The 2016 Year In Review!

.:The 2016 Year-In-Review:.

Good riddance, 2016. Here's your exit review.

1. What did you do in 2016 that you'd never done before?

Cooking? I mean, I sorta did that before, but not to this extent. Of course, there's also multiple relationship milestones in 2016 that I have never, ever done before.

2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

I didn't make any last year, and I don't plan to make any this year. As it has always been. This hasn't really changed, huh?

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

Doesn't seem like it.

4. Did anyone close to you die?

Why do you think we all hate 2016? 

5. What countries did you visit?

Nowhere. So much for traveling in 2016.

6. What would you like to have in 2017 that you lacked in 2016?

Travel! Thankfully, I'm taking a trip to Cebu this late January, so we're pretty sure this will be corrected. Would also love to have more shows, considering how good 2016 was on that front. And, oh. An article for Cracked, finally?

7. What date from 2016 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

October 22. 10 years of mind reading and comedy!

The Tito of Mentalism!

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

The October 22 show, From Khan To 10, was definitely it, aside from domestic achievements and relationship milestones I would rather keep to myself.

9. What was your biggest failure?

Letting other people get in my way for way too long, and caring what people think instead of just doing what I should be doing for myself.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

Had to get a CPAP machine this year. Sleep apnea is a thing.

11. What was the best thing you bought?

The Christmas/Birthday/Anniversary present I got for Patricia The Hun. It was a Nintendo 3DS. ;)

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?

Patricia The Hun. No explanations needed.

13. Whose behavior appalled you and made you depressed?

Oh, you know. The guys who thought that comedy should be a Mean Girls clubhouse.

14. Where did most of your money go?

MTG, Food and Uber, it seems.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?

The fact that Patricia The Hun went back from the States instead of staying there indefinitely. 

16. What song will always remind you of 2016?

"Closer," by the Chainsmokers. So many great people died in 2016. I wish this song went with them, too, even if it's anything but a great song.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:

i. happier or sadder? – happier
ii. thinner or fatter? – fatter
iii. richer or poorer? – richer

18. What do you wish you'd done more of?

Travel, gigs, and actually writing for Cracked. This has been going on for how many years already?

19. What do you wish you'd done less of?

Wasting my time on lost causes.

20. How will you be spending Christmas?

Spent in Tagaytay.

21. Did you fall in love in 2016?

Stayed in love? Absolutely.

22. How many one-night stands?

Nope.

23. What was your favorite TV program?

Elementary,without a doubt. I like Sherlock Holmes when he's not being an insufferable twit.

24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?

I would have, but I decided to let it go. 

25. What was the best book you read?

None, unfortunately.

26. What was your greatest musical discovery?

The fact that the guy who sang Pen Pineapple Apple Pen looks just like my old friend and teammate, Osmond Go.

27. What did you want and not get?

To bring in more people under the MFT umbrella. It was a quiet part of my life that I can't help but appreciate.

28. Favorite film of this year?

Civil War. Because it wasn't easy. Civil War ang tunay na mahirap.

29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

I turned 33 with minimal fanfare.

30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

Selling my condo off, and maybe headlining a show I didn't produce myself.

31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2016?

In transition.

32. What kept you sane?

Patricia The Hun, Street Fighter V.

33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?

Still Harriet Sugarcookie.

34. What political issue stirred you the most?

All of them.

35. Who did you miss?

Old friends I cut off because of my own stupidity. And Switch Improv.

36. Who was the best new person you met?

Robert Rubin would be my guess.

37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2016.

Songs about Pens and Pineapples and Apples could make you ridiculously rich in 2016.

38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.

"Ugh!" - PPAP

That's really all I can muster for 2016.

The Day I Went Viral: A Case Study (And A Bit Of An Ego Trip, Yes)

.:So This Is How It Feels...:.

Boston in 7, baby!

Back in the day (I can't believe that you can now say "back in the day" in reference to the internet!), if you made a funny joke, it would spread via e-mail, or via text message. I've had my fair share of those, and they're mostly one-liners that caught on, and that was the end of it.

Fast forward to 2012, though, and you now have what we affectionately call memes. What was originally an amazing concept coined by Richard Dawkins turned into cats, Rick Astley, Noynoying, and more cats. Sure, the internet ruined the concept of the meme, but now that it's there, we realize that they come and go pretty quickly. By the time I publish this post, I'm guessing the BaYo meme would be all but gone unless BaYo changes its mind and embraces some pretty obvious things they missed in their copy (Like actually point out that Filipinos, by virtue of our origins, are already mixed in ethnicity, to begin with.).

Which leads us to yesterday, and one of the pictures that helped kickstart the meme:

No caption necessary.

First off, disclosure: I'm analyzing this phenomenon both as a case study, and yes, as an ego trip. It's my blog. Indulge me. I promise this will have some insights to go along with all of this shameless self-promotion. And like we always say, walang basagan ng (ego) trip.

Also, no, I don't work for BaYo, nor do I handle their advertising or PR. I wish I did, though.

Anyways, I had help from one of my officemates to edit the Kuya Germs picture I got to have an all-black background, and from there, I just put in the copy and the campaign logo. As an afterthought, though, I re-edited my picture to include the "0% Tulugan" quip, which I felt was the oomph that was missing from the original image. This is why there are two versions of the ad going around.

Of course, by the time I put up the modified image, my Explorers Of Uranus teammate from geekfight, TJ, already shared the image on Facebook, which, to my shock, was shared over a hundred times within a few minutes.

.:A Meme Was Born:.

Now, as a comedian, I am certainly guilty of jumping on memetic bandwagons left and right. Hades, I even advocated it during my talk last iBlog 8! Memes do their job, and are admittedly easy ways to get a chuckle from people.

Laugh! Laugh, I say!

But I couldn't quite imagine getting a meme started all by myself. And to an extent, I haven't really fully done that, either, because I was mostly inspired by Marocharim.

Yup. That was his idea.

