I Just Wanna Tell You How I'm Feeling... I Gotta Make You Understand!

.:You Couldn’t Get This From Any Other Guy…:.

I don’t know if I’m going to see the concert tomorrow, but at this point, I almost couldn’t care any less…

Notice the resemblance?

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, my life is complete.

It started off a day quite like no other… it certainly was a rotten day, to say the least, and I was sulking in a corner, just looking at Plurk, when I saw a very conspicuous message on Plurk from Jayvee.

It just went…

Oh my God! You won’t believe where I am right now!

Call me psychic, but a one-word “Dude!” SMS from Jayvee later, and I knew what was going on… he’s meeting with my idol, my hero, and personal role model, RICK ASTLEY.

I muttered to myself that my luck seems to be turning out just peachy. I was stuck at home, and I had no idea where RICK ASTLEY was, and how to get to this press conference that seemed to come right in the middle of the night. All that I needed was to cry for help!

A few messages from Jayvee over SMS later, and I found out that Rick Astley is not in a press conference but a party in his honor at Alchemy.

Then the bells started ringing in my head. I was friends with one of the owners of Alchemy, Don. He was also a former jock on WAVE 89.1, so after asking help from his former partner, Robi the Rascal, I got in touch with him, and he told me…

I can make arrangements for you to see him, but to meet him? I can’t promise that. Fair enough?

He didn’t need to ask me twice, and in a flash, I was already at Alchemy, getting in solely by namedropping Don on my way to the party. Don’t you know I would move Heaven and Earth to get to see RICK ASTLEY?

That was when I saw him. And he was really larger than life.

RICK. Fucking. ASTLEY. Was. Standing. In. Front. Of. Me.

It’s like time stood still, cherry blossoms started to fall, and tumbleweed just rolled in the horizon. Yes. Cherry blossoms. And tumbleweed. In the middle of Alchemy. It was destiny calling: a power I just can’t deny.

I stood there with my mouth agape, knowing full well that the man, the legend, RICK ASTLEY was just an arm’s length away from me. Jayvee already had a group picture taken with him earlier on, but I figured we could finagle for a bit more than that, so I held my ground near the cordoned off area, and despite some security lapses that I refused to take advantage of (You know the rules, and so do I.), decided to wait it out until Don showed up and waved me and Jayvee into the area where RICK ASTLEY was.

If I wasn’t starstruck then, I was starstruck now. RICK ASTLEY was just right beside me already, as we had a group photo taken with him. It took us a few moments to work up our courage, but in the middle of the Dance-A-Like contest, Jayvee and I took turns having pictures with the man, the legend, RICK ASTLEY!

I was a happy camper. It’s like I found my long-lost brother or something, and… waitaminute…

If only I didn’t smile so damned much…

So after much squealing that would make most people have skewed notions about my masculinity, I ended up taking part in a RICK ASTLEY LOOKALIKE CONTEST, and I’d like to think I almost won, Jayvee notwithstanding.

Of course, some white dude had to join and spoil the fun, so this brown man has been held down once again from winning a RICK ASTLEY lookalike contest. Boo! Racism! =P

I don’t know what else to say, really. Jayvee has videos of the man, the legend RICK ASTLEY even doing some dancing, but since those are his videos, I will just ask you to visit his site for them.

Much, much thanks to Jayvee and to his friend Alora who made this possible, and of course, to Don Puno, who let me gatecrash the party at Alchemy last night just to catch a glimpse of the man, the legend RICK ASTLEY, who's going to be live and in concert in Manila this Friday night!

I’m no stranger to love from now on.

The Shabu-Shabu Affair... (No, Not The Drug.)

.:On A High, On A High...:.

Much love goes out to Byahilo! He made it possible for me to be at this event... how could I even forget?!?

I'm a big fan of good food, and one of the best places I've found myself in recently has got to be Healthy Shabu-Shabu, as the fine people there showed us the ropes when it came to enjoying this delectable treat, amid a microphone with massive echo, and hungry bloggers galore.

The food was amazing, and the company was more of the same. I must admit, it was a tad difficult following the instructions when it came to preparing the food, but once we got over the initial humps, the motions came easy. I had lamb and seafood, and the amazing thing to me was how quickly the meat would be cooked because it was sliced so thinly! Imagine: dipping the meat in the soup would already cook the meat in a mere ten seconds! If you left it in, you'd inadvertently flavor your soup, which in my case, gave the soup this rich, delectable lamb-y sensation when I was polishing off the contents of my pot.

It's amazing though how steeped in history something like Shabu-Shabu actually is: from the time of Genghis Khan, the process was renamed by the Japanese to signify the swishing sound the soup makes as you are preparing it. Needless to say, thanks to the wonderful assistance of the very helpful staff, the experience was a pleasant one, even for the people like myself who can hardly even cook, to begin with.

Lest we forget, the dessert was likewise splendid. It was something like Halo-Halo, except there were so many fruits in the dish, and it made for an excellent way to cap off the sumptuous feast we had. I doubt anyone wasn't totally full after

Much love goes out to the people who made this possible. If you want to have a great meal and an excellent time, don't hesitate to go to Healthy Shabu-Shabu, with numerous branches all over the metro!

This amazing meal was followed by a coffee nightcap with fellow bloggers Kring, Poyt, Coy, Markku, Juned, and Fritz. Hope I didn't miss anyone from that!

I'm Still On A High...

.:I'm Speechless...:.

I'm still processing this...

After a day of unwanted but inevitable drama, it was capped off by...

MEETING RICK ASTLEY IN PERSON!!!

It's like everything else was just erased in that instant! Much thanks to Jayvee for helping make it possible, as well as my former co-worker Don!

I hope to never have to go back to reality from hereon...

Tumutula Dahil Walang Ibang Magawa...

.:Tumutula Dahil Walang Ibang Magawa...:.

Gumising
ni Marcelle Fabie

Namulat mula sa panaginip, nanumbalik sa katotohanan
Nagbago ang hanging umihip, ako'y nahulog sa kawalanan
Nilinlang ang sarili, na hindi ako nag-iisa sa aking nadarama
Ngayon ako'y nagsisisi, nadala lang pala ng maling akala...

Much Love To Healthy Shabu-Shabu!

.:Much Thanks To Healthy Shabu-Shabu!:.

Expect a more sensible post in a few, but tonight's Blogger event at Shang-rila, where the wonderful people of Healthy Shabu-Shabu showed us the ropes, the history, and even the art of eating Shabu-Shabu.

Set aside the silly drug abuse jokes, we of course meant the meal you have where you cook your own food, and I must admit, the food was just unbelievably good.

Unhealthy soups, you are on notice. I rediscovered one of the most awesome things ever to eat, and I don't regret picking lamb...

Confessions And Professions: The Unsent Series, Volume 2, Part V...

.:Confessions And Professions: To All The Girls I L… Huh? Wha? - The Unsent Series, Volume 2, Part V:.

I’ve written so many Unsent letters over the past four or so years already, but this effort will probably count among one of the most emotionally draining endeavors I will have to undertake, as I attempt to write quite a number of these letters. Note that I’d be speaking mostly in the present tense even if the person may long be buried in my past already in reality. It helps keep things ambiguous…

I am, by no means, a ladies’ man. I’ve often found myself pining for only one woman at any given time, but if there’s one thing about me, it’s the fact that I do wear my heart on a sleeve. Not always my sleeve, but any given sleeve, nonetheless. This effort, this series of letters, goes out to all those women, past and present, who have caused me to laugh, or to cry, or to smile, or to make my heart skip a beat, or to stop for a moment and want to be a better man.

