Profile
Name: Rony Location: Hong Kong My life is a musical and I love applause... if even just from the both of you. Current Posts
Nowadays
street singersuccess out of reach... chasing pavements... Impossible We can be kind Jamming with the NOAH cast... the climb... All things just keep getting better... Letting things just happen
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Some People's Lives
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Saturday, July 30, 2005
Walked out of Annie halfway through Act one...Purchased some songs from ITunes (thanks Joy for the generous, 4 dollars...) 1. Whenever You Call 2. How Wonderful We Are 3. I Believe 4. Inside Your Heaven It was a great evening... rhapsody [
4:28 PM ]
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4 comments
 
Here at work. Downtime. Just came from watching a parade run. It then started to rain and I ran for cover, which was nowhere in sight except my office building. So there I was, drenched in business attire. But no worries. I LOVE WORKING IN THE ENTERTAINMENT BUILDING. I found everything I needed to regain my poise. Because it's the entertainment building, there is a men's locker room where actors get ready. It has showers with HOT water and soap. Right next to the lockers is Costumes, where I was able to borrow a towel and a white t-shirt. Next to Costumes is the Hair and Make-up department where I got to borrow gel. Voila, I'm back at my office hopefully having done enough to not get sick. Either way, weekend coming up. I'm all good.Tonight, I'm watching a Hong Kong production of Annie. This should be fun... "the sun'r come out... tomollow..." I'm really into Little Women The Musical right now. Discovering more and more songs that are just wonderful. I mentioned The Fire Within Me and Astonising before. Read these beautiful lyrics of "Here Alone" sung by the mother when writing a letter to her husband far away... ’Write a letter, be inventive. Tell you everything is fine. Be attentive to the distance. Send my love with every line. Every word should bring you closer And caress you with its tone. Nothing should remind you That I am here alone. ...Counting Days, Praying for news, Is this the life We meant to choose? Do you know how much I miss you At this hour of the day? How I wish you were the twilight Come to take my fears away. ...I wish that you were with me, Wish that I could bring you home. The night seems so much longer Now that I am here alone. And Maureen McGovern's voice is perfection. I don't relate to the song though... well maybe a little... And then there's a song called "Some Things Are Meant To Be" which always have me at the brink of tears as it is the song Jo and the dying Beth sing. Though the lyrics are quite moving, the melody of the song is what really makes the song so touching. *sigh* And Sutton Foster is a GODDESS! Download it! Buy it! Write me, I'll burn you a copy! It's such a beautiful score... Bu, I can't imagine a day without hearing your voice. Some things are meant to be... Like us... I love you MORE... miss you...
rhapsody [
6:30 AM ]
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0 comments
Sunday, July 24, 2005
Had a good day of just chilling at home. It's my first weekend with absolutely nothing to do but... chill. Because my body has gotten used to waking up in the morning, I was wide awake at 830 am. My apartment was a mess. It's been a mess the past couple of weeks cause I just haven't had the time to fix it. I had consecutive weekend trips to Manila and late Disney rehearsals cause all the acts are flying in and I've got to do my best to stay on top of all of them. So today, mission fix-it-impossible. Ugh. Picture this, me on the bathroom floor scrubbing away at the tub.... Sweeping the endless lint that seems to gather on the floor. Did laundry and fixed up all around. Hi ho, the glamourous life. Ending the afternoon by choosing pictures to have developed and posted all around the apartment. Got to chat with Bu a bit on the phone and on-line. I got to see him through his webcam. That was way cool. He's so cute. He's at home studying Footloose stuff like crazy. I can't wait to see the show... Ooh, had tuyo for lunch today... And so did Bu! My evening was spent over at Tung Chung where the Filipino band folk were having a get-together. The joke is "Barangay Tung Chung" cause of all the Filipinos in that same area. Ah yes, and Filipinos there were. Picture this, a 3 story building with each floor being a 3 bedroom apartment, with 2 people per room. Cozy. Tokwa't baboy, barbecue, hotdog... if there'd been a videoke machine, it really would've been Manila. Fun evening chatting with band and some actors who lived in the building. Am loving Hong Kong more and more. Love that Bu and I are still going strong. Loving life right now... A glimpse... picture this:  Note to self: buy a webcam tomorrow.
