Allison Iraheta: "Someone To Watch Over Me"

Want more American Idol videos? Click here.

Kris Allen: "The Way You Look Tonight"

Want more American Idol videos? Click here.

Whoooops the TOP 4 REVEALED! Goodbye MATT Giraud!

Goodbye Matt G... The man who has been elimintaed for three times in American Idol. He definitely played his AI game very well. He was one of the humblest, good, down to earth, honest and sincere contestant in AI Season 8. He made great performances and was gaining different praises every week. As he said, he was like a cat with nine lives and had surpassed the Wild Card and given the Judge's Save for this season.

I personally like MAtt amongst the guys. He was my third favorite guy in AI but he ended as the 4th best guy after a very predictable elimination this day. I love his performances on stage as he is like a combination of a Bubble and JT. I loved his HUMAN NATURE and STAYING ALIVE performances.... :)

The contest is down to four contestants with Adam, Allison, Kris and Danny. Who will be voted off next! Hmmmm.. It will be rock and roll theme which means it would be a fun to watch Allison and Adam. I hope Kris would do some good arrangements to make a rock and roll song into a feel good folk/indie rock! ;) For Danny... I think he can just be himself again. I think he has strong voting population but sad to say, I am tired of watching him doing same, predictable, mediocre performance. ;(

I can't wait to see the AI finals. Still, I would want to see Kris and Adam in the final two.

AI Top 5: RAT PACK WEEK

Whoooops.. THE AI is down to its TOP 5 of this season. Honestly, they are by far the best 5 remaining contestants AI to date. The eliminations would be unpredictable...America would be voting again. (btw, I am not American neither am I in America.. just SHUT UP! I am an AI fan.. OK!) This week would be very enticing knowing that it is a week of great classic song choices from three dead guys (Frank, Sammy and Dean.. Whew I am not a fan of the 2 latter artists.. but I heard alot of Frank Sinatra's song since I was a kid.) The song choices would be a risk for the AI contestants as they will have to choose a great song and perform it with the intention to make it original and current. We have also seen song arrangements from Kris and Adam last week which was not new in AI. (David Cook did "Always be My Baby" arrangement last season) BUT Since when was American Idol has become A SONG ARRANGING COMPETITION than a SINGING COMPETITION? Well, It is still a singing competition but I think arranging the song would only mean to fit the songs to their voice styles, range and techniques.

Whew... We have 5 contestants left and I am sure it would be very unpredictable to see who goes home now... Honestly amongst the contenders DANNY GOKERSTEIN has never showed originality in the competition... I guess, he is one singer who would definitely fit the term KARAOKE-ish. He never showed his skills so far. I don't see him as a future recording artist. Still, the judges would give him strangely, out-of-pity, weird praises after performances. HE should have left early in the show. But he has a good voice. (Hmmmmp.. I liked him earlier during Hollywood week..but not now.) He may sing the song MY WAY to tell everyone he does his own thing in his way!

Other contestants may have a good singing career after AI. Allison, may be a girl rock star in the future which is a fad this time. If she continues to show some glamour and personality, she can make it to the top 2. She can definitely sing the song I've Got you Under my Skin!

Matt, may seem to be one very creative performer. Thank goodness he was saved! I like Matt and his falsetto! He made good song choices the past weeks and made varying results after all! ( I love his HUMAN NATURE!) He could be the next Michael Bubble + Justin Timberlake star. Whew! He can sing the song SUMMER WIND for another great performance!

Adam, the most consistent and very great performer amongst the contestants. We are not sure if he goes home the next day and that would mean a TOTAL CHAOS if that happens. He has very good voice, can express his songs very well and is really a stand out. I am sure he would be giving another great performance and that will bring him to final two! (I AM AN ADAM FAN!) I won't be happy to see him leave. Whooops... FLY ME TO THE MOON would be a good song choice!

