Babbling Point

THE ISLAND OF DR. ELLIS I was in FULLY BOOKED last week and wasn’t really planning to buy anything (yeah … right!) when I picked up Warren Ellis’ STRANGE KILLINGS: NECROMANCER. Even though I’ve been a big Ellis fan ever since his Stormwatch run, I haven’t really bought every single thing he’s written. So, I flipped to the back of the book and read the blurb: Finally, all six issues of the zombie epic Necromancer collected into one volume! Warren Ellis’ cult hit STRANGE KILLINGS is back with “combat magician” William Gravel’s most gut-wrenching mission yet! Deployed to a steaming Philippine island, Gravel’s assignment is to assassinate an investigative reporter about to expose a chemical weapon lab sanctioned by the British government. A Warren Ellis character in the Philippines? Well, I just had to read how he portrayed our “steaming islands”. As mentioned in the blurb, William Gravel is a “combat magician”. Gravel is what you get when you combine the Punisher and John Cons...

Two guys walk in a bar… Well, it doesn’t have to be a bar. It could happen in a café, in the bus, or in the elevator. … and they start about girls. About the girl they’ve always lusted after, about the girl they loved, about all the trouble they got into because of girls. You don’t always get the complete story but you hear enough to know enough. Sometimes, there’s just that one guy who does all the talking and he’s delivering his sermon on girls, he’s laying out his manifesto on the problem with women, he’s confessing why he can’t live without them. You know what I’m talking about? Then that’s exactly what you’ll get when you read Alan Navarra’s GIRL TROUBLE. It reads like a transcript of several guys (or is it just one guy’s) discussion of women. It reads like rambling poem, like two DJs who thought they were off the air and talked about the things that shouldn’t be broadcast. Aside from the rambling transcript, GIRL TROUBLE is told through a series of black-and-white photos and grap...

and all around me every blade of singing grass was calling out your name and that our love would always last and inside every turning leaf is the pattern of an older tree the shape of our future the shape of all our history every signpost in nature said you belong to me

SAIS Adam invited / challenged / harassed me into writing six stories. There was just one limitation: each story must only be six words long. Hemingway once wrote a story in just six words ("For sale: baby shoes, never worn.") and is said to have called it his best work . Which is how WIRED magazine's feature on six-word stories was introduced. Adam's stories from last year can be read at: SAIS: Six Word Story Anthology Adam will have new stories this year and I think my stories will be included in the new anthology. (I think.) Actually, I kind of bent the "six word limitation" a bit, as you will see when you read the stories. I mean, file names can be considered just one word, right? Anyway, I just thought of uploading them today. Seemed to be appropriate for the season. Enjoy :-) 1 Caught boyfriend cheating. Uploaded on YouTube. 2 DELETE 1stANNIV.JPEG DELETE MEGAN&ME.JPEG DELETE MEGAN.JPEG 3 OPEN FILE. SAVE WILL&TESTAMENT.DOC SHUT DOWN. 4 UND...

written during a season when i didn't think it was possible to have a happy valentine's day I saw this photo in PULP many years ago (when I was still buying PULP). I later found it online. I cut-and-pasted it and kept in a folder. Couple of years ago, I found it again and stared at it. Stared at it until I started to wonder why she was there and what she was thinking about. So, I wrote down her story. Words: Budjette Tan / Lay-out: Brandie Tan. Photography by: BEYONDER. Hair: Bea Rivera / Basement Salon. Make-up: Flore Rivera / Basement Salon. Model: Maria Kathrina Agarrado. Photo from PULP MAGAZINE.

10 years of yummy, rock'n Sandwich MASILUNGAN: my favorite Sandwich music video. There are days when it feels I could easily be a vignette in that video. Sulking. I used to be good at that. PROCRASTINATOR: my new favorite Sandwich video ... would make for great new video game Videos were ripped from Direk Quark's YouTube Channel . S MARKS THE SPOT, the new album from Sandwich will be celebrating their 10th Anniversary and album launch on Feb 12, Tuesday at 6:00 pm, Sunken Garden UP Diliman. The new album will be available at the launch where you’ll also be given a chance to win a ticket to Boracay for you and your friends. Guest bands are Imago, Chicosci, Cambio, The Dawn, Hilera, Urbandub, Sugarfree, Itchyworms, Chilitees, 6cyclemind, Callalily, Hale and many more.

