Allow Me to Digress

She seemed to be walking straight towards me.  Then in an instant people started to rush to where I was standing.  It took several seconds for me to realize that it was Lea Salonga in her glittering black and red gown, now standing close to me with just 3 people between us.  People must have been waiting for her in that hallway knowing that would be where she’d pass, and there was I with my mom and sister, looking for the exit of the old creepy CCP building. 

Lea stopped to give in to fans’ request for autograph and pictures.  I felt that the most natural thing to do was to also ask for her autograph or picture too.  I was just an arm’s length away from her.  I could easily reach out with a pen and paper and say, "Ms. Lea Salonga! Sign this please!" (If I said "Ms. Lea Salonga!  I have waited for this moment! Please sign this! Pleeeeasssee! I’m one of your biggest fans! I can sing your parts in Miss Saigon!" she would have noticed me and give me her autograph to appease a crazy fan.)  So I rummaged for a piece of paper and pen in my bag and the most decent piece of paper I came up with was the ticketworld envelope of the tickets for Lea’s Tomorrow:  A Concert for the Future.

Seeing that others were handing Lea the concert program for her signature, I was ashamed of my paper and so forgot about the autograph. I took a photo of her instead, using my phone, but of course, didn’t get a nice shot as Lea got ready to hurry away.  Luckily, my sister got a better shot.  Ha! What would I need Lea’s photo for?  There are better pictures of her on the internet and I don’t even download those.  It would have been nice if I had one together with her.  But then at that unexpected time of being almost face to face with the singer I admire the most (never mind a voice instructor who laughed at me when I said that), the fan in me emerged. 

This is the photo that my sister took.  As you can see, we were really close to her!   

Believe it or not, last night was actually the first time I’ve watched a Lea concert live.  I’ve only seen her in plays.  She is an excellent singer, but I think she needs to build on her connection with the audience.  It was like her spiels were all well-rehearsed, which wa good, but there’s something missing.  It could be better if she can sound more natural or at least act to make it sound impromptu.  Or maybe, she was so perfect in delivering her lines that impromptu lines seemed scripted. 

The concert in general was enjoyable.  But I guess I would have enjoyed it better if we were sitting closer the stage. (And maybe my mom wouldn’t have slept that much. By the time I bought the tickets, there were only 45 of the cheapest tickets left!  Tickets for Saturday night’s show were sold-out.  We were sitting up high on the highest balcony (but we were on the front row) that during dull moments as we wait for the show to start it was inevitable not to think about what will happen if I fall from there. 

I also had fun listening to the conversation between a mother and her son (must be 8 or 9 years old) seated behind us.  The mom was explaining to the son that theater was the same theater where Lea played Kim in Miss Saigon, and the son asked , "What is Miss Saigon?" That was just one of his cute, innocent questions. I also like it when the mom would get his son’s attention to the deails of the stage.  His mom once said, "Uy, merong nota tapos may dahon pa sa taas!" She was teaching her son to be observant.  When "Chiquitita" was sang, the boy was saying, yan yung favorite ni Lola! His lola was with them too. (Ok, I’m so tsismosa. But they were speaking too loud that I couldn’t avoid not to overhear their conversation!)

As I’ve said, the show was ok, but I think it could have been better.  The show was short.  The last number, Tomorrow, wasn’t that powerful too.  I was expecting more.  I didn’t like her choice of song for her encore, too.  Imagine Lea singing Aiza Siguerra’s "Pagdating ng Panahon." She could have chosen a better one.  But then again, she gave a very good interpretation of the song, although the song was quite off the theme of the concert.

Enough of my first concert review.  Do I sound as if I were an expert? Hehehe :)   If I were to rate my experience last night from 1 to 10, 10 being the highest, I’ll give it a 7.5

This is the closest thing next to having a picture with Lea that evening. Too bad I didn’t get the chance to have my picture taken with her.  Oh well, ’til we meet again. I’m not really that much of a fan anyway. 

Here are some of the songs that were sung in her concert. 

