Energizer And Nuffnang Power My Life Through My TV Remote (And It Just Keeps Going...)

.:... And Going, And Going, And Going... :.

Energizer and Nuffnang power my life through my TV Remote. And it just keeps going, and going, and going.

How long, do you ask? First of all, you have to know that we use our TV's quite a bit at home, mostly for gaming purposes. Here. Let me show you it:

I didn't eat for three months to get this TV...

You have to understand that regardless of how much or how little one uses a remote control for a television, it's expected that these remote controls will last quite a while. Maybe three months or so. Well, given how the pair of batteries we use on the LG TV were the same pair of batteries from our older TV that we sold to make room for the new one, this means that we've been using the same pair of batteries to power the TV remote for two years and counting.

And yes, it still works without missing a beat. No need to slap the remote or any of those silly rituals you have to do just to get your remote working when using other batteries.

That's why it's pretty obvious: they are the makers of the world's longest lasting batteries. Energizer locks in the power in ways other batteries can only dream of, and it's amazing that with such great power, they also come with such great responsibility. It kinda reminds me of someone I know...

Looks familiar, eh?

So yeah, Energizer has got it going with their batteries, and they, along with Nuffnang, have a premiere for The Amazing Spider-Man happening on June 29, in Rockwell. I'd love to go, if they're willing to have me.

Indeed, Energizer has powered my life through my TV remote. But there's one other half to the story... how has Nuffnang powered my life, having been a former part of the crazy Nuffnang family for the past three years?

I think it's easy to say how Nuffnang has powered my life then, and how it powers my life to this very day.

That's how.

No matter what happened, I keep going and going, and going. It's easy to see who I have to thank for making that huge a difference in my life. Need I say more?

Once a Nuffie, always a Nuffie.

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...

Double Film Review : Cowboys And Aliens, Ang Babae Sa Septic Tank

Obviously, in both cases, SPOILERS AHEAD!!!

.:Film Review: Cowboys And Aliens:.

Yes, Trixie gets top billing over Daniel Craig...

Cowboys And Aliens
Unexpectedly good.

Sometimes, going in with low expectations for a movie can end up giving us a pleasant surprise, and that's how things turned out in last week's Nuffnang film premiere for Cowboys And Aliens, of course, brought to us by Pizza Hut in Gateway Cinemas.

The pizza was divine!!!

Thing is, the whole night was made more interesting because Pizza Hut played such a significant role in it. Whether it was their pep rally demanding "hot pizzas", or the dance number from the Pizza Hut riders after they delivered fresh and hot pizzas to every single person in the theater, or even Edgar Caper's excellent hosting to complement mine, the night was already filled with joy and excitement from the get-go, and by the time the movie reel started churning, everyone was pleasantly surprised.

Cowboys and Aliens was, admittedly, riddled with bad reviews all around. Despite that, on paper, it was hard to go wrong with two genres that often make a dent in the box office, and then James Bond + Indiana Jones. And you know what? If you don't come into the film expecting anything more than a popcorn flick, then you're going to be pleasantly entertained.

Set in an alternate Old West period where aliens existed and attacked a town, Cowboys and Aliens follows the tale of a small town who discovers the need to band together and fight as one against an advance alien force scouting the planet for possible domination. Describing the film beyond that would probably result in creating expectations for this film, which would probably yield only disappointment, so let's talk about what made this film work.

First of all, this film had the right amount of thrills, chills, and spills. It had moments of fun, it had moments of suspense, and it even had a cute albeit trite attempt at character development. Combining all of these things, the film managed to prove that even when handed a less-than-stellar script, actors like Daniel Craig and Harrison Ford could chew up the scenery enough to make the film entertaining.

This movie, to be honest, isn't something I'd pay to watch on the big screen. I'd gladly catch it on DVD or on HBO a year from now, but I wouldn't go out of my way to see it in the cinemas. Despite that, it doesn't make this a bad movie at all: this film is simply something that everyone wrote off as balderdash, only to prove everyone better. It isn't smelly, stinky excrement; it's actually rather pungent, so unless you come in with high expectations, Cowboys And Aliens is certainly worth a watch.

Fun Evaluation: B
Critical Evaluation: C+

.:Film Review: Ang Babae Sa Septic Tank:.