GRISSOM'S GETAWAY RIDE Last Saturday, I went to Enchanted Kingdom with Wella, Madel, and Danna. (Thanks to Danna for the free tickets.) Every time we got on one of the thrill rides I’d remember, aside from screaming like a girly-man, those episodes of CSI where Grissom rode the roller coaster. It was his way of dealing with cases that really bothered him, to help him break-out of the numbness (or was it the despair?). At the end of one episode, it showed Grissom on the ride and not reacting to the sharp turns and sudden dips . Several episodes later, Grissom brought Warrick to his “getaway ride” and the final scene showed both them smiling and laughing as the roller coaster careened down the tracks. The first ride we tried was Anchor’s Away. Being such a control freak, I timed the ride. 120 seconds. So, when it was finally our turn, I started to count. I wanted to be in control of the situation even thought I didn’t have any control over the rocking ship. I wanted to know when exa...

DOING MORE GOOD FOUND AT: http://wklondon.typepad.com/welcome_to_optimism/

WHAT'S IN THE BOX?! J.J. Abrams traces his love of the unseen mystery -- the heart of Alias, Lost, and the upcoming Cloverfield -- back to its own magical beginnings, which may or may not include an early obsession with magic, the love of a supportive grandfather, or his own unopened Mystery Box. (More TED Talks at http://www.ted.com )

i carry your heart with me ee cummings i carry your heart with me (i carry it in my heart) i am never without it(anywhere i go you go, my dear; and whatever is done by only me is your doing, my darling) i fear no fate (for you are my fate, my sweet) i want no world (for beautiful you are my world, my true) and it's you are whatever a moon has always meant and whatever a sun will always sing is you here is the deepest secret nobody knows (here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud and the sky of the sky of a tree called life; which grows higher than soul can hope or mind can hide) and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart i carry your heart (I carry it in my heart) HAPPY BIRTHDAY WELLA

Two boys run inside a magazine store... I was in a magazine store today and two boys (around 7 and 8 years old) came in and saw the latest issue of VANITY FAIR. BOY #1: Hey! It's Han Solo! BOY #2: Is that his son? I texted some of the guys about my encounter with those Star Wars fans and Mark texted back an interesting way to look at the situation: that at least they didn't say, "Hey! It's Sam Witwicky from the Transformers movie! But who's the old guy? Is that his dad?" If you want to see the exclusive Anne Leibovitz pictures from the set, click the link below: Indiana Jones photos in VANITY FAIR

does it come in black? introducing THE ALEXANDRA If TRESE were ever to get a car sponsor, it would be the Toyota Vios. This would be Alexandra Trese's personal car. When she goes out on "business", the Kambal would drive her around in a Camry. (hehehe)

Does anyone have a copy of the Tekkon Kinkreet DVD? Does anyone have a copy of Asian Kung-Fu Generation CD? Does anyone just want to fly away and get away from all these deadlines?

"What's in the bag?!" Last night, we went to Saguijo to meet up with my cousin Oliver. We got there too early. So after eating chicharon bulaklak and salpicao (yeah, yeah, the diet was supposed to start January 2, i know), me and Wella went upstairs to check out the stuff at Baul. Of course, Baul mostly sells clothes for women, so there was not much for me to look at. When I saw this bag perched on top an old Chinese box and wondered who used to own the bag (and the box). I wondered if the previous owner left behind a letter or a postcard that she forgot to send. Maybe there was a matchbook of a restaurant that closed down years ago and scribbled in the matchbook was the number and the name of her lover. I thought how wonderful it might be to have a store that sold such things and people would get a free story with whatever they bought. Maybe they would find a crumpled up love letter in the pocket of a jacket, a note in the drawer of a old writing table, a family recipe ...

