Thursday, December 31, 2009

The Top 10 People I'm Most Grateful To In 2009, Part 10 Of 10...

.:The Top 10 People I’m Most Grateful To In 2010, Part 10 Of 10:.

Finally, the last installment! And boy, you can expect that this’ll be a mouthful of thanks...

1. The Comedians


Everytime I get into a break up, I learn a new talent or skill. This time, it was standup.

When I was completely down and out, when I didn’t know how I could go on, comedy practically saved my life last year.

It wasn’t easy coping with depression, but finding an outlet in standup comedy was the best thing I did for myself this year, as I gained newfound confidence in so many aspects of my life, as well as a deeper appreciation for how difficult it really is to go onstage there armed with nothing but a microphone and your wits.

It doesn’t matter if I was watching the Cartel or SPIT, or I was doing an open mic. Comedy was a huge part of my life the past year, and with so many tragedies that we all had to cope with, there was a great need to bring levity to our lives in whatever way possible. As I said when I thanked the Itchyworms, my nightlife was ruled by music and misfit. I thanked the Worms at number 10. How could I let my entire list pass without thanking the comedians?

Whether it’s my personal hero in standup, Mike Unson, or the great Tim Tayag or the irrepressible Alex Calleja, I can’t thank them enough for their knowledge and willingness to spare me a word of advice every now and then. Kudos to Pat, the Cartel manager as well, for being very encouraging of me all the same.

To the man who opened my eyes to standup comedy in the Philippines, Stanley Chi, I know my life would be remarkably different and probably much less filled with laughter if I didn’t get to know you for three years already. Can’t believe how long it’s been, and the success you are meeting now can only be a sign that indeed, your hard work and determination at doing standup comedy has paid dividends.

To the Cartel and SPIT people whom I frequently watch, can’t thank you guys enough for the laughs. You know I have nothing but good things to say about all of you guys. Whether it's standup or improv, I have always been and will always be a fan.

To the open mic guys I frequently hang out with, especially GB, Noel, Richie, Ryan, Trian, Raffy, Eri, Drei, Doc Nase, Eric, and Chino, we’re already like brothers from other mothers (Yes, that means you, too, Drei.). I can’t thank all you guys enough for being amazing friends in times of need. I’ll even thank Brenda, Anna, and Baya at this point, because even though they're not comics, this is how I got to know 'em. The support all of you guys gave me during “Bound And Gagged” will be one of my fondest memories of the year, if not the decade.

2009 has been quite a year for all of us, and as mainstream awareness about our brand of standup comedy continues to rise day by day, you just know that it won’t be long before everyone else knows what we already do: Philippine standup comedy is alive, diverse, and fucking hilarious.

The other day, I went to the DK really early, about 3:20 in the morning, a good couple of hours before the show even started. When Logan asked me why I was there so early, I told him it was because I came from the Alchemy year-end standup comedy show.

Logan looked at me and told me, "wow, that's commitment. But I guess if you're passionate about something, then you pull out all the stops, right?"

At this point, I realized how much I love standup comedy. I sacrificed sleep for it, just because I love doing it that much. Few things ever get in the way of me and my sleep, and if you manage to be one of those things or people, then I must be pretty damned passionate about you already.

More power to all of us in 2010, and I thank you for letting me be a part of something truly big.

The other posts in this 10-part series:

Part 1: The Itchyworms.
Part 2: The magic community.
Part 3: The blogosphere.
Part 4: My Plurk friends.
Part 5: Koji Morales.
Part 6: People who are practically my best friends.
Part 7: My Nuffnang family!
Part 8: The Disenchanted Kingdom!
Part 9: My Beloved.

The Top 10 People I'm Most Grateful To In 2009, Part 9 Of 10...

.:The Top 10 People I’m Most Grateful To In 2010, Part 9 Of 10:.

This ought to come as no surprise, as she was, quite simply, the one person who shaped my 2009 the most among everyone I know.

2. My Beloved


Taken a year ago.

First things first, let’s make one thing clear – My Beloved and I are no longer together, and that has been the status quo since March of this year. Despite that, she has still been, bar none, the best friend I ever had, and she’s still the one person I’d turn to no matter what.

The two years we had together would remain to be one of the highest points of my life, and my road to recovering from the breakup was the most challenging thing I’ve gone through thus far, but an event that simply shaped me in a way I never thought possible. I cannot thank her enough for what she has done for me. That much is clear: I may never find another person who can influence me nearly as much for the rest of my life.

My Beloved continues to be there for me no matter how tough things get, and I can’t find enough words to convey how much it means to me to know that I can still count on her in a pinch. I no longer hope she’d come back to me, but despite that, I know she’ll continue being an indelible part of my life simply because she sees me for who I truly am, far better than anyone else ever could, and continues to accept me and care about me despite that.

Thank you so much, My Beloved. You’ve been a positive force in my life, and I’m grateful to still have your friendship after everything we’ve been through.



The other posts in this 10-part series:

Part 1: The Itchyworms.
Part 2: The magic community.
Part 3: The blogosphere.
Part 4: My Plurk friends.
Part 5: Koji Morales.
Part 6: People who are practically my best friends.
Part 7: My Nuffnang family!
Part 8: The Disenchanted Kingdom!
Part 10: The comedians.

The Top 10 People I'm Most Grateful To In 2009, Part 8 Of 10...

.:The Top Ten People I’m Most Grateful For In 2010, Part 8 Of 10:.

3. The Disenchanted Kingdom


The Disenchanted Kingdom: Mondays to Fridays, 6-9AM, only on 99.5RT!

In 2008, I was with Campus 99.5 in the hopes of becoming a DJ once again, and to an extent, I did get that wish, albeit I was never on the payroll.

In 2009, I spent the last quarter of the year with the Disenchanted Kindom with no hopes whatsoever of getting hired by the station. There’s something to be said there about being willing to make this kind of effort solely because I want to.

The show’s hosts, Marf, Cleo Caliente, and King DJ Logan, have all been welcoming of me on their show since the first time I guested on October 23 this year. Since then, I’ve been a regular fixture in the show as a sorta regular guest known as the “Magic Plant”, for better or for worse. And I’ve been having the time of my life ever since. Let’s not forget to mention Pom, who is, like myself, also a regular fixture on the show from time to time.

Marf is an excellent guy and even helped me out when I was planning a bit of a surprise for a friend’s birthday. He’s good-natured, a great sport, and extremely funny, even if most of the time, that was never his intention.