This movie stinks. Because it's supposed to.

Ang Babae Sa Septic Tank
Indie-cative of our life and times.

Eugene Domingo is one of the best local actresses of this decade, and there is no doubt that she has the chops to pull smart but mainstream-appealing comedy thanks to her crossover charisma.

What none of us expected was that she would have enough range to also be credible enough as a serious actress worth her weight in gold.

"Ang Babae Sa Septic Tank" is a brutally hilarious deconstruction of the typical Filipino indie film, usually marked by an insatiable appetite for exploiting poverty as a topic at every given turn, and focusing on showing the "dark underbelly of urban Manila." It's rather unfortunate, but you see so many of these films that it feels like a veritable crutch whenever Pinoy filmmakers attempt to touch on these specific themes.

Following the tale of a fledgling movie director, his ambitious buddy producer, and their imaginative production assistant, the film reflects sensibilities you can truly expect from your average indie production focused on winning awards instead of just coming up with a quality movie. Even one of my least favorite people, Kean Cipriano, deserves props for an excellent effort at portraying a pretentious artsy douchebag, but I guess that just comes naturally for him.

Laughs and meta-commentary plus a bit of musical flavor on top of everything. This film had it all, and the fact that the indie filmmakers welcomed a deconstruction of this nature with open arms can only bring hope that the Philippine indie film community is growing up beyond the dreary morass it has been initially.

No question about it: this film is a must-see.

Fun Evaluation: A (Would've been perfect if it didn't follow the formulaic dragging style of certain indie films too well...)
Critical Evaluation: A+

A New Starlet Has Arrived: The Best Reason To Watch Temptation Island!

.:Please, Please Watch Temptation Island!:.

Bad reviews notwithstanding, Temptation Island is a must-see film for anyone and everyone because it actually stars none other than the Starlet of the new decade, my friend and colleague from Nuffnang, Ms. Trixie "Kolokoy" Esguerra, unofficially heralded as #102 on FHM's 100 Sexiest Women of the World this year!

Aside from killing endangered species to wear questionable headgear, she's a pretty cool girl.

This movie will feature her, and some complete unknowns like Marian Rivera, Lovi Poe, Heart Evangelista, and Solenn Heussaff, whoever they are. Temptation Island is one of those movies that you just really have to catch for a glimpse of the greatness of Trixie - today a name, tomorrow, a legend.

Pictured: Trixie Esguerra's supporting cast.

Film Review: Transformers 3

.:But First, A Gig Update!:.

On Monday, I'll be performing in Manila Pen, where I'll be hosting and doing my magic and mentalism, and it will be in conjunction with the comedy of the inimitable Mike Unson.

On Tuesday, as always, it's open mic night in Tomato Kick, from 9:30 onwards, where I will perform alongside some great comics from the Comedy Cartel, particularly birthday boy GB Labrador himself.

Ahh, it's such a good time to be a magician in the Philippines right now. Or a mentalist, for that matter.

.:Film Review: Transformers 3:.

This picture. So relevant to the movie!

Transformers 3: The Dark Of The Moon
Things went boom. Were you expecting high art?

Epitomizing popcorn blockbuster flicks everywhere, Transformers 3 was, without a doubt, a tour-de-force of all things awesome and bad about Michael Bay, all at the same time.

Big explosions? Check. Big action scenes? Check. Big-chested women? Check, check, check. Bad story? Check. Insipid dialogue? Check. Bad acting? Check, check, check.

But you know what? I enjoyed the Hades out of the movie, regardless.
This review will be relatively spoiler-free, so don’t worry about it.

Last Wednesday, I actually had the opportunity to watch this film because Nuffnang screened it for the members. As usual, I hosted the proceedings, and it was pretty enjoyable to do that, considering the Ozawa references I got away with, among other things. Still, it’s always extra delectable to watch a movie that the Nuffnang team actually worked on themselves.

The third Transformers film pulls out all the stops by explaining how the war on Cybertron was meant to be ended had a previous prime, Sentinel, not gotten shipwrecked on the moon en route to helping the Autobots turn the tide. When all of this is uncovered as of the NASA moon landings, its impact carries over to the present day, as the Autobots and the Decepticons are on a race to access whatever technology Sentinel Prime had that would turn the tide of battle for either side, once and for all.

