42 things about me(me)

September 15, 2008September 15, 2008 | Chris

If the mind goes blank, steal a meme. Hopefully, that’ll buy you some time. But do it from a person kind enough to not get mad at you. 🙂

WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE?
My Grandfather. My real name is Crisostomo, btw. It’s a Greek word (according to a Greek friend) meaning golden mouth. However, most of the time, I’d rather have it glued shut.
WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED?
A couple of days ago… while praying.
DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING?
I do. I even have a name for the pieces of papers I write on. It’s called the X-Files.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT?
Pastrami (preferably on rye with mustard)
DO YOU HAVE ANY KIDS?
Yes. 2 Electrics and 4 acoustics. And a disobedient bass that’s about to be disowned.
IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU?
No doubt! And the more, the merrier.
DO YOU USE SARCASM?
Only when it’s funny. I am enraged when it is used to intentionally hurt someone. I think it’s cowardly.
DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS?
All original parts intact. Though, at my age, I’m not sure if that’s good or bad.
WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP?
Years ago, I would have liked to. Today, I’d rather sit on a rocking chair holding a shotgun. Okay, a guitar.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL?
I’m embarrassed but… Fruit loops, Apple Jacks, Frosted Flakes, Cap’n Crunch… you get the idea.
DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF?
Yes. But honestly, I’d rather be barefoot.
DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG?
Physically? Not so much anymore. Emotionally and spiritually? I’d like to think so.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM?
Mint chocolate chip.
WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE?
The combination of one’s voice and facial expression. I hate to say it but that’s where my first and final judgment of a person stems from. So, go ahead and spank me.
RED OR PINK?
Used to be red. A year ago, I changed it to green. I must’ve mellowed out.
WHAT IS YOUR LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF?
That I am silently critical. Hate it, hate it, hate it!!!
WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST?
I’d rather not say lest the pain comes back.
WHAT COLOR PANTS AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING?
Black pants, brown shoes.
WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE?
Well, a friend of mine and I had Chinese buffet for lunch today. Needless to say, I’m skipping dinner and going straight for the mint chocolate chip ice cream.
WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW?
My own indecipherable murmurings. Musicwise, my last.fm is currently tagged to play Beatlesque power pop guitar oriented music.
IF YOU WHERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE?
White. I’d like to think I’m long-lasting.
FAVORITE SMELLS?
Citrus fruits. Rose petals. Morning dew. Ocean breeze. And a big fat dripping double bacon cheese burger.
WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE?
Steve, my artist friend in L.A. who’s had a surgery a couple of days ago. He’s doing fine, thanks for asking.
FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH?
Spongebob.
HAIR COLOR?
Black
EYE COLOR?
Brown
DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS?
No. And I wish I didn’t have to wear glasses either.
FAVORITE FOOD?
Italian, Chinese
SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS?
Scary movies with scary endings (i.e. 28 Days/Weeks Later)
LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED?
Live Free or Die Hard, on cable.
WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING?
Brown.
FAVORITE SEASON?
Winter! Actually, Fall… if only because it gives me the feeling that winter is just around the corner.
HUGS OR KISSES?
Hugs with Kisses. Fine, I’ll take the Hershey’s kind.
FAVORITE DESSERT?
Ice cream! Or anything and everything with ice cream on it.
WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW?
I don’t read books much. Except for the Bible.
WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD?
Contact info of some bankrupt, fly-by-night insurance company.
WHAT DID YOU WATCH ON TV LAST NIGHT?
CSI Miami reruns. There’s no trace of evidence (puts on glasses), no bag of chips or popcorn in sight. Yeeeeeaaaaaaahhhhhhh!!!!!
FAVORITE SOUNDS?
Alternating minor and major chords. Beatlesque harmonies. Anything Beatles. The voices of John, Paul, George and Ringo. Anybody that sounds like them. Oh, and Wings too, with the Linda McCartney synth lines included.
ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES?
Guess.
WHAT IS THE FARTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME?
Where I am now.
DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT?
I can shoot myself in the foot sometimes.
WHERE WERE YOU BORN?
Manila, Philippines

There you have it. It’s been fun and I hope someone else does one cuz I’m not tagging any. Oh, except for my friend Mike, who’s kind enough to spare a moment out of his busy day to let us in on some forgotten personal facts. Right, Mike?

