Project 365 (6/365) And Byahilo's Guesting...

.:6/365: The Osterlind Breakthrough Card System:.

Watch Jay Mata perform the BCS at around 3:50 of the video.

I rarely work with cards as I have a bias against them when I perform, but Jay Mata, the other half of the Kel and Jay tandem, is well-known for performing card magic and card mentalism. This effect is simply one of the most stunning mentalism routines ever: imagine being able to know what card a person is thinking of with but a snap of a finger.

People sometimes insist on classic principles like the “KC” principle or the “G” principle. It’s neither of those. In fact, any claims to that effect are laid to rest the minute Jay asked Lyn Ching to select multiple cards rather than just one, and when he had her hold both cards in one hand each, and successfully divine which card was in which hand.

I can’t tell you enough how brilliant Osterlind was in coming up with this System. It’s one thing to be able to guess a card picked from a deck. It’s completely another to pretty much read a person’s mind as they are thinking of their card the way Jay does here.

.:Today’s DK: Featuring Byahilo!:.

Ang bongga ng lolah moh! And Cleo, too. LOL.

One of my good blogger friends, Byahilo, was a special guest on the Disenchanted Kingdom this morning. Overall, it was a very informative episode, as he pretty much demonstrated to everyone how it’s possible to actually make a living off of blogging if you simply work on it and pull out all the stops necessary to get there.

It was pretty amusing though when Logan tried to set up some “Por-No, Por-Yes” and he found out the only pornstar Byahilo knew about was Peter North, though.

Overall, it was a great show, and we managed to talk about some important times about what’s necessary to successfully monetize your blog, and how a company like Nuffnang or Google AdSense could help you out in the long run. I was losing my voice already, but that didn’t stop me as I was still very much stoked about how well things turned out for Byahilo’s first ever radio guesting.

Ultimately, this was a great day for the DK, and one can hope more similar segments featuring offbeat income sources would arise in the coming episodes.

For Byahilo's Fans...

.:Just So You Know...:.

If you're a fan of Byahilo, he's guesting on today's Disenchanted Kingdom in about half an hour.

Don't miss it!

Project 365 (5/365): The Magic Squares

.:5/365: The Magic Squares:.

Image taken from this site.

One of the marks of a mentalist is his ability to think on his feet and to show that he is working on a mental level that is far above what is normally expected of an average person. Some mentalists demonstrate this by doing improv (More on this in the future.). Others do it by using the Magic Square demonstration.

If you look at the above picture, you will discover that the 4x4 grid depicted adds up to the same total of numbers horizontally, vertically, diagonally, and even by quadrants and corners. It is one of the most impressive demonstrations of quick thinking, and people practically fiIndght to establish their ability to do these squares in record time, being handed a random number to work with.

If I recall correctly, Leodini is one of the most popular local performers of this particular routine. I’ve only ever seen him do it once, and the way he performs it is just sheer poetry in motion. The audience is on his side the whole time, rooting him on to pull off what appears to be impossible, and with each iteration of the perfect square, the applause from the audience just gets louder and louder. It’s easy to not be excited about a mathematical feat, but Leodini’s excited demeanor as he performs it makes his audience even more excited than he comes off on stage. It’s just so infectious and evocative that people can’t help but want Leodini to succeed.

Admittedly, with 365 topics to cover, I will, from time to time, be mentioning a performer whom I don’t really look up to, or a routine I simply don’t use. This isn’t one of those times, as the magic square routine is not only a legitimate show of quick thinking, but also a perfect mental exercise to keep one’s brain sharp and alert. It’s like Sudoku, only with more craziness and time pressure attached to it.

Saturdazed

.:It Takes All Kinds...:.

Spent the day with a friend yesterday, as we got stuffed at Amici, went dress-shopping (First time I ever did that for anyone!), had interesting conversations, watched “Mano Po 6”, then ate at I-Bag.net. Saturday was a loaded, productive day, but one that was relatively low-key and just right for people who wanted to chill rather than do anything crazy.