For the most part, this film really felt like a fitting way to close off a trilogy. The conventional rules of thumb to trilogy enders apply here, particularly the fact that there are no more rules when the series is intended to end after the third film. While the new girl who replaced Megan Fox was less distracting, she was also just as skilled as Megan Fox at this whole acting business, which is to say, not at all. It becomes no surprise why people who like this movie tend to just gloss over her or most of the actors in the film, for that matter, except perhaps John Torturro, who really steals the scenes with his lines and inane character.

Would I recommend you to watch the film? Definitely. This is a movie that does so well on eye candy, light, comedic moments, and action. It won’t be making you contemplate the deeper meaning of life, but nobody can deny that Transformers 3 is definitely a strong film when it focuses on the things it does well, and it does these things very, very well.

Quite honestly, I don’t get why there’s so much hatred going Michael Bay’s way. His movies are generally entertaining, and while they may seem to appeal mostly to pre-pubescent fanboys when it comes to the smattering of sex and violence overall, it doesn’t necessarily mean that the sex and violence isn’t enjoyable at all. Nobody will ever expect a heart-wrenching film from the man, so it’s good that he sticks to his strengths and produces the best work within his skillset rather than overextending himself into areas where he wouldn’t be nearly as competent.

This flick is definitely worth a watch if you want some awesome visuals and high-octane action. It’s a bit on the long side, though, so ironically, you might find the film a bit dragging at certain points, which is quite a shame.

As you can tell, the Nuffies love photo booths.

Fun Evaluation: A+
Critical Evaluation: C-

PLDT myDSL's Internet To Sawa TRANSFORMS My Internet Experience From Megan Mullaly To Megan Fox

.:Because I Totally Am Watching, Yo!:.

Yes, I said it. PLDT myDSL, with its blazingly fast internet speeds, has transformed my internet experience from this:

You watched Will And Grace, right? You should know her, then.

To this:

But I'm sure you know this one, right?

And it's simple, really.

Megan Mullaly isn't ugly, by any stretch of the imagination. She's funny, she's witty, she played Karen in "Will and Grace," and let's face it: she's been in the entertainment business for long enough. Ugly people don't really have much longevity in that industry, unless they're playing goons in some typical 80's action flick, so it's safe to say she's got her admirers.

And really, my internet experience has always been that way: nothing remarkable or special, but something just plain reliable. While Megan Mullaly could steal any scene from Debra Messing whenever they shared screen time together, it's not like Debra was a comedic genius, anyways, so Ms. Mullaly had it easy, to be honest.

But then, with PLDT myDSL's internet to sawa, Megan Mullaly transformed into Megan Fox! Shazam!

And boy, you know what that means: from steady and reliable, internet just got blazing hot, hot, hot! I mean, when you have a movie about robots, and explosions, and FREAKING ROBOTS, you'd think that the focus would be on them. But no, you'd be mistaken.

Pictured: only the SECOND most exciting thing about the Transformers movie franchise.

Megan Fox almost turned a movie about robots, explosions, and FREAKING ROBOTS into "Megan Fox Looks Hot While Some Robots Go Ka-Blooey In The Background." That's how much of a show-stealer Megan Fox truly was, and that's how amazing internet to sawa by PLDT myDSL really is. When you take solid internet connections for granted already, it takes an astounding level of speed for you to notice it's doing much, much better than "solid" already.

And with that, let me just say that Transformers 3 will probably be an awesome movie, but without Megan Fox in it, TF3 almost feels like a spin-off. I'm just sayin'.

Visit www.myworldmydsl.com for more information or call 171 to confirm your subscription today!

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...

Tagaytaumbayan (Yes, I Just Made This Up.)

.:A Return To Form:.

Nothing but sheer awesomeness!

After several months of being out of action, the Terrific Trio of Ony Carcamo, Stanley Chi, and yours truly performed in TAuMBAYAN in celebration of their second anniversary. To say that we had a great show is a massive understatement, because not only was it a good show, but absence indeed made the heart grow fonder and last night, everyone laughed just a bit louder, clapped just a bit harder, and enjoyed the whole night just a bit more.

Featured On Wild About retail!

