Wednesday, April 22, 2009

The Courageous "Almost - Beauty Queen"

The recent Miss USA pageant has been supported by millions of Americans. And, here in the Philippines, though the competition does not directly affect our country in anyway, millions still tune in to their television sets to watch who will win the said pageant.

For the many years that I have worked with events, I have seen pageant backstages littered with gay people. The Event Coordinators are mostly gay. Make-up artists. Alalays. It would be an understatement if we say that gay people are the life of the beauty pageant. Without us, beauty pageants will just be a competition to see who makes most men drool.

I have great respect for Miss Carrie Prejean, the representative from the State of California for the recently concluded Miss USA, 2009. She voiced out her opinion about Gay Marriage. She did not hesitate to give her point of view, and this, in fact, makes her a really intelligent person.

But, though I have great respect for her, I believe it but right that the crown was given to someone else, to Miss North Carolina. Miss California's beliefs were aired out just when the entire country - and the entire world - has been eagerly waiting for the rights of Gay men to be recognized.

I am not for the United States of America, nor am I an American citizen, but I am a citizen of the world. I am a proud homosexual, and though I do not believe in marriage, I believe in the right of each and every person to choose who they want to love - straight or gay.

To Miss Prejean - I applaud your courage to speak out your beliefs, even when you know that your answer might cost you the crown. Your strength in answering a question about gay relationships from a famous gay man may have been one of the most courageous things that someone has ever done - in front of an audience and the entire world - but then again, you have to admit that you are not the only person living in this world. If you were gay you would also fight for what you believe in and what you want in your life.

Here is the video, watch it and let me know your thoughts.

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Creative Juices


I am just a year after my first quarter of a century and I already feel like all the creative juices I once had flowing in veins have already dried up. Talk about Creative Menopause.

I have been dreaming of making - or even starring - in a film. An Indie Film, if you may. Ever since I watched my former boss passionately kiss a known Filipino Actor, I have dreamed of making my own name in the Filipino Film scene. Oh well.

I made a short clip with my friend, Piper, using my cellphone. It turned out to be good - it was, in my mind, a success. But when I started viewing it again, my finger had a mind of it's own and clicked delete. There. Without any fuss. I wondered what it would be like if it wasn't deleted from my phone's memory. "The public will survive," I thought. It was a half-hearted attempt to place my name beside Chito Rono and Soxie Topacio.

It was after I deleted the video that I realized that I have lost all my Creative senses. I have always been proud of being a Jack (or Jane) of all trades. I can cook, I can sew. I write novels. I create poems. I even tried to make a career out of event before. And yet, even if I have already started stuff, I end up sitting up on my bed, thinking how boring my life is.

I started this blog years ago, hoping that someday, some people would get a whiff of it and the blog would eventually end up in a magazine article, praising my prose, and my talent in writing. I have not given up that hope yet, but then again, without the "juice", I think I may eventually run out of ideas. A writer's blog.

It has been weeks since the last time that I found something I can actually write about. And now, here, I am writing about something that I might have lost. Talk about ironic.

I plan to create a beautiful living space once I get an apartment in Manila. Now I want to put my hands on interior decorating. Wow. I can't believe by writing this article, I would restart my passion of creating something beautiful.

I should write more often. It makes my brain work. It has been on "park" for almost two months.