Formula 1 Grand Prix De Monaco 2008

THE BEST RACE THIS SEASON SO FAR. wow. a very eventful race. i have been waiting for this since the season started. so what happened during the race?

... it rained. i know that i should think of the drivers' safety during the race. but a rain during the race makes it more exciting especially now with the absence of traction control. the skill of the driver is really tested.

... lots of crashes. they were expected, of course. rain, small lanes, sharp curves...

... among those who crashed were Nico Rosberg, David Coulthard, and Sebastian Vettel.

... the most unforgettable crash (for me) was the one between Kimi Räikkönen and Adrian Sutil. poor Sutil! i know it was just an accident and i'm a Kimi fan, but i partly blame Kimi for ruining Sutil's race. it was supposed to be Sutil's highest finish (4th) in his career, but his car didn't move anymore when he was inside the pit lane. so he got eliminated to think that there were only a few laps left. but his performance was good. he usually never finishes a race. but during the last few laps, his position was 4th, in between Felipe Massa and Kimi (no pressure there. haha.). but something happened to Kimi's car and it hit the back of Sutil's car. tsk, tsk... Sutil will some day have his shining moment.

... Lewis Hamilton won! yey! i really like seeing his reaction whenever he wins. he pumps his fists in the air and jumps for joy. unlike Kimi...

... okay. i am now bashing Kimi. i don't hate him. i am still a Kimi and Ferrari fan. but i am also a Lewis fan so it makes me happy whenever he wins. i want Lewis to win this year. if Kimi wins again, i would still feel happy.

... Lewis now leads with 38 points followed by Kimi with 35 points (he finished in 9th place after crashing with Sutil).

... here are the winners of this race:
1. Lewis Hamilton (McLaren-Mercedes)
2. Robert Kubica (BMW)
3. Felipe Massa (Ferrari)

next stop: Montreal, Canada. June 6-8, 2008.

American Idol 7 Finale Events

i am not going to drone on and on again about David Cook. i am going to talk about other events that happened during the finale.

one of my favorite bands, OneRepublic, performed together with David A. i read from somewhere (i forgot where) that they canceled a gig just to perform in AI finals. they sang Apologize. in fairness to Archie, he did a good job singing that song. though of course, it would have been better if Cook sang with OneRepublic.



my fellow Filipino, Renaldo Lapuz, performed his famous song, We're Brothers Forever, together with the USC band. Paula, Randy, and Ryan even joined him on stage. not that i am a fan of him, but i downloaded his audition video from iTunes before. haha. his audition was really memorable.



speaking of brothers, the Jonas Brothers were there. duh. so what?! i didn't even know it was them until my 5-year-old niece, Raevin, told me and Kuya Arbee that the ones singing are the Jonas Brothers. well, i've heard about them and their shows with Miley Cyrus. but i have no idea what they look like and their songs. why the heck am i talking about them?

okay. i know i said that i wouldn't talk about Cook. so i'm just going to feature the video of him singing Time of My Life.



these are just some of the performances that made a mark in me. just visit YouTube for more videos if you weren't able to watch the finale. enjoy.

David Cook is the Winner!!!

Ryan Seacrest: Ladies and gentlemen, David and David, the winner by 12 million votes of American Idol 2008 is... David... COOK!!!!

wooooooooooooooohhhhhhhhhhoooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I AM SOOOOOOOOO HAAAAAPPPPYYYYY!!!! yey!!!

okay. breathe. inhale... exhale... inhale... exhale...

i really thought Archie would win. but oh my. Cook won!

well, i have nothing much to say anymore. i'm at a loss for words just like Cook. haha.

yes, David C. i will still support you even after American Idol.

till the next American Idol. :)

James Blunt in Manila (May 19, 2008)

i just came home from the concert of James Blunt at the Araneta Coliseum. it was the sixth concert i watched this year. i love it! even though only a few people watched, it was still good.

for someone who sings sad songs, James was full of energy. in the middle of the concert, he suddenly jumped from the stage, ran around the Patron area, shook hands and hugged some people. lucky them! during his last song (1973), he stood at the top of his piano and posed like he was surfing. really funny.