My life is a far more colorful life thanks to them... for that, no matter what I may have gone through along the way, I thank them. I wouldn’t be the same person I am today if even one of them never came into my life.

I guess the obvious question was who are all these people? Did I love all of them at one point or another? Since I’m a guy and I had to put my neck out and risk rejection, it wouldn’t look like I’m trying to huff myself up or anything, but the high number does seem… well, high.

To be honest, no. I didn’t love all of them. You’ve had former loves, you’ve had longstanding crushes, you’ve had unrequited loves, but you also had fleeting fascinations, moments of vulnerability, and even… mistakes. You live, you learn.

It is my hope that these letters allow me to say what I’ve always wanted to say, and somehow express my gratitude to all these people, albeit in some cases, I may have a rather strange way of expressing my gratitude…

So without further ado, these are my confessions and professions...

Dear Delightful,

We never explored anything with each other, but I'm glad you understand where I'm coming from. I'm grateful that you don't mind when I bug you in the middle of the night and pour my heart out to you. I know we hardly know each other, but I'm thankful you listen to me, regardless.

Dear Camino Palmero,

I thought I knew you. All of you. But I guess you were too hasty to judge me, and it's sad, because if you opened your minds up a bit, we could've gotten along marvelously.

Dear Quatro,

The minute you stopped becoming that nice, sweet, girl I once knew, and became the person you are today, I realized that there was no way in Hades we'd ever be together. You're just not the person I once knew, and no amount of words could convey the disappointment I feel whenever I see you now.

What a waste. But shoulda, woulda, coulda are the last words of a fool.

Dear Shackles,

I seem to have a knack of scaring people away when I’m too pushy. You weren’t the first, and you certainly won’t be the last. I apologize, because I must admit, I hate screwing up and then losing a friend in the process.

I hope it’s not too late yet, and we can just pretend none of that ever happened.

Dear Sunshine,

You had this effect on me. You literally made me smile whenever I saw you. Words cannot express how amazing it was, that you had this instantaneous calming effect on me from the very first time I met you. I wanted to get to know you better, and see where it went from there, but alack and alas, it would seem it wasn’t meant to be.

At some point, I put my foot in my mouth, and now, I don’t know if we’d ever talk again. I really wish I knew where I went wrong, or if you’re just really afraid of letting someone come into your life and threaten the status quo.

Either way, I could’ve handled the situation better. But I didn’t. Unlike Shackles, I don’t think I’d have the opportunity to set things right between you and I anytime soon, dear Sunshine. Everything's a mess now with you and me.

I just wish you told me from the get-go what you really thought about all of this…

Dear Luna,

I pushed you away when you were one of the few people who stood by me during my worst moments. I’d apologize for it, but a part of me would rather stay away from you when I’m this vulnerable lest we repeat the mistakes we made in the past.

We know it would never work for you and me. Not when you have someone else in the center of your life, as you rightfully should.

Dear Mirth,

I never had the chance to explore anything with you, simply because even just dating is flat out the last thing on your mind. You’re terribly childlike, and that wide-eyed wonder you have is precisely what drew me to you. You seem oblivious to how much I liked you, but I take it all in stride, because though we’re not terribly close, I’d like to think we’re still friends.

I do worry if you’re slowly catching on and drawing away from me, though. I like your company, and I’m perfectly happy if we just stay this way. You, like Sunshine, have this calming effect on me, but what really does draw me to you is how much we do have in common, and how witty you actually can be.

It never fails to amuse me how completely oblivious you are to the concept of dating, as you preoccupy yourself with all the things that gets you going. You’re an awesome lady, and no amount of you bashing yourself over your Philosophy oral exams can ever undermine that.

Dear Black Angel,

I think you’re pretty, and you are definitely someone any guy would love to have as his own, but surprisingly, I’m not as drawn into you as people could normally assume I would be.

I guess it’s because I can’t help but root for the guy who’s trying to win you over right now. You may not see it, but he’s one of the few persons in this planet who can ever genuinely like you for who you are, and not what you’re famous for. Believe me when I say you wouldn’t want to pass up on a person like that.

That, and I don’t think we’d have anything to talk about if we ever ended up together. Not to knock you much, but you’re simply not the sharpest tool in the shed.

Dear Polar Bear,

We know each other too well. We’re too close to ever be a couple. I know your quirks, your idiosyncracies, and everything that’s wrong about you.

You know my patterns, my predilections, and you’ve seen me at my weirdest.

Despite that, and despite your having rejected any attempt by yours truly to take our friendship anywhere else, when it comes to being a true friend, you’re pretty high up on my personal list. =)

Dear Cold Shower,

Like Polar Bear, you and I are too close.

That, and you’re not my type, and neither am I your type. But I just thought I’d write you anyways, because you’re an A-class friend, and I’d be remiss to forget that fact.

You’re the Cold Shower whenever I need to get out of cloud 9 and back into reality, and for that, I thank you.

Dear Hyala,

I don’t want to go to jail. Maybe in a couple of years, we can talk about that again.

Dear Torch,

I may have not loved you the most of all those I ever loved, but I think it’s safe to say that so far, I’ve loved you the longest. Out of everyone here, I’ve known you the longest, and save for one other person, you are practically the closest friend I’ve ever had.

There’s so much I’ve already told you over the years we’ve known each other, so I find no reason to have to keep on saying anything, other than thank you. For having been there for me, for being brutally frank and honest, for not siding with me when I needed to be reminded I’m in the wrong.

Dear Brilliance,

You really had me spinning for the longest time, and though anything between you and me is all but impossible at this point, I’m grateful to have you as a very good friend. To think it all sprung from a chance encounter with you, and a two-year long trek into trying to be friends with you.

While I never did find myself completely going for you, it was fairly clear that I was into you. You are flat out the smartest person I have ever met, and you have a heart of gold.

I’ll always remember you for the wonderful moments I’ve spent with you. You are one of a kind, and though you’re far away, you never fail to come through for me when I need you the most.

Brilliance, I’ve never quite told you that I love you. But now that I can say it with no hint of romance whatsoever, I want you to know that I do love you. Friends like you make me realize that I must’ve done something right in this life to be able to keep your company.

Dear Fine Frenzy,

Some time ago, I thought we had something special. I told you that your man wasn’t doing right by you, and I could do so much better. You made me feel I could, and you made me feel, at my most vulnerable, that I was doing something right.

But now? I realized that you treat every single guy who gave you any inkling of attention the same way. I willingly backed off because I figured you wanted to stick by your man, but knowing that you’re flirting with another guy who just so happens to be taken as well?

There’s normally a word used for that, and I’d rather not use that word on you, but it just rings so true. It seems that you’d only come into my life only when you needed a proxy boyfriend and then promptly forget all about me when you’re okay again. I really should’ve known better than to think there was anything more to us than that. I let myself be used. I was stupid. But I won’t be stupid any longer.

You are happy with him now. My work here is done. We don't even have to stay friends. We can pretend to be enemies.

Dear Headstrong,

It’s funny how you really don't act your age. And I mean that positively. You simply are more mature than other people your age and you certainly have a good head on your shoulders.

Though we've only ever met once, I was immediately enchanted by you. You're intriguing, captivating, and absobloodylutely confusing. Despite that, I'm glad we're cool with each other, and there's no awkwardness to speak of.

Dear Nobility,

If I played my cards right and learned how to bide my time, would there ever have been a chance for us? Our first date and how you spoke of me seemed to indicate so. But weird circumstances and my aversion for office romances doomed us to failure.

