CD/VCD/DVD/Cassette Tape of Romeo and Juliet - The Musical

Category:

Music & Movies

I prefer the recording of the Belgian version of R&J entitled Romeo en Julia - van Haat tot Liefde. This has Veerle Casteleyn and Davey Gilles.

If not, a VCD or DVD of the French version, Romeo et Juliette - de la Haine à ¬'Amour starring Damien Sargue and Cecilia Cara.

Update: I just heard that there is a DVD of the Belgian production, so I would prefer that. If it's only the Netherlands Tour (sans Veerle but with Jennifer Van Brenk), still A-OK!

TODAY

Today, I edited an already existing ad of the school which is supposed to be included in the souvenir program of a convention. Oh, man, I can feel the stress around my shoulders and neck now. Feel soooo tired. Got into a little argument about it with OM (OM) almost the moment I arrived. She just has the habit of doing that, and I just have to have the habit of answering back. 

Since last week, I expected that everyone - from her to the College of __________ to the agency artist who created the ad - would be washing their hands off the issue (the ad being a bit late) and try to blame it all on me when none of it was my fault. In fact, I offered to create a new ad days ago because I realized the urgency of the matter, but everyone had a selfish excuse not to let me. But anyway, as always, I actually did well. Bottomline was, the President agreed with me and approved the ad lay-out that I edited. 

Oh, but it was fun making OM suffer quietly! :D [Ed. As of 2016, we are already okay, have been for many years]...My only problem now is the artist who still does not know that his edited version got rejected on account of he was asking to be paid again. He disappointed me big time. I'm prepared for his reaction. Sometimes, you just have to draw the line between friendship and business.

Today, as usual, I forgot breakfast. Ate rice and ten pieces of itsy-bitsy meatballs. The other ten, I reserved for the evening which I downed with coffee. Naturally, I still got hungry after dinner so I ordered a burger and bottled water.

Today, I didn't see Ma'm Monnette, the Artistic Director. She said before that she would be talking to Sir Bobby (School President) about the theater arts company and Joseph. So I'm still a bit in the dark and don't know what move to do next.

Today, I learned a Dutch term -> "Dank je". Thank you. Or if you use www.freetranslations.com, "You thanks"....Ha ha haaaaa!!!!

Today, as usual, another Officemate was doing her funny antics. Tonight, though, before she went home, she wanted to cry so much, especially when I remarked about her not talking to her husband who was in the office earlier. I asked if they were "at war" again. She said yes. Surprisingly, she confessed the problem to me. Well, I tried to give good advice. She won't be heeding them anytime soon, though. Pride.

Today, I kept mulling about the phrase "cute as a button". I mean, of course, I know what it means somehow, but what is it about a button, really, to merit special mention in such a phrase? So tonight, I Googled it.

From http://members.aol.com/MorelandC/NeedOriginsData.htm :
"Cute as a button
Meaning: To be very cute.
Example: The new beetle is cute as a button."

From Dictionary.com
"cute as a button
Also, cute as a bug's ear. Pretty or attractive in a dainty way, as in That baby is cute as a button. Cute originally was a shortening of acute, for sharp-witted and clever, but in the early 1800s it also took on its current meaning. Other than that buttons and bug's hearing organs can be small, there is no good explanation for these similes."

Oh, well, still do not explain the origin of this phrase. But I'll find out eventually. You will find I'm very persevering when I want to achieve something ;p

So how was your day?

Presenting...FIDO BOB!!!

This morning, the driver of the tricycle I boarded was Fido Bob. "Bob" because I can't remember his name and I think this suits "Fido", which isn't just for dogs but my own version of "Pido", my own short term for - (*gulp*) - pedophile!!! Yup, he is. Or was, maybe, though I'm not sure. When I was a freshman in high school, on my first days, my mom used to accompany me to the city proper early in the morning so I could board a jeepney bound to Los Banos, a town an hour away, where my school was. Fido Bob worked as a barker, someone who called out to people, urging them to ride the vehicles (in that case, jeepneys). He was short, just about my height, maybe even a bit shorter. He was in his late 20's already, I gathered. 

