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October 2013

Music Dance and Lyrics

Super Show 5 Manila: The boys are back

Super Show 5 Manila

The boys make their delayed Philippine comeback with Super Show 5 Manila, staged for the first time at the Mall of Asia area on October 24 2013.

Initial feels: Tired from an unfamiliar wave of stress from work. Worried that I am getting too old for this. But then again I felt the same way in the past 2 Super Shows. And again I was perplexed by the average age of the crowd. I know Super Junior‘s fan base is still mainly carried by the teens and pre-teens, which begs the question: how the heck are they able to afford the price of admission? (Think 8,000++ for Lower A and B seats.) My mother will surely never be generous enough to concede and feed a fan girl’s appetite.

Excited. The pure energy from the sea of sapphire blue lights was electrifying and contagious. Fans went wild for every shade that the lights were dimmed until the moment the Mall of Asia Arena went completely dark, save for the screen that came to new life. At 7:15, Super Show was running late, an unexpected and unprecedented glitch in a usually prompt-to-the-last-minute Korean event. But if the screams and cheers were any indication, no one was complaining. Continue Reading

Life and Lemons Maj Guanzon

Year 2. Me, 2.0

Another anniversary, another pink candle.

Another anniversary, another pink candle.

Your mom said your favorite color was purple. Somehow I always associated you with pink. And rose scented oils. And Chanel, velvet lipstick, moss green nail polish and beauty magazines. And 4.0 grades.

Obviously I miss you.

P.S. If I learned one thing after 2 years, it’s that I will not ever forget you. It just hurts a tiny little bit less, and that’s a welcome relief.

Drama Review Maj Guanzon Music Dance and Lyrics

Remembering Finn, Cory and other things lost

Glee Cory Monteith Tribute

I don’t remember crying so much over someone I only felt I knew but never really did.

This week, Glee finally put out its much awaited and similarly dreaded tribute episode for the late Cory Monteith.  It was honestly one of the hardest 44 minutes of television that I had to go through, and I am a known crier for all sob stories.

Cory’s passing is one big Hollywood spectacle. But despite his tragic and sudden loss, a lot of hecklers wondered out loud, why the big deal? Why the tribute at the Emmy‘s and now for an entire episode in his memory? I can see where they were coming from. Cory was young. He was no Michael Jackson or Princess Diana. He was a budding actor with a short resume, treading the gray line between misfit and cool in Hollywood, much the same as his character quarterback-cum-acapella-singer Finn Hudson. But I guess in death, we do not look at the person’s list of achievements and measure our grieving from there. We look at the person he was, the kindness he emanated, the charm he exuded, the little good things he spread around. We wonder at the demons he faced, and are saddened that the demons won. We look at the people he loved, and know even just a tiny little bit of the grief they bear, because we have carried the same weight ourselves.

I look at how he has barely breached 30 years, and I grieve for him, and I grieve for the person I lost at the same age he was. I grieve that much the same as my personal dearly departed, Finn and Cory will only be alive again in pictures, in videos and in songs. Beyond that, as Sue said in defeat, “there is just nothing.”

glee-cory-monteith-tribute-episode

Track list for Glee Season 5 Episode 3: The Quarterback

“Seasons of Love,” featuring Amber Riley, Naya Rivera, Chris Colfer, Mark Salling, Harry Shum Jr., and Glee‘s current cast.

“I’ll Stand by You,” featuring Amber Riley and Glee‘s current cast

“Fire and Rain,” featuring Chord Overstreet, Kevin McHale, and Glee’s current cast

“If I Die Young,” featuring Naya Rivera

“No Surrender,” featuring Mark Salling

“Make You Feel My Love,” featuring Lea Michele

Photo and video credits to Glee. Cory Monteith (May 11, 1982 – July 13, 2013)

Makeup and Skincare

Review: Avene’s Hit and Miss

Avene Skin Recovery Cream

Miss: Avene Skin Recovery Cream

I saw first Avene products behind locked Mercury Drug glass cabinets during the time of my fascination with French brands like Clarins and Estee Lauder. Like those two, Avene had an acclaimed name, a cult following and a steep price. So I approached the brand with caution, but apparently I wasn’t careful enough. Specific sin of omission: not reading the label.

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