Now that too much has been said and done, where do we even begin to rebuild? Is there even a chance for you and me to ever be on good terms again? I thought it would all smoothen itself over when we're no longer in proximity, but it would appear that the wedge driven between you and me has grown more and more insurmountable.

Truth be told, if there's one reason why I always find it difficult to see myself back where we used to be, it's because most everyone else there has decided you're right and I'm wrong. The mere fact I missed out on a party despite being there at the right time should've clued me in...

Being around you intoxicates me. That much is undeniable...

Dear Firebrand,

I realize how much of a clash we are, and how wishy-washy I probably seem to you, being unable to really make the leap and show you how bad I wanted you. You see that as a sign of weakness, that I have no "balls of steel", as it were, but I hope you'd recognize it as a show of respect that I do not jump into anything with you and just eff everything up again.

I like making you smile, but despite knowing full well I've done right by you, what does strike me the most is that I've never made you feel giddy about me. I don't have that effect on you. Everyone else you gush about seems to have this magic spell over you that I can never quite capture, and it torments me so. I'm not an idiot. I realize I'm simply not the kind of guy you are looking for, but I'm hoping that in time, that could change.

I just want you to know that I respect you and am immensely fascinated by you, and there are very few people who are as strong-willed, assertive, and poised as you are. We may not be at the same stages in our lives, but I think we really could make a go at this if only I found the gumption after everything I've been through.

This respect is precisely why I feel that it is not in the cards for us in the near future, lest I make you feel that you are merely a substitute for love. You are not. You are special, and you deserve to be made to feel that. I was weighed, but I was found wanting. And now, I can only let this moment pass, and there is no greater pain than rejection.

Dear Divine,

I don't know if you'd ever want to have anything to do with me again, but it's unfair to ignore everything we've been through and pretend it was all a lie.

I know you're much happier now without me, but I just wanted you to know I'm not the same person you once knew all those years back, and thank God for that. You deserved far better than who I was back then.

Out of all those who cared for me, I know you loved me the longest, and arguably second only to one...

Dear Pomelo,

I'm sorry I ruined your fairy tale. I wasn't your knight in shining armor, and I didn't know how to accept that it was time to let you go.

In my life, I will always look to you as my favorite mistake. I loved you so much, yet I was too wrapped up in being into you to realize that there was so much we had to overcome before we truly could become together.

I was pushy, I was clingy, and I was madly in love with you. I hope your new one treats you right and would be as devoted to you as I was when we were still together.

If ever you find it in your heart to forgive me, I'll always be here to be a friend to you. I know few people on this planet know and understand you the way I do.

Dear Audacity,

The wounds are still fresh, but I know that while we had to end what we had, it was for our own good.

I never loved anyone as much as I love you, and for my own sake, unless it's the girl I'd be married to, I hope I never will again. I gave my heart, my soul, my everything, just to be worthy of your love, and I know that you loved me more than I could have ever hoped for.

Things didn't pan out for us as I hoped it would, but I'm grateful that you chose to end it on good terms, and still count me as your best friend, as well as leave the door open for us in the future.

While there are no guarantees of what the future holds for us, I know one thing for sure: you are my once in a lifetime. For that, I can never thank you enough.

You are the best friend I ever had, bar none. I can't tell you enough how each day with you felt like a dream come true, and how each day without you now is such an ordeal that I must go through. You can boast of only one person like that in your life, more often than not, if at all. I should be so lucky that I could be proud of someone like you.

If I don't end up in you, I'd always look to you as the one that got away. And to whomever I would love in the future, if I do ever love again in the future, I hope that if you see this letter, you'd understand that and respect that.

I Gotta Go My Own Way... Lyrically Speaking Scribbles, Part XIII

.:Lyrically Speaking Scribbles, Part XIII:.

Yes, I modified the lyrics. Some of them just don’t fit. But I love the song too much to not use it.

I’ve had this on my plate for the past week or two. Even if some of the thoughts are a bit dated, I know the song still hits home and rings true to me.

Even if we’re not together anymore, she’s still My Beloved. I may learn to love again in the future, I may see other people, but I can never call another woman “My Beloved” again.

I will take nothing but good memories from what we had, and her friendship as well. It’s going to be difficult and the transition so far has had its own twists and turns, but this is for the best.

I Gotta Go My Own Way
by Vanessa Ann Hudgens and Zach Efron

I gotta say what's on my mind
Something about us
Doesn't seem right these days...

I can’t help but feel that there’s so many things going on in our lives right now, and we aren’t being the best that we can be for each other. With each passing day, things have been going crazy, and that month away from you just made you think that this really won’t work.

Life keeps getting in the way
Whenever we try, somehow the plan
Is always rearranged…

It’s hard to cope with the things that have been eating at what we had. I know it won’t be too long before you have to go away and forge your own path elsewhere, and everything I’ve built here would be put into jeopardy if we had to keep this up. In spite of that, I would’ve wagered it all if you only asked me.

But you care too much. You love me too much. So you never will.

It's so hard to say
But we've gotta do what's best for us
We'll be okay…

If it were up to me, I’d never want this to end. But clearly, it’s not up to me. There’re so many things that we have to work out, and much as we want each other, we’re still not right for each other. You’ve shown me this much. I’m not doing right by you, knowing full well that you could be so much happier if I did things the right way.

This is bigger than the both of us. That much I am realizing now.

I've got to move on and be who I am
The time isn’t right, dear
I know you understand…

I’m trying to understand why it has to be this way. If we’re so happy with each other, why can’t we stay together? Yet as the days go by, I realize why…

All those fluffy things you hear about love? Utter hogwash. Love doesn’t conquer all. It’s only as potent as the circumstances governing it.

We might find our place in this
World someday
But at least for now
I gotta go my own way…

I will never want to hold you back from the path you choose. But then, that means that we can’t be together now. The door may be open, but I have to get that idea out of my head and heart, lest I never function normally.

I’m thankful you aren’t making this difficult on the both of us. Yet sometimes, I wonder how much easier it was when I just ended on bad terms with someone, because once you’re with someone else, you can just write off the ex with ease.

Now? That’s not quite the way it is… it’s bittersweet, but a reality we both face.

Moving on doesn’t mean leaving each other behind.

Don't wanna leave it all behind
But I get my hopes up
And I watch them fall everytime…

We keep on screwing things up because the circumstances just aren’t right for us. Your parents would never approve of us while we’re both here, and I’m still in the middle of a lot of crazy stuff going on in my life. There’s so much getting in the way, and we both end up disappointing ourselves when things don’t go our way.

What good am I here if I’m not making you happy?

Another colour turns to grey
And it's just too hard to watch it all
Slowly fade away…

You said it best, My Beloved… we shouldn’t have to wait to hate each other, for the water to run dry, before we do this.

We still have so much to offer each other by being still a part of each other’s lives despite not being together anymore.

I'm leaving today 'cause I've
Gotta do what's best for us
We'll be okay…

I know we’ll be okay. I believe it.

What about us?
What about everything we've been through?

I ask myself that sometimes, whenever I ask why this had to end. But I guess that’s why we have to end this. Because I know I don’t want to risk trivializing everything we’ve been through in trying to fight city hall when it’s not our time.

What about trust?
You know I never wanted to hurt you…

I never wanted to hurt you. I know you never wanted to hurt me, either. But there’s just really never a right time to say goodbye…

And what about me?
What am I supposed to do?
I gotta leave but I'll miss us
I'll miss us…

There’re too many questions for the both of us to have to face. But I guess the good news is we don’t have to face them on our own any longer. Not now. Not ever.