Since he was from our own barrio (don't know exact translation, but maybe, a small community or village) and we knew him, my mom started entrusting me to him. So I started to go to the city alone and he would always be there smiling. He would put an arm on my shoulder and lead me to the jeepney. I felt awkward having his arm on me but said nothing and just smiled because, you know, he was just being friendly. One time, he asked me how old I was. I said thirteen. He was a bit surprised. I think he thought I was a bit older (I was conservative then so maybe I looked older). Nevertheless, my age would still have been that of a high schooler.

One day, once the jeepney was almost full, he did what was very unusual. He sat beside me. I was surprised. Barkers were not supposed to sit there and generally, they were left behind. But that day, he went with me. During the hour-long travel, he had his arm at my back. I was so scared! Being young and, not to mention, afraid, I sort of tried to keep his arm just there by keeping it trapped between the seat and my back. Maybe not a good thing, maybe it gave him the wrong message, but I wanted to keep it there so that his hands would not go anywhere else. Good thing, too, that I had a sweater on so he really could not "go" anywhere, and I had a large bag that I hugged. Some people were looking at us but maybe, in disbelief, they thought I liked him. But I was sure I was turning crimson from embarrassment and shivering in fright. He kept talking to me a bit and I kept answering meekly and in little words. Once, he told me, "Why are you wearing that sweater? Take it off, it's warm." I said no.

Once we got to Los Banos, I feared that he would go with me. Fortunately, he just said, "I'll see you later, okay?" I just nodded. I'm surprised I didn't fall going down with my knees weak and all. Goodness! I was afraid the whole day! I dreaded the time that school would be out because that would mean that he would be at the Crossing waiting for me, perhaps. I kept imagining myself being dragged somewhere and being raped! I'm sorry, but that was the truth, that was what I felt at the time. I dared not tell anyone, though. I was a little relieved when he wasn't at the Crossing. However, I was still worried that he would be waiting for me in the city...Thank goodness, he wasn't.

The next day, he was smiling at me and greeted me. I was still afraid. And angry. One thing about me. I don't like being afraid. When I am, one of my defense mechanisms is anger. I guess worrying about him the whole night fueled that anger more. I ignored him and went up inside the jeepney, stomping my foot. Like a concerned lover, he asked me, "Are you mad at me?" I said, "NO!" angrily. This went on for days. I realized that in his mind, he probably thought I liked him just because I was nice to him. And I had a feeling he was telling the other guys this, or worse, that we had an understanding already. Then, he probably thought that my feelings were hurt because he didn't fulfill his promise, that he would be at the Crossing to pick me up. Well, I didn't care. I just kept scowling at him and stomping. If that was what it took to keep him away from me, so be it. Months later, in a conversation with my cousins, I found out something shocking. He is known in our community as a peeping tom...WHOAH!!!

So okay, more than ten years later, he sees me again. Sometimes, it's his tricycle that I get to board. Like many other drivers from our place, he asks me questions, too, like "Where do you go to school?" (I imagine he is perplexed because simple arithmetic tells him I shouldn't be. I do look younger than my age most of the times and people mistake me for a co-ed). He may ask me the same questions, but I know he still has it for me because when he asked if I was already married, I noticed a certain hopeful look that he tried to hide. Well, sorry for him. I am now more mature and stronger and not anymore naive. If he so tries to do something, he'll find I'm not the same girl I was more than ten years ago. And I'm now taller. And I can fake karate! Wa-chaaa!!!! ;p

So young...

Just thirty-minutes ago, my friend Colette sent me a text message. Our batchmate in high school, Chris, is dead. It was in the news. Chris was my classmate during my Freshman year. He left two years after.

He was ambushed. Murdered is the more appropriate term. Perhaps, as a broadcast journalist, he angered one or some of the powers-that-be. I wonder how these people can ever sleep at night...

So I will simply and always remember Chris as that thin, gangly, rich kid. He was energetic and had brains and was popular. He wasn't one to befriend every person, but he wasn't a snob either. He often had a ready smile. Mostly, I will always remember that once upon a time, I had a crush on the kid I nicknamed "Missy".

I'm not really sad as if I lost somebody dear. I'm just sad because another life was lost through violence and senseless causes. A young life at that.

