Ghost in the Machine

Am fond of scary stuff. Heck, I wouldn't be a fan of Stephen King for no reason. During my last visit to Mariveles, Bataan, one of our talks led to ghost stories. And every time Halloween comes, I get excited because I get to watch horror films or listen to scary stories. If you're in for a hair-raising ride, strap on your seat belt and come ride with me:

Story 1: We all know that a pregnant woman attracks the aswangs. The smell of an unborn baby is very appetizing to them. Anyhoo, there's this couple that suspect an aswang visits them each night. One night, the husband waited down the "silong" or basement of the house. Suddenly, a boar appeared and stayed beside him. After a few minutes, the boar transformed into its human form. Without showing any sign of fear, the husband talked to the aswang. He told him that he came there first and that he should look for other victims. The aswang left immediately.

Story 2: One late evening, my uncle was driving an owner-type jeep with his friends when suddenly they smelled sumpthin pungent. According to my him, it smells like goat. When he looked at his rear-view mirror, he saw red eyes watching them. A creature with hairy body was trying to reach their vehicle. My uncle prayed, stepped on the accelerator, and eventually lost the mysterious being.

Story 3: This happened in our office restroom. Now, I won't tell if it's the men's room or the ladies, to avoid unnecessary fear. Anyhoo, my source was busy doing his/her business inside the cubicle when suddenly he/she saw a shadow entering the next cube. Thinking that it's one of our officemates, the source tried to talk to the person. This person didn't answer back. My source checked who the person is by inspecting the next cube. Nobody's there.

Story 4: In my previous company, we used to have an old office in Greenhills. We've heard that ghosts can be sometimes felt lurking around. I haven't really seen one so I couldn't really tell. One Friday afternoon while we're enjoying our Binalot lunch, we talked about apparitions and evil spirits. Right in the middle of our discussion, a nearby radio suddenly blasted its music, startling all of us. Could this be a coincidence? How can a turned-off radio suddenly come to life?

Story 5: One of our neighbors told me this story. The names of the people involved were changed to protect the identities. A school field trip can be so much fun but unforch, not in this case. The location is a river in Bulacan. Now, this river is famous for claiming lives because of its unpredictable nature. And so while the kids were swimming and enjoying the cool waters, Mark started to shout for help. His friend named Tom quickly came to his rescue. When Mark was out of the danger zone, Tom continued his swimming. After a few minutes, he was gasping for air. Another friend (a good swimmer named John) came to his aid. During the rescue, the panicking victim kept pulling his rescuer down. Tom tried to stay alive and reached the shore successfully. But John was nowhere in sight. Some people started to do a search but it was already evening so they gave up. Shocked, the friends of John couldn't talk for days. Now, their neighbors were confused. One of them could swear that he played basketball with John on the day he drowned....

Story 6: A month ago, there was a slight commotion at work. A few people claimed that they saw this certain workmate named George (actual name withheld). In fact, this "George" even greeted one officemate. But the thing is, the real George is at home in Pampanga and is nowhere near the office. Someone tried to call him to confirm his location. Yep, he's indeed at home. We've heard stories wherein people would claim that they saw this person walking by, only to find out later that this someone has already gone to the other side....

Feast

It's always fun to watch a movie where you have no freakin' expectations. I had no clue of the movie's plot nor the cast.

The movie reminds me a lot of "From Dusk Till Dawn" maybe because the entire story happened inside a bar. There are only two familiar actors: Balthazar Getty (Thomas in "Alias") and Eric Dane (McDreamy in "Grey's Anatomy").

Lotsa blood and surprises. They have a cool way to introduce the characters too. Enjoyed the movie. No dull momento.

Reading the credits afterwards, I found out that Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, and Wes Craven are the executive producers.

Fourth

Drank my morning choco and left Bulacan around 7. When I boarded an FX in Fairview, I requested the driver to drop me off at Lacson st. After passing Quezon Ave, I kept reminding the driver about my request. After awhile, he pointed at the street sign. Sweet! Waited for a Divisoria bus and asked the conductor to drop me off at San Lazaro hospital.

It's Sunday and the place was deserted. I submitted my form at the registration area. The guy wrote down 1/4 on my sheet. Hmmm, I hope I could find somebody to share the payment.

I found someone requiring the other half for his shot. I made a decision to pay for his other half. It costs 572. I really, really hope I can find that 1/4 later.

Around 9, I got my 1/4 shot on my right arm. I was expecting another shot on my left but the nurse told me I was done ;oP She asked me if I wanted to donate what's left on my bottle. Told her that I'm gonna find someone to share it with.

It's already 10 and there's still no sign of that 1/4 person. Kept asking the registration guys and other people in the area. Oh well, I guess I have to give up. I was hungry and sleepy.

Just when I was about to leave, a woman walked in and registered. Found out she's my 1/4. Thank you, Lord! I informed her about my situation and advised her to just buy a syringe worth 8 bucks. After her purchase, she had her shot. She paid me 278. We then looked for a copying machine outside to photocopy my receipt. Afterwards, I thanked her and went home.

Can't believe it's my second to the last anti-rabies shot.

Butter's New Home

While having my morning choco today, I noticed a big dog house in front of our house. Dunno where Dad got it but it looks big enuff for Butter. Before I tidied up my room, I placed Butter to her new home. She started sniffing the place... Got her a pail of water and fed her. That's my way of