Breaking The Silence...

Well, at some point, I'm going to fill out those gaps in my Project 52, when I get around to it, but for now, that isn't really high up on my priorities, really.

I guess it's a good time to let everybody who cares know exactly why I've been even less active on my blog than I already have been, and the reason is, I resigned from my day job. In fact, my last day is technically today, albeit it's officially on Wednesday.

Having said that, I have nothing but good things to say about the people I worked with in ID8. In fact, it's more of the case that the reason I had to let go was because the company was becoming crazy successful, and it was forcing me to wear more hats than I expected. This was, well, taking me out of my element, and I wanted to give nothing but the best of my element when it came to these guys.

The good news is, that's exactly what they will continue to get. I still have every intention of being a very active writer for the 8List, and without the rest of the stuff slowing me down, they can expect me to really have a constant output meant to really remind everyone that nowadays, you can easily catch other already established online publications copy something that we already did a long time ago. It does the heart good.

And who knows, maybe I could finally start getting around to writing for the publication I've long credited for being my inspiration for all these lists. It's about time, and here's hoping that I could get back to blogging regularly soon.

Having said that, hey, at least the videos of the songs I intended to use for my entries are all there, so that's got to count for something, right?

There's so much new and uncharted territories for me to break into at this point. I want to go back to wowing people with my mentalism, and I want to write more and more at the same time. Improve as a standup comic, improve as an improviser, continue raising the profile of King DJ Logan's Rowdy Empire, especially since he celebrated his birthday last Tuesday, and maybe find more time for friends and people I love along the way.

These aren't particularly big dreams I wish to achieve. But they can't be achieved if I don't allow myself the breathing space of being on my own, and surely, the 8List will continue to be a part of that journey, albeit in a different capacity.

I can't say I'm complaining. In fact, I'm downright happy about that. And I'll see all you guys again soon.

Well. Huh.

If you haven't noticed yet, most of my writing effort has been directed towards the 8List as of late. It's really been eating up most of my writing time, and while I'm proud of what I've managed to accomplish there for the most part, I do feel a bit sad that I've really left my blog in shambles with the most sporadic of updates to show for it.

It's been a fairly see-sawing year so far. Met some new people, ended some longstanding things, tried to make the most of my year, really. Had some amazing first, possibly some amazing lasts, but overall, I wish it could be better.

Regrets have been slowly creeping in: regrets over not writing as often as I should, regrets about not really covering my life-changing experiences during the Manila Improv Fest last June, regrets about friendships lost, and lovers lost, for that matter.

And really, it's been eating its way into the present. I can't even meet new people now without having horrible flashbacks whenever I find myself in similar situations with them that point back to my recent mishaps. Whether it be new bro-tastic friends or more than that, everything just collapses.

But whatever. I'll keep on keeping on. I owe myself that much.

Ooooh. Delinquent.

.:Well, wow.:.

It’s been weeks, and I haven’t realized how delinquent I’ve been with my blogging. It hasn’t been easy, really. Balancing writing for The 8List, dropping in on WAVE, where the one and only King DJ Logan now finds himself, and a host of other things, but most important of them all, finding time to spend with My Beloved, whether I be reading The Kite Runner to her ‘til she falls asleep, or just doing a drive-by hug for all of five minutes.

It’s been difficult, and it has made me reconsider if it’s time to finally call it a day with my blog. It’s not like I’m setting the world on fire with my blogging anyways, and unsurprisingly, I’m too busy living my life to spend an inordinate amount of time writing about it. By now, I’d have written about, say, coral reefs, or Ricky Lo’s interview, or Les Miserables itself, or even the fact that a year from now, we’re likely sending a Filipino to space, courtesy of Axe. Or the funny coincidences involving my old friend, Christine.

And yes, given that the office sponsored Les Mis for all of us and we all pretty much got to watch the same movie, it almost seemed like a sure bet that I was going to a barricaded office the next day, with my co-workers singing "Do You Hear The People Sing" while setting up the barricade. Alack and alas, this did not come to pass. 

Yes! This means I should've taken pictures with my co-workers last night! I was so negligent, and I apologize for that.

Despite all that, despite the see saw of life getting the best of me sometimes, I am happy. Immeasurably so. And that is enough to go by for now. Blogging will follow. There’s always Twitter and Facebook to put my thoughts in for now, I guess?

And yes, I’m enjoying the little gadgets I’ve purchased over the past couple of months. They have definitely served me well. Heh.

My wallet is complaining, though.

Randomicity In The Middle Of The Day...

.:This Feels Weird...:.

So here I am, raring to go for this Saturday's Axe Anarchy Raid in Eastwood, and all I could think of is how much of a drag it is to go leave the office and drop by RX 93.1 to see Jinri Park and Karen Bordador to discuss what's going to happen.

Of course I'm joking.

There is no way seeing these amazing ladies would ever constitute being "a drag". Ever. Still, who'd have thought that this would end up being what I have to do, right? Can't say I'd ever complain.

.:Aysee, How I Missed Thee:.

After dropping in on the Disenchanted Kingdom last night, I ended up having late dinner with them at Aysee. Sisig goodness! That was just wonderful.

Considering how I've been hanging out with these guys for nearly three years, I must say, the Disenchanted Kingdom has been a pretty integral part of my life already at this point.

