Anibersaryo

I actually lost count as to how many years RX have been in the industry, but I’ve been listening since 1999. I remember the first time, it was a show called The Daily Survey which back then was hosted by Louie D. and the sexy Chinggay Andrada. I got interested with the portion of the show called Sniglets, a sort of a game where the hosts will post a word and then listeners will try to define it (thru the station’s pager hehe), and vice versa (or something like that haha!). While listening and observing how it’s played, I was like “What the hell is an Ecnalubma?!” After quite a number of wrong answers, finally one sent in “Ambulance!”. So I thought it was such a cool show. After that fateful incident, I found myself listening to the station every single day. Since then, I became a rabid RX listener/fanatic. I’d listen to all the shows, call in for the Survey, sent in responses to interesting topics, listing songs for the countdown, and after a year, dropping by the station quite often than I should have! There I got to meet some of the jocks and most of the listeners who also visits the station most of the time. A couple of more years and a dozen more friends after, we’d go and attend most of the events, parties and also movie screenings. It was such a nice experience! One that would make you smile and say “Those were the days..”

And now that it has been 9 solid years of being a solid patron, I’d have to say that RX indeed played a very special part in my life (drama!). Seriously, I enjoyed each and every moment spent listening and specially those days at the station with friends. And speaking of friends, RX was the one to blame as to how I met my longtime special friends Mei, Arden, LT and Kristine (there are actually some more, but they were the ones who stuck by with or without RX haha!). Here’s a picture of us taken on my birthday celebration last month, still in contact after nine long years. They are actually the best part of my RX life!

And here are the coolest radio jocks on earth!

So, to Monster Radio RX 93.1, this may sound like a good old cliche, but thanks for everything. For the influence, the experiences, changing our lives in a way, and most specially the memories and the people you brought into my life haha! HAPPY HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!! RX FOR LIFE!! hehe! See yah at the party later!!

Let’s all get

1.0 worthy!

Geez, has it been ten freakin’ days since I last blogged?!

Indeed! I swear I can kill that stupid ‘lil monster who made my life miserable these past few weeks, making me no time for such pleasure as this. Anyway, had I not rummaged through an old drawer of mine earlier, I won’t find this quite interesting piece I did back in college. As a Christmas vacation assignment, our English professor tasked us to do an anecdote; be it funny, amusing, interesting, inspiring or what have you, and will later be submitted on our first meeting the next year. I was running out of ideas to write about, until I thought of sharing an unforgettable experience I had in one of the class I attended. Here’s how my paper went:

Studying at Polytechnic University of the Philippines is my greatest dream in life. Here I vividly see my big, bold and successful future. Entering in our college is not really what I want to pursue, but persuade by my forcible desire to study at a State University, I took my unwanted course. Having a night schedule is actually boring for me but I found out that night life in PUP is a nice experience, especially when I found my teachers very kind and has a great way of teaching. In here I will not ever forget my experience in my Shorthand class.

I was exercising a countless number of absences in Steno because the schedule made me feel very lazy. Then one night, my teacher Mrs. Esperanza Calalang, asked me why I have been absent for the past few days. Not hesitated in being honest, I muttered, “I’m sorry ma’am, but I usually get up too late sleeping from my morning class.” After that, she turned her back to me and faced the class, eyes shining bright with her spectacles, saying, “You know class, your intelligence and your course is not the measure of your success. Success depends on what you do and on how you will strive and do your best for your future.” Then her awful cough strikes again, leaving her quite pale. After a while, she continued, “Even though you’re the most intelligent person in the class, you won’t succeed if you do such things that will ruin your studies.”

Uttering those words from our teacher made me feel ashamed of myself, knowing that she said it to the class because of me. Following those words are examples from the real life. She kept on motivating us to successfully attain our goals by the means of exemplary stories. That day a great realization shone through my mind. In order to succeed, you must have a strong determination, a positive mind, a great philosophy in life and a strong faith in GOD. Now I feel like Gautama Buddha, “The Awakened One”, for my teacher’s words swept though me. I have absorbed what she said and carefully applying it now to myself.

