Saturday, July 30, 2011

Tobie + Rocky = Bert and Ernie

Not that long ago, a friend of ours gave a very simple comment:



And yes, thanks to that comment, we now have a new BaduyPride post!  

For those not familiar with the puppet duo, Bert and Ernie are popular characters of Sesame Street.  Frank Oz and Jim Henson created these two very close roommates who have so much differences that they still work things out together.   Like Laurel and Hardy, you got the tall skinny one and the shorter chubby one.

So yeah, I can see why my friend says he sees the two when he sees us.  With my lanky tall frame being a match for Bert, and Rocky nicely sliding into Ernie's figure, I guess I should be happy neither of us own striped shirts of that particular style (but that does become an interesting idea to dress up as come a Halloween party someday).   I do wonder however beyond the physical appearances, does he see how the two still do resonate us?  Rocky's much more intelligent and geeky than me (Bert) while I tend to be the more oddly creative one (Ernie).  Rocky likes collecting toys and books, and keeps them organized like Bert's paperclips.  I love animal toys (like Ernie's rubber duckie) and do tend to have his laugh.  



Bert and Ernie.  Not too long ago, it was Cam and Mitchell.  I wonder what pair would be matched up to us next?

Here's something from Avenue Q, set to the video images of Bert and Ernie:

Thursday, July 28, 2011

Sietch Life: SONA 2011

Monday, July 25, 2011 marked the second State of the Nation Address of President Nonoy Aquino.

I wasn't expecting July 26, 2011 to mark the first-ever "SONA" at the Sietch.

So apparently the kids had arranged a little political even of their own.


Tuesday, July 26, 2011

I RUB YOU

There was a time when I had to avoid certain words.  Certain phrases.
But I guess sometimes, one has to do what one must.

So one day, I wanted to say something and in my kabaduyan, came up with this:



That was way back in March, 2009.
I wonder if it was my first instance of officially accepting the fact I am baduy.

Thanks to this video, Rocky and I had this particular exchange:

Rocky Sunico
there's something to be said about the amazing and unique, huh?
kahit ba baduy. LOL
March 28, 2009 at 8:27pm · Like

To which I replied:

Tobie Abad 
Bwahahahh!!!
MABUHAY MGA BADUY!
Gusto ko gumawa ng T-Shirt "Baduy Ako, pake mo!"
March 28, 2009 at 8:28pm · Like

So yeah, I guess we were headed in this direction far sooner than we thought.

Baduy Pride!

For the visually impaired:
that was FOR (you)
MY (using my iPhone)
(green toy) EGG


(using sign language) I
(not using sign language, but mimickin the act) RUB
YOU

Thursday, July 21, 2011

The Duck Song

We have our friend Alvin to thank (or to blame?) for this series of crazy videos that had both me and Tobie laughing.

Plus you know we have a bit of a thing for ducks. Despite how dangerous they are.








Waddle, waddle!

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Morning Flower Surprise

Rocky got me Flower today.

No, that's not a typo.  I did mean to say Flower and not flowers.  After literally months of wanting to get the PS3 download exclusive game, Flower, he decided to surprise me today and get it for me.  Now I am sure many of you readers have never even heard of this game.  Flower is one of those games that chooses to challenge how games are perceived, experienced and enjoyed.  Rather than the usual violent, crazy and messy approaches most games do, here, tranquility and beautiful vistas are the norm.  While most games have you furiously combining button combinations and the like, Flower has you manipulate things using only your Sixaxis controller (I wonder if they have Move support now).  And lastly, Flower has no "lose" option.  You cannot lose.

The game has won numerous awards for its design and approach.  Frankly, I feel sad it is available only as a downloadable game, since it means a huge majority of the local gamers will never even hear of it (especially since most have jailbroken PS3s and play only pirated games).

Now again, I stress how LONG I have wanted to play this game.  Being a downloadable game, the only option was to buy PSN credits from the store, or use my credit card.   But though the price was a modest one by game standards, I couldn't find myself splurging on it when I'm already working in two jobs to earn enough nest money for me and Rocky to have a relaxed future ahead of us.

