A note before the end

The world should received it's rapture today according to Camping and claimed that 3 % (200,000) of world population would be annihilated. But alas, it's already dark here and yet I see no signs of aliens spacecraft hovering the Shanghai skies.

Maybe mankind has been reprieve from all his evil doings and if we wake up on a beautiful Sunday with a smile on our face, we can say we survived a rapture and now living with second life.

I hate predictions. I hate end of days. Let's be kind to people and spread love and tolerance. Let's move on and forget medieval culture of fear and lies. People, let's enlighten the minds!

this is me recently

self love is ok ....at least once in awhile. taken last 2011.05.08 at 1933 shanghai china Mr. Gerry Cordero.

Snow

Snowing in the eastern city...

the tropical soul overwhelms

as I glance the ascend of billions of white dust against the red theatrical wall

from corporate fenestration

i think of You and and your love of korean teleserye

i figure you would love this moment

and i would define it perfect

and i sigh and i wish falling snow

that you are here.

and you make my day when you

said it's raining in your place.

heaven gave us something this morning

a drama, a poetry and love.

Out of Words 22 : Generations

Out of Words 21 : Huashan Road

Untitled

Shanghai sky is gray today and raining a bit and turned my window misty glass that you can write your name in the panel. Outside temperature, according to yahoo average at 7deg C and sun will show up only after two days in the weekend.

Watched Flood last night I could believe the British filmmakers produced such kind of cheap flick bad acting corny storyline that I turned off my dvd before it ended. I felt my marathon of good movies ( Slumdog Millionaire, Milk and docu The Wrestler and Encounters at the End of the World) was cut off by the said movie. I also found Tropic Thunder more annoying than funny and Eagle Eye too naive.

Anyway this morning I was delighted to watched Tzururu Miyabi's 肉嫁 ～高 柳家の人 and made my start of the day beautiful but I still prefer the building up of the story in ゑんぼ my loyalty stay still with the cute Misako.

China is still giving us 4 more days to rest and unwind but I choose to rot here in Shanghai given the bad market lately and unsure corporate future.

I am still surviving anyway I'm just so damn lazy to be literate.

...

Off to Manila

I'm leaving Shanghai early morning tomorrow that would be about an 1hr from now had the Cebu Pacific plane leave NAIA on time but the paging system announced it would be late. I'm seating in gate D87 in Terminal 2 of Pudong Airport with Ed and his family. Took a long time with the Chinese immigration but the secrity now is much relax compare after Olympics season.

It's really for this airport wifi area though YM is too busy and inaccessible. But anyway, this is my first wireless post and also testing my the lifespan of my battery that is now almost a year old.
I feel glad returning to Philippines after 6 months working in Shanghai because there will be Nang and Ez to be and love with.

Out of Words 14 : Neighbors' Lair

Out of Words 12 : Trees and Sky

Rock 'n Roll Lifestyle

I DID rock musical Saturday with some friends here in Shanghai. Actually, I was just invited and I brought Louie’s in after meeting him at Jing An park were we saw Banda Kawayan on a cheap stage producing best music out from their bamboo instruments.

We rode 3 metro lines to get there. The session venue was built underground in No. 93 Lingling Road and myself agreed that it was former bomb shelter but hearing the loud music coming from the rooms while passing its hallway the new purpose was define so boldly.


Anyway, the plus minus 16 sqm room was ok for band practice with amenities like amplifier, chords microphones, and drums set. As everyone partake to create noise and music all together everybody seem to be immortal again.

Indeed, Music is Life!!!

Shang on a Lazy Sunday

TODAY I sneak out from my lair to a bank in Huaihai Rd to channel money back home. Shanghai with rain and cold weather looks very very dull yet still I brought with me my camera, a book and a notebook all in my black backpack. After the bank I went straight to Saesirya to have my late lunch and was satisfied with baked macaroni, sausages, and steamed clams for appetizer all for 42rmb.

Rode the metro train to get to Huangpi Road and walked a bit from there to Figaro near Xintiandi. I ordered a cup of chocolate and went upstairs but there were already many people occupying seats and tables and I was reluctant to share seats and finally settled myself in the ground floor. I thought I could read my Neil Gaiman paperback there but I suddenly changed mood and just pretentiously read Shanghai lifestyle magazines. Surveying the area, there were one costumer teaching Spanish to her two Asian and Caucasian students and in another tables a group of six discussing something like publishing sometimes put English word when converse in Mandarin for strange reason I forced myself to believe that they were from Hong Kong.

I felt lazy and sleepy after finishing the cup and exited the café took a metro ride to ChangShu station and bought junk in KFC to eat later for dinner. I was glad to be back home and be comforted lying on the sofa for awhile until I decided to take a nap.

Today, Shanghai is so boring and lifeless. Or is it me?