King DJ Logan needs no introduction, really. His reputation on radio is stuff of legend, but behind the outspoken and abrasive personality you meet on air is a person who has a heart of gold and believes in doing whatever he can to make this world a better place in his own inimitable way.

Cleo Caliente is, needless to say, the most significant person whom I got to know this yeart. No, it wasn’t Dancing Queen or even Lovey-Dovey. Cleo’s unique personality has amused, perplexed, frustrated, endeared, and won me over entirely in one fell swoop. The girl takes you on an emotional roller-coaster like no other, and you come out all the better because of it. It’s easy to see how much of an impact she’s made on my life in so short a time, and I can’t thank her enough for being one of my best friends, albeit being her “gay best friend only straight” does consternate me a bit from time to time.

The Disenchanted Kingdom has only been what, three months old? Already, it’s a force to be reckoned with on morning radio, and things can only get better as developments happen, controversial run-ins with EDSA Shang be damned.



The other posts in this 10-part series:

Part 1: The Itchyworms.
Part 2: The magic community.
Part 3: The blogosphere.
Part 4: My Plurk friends.
Part 5: Koji Morales.
Part 6: People who are practically my best friends.
Part 7: My Nuffnang family!
Part 9: My Beloved.
Part 10: The comedians.

The Top 10 People I'm Most Grateful To In 2009, Part 7 Of 10...

.:The Top 10 People I'm Most Grateful To In 2009, Part 7 Of 10:.

4. My Nuffnang Family


Not in picture: Anne and Patty.


This year marked a huge change for me, career-wise. While yes, I’m still trying to finish my masters, I have to say that joining the Nuffnang team ha sbeen one of the most life-altering moves I’ve made this year, and perhaps for my entire life. Working with excellent co-Nuffies like Judd, Patty, Carlos, and Anne has been nothing but an eye-opener for me in an industry that still has so much room to grow and become bigger than any of us could have ever dreamed. The fact that I can absolutely hang out with my co-Nuffies is indeed a huge plus, since it’s really difficult to have rapport with co-workers on such a level at times for me.

The fact that we burst into random SPIT improve games while in the office only goes to show how on the same page we all are. We want to work together because we genuinely like each other, and it shows with how we establish our rapport.

I can’t thank enough other employees with Nuffnang’s affiliates, such as Mikey and Danes, for all the intelligent and interesting conversations all the same. I have nothing but amazing love and respect for my bosses, sir Eric and sir Jay, who supported me not only as their employee, but even in my other endeavours, having sponsored a significant chunk of “Bound And Gagged” last October. Of course, other former co-workers like Jing, Roanna, and Charles are just as awesome people, and soon-to-be-officemates like Maki and Hannah are notable personalities to watch out for.

Nuffnang has so much going for it, and things can only get better in 2010. I can feel it in my bones.

The other posts in this 10-part series:

Part 1: The Itchyworms.
Part 2: The magic community.
Part 3: The blogosphere.
Part 4: My Plurk friends.
Part 5: Koji Morales.
Part 6: People who are practically my best friends.
Part 8: The Disenchanted Kingdom!
Part 9: My Beloved.
Part 10: The comedians.

Wednesday, December 30, 2009

The Top 10 People I'm Most Grateful To In 2009, Part 6 Of 10...

.:The Top Ten People I’m Most Grateful For In 2010, Part 6 Of 10:.

5. Francis, Ronnie, Elbert, Estelle, Abby, Jonas, Sacha, Cami, Eky, Diane, Mark, Clair, And Charo

These are easily the closest friends I have whom I normally don’t really communicate with via their blogs or Plurk. I’ve been close to them for years, and I can never let a year pass by without reminding them how much they mean to me, especially my brother, Francis, who continues to be a revelation, as far as I’m concerned.

From giving me sensible advice and being my cold shower when I need to snap myself out of the stupor of emotional highs and lows, to being plainly the people I’d never hesitate to have behind me in a fight, these guys will always hold a special place in my heart.

To Elbert, thanks for being around when I need to talk to someone about career moves and the like.

To Estelle, you've been my bessie for three years already, and I can't thank you enough for that.

To Abby, what can I say? We've been friends for half my life already. Haha.

To Jonas, it's always a pleasure talking to you and doing business with you. Your wealth of experience is something I always treasure.

To Sacha, did you know my Lovey-Dovey looks like you? Wait 'til you see the pics. LOL.

To Cami and Eky, you're my cold showers when I get a little too caught up with being in love. =P

To Diane and Mark, thanks for being my most awesome gamer buddies.

To Clair, you've always been there for me. Always. Also, Sans Rival stuffed with Sylvanas! We must has it!

To Charo, you're the man! Heh.

To Ronnie, it's been years, and I've only started talking to you again this year, but you're still as awesome as you've been since high school. Thanks for being a great friend from half the globe away!

I've known all these guys for years already, and truly, they are among the few people who really do know me best. Lalo na si Francis - bata pa lang kami, magkapatid na kami.

The other posts in this 10-part series:

Part 1: The Itchyworms.
Part 2: The magic community.
Part 3: The blogosphere.
Part 4: My Plurk friends.
Part 5: Koji Morales.
Part 7: My Nuffnang family!
Part 8: The Disenchanted Kingdom!
Part 9: My Beloved.
Part 10: The comedians.

The Top 10 People I'm Most Grateful To In 2009, Part 5 Of 10...

.:The Top Ten People I’m Most Grateful For In 2010, Part 5 Of 10:.

6. Koji Morales

While I would be forever grateful to Chico and Delamar for the impact they made on me throughout my life, one of their good friends, Koji Morales, has single-handedly been one of the people I’ve turned to the most the entire year.

Koji has had my back since the Campus 99.5 days, and continues to be one of the people I would practically trust with my life. He’s never had a shortage of good advice to spare me, nor has he ever looked at me and all my quirks and ever made me feel that I was a lesser person. There’s a lot to be said about a guy who could be both like an elder brother and a mentor to me in multiple aspects of my life.

I may not see him as often as I used to in 2008, but Koji, without a doubt, will continue to be a significant person in my life for the years to come. Few people are more genuinely more beautiful human beings than this man, and I’m grateful that he considers me his friend.

The other posts in this 10-part series:

Part 1: The Itchyworms.
Part 2: The magic community.
Part 3: The blogosphere.
Part 4: My Plurk friends.
Part 6: People who are practically my best friends.
Part 7: My Nuffnang family!
Part 8: The Disenchanted Kingdom!
Part 9: My Beloved.
Part 10: The comedians.

The Top 10 People I'm Most Grateful To In 2009, Part 4 Of 10...

