Hala! May Surveillance ang Empress!

Simula noong Lunes, minamatyag ang bawat galaw ni Empress Maruja sa Internet. Paano naman kasi, may bagong pakulo sa aking workplace. Nilagyan ang mga computer ng account namin ng monitoring software. Ibig sabihin, lahat ng lalabas sa office computer ni Empress Maruja ay masasaylalu hindi lamang ng opisina kundi pati na rin ng aming kliyenteng nag-request na i-monitor kami gamit ang nasabing program.

Hindi biro ang program na ininstall. Ayon sa aking research, hindi lamang ang mga website na pinuntahan namin ang mababasa ng ibang tauhan, pati na rin kung sino ang ka-chat kets, kung anek ang isuspluk ng mismong ka-chat mo, kung anek ang lumalabas sa monitor mo, at (heto ang brutal) kung anek ang tinatype mo. Yes, ultimo passwords.

Naloka ang lola mo nang mabasa ang features ng anak tokwang monitoring software na ‘yun. Bigla kong sinara ang mga e-mail ko, pinagko-close ang mga ka-chat, at kung kailan pa naman ako magba-blog nabulilyaso pa. Hmp!

Kaya heto, every Saturday kayod-marina ang lola niyo sa pag-post ng mga dapat i-post sa linggong nakalipas. Good luck talaga sa brain cells, Mare!

Cargo

This is a meme! Alert! Alert! This is a meme!

Put your player on shuffle and hit the ‘Next’ button to get your answer to every question. You must indicate the title and artist, no matter how far-fetched it sounds. Tag people who might be interested in doing this same thing. No cheating.

WHAT DO YOU LIKE IN A GUY/GIRL?
“Baccarah” by Delta Queens

WHAT IS YOUR LIFE’S PURPOSE?
“Edge Hill” by Groove Armada

WHAT IS YOUR MOTTO?
“Destiny” by Zero 7

WHAT DO YOUR FRIENDS THINK OF YOU?
“Thrown into the Fire” by +/-

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT VERY OFTEN?
“Motion” by Paul Oakenfold

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
“Shake Your Pants” by Cambio

WHAT IS YOUR LIFE STORY?
“a Cause des Garcons (Because of Boys)” by Yelle

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP?
“Question Existing” by Rihanna

WHAT DO YOUR PARENTS THINK OF YOU?
“Dreams” by Gabrielle

WHAT SONG WILL YOU DANCE TO AT YOUR WEDDING?
“Outro Lado” by Zuco 103

WHAT WILL THEY PLAY AT YOUR FUNERAL?
“Avalon (Fuck Me I’m Famous Remix by David Guetta and Joachim Garraud)” by Juliet

WHAT IS YOUR HOBBY/INTEREST?
“Incredible (Radio Edit)” by Shapeshifters

WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST SECRET?
“Play Your Part” by Deborah Cox

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR FRIENDS?
“Better in Time” by Leona Lewis

WHAT’S THE WORST THING THAT COULD HAPPEN?
“Feeling Good” by Yuki

HOW WILL YOU DIE?
“Janine 3” by Camille

WHAT IS THE ONE THING YOU REGRET?
“Sweeter Love” by Blue Six

WHAT MAKES YOU LAUGH?
“Great DJ” by The Ting Tings

WHAT MAKES YOU CRY?
“Like That” by Black Eyed Peas feat. Cee-Lo, John Legend, Talib Kweli, and Q-Tip

WHAT SCARES YOU THE MOST?
“Line Drawings” by Sandwich

IF YOU COULD GO BACK IN TIME, WHAT WOULD YOU CHANGE?
“The One” by Kylie Minogue

WHAT HURTS RIGHT NOW?
“Enemy” by Drip (can’t find a link)

WHAT WILL YOU POST THIS AS?
“Cargo (TEPR and Grand Marnier Remix)” by Quentin Mosimann

**********

How will your music player respond to the questions?

Royal Tigresses Unite!

If you studied in University of Santo Tomas during the late 90’s and early 2000’s you may have heard about The Royal Tigress, an underground association of gay students. These amigas would gather in campus and talk about any topic and play mini-beauty pageants in Colayco Park at nighttime. One thing lead to another until they decided to organize a full-scale beauty pageant featuring gay Thomasian students.

Almost every college was represented in the first (and last) search for the Royal Tigress, from Arts and Letters to Education, from CFAD to Graduate School. Eighteen beautiful ladies of the night were presented in a secluded location near UST and were watched by about 200 people. Marco, a senior AB Economics student, was crowned as the Royal Tigress.

The pageant was a personal success for all of us, but as the years passed and members began to graduate the legacy of the Royal Tigress seem to have faded, until now.

The fabulous stylist and fellow Thomasian Lotho Lotho revives the Royal Tigress as she displays her beauty and strength into the Internet age! The Royal Tigress online group welcomes all gay Thomasian students and alumni. The group aims to provide camaraderie and unity among the gay Thomasians as they share common interests. To join, simply register at USTe.tv and add “The Royal Tigress” in the Groups section. If you have Thomasian gay friends, tell them that their company is very much welcome in our group.

Be fierce and strong. You are a Royal Tigress!

(Image courtesy of FoxLoft.com)

Empress Balita: Tabloid Kaloka #1

Kaloka talagang magbasa ng tabloid! Bukod sa nakakatanggap ka ng pinakasariwang manufactured na tsismis mula sa mga pinakatsipanggang bayarang writers, lumalawak talaga ang iyong knowledge about how our third-world showbizlandia works.