From there, I did my Rick Astley one (Which actually hit top 1 on the Morning Rush yesterday.), and I had a Safeguard one, plus a Krispy Kreme one. Still, another guy came up with this gem, which is often also cited as one of the images that kickstarted the meme...

100% brilliant!

By now, the German Moreno picture has been shared 491 times on Facebook (That I am aware of.), and I'm still overwhelmed by it.

.:Public Property?:.

As the meme spread, I noticed a curious development: as you can see from this news article, credit where credit was due slowly disappeared. Not just from me, but from the Bernardo Bernardo guy, and even a Tweet that I recognize to have been from Noelle! At some point, you cede ownership of "your" joke, and it becomes memetic and public property. Surprisingly, I was more flattered than annoyed as this went on. I wish I knew how the Bernardo Bernardo guy felt, but I'm inclined to guess he felt the same way.

I wouldn't even be surprised if hypothetically, someone called me a hack for doing the German Moreno bit at some comedy gig this weekend, despite the fact that I actually created it. It's part and parcel of what it means for something to, pardon the term (Because I hate using it, myself.), go viral.

When I spoke about this hypothetical situation last iBlog, I didn't expect to actually end up having a real-life case study for myself so soon. I asked myself: how would I feel about it when people "steal" my joke? In the end, the answer was pretty clear: I was flattered people thought my joke was worth sharing. Or stealing. I wasn't going to make money from the German Moreno spoof, anyways.

.:The Message Behind The Medium:.

Thing is, I didn't want just the joke to go viral. I shifted to a more comedic tone in my blog mainly because I felt it was easier for me to get my message across that way, and my message was one of temperance. It was easy to get worked up over the campaign, sure, but defusing the situation using a bit of cool-headedness and humor? That can't be such a terrible idea, right?

So imagine my surprise when Saab Magalona tweeted about my blog post. It's one thing for a joke to go viral, but it's a whole different thing when a blog entry does. I ended up sharing that blogpost on Filipino Freethinkers. Even The POC, an online publication I regularly contribute to, ended up mentioning me a couple of times.

Ego-tripping aside, I really wanted to spread a very simple message: the campaign was a bit bone-headed, yes, but let's put down the pitchforks for a moment, and try to give BaYo a chance to turn things around. It seems that when it comes to the internet, giving anything questionable a remotely charitable reading is ignored in favor of the salacious prospect of flying off the handle and bashing a company or a person wholesale. Shoot first, ask questions later.

I was one of the first people to jump aboard the Bambi Dela Paz bandwagon in 2008. I never bothered deleting that blog entry or softening my stance on the issue, because I wanted posts like these to remind me that sometimes, a little temperance goes a long way, and even I can find myself guilty of engaging in virtual lynch mobs from time to time. I make this plea for temperance for myself just as much as I make it for anyone who'd bother to listen.

.:After Everything Has Been Said And Done...:.

In the end, BaYo decided to junk the campaign altogether. Personally, I feel that's too bad, because apologizing, clarifying their stance, and then promptly riding the memetic wave would have given them a lot of leverage for costs they already sunk into the project. But meh, what do I know, right? I'm just a guy who cracked a few jokes at their expense (Or to their benefit, depending on how you look at it.), after all.

I don't need to retread the lessons on race and identity that I already tackled in my previous blog post. At this point, I was genuinely curious what it means to find yourself as one of the people who kickstarts a viral phenomenon, and the feelings one would get as their contribution gets spread all over the internet, with or without credit. While the results are far from conclusive since I need to pull this off a few more times before I could have any substantial data, how things played out have painted a pretty telltale picture so far. Make of it what you will, I suppose.

So this is how it feels to go viral and be able to see it happen in real time. It feels pretty cool, but humbling at the same time: you realize that an idea, no matter how good or bad, can only thrive by putting itself at the mercy of people and factors completely out of your hands.

I guess that's why I'm very averse to initiatives done with the assumption that it will go viral. More often than not, these things happen because they happen, and not because you willed it to be so. By Monday, I'd be genuinely surprised if anyone still even remembered this meme ever happened. My 15 minutes of fame were up since last night, so it seems.

Nonetheless, I'd be a liar if I pretended that those 15 minutes of fame didn't put a smile on my face.

More importantly, I'm glad I managed to put a smile on the faces of so many other people. Credit or no credit, I don't think I could have possibly hoped for anything more from a 15-minute MS Paint job.

I'll see you jabronis around. Ciao!

BaYo: So call me, maybe?

Project 52 (12/52): Friday - Rebecca Black

.:Project 52 (12/52): Friday – Rebecca Black:.

Originally, I had another song in mind to start my week off, but this song is just so insanely catchy that it ended up overriding my music tastes for an entire day.

This isn’t exactly the best song ever, but hey, it caught on, and it caught on pretty well. Close to 30 million views in what? Less than two weeks or so? That’s about the same amount of views the official “Never Gonna Give You Up” video has, give or take three million! Of course, the video labelled “Rickroll’d” has 48 million views, but it sure didn’t take five years for Rebecca Black to hit that many views...

I don’t really know how to feel about a song that reminds me oddly enough of Weird Al’s “Trapped In The Drive-Thru” if only for how often Rebecca Black went through shopping-list lyrics like the great scribe himself. It’s auto-tuned like crazy, but she has a decent voice, and hey, if you don’t like her music, feel free to tune out, since I (really hope) figure that the song won’t be getting any radio airtime soon.

And considering that this thing caught on just a week or so ago, I’m pretty shocked that there’s already a pretty huge meme for her already. Good on you, girl, and I’m glad you can stick to your guns no matter what the haters say. I may not like your music, but I like your grit.

I don’t even know how the song just got out there. I’ve heard much worse songs, and I’ve certainly heard much better ones, too, but for some reason, a well-produced song from a thirteen-year old girl is getting a lot more traction than almost everything else in such a short time. Normally, for something to get this memetic, it takes months or a huge celebrity to pull it off.

