on Centerstage

I've encountered people who have this inherent fear of cats. Some stems from being superstitious, psychological or even an unexplained one. While I admit that I'm more of a dog person, I have developed a special love for cats for the past 7 years. It wasn't an easy one; it entailed having to let go of hanging out with my friends after school - and even weekends, getting sleep-deprived to a certain extent and worse having that "inherent fear" directed to me. But it was worth all of it because it made me closer to one of my true loves. Cats has sealed my love for the theater arts. Yes, you guessed it right - I'm taking about the longest running and well-loved Broadway musical Cats.

I had an opportune time living in the world of the Jellicle Cats as Victoria as part of my high school's foundation anniversary celebration. While I've had my fair share of being on stage from my pre-school operettas and a few music recitals- it was definitely being part of this adaptation that made me a "theater-phile".

So you can imagine my delight when I found out on Twitter that Cats, with an international cast, is coming to Manila a day before it was confirmed on the news. What even made it more exciting was having Philippine's pride and Tony award winning Lea Salonga as Grizabella!




Here's wishing that this theater masterpiece will make my cat-fearing friends love Cats just as much as I do.

See you all at the Jellicle Ball happening at the CCP Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo from July 24-August 15. Unless you have a special connection to Old Deutronomy, invites to the ball starts are P750. Or you can always ask Mr. Mistoffelees magic you into the hall or have Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer sneak you.

For more details check out:

http://catsinmanila.tumblr.com
www.facebook.com/catsinmanila
www.twitter.com/catsinmanila

thinks she finally (well, almost) come in to terms that she needs and have to let go of something really important to her...coz i don't know if its real anymore.

Just finished Mitch Albom's "Have a little Faith"

Truly, it's someone else's journey but it is everyone's story.

it's been a little over six months since I plunged into this change.

it wasn't the smoothest ride as I think any change or transition would be, anyway.

but in that relatively short span of time, a lot of suprises have sprouted right in front of me. suprises that come to a point where I am, most often times, caught off guard and continually mesmerized by such.

its just an overwhelming feeling that slowly things start to turn over without you really intending it to be or imagined it. well, i guess..its just how nature take its course of action.

not that i'm complaining or anything. it just simply amazement on my part that I have yet to savor until I am used to it.

though, there are times when it traverses the path of a not so ideal means for change, you'd realize that's its a good change, after all.

and you can finally utter the words "change is inevitable" by heart with your hopes high that you see it to be for the better. and so does the other.


p.s
Am I being too vague?

Kyla

It's been five years since our family went on a vacation trip outside of the country. The last time we did was on a two-week bus trip across Central Europe. It was a fun fun trip! What with the breathtaking country side and town proper of the said trip couple it with historical and classical elegant feel. The only downside was that it was pretty tiring since we were almost always on the go so there was no really no time to keep a travel journal which should have been perfect to record those memorable places and experiences that go hand in hand
while you were at it. Sure, there were lots of pictures and recorded tapes to relish those but I guess it'll still be different recalling things while flipping through pages you documented while you were in the very moment of it. It sort of gives you a first-hand experience, I guess.

And so when it was announced that we were going on a six-day trip to China, I vowed to keep a travel journal even if I didn't have a single clue of our itinerary except for the fact that for sure we're going back to Hong Kong after seventeen years! But lo and behold, I wasn't able to even open the notebook I intentionally put in my everyday bag for the duration of the trip. The same dilemma applies; i was too tired to even write at the end of day. In fact, when we get back to the hotel I immediately plunge into the bed and will wake up a few hours into the midnight to clean up then go back to sleep again then wake up just in time for breakfast and we're off to go to the day's itinerary.

But what's different about this time, I was more aware, engaged and "into the moment" of this trip. Maybe because it was relatively less stressful and shorter than the Europe trip. I had more time to think or go muni-muni and engage myself in a number of silent conversations and observations with myself on the places we went to. Don't get me wrong, for me the Europe trip was still by far the best trip I've had. I just didn't have time to really engage myself to this and that because I was so hyped up with excitement of seeing this and seeing that tomorrow - since it was a really packed tour. There were a lot of things to appreciate that you get this overwhelming overload of sights to see, trivia and information to digest and the feeling to submerge yourself into it.

