Love2Love2Love

One of my most popular posts is about relationships where I ask the question, "Is it better to be single or married?" I wrote this post during the time when I was contemplating single blessedness already since I just couldn't seem to find the right one. I gave myself a deadline back then, if by end of the third quarter of 2007 I didn't have a boyfriend I would enrol for PHD and I'd be single forever. I know it's crazy, but having deadlines keep me sane. 

I was on the plane back from the US on September 28 and I told God, "I give up. It's a sign for me to stay single forever." That was my last thought before I fell asleep. Who would have guessed that my best friend would tell me his feelings less than 24 hours later? I secretly liked him, but I had already accepted that we'll just be friends. Anyway, just-in-time for my deadline and my life totally changed since then. 

It's only today that I found the answer to my question, "Is it better to be single or married?" I think it really depends on you and your "constitution". Commitment is very important and being in a relationship is not all about being sweet and mushy-mushy all the time (ask Sweetie, he's been nursing me back to good health for four months now and I do get really cranky at times).

"My Dad gave this inspirational talk yesterday when he and my Mom joined their friends in a marriage vow renewal in time for Valentine's day. Dad shared this bit over dinner today -

In a few months, my wife and I will be celebrating our 50th wedding anniversary. Now you must be wondering what our secret is for staying together. There are just three things to remember:

One,  put God at the center of your relationship. He is, after all, the best referee there is.

Two, always be together for any problem or situation, be it financially, a physical problem etc. (i.e. if he need to live abroad, then you should go too!). (Mom said, "Laging may bantay?" LOL.)

Three, always put to rest any argument before you sleep. Never go to sleep with ill-feelings for each other. 

That has been our secret all through-out the years."

I get to have lunch and dinner with my parents every single day and I can't help but be envious of them since they've really stuck it out with each other. I never saw them fight and they're still very sweet with each other. They used to be quite formal when I was younger, but now they banter a lot. And Dad still manages to make my Mom blush every once in a while. 

And I hope and pray that in due time I'd just be like them.

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For the first time in my life I got to celebrate Valentine's "properly". And one of the bonuses was watching Love2Love2Love at the Araneta Coliseum with Sweetie. MYMP, Freestyle and Side A performed favorite love songs and it was a blast. I have to give it to Jinky of Freestyle as well for being the best performer last night! She brought the house down! And can you imagine Joey G. of Side A raising the roof and doing a Bubble Gang chicken dance? He did! Here's some photos -

Also got to watch Rachelle Ann Go's "Falling in Love" Concert at the Music Museum. I was certainly impressed with her talent. The video on Myx showed last weekend and it does not do her talent any justice. You have to watch her perform live.  

Back to Back to Back

Photo by JayDJ

Last December 1 I got the chance to watch the "Back to Back to Back" concert of Side A, Freestyle and MYMP at the Araneta Coliseum with Sweetie (special thanks to Titikpilipino.com and Viva Records!). It was a rare chance to see all three super-loved OPM bands in one show and the venue was really jam-packed.

I had wanted to scream along with other fans, but I had a bad cough back then and all I could do was wave my hands. Aside from the hits of the three bands, Michael of Freestyle brought the house down with his rendition of "Give Love on Christmas Day" ala Michael Jackson (at age 5). It really brought a great feeling to everyone and was a good way to mark the beginning of Christmas (since it was December 1). People also started dancing when Leevon (Mica's newest crush) and Joey Generoso of Side A  made everyone stand up. I stood up as well and ended up dancing a bit. 

It was really a great night and I hope next year I'll get to watch more concerts!

Other concerts I watched this year:

Eraserheads Reunion Concert

Swing Out Sister

George Benson and Al Jarreau

MYMP (a surprise Valentine gift!)

and a whole lot of other shows by favorite Filipino artists like Richard Poon

Swing Out Sister Live in Manila: A Beautiful Mess

A few weeks ago Sweetie excitedly told me about the concert of the Swing Out Sister. I've known SOS since I was a kid and remember my classmates dancing to the tune of "Breakout" (remember those P.E. classes where we always, ALWAYS had to dance?). Anyway, Sweetie wanted to watch so we immediately got tickets. I was looking forward to it since it's been a long time since I watched a concert of a foreign artists - the last one I watched Ricky Martin was just 12 years old (guess who they were... the Menudo! LOL).

We arrived early so we won't have trouble looking for seats and ended up waiting a good two hours before the show started. The show started at 8:45 p.m. with Faith Cuneta as the front-act. We thought that she was going to sing just 3 songs, but she sadly announced that she was tasked to sing for 30 minutes. So, the audience politely listened to her while she was doing her arias err... birits (which I think was really uncalled for). Her most applauded song was her last song. You-know-why.

So we were all at the edge of our seats awaiting for the band to come out, but we were made to wait another 30 minutes. People started to bang the back-boards at the general admission area, others sounded like they were stomping their feet and some where already whistling. I was getting restless and cranky myself since: (1) the show started 45 minutes late and (2) I think the SOS did not need a front act (did Toto have one?) since I'm sure everyone was raring to hear them already.

The band members did a little act when they went up on stage and we were wondering who they were and then Corinne Drewery appeared. The audience cheered. She opened with the song "Surrender" and sang a number of songs from their new album "Beautiful Mess" and songs they've popularized through the years. I was awed with her voice. It has not changed through the years and she never failed a note. When she sang "Forever Blue" she mentioned that it wasn't really in their line-up, but since a lot of the people she met here in Manila mentioned it they decided to sing it (Sweetie said that the song was very popular here and not in other countries). Corinne also said a few phrases in Filipino like "Salamat po", "Ayos ba kayo diyan?" and said that she loves the Philippines because of the warm weather and people.

The band exited just before the final song and Corinne reappeared wearing a styled barong (Sweetie said that she's a designer). I was surprised. It was the first time that I saw the barong worn that way. I wonder if it's going to be picked up by the local designers? Here's a glimpse of it -


To build expectation the guitarist and drummer did a little show before they eventually started the intro for Breakout. It was a really, really long version and if you care to watch a bit bouncy video (sorry, we were standing and very excited) here it is -



Thanks to the Swing Out Sister band for coming to Manila, you may my Sweetie very happy!

To Ovation Productions Manila, thanks for bring `em but I do hope next time: (1) You choose a more appropriate front act (you can actually do without one); (2) Having your name mentioned again and again during the front act is tacky; (3) Do not let the audience wait too long, we paid to watch a concert and not waste our time waiting; and (4) Make sure you set up the instruments properly. It was a good thing that despite the mess, SOS is such a beautiful and graceful guest.