.:The Top Ten People I’m Most Grateful For In 2010, Part 4 Of 10:.

7. My Plurk friends

Truth be told, spending majority of my time online and on Plurk has pretty much been the source of 90% of the things that go on in my life. I end up talking about what I notice on Plurk, stuff that caught my attention there, and so on and so forth. Majority of my blogger friends are friends I’m immensely closer to thanks to Plurk, in fact. Whether it’s bloggers like Manolo or Juned, or cosplayers like Merei, Crissey (Yihee!) and Alodia, to of course, my beloved Aircheck kids like Iza and MM, Plurk has been invaluable to me for the past year, as it has been in 2008, if not more so now.

And let's not forget that I should also thank my lovey-dovey, Jazminne! Hihihi.

Well, I guess it’s pretty obvious why I’m grateful to them, really. All in all, I think my life would be a lot less exciting without my Plurk friends filling me in on stuff I should actually know about.

The other posts in this 10-part series:

Part 1: The Itchyworms.
Part 2: The magic community.
Part 3: The blogosphere.
Part 5: Koji Morales.
Part 6: People who are practically my best friends.
Part 7: My Nuffnang family!
Part 8: The Disenchanted Kingdom!
Part 9: My Beloved.
Part 10: The comedians.

The Top 10 People I'm Most Grateful To In 2009, Part 3 Of 10...

.:The Top Ten People I’m Most Grateful For In 2010, Part 3 Of 10:.

8. The Blogosphere

While this is very general, I think it would be great to specifically mention the people I’ve been especially closest to this past year, not to mention give ‘em some linklove on this post.

I’ve met new people like Cher, built quite a rapport with the great Marocharim, learned to appreciate the likes of Chris and Helga, discovered an insanely funny but profound character in Dementiam found an achie in Roch, and ultimately, found a great music/movie/whatever buddy in one of my best friends, Sarah.

Special mention has to go to Ate Aileen and Jay for tying the knot last Saturday, though. The pictures really showed just how happy we were that day.

It’s needless to say that my life would’ve been much less exciting without these people, and all the other great people in the blogosphere whom I may not have specifically mentioned at this point. Winning in this year’s Philippine Blog Awards was also quite a shot in the arm for someone such as myself, who’s been blogging for longer than I’d care to recall.

Thank you, blogosphere! You jabronis never cease to amaze me with the kind of things you come up with time and time again.

The other posts in this 10-part series:

Part 1: The Itchyworms.
Part 2: The magic community.
Part 4: My Plurk friends.
Part 5: Koji Morales.
Part 6: People who are practically my best friends.
Part 7: My Nuffnang family!
Part 8: The Disenchanted Kingdom!
Part 9: My Beloved.
Part 10: The comedians.

Speedy Recap!

.:No Rest For The Wicked:.

Well, I just woke up after a long, restful sleep to cap off my all-nighter, as I went straight from doing standup comedy with the open mic guys at Alchemy (And even won a ticket to Ne-Yo for my efforts.) to heading straight to 99.5 RT in anticipation of the Disenchanted Kingdom with Logan, Cleo, and Marf. Yes, I was two and a half hours early to the dance.

Despite that, we still had a pretty good run, especially since Marf apparently ran into Judy Ann Santos in Alabang Town Center the other day and promptly acted like a starstruck fanboy. For. Judy. Ann. Santos! I don’t know about you, but even he was surprised at his reaction. This led to a point where we played “Gaano Ka-Pinoy ang Pinoy?” The topic was funny: it’s about Pinoys who run into celebrities, and my answers were very anecdotal.

Achie Rochelle was listening to the show, and I managed to squeeze in mentioning her name when I started giving my Angelu de Leon answers. LOL. I was so starstruck when I saw her last time in the World Trade Bazaar a few weeks ago. Heh.

All in all, it’s been a good experience, especially since that night, I did a good job with my standup set, and while I’d love to post a retrospective on the year that was, all in all, I think I’d rather not. The –Ber months were definitely exciting, though, and I’m glad that I managed to do my part in helping out during our more trying times, on my birthday, no less.

After the show, I hung out with them at 7/11, and then Cleo introduced me to the unmatchable goodness we know as “Three Sisters”. I was in heaven when I tried their lechon kawali.

.:Rediscovering MTG:.

After a long hiatus from the tournament scene, I made some key purchases to make my deck a powerhouse once more, and I’m definitely excited about what 2010 holds for us Magic: The Gathering players. One can hope that the good cards Zendikar has unleashed would only be a portent of things to come in the following sets for the game.

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

On Lovey-Doveys And Disenchantment

.:Flabbergasted:.

Can’t believe how quick things turned out, but I’m relishing the moments spent with my Lovey-Dovey. Suddenly, my Christmas wasn’t cold any longer.

.:DK Goings-On:.

I must say, being online while on the Disenchanted Kingdom has allowed me to keep up with on-air discussions better, if only for the fact that I’m more capable of contributing to the conversation on the fly because even if I’m lost and clueless about a certain topic, I now have the capability to look it up.

Last Monday and Tuesday, the DK episodes have been quite entertaining, amid all the veiled tones Logan masterfully interjected into the flow of the show. It was a bit surprising to find out about Brittany Murphy’s unfortunate passing last Monday, but overall, I was finding it easier to interact with Marf, Pom, Logan, and Cleo throughout the program. After that, we actually swung by the ToyCon just because we all thought it’d be really cool to go there and see what’s going on.

The “Plant Man” moniker does persist, but I personally don’t think it applies anymore, especially when Tuesday’s episode came along, which to me, was even better.

Thing is, Logan started talking about how people in corporate boardroom meetings seem to always be spouting clichés that don’t really mean anything at all. I recalled seeing a bingo card online though, and it’s apparently a little game employees happen to play when meetings are way too boring. Watch out for buzzwords like “negotiating a win-win situation” and “movers and shakers in the pipeline” during a meeting, and you’d understand that a lot of this stuff is really just meaningless drivel being thrown in to sound substantial.

Just like the words “anyways” and “in any case!” But I digress.

I gave them my presents last Thursday, and had to miss out on the Christmas episode on Friday because I was predictably with my family. Nonetheless, it’s good to know that the presents I carefully picked for each of them went over with them very well, whether it was the Batmobile for Marf, or Quagmire for Cleo, or the Vader Mr. Potato Head for Logan. The day before that, I swung by Chico during his shift on RX (Didn’t know Delle was on leave when I went.) and gave him my presents for him and Delle. It was all good, really.