I’d love to review “Mano Po 6”, but I feel rather lethargic and all that jazz. I think I’ll just say that it was a good movie, and I was genuinely surprised I ended up liking the bloody thing. Sharon Cuneta was on top form throughout the film, albeit Ciara Sotto’s wooden acting left a lot to be desired. Also, I had this mean-spirited theory how Sharon Cuneta survived a certain event in the movie... I don’t think I’d want to delve into detail there as it’s a really mean thing to say, but it’s sooo true. LOL.

Anyways, it was a very good weekend. Had a lot of fun, and it’s good to bond with friends, especially since I managed to do something I’ve never done before and actually shop for a dress for a girl. It’s insane, considering how that qualifies as GBFOS fodder, but whaddaheck.

Anyways, it’s late already. This means I’ll be dropping in on the DK on Tuesday instead of Monday, I guess.

Project 365 (3/365): The Berglas Effect, Revisited

.:3/365: The Berglas Effect:.

... proves to be a Holy Grail of sorts. I published this post a year ago, but even after all this time, I've only found several effects that approximate it, and none of them are as flat-out impressive as the basic script of the Berglas effect. Most of my comments here came from the original posts, but new things and nuances I learned show me that indeed, the Berglas effect can be achieved, but requires a lot of patience and work, and in the case of one offered solution for the puzzle, a monstrous memory, as it were.

David Berglas, known as Britains "International Man of Mystery" has pulled off the seemingly impossible with the Any Card at Any Number routine, commonly known as the "Berglas Effect".

While I was going over the Britland book, "The Mind and Magic of David Berglas", it was becoming very clear to me that this wasn't exactly a tell-all book. While I felt mildly disappointed that the information I got was woefully lacking, I realized that this was a book meant for the experienced performer, and as someone who has been into magic for sixteen years, but has had only a few years of performance under his belt, I may not yet quite be ready for the stuff in the book.

Despite that, it's 500-odd pages of incredible material, mainly dealing with psychology, performance, and showmanship. Berglas may be a bit stingy on going into full detail with some of his treasured effects, but believe me when I say that despite this, the book is an engaging read. I may feel a bit shortchanged for the amount I paid for it (After all, I bought the thing PRECISELY for the Berglas Effect, and found out that he only gave five vague pieces of a 52 x 52 - piece puzzle... 52 different cards. 52 different numbers.), but I haven't even gone into half the book yet, and already, I've found performance aids that will enhance any effect I perform in the future.

The Berglas effect, in my estimate, is the pinnacle of all the mentalist's tools coming together for the ultimate mystery: showmanship, audience management, psychology, neurolinguistic programming. What makes it even more astounding to the eyes of people is that it could very well be sleight-of-hand free, as you can see in the video above.

If there are two books I would recommend to people who want to have a wider knowledge base in mentalism, I'd recommend Corinda's Thirteen Steps as your toolbox of sorts, and the blueprints would be the Berglas book.

Unfortunately, I think the Berglas book is currently out of print. Furthermore, I strongly suggest against getting it if all you want to do is to learn how to perform the Berglas effect, as you really won't get much out of it.

What I'm happy about though is that I've learned, with much help from Cakit, an any card cut at any number routine, which pretty much is the closest thing to the ACAAN mystery as can plausibly be done with legitimate cards and no gimmicks to speak of.

I guess in the end, the Berglas Effect will continue to be a genuine Holy Grail of sorts for any card mentalist worth their salt.

Project 365 (2/365)

.:2/365: Richard Osterlind:.

I want to republish a classic post I wrote about a year ago, when I talked about my Heroes Of Mind And Magic. This guy was my favourite mentalist, and despite the soft spot I have for Derren Brown, this man continues to be my main influence as I continue performing mentalism despite the obvious shift into comedy for the most part.

The master at work.

Richard Osterlind may not ring a bell to the average person, but in the world of mentalism, he is one of the most popular names in the industry to ever hail from America. Carrying himself in a very casual, even fatherly manner, Osterlind's performance style is very natural and relaxed, and unlike most of his contemporaries, he does not seem to make any pretenses to maintaining a “mentalist persona” whenever he performs (For contrast, see Max Maven.). Richard is very straightforward, yet his open-armed sincerity is precisely what keeps his fans coming back for more as he astounds and mystifies them with feats of the human mind we often assume impossible.

