When Fake is Great

What do you do when you find out that you can't be what you want to be, even though you know you're good enough?

Simple. You became an Eagles tribute band.


The Real Eagles


The Fake Eagles

When asked if I'm an Eagles fan, I usually say no. That's until I realized na many of the songs I like are done by by them, like Tequila Sunrise, Desperado and The Best of my Love(Inde eto yung ineesip mo noh, kundi etoh).

That's why I was really excited to work The Eagles Experience-Hotel California concert at the ASB last Saturday, by a tribute band from Australia. Some people actually demanded their money back when they found out they weren't the real ones. Ganun dito eh, konting kibot lang eh refund na (samantalang satin "Eh kasalanan mo yan baket di mo binabasa mabuti poster???"). One even barked at me (as if me kinalaman ako sa kalokohang ito), on how ripped-off he felt. Aysus, di ba niya naisip na nung bumili sila ng NZ$49 front row "orig" Eagles concert, eh para syang nakabili ng Levis sa presyo ng Bunny Jeans.

Pero after the first song, Hotel California, na-impress ang mga tao(pati ako). Napasayaw ang buong venue at meron pa ngang nag o-old man dance (yung tipong isang kendeng sabay palakpak dance, pero huli lagi sa beat). They sang good, played their instruments well, and even took off their wigs at the end, as if mocking us "kala nyo haaaaaa...."

So, I'm an Eagles TRIBUTE Band fan now, but only until I get to see the real one. True Eagles fans may cringe at the thought, but hey, ika nga ng idol nila eh take it easy and enjoy it like a really good karaoke (at least they sing well, not like these fakes).
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Oy! Speaking of fake, kinelangan ko ng costume sa party namin sa Edge last Friday! Meron akong mga idea eh, like ito, ito or ito. Kaso ala tayo nun eh. So nag-improvise na lang ako.

Hinukay ko yung...

Suit na ginamit ko sa kasal sa Tagaytay (na ginamit ko din dati nung me job interview ako dito sa Auckland)...

... baril-barilan fom The Warehouse (NZ$4). Kainis baril ng cowboy lang nakita ko. Pero wag ka, me kasama pang star ng sheriff yan.

At hat (NZ$9). Ano ang objective ko na kakalabasan?

Hopefully ganito. The Las Vegas Mob (oh di ba!). Problem lang eh yung revolver ko eh pang cowboy (at me star na pang Sheriff pa nga eh, hehehe). Effective kaya? See for yourself and let me know.

Da Edge Event Services/Ushering Gang

Medyo napamura ako dito, hehehe

Sino mas guwapo (sige magkamali ka babarilin kita!)

Eddie Peregrina with the girls.

Eddie P. with the REAL girls. Maniwala ka, Duty Operations Manager ko yung asa
kaliwa (na hawak ang security. Sabi sayo eh).

We also went to Karaoke after (look at the weird Filipino with the tamborine!)


Look at the big-ass remote(ga plato!). At ang screen ay hugeee (alang sinabi IO)!

Floating Around.. In Ecstasy...

Uy... May package...





Wo-hooo!!! At ang ganda ng bigote, parang si Rico J.

Dilemma:
- Pano ko kaya magkakasya sa 25 kilos ang maleta kong punong-puno na ng Cabury?
- Pano ko mapapabilis ang next 6 days?
- Ano kayang una kong kakainin pagdating sa Las Pinas (hito, ginataang suso, laing...)?
- Makikilala kaya ako ng kids?

Julia far left, nangongopya...

First Christmas party ni Julia nga pala kanina, at nag-perform (song and dance) ng English AND CHINESE songs. Oh diba, talo pa ako, eh ang alam ko lang eh...

- Qing da jia jiu zuo, yan chu ji jiang kai shi (hurry up the
show is starting!)
- Jin zhi pai zhao (no photos please!)

... na nagagamit ko pag me Chinese shows dito.

We're so proud, kasi nung umalis ako eh ni hindi sya bumibitaw samin sa mga childrens party, at ngayon nagsasayaw na sa stage. Sana paglaki nya, magmana sa akin at maging na total performer din.

