Wanna sit in for Jesus/Judas?

The Philippines prides itself on its abiding Catholic faith, and its populace in the majority abiding followers, and among the populace are born some classy, abiding artistes. Normally in writing a good composition, YoungOnes have been constantly advised NOT to repeat the same word unless the special occasion calls for IT. This morning Desi woukld try to abide by this rule after the Intro, which of course, if I may add for the benefit of those still in the Blur (LOST in the FR Maze?), stands for Introduction. And without sounding too cliche (which contradicts myselft since I am sounding IT, so go figure...), this Intro must be impactful, enough to make your audience to want to continue reading your masterpiece to THE END.

I used to hate these two li'l words ... THE END... as it reminded me that my movie finally just reached the climax while the child in me had not -- and my hard-earned 40sen investment in the cinema hall was brought to an early death. TH3EE MOVIES IN A ROW!--One brash Y&A Theels (visit her-lah, today is holidae wat! @ )matched me there. Anyone can beat this record? She even came in her pjs...

Today I'm telling you a story of a Filipino artist whose name I've forgotten -- it's eon years since I read this in a Reader's Digest, so any departure from the Ori is strictly Desi's poor recall, or blame it on the salt, and spices, the Restron nowadays adds to Chinoserie dishes. I have a suspicion some chefs don't like me, conspiring to kill me off early because I was thinking to join the kitchen after I retire from the alternative iKabinet.:( and writing.