rhapsody [
3:46 PM ]
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10 comments
Saturday, July 23, 2005
Drumroll please... (drrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr...)  Welcome to the world Elphie
rhapsody [
2:25 AM ]
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4 comments
Friday, July 22, 2005
Today was work and pleasure and work and pleasure...Spent the morning taking charge of jazz band rehearsals. Fun. Very different from conducting a musical theater band. Now, it's all about the instruments. All about making sure each "voice" has character and finesse. Making sure everyone thinks as one. Cut offs... Dynamics... Technique. Fun! It's a whole other inner ear-in-progress. I love it. Then the event called lunch... ooh, I was asked if I'd be interested in taste-testing at the Disneyland Hotel. So tasted, I did. The lunch was in the ballroom set up all nice and neat. Well dressed waiters all around. Appetizers, soup, main courses galore, bottomless drinks, and dessert. And all I had to do? Answer a survey form. I love this job... I also got to walk around the hotel. Kay ganda ng ating musika... Afternoon rehearsals with the guys and the girls. Headed home for the evening to load music into my computer so I can debut Elphie tomorrow! And guess what... CONGRATS BU! good luck on Footloose, the musical
rhapsody [
2:35 PM ]
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0 comments
Tuesday, July 19, 2005
The perfect title for the perfect weekend... in the country.So... knowing I had a 955 pm flight to look forward to, work last Friday went by really quickly. I had an afternoon rehearsal which ended early, so I got to jam a bit with one of the Nalas from Lion King, Erica. This young black woman with a personality of pure sunshine and a voice I've only heard on broadway soundtracks. Audra McDonald comes to mind each time I hear her sing. And like me, she loves to jam! What could be better? So when the rehearsal room was cleared, she treated Des and I to a couple songs. First "Home" from The Wiz. I've accompanied many a people with this song, but never an authentic black voice. Aw man... Des shed a couple tears. I was so moved. Amazing. Then "The Story Goes On" and closing with "Defying Gravity". Oh my God... Days like this is why I left accounting! Then I checked on the marching band who'd just finished learning the marching choreo. SO CUTE. I love it. A soundcheck with Ralion at 630 and I was off to the airport with Bobby by 7. Tick, tock, tick, tock... Manila! First things first. Angel and Luis picked me up from the airport at midnight. I had just been in Manila the previous Sunday, so no big "sigh" at the airport. The *sigh* came when I got home and landed in my old room. Then of course, first thing on my list... meet Andrei at the Starbucks near my house. Just like old times. Passing by 7-11 on our way back to my house. Just like old times. Him asking for a glass of water as we pass the kitchen. Just like old times. I loved it. (cue music "...reunited and it feels so good...") This time, no rush. Just he and I in my old room, just like old times.  The next day, he had to go to the Little Mermaid audition (good luck at the call back Bu!) while I spent lunch with my family. Lunch at greenhills...  Look at Chloe's pose up there... very Gangsta's Paradise donchathink? And just like old times, Chloe was glad to see me...  After lunch, I picked up Andrei from the Mermaid audition where a truckload of Blue reppers were. I walk into the lobby... SCREAMS ALL AROUND! ha ha... How nice to be missed. So good to see everyone! Hugs all around. Miss them folks! Too bad I forgot to take out my camera. Shucks... Ooh, and the auditions were held inside a room. I knew the panel inside so I figured I'd surprise them. Thanks to a very good friend (Heya!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks Eli) I had a plan. I told Eli to walk into the room and say she brought her own accompanist to play for her audition. *drumroll* I walk in. MORE SCREAMS... he he. Sweet almost gave birth right there. Hehe... fun reunion. Drei and I then proceeded to one of the highlights of the trip. THE SPA! Jacuzzi, steam room, lounge, massages, and facials. (in the tone of Chandler) Could we be any gayer? Super relaxed. Met up with Angel and Luis in Rockwell for a little shopping and Fantastic Four.  Pointless discovery... I freaked out while shopping for shoes: My right foot is smaller than my left. Yikes! Went home. Andrei slept at his place, but just like old times, we spoke on the phone several times before we both went to sleep. Went to mass the next morning with the parents and after a great family lunch at KKK, I picked up Andrei at Starbucks and went to Meralco to catch Beauty and the Beast. Surreal being back at a theater I knew so well. Walking in backstage. Sneaking up behind old friends and watching them scream in surprise. So so so good to see everyone. I joined the company call prayer. It felt good. Really good. The show was a blast. Beauty and the Beast has always been one of my favorite musicals so it was great to see it staged with friends. I must say, this is the strongest ensemble Atlantis has ever had. Act 2, Menchu joined Andrei and I. After the show came the cast party... (wave the mouse over the picture for the caption) Woohoo!        And as all good things must come to an end, I left the party to spend my last couple hours at home with the man I love...  And that was that. Manila is so close and will always be so close. I've got a new home now and I'm loving this world. I'll always have the memory of the "just like old times" but even better, I can always go back to that, if just for a weekend. I'll be back again and again and again. rhapsody [
2:00 PM ]
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8 comments
Thursday, July 14, 2005
I've downloaded Kazaa, Kazaa Lite, and Limewire.. NOTHING SEEMS TO WORK! Like the program isn't connected though I'm connected to the internet... anyone understand this? HELP...