Hay super dami ko nang nami-miss. First baby steps and b-day ng twins, first day sa school ni Julia, anniversary namin ni Pam. Pero it's OK, going home nanaman in 7 days, 9 hours, 45 minutes and 11 seconds... 9 seconds... 7 seconds...

Tonight I'm gonna have myself a real good time
I feel alive and the world it's turning inside out
Yeah! I'm floating around in ecstasy
So don't stop me now don't stop me
'Cause I'm having a good time having a good time

Da Good 'ol Days (Da Good 'ol Days)

Announcement...

I would just like to share the words of a very, very wise man.

Hey ya know, everybody's talkin about the good 'ol days, rights?
Everybody, the good 'ol days, the good 'ol days.
Natatandaan mo pa ba ang mga salitang yan, sweetheart?
Noong araw madalas tayong mamasyal, diba?
Sa Luneta... sa Fort Santiago.. Sa Paco Cemetery.
Madalas tayong manood ng sine, paikot-ikot tayo.
Namamasyal.

Sa pagtanda kaya natin, makakadalawa ka pa kayang...
Kilometro ng pamamasyal?
Aakyin mo kaya ako sa paglalakad?

Kung tayo’y matanda na

Sana’y di tayo magbago
At kailan ma’y, nasaan ma’y
Ito ang pangarap ko
Makuha mo pa kayang
Ako’y hagkan at yakapin ooh...
Hanggang pagtanda natin
Nagtatanong lang sa `yo
Ako pa kaya’y ibigin mo
Kung maputi (o wala na) ang buhok ko...

Correction: The words of a wise and very groovy man. Sorry, spent a good part of my half hour break downloading Rico J. Puno songs, including Sorry Na Pwede Ba, Magkasuyo Buong Gabi, The Way We Were, and Buhat.


Iba ka talaga, Rico J (you're the man, bebeh).

Fijian Engrish: Croatian

Asked to usher a play last Friday. Was being briefed by the duty operations manager, Jamal, on how to handle the event. Jamal's Fijian-Indian by the way, and a bit difficult to understand.

Jamal: So Ants just make sure that if there is a Croatian, lead them all out of the door.
Tuny: Uhh... (Tama ba dinig ko??)
Jamal: Are you OK mate? Croatians are easy here, just make sure they don't come back inside.
Tuny: (Huh? Ano ba ito, tinawag na akong langgam, eh napaka-racist pa!) Errr... OK, whatever you say, but how do I know if they are Croatians?
Jamal: What do you mean? If you hear the fire alarm and see the emergency lights switch on, there is a Croatian....
Tuny: Ahhh.. You mean an Eva-Croatian...
Jamal: Yeah, why? What did you think???

Err, wala (Nyark-nyark-nyark...)

Teo torriatte konomama iko...

How do you define a good day?

It starts at 7:45AM, and I realized it's just Thursday.
Didn't sleep well, so had to drag my sorry arse into the shower.
No breakfast today(no leftovers last night).
And outside its pouring.

In my mind I say "Auckland sucks" and zombied off, blending with a sea of black coats of other zombies that had just said the same thing.

40 minutes on, the boss is still there (Heartbreaker! You promised to be in the US today).
She groans about things not getting done (But it was. You just change your mind too often).
Thank God her husband arrived and received all the flack (it could have been me).
And don't forget about the annoying girl behind me, who bitches the WHOLE day (Grrrr, asan ba ang tsinelas ko???).

Burying my head under a new pile of deadlines, I look at the computer clock (it's just 3!). "Today's just never going to end."

But like magic, it's was suddenly time to go.
I switched off and switched into my running gear.
It's cold and wet, but that was the last thing in my mind.
It's this song in my MP3.

Teo torriatte konomama iko
Aisuruhito yo
Shizukana yoi ni
Hikario tomoshi
Itoshiki oshieo idaki...

Thinking: Wow, who ever thought Freddy Mercury sang in Japanese?

20 minutes into the run, the sky opens, and I'm drench to my underwear.
I run harder up the hills, racing the Overlander as it passes by Domain.
I almost forgot how delicious it was to stomp on puddles.
And I meet a man in his drenched suit, at the stoplight before the bridge.