.:Should I Give Up, Or Should I Just Keep Chasing Pavements?:.

Even if it leads nowhere? :(

.:A Prelude To This Week's Project 52...:.

So Bayo came out with this pretty eye-catching campaign recently...

I'm bad at numbers. How does this even work?

I mean, it's pretty clever, in that hey, a mix is awesome, right? Whether you're pure Pinoy or a mix of races, it's all good. That's a pretty positive message for diversity, and when I was looking at the billboards, I thought nothing of it. It's not like they were advocating a superior race or anything like that, right?

But then, the copy came along...

Greatness by lineage! Voldemort He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named would be pleased!

You can imagine the crapstorm that followed from this, I believe. Still, I refuse to get all worked up on poor wording, so I will just share with you what Marocharim had to add to this campaign...

Rolled! Into! One!

And of course, how could I not possibly share my take on this mix?

0% Stranger to love.

Expect a more thorough post tomorrow, I guess.

Before The Week Begins...

.:Exhilarated:.

It’s a new chapter in my life, and I’m happy to be along for the ride. And true, the change of scenery yields a bit of uncertainty for me at the moment, yet in spite of that, I’m very optimistic about what lies ahead.

It’s a perfect storm and surprisingly, the year of change I expected 2011 to be. I’m not complaining at all.

That being said, there’s just so much to say and so much to do at this point that I’m a bit overwhelmed. My blogging in the past few weeks has been honestly stilted, and I couldn’t be bothered enough to write articles for the POC or the Filipino Freethinkers in quite a while, probably because I’m just far more focused on handling the things that need to be handled in my life offline. With most of the things slowly settling down, you can probably expect me to normalize sooner rather than later.

I’ve also been thinking about what to do with this blog, as I’m fast approaching ten years of blogging with, quite honestly, very minimal fanfare. I recognize I’m far from the most well-read blog on the internet, but I’d like to think that over the past decade, I’ve definitely come up  with some good insights and some entries worth reading and sharing. It’s with this realization that I consider doing a very simple contest sometime between September to October to mark the 10^th year of this blog, and give back to the readers I’ve had over the years who appreciate the things I do in my own little corner of cyberspace.

Yes, all five of you!

.:iBlog 8, Coming Right Up!:.

Well, it seems I’m going to be part of the panel discussion for iBlog 8 on the second day.  As the years have gone by, I have never missed a year of iBlog, but what makes this one pretty interesting is that this is only my second time at being a speaker for the forum, and I decided to touch on comedy writing for the not-naturally-funny as my topic, which is every bit as uncharted territory as my previous talk five years ago, when I covered creative thinking and problem awareness for the blog setting.

Throughout the years, iBlog has had its share of ups and downs, from definite highlights to controversies that have given the whole thing so much spice for the past eight years. I am definitely happy and honoured to have been witness to most of them, and will do my utmost best to continue being so.

Having said that, I went with a benign topic this year because despite the fact that I actually am very qualified to discuss a more touchy subject such as blogger ethics, I decided to not court controversy and instead contribute to good vibes because picking on unqualified people who talk about ethics while promptly breaking the very same rules they set is just way too easy (And way too fun, but I digress.). It’s also an interesting point to note that while the last three years, I felt obliged to protect my former company by holding my tongue when it came to matters like that, this time around, there is no need for me to protect anyone any longer, so if the situation ever came up while on my time, you can be sure I won’t be the one to mince words on the topic.

Wow, Another Randomicity Post, After Ages!

.:Focusing On What Comes Next:.

I wasn't jobless for very long, and am starting work again on Monday.

I know, I've been a bit delinquent with the blogging lately, but can you blame me? I've been preparing for my next job, and I must say, it's gonna be a blast.

There's just so much to do and so much to get prepared for. I'm pretty stoked.

.:Brock Lesnar Needs To See A Doctor...:.

I don't know about you, but Brock Lesnar's return to the WWE is something I was pretty excited about. It's just that... I don't think he's ready to go yet, unless he has himself checked out with a doctor soon...

That's pretty severe, Brock.

I know a lot of people feel that he's just doing this for the paycheck and he has no love for the business. Far as I'm concerned, so long as he's a true professional while he's at it, it doesn't matter what his motivations for going back to the WWE are. Not everyone needs to be some guy bleeding heart and soul for the wrestling business, and with Brock, what you see is what you get. You either like him or hate him, and he's not out to change anyone's opinions on that.

.:Still On An Avengers High:.

Despite the fact that it felt like such a whimper of a last day at Nuffnang (For my well-being, I will just gloss over the multiple instances I felt very unappreciated and worse that night.), there is no question that The Avengers was, without a doubt, an amazing film, from top to bottom.

While I would normally want to write a film review about it, I think I can put doing that off until I watch it a second time first.

For now, let me just say that this is an action film that hits all the right notes properly: excellent pacing (The Dark Knight had issues with this.), characterization, plot, and thematic consistency. For an ensemble cast, everyone involved had ample crowning moments of awesome, and character arcs. Even the normals like Black Widow, Hawkeye, and Captain America were given opportunities to prove how badass they happen to be, not just physically, but in Black Widow's case, even cerebrally.

