JUNE, GONE TOO SOON

So many things happen during indie month, you might miss a few gems:

EJ Obiena, call me

For that matter, Olympic committee, call them

We got you sorted too, half-time show producer

This month's Herald's gourmet food magazine confirms: the hostile Fil-food takeover is happening

There's Chair of the Standing Entertainment Committee, then there's Entertainer Standing on the Chair Committee

This gentleman's Philippine company just built Australia's largest solar farm, that is all.

A "secret" Knighting ceremony held deep beneath an old hidden dwelling gives Da Vinci Code vibes but for the cool owner, yummy sponge cake and truly huge personal lobster tank in the basement

Them: you can't wear barongs for winter.  Fil-com creatives: challenge accepted

Finally, a painter -- within the span of an accompanying theme song -- creates a multi-piece landscape that somehow works both pulled apart and put together

Voltes V legacy, so to speak

INDE-DENTIST DAY

Weekend after Independence Day usually sees the Consulate officers flying off to different exotic regions to take part and enjoy fun colorful local Fil-com celebrations, like those in... 

Wagga Wagga...

Dubbo...

Penrith...

...and, ah, my neighborhood dental association 

Yes, as you can see from the back of my head POV, my honor this June was to deliver a leadership talk at the symposium of a newly-formed group of dentists which...sure.  I mean, ok, the program called for talks on diversity and arts and even protocol and litigation, but for the life of me I wasn't sure how I could open up about periodontics, endodontics or anything else dontic. 

it was like pulling teeth

But I was a brave little boy and respectfully faced the good doctors and spoke the best that I could and, honestly, the whole event was pretty cool and interesting and everyone was fun and friendly

although I could still feel them silently judging my oral hygiene

And at the end of every speech, they gave each speaker a special commemorative souvenir. 

And do you know why the commemorative souvenir was a necklace?

BECAUSE DENTISTS WOULDN'T GIVE A SPEAKER..PLAQUE!

Thank you, thank you very much.  I'm here every six months.

trust me, Sydney dental dad-jokes don't get any better than this

NATIONAL DAY RECEPTION WAS LIT

 As in LITerally, LIT!  

First Philippine diplomatic reception in four years +  Family in full force in Filipiniana Finest + Filcom in full force in Filipiniana finest + Tourism and Cultural push + Vivid season + Venue overlooking Vivid + Venue WAS a Vivid canvas = IT'S ON

kalayaang kumikislap kislap =)

CINEMALAYO

It's that most independent time of the year

This being my last year at the Consulate, a highly-regarded documentary filmmaker was hired to capture all the behind-the-scenes action

That's a wrap.  The sharp-eyed easter-egg hunters out there will have figured out that my monologue was actually a line reading of the remarks of the Department's Big Boss -- yes, the same one who had been Waiting for Memo

As the movie critics might say, I didn't just get the memo...I brought the pages to life

an indie film years in the making