True Colors (sang by Lea)

excerpts:

You with the sad eyes
Don’t be discouraged
Oh I realize
It’s hard to take courage
In a world full of people
You can lose sight of it all
And the darkness inside you
Can make you feel so small

But I see your true colors
Shining through
I see your true colors
And that’s why I love you
So don’t be afraid to let them show
Your true colors
True colors are beautiful,
Like a rainbow

Show me a smile then,
Don’t be unhappy, can’t remember
When I last saw you laughing
If this world makes you crazy
And you’ve taken all you can bear
You call me up
Because you know I’ll be there

Man in the Mirror (Sang acapella by Philippine Madrigal Singers)

excerpts:
As I, turn up the collar on my favorite winter coat
This wind is blowin’ my mind
I see the kids in the street, with not enough to eat
Who am I, to be blind? Pretending not to see their needs
A summer’s disregard, a broken bottle top
And a one man’s soul
They follow each other on the wind ya’ know
‘Cause they got nowhere to go
That’s why I want you to know

I’m starting with the man in the mirror
I’m asking him to change his ways
And no message could have been any clearer
If you wanna make the world a better place
(If you wanna make the world a better place)
Take a look at yourself, and then make a change
I’ve been a victim of a selfish kind of love
It’s time that I realize
That there are some with no home, not a nickel to loan
Could it be really me, pretending that they’re not alone?

Chiquitita (sang by Lea and the children choir)

Chiquitita, tell me what’s wrong
You’re enchained by your own sorrow
In your eyes there is no hope for tomorrow
How I hate to see you like this
There is no way you can deny it
I can see that you’re oh so sad, so quiet

Chiquitita, tell me the truth
I’m a shoulder you can cry on
Your best friend, I’m the one you must rely on
You were always sure of yourself
Now I see you’ve broken a feather
I hope we can patch it up together

Tomorrow

(::ANNIE::)
The sun’ll come out
tomorrow
Bet your bottom dollar
that tomorrow
there’ll be sun!

Just thinkin’ about
tomorrow
clears away the cobwebs,
and the sorrow
’til there’s none!

When I’m stuck with a day,
that’s grey,
and lonely
I just stick out my chin
and grin,
and say
Oh!

The sun’ll come out
tomorrow
So ya gotta hang on
’til tomorrow
come what may
Tomorrow! Tomorrow!
I love ya Tomorrow!
You’re always
a day
away!

Anhyong haseyo!

This post is long overdue.  Presenting, my latest experiment in the kitchen with my sister - spelled as Gimbap but pronounced as "kimbap."  Or I might be wrong. Kudos to my sister for her successful presentation for her Filipino class

I cannot find the exact link to the site where we got the recipe, but anyway, there are tons on the internet.  It is very easy to do :)  Here’s one good site complete with pictures: http://jens.ohlig.info/archives/000056.html

In my "Post Indepence Day Post," I wrote about two of my favorite books.  It was a very pleasant discovery today to find cards where I used write favorite parts of books I had read.  I have almost forgotten that I used to do it years ago because I was afraid to "dirty" my books.  Now, I don’t hesitate on writing on them, underlining or highlighting parts I like. They’re my books anyway, and like the old worn-out velveteen rabbit, books that have I put markings on are precious and loved. (I’m not talking about textbooks hehehe

On Dependence

This is a conversation between Corrie Ten Boom and her father, from "The Hiding Place," Corrie Ten Boom’s biography.  Corrie Ten Boom is a holocaust survivor. 

"Corrie, when you and I go to Amsterdam - when do I give you the ticket?"

"Why, just before we get on the train."

"Exactly.  Our wise Father in heaven knows when we’re going to need things, too.  Don’t run out ahead of Him, Corrie.  When the time comes that some of us will have to die, you will look into your heart and find the strength you need, just in time."

———-

When Corrie was going through tough times (If I remember it right, it was a time when she was broken-hearted because the man she loved chose to marry someone else.), she was reminded of what her father told her when she was young.  (Later on in her life, this also gave her strength as she went through the toughest part of her life, being in the concentration camp.)

"Some knowledge is too heavy for children. When you are older and stronger, you can bear it.  For now, you must trust me to carry it for you."

There are answers to this and all my hard questions - for now I was content to leave them in my father’s keeping.