rhapsody [
3:56 PM ]
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9 comments
Wednesday, July 13, 2005
What a wonderful week it's been. Angel and Luis were in town!Mission impossible: Decorate rony's apartment. Mission accomplished. No pictures of the place just yet, but all I can say is... I love it! Shots from the past couple days... Dinner with old LaSallian friend Gerwin and wife Charlie...  Angel and I standing above the park at the entrance of my building....  Luis and Angel with a view to kill for... (this is right in FRONT of my building, on the other side of where above picture was taken)  And for an audition trip, I got to go to Manila for a day! Funny cause I had made personal plans to go this coming weekend also. Two trips in less than a week... Sunday was my first trip since leaving last May 31! Here's what was supposed to happen (cue happy music). I leave Hong Kong at 430, Angel and Luis at 9 pa, I arrive at 630, get to Shangrila hotel around 715, Andrei visits, friends visit, I visit my parents late in the evening when Angel and Luis arrive from their 9 pm flight. Not quite. (cue Jaws music) A broken down plane shuts NAIA down, forcing my plane to land in friggin' Clark!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 630 becomes 930 and we finally fly to NAIA. (mind you, we had to stay in the plane the entire time - so basically, it was a FIVE hour ride from Hong Kong to Manila... wonder how much mileage i get on Asia Miles for that?) Angel's flight is also pushed to 11 pm, they arrive at one. I get to the hotel, race to check in, race to Times to see my parents and Chloe (who has been staying with them while Angel and Luis were in Hong Kong) Wish I had a camera. Really good to see my parents (Hi Mom and Dad, thanks for reading my blog... YES folks, they read my blog too... ahem). And seeing Chloe's smile just softened the screwed up evening... After Times, I raced to Project 6. Andrei's smile made the evening just perfect. We raced back to the hotel and ordered a scrumptious, pricey dinner from room service. I love how dollars fly here. We have a wonderful evening that made up for the month we had been apart. Oh, and Shangrila has GORGEOUS rooms by the way! The evening was PERFECT. We say our goodbyes in the morning and I do what I came to Manila to do, audition. Dance auditions in the morning where I played the CD. I must hand it to some of these dancers. The cream rose to the top, as expected. What started at 10 ended at 3 and we raced to the vocal audition specially for Beauty and the Beast folk. SO GREAT TO SEE EVERYONE!  I'll be back in Manila this weekend again to catch the closing of Beauty and the Beast... and see family and friends of course. I can't wait... I'm back in Hong Kong now, sleeping in a furnished apartment and on a bed. I love it! Work is picking up. All's good. I've got two homes now...  "if for one night I would want to BE with someone even just for a few hours..." You too.
rhapsody [
2:50 PM ]
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0 comments
Friday, July 08, 2005
 So they're in town... Realized how quickly time flies. Felt like I just said goodbye to Angel and Luis. And here they are. Funny story. I had left some money for Angel and Luis to buy me groceries and stuff in Manila. Not being specific. They went just a bit over and I have canned goods which should last me through a nuclear war. Angel then showed me my stocked bathroom cabinet. I had toothpaste tubes galore, alcohol, etc. A LOT of stuff, except I noticed, no Listerine. So I asked, "No Listerine?" Her reply, "Oh, you didn't ask me to." Um... ok. (you had to be there...) Also felt like I just brought Andrei to the airport, and this Sunday, I'm seeing him again.. Yes folks, I'm flying in this Sunday to Monday (work-related trip) but I'm back the following weekend Friday night to Monday morning (personal trip). I love it... Can't wait to see my baby! Two consecutive weekends! Woohoo! Beauty and the Beast folk, can't wait to see your closing show! CHLOE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm outta here!
