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what I was doing earlier, I took a break from finishing some comic pages by drawing Tirso and Nora together. (Lhege's character in Brgy Bakbakan)


enjoy..you can see me do one work and completely delete it just to start with something else.

We all have grandpas we grew up with, we listen to them, we talk to them, and they tell us ( sometimes ) that we dont fall far from the tree.



I got a call from my dad and we happen to have a bit of a chitchat, and he reminded me of a request he wants me to draw for him: A painting of his Dad.


So I was browsing through my cousin's album of lolo and I googled my own stuff for references, then I found this.

[link]


hell yeah! finally I see him moving...well you know...like alive? finding how he sounds like and all that jazz.

......


....He sure dont act anything close to his children....


But then again, my father always tells me its all comedy in front of a camera, in real life he is overly serious and organized( and everyone one of them tells me he smells of old spice...never smell that scent before, gotta find that scent soon)


There was an article that says him and his partner in comedy gets beaten up by the Japanese and then gets released after interrogations...wow, he took that much damage? how contrasting to my lolo from the mom side who fights the Japanese; both does their own attack, one uses a gun, one uses satire, only in the end of the day, one loses another friend, the other loses another tooth.


I really wish I met him, well all seven of us from my generation would love to ( from my family branch, theres more and im still trying to find my bloodline as we speak )

Somehow,I know he is happy none of us ever followed his footsteps, I always hear from my dad how he didnt like my older uncles to pursue their love for music and just highly focus on finishing school, but can you blame them? heck, they got his skills in entertainment, personally I would be happy if my children gets bestowed with talents.


Sadly my branch of the family ( was it number two or three...all I know is that were not the first family, and my elder uncles are from the first one...I dunno how in the world he got away with it) never got much of his skills, but it seems they got his organizing skills and his palabra de honor of approach on things.


Ah well, Ill watch this one more time and then go to sleep, the next project from work may be announced today, im not sure....

...I think im glad he is not around to see my painting though...I know me and my dad has tackled that hypothetically he would hate my style of living...

Was listening to DZRH TV, and they were talking about life in America. Im completely amazed with Attorney Barredo's statements because they're as true to what really America is and how life is here.


I actually found myself talking to the screen as if I was there because of some of the things they were talking about, one of them is money conversion.


" Oh so if youre a dishwasher you make minimum wage, but lets try to convert that too.."


In the middle of it, the attorney manages to express what Ive been yapping about in my desk: " You cant convert it to Peso because of the way of life there, the cost of things there are expensive."

Numbers may be phenomenally large, but unless youre like some of my friends who are in Manila trying to commission people here, conversion has a small meaning to your way of living.


It does amaze me how some people think its easy to live here. political aside, anyone who is from a different ethnicity will have a hard time trying to live here because of the culture shock.

Sure, we Filipinos are highly exposed on western culture, but what we forget is that what we gain through growing up cannot be easily applied here, especially if some moral issues are on the line.

Do I enjoy this American life? I really cant say. I have friends and loved ones who are from different countries and cultures, but the cultural gap can get in the way most of the time...what I do enjoy though is the opportunity that I have gained by living here, and tasting hardships that I would definitely not encounter if I was still in Manila.


Back to that Attorney, he asked this to his co host: Are you willing to be a gasoline boy there? considering you may have a higher education and what not, are you still willing to become one if there is no opportunity for you?


Most of you guys would definitely say no, and some would say yes just to justify the urge to come here, but seriously...if there is no choice, will you? I know some of my friends here have, but this question is to most of you kids who think America boosts your rep back there in Manila.