Two girls beating our own drums

I tried to encourage. I tried to urge. I tried to inspire. I tried to impart knowledge and wisdom. I tried to make them see the logic behind it. I tried to push. I tried to shove. I tried to cajole, to force, to threaten! I TRIED, I TRIED, I TRIED! So what did I get? A big, fat, flat NOTHING. Ma'm Monet was right when she said, "We are just two girls beating our own drums". Indeed we are. If things don't work out by next week, Joseph can bid his amazing technicolor dreamcoat adieu! Well, at least, for this year, as the President said. But how can I be sure of that?

What would you do if your Dance Director, however nice to work with, keeps changing rehearsal schedules? What would you do if your Student Assistant Director has real problems of his own (and I don't blame him, mind you) to attend to? What would you do if students from another school seem more interested in joining your musical than your own students who do nothing but complain and be absent during rehearsals? What would you do if your Chorale Director, after how many months, now tells you the Chorale can't do it due to prior commitments which the school didn't even know about in the first place? What would you do if you have an official who pretends he is for us but is most likely against us, too happy of our downfall because he feels threatened in some way?

Tell me, please, 'cause I sure as hell don't know. Can somebody tell me what I am still doing here?

A whole lotta shakin'

September 16, 2004
3:10 a.m.
Upper Deck
Double-Deck Bed
Boarding House
Somewhere in Manila

I just finished editing my Veerle-page for my webpage and got totally clueless what happened to the Lea Salonga pic in my Lea-page. That was actually about 30 minutes ago, same time one of my roommates, the one who sleeps at my lower deck, arrived "home." I then started writing happily away the intro to my webpage (finally). After a while, when I thought she was sound asleep already, the bed began moving and shaking. I rolled my eyes.

It's my roommate at the lower deck, probably intentionally scratching her legs or something, making sure she disturbed me in the process, wanting to annoy me because she couldn't sleep, which she would probably blame on my itsy-bitsy light, which, if you happened to see where it was located and how little the light actually was, would make you say she's nuts! She was probably trying to annoy me, like the night before (only the scenario was rather different) to send the message loud and clear: TURN THE LIGHT OFF AND GO TO SLEEP!!! Huh! I let her scratch herself to death. I had been very giving and considerate long enough. It should work both ways...But man, was she a scratcher! It had been almost a minute already and she still hadn't shown any sign of giving up. If anything, the shaking was even stronger! I wondered if her scratches would bleed already!

And then, I just realized it when she started to say, "Ohmygod-ohmygod-ohmygod, it's shaking..." It wasn't her! Freakin' NOT Miss I-can't-sleep-because-I-just-got-home-much-later-than-you-and-I-need-you-to-turn-your-light-off-pronto!!!... It was an earthquake!!!! Eeps!!! No wonder!!!....

Everyone woke up kind of afraid and I, finally turning off my laptop and trying to hold on to something, silly me, was smiling sheepishly at the most inappropriate time!

I tell you, everytime, these quakes catch me at the wrong moments. Or maybe I should say right...So I'm thankful I still end up safe and blessed, by the way. No complaining here. Not on this part of the bed, anyway. :)

Tired, happy, and sleepy...and wishing to have SANG-FROID

I am actually tired and sleepy right now. I attended the planning-workshop for the School and I actually got tired! Not that I was that much help, but hey, I tried. It's nice to meet new friends who actually also share your passion for the arts. More passionate even, and driven. Abbe, the "creator" and now President of the School, is exactly that. The most fun part was planning the hard launch which will either be in January or February. If this works, man, this is gonna be one heck of a big thing!!!...We meet within these two weeks, depending on everybody's schedules. I'm actually spreading the news and asking people to come and help us found it. I think we need all the help we can get...

Well, like I said, I'm tired, but the weekend was a far better experience than what I mostly did the whole week. Everyday, I opened the newspapers not only to read, but actually work, cut out some clippings. Unfortunately, I got to read more than what I really wanted to know...

A drug addict went up a 30-foot pedestrian bridge. Jumped, deliberately missing the blanket people thought could save him. He survived the jump, breaking his legs only. But the people ganged up on him. Why? He jumped carrying his one-year-old son. The baby fell head first. Dead.