Also, this interview on Russian TV just needs to be shared:

I want to just keep watching this movie again and again. It was brilliant, funny, and quite an experience.

Also, Agent Coulson being just the best at what he does in this bonus scene from the Captain America Blu-Ray:

Project 52 2012 (16/52): On The (Still Unwritten) Chapter After Nuffnang

.:Project 52 2012 (16/52): On The (Still Unwritten) Chapter After Nuffnang:.

The typical Nuffie mating call.

I'm a bit overwhelmed at the moment, and don't quite know where to begin, but all I know is that the past three years has been one hell of a ride, and Hades, I wouldn't trade it for the world.

As most of you who know me know by now, I am no longer an employee of Nuffnang Philippines, albeit by my leaderboard and sidebar, you know I'm still one of their bloggers.

It was three years ago, April 15, 2009, when I first walked into the doors of Nuffnang as an employee. It was a really great experience, and I can't tell you enough how amazing being part of the Nuffnang family has been. Working with sales, getting to meet people of all kinds, getting insight on all the things in life that I would never had given a second glance otherwise. It was, to me, home. A family, if you will, rife with all the idiosyncracies that come with it, all the same.

And who can complain, really? I had the time of my life, I made great friends who I will probably have in my life for the rest of my days, and my life as a netizen has been remarkably changed by having been an employee of Nuffnang, although I still do regret never having been able to go to Malaysia or Singapore when I had the opportunity in the past. Just because I'm quiet in my own little corner of the office doesn't mean I don't give a damn about everything going on around me.

I’m still at a loss for words, but really, I will write the next chapter of my life with a lot of optimism in my heart, thanks to how much Nuffnang has shaped and molded me. I remember how crazy things were back then, and how a ragtag group such as ours could buck the trends, go against the odds, and make respectable names for ourselves. We were so young and stupid back then.

But now? I’m just stupid.

Who would’ve thought that by the time I left the company, I’d have been their longest-tenured employee? I sure wouldn’t have, but here I am, still very much grateful and honoured to have been a part of this great company. From Ad Congress to Nagsasa to the two NAPBASes I missed to everything else, I simply cannot wish for anything more.

Judd, on the other hand, was wishing for a camera since he ruined his.

“Bittersweet” seems to be the most applicable way of putting it. I know I’ve grown so much as a professional and as a human being while I was with Nuffnang, but I also realized that staying longer at this point would not be mutually beneficial. Nonetheless, it feels good to know that whenever I’m in The Fort, there’d always be something to look forward to dropping in on.

Sir Eric and sir Jay, thanks for the opportunity. Hindsight being 20/20, I doubt I’d have chosen differently than to walk into that door on April 15 three years ago. You have been amazing mentors in your own right, and I am grateful for that.

Tim, Ming, Jestina, Elise, Yee Hou, Kruppy, and everyone else from the other Nuffnang regions, I will make it a point to see each of you in your own countries sooner than later. That’s a promise.

Ms. Jing, Charles, Roanna, Patty, Dani, and Toni, though our time spent together here hasn’t been that long, I’m still happy because the sheer insanity of being around you guys never failed to turn my day around.

Jaja, Vanessa, and Danes, thanks for the interesting conversations and the extraordinary memories. Whenever I walk down a dark, scary alley, I will always walk with a limp just the way Vanessa taught me to.

Ms. Beng and Chakka, thanks for being there, and listening to me whenever I felt everything was too much to bear. People like you kept me going far longer than I thought I could, and for that, I’m grateful.

Ms. Grace, thank you for driving me to achieve things I never realized I could if I put my mind to it. I carry the steely resolve, can-do attitude, and tenacity that any consummate professional would find to be a boon to have.

Anne, thanks for being the de facto mommy of the sales team. I’m sure you will hear this often, but when things started out, few of us saw eye to eye with you, but now we know that there is no arguing with success, and thank heavens for that kind of success you enjoy and never fail to share with all of us.
Jel, thanks for being a blessing. Your quirkiness will always make me smile as I read your insane Tweets on a daily basis.

Thei, thank you for being as great a friend as you are a professional. You have a wisdom beyond your years, and I foresee a lot of success ahead of you in nearly anything you would want to ever do.

Rendhl, thanks for putting up with me as you run the backbone of the entire operation as quietly and as efficiently as can be. Whenever you’re not around, a certain sense of chaos envelops the office, so I guess that’s a credit to your uncanny talents.

Maris, thank you for being the office noise barrage, and I mean that as a good thing. You always speak your mind, and you give the company a shot in the arm in the oft-ignored “Babaeng Beky” demographic.

Ria, thank you for being brutally frank and honest. People like you are few and far in between, and knowing that you care underneath it all makes all the difference.

Trixie, thank you for being the superstar diva that you are. I know you’re only nice to me when you’re drunk, but I’m genuinely happy to see you achieving success in the world of showbiz. Guys, don’t forget to vote for her for this year’s FHM 100 Sexies Women of 2012. Let’s see if she makes it beyond 102 this time…

Judd, for the longest time, you were the one who kept the words “girl’s night out” from being a word I dread to no end. From Rockeoke to SPIT to Route to every single other crazy misadventure we’ve had, thanks, because I don’t think I could’ve managed being the only thorn among the roses for much longer than I actually have. I could’ve sworn I became even more introverted the minute you left Nuffnang, and I think that really told me everything I needed to know about the difference you made in this company.

