I love beautiful accidents. Lately, I’m inspired by *imperfect* photographs, that’s why, even though I’ve been using a DSLR, I have a tendency to post-process my shots to look faded, and grainy, and blurred, and vintage-y and abstract. There’s just something beautiful about imperfection, don’t you think? :)

Take this photo for example.

30/365: Two hours to landing; hurry back to our timezone please?, originally uploaded by gchic.

There’s a lot of stories to this photo. (Look closely, that’s David Archuleta singing on stage when I took this, see the resemblance? lol, seriously). I just love the thought of having stories behind bokehs and colors and blurs.

Tonight, I went to watch David Cook and David Archuleta’s back-to-back concert here in Manila, by accident, just coz my cousin asked me last minute if I want to chaperon a bunch of teenager-nieces (who are crazy about Archie) with her. So I went, and I happened to have carried with me a defective Sony Cybershot (incidentally, I found out a few months ago that I was one of them lucky Sony customers to have in possession one of those defective Sony cameras that have abnormal internal vibration, how lucky serendipitous is that, IKR).

But what do you know, the internal vibration actually kinda worked to my advantage tonight. I loooove all the messy, overexposed, blurry shots I took, they looked as if they came out from a roll of film, or a lomographic camera. (Hah! No DSLR can ever take photos like those!) Which is probably how I’m gonna remember this night. Blurry, serendipitous, beautifully accidental (or accidentally beautiful, take your pick).

Sure, I’ll always remember that I got to do something really special with these people I love one summer night in 2009. Sure, I’ll remember Koreen’s 15th birthday, and Yna’s extended summer vacation here in Manila. Sure, I’ll remember David Cook and David Archuleta, and their anti-climactic concert ending (ughhh, we wanted more!), and how of-all-songs they chose NOT to sing Time of my Life, which would’ve made Yna and Koreen’s day. Well, make that a duet, then we can all die now.

And sure, I’ll remember losing my wallet sometime during intermission (ahhh, the awfuuul feeling of having lost all my important Identification cards!), calling my Mom to block my Citibank credit card in case my wallet was snatched, and, after taking chances at looking around and re-tracing the spots in the huuuuge MOA concert grounds that I passed by, wheeeww, getting my wallet back. Thank God!!

(To the angel who came to us to return my wallet, I never got the chance to know your name, BUT THANK YOU. You are heaven-sent. I hope somehow, you land in this page and see how grateful I am.)

Well, the rest of the events tonight will all probably be blurry. Like the photos in this album. Sorry you won’t see any of the two Davids there, but I think that’s kinda the point. The night was for Yna, Koreen, Hazel, Bea, Ninang Sweets and Moi. I guess it just helped that we had some beautiful soundtrack in the background while the night was happening. ♥

It can’t be the last! It just can’t be.

I mean, come on, it’s good business! I think the Heads profited in two concerts (not to mention all the DVDs and records sold in between the two big events) everything they could’ve earned the past ten years that the band was off the music business. Pupil or Sandwich or The Dawn or Markus Highway could never fill up the MOA grounds and pull off what the Eraserheads did that night. Nope.

More importantly, everyone loved them! A decade, countless of controversies and bad publicities, several new bands, a bunch of music albums, and a couple of heart attacks later, everyone still loves the Eraserheads.

I was *accidentally* there last Saturday and I witnessed it myself, thanks to Marian who, just a few hours before the concert, textblast-ed that she had extra tickets. Hooray for impulsive decisions! I didn’t have to think it over, I just reserved the tickets right away.

So there we were: 100,000+ fans singing along with the music as if the Eheads were never gone. And when they, the fans, didn’t know the lyrics to the less popular songs (like Wishing Wells, and Fine Time, and Julie Tearjerky), they danced, and took pictures, and watched the foursome in awe, and shouted “I love you Ely”s from wherever they were.