In Russia, terrorists killed the innocent. I do not know how doing so can ever help make things right.

In Indonesia, a powerful blast in front of the Australian Embassy. As I've only read about it in today's papers, I have no additional knowledge yet of why exactly it was done. Only speculations read. But it doesn't matter why. I do not want lame excuses. Mostly, they're just lame freakin' excuses!

A father, the other day, accused of raping his daughter. Maybe one day, in Wikipedia, someone will define "father" as an "incestuous bastard". Of course, 95% of fathers aren't and are actually good like my own father, but my goodness, doesn't it make you want to just sentence those S.O.B.'s to death and be done with it? That, from someone who does not like Capital Punishment. Evil does breed evil, I guess...I'm sorry.

For once, I want to feel numbed. I don't want to feel anything...

SANG-FROID

Still as water, the heart learns
the art of false serenity.

Each stone casts ripples upon ripples
upon placid emotions.

Each stone with its jagged edges
each, cutting, sinking.

Density has no meaning.
Depth is not a question.

Only calm indifference.

Yet...

As the water turns murky,
as the water overflows,
as the water runs dry...

Perhaps, it will cast its own ripples.

For the moment, there is only agitation
in tranquility.

Sang-froid, indeed.


Copyright © December 2001 by lildovefeather


Ho-hummm!!! I am soooo tired! Tonight, when I go home, I'll just wash up, ignore my desires to stay up and try to write something, and hit the sack. Snore even. ;p

"Vanity...My favorite sin..."

...That was according to Al Pacino's character in Devil's Advocate. Well, since I've been accused of being vain anyway, let's let Li'l Dove get into character.

I'm feeling very vain right now...I just found the international site where five poems of mine got included! Wooohoooo!!! They included three of them in another of their Internet imprint (because it "came out" first and I submitted my stuff before I did the others). I actually already knew about it because I was informed they would come out July. But I kept searching for the site to no avail while the imprint had been very available already. Last night, as I always do, I Googled my name and voila! There it was! The "issue" was an August "issue", the summer and anniversary "issue" (I keep saying "issue" because I dunno what to call it if it's not a publication on paper, he he)...It's so nice because while I'm not doing well in the job department due to undesirable people, I am starting to do well in the writing department, getting-published-wise.

I have joined three discussion groups. Funny because I just deleted my membership on some! Well, these are cooler 'cause I can actually communicate with other artists, particularly Filipinos. I joined an Artists Forum which spawned a writing group and introduced me to people interested in serving the youth. The latter was created because one of the artists expressed her desire to create a School for Performance and Creative Arts (the plans have been in the works for a year now, actually). Discussions, discussions, discussions, and then a decision to actually start it. So the girl created a new forum for it, too. We meet for a planning-workshop this weekend. :)

My Second BABY

Watched my second BABY (The Musical) today. Again, it was GREAT!!! I was now sitting near the stage, second row, in fact, and it gave me a better view of the performers' expressions. The orchestra did drown out the singing voices several times. That is from the side where I was sitting, of course. And it made me a fan of Menchu Luchengco-Yulo! I liked her in the first performance I saw, but hearing more from her, listening to her wonderful voice, man, that was wonderful!!!

She was/is very beautiful, too. And gracious! I've heard she's nice to fans. Of course, that's no real measure of a person's character, but it helps a bit, doesn't it? She was patient with us and even talked to some of us. She even asked my name, confirmed the right spelling, and wrote "Li'l Dove, Love and Kisses, Menchu." Sure, it really just meant "Thanks for watching, watch again next time" or simply "For you". But she was nice enough to actually ask names and write a dedication or something. She's not as famous as Lea Salonga and certainly doesn't have as much fans (as she's not mainstream), but I like her, definitely!

Was not able to get Lea's autograph. She was whisked away quickly and, except for one, I think no one among the crowd got her signature. It is alright. Understandable as people would be all over her. I expected it soon as I saw all the people waiting at the artists' exit. I did get David Shannon's autograph (he played Chris in one of the Miss Saigon performances and is the husband of Ima Castro, another M.S. alumna), Agot Isidro's, and Menchu's (of course)...I'm gonna write a review of the show soon and post it in my homepage.

