.:The Birthday Weekend That Was...:.
It was a very quiet weekend for me, despite everything I was up to. I really spent most of my time contemplating, and talking to someone who really made a difference last weekend, giving me something I never had for the past two years: her time.
Friday started things out with the IMMAP Open Mic Night, and it was pretty funny that they insisted I be one of the first speakers, facing off with The Mom Blogger on whether or not Twitter influencers should be paid.
There were so many interesting things going on that night, even a quick spell where I had to debate the merits of calling myself straight edge with someone, and a reconnection with Wincy Ong, whom I knew from Ateneo and Reedley.
Nonetheless, IMMAP OMN3 was a success, and I was glad to be a part of it.
It was also the third anniversary of the Disenchanted Kingdom that night, so yeah. More reasons to celebrate.
Saturday was pretty interesting, what with me dropping by the Morning Rush, and finding myself surrounded by so many rushers that morning. It was surreal how many of us managed to fit there, but it was great to be in familiar ground, especially since my birthday was going to be pretty much unchartered territory for me, except the helping out part.
To cap off my relatively quiet day, I actually went and opened for Mike Unson's comedy show in Grillery, where I debuted a modified set that focused on my relationship jokes. I'm glad it went over pretty well, actually. They ended up surprising me with a cake after the party, replete with a fork design. That was very thoughtful.
Sunday was spent in Bulacan with an old friend, and we watched "The Mistress."
Overall, it was a very simple birthday weekend, but it was very meaningful because someone finally greeted me and actually waited me for midnight. I waited for years for this to happen, and all I could say is that after everything has been said and done, it was well worth the wait...
.:An Unexpected Eulogy:.
I never expected that just shortly after meeting him and talking shop with him about random stuff online, my friend and sportscasting legend, Butch Maniego, has passed away.
It saddens me knowing that I would never get to seat myself across him in a prerelease tournament anymore. It saddens me knowing that I can't joke around with him on Twitter any longer. It saddens me I will never get to read his 8 List article that I was hoping would have killer insights about Philippine basketball, if not Philippine sports. It also saddens me to know that he was also friends with someone dear to me, and neither of us even knew until today.
I wonder what he would have said to either of us if he knew? I wonder what more conversations we could have had with each other especially now? Would things have been different for us?
I don't really know what to say. I've only been friends with him so briefly, yet as a part of countless sportscasting teams over the years, it's like I've known him all my life already. I so want to say so many things to him, but maybe I'll get to tell him these things some other way.
For now, I guess I can't help but feel an immense amount of regret, knowing that I never got to speak to him enough times before he passed on. He was a fountain of wisdom and pragmatism. And he was, through everything, a great person.
Thank you for having been a part of my life, Butch. You will sincerely and truly be missed.
Showing posts with label obituary. Show all posts
Showing posts with label obituary. Show all posts
Monday, October 01, 2012
Friday, December 16, 2011
Farewell, Christopher Hitchens: A Catholic Thanks You
.:Christopher Hitchens: 1949-2011:.
How do you pray for the soul of a man who doesn't believe in a soul or in prayers? Simple. You don't. You celebrate his life.
How do you pray for the soul of a man who doesn't believe in a soul or in prayers? Simple. You don't. You celebrate his life.
To say that the name Christopher Hitchens has a lot of weight upon me would be the understatement of the year, knowing full well that his famed debate with Douglas Wilson was one of the key components of my Masters thesis. Of course, back then, I only knew Hitchens as a name, and generally sided with the notion that theistic morality takes a very direct and universal form that atheistic morality is simply incapable of doing.
It wasn't really easy trying to defend that position in light of Christopher's eloquence when it came to defending his side. Regardless, since then, any mention of his name elicited interest from me.
As recently as two weeks ago, I was contemplating buying his most recent book: a compilation of his essays sold for a trifle 640 pesos at Fully Booked. I didn't purchase it at the last minute because I considered getting the book from iBooks instead, but I sorta resolved to buy it sometime next week after finding out that he has passed. A digital copy is nice, but holding one of his last published works in my hands physically just seems right.