It’s ME time once again

May 30, 2008 | Chris

My friend Selma did hers and now, it’s my turn. This is always fun for me… and a good excuse to post something when the mind is temporarily blank.

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What were you doing ten years ago today?
I had to look this one up to be sure. It may not be exactly today but the weekend at the end of May 1998 was Memorial Day weekend and I was camping with friends somewhere in Northern California. My WordPress avatar, as a matter of fact, was from a picture taken at that same time.

5 things on today’s ‘to do’ list…
I just came back from a week-long business trip, so I would have to say… nothing, nothing, post this blog, watch TV and nothing.

5 Things I’d Do If I Was A Billionaire…
Let’s just say I have exactly one billion dollars in cash. Here’s how I would manage it:

First day, I’d take half a million with me and shop for musical gear to my heart’s content. Second day, I’d buy a small house with a nice size basement and have all the gear delivered straight to the basement. Third day, I’d go to the bank and split the rest of the money into two accounts. About fifty million in my savings (that should be overly plenty). The rest will be used for family, friends, charities and all future Santa Claus adventures.

Fourth day, I’d better get back to work already. I love what I do too much, I can’t afford to get fired!

5 bad habits…
Not only is this one bad, but weird to the max, as well – I don’t like being on the telephone. Hence, I do not call anyone unless it’s a life and death situation. And when you call me, either I talk to you for a few seconds or just call you back later. If you leave an entertaining message, that is.

That alone is worth 5 five bad habits, I believe. If not more.

5 places I’ve lived…
Manila, Philippines
San Francisco, CA metro
Los Angeles, CA metro
Atlanta, GA metro
Cheyenne, WY

5 jobs I’ve had…
Besides gigging as a musician?

Courier
Architectural draftsman
Construction help
Web designer/developer
Graphic/Multimedia designer

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So, that’s it! Go ahead and do yours, if you want. But I’d like to tag Mike, specifically, for this one. You can never know enough about someone. Not even your best friend, in fact.

It’s all about ME ME ME!!!

April 18, 2008 | Chris

Well, at least on this post, it is! He he! My dear friend, Selma, let me borrow this template so I could reveal some personal facts that even I myself might not have thought of in a long while. But I can’t promise anything special here. Just the facts, people. Just the facts.

So, here’s to boring the whole planet…

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my 2nd birthday My earliest memory is…..

… my 2nd birthday party. Manila, Philippines. 1965. I was wearing a t-shirt that had John, Paul, George and Ringo’s heads printed on it. The whole neighborhood was in the house paying their respects. All eyes were on me. Gifts. Offerings. I got ’em! I even got the biggest slice of cake, I believe. Why not? It was mine, after all. It was then that I realized I was destined to be a rock god. California, here I come.

At school I…..

… was dubbed Mr. KISS. Since their music was pretty much all the education I was interested in… teaching everyone about, that is!

kiss this! My first relationship was….

… with a (third) cousin! Kissing cousins, that’s right. Hey, give me a break! I was 15, for crying out loud! What did I know back then?

I don’t like talking about……

… the weather. Life is a much better subject… yours and mine, that is.

My most treasured possession is….

… my faith in God. As with tangible things, well… it’s easy to lose your grip on anything in this world. Especially, when you’re dead.

I wish I had…..

… more guitars. Can’t have just seven! That’s preposterous!

