5 and Up - Our new home online!

Dr. Upper

data — Thu, 24 May 2007 23:03:08 -0600

Satin Abad, a member of the first batch of 5 and Uppers will graduate this month with a PhD in Neuropsychology from a prestigious institution. She's also the graduation speaker at her university. . We'll share more information with everyone as soon as we get more news from her. But for now, we're super proud of Satin and her accomplishment as the first Dr. Upper! Congrats Satin!

Quinceañera

data — Tue, 22 May 2007 22:35:25 -0600

We would've been 15 years old this month! Ain't that cool?

I can't even begin to imagine what cutting-edge stories and activities we would've been talking about on the show. Then again, we ARE talking about the very same things on this site. Ang daming frontiers nang na-conquer ng lahat ng Uppers and Uppies.

And I'm looking forward to hearing/reading/seeing more of them here.

So Happy Birthday, Uppers and Uppies! We rule!

College Life: Work hard, party harder

oly — Wed, 25 Apr 2007 15:33:10 -0600

Exactly a week ago, I returned home (enough) to England after 5 and a half weeks of traveling continental Europe. As if having two classes a term wasn't enough of a treat, my study abroad university indulged us with a 6-week spring break! My friend and I traveled extensively through Spain, France, The Netherlands, Germany, Italy, Austria and the Czech Republic.

Because it will be considerably difficult (somewhat impossible) to recount all of the stories from the trip in a blog entry, I'll go through a list of the trip's "best" moments/experiences/food, etc.

To start with, Berlin was the trip's biggest surprise. The street food was phenomenal (sausages, steaks, crepes), the historic sites were incredible and the Germans...they're beyond words. Unlike the stereotype that I've developed, Germans are actually very warm, accomodating people. You won't see a hint of their dark history in their welcoming smiles and friendly disposition. In truth, I was a bit reluctant to visit Berlin, but now I recommend it to everyone I talk to!

In terms of must-see cities, Rome and Paris are tied at the top. The Colosseum, The Pantheon, Roman Forum, church after church for Rome and the Louvre, Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe, Champs-Elysees...the list just goes on for each of these cities. What I found wonderful too was that although the subway lines were convenient in either city, it was just a pleasant walk from one tourist sight to another. The downside to these cities however, is the hoards of tourists that you encounter. Most of the time, these said encounters are pleasant and even mutually beneficial when you make friends while waiting in line for attractions, but sometimes, competition gets stiff and it's every man or woman for himself. :( As well, because these are highly touristy cities, restaurants are extremely expensive. Some don't even serve authentic local cuisine anymore and simply become tourist traps for the unknowing traveller.

Despite these potential setbacks however, my most memorable experience took place in Rome, or more accurately, the Vatican City. Easter and masses in general will never be the same again after being granted audience with Pope Benedict XVI for Easter mass. It was a grueling 2 hour wait outside the gates of the Vatican, and another 2 waiting for mass to begin but it was definitely worth all that and more. Though St.Peter's Square was absolutely packed, the celebration was still very solemn. If I had to do the entire trip over again, I would sacrifice any of our other experiences to celebrate mass with the Pope again.

Looking back at the experience, my trip was not simply a treat for the senses. It's one of those experiences, where you look back, and reflect on a greater picture. Personally, I was absolutely relieved to return to my dorm where I was ensured a bed every night (we hopped hostels, which can get really exhausting), a decent bathroom and meals at appropriate hours. Beyond that, I further realized that people are just people everywhere. Although we have stereotypes of Italians or Austrians, they too, in fact, are mere human beings, who also have to go to school or to work for the same universal reason of improving their wellbeings. As a foreigner in these countries, I realized how valuable it was to learn simple key words such as 'please' and 'thank you' in the local languages and how a simple smile really can open doors.