.:Mistervader On Wild About Retail!:.

With much kudos to our blogger relations girl, Trixie, I ended up finding my mug in the middle of her awesome blog, Wild About Retail. As I recently purchased my own set of Dominion last Christmas, I just had to tell the world how wild I am about it.

I really think that Dominion is a fun game people ought to pick up or at least learn.

Backblog: Despedida Night!

.:Despedida Night!:.

It was a nice party a couple of weeks ago with the Nuffies as we hung out in honor of Patty and Dani, who are embarking on their own endeavours in the near future. V8 served as the scene of the crime as we put our musical chops to the test in a free-for-all videoke night.

Manila Bulletin's Night To Remember

.:Manila Bulletin’s Unparalleled Night For Bloggers:.

A whole new dimension. Picture courtesy of Wild About Retail.

Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition, but nobody expected Manila Bulletin to make a memorable night for the bloggers happen as well last November.

With the Picasso Boutique serving as the venue, with Hannah and Vince, and with prizes galore to give away, the bloggers were extremely excited to hear what the Philippines’ leading newspaper had to say, and boy, was it a blockbuster of a night.

So you know that the 3D newspapers are out there for everyone to get already, right? Well, what you might not know is that Manila Bulletin has a special app you can download for your iPhone or iPad so you can access the news with the touch of your fingertips. It’s pretty awesome, actually, as Manila Bulletin has demonstrated how ahead of the curve they are when it comes to technology.

Nonetheless, the festivities of the night really got the bloggers pumped up, and in a rare occasion, some of my very good friends, such as Abby and birthday boy Marf, actually showed up to an event, whereas neither person would normally go. I guess this was, indeed, a worthy exception.

That night, an acoustic duo performed and sang some great covers and originals, and they really made the ladies swoon. They were so in demand that had it not been for the men in attendance, the females would have just forgotten all about the awesome prizes to give away and just begged the guys to keep serenading them.

And speaking of the awesome prizes, oh my! First, they raffled off some designer shades and a few gadgets, but soon enough, things started getting more interesting as they awarded the last three major prizes on a dare each. That spiced up the night quite a lot, and everyone had a great time with it.

Overall, this event definitely lived up to the hype, and all things considered, I’m glad that I was there, because it definitely was made of awesome.

The Weekend, In Brief Yet Again

.:A Weekend For The Ages:.

In shorthand, here's what happened:

Friday - went to the Goldilock's awarding event. Ran into an undesirable, but also ran into Kcat, who won the iPad that evening. I was pretty surprised to see her win, but it was good to know that my dear batchmate (She's from Don Bosco Sta. Mesa!) has been on quite a roll lately. And yeah, we met Elise and Brad today, which was pretty cool.

Saturday- quite a loaded day, but instead of going to Tali beach, we just headed out to take Elise, Brad, and another friend to Mall of Asia, where we just took in the sights and sounds, then had a hearty lunch at Dampa. Elise stepped into wet cement, which got a rousing ovation from the entire wet market. Carlos over-ordered and we ended up having food meant for a group twice our size. Afterwards, we drove around Greenhills, they got massaged in The Spa, then we had dinner at Chickboy, where they had Cebu lechon liempo and sisig. Unfortunately, the liquor ban hit us in the middle of their drinking spree, so Brad and Elise were majorly disappointed. :P

Sunday - wow, just wow. Richard led us to an awesome Japanese place for lunch (I forgot the name of the restaurant. I'll fill it in when I post again.), and he then joined our ragtag group on a walking tour of Intramuros, conducted by Carlos (Celdran) Palma. It was here that we decided to make "official Filipinos" out of our guests, but only Brad had the guts to chow down on balut. After that, him eating isaw and tenga didn't seem nearly as impressive. We did a tour of Greenhills this time, and they definitely looked shocked at the low prices they were treated to. Wait 'til they get to Divisoria. Dinner was in JT's Manukan at Ortigas Home Depot, and desert was at Razon's.

They're probably back in Singapore by now, but that was quite a weekend. Hope we get to do it again, and next time, I hope the Nuffies aren't sick!

Remember, Remember, The 29th Of September...

.:Memorable:.

So I ended up doing two shows, guesting on 99.5 RT, getting stuff done in the office, and being greeted by so many people I practically lost count before I even had lunch.