This is a good start

I wish I hadn’t……

… eaten too much for dinner. I’ve got a gallon of tapioca pudding in the fridge. But, you can’t have your pudding if you don’t eat your meat, right? Well, I ate so much meat, now there’s no room left for the pudding! Nope, really can’t do it. Might squirt out of my bellybutton, if I tried. And this happens all the time, dang it!

At home I cook…..

… Italian, Chinese, Thai, Cajun, Southern cuisine and my personal comfort food… Jamie Oliver’s midnight breakfast. Served any time of day, any day.

My favourite gadget is….

… a Jimi Hendrix edition wah-wah pedal. ‘Scuse me, while my guitar gently weeps.

I’m very bad at….

… acting my age. Though, I’m afraid I’m starting to look it now. The mirror has suddenly become my nemesis. Damn you, bathroom mirror (splashes a glass of merlot on it)!

I’m always being asked…..

… Where ya from, boy? That’s what I get for being a lone Metro-raised Asian (and not looking my age) here in ye olde wild wild west. It’s quite an education, I tell ya.

It’s not fashionable, but I love….

… not being fashionable, at all. It’s quite inexpensive, to be honest. Besides, the Joneses don’t live in my neck of the woods, so there’s no one to keep up with. Lucky me!

The last big belly laugh I had was…..

… yesterday, in fact. I fell out of my chair (for the uhmpteenth time) listening to this classic prank call (for the uhmpteenth time). You should, in fact, do yourself a big belly laugh of a favor and check it out, as well. You’ll thank me for it… after you’re done ROTFL, that is.

If only I could be sure….

… ummm… no, nevermind. I am sure!

my 2nd birthday Friends say I am….

… deep. No wonder sometimes I feel like drowning (in my own philosophical pool, perhaps).

The song I’d like played at my funeral is….

… one I have yet to write. But actually, that’s kind of morbid, don’t you think? So maybe I’ll opt for, ummm… Someone Saved My Life Tonight (no, not sugarbear, silly). Or, how about… Goodbye Yellow Brick Road? Yeah, yeah! That’s it! Since I’m getting off the road to nowhere and am now on the road to somewhere, it would be perfect, I think.

My greatest fear….

… is that I might succumb to fear itself. It’s possible, y’know. Since, contrary to popular belief, I am not fearless, at all.

At the moment I’m reading…..

… Choosing Civility, by P.M. Forni. This dude was born and raised in Italy but eventually moved to the States and have since learned the value of practicing considerate conduct in everyday life by comparing the two seemingly different worlds he’s lived in. I believe that it is to one’s great advantage to learn (or even immerse into) a culture other than his/her own. Because, the more you know, the more you’ll understand. And the more you understand, the less questions you’ll have. And the less questions you have, the more you’re capable of accepting people for who they are. And the more people accept each other, the better the chances of this world shrinking into a nice little beach bonfire circle of sorts!!! And that, my friends, is what I call… California dreaming. Peace, Love and Harmony, y’all! Didn’t I say, the sixties rule?

At the moment I’m listening to….

… a lot of struggling, yet unbelievably talented indie artists you’re probably never going to hear about. Possibly, because their music is not quite the flavor of the month. Ever. Usually, I listen to new rock with a 60’s vibe. Right this moment, it’s The Nines. A Canadian power trio that combines raw guitar with Beach Boys type of singing. Also, there’s this band from London called Jackdaw4 that I have been crazy about for maybe a year now. They blend Queen-like harmonies with Magical Mystery Tour quirkiness. You should treat yourself and listen to Jesus Wants My Soul Back. It’s a thing of beauty!

My favourite work of art is…..

… one I create myself. Usually, through an altered photograph, a written song, or even a simple dish I happened to whip up in the kitchen. Nothing spectacular, by any means. Just my fave. Simply because I believe in me. Silly and all.

my 2nd birthday My worst job was…..

… at a construction firm in Atlanta, GA where I was tasked to clean a bathroom so filthy it should have been nuked instead. Let me put it this way… this photo you’re looking at is STERILIZED in comparison. I gotta admit, it hurt my rock god ego a little, but… oh well.