That being said, I’m just glad this song is playing on a Monday, so it isn’t stuck to my head as much as it ought to be on a Friday, Friday, gotta get down on a Friday.

I can’t believe I commented more on the memetic value of this song than the song itself, but hey, what can you do, right?

The Year-End Survey...

.:The Year-End Survey...:.

1. What did you do in 2008 that you'd never done before?
- Do stage illusions!
- Watch stand-up comedians!
- Travel to Baguio, La Union, and Subic on my own!
- Become extremely active in the blogging community!
- Perform with Ms. Giselle Sanchez!
- Go bar hopping (For AXE.)!
- Plurk!


2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

I don't really make New Year's resolutions, so... but I do intend to lose weight this 2009.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

Well, one of my Beloved's friends, and the wife of a guy I play M:TG with.

4. Did anyone close to you die?

Not really close per se, but Lorenz Tan and my landlord were two people who come to mind...

5. What countries did you visit?

Stayed in the Philippines the whole year.

6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?

Power 9? :P Seriously, 2008 was a bountiful year, although I'm to blame for having next to nothing to show for it.

7. What date from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

Other than specific dates involving my Beloved, August 1, 2008. This was the date of the Rick Astley concert!

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

I would have to say “Laughs And Gasps”. To me, that was a milestone as far as my magic career is concerned. Also, I supported myself for practically a year on magic alone. And, of course... thesis! Yeba.

This year as well, I decided to openly proclaim being straight edge.

9. What was your biggest failure?

I hardly saved anything going into next year. At least, though, I did manage to save something, and next year looks to be even bigger, career-wise.

I also felt bad I didn't get back into radio permanently this year. The whole Campus 99.5 thing still saddens me, sometimes.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

Nothing particularly noteworthy, no. Flu or sore throat, maybe, but I don't remember being hospitalized this year at all.

11. What was the best thing you bought?

A white suit. A full-scale stage illusion. Maybe even the Shanghai Shackles. Outside of magic, well... a new PSP? Of course, it just replaced my old one...

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?

My Beloved! This year was a turning point for our relationship, and everyone can see how much she has endeavored to make this relationship work.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?

People who refuse to accept responsibility for their actions and choose to pin the blame elsewhere. People who have betrayed the confidence I've placed in them. People whose name I simply cannot even mention because thinking about it already depresses me again.

14. Where did most of your money go?

New stuff for my shows, food, and taxis...

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?

Three things... Laughs And Gasps, the Rick Astley Concert, and seeing My Beloved after two months of not being able to see her.

16. What song will always remind you of 2008?

I'll give you ten, actually...

- Sweet And Low, by Augustana
- Thunder, by Boys Like Girls
- Bittersweet, by Sara Bareilles
- Better In Time, by Leona Lewis
- Akala, by Parokya Ni Edgar
- Saludo, by 6 Cycle Mind
- I'm Yours, by Jason Mraz
- Now Or Never, from High School Musical 3
- Never Gonna Give You Up, by Rick Astley
- Cry For Help, by Rick Astley

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:

- Happier or Sadder? Happier. I met lots of new friends who are really awesome, and for the most part, kept the old ones.

- Richer or Poorer? Richer, though still not liquid.

- Thinner or Fatter? Fatter. Significantly so. Oh, well.

18. What do you wish you'd done more of?

- Exercise. I definitely needed that to keep myself from getting this fat.
- Watch videos and learn sleights. I guess next year's a good opportunity for me.
- Playtest. This was a so-so year for my M:TG career.
- Watch movies.
- Travel. Not enough money.
- Save. I spent too much money.
- Spend time with my Beloved.
- PLURK

19. What do you wish you'd done less of?

- Spend money.
- Eat.
- Procrastinate
- PLURK! =P

20. How did you spend the holidays?

Just spent it alone, for the most part. My brother was in Thailand with my mom, and my Beloved was in Japan.

21. Did you fall in love in 2008?

Two years with my Beloved. That speaks for itself. =)

22. How many one-night stands?

Straight edge, remember? That includes casual sex. :P

23. What was your favorite TV program?

WWE RAW and Smackdown? I really don't think I watched much TV, if at all.

24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?

Maybe they hate me, but I don't hate them. I just can't hate anyone, truth be told. Not in my nature.

25. What was the best book you read?

“A Lion's Tale”, by Chris Jericho. To be honest, I didn't read too many books. But I also read lots of philosophy books for school. Riveting stuff, lol.

26. What was your favorite film of this year?

“The Dark Night” is the only thing that comes to mind...

27. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?

Err... what fashion concept? You mean the white suit? Lol.

28 Whom did you miss?

My Beloved. We hardly ever see each other, sadly. Nobody else comes close in that department.

29. Who was the best new person you met?

Rick Astley. 'Nuf said. He's not strictly “new”, but it's the first time I met him... heh.

30. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008.

Never say never. For better or for worse, you can never say never. Sometimes, the people who you think the most of can turn out to be quite disappointing. Sometimes, the people you take for granted could actually be awesome people.

Name That Tune Meme, Redux!

.:Let's Do This Again... Name That Tune: The Brokenhearted Edition:.

There were some songs that nobody got in my previous meme, so I'll repost them and add a bunch of new songs. Let's hope this time, you guys get all 30!

Pick out your 30 heartbreak songs.

Pick out a line from each (try not to use the chorus or title of the song). List them and see if people on your friends list can guess them. Once one is guessed correctly, strike it out.

To the people answering: NO GOOGLING FOR THE LYRICS!

1. "But then you went and changed the words, and now my heart is empty..."

2. "It's been the longest winter without you, I didn't know where to turn to..."

3. "I have to say, though alone in this crazy sea of faces, it’s still your face I wanna know..."

4. "It's been two years since she passed on, but somehow the pain still lingers on,
and no other day can magnify it like this day..."

5. "Loved me fearless when you needed to. You would not rest till you came through. So god bless and thank you..."

6. "How could you make then break my heart? If I can’t say, “I miss you”, let me say one last thing..."

