Twenty Questions

Rod, Kay...and Krissy

2009-02-15T17:44:00.000-08:00

Guys tinext ako ni Rod. Di daw sila makakasama this year. Pasensha na raw dahil abala sila sa preps para sa kasal nila. Pero pinadala sa akin ni Kay yung mga bala nila ng Wii. Ayuz!

Cha, Krissy is a sensitive matter. Huli ka na naman ba sa balita?

May bago daw play si X ah. Manonood ba tayo? O pagbalik na lang natin from Fontana?

Magdadala ba ako ng kotse?

Ronald

One Night Only!

2009-02-15T10:41:00.000-08:00

Automated Lottery Beta Test Edition

2009-02-14T21:49:00.000-08:00

Mga chols!

Tapos na ang automated lottery beta test edition! Natest na ni X at ni Skips. Fool proof, it yields the desired results. ;)

All set na. Tignan ko kung may budget pa akong bumili ng ps3. Mejo kakatapos lang ng valentines, napagastos ako eh. Haha. Sa feb 20 na ang kwento.

Jigs, wag ka maarte. Iwan mo na yang interviews mo. Masyado ka nang matalino, magreject ka naman ng ibang offers. Pag-aagawan ka naman ng mga kumpanya i'm sure.

Kitakits!

Budi

Final Reminders!

2009-02-14T21:33:00.000-08:00

Hi Guys!

Daming nagba-back-out. Dahil ang daming nagbibreak? Ano ba 'yan? Kelan ba tayo makukumpleto? Jigs, isasama mo ba si Krissy? Ilang buwan ka na naming di nakikita sana sumama ka naman!

Mga reminders lang. Be at UA&P Telengtan Hall at around 7:30pm. We will leave at exactly 8pm. Ang di dumating on time, hindi hihintayin.

Eman, bring your board games. Kami na ni Peds sa Wii. Budi, magdadala ka ba ng ps3? Skips, yung poker set wag mong kalimutan. Yumi yung magic sing. Bring extra sleeping bags just in case. Di ko sure kung pwedeng magrequest ng extra mattresses eh.

Bring 250 pesos. contribution natin sa groceries. We'll have some snacks before we leave courtesy of X. Di ba X?

Excited na ako! Wala nang atrasan!

Cha

Bawal KJ

2009-02-10T01:53:00.000-08:00

Wag kang KJ Jigs! Once a year lang ito (or twice hehe). They can wait. I'm sure given your credentials, they will accommodate you anytime. Huwag ka ngang square!

O baka naman natatakot kang makulong sa kwarto with someone? Hehe. Sino bang kinatatakutan mo? Siguro takot ka sa'kin noh?

Meron bang magdadala ng alak? I have five bottles of red, bigay sa akin ng client namin sa isang photoshoot na sinalihan ko. Dala naman kayo ng beer.

Kita-kits sa Feb 20! Puno na ba ang mga sasakyan natin? Are we all accounted for? Can we still accommodate others? Baka may iba pang gustong sumama?

Yumi

Feb 20 na?!

2009-02-04T17:14:00.000-08:00

Uy sorry guys been really busy. Di ako nakakareply. Been going around interviews and exams for possible employment. Medyo pressured sa bahay na makakuha agad ng work eh.

Grabe. Last time I checked my mail, nagpaplano lang tayo ng getogether. Bigla na lang may date at venue na for an outing. Bilis ah! Mga hayok sa bakasyon! Ganyan ba talaga sa corporate world? Ganyan ba talaga nakakaburn-out? Hehehe.

Hindi pa ako sure kung makakasama ako. I really want to. Pucha, bago man lang ako lamunin ng corporate, makapagbakasyon man lang sana ng isang matindi-tindi. Gusto kong magpakawasak kahit one night lang. I'll really try my best. May major interview kasi ako sa Accenture sa 21 saka sa 23.

Tetext ko kayo para i-update. I'll try to check my mail every day.

Jigs

Ban Juan Ekis

2009-02-03T19:47:00.000-08:00

I agree with Yumi. Huwag nating isama si X. Last time na nag-inuman kaming dalawa, napanood ko yung buong buhay ko onstage a month later.

Hehe. X! May utang ka pa sa akin!

Kitakits. Feb 20. Telengtan, UA&P.

Ronald

Automated Lottery

2009-02-03T17:58:00.000-08:00

Eman,

Tapos ko na ung javascript na pinagagawa mo. Gusto mo'ng i-testing? Hehe. Kaya lang baka masayang ung prinogram ko kung hindi sumipot yung iba diyan. Paimportante kasi. Hehe.

So, it's official guys! Our lottery this year will be automated to *ehem* avoid cheating. wehehe.

Yumi: Ano, bibili na ba ako ng PS3? Hehe.

May bago daw play si Ekis ah! Tungkol daw sa mga sira-ulo. Peds, may play na si x para sa'yo! Sasama ka ba this year, x?