Carlos, no matter how many times you refuse to accept this fact, you are the boss, and a damned good one at that. There is only so much a single person could do, but you tried everything you could to go beyond those limits, and I would argue that you are doing a pretty fine job at it. Thank you, and you have no idea how big a deal it was to me that you finally caught one of my comedy gigs.

Did I forget anyone else? Oh, but of course. Denise, thank you for being the best part of my stay in Nuffnang. It was much easier to wake up every morning knowing that I would practically start and end it in your company. You are treasured. Never forget that.

So where do I go from here? To better, brighter places, perhaps? Or to worse, darker ones? It doesn’t matter at this point, because wherever I trudge on to next, the three years I’ve spent with Nuffnang will always be an indelible part of my psyche.

Who could ask for anything more, really?

I know I can’t.

What a journey it has been
And the end is not in sight
But the stars are out tonight
And they're bound to guide my way...

Project 52 2012 (14/52): On Saying Goodbye (Even When You're Not Yet Ready To)

.:Project 52 2012 (14/52): On Saying Goodbye (Even When You're Not Yet Ready To):.

Don't you just love it when Cyanide and Happiness, gets it right?

Sometimes, you find yourself in a relationship for so long where everything becomes mundane, even mechanical. At times, you end up pretty much letting the relationship run on auto-pilot, and this is true for a lot of long-term relationships, whether ranging from the romantic or the professional. 

However, after everything has been said and done, this isn't necessarily a bad thing. Sometimes, it's the routine that gives us a kind of reliability, maybe even a kind of stability, that we've come to unknowingly appreciate for its sheer predictability. Not everything needs to be a page-turner in life, and long-term relationships can be some of the most rote things in the world.

That stability, that mundaness, all of it can be good. It can bring about an ordered world and some semblance of sanity in one's hurly-burly life. It gives one a sense of certitude where everything else can seemingly be called to question, and where one's appreciation for the relationship itself allows them to find a deeper kind of understanding in the very banality of it all.

So yeah, just imagine the inevitable mess that comes about with the abrupt end of that kind of relationship.

Imagine your feelings being torn asunder as everything you held to be true suddenly becomes a lie the very next moment, and how it throws all your best-laid plans, the future you're building with that relationship in mind, and the certitude that comes with the relationship, no matter how easy it seems to take such for granted. Imagine the feeling of abandonment that comes when suddenly, the simple things you took for fact no longer exist, and in their place, there is an immeasurable void that you don't quite know how to fill anymore.

Imagine having to say goodbye when you're not yet ready to. The uneasy feeling as everything you held to be true and everything you had faith in becomes little more than a hazy light that burns brightly only in your mind, and nowhere else.

I mean, are we ever really prepared to say goodbye to the things we've held near and dear to our hearts for so long? I honestly don't quite know if we truly get to that point, and perhaps, we never would.  From that point on, we feel a sense of betrayal, regardless if there was anyone to blame for the abrupt farewells, or even if it may have been our fault, for that matter.

It is with these haunting thoughts I begin to ask myself why we, as temporal beings, seem to want to hold on to some things permanently. Perhaps it's simply because we know everything else is fleeting, and the few things we have as constants are so because they are worth keeping so. Perhaps it's naivete on our part, expecting something we should never have in the first place.

Any which way, having to walk away from something without being ready for it stings. And it gives one a moment of pause: what now? How am I supposed to live without you?

A year ago, "Break Even" was one of those songs that spoke to me with the lyrics "what am I supposed to do when the best part of me was always you?" This year, "Somebody That I Used To Know" did more of the same when the song got to "but you didn't have to cut me off, make out like we never happened and we were nothing." It's hauntingly real and close to home to have to feel these lyrics hit you, but sure, that's all about romantic relationships, right?

Sure. But more often than not, walking away from other relationships when you're not quite ready to just yet could have a deeper effect on you than you would expect. And heaven help you if you never find the answer to the most important question that you inevitably encounter at this point: where do we go from here?

Indeed, that's the five-million dollar question. And only you can answer it for yourself. In time.

Random Quick-Bite Updates...

.:Welcome Back, Cleo Caliente!:.

After a while, Cleo Caliente made her way back to the Disenchanted Kingdom, trading places with Lu Skywalker, who now handles the 12-3 time slot for 99.5 RT.

Was there last night, and it's pretty clear that Cleo hasn't missed a beat at all.

The Disenchanted Kingdom can now be heard Mondays to Fridays, 6-9 PM, on the station that's totally better than DM 95.5, 99.5 RT!

.:This Should've Been A Film Review, But Whaddaheck...:.

Trixie says: don't forget me come the next elections! Trixie the Fixie for vice-kagawad!

Two events courtesy of Nuffnang last week really worked out pretty well: the film screening of X-Men: First Class, followed by the Nuffnang family day.

Crazy tiring on both days, but there was certainly a lot of fun to be had. I'll update this post with links and the like from other bloggers covering both events as well as my two cents when I get around to it...

Lights Out, Kheill!

.:Turn The Lights Out!:.

Oh, yes, ladies and gentlemen. He. Is. Back.