Kaya keto ang bagong segment ng Empress Balita, ang Tabloid Kaloka na naglalaman ng mga nakakaaliw na sidelights hatid sa inyo ng ating D-listed celebs. Hawak ni Empress Maruja ngayon ang Enero 5-6 issue ng Pinoy Parazzi, ang hottest tabloid this side of town, at narito ang mga ginintuang aral ng showbiz.

“Kung manlalait ka rin lang, sabayan mo ng promote!”

Mainit ang butsi ng former Mister Gay Philippines na si Robby Tarroza na narinig niyang kachuvahan ni Mo Twister na kesyo misleading ang kanyang ad campaign para sa Glutamax kung saan image model (of all people) ang komedyanang si Jinky “Bale” Oda.

(Image courtesy of Pep.ph)

O devah? Parang nagsasabing “Habang may Glutamax, may pag-asa?”

Babae, Lumaban Ka!

Babae, lumaban ka
Babae, magsalita ka
Babae, may karapatan ka
Babae, dapat galangin ka
At hindi sasaktan o kukutyain
Babae, hindi ka parang isang
Tropeo na pilit ipinagmamalaki
At inaangkin.

Babae, tao ka rin hindi dapat
Sunud-sunuran na parang robot
Na binabasahan at inaalipusta
Babae, dapat kang mahalin
Babae ka… May Puso…
Isip… nagmamahal at
Nasasaktan ang damdamin

In fairness, lumaban siya.

Empress Balita: Yaya Patani, ligwak kay Yaya Marife!

Akalain mo? May tatalo pala kay Patani Daño pagdating sa exfosyur bilang yaya! Mga mare, bigyan natin ng isang masigabong plak-plak palakpak kay Marife Necesito sa kanyang major international movie role bilang Yaya Gloria sa pelikulang Mammoth directed by Lukas Moodysson (Fucking Åmål, Lilja 4-ever). Biruin niyo, malaki ang involvement ni Yaya Gloria sa kuwento ng istorya, at hindi ito ‘yung Pinay na tipong palamurang Pingpong sa Kepyas Queen na nasaylalu natin sa Adventures of Priscilla: Queen of the Desert.

Kaloka devah? Kasama niya sina Gael García Bernal at Michelle Williams sa cast!

At isa pang nakakalokang fact na nalaman ko kay Tita Marife: Novaliches Girl din pala siya! Talaga naman “Go Nova!” Free Novaliches, charot!

Sa kanyang interview sa Philippine Daily Inquirer, sinabi ni Marife na madugo ang labanan para sa role ng Yaya Gloria with matching dalawang oras na iyakan galore ang inabot niya kada audition. Binulgar naman ng ABS-CBN.com na niligwak ni Marife ang beauty nina Alessandra de Rossi, Chinchin Gutierrez, Joyce Jimenez, at Pinky Amador.

Kasama ang Mammoth sa Berlin Film Festival 2009 at hopefully, let’s hope for the best at maging bonggang bongga ang magiging reception nitets.

Happy You Year!

2008 has been a year worth remembering para kay Empress Maruja. It was filled with little victories and humbling defeats. Kaya lang, masyado yata akong nadala sa mga bad vibes kaya ang lola niyo, dalawang buwang walang ganang mag-blog.

But then I realized na hindi ako dapat magpadala sa mga kachakahan sa paligid. Kaya heto ang Empress Maruja, balik-blogging, walang hiyang isisiwalat ang bawat hibla ng aking buhay. Kebs sa mga haters. Sino lang ba sila?

Lang talaga!

I look forward to 2009 and so should you! For me, this is the time to celebrate one’s individuality, unminding of what other people would try to dictate. Kaya instead na “Happy New Year,” isang masigabong “Happy You Year” ang batiti ko sa inyong lahat!

Merry Empress-mas!

Huli man at magaling, byuti pa rin!

NaKIKIbaTITI ang Empress sa kanyang mga amiga’t boytoys ng Maligayang Empress-mas! Ang pagbating ito ay hatid sa inyo ng Tide!

Why “The Love of Siam” is not a Gay Movie

I’m really not good at reviewing movies. I judge them based on my giddy-giddy fangay point-of-view, usually concluding whether I like the movie or not. However, that does not mean I am a shallow film viewer. I do know how to pay attention to detail, especially when it comes to screenplay.

When I heard that “The Love of Siam” is being shown here in Manila for Cinemanila, I wasted no opportunity to watch it, wondering what all this “gay movie” stuff is all about. I researched about the film days before watching it. I am aware that TLOS was a huge hit in its home country of Thailand, having won several major awards and is even that country’s submission to the upcoming Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film. I am aware that the film involved two equally cute teen actors portraying gay roles (Witwisit “Pchy” Hiranyawongkul as Mew, and Mario Maurer as Tong). Although I am years ahead of being classified as a teenager, I find it interesting enough to watch and hopefully would not be dismayed by all the “gay” hype.

Empress Maruja and Svelte Talk Politics

Ever wonder what would happen when two gay guys talk about politics?  Empress Maruja meets up with fellow blogger, orgmate, and former officemate Svelte and recorded a special podcast discussing the latest political and social issues gripping our nation.

Svelte suggested that we talk about love and relationships next time.  What do you think?