So…
I've got to move on and be who I am
(Why do you have to go?)

I’m twisted because one side of me’s telling me that I need to move on. But on the other side I want to break down and cry. This is not easy. This is never easy. But it is my hope that in writing this, in getting this out to the world, we can show them that you and I could love with all my heart, and though it didn’t work out how we wanted it to, we can still make something good out of it.

We just don't belong here
I hope you understand
(I'm trying to understand…)

I can’t pretend this is making me happy. You know it’s not. But I’m hopeful that this will be, at the end of the day, something that will make us better people.

I can’t help but keep thinking… we had the right love at the wrong time.

We might find our place in this world someday
But at least for now
(I want you to stay…)

There’s just so much going on right now, and I’m glad we’re past pointing fingers at each other. We gave it our all. We did everything we could. In the end, what keeps us apart is simply bigger than us.

I wanna go my own way
I gotta go my own way
I gotta go my own way
I gotta go my own way…

I can’t think of anything more poignant to say, save that I still believe you are my once in a lifetime. I’m happy and grateful we were together for as long as we were, and the future may be uncertain, but I know we have done what is right for the both of us.

Thank you, and you know that I’m letting you go because I love you. I know that’s also why you are doing this…

The Most Influential...

.:Bringing Back Memories...:.

About a little over a year ago, I was part of a station that called itself "The Most Influential", owing to the label given to it by a particular newspaper for having been responsible for the overnight success of certain artists such as Dice and K9, Paolo Santos, and Jimmy Bondoc.

While my relationship with WAVE 89.1 has been rocky and has had its share of ups and downs, I understood fully well what made them as "influential" as their press touted, and few stations were capable of challenging that label.

That being said, I'd like to think that my eye for determining what is "influential", given the standards set on radio, would likewise serve me well as I focus this time on the influx of new blogs this year that, without a doubt, have been likewise influential in one way or another.

It's funny because most of these blogs are blogs that I actually frequently read, but never even realized were eligible for nomination, which explains why I put off doing this for so long...

Here are my votes/nominations for Ma'am Janette's Top 10 Emerging Influential Blogs 2008 Project, in no particular order...

Visit Sagada: Because You Really Should

Visit Sagada is one of those blogs that just makes you wonder what other gems the Philippines is hiding in the middle of all these crazy things we encounter in the metro. Looking at the people who put up pictures on the site, all looking like they genuinely enjoy themselves, makes you wish you were there as well.

If Sagada's tourism business picks up by the end of this year, you know how that happened.

Filipino Voices: Making Us Heard

Filipino Voices covers a lot of topics that concern us Filipinos, and anyone who misses out on it should give it a good look. There's little I can say to describe it other than that, truth be told, so just take the time out to see for yourself what I mean.

Manila Foodistas: Because Us Non-Food Blogger Gourmands Can Only Do This Vicariously

Manila Foodistas, with a roster including my good friend Tiff, shows gourmands like myself how good the food is all over the metro.

Instead of having to go through the trial and error of eating something new and regretting it later, this blog cuts through all that and shows you what's good and what's not.

I'm not a food blogger, but I love food. By extension, it's easy to see why I love Manila Foodistas.

Bariles Republic: Making General Santos The Place To Be

For a guy who's never been out of Luzon save for two trips to Hong Kong, you can tell why Bariles Republic would appeal to me. What with Nate Marx, a fellow mentalist, also residing there, I do hope to be in General Santos sometime this year.

Fritzified: From PAPArazzi To A-DIVA-Dacci

Fritzified is always a fun read, and is of course updated and maintained by the one and only Fritz Tentativa. If you haven't experienced his wit and photography skillz, then you're in for a treat.

Bloggers Kapihan: Let's Sit And Talk A While

Bloggers Kapihan takes the tough issues and turns it into a coffee table discussion. There's something to be said about being able to discuss the kind of things they do without the need of getting drunk, so I'm all for it. =)

Ready To Be Rich: Who Isn't?

Fitz Villafuerte shows you how easy it is to make money. All you have to do is pay attention.

The Not So Talented DJ Montano: Hell Hath No Fury!

Brian Gorell's Blog is a curious animal. It's the ultimate social experiment, and one that reflects both good and bad things about us.

It's good in that it shows that nobody is beyond criticism in the world of the internet.

It's bad in that we revel in the mudslinging we find in his posts.

Love him or hate him, Brian Gorell is definitely influential.

Bloggers Da Who: Are You There Yet?

With much joy, I can safely say I'm not in Bloggers Da Who. Yet.

It has a twofold effect on the blogosphere, so I noticed...

1: People can talk about these bits of gossip and have fun over it. For the most part, the fun can be quite harmless.

2: It keeps bloggers on their toes and is a nice deterrent against unwanted attention from being exposed for this or that thing.

Strange Fruit: Amoy Chico Na Ako

If I had to nominate just one blog, it would be this one.

Chico Garcia started blogging only last November, but thanks to his following in his daily morning radio show "The Morning Rush" with Delamar on RX 93.1, it was the easiest thing for him to acquire a rabid fanbase who await his every entry with eager anticipation.

As I myself am heavily involved in radio, I can personally attest to the sheer power Chico's blog has, and how many people just love hearing his thoughts about anything and everything. His very stream-of-consciousness writing style, and his friendly demeanor never fails to entertain the people who read his stuff, not to mention the fact that his recent foray into photography has made for more interesting content as well...

It also helps that he is one half of my favorite radio tandem of all time, and the one who personally trained me when I was still in Radio 1 way back in college. Chico's blog has influenced a lot of people, and I am one of those who are living testament to that.

And with that, I present to you my votes/nominations for this year. =)

Post Up In Magikel!

.:A Slight Shift Of Gears...:.

Check out my latest Magikel post where I explain why I have shifted gears from straight-up mentalism to a more hodgepodge style based on comedy and traditional magic.

It's barely scratching the surface, though. Feel free to ask me any questions if you want to know more. :)

I'm Sick!

Yet here I am in the booth, still doing the show with a sore throat!

Really, what the Hades?!?

Haters For The Sake Of Hatin'

.:Hatin' For The Sake Of Hatin':.

Over at the Campus 99.5 thread in Pinoy Exchange, the drama never stops.

First, we had the unenviable task of stemming a revolt by a certain group of listeners over nothing. It took them a while before they began to catch on that Campus was not marginalizing their group at all.

Then, we had to deal with the feud between this group and another small group in another station. In fact, the two competing shows guested each other just to show a united front and put a stop to it, but holdovers of the "war" is still there to this day...

And now, we have haters who miss the good ol' days when the station was still known as "Hit FM", and are pretty much of the belief that if it weren't for Campus, the station wouldn't have been reformatted. That's ridiculous, truth be told. Due to horrible sales (For whatever reason. I'm not privy to that.), Hit had to go. Campus wasn't the reason for it...

Doesn't really matter, at this point. All I know is that hatin' for the sake of hatin' is just so passe. Campus is doing pretty fine, and let's face it: when Boo Kyler of Max FM walks into your station to congratulate you for "kicking their @$$" in sales, you know you're really doing something right.

The haters can keep on insisting that this is all going to implode, but at the end of the day, they really don't know jack. They're just like those people trying to nitpick whatever they can about "The Dark Knight" just so they'd look cool bashing a movie that everyone likes.

.:My Thanks...:.