"An F-Artist in college wanted to win a competition badly, and this year's national competition was to paint the 'best' representation of Christ, and the Winner gets the coveted Presidente Scholarship which would give him/her stres-free days cavorting on the campus greens in the day, and in the blue studio at night.
So he scoured the land day and night, peeping at contemporary youths at every nook and corner on Manila's hi-, medium-, and lo-highways, streets, byways, and alleys for that look of divinity.
He settled for a young man one afternoon lying almost naked, except for some fig leaves covering his loins, drinking some CarlosRutBir while cavorting with some babe lions in the hay -- exuding innocence and purity like a new born babe yet looking seventeen.
F-Artist led the Jesus-aspirant back to his studio, and after six days and nights of feverish work on the canvas, wallah! the surreal image of The Christ beckoning to His Flock won the hearts of all who were privileged to glimpse the piece of work.
Naturally, the judges swooned and were won over, and F-Artist went on to ENJOY a stress-free university life by day, and adrenalin-filled frolic with collegae gals by the dozen in the sudio at night.
I think Filipino artistes define the spirit and body and soul of the meaning onb "Wine, Women and Song". Canvas and Colour of course in F-Artist's case.

~~~~~~~

Two decades later, the Presidente ordered another national contest to capture the essence of Judas Iscariot on canvas:The man undoubtedly linked to The Betrayal. Lately hotly contested, but that's now the point in my tael today, being a Malaysian holyday.
F-Artist again scoured the capital landscape -- into every nook and cranny, back from the alley into the highways of Manila's high, and low, society. Alas, after seven back-breaking days, not yet brokeback!, he chanced upon the perfect model for the sit-in for Judas.
So the Judas-aspirant was led back into the campus grounds -- although it was nigh nightfall, he felt the famuiliarity of cool, sweet grass kissing his barefeet. Even the studio air smelt familiar -- but cold cement ground had given way to red and blue carpet. It was no more sweltering hot after 12 hours of the Manila sun; it was cool and fresh with an Eva perfume fragrance in the atmosphere enveloping in air-conditioned luxury they now called FA-STUDIO-AF. (AF in Tagalog stands for A' Famosa...I tihnk. Must remember to check after ELEVEN Days with sisdar Yan.)
So F-Artist shut the worlde out for seven days and nights feverishly sketching, splashing colour to canvas, etching the details of a worn-out, god-frosaken being down in the dumps that defined Judas at the fall.
Beaut! Masterpiece! Class! a string and cable, and slew and chain of superlatives came in train to applaud the F-Artist's work that won not only the Presidente's heart. the hearts of all his mistresses, concubines and his wife too. If so many women by De Presidente said thie F-Artist's piece was the most exquisite of all, who are the panmel of judges to argue?
Rite, so F-Artist's was engraved in the cultural landsacpe of the Filipino heARTland, except for the subjevt sitting in at the FA-STUDIO-AF. He was deliruiously sick.
When the winning artist came to his bedside, the patient whispered to F-Artist:
"Don't you recognise me?" in a broken voice.
"I was that young man who came in here 20 years ago to be your sit-in odel for The Christ, remember?"
And then he withdrew into his shell of a dying man, brokeback and broken in all parts of an anatomy called Man.
The F-Artist sat down, and like Jesus, HE WEPT. Sad tears.
The J-aspirant WEPT TOO. Last tears


DESIDERATA: I don't know whether we can find some sit-in models, besides Amber Chia, for Desiderata's upcoming anthology. I'm looking at the RUMAHSAKITsikit for some models...
Am I, the A-aspirant, looking at the rite-place to sit in for the X-FACE?
My esteemed readers, please tell me. Just obserrve some decorum with your kind answers, that that's an august House, remember?

For the nu'es from RTElm, One good, and One badder...

See, Desi is working although it's a public holiday. The advantage of being a Ferreelancer. Masochistic Malaysians? ... I hear sister Helen admonishing Desi for neglecting his hell...

From the Star, page 4, April 11, 2006

PM hAPpy with positive response

KANGAR: It may be his first roadshow on the Ninth Malaysia Plan, but the Prime Minister was happy to note that people at all levels generally accept the development plan.

But mere acceptance, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said, was not enough to realise the vision of the plan.

“All of us must have the passion and commitment to realise this dream,” he told newsmen after opening the Perlis Vision 2020 Hall here yesterday.

“This is our dream, the Malaysian dream. I am happy the response from the people has been positive.

“We have to work hard to ensure the success of the 9MP. Everyone must be able to feel and visualise the national vision outlined in the plan.

“My roadshow is to explain the National Mission to the state leadership and the private sector.”.

Earlier, in his speech, Abdullah said the 9MP was the first stage of the 10th and 11th Malaysia Plans and they were all inter-related towards realising Vision 2020.

“Mothers, their unborn children and students have a role to play in the three plans,” he said.

“We must all support this plan for the future generation.”

(Desi: Any tinkling with the headline and emphasis given to the story body is strictly done by this scribe to highlight the PM's message to the occupants in that RUMAHSAKITsikit ... so that they don't get opicked to sit in for some species at the Zoo Negara nigh Off Jalan Kelang Lama, Selangor, SemuaNyaOkay, developed nation State.)

From page 8, The Star, my prayer tonight ends with..."Suffer the people of Johor, nigh sin-land, God have mercy, what has come over this land?":

Woman
attacked
in toilet
loses baby


JOHOR BARU: A six-month pregnant woman lost her baby after she was attacked by four robbers in the toilet of a petrol station in Jalan Tebrau here.

“The men barged into the toilet, punched my face and kicked me in the stomach. They then hit me in the neck before grabbing my handbag,” said businesswoman Shirley Koh, who was in tears when met a private hospital here.

“When I saw the blood on my body, I knew something was wrong. The doctors at the hospital later told me that I had lost my child,” she said.

Koh, 35, said the incident occurred at about 8.30pm on Saturday when her family stopped at the petrol station while on their way home from shopping in City Square.


DEVASTATED: Visualise that pic of AGONY ~~~ Koh trying to hold back her emotions as she relates the incident from her hospital bed in Johor Baru yesterday. ~~~

As her husband was filling petrol, she took her four-year-old son to the toilet along with her maid.

“While the three of us were in the toilet, the men, who were in their 20s, attacked me and then fled with my handbag,” she said.

Koh has lodged a report at the Majidee police station.

State CID chief Senior Asst Comm II Datuk Abdul Rahim Jaafar confirmed the case and said that investigations were under way.

He urged those with information to contact the state police headquarters at 07-2254499.

~~~~~~~~


Town Without Pity

Artist: Gene Pitney

When you're young and so in love as we
And bewildered by the world we see
Why do people hurt us so
Only those in love would know
What a town without pity can do

If we stop to gaze upon a star
People talk about how bad we are
Ours is not an easy age
We're like tigers in a cage
What a town without pity can do

The young have problems, many problems
We need an understanding heart
Why don't they help us, try and help us
Before this clay and granite planet falls apart

Take these eager lips and hold me fast
I'm afraid this kind of joy can't last
How can we keep love alive
How can anything survive
When these little minds tear you in two
What a town without pity can do

How can we keep love alive
How can anything survive
When these little minds tear you in two
What a town without pity can do

No, it isn't very pretty what a town without pity


Postscript:

I APologised to sister helen that despite her reminders, I failed to keep an appointment with Judas last Sunday at 10.00PM.
Luckily, Brother storytaeler @julyfishtail.blogspot.com came to Desi's rescue and gave me a post-appointment account entitled "What A Friend We Have In Judas".

I was rudely interrupted just now by a Y&A theels @shestrikes.blogspot.com mumbling about bunking @ NZ and "wanna bungee jump!" with Sabrina -- for a moment I thought she was mad to try tackle that Bung at RUMAHSs and some monkee jump ...These YoungOnes, Some leap before they look.......

hAPpy holyday everyONE!:)