I didn't know flatland BMX are still big in the Philippines, or they could be the same dudes that used to do this back in the 80's, and still looks like a bunch of 15 year olds. I was around 11 years old when BMX was big in the Philippines and it was still big before I left back in 1986. I didn't own a BMX till later, but I did own a bicycle with a side rack (my bro and my sister were the monkeys). So I wasn't the only filipino fob who was aware of it back in high school here in the states. In high school, most filipino fobs got together because they identify themselves of owning at least one or two BMX. It was a way to socialize. I wasn't as good as these guys though, they were freakin' awesome on them flatland tricks. Most of them pinoys even made crews. Sometimes these filipino BMX crews were mistakenly identified as gangs by the real street gangs and usually got bullied.
Later that BMX hobbies evolved unto import car racing. They took that same knowledge they had from tricycle and jeepney chop-shops back in the philippines, and incorporate that to modifying japanese import cars, unto an urban race cars, as well as urban drift cars. Not just filipinos but pacific islanders and south east asians in general. There used to be a lot of them around in the streets. Now most of them urban race cars are impounded by the law, because the parts added to modify them import cars were illegal. Making the urban racing lifestyles slowly dying out. It's pretty awesome though how it became hollywood 17 or 18 years later ever since the fobs were doing all these modifications. The impounded urban race cars, now became collectable items as part of an american culture of what James Dean left back in the 50's.
1992 Modified Honda Civic. Downloaded this cool image from the internet...
We had this back in 1988. I used to scratch to the spinner on this stereo system when I was 14, with no mixer. We have fun memories with this stereo system man. Now it's in the list for a garage sale. Still works good. It has CD player and everything. Our first CDs were Faster Pussy Cat, Fine Young Cannibals, Madona, and Michael Jackson's Bad Album. My grandfather were the one who ordered our first CDs. I was like damn grandpa where did you get these? He says it was some free or a bargain ad from Reader's Digest Magazine. Fine Young Cannibals has some cool ass beat man. My siblings and little cousins used to dance to Michael Jackson music - We gottem on videos but I don't think they'll be happy if I post them in Youtube. Faster Pussy Cat somehow lead me to heavy metals back in my freshman year of high school, and then to Mitallica, Pantera, and then to the more classic heavy metal like Iron Maiden. Specially Iron Maiden's Iconic Character named Eddie. He was a cool character to draw back in the late 80's.
The Dubbing Deck. This is where all my mixtaped magic happened. I did mixtaped to impressed some girls and for driving to school and work. I still like the clicking, rewinding and forwarding sound to it. I understand things are more digital now, and so easy to just load up mp3 files to an iPod. My bro says "It's time to move on man, things are a lot more compact and advance now." I was like "Whaaaat? ...your telling me about what's new?" To me analogs are just more authentic. And vintage designs are in, and always. Don't get me wrong now, because I do like things that are new too. It's about the memory man. Memory is the soul...
My first Recording Limiter.
Speaking of moving forward, I am keeping the Spinner from the Stereo System. So alright, the sound volume may not work well without the amplifier - but I still gonna keep it. One thing that I know of, the design are now being used.
I know its soooo asian. As a kid I used to die for these chips back in the Philippines. Here it cost under $1.50 at the local asian market, where at 711 Doritos and Onion Rings cost 5 to 6 bucks. I got these for snacks while getting busy in my music station. It ain't healthy tho, it has high sodium. What I should be having is some baby carrots and celeries. I do get them apples and tomatoes straight from the backyard, and just place them on my desks - I might need a fruit basket but that would look too damn gay man.
Found this in Youtube the other day. Pretty interesting.
I know these are just simple questions with simple answers, some might even find them dumb questions. But it's one of them simple questions that has a much deeper answers. So I am gonna give it a try and answer these questions based from experiences as a Filipino. These are of my opinions and facts through quick research and living within the Filipino Community. Mind as well blog about it. I was gonna make a videoblog but I have a fat tongue and talks like a... goober.