I had a very abbreviated Christmas list, but that’s mainly because I really do think my presents over before I just hand something to someone. I remember that outside of family, the only other person I had was the Ice Queen, and I had to have a lot of assistance there just to ensure I got something she’d like.

To me, in an age of commercialism and materialism, putting a little love into your presents could do so much to change someone’s Christmas for that year.

Having said that, Monday was a pretty cool day as well. Pom was exceptionally generous with presents, and I received candy cigarettes from the man. That was just way cool. They were ribbing me quite a bit as well because at the end of Friday’s show, Cleo happily announced that I was in a relationship already, and of course, Logan and Marf just need to chime in on that. Even had a moment where I got to pick Cleo’s brain for a few minutes after the show as well, and I can’t be any happier for her as far as how things are going...

This has been a nice way to cap off what was a very challenging year. Here’s hoping things move on the up and up come 2010.

The Top 10 People I'm Most Grateful To In 2009, Part 2 Of 10...

.:The Top Ten People I’m Most Grateful For In 2009, Part 2 Of 10:.

And I keep on thanking the people I truly wish to thank...

9. The Magic Community

You know, as a guy who considers himself a very independent personality within the magic industry, it’s very encouraging to see how the people in the industry have been, for the most part, very good to me. Whether with the way they supported me in this year’s “Bound And Gagged” show, or how I have legendary stalwarts such as Jeff Tam, sir Lou Hilario, and Rannie Raymundo willingly speak to me and treat me with nothing but courtesy, or actually working with the likes of Wanlu and Ony Carcamo, I’m simply amazed at the community.

I can’t thank the magic community enough, especially my very good friends from The Story Circle, for being a constant part of my life this past year. Though I’m not officially part of the community, it’s good to know that I have nothing but good will with all of them.

The other posts in this 10-part series:

Part 1: The Itchyworms.
Part 3: The blogosphere.
Part 4: My Plurk friends.
Part 5: Koji Morales.
Part 6: People who are practically my best friends.
Part 7: My Nuffnang family!
Part 8: The Disenchanted Kingdom!
Part 9: My Beloved.
Part 10: The comedians.

Monday, December 28, 2009

The Top 10 People I'm Most Grateful To In 2009, Part 1 Of 10...

.:The Top Ten People I’m Most Grateful For In 2009:.

It’s that time of the year once again, and as this year was an exceptionally good year for me despite everything that’s happened, I wanted to express my gratitude to people I’ve had in my life throughout the year who have been instrumental in making this year what it is. Thanking them is simply the least I could do, and what better way to do it than via my annual list, once again expanding to the top ten people I’m most grateful for in 2009?

Let’s start this list by thanking a newfound friend, and a group I’ve always been a huuuuge fan of for years already...

10. The Itchyworms

Earlier this year, I sorta started having a nightlife, and it mostly involved either standup comedy or going to gigs. Now, as I’m very picky of which bands I like to patronize, I would usually go for five reasons: Roots Of Nature, Radioactive Sago Project, Sugarfree, the now-disbanded Project 2 band, and the Itchyworms.

Of all these bands, my absolute favourite has got to be the Itchyworms. I love their songs, and they just really speak to me, and there’s also the fact that getting to personally know the members of their band has done nothing but increase my admiration for them as a group. I’m glad to be able to consider them my friends, and having them play “Loveteam” by request during one of their gigs has got to be one of the highlights of the year, as I absobloodylutely love that song.

Needless to say, I hope to continue checking these guys out when they have a gig within striking distance of me. I never get tired of hearing their songs, and their third album, as far as I’m concerned, is a must-have. As were their first and second albums (The second one had “Love Team,” after all.), but their third one holds a special place in my heart. Heh.

Here’s to hoping I could have a chance to work with them in 2010, though.

The other posts in this 10-part series:

Part 2: The magic community.
Part 3: The blogosphere.
Part 4: My Plurk friends.
Part 5: Koji Morales.
Part 6: People who are practically my best friends.
Part 7: My Nuffnang family!
Part 8: The Disenchanted Kingdom!
Part 9: My Beloved.
Part 10: The comedians.

Thursday, December 24, 2009

Party For The Party People...

.:Party For The Party People!:.



In the hubbub over what happened last December 17, I completely forgot that there was a good thing that came out of that night, and that was the Christmas party for the party people. Essentially, the people who make children's parties all over the metro gathered together to have fun, and...

... just be glad no kids went to that party. Seriously.

In my time, I’ve been to some wild parties, despite being straight edge and all. Let me just categorically state that this party has been the most na, wildest pa party I’ve been to. Ever.

Sure, we had our usual fun, what with Yoyo Master performing, and all the amazing food we had, but the games we played weren’t exactly children’s party fare.

Gone were the Bring Me’s and the Trips To Jerusalem. In their place, ladies had to run a calamansi up one pants and leg and out the other. Since Chubi del Rosario is now a party host, you can tell his female partner enjoyed that moment so much, she refused to win and kept on running the calamansi back and forth, much to Chubi’s consternation. :P

To protect the identity of certain people, let’s just say that one of my personal heroes in Philippine magic ended up putting on quite a spectacular show, and one that I can never unsee. That, and one of my favourite party organizers was drunk off her hiney, and she was just so intoxicated, she was stumbling like mad all over the place. Still, it was an enjoyable night, and a good chance to bond with the people I usually work with during children’s parties.

Scrooge McGrinching...

.:Please Do NOT Wish Me A Merry Christmas If...:.

1. ... You're bugging me while I'm in line for a taxi cab and you "don't have fare". Why'd you even go to the mall in the first place if you didn't have fare to get back home? And did you know mendicancy is illegal and I get penalized for it?

2. ... It's in the form of an empty envelope. Seriously, don't cheapen Christmas by equating it to money. If you're a Christian, it is the birth of your Lord and Savior. It's not a cash-grab.

3. ... If you're my cab driver and you refuse to turn the meter on. You won't like what's gonna happen next.

4. ... If Santa is more important to you than Jesus Christ. Ya know, Christ. The guy who CHRISTmas is all about?

.:But DO Wish Me A Merry Christmas, If...:.

1. ... YOU MEAN IT.

Merry Christmas, jabronis!

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

The (Un)Official Statement To Close The Matter, I Hope...

.:Closing Off...:.

For those wondering...

Yes, a formal apology has been made to the aggrieved party.

Beyond that, no, I don't know what repercussions there are for the offending personnel.

Yes, the aggrieved party has requested an end to this discussion, and as a friend to her, I would certainly acquiesce to that wish.

But no, I can't (nor do I wish to) control anyone else who wishes to pursue anything beyond this incident for gender equality, such as, say Filipina Images.