After releasing his last but barely heard-of album in 2004, Rick Astley finally released a new single last June, and in the same month, an official video came out. As a dedicated Rick Astley fan, I must admit that I was negligent about immediately writing about it and featuring it on my blog, but negligent no more!

This song really captures the Rick Astley sound, and you can’t say a single thing about the man’s vocals. Obviously though, if there’s one gripe about it, is that there’s criminally less dancing in the video than there ought to be in a Rick Astley video.

Nonetheless, you can’t really expect the 44-year old phenom to still be dancing up a storm to this very day, especially when you realize that he was hardly doing any dancing even when he was 21 in the “Never Gonna Give You Up” video. Still, there was this awesome black dude who was doing somersaults up the walls, so maybe he could’ve hired more people to do some dancing for the song.

Up to now, there’s no news out there if he’s going to release a new album, and he seems to be having a great time in his new and unexpected career as a radio personality. If he ever does decide to have a new album, though, I think he needs to realize one thing: he needs to create a new dance craze all over again. And in the (unlikely) event he ever has a collaboration with the Wondergirls, I’m going to be all over it before you can say “monster smash hit.”

Keep on rolling, Rick Astley!

.:After An Entire Week...:.

So there we were in Nuffnang, enjoying Mystery Wednesday, watching “I Miss You Like Crazy”. While watching, we noticed a flamboyantly gay character played by Ketchup Eusebio, and Judd mentioned that he’s actually straight, merely acting convincingly enough.

Brilliant that he is, our country manager, Carlos, decided to challenge me to do the exact same thing in the office for a week. I even mentioned it on the air while I was guesting on the Disenchanted Kingdom, and the whole gang found it amusing and wished me luck.

Well, after an entire week, and after being introduced to longtime acquaintance yet brand new officemate Dani, I definitely had to keep up pretenses with much difficulty, although I’d like to think that at the end of the one-week challenge, I definitely held up my end of the bargain.

In any case, last Thursday, we had a bit of a drinking spree, and it was amusing how I saw one of my officemates get crazy drunk. Had to text her ‘till she seemed sober again, although to be fair, her spelling was still impeccable throughout, so I guess she was just fine. Crazy fun week, although yet again, my straight-edge lifestyle has been derailed. O great CM Punk, I have failed thee again.

.:Three Letters. K. E. L. Is that so hard to freaking spell?:.

Really now. I mean, the reason I picked “Kel” as an air name was that it’s so simple to spell. Three freaking letters. Aside from the fact that I always loved Kenan and Kel on Nick, it seemed like there was no way anyone could mess that up the way people would be unable to spell “Marcelle” properly since everyone expects to spell it as “Marcel”.

So imagine my surprise when I went to a restaurant to order some food, and this is the name they printed on my receipt...

Err... huh?

Did I misspeak or something? Did I sound out in a way that made them believe that there was an extra “H” to my name? Was I wearing my jejemon cap again? But that can’t be! I was wearing my suit, and I looked so respectable that day, and...

So sue me! It’s a fashionable cap!

No matter, maybe the cash register was Capampangan, which explained the extraneous “h” in the receipt, and ultimately, in Filipino pronunciation, it made no difference whether or not the “h” was in it, because we’d still pronounce it practically the same way: we don’t go out of our way to aspirate “Jhun-Jhun,” and merely pronounce it as “Jun-Jun.”

But then, the next day, I ate at the same restaurant, and guess what? They misspelled my receipt again!

Wait. How is that even possible?

I’m pretty sure that “Keil” would be pronounced like “cake,” so I don’t understand how the heck that works. Even if it were pronounced as “Kyle” or as “kill,” it would still make no sense, because I clearly said “Kel.”

Sometimes, it boggles the mind how often this happens. When people mishear “Nuffnang,” it makes all the sense in the world. But a monosyllabilic name like “Kel?” Gee, whillikers.

The End Is The Beginning Is The End

.:The Moment Of Truth Is Upon Me:.

I honestly don’t know how to feel right now, as I hold the summons in my hands.

It has been a long hard road, and I now stare at nothingness.

Either which way, this is the end of the road.

.:Nuffies Attack!:.

The founders of Nuffnang, Tim and Ming, have finally dropped by the Philippines to check out how things are going. It was awesome!

The whole gang was at Mag: Net High street last Monday for a dose of Rockeoke! Just check out the video, and you’ll see how much fun we had throughout that night. Good food, good conversations, and memories all around. I almost regret having missed out on this much fun when the team went to the Regional Blog Awards in Singapore last October, if it weren’t for the fact that I had a successful night in PETA for “Bound And Gagged” happening at the same time.

It was quite an experience for me to encounter the founders of Nuffnang so far. They are funny, they are witty, but as it turns out, they’re also wise beyond their years. Getting some time out to look closely at them and understand what makes them tick has certainly helped us get a better handle of how we should be approaching what we do in this company and how it would be best for us to really meet our full potential here.

I, for one, am glad I found myself at a prime time where things are really on the cusp of a boom.

Monday would be the first of two nights straight where I sang “Beer” by the Itchyworms, currently my favourite song to sing to myself, even if, ironically, I don’t even drink.