of course, the best parts of the concert were the songs he sang. i can't believe that i finally heard my favorite song, You're Beautiful live. wow. he also sang High, Goodbye My Lover, Carry Me Home, and One of the Brightest Stars. too bad he didn't sing Tears and Rain. but i guess it's okay. i might find myself crying in the middle of Araneta if he sang that. :)

well, it seems like watching concerts is now an official hobby of mine. :D

* here's the link of the videos i took during the concert.

what's in my iPod

it usually takes me at least an hour to fill up my 2GB iPod with songs. i sometimes find it hard to choose at least 350 songs out of 4ooo+. last night, i decided to put songs in my album by artist and album. in less than 30 minutes, my iPod is already filled with songs. so these are the artists and albums found in my iPod.

1. All Saints (Studio 1)

2. Andrea Corr (Ten Feet High)

3. Britney Spears (Blackout) - i have this?! haha. yes, i listen to Britney.

4. Colbie Caillat (Coco)

5. Incubus (Light Grenades; chosen songs from A Crow Left of the Murder, Make Yourself, and Morning View)

6. James Blunt (All the Lost Souls and Back to Bedlam)

7. Maroon 5 (It Won't Be Soon Before Long and Songs About Jane)

8. Michelle Branch (Hotel Paper)

9. Natalie Imbruglia (Glorious: The Singles 97-07)

10. Natasha Bedingfield (Pocketful of Sunshine; chosen songs from Unwritten)

11. OneRepublic (Dreaming Out Loud)

12. Panic at the Disco (Pretty. Odd.)

13. Sara Bareilles (Little Voice)

14. Vanessa Carlton (Harmonium; Heroes and Thieves; chosen songs from Be Not Nobody)

15. Vertical Horizon (Everything You Want; Go; Running On Ice; There and Back Again) - i am a fan. until now, i still regret not going to their concert last year. :(


i also chose certain songs from some artists. it didn't take me long to choose since i already know what songs to put. most are actually staple songs in my iPod already. here are the artists:
1. Alanis Morissette
2. The Album Leaf
3. The All-American Rejects
4. Anna Nalick
5. Avril Lavigne
6. Bachelor Girl
7. Bic Runga
8. Black Eyed Peas
9. Coldplay
10. The Corrs
11. The Cranberries
12. Daniel Powter
13. Dashboard Confessional
14. Daughtry
15. Dido
16. Diego
17. Duffy
18. Emma Bunton
19. Fergie
20. The Fray
21. Gavin DeGraw
22. Goo Goo Dolls
23. Hoku
24. Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth (from Wicked)
25. Ingrid Michaelson
26. John Mayer
27. Josh Groban
28. Justin Timberlake
29. Keane
30. Kelly Clarkson
31. Keri Noble
32. Lifehouse
33. Lindsay Lohan
34. Lisa Loeb
35. Mandy Moore
36. Maria Mena
37. Mariah Carey
38. Marie Digby
39. Mat Kearney
40. Missy Higgins
41. Mutya Buena
42. Nada Surf
43. Nelly Furtado
44. Nicole Scherzinger

after a few weeks, some songs will be replaced again depending on my mood.

thoughts on a sleepless night: part sept

... it's raining very hard right now.

... i am currently watching Greek (aside from blogging). my favorite character on the show is Crappie. i mean, Cappie.

... i still can't believe that i forgot to pay my cell phone bill twice.

... i was finally able to play Tekken 6 in Timezone TriNoma the other day. yey! i suck. i haven't played in a looooong time.

... my favorite shows (Gossip Girl, Grey's Anatomy, Ugly Betty) may have come back for new episodes, but will have their season endings next week. they will be back again after a few months. right. so great.

... i'll be starting a new chapter in my life soon. i honestly have no idea what to expect.

... back to the TV show Greek, it reminds me of Sims 2 University. i really miss playing that game.

... there are a lot of things in my mind right now. but i'm having a hard time letting them all out. i can't even write them in my journal.

... hopefully things would turn out alright. i know they will.