.:Allow Me To Reintroduce Myself:.

For those who may have read my blog for the first time, I am Kel Fabie, and this is really an autobiographical blog with a slice of personal commentary on a wide range of topics from time to time. I know the controversy has attracted an unnatural share of traffic for this blog, and while I'd wish to keep those readers if only I could, I'd rather just not lead people on into thinking I'm the type of blogger who'd shoot down people who offend me or my friends willy-nilly. If you wish to read about how my day was, feel free to keep on reading. If not, since I don't make money from this blog, it's no skin off my back if what I write or how I write doesn't quite tickle your fancy.

This was an extreme case, and one that I felt strongly about, so I felt the need to act. I am especially protective of my friends, in the first place. I don't just go and cry "wolf" everytime something unfortunate happens, especially if it's within my power to resolve it privately and amicably. It's not a case of being afraid: it's a case of being prudent.

Ultimately, I also value our freedom of expression here on the internet, and justice and equality to its fullest possible extent. As an ethicist by practice, it's my personal crusade to understand and make heads or tails of what it means to do the right thing, and to choose to do it.

This incident was indeed unfortunate, but I choose to no longer pursue it as I respect the wishes of my friend. While we all could learn from her example, I hope we would allow the speculation and hearsay to die a natural death, focus on how best to make sure this doesn't happen to anyone else, and respect the privacy and wishes of my friend.

Thank you very much, and I apologize if I could not provide you with the juicy dirt some of you may have perhaps wanted to find in this blog. I am, after all, first and foremost, her friend, and as such, would rather comply with her wishes at this point.

Let this be the last time I'd publicly speak about this. Truth be told, I don't even believe that I should serve as a spokesperson for her since she is her own person, but as I know that I was the one who started the fire, so to speak, I need to also be the one to put it out from my end.

Godspeed to you all and happy holidays.

Saturday, December 19, 2009

Maybe I Should Stay In This Saturday Night...

.:Friday’s DK:.

Well, that was interesting. Logan was the only one there, so it ended up just him and me during the show, which resulted in a rather interesting kind of rapport, as he was a bit surprised how talkative I could get when I didn’t have to worry about Cleo and Marf also getting their two cents in. That, and how it didn’t hurt because Cleo wasn’t gonna distract me at all, either for the day. LOL.

Anyways, all in all, things went pretty well. We talked about uropathy, the Pope, and a host of other crazy stuff, and it was pretty hilarious to hear Logan having a DJ dialogue by himself since I’m not cleared to do something like that on the air... heh.

Having said that, I was pretty glad how that turned out, as it showed that if needed be, I can keep up with the Joneses. It’s just hard to do that when you have to look out for three other people rather than just one, though.

.:The Christmas Party:.

My magic show during the party was quite a success, I must say. Even if the levitation towards the end didn’t produce the desired results, I think that all in all, I had a pretty good outing.

It was also a bit amusing for us to discover that doing improv songs during a Christmas party isn’t such a bad idea, either. We played a SPIT game, and that turned out for the better. Heh.

In any case, when I did the fork for one of the top people in the company, she was amazed, but felt dismayed when she showed the fork to the Ice Queen and saw her... icy reaction to the whole thing. She just looked at me and shook her head. Ah, well.

The night was capped by the fact that the Maintenance team won the competition yet again, and there was no question about how amazing their production number was. Furthermore, we had Rockeoke with Velcro, and I sang “Quit Playing Games With My Heart” and “Pare Ko”, albeit I modified the lyrics of the latter, which got quite a reaction from my officemates. Thankfully, most of them didn’t know who I was referencing during the song.

Friday, December 18, 2009

Issue Has Been Resolved. Moving On Now...

Well, that's that. Thank you for everyone's help, and I'm glad justice has been served. One can only help that this would mean that future incidents like these would be less tolerated, if not less frequent.

Thursday, December 17, 2009

EDSA Shang's Big Mistake

.:EDSA Shangri-la Security Personnel Harrass And Publicly Humiliate Ms. Cleo Caliente: A Breach Of Protocol, And Then Some:.


Before anything else, happy birthday, dear Cleo!

Ladies and gentlemen, today is the birthday of a good friend of mine, one of the hosts of the radio show I usually guest on, the Disenchanted Kingdom on 99.5 RT. Her name is Cleo Caliente.
Normally, birthdays are supposed to be really happy days, but the fine folks over at EDSA Shangri-la in Mandaluyong clearly had different ideas.

Around the stroke of midnight, Ms. Caliente was on her way to the hotel room of her friends who flew in all the way from the United States. She was going to celebrate her birthday with them, as is customary. What is not customary, though, was the manner she was treated by the hotel’s floor security, from the moment she stepped into the vicinity of EDSA Shangri-la.

Upon approaching the door, instead of being subjected to the standard check of bags by security, she was immediately asked a question by the man at the door, pretty much asking her what room she was supposed to go to. She promptly answered which room. While this might still be construed as routine, what followed certainly wasn’t.

After stalling for a while, she was escorted by several security personnel not to the reception area which is standard operation procedure for any clarifications regarding rooms and the like, but to the phones hidden away in the corner of the first floor of the hotel. It was as if they didn’t want people to see her, which was bizarre, to say the least. Instead of calling her friends at the reception area, she was calling from the phone booths. Does this count as protocol?

As you might’ve seen in the picture above, Ms. Caliente is quite a looker, and she was, as is customary with Chinese women, wearing a red dress on her birthday, as well as some jewellery. She was dressed to impress that midnight, and wanted nothing more than to just hang out with her friends and chill out with them, especially since it was her idea to make them move from Makati Shang-rila to EDSA Shang-rila because she lives closer to the place.

Instead, she found herself surrounded by seven security personnel, repeatedly asking her questions in the vernacular while she was answering the questions in flawless English. That they were disregarding her mode of expression with the way they were speaking to her was unmistakeable, and at the same time, immensely disrespectful. Cleo comes from Cebu, and Tagalog is not her native language, although she can speak and understand it.

Then, at some point, they asked her a question that just completely went beyond the acceptable boundaries of protocol. They asked her: are you here to see a foreigner guest, or a Filipino?

Let me ask this of you, dear security personnel of EDSA Shangri-la: exactly what the blazes are you implying in asking her that question? Are you implying that you are assuming that the person who brought you business by having her friends check into your establishment, a person who has repeatedly gone to your establishment in recent days to see said friends, just so happens to be a prostitute? Really?