Well, you might notice some grammatical errors here and there, but hey, that was way back in my first year in college! Of course our professor noted some of my mistakes, but too bad I wasn’t able to keep the original copy because she told me that she’ll use it as an example to her class. Naks! hahaha.. Sayang, dun pa naman nakalagay yung grade na 1.0! hehe! This was all I got to keep:

Too Much

Today seemed to be a usual Saturday for me. Went to work, go home, stayed online… those stuff. I lead a boring life, you can tell. Until mom asked me to go some place to attend to some business with a phone company. On my way to SM North and back, I realized four things. Since the mall is just a hop away from our place via another mall Trinoma, I had time to think about some serious and not-so-serious matter.

First, our dear country is indeed overpopulated. Not that I only got to realize that now, but what I witnessed just an hour ago is a shouting proof. Anywhere I turn my head to, it’s just too crowded. No place is too wide, no mall is too big for Pinoys! This is actually one of the reason I don’t go out on a weekend, making me prefer a weekday off so that if ever I feel like going out, I can breathe and not worry on facing a very crowded area. Which brings me to think, our ever growing population is indeed, and still, alarming in its utmost extent. I actually Googled our current population, and guess what answer made my jaw dropped?! Just over 91million persons! My oh my! This is just one of the problems us Filipinos is facing up until now. Making the list grow even more: rice shortage, oil prices, poverty, unemployment.. Should I continue? Indeed, it is too much. Way, way too much.

Next, that one freakin’ month is quite long enough waiting time for a phone reconnection. This is the main reason why I suddenly went to a Service Center of a certain phone company (ok, I won’t name it). We had our landline disconnected more than a month ago due to some personal reasons, but later requested for a reconnection because it will just cost us even more should we change our phone plan (we need to replace the unit that will cost around Php 2,500). I then complied to the requirements, ID’s, and letter of request, and was told to wait for a week to have it reconnected. And man, it has been four effing weeks but…!! I called their hotline last week and they said that my request was not forwarded to them and they failed to report it! Dang, I was a bit aggravated earlier, especially when they asked me to write another letter of request because they don’t have it on record. And there I poured out all my sentiments and complaints, in the whole page of paper they gave me. The lady kept on apologizing, but it’s too late to apologize.. it’s too laaate! hahaha! She then promised to settle my concern in two to three days. I was like, “Yeah right, two to three days your face!”. Man, being a call center agent sure made my string of patience much shorter. Anyway, I just hope, madly hope, that this time our phone will get reconnected finally. This is too much!

Third, that I am spending more than I should. Yes! It’s a guilty pleasure, actually. Especially now that the twins’ dad is here, I don’t get to give my share for monthly expenses. Since last week, I have been buying stuff I just can’t help buying! Spending my hard earned moolah like there’s no tomorrow. Geez, someone crucify me! Just like earlier at Trinoma when there’s a DVD/CD sale, my hands suddenly had the itch to buy some. To spend, yet again. Whew! Good thing I got to save some money every pay-out with the help of our sort of Cooperative at work. I am really thankful for that. After this month, I promise to spend my money wisely! I implore the aid of Our Almighty God for that. Tsk tsk, this is, again, too much.

Finally, and this one’s a bit of an emotional thing for me because it regards my job, is that it seems that I’ve already reached the terminal point. For nearly four years, spent just like our regular scholastic years, I have been patient and not complaining about some stuff I need not to elaborate on. I had, indeed, done my part, yet and still, it seemed like it’s not enough for some consideration. Well, I maybe over reacting, but I am now on a state where I need to re-think and re-consider things in my life (aww shucks, someone stop me!). Anyway, I still hope and expect for the better. Whatever happens, I’d gladly face it and would really extract some golden gleanings from it. Now that’s a good way of looking at it.

Thoughts I’ve been keeping in my mind? Too much.

Paul is currently

listening to…

I got Carrie’s sophomore album copy as a birthday present. And as excpected, since I am already a Carrie freak, I so loved it! I actually had this on my wish list, and thank God three of my friends complied. That’s why, no doubt, it is now my favorite gift for the entire year!