As the man behind the groundbreaking “Mind Mysteries” and “Easy To Master Mental Miracles” series for mentalists from all walks of life, Richard Osterlind has influenced an entire generation of mentalists who can only hope to have half of the natural charisma that he oozes with whenever he performs, again, despite the lack of an attempt to maintain a hint of a persona. While Derren Brown may be regarded as the quintessential mentalist of this generation, Osterlind is the man people turn to when they want to learn how to do mentalism, mainly because Derren doesn't really teach his material the way Osterlind does.

Osterlind's website is also very helpful in answering what it means to be a mentalist vis-a-vis being a magician, and he even provides a very helpful FAQ that answers some of the more common questions thrown at mentalists. Few people have helped elevate the art of mentalism the way Osterlind has, from teaching aspiring mentalists the secrets to unlocking the mysteries of the mind, all the way to coming up with new and ingenious items meant to enhance the performance of any mentalist worth his salt.

Richard Osterlind: Mental Magician?

Osterlind's critics tend to disparage him because of his tendency to include magic tricks in his mentalism acts, and unlike Derren Brown, he makes no attempt to mask it as a mentalism feat whatsoever. For instance, in one of his videos, he does the infamous “Paddle move”, and feebly passes it off as hypnosis on the audience.

While this is a valid criticism, it cannot be denied that Richard Osterlind is still a genuine mentalist insofar as he knows the ins and outs of the mindset, and in the sheer command he has over his audience, despite the sometimes-ludicrous premise he sets upon his own performances. While he may be guilty of doing mere “mental magic” at times, Osterlind still manages to shine simply because he is so earnest that people can't help but still assume what he is doing is outright mentalism. Purists may understandably cringe, but the man hasn't been in business all over the world for three or so decades already if people didn't appreciate his material.

What He Means To Me

Osterlind will always be one of the first mentalists I have learned from, along with Banachek, Max Maven, and to a limited but important extent, Morgan Strebler (Yet another influence of mine. More on him in the future.). As a performer, I always ask myself, “what would Richard do?” This is because as a veteran mentalist for decades, Osterlind has honed his craft to a point where his material is a fit for nearly any kind of mentalist, no matter what personality or performing style you may choose to employ.

While few people reading this right now would ever get to know the man the way fellow performers already do, I think Richard Osterlind, as one of the men who has inspired this generation of mentalists, deserves a tribute for all his contributions to the art, especially to the significant influence he has exerted on me, including routines I have performed thanks to him, such as the Blindfolded Rubik's Solve, the 20-Card Test, the Acid Test, and 4-Dimensional Telepathy. As a prolific thinker whose ideas know no bounds, Osterlind's massive volume of material on video will never lack an audience of eager learners.

Project 365, And New Year's Eve

.:1/365: Liquid Metal:.

Use the forks, Luke.

As I’m not much of a photographer, I decided to try my hand at doing a Project 365 out of my magic. Essentially, in no particular order, I’d be talking about one particular routine or performer each day, and I’ll be discussing my thoughts on each topic, thus allowing me to cover quite a wide range of effects and personalities in this very rich art form.

If I can, I’ll even throw in a picture or a video for your personal amusement. I can't guarantee that I'll finish this project as it entails a ton of research and writing, but whaddaheck, I can try. For this week,let me try to focus on mentalism as my art form of choice.

Anyways, here’s my first effort, and immediately, I’m going for an effect that has made my reputation for almost four years now: metal bending, what some people refer to as “psychokinesis,” or the ability to move objects using the full capacities of the mind.

While metal bending has been in existence for a long time, it wasn’t until the 1970’s when an Israeli man named Uri Geller took this feat to television did the phenomenon gain any serious interest. To say that Geller is a controversial and polarizing figure is an understatement. You either believe the man’s claims of extraterrestrial-infused powers far beyond the average human being or think he’s absolutely nuts.

Nowadays, a few thinkers in the scientific community believe that such abilities are not necessarily “exclusive” only to “gifted” individuals. It is merely an application of abilities and capacities that the human person is already capable of doing on his own. It’s just a question of willingness to learn it, an open mind, and the capacity to do persevere at learning it.

