Four Day Art Frenzy

Since Saturday, I have running around the city playing escort to Japanese researchers on Filipino Cubist artists. Well, they're already on their way to Japan by now and I'm kinda missing them already, despite me not having that much of an interaction with them. They were for the most of their visit, quiet and reserved, and the rare moments they were animated, they were probably talking about work --- and in Japanese! So I don't understand why I'm having mild separation anxiety.

In my last entry, I mentioned that I would be working during the weekend, and that I did.

Saturday, I picked up the Japanese researchers: Furuichi-san (from head office); Hayashi-san, a charming professor-type from Sophia University (who speaks good English and is the more sociable among the three; and Miwa-san from the Tokyo National Musuem (I always mistakingly mention that he's from the Tokyo National University! because he looks like a student and not an assistant curator). It seems like I got my wish. I wanted to be inspired to do the rounds this weekend and I was. Mr. Miwa, although very quiet, was nice and cute, while Mr. Hayashi was also refined and more outgoing. Although they had a perenially serious 'I'm at work" face, the few times they smiled, they really looked adorable.

Man, I must be losing it. I'm actually crushing on somebody who's really oblivious to my charms, even though they've met me. Hahaha. So much for the Rules of Seduction, P800 down the drain.

So anyway, we've done the rounds of museums (Ayala Museum, National Museum, CCP Galleries, the Metropolitan Museum, GSIS, and the De La Salle Museum) as well as rich people's houses ( Marites Pineda, Cora.Lopa, & Paulino Que) and even a bank (UCPB). It was tiring, and I would imagine especially draining on the 3 researchers (yesterday on our way to UCPB, Miwa-san and Furuichi-san were sleeping soundly --- I was almost sorry to wake them up to look at the UCPB collection). They looked so tired. Over lunch last Sunday, when the discussion turned to each other's level of happiness, Furuichi-san thought a long time whether she was happy or not. I am not sure I made a social boo-boo when I volunteered an answer for her, saying she must be so busy to even think whether she's happy or not. When I asked Miwa-san if he liked art -- as in, if he enjoyed it, he answered (after an excruciatingly long time), he liked it -- past tense, now he looks as visual arts as a perfunctory thing -- trabaho lang, walang personalan. Oh well.

So the three days of art are over. I've had a crash course on Manansala, Ang Kiukok, Tabuena, Saguil, Legaspi, and the rest. At least, I've learned something, o di ba? My next wish naman is to be sent to the exhibit venues, Tokyo, Seoul, and Singapore! If you dream, at least dream big! Hahahaha. Wish ko lang. But then, everything's possible.

Still, I'm not bound to relax this week as I still have PETA commitments after work. We have a special performance this Thursday and we have rehearsals today and tomorrow night... Sigh. It's tiring but I appreciate keeping my artistic life activated. Better keep the fire burning. I'm not just a cog in the machine.

You have unique talents, dear Pisces, though you do not always give yourself credit for them. You set extraordinarily high standards for yourself, and can be quite judgmental if you fail to meet them. Step back and try and look at the situation objectively. You have accomplished a huge amount. Any little setbacks you may currently be experiencing are just that--setbacks and not failure. Chin up, dear Pisces.