In CinderelLea's Own Little Corner

FOUND MYSELF yesterday night in one of the oldest theater in Shanghai, Majestic Theater near Nanjing Xi Lu watching Cinderella the musical. Lea Salonga played as the charming rag to riches young lady Cinderella and indeed Lea was the main reason why I went ala Broadway to watch this Rodgers and Hammerstine’s theatrical version of this classic fairytale story. I never saw Lea performed live singing or acting on a play. I know she’s world class good but that day I never thought she could be magically magnificent. (Hi Daye!). In her voice, dwelt an enchantment that would captivate the audience to believe that music, theater and art are good and should be love forever.

It was a relaxing feeling to watch musical play like Cinderella with very good thespians giving life to the colorful and wonderful venue called stage. First time to hear live music from orchestra and I thought that there was really something great in hearing live score. I personally like the song "In My Own Little Corner" and Lea did well it’s version that would make Julie Andrews happy.

Backstage, the ever so kind Lea signed my used ticket as a souvenir for my first musical play attendance and Lea did say cheese with us already starstruck for a picture deserve for Friendster gallery. Lea recently had an interview about her new musical and her coming to China and I thought you might want to listen here and know how Lea super loves the Philippines in spite of.

PS
My conceited self was happy to know the prince in Cinderella was named Christopher.

Out of Words 09: 金茂大厦

pre holiday random thoughts

THE FIRM treated us for an early celebration of Oktoberfest here at Shanghai Yangtze Hotel. They erected a big tent there to house more than a thousand people ready to get drunk and be merry. And so we did go and munched sausages, meatloaves and salami, dancing, singing, tossing mugs and getting drunk as if there’s no more tomorrow.

The atmosphere was so festive, reminded me of my day in small German city called Saarbrucken, except this time it’s happening in Shanghai and the Chinese audience were very elated to this so called western tradition.

Gan bei!

From seventh floor we moved to sixth. The office is now occupying two floors of this building in HuaShan Rd. The bosses and the seniors stayed on the higher ground, whilst most of the staff occupied the new floor. The working space now is big, with a central open space and the stations in U embracing formation. Our group is strategically stationed near the pantry and the open space. In our new office, I own a window with a view of red and beige painted wall, aluminum cladded vent, buildings under construction from afar and eastern sky as their backdraft.

The weather in the city is getting colder. Overnight the temperature dropped from 30c to almost 20 last Saturday. When I arrived in Shanghai last year it was not like this. It took about a month to realize I need warm clothes. Winter is coming and it’s coming early in Shanghai.

Finally, the rest of China takes a week long break starting tomorrow to celebrate its 59th founding day. I don’t know where my feet would take me this time as I plan to stay in Shanghai but you know things could hanged. And yes, I am avoiding drinking milk but last night I just couldn’t resist the Milo ice cream that I got with a great great discount.

Happy Holiday everyone!!! Out!

out of words 06: two towers

The Summer of Shanghai

This Saturday I met John and Cha and sailed down south Dino Beach Waterpark in Minghan district, several minutes cab drive from Xinzhuang metro station. For some strange reason (read: katangahan), we rode a wrong bus that took us in a wrong direction far far away from the venue and later got soak by the afternoon rain but these disappointments never did stop us from getting t our summer destination. We arrive before dawn in this Jurrasic inspired water theme park. Nothing special except that it’s big with typical resort amenities and a beach complete with sand and waves as its popular attraction. That day there were a lot of locals and I mean A LOT in there swim suites were ready to get wet and take the plunge. Who cares about Olympics in Beijing when you have the sand, sun and fun to enjoy this season. We went there to see this man made summer escapade enjoy the waves but the main reason really was to see some skin and damn we were not disappointed. The much awaited Honey Beach 2008 competition staged there and boy the crowd went wild as the honeys dance and modeled bikini clad. While everything was unfolding before my eyes, the infamous theme of Bikini Open, ah bikini ah ah bikini, was humming in my mind.

The following are just pure and colorful supplementary images to learn more the science called anatomy.

On Your Marks...