7. "You were my world, you meant everything to me. You're the air I breathe, the song I sing. You were my queen, I was your king...

8. "Saan nga ba hahantong ang tagpong ito? Minahal kita pero ako'y ginago mo...": S2pid Luv, by Salbakuta (Guessed by Ed)

9. "'Cause you never let them see you sweat don't want them to think the pain runs deep, Lord knows it's killing me..."

10. "I won't be satisfied, 'til I understand why, why you ain't here in my life..."

11. "Gusto ko lang naman, yung totoo..."

12. "Dumilim ang paligig, may tumawag sa pangalan ko...": Spoliarium, by Eraserheads (Guessed by Mimai)

13. "Well, I don't wanna waste my time on you anymore... I don't even think you know what you're looking for..."

14. "I cannot wake up in the morning without you on my mind. So you're gone and I'm haunted and I bet you are just fine..."

15. "Or would it be a waste? Even If i knew my place should i leave it there?"

16. "Napaano na ang pag-ibig sa isa't isa? Wala na bang nanatiling pag-asa?": Nakapagtataka, by Hajji Alejandro (Guessed by Toni)

17. "We awoke from our dream. Things are not always what they seem..."

18. "At di ako desperado sa walang kapantay na pag-ibig mo, sa mga halik mong walang kasing tamis...": Kung Ayaw Mo Na Sa Akin, by Sugarfree (Guessed by Mimai)

19. "Bigyan ng pansin ang himig ko. Kahapon, bukas, ngayon, tanging wala ng ibang mahal...": Sana Maulit Muli, by Gary Valenciano (Guessed by Ed)

20. "Don't call me in the middle of the night, no more, don't expect me to be there...": I Don't Wanna Be Your Friend, by Nina (Guessed by Ed)

21. "'Cause it still says that 'WE' can't come to the phone...": So Sick, by Neyo (Guessed by Clair)

22. "Umiiyak ang aking pusong nagdurusa, ngunit ayokong may makakita..."

23. "We've had bad times but that's no reason to go. I can't live without you. I need you, don't you know that i still love you?"

24. "If she should ever come our way, dry the tears and look somewhere above her. Might be easier to say than to do, but just pretend that you no longer love her..."

25. "Voilà la fin de l'histoire, c'est fini, c'est fini, j'aurais bien voulu tout oublier, je n'est réussi qu'a te pardonn...": On'ne S'aimera Plus J'amais, by Larusso (Guessed by Eky)

26. "Giliw, wag mo sanang limutin ang mga araw na hindi sana naglaho..."

27. "Catch myself from despair, I could drown if I stay here..."

28. "I know that I ought to find someone new, but all I found is myself always thinking of you...": I'll Never Get Over You Getting Over Me, by Expose (Guessed by Eky)

29. "I'm there at your side, a part of all the things you are. But you have a part of someone else, you gotta go find your shining star...": Emotions, by The BeeGees (Guessed by Kitkat)

30. "There were those empty threats and hollow lies and whenever you tried to hurt me, I just hurt you even worse and so much deeper...": It's All Coming Back To Me Now, by Celine Dion (Guessed by Kitkat)

The Interview Meme...

Yep, I'm doing this again, questions by Joy...

.:The Question Meme!

The rules:

1. Leave me a comment saying you want to do the meme.
2. I'll respond by asking you five personal questions so I can get to know you better.
3. You should update your blog with the answers to the questions.
4. You should include this explanation and offer to ask someone else in the post.
5. When others comment asking to be asked, you will ask them five question

1) If you had to pick just one, which among your mentalist and magick tricks would be the only one you would love to perform over and over again until you die?

There was a time I'd have probably done fork bending or the Derren finale over and over again, but after shifting more into magic than mentalism, I think my affection now goes out to the infamous Lady And The Rope:

2) How many beers does it take to get you piss drunk?

We may never know, because I've had two Red Horses in the past, with no effect at all. Since I'm a straight-edger at this point, I have absolutely no idea, and I've never been drunk in my life.

3) Always been meaning to ask this one... why Philosophy? (As much as I love ruminating on life, I'm not usually comfortable with my own thoughts.)

Why not? =D

Seriously though, I loved Philosophy when I was taking it in college. When I graduated, my teachers were all egging me on to teach Philosophy, so I went and took an M.A.

If luck is on my side, I should be done by March, and I should be doing my Doctorate in a year's time afterwards.

4) When and who do you plan to cosplay? :P

I have a white suit now. I think I can do Onizuka. Just need to dye my hair blonde or something. I have some of the mannerisms down to pat, all the same. Hehe.

Maybe I'll do it if an event books me for stage magic, and I'll cosplay along the way. Jay could be Hard Jay or something. =P

If I were more comfortable with my body, I'd cosplay as a pro wrestler. But I'm not, so....

5) How does it feel to be in between the warring camps of pro-Alodia versus anti-Alodia?

Edjie is a friend of mine, but I don't feel the need to defend her from people antagonizing her. She's a great person, she's used to it, and ultimately, it's nothing to get worked up over, but that's just me.

I always give both sides of the story when asked for my opinion, and for the most part, I believe that most of this hoopla has been a matter of making mountains out of molehills.

Then again, I say this with ease because I'm not a career cosplayer. I'm sure people wouldn't get worked up over magic exposure on free TV, but I know I would.

Name That Tune Meme!

.:Since I Don't Know What To Write About Today...:.

I had an interesting day today, mainly because of something I did in the evening, but I think I'll save writing about it some other time. I don't need the emoness to tain the experience...

.:The Name That Tune Meme!:.

Taken from May Martinez...

Pick out your 20-25 favorite songs.

Pick out a line from each (try not to use the chorus or title of the song). List them and see if people on your friends list can guess them. Once one is guessed correctly, strike it out.

To the people answering: NO GOOGLING FOR THE LYRICS!

