Living: "what you WANT VS. what you NEED"

What are your dreams when you were a little boy/ girl?

       Does it changed when you got older?

             Have you tried or even dare to pursue those dreams?

                    Have you/ we done enough to say that we TRIED?

SO MANY QUESTIONS!!! SO LITTLE TIME!!!

Experiences, dreams and goals are words that are expected to be co-related and somehow hitting a similar or a single point in our lives. 

Since God created our lives as a gift, He gave us freedom to manipulate and drive our own destiny to wherever and whatever we wish to be. But the road to the future isn't really making it easy. 

REMEMBER THE DAYS WHEN WE USE TO SAY THAT WE WANTED TO BE AN ASTRONAUT, DOCTOR, LAWYER OR A SCIENTIST. 

Probably 5 years old to 11 years old.......

Our parents would be excited and tried telling us that if we really want to reach our dreams, we should never stop fighting for it because everything is possible. Then, starting from that day you told them you wanted to be a doctor, lawyer, scientist or an astronaut they worked for hours and hours a day. They were hoping that they can help reaching your dreams if they can earn that money to support it. 

11 years old to 17 or nearly 18 years old....

As we started growing up and being exposed to media, entertainment and technology thus the plans regarding the future changes. Rock star, Pop star, model, singer, musician or a dancer are assembled almost immediately like the stage of puberty. Young girls wished to be a lingerie, bikini or a clothing models so they would fall into crazy diet procedures. Young boys would drink and smoke because they thought that all rock stars are into that stuffs. Dreams being altered because of the environment or being replaced because of the trends or demands of this generation we have. Don't get me wrong, models and stars are great dreams and a good resource of money! The point is, do we really dreamt of being a star? Or we are just being pushed  on what our society define as COOL!

18 years old to early twenties....

In this stage, we realize that the first two stages above is somewhat far-fetched and unrealistic. So many things happened, choices were made, situation changed and opportunity passed so quickly that we haven't even got the chance to chase. Keeping your dreams behind and living life for the sake of surviving that's what left. We even tried going back to the dreams we created when we are 6 years old, but its almost close to  the "ITS ALL TOO LATE" kind of things. 

BUT HERE'S THE CATCH...

ALL THINGS ARE GREATLY BOUNDED BY IMPOSSIBILITIES. We may not reach our dreams, but somehow along the way we manage to collect new ones. We may live a life based on what is needed rather on what we really wanted, but LIFE IS TOO SHORT TO DWELL ON WASTED THINGS. It is not bad to live a career or a life because of the urge of need... maybe it is a realization that "it" is also what we want. Dreams are picture we drew in our hearts that may be erased and crumpled through time, but it is our choice if we want to treasure it or dump it. We are humans! We are capable of failure and defeat, but the one who created us is not a WEAK AND A DISHONEST GOD! He is a great planner and a protector. So, we must not give up just because we didn't get or achieved what we want. 

BASICALLY....

It shouldn't be a WANT versus a NEED....

IT SHOULD BE LIVING OUR LIVES TO THE FULLEST AND APPRECIATING WHAT WE HAVE AND STRIVE TO BE BETTER. 

There's no room for crying and blaming! GROWING UP IS NOT JUST A SCHEDULED DESTINY or a SCALE OF WHO IS MORE SUCCESSFUL THAN THE OTHER! 

GROWING UP is all about ACTING UPON DECIDING while GIVING OUR BEST and not regretting for TRYING. 

The Experience: POSAS (Shackled) a film by Lawrence Fajardo

 POSAS

Today, he regains his Freedom...

              On July 19, 2012, Cinemalaya will be showcasing different films made by talented directors, writers and actors. One of these films is Posas (Shackled) written by Zig Dulay and Directed by Lawrence Fajardo. Starring: Nico Antonio Bares, Bangs Garcia, Wendy Valdez, Art Acuna, Susan Africa, Nor Domingo, Jake Macapagal and John Lapus. All of these great artists gave life to different roles that made the film undeniably one of the most awaited film to be shown in the Cultural Center of the Philippines.

             The director of this film is also our director in AMOK during my internship in Pelikulaw productions. Direk Lawrence Fajardo won many films in the past years. His 2005 short film Kultado won the special Jury Prize in Cinemalaya 2005 and the best short film Award of the Gawad Urian. His first full film feature was "RAKET NI NANAY", a cinemaone original in 2006 where it got the best editing and sound awards.

Direk Law's fierce look

I am very honored to have worked with him as well as the cast and the crew. I have never been a patient/diligent/stress fighter kind of person but because of the AMOK and POSAS experience, I have developed a character that I never imagined I would possess.