Last night, I couldn't sleep.  I just couldn't.  I don't know why though.  I wasn't particularly troubled by anything.  I don't have any pending issues or worries plaguing my mind.  But I just couldn't sleep.  Rocky decided to try to brighten up my morning by cooking this delightful Chinese-inspired dish and surprise me with a purchase of the game.

I am in a relationship with someone who gets me.
I'm happy every single day.
Who would have ever thought I'd find myself in such a life?

I love you Rocky.
Let's grow old together.



Saturday, July 16, 2011

Proud to be a Marked Man

Rocky was mischievous enough to leave me a tiny gift, as it turns out.  You can read his admission here.   It was funny how a guy in his mid thirties such as myself can still get all giddy and mushy over a hickey.  He was headed to work and I was headed to a fund-raiser for a few friends of mine when he realized the mark was quite visible while we were in the elevator.

I looked at my reflection and rather than feeling ashamed of having such an obvious mark, I found myself feeling mighty proud to have it.  I know, I know, its sooo high school to feel this giddy over it, but I couldn't help but feel like I had been given a small clear sign for others to see:  This guy has someone already.

Look at that!  That's like almost an inch and a half long!

So I headed off to the fund-raiser and somehow I was able to successfully focus everyone's attention on my other side.  Conversations would swing towards the right side of my face, allowing me to dip my head down to listen to them and use my face to block their line of sight of the said hickey.  In photos, I would hold my head to the side, keeping it well out of the camera's line of sight.  Insidious, I know.

Friends and me, at Big Sky Mind.  Photo credit: Niki Yarte
Around 1:30, I then excused myself to head for my favorite haunt: O bar Ortigas.  

I miss going here with Rocky.  Due to schedule differences, we rarely find the chance to both be here.  Most nights, I end up going alone after dropping him off at work.  On special weekends, we do go to celebrate with friends.  But usually I end up going alone, needing a nightcap to celebrate the end of another heavy day of having two jobs.   Sometimes, people ask me why I go out without him.  Or how he feels about me going out.   Some are even direct enough to ask, "Doesn't he worry that you're flirting around at a bar while he's at work?"

I guess that's where the difference lies.  I don't go flirting around while at a bar.  I go there to be with my friends, enjoy the great music, and have a few drinks.   But flirt?  Please.  When you find yourself in a relationship that is as special and inexplicably wonderful as ours, the very thought of cheating is... let's just say barring massive emotional traumatic events, I doubt there'd be any reason we'd not be in the right mind to even consider it.   And that's just me trying not to sound too proud about how perfectly happy we are.  (Stop trying to write it in a way that doesn't make others envious Tobie, just say it as it is.) 

Me at O bar Ortigas, circa 2010.  Photo credit: Rocky Sunico
So yeah, Rocky has no worries about me going out.  And tonight was going to be interesting thanks to the mark he had given me.  I had actually forgotten about it during the drive from Big Sky Mind to O bar Ortigas and was finally walking towards the bar when some of the staff outside the bar spotted me, greeted me, then stopped and stared at my neck.

The exchange that follows, while not 100% accurate, was to this effect:

Me:  What?  What's wrong?
Staff:  Talagang pinagmamalaki!  (Really showing it off!)
Me:  What?  What are you talking about?
Staff:  Naks! *points at my neck*  
Me: OMG! Is it that visible?
Staff:  Medyo malaki.  At ang puti mo kasi.  (Pretty big.  And more so since you're so pale.)

So yeah, for the remainder of the night, whenever I'd see the group of bar staff who had seen the mark, they would point at their necks to remind me they can see it.  Or jokingly ask me if I wanted more ice (supposedly to rub against it and make it fade.)

But then, I realized I didn't want it to fade.

Having it here was like looking across my table, even with Rocky still at work, and imagining I was staring at this:

Rocky at O bar Ortigas.

Rocky will always be in my heart.   Physical distances may sometimes grow, whenever he and I embrace the responsibilities work or family require of us.  But emotionally, the distance is never there.

I love being yours.
And yes, I was like this last night:

Woof.  Move along.  You'll know if you are worth my notice.
With good reason too.

Friday, July 15, 2011

Sietch Life: Yan-Yan

Tobie and I love Yan-Yan.