Why Filipinos are short: Statistics says short people tend to have longer lifespan than tall people. But not all Filipinos are short. There are tall Filipinos too. Some you can't even tell they are Filipinos until you hear them speaking in Filipinos. Another explanation is that Filipinos has Aeta or Negrito DNA. These people are the first descendant of the Philippines Archipelago. They were considered as Pygmies due to a Genetic Mutation called Insular Drarfism. Filipinos today are actually taller compared to their predecessors. Wealthy Filipinos in the Philippines are also tall because they can afford vitamins to complete their nutrients in their diet. The Spaniards were also tall (spaniards who were born in the philippines) or Mestizos. Majority of these Mestizos were massacred during the Spanish American War by serving as Spanish Soldiers. The Spaniards fled back to Spain or perhaps even to Mexico after Spain sold the Philippines to the Americans for 20 million dollars. Most ethnic Mestizos that survived took the Filipino Entertainment Industries as their safe havens. Some Mestizos work their ways from the Entertainment Industry to Politics. One sample is Tito Sotto from the Eat Bulaga Show. Another is Fernando Poe Jr. Few of my favorite Fernando Poe Jr. flicks are of his series "Isang Bala Ka Lang" meaning "You Worth Only One Bullet". More like the Filipino version of Dirty Harry except Fernando Poe Jr, plays a Rebel. These two actors turned politicians are good people.
Why Filipinos are loud: I work with lots of Filipinos from the past, from different regions, and it don't matter if they were either Tagalogs, Ilocanos, or Visayans, but most of time, the loud once are the Filipinos that grew up in the Big Cities like Metro Manila. Even Jeepney Drivers, and Tricycle Drivers can be loud too. People that lives in the mountain sides are also loud. Like the Igorot Tribes. I know this is dumb but I have a distant relative from my town with a Japanese sounding last name, he even looked Japanese. Anyway I made the conclusion that his rowdy behavior could be Japanese DNA. Or maybe it's just a common personality just like any other people with high blood pressures. I also been told that Filipinos with Kinky or Curly hair are quick tempered because of common high blood pressures, which makes them loud people. That loudness personality could also trace back from the Papua New Guinean DNA. Papuans are loud in general.
Why Filipinos are quiet: It's normal for anyone to be shy. Most Asians are shy in general. Could also be their long lost descendants from Quanzhou of Fujian Province in China. I believe the province they were from were peaceful people, quiet, maybe loud in Chinese New Years. Plus in the Philippines, most people who lives in low land provinces didn't have to be loud, people come and go, so it's also genetic that they are simply quiet. Not that it's not normal to be quiet, some people are just not loud. Another reason, is when people in the low land provinces gets loud, they are usually made fun of or ridiculed as uncivilized Mountain People. It's a Spanish influence to make fun of Mountain Tribesman as Salvajes' (savages). Others say some Filipinos are quiet because of political oppressions for many many years from the Spaniards, Americans, Japanese, and then later the corrupt side of The Philippines Government after the first and then the second Indipendence. There were lots of domestic killings ever since from conflicts through Martial Laws, Regional Territory, Religious Diplomacy, Anti-Government Agendas, Clans vs Clans. Until there's nothing more to say and better off to just be quiet and let the guns do all the talking.
Why Filipinos are not Vegetarians: What? Filipinos loves vegetables. And because Filipinos can eat both Vegetarian and Meat. Filipino Americans and Immigrants survived the Great Depression from eating mustard seeds, taros, sweet potato leaves, okras, sometimes stuff Americans would not even considered eatable like pig feet, pig tails, pig ears, fish heads, and fish tails. Plus Filipinos can Adobo mostly anything, all you need is soy-sauce, garlic, onions, pepper, and vinegar to season what ever you wanna Adobo like pork, chicken, beef, fish, shrimps, clams, crabs, squids, octopus, tofu, bamboo shoots, the list goes on and rather not write what the rest are. The most popular vegetarian dish with meat or without is Pinakbet from the Ilocos. Sinigang is also a favorite vegetable soup but with meat. Some Filipinos back in the day (not too sure about today) in the Philippines were actually embarrassed of eating all vegetarian diets, and considered as a sign of poverty by Spanish influence. Most Spaniards favor adding pork to their recipes.