The line of questioning was foul and out of line. There is a protocol by which security personnel must conduct themselves, and while I am not 100% familiar with it, I don’t think asking a visitor if she’s there “to see a foreigner or a Filipino” constitutes protocol. This was downright insulting, demeaning, and given how this scene lasted for over ten minutes, this was practically criminal.

To make matters worse, given how Ms. Caliente was dressed, the security personnel who circled her and were accosting her were eyeing her in a very uncomfortable manner. In her words, she said that she felt like “they were stripping her naked in their minds,” with the way they ogled her. This was harassment, and they were attempting to bully someone whom they assumed was merely a “poor, helpless little girl” who also happens to be a hooker.

They couldn’t have been more mistaken.

After over ten minutes of being questioned relentlessly and treated like a common criminal, Cleo’s friend finally came down to pick her up and at this point, Ms. Caliente filed a complaint after she recollected herself in the hotel room. This was a travesty and a gross act of disservice to her, and they just had to do it on her birthday.

This morning, on 99.5 RT, King DJ Logan, the host of Disenchanted Kingdom, decided to call EDSA Shangri-la to perhaps get the establishment to issue a decent apology for the mistreatment Ms. Caliente has received at the hands of the security personnel. The first time he called, the person who received the call immediately put the phone down on him upon hearing the words “This is King DJ Logan of 99.5 RT.” It boggles the mind why she would do something like that, but they called the hotel again, this time with Cleo making the call.

Soon enough, they were transferred to a guy named Kevin, and he offered to clarify the matter when Cleo asked whom she could speak to for her to register her grievance. What followed has got to be one of the worst examples of customer service I have ever witnessed, as he fumbled his way through, put Cleo on hold multiple times, trying to come up with answers for her questions. It got to a point where Logan had to take over, and cow Kevin into admitting that in reality, he was not in a position to address the issue himself.

Now, take note that this was the second time the complaint was filed, and clearly, there was no log of the first complaint, as Kevin had no idea about what was going on at all despite putting Cleo on hold multiple times. He had to realize he was actually on the air before he realized that he couldn’t just sweep this complaint under the rug.

To make matters worse, after this call, the hotel attempted to bribe Cleo’s friends by offering them freebies on the hotel’s tab. Now, if I recall correctly, it was Cleo who got harassed by these security personnel, and not her friends. So why are they being bribed, when all the were asking for was accountability and a written apology for her ordeal?

Real classy, EDSA Shangri-la. Way to address the situation. Wasn’t it bad enough that you thought Ms. Caliente was a prostitute? Now, you have to try and pay her off (Actually, pay her friends off, even!) as if she really were one? Customer service at its finest! Well played, EDSA Shangri-la! Bravo!

A simple, straightforward apology and accountability for the security personnel who accosted Cleo would’ve been more than welcome, dear EDSA Shangri-la. In case you haven’t realized, at no point did she even flaunt her status as a radio broadcaster throughout her ordeal. Apparently, her desire to not act like she was entitled to any special treatment was taken as a sign by your goons, I mean security, to instead harass her as they please.

Seven guys to deal with one person, ladies and gentlemen. Does this not scream “excessive” and “abusive” to you?

Seriously, EDSA Shangri-la. Do you actually need to step on powerful people’s toes before you realize that you’re mistreating people? Has it gotten to this point already? Can you not simply do the right thing and apologize for treating people the wrong way without having to look at their status in society or in the media industry? And do you think that bribing them with gifts will just make them look the other way? You think you can buy off principles?

Well, at this point, the answer to that is moot, and let this post stand as a warning: unless EDSA Shangri-la decides to do the right thing and issue a public apology in writing to Ms. Cleo Caliente, then we are left with no recourse but to let this post stand as a testament to the discrimination and inhospitable treatment the employees of EDSA Shangri-la clearly are capable of.

I will categorically say that I have no desire to patronize such an establishment, and I certainly hope those who see this will know better than to as well.


Not cool, EDSA Shangri-la. Not cool at all.

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

formspring.me

Bakit paborito mo ang Salbakutah?

Kasi memorized ko. Kung ibang rap song ang memorized ko, malamang yun ang magiging favorite ko instead.

Ask me anything

formspring.me

What Britney Spears song do you think best exemplifies your life and/or ideals?

"Sometimes" seems to really hit the spot. The thing with Britney and most of her songs is that she espouses a lot of vulnerability, and I was thinking if "Slave 4 U" or "Born To Make You Happy" or "From The Bottom Of My Broken Heart" would fit me, but those only fit me at some points in my life.

The underlying theme in "Sometimes" is that while the song apparently speaks of "love", in reality, it does so only metaphorically. It is a metaphor for "life". "Sometimes" may have saccharine lyrics about things about me you just have to know, but isn't that really the same way with life, as it is otherwise?

Life makes sweet promises, but the realities are harsh. Life is unpredictable, so sometimes I'd run, sometimes I'd hide.

Sometimes, indeed, but NOT all the time. Ergo, the true measure of a human person's capacity for transcendence is his ability to know when the right time for that sometime is, and when it isn't.

But really, all I need is time.

Ask me anything

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

One Confirmed Dead: Car Exploded Along Bonifacio High Street

.:Still In A State Of Shock Here In The Fort:.

With my officemate, Judd, being interviewed by ANC, details are still sketchy as to what really happened in the Serendra parking lot just a few minutes ago.

Here are the things we're sure of: a car exploded as it was about to enter the parking lot, and the driver apparently perished in the explosion. We don't know if it was a freak accident or a bomb, and we don't know what's going on in the general area right now. We're a bit too scared to find out at this point.

The explosion happened in front of Fully Booked, but it didn't cause any significant damage to the surrounding area. Our prayers go out to the casualty, though, whatever the cause of this unfortunate incident may be.

The following pictures were taken by Mr. Judd Sta. Maria,and can be found on this blog post.







Beyond that, things are still very sketchy.

Updates: We now know that the sole casualty was one Mr. Remigio Tan, a unit owner in Serendra. It is highly speculated by investigators that this was simply a freak accident.

It's a bit scary, considering we normally walk in that general area on our way to lunch almost everyday, but ultimately, whatever happened, it was still tragic that this occurred.

Friday, December 11, 2009

Aggghhhh...

.:Star City Fail, But Alternative Win:.

It was cool, even if things didn't go according to plan.

.:The Calm Before The Storm?:.

The DK went surprisingly well today, until the end, so it seems. I'm beginning to find the ability to fend for myself during the show, albeit I still need a bit of work as I'm worried if my retorts might actually offend. Hey, you never know.

Ultimately, it's been a good time for me in the DK, despite all the Plant Man jokes and whatnot.

