Talking About Secrets...

There's just something truly liberating when you share a secret that you've kept so long with a friend. Or there's just something totally liberating with sharing them. Period.

Or if you're on the other end, there's nothing more intriguing than being told a secret to. You think you know people. But all of us -- at one point or another, really aren't how we make ourselves seem to be at times. Our thoughts are our own and facades are brought out when we relate to certain individuals.

People are complex creatures and I really don't think that anyone can say that they live mundane lives. I believe that beneath the facades, inside our homes, and deep within our hearts, we all carry secrets. These can be silly secrets, shocking ones, juicy, intriguing, or even painful. But the reality of it -- whether good or bad, these secrets can be a burden to carry. Now, cyberworld has thought of creative ways to let the whole world in to your secret. That is, without letting them know who you are. Liberate yourself and at the same time, stay anonymous. It's an interesting concept.

And for all of us who enjoy intrigue and juicy secrets, it's a great way for us to be let in on these secrets. And that's without being accused of gossiping or being labeled as nosy. "We don't even know who they are!!!" ;-)

Here are the sites for your reading pleasure:
Post Secret
Secret Zen
Secret Chest

A lot of these are quite poetic. Some are entertaining and some can be painful to read. But you have to agree about one thing. Going through these sites help us develop empathy. People have reasons for being the way they are. And really, people just aren't how they seem. There's an inner world beneath these facades. We all have our own stories.

PS: The postcards above aren't my secrets, by the way. Just so you know. ;-)

Sales Galore for the Weekend

Take out your wallets and credit cards. One last chance for indulgence before the Holy Week! ;-)

S & R Treat: April 1-5, 2009 - Open from 8 am-9 pm
- Selected items go for up to 50% off! While you're there, why not try the cream-filled pretzels that they have there. Very yummy! And I think they only go for P12/piece if you buy another food item at the regular price. Jojo and I also love their chicken rolls. There were times when we've gone out of our way just to buy these. ;-)

Mall of Asia Mallwide Sale: April 3-6, 2009 - Open from 10 am until midnight
- SM Advantage Card Holders get an additional 10% off at the department store if you buy between 10 am until noon on Friday, April 3.

Landmark Sale: April 3-6, 2009 - 10 am-9 pm
- I mostly shop at Landmark for their home stuff. This is the place to go if you're looking for cute china, glassware, and porcelain plates. I love their cute little tea sets too. Very stylish and chic. ;-) Gotta take advantage of this sale and get one -- among a few other things, that is. ;-)

"Mad Max" at the Spicy Fingers

We've known about the comedy shows at Greenbelt's Spicy Fingers for a while now. We've been wanting to go. Jojo and I had even called to reserve once -- only to cancel it hours before. Something always gets in the way. And it didn't exactly help that all of these shows are scheduled only on Mondays.

Somehow, things worked out and we were able to go just last Monday. We reserved days before and came to Greenbelt quite early. The show doesn't start until 8 pm. But we had planned to come to Spicy Fingers early so that we could have dinner there and reserve good seats too. But when we dropped by the restaurant, not one person was inside. We found out from their waiters that the seats were reserved beforehand anyway. I guess the promoters (E-Circle) choose the seats for you depending on the number of people in your group.

We decided to have dinner elsewhere and at exactly 7:30, we were right at the door of Spicy Fingers. We paid for our tickets at the entrance (P150 each) and looked for the table which had my name on it. I guess it doesn't really matter where you end up sitting. It's a small and intimate place and any seat can assure you of a good view. Ours happened to be in the center -- second row from the front. We were so close that we didn't need to zoom to take pictures. ;-) My only beef was how packed the place got come show time. It's really best to take the trip to the bathroom before the place fills up. Because there's really no way to get around when all the chairs are occupied.

As expected, the show didn't start until 8:45ish. That's 45 minutes late! The performers were ready. They could have started on time if they wanted to. With "Filipino" time in effect, there were only 3 tables occupied when it got to 8:00. That's only 6 or 7 audience members. I can understand why they had to start late. I just wish it didn't have to be so. Uggghhhh.

All this was forgiven and forgotten right after the first act. The show was sooo packed! There were about 6 or 7 (I've lost count!) acts. And the topics and jokes ranged from school rivalries, married life, to living as a Chinese, local/international transport, to maid foibles, and the like. It's really all about finding comedy in the most everyday, mundane things. From the laughter and applause, you can easily tell that yes, everyone can relate! ;-)

Of the 6 or 7, I have two favorites. I absolutely LOVED Mike Unson and Alex Calleja. Mike Unson's thoughts on our MRT system left me in absolute stitches. ;-) Alex Calleja, seemingly a more experienced and "senior" one, also had a lot of interesting (and oh so very true and factual!) things to say about marriage. ;-) It's obvious that he has given all this a lot of thought. ;-) He even gave the married ladies in the crowd a foolproof way of finding out whether your husband is cheating on you. Just hilarious!!!

The other 4 or 5 had their moments too. But it really was Mike and Alex that stood out the most. To get a taste of their comedy, click the links below. These are short video excerpts of their spiel taken from Youtube.





You may also click this link to find out about their upcoming shows. I know I'm going to the April 27 one for sure. Maybe I'll see you there? ;-)