They loved me there, though. That bathroom, at the end of the day, was gleaming you’d be blind to look without your sunglasses on.

I often wonder…..

… what if people cared for each other more than themselves. Yeah! Imagine a world without money, door locks, plastic surgery or weapons. All in all, aren’t they all just bricks in the wall, anyway? Or so I’ve heard.

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Well, there you go. Everything laid bare for the whole world to see. Now, who’s brave enough to follow suit?

Songs That Are Poems, Poems That Are Songs Meme

February 18, 2008 | Chris

You would think, it would be easy to list five songs that you deem poetic in their lyrical style. However, knowing me, it didn’t take much time at all for my thoughts to be flooded with countless choices. And, it has since become a chore narrowing it down to such a stifling number.

But thanks to Selma, nonetheless, for tagging me to do this meme. I thought it was an interesting one, if only to challenge myself to really think. So, here’s what I came up with. And, I better write them down quick, before I change my mind. Again.

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Blackbird – The Beatles
There’s no way for me to think of music without the Beatles being mixed in there, in some way. I was going to choose Helter Skelter, at first. But then, I thought of Eleanor Rigby, too. And then, Come Together. And then, The Fool on the Hill. And then… oh, stop, Chris. Pick one and move on. Okay, I did.

Blackbird singing in the dead of night
Take these broken wings and learn to fly
All your life
You were only waiting for this moment to arise
Blackbird singing in the dead of night
Take these sunken eyes and learn to see
All your life
You were only waiting for this moment to be free

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Hurt – Nine Inch Nails
I thought, this song already stands proudly on its own. But, if Johnny Cash decides he wants to cover it in his own record, it makes it all the more valid as poetry. In my book, anyway.

I hurt myself today
To see if I still feel
I focus on the pain
The only thing that’s real
The needle tears a hole
The old familiar sting
Try to kill it all away
But I remember everything

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Echoes – Pink Floyd
Can you say Duet Poetry? It’s the only one I can name from their repertoire that has Gilmour and Wright singing together. A gorgeous combination, I think. Anyhow, most, if not all of their songs can pass as poetry, really. I just have to pick one that stands out to me, right away. I think, David Gilmour’s writing/singing is just as mesmerizing as his guitar licks, which I fondly call… Strat poetry.

Overhead the albatross
Hangs motionless upon the air
And deep beneath the rolling waves
In labyrinths of coral caves
An echo of a distant time
Comes willowing across the sand
And everything is green and submarine

Okay, the song is about 18 minutes long, I think. It’s divided into two parts. If you’re so inclined, here’s part two. And, if you’re a hardcore fan, like I am (hey, I own this Video), it’s worth every minute.

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The Rain Song – Led Zeppelin
I was able to narrow it down to the songs from Houses of the Holy. It was tough, but like I said, I had to pick one and move on. The way Robert Plant is singing this song is almost like he’s reading prose on top of an epic film score. Simply beautiful.

These are the seasons of emotion
Like the winds they rise and fall
This is the wonder of devotion
I see the torch we all must hold.
This is the mystery of the quotient
Upon us a little rain must fall

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Saturday Night Special – Lynyrd Skynyrd
In the spirit of my having spent a time of my life in the Southern USA, I can’t deny the influence its distinct culture had on me. This is hick poetry at its finest, bub. I still love it because it’s real. Crude, but real.

Two feet they come-a-creepin’
Like a black cat do
And two bodies-a-layin’ naked
Creeper think he got nothin’ to lose
So he creeps into this-a-house and
Unlocks the door
And as a man’s reachin’ for his trousers
Shoots him full of-a-thirty-eight holes

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There you have it. Whew! Adding a few hundred more could’ve been much easier, probably. But, oh well…

Now, it’s my turn to tag… he he he!!! Bekki, Hermi, Chris, Tracie? Are you there? You’re it!!!