THE STAFF WHO MADE THE FILM POSSIBLE

After the long hours of lack of sleep, stress and pressures... FINALLY!!! The cast party took place to refresh and relax everyone. Attended by the casts and the crew, we ate and then chatted like we're not tired and just want to paarrrttttyyyyy all night and have fun.

ATE PATTY and MEG.

Cindy the make-up artist(left), Zig Dulay(center)

Sir Ron, Sir Jimbot, Sir Max, Sir Philip (from left to right)

We might not appreciate them, but they are the people who works behind the camera. At least we get to know them here in my blog.

AND THIS IS ME WITH THE STAFF...

      Well, I also work behind the camera....

                AND I AM PROUD OF IT 

Me (with a big smile) and the staff.

Me (trying to be cute) and the staff (party people).

It's not my debut. It just happen that almost all the staff are boys.

I had a really nice time working with these people. It's true that you never got tired if you like what you are doing. And this is an evidence to that statement. I now dream to be a film maker someday, I don't know how or when to make it into a reality but one thing is for sure, I'll make it one step at a time and figure it out soon. There are still years ahead of me and I still got a lot of things to learn. (maybe I can learn from them)---whew! an instant God-given inspiration.

ONLY HERE IN THE PHILIPPINES: What's your sign?

Where else can you find a Catholic country in Asia that says “Beware of pickpockets”directly inside and beside churches? A sign saying “Full string to stop driver”, “No Stambay”, “For sale gift raffer” (wrapper) and “Don’t close to me, Close to God”. Welcome to the Philippines where everything can be as unique and exquisite as a pearl, radiant like the rays of sun and may I say amusing like no other. They say language barrier can create discrepancies, uncertainty and confusion, but fortunately we Filipinos are very sharp and clever to adopt in our environment apart from being creative.

You can only see signs here in the Philippines that may look strange but nonetheless fascinating and attention-grabbing. For an instance, a carinderia’s name “cooking ina mo” and another carinderia across the street answering “cooking ina mo rin”. Try stepping a foot on a road with a sign insisting “Bawal tumawid nakamamatay” and realize your still alive and kicking. On a flower shop in Rizal Avenue saying “we sell ARTIFICIAL FRESH flowers”, in one of Baguio’s grocery store “Fresh frozen chicken sold here” and a van not for hire saying “not for here”ironic isn’t it?. Scribbled in the walls of men’s public toilet “Hawak mo ang kinabukasan”, and in the walls of the women’s toilet “Don’t sit like a frog, sit like a queen”. A convent in baguio assisting visitors by putting signs saying “2nd floor upstairs” then an arrow pointing up, jeepney drivers hanging sign boards with a statement “God knows hudas not pay”, “bayad muna bago baba”and other funny stuff that one filipino can think of.

In spite of those hilarious grammatical errors and wicked statement written on different kinds of signage, Filipinos today are reinventing words that may look like a bogus sentence structure but is actually a trend that becomes a business attraction all over Manila. There is the Tapsi-turbi canteen meaning Tapa, sinigang, turon and barbeque that serves as their specialty in their menu. Food establishments like Tom Cruz Grill, taste their food and grasp the sentiment of being a Hollywood action star like Tom Cruz. Delight yourself in Entertainment establishments like Let the “pun” begin, Beery Good, Obeer time and Bill Gets that gives you fun and relaxation joined together equals superb pleasure and enjoyment. Other people may see it as dim-witted and dull, but we are what we are! Witty, adept and at the same time insane and outrageous all packed in one, hate it? Well, wear out yourself hating because you can only see and laugh at these things only here in the Philippines.


written by: Donato, Ma. Christine Isabel R.

OROS directed by Paul Sta. Ana

A film by Director Paul Sta. Ana...

A story of an illegal saklaan operation which is headed by Makoy the middle-man, his brother Abet the errand boy and Linda the home owner. Together they arranged a fake wake so that they can generate money in the saklaan that involves paying the barangay captain and police officers grease money (called biyak-biyak) to prevent them from impeding the saklaan’s continuous operation. Gamblers earn their keeps through various games of chance (tong-its, mah-jong and sakla). The consequences finally catches up and made Makoy, Abet and Linda's lives fall into ruin. 

(sorry for the synopsis, I made it my own based on the story hehehe)

--Please support this film and all the other indie films that will be shown in CCP for the 8th CINEMALAYA PHILIPPINE INDEPENDENT FILM FESTIVAL on JULY 20-29, 2012. Our production team made this movie and we hope you'll like it. (YES!!! you are right, I am part of the team who made this! YEY! so proud) hahahaha :)