Beyond the fact that this childhood treat tastes amazing, these days Yan-Yan comes with quirky animal-themed messages on each stick that are fun to read. So every time we share a pack, we read out the animal messages before eating the stick.

But this one perturbed me a bit:

Is this some sort of message from The Ducks? What are they trying to say? Are they threatening me or something?

I must keep a closer eye on the kids.
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Thursday, July 14, 2011

Sietch Life: Abduction

Over breakfast today, Tobie asked me if I had checked on the kids recently. In my haste to prepare something upon getting home, I hadn't.

So I totally wasn't expecting this:


It looks like they were finally successful in getting Soundwave to join their ranks.

Why does this make me feel nervous? This does not bode well at all.

Knowing Each Other's Weaknesses.

One of the quirky things about me is deep down I try to follow directions.  I may be chaotic and unpredictable at times in some areas, but I can be quite a worrywart who follows directions when they are given by someone whom I respect or trust.

So one day, Rocky decided to leave me this little note:



Can you imagine my reaction to it?
You'll have to pardon my iPhone's crappy camera, but that note reads "Don't Open."

Yes, here I am with a note from my Rocky with directions on its very cover NOT TO OPEN IT.  My brain was going ballistic.  My heart knew it was another one of his sweet notes for me, but my brain REFUSED to open it.  My brain kept telling me, "Follow the directions.  Rocky told you not to open it" even if I logically knew he intentionally wrote that to have some fun.

Argh!

I actually stared at him and begged him to let me open it.  Repeatedly, I asked if I could "...open it now?" because for some reason I cannot adequately explain further, hearing him countermand the note's top message would be enough for me to feel okay about opening it.

Yes.  I didn't open it.  For at least half the day.
I recall bringing it with me to work.
I recall tucking it in my wallet, wanting to keep it close but unsure if I can open it.

I recall Rocky telling me to open it eventually, and me finding the simple yet meaningful message inside:


Sighs.
I love the guy to bits.

He so gets me.

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Sietch Life: A Plan In-Progress

I suspected something was up given the increased animal activity at the Sietch recently. But I wasn't quite expecting this.

On the one hand, I found this on the dining table:

And this is easily explained. Because of my complex plan to ensure we could reserve tickets for Cinemalaya this weekend, I had told Tobie that I would be home late. True enough I arrived at the house at around 12 noon, which is more than two hours later than my usual time. So clearly Baboy and Tiger we waiting for me to get home.

But as for the rest of the kids:

I didn't quite understand what they were up to. For a moment I was afraid that they were trying to trap me for Tobie the moment I got home. But then there was a different side to things that I hadn't noticed before:


They're after my plushie Soundwave. And I fear that Croakey AND Duck are working together this time.

Oh dear.

Sietch Life: Beach Trip


On the day before we were set to take a trip to Boracay together for the very first time, I came home from work to find all the kids piled up by the door (as seen above). Clearly, they all wanted to go to the beach.

Although I didn't have the heart to correct Piggy's spelling at the time.

In case you're curious as to who they are, the front row is Gorbash the Dragon, North the Penguin, Croakey the Hedgehog and Piggy the Pig. Then you have Tiger and Duck on the left, Huang Di (sp) the Dragon, Rabbit and EggNog the Alien. And the back are Baboy the Pig and Spot the Dog.
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Tuesday, July 12, 2011

The Little Things are HUGE in Baduy Pride

With our schedules on opposite hours of the day, Rocky and I try to always find time to be there for each other.  Rather than spend our days complaining about not having enough time or wishing the other was awake longer, we both instead do what we can to help remind each other we are loved.  

Rocky once left this note on the table, with a few yummy goodies alongside it.


I picked up the note and found a very touching message inside.


It's the little things that make the relationship work so well.  The small instances of knowing your partner cares about what happens to you on a daily basis.  The unspoken yet understood desire to feel connected even if you already live together and see each other on a daily basis.

Not a single day becomes boring, when you live a life filled with Baduy Pride.

Sietch Life: Croakey


I came home from work to find Croakey, our evil little hedgehog, at Tobie's laptop. I had no idea what he was up to, but I doubt it would be anything good.