"Fuck an umbrella, nice day for a swim, eh?"

Reaching home, I shower and change into crisp, clean clothes.
I slap the sizzling porkchop that was marinated in vinegar and garlic on the pan (smells sooo good).
And while waiting for the rice cooker to pop, I lounge on the sofa and listened to Apo.
I feel clean, relaxed, and tomorrow's Friday.

Good days aren't defined by how you start it, but how you end it.

Let us cling together as the years go by
Oh my love my love
In the quiet of the night
Let our candle always burn
Let us never lose the lessons we have learned

Natutulog sa Pansitan..

If by any chance me naghahanap sakin, pakisabi na nasa pansitan lang ako.

Pasensya na rin sa kalat dito, linisin ko ang aquarium mamaya (or bukas me pasok pa ako eh). So in the meantime, eh i-enjoy nyo muna ito...



Toodle-doo..

Ezekiel 25:17

"The path of the righteous man is beset on all sides by the inequities of the selfish and the tyranny of evil men. Blessed is he who in the name of charity and goodwill shepherds the weak through the valley of darkness, for he is truly his brother's keeper and the finder of lost children. And I will strike down upon thee with great vengeance and furious anger those who attempt to poison and destroy my brothers. And you will know my name is the Lord when I lay my vengeance upon thee."
-- Ezekiel 25:17 (As said by Tuny, as said by Jules, as he said it in Pulp Fiction).

I can't believe I still remember that by heart after 13 years. Just finished watching Pulp Fiction. I love Samuel Jackson. He's so cool-ass (But only second to Christopher Walken).

Sinayaw ko yan sa Mr/Ms. AB (another story, shhh...)

From Queen to Queer

I missed the big staff party last Sunday.



That's WWRU stars Mig Ayesa and Talia (yung nakalabas ang braso, inde yun si Marimar ha) with some of my ushering mates. It was the last show, and they gave out free drinks. He was signing a poster on the floor infront of Starks, and everyone just piled on him (Kung andun ako eh ako sana ang nasa gitna). I dropped by pero ala na si Mig (sayang pinagmamalaki ko pa naman na KC kami).

Well that's alright. After working 18 shows, I think I'm cured of my WWRU addiction. I can remember almost every friggin line (All I hear is this screaching, banging, thudding noises, help I need somebody, help, no just any...).

So pretty happy to be doing different shows again. Although not everything was as good.


Friday was Peter Powers, the hypnotist. He hypnotized people to do "crazy" things. I bet some in the crowd were not legit, but his actors. I overheard someone say that while she was on hypnosis, she rememberd everything she was made to do, but just didn't care. Sounds more like mass hysteria than hypnosis. Ika nga ni Scaramouche, "Sounds like BULL shit to me!"





And from a Queen tribute, I did Queen of the Whole Universe, a fundraising "beauty pageant" sponsored by the NZ Aids Foundation that stars drag queens. Someone told me before that 50% of the men in NZ is gay. I think most of them were there last night.

Must say I wasn't really impressed with this queer one. I bet the shows at the Amazing Philipines Theatre are much better, and the "girls" prettier. Btw, konting chika, meron din akong nakilalang mga gay Pinoys na volunteers (dressed as waiters at namimigay ng condoms like hor’s douvres). Excited na daw sila sa after party at hipuan galore daw doon. And true enough, nagkalat daw ang mga used condoms sa mens toilet, at nagyuyugyugan daw ang mga kotse sa parking lot. At oh, natalo pala yung Miss Philippines (who was Miss Imelda Many-shoes last night).

Reminds me of this photo.

And speaking of yugyugan, worked Joss Stone Sunday(which is why I missed the WWRU party). If you closed your eyes you'd think she was a black singer. She's really good. And hot. Someone dancing in the isle even came up to me and asked "I'm a woman but I think she's hot, don't you think so?"

I could only respond by nodding my head and swaying to the song.

Can't think of anything to do

My left brain knows all of love is fleeting

He's just looking for something new

I said it once before but it bears repeating

Oooh oooh oooh...