1. "My heart starts breaking, when I think of making a plan to let you go..." Rick Astley - It Would Take A Strong, Strong Man (Guessed by Gurlalein)

2. "Well, I gotta go, I'm almost at the bridge now... oh s***, I forgot, how'm I suposed to send this tape out?!?" Eminem - Stan (Guessed by Bulitas)

3. "And I won't miss the way that you kiss me, we were never carved in stone. If I don't listen to the talk of the town, then maybe I can fool myself..."
Go West - King Of Wishful Thinking (Guessed by Fitz)

4. "You showed me how tomorrow and today, my love is different from the yesterday I knew..." Apo Hiking Society - When I Met You (Guessed by Bulitas)

5. "All day, I'm talking to myself in public, dodging glances on the train..." Matchbox Twenty - Unwell (Guessed by Bulitas)

6. "Alam mo bang, kanina pa akong magdamag nang nakatingin sa iyo? At di mo lang alam, sa gitna ng kadiliman, di mapakali, ako'y nabighani..." Sugarfree - Mariposa (Guessed by Mighty Dacs)

7. "You think by now I've learned, play with fire and you get burned..." Teri Desario - Fallin' (Guessed by Bulitas)

8. "'Di mo alam ako'y nasasaktan, sa 'di pagpansin sa aking pagmamahal. Lumapit ka't ako'y naghihintay..." Gary Valenciano - Gaya Ng Dati (Guessed by Xee)

9. "The rain on my face, it covers the trace, of all these tears I had to waste..." Rick Astley - Cry For Help (Guessed by Mighty Dacs)

10. "But then you went and changed the words, and now my heart is empty..."

11. "Some of us hover when we weep for the other who was dying since the day they were born..." Lisa Loeb and Nine Stories - Stay (Guessed by Toni)

12. "Oh and it's okay if you go away. Just remember the telephone works both ways..." Jason Mraz - You And I Both (Guessed by Bulitas)

13. "I tried to find you but you were so far away. I was praying that fate would bring you back to me..." Wilson Phillips - You're In Love (Guessed by Mighty Dacs)

14. "I have to say, though alone in this crazy sea of faces, it’s still your face I wanna know..."

15. "It's been two years since she passed on, but somehow the pain still lingers on,
and no other day can magnify it like this day..."

16. "Hindi ba natin kayang dayain,ang mga yakap sa tuwing lumalambing..." 6 Cycle Mind - Biglaan (Guessed by Bulitas)

17. "I wanted you to stay, the tears begin to show. You said you cared for me, but then you had to go..." Second Wind - Pain In My Heart (Guessed by Mighty Dacs)

18. "So I ask myself what you have left behind for me, to go on each day to live as if I have you once again..." Basil Valdez - Let The Pain Remain (Guessed by Xee)

19. "Loved me fearless when you needed to. You would not rest till you came through. So god bless and thank you..."

20. "Some people will work things out, and some just don’t know how to change..." Boyz II Men - Water Runs Dry (Guessed by Mighty Dacs)

21. "How could you make then break my heart? If I can’t say, “I miss you”, let me say one last thing..."

22. "You were my world, you meant everything to me. You're the air I breathe, the song I sing. You were my queen, I was your king..."

23. "Oh, another social casualty. Score one more for me..." John Mayer - My Stupid Mouth (Guessed by Bulitas)

24. "I need inspiration, not just another negotiation..." Hugh Grant and Drew Barrymore - Way Back Into Love (Guessed by Xee)

25. "Cause we can never be more than friends, and it hurts me everytime I close my eyes, all I see is you..." Kim Chiu - Crazy Love (Guessed by KCness)

The Ex Files...

Taken from Ruk, here's a meme I'm answering...

.:What If Your Ex Says...:.

The Divine

Why did you let me go?

Things weren't the same anymore. At the time, I felt that my life was headed in a direction that simply wouldn't have you in it any longer.

When did we last talk?

I think it was three years ago. I really don't remember anymore, because you wanted me to stay away from you.

Will you go out with me?

I wouldn't mind, but I think you would.

Hey, can I give/ask you for a ride?

No, I think I can walk.

I cannot keep my promise to you.

And I understand why we can't be friends. I screwed up. I know.

My friends say we don't look good together.

I never did care what your friends thought about us.

You have changed.

Yes, indeed.

Can we get back together?

No.

Oh, I knew what this is all about. You found someone else.

Yes. I did.

Don't you realize? You are the one who hurt me!

I know that. I make no attempts to cover that fact up at this point.

How can you forget our memories?

I haven't. I never forget.

The Shaddock

Why did you let me go?

Because you asked me to. And it hurts too much to hold on when you're clearly not wanted.

When did we last talk?

About a year ago.

Will you go out with me?

Definitely not.

Hey, can I give/ask you for a ride?

I think I'll walk.

I cannot keep my promise to you.

I understand why you can't be friends with me, too.

My friends say we don't look good together.

They were wrong.

You have changed.

For the better.

Can we get back together?

No. Not anymore.

Oh, I knew what this is all about. You found someone else.

Neither of us did until long after the breakup.

Don't you realize? You are the one who hurt me!

And I still apologize for that to this day. But you hurt me, too. I think that can't be denied.

How can you forget our memories?

I haven't. I never forget.

Whoo!

.:MHF2 FTW!:.

Got together with Diane, Mark, and Joey for a bit of Monster Hunter 2, and it went pretty well. I'm glad things are going just fine in that regard.

Even went to Greenhills to have a co-teacher's PSP modded too...

.:Weekly Plan Time!:.

Time for me to start doing the weekly plan, heh.

.:Deliberations!:.

Here we go... looks like I have my work cut out for me, but I'm managing just fine, regardless. :)

.:The Icon Meme...:.

Credit of suggestion goes to Mlina.

: This image is my default image. Found it someplace on Scans Daily. Since I'm Mister Vader, I think it suits me just fine. While Darth Vader is evil, he's positively cuddly. And cute. :P

: Well, more Darth Vader love, of course. It's just perfect.

: Because you have to stop, collaborate and listen. It's Hammertime! I just found this picture, and it just reminded me of the 90's so much... heh.