I was singing along myself, surprised that I still knew the lyrics from all the mixed tapes my brother used to make in high school. It just felt so good to be there. The short tribute to FrancisM was heart-warming, hands down. Even the awkward-candid moments between Ely and Raimund — the half-smiles, they eye contacts, the hand signals — were just.. unforgettable. Their story has become our story. Their music has become our life’s soundtrack. This can’t be the end of Eraserheads.

And hey, somewhere in the middle of Huling El Bimbo, some girls standing nearby started wiping off tears! And the guys.. their hands were up in the air, faces full of pride. I think I must have gone teary-eyed a few songs before that, over Minsan, somewhere between the lines, “minsan ay hindi ko na alam ang nangyayari, kahit na anong gawin, lahat ng bagay ay merong hangganan..”

Real tears in a rock concert, ladies and gentlemen. I have never seen anything like it.

I wish I was able to sneak in a powerful camera and take photos the way Karla did. But I only had Rico‘s Samsung phone cam. And some blurry images of that night in my head. And a souvenir ticket.

Yep, The Final Set just can’t be the last.

And they really shouldn’t have burned that ancient Sticker Happy piano! I mean seriously! What was Ely thinking?

So imagine my delight when a package was delivered to my apartment last week, all the way from Staten Island. Yep, all three of them. *jump, jump* (Thanks, boyfriend, you’re super!)

So yeah. Since then, my playlist includes three albums worth of Kendall Payne: Paper Skin, Grown, and Jordin’s Sister. Happiness does come in small packages, huh. :)

I didn’t know that Kendall Payne’s a Gospel singer. I first got interested when I heard her song “Scratch” from a Grey’s Anatomy episode, and “Not Afraid to be Me,” also from GA. I later learned that she’s also the voice behind Felicity and Never Been Kissed’s soundtracks. I loooove her. Although she can be very well known in the pop slash country-music arena, a few of her songs have an obvious Godward message in them. Like her song Aslan, which, I reckon, was inspired by CS Lewis’ Chronicles of Narnia, where Aslan (the lion) symbolizes the Savior and the power of good.

So anyway. Enough blabbers.

There goes one little wish granted for me. This year, a lot of dreams will come true. Let’s start with the little ones. :)

Filipino Cook Book. Que Horror!! I know, I’m shocked at myself too. I’ve always set aside the thought of doing some serious cooking.. until this certain someone started pressuring me to think of my future family, and what I’m going to serve them for dinner. I mean, yeah, my kids would probably love pizza and Jollibee everyday but that’s not exactly responsible parenting, right? Hence, the awakening: I need to learn how to cook.

See, I even had to take photos with my camphone to remind myself.

And what better way to start than learning to cook Filipino dish (let’s set aside Italian and Mexican for more advanced learning, shall we)? I think it would be nice to finally know what’s behind my favorite Sinigang. And Kare-kare. And Pochero. Man. I can’t believe I’m saying this, and blogging it for all the world to see. Pfft. Okay, I hide myself now.

Next item(s).

Kendall Payne CDs. Now this is more like ME. Music, yay. I didn’t know she existed until Episode 5 of Grey’s Anatomy. Her song, I Will Show You Love, was playing at the closing of the episode, and it stuck with me since. I downloaded an MP3 from iTunes, including two other random songs from her albums Paper Skin and Grown, (Not Afraid to be Me and Scratch). And I love all three of them. :)

Kendall Payne’s Paper Skin and Grown

I want more of her! Hence, the urgency. iTunes downloads can’t be shared, I want something I can share to people also.

So there goes my must-haves for this month this week. Watch me, I’m gona get these two (actually four) items SOON. ;)

Here’s a tag from Tina. I was too lazy to think of a title I copied hers nalang. LOL.

The RULES:
1. Open your library (iTunes, Media Player, iPod, Winamp etc.)
2. Put it on shuffle.
3. Press play.
4. For every question, type the song that’s playing.
5. When you go to the next question,press the next button.
6. Don’t lie and pretend you’re cool.
7. When you’re finished, tag some other people to do it!

