The Attagirl

Last week, I was able to witnessed the world-renowed Japanese martial arts and drum-playing extraordinares. This is their first time to perform in the Philippines. 

I was really excited to see the featured ancient traditions of the Taiko drumming and martial arts mastery. True enough, I was mesmerized by the Drum Tao's flawless choreography and enthralling performance. I am happy that I was able to be part of their international audience since 1993. I must say that I am now officially one of those from 17 countries and 400 cities which Drum Tao has captivated. 

The Gala Show which we attended was the first show held in Newport Performing Arts Theater in Resorts World Manila. Total of 10 awesome performances, last show will be on July 22, 2012. 

Tao or The Art of Drumming is a Japanese drum and dance ensemble formed in 1993. This performing group combines music and dance to reflect Japanese tradition. While some songs are traditional, most are modern compositions created by members of the troupe.

Its performers train in their own center in the Kujū Highlands on Kyushu called Grandioso. The strenuous physical demands of their performance style demands that all performers also train as athletes. 

Many of their performance pieces include only percussion instruments, and in some cases only taiko drums, but other pieces include the shinobue, or Japanese flute, bamboo marimba, gongs, and the koto, a horizontal harp.

After more than a decade touring Japan, the group performed at the at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, where they sold out of tickets for 25 straight days and outsold every other performance group. They have been touring internationally ever since.

Their success in the world gathered talented creators around the world, which broaden the infinite possibility of TAO. Japan tour has been kicked off since 2009 starting with the 15 shows presented by Fuji TV group. The number of performances had been expanded within a year and TAO will perform 70 shows this year.

This is one truly amazing experience for me! 

Watch the video teaser here: 

if i were to go back in time and have to re-live my life, there are two things i would have done.  first is i would choose "wolverine" instead of "alpha".  maybe i'd be living now the life i've been dreaming of lately - a family of my own in the land down under, safe and secure with him.  second is i would pursue my degree as my career.  then i would still be in the IT world but not as a buyer or an account manager, but as a developer or a systems analyst.  or siguro kahit yung number 1 lang magawa ko e masaya na ko.  okay na ko.  

tama nga talaga.  your choices at the present define your future.  and if only i'd chosen so well.  well, maybe i'll just have to accept the present as it is and take comfort in the fact that there's really a reason for everything.  i just hope and pray to God that where i am now is still the path He wants me to take.  i'm taking comfort in the fact that as a child of God, He will never let me go astray, that wherever this road is going or however this road will end, it will still lead me to His perfect plan.

but in spite of all that, still i can't help but to wonder what life would have been like had i done things differently.  i had let go of someone so special...the one whom anybody could refer to as "the one that got away."  yeah, he could have been the one.

now i'm faced squarely with the reality that whatever happens to your life, be it good or bad, is because of the choices we made.  we can never, EVER, point a finger to anyone or anything, even fate, but our own selves.  fate just throws us options but it is still us who decide.

now i just pray to God that He give me wisdom in decision-making...'coz obviously, it's not just a low score i get to get in that subject, but a failed grade. :(

I woke up this morning with this feeling but I'm not sure... These were the phrases that's in my mind as I think about this feeling and our relationship. It seems that I reached the point where all disappointments and taken-for-granted-feeling burst out. I could not handle the emotions anymore. I am starting to get fed up. It seems like I want to give up because I think I was not valued like the way I should be. 

Or, is it just my mood swings and increased emotional level of sensitivity? 

Lord, please clear my heart and heal me.. 

Dear Ness,  

Don't let your fears hold back from experiencing life. Be brave. Be courageous. Take leaps of faith. Ultimately learn to be your own journey. Learning is life changing. 

Be a kid for as long as you can. You'll miss not having a childhood later. And being an adult is not all it's cracked up to be. 

In those really dark moments where you contemplate ending your life, know that it does gets better. 

Don't ever forget those moments of aloneness and loneliness. There will come a time when you will wish you could have some alone time. 

Learn about your feelings and acknowledge them. Even the hate, anger and sadness. Those feelings that makes you a human. Sit with the pain. Even take it with you on your journey. Pain can be a beautiful thing so learn as much as you can from it. And as much as you can try to deny it, you are human and you love and feel and just want to be accepted as is. 

Have more fun. Don't be so serious. Let loose. Life is too short to be serious and stressed. Let people in. it can be incredibly scary but it can also be incredibly rewarding. 

Make sure to love yourself more than anybody else can. It will help raise the standard on how much love you deserve. And you deserve to be loved.

Not every decision or relationship is black and white. It's confusing and difficult but try and accept the gray areas. 

Believe in yourself. Dream big. Know you are worth it. 

Love,

Ness