Dinner at Mang Jimmy's with MLQ3, Juned, and Arbet, as well as Plurker Bernard, was nothing short of fun. It was great talking about everything from neurolinguistic programming to the banana dance, and everything else in between.

We even had laughs at the expense of Mr. A, considering the "bacon scandal", among other things. Everyone loved the Tapa Mix, and we had our nightcap at Bo's Coffee. All in all, an excellent bonding session with these people...

I'm pleased as punch! What else can I say?

Plurk Has Taken Over My Life...

.:Gahhh!!!:.

So instead of blogging a lot, I'm Plurking a lot instead. It's like Twitter on crack, and is eating up more time than anything else I've been into.

Having said that, it's also been an opportunity for me to bond with a lot of people who are active in Plurk. People like Poytee, Fritz, Kring, and Diane are just a few of the people who never fail to make my day when I hear from them.

Having said that, there's so much stuff going on in my life lately, and I'm looking forward to find the time to go over them soon...

.:Good Times WithOUT Mo...:.

For the past week, Mo Twister wasn't part of the morning show of Magic 89.9, but that's just really beside the point.

The main point is it's been a while, but I've had the opportunity to bond once again with the two other hosts of the program, Mojo Jojo and Grace Lee. Mojo has been bugging me since forever to show him my baby pic, and he was mighty amused with how spiky my hair was then (and now) when I finally acquiesced to his request. I managed to bond with them, even when they were asking me whether I thought Grace Lee or Andi 9 was hotter, and why people think Grace Lee is intimidating.

Having said that, it was really fun talking to them, and they even mentioned me heavily on the air, with Grace Lee even bringing up that she met me during their coverage of my magic for "The Sweet Life". It was definitely a moment where I was beaming, although thankfully, they never referred to me by my current airname and limited themselves to calling me "Vader" or "Kel" only.

Those two guys are great. Mo's awesome, too, but I guess I've just spent a lot more time with Mojo and Grace so I have more love for those two guys. With Logan moving to the evening again after having quite the run in the mornings for Max, I guess there's only Good Times, Brand New Day, and of course, the Morning Rush to occupy my attention in the mornings...

.:Playing Love Doctor...:.

I hope that this friend of mine manages to get over her recent nasty run-in with somebody else. I think she should just let herself rest easy for now...

I've been there, done that. She really should take a cue for me, and just walk on by.

.:Time With My Beloved...:.

Old habits die hard, and I still call her My Beloved, probably because she remains to be special in my heart...

We watched Kung-Fu Panda recently, and I must say, I loved the movie. She didn't find it as awesome as I did, though. But she liked it enough, nonetheless.

I'm glad things have been going well for us, although the transition has been very awkward at the moment. I'd rather have it this way than not have her in my life...

I'd Like Two Hours Of My Life Back, Please!

.:Tonight's AudioVisual Xperience...:.

It's the first movie premiere for Campus 99.5, and in the age of summer blockbusters galore, we actually got something that's just completely unexpected.

Iron Man? The Dark Knight? Ha! They all pale in comparison to...

A flying load of grade-A horse crap!

If it weren't for the fact that I was there with blogger friends like Poyt Billycoy, and Arpee, I would've walked out on the movie in disgust. Not only was it a crappy slasher flick, it was a crappy slasher flick without any twist whatsoever.

I was especially pleased as punch though when one of Arpee's friends volunteered my name as an answer when John Hendrix, the host of the premiere, asked for some names of Campus jocks... John Hendrix then asked me to stand up and be recognized, and it made my day... heh.

But the movie? Bleh. The movie had a relatively low body count, so even as a drinking game, it wasn't particularly awesome...

Thanks to the company. Seriously!

The Words Don't Come Easy...

.:What About Us? What About Everything We've Been Through?:.

It's easy to point fingers when things end, but I think we've come to a point where we don't have to do that anymore.

We know we made a go at this, but things just weren't in the cards for now.

You wanted to end this, but now, I'm here to tell you that even if the relationship has to come to an end, we don't have to go through life alone anymore. Not now. Not ever.

In whatever shape or form, I know you and I will always have each other, My Beloved. I will always treasure what we had.

I find it so difficult to write at this point. I guess it still hasn't sunk in...

Thanks for the year and a half of wonderful memories, and ultimately, undeniable love... I will always look back with fondness on everything we've had.

Thank you for having given me one more day to show you how much you truly meant to me...

You will always be my Once In A Lifetime.

Random Nuttiness...

.:Radio Zaniness:.

From impressions to singing along to songs to playing sound-alike songs and singing the parts where they sound alike to having someone debut her singing "career", it would appear that Campus Classic Weekend brings out the crazy in me.

I boarded with Gracey on Sunday morning, and with the help of two of her friends, the show was chock full of comedy, information, nostalgia, and flat-out tomfoolery. There was just something about rapping along to Vanilla Ice, singing "Stranded" in the middle of "Everywhere", dedicating "My Happy Ending" to massage parlors, and playing out "Cool Ka Lang" to Nadya, Jack, Jaja, and Gina.

Everything just really falls into place. I'm having the time of my life with the music, finding songs I can't believe we actually have (Snow? INFORMER? ZOMG!), and even the people over at Plurk are just awesome when they give me their thoughts about the show.

Ah, well.

.:Coming Up On Mangaholix...:.

Last Saturday, Jay and I had a photo shoot for our upcoming feature in Mangaholix. It should be very interesting...

.:Summer Of '42:.

Loved this musical. Went with Elbert and Lora, and we realized this meant that Elbert left his parents alone in their condo unit.

Tsk, tsk. Kids these days...

In any case, the play was really cool, although I think I accidentally hurt one of the cast members who ran through the aisle and my foot hit his knee pretty bad as he ran at top speed...

The Roundup...

.:Welcome Back, My Beloved...:.

Welcome back to the country! You know I missed you!

.:The Dark Knight:.

... was simply unbelievably awesome. I actually want to watch it again. And again. And again.

.:Other Thoughts...:.

... to follow.

Hey, Just What I Needed!

.:I'm Hosting For Campus Tomorrow...:.

The UERM Freshman's Night is happening Friday night in Centerstage Timog. I'll be hosting it.

I'm still trying to find out if it's free-for-all. I'm also keen on not going, truth be told, because I have to deal with my thesis adviser soon.

.:Wonderful!:.

I mean, I'm just thrilled to have people branding me "epic phail" all over the internets! It's like a trend lately!

Thanks, guys! You really know how to cheer up a guy going through Hades.

With friends like you, I mean, who effing needs enemies?!?

Probe Team. Danvil Plans. It's On Nao!

.:Watch Probe Team Tonight! Nao!:.

Danvil Plans, here's to you!

When It Just Doesn't Pay To Get Out Of Bed...

.:The Way My Luck Runs...:.

This day was an utter wreck from the word "go", and the only glimmer of hope was a seemingly nice conversation with M.B., who seemed to finally be coming around to what I've been saying for the past month.

It was rough, but the conversation with M.B. ended quite well. I managed to get M.B. back on my side, after making it clear where I wanted to stand with M.B., despite everything that has already happened.

Should I have been surprised then to wake up later in the afternoon to find out that M.B. wants to sever ties with me because of something I wrote before we even talked? Never mind that M.B. made me feel that way when I wrote that entry. Never mind that I was entitled to my opinion of how I felt at the time that I was played for a fool. Never mind what was talked about after all that.

So now, I'm back to square one with M.B. since M.B. wants to eradicate me completely.