TRUTH OR MYTH? (Hear it from Li'l Dove herself!)

Last week, I had the chance to meditate due to the fact that I was almost always alone in the office for three days (Bliss!). Considering that generally, my days just flow by nicely and uneventful, and since it is often unpleasant when they are eventful, I think it's time for Truth or Myth Part 2. Here are comments often/sometimes/once made about me, and my say on each matter. So, FACT or FICTION?

1. "You're so obsessed!" I was told this some months ago, in light of my so-called obsession with CATS The Musical, the kitten Jemima, Veerle Casteleyn, Lea Salonga, and musicals in general...FICTION. I call it passion. Unfortunately, sometimes passion is mistaken for obsession. It's a classic case of mislabeling. People, intentionally or unintentionally, create words and/or meanings for things they can't understand.

2. "You're very intelligent." Fact or Fiction? More of RUMOR or EXAGGERATION. Are they kidding??? My theory is people somehow find out where I graduated from and simply assume I am intelligent. Ah! The perks of mislabeling! My reputation precedes me. The down-side here is people sometimes tend to expect more than what I can actually deliver. Most have not seen me fall flat on my face yet so it's safe to assume I've still got them fooled at the moment.

3. "You're always so happy." HALF-FACT, HALF-FICTION. The people who tell me this think I have a sunny disposition. Obviously, they don't know that "sunny" may also mean "fiery". They have not encountered me long enough.

4. "Mmm...You always smell so good!" Synonymous to "It's always nice to walk behind this girl..." Of course, they say that when I'm wearin' perfume (good thing I don't smell like anything else when I'm not wearin' any!). FACT. What can I say? I've got this good taste when it comes to perfume. No, I don't usually buy perfume, and no, they're always not expensive. BUT they are always good to the olfactory nerves!

5. "You always want the details!" Fortunately (or unfortunately, depending on who's looking), it's a FACT. No use denying the obvious, especially when people throw their hands in the air and say they give up!

6. "You're an idealist/perfectionist." FACT and FICTION. While I am an idealist and/or perfectionist, it does not mean I'm not in touch with reality. I just think that almost always, there's a way to get around things and achieve what is right. Why are we so afraid to do the right things? Not to say that I haven't been chicken to do them myself sometimes. I would be lying. So I guess that's where the "fiction" part starts. Anyway, I always keep this in mind. Since time immemorial, it has been said (and to quote something I overheard): "Pobody's nerfect!"

If you want to know more, here is Truth or Myth Part 1:

1. "You write like Jessica Zafra." To the uninitiated, she is a well-known writer-columnist and by her own admission, twisted (thus the title of her column and series of books). FICTION. I don't. I WISH. She is a good writer whereas I am a writer who is still aspiring to be a good one. I think the one who made the comment only based her conclusion after reading only one of my pieces. It's flattering, though, so hey, I'll let her think that for a while ;p

2. "You've been surfing the Net a lot lately that you don't have time to write your book anymore." HALF-FACT, HALF-FICTION. I always don't have time to write my planned but long-overdue book. But since I started surfing again, I have been writing more lately, just other stuff.

3. "Nut job." FACT. Yes, Steve The Troll, I am. Thought you could use some company.

4. "Have you lost/gained weight?" FACT/FICTION. I have been losing weight but not as frequently as everytime someone asks me about it or I would be reed-thin by now. Gained weight? Nope. I would be if I had more money to spend LOL!!!

5. "You need an attitude -adjustment!" said my alter-ego.

WHAT THE - ??? Oh, yeah? Well, so do you!!!

So there. Thanks for visiting me today. :)

~Li'l Dovey~

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UPDATE (July 4, 2016): This post was originally posted in the now-useless Multiply. I copied my blog's contents from there and archived them here and they remained private until now that I have decided to re-publish them. So, my point here actually is...I don't know where the original Truth or Myth Part 1 is and why it is added here, ha ha haaaa!!!! But anyway, reading this certainly brought back some memories. Some of these items are still, still aren't, and aren't anymore true of me ;)