It's funny, really, because nobody could possibly say I'm an atheist, no matter how pluralistic I am. I still firmly identify as Roman Catholic, despite all my misgivings about the system and the people within it. I'm a firm believer in the notion that if your faith makes you a better person, or if a lack of faith would do it, then carry on in that way. By better person, I think the most basic of definitions would be: if your faith or lack of it makes you less of a dick to other people, then it's definitely making you a better person.
That being said, I can't eulogize so much about a man I have never met or spoken to, much less followed on Twitter, assuming he had an account. I liked his writing style, I liked his ability to tackle the sacred cows few people were willing to take on, such as Mother Teresa or Bill Clinton. Ultimately, I saw in him the ability to stand up for something he truly believed in, and never succumbing to outside pressure, opposition, or ridicule, because he believed he was right, and he made more than minor headway into proving his point without having to resort to boorishness or barbarism at worst. He was a gentleman of a contrarian, to put it succinctly.
Considering how brash most theists find the Hitchens or the Penn and Tellers of the world less because of how they say anything but more because of what they are saying, it's sad to realize that one of them is no longer with us. In a world where the heart is given undue primacy over the mind at far too great a price, it was good to know that he and his ilk were there to keep people in check. It was good to know he was willing to ask the questions nobody else was willing to ask. With him passing away, it's good to know that there are more than enough people who are willing to take up his cudgels and trudge on in the path he has helped blaze.
I have always believed one's faith or lack thereof is a personal matter, but there has always been room for non-fanatical evangelization, in my opinion. It may come as a surprise to theists, though, that this should also mean that atheists are just as entitled to "evangelize" every bit the theists are, no matter how much they think this offends them. Secularism is the great equalizer: ironically fulfilling the very words of the Judeo-Christian God when it was said that all are created equally and in His likeness. How much more equal can it be when both those with faith and without faith have the choice and have the ability to educate in the proper avenues?
I find it ironic and amusing that secularism is doing more to follow the core of Judeo-Christian values than fundamentalism and radicalism can ever hope to. It is with this knowledge that I raise my glass (With a predictably non-alcoholic drink in it.) to the late Christopher Hitchens and give him a wink and my gratitude for being a great human being, which is truly a great accomplishment in the kind of world we find ourselves mired in today.
He will most certainly be missed.
It wasn't really easy trying to defend that position in light of Christopher's eloquence when it came to defending his side. Regardless, since then, any mention of his name elicited interest from me.
As recently as two weeks ago, I was contemplating buying his most recent book: a compilation of his essays sold for a trifle 640 pesos at Fully Booked. I didn't purchase it at the last minute because I considered getting the book from iBooks instead, but I sorta resolved to buy it sometime next week after finding out that he has passed. A digital copy is nice, but holding one of his last published works in my hands physically just seems right.
It's funny, really, because nobody could possibly say I'm an atheist, no matter how pluralistic I am. I still firmly identify as Roman Catholic, despite all my misgivings about the system and the people within it. I'm a firm believer in the notion that if your faith makes you a better person, or if a lack of faith would do it, then carry on in that way. By better person, I think the most basic of definitions would be: if your faith or lack of it makes you less of a dick to other people, then it's definitely making you a better person.
That being said, I can't eulogize so much about a man I have never met or spoken to, much less followed on Twitter, assuming he had an account. I liked his writing style, I liked his ability to tackle the sacred cows few people were willing to take on, such as Mother Teresa or Bill Clinton. Ultimately, I saw in him the ability to stand up for something he truly believed in, and never succumbing to outside pressure, opposition, or ridicule, because he believed he was right, and he made more than minor headway into proving his point without having to resort to boorishness or barbarism at worst. He was a gentleman of a contrarian, to put it succinctly.
Considering how brash most theists find the Hitchens or the Penn and Tellers of the world less because of how they say anything but more because of what they are saying, it's sad to realize that one of them is no longer with us. In a world where the heart is given undue primacy over the mind at far too great a price, it was good to know that he and his ilk were there to keep people in check. It was good to know he was willing to ask the questions nobody else was willing to ask. With him passing away, it's good to know that there are more than enough people who are willing to take up his cudgels and trudge on in the path he has helped blaze.
