In high school, for a show and tell presentation, while everyone was doing recipes on this and that, I played magic tricks (trying hard not to be conventional)… I was the only one in class who did.  Unconventional = bulls-eye! 

In college, for an English class, we had a “how to” project.  I didn’t want to fix something that’s not broken.  I went with the same bag of tricks for a different audience.

In 2003, Mia, my officemate in PS, threw a party for her daughter and I volunteered to do a magic show for the kids.  The unconventional then became usual to me.  Growing up, I’ve always been a sucker for magic tricks of…   

David Copperfield

 

David Blaine

 

and David Beckham (oops, not included here).

 

I first heard of Erik Manna, the Philippine version of the two, on AXN a while back.  During the AXN Beyond event last Friday, August 1, I had the pleasure to meet him face to face.

 

 

 

Now, you see me…

Now, you don’t…

 

 

(Puzzled?)

 

 

On meeting Erik Manna…

 

 

NOT! (in Borat’s voice)

Album: http://cushee.multiply.com/photos/album/533/08_0801-_AXN_Beyond_Trade_Event_Embassy   

 

SMS Exchanged

Cushee:  Still in meeting? 8pm tonight Alicia Keys concert, SMX.

Bubba:   Yup, still in meeting.  You have tickets?

Cushee:  Yes, for myself only.

Bubba:   L

Cushee:  Hahaha.  Okay okay, including you sweetheart! J

Bubba:   Haha!  Wait!  Seryoso na!  U have tickets?  Where did you get it?

Cushee:  Ya, I have 2 tickets.  8pm tonight.  But I’m still considering whether to bring you… Kulang sa lambing eh.

 

Bubba:   Harabuzi harabuzi!  Me me me me!  Ngoink ngoink ngoink!

 

Cushee:  Ok, you’re my date!

Link: http://www.janedchua.com/2007/10/26/no-one/

MASKARA SCHEDULE FOR 2008  

Oct 16 - Schools Category of Maskara Street Dancing

Oct 17 - Barangay Category of Maskara Street Dancing

Oct 18 - Open Category for the Maskara Street Dancing

Oct 19 - BACOLOD CITY CHARTER DAY CELEBRATION and MILITARY PARADE

 

 

We all have a social mask, right?

We put it on, we go out, put our best foot forward, our best image.

But behind that social mask is a personal truth,

what we really, really believe about who we are and what we’re capable of.

~Phil McGraw 

 

 

The first song sang at the Lifehouse Concert was Make Me Over, but I’m putting You and Me first because this is one of our songs when we were starting out.  (No, I don’t like bread to go with my cheese)

You and Me is a very significant song because of the Story of Us (http://www.janedchua.com/2008/01/19/at-the-beginning/).  It is only but natural that our gym friends (bjj friends, work friends, et. al) were disapproving of our relationship at the start.  Of course, that is not the case any more.  My work friends love him.  My family.  Everybody.  But at the start, it felt like a Sharon Cuneta movie theme, which was “you and me against the world”

You and Me

What day is it? And in what month?

This clock never seemed so alive

I can’t keep up and I can’t back down

I’ve been losing so much time

‘Cause it’s you and me and all of the people with nothing to do

Nothing to lose

And it’s you and me and all other people

And I don’t know why, I can’t keep my eyes off of you
One of the things that I want to say just aren’t coming out right

I’m tripping on words

You’ve got my head spinning

I don’t know where to go from here
 

‘Cause it’s you and me and all of the people with nothing to do

Nothing to proveAnd it’s you and me and all other people

And I don’t know why, I can’t keep my eyes off of you

There’s something about you nowI can’t quite figure out

Everything she does is beautiful

Everything she does is right
 

‘Cause it’s you and me and all of the people with nothing to do

Nothing to lose

And it’s you and me and all other people

And I don’t know why, I can’t keep my eyes off of  

You and me and all other people with nothing to do

Nothing to prove

And it’s you and me and all other people

And I don’t know why, I can’t keep my eyes off of you

We both like Lifehouse too because a lot of their songs have a Christian faith undertone.

Make Me Over 

Wrap my arms around your name

Feel your breath against my pain

As i breathe out

The past is gone

Empty smile

Naked heart

Who I was, falls apart

When you’re here

Inside of me

Feel till your numb

Depth perception becoming

The new deaf and dumb
 

I’m losing myself just to find a place in your mind

In your mind Changing myself, just to stand alone in your eyes

In your eyes Pull me in, take me out, make me over

Read the wave, ride your fears In this ocean of years

We’ve been here Swiming on

Take me deep, till I find

Every corner of your mind

We’ve been here

Swiming on
Touch, till you taste

All the time

We are wasting alone

Waiting here 
 

 

Spin

Why would I chase your shadow all my life

And be afraid of my own?

Id rather be with youId rather not know

Where Ill be than

Be alone and convinced that I know

When the world keeps spinning round

My worlds upside down

You and I wouldnt change a thing

Ive got nothing else to lose
 

I lost it all when I found you

And I wouldnt change a thing

No, you and I wouldnt change a thing
 

Everything I know has let me down

So I will just let go

Let you turn me inside out

Cause I know Im not sure

About anything

But you wouldnt have it any other way
 

When the world keeps spinning round

My worlds upside down

You and I wouldnt change a thing

Ive got nothing else to loseI lost it all when I found you

And I wouldnt change a thing

No, you and I wouldnt change a thing
 

Spinning turning watching burning

All my life has found its meaning

Walking crawling climbing falling

All my life has found its meaning

This next song is by far one of the most popular alternative songs in college.  And maybe one or two have been shot in a videoke joint for playing this for the 100^th time. 