Wednesday night was pretty interesting, too. We ended up having an awesome night at sir Jay’s humble abode as we were treated to a stellar night of food, drinks, and great company. Our friends from takbo.ph, flaircandy.com, Between Bites, and quite a few more certainly had a memorable night with Tim and Ming and the entire Nuffnang team.

It was really special because Chef Heny Sison was actually there that night as a special favour to Carlos, and we were treated to an awesome heaping of food so good, I don’t even know how to spell ‘em! Needless to say, this meant I had five straight days of crunchy pork, and this one night involved Cochinillo.

Bonding with the various bloggers, getting to pick Tim and Ming’s brain, enjoying the company of my co-Nuffies, what more could a guy ask for from a night of revelry, right? For a more enticing coverage of this night, well, check out Tim’s post!

.:A Special Alchemy Night!:.

Tuesday night was marked by the fact that we raised a staggering 19,000 for a cause just with the power of some laughs, music, and magic. As I had to open the night for the Cartel people who were there, I decided to try out a few of my new one-liners, then follow it up with my tried and tested magic routines just to get the crowd up and at ‘em, ready for more comedy for the night.

I think it was one of the best nights we had, considering how many people just poured on in to support our cause. It’s pretty much the same way it has been for me during L&G in 2008 and B&G in 2009, and hopefully something either in 2010 or definitely in 2011, otherwise. Doing things for a cause has been something that has been very fulfilling and has allowed me to contribute myself to people in the best way I knew how.

More power to everyone that night, especially GB, who really made the whole night possible. It was awesome, and I was definitely happy to have been a part of it.

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.

Here, We Get Autobiographical...

.:It’s The Weekend Blur!:.

I had a pretty fast-paced weekend, and I’m still not quite over it, considering how loaded Saturday and Sunday turned out to be.

Last Saturday was the first leg of my bi-weekly street magic tour at Robinson’s Forum, and I was quite pleased with the result, as I managed to entertain the patrons of the store fairly well, including a very insistent group of Korean kids who almost made me exhaust my entire arsenal of routines for walkaround that day.

To cap off the tour, the Midnight Cosplay Society even dropped in on me, and I was more than happy to be a part of Louanne’s birthday celebration for the day. We poked fun at anything and everything, so needless to say, we were having a really good time, letting our hair down and being the incorrigible bastiches that we really were.

Sunday was punctuated by meeting one of Danes and her friend, Kenchi, who proved to be a very interesting and amazing person. If it weren’t for the geographical constraints, I must say, Kenchi and I would’ve been really good friends, considering how we have similar tastes in anything but music. Ice Age 3 was a welcome distraction, as was originally going for Sbarro’s before settling on House Of Minis when we realized there was no Sbarro’s in the area – only to see it taunting us from the foodcourt window, as it now displays itself prominently in Glorietta 5. Guhhh...

All in all, it was a crazy weekend, and I’m not complaining about it at all. Good friends, great company, and getting paid to do what I love doing? Sign me up anytime!

.:Mondazed, Original Glazed:.

Monday proved to be quite a day as well, as I had to weather a storm to get to work, and then weather the storm all over again to get to a battery of meetings, then punctuate it with a chance encounter with some bloggers at Krispy Kreme in Bonifacio High Street.

Thing is, I went to Krispy Kreme to eat before heading out to a meeting, and next thing I knew, the awesome people of Geiser Maclang actually went ahead and let me know that in celebration of the 6th dozenth anniversary of Krispy Kreme, they were treating bloggers to some special goodies for patronizing their store. Now, as a guy well on his way to diabetes, you just know how much I love Krispy Kreme in the first place, and I was especially grateful that the fine people of the establishment accommodated me so well despite telling them that I really just swung in for a quick bite before heading out to my meeting.

I was still treated like royalty, regardless, and you can’t beat quality value-added service like that. As is, I already like Krispy Kreme. It’s one of the few places that still sells A&W Cream Soda, for one, and their donuts are just heavenly delights. That they offer free donuts periodically throughout the day is just icing on the cake, but this? This, to me, is the pinnacle of value-added service. I walked in there as a patron, not as a blogger, but they still gave me the royal treatment, regardless, and I’d be remiss not to thank them for something like that.

Amusingly enough, by the time I got to my meeting, I ended up sharing my dozen original glazed donuts with them. Will this little “bribe” assure me a sale? No, not really, but hey, I couldn’t finish a dozen donuts on my own! Those donuts are meant for sharing, like smiles and laughter and fun.

So... How Was My First Day?

.:First Day At Work, And Here I Am…:.

My Walkman phone’s playing the pretty much forgotten fad “Crank Dat” from Souljaboy, and it’s been a pretty slow day for me so far, as I try to acclimate myself in this new working environment I find myself in. This is pretty enjoyable, to say the least, given how excited I am to be here, and how my work does seem cut out for me at this juncture.

It’s all about doing what I can to earn my keep here. I know I’ve a lot to prove, what with this industry being one that I’m entirely new to. I’ve never been in genuine sales before, so doing this stuff will certainly be an adventure for me, and I certainly hope I’m ready for the challenge.

Given the past two days I've had here in the office, I can tell it's going to be rather exciting working here...

.:Fields In Bloom:.

Meeting Arbet, Karen, and Jenny last Holy Wednesday proved to be a very entertaining experience, considering how awesome the Bloomfields were during their performance in Eastwood.

