Our new normal

Hanging out at the park has never been a thing for us before, but since the move to Perth we've found it has become a great new option for a lazy Sunday afternoon.

So here we are at a nice little park, the sun partially covered by clouds, the cool wind blowing on our faces, the birds flying around looking for seeds I suspect.

I saw another family just arrived with a little (super)boy with a bright red cape. He's run and started going across the rope bridge while his mum set down a portable table and filled it with snacks and drinks. Two girls went to the water fountain to have a drink after playing on the swings with their Dad.

My wife has dozed off on my shoulder as I type this. The general calm and quiet, and the cool wind lulled her to sleep, as I am being lulled to sleep myself. And so I should stop before I begin sleep blogging...

Seems such a normal thing to do here, taking a nap in the park on a lazy Sunday afternoon. I guess this too is part of our new normal.

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Perth Weather Post

Testing my Blogger App to see what the post will look like!

Just added a photo of this morning's weather update. We're down to single digits eh? Bring it on winter!

My Awesome Virtual 30th Birthday Party

Turned 30

Welcome to my virtual birthday party!

In *real life* my Tatay, my wife Liz and I went to Sandalford Winery in Swan Valley (Western Australia), where we had a sumptuous lunch and enjoyed some wine tasting. We later went to Nguyen Phat in Girrawheen to this huge Asian supermarket. We were in "panic buying" mode (hehe) and bought everything from Silver Swan Soy Sauce and Datu Puti vinegar, to Boy Bawang and Barrio Fiesta bagoong.

In the Philippines, my Nanay and my aunts and cousins ordered some pizza and a cake and sang me a birthday song over Skype video and blew my cake for me. Awesome! My sisters got in the act as well, singing (typing) on Skype. (Ain't Skype grand?)

I'm turning 30!

Turning 30

Hello to all the (loyal) readers of Reyjr.com! Guess what? I'm turning 30 on Sunday! And in celebration of my birthday, I'm treating myself to a virtual party on my blog, and you're all invited. :)

I'm putting together a collage of photos with people holding up a sign saying "Happy Birthday" to me. (Simple joys, haha!) and I'd like you to send me one of YOURS [email: admin@reyjr.com].  I would really appreciate it if you could! That would be really awesome. 

I will post all the photos on this blog (with a link to your website/blog if you're a blogger). ;) 

Thanks in advance!

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Change my world

This is my first proper post for 2012, and my first "diary type" post in quite a while. There has been a lot of changes going on in my life and none of them minor...

Remembering 9/11

I could never be able to make a blog post tribute worthy of the tragedy that was 9/11, but hopefully this short post will be able to convey my condolences to the victims, and send to them a message of remembrance and hope.
_________________________________________________________

It has become one of those events where people ask - "Where were you when it happened?"

I was at home. I received a text message from a friend telling me to open the television to CNN as the World Trade Center in New York City was hit by an airplane. I was mortified by what I saw - one of the twin towers with smoke billowing from one side, and watched in horror as an airplane crashed into the other tower...

Reyjr checking in!

Hello Reyjr.com readers and passers-by (haha)!

I just wanted to do a quick update about what's been happening around here and check-in to see what you guys are up to.  It's been ages since I last posted something like this, you know, like a Diary type entry.

This is not going to be lengthy, (but as some of you know I tend to ramble a little bit when I do these kinds of posts) I just wanted to share with you that...

A quick update of why I've been MIA... 2 celebrations and a tsunami

I've been missing in action for the past week and I'm sorry!

This will also be a short post as I only wanted to let you know why I haven't posted anything since March 4 - it's basically a classic case of Life overtaking Blogging. Hehe. I missed my weekly American Idol fix and my boot predictions - I would've picked Ashthon to go home anyway har har - and I missed posting my Self Indulgent Birthday Blog Post (like last year). :( Here's why...

Leaving on a Jet Plane

01-07-11 Friday

Friday: It's past 1 in the morning and I'm still up, packing my luggage for the flight to Singapore on Saturday, but just managing to stuff 2 items at a time before I go back in front of my laptop, wondering why I can't bring myself to finish anything these days.

But wait, I should maybe qualify that - I can't finish anything non-work related... or. Nevermind.

I blame it, my lethargy, on the extended vacation in December. I mean because vacations are never sufficient, they're always "bitin". And so my body is rebelling against any kind of activity.

Anyway, I should prepare myself for a looong day...

My net was out for 2 weeks! Updates on the concert, my nose and the Hunger Games

10 Year Anniversary - The UPCC Batch 2000

Batchmates (from left) Josette, Raisa, Liz, Reyjr, Shaina, Roger, Emily, Ging and Deo.

The UPCC concert is in 2 days and I still haven't fully recovered from my cough and colds.  I am still a little hoarse, but hopefully my voice will be well enough to hit those high notes.  We will be singing and dancing 4 songs: three Filipino songs and one English gospel song...

