"Let's Get Loud" by Jennifer Lopez (1999)

J.Lo, enduring beauty and talent

Gone are the days when Hispanic beauty Jennifer Lopez was one of my objects of infatuation. Well, because infatuation is fleeting, and I did not hear much of her today. I know little or nothing about her music past 2003.

One thing I know is that she is still hot and beautiful. She still got the curves.

Way back in my freshmen year at secondary school, her song “Let's Get Loud” was official dance music for our cheer dance competition, which my faction lost. I believe that was my first exposure to her music.

Let's Get Loud single cover (Wikipedia)

Memories of J.Lo in various media

A year later, her movie Anaconda was shown on TV, at a summer Sunday night. For me, it was a golden age of TV watching. A lot of good shows and cartoons that year: Recuerdo de Amor, Ang TV 2, Wansapanatym, Pwedeng-Pwede, Jumangi, Pokemon, etc. But back to J.Lo, of course.

More than a year later, in what was one of my worst yet most memorable months, I borrowed a VCD of J.Lo music videos from a classmate. I watched them on a Saturday night. The music video for “Waiting For Tonight” was a visual feast, if you know what I mean. And the song “No Me Ames”, a duet with Marc Anthony, was ear candy.

Next day, I returned the VCD to my classmate. She then lent me, with permission from her uncle, VCDs of Madonna and Mariah Carey music videos.

2003 was J.Lo's year, despite the rise of Nu Metal and Alternative Rock acts like Linkin Park and Simple Plan. It was the peak year of her career. She starred in the movie Gigli. Her 3rd studio album This is Me... Then performed well on the music charts. She was in love with Ben Affleck, star of Daredevil.

Christmas that year, I received a Celine Dion cassette tape as present from my mother. My brother got This is Me... Then.

Jennifer Lopez, forever curvaceous

The last time I would like a J.Lo song was in 2004. Her single "Get Right” was well received by urban stations that I used to listen to. A decent song, it is.

Right now, J.Lo is busy choosing the last winner for the dying American Idol.

Jennifer Lopez is just one of the few female idols who have both beauty and substance. Her talent complements her looks, and vice versa - departments Miley Cyrus, Ariana Grande, Iggy Azalea, Nicki Minaj and most K-pop stars thought they have. J.Lo never abuses her look, unlike those aforementioned artists.

How I wish I could turn back time to woo Miss Lopez!

Where did I hide those newspaper clippings on J.Lo?

May God bless Jennifer Lopez... and her curves!

“Afterlife” by Avenged Sevenfold (2007)

Avenged Sevenfold holds on to rock

I thought 2009 would be the resurgence of Rock music. I was wrong. Anyway, I was happy enough to have witnessed the 'last years of Rock'.

By the 'last years of Rock', I mean the last time when Rock, in its many sub-genres, was a regular staple in FM stations, MTV, and Channel V. I speak about the time when listeners tune in to Rock, talk about Rock, read about Rock, and think about Rock.

And also in other words, I speak about the time people ROCK – and we do not even have Facebook, Instagram or selfie sticks then. We do not need them to be cool then.

It was years ago when I first saw “Afterlife” on Channel V. I was new to the city and the city was new to me, so that made us even. I just landed my first job. I was still building self-confidence. It was an unforgettable year. It is a year I would like to travel back to tweak a few things.

Too bad time travel is still impossible. But death is always inevitable.

Image from http://www.bandswallpapers.com/img6118.htm

Musings of life

I am no philosopher nor theologian, but death is a topic that I ponder on whenever I feel alone, afraid, sad – when there is nothing to think about.

Will people say good things about me when I die? How would my family handle the money and belongings I would leave behind? Will by secrets be finally revealed? What would become of the people who owe me money?

Have I been a good person after all? Have I enjoyed life? Have I been a good and trustworthy steward of the money and material possessions placed into my hands?

Would people remember me for the good I have done or the good I have failed to do so?

But the serious questions: When will I die? How will I die? Why will I die? Where will I die?

Whatever, I am too young to die, and it's too early for me to die. I still have too many things to do, to accomplish on earth. If I die, I will tell God or Satan to send me back. Should I be lucky, I will make things right so I can “escape from the afterlife”.

Moreover, I don't like to die in the city.

I would like this song to be played at my funeral, along with “Helena” by My Chemical Romance.

"The Mission" by Steve Green (1989)

Christian song evokes memories of school event

The first day of my first high school intramural wasn't a sunny day way back in August 2000. Well, I got new shoes, shiny black, and I wore them to the event and I also brought my slippers.

However, I failed to make my costume for the verse choir contest. I got my staff, covered with shiny papers from cigarette packs and some brown material that I got from coconut trees. I thought costume making was going to be a team effort but I was wrong. Each man was to his own.

Luckily I met one of my mates for the verse choir contest. He got no brown material but had sewing material at home, so I went with him to get some needles and thread, returned to school, and made our costumes. I shared my brown material with him. We both skipped the parade.

Intramural hour. The event was graced by a doxology contest, which, after many years, I think was inappropriate to start the event. You don't hold a contest to see who sing better when praising and thanking God, right? The head teacher and the adviser of my faction, both Evangelical Protestants, should know better.

(Image from Amazon)

I forgot the title and the tune of my faction's doxology piece, but I can't forget those of the competition: "The Mission". I admit it was a better piece than ours, which was a less upbeat, but more solemn.

The competition won but I got wind that we could have won, if only one of the members did not change position right on stage and in front of the judges. Well, one of the judges, a nurse, was a close friend of one of the advisers of the other faction. I can really spot nepotism.

The dancing squad contest was held after the literary contests, and my shoes were shiny black no more. Actually, it was for this contest that I got new shoes, black shoes.

By lunch time, the school was quiet. I was one of the very few students who remained at school because we didn't live near the school's vicinity. Later that afternoon, I went to the area's basketball court to help with the decorations for the musical competition and coronation program. It wasn't a sunny afternoon, but no rain.

It was a bad evening, which I'd like to forget and not write about it. I don't want to associate anything bad or negative with the things that I like, and in this case, a Christian song.

Mission is enduring suffering

It was only in 2011 that I remember to research "The Mission" on YouTube, and that's when I know who the singer is. And I suddenly remembered the Christians who suffer from persecution in some parts in some parts of the world. May God protect and bless them. The blood of the martyrs is the seed of all Christians, the words inscribed on a church in China.

Radicals torch properties of Christians in Pakistan (Image from the European Center for Law and Justice)