: Batman loves Robin. What else can I say?

: Great Teacher Onizuka is one of my favorite anime of all time, and I just needed to have a userpic with him in it. He's the inspiration for my teaching career.

: A picture of The Rock, the Brahma Bull. One of my favorite WWE Wrestlers of all time, along with The Undertaker. Everyone knows I've been a fan of wrestling since time immemorial.

: Barry White is god! I'd kill just to have a voice like his when I'm trying to talk to someone on the phone. If you don't know who Barry White is, look him up.

Comment to this post and I will reply back with seven of your icons from your icon gallery. You then have to put a post in your Livejournal explaining the background of these icons and why you love and keep them. And the cycle continues!

Finally Finished Recording, So Paying Something Forward...

Finished recording grades, so time to relax a bit!

Reply to this post, and I will list three things I love about you. Maybe more than three. Then repost to your own journal and spread the love.

Cause For Joy...

.:I've Been Finding Pictures Of Me During ToyCon...:.

I'll just post them when I get permission from the people who took the pictures, I guess.

That being said, it looks like I may be booked for three different shows soon, albeit only one of them will definitely yield monetary benefits. The rest are pure publicity grabs.

.:The Return Of The Interview Me Meme!:.

1. Leave me a comment saying, "Interview me."
2. I will respond by asking you five questions. I get to pick the questions. (They probably won't be the same ones you see above!)
3. You will update your blog with the answers to the questions.
4. You will include this explanation and an offer to interview someone else in the same post.
5. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions.

From Markpoa:

1. If you were to have a magical mascot companion, what would it be?

I'd love to have the rabbit that you can see here:

Rabbits are so cute and so heavily associated with the lighter side of magic. While I love mentalism and its tendency to cut into the seemingly darker side of magic, I still prefer something less... occult-y as a symbol, and a rabbit is hard to top in that department.

2. What is the most magical movie you've ever seen?

I can't think of any off the top of my head, but if I stayed away from LOTR, Harry Potter, and The Prestige, I think I'd hand it to "The Illusionist", which starred Edward Norton. It was *too* magical for my tastes, in fact, as a good chunk of his effects were only achievable through CGI and the like.

3. Harry Potter: yay or nay? Why?

Yay. I'm sure the writers of Ari Potiphar would disagree, but it has gotten kids reading, and pretty much spawned an interest in books, which is sadly such a rarity in this age.

I like the Harry Potter books. I've read better books, but the whole detective aura of the entire series harkens back to the days I was still reading stuff like Encyclopedia Brown, which I must say, had a significant influence on me to this very day.

4. What language would you want to learn and be fluent in?

I have so many languages I'd want to be fluent in! To give a short list, I'd say I want to learn Korean, Fookien, Japanese, Mandarin, German, and French. If I had to pick only one, I'd say Fookien, because it scores points with my Beloved's parents. It definitely helps if they feel I'm sorta kinda Chinese.

5. Best story you've read or watched recently?

Off the top off my head, both movie and book versions of "The Prestige" have their own respective appeals. If you even remotely like magic, you have no excuse to miss out on either of them.

.:Wheeee!!!:.

Sometimes, I wonder if Rowena is Borden, because there are days where she does love me, and where are days it doesn't seem to be the case.

After practically a week, she loves me again. I can't be happier about that...

Wheee! It feels so good that I can call my Beloved by name now, too.

.:Coincidence With A Cube:.

There are 42,000,000,000,000,000,000 different configurations for a rubik's cube. Simply put, if you can see 1,000 combinations a second, and with only about a few million seconds in a year, it would take you about 30,000 years to see every single combination possible.

With these numbers, it boggles the mind how there can only be one combination to solving a cube. It becomes even more boggling when two people can come up with the exact same combination just by shuffling a cube behind their backs, as if some kind of psionic link between them exists.

This is Coinci-Cube, and you'd be loath to miss it.

And just because I feel like it, I'm embedding it here for you to see it as well...

.:Thanks, Crissey!:.

As I mentioned, I made new friends last Tuesday, as I hung out in Ateneo after class, and one of them is Crissey.

In any case, I did a bit of magic for her and the rest of the people there, and of course, one of the highlights of my routine is the now-infamous Liquid Metal, as done by Morgan Strebler. This is definitely a show-stopper, and I'd have embedded it had I asked permission from Crissey sooner.

In any case, if you want to see this awesome fork bending routine for yourself, feel free to check out the videos HERE, then HERE. Hope you jabronis like it.

And, oh, since you all know I'm not exactly the richest guy alive right now, if you want to book me for a magic show, just get in touch with me over at my e-mail, mistervader@gmail.com. I can do mentalism routines, street magic routines, even children's party routines. All you need do is ask.

Variety

.:If You Know Me As...:.

It’s been a few years since I last did this. I suppose it’s time I revisited this little bit and check out how people call me…

Marcelle Michael Bertrand Fabie y Timbol: You're weird. Can't you stick to something shorter?

Marcelle: You're most likely a college friend of mine, or you've worked with me in RX last summer onwards. If not, you simply aren't used to calling me "Marc", prolly because there are too many people named "Mark" to begin with. This name is often spelled as "Marcel" by the uninformed. Those who do know wonder why I was given a girlie name.

Marc: You're most likely a relative, someone who's close like my Beloved or the Divine or thinks he/she's close, or worked with me with RX two summers ago, and never got used to "Marcelle".

Fabie: You're most likely from my high school.

Fabs: You heard me during my first four days with WAVE 89.1.

Kel: You’re from or a listener of WAVE 89.1, or you’re Clair or some of my other friends who like calling me Kel. You might also be from The Story Circle.

Magi-Kel: You know me as Kel, and you saw me do magic.

Ertai: You're most likely Delamar, or Chico or Brad Turvey (When he was still with RX.), reading off my messages. You may have also known me from my earlier days in RX, during Chico and Delle's first run there.