2008 Formula 1 Petrol Ofisi Turkish Grand Prix

i know that this is a late post already about the recent grand prix. i was preoccupied with my Vanessa Carlton experience that i didn't pay much attention during the race. all i remember are the crashing of Giancarlo Fisichella's car with i-forgot-who at the start of the race and the car of Lewis overtaking Felipe's in the middle of the race. that's all. as far as i know, nothing much happened. well, here are the winners:

1. Felipe Massa (Ferrari)
2. Lewis Hamilton (McLaren-Mercedes) - he could have won if it weren't for his 3-stop strategy
3. Kimi Räikkönen (Ferrari)

hopefully in the next race i would see other drivers on the podium.

next stop: Monaco. May 22-25, 2008.

Battle of the Davids

the decision has been made. it's David A. vs. David C. for the finals of American Idol 7.

my vote goes to Cook though i somehow feel that Archie will win this year's AI. he seems to have more fans than Cook. but whether or not Cook wins, he surely has a great singing career ahead of him. i just hope that i'm still alive on finals day because my knees got weak and i felt like fainting when he sang two songs that i like last night: Dare You To Move (i love this!) and I Don't Want To Miss A Thing. i still feel that way whenever i watch the videos. and i can't seem to stop watching them. haha.

Vanessa Carlton in Manila (Glorietta Experience)

May 10, 2008 (Saturday) - Vanessa's second show in Manila.

even if i already saw Vanessa's performance in TriNoma, i was still dead set on watching her again for three reasons: (1) i am a BIG fan. (2) i promised my friend, Jeena, that i'd watch the show with her. (3) i NEED to record Home because i was able to record only 12 seconds of the song in TriNoma. so even if there's a zero chance for me to get any kind of passes, i still went.

i arrived in Glorietta at around 4PM. Jeena was still at a gym in Greenhills. she'd be in Glorietta at around 6PM. so i just strolled and checked out some stores. the last time that i've been there was last February 15 when i met with Jeena to buy our Maroon 5 concert tickets.

i also went to the concierge to inquire about the passes. the lady i talked to was irritating. she was not as nice as the concierge ladies (sorry for the term) in TriNoma. i dunno, but she sounded so smug when i talked to her. it's like she wants to laugh at me because i have no passes and that i've got no chance in meeting Vanessa. yeah right. if only i don't have self-control, i might have shove the pictures of Vanessa that i took in her face. haha. anyway, i found out that there were still 20 passes available. i got surprised because i really thought that they would be sold out as early as 11AM just like in TriNoma. but i guess some people didn't mind getting passes since they could still see Vanessa without passes unlike in TriNoma. so i just went to the Activity Center and sat on one of the circular benches.

since it was Saturday, there were lots of children at the play area. most of the people there were families. i just sat there and observed the happenings around me. one thing i would never forget was the honesty of a certain guy. based on the shirt he was wearing, he seemed to be working as a person who fixes elevator or in a construction or something else. anyway, a lady who was counting her money passed in front of me. she didn't notice that one of her hundred peso bill fell. the guy immediately called the attention of the lady. she didn't seem to hear the guy at first and just kept on walking. she was already a few feet away from her money but the guy kept calling her. finally, she heard the guy and got her money back. the first thing that came in my mind was how honest the guy was. but he may not be really honest. he may have been forced to be honest because there were other people around. but whether he's really honest or not, at least he called the lady's attention.

at around 5:30PM, i went near the barricades. there were already people who were seated at the steps. i stood behind them and waited for Jeena. she was already done at the gym so she'll be in Glorietta in 30 minutes. people were already taking their seats and more people were arriving at the Activity Center. Jeena finally arrived at around 6PM. we just talked about our jobs and other stuff while waiting for the show to start. the lady near us was eavesdropping coz she asked about the school where i teach. right. anyway, i was getting more and more excited as the minutes passed.

finally, at around 7:15PM, Vanessa finally appeared on stage. she sang the same songs she sang in TriNoma except for More Than This. i was also able to record the song Home in my camera phone. of course, Vanessa's performance was great. the audience in Glorietta were more receptive than the ones in TriNoma. it was a great show.

after the show, the usual meet and greet and autograph signing were held on stage. Vanessa didn't change her clothes anymore for the picture taking unlike in TriNoma. she just put on a sheer jacket over her dress.