Croakey was known for running a variety of schemes and plans before the Ducks grew in power to form a rival group outside of his influence. Normally Piggy was the easiest to manipulate, but then the Ducks managed to get Piggy on their side more.

I fear Croakey is up to something once again.

Monday, July 11, 2011

Sietch Life: Best Practices

So one day before work I found Piggy stuffed into my bag. As much as I've gotten used to both Duck and Tiger making attempts to hitch a ride to work given their small size, to have this much larger stuff pig sticking out my bag was just hilarious. I regret not having taken a photo, but at the time I was pressed for time.

A day or so later, I came home to this scene laid out on the living room floor:


Yes, one can never trust the Ducks when they get involved. And Piggy isn't exactly know for being the sharpest tool in the shed, if you catch my meaning.

Oh dear.

More Gay Advertising - Mister Donut


Apart from the fact that the sight of the cross-section of a chocolate treat like this immediately capture's Tobie's attention even while driving or the fact that the product triggers some rather phallic thoughts, we both felt the caption for the product was hilariously gay.

Ah, the little things that make us laugh.

Saturday, July 9, 2011

Sietch Life: Duck Missions

Another dastardly plan.
I suspect that Duck was a secret agent in another life. He's show an amazing capability for espionage with a distinct specialization in infiltration and insertion behind enemy lines.

Enemy lines, at least in this case, means sneaking into my work back without my knowing it.

I suspect Tobie aids the ducks in their plans but he constantly denies this. Still, how else can you explain the fact that on more than one occasion have I discovered Duck hidden among my office stuff?

Before it was Tiger and Duck engaged on these missions. But with the arrival of Ger-Ger and High Duck, it seems Duck has found new partners in crime.

Kylie Afterglow Observations

For those who have been following my other blog, you probably know how much of a regular I am at my favorite haunt, O bar Ortigas.  In many ways, I find myself loving the place for so many reasons, the least of which is the respectable level they treat their customers like me.

So, on the nights following the fabulous Kylie concert, I found myself at my favorite haunt asking the DJ to please play me more Kylie tunes.  The hangover for more Kylie, especially after her fabulous concert was there, lingering in me and demanding to be allowed to dance a bit more.  (Those who missed it, or miss it, can check out this playlist of the videos of the concert which Rocky was able to find on YouTube.  Enjoy!)  The previous night, he was nice enough to give me a cool remix of Get Outta My Way, Wow, All the Lovers, and Higher.  The following night had the same songs, minus Wow, in a different mix.  But the third night (yes, I hit O bar Ortigas three nights in a row) had only All the Lovers and Get Outta My Way but became more special when one of the O Divas performed Can't Get You Out of My Head.  It may sound small to have a bar play something you like but I guess for me it was a big thing since they were songs I asked them to play.  It was fun hearing the songs again, and even more fun dancing to her songs with the lights flashing all around.

But.  It still was nothing compared to being able to hold Rocky close, and dance slowly together as we sang "Especially for you" with Kylie during the concert.   Or going crazy on what felt like a wooden area that was about to give-way to our weight as we danced to Get Outta My Way,Wow, In My Arms, and Love at First Sight.    Kylie's songs, in both the timing of the release, and the lyrics of the song, actually coincide with moments in our lives which resonate at a more personal level.  There were times when I would doubt whether or not I was good enough to be the man to keep Rocky happy and all I needed to do was hear All the Lovers and remind myself Rocky thinks of me when he hears this song.  Or the times when I felt her songs were just reminding me how love should really be: passionate, naughty, honest, powerful and yet sometimes subtle.


Ever since the concert, as much as Rocky and I tend to get mushy, the mushiness seemingly have surged up to a new level.    Cuddling has become a dangerous hobby, with the bed transforming into a vortex of tangled limbs, soft kisses, and occasional giggles.  I catch him staring at me sometimes while I work, smiling like I was a non-Michael Bay live-action Transformers movie.  I find myself wanting to find more ways to make him smile each day, be it a stupid new "story" that the "kids" are up to, or just making sure I have something prepared for him to eat when he wakes up.  The afterglow of the concert is there and has added even another level of mushiness in every single day we are given.