I started doing metal bending in 2006, and it’s been one of my signature routines for years. At no point did I claim to have any kind of power nobody else had, making it perfectly clear that what I am doing is extraordinary only because people never really cared much to learn a “talent” that has little application in the real world beyond impressing people and at times, getting/scaring off dates. It’s a very good routine, but I’ll be the first to admit that as powerful as it is, I usually use it to lead into something even more jaw-dropping.

Since I do happen to have a video of myself performing this routine, I suppose it wouldn’t hurt to show it to you right now...

.:My Idea Of A Perfect New Year...:.

... was to spend it with Jose Mari Chan?!?

Well, sort of, but it was quite an experience! I had a 30-minute show last New Year's Eve in Makati, and one of the guests that night was none other than Jose Mari Chan himself.

It was a pretty amazing night, to say the least. It was myself, Derf Hebrado, and Alex Calleja, all pegged to entertain for the night, and I was supposed to open for Derf and Alex and get the crowd ready for some good ol' point of view standup comedy. This meant that I had to create a perfect mix of comedy, magic, drama, and mentalism, all in anticipation of out and out laughter from the two Comedy Cartel members.

I finally brought back the Russian Roulette after a long time of not using it, and it was a good call, picking that routine over the multiplying bottles. While admittedly, there are a lot of jokes to be had with the bottles, there wasn't going to be a shortage of funny moments for the night. Mr. Steven Chan, Jose Mari Chan's brother, really upped the ante as he almost successfully fooled me into impaling my hand on a razor-sharp spike that night.

Aside from that, I also performed Black Ops Hypnosis, Improv Card Story, and of course, Liquid Metal. There were a lot of laughs to be had when I started looking for a "Beautiful Girl" to help me out with the Lady and the Rope routine, though. With Jose Mari Chan in the audience, how could I resist, right?

Anyways, that was a great show to cap off a great year of performances for me. One can only hope that this means come 2010, bigger and brighter things will be coming my way. Who knows, right?

The Top 10 People I'm Most Grateful To In 2009, Part 10 Of 10...

.:The Top 10 People I’m Most Grateful To In 2010, Part 10 Of 10:.

Finally, the last installment! And boy, you can expect that this’ll be a mouthful of thanks...

1. The Comedians

Everytime I get into a break up, I learn a new talent or skill. This time, it was standup.

When I was completely down and out, when I didn’t know how I could go on, comedy practically saved my life last year.

It wasn’t easy coping with depression, but finding an outlet in standup comedy was the best thing I did for myself this year, as I gained newfound confidence in so many aspects of my life, as well as a deeper appreciation for how difficult it really is to go onstage there armed with nothing but a microphone and your wits.

It doesn’t matter if I was watching the Cartel or SPIT, or I was doing an open mic. Comedy was a huge part of my life the past year, and with so many tragedies that we all had to cope with, there was a great need to bring levity to our lives in whatever way possible. As I said when I thanked the Itchyworms, my nightlife was ruled by music and misfit. I thanked the Worms at number 10. How could I let my entire list pass without thanking the comedians?

Whether it’s my personal hero in standup, Mike Unson, or the great Tim Tayag or the irrepressible Alex Calleja, I can’t thank them enough for their knowledge and willingness to spare me a word of advice every now and then. Kudos to Pat, the Cartel manager as well, for being very encouraging of me all the same.

To the man who opened my eyes to standup comedy in the Philippines, Stanley Chi, I know my life would be remarkably different and probably much less filled with laughter if I didn’t get to know you for three years already. Can’t believe how long it’s been, and the success you are meeting now can only be a sign that indeed, your hard work and determination at doing standup comedy has paid dividends.

To the Cartel and SPIT people whom I frequently watch, can’t thank you guys enough for the laughs. You know I have nothing but good things to say about all of you guys. Whether it's standup or improv, I have always been and will always be a fan.

To the open mic guys I frequently hang out with, especially GB, Noel, Richie, Ryan, Trian, Raffy, Eri, Drei, Doc Nase, Eric, and Chino, we’re already like brothers from other mothers (Yes, that means you, too, Drei.). I can’t thank all you guys enough for being amazing friends in times of need. I’ll even thank Brenda, Anna, and Baya at this point, because even though they're not comics, this is how I got to know 'em. The support all of you guys gave me during “Bound And Gagged” will be one of my fondest memories of the year, if not the decade.

