Uber-long post ahead…

.:Whew:.

It was amazing, I tell you. This weekend was simply one of the busiest weekends I’ve ever been through, no question about it. It wasn’t easy to begin with. You might say that I had quite a lot on my plate, because of all the things I had lined up, but I just had to take the extra mile and push through with it. The first thing in line was the wedding I needed to attend last Friday on short notice. My cousin, Kuya Martin, was about to be married to his girlfriend of two and a half years, Ate Peach. It wasn’t much, as far as the actual wedding went. It was essentially a carbon copy of Kuya Ian’s wedding a couple of years back, same venue, same host (Only with the addition of Ate Patty, a.k.a. Kelly of Magic. Kuya Ian’s wife.), and even the same way of getting the garter part of the ceremony out.

However, what I realize is that in all the four years I’ve been with Grace, we are arguably the least photographed couple I happen to know of. I’d be willing to wager that Abby and Bro are photographed more (A conversation as I typed this confirms this fact.), and Sach and her computer (::heh heh::) are simply inseparable to begin with. Of course, rumors from the grapevine have been abounding about Sach and her mystery man (Whose identity I believe I have a good idea of.), but I have a feeling there’s more to this than what the people actually know. Of course, being a bit more privy to this, I suppose I have to hold my piece on it, lest I betray some measure of confidence that has been placed upon me.

So with that in mind, I suppose I really ought to have myself and Grace photographed a bit more often, if only to keep our memories alive. Funny how I’m such an archivist and yet I don’t archive something as huge as this (Well, relatively speaking.). I ought to get started on it sometime soon, then.

The wedding wasn’t so noteworthy, to be honest. I guess I can’t help but not be so enthusiastic talking about the wedding, if only for the fact that it was so rushed, such that my mom wasn’t even expecting me to make it to the wedding because of the ill planning for the whole affair. Still, I guess they really just didn’t get to do it well because it’s their first time to get married. ::snickers::

.:A Foursome:.

No, it’s not what you think. I just meant that I went to train with Chico and Delle last Saturday, completely neglecting the fact (But not forgetting.) that Brad Turvey and Matrix might also be there on the show. On top of that, I likewise forgot that there was Radio 1 Campus Central to deal with, which essentially means some Radio 1 person would be doing his or her portion with Chico and Delle.

I got lucky because out of the three possible additions to the booth, only one showed up: Lani Lao, a batchmate of mine, for Campus Central. She was about to do tips, and since I realized that I actually couldn’t train much, I just hung around the booth, although things suddenly got interesting when they actually decided to involve me in the show, anyway. I arrived about twenty minutes before the show started, so to be honest, it would’ve been quite a waste if I didn’t get to do anything, really. Nonetheless, I ended up participating in the show when they started talking about Chinovelas, particularly “A Promise Of Love On Dolphin Bay”, because they didn’t know the exact title of the show. If you’re wondering how the topic went to that, it was because that day’s call-in Hot 10 was “The Hot 10 Theme Songs For You In 2004”, and someone sang “Journey” by Angela Zang, who is the female lead in “A Promise Of Love…” Delamar was denying watching it, and she was just wondering because she heard a particular song that didn’t seem like a fit for the program’s soundtrack.

Delamar: It’s “Love On Dolphin Bay”, right?

Marcelle: Actually, it’s “A Promise of Love on Dolphin Bay”.

Lani: Oh. Just a promise.

Chico: I see.

Marcelle: And the lead star is also the girl in “My MVP Valentine”.

Delamar: Wait a minute. Why do you know so much about Chinovelas?

Marcelle: I’m a Comm student. I have to keep up with the times.

Lani: Rriiighhht.

Chico: So why is it “MVP”? Is it, “My Most Valuable Player Valentine”?

Marcelle: Yes. The male lead is a basketball player.

Chico: I swear…

Pretty soon, people were telling Delamar looked like someone from “The Truth”, and every time a hint of Chinovelas were being mentioned, they would be quick to blame me about it.

Nonetheless, even the off-air talk was fun. There was the story I related to them about the weird soundtracks GMA uses to plug their shows, which essentially explains why Delle didn’t seem to find the song used in the ad she was talking about earlier as suitable. I still remember that commercial they did for Daimos, where they used “On The Wings of Love” for their commercial. We were also talking about soundalikes for songs and all. At the same time, Lani and I were mostly having a fun conversation, as she was talking about how she would’ve wanted to be in Comm instead of MIS had she had the chance. Chico and Delle were also planning for the movie premiere of Brother Bear, as while they had a lot of tickets they had to give away to some of their friends, they themselves couldn’t be there to do it, so I had to give tickets to Cholo and to Fay. More on that later.