rhapsody [
1:49 PM ]
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2 comments
Tuesday, July 05, 2005
Had a couple visitors this weekend...Enter stage left, Josh!  I've known Josh forever. Funny thing is he's always been the one flying in and out of Manila while I stayed behind. Now is the first time I'm the one living elsewhere. Cool thing is, no matter how much time passes that we are apart, we always pick up where we left off. We are so sure of keeping in touch now, there were no sad goodbyes when I left a month ago. Just a "see ya on a weekend!" Sure enough, he visited. And with a most fashionable friend, DJ. We went out to Lan Kwai Fong Friday night and I got drunk with one Cosmopolitan! Ha ha. I have such low tolerance. (and having to take the ferry back to discovery bay was no picnic either) So he flies off today, but i'm so sure he'll be back real soon. Hakuna Matata! JOOOOOOOOOOSH!!! Ooh, here is a picture of us at uber-sosi Italian restaurant... (guys, I still have nightmares over that wine-soaked grape... Eywww)  Issa and Ralion's brother, Altair also visited. We had a picnic on the Discovery Bay beach (yes, we have a beach five minutes from where I live!) Great company with a fantastic view, wind blowing in our hair. Nothing quite like it. Like my green shirt?  And what rocks is Angel is flying in on Tuesday! And Luis on Thursday! I can't wait! I can't wait! I want nice furniture in my apartment! Hahaha! I got my computer, TV, and microwave over the weekend. Happy happy! I have Star World again, life is good. And hey, hey, hey... A year and half today. Happy fourth of July Bu! A year and a half! We made it! Love you Bu! We got a lot to celebrate! I'll be in Manila in two weeks! (I wanted it to be a surprise but everyone knows na...)  rhapsody [
1:15 AM ]
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5 comments
Friday, July 01, 2005
My musical of the moment: Little Women. Starring no less than the priceless Sutton Foster of Millie fame. I had read bad reviews about the show, mostly about the material being very blah. But Sutton was in it?!? So I didn't give up. I asked Bobby if he had the CD and he did. He lent it to me and though not everything is great, there are several numbers which are just wonderful beyond words. The Fire Within Me is one of my favorites right now. I'm not sure of the plot of Little women, but this song apparently brings Jo (Sutton) back to the attic where she and her sisters shared many memories. The lyrics just bring me back home...I thought that somehow we would always have forever I thought the promises we made would have a different end I thought the love we shared would keep us as we were It was the fire within me We dreamed and plotted with abandon in this attic When we were gathered here the room became our citadel We were amazing then my sisters and I They were the fire within me In this room I knew we were alive Nothing was too painful to survive We faced the world together The four of us forever side by side Everything I promised was for them I was theirs no matter where or when How can that be lost forever How when I gave everything with all my heart Everything I promised them is here All of us we used to be We will always have each other They will always be the fire in my heart Yeah, my sisters and I have all grown up. One's got a family. The other's moved to the States. And here I am in Hong Kong. If someone told us 15 years ago that we'd be growing older in different countries, we wouldn't have believed it. But life's like that. We all still keep in touch, I call Angel like I still live in Quezon City and write Joy on the occasion. It was great to have us all in the same country last Christmas, and the plans are for all of us to spend the holidays here in Hong Kong. I mean I'm glad things have not stayed the same, but sometimes wish they would. This song has a really great ending, where Jo takes those memories and doesn't lament over them. She rides on the wings of those memories... Here I go, and there's no turning back My great adventure has begun I may be small But I've got giant plans To shine as brightly as the sun Here in all the smallest details of the past Here in this attic suddenly life is something vast The four of us forever here at last As unexpected as can be Astonishing And that's it. No matter where we go, we'll always have Manila. Always have Tehran St, BF Homes. Always have Rambo and Pete, Saturday cartoons, Baguio Hyatt, Sundays at the playground, Coney Island, Victoria building, ISM... Time to move forward and for all of us to be just that, astonishing. Miss you guys... Love you both!  Love, Rony
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