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Hi.

Baby Steps

We took Likha to a big-@ss pool yesterday.

A good friend threw a pool party for his one year old son. We were pretty excited with the idea of letting Likha go swimming. Big fish in a small pond was definitely not the metaphor I was looking for, but for us giddy parents, the picture kinda felt like that.

So we got him his swimming trunks. A bath robe courtesy of my in-laws. And an inflatable floater. It's a fancy turtle that has leg holes, so Likha could paddle like a hobbit on steroids.

We took off with all our war gears carefully placed in the trunk of our tiny Hyundai and reached the South just the right time for lunch.

Save for little things and Pinoy etiquette, I let nothing delay me from getting Likha ready for the water. Our newbie yaya gave an impressive performance by having everything ready after I handed my friends our gift. I held on to the plastic turtle and pumped madly until the little thing was like Bridgestone.

His Nanay was careful though. I ached for the water while she made sure Likha had sun protection lotion on. Goodness greyshoes. My baby's darker than MJ circa 1980. The sun will show some respect to his brown crisp skin.

I let my wife bring Likha to the water. Her steps to the poolside, I could almost swear, played background music fit for an epic movie. Slowly, we reached the water. It was like Poseidon introducing his son to the greatness of the ocean.

This was way too awesome. My heart burnt at the sight of my son about to dip his little toes to the pool.

And then Likha pursed his lips. Shivered a bit. Held up his legs. And broke into a jolting cry.

The gad dem water was too effing cold for him.

We tried again. But to no avail. Our six month old wasn't ready.

So we let him enjoy his milk and a moment's sleep after that.

And we brought him to the water again this morning.

But with the pool way smaller and the water a little warmer.

My wife and I may have wished dear Likha flexing his baby muscles against the angry waves of the bigger pool, but this little thing needs to take it slow.

There's an ocean of things he will discover. And his parents should understand that Likha, like all other babies, has small feet.

Going Shameless

A friend made an entry. We didn't prepare for it nor did he give us any warning.

I'm not so sure. From what I've heard so far, it's apl.de.ap's gig to discover unsigned Filipino musicians. I kinda thought he was just looking for RnB and hip hop artists. I don't know how exactly us percussion boys plan to get through this.

Since we're already here and we thought that it'll be good for us share our music to other people, we might as well make the most out of it.

Listen. And Vote if you like our music.

Unitiima at MTV Emerge <--- Click this link to view our page to vote.
Unitiima Music <--- And check out this link for a taste of Unitiima.

Enjoy.

Ang Paglalayag - Unitiima

Tala - Unitiima

Panaginip (Shadow Play Kolektib Audio) - Unitiima

Photo Op

I was once told that in each photo, there's a story to tell--perhaps like poets who paint beautiful landscapes through metaphor and sound.

But what if, I just want to take a photo, and really, I have no story to show?



Kusina Salud: San Pablo City, Laguna

Commercial Break: Casa

San Pablo.

Commercial Break: Office Party

I took these portraits a few months back. Things are taking an all time low lately and I need my pick-me-upper. Good thing work has been forgiving (my boss, that is) and the guys I'm with are more than wonderful.

And yeah, these bad-ass mader hempers will make great extras in any campy Jack Black movie.

Commercial Break: Drumming for Peace

Percussion players gathered at the Gateway Mall Pavilion to celebrate the International Day of Peace. Props to Unitiima, the percussion boys and girls of Dreadknot and Chonks, Wam, Hands On Manila, Beda boys, Meinl, Gon Bops, MW, Risetone, and Lyric.



Video courtesy of LyricPiano

The odds must be crazy

My wife and I are frustrated runners.

I mean it. I've been running for almost 5 years now, and I cannot take continuous strides for more than an hour. I mostly just go around the village and around Diliman. And I'm not even talking about running-for-dear-life kinda running. I skip-pity hop--like an old man. Halfway through the run, I let my pit drag me back home.

My wife's pretty much the same. Hmmm... She's probably lazier. Ier. Comparative. After 20 minutes of taking a few steps out of the house, she goes back panting like she just walked on the Sahara desert for 40 straight days without water. And she does this every leap year. It's probably superstition; she runs to drive the evil spirits away--a habit she most likely dreads to do.

And I don't know what mythical forces brought her to wearing her trainers again, but she seemed possessed this morning. Well, she did tell me that her former boxing buddy's dragging her to run. But I don't think this was the first time she asked her and my wife often turned her down.

I wasn't that concerned. I knew she'd want me to tag along if I brought myself into the conversation. I don't dig hypnosis on weekends.

Besides, I don't see myself getting up on an early Sunday morning.

But I did.

Sama ba kayo?

Kami? Hindi. Aga pa, e.

Oo nga. Tulog pa si bulinggit, o.

And Likha woke up a few minutes after as well. He's not supposed to be looking for milk till 7.

Darnit.

O ayan, nagising na.

Sige, sama na lang kami. Pero di ako tatakbo. Ako na lang mag-aalaga kay Likha.

I looked away--I really wasn't feeling all too excited about this gig. I might even have I scowled at her for taking way too long to prepare.

Women.

O bakit masama timpla mo?

May araw na kasi. Maiinitan yung bata.

It was 6:00 am. The sun rises really early from my side of the planet.

I was stone cold on our way to Diliman. And my wife was too busy feeding Likha.

Whatever, yaya.

6:20-ish. Ok, so there were a billion people running, biking, talking, and pretending to do something. It's a Sunday morning. Gad, the whole Quezon City's here.

Sige, mauna na kayo. Lalakad na lang kami ni Likha. Andyan naman si Len, e.

Her friend arrived almost right away. A few morning greetings. She's Likha's ninang; I didn't expect her to just pass by and not much on Likha's cheeks.

And, uh, she seemed to be in as bad a condition as my wife's--she had that same repulsive like running at 6 was cool.

Sige na. Dito lang kami malapit sa kotse maglalakad-lakad.

Takbo na kayo.

And they walked. And ran.

The maddening crowd devoured them in milliseconds. In what seemed to be a light year's distance, I think saw my wife's hair and her friend's left arm being pulled away by the horde of joggers and passers by.


*****


Good thing I managed to take a few photos of Likha when we ran for cover.

Walking on water

Water boys, drummer boys.

Spirited drumming from the little men of Unitiima.

Commercial Break: Cubao X Street Scene

Retro Scooter round up lang with a photog-retro scooterista friend.



We thought it'd be a lazy Saturday evening.

And then this happened:











More photos here: IamRetroManila