Okay, let’s do this. :)

A. Opening credits: Here Without You by 3 Door Down
Gaah, ain’t this too sad for the opening credits?

B. Waking up: December Dawn, sang by my friend, Sheila Juan
It’s a Christmas song but I actually think it matches the waking up mood. Chorus goes like:

Coz no gift will be more perfect,
more perfect than you
You’re the only wish I pray for,
I pray would come true
I can’t wait to wake up to a new December dawn
With you by my side, from this Christmas on..

I like. :)

C. First Day of School: Screaming Infidelities, Dashboard Confessionals
Pretty screaming for a first day, eh?

D. Falling in love: I’ll Be by Edwin Mccain
Hmm. Works for me. :)

E. First song: High, The Speaks
Not bad. Love the guitar accompaniment. But, er, not for this category?

F. Breaking up: In My Life Medley, Aiza Seguerra
Okay, confession time. I’m a closet fan of this girl. I just like her songs, bat buuh. (I admire people — yes, girls included — who can play the guitar and sing along at the same time.) And I think this particular song matches the category too.

G. Prom: Take Me Out of the Dark, Gary V
Ok, that didn’t match at all. LOL.

H. Life: You Said by Hillsong
Cool! *Nods* I like. :)

I. Mental breakdown: Pop Goes my Heart, Music and Lyrics
Haha. Okaaay. This is totally mental. :P

I said I wasn’t gona lose my head
but pop! Goes my heart!

J. Driving: Alipin, Shamrock
Is it too jologs to have Shamrock in my playlist? I actually think they’re good. And this song is super senti, and has great acoustic accompaniment too. So okay, If I’m driving in a quiet high way with trees swaying and the skies blue, I don’t mind having this senti song in the background. :)

K. Flashback: You’re Beautiful, James Blunt
I like the song, but I don’t see the connection. Besides, the song reminds me of Happyslip‘s Mac Beautiful. LOL.

L. Getting back together: I Still Believe, Mikks
Wah. I didn’t realize I still have this in my list. It’s from my ex, by him too.

I still believe I’ll find my way to you
Coz with every step I take
The signs are leading me to you
I still believe I’ll find my way to you
You are the source of direction
The light for my way is you
That’s why I still believe I’ll find you

Definitely a getting-back-together song. (Why do I feel nostalgic oh so suddenly?!)

M. Wedding: I Could Not Ask for More, Edwin Mccain
Wow. This shuffle is working out great for me. Haha. Fits!! I want this to be played on my wedding. (Or, to have my groom sing this for me?) I know this ain’t necessary, but the lyrics just sooo fits. :)

Lying here with you,
Listening to the rain
Smiling just to see the smile upon your face
These are the moments I thank God that I’m alive
These are the moments I’ll remember all my life
I found all I’ve waited for
And I could not ask for more
Looking in your eyes, Seeing all I need
Everything you are is everything to me
These are the moments I know heaven must exist
These are the moments I know all I need is this
I have all I’ve waited for
And I could not ask for more

I could not ask for more than this time together
I could not ask for more than this time with you
Every prayer has been answered
Every dream I have’s come true
And right here in this moment is right where I’m meant to be
Here with you here with me

N. Birth of a child: Sleep all Day, Jason Mraz
Sleep all day while giving birth? Or sleep all day when the baby is crying like mad because he’s not being fed well? Haha.

O. Final battle: Tiny Dancer, Tim McGraw
I like the song, but, er, not for this category. Hehe.

P. Death scene: Baby I Love Your Way, Bob Marley
Some death scene this is. Haha.

Q. Funeral song: Dare You to Move, Switchfoot
Eh? Hehe. I think it’s kinda awkward to say “dare you to move” to someone who’s inside an open casket. (Takot nyo lang. Hehe.)

R. End credits: If You’re Gone, Matchbox20
Hmm. Sige na nga rin.

Ok, this is looong. Now I’m tagging: Joni, Marian, Camz, Normi, Mae, Jam