And I didn't think that could be possible.

It wasn't that we were in that weird supposed lull in a relationship others seem to always talk about.  We weren't in need of any re-ignition of passion and romance that some talk about in movies or blog as a reason to consider open-relationships.    We already were in a relationship that exceeded all my expectations.  We already were sharing our passions, our interests, our dreams, our fears, and all the ranting, spite and other sides of the coin that exist without fear of not being understood.   To be blunt, we were already the envy of others' eyes.  But yeah, after the concert, things got even BETTER.

It was more us finding from Kylie a reassurance that yes, we were together in a relationship that was meant to be a tad more ideal than most, and yes, we were meant to be together.   And in many ways I guess it was something we needed to realize:  No matter how happy you already are, you CAN make it even better than today.



So yeah, this is me reaffirming that no matter what day it is, or where I go, All I See is you, love.  Kylie's songs are a reminder of how important it is you be with someone you truly deserve, and deserves you. You deserve someone who can honestly tell you, and you can honestly say to back, "All the lovers... That have come before... They don't compare to you."

I've been a good doggy.
I promise!
They don't, my Wocky.

And you can even ask people at O bar Ortigas.
Kung si "ano1" nga, I turned him down. :-)
Tapos si "ano2" kinagat ko.
Tapos yung mga "ano3," they have to go through you diba.

All I see is YOU.


1 This is NOT open for discussion on any blog.  :-P  For his sake.
2 I doubt he even reads blogs, so yeah, I can mention it is the same person who inspired this.
3 Those who are part of this know it is in reference to them.  Tee hee.


Sietch Life: Totoro


Everyone was happy to meet Totoro when he joined the Sietch.
Even the intellectual giants Duck and Tiger.

Friday, July 8, 2011

Sietch Life: The Ducks

They mean to win Wimbledon...or something else.
Meet some of our "kids" here at the Sietch - in this case The Ducks. It's hard to explain how we ended up with three different duck figures considering Tobie is mainly into pigs, but it happened. And they're tricky little buggers.

The white one is the youngest. High Duck was a gift from a friend and the only reason he's "high" is that our friend's officemate thought that the duck had a marijuana leaf on his foot. It was actually a maple leaf, but the concept stuck. The bigger yellow one is Girbaud, who is a bit of a pretentious social climber who is really a relatively unknown lower class duck named Ger-Ger.

But the last one is the most dangerous - the small one. His name is simply Duck, but he speaks in a language so complex that our brains fail to process what he's saying. So instead all we hear after a lengthy discourse on the merits of a particular movie or theater production is "Quack." So, so tricky indeed.

It's hard to trust the ducks when they're all together like this. And believe me, it happens a lot.

For future visitors to the Sietch that we call home - you have been warned.

Being Baduy With Kylie Minogue

Kylie Minogue - Aphrodite Live Manila


On July 5, one of our lifelong dreams came true - to finally attend a Kylie Minogue concert. Even better, we didn't even have to leave the country to do so! It was right here in Manila at the Araneta Coliseum.

Rocky and Tobie at Kylie Aphrodite Live


This was officially our first concert together, which I suppose is a little achievement in itself. Sure, we've watched tons of movie premieres together and various stage plays and musicals to boot, but never a concert. Our first concert was almost one with The Killers, but it was cancelled at the last minute as the band opted to go on a personal hiatus. But I suppose that happened for a reason, as do a lot of things in our lives, especially since we got together as a couple.

Seriously, the stars have a weird way of aligning in our favor for the really important stuff. This was definitely one of those times.

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Tobie + Rocky = Cam + Mitchell

I am currently unable to define how I feel about what a friend mentioned to me today while on Google +.
To quote my friend:


Actually, whenever I watch Modern Family (official site here) I tend to associate you and Rocky with Mitchell and Cam. But I'll let you two decide who is who. I say that with love and as a compliment. Is it my fault you two are such a power couple? 


