It was raining the whole day...

...like the heavens were mourning along with us.




You can shed tears that she is gone,
or you can smile because she has lived.
You can close your eyes and pray that she'll come back,
or you can open your eyes and see all she's left.
Your heart can be empty because you can't see her,
or you can be full of the love you shared.
You can turn your back on tomorrow and live yesterday,
or you can be happy for tomorrow because of yesterday.
You can remember her only that she is gone,
or you can cherish her memory and let it live on.
You can cry and close your mind,
be empty and turn your back.
Or you can do what she'd want:
smile, open your eyes, love and go on.

- David Harkins, Tribute to England's Queen Mother -


The rest of us can only dream of achieving what you have achieved in your lifetime.

Nag-iisa po kayo, Madam President.

Paalam po.

National Artist for Visual Arts and Film: Carlo J. Caparas

We really should stop bashing Malacanang's choice this year. I mean, CJC can't be THAT bad, can he? Coming from someone-who-almost-majored-in-Film's POV, here's what I know about him:

a) He's a very efficient director. (Hey, shooting a whole film in seven days is a feat. I'd know. We spent TWO YEARS doing our 20-minute feature thesis. Who cares if it's rancid pito-pito? A film is a film is a film!)
b) He's well-patronized. (If he can't captivate a wide audience, Ch. 2 and 7 won't have spent millions serializing his comics for TV. Oh, wait, sorry-- My bad. His stories. He had illustrators draw his comics nga pala.)

And besides, I've never really seen any of his... oeuvres to judge. Sure, I've seen Brocka's and Bernal's for Film Theory and Practice under Sir G; but not... y'know, SUCH great work at par with the likes of Insiang, Maynila sa Kuko ng Liwanag and Batch 81.

Reminds me. Is anyone free next weekend? I really should catch up with my gawdamazng works in Philippine Visual Arts and Film: The Vizconde Massacre Story (God Have Mercy On Us!), The Marita Gonzaga Rape-Slay (In God We Trust), and that epic Tirad Pass: The Last Stand of Greogorio del Pilar-- the one where Bonifacio is killed by the Spaniards. Really. Revolutionary.

Ay, wait. I might be busy this weekend pala. Anyway, you guys can go here or here.

Enjoy in my behalf. In the meantime, I will be joining the flame wars over at BenCab's statement on the National Artist Brouhaha.