I have to say, this was a pretty stacked 27th birthday, to say the least. My head is still swimming in details, but overall, I was stoked about the whole day from start to finish.

Woke up pretty early that Wednesday to head out to RT and join the Disenchanted Kingdom, and boy, it was a really fun show. Met Ken for the first time, and there was a lot of fun to be had as we just ran with the show from start to finish. It was too bad Lu was still absent, although when I dropped in on Friday and caught him singing Tagalized Christmas carols, it was just as hilarious as it always would’ve been.

Immediately after the show, I headed to the office, and I decided to try my luck with Dang Dee and have them deliver ten bento boxes to the office for the team. I have to say: Dang Dee’s 78-peso bento boxes are a steal considering how great the food is and how affordable they are, all the same. From there, I had to start doing my shows, as I did a table-hopping show for a make-up brand. Overall, it was a fairly simple and quiet performance, and I was a bit disoriented because the venue was in close quarters. Still, that didn’t stop me from giving them their money’s worth.

Afterwards, I set foot in Votre bar and closed that night’s open mic comedy show with a full-fledged magic show where I actually went ahead and tried something new: the torn and restored newspaper routine, which, while new to me, is admittedly pretty old for most other people who have seen magic before. Despite that, I used it, if only for the ability to have a sucker finish, and capped the whole night off with some hypnosis and then some metal bending.

After the performance, I managed to kick back with the people in Votre, and there was a lot of fun to be had. I was pretty happy that my potential client actually checked out my show and was sufficiently impressed.

It wasn’t a momentous, earth-shattering night, but it was memorable, if only for the sheer number of people who actually remembered me. It was much-appreciated, and while yes, I’ve had better birthdays, it certainly turned out to be far from the worst.

For me, that’s enough.

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.

Heavenly

.:I Died And Went To Dumpling Heaven:.

The best thing about working with one of the top food bloggers in the country is that he, of all people, would definitely know where it’s good to eat at.

As the new country manager of Nuffnang Philippines brought the team to Makati Shang to try out their dimsum buffet, myself, Patty, Judd, Denise, Trixie, and Anne were all excited over the prospect of hakao, hakao, and more hakao until we couldn’t take it anymore. In fact, Judd and Trixie even had a little wager going on who would eat more, and well, Trixie won it handily.

It was great bonding with the Nuffies, really. Even if they tend to poke fun at me a lot (There’s a rumor going around that I’m gay. Yes. The rumors get pretty unfounded here.) and all, I wouldn’t trade these guys in for the world.

If they threw in a plate full of hakao though, I just might. Nah, I kid, of course.

Last Wednesday was extra amusing because to get over the hump day, we watched “One More Chance”, and I realized that makes two out of three movies from the collection I handed out on June 2, since we watched “500 Days Of Summer” the previous week. Overall, it was pretty fun times, even if the movie does hit a little too close to home, really...

.:Speaking Of Dimsum And Chinese Food...:.

Last Thursday, I was part of an awesome event held by Chow King. Now, I normally don’t go to events anymore due to my unbelievably busy schedule, but I thankfully squeeze this one in, and it was well worth the trip.

As a matter of disclosure, I am a very rabid Kimerald fan. When the invite mentioned they would both be there, wild horses could not have prevented me from getting to the event.

All that aside, though, in the world of marketing, people always tend to ask themselves who the personification of their brand could possibly be, and after some brainstorming, the answer Chow King ended up with was both enlightening and interesting.

You see, every single brand advocate of Chow King just so happens to have a very interesting story to tell. Whether it’s beating the odds for Kim and Gerald, or coming from the wet market for Jericho Rosales, or giving the gift of education for Efren Penaflorida, or the sheer adversity overcome by Bea Alonzo, it’s the taste of victory that is indeed the most delicious.

But really, all niceties aside, I must say that this particular commercial tugs at the heartstrings pretty well:

Seeing Kim Chiu up close and personal as I did, there was no doubt that I was giddy to no end. It was an awesome day all around, and I must emphasize that I especially like their new item, the Chow King Tender Beef Broccoli. Prior to this, their beef dishes were rather limited, and their most notable one was braised beef, so having Tender Beef Broccoli ready in a fast food chain is such a great thing. I kid you not: this is quality stuff we’re talking about, and considering my up frontness about other items and restaurants, when i recommend food, you know I’m not just shilling at this point: it’s good. End of story.