Anyways, seeing Jenny this Wednesday was also amusing, although on top of that, I also met Eloisa for the very first time. The conversations we had were fairly entertaining, to say the least, and teasing Jenny over JJ has been nothing but amusing, although teasing her with Arbet has been equally amusing.

Amid all our craziness and our speculations involving anything and everything, I realize how great it is to be spending time with my blogger friends. I remember last Good Friday, I was actually with MLQ, Marocharim, Jenny, Arbet, Sparks, and a few other people, and we watched a couple of movies at that, "Shadow Of The Vampire" and "Taken".

And given the fun I have being int he company of friends, given my new job, given the whole lynch mob/groupthink thing going on, the armchair analysts, the online Boyet Fajardos, and quite bluntly, given the... enemies I've made recently, I guess that explains why I find myself sitting out majority of future blog events indefinitely.

I got into blogging and attended events for fun. When a conflux of circumstances make an environment I jumped into for fun become patently unfun, I guess I have to step away from it for a while. Not that this should be a big deal to anyone, by the way, because it's really not.

Just a thought, really.

Enjoying My Last Day As A Bum...

.:Got A Move-On, But Still No NBI Clearance...:.

It was annoying because the line was so long the cut-off was made earlier than anticipated. I don't know when I'll get around to it, but... feh.

Nonetheless, I'm very stoked about going back to work after almost a year of being a "bum" thanks to my thesis. Took the time to hang out with some people from Team Massacre, namely Andres and Tong, and even treated 'em to Mang Jimmy's. The bad news was there was no Tapa Mix or Lechon Kawali that evening. Boooo!!!

So when I went home, I ran into Dr. Kaelin who was having dinner with Dr. Ibana. Dr. Kaelin's one of my favorite teachers from the Philosophy Department, not to mention the fact that he's gonna be in town for only a month, really. It was great running into him, making my last day of bumhood a very exciting one. Not only did I hang out with some magician friends and talk about a lot of things, including the ruthless ribs I throw one of the "top mentalists in the country", but I even ran into one of my favorite teachers of all time.

Given the fact that Mrs. Cardenas has said her goodbyes to the Ateneo, I feel that in some way, the things I've gone through as a hopeful of employee of the University have left me a bit... smarting, but nonetheless, optimistic. I have faith in my ability to adapt to any situation that comes my way, and Nuffnang.com will be quite an adventure that I will be finding myself heavily immersed in as the days go by.

The thesis is still a question mark, but I am determined to finish it and graduate in 2010 (March, more specifically.). I have worked long and hard over it, and though I'm not entirely certain if I'll be able to have much of an academic career at this point, it will at the very least put a definitive bookend in my foray into Philosophy. Doing events and marketing sales is something I'm very excited about, and I don't see myself just changing horses in midstream all over again after this one.

I'm hanging in there. Despite feeling lonelier than I ever have, I'm doing what I can to survive, because one thing I know for certain is that after everything has been said and done, I gave all my love, and all my heart, and even if in the end, I wasn't given the same in return, nobody can fault me with the passion I put into everything I've done.

Last year was a year of changes. This year is a year of direction.

.:Another Literary Attempt...:.

It Was Just Me
by Kel

Everyone knew that you are my fire
That's what you are, my one desire
Now that we're through, it's plain to see
You never felt the same: it was just me

My love was all I had to give
Without you I don't think I could give
You never shed a tear when you left finally
You never really cared: it was just me

I should have known from the start
That you won't quit playing games with my heart
You said you would stay with me eternally
You never came through: it was just me

Looking back on the things I've done
I realized I was trying to be someone
You never saw that, you took it so casually
You never loved me: it was never me

An Exciting Time...

.:Moving On, Moving Up:.

I can't help but relish the fact that if 2008 was a year of change for me, 2009 could very well be a year of newfound direction.

In the end, whether I finish my thesis this summer or the first semester, it's bound to be the end of a chapter. Not necessarily the end of my academic career, but definitely the end of my being an M.A. Philosophy student. Having said that, I still march next year, regardless when I finish, and no way in Hades do I intend to miss out on marching, to say the least.

In any case, after a series of attempts at finding various forms of employment in radio, education, media, marketing, and the like, it appears I finally found myself in an environment that would be rather perfect for the kind of experience I have under my belt after five years of non-stop work in various industries.

Of course, I would still be available as a magician and a host, although weekday commitments in the middle of the day are highly unlikely at this point. =P

Effective April 13, I start on my new calling, as one of the people working for the Philippine office of Nuffnang, where I will be doing marketing and events coordination.

Do wish me well in this new endeavour I am undertaking. It's a new and exciting chapter in my life, and I hope to meet it with much anticipation.

My Progress Is Slow...

.:Thesis Crawl!:.

In line with my desire to be well-paid for my magic shows, I think it's good to know that Ned and Ardy Roberto releases marketing business solutions book. Jay and I have been considering an agent as of late, and I think there's room for that.

Unfortunately, this means that I've been focusing a lot on an upcoming mall tour, some shows here and there, and my thesis has been left to the wayside.

Well, I want to change that. I'm going to have to do a lot of research this month, but the goal is to have fifteen serviceable pages by the end of the month for my thesis, and proceed to writing another thirty pages by the end of October.