Then, we follow that up with the fact that A.L. is still clearly avoiding me up to now, after all this time. A.L. isn't alone though, as several other people are doing the same, and it hurts because the more I try to reach out, the more it seems to backfire on me. Just splendid.

To top it all off, I cut my class in Psych today because I was hoping that I would meet F.W., mainly because I did ask F.W. about F.W.'s schedule. I guess I was just being stupid and assumed that F.W. was actually free, only to find out that I actually cut my class for nothing, since by "free", F.W. meant that F.W. was free to do something else.

It's funny how "Unsent" by Alanis Morissette keeps popping up in my personal playlist lately, considering how I've written way too many Unsent letters in this blog alone, having written at least 24 of them, if my count is right. A friend's recent entry makes me think about sending another volley from the Unsent Series, but with the way things are going, I realize other things about myself that I wish I didn't, and these realizations detract me from doing another Unsent edition that would actually seem unoriginal after the fact... =(

.:I'm A Bag And A Half Of Issues:.

There's a lot to be said while I'm still stuck in a moment I can't get out of. Already, speculation abounds, and some people do question if I have lost my... gumption, in the middle of all the things that have happened in my life recently.

I don't know where I stand right now. I don't even know if I'm still standing, or sinking. All I know is I'm going to keep on keeping on.

I'm a bag and a half of issues right now, and I know that save for one person, there's absolutely nobody in this planet who can handle what I'm going through at the moment. I guess that explains why I'm like this right now.

I don't want to be presumptive. For now, I just need you to understand why I can't do what I want to do, and what you somehow expect me to do. Because I honestly believe that it's not yet the right time. I hope you understand. I have to bide my time... because you're worth it.

Just keep that in mind.

Just keep that in heart.

Can't Bring Myself To Write...

Life in general has been giving me the bird lately.

The Weekend That Refused To End Finally Comes To An End...

Pics to follow, but for now, let the text do the talking...

.:Videoke Night:.

The temptation to just sing your heart out in front of an audience who will not hate you for it was just too strong, so I found myself in the company of Ria Jose, Juned, Fritz, Poyt, Billycoy, Arbet, Arpee, Markku (with girlfriend), and Jayvee (with girlfriend).

It was a Videoke Friday Night in Red Box, and as usual, I went and sang my heart out, letting go of all the crazy feelings I had hounding me throughout the day. I went the gamut of Gary Valenciano, The Cure, Ne-Yo, High School Musical, Salbakuta, and a host of other songs. It was an impromptu concert for me, although of course, I wasn't alone in singing my lungs out, what with Hagibis and Village People and Queen in on the fun.

My thanks to Juned again for the very awesome Videoke night, as well as the great food! My thanks as well to everyone else for putting up with my wannabe concert and my oddest of odd song choices...

.:The Radio Show Of Doom:.

I was a zombie by the time I headed to the station, and it was definitely going to be an uphill battle for me, as I went to my radio show and realized that contrary to what I thought, I was going to be there alone.

I loved the music and all, but not having the person I've been boarding with for the past few days did feel very strange for me at the time...

It got even more awkward when we talked around 6:30 or so, since that person showed up during the show after mine, and we had to painstakingly process what's been happening to us the past few days... it wasn't pleasant, by any means.

.:Binondo Food Tour!:.

I had to ignore the fact that I was extremely tired and depressed by the time I got to the Guadalupe Ferry Station so I can join Melo, Nina, and even Ryan, who showed up a bit late, Wait, scratch that. He showed up unbelievably late.

I had a few minutes of sleep though when I sat in the station. Nina woke me up about ten or so minutes after I dozed off. Conversations were funny, as it went the gamut of the anime community, the tour of bitterness, and other randomly hilarious topics.

We ate in three restaurants, mainly: Dong Bei, Sincerity, and Wai Ying. At each stop, we ate a ton of food, including excellent dumplings, oyster omelette, and the famous uber-affordable Wai Ying duck rice.

Aside from that, I even had seedless Kiamoy to take home, but unfortunately, didn't have the foresight to buy at least a kilo's worth. Heh.

Will write more once I have pics to borrow, but for now, it was excellent, and I'm happy about it.

.:The Quest For Rope:.

I now have 180 meters of rope for my bedroom magic shows. Can you believe it? :P

.:Capping Off With Another Solo Show...:.

And Sunday was my four-hour show that just drained all remaining energy from me. Throughout this weekend, I've barely had any sleep, so I guess I'm grateful that I managed to have people keep me company online... especially since I got to dedicate a few songs here and there, to people who just really made my day...

It wasn't so bad, really. Thanks to Kring for at least listening to a part of my show! You rock!

Friends like her do keep me from feeling horrible that I was doing the show alone for the second straight day already...

Wow. What a non-stop weekend!

E-Heads. Reunion? Whoah!!!

.:Eraserheads Reunion Concert?!?:.

It seems to have been confirmed on the Philippine Star already, so I guess we just need to wait and see how this is going to work out.

Wow. If this really happens, it's gonna be one Hades of a reunion. You really can never say never in the music business!

Today's LSS...

.:Goodbye, My Almost Lover:.
by A Fine Frenzy

Your fingertips across my skin
The palm trees swaying in the wind;
Images.
You sang me Spanish lullabies.
The sweetest sadness in your eyes;
Clever trick.

I never want to see you unhappy.
I thought you'd want the same for me.

Goodbye my almost lover.
Goodbye my hopeless dream.
I'm trying not to think about you.
Can't you just let me be.
So long my luckless romance.
My back is turned on you.
Should've known you'd bring me heartache.
Almost lovers always do

We walked along a crowded street.
You took my hand and danced with me.
Images.
And when you left you kissed my lips.
You told me you would never let forget these images.
No.

Well, I'd never want to see you unhappy.
I thought you'd want the same for me.

I cannot go to the ocean
I cannot drive the streets at night.
I cannot wakeup in the morning without you on my mind.
So you're gone and I'm haunted
And I bet you are just fine.
Did I make it that easy to walk right in and out of my life?

Goodbye my almost lover.
Goodbye my hopeless dream.
I'm trying not to think about you.
Can't you just let me be.
So long my luckless romance.
My back is turned on you.
Should've known you'd bring me heartache.
Almost lovers always do

A Backblogging Rundown...

.:Pressed For Time...:.

Much as I'd like to split this up into several entries, I'd rather just run through the list quickly, because thanks to my hectic schedule and Plurking, I can't blog sensibly for the time being. Gawd, can't wait 'til I finish my thesis... but I'd be so much happier starting on it to begin with... :(

.:Happy Twelfth Year, Chico And Delle!:.

You know I love you guys, and anything I do in radio now, I owe to you guys! Congratulations, and more years to come to my absolute favorite morning show!

.:To The People Who Raped That Girl In PUP For Three Days...:.

Damn you pricks. Damn you all to hell. I hope you get locked in jail for life with very lonely prisoners who need a new set of bitches.

Pardon my strong language, but I feel strongly about this.

.:Hard Gay, You Rock!:.

Spent a bit time hanging out during the Brewrats the past couple of days, where I ran into Hard Gay, who was an amazing individual both in and out of character.

I'm a bit saddened by the news that he might be leaving the country soon, though... it was real cool hearing him talk, though. How he's still a true-blue fanboy of fellow cosplayers at heart, how down to earth he really is, and how much he loves what he does.

Hard Gay rocks. And he rocks hard. 'Cause he's rock hard. =P

.:They Didn't Think This Over Too Well... Or Did They?:.