Anyways, I’m still really flabbergasted over Thursday. In the meantime, all you really need to know is that Chow King’s Tender Beef Broccoli is awesome, I am a huge fan of Kim Chiu and Gerald Anderson, and you can be sure that victory can taste even better when coupled with great food.

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.

4/365, And Some Other Bits And Pieces...

.:4/365: The Abnormal Lift:.

The secret is, there is no secret.

Oftentimes, magicians are accused of trickery and looked down upon precisely for that. Some magicians reveal secrets, on the other hand, and earn the ire of fellow magicians who make a living from the routines and effects they expose. Just ask Valentino: he’d tell you.

On the other hand, there are some things that just don’t have any other explanation other than: it legitimately happened.

Imagine a simple pick-a-card, where you’d choose one out of 52 different cards. The odds of a magician blindly guessing your card without any trickery whatsoever is one out of 52. Is it likely he’d get your card right? Not really. Despite that, with just a little under 2% odds of getting it right, there’s always the ever-tiniest possibility that it works out for you.

Especially if you do the trick 100 times and just show on TV the few times you actually got it right.

When these things happen, there is no other explanation for it: it legitimately happened.

The Abnormal Lift is one of those feats. For the longest time, levitation has always been an illusion that has attracted a lot of interest from outside the magic community, and one that has been exposed so many times.

Without having to reveal anything, the Abnormal Lift is as close to the real thing as can be: a levitation that requires nothing except a chair, a willing volunteer, and a total of eight index fingers all coming together to demonstrate one of the strongest instances of hypnosis (Or self-hypnosis, even.) you will ever see.

The thing is, to perform the Abnormal Lift, it requires a kind of mindset: the persons involved must believe they can genuinely do it, or else, their own self-doubt would doom them to failure.

After all, the logistics seem daunting: a person, often noticeably larger than any of the other four volunteers, will be held up in mid-air only on the index fingers of four other people. To imagine the sheer amount of strain an index finger would sustain as a full-grown human being rests upon it seems a bit terrifying, let alone levitating said person so high up and holding him in place for that long a time.

If you don’t think you can do it, you can’t. This is what makes the Abnormal Lift a mentalism feat, more than anything else: it’s the mentalist’s job to convince the five people involved that yes, they can pull this off. The mentalist may seem inconsequential to the audience; and yes, while that’s the desired effect, that the levitation is indeed genuine because the mentalist’s absence from the actual levitation means it was free of any trickery, this doesn’t mean that the mentalist was truly inconsequential to the feat.

I am a huge fan of the Abnormal Lift because it is the routine that sets apart those who can control their spectators and those who can’t. This is the one routine I can point to as the one that has convinced the most people about the reality of mentalism, because any other routine can always have naysayers label it merely as a “trick” or even a “setup”, but you can’t get any more legit than the Lift.

To the mentalists out there, I share with you the Abnormal Lift: no tricks. No secrets. No lies. Just the sheer ability of a performer to make people believe that the whole is truly greater than the sum of its parts. The ability to make people believe they can. This is practical hypnosis at its best.

.:Getting Cultured...:.

Believe it or not, that packaging is painted on.

Last Saturday, me and a friend decided to get a dose of culture by going through Megamall’s Art Galleries on the fourth floor, and we were definitely enthralled when we saw the section that featured Sarmiento’s work. On first glance, it looked as if he had so many unfinished paintings all over the place, amid his breathtaking 3D paintings of houses and the like.

Upon closer inspection, though...

Yep. So’s the tape.

... you realize that every piece of masking tape, every wrapper, is actually painted on. That the colors and shadows of each painting are so convincing that you believe they’re real until you move close enough to see otherwise is sheer genius. Sarmiento is an amazing artist, and I was floored with how he fooled my eyes just like that.

Do drop by in Megamall when you can. This art gallery is a must-see.

.:Back To Work...:.

... and it feels so natural.

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.

Maybe I Should Stay In This Saturday Night...

.:Friday’s DK:.

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

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

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

.:The Christmas Party:.

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

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

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

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