Bullets For The Weekend...

.:Star City Fail, But Alternative Win:.

It was cool, even if things didn't go according to plan.

.:The Calm Before The Storm?:.

The DK went surprisingly well today, until the end, so it seems. I'm beginning to find the ability to fend for myself during the show, albeit I still need a bit of work as I'm worried if my retorts might actually offend. Hey, you never know.

In any case, the show was mostly filled with good vibes. Doc G showing up was a welcome change of pace, as he did quite well during his stint at Por-no, Por-yes.

.:This Is How My Blogs Will Look Like, Until...:.

... the ruddy thesis is done.

.:Seeing Print Yet Again!:.

I know I'm so delinquent at it, but here's my column for The POC this week. Hope you like it. :)

Wednesday, December 09, 2009

Double Whammy...

.:Double-Booked!:.

My weekend was rather interesting because I had unorthodox shows to do on both days, but all in all, they were great shows.

I had a jampacked weekend, as in between shows, I had to go to about three to four parties, go to Banchetto, catch The Nutcracker, go shopping at World Trade, go to videoke twice, get seemingly tipsy (Though probably not.), and watch Mike Unson’s year-ender show in Conspiracy bar.

Saturday was a show for Happy Andrada’s birthday fashion show special in Shang-rila mall, and I was pretty happy with the results. The crowd was surprisingly appreciative despite being a mostly adult audience. Within twenty minutes, I managed to really tickle the fancy of the crowd as they were laughing when I wanted them to, and applauding when I wanted them to. It’s one of those times when I happen to be on my “A” game, and it was going to carry over all the way to the next day.

Sunday was a weird show since not only was I performing with one of my personal heroes, Mike Unson, we were ac tually performing in a venue without a sound system. Still, it was all good, as the audience decided to be extra attentive to us since we were competing with the ambient sounds in The Block. Considering how much the people enjoyed the approximately half-hour show, I was pretty stoked about how things turned out. All in all, we had a pretty good thing going, and it’s not a remote shot to expect to see these people again in the near future.

While I was there, it was a good opportunity to sit down and pick at Mike’s brain, and figure out what makes him tick. The guy is an extremely intelligent person who knows how to think on his feet and has a wide range of experience in a lot of aspects of his life. Even his manager, Pat, was chiming in every now and then on some facets of the industry, not to mention other slices of life that they’re apparently quite knowledgeable in.

There’s nothing like learning from the masters. That much, I can tell you.

Today's LSS: Baby I'm A Fool

.:Today’s LSS:.

Baby I’m A Fool
by Melody Gardot

How was I to know that this was always only just a little game to you?
All the time I felt you gave your heart I thought that I would do the same for you,
Tell the truth I think I should have seen it coming from a mile away,
When the words you say are,
“Baby I’m a fool who thinks it’s cool to fall in love”

If I gave a thought to fascination I would know it wasn’t right to care,
Logic doesn’t seem to mind that I am fascinated by the love affair,
Still my heart would benefit from a little tenderness from time to time, but never mind,
‘Cause baby I’m a fool who thinks it’s cool to fall in love,

(Scat Ad Lib)

Baby I should hold on just a moment and be sure it’s not for vanity,
Look me in the eye and tell me love is never based upon insanity,
Hear the way my heart is beating every other moments fleeting,

Kiss me now,
Don’t ask me how,
‘Cause baby I’m a fool who thinks it’s cool to fall,
Baby I’m a fool who thinks it’s cool to fall,
And I would never tell if you became a fool and fell in love.


.:Silly, Silly Me...:.

Yesterday, I spent a holiday at work, simply because I didn't know until two in the afternoon that it actually was a holiday.

Today, I felt so drained, that nothing short of the Monster's Riot was capable of recharging me. Nothing like hearing good ol' music like "Linger" to help me along.

I think the camel's back is broken, though.

Tuesday, December 08, 2009

Interesting Weekend, As Usual...

.:Mealtimes At Ricco Renzo:.

All photographs were taken by Mike Yu, who is pretty awesome at this.


Cozy...

Had an interesting visit last week to a quiet little restaurant and art gallery along Reposo street in Makati last week, and I was pleased as punch with the whole place. Much thanks to Bambi for asking me to go and check the place out!

The place was very cozy and the atmosphere was laid back, and for the first time in my life, I actually enjoyed eating wasabi.


I was amazed!

The sandwich I had was nothing short of awesome, and I enjoyed it, albeit I can’t quite recall what it was called. Just the right amount of spice, and a good twist to the normal sandwiches I have. I would assume this was their crabmeat sandwich, and I didn’t regret having it at all.

Still, there were even more amazing items on the menu that caught my attention, and one of them was the buffalo wings they served that was just sooo good. Honestly. I haven’t liked buffalo wings this much since Don Henrico’s, and that was like what? Eight years ago? If you like buffalo wings, then you know what to expect here: a luscious sauce, and tender chicken. You know the kicker with these wings, though? Yep. They are filleted. There are no bones to worry about! How’s that for insane value, right?


I cannot sing the praises for this item enough!

With food as good as this from their appetizers alone, the question was whether or not their main courses would actually deliver, and believe me: they certainly did.


Don’t mind me. I’m just salivating here.

The thing is, while talking to one of their head chefs about this restaurant, Jonas was very proud to mention just how much he had to do with really changing things up for the better for the place. Truth be told, given the menu, I was really impressed by what the place had to offer.

All in all, as I’m not really a food blogger per se, I’d rarely give recommendations when it comes to food. Well, let it be said, then: Ricco Renzo is an awesome place, and not only do they have great food, they even have an art gallery, to boot. You should drop by and experience it. I’m sure you won’t regret it.

.:Mike Unson’s Year-End Report:.

One of my heroes in Philippine standup comedy, Mike Unson, had an amazing run last Saturday night as he performed his own unique brand of standup comedy, complemented by the likes of LC of Reklamo, Ony Carcamo, Turbo Goth, and other Comedy Cartel stalwarts such as Uli Oposa and Stanley Chi.

Mike went for an hour and a half of pure and unadulterated point-of-view observational standup comedy in Conspiracy that night, and it was great because I went with a good friend who actually enjoyed most of the night, and found Derf Hebrado to be her favourite among all the performers at that point.

This is Mike’s last show in Conspiracy for the year, but you can be sure to see more of him there by 2010. It’s bound to be a load of laughs as only he can bring, and you’d be remiss to not catch it when you get the chance to.

Thursday, December 03, 2009

Thrown A Curveball...

.:Thrown A Curveball:.