2009 has been quite a year for all of us, and as mainstream awareness about our brand of standup comedy continues to rise day by day, you just know that it won’t be long before everyone else knows what we already do: Philippine standup comedy is alive, diverse, and fucking hilarious.

The other day, I went to the DK really early, about 3:20 in the morning, a good couple of hours before the show even started. When Logan asked me why I was there so early, I told him it was because I came from the Alchemy year-end standup comedy show.

Logan looked at me and told me, "wow, that's commitment. But I guess if you're passionate about something, then you pull out all the stops, right?"

At this point, I realized how much I love standup comedy. I sacrificed sleep for it, just because I love doing it that much. Few things ever get in the way of me and my sleep, and if you manage to be one of those things or people, then I must be pretty damned passionate about you already.

More power to all of us in 2010, and I thank you for letting me be a part of something truly big.

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 7: My Nuffnang family!
Part 8: The Disenchanted Kingdom!
Part 9: My Beloved.

The Top 10 People I'm Most Grateful To In 2009, Part 9 Of 10...

.:The Top 10 People I’m Most Grateful To In 2010, Part 9 Of 10:.

This ought to come as no surprise, as she was, quite simply, the one person who shaped my 2009 the most among everyone I know.

2. My Beloved

Taken a year ago.

First things first, let’s make one thing clear – My Beloved and I are no longer together, and that has been the status quo since March of this year. Despite that, she has still been, bar none, the best friend I ever had, and she’s still the one person I’d turn to no matter what.

The two years we had together would remain to be one of the highest points of my life, and my road to recovering from the breakup was the most challenging thing I’ve gone through thus far, but an event that simply shaped me in a way I never thought possible. I cannot thank her enough for what she has done for me. That much is clear: I may never find another person who can influence me nearly as much for the rest of my life.

My Beloved continues to be there for me no matter how tough things get, and I can’t find enough words to convey how much it means to me to know that I can still count on her in a pinch. I no longer hope she’d come back to me, but despite that, I know she’ll continue being an indelible part of my life simply because she sees me for who I truly am, far better than anyone else ever could, and continues to accept me and care about me despite that.

Thank you so much, My Beloved. You’ve been a positive force in my life, and I’m grateful to still have your friendship after everything we’ve been through.

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 7: My Nuffnang family!
Part 8: The Disenchanted Kingdom!
Part 10: The comedians.

The Top 10 People I'm Most Grateful To In 2009, Part 8 Of 10...

.:The Top Ten People I’m Most Grateful For In 2010, Part 8 Of 10:.

3. The Disenchanted Kingdom

The Disenchanted Kingdom: Mondays to Fridays, 6-9AM, only on 99.5RT!

In 2008, I was with Campus 99.5 in the hopes of becoming a DJ once again, and to an extent, I did get that wish, albeit I was never on the payroll.

In 2009, I spent the last quarter of the year with the Disenchanted Kindom with no hopes whatsoever of getting hired by the station. There’s something to be said there about being willing to make this kind of effort solely because I want to.

The show’s hosts, Marf, Cleo Caliente, and King DJ Logan, have all been welcoming of me on their show since the first time I guested on October 23 this year. Since then, I’ve been a regular fixture in the show as a sorta regular guest known as the “Magic Plant”, for better or for worse. And I’ve been having the time of my life ever since. Let’s not forget to mention Pom, who is, like myself, also a regular fixture on the show from time to time.

Marf is an excellent guy and even helped me out when I was planning a bit of a surprise for a friend’s birthday. He’s good-natured, a great sport, and extremely funny, even if most of the time, that was never his intention.

King DJ Logan needs no introduction, really. His reputation on radio is stuff of legend, but behind the outspoken and abrasive personality you meet on air is a person who has a heart of gold and believes in doing whatever he can to make this world a better place in his own inimitable way.