My friends and I at the Brandenburg Tor in Berlin, Germany

oly — Wed, 25 Apr 2007 15:29:47 -0600

i miss my 5 and Up days..

edwardsantos — Wed, 11 Apr 2007 15:08:45 -0600

i really miss my 5 and up days. those saturdays and sundays. hay. ewan. its feels like my week is not complete when i didnt watch the episodes. how i wish, there is another show like that today, and another wish - the host are also them! nyahaha.. but its true.

well, hope to see them all in one episode. sana.. (crossed finger)

Book Launch: SOL by Agay Llanera

ianroxas — Sun, 18 Mar 2007 21:06:13 -0600

Uppie AGAY LLANERA invites you to the launch of her children's book SOL. It will be at Artist's Space, 2nd floor, Glass Wing of the Ayala Museum tomorrow, March 20, at 6:30 pm.

Paintings for the story will also be on exhibit. They're done by Farley del Rosario.

For more info on the story and paintings, kindly check out
http://lookingforjuan.blogspot.com/2007/02/teaser-for-sol.html

Interviewing Levi Celerio

ianroxas — Thu, 22 Feb 2007 03:00:56 -0700

1996: Mang Levi (Celerio) teaches 5 and Up reporter Eliza how to blow a tune on a leaf.

Take 5!

data — Thu, 22 Feb 2007 02:45:15 -0700

Giggles, Frances and Rodjun at a spiels shoot, ca. 2001.

Mysterious Offline Messages

data — Thu, 15 Feb 2007 02:56:05 -0700

I turned on my YM today and found these offline messages from a person who, I think, (if I understand her fuzzy thoughts correctly) was commenting on something I wrote on my blog. I posted it here because she made some references to Maxine. *data shrugs* figure it out. Ate Ian and I are stumped!

Here goes: (mysterious YM username withheld)

mysteriousYM (2/14/2007 6:08:58 PM): Hey. From your blog : The Muesli Bowl

mysteriousYM (2/14/2007 6:13:50 PM): Alam kong totoo kasi parang kaklase ko kung alien sa grade 3. Ang mata nya ay parang alien ang laki eh. At nahuhula niya, nung tinawagan niya ung kaklase kong si maxine, alam niya kung anong kulay ang suot ni maxine..... Ayaw niya sa mga maliwanag o, tapos di niya kamukha ung ina at ama at kapatid niya.... Napaka payat pa nya bilog ang mga ngipin niya.

mysteriousYM (2/14/2007 6:14:02 PM): Sorry kung istorbo ha...

Magalang naman siya. Pero sorry, di ko talaga ma-gets. I didn't know aliens attended the third grade din.

Ang maka-decipher nito, ililibre ko ng pizza!

My Directorial Debut

josh — Tue, 13 Feb 2007 01:00:30 -0700

Last semester, a local UPLB theater group staged Niel De Mesa's Subtext at our school. I watched it and liked it. The scripts were awesome, and I think the performers did it a lot of justice. In their guestbook outside of the theater I wrote, "Best Play I've seen in LB." I was immediately a Niel De Mesa fan.

This semester, I'm taking up a Directing Class and for my final project I get to stage a play at the end of the semester. I had some trouble finding a script and ended up with a play about gay vampires, which I wasn't really that enthusiastic about (as I wouldn't be able to work with any cute actresses). Deadline was coming up fast, so I pulled out all the stops and asked everyone I knew (I even posted on the 5 and Up groups as you would recall) if they had any other scripts that they'd recommend. And that's when Zak recommended Eliza's Koine group. Now, I refrain from using the "duh" word, but when I read his message, I definitely had a "duh" moment right there. It went something like this, "Gee Josh, Eliza's in a theater group, perhaps someone in a theater group would know some good plays, you think?" So I texted her and sure enough, when I asked her if she knew any good plays she was all like "too many to mention." So she gave me the numbers of several writers, and I finally got in contact with (cue heavenly music) Niel De Mesa. He's as cool as his writing. He emailed me three plays for me to choose from, and I spent all night reading and re-reading them because they were all so good. I finally managed to pick one, and I'll be staging it on February 28 here in UPLB (a little shameless advertising right there). But man, I'm going to be directing a Niel De Mesa play! You know what that's like? That's like George Lucas calling me up and saying, "Hey Josh, can you do me a solid and direct Episode I for me?"

And if ever George Lucas did call me up and asked me to direct Episode I, I'd be all like "Sure George, I have some great ideas for the Jar Jar Binks death scene."