Oh, look! The new Dora Aquapet Toy! How utterly cute and innocent looking and... wait, what?!?

.:Thanks, Gracey!:.

For being there as an awesome co-host and friend in the 3-6 am timeslot, I am very grateful. You're awesome!

And... oh. You still sound like Sharon Yu. =P

That's fine. Our DJ impersonations are getting more and more infamous. Just kidding! Haha.

Dummit...

This is not a wholesome post, even if I was actually wholesome today...

.:Lemme Tell You About Yesterday...:.

During my timeslot on Campus 99.5, I received someone on Yahoo Messenger who, in no uncertain terms, told me that she was hot and bothered, and she was seventeen. Pretty much telling me that she wanted to get it on with the phone, she called the station's hotline up, and was immediately moaning when I answered the phone.

So knowing that I, the paragon of sex appeal, was on the other end of the line, while a clearly underaged but horny girl was on the phone with me, what do you think I did?

Why, I pulled out all the stops to make her unhorny.

Wait, what? I'm proud of doing that?

Well, actually, I am. To be honest, I just talked to her and kept on ignoring her advances despite her telling me she'd want to go to the station and strip for me, and I was doing my job, periodically cutting her short to intro and extro my songs, until she got the hint that she wasn't going to really be capable of seducing me into actually going at it with her.

I know normally, I'd go and pretend to be Mr. Machismo and slap myself silly for passing up on this mysterious and horny 17-year old girl, but right now, I actually feel proud of myself that I didn't even bat an eyelash over an offer like that. My life has enough trouble right now to have to worry about Qualified Seduction and having to cede my values after years of valuing intimacy as something more than just an exchange of bodily fluids.

Pardon me if my choice of words at the moment isn't the best, but I'm just being perfectly candid right now. I think I did the right thing, and the fact that she called me her "friend" rather than some kind of SOP buddy after our conversation made me feel I really did the right thing. Of course, she seemed to end up liking me even more for doing what I did, but that's a small price to pay if it means that I uphold a choice I have made for myself.

The Pond's Event...

.:The Pond’s Event:.

… well, it was fun, thanks to the company of the people there.

But the hosts? Man, I think I'll hold my tongue now.

Gah. If you can’t say anything good, say nothing at all, I suppose.

Still, the bloggers came, and it was a load of fun for the most part. The pictures taken were nice, too. Heh. As much as I’d like to post ‘em, there were so many good ones, I don’t know which ones to borrow… heh. Maybe the other bloggers can just recommend? Heh.

Yes, Kel and Jay was there.

Buhay Coke: Tikman Mo!

.:Buhay Coke. Tikman Mo!:.

The “Buhay Coke ng Bloggers” event was nothing short of a success, truth be told. It was hosted by yours truly and PJ, a non-blogger, and I must say, the bloggers were overjoyed with the sheer abundance of Coke Zero to give out to everyone at Taste Asia.

There were tons of bloggers there, so you just know it was going to be a load of fun, and from the Banana Dance to the great food, the event was a smashing success all around!

That, and I even had a magic show that night which was really received very well… pretty much the debut of my comedy style in lieu of the traditional mentalist style that I’ve been using for the past couple of years already…

On an outside note, we all got Punk'd by Shari, though. ZOMG. Haha. I did the sword illusion on her, and everyone, myself included, thought something went horribly wrong...

It was fun, and I even managed to meet some of the 26K girls from Deal Or No Deal! They were actually very nice and friendly, which was, to be honest, not what I was expecting. I was pleasantly surprised. Of course, that magic routine I did for Charmelle was loads of fun all the same…

Anyways, a few pictures! Much thanks to Tita Noemi and Hrudu for them! Hehehe.

Fernando the Ferret!


The Lady and the Rope!



It’s us!


Just a few of the 26K girls from Deal Or No Deal!

CBTL: Flsh Fiction Workshop

.:Coffee Bean And Tea Leaf’s Flash Fiction Workshop:.

Tuesday night last week was an event marked by an amazing influx of creative juices and other unique bodily fluids. No, not really, but Coffee Bean And Tea Leaf gathered three amazing resource speakers, Dean Alfar, Ocs Alvarez, and Mike Cabardo. Jay Mata and I were present, and it was really interesting considering that Jay went to Dean’s pod, while I went to Mike’s pod, since I wanted to give video a try.

So of course, I was in there with the usual suspects Coy and Fritz, which resulted in much fun, albeit the final output for our efforts, a very amusing “magic” video, is still nowhere to be found online (Until just today, actually.). Jay wrote a pretty cool essay though, entitled “Meh”.

Having said that, after the party, Jay and I obliged Poyt, and we performed some magic for her friend as she took pictures. Obviously, these are pictures from *her* camera…

It was an awesome time, and nothing made my day more than to hear Dean’s kind words about me, as he called me his “favorite magician”…

And thanks to Cokskiblue, here now is our collaborative vlogging debut! Hope you like it! =P

Campus 99.5 Funnies...

.:This Is NOT John Hendrix!:.

So after coming from the Pond’s event in Mall Of Asia, I got to the station during BoyToy’s timeslot, and shortly discovered that I will be boarding with a ton of my fellow Aircheckers: Gracey, Deedah, Arn, Matt, Vanessa, and Janna. It was a merry menagerie as all of us went on air at some point, and since it was a Campus Classic Weekend, my trivia knowledge as far as the music goes went up by a hundredfold, so ad libbing wasn’t much of a problem, although it was a matter of properly dividing the time on air between all of us.

I boarded during the first hour, Arn took over for the second, and then Janna took over for the third hour and all the way ‘til John Hendrix got into the booth since he woke up late due to the U.P. Freshman’s Night party where the aircheckers mostly came from.

Anyways, we were having fun as I showed my age by rapping along to Vanilla Ice, singing along to Boy Bands, and the like, but what amused them was when I started doing impressions of a few jocks while we were off the air. They especially liked my Triggerman impression, although the Jimmy Jam one was just okay, according to them.

Anyways, while we were waiting for John Hendrix to get there, I took it upon myself to make them feel his presence on the airwaves, and mustering my best impression, I told them…

How’s it going? Are you flowing? This is NOT John Hendrix, and you’re listening to the Campus Classic Weekend here on the number one Hit music station in Metro Manila, Campus 99.5! Maintain this frequency!!!

Vanessa even followed it up with her best impression, and I told them that this was NOT Sharon Yu…

We had a laugh trip throughout the morning, and it was just great bonding with the Campus Aircheckers again. The next day, it was just me and Gracey, but boy, did we have fun, considering all the nutty stuff, including the dedication of “Cool Ka Lang” to Jaja, Gina, Jack, and Nadya, plus looking for a massage after having heard “My Happy Ending” by Avril Lavigne.

Much thanks to the people on Plurk for keeping me company for most of my show as well! It was really fun hearing your comments about the music we played, although realizing that 90’s music is now considered retro kinda makes me feel old…

My CBTL Experience, But Not Quite A Story...

.:Hanging Out At Coffee Bean And Tea Leaf:.

At the moment, I still don’t have a genuine CBTL Story, but yesterday, Elbert and I hung out at CBTL in SM North, since I had some GC’s I wanted to use up. We ran into Micamyx over there, and since she was entertaining her pals, Elbert and I just reconnected after a two-month long cold-war that happened over the silliest of things…

In any case, it was all good, and I finally met Elbert’s uber-smart niece, who was preoccupied watching Prince Of Tennis, although she noticed my “porcupine hair”, which I really should change up soon… I used to have that nice, well-combed and parted hair, but I got lazy after grad and decided to go with a no-style hairstyle.

