You are the universe

She was the one who caught my eye since I saw her face in the Miss Universe website weeks ago. Riyo Mori, raven-haired with eyes that seem to be glowing and  lit from within. Just as Whitney Houston cooed in her song, 'So Emotional': "I don't why I like you, I just do!"

Perhaps I was still smarting from Kurara Chibana's near-win last year, or maybe this fascination with Japanese women started when Miyako Miyazaki finished 5th in the 2003 pageant. There's something about these three women, something that to me made them all worthy of the title. After all, Japan was the first Asian country to win the title in 1959, so they've been deserving to win (to a slightly greater degree that the Philippines, who last won in 1973 and almost won in 1999).

But I'm really loving these Japanese ladies of recent years. In fact, I was so in love with Ms Chibana that I changed my drag name from Mimi Kikimura to Kurara Chibana last year. Now the temptation to embrace the name Riyo Mori is almost too strong to resist. But out of loyalty to Ms Chibana, I will resist said temptation. Besides, almost every fag in town will surely call themselves Riyo Mori because she won. Well, fuck those fags. Where were they when Japan wasn't winning?

This year I am really happy with the outcome because my bet won! Surely, Ms Korea had been declared by pundits to be the lady to beat because of her beauty and grace but these days, those are not enough. You gotta have spunk, and character, things that Riyo Mori sweats off her porcelain skin. From her confident swish and swagger wearing her national costume to her playful twirling of the shawl in the swimsuit competition to her devil-may-care romp wearing that neo-gypsy Gucci gown in the long gown competition, Riyo Mori ate up every inch of the stage given her, along with the other delegates (ha-ha!).

On a sad note, I was really hoping that Ms Tanzania will make it to the top 5 but I guess one can't have it all. I think Ms USA got in the top 5 because of her live fall-and-rise on stage. Shades of Ms Miriam Quiambao in 1999. And I really think Ms Korea's answer in the final round deserved the 2nd runner-up post, at least. It would've been tremendous and ground-breaking to see Japan and Korea fighting it out for the crown, with China sulking as the 2nd runner-up (dream sequence).

And, while I'm not surprised to see Ms Philippines receiving the Ms Photogenic Award, I am proud to say that this year, she really deserves it. 

It actually felt like Christmas morning. I woke up around 7AM, saw that Kaloy was still sleeping, so I crept back to bed. At around 8 I woke up to Dave's voice and I shouted, "Ms Uuuuuuuuu!!!!" as I stretched and yawned. Over coffee, scrambled eggs and cream crackers the three of us watched as the pageant unfolded before our eyes. By 10AM, Riyo Mori is the new Ms Universe, and I am here, reporting it to all of you. 

Let’s hear it for the boy!

Yesterday Kaloy and I helped a dear friend organize and host his birthday party. I like Derrick, the celebrant; he reminds me of one of my oldest friends in Manila, Emit. They have similar dispositions, behaviours, and the same tendency to have highlights in their hair. I just realized, they were both born in May (Emit is on the 22nd, Derrick yesterday). Derrick is about 3 years older than Emit.

Derrick is a doctor who works for an international NGO; he is based in Koh Kong, a province about a few hundred kilometers outside Phnom Penh. He is married to another doctor, Michelle, who also works for another international NGO. However, Michelle's work takes her as far as Bandah Aceh in Indonesia. Alone on his birthday, Derrick phoned me last Friday from Koh Kong asking for help on what to do on his day. I told him we can discuss it when he's back in Phnom Penh.

Saturday night he came to my house. For a no-fuss party, my idea was to grill food and serve drinks, alcoholic preferrably. But he wanted more: some karaoke singing and being Filipino, a noodle dish to accompany the grilled food. I listed the things he ought to buy the next morning and promised him that Kaloy and I would prepare the noodle dish of 'Pancit Canton'.

Kaloy woke up at around 10AM on Sunday, and he immediately set out to cooking. First on his list was spring rolls, which he had been obsessing to make the whole week. He took a long time doing this, probably not realizing the complexity of doing such dish for someone who lacks the regular practice of wrapping those rolls. We had a late lunch as a result but I did not dare complain. After all, I didn't do anything to assist him in cooking. 

At around 3PM I went to the supermarket to shop for the ingredients of the noodle dish. Kaloy wanted to take a nap but I was back less than thirty minutes later, rousing him from impending sleep and sending him back to the chopping board. This time I helped in preparing the ingredients. I would have helped more but when we found out we had differing methods of preparing the meaty ingredients, I stayed away to let him do it his way.

At 5PM Dave & Romyr came by, along with a heavy downpour of rain. Soon the dish was cooked; Kaloy took a shower while I transferred the steaming-hot dish unto a container. Derrick's house is not far from my house. We were soon off after I took my own shower. No sign of the rain on the pavement. We arrived at half-past 6 at Derrick's house. The table was set; I chopped whatever needed chopping while Dave finished grilling the rest of the food. Romyr put the portable karaoke machine to the test. Wowie soon arrived, followed by Daden and Neil, then by Derrick's Khmer colleague. We had dinner. Maros arrived after a late invitation, in time for the karaoke.

Everybody had fun during karaoke: singing off and on-key, an impromptu fashion show, poking fun at Derrick's lack of a proper ice bucket, Kaloy's disdain for boyband music, and Derrick's macho dancing. I sang one  of my signature songs (the theme song from the movie Carrie, not the 'Gift of Love' by Bette Midler). And most importantly, we got happily drunk.

Derrick's SMS this morning (the italics are mine): "…thanks kagabi (last night). That was a blast." 

Let's hear it for the boy! 

A change would do you good

Seven months after thriving in my friendster blog (and four months after my blogspot blog came on-line), I found myself staring into space–that is, the universe inside my computer monitor. I had just stumbled unto the i.ph website and my curiousity was killing me. Could it be? Could I do it? Could I? The epitome of loyal patronage and habitual living?

Could I manage this amount of change?

But then again, it was only three years ago when I made that proverbial leap into the unknown, by moving to a country that is poorer than my own, where I had no relatives or friends, and with no clear career prospect. I was very tired then: tired of working in an organization with misplaced values and priorities, tired of a relationship that was going nowhere, tired of waiting for something to jump-start my career. To put it bluntly, I was tired of my life in Manila. I needed some change. Badly.

But now, I am not tired of my (digital) life with my 2 blogs. I like the feeling of being able to vent out my feelings through ranting and literature. So why the change? Simple, i.ph has a better offer. Imagine having a free account that bears the name of your choice that gives you an email address, a place to show your works and/or photos, and all the blogs you want to create, all in one account. And did I say it's for free?

So, here I am, with a fresh start. Wrapped by images that further reinforce freshness: light in the eyes, sunlight on white stones, and gentle blues. This space will feature the latest dispatches from another country by yours truly. While the other, more colorful blog will contain my attempts at poetry in 2 languages (3 if i do well in my coming French classes). I hope you, dear reader–old and new, will join me.