hard to make real friends. It is hard to make friends with Thais because of the language barrier and they know very little about my country. It is hard to make friends with the expats (most of which are Westerners) because they see me as a prey and not as an equal.

I am really really hoping that I am surrounded right now with people who are going to be my real friends.

Revisiting Schindler's List

I was only 15 years old the first time I saw this film in the cinema. I was shocked by its content and how cruel people can be. Now that I am 28, I see this film very differently. Now that I am living in a city where people are different from each other and now that I have interacted with Jews (and one of which is a friend), I value this film more than I did.

The music is very sad. The stories of survival are now more compelling. Their accounts are more significant amidst all the wars that the world is facing. Maybe it is only a dream that people will learn how to live with each other peacefully.

Despite the grains and lines (I am sure this will improve with the introduction of the Blu-ray and HD-DVD), this DVD collection is priceless. The documentaries are actually as strong as the film itself. I am really proud that I have this in my collection.