Before I become a post production artist, I worked as a Gas Station cashier, Salesperson for an Amish furniture, Movie Rental Sales Associate, and so many things that is not art related...all of these just so I can have my own money because my family does not want to always catch me and spoil me with their help...I know most of you will still say " Oo naman, maski na ba tagahugas ng puwet ng mga matatanda gagawin ko!" but I know thats just all talk, especially most of you who have work and has done job much better to what I have mentioned...well I do know three or four friends who have washed old peoples ass ( My senpai is one of them..have to deal with it if your just a CNA trying to climb to RNA)...But lets try to ask most of these new gen DA artists who wants to become the next Wilce Protacio...will you do it? I sincerely doubt so


Behind the silver screen, behind the explosions, behind the MTV and the digital gadgets and entertainment that America can show the world...there's the reality that this country is no different from ours..well a bit, mostly the difference is that you dont have to deal with people hating you because of where youre from....Imagine a Manileno hating a bisaya and multiply that to a hundred...racism. You also dont have to deal with crazy people, or at worse, people who pretend to be crazy just for the attention (Mga KSP), Im sure we do, but its what? 2 out of 10 people? ratio here is 7 out of 10, and the three normal ones are slowly getting influenced by the other seven

And you may tell me that our country is fucked and that its hopeless and yadda yadda yadda, welp, thats the same with US, California is fucked right now, and its getting just as bad...whats that? you will move to New York? They have their own problem as well...what? you will move to some calm state then go to the major cities and state when things get better? Dude, that is not as easy as riding a jeep from Antipolo to Cubao and Araneta is just right there.

Lets also see the way of life here...you work for your debts, and for the means to go from point a to point b: car insurance, utilities and apartment, school loans, and your usual daily spending...I dont think you would have enough at the end of the month...sometimes, but not always.


I sound like im hating on America? no, in fairness there are some good things among the bad things, but you have to live a hard life to attain them, like I said earlier, its not as easy as asking Erpats for an extra allowance because you feel like chillin with friends. These ramblings are just for those who think life is easy here...Most of you kids probably dont know Mike Hanopol from the Juan De la Cruz band, but he made a song once and it goes like this: " Buhay America, Kayod...Kayod..."

Now I do see some pinoys who go here to help our loved ones back home, and I do salute you guys for it, I have high respect in your determinations and your strong will to endure the feeling of being detach to your family just so they can taste a better life, but just be careful and try not to be blinded by the shiny things you find along the way...

Now...Unless you have a very rich family and you came from one of those upperclass Filipinos, maybe this wont work for you guys...In fact you guys will fit in well...



...For a month or two, nah who am I kidding, you guys have unlimited resources

Paying em is a bitch...that means no new gadget for Mamo till next two months.


Luckily, my freelance boss contacted me to do some drawings.


On the comic side, it seems I may have to do the rest in black and white, time constraint is hard, and I do believe that if I do want this thing to be out by next week and a half, I have to cut away from my coloring and just go straight into the story ( Personally I do put Story on top priority nowadays, Im still trying to pursue it to make sure my work gets better, I need to get out of the boring groove)



Speaking of priority, I end up spending my weekend coloring my longshot CS-6 Nerf gun. Nothing complicated, just shiny black thats all. I fucked up the internals but oddly hours ago I manage to make it work, but after that it went nuts again. Its not much of a loss, since this newfound hobby does make me amuse during times im on an art block.


That movie my work stereo scoped is coming out next week, in fact seeing them on bus stations and on youtube as a showcase in their frontpage brings back hours and hours where I sit and count numbers of clips being taken down the list...only to be brought up, or as my officemates call it " Un-Omitted " by the clients.


but it does bring a smile to my face, to think I became a part of a project that is a part of the industry...its nice to see my foot is inside the door, blocking it so I can slowly get in completely...


....or am I already in? just thinking cynically about it because Im not one of those graduates who has the next samurai jack for a network. But what the heck, in some ways im happy.




....Did I ever mention I wanna shoot down guinea pigs? no? good, lets keep it that way...I do wanna see it in its full completion instead of clips listed on my workstation...

Going got me back on the roll for a bit.

As we speak I just finished 7 thumbs for my comic, next goal is to finish most of them in the weekend.



Sa mga katropa ko, konting abang na lang, at lilitaw na ang tropang sangbangka!! (at good luck sa laban mo Izketz! kung kailangan mo ng tulong o pointers huwag kang mahiyang humingi ng tulong brad)