On Freedom

Here’s something from Victor Frankl:

"You can take away my wife, you can take away my children… my freedom, but there is one thing no person can ever take away from me - and that is my freedom to choose how I will react to what happens to me."

How can one be free?  It was dependence that set Corrie free.  She was dependent on the One who knows what’s best for her - the only One who can see the entire picture.  To be free is not to be bound by worries - just doing your best and letting things be. Doing your best can be accepting the present situation or fighting for what you think should get you to the situation you think is best.  Someone said that being wise is knowing which things you have to accept bravely, or fight against bravely. That’s my version… the original version is a prayer which goes like this:

"God, grant me serenity to accept the things that I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference."

Ok now, how do i put Victor Frankl’s quote in here…. I can’t organize my thoughts now but I hope you get the idea because I do. Haha! I must no longer be making sense.  Sorry, this is just another one of my ramblings.

I haven’t written anything for October and I feel I have to write one before the month ends. (Years from now, when I go through my blogs, I’ll have an idea of what happened to me at least in each month. Hehe :) 

I got a call today from someone I can consider a mentor and got a short "sermon" on opportunities.  She was offering me something that I don’t think I can commit to right now, so I said, I’m sorry I can’t do that because I’m doing this and this.  She said that I should never turn down opportunities even if I don’t see it happening anytime soon.  I have to consider it and at least express my interest if I am interested.  Maybe in the future, when I can actually do it, I can still go back to that.  Confusing?

What is the best opportunity in the world?  Opportunity to love and be loved. Haha! Forgive my attempt to come up with a quote on opportunity.  I’ve already found a lot of quotes and couldn’t agree more.  Can’t think of anything else to add to those for now.  Here are better quotes I just thought of posting about opportunities in general.

Unknown Author: Second Chance Quotes
Opportunities are never lost; they are taken by others.

Sun Tzu: Second Chance Quotes
Opportunities multiply as they are seized.

H. Jackson Brown Jr.: Second Chance Quotes
Opportunity dances with those who are already on the dance floor.

Greg Hickman: Second Chance Quotes
Opportunity is just success looking for a place to happen.

Thomas Alva Edison: Second Chance Quotes
Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.

Napoleon Hill: Second Chance Quotes
Opportunity often comes disguised in the form of misfortune, or temporary defeat.

B. C. Forbes: Second Chance Quotes
Opportunity rarely knocks on your door. Knock rather on opportunity’s door if you ardently wish to enter.

Unknown Author: Second Chance Quotes
Opportunity seems to have an uncanny habit of favoring those who have paid the price of years of preparation.

Cotton Mather: Second Chance Quotes
Our opportunities to do good are our talents.

from: Quotations.about.com - Opportunities

A wise man will make more opportunities than he finds. ~ Francis Bacon

Every situation, properly perceived, becomes an opportunity. ~ Helen Schucman

Ability has nothing to do with opportunity. ~ Napoleon Bonaparte

I always tried to turn every disaster into an opportunity. ~ John D. Rockefeller

Remember, the greater the opportunity, the fewer are those who see it. ~ James Cook

The real opportunity for success lies within the person and not the job. ~ Zig Ziglar

I find myself looking around for other new, interesting oppotunities to dive into. ~ Sally Ride

The great opportunity is where you are… Every place is under the stars, every place is the center of the world. ~ John Burroughs

Small opportunities are often the beginning of great enterprises. ~ Demosthenes

Great opportunities to help others seldom come, but small ones surround us every day. ~ Sally Koch

If opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door. ~ Milton Berle

Opportunities multiply as they are seized. ~ Sun Tzu

All adversity is really an opportunity for our souls to grow. ~ John Gray

Opportunity is a bird that never perches. ~ Claude McDonald

Unlimited opportunities can be as potent a cause of frustration as a paucity or lack of opportunities. ~ Eric Hoffer

Opportunities are often things you haven’t noticed the first time around. ~ Catherine Deneuve

The world and its host of inventions, ideas, and marvelous creations are a tribute to man’s ability to turn problems into opportunities. ~ Scott L. Taylor, The Opportunity in Every Problem

from: http://www.dailycelebrations.com/