Jeena and i stayed near the stage to take pictures of Vanessa. we just stayed there and watched Vanessa and the people until the time Vanessa went backstage. as soon as she was gone, we decided to just walk around.

we just kept on walking and had no idea where we're going when we found ourselves just beside the backstage door. the guards were setting up barricades to prevent people from mobbing Vanessa because she was about to go out. we immediately brought out our cameras. every thing happened so fast. i just clicked my camera while Vanessa passed in front of me. when i checked my camera, i saw that i wasn't able to get a clear shot of her. crap. my one and only chance that time. anyway, i soon forgot about it coz i felt like on cloud nine again because i saw her up close for the second time. wow. really amazing.


Jeena was also happy to see her up close. but i was happier. haha. anyway, it was a bit late that time already so we headed home. it was another unforgettable and amazing experience.

Vanessa Carlton in Manila (TriNoma Experience Part 3)

when Rich and i arrived outside Cinema 7, there were already two lines. but there were only around 30 people. near the entrance, there was a booth selling Heroes and Thieves album. i already have the albums of Vanessa which i got from iTunes. but i don't have a CD. they were also giving away stubs for autograph signing. i asked the lady if they still have stubs. luckily they did. so i didn't think twice in buying a CD as long as i would be able to meet Vanessa in person. the funny thing about it was that the number stub they gave me was "14." it was my number stub when i had my CD signed by Colbie Caillat. it must be my lucky number. :)

i went back to the line. Rich and i were really excited at the thought of meeting Vanessa. the line started getting longer. at around 6:30PM, the security guard stood beside me and Rich and said to the people around me that digicams should be surrendered at the entrance because they are not allowed inside. i guessed he saw me while i took a picture of my CD, number stub, and passes. hehe. as soon as he's gone, i immediately made sure that the digicam is kept well-hidden inside my bag. at around 6:45PM, they finally opened the gates.

since seating was on a first come, first served basis, i pulled Rich along with me as i jog. one of the guards said that we shouldn't run because it's still early and that the show would start at 7PM. duh?! i was not in a hurry because i'm scared i might missed it. i was after the good seats! Rich and i sat at the middle section of the movie theater. i just forgot which row number it was. our view from our place was good. my seat is directly right in front of Vanessa's chair. it was also good that seats were elevated. at least i wouldn't be bothered with the heads of people in front of me.

people started to pour inside the movie theater. guards were roaming around. the organizers were busy checking on some stuff. i felt my excitement getting stronger and stronger by the minute.

at around 7:30PM, Vanessa finally came on stage. my first reaction? she's tall! i didn't expect her to be tall. of course, she's beautiful. i immediately brought out my camera phone. my eyes were glued on the stage while i pressed the phone to record her first song. the first song she sang was Nolita Fairytale, one of my favorite songs from her latest album. in the middle of the song, i suddenly felt like crying. i couldn't believe that she was there, a few feet away from me, singing a song that i love. i suddenly remembered the video clips i saw when i was a child of girls crying when they saw Michael Jackson in person. i laughed at those girls and thought they were weird. and there i was, in the middle of the movie theater, feeling the same way the girls felt. i didn't cry though. i just continued to watch.

i recorded some parts of every song that she sang. the last song she sang was Home, another favorite song of mine. unfortunately, there was no more space in the phone's memory card so i was able to record only 12 seconds of the song! the song is 5 minutes and 38 seconds long. of course, the live version is longer. and i only got 12 seconds. right. i just sang along with her.

after her performance, most people started to leave except for those with meet and greet pass and number stubs for the autograph. Rich and i remained in our seats. after 10 minutes, Vanessa was back on stage with a different outfit. the people with the meet and greet were the first ones who were accommodated. they had their pictures taken with Vanessa. Rich and i went near the stage and took some pictures of her. the battery of the digicam i brought suddenly conked out. aarrgghh.. so i have to use the camera phone again and rely on the very small space in the phone memory.

the CD stub holders were then called to form a line. there were these two girls in front of me with a meet and greet pass who weren't able to have their pictures taken because they went to the rest room. poor girls.

the line moved really fast. before i knew it, Rich and i were in front of Vanessa. this was how our conversation went while she signed my CD:

VANESSA: Hi!
ME and RICH: Hi!
ME: He's my brother. He's a Nessaholic. (i am the real NESSAHOLIC. haha.)
VANESSA (to me): Really? (smiles)
VANESSA (to Rich): Hi! Nice to meet you! (smiles)

and then we left the stage. when i went down, i suddenly remembered that i forgot to say thank you to Vanessa. i guess my mind was clouded with happiness for a few seconds that i forgot about reality. anyway, we didn't leave yet. we went back near the stage to watch Vanessa sign more CD's. after signing the CD's, she stood up, waved to the people, and left.

when Rich and i left the movie theater, i felt like i was floating. i couldn't believe the events that happened. just the day before, i was very frustrated and sad because i thought i wouldn't be able to see her. but things turned around and i got more than what i expected. and i am really thankful for that.

anyway, here are my other observations and thoughts during Vanessa's show in TriNoma:

- there were only a few real fans there. the people seated in my row didn't know most of the songs. they only knew the popular ones like A Thousand Miles, Ordinary Day, and Pretty Baby. the people were not singing along. more proof? try searching YouTube. the only songs uploaded by people there aside from me were the popular ones.

- okay. i know i seem so arrogant. i just didn't like the way people reacted to Vanessa. the movie theater was quiet most of the time while she was singing. not that they should make noise. but some people did not even clap after Vanessa sang some songs. the least that they could do was clap even if they didn't know the song.

- of course, people have different reactions (i am now contradicting myself. haha.). maybe most people there are really fans. they just didn't want to show it. they wouldn't spend at least 1000php that week if they were not interested to watch Vanessa.

- i guess i still can't get over my Incubus experience at the Araneta Coliseum where all the people screamed, jumped, pumped their fist, and sang along all throughout the concert.

- right. it was a rock concert so that was normal. Vanessa plays the piano and sings mellow songs.

- enough of the crowd.

- Vanessa is a great performer. she plays the piano really well. i wish i could play like her. she is really talented.

- she said that it was her first time to perform in a movie theater. she joked that there should be popcorns and alcohol. lol.

- she said that she feels that she might have a little Filipino blood in her because she looks like every one else there.

- the drummer, violin and cello players who performed with her are Filipinos. lucky them.

well, this is it. an unforgettable experience.

Vanessa Carlton in Manila (TriNoma Experience Part 2)

May 9, 2008 - Vanessa's first scheduled performance in TriNoma.

i woke up at around 10AM. i immediately checked my cell phone for any messages from the people with extra passes. later on, i received a text message from the friend of the person selling her tickets asking for the time of our meet-up. i told him that i'd be in TriNoma at around 4PM. when i checked my Pinoy Exchange inbox, the other person whose friend might not come sent me a message. she said that her friend changed her mind and would watch the VC show with her. i told her that it's okay since i already acquired passes.

my original plan that day when i still didn't have passes was to go to Glorietta in the morning to buy something worth 500php so that i would be able to get passes for the Glorietta show. i decided not to go since i would be able to watch Vanessa in TriNoma. though i still planned on going to the Glorietta show. i would just watch outside the barricaded area. like what i said, the important thing for me was to was to see Vanessa up close.

at around 3PM, Rich and i prepared to leave. we arrived in TriNoma at around 4PM. i received a text message from the friend of the ticket seller. he said that the venue was changed to Cinema 7. he was already there in TriNoma. Rich and i immediately went to the cinema lobby. i sent him a text message telling him that i was there already. after a few minutes, he told me that he would meet me after an hour. so Rich and i decided to stroll.

when we reached the ground level, i decided to go to the concierge to inquire about the change of venue. lo and behold, there was a sign saying that another batch of passes are available due to the change of venue. it was amazing because the receipt of my purchases was still in my jeans pocket. i was supposed to leave it at home but decided against it. i can't believe it. i asked the lady how many passes are still available. she said that there are still a lot available.

i then became confused. i did not promise the seller that i would buy her tickets, but i know that they were counting on it. so i sent a text message to the friend and informing him of my dilemma. i knew that he would understand. so i brought out my receipt and got my passes. oh my. the passes are in my hands. i'm going to see Vanessa!!!

Rich and i went back at the 4th level to eat at McDonald's. it was already past 5PM. i also sent a text message to the friend and apologized a lot. he did not reply though. anyway, i ordered McChicken sandwich meal, my favorite. but i couldn't eat. i'll be seeing my favorite singer in two hours! at around 5:30PM, Rich and i went to Cinema 7.