I have always believed one's faith or lack thereof is a personal matter, but there has always been room for non-fanatical evangelization, in my opinion. It may come as a surprise to theists, though, that this should also mean that atheists are just as entitled to "evangelize" every bit the theists are, no matter how much they think this offends them. Secularism is the great equalizer: ironically fulfilling the very words of the Judeo-Christian God when it was said that all are created equally and in His likeness. How much more equal can it be when both those with faith and without faith have the choice and have the ability to educate in the proper avenues?
I find it ironic and amusing that secularism is doing more to follow the core of Judeo-Christian values than fundamentalism and radicalism can ever hope to. It is with this knowledge that I raise my glass (With a predictably non-alcoholic drink in it.) to the late Christopher Hitchens and give him a wink and my gratitude for being a great human being, which is truly a great accomplishment in the kind of world we find ourselves mired in today.
He will most certainly be missed.
Saturday, May 21, 2011
The Macho Sacrifice
.:"Macho Man" Randy Savage: 1952-2011:.
At least, they have a valid excuse why the world didn't end.
Last night, the unthinkable happened, and the man everyone knew as the Macho Man, Randy Savage, passed away in a car accident. Considering how someone dear to me lost her dad because he succumbed to a heart attack while behind the wheel, the story certainly still leaves a chill in my spine.
Last night, I was in Sid's birthday party in Capone's when the news got to me. Needless to say, I was stunned for the rest of the time.
Out of all the wrestlers who have come and gone in the industry, few of them would ever stand out the way Randy Savage did, having been one of the "total package" performers the WWF has had the honor of having. He could get it done in the ring, he could get it done on the mic, and whether he had to be cheered or he had to be booed, he knew how to get the job done.
It's a testament to the kind of influence this man has over the world, considering how he's been out of the ring for an entire decade before he passed away on May 20. Very few people who were fans of wrestling would forget that he was involved with some of the most memorable moments of WWF and even WCW history. There was, without a doubt, a macho method to his macho madness, no matter how off the wall his rap album may have been.
In the end, the world is just a little emptier without him around, and as jocular as it may sound, if the world doesn't end this 6PM as the Rapture doomsayers insist it will, I'm giving Macho Man Randy Savage full credit for making the macho sacrifice necessary to save the world.
He will truly be missed.
Last night, I was in Sid's birthday party in Capone's when the news got to me. Needless to say, I was stunned for the rest of the time.
Out of all the wrestlers who have come and gone in the industry, few of them would ever stand out the way Randy Savage did, having been one of the "total package" performers the WWF has had the honor of having. He could get it done in the ring, he could get it done on the mic, and whether he had to be cheered or he had to be booed, he knew how to get the job done.
It's a testament to the kind of influence this man has over the world, considering how he's been out of the ring for an entire decade before he passed away on May 20. Very few people who were fans of wrestling would forget that he was involved with some of the most memorable moments of WWF and even WCW history. There was, without a doubt, a macho method to his macho madness, no matter how off the wall his rap album may have been.
In the end, the world is just a little emptier without him around, and as jocular as it may sound, if the world doesn't end this 6PM as the Rapture doomsayers insist it will, I'm giving Macho Man Randy Savage full credit for making the macho sacrifice necessary to save the world.
He will truly be missed.
At least, they have a valid excuse why the world didn't end.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Project 365 (19/365), And A Brief Obituary...
.:19/365: Corinda:.
Ah, yes. The author of what is frequently considered as the bible for mentalists: the 13 Steps To Mentalism. Tony Corinda is a man shrouded in mystery, and has been living in retirement for decades already, yet very little is known about him.