Hanging by a Moment

Desperate for changing

Starving for truth

I’m closer to where I started

Chasing after you

I’m falling even more in love with you

Letting go of all I’ve held onto

I’m standing here until you make me move

I’m hanging by a moment here with you
 

Forgetting all I’m lacking

Completely incomplete

I’ll take your invitation

You take all of me now…
 

I’m falling even more in love with you

I’m Letting go of all I’ve held onto

I’m standing here until you make me move

I’m hanging by a moment here with you

I’m living for the only thing I know

I’m running and not quite sure where to go

And I don’t know what I’m diving into

Just hanging by a moment here with you
 

There’s nothing else to lose

There’s nothing else to find

There’s nothing in the world

That can change my mind

There is nothing else

Blind

I was young but I wasn’t naive
I watched helpless as you turned around to leave
And still I have the pain I have to carry
A past so deep that even you could not bury if you tried

After all this time
I never thought we’d be here
Never thought we’d be here
When my love for you was blind
But I couldn’t make you see it
Couldn’t make you see it
That I loved you more than you’ll ever know
A part of me died when I let you go

I would fall asleep
Only in hopes of dreaming
That everything would be like is was before
But nights like this it seems are slowly fleeting
They disappear as reality is crashing to the floor

Take Me Away 

This time all I want is you
There is no one else
Who can take your place
This time you burn me with your eyes
You see past all the lies
You take it all away
I’ve seen it all
And it’s never enough
It keeps leaving me needing you

Take me away
Take me away
I’ve got nothing left to say
Just take me away

I try to make my way to you
But still I feel so lost
I don’t know what else I can do
I’ve seen it all
And it’s never enough
It keeps leaving me needing you

Take me away
Take me away
I’ve got nothing left to say
Just take me away 

From Where You Are

So far away from where you are
These miles have torn us worlds apart
And I miss you
Yeah, I miss you
So far away from where you are
Standing underneath the stars
And I wish you were here

I miss the years that were erased
I miss the way the sunshine would light up your face
I miss all the little things I never thought that they’d mean everything to me
Yeah, I miss you
And I wish you were here

I feel the beating of your heart
I see the shadows of your face
Just know that wherever you are
Yeah, I miss you
And I wish you were here

This is one of their new songs that we are both loving now. 

Whatever It Takes

What strangled smile fell from your face
Would kills me that I hurt you this way
The worst part is that I didn’t even know
Now there’s a million reasons for you to go
But if you can find a reason to stay

I’ll do whatever it takes
To turn this around
I know what’s at stake
I know that I’ve let you down
And if you give me a chance
Believe that I can change
I’ll keep us together whatever it takes

She said “If we’re gonna make this work
You gotta let me inside even though it hurts
Don’t hide the broken parts that I need to see”
She said “Like it or not it’s the way it’s gotta be
You gotta love yourself if you can ever love me”

I’ll do whatever it takes
To turn this around
I know what’s at stake
I know that I’ve let you down
And if you give me a chance
And give me a break
I’ll keep us together, I know you deserve much better

But remember the time I told you the way that I felt
That I’d be lost without you and never find myself
Let’s hold onto each other above everything else
Start over, start over

I’ll do whatever it takes
To turn this around
I know what’s at stake
I know I’ve let you down
And if you give me a chance
And believe that I can change
I’ll keep us together whatever it takes  

Album: http://cushee.multiply.com/photos/album/525/08_0726-_Lifehouse_Concert  

 

(Photo courtesy of Peter Emmett)

 

OneSport, which is a handy sports and fitness events guide, featured this in their July issue.  Base jumping, a never before seen sport in this country, was attempted at the 43^rd floor roof deck of the Twin Towers that look down on Bonifacio High Street.  I wonder if the onlookers started running towards the other direction (where there are no flowers or bushes) with thoughts of the Happening movie happening in real life.  That second scene where the construction workers were jumping off the roof one after the other has to be creepiest part of the movie for me.  The vision hit close to home because a condominium is being constructed across our house adjacent to another street. 

 

Base jumping involves launching chute unopened at the jump and jumpers use a parachute to slow speed down during the free fall.  On June 28, 2008, four members of the Ozone Team leaped from atop of a building to open the first ever Drop Zone event in Manila.  The foursome consisting of Mike Steen, Carson Klein, Skyler Beck and Patrick Kaye, all from Utah, did a second round of jumps at the Camarines Sur Watersports Complex (CWC) the following weekend.    

 

I have to hurdle my fear of bungee jumping in Macau first before I can even begin to think about Base Jumping. 

Thanks to Peter for the photos!

Link: http://www.emmett-photography.com/

 

Catch Pushing Daisies and other supernatural shows of AXN Beyond

on Sky Cable Channel 35. 

AXN Beyond –Entertainment beyond your imagination