KRIS, the contestant which has shown tremendous improvements week after week, has won over many hearts already. I did not notice him during the auditions and the Hollywood week. That is why I was not a Kris Allen fan(but I am now!)... hmmm.. but he did very well in his performance of MAN IN THE MIRROR! He is a little shy but I think has a very charming personality that would attract alot of fans. In fact, I can see him in the top 2 as well. He can also have good career after Idol knowing his talent and skills. (somewhat, Mraz-ish, Blunt-ish, Santana-ish... and all the ishms...) He has a place in the folk/indie rock. HE has good looks as well! He nailed a very great song arrangement and performance of "She works hard for the money!" I am sure he is getting alot of supporters now that Anoop is gone(who was the other one who was gone? hate her... Lil.. ryt?) Definitely Anoop lovers would fall for Kris. hmmmm...
Let me see, how would he pull off his performance tonight? I think he should come up with another good strategy. Wait.. He should bring his guitar with him again and sing QUIET NIGHT OF QUIET STARS...That will definitely be LOVELY!

Quiet nights of quiet stars
quiet chords from my guitar
Floating on the silence that surrounds us.
Quiet thoughts and quiet dreams
quiet walks by quiet streams

And a window that looks out
on the mountains and the sea,
oh how lovely
This is where i want to be
here with you so close to me

Until the final flicker of life's ember.
I who was lost and lonely believing life was only
A bitter tragic joke, have found with you,
The meaning of existence, oh my love

Flashback on my first day in CHINA

Mild Culture Stroke

China, a country with rich and wonderful culture, i s a melting pot of ancestral heritage of the past dynasties. For people who love the history and the arts, this is the best destination to go. Arriving here last April 10, 2006 was a very memorable experience for me. It was my first time to be outside the country travelling alone. The very day I arrived Beijing, China is still very clear in my mind up till now.

I arrived Beijing international airport half-past 7 in the evening. Taking a connecting flight from MNLA-HK-PKG, I was so embarrassed then when my luggage was left in HongKong because of the limited time allowed for workers to transfer baggage. That means, I arrived Beijing going straight to the Passengers Assistance Area and told them about my concerns. I filled up forms and was very angry due to the inconvenience it caused. I was relieved when the personnel was so apologetic about the incident and promised to deliver my luggage to my flat (my new residence) exactly the next day. (They really did! Unfortunately my luggage reached Huludao City with destroyed zippers and layers of packing tape. whew!) As I went to the exit, a man on his early 30's was carrying my name on an A3 sized white paper. He was my escort. He was responsible to bring me to the Railway Station which will take me to Huludao city where I will be staying for 2-year contract.

People like locusts swarm the streets. This scenario welcomed me in the Beijing Railway Station. Some were like busy ants on the floor moving around and checking the nest train departure. This was noticed in a quick flash as I was catching up time which swiftly speeding fast. Although, I was moving quickly to catch my train, I was keen enough to observe the varied events around me. I made semi-scientific-observations based on my own subjectivity. Knowing that Chinese are non-English speakers, I was very thankful for the gentleman who lead me to the train station as fast as he could. Like Pinoy hospitality, Chinese share the same friendliness to foreigners. In fact, China was named one of the friendliest nations.

Inside the train was a shinning moment for me. It was the same feeling when actors would go to a mall pretentious that people will not recognize them but suddenly everyone would turn their heads and stare you till you melt. It was a superstar feeling. Everyone would love to see you. Later, silent whispers would turn out to be loud murmurs. Each one would try to guess your nationality. Unfortunatey, not one would be able to guess where you are from. I am just wondering if they study geography in HS. Guesses would include XinJiang (neighboring Mongolians/Turks area) , Korean or Hindi. After several guesses, I would say "I am from the Philippines." The Chinese would stare in awe and say the word 'feilipin' (with a hard accent on the last syllable). I would really feel very happy if one would come and get an autograph...hahaha but no one dared too. My 8-hour train to Huludao City was very silent. No one had the courage to approach and befriend me. Not even the train attendants went to talk to me. I was becoming mute. I was also feeling so hungry. I was so scared. I was anxious about the new environment. I was worried about the train travel and my luggage. And I was penniless that time. Thus, I decided to sleep instead. But I was not able to. I couldn't even close my eyes. I never noticed that time went fast. The train attendant went into my four-person cabin and knocked the door. I hurriedly got my bagpack and small hand carry bag and safely went down the upper sleeper. Safely, I arrived Huludao City at 4 a.m. As I got off the train, our school's Vice Principal was there to fetch me.