Cleo Caliente is, needless to say, the most significant person whom I got to know this yeart. No, it wasn’t Dancing Queen or even Lovey-Dovey. Cleo’s unique personality has amused, perplexed, frustrated, endeared, and won me over entirely in one fell swoop. The girl takes you on an emotional roller-coaster like no other, and you come out all the better because of it. It’s easy to see how much of an impact she’s made on my life in so short a time, and I can’t thank her enough for being one of my best friends, albeit being her “gay best friend only straight” does consternate me a bit from time to time.

The Disenchanted Kingdom has only been what, three months old? Already, it’s a force to be reckoned with on morning radio, and things can only get better as developments happen, controversial run-ins with EDSA Shang be damned.

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 7: My Nuffnang family!
Part 9: My Beloved.
Part 10: The comedians.

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.

The Top 10 People I'm Most Grateful To In 2009, Part 6 Of 10...

.:The Top Ten People I’m Most Grateful For In 2010, Part 6 Of 10:.

5. Francis, Ronnie, Elbert, Estelle, Abby, Jonas, Sacha, Cami, Eky, Diane, Mark, Clair, And Charo

These are easily the closest friends I have whom I normally don’t really communicate with via their blogs or Plurk. I’ve been close to them for years, and I can never let a year pass by without reminding them how much they mean to me, especially my brother, Francis, who continues to be a revelation, as far as I’m concerned.

From giving me sensible advice and being my cold shower when I need to snap myself out of the stupor of emotional highs and lows, to being plainly the people I’d never hesitate to have behind me in a fight, these guys will always hold a special place in my heart.

To Elbert, thanks for being around when I need to talk to someone about career moves and the like.

To Estelle, you've been my bessie for three years already, and I can't thank you enough for that.

To Abby, what can I say? We've been friends for half my life already. Haha.

To Jonas, it's always a pleasure talking to you and doing business with you. Your wealth of experience is something I always treasure.

To Sacha, did you know my Lovey-Dovey looks like you? Wait 'til you see the pics. LOL.

To Cami and Eky, you're my cold showers when I get a little too caught up with being in love. =P

To Diane and Mark, thanks for being my most awesome gamer buddies.

To Clair, you've always been there for me. Always. Also, Sans Rival stuffed with Sylvanas! We must has it!

To Charo, you're the man! Heh.

To Ronnie, it's been years, and I've only started talking to you again this year, but you're still as awesome as you've been since high school. Thanks for being a great friend from half the globe away!

I've known all these guys for years already, and truly, they are among the few people who really do know me best. Lalo na si Francis - bata pa lang kami, magkapatid na kami.

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 7: My Nuffnang family!
Part 8: The Disenchanted Kingdom!
Part 9: My Beloved.
Part 10: The comedians.

The Top 10 People I'm Most Grateful To In 2009, Part 5 Of 10...

.:The Top Ten People I’m Most Grateful For In 2010, Part 5 Of 10:.

6. Koji Morales

While I would be forever grateful to Chico and Delamar for the impact they made on me throughout my life, one of their good friends, Koji Morales, has single-handedly been one of the people I’ve turned to the most the entire year.

Koji has had my back since the Campus 99.5 days, and continues to be one of the people I would practically trust with my life. He’s never had a shortage of good advice to spare me, nor has he ever looked at me and all my quirks and ever made me feel that I was a lesser person. There’s a lot to be said about a guy who could be both like an elder brother and a mentor to me in multiple aspects of my life.

I may not see him as often as I used to in 2008, but Koji, without a doubt, will continue to be a significant person in my life for the years to come. Few people are more genuinely more beautiful human beings than this man, and I’m grateful that he considers me his friend.

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 6: People who are practically my best friends.
Part 7: My Nuffnang family!
Part 8: The Disenchanted Kingdom!
Part 9: My Beloved.
Part 10: The comedians.

The Top 10 People I'm Most Grateful To In 2009, Part 4 Of 10...

.:The Top Ten People I’m Most Grateful For In 2010, Part 4 Of 10:.

7. My Plurk friends

Truth be told, spending majority of my time online and on Plurk has pretty much been the source of 90% of the things that go on in my life. I end up talking about what I notice on Plurk, stuff that caught my attention there, and so on and so forth. Majority of my blogger friends are friends I’m immensely closer to thanks to Plurk, in fact. Whether it’s bloggers like Manolo or Juned, or cosplayers like Merei, Crissey (Yihee!) and Alodia, to of course, my beloved Aircheck kids like Iza and MM, Plurk has been invaluable to me for the past year, as it has been in 2008, if not more so now.