What does your Weekend smell like?

The inspiration for this post came from an exchange on Facebook - one of my Facebook friends Status read:

"I can almost smell the weekend!"

This led me to wonder what MY weekend actually smelled like... if I was to describe it...

...my weekend smells like Liz's perfume, and Cream silk on her hair, and when she just got out of her car - a slight scent of that Australian car perfume I gave her (pasalubong from my sister's fiance)...

Giving Google Waves and World AIDS Day

Google Wave Invites

After almost 80 comments, interesting points and suggestions (er and spammy comments too lol) on my "Who wants a Google Wave invite?" post, I'm glad to note that those 5 with the most interesting (or interested) comments will receive my invites. Haha. I am glad to be giving the Google Wave invites to:

1. Jacqui Hudson
2. japaulvergonia
3. geb0i
4. chrisBON
5. johnbresee

Google Wave is probably going to be available to the general public sooner than we think - much like how they began Gmail (where you can only get one via an invite) but heck - do you really want to be the last one to get GW? Haha, I don't.

So, if you don't have Google Wave preview yet, head on over to Holly's "It's All a Matter of Perspective" or to DiTesco's iBlogZone, I think they have a few more to give away...

Walkin' round campus, Diliman Republic and a celebrity Doctor

The University of the Philippines Diliman Oblation

Last weekend, I went to UP Diliman to have lunch with a couple of friends at Chocolate Kiss Cafe and get my copies of the "Inspirational Thoughts and Stories of Bloggers from All Over the World".

I got a little sentimental walking around the campus that I decided to visit the UP College of Music where I found Quennie rehearsing a UPCC Trainee. I went to the UP Shopping Center to buy some new UP shirts but found none to my liking, also passed by to greet good 'ole Oble and take some of his photos.

How personal is your personal blog?

A couple of evenings ago, I received a comment on my Facebook account from my sister who now works in Singapore. She said my "fans" in Singapore are waiting for my video blog. (Lol @ fans!) Also, madam Jena Isle has also been requesting for my YouTube vid singing "Stand By Me", one of her favorite songs. I had promised her this a few months ago already. :p But to date, I haven't posted a decent singing vlog yet.

Are you still waiting for it?

My singing posts

I've posted two singing vids so far.

The first was a Filipino acoustic Christian song titled "Lagi Na Lang" which I recorded back in college for my auntie's church's (former) Pastor.

The second was a test video I did in my car while stuck in traffic along C5. There I sampled an acapella version of Josh Groban's "To Where You Are".

I was dead set on doing a new one after having learned how to edit and convert videos to mpeg, and upload to youtube. I had even made practice vids. Lol. "So, why the hesitation now?" you ask. You see, it got me thinking...

Lunch Break

My laptop clock reads 12:36 PM.

I am sitting with my shoulders hunched again - need to schedule that massage - typing without a purpose, directionless. My eyes strained, the room is dim with a light green tinge. I didn't turn the lights on, it's easier to relax in the dark, with only the erratic humming of the airconditioning and the mayas playing outside my window.

I am eating a Snickers bar, with each bite the sweetness filled my mouth and scratched my throat. I take another bite and chewed on the left side of my mouth. Why not the right, I have no idea. My tongue is the master of such involuntary motions. The nuts filled the crevices of my molars and I had to dig at them with my fingernails. Dessert is my favorite meal of the day.

I am sleepy. The bed looks inviting albeit in disorder, I did not fold the comforter and fluff the pillows like a good boy, and yet the bed still looks beautiful enough to sink in and drift swiftly into dreamland.

My laptop clock now reads 12:51 PM.

Time to go.

It's a personal blog after all

Hello my dear readers (hehe). I was giving myself a head ache trying to think of a topic for a new post when I realized i don't need one. Lol. It's a personal blog after all -

My Past Life

So, I'm still in Batangas and do not have a scanner here nor the photos from my past life that I would love to share with you. Yes, my past life - the more exciting one - or rather, the more blog worthy one?

I had the life of a celebrity (lol, not really), or a super hero (is there a difference?) - finishing schoolwork then making a dash and a costume change in a phone booth (or a taxi cab) to make it to the next concert. Voila!
 

While still with the UPCC, I sang "Sana Ngayong Pasko" solo for Mel and Jay's Christmas Special (long before it became Mel and Joey!), I shared the stage with the late Fernando Poe, Jr. when he received his Lifetime Achievement Award at the FAMAS (I have a newspaper clipping to prove it too), shared a song with premier Classical mezzo-soprano Janet Sabas-Aracama and the uber Ms. Nanette Inventor on a concert finale number, I've recorded back-up tracks for a couple of local artists plus one international Pinoy broadway artist, and have sung in numerous company events and high profile weddings. And I was still in the University then!