Picture from EW.com
Mitchell and Cam.  Let me repeat that.  Mitchell and Cam.
For those who aren't familiar with them, Mitchell and Cam are the power gay couple on television today.  While most shows seem to sensationalize the idea of either a lonely gay man, an hurt or angry homosexual dealing with either gender discrimination or AIDS, or questionably celebrate the cruising lifestyle and being eternally horny, Mitchell and Cam exist as an example of a gay couple that has found love with all its bumps and blunders, and are happily living in a home together and lovingly raising a child.

So yeah, they're pretty much a positive role model for the gay community.
But with Modern Family of course being a laugh-out riot of a comedy, Mitchell and Cam are anything but perfect.  They have their flaws, their quirks, their crazy antics and amusing issues.   
And that's what makes me wonder about my friend's comment.

I do hope its for the former, and not the latter.  
But then again, considering how baduy I am (and I think it might be best to leave Rocky to explain that side), I can't really blame my friend for his remark.


The real question I guess is:  Who is who?
(And that I will leave for you readers to debate on.)

Take a Dive Into Your Baduy Side

It can be embarrassing.
It can be revealing.
It can be scary.  It can be fun.
It can be totally against how you've always known yourself to be.

It can be unthinkable.
It can be amusing.
It can seem derivative, or unoriginal, and most likely
someone out there in the world HAS done something like it before.

But when it comes to being baduy
and celebrating how baduy you can get,
sometimes all you have to do is stop worrying too much
over the details that do not matter.

Being baduy is doing something you just want to do for the one you love
no matter now strange, wrong, inappropriate, uncharacteristic,
stupid, cheesy, or absolutely embarrassing it can be for you
because you know the other person
would not only appreciate it,
and would never forget you did it,
but would get why you did it.

And in the end, regardless of how the world around you reacts,
or judges, or retorts, or ignores you,
you know what matters is
you and the one you love are happy.

There is never a good reason to be ashamed to show how happy your partner makes you feel.

To be honest, I do still feel some fear about having this joint blog finally out there.  Part of me knows there will be naysayers and haters who will complain or make fun of the stuff Rocky and I will be sharing.  There will be those who won't agree with what we say.  There will be those who will argue against what we feel was funny. Or right.  Or worth celebrating.  There will also be those who will love the blog.  Who will be entertained to read the craziness recorded in our updates.  Maybe even a few who will be inspired to not settle for just good enough.  Who will be encouraged to search for the other person who will make them as happy as we are, if not even more.

But like I said above.
Everyone can react the way they want to.
I just want to celebrate how happy Rocky makes me.   (and share how I much I try to make him the happiest man on Earth every single day)  And this site will be sort of our online journal of this adventure we call our living the rest of our lives together.



Welcome to Baduy Pride!

Monday, July 4, 2011

Welcome to Baduy Pride!

Rainbow flag flapping in the wind with blue sk...Image via WikipediaIn the US, today is Independence Day, a day to remember their nation's struggle to be free. I suppose it's somewhat fitting that we kick off with this new blog today - a our celebration of the freedom to love. It probably would have been better to get this out in time for LGBT Pride Month, but these little labors of love take time after all.

Baduy Pride, as discussed in the About page, is a new blog that Tobie and I have put together to celebrate our love for one another in all of its corny, cheesy, mushy forms - hence the Filipino term baduy. You can think of this as a virtual scrapbook of our geeky relationship including various stories from our day-to-day lives, photos from our various exploits together and whatever other news items that may come of interest.

Baduy Pride is a pretty interesting project since it means sharing with the world all that we are and what makes us happy. We both know that the things we find to be awesome may not be so interesting to everyone else. But at the same time, there's no sense in hiding those things that we're passionate about. One should always be proud of his happiness.

I have to admit, living up to the ideals of "Baduy Pride" isn't exactly easy, especially for me. Ask any of my closest friends and they'll tell you that I tend to be cold, practical and generally guarded when it comes to my emotions. But something changed when I got together with Tobie and I find myself smiling a lot more and generally doing the kinds of gestures or actions that I used to consider to be too corny to be real. You know what I mean - the kinds of surprises and little gifts that are popularized on TV shows and romantic comedies.

But as you'll come to find out in this blog, being truly baduy can be quite infectious and rather liberating at the same time. So I hope you enjoy the journey we're all taking together through the pages of this blog and hopefully it lead to bigger things for all of us.
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