Maybe not. Maybe there are a lot of people who are way busier than I am, and maybe I'm just exagerrating my situation. So spare me all the "Eh ako nga 'eh..." stories, because what I really mean by the title is that compared to what I'm used to, which would be sleeping 'til noon on weekdays and staying home on weekdays, last week was pretty busy. Kahit nga ako hindi makapaniwalang may lakad ako mula Friday hanggang Sunday 'eh, but I guess if you compare it to last year's events, everything's pretty much the same.

Last Year, This Year

I started at my new job last Monday, February 13. The day before Valentine's Day. For those of you keeping track, I submitted my resume to the company I just resigned from, on Valentine's Day last year. I distinctly remember, because I was late for the interview for that company. And I was late because the night before, or should I say the early morning before, I was with my sister and some of her friends at the UP fair, which was precisely where I went to last Friday. Incidentally, the date I went to the UP fair last year, and this year, is the same--February 17th. Anyway, last year, two days after the UP fair, I went to Shangri-la Plaza for the Eiga Sai. And guess what, that's also exactly what I did this year. And the date's the same, too--February 19th. Really, the days were such a dejavu, that I wonder, if things last year will just be repeating this year, well until the ber-months. Though I guess some things will still be different. For instance, February 18th last year was the day of my interview. But this year, it's the day I went to

Ai No Hi

translated into English as "Day of Love", which would be the title of one of the biggest events of the new UST Tomasinotaku Organization this school year, though I have no idea whether they titled it that on purpose because they scheduled it on the weekend of Valentine's Week. Though, nothing very love-related actually happened, except of course, getting to see some cute guys in cool costumes, or playing some nice Japanese music, but if you're not into all that, I wouldn't recommend you to attend such kind of events.

Actually, it really was a lot of fun. Mostly because my friend Mimi paid for my ticket (Thanks talaga!) [Naisip ko lang na libre pala ticket ko sa last 2 anime events that I went to--the one before this was the Ozine Fest where nilibre ako ni Emman. XD], and also because I finally got to watch a Cosplay Catwalk from start to finish, and up-close, or, at least, not from the very back of a large room where I have to literally jump (Yes, I am that short) to see over the heads of the spectators standing in front. (More about jumping when I tell you about the UP fair later on). And they were all pretty good cosplayers too. I think the amount of effort people put into their costumes and presentations has doubled since the last time I was into the whole anime thing. Then again, kung 1,000Php nga naman ang lowest prize that you can get (3rd place), at 5,000Php and highest (1st place), I'd put effort into cosplay, too. Though I know that there were a lot of cosplayers not really expecting to win, but put in a lot of effort anyway just for fun. And I guess that's what I find so admirable about the people in anime events. Because they're in it (at least I think most of 'em are), purely for fun, and not really for the prizes or the fame (if anyone ever gets famous). Lalo na sa mga audience na wala namang contest na sinalihan. I mean, around 100Php admission fee isn't a joke for a student who relies on the allowance that his/her parents give him/her, (and most of the participants are still students) and yet, people are willing to pay the amount, so they could watch.

Sometime in the middle of the event, I noticed a lot of people taking pictures of the cosplayers. Actually, it's a normal thing in events, for people to take pictures of the cosplayers, whether they're friends with them or not, so I asked Mimi if there's ever been a photography contest in such events. She said she hasn't heard about any, if there were, and I guess, well, that just makes those people taking pictures way cooler. Because really, when you think about it, what do they have to gain from taking those pictures? It's not like they can sell them, or that they're pictures of celebrities. They're really just, pictures, purely for the sake of their own enjoyment.

Masyado ata kasi akong nasanay sa thinking na hindi gumagalaw ang mga tao unless may monetary value na kapalit 'yung mga ginagawa nila, kaya siguro ako nabibilib sa mga cosplayers at mga nag-aattend ng anime events. Kasi naman, mahihirapan ka na (making the costme, and treading the streets of Metro Manila with is, dahil ewan ko lang 'ah, but somehow anime events have a knack for being held in the weirdest of venues), ikaw pa mawawalan ng pera (admission fee, pamasahe, food allowance, etc.). But then, what you get in return is, an enjoyable experience, so... para rin palang panonood ng sine ang pagpunta sa mga anime events. Gagastos ka para ma-entertain.

Strange thing, money. And how it connects to having fun.

Basta ako masaya ako kasi nakanood ako ng Cosplay, nakapakinig ng acoustic jpop music played by local talents (who were surprisingly good), na ang ginastos ko lang 'eh pamasahe [Salamat Mimi! At sa wakas, I don't owe you a Takeshi poster anymore!]. Kumita pa nga'ko ng 300Php 'eh. But that's another story. Though speaking of other stories...

UP Fair

It's the second time to ride on a Trias tsubibo, and I guess that implies that it's my second time to go to the UP fair. Sobrang saya! Just a few reminders though para my (and your) next Trias ride and overall UP fair experience will be better:

• Do not go there straight from the office. Make sure you have sensible shoes on, because trading in your leather high-heeled ones for your Mom's rubber slippers that she left in the car, really isn't as bright an idea as it sounds.
• Do not stand, sit, or be in any position around 2 meters or less from the big speakers on the side of the stage, unless you want to spend the rest of the evening half-deaf.
• When beside said speakers, and in the middle of a mosh-pit-like crowd, do not stand behind someone who's taller than you, or you'll end up jumping, not because you're moved by the music, but because there is no other way you can get a glimpse of Francis M.
• Do not stand in front of someone taller than you either, or your head will get hit several times by an elbow. In fairness, tuwing nasisiko niya 'yung ulo ko, she'll pat my head as an apology.
• If someone famous like Pupil, 6 Cycle Mind, Paolo Santos (?), or whoever else you'd want to wait for is playing, make sure you're not ready to leave before the sun shines again, because waiting only until before sunrise, even until 3AM, is really pretty pointless. They won't come out until all the other bands that you're not really into, have finished.
•  At this point, I'd just like to mention that it was kinda frustrating when I went to the UST football field once to see a concert with Rivermaya, Barbie's Cradle, and True Faith, and the people behind us kept yelling for them to finish their act already because they couldn't wait for Freestyle to get on stage. Um, maybe this is a biased unfair opinion, but I really think that artists, under the so-called genre of "acoustic", well, I just don't think they'd mesh well with open-area venues. But you know, wala ngang pakialamanan ng trip. Whatever.

J-Pop at the Shang

One movie. That's all. There were 8 films featured in this year's Eiga Sai and I got to see one. Isa. Ichi. Yeah, sometimes, life sucks. Buit I guess it's not that bad because although I had to leave early to make it to the 6:30PM Sunday mass, which was why I didn't get to see even the 5:00PM movie, I still got to spend the day with my friend and fellow movie/HP enthusiast, Xenia, and we saw some nice Japan-related exhibits, too. Culture exchange stuff are so cool.

Just so you know, the exhibits and events at the Shangr-la Plaza Mall will be there until March 4, so you might want to check 'em out. There's a free j-pop concert at 8:00PM next weekend.

Hay... next weekend... This weekend was so much fun, I just can't wait for the next one. How I wish for weekdays to go by faster...