Last night’s weekly standup comedy at Sidebar El Pueblo turned out to be one of the best sets I’ve ever done in a long while. Considering that I hosted the standup night and the comedians that night were all on fire (Especially Alex Calleja, as expected.), and when it was my turn to do my set, I had a pretty unique curveball thrown at me during my National University bit, as two people actually applauded when I asked if anyone came from NU.

Turns out, neither two people, Trixie or Anna, were really from NU. I was had, but in the end, it made for a more organic set as I had to maneuver myself out of that sticky scenario as deftly as I could, and I actually did fairly well doing that.

Ultimately, after a great round from the comics, we made a bunch of new friends from that table. From Elgin to Vanessa to Trixie, we really found people who appreciated our work. It’s always great to have a shot in the arm like that.

In any case, that was how we spent our Wednesday night, and today’s a bit non-happening as far as work goes in the office, so yeah, it’s all good.

.:Thesis FTW:.

That’s what I’m doing, explaining why I’m doing so little blogging lately.

Wednesday, December 02, 2009

My Thesis Affects Everything...

.:Just Because I Think It’s Cool...:.

Here’s a photo of last Monday’s mini-reunion, featuring a good chunk of the former air staff of 939KCFM...


This would’ve been interesting if everyone really showed up...



.:DK Today:.

The gang’s all here (Except for Pom, that is.) in RT right now, as Marf, Cleo, Logan, and yours truly are kicking it in the morning, and Logan, in a sweat-inducing moment, checked out on the air what the other radio stations are up to, just to prove a point.

It’s been an interesting morning so far, and considering how I’m still a bit of a zombie after hanging out with the comics in Alchemy last night and even singing a couple of songs during Mellow Manila’s second set, Logan’s early-morning antics definitely woke me right back up.

For some reason, the Chowking commercial actually turned out to be a point of discussion as well, and it was just weird when interspersed with news about a Singaporean woman who bit off more than she can chew.

This morning, we also learn that Logan happens to have a B/V problem. He had a difficult time saying “cabin fever”, which certainly wasn’t the least bit of an issue for Marf. I wonder how he’d fare talking about the Bang Bus, then?

Just now, the topic of the infamous chindogu came up, proving once again how crazy Japan really is. This was followed by Logan almost salivating as he described in loving detail how much he was craving for longganisang Lucban with garlic rice and sukang pinakurat to boot. Hades, I don’t even eat longganisa, yet I ended up just being enthralled by Logan’s enthusiastic and delectable description of the meal.

And because we’re crazy like that, we ended up discussing how a magician would make a unique wedding proposal, and I suggested making a ring materialize from a computer screen into reality as a way of transitioning into the proposal. Admittedly, it was crazy cheesy, but whaddaheck, right? If it works, then it works, no matter how sappy it could be.

.:Meetings Galore:.

Work has been heavy for me this past week. I’m loaded up to my ears in meetings and stuff, not to mention the fact that I need to cough up 25 more pages for my thesis word count to look presentable when I submit it...

Tuesday, December 01, 2009

Monday's Hurly-Burly

.:Preparing For Tonight's Standup In Alchemy...:.

Well, here goes nothing. We do this every Tuesday night, by the way. Feel free to drop in on us. Heh.

.:Quite A Morning...:.

Started yesterday morning off just right with a dose of the Disenchanted Kingdom, as I swung by Logan and Cleo’s show once more.

It was a tad amusing that a 16-year old kid who called in on our show did significantly better than I on “Por-no, Por-yes”. My dismal 30% still stands as the record for a worst outing in that game, and I guess it couldn’t be avoided.

In any case, we had some pretty good moments for the show particularly when the three of us realized how sick we were of hearing Sitti butcher songs with that sorry excuse for Bossa that she’s doing. Cleo and Logan promptly upstaged Sitti with their own renditions of songs like “I’m in Miami, Bitch”. It was just a lot of fun to be had, overall.

And yes, they found out I have a tripple. Never mind...

In any case, ran into Mo Twister after the show as he was asking me a couple of things as he’s trying to set up a way to monetize his blog. Pretty high traffic site, to say the least. Way unlike my blog, which often attracts just a tad over fifty people a day, if I’m lucky.

.:This... Felt... Surreal:.

A friend of mine way back during her KCFM days, Auey, was back in town, and she graciously invited me to drop by on her mini-reunion for her radio friends, albeit technically, I wasn’t supposed to count in that regard.

It was pretty awe-inspiring, to be honest. I grew up idolizing the likes of “The Nutty Professor” Bobby Ante and General Andrew P., and there I was, swapping stories with them that night, as a good chunk of the former DWKC jocks came together for a much-deserved reunion.

Of course, some conspicuous absentees were noticed, such as (Super) Mitch, Ray with an A, Logan, Chico, Delamar, and Dylan Thomas. Still, there was a special addition of a legendary jock who didn’t come from KC at all, and he fit right in with them that whole time. Of course, I’m referring to the man now known as Koji Morales, and boy, it was quite a moment for the radio fanboy in me. I internally screamed in delight.

It was quite a night, really. The conversations we had, the ideas we shared, and the realization that pretty much every person in that room still loved radio with a passion (Yep, even those who aren’t officially in the industry anymore.), because as sir Bobby put it, “As long as you’re still critiquing the jocks you hear on the air, you know you’re not yet done with radio. And maybe radio’s not yet done with you.”

All in all, it was your typical frat-style party, with pizza and beer and in my case, softdrinks to go around. I was really just taking it all in, as everyone there really had interesting stories to tell and I was simply in a room of gods, as far as I was concerned. Koji quickly told them about my mentalism, though, and I ended up demonstrating psychokinesis for them that night, much to their delight. I was honoured, to say the least.

Auey, can’t thank you enough for having me over, even if I was even more of an odd man out in that room than Koji Morales was. :P It was great meeting Cholo and the Seahorse yet another time, and the opportunity to get to know Vince G, General Andrew P., and Bobby Ante was something I wouldn’t forget.

The potential opportunity for Logan to run into Chico and Delle was something that left a lot to our imaginations, though, since obviously, it never happened. Heck, even just Logan running into sir Bobby would’ve been quite a moment already.

Anyways, I’ve said too much. As you can tell, I deliberately left out a lot of juicy details because, well... I’m sure there will still be a lot of surprises in the coming months when it comes down to it. The old school worked for a reason, and there’s no reason to discard all of it in favour of the new. Some keepers of the gate need to remain, and personally, I can’t be happier that there are still some noteworthy people who are doing precisely that in this day and age.