Anyways, we were just having fun on the show. Lani showed shades of her quick thinking on the fly, as she made a blunder by reading the results of the Generation RX question again, but she then quickly caught herself and said that it was “merely for the benefit of the listeners”. Really clever thinking, if I do say so myself. Ricky Cruz was hilarious when he went on the air, as he said that his song was “Leaving on a Jet Plane” because he intended to go to Japan and work as a “Hostos”. The clincher was that he was dead serious about it. Here’s another funny caller…

Delamar: So what’s your song?

Caller Girl: ”Bulaklak” (“Flower”) by the Viva Hot Babes.

Chico: Okay. Go for it.

Caller Girl: (Tries to sing, but couldn’t finish it because she keeps on laughing.)

After she finally gets to sing for just a short while…

Delamar: Okay. Thank you, and take care of your flower!

Caller Girl: Okay. You too.

Sheer hilarity, no question about it. It wasn’t long before they noticed the funny tones I had for my cell phone, as it was pretty clear that they liked the “Psycho” clip. I was able to send it only to Delle, but the dialogue that ensued was what made it really interesting.

Chico: I guess my phone isn’t compatible.

Marcelle: I’m sure I can send it to Delle. Compatible kami, eh. (We’re compatible.)

Delamar: Huh?

Marcelle: I mean, our phones are compatible.

Apparently, a Freudian slip came along. Lani was snickering at that point, because it almost seemed like I was flirting with her. Couple that with the moment I compared her to Maui Taylor sans the implants, and I could understand why Lani was thinking I was hitting on Delle. Ah, well. Still, it was interesting how things happened when Lani discovered how Grace and I got together (A story I assume most people know of, but is worth telling another time.), plus the fact that both of us actually listened to Chico and Delle back in high school. And now, the both of us are boarding with them. Talk about a turn of events. A part of me still can’t get over it, truth be told.

The topics of discussion were pretty valid. From the turtle pincushions I gave them back in fourth year high, to the chimes Lani gave them, to why Brad Turvey took a slightly different path in show business in contrast to his brother, to the fact that Lani was actually also from Assumption Antipolo in high school, which essentially means I could’ve run into her without knowing it back in the day…

The last part of the show was simply the best, when we finally had to answer the Hot 10. Lani gave one of those Ed McCain songs. Delle sang “Sunlight”. I sang Jason Mraz’ “The Remedy”. Forgot what Chico sang, though. To think I just came from a sore throat. That didn’t stop me from singing a good deal of it. Pretty much the way I completed most of the lyrics of “Yes Yes Show” off the air… heh. I swear. The booth was simply so bubbly with the four of us in there, and we really had a lot of stories for one another, no question about it.

So I suppose you’d be hearing from me again this Tuesday…

.:Oh, Brother!:.

Right after the show, Liane walked into the booth. She’s also Radio 1, although she wasn’t there to go for Campus Central, but to hang out before going to the movie premiere of “Brother Bear”. We were just talking inside the booth about a lot of things, and it was pretty interesting, because the day was pretty ADMU-dominated. Tina entered the booth shortly afterwards. Anyways, Liane is pretty nice to talk to, actually. She’s been pretty unsuccessful thus far with certain personal endeavors, but it’s still fine, regardless. Anyways, while I was pretty much continually speaking about the CP’s affair, that wasn’t much, really.

As soon as we arrived in Galleria after leaving the station (Before those shoot fighting guests for Boom’s program showed up.), we realized how right Boom was in telling us to be there earlier, simply because the line for the film was already so bloody long. I met up with Cholo, who used to be a DJ in KC with Chico and Delle. It was pretty fun meeting up with him again, considering how he was the host of the program a few years ago called “The Overdrive”. Similar to Sir Louie D’s “All-hit Daily Survey”, it’s a show that determines the top song for the day. Through my rabid campaigning (And voting. But don’t tell Cholo.) a couple of years ago, I managed to let “Friends For Life” get the Powercut honors for 23 days.

So there. We had a long line staring us in the face, so we decided to pull some strings and get to “helping out” with the premiere, which guaranteed us good seats. Heh. Grace showed up a little bit later, so she managed to watch the premiere with me.

Brother Bear was an amazing film. I’d give it an A- off the bat, although I have to ask myself whether or not Mammoths still existed during the times that humans already did. I’m not really so sure. Nonetheless, Grace ended up doing a Ronan and crying at the end of the movie. I guess I couldn’t blame her. Of course, the really interesting question came up shortly after…

Grace: If I were Chinese, would you love me more?

Frankly, I don’t think so. That’s a trick question, any which way you look at it, but it’s like eudaimonia. While it does need some external goods in addition to virtue, this doesn’t mean that more external goods can make a man more eudaimon if he already is. As such, you can’t add to infinity.

.:And The Rest:.