Why are there so many Filipino DJs: Filipinos were social groups since they settled in the Islands, always into music and dancing. Back in the day, like In 1930's The Lost Generation and The Greatest Generation were into Big Band Music. Maybe the first South East Asians to have Vinyl Record Players in their homes. And then for The Baby Boomers back in the 60's and 70's were Filipinos who embraced Western Pop Culture, and they DJ for Barrio Fiestas, Cha-Cha Contests, and Disco Clubs. Karaoke is also big, anything American and Latin Tangos. Some of these Baby Boomers also made Bands doing Cover Rock Music and had gigs in Japan. As well as collectors of Vinyl Records and Eight Tracks. Then came The Generation X as well as the birth of The Hip-Hop Culture. It was the Break-Dancing that caught the Filipino Youth's attention first, and then the music. The parents already had the turntables, and vinyl collections a basic starting points for them kids becoming DJs. Filipino parents that were nurses or wealthy enough spoiled their kids in any way they can just so their kids can socialized with American Kids. As long as they promised to get good grades and become doctors, lawyers, or nurses, they can be DJs. Turned out these kids didn't just become DJs but evolved unto cultural pioneers. Don't get me wrong now, if I have kids of my own I definitely want them to become doctors, lawyers, or nurses too. But open minded enough to let them choose a passion of their own. Like in the Arts and Music. There are lots of talented Filipinos but they had to be either masters of socializing or has good professions to back up their dreams. In some ways, skills are made rather than being born to it. Musical Savants usually comes 1 out of 1000 or less. Or more. Philippines isn't a big country. But if you go to the Philippines most of them knows more American Pop Music from the 70's and 80's than some Americans. They could sing all these music like taking a Tabo Shower in that one Filipino Show called Wooowee, my folks watches Wowowee religiously. They even went to their shows.
Why Filipinos are organized: True, maybe because of hundreds of years of oppressions and disciplines by Catholic Ideologies. Perhaps it has to do with creativity. Even in a messy unorganized places like in the poor communities, the Filipinos living there has organize ways of thinking. Survival purposes. They know what are worth organizing and not really worth organizing. Sadly some don't really care or lost all their hopes and turned unto something else. The main motive is to get out of the country and make money outside the Philippines. You can tell by the way Filipinos write on a piece of paper. The way they write are clean and organized - when they take notes. Education for a success are worth organizing than organizing the bad environment they lived on. But when these same people succeed and earned enough or have made it, they evolved by organizing their environment, and proud to socialize to other Filipinos and shows off their homes. A sense of pride and self respect.
Also known as Mancala for International name. I ain't sure if Sungka are still popular in the Philippines but it sure does brings back some memories as a kid growing up there. Sungka is an ancient game from all over asia. South East Asia for the most part. They even play this game in Africa.
Sungka is a Philippine mancala game which is today also played wherever Philippine migrants are living; e.g. in Taiwan, Germany, and the USA. Like the closely related congkak it is traditionally a women's game. Sungka was first described outside of Asia in 1894 by the American ethnologist Stewart Culin.
Sungka is similar to many other Southern Asian mancala games such as naranj (Maldives), dakon (Java), congkak (Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia) and tchonka (Marianas). The game differs from kalah which is known in North America and Europe in being a multi-lap game. Another important difference is that the first move is executed simultaneously in sungka which is meant to balance the game. Sungka is distinguished from congkak by being played counterclockwise and also by some other minor rule differences.
It's hard to explain how to play the game but you'll get the idea while you play it here. On this game you start with 4 pebbles on each of the 6 holes, instead of 7 pebbles on each 6 holes: PLAY MANCALA
The room was my old room. And then later became my little bro's room. He recently moved out along with his lady to an apartment. They are planning to have a family of their own and if they can save enough, maybe get a bigger house, and my folks will move in with them. I'll wait till the Electric Outlet is fixed and working properly. I tried fixing it myself but trying was the only result I got. Hey man, I'm no electrician. I have until next month to move all my gears to the other room. It's a regular size room that used to be part of the backyard, but not as big as the room I have right now. By looking at how I'm gonna arrange my gears to that room, I can tell I'll have more functionality with my gears than the room I am at right now. Hoping for better productions. But soon or later, if the economy picked up a bit I'll probably get myself a studio or a better one to live at. Maan, I'll even live with the monks or in a monastery as long as I have some space for writing and making music. As a matter a fact I'll even live in the jungle and live like Tarzan if there are such jungles anymore. Remember Tarzan, Jane, Boy, and Chita's tree house? I always thought the tree house was cool. But maybe not to that extreme. Just wanted it simple but creative at the same time. We are basically, expecting a couple of old folks to rent out the room I have now.
Why some of my music sounds more like the Orient when geographically I grew up in the US and from the Philippines. Not because I am trying to stereotype certain sounds. Most of my sounds comes out naturally using my instruments. The town called Paoay (formally called Bombay) that I grew up on in the Philippines used to channel these Cantonese and Mandarin stations from our television, and they used to have these Chinese operas. Although it was a black and white television and a bit staticky, it didn't really matter. They sounded pure and soulful to me, and gave me the natural ideas to my music today. Ilocos area are known to have lots of Chinese descendants coming from Fujian and Taiwan. Historians says even the Japanese settled there way before WW2. Eventually, most of them lost their identities due to Spanish rules back in the Spanish Colonialism. All these different groups also got together and built St. Augustine Church designed as a fortress to defend the town against incoming pirates. Today there are still some Chinese business owners that sells tires and medicines back in Paoay and South Indians that sells stereos, boombox, radios, and televisions from further down the north east of my town. Almost like the area I live on today - Chinese folks that lived in Vietnam, Indian folks from Punjabi, along side with the Latinos, and Filipinos.
I am done with my first Album. As a hobbyist and independent also means relying on my own finance to support it. Still have more to learn about the production side and I may have to take classes for that later. One thing for sure, passing this one test to get a license will finance that. Not just for me but to put some extra something something on the family table along with some bonuses.
If wondering where to get your tracks out for sale, here are few of them that are cool. Places like: Tunecore and CD Baby. Where they also sell them for you electronically like in iTunes.
So this is my FOB pic (Fresh Off the Boat). Actually this pic was taken in 1988 back in the 8th grade. 1986 was the year I was reborn. My family first lived at my aunt's house for about a year and a half - and it was a damn cool neighborhood too, descent middle school, meeting and getting to know different races in my ESL class, black kids beat-boxing in PE class, and white kids listening to Beastie Boys and RUN DMC from their mini-boombox around the campus. My little brother and I even made friends to a cool neighbor we constantly visit to play Atari and watch WWF all day in the weekends. Back then I thought all hoods was like that until we finally had our own home and moved to the eastside. LoL! daaamn man lots of things change after that. Yes I was kicked and pushed around by the mexicans and also been chased by the blacks around the school yards along with my fellow FOB friends back then. From Beastie Boys to Suicidal Tendencies just to give a taste of that transition. And I consider that change like a brutal taste of a Wasabi Sandwich. Thanks to some unusual miracles I never did affiliated to any gangs to gain some respect. Hard to get respect if your the type of dude growing up fearing the higher power first before anything. But that was the 80's, today almost everybody is now a FOB. Some FOBs are even cooler than most locals these days. I don't know much about the Midwest or the Southern Area of the US but if it's around the Bay Area of California that is, then most FOBs are the majority. Even our Governor is the Terminator straight out fresh from Austria after pumping few irons to show America the wonders of performance-enhancing anabolic steroids, and being himself to act and speak like a robot in major films.
About being in the eastside, one time I was driving around the hood and I thought I recognized this one dude that I remember kicking me off my chair during English class just because I refused to switch chair with him. All them memories came rushing in to me like an 8th grade again so I drove back just to look again - I know it was stupid but I had all these funny ideas in my head - the dude probably won't even recognized me. He had the same face, the only difference was that he looked obesely overweight and handicapped (limping in one leg), he was pushing an empty grocery cart on a suburban sidewalk arguing to a lady, probably his wife or a girlfriend. It sucks when you finally want to go toe to toe to a previous bully but then the realizations of that moment took me back to the real time of that day - a mixed feelings of anger and sympathy carried me back on to my business.
I'm blogging pretty much about everything. Even to the most silliest things. So please "do not" take some of my opinions, journals, reports, and researches too seriously or act unto something destructive due to what you gathered from Wasabi Sandwich. I'm just a blogger and I do not intend for anyone to follow what I blog about. Unless for positive purposes - like maybe buying my music later. Consider my warning as a disclaimer.