Ok, so should I even start praising the entire album and its songs?! Probably not, because I hate to patronize, and for sure I’d be bias about this. I’ll just pick some that I really like at the moment. Remember that I just started listening to it, like a couple of weeks, that’s why I can’t say that I know all the songs by heart (like her debut album Some Hearts, which I uber super LOOOVE!!). I especially like the track titled I Know You Won’t and the sentiment that goes with it. You can really feel the emotions of the song, and Carrie delivered it so well. So Small and Wheel Of The World, on the other hand, were noticeably the inspiring ones that perfectly describes a staple Underwood style. My favorite line goes like this, “Sometimes that mountain you’ve been climbing is just a grain of sand. And what you’ve been out there searchin’ for forever is in your hands.”

My personal picks are the tracks that really gets me going everytime I listen to it, All-American Girl and of course Last Name. I wish someday, even in my dreams, I’d be the guy Carrie would sing Last Name to. Coz she’d realy have a hard time pronouncing my last name haha! It may be too late for me to have a copy of the album, but whattadaheck, it’s worth the wait.

*****************

reading…

Ok, again, I might be too late in reading this one (I am such a loser hehe!) but I am so enjoying it now. I’ve heard so much fuss about this book that’s why I got so interested to check it out. Accidentally, when a friend and I passed by Powerbooks yesterday and saw piles of the newly released Breaking Dawn, it’s like its spirits are summoning me to buy one. And so I did, the first part that is. Coz a friend told me that it would be much better if I started reading the first book.

And now, I am and I’m so lovin’ it! I am not even halfway through, but the excitement is already there. I am beginning to get hooked! I even brought it to the office, so that I can read it during my breaks and while idle time on taking calls. Much to my delight, it is indeed a good read. I know I’ll get hook even more as I turn every pages. Even this early, I am eagerly thinking of buying the other books! I so can’t wait to read them all.

I am also very excited about its movie version to be shown December this year! For sure I’m done reading all four books when that time comes. I checked some reviews online and watched the trailer, and it made me swear to finish reading the book right away! Like right now haha!

Team Augustus

It is now time for me to enumerate the August celebrants! But there’d be an exemption this time, because I won’t include famous persons anymore. It would be exclusively on my month only hehe! I am also not on the search or Google mode nowadays, that’s why. So all of the celebrants will be the ones I personally know of. In case I forgot someone, please let me know hehe. Here they are!

My Pop on August 19, my lolo on August 18

Tita Eve on August 11, Tita Joy on August 28

My cousin Wheng on August 20 & a long time friend Sha on August 28

My officemates Aden (August 27), Klarisse (August 21) & Leng (August 2)

College classmates Michelle & Lesley, both on August 9

High school friend Emily (August 10) & my bestfriend’s sis Love (August 19)

H A P P Y   B I R T H D A Y  to all of yah!!!!

Looking Back

This monthly recap post is a bit late, because I’ve been busy on my birthday week hehe! Celebrated from July 31st until yesterday August 4 (just check my Multiply for all the pictures haha). Anyway, here are the things, events and personalities that shaped up my birth month! If you thought this would be an all-me-post, then think again. Just read on.

American Idol Revisited. Had a sort of a marathon of American Idol Season 2 the first week of July. I had the copy for the longest time but only had the chance to watch it last month. I enjoyed it, of course. One of the most exciting season, I think. I finally learned what the fuss is about Ruben Studdard and Clay Aiken, they’re amazing! And to think that Clay is a wildcard finalist! I’ve only seen their performances on YouTube and some Idol finale on previous seasons, but watching the actual show is a bliss! I actually had a marathon of the first season few months back, and I must say that the first few seasons were much exciting and true in its essence (being a singing competition), unlike nowadays that the show and even the contestants look like they’re all made up. Anyway, season 2 also has this impressive set of mentors! Here’s a list:

• Top 12 – Movies Theme – I forgot who the mentor was, sorry haha!
• Top 11 – Motown – Gladys Knight
• Top 10 – Disco – someone from Earth, Wind and Fire
• Top 9 – Country Rock – Olivia Newton John
• Top 8 – Billboard # 1’s – Lionel Richie
• Top 7 – Music of Billy Joel – Smokey Robinson & Billy Joel
• Top 6 – Music of Dianne Warren – Dianne Warren
• Top 5 – The 60’s and music of Neil Sedaka – Neil Sedaka
• Top 4 – Music of BeeGees – Robin Gibb of BeeGees

Movies, movies, and more movies! This month probably holds the record of most watched movies. I bought a lot of dvds and I started watching it during my restdays or every time before I sleep after going home from work. Been a movie buff the entire month haha! I got to see and enjoy films like Juno, Charlie Wilson’s War, a Pinoy indie film Chopsuey (online), The Spiderwick Chronicles, The Kite Runner, 21, Saw, and of course The Dark Knight. (Check out my reviews on these movies on my Multiply hehe). I’ve been waiting for The Dark Knight since forever, so just imagine my excitement since the first day of this month! It is actually the only movie I catched on a moviehouse haha!

My stepdad is back! Oh my, at first I thought it would be hell yet again (long story, guys) but somehow he’s changed. Not totally, but he’s gradually getting there. We hope and pray that this would be a permanent and for the better change. Anyway, since he’s back from the US and probably thought of making bawi to mom and the twins, he bought a lot of stuff for them and for the house as well. New tv set, new appliances, mobile phones, and the like. And of course, loads of chocolates for pasalubong! Woohoo!

Ze Birthday! Not just mine, but several friends also celebrated their birthday this month (See my previous post It’s Yer Boitdey!). So it has been a party month all through out! Never did I imagined that I’d be having four separate celebrations (not all grand of course haha!). And it was all fun!

Part 2, at home with She, Demz & Chy (August 1)

Part 3, at home w/cousin Ness & her baby Rom and some titas (August 2)

Last part, at Glorietta w/Pop & my stepmom Tita Rina (August 3)

So, that’s how I spent my month! Until the next recapitulation!

SONA 2008

If President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo did her SONA (State of the Nation Address) last July 28, where she made a report of our country’s progress and stuff, I also made my own version of SONA on my birthday celebration last July 31st. But this time it meant “So Old Na Ako! ‘08″ hehe! Just like the regular SONA of PGMA, it was like the much awaited event of the year. I was actually a bit hesitant if I’ll still celebrate this year coz I didn’t get to save much, but good thing I found a place serving quite affordable food in sets. So after having a part of the venue Krocodile Grille at Trinoma reserved a week earlier, I right away invited some friends and family members to join. I didn’t invite all my friends and officemates, just few ones, coz I somewhat limited the attendees to around 25. Most of those were friends of mine, coz my stepdad also prepared some food at home for our family members. So after work, (yes, may pasok ako nung bday ko!) I got very excited for the time to tick by to 630pm.

Of course I was the first one to arrive at the venue, I have to arrange the food anyway. Around 7pm, my cousins arrived, then followed by my officemates and then the rest of the people invited started to pile up. The gathering actually became a sort of a reunion for my RX friends coz aside from my usual gimik buddies Mei, LT, Arden and Nhinz, our long-time-no-see RX friend Kristine (aka Keysi, Manay Gina de Vengenge, and Astroboy) also made it to attend! We had so much fun!

my pamangkin Jhoe, and cousins Pen, Honey & Love

with my officemates Gaye & Aden, and highschool friend Vicky

Food, food and food!

and my long time RX friends!

with college friends Chelle & Nhinz

Our then neighbors Sha & Tata, with Mamai, Nhinz & Vicky

Looks like fun, eh?! It sure is! Super super blast! My SONA was a huge success haha! Good thing no one came with a bahag on hehe! Anyway, here are the gifts I received

From Gaye & Aden:

From Chelle (guess what’s inside?haha!)

From my cousins, and the cake from Kristine

and my most favorite gift, from Mei, LT and Arden

Needless to say, it was another memorable birthday celebration! Although some failed to join because of the rain and some personal reasons, masaya pa rin! See you next year!

** You can view the rest of the 105 birthday pic on my Multiply. Just click the link on my Blogroll!