The fact that maybe I was already less familiar at this time with the Chinese culture and history made me more engaged and yearn to know more about it. So, I will dare try to make a comprehensive recall of what came about with that six day sojourn in the coming days. Hopefully, complete with the picture or even videos I took and a part of the silent conversations and observations I have made.

im back from a 6-day sojourn in China - a much needed retreat.

three things that kept running through me during the trip.

one. how i am still amused by the fact that in just about an hour and a half, you cand find yourself in a completely different place and culture.

two. how i now officially hate aiports (which i used to love). details later.

three. how i am still clueless how chinese and other foreign countries have all the while similar familial traditions with us. 'cause I never thought and imagined any other race to be as family-oriented as ours. or is it just me.

there are quite a lot of things, both high and low points, (and pictures, too)to say about the trip but I guess will have to save that for a yet a much-needed and long awaited coherent write-upa after I compose myself.

We're a little half past the first month for the year yet I feel I haven't really made the most out of it. It feels like time is slipping by and passing by me swiftly.

Although all the new year's revelry was well celebrated and welcomed, I feel like I really didn't turn the pages from last year's. I don't know why.

For one, I didn't feel like summing up the year that was and in turn making goals and things to look forward to for this year. It's funny, though, I welcomed 2008 with a very positibe vibe with an old-school journal to boot but I kinnda ended it a not so positive way.

Having said that might just turn the table around for me, hopefully, as I start the year with a I-couldn't-care-less-what-happens-then-it-happens attitude.

In truth if there's anything that pulls me back from pushing the limits this year, it would have to be fear. Fear for a lot of things, actually.

The one fear that tops my list is having to face the disappointment of planning things and failing at it. It was one those things that hit me the hardest from the past year. It was a real feat for me to endure it. It actually haunts me every now and then with all the what-ifs and what-could-have been thoughts. You know the feeling of how you don't want to undergo the same ordeal again? I thinks that's just how it is for me and it kindda sucks, you know...

Plus, there are so many things I would want to do but I just can't seem to get my self from attaining them. There are a lot of setbacks and though I try my very best to be inspired and get started, I just cant' seem too. Maybe that's why I feel so stuck right now. I am so afraid to get out of my (not-so) comfort zone. I can't even get myself started to jot down my goals because for sure it will be an overwhelming thing.

Oh, God. Please help me get going on. This can not go on forever.

I've been wanting to go out. but which way? that i don't know.

if there's one thing I know for sure at this time...

ayoko na din. its not that im not happy with it but i just need to get away ASAP.

haven't had a decent vacation for the last 4 years..

or so a self-imposed one.

Its been three days since the official work day started for 2009 and yet I have been virtually doing nothing on my office cubicle except for some phone calls made and received, filing of emails and documents, taking power naps, cleaning my keyboard, exhausting the day's yahoo news and pretending to read.

Its not that I don't have a line up of work to do. In fact, I have two product folders which was supposedly on my Decemeber work sched. Then again, the first three months were a bombardment of deadlines and requests orginially not existing on my segment's to-do-list. That, plus my extra-curricular activities.

I feel that I actually am purposely putting my product folders on hold though I'm almost 70% done with them. For one, I can't seem to put myself in the back-to-work mood. Secondly, it does not have a deadly deadline on its tail. Lastly, I've kindda grown out of it since I had started making it last October until it was interrupted by the never ending drafts for inserts, white sheets and whatnots.

Anyway, all this idle moments and bus rides to work and home makes me feel so stuck somewhere right now. Its like there's something in me who wants to break free. But i don't know how or what avenue to use to tap it. There's just so much I want. Thinking bout drives me crazy that I opt no to anymore. I feel Im wasting so much time but I just can't seem to get started. There's too much apprehensions and fear. Maybe its taking after all of the failed plans of last years and the notion that I should just sit back and wait for things to happen if they're meant to. Its kindda hard to stir away from the latter but it drives me crazy too.