Mister Vader: You either know me online, or through Chico and Delamar's KC days.

Voldemort/Voldee/Vold: You know me through Otakuboard, or through chatting with me on YM.

The Rush: You know me through Team Canada or Gamewinners.

Magic: You're an LJ friend of mine named Cammy, or one of her friends, who saw me perform magic tricks and never knew me except as "Magic"...

David Blaine: You’ve seen me do magic.

GTM/ATM: You're probably Peppy, or you read my LJ in 2004. A lot.

Ranma: You're probably my classmate in high school around second year or prior, during my Ranma 1/2 heyday.

Kurt Angle: You know me through something wrestling related, or RX. Same goes for The Rock and The Undertaker. I was never too well-known for any of these names, though.

Mars: You know me through my stint as a Mandaluyong City Youth Counterpart of their SK Chairperson. I could’ve sworn another group of people called me Mars too, but I don’t remember whom.

Bessie-Moo: You’re Estelle, my Bessie-Moo.

Bert: You're either Ato, Yaiba, Elvin, or Cyril. Not satisfied with Marcelle, they discovered my full name, and used the "Bertrand" to give me a nickname.

Mi Tang: You’re history.

Mogg Fanatic: You know me in RX during my active days at the time when Chico and Delle first left the station. The Divine used to call me Mogg for the longest time.

God: You've read my Philosophy or Theology thesis statements. ::winks::

Looking at the list, things haven’t really changed by much at all… people still know me however they knew me. Heh.

.:Industrious Is An Understatement:.

Fruit Haven’s saleslady is arguably the most industrious employee I have ever encountered.

You see, she mans the stall at Makati Cinema Square near the IAS office. During the afternoon, on a daily basis, she goes around the entire Mile Long area, asking people one by one if they want shakes. After she gets people’s orders, she then goes back and delivers the shakes ordered. Words cannot express my respect for how hard she works, considering she’s not even being paid on commission.

It’s too bad she plans to resign soon. I’m going to miss out on these awesome, awesome shakes. Jonas was considering pirating her, though, which to me sounds like a good plan.

Just imagine it. With someone as hardworking as that, how undeniably effective do you think she would be in marketing The Challenge Of The Super-Duper Friends?

I owe you guys another post in a few… heh.

Meme And Vituperation...

.:Doing This Meme Again!:.

Thanks to Miss Choi!

Leave a comment here and I'll...

1. Tell you why I friended you.
2. Associate you with a song / movie.
3. Tell a random fact about you.
4. Tell a first memory about you.
5. Associate you with an animal / fruit.
6. Ask something I've always wanted to know about you.
7. In return, you must post this in your own LJ.

.:I Got Lost... Gakk:.

Greenhills, he said.

And so I boarded the FX, and fully expected to be in Greenhills, which I asked him about to be certain, and he said so.

Next thing I knew, I got off at Green *something-something*, and I had no idea where in Hades I was.

Greenhills, my hiney.

Meme's Galore...

PLACES:
1) PLACE YOU HUNG OUT THE MOST IN THIS YEAR:
Elbert's Condo.

2) FAVORITE NEW PLACE YOU DISCOVERED:
Chinatown. Not really new, but I found a shop that sells seedless Kiamoy for so cheap...

3) PLACES YOU WENT ON DATES:
Greenbelt, Shangrila, Megamall, Glorietta, Gateway. I especially am not fond of the first and the last one...

4) FAVORITE VACATION SPOT FOR THE YEAR:
My house.

5) PLACES YOU MADE OUT IN (OR MORE) THIS YEAR:
Lots of places. I don't particularly want to specify...

PEOPLE:
1) PERSON/S WHO TAUGHT YOU ALOT THIS YEAR:
Elbert and Estelle. You learn something new everyday. Mr. Bing, in his magic shop.

2) AN OLD FRIEND YOU REDISCOVERED THIS YEAR:
Johan and April, I guess.

3) PERSON/S WHO TOLD YOU THE NICEST THING ABOUT YOURSELF:
Estelle, who spent 23 letters detailing what she appreciated about me.

4) PERSON WHO DID SOMETHING REALLY GREAT FOR YOU (AND WHAT):
Estelle, for the 23 letters I got for my birthday...

5) PERSON YOU SPENT THE MOST TIME WITH THIS YEAR:
Elbert and Estelle, for obvious reasons.

6) PERSON YOU DID SOMETHING REALLY GREAT FOR (AND WHAT):
Elbert. I relearned magic and did a magic show for him...

7) SOMEONE YOU WISHED YOU TALKED TO THIS YEAR:
Most of my friends whom I haven't seen except once or twice this year, like Jaded or Christelle. I don't feel too bad about not talking to Willow or Addy Dy anymore.

8) SOMEONE WHOM YOU STARTED A GREAT NEW FRIENDSHIP WITH:
Rowena. And Jay Mata. And Mr. Bing.

9) OLD ENEMY/S YOU MADE PEACE WITH THIS YEAR:
None, really.

10) SOMEONE YOU LOST THIS YEAR:
A girlfriend.

11) PERSON/S YOU KISSED THIS YEAR:
The ex, the non-fling, the no-strings, and my Beloved.

12) PERSON WHO MADE YOU LAUGH THE MOST:
Elbert.

13) PERSON WHO MADE YOU CRY:
The ex.

14) PERSON/S WHO YOU DISLIKE WHEN THE YEAR BEGAN BUT ENDED UP BECOMING GOOD FRIENDS WITH:
None, really.

15) PERSON YOU HAD A CRUSH ON THE ENTIRE YEAR:
The Beloved, I guess...

16) SOMEONE YOU WISHED YOU APOLOGIZED TO:
Nope. I've apologized to all those whom I needed to apologize to...

17) PEOPLE YOU WENT OUT ON DATES WITH:
Rachel, Gyn, Rowena, Moon, April. Most of these were “dates”, though. They shouldn't really count. Haha.