I have always been a big fan of the Olympic Games. This started I think when I saw1988 Seoul Olympics in tv in full color. The same Games that gave us a powerful catchy theme song “Hand in Hand” that still up to know the melody is humming in my mind. For years after, who would forget the flaming arrow being use to light the Olympic torch in Barcelona. Then there was Atlanta, Sydney, and back to the birthplace city of Olympics, Athens. Looking back, I felt the last three Olympic Games were not that much big deal to me, perhaps I was glued with studies and work more that time.
In a few hours the world would witness the greatest show on earth. All eyes set to Beijing for the opening 2008 Summer Olympic Games. And I must admit I would prefer by that by 8pm I would be seating in a couch with an HD tv before me watching the opening night. I felt my excitement for this sporting event was revived. The number one factor for that was because I am in China, the host country. Though Beijing may seem very far away from Shanghai, where I was stationed for my work, I felt somehow involved and connected to the Games. It’s a lame justification yet I found it a happy thought.
Also, I have been to China for almost a year now sometime traveling to its cities and countryside, to the galleries halls and fields. In Shanghai and other visits, I have a chance to learn China up close and reinforcing this with reading informative literature about them you’d really amazed how great and rich the Chinese culture, tradition and history. And these very elements made the opening ceremony an event to catch. My mind was already imagine the bang of fireworks and the many banners of red flying and floating, and the colorful music filling the air and the different dance and acts being performed by thousands in unison and in a very Chinese way. But let’s wait and see how director Zhang Yimou would orchestrate the opening.
Days before the Olympic commenced, I witnessed some cleaning. Some DVD stalls in Shanghai, like the one in Jing An temple, were no longer available for transaction. Pubs in Tongren Road, meanwhile stopped operating and were closed from happy hours to midnight. The familiar scene of girls inviting passersby were nowhere in sight and Shanghai popular pub street was like a ghost town on a Holy Friday. Red Beat announced that everything would be normalized August 5, well let’s see this weekend.
A Filipino friend was asked for his passport by a policeman doing a random inspection also in broad day light. So, it became a good habit to always carry your passport during this period. And since the city would be hosting football match in Shanghai Stadium, it’s a familiar sight to see a lot of police patrolling the area. In the news, the security in Beijing was tighter just see those surface to air missile near the Bird’s Nest Stadium. After 9-11 and the threats of terrorism, or after the governments of the world successfully feared its people with danger here and danger there, security became a tighter and tougher business.
Lastly, I’d appreciate what China is doing in preparation to hold this event. They have been criticized on their human rights records to environmental issues but remain steadfast to make the Games realize. A big blow came this May when Sichuan was hit by an 8.0 magnitude earthquake yet the people resilient like the Chinese bamboo saw the calamity as rallying point to get the ren min closer together.
Anyway saying all these, let’s all hope for a successful Olympics in Beijing. Hope the Olympics would create more understanding of China, and other countries and later the government of these countries would later disarm themselves for world wide peace. Amen. In my personal prayer meanwhile, I wish the Philippines to get first her gold medal here so this would be historical one.

Enjoy the Olympics everyone!!!

Let the Games begin!!!

Towering Thoughts

Well some office really have the best view one could ask for and this one on the 24th floor in East Zhong Shan rd, were we had today's unscheduled meeting meets the criteria. Hope by this time you'd realized that the author corporate nest is too ordinary. The client's office is not that luxurious and it's space just manageable but it gives you a good look of Huang Pu River and Pudong skyline which is dominated by the towering heights of Jin Mao and the Shanghai World Finnancial Center which is scheduled to be finished and inaugurated this month.
But a month before SFWC announced completion, already the edifice was dwarfed by the so called "Dragon" or Shanghai Center, the winning design skyscraper by an American firm called Gensler and was given a green light to be built in Lujiazui finnancial district. The twisting Dragon is said to be the highest man made structure in China rising at 580 metres and has a great chance to be the second tallest building after Dubai's Burj unless someone proposed another that would out height the two. Wow!the scale!

Anyway, I fancy that by that time I would have a room with a perfect view and these buildings included or maybe a desktop image in my pc would be enough at least I can change them as my mood requires it.
Or maybe I'll just go to sleep to halt this daydreaming.

spring sprung

The maple trees along the minor and major streets of Shanghai popped out their green leaves from their branches and really spring time arrived with such wonders. This Sunday I noticed in parks and promenades alot of colored leaf trees of white and peach hue were blossoming and when the wind blows the leaves falling down on concrete pavement is a complete drama.
It's getting warmer now. Spring is really resides in the city.

my Friday travels

I was with Pinoy friends touring this vast Shanghai New International Expo Center in Longyang. They were exhibiting building materials products mostly tiles and ceramics inside the five huge warehouses of the center. The experience reminded me of UAP convention days with me collecting brochures and swatches et al and placing them on bags and proudly carrying them. This time though I was impressed with the large scale and hip design of the participants kiosks more than the products they were promoting. I avoided taking brochures most of them are architectural and interior thingy anyways and busied myself taking pictures on some good finishing and sights. One find i like was the all granite water closet.

Outdoor, I was in awe of how monstrous the site was. The curvilinear roof of building of glass and steel seemed an airport terminal to me. Walking on this cemented paving, I saw Chinese men lifting trusses building a temporary and very easy to assemble warehouse.

My first time also to visit DECATHLON a popular shopping mecca for sports enthusiasts with affordable prices.

On my way home I bought a book called WOLF TOTEM by a Chinese author named Jiang Rong. There have been much talk of this book, now translated in English, in both TV and print.

Lastly, today while I was looking for nice movie to watch in a DVD store I witnessed a group of young men attacked a boutique in Xinle road in downtown Shanghai. They smashed the display windows and glass counter with g.i. pipes they got from the trunk of the car parked near the boutique. This happened in broad day light with many people passing by. Everything was done in less than 5 minutes and the mob left after bringing back their pipes on the car running away from the crime scene.

I could play in my mind dozen reasons behind the onslaught but I left that to the police to figure out. I always look Shanghai a safe and friendly city but today’s experience proved that I was not 100% correct. Let me finish this piece with hmmmmm.