And let's not forget that I should also thank my lovey-dovey, Jazminne! Hihihi.

Well, I guess it’s pretty obvious why I’m grateful to them, really. All in all, I think my life would be a lot less exciting without my Plurk friends filling me in on stuff I should actually know about.

The other posts in this 10-part series:

Part 1: The Itchyworms.
Part 2: The magic community.
Part 3: The blogosphere.
Part 5: Koji Morales.
Part 6: People who are practically my best friends.
Part 7: My Nuffnang family!
Part 8: The Disenchanted Kingdom!
Part 9: My Beloved.
Part 10: The comedians.

The Top 10 People I'm Most Grateful To In 2009, Part 3 Of 10...

.:The Top Ten People I’m Most Grateful For In 2010, Part 3 Of 10:.

8. The Blogosphere

While this is very general, I think it would be great to specifically mention the people I’ve been especially closest to this past year, not to mention give ‘em some linklove on this post.

I’ve met new people like Cher, built quite a rapport with the great Marocharim, learned to appreciate the likes of Chris and Helga, discovered an insanely funny but profound character in Dementiam found an achie in Roch, and ultimately, found a great music/movie/whatever buddy in one of my best friends, Sarah.

Special mention has to go to Ate Aileen and Jay for tying the knot last Saturday, though. The pictures really showed just how happy we were that day.

It’s needless to say that my life would’ve been much less exciting without these people, and all the other great people in the blogosphere whom I may not have specifically mentioned at this point. Winning in this year’s Philippine Blog Awards was also quite a shot in the arm for someone such as myself, who’s been blogging for longer than I’d care to recall.

Thank you, blogosphere! You jabronis never cease to amaze me with the kind of things you come up with time and time again.

The other posts in this 10-part series:

Part 1: The Itchyworms.
Part 2: The magic community.
Part 4: My Plurk friends.
Part 5: Koji Morales.
Part 6: People who are practically my best friends.
Part 7: My Nuffnang family!
Part 8: The Disenchanted Kingdom!
Part 9: My Beloved.
Part 10: The comedians.

Speedy Recap!

.:No Rest For The Wicked:.

Well, I just woke up after a long, restful sleep to cap off my all-nighter, as I went straight from doing standup comedy with the open mic guys at Alchemy (And even won a ticket to Ne-Yo for my efforts.) to heading straight to 99.5 RT in anticipation of the Disenchanted Kingdom with Logan, Cleo, and Marf. Yes, I was two and a half hours early to the dance.

Despite that, we still had a pretty good run, especially since Marf apparently ran into Judy Ann Santos in Alabang Town Center the other day and promptly acted like a starstruck fanboy. For. Judy. Ann. Santos! I don’t know about you, but even he was surprised at his reaction. This led to a point where we played “Gaano Ka-Pinoy ang Pinoy?” The topic was funny: it’s about Pinoys who run into celebrities, and my answers were very anecdotal.

Achie Rochelle was listening to the show, and I managed to squeeze in mentioning her name when I started giving my Angelu de Leon answers. LOL. I was so starstruck when I saw her last time in the World Trade Bazaar a few weeks ago. Heh.

All in all, it’s been a good experience, especially since that night, I did a good job with my standup set, and while I’d love to post a retrospective on the year that was, all in all, I think I’d rather not. The –Ber months were definitely exciting, though, and I’m glad that I managed to do my part in helping out during our more trying times, on my birthday, no less.

After the show, I hung out with them at 7/11, and then Cleo introduced me to the unmatchable goodness we know as “Three Sisters”. I was in heaven when I tried their lechon kawali.

.:Rediscovering MTG:.

After a long hiatus from the tournament scene, I made some key purchases to make my deck a powerhouse once more, and I’m definitely excited about what 2010 holds for us Magic: The Gathering players. One can hope that the good cards Zendikar has unleashed would only be a portent of things to come in the following sets for the game.