18) FRIENDS YOU WENT OUT WITH ALOT:
Elbert, Estelle, April, Johan, Clair, Hrbs, Krisette.

19) COOLEST PERSON YOU MET THIS YEAR:
Umm... Mick Foley and Estelle.

STUFF:
1) CLOTHING ITEM YOU WORE MOST THIS YEAR:
Black pants.

2) NICEST PRESENT/S YOU GOT THIS YEAR:
Well, as Jackson 5 put it, “give love on Christmas day”...

3) FAVORITE SONG FOR THE YEAR:
“Choose”, by Mojofly. “Irreplaceable”, by Beyonce? “So Sick”, by Ne-Yo? I had a lot of old/remade songs that I especially liked this year though, thanks to lots of videoke. “Di Ako Bakla”, by Michael V. Haha.

4) COOLEST EVENT/S FOR THE YEAR:
I hosted the WWE Smackdown Press Conference.

5) NEW HOBBY YOU PICKED UP THIS YEAR:
I became a magician.

6) BEST BOOK/S OF THE YEAR:
The Prestige

7) BEST MOVIE/S:
The Prestige, The Departed.

8) MOST SHOCKING NEWS HEADLINE OF THE YEAR:
Kurt Angle went to TNA.

9) FAVORITE FOOD FOR THE YEAR:
Sbarro's, I guess. If not, then Pao Tsin. Haha. Whatta cheapskate.

10) FAVORITE NEW ARTIST THAT CAME OUT THIS YEAR:
Ne-Yo, most likely.

LESSONS:
1) WISEST THING YOU DID THIS YEAR:
Opened my eyes.

2) STUPIDEST THING YOU DID THIS YEAR:
Let someone trample on my heart for too long.

3) BIGGEST CHANGE IN YOUR LIFE THIS YEAR:
The new magic career.

4) BIGGEST CHALLENGE OF THE YEAR:
Finding gigs and breaking even.

5) SOMETHING YOU LEARNED THE HARD WAY:
That being in love and loving someone isn't the same thing.

6) GREATEST LESSON YOU LEARNED ABOUT:
Love and heartbreak.

7) BEST JOKE YOU'VE HEARD ALL YEAR:
That Elbert and Peppy are straight.

8) BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT OF THE YEAR:
When people who claim they'd be there forever turn their backs on you and act like cowards.

9) BIGGEST BLESSING OF THE YEAR:
I found a sideline that paid even more than my main job.

10) BIGGEST THING YOU DISCOVERED ABOUT THE WORLD:
That it owes me nothing.

11) BIGGEST THING YOU DISCOVERED ABOUT PEOPLE IN GENERAL:
That they can depress you one moment and then make you unbelievably happy the next.

AND LASTLY:
1) GOALS/DREAMS FOR THE NEW YEAR:
Get out of the graveyard and really move on up in the magician circles.

2) PREDICTIONS FOR THE NEXT YEAR:
I will give my all in whatever it is I want to do. A politician will switch allegiance to and from GMA. Bush will say something stupid. Undertaker won't lose at Wrestlemania.

1. What did you do in 2006 that you'd never done before?
Get “laid”. Hahahahahaha. R-ight.

2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I don't make resolutions.

This year though, I resolve to do more street magic as often as I can.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
No.

4. Did anyone close to you die?
No.

5. What countries did you visit?
None.

6. What would you like to have in 2007 that you lacked in 2006?
Sleep.

7. What date from 2006 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
March 28, December 25, and subsequently, 28.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Becoming a professional magician.

9. What was your biggest failure?
Obviously, the ex.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Quite a bit, mostly due to lack of sleep.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
My magic collection.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Rowena. She's learning to meet people halfway after years of it being her way or the highway.

13. Whose behaviour appalled you and made you depressed?
I won't mention the name, but it's obvious that the sudden turnaround for someone who claimed to care really depressed me.

14. Where did most of your money go?
Magic DVD's.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Being told that she likes me, after months of not feeling that way... It was a nice way to end the year.

16. What song will always remind you of 2006?
“So Sick”, by Ne-Yo. “Unwell”, by Matchbox Twenty. Lots of songs, really. Curse of a DJ...

Oh, and “Di Ako Bakla”, by Michael V.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? It balanced out.
ii. thinner or fatter? Fatter.
iii. richer or poorer? Richer.

18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Sleep.

19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Refusing to back down when I should. Whether from arguments, or from trouble, or whatever else.

20. How will you be spending Christmas?
Spent it with the family, but exchanged text messages with my Beloved.

where's #21?

22. Did you fall in love in 2006?
Yes.

23. How many one-night stands?
None.

24. What was your favourite TV program?
Ummm... RAW and Smackdown. Pinoy Dream Academy.

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
None. Hate is too strong a word. Disappointed, yes.

26. What was the best book you read?
The Prestige. Harry Potter, if it was this year, was meh.

27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Michael V., John Legend, APO Hiking Society (More like rediscovery with this one.)

28. What did you want and get?
Friends like Elbert and Estelle.

29. What did you want and not get?
A new main career.

30. Favorite film of this year?
The Prestige, The Departed.

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I just hung out with friends. It was stormy then, so I also climbed up 26 floors to get to my condo after the whole thing...

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Closure. At this point, I don't think I'd wish to have still been with the ex. Not when I see how it could be so much better... not when in so many ways, it already is.

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2006?
Same as always.

34. What kept you sane?
Elbert and Estelle.

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Patty Laurel. Lol.

36. What political issue stirred you the most?
Work politics.

37. Who did you miss?
Pomelo.

38. Who was the best new person you met?
Estelle.

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2006.
Magic is not a matter of fooling people, but of entertaining them. That, and experience is the best teacher.

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.

Sabi nila
Tinawag mo 'kong bakla (Huh!)
Hoy bruha kang talaga
At ang kapal ng mukha

'Di ako, 'di ako bakla!
Hitsura pa lang, 'di mo ba halata?
Kung di ka tumigil sa pagsasalita
Sasabunutan kita, hindi ako bakla!!!