Oh, and I haven't mentioned the 3 International tours I joined...

Trauma in Ondoy's wake

The sunburn on my nose and forehead has begun to peel. No, I did not go to the beach. Who would go in this weather?

 

Saturday Surprise: Flash Flood

We had so many things planned for that weekend: maybe a barbecue lunch, dinner out to a fancy resto, a movie, some errands perhaps, or a relaxing massage - but our weekend activities was decided for us instead by Ondoy.

I wanted to sleep-in that Saturday morning (I drove home from Batangas the night before) but was woken up early by my worried girlfriend Liz: her sister Belle lives in Pasig too, and the flood in their area is rising fast. My dad and I had a quick coffee and tried to make our way to Belle's house. One of my Uncles volunteered to drive my Lolo's Tamaraw FX for us - we needed a high enough vehicle. The traffic was horrible. When we finally reached Ortigas Extension via East Bank Road, the FX could no longer move forward because there was already about a meter deep water. Even on foot, the water was already too deep to traverse. We saw one vehicle being pushed across - it was the only one that tried.

Look who ate my mom's Periwinkles

We have a small garden with a small pond in front of our house - with a few potted plants around the cascading water fountain, a tall fortune plant on one side, and a row of flowering Periwinkles with pink, white and yellow flowers...

...well, we used to. THEY have eaten almost all of the leaves of my mom's Periwinkles. There were about 8 of THEM - none of them shorter than my longest finger - THEY were fat with chlorophyll, had purple and teal eyes with a sinister glare, tiny white dots form a row on either side, and they had these clawlike appendages near their heads. Caterpillars have invaded our garden!

Auditions for Hongkong Disneyland Performers on July 16 and 17

I received this note in my email twice, so now I feel compelled to blog about it. Hahaha!

Around 5 years ago, I would have auditioned, if just for the heck of it. I did for Miss Saigon Korea, and actually got a callback. :p I sang "Why, God, Why?" I did well enough, I guess, but couldn't impress the panel for the dance auditions. Hehehe...

Now, the first time I auditioned for a play outside of UP and of the UPCC was for Repertory Philippines' "The Secret Garden." I sang "Lily's Eyes," a duet. For that, I also got a callback and a semi-compliment from the late Bibot Amador (on my way out of the theater she asked me if I was going to the "callback", and I said yes). Too bad I did poorly at the callbacks, forgot the words both times I sang it. :p Haha!

Even if I never fulfilled my dream to be a professional thespian (see Profile: "...frustrated thespian") I had tremendous fun auditioning for these plays, and now remember fondly how nervous and excited I was during the auditions and how great it was to get a thumbs up afterwards. At the end of the day though, I knew that it wasn't for me, I am happier being a nerd than a rockstar. :p So as it turned out, not being hired was perfect for me! Hehe!

But for the rest of you out there who "dream the dream", get your dancing shoes and vocal chops ready! Mickey wants you in his Kingdom!

Here are the details of the Hongkong Disneyland Auditions:

In partnership with The Music School of Ryan Cayabyab,

representatives from Walt Disney Entertainment Talent Casting will be holding auditions in Manila searching for Vocalists and Dancers to perform at Hong Kong Disneyland.

Professional performers at least 18 years old who possess both excellent musicianship and showmanship are being sought in auditions that will be held on the following dates:

VOCALIST AUDITIONS

Vocalists should bring sheet music of two contrasting songs.
Pre-recorded accompaniments in any format and a cappella are not allowed.
10:00 a.m., July 16, 2009 (Thursday)
The Music School of Ryan Cayabyab, Robinsons Galleria

DANCER AUDITIONS

Dancers will be taught a dance combination. Wear appropriate dance attire.
9:00 a.m., July 17, 2009 (Friday)
Halili-Cruz School of Ballet, 1227 Quezon Avenue


Pre-registration is now going on!!!

Please bring one non-returnable recent 2" x 2" colour photo and resume to:

The Music School of Ryan Cayabyab
Park Avenue, Robinsons Galleria, Ortigas Ave. cor. EDSA, 1100 Quezon City
Telephone: 637-9840 and 914-5055 / E-mail: auditionsmanila@gmail.com

For more information concerning Hong Kong Disneyland, please visit: http://www.hongkongdisneyland.co/

ps. this is not a paid advertisement!

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"See pictures of my boxers"

On a friend's blogsite...

kaich: "Early this morning, we got a call from our security office: they have an unclaimed boxer, approximately 8 months old, who has no one to care for her..."

kaich: "We can't keep her at home anymore because our house is full and our resources are short for the care of another, but she's so sweet I want to make sure she finds a nice home."

Friend #1: "me"

Friend #2: "Awwww, cutie doggie!"

Friend #3: "aww kawawa! but with the house i have now, my cats would do anything in their power to drive her out..."