With any luck, I'd be finished writing come December, which would mean I'd be in time for my thesis defense, and I'll be graduating in 2009.

It's crunch time, and admittedly, Monster Hunter has been taking way too much of my time lately, further keeping me from making much progress. I must be one of the most horrible examples of time management ever... yarr.

.:On The Employment End...:.

Well, there's still no word from RT regarding getting me, truth be told. Having said that though, I've applied in a few stations already, including Magic 89.9 for the very first time. While this by no means guarantees me anything, the mere fact that I finally dared to apply in Magic seems to be a sign to me... of what, well, I can't tell just yet...

See You At The Crossroads

.:Tomorrow Is Judgment Day:.

It's my oral exams tomorrow, and I'm dreading it with each passing minute.

I've reviewed all I can, but I still feel the need to articulate it in front of a person who knows what I'm talking about. Outside of that, I feel really scared, because a good chunk of my future in the academe hinges on the success of this oral exam...

I know Dr. Angeles will not give me a quarter of mercy if I screw this up, and what makes me feel really terrified is the fact that my apprehension to use pragmatic examples has led me to a very dry script in my head of how I'd answer her oral exam questions. I feel I'd be doing nothing but regurgitate what the text says mainly because I'm consciously avoiding saying anything metatextual at all.

Will this be sufficient? I don't know. But I think it's time I manned up and sucked up the failure in case I don't get it. The quizzes and all, maybe I have something to hold onto, but these oral exams? I don't have an excuse if I botch this.

.:Where Do I Go From Here?:.

By the end of this week, my wonderful schoolyear with Reedley International School ends.

I'm tired. I could use a vacation, but I could use the money I get from working more, especially since my mom's migrating to Thailand today, and it's up to me and my brother to handle the affairs of our house. Yes, I already gave up my room in Cityland Shaw, and I moved out last Thursday.

I'm lined up to do transcribing for Krisette, but given how it is for me, and how the clients go through her, I somehow doubt I'd be staying in that job for long. To be honest, the more K posts about how horrible some of her clients are, the more worried I get that I might be biting off more than I can chew.

I still have my shows and all, but I'm still in no position to go full-time as a professional performer. I still want to finish my Masters, and I don't want my day job to be the one bit of "work" I enjoy doing the most. I worry that it would start being more like work and less like fun if I became a full-time professional host/mentalist.

I applied to teach in Ateneo. There's the Communications Department, the Philosophy Department, and the English Department, but at the rate things are with my latest academic hurdle, my prospects there don't look too hot, and after my experiences here in Reedley, teaching English again seems like a major headache. I love doing it, but damn, I'd stop right then and there if I didn't. It's exceedingly stressful. If I had a choice, I'd rather teach in Philosophy primarily. Communications is a close second.

What if I don't get in there? What then? I still have to finish my M.A. I still want work experience that would be pertinent to whatever I'd best be doing for the rest of my life, so transcribing really is a stopgap measure just to keep me from ever being genuinely unemployed.

And this is where I hit a crossroads.

Yesterday's great news about 99.5 really got me to thinking. I woke up to a text message from JayBee, and it turns out that the old Campus Radio Air Force is back with the same format on a new station. I left behind radio because I wanted to teach. It's simply a case of "if I'm not doing one, I should be doing the other", and now, more than ever, I worry that I won't be teaching come the 2008-2009 school year.

Enter the allure of making a return to radio once more. Quite honestly, I underachieved as a jock. I didn't have enough opportunities given to me, and I really didn't mind it until I reached the end of my rope. I was hardly a blip on the radar as far as radio personalities go, and the resurrection of Campus FM really made me think that maybe I have a chance to pull off something like that.

But even with that in mind, there are hurdles yet again. Even if I feel I'm still capable of being a jock, and capable of going on the air and ad libbing, but there are only so many stations I see myself going to.

First of all, I don't see myself going to one of the masa stations. So there goes Yes, Star, Love, Energy, Barangay LS, I-FM, and RR.

Secondly, I'm very reluctant to go to radio partners ever again, not only because of my bad experiences there, but because there's a certain person who I'd rather not see there. It's a family kind of thing, really. Ever since the whole issue with Dickie, Patty (Not her air name.) is definitely someone I can't see myself approaching ever again. That takes out Jam, WAVE (No, duh.), Magic, Mellow Touch, Campus FM (They hired a bunch of jocks. Doubt there's room for one more...), and Max FM.

Thirdly, I am not a rocker. There goes RJ 100, Underground 105.9, and NU 107 unless they're cool with posers. =P

Lastly, any other station I can possibly apply to doesn't seem to have openings. But I'll still try now, wouldn't I?

This is definitely an interesting time for me. I just hope I make it through in one piece, and by the time June rolls by, I know what I'll be doing for a living by then...

Hell Week Almost Done!

... But I'm gonna miss my students...

Let me post some more next time, but for now, blogging is on hold until that paper is done...

This Is A Heavy Week...

.:Paper Crunch Time!:.

Yes, I have little worries about what's left to do for Reedley, but it's my own academics I'm genuinely worried about.

So yes, I'm very busy, and yes, I could use some more time to breathe, and hence, my blogging for the next two weeks might be interrupted.