What we do know is this, though: as the author of the 13 Steps, Corinda has given rise to modern mentalism, and has influenced a whole generation of mentalists. The performers I look up to, from Osterlind to Maven to Derren, all owe quite a lot to Corinda, and it can’t be denied how huge an influence he has been on the entire industry to this very day. Anyone who has seen 13 Steps could attest that despite the age of the text, it’s anything but outdated. It has excellent tips about billets, the Swami, making predictions, blind sight, and a host of other effects that mentalists utilize in their arsenal.
I may not know much about him other than the contents of his seminal work, but I’d be remiss not to mention the man I consider as the father of modern mentalism, and this short but sweet post is in honor of the man.
.:Farewell, Cerge:.
I shall not spit on your grave albeit I have no tears to shed, but perhaps, a moment of silence will suffice for one such as you.
You always had a way with words.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
My Column's Up Once Again...
.:The Unspoken Terror!:.
I'm back on The Philippine Online Chronicles, and here comes my latest article, "The Unspoken Terror". Any bets how many people will actually take my clearly satirical piece for gospel truth? LOL.
.:I'm A Bit Floored...:.
Johnny Delgado has passed away due to colon cancer. One of my favorite actors of all time (His performance in "Kailangan Kita" is one for the ages.), I can't help but feel I'm really gonna miss him, because he had it all. He was funny, he had gravitas, he had credibility, and he was more than capable of making you hate him whenever he played a villain.
You will be missed.
.:Mon Tulfo, You're Breaking My Heart!:.
Mon Tulfo was once my idol. He was such a bad-ass, what with his take-no-prisoners attitude and ruthless zest for justice.
Unfortunately, there are times when he writes very questionable articles.
Being bad-ass is one thing. Being a total redneck is another. Today's column reeks of sheer homophobia. For someone who supposedly defends the everyman, he seems to have a problem with understanding that gay people have to wear the badge of homosexuality with pride precisely because people like Mr. Tulfo has decided for themselves that homosexuality is something to actually be ashamed of.
Mr. Tulfo, all the bad-assedness in the world will never cover up for the fact that you are a douchebag.
I'm back on The Philippine Online Chronicles, and here comes my latest article, "The Unspoken Terror". Any bets how many people will actually take my clearly satirical piece for gospel truth? LOL.
.:I'm A Bit Floored...:.
Johnny Delgado has passed away due to colon cancer. One of my favorite actors of all time (His performance in "Kailangan Kita" is one for the ages.), I can't help but feel I'm really gonna miss him, because he had it all. He was funny, he had gravitas, he had credibility, and he was more than capable of making you hate him whenever he played a villain.
You will be missed.
.:Mon Tulfo, You're Breaking My Heart!:.
Mon Tulfo was once my idol. He was such a bad-ass, what with his take-no-prisoners attitude and ruthless zest for justice.
Unfortunately, there are times when he writes very questionable articles.
Being bad-ass is one thing. Being a total redneck is another. Today's column reeks of sheer homophobia. For someone who supposedly defends the everyman, he seems to have a problem with understanding that gay people have to wear the badge of homosexuality with pride precisely because people like Mr. Tulfo has decided for themselves that homosexuality is something to actually be ashamed of.
Mr. Tulfo, all the bad-assedness in the world will never cover up for the fact that you are a douchebag.
Saturday, March 07, 2009
Video: Isang Pagbibigay Pugay Kay Francis M...
.:Meron Akong Kwento...:.
Nawa'y maibigan ninyo ang aking munting pagtatanghal. Isang taimtim na pag-alala sa isa sa mga idolo kong nararapat nating pasalamatan sa kanyang himig at puso. Marahil, hindi nga ako isang mangangawit, ngunit sana nama'y nabigyan ko ng hustisya ang awiting ito.
Hindi ka namin makakalimutan, Kiko. Hinding-hindi.
Friday, March 06, 2009
Requiescat In Pace, Francis Magalona (1964-2009)
The master rapper, Francis Magalona, succumbed to leukemia today. He passed away surrounded by his entire family, and he will be missed.
This is one of my favorite songs from the man. Every color, every hue, is represented by me and you. That kaleidoscope will forever be less brighter, without Francis Magalona here with us.