Afterwards, things weren’t done for me yet. I still had a tournament to run, aside from a dental appointment. Ah, yes. The tournament was fun. I joined, using my deck, and I must say that my Ric Flair deck is simply amazing. I had problems with Brothers of Destruction, but it’s not like I needed to win the tournament, anyway.

I met up with Grace in Centerpoint a while later, which was rather interesting, because they finally have KOF 2003 there. Apparently, I don’t know much about the game yet, so I guess I need to work on my strategy a little more. Ah, well. Grace gave me the gift for my stepdad, and then I went home. I hope my stepdad liked the lamp.

Yesterday, we had a family reunion/double birthday celebration in Pampanga. Not much, really. It was just exhausting for me, but the food was great, no question about it.

Glad to have heard from Tsumenki after the longest time. I’m certainly looking forward to meeting her on Wednesday…

.:Overhyped:.

It’s occurred to me that one of the things that’s been getting to me for quite a while already was the fact that I was never really considered “The Best” in anything. Fine, I’m a decent debater. But I’m not varsity. Fine, I’m a decent student. But I’m not Suma Cum Laude. Fine, I’m a decent writer. But… never mind. Point is, I really couldn’t lay the claim of “best” in anything I’m particularly into, and while someone like Abby could conceivably face the same dilemma, my personality is just one that doesn’t sit as well with that fact.

Maybe that explains all the fascination/frustration with Sacha (I’d apologize in advance, in case she reads this.). Now, that’s a person who’s been called “the best” more times than I could care to count. Lani said so last Saturday, and she’s not even personally acquainted per se with her. Just about any CS student I hang out with would feed me that superlative about her, for that matter. I know she’s a human being, but so am I. Here’s a person who excels in her own field, and while I’m not too intent on competing with her in her own turf, I’d at least like to think that I have some congruent ascendancy in my own field… whether it be communication arts or Philosophy.

But that’s obviously not the case. I’m not exactly the “best” DJ now, am I? Or am I the “best” writer, popularity votations for “Best Philippine Blog” be damned? Or am I the “best” journalist? Or the “best” potential Philosophy teacher? None of these distinctions aptly describe me, nor could I ever expect them to. And that gets to me. I’m not too keen on competing with Sacha’s level, but I suppose being around greatness will always make you feel rather miniscule by contrast. Look at it this way: if Sacha were the least bit more interested in romance than she currently is, would she even have the slightest problem finding someone? I highly doubt so. I don’t think I ever had that clout, nor will I ever have that kind of clout.

I know this is so bloody selfish of me, thinking how inferior I do seem in fact when contrasted to Sacha, or perhaps some other genius-of-the-day. In spite of that, I guess I can’t help but feel that way because I’ve been letting way too many opportunities pass me by for the longest time, and now, I’m feeling the crunch of it all.

Don’t get me wrong, Sacha’s a nice friend, for what she’s worth. It’s not like she’s trying to lord her technological superiority over me, in the first place. But it’s not like she has to flaunt it for me to take note of it. And now, I have something to spur myself towards. Never mind if I wouldn’t get a million people to recognize it when I achieve it. Never mind if there would be no award to stand as testament to my milestone. But in the end, I wish to at least feel deserving of being the “best” in something that I put my heart and soul into. Maybe the “best” Philosophy professor. Maybe the “best” DJ. Maybe the “best” PR man.

Maybe a “best” friend.

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.:Cry Me A River: The Unsent Series, Part III:.

Dear Delusion,

You only get what you give. And oh, Marcelle’s heart bleeds for your plight so. He realizes how bad what has happened to you is, that you are trapped in this state of affairs that you have actually set for yourself. And while this does not justify your transgressor’s sin, does it not make sense that you had it coming?

If you were to teach your son to steal, would you be so surprised the minute he takes your wallet while you’re asleep? If you were to steal a heart from the arms of another, would you be surprised to lose that heart in the same way? Such is the seeds that you have planted, you poor, poor jabroni. If only you realized that, but no. You’re too wrapped up in your metahumanity. You’re too wrapped up in your boons. Ultimately, you’re too wrapped up with yourself. And now you’re hurt. Wounded. And you turn to your support group for them to hear you out. Sadly, you have no clue. To this moment you don’t realize what you have done, and you are merely getting a dose of your own medicine. Is your transgressor right in doing this? Of course not. But were you right in setting yourself up for this? Ah, obviously not.

So cry your heart out, if you so want to. Marcelle can listen to you, Marcelle can likewise condemn that bastich who sent you to that state. But don’t expect Marcelle to tell you that you are so right about everything. Because you’re not. Because you refuse to open your eyes, and it’s not Marcelle’s job to open them for you. You only get what you give, jabroni. You only get what you give.