It’s great being able to rest easy again, after the cold war. Things have been definitely on the up and up when it comes to my personal life lately…

Kel And Jay Update...

.:This Is Just The Beginning:.

Armed with some of their most exciting material, Kel and Jay took their specially invited guests by storm last June 28 as they went and had a shot at the Mata residence. While there were some guests who backed out at the last minute, by a stroke of luck, other guests reconfirmed at the last minute as well, and the sheer overwhelming success of the event is bound to yield a sequel: a bigger, grander shoot sometime this August, to further promote Kel and Jay as the quintessential magic, mentalism, and comedy duo act that's set to ignite the entertainment industry.

It was an unbelievable night, to say the least, and the crowd was awed, astounded, and even amused by the antics of Kel and Jay. It was a testament to the hard work that went into perfecting the act, but this is only the beginning.

If you missed out on the first shoot, you just might find yourself invited again to the second shoot, most likely happening this August 23, a Saturday, and most likely in the same venue. Rest assured that you will not want to miss this.

Last Saturday featured Kel performing, and Jay performing.

This August 23, it’s the whole shebang: Kel and Jay will be doing the two-man show, and after months of rehearsals and preparations and meditation, you can be sure that it’s going to be quite a spectacle!

Much thanks to everyone who was present at last Saturday’s shoot… hopefully, you guys can be there again in August!

It's A Campus Classic Weekend!

.:Retro-Music Weekend, Only On Campus 99.5!:.

What can I say? I haven't done this yet, so being able to go retro for an entire weekend sounds like a load of fun to me!

Here's hoping I do well for my show in T-120 minutes...

.:Tonight's Hosts...:.

... sucked. Both of them.

Seriously.

Pleased As Punch...

.:I'll Be Better In Time...:.

I started the day off real bad. Got to the station almost an hour late, but was pleasantly surprised to see that Vanessa of Aircheck was there on the board, so it was still Airchecker time even if I wasn't there just yet.

While Vanessa needs a lot of work, I liked the fact that our rapport was going so well because we managed to time our ad libs with the music for the most part. I'm pretty happy with the results of the show, as I was in such a foul mood when I got to the station, but I managed to pick myself up shortly afterwards, which was of course good for the show.

I was a bit sad because I thought there was nobody on Plurk to talk to, and next thing I knew, Juned and AJ told me they were there, and both of them ended up listening to the station shortly thereafter.

You have no idea how great it made me feel that the show wasn't falling on deaf ears. I was pretty depressed when I got to the station, so knowing some of my friends were listening to me really picked me right back up, and I think people could tell on the air that I was having loads of fun already as I performed the rest of my hosting duties with a smile on my face that you could practically hear on the air.

Thanks, guys! You really helped turn around what I thought would simply be a wretched day...

If There's One Thing I Learned From You...

.:If There Was One Thing I Learned From You... The Unsent Series, Volume II, Part IV:.

Dear Lorenz,

When I think about the troubles I go through, and think about the pain I feel at my moments of sadness, I will never fail to think about you as well. You with the brilliant mind and the bright future ahead of you. You with the penchance for Derrida and post-modernism. I wish I didn't have to find myself in this situaiton, writing an unsent letter to you, but it's the least I could do.

We were never close, but I knew you, and I admired you and respected you. When we talked about you in Psychology class the other day, it genuinely felt heavy as Fr. Bulatao asked me to attempt to "reach out" to you. I have never done something like that in my entire life, but something about the situation compelled me to try.

While I personally pray that what we experienced then was not what it seemed, all I know is that a lot of people miss you. They say you don't know what you have until it's gone, and this is a stark reminder of that sad fact. All we are left with is a pocketful of regrets, but all that is for naught if we don't learn from what has happened.

As I think about the other people around me, I realize how short life really is. I realize how I mire myself in petty things, and take so many things and people for granted, I would like to take this opportunity to say that with any of the people who have had a falling out with me at one point or another, whether it be Divine or Alcohol or anyone else, I am burying the hatchet on my side. I want you to know and realize that while we are still alive, now is a good time to let wounds heal and move on without eradicating each other from our lives...

If there was one thing I learned from you, it's that life is too short. No matter what happens, life goes on, and we can never stop the world from turning no matter how important we may think we are. Not having you in our midst is a great loss, but as cruel as it sounds, people still have to move on. I learned that we can't accept being merely written off by not seizing the day, by not doing what must be done when the chance presents itself.

Godspeed your soul, dear Lorenz. You will continue being in my prayers.

I Was Asked To Pretty Much Do A Seance...

... and to be honest, I'm *very* uncomfortable with that.

The Much Ballyhooed Shoot...

.:This Is Just The Beginning:.

Armed with some of their most exciting material, Kel and Jay took their specially invited guests by storm last Saturday as they went and had a shot at the Mata residence. While there were some guests who backed out at the last minute, by a stroke of luck, other guests reconfirmed at the last minute as well, and the sheer overwhelming success of the event is bound to yield a sequel: a bigger, grander shoot sometime this August, to further promote Kel and Jay as the quintessential magic, mentalism, and comedy duo act that's set to ignite the entertainment industry.

It was an unbelievable night, to say the least, and the crowd was awed, astounded, and even amused by the antics of Kel and Jay. It was a testament to the hard work that went into perfecting the act, but this is only the beginning.

If you missed out on the first shoot, you just might find yourself invited again to the second shoot, most likely happening this August 23, a Saturday, and most likely in the same venue. Rest assured that you will not want to miss this.

Last Saturday featured Kel performing, and Jay performing.

This August 23, it’s the whole shebang: Kel and Jay will be doing the two-man show, and after months of rehearsals and preparations and meditation, you can be sure that it’s going to be quite a spectacle!

Much thanks to everyone who was present at last Saturday’s shoot… hopefully, you guys can be there again in August!

Being Back In Graveyard Feels... Like Home.

.:Sparky At 3-6 AM. Again?!?:.

Yes, that's my new timeslot with Campus 99.5 now, as myself and the rest of the Aircheckers take over the graveyard shift with nothing but the best music only Campus 99.5 can possibly dish out.

It's been a good couple of days so far, and hopefully, with the younger members of Aircheck Batch 5 boarding with me, I can somehow help them out at improving their technical and on-air skills pretty much the way those who have trained me in the past have helped me.

It's an exciting time, and I know that it's quite a responsibility to have, being the "big brother" of sorts to the other Aircheckers, but I'd like to think that the past few people who were with me really had fun and merited themselves pretty well, especially Cherry, who had the baptism of fire of being both the anchor and in charge of the console for a third of the program. Maybe my on-air style isn't perfect, but I know that what I'm teaching them is only stuff that I know will make them better.

Back in the galaxy far, far away, I didn't like the graveyard shift at all. Nowadays, that just might change.

A Moment Of Silence For Jose Lorenzo Tan...

.:You Will Be Missed:.

While you and I were never close, knowing that I will never see you in class again reminds me that sometimes, we take so many things for granted.

May you rest in peace, and know that you are in my prayers.

Still With A Goofy Smile On My Face...

.:Thanks...:.

That's all I can tell you, really.

You brightened up my day today, and for that, I can't thank you enough.

First Day High...

.:I'd Like To Think We Did Well...:.

Much love to Sabs and Francis (Of UPLB.) for keeping me company on my first day in the graveyard shift on Campus 99.5 I guess I'll be sticking around there for a while, but hey, that's all good, so long as I get hired soon enough... sigh.