It makes me feel a little extra sad because my brother, Francis, was partially named after Francis M. I suggested that name to my parents before Francis was born because Mr. Magalona's name sounded cool at the time (He had yet to have an album in 1988). He ended up becoming one of my two favorite OPM artists of all time. He always will be.
Kaleidoscope World
by Francis Magalona
So many faces, so many races
Different voices, different choices
Some are mad, while others laugh
Some live alone with no better half
Others grieve while others curse
And others mourn behind a big black hearse
Some are pure and some half-bred
Some are sober and some are wasted
Some are rich because of fate and
Some are poor with no food on their plate
Some stand out while others blend
Some are fat and stout while some are thin
Some are friends and some are foes
Some have some while some have most
Every color and every hue
Is represented by me and you
Take a slide in the slope
Take a look in the kaleidoscope
Spinnin' round, make it twirl
In this kaleidoscope world
Some are great and some are few
Others lie while some tell the truth
Some say poems and some do sing
Others sing through their guitar strings
Some know it all while some act dumb
Let the bassline strum to the bang of the drum
Some can swim while some will sink
And some will find their minds and think
Others walk while others run
You can't talk peace and have a gun
Some are hurt and start to cry
Don't ask me how don't ask me why
Some are friends and some are foes
Some have some while some have most
Every color and every hue
Is represented by me and you
Take a slide in the slope
Take a look in the kaleidoscope
Spinnin' round, make it twirl
In this kaleidoscope world...
This is one of my favorite songs from the man. Every color, every hue, is represented by me and you. That kaleidoscope will forever be less brighter, without Francis Magalona here with us.
It makes me feel a little extra sad because my brother, Francis, was partially named after Francis M. I suggested that name to my parents before Francis was born because Mr. Magalona's name sounded cool at the time (He had yet to have an album in 1988). He ended up becoming one of my two favorite OPM artists of all time. He always will be.
Kaleidoscope World
by Francis Magalona
So many faces, so many races
Different voices, different choices
Some are mad, while others laugh
Some live alone with no better half
Others grieve while others curse
And others mourn behind a big black hearse
Some are pure and some half-bred
Some are sober and some are wasted
Some are rich because of fate and
Some are poor with no food on their plate
Some stand out while others blend
Some are fat and stout while some are thin
Some are friends and some are foes
Some have some while some have most
Every color and every hue
Is represented by me and you
Take a slide in the slope
Take a look in the kaleidoscope
Spinnin' round, make it twirl
In this kaleidoscope world
Some are great and some are few
Others lie while some tell the truth
Some say poems and some do sing
Others sing through their guitar strings
Some know it all while some act dumb
Let the bassline strum to the bang of the drum
Some can swim while some will sink
And some will find their minds and think
Others walk while others run
You can't talk peace and have a gun
Some are hurt and start to cry
Don't ask me how don't ask me why
Some are friends and some are foes
Some have some while some have most
Every color and every hue
Is represented by me and you
Take a slide in the slope
Take a look in the kaleidoscope
Spinnin' round, make it twirl
In this kaleidoscope world...
Wednesday, July 02, 2008
A Moment Of Silence For Jose Lorenzo Tan...
.:You Will Be Missed:.
While you and I were never close, knowing that I will never see you in class again reminds me that sometimes, we take so many things for granted.
May you rest in peace, and know that you are in my prayers.
While you and I were never close, knowing that I will never see you in class again reminds me that sometimes, we take so many things for granted.
May you rest in peace, and know that you are in my prayers.
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Farewell, Mightygodking...
.:Alas:.
Alas, poor Mightygodking. I hardly knew ye, nor your erstwhile community, Improved_Archie.
I have a sinking suspicion why you are no longer with us, and I find it disappointing that once again, "the Man" has taken it upon themselves to attack a fandom.
Alas, poor Mightygodking. I hardly knew ye, nor your erstwhile community, Improved_Archie.
I have a sinking suspicion why you are no longer with us, and I find it disappointing that once again, "the Man" has taken it upon themselves to attack a fandom.
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