in stores now : KADILIMAN and TRESE 7 KADILIMAN: IN THEIR SILENT SHADOW CARNIVAL Written by David Hontiveros Art by Edgar Tadeo (click thumbnails to see larger version) During the final days of World War II, the Nazis activated a doomsday device somewhere in the Pacific. The Justice Corps, the Philippines super-hero team, was the only one who could respond in time to stop the device. The survivors of that fateful day were Bituwin, The Ermitanyo, and the super-villain Dr. Kadiliman. Decades later, we find Dr. Kadiliman, trying to live a peaceful life with his granddaughter Kadi. Once a year, on the anniversary of that day of sacrifice and heroism, Dr. Kadiliman disappears. Where does he go? Who does he meet with? Discover the answers in KADILIMAN: IN THEIR SILENT SHADOW CARNIVAL. TRESE 7: EMBRACE OF THE UNWANTED Story by Budjette Tan Art by Kajo Baldisimo At the lowest basement of the MagnaMall, the mangled body of a woman is found. The trail of blood brings Alexandra Trese face-to-face...

memories Remember when life was simple? When extending your arms was all it took to guard your interests. When you chased dragonflies instead of deadlines. When kuya was all the security you needed. When you had no concept of failure. When your assets were shared freely and your most precious secrets kept. Client: Globe Telecom * Agency: Harrison Communications * Creatives: Grace Alvarez, Rachel Warren, Noel Martin * Accounts: Dino Laurena, Tey San Diego * Producer: Chona Bustamante TRIVIA: The song used is "Suo Gân", a lullaby sung in Welsh. It was also the theme song from EMPIRE OF THE SUN. The Loboc Children's Choir was asked sing to this version.

resolutions Stop talking about the future. Stop studying the possibilities. Stop exploring all options. Stop weighing the odds. Stop waiting for the perfect time. Stop wishing. Let's begin.

Butch Perez, film director , Lifetime Underachievement Awardee. Budjette Tan , advertising creative director by day, aspiring superhero by night . Jaime Augusto Zobel, corporate overlord, publisher of Flip, Bruce Wayne? All part of Jessica's READERS' BLOC at: http://jessicarulestheuniverse.com/2007/12/19/readers-bloc-2007/ (wow, I guess that's the closest I'll ever get to JAZA.) hehehe

Per DTI The famous Christmas song Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer started life as a poem created by an American advertising executive called Robert May. He was requested to produce a poem that could be given away to children by the Santa Claus employed by Department Stores at Christmas! Working as an Advertising Executive Robert May had a natural flair with words and was able to compose the Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer poem which was specifically designed to appeal to children. This marketing ploy was a massive success and approximately 2.5 million Rudolph, the red-nosed reindeer poems were given away in the first year of its publication! In 1949 the singer Gene Autry recorded a musical version of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer composed by Johnny Marks. My art directress Kitty sent us that piece of trivia (as well as the original artwork) a couple of days ago. It's interesting for me to find out that such a classic poem / song / movie all started from a typical Job Order, issued ...

... OR ARE YOU JUST HAPPY TO SEE ME? An excerpt from David Hontiveros’ PELICULA INT. MEGAMALL BUILDING B – SECURITY OFFICE – A SHORT TIME LATER LUIS CONRADO, young, handsome, ridiculously muscled up-and-coming actor, is busy stripping off the now sweat-sodden costume of Habagat, superpowered defender of the Filipino people, and heroic protagonist of Channel 8’s latest fantaserye (and highest-rated show), Habagat. The red boots, cape[1] bracers, chest icon[2], and yellow long-sleeved tunic[3] are already off (the cape and tunic soon to be rushed off to the dry cleaners), and Luis is peeling off the black tights to reveal a shiny silver codpiece strapped to his pelvic area.[4] [1] A superhero’s cape (for those who wear one) is the most vital accessory in the bold fashion statement that is their costume; the cape should look both regal and heroic, no matter the circumstance. Habagat’s cape would prove to be one of the biggest pains in the collective posterior of the show’s costume design...