It was a mild culture stroke I had experienced. An idea that made me see and foretell, like a clairvoyant, my stay would worsen the stroke. I was thinking of the challenges that are before me. Still, I was optimistic enough to say that I can do it. I told myself, I have to face it!

After 3 years here in China, I finally adapted their cuture and luckily never had to experience the mild culture stroke but turned it into opportunities for understanding and learning in a new given culture.

;)

On Philippines: A Nation of Servants

I am so saddened about this article from Chip Tsao. He is such an arrogant columnist...
Here is a blog from BROWN SOUL.

http://esoularium.blogspot.com/2009/03/philippines-nation-of-servants.html


I am working here in China and I am so disheartened by this article which will really cause a problem in my relationship with Chinese here. Knowing the fact that they are so nationalistic, it is so difficult to develop a convincing status for them. I am working in an international school and I believe our company looks up to Filipino teachers. There are three of us in the school and we have tried to maintain a certain trust to our skills and abilities as a worker. Thus, having this article published by such a racist writer would mean affecting everyone who is working here in China especially in Hong Kong.

I hope this issue be resolved and a counter article showing the value of Filipinos working in China would be good for all the OFW's here.

;)

On Tomb Sweeping Day

Yahoooo... I am just so happy that I will be away from school work for three days.

China has many short traditional holidays that they observe in a year. The tomb sweeping day (qing ming jie) which means "clear brightness" usually hints the celebration of spring. This day marks the beginning of planting season and the rebirth of nature. At this time, brown grasses are turning green, insects would eventually come out, flower buds are popping out and cold crisp of spring air is in. Outdoor activities are also enjoyed by families as well.

This traditional holiday was celebrated with singing, dancing, picnics and kite flying in the ancient times. Recently, kite flying is also becoming very popular during this time. Kites may be indifferent sizes, colors, shapes and designs like frog, panda, butterflies, dragon, fish and other significant animals.

As I was walking home tonight, I saw people burning paper money, paper gold and other paper spirit offerings which is believed to be offered to honor past ancestors or family members who has passed away. They say this tradition is believed to be a way for helping the dead person in their other life. Spirit money, paper gold and other spirit offerings will be used in the other life. They also believed that the spirits of the deceased are looking after their families thus sacifices of spirit money and food offerings would make them happy giving them prosperous life. Chinese also visit their graves to pull unwanted weeds and sweep dirt away from the tombs. Spirit money and food offerings are also sacrificed. This is actually similar to All Saints Day for us where we visit cemeteries and memorial parks to pay honor and visit to graves.

I am so happy that I will be having 3-day rest because of this traditional holiday. ;) yehey!

What can I do then? I think I would be sleeping...sleeping....sleeping...

whoooops... wo kun le! wo xiang yao shui jiao. (I am sleepy! I like to sleep now.)

On CAW CAW MEGAN! GOODBYE!

Whew.. Megan was voted off American Idol.

Too bad.. She was one of my favorite females in this season. She is unique and entertaining. She is damn pretty as well.

Although it was really clear that the idol producers would send her packing this day since they do not like it when contestants challenge the show.

Being one of the wild card picks, probably she was one of the judges favorites to stay in the show. Later, she has been seeing challenging the show especially the way she reacts to comments from the judges. The producers might think it is intimidating to have someone challenging the show. Also, I read that her brother CJ was found mocking Kara DioGuardi when she was commenting on a performance. Accordingly, CJ was shouting "broken record," which later caused Kara and her bodyguards to stomp CJ after the show. Kara wanted to find out what he meant by broken record. Megan and her family has found to be challenging the show. This means Megan would be sent home early.

Her Tuesday performance of Bob Marley was also not very good. The judges really ripped her apart after the song she performed with no melody and verging on idulgent. I still like her despite everything. I believe it would have been better if she did Adelesque-performance as Kara DioGuardi suggested. I also love Adele and always thought Megan would be as good as her.

;)

I still love Megan. I hope she continues to make music. ;)

Caw Caw Megan!