Plus one din ako this year. Andami natin. Magkakasya ba tayo sa bahay?

Budi

The Venue is Set!

2009-02-03T17:52:00.000-08:00

Hi Guys!

I had fun last Sunday. Eman, masyado mong siniseryoso ang poker. Nagpapraktis ka ba pag hindi tayo naglalaro? Sinimut mo kami ah. Ingat ka kay Eidge. Hehe. We should make this dinner thing more regular kahit once a month.

Anyways, set na ang venue natin. Fontana ulit tayo this year. Guess what? We got the same house! The one near the legendary magic tree.

So I'll see you guys sa Feb 20. We'll leave at exactly 8pm but please be there by 7:30 so we can settle and have some quick bite. Telengtan Hall, okay? UA&P.

May dadagdag pa ba sa headcount? Emil? Jigs?

Kitakits!

Cha

Wala daw PS3!

2009-02-01T22:26:00.000-08:00

It was great to see some of you again guys. As usual, paimportante si Jigs. Di na naman sumipot sa dinner kagabi. Si Emil ba sasama din? So far sa head count: Stephen, Cha, Peds, Budi, Eidge, Eman, Ana, Juan, Ronald, at ako pa lang ang confirmed. Still waiting for Emil, Jigs, May. How about the others?

Wala daw PS3 sabi ni Stephen. Budi, hinahamon ka oh! Bili ka nga! Haha.

I'll bring the majic sing just in case may trip mag videoke.

Carpool arrangements, Peds will bring a car, si Stephen din, saka si Eman.

Btw, congrats to the newlyweds Peds and Cha! Sorry hindi ako nakarating sa kasal nyo.

So kita-kits. Feb 20, telengtan hall. 8pm. agahan nyo, para makaalis tayo eksakto 8. delikado bumiyahe pag masyado late. Magdala pala kayo ng Php250 each pang contribute sa gas, toll saka sa dinner na lulutuin ni Peds

Paging Jigs!!!

Yumi

Planning and Poker Night!

2009-01-31T19:00:00.000-08:00

Yumi: I have a better idea: Rockband for PS3!

Ronald: Bakit, hindi ka ba happy sa resulta last year? hehehe. You turned out fine. Wahahahaha! Sino isasama mo this year? Lalaki naman? Hehe. Sabi na eh. Kidding aside, kung sino man yang isasama mo sa Feb 20, paalala mo lang na may dress code sa UA&P: bawal ang tsinelas, sandals, shorts, maikling palda, sleeveless, hanging, mabaho at pangit. Alam mo naman ang school natin...

Budi: Tama si Ronald. Iprogram mo na lang. Pero alam mo na ang gagawin...pinag-usapan na natin. Algorithm 69 oks? hehehe. Er...sasama ba si Jigs? *wink*

Guys, sira daw yung wifi ni Skips kaya tinext nya ako na i-email ko na lang daw sa inyo yung details ng dinner. Abonddanza daw tayo mamayang gabi around 7pm. Agenda is car pool, budget, itenerary, head count, list of dvd's to watch, and food.

Peds: Dalhin mo yung poker set. Poker tayo after dinner.

Jigs: Magparamdam ka!

Kita-kits!

Eman

This year's victims

2009-01-30T20:19:00.000-08:00

Guys,

Pwede this year, kung sino yung dalawang pinaka-late dumating, sila na lang yung ikukulong? Parang nakahalata ako sa lottery last year eh. May anomalyang nangyari. Feeling ko lang.

Budi, pwede mo bang i-automate na lang yung lottery? Gawa ka ng computer program na walang bias at completely random?

Jigs, sasama ka ba? Magparamdam ka naman.

Er...pwede ba akong magsama? hehe.

Ronald

The Date is Set!

2009-01-30T19:49:00.000-08:00

Guys,

Nagtext na si Skips, set na ang date for the first outing of the year. Mark your calendars. Feb 20, friday. Malapit na yun. Yung venue finafinalize pa ni Peds at Cha. Either Fontana na naman o Tagaytay. Pwedeng walang magdala ng PS3 or Wii para lumabas naman tayo ng bahay? Nag-oouting tayo para lang mag video games eh. haha.

Magdinner daw tayo this week to finalize kung saan ang venue natin this year. Pero set na ang date. Friday, Feb 20. Inuulit ko lang para kay Jigs dahil ulyanin yon. (Magreply ka naman sa mga emails namin hoy!) Ang meeting place ay sa Telengtan Hall, UA&P, around 7:30pm siguro. Kain muna tayo bago umalis.

Text-text na lang kung kelan ang dinner para ma-finalize kung saan ang outing.

Cha: paki-dala naman yung DVD nung immortal beloved. Thanks!
Eman: Bring your board game na german. Yung pang thieves.
Jigs: Magparamdam ka naman! Sasama ka ba?

See you guys!

Yumi

Twenty Answers to Twenty Frequently Asked Questions

2006-05-09T05:07:00.000-07:00

1. Why did you write Twenty Questions?

In the summer of 2003, I was asked by a friend, Bobby Nazareno, to mount a play for his group. He wanted a series of plays that taught values to high school students. Twenty Questions was supposed to be the first in the series, talking about sex and relationships. Eventually, we realized that what I wrote wasn't exactly for the high school audience. The project was aborted eventually despite the fact that it won an award.

2. What inspired you to write it?

As always, I was beating the deadline for the material. I was stumped. How the hell am I going to write a play that talks about the sanctity of sex and marriage without being preachy? I hate being preachy. I was running out of gas. I was so desperate for a concept that I turned on the TV and scanned all the Mexican, Korean, Chinese, and what-have-you-telenovelas for any story. All of a sudden, I came across a Brazilian telenovela: Monica Brava. In that episode, Monica and her leading man were quarantined in a room for 40 days and 40 nights. A guy and a girl…trapped in a room. Perfect recipe for a romantic comedy.

3. Is there are real game of Twenty Questions?

Contrary to what some of my friends think, I did not invent the game. The original version I wrote was called Bahay-bahayan. In that version, the barkada played a prank on Jigs and Yumi. They had them drunk and locked in a room. The next day, they wake up on the same bed wondering if something happened between them the previous night. The play didn't work. Although reading the first version still amuses me. When I thought of rewriting the whole thing, I decided to make twenty questions the spine of the dialogue. Another friend of mine, Red Sandico, told me that he used to play this game with a girlfriend over the phone. Some sort of getting-to-know game. I thought it would be a good premise for my play so I used it.

4. Did the play happen in real life?

Yeah. Some parts mine, some parts my friends, and most parts yours.

5. Was the play ever staged before?

The only staging of it that I know was the one done by Thespian Circle of UPLB around two years ago. Yes, they asked permission. No, I did not charge. Well, I did--a couple of beers and pulutan while watching them do it. Surfing the net, I found out that there were a lot of classroom staging of the play. I only wish I was invited to every staging of it. This is the first time I am staging it…after three years.

6. What happened after the lights went off?

Your guess is as good as mine.

7. Did they kiss?

Well…

8. Did they have sex after the lights went off?

I really don't know. I only got to the part when the lights went off.

9. Why the hell did the lights go off?!!

I liked ending the play that way instead of TELON or CURTAIN. Imagine if it were the curtains…what if the stage hand was too slow to crank the lever…?

10. Did they end up together?

Maybe in the sequel.

11. Are there still men like Jigs?

Believe me, THERE ARE!!!

12. Why are their names Jigs and Yumi?

Jigs is short for Jigollo. Yumi for Mayumi. My attempt at paradox.

13. When is the sequel coming out?

I was planning to write Twenty Answers last year. It was supposed to be my sequel. The setting is around five years later. Yumi becomes a stage actress and Jigs visits her at the backstage after watching her show. In this version I was writing, they never ended up together but there were hints of a second chance. This time, they give twenty answers to a single question.

14. Are you coming up with a movie version?

Soon. The script needs to be rewritten for the screen. And I think some indie guys made their own short film version. Someone even wrote a fanfiction based on it. It spread so fast in the internet, I lost track of the people I'm going to sue for copyright violation…hehehehe.

15. Did you write it with the cast in mind?

I hardly knew Rhenz and Frankie when I wrote the play. The characters of Jigs and Yumi were based on real people. Their stories were based on true stories. And their predicament was based on a real situation. I just weaved all these threads of reality and called it mine. However, after three years of collecting dust, I don't think the play will ever be more real to me with the cast I have now.

16. What is ASTIG?

Astig stands for Alagad ng Sining, Talino, Imahinasyon at Galing. Frankie, Roni and I have always wanted to put up a theater foundation. Together with a group of UA&P alumni and students, we put up the group so we can have an excuse to meet up several times a week and drink alcohol after rehearsals. Hehe. Seriously, we just want to do plays. We eat, drink, and bleed theater. Twenty Questions is our first baby.

17. It spread so fast in the internet. Bet you're filthy rich now.

I only wish I got a peso every time the play is forwarded and visited on a blog. Darn I finished IT! I should've had an e-commerce site for this!

18. Isn't Juan Ekis from UP?

I heard there was an Atenean claiming to have written this play. But come to think of it, the play sounds more Jesuit than Opus Dei. Hehe. Juan Ekis is from UA&P. Not the University Against the Poor nor the Center for the Rich and Coño. But as my old Commandant from UP-DMST once said: “UP, UA&P? Pareho lang 'yon! Tanggalin mo lang yung U!”

19. Aren't you also the one who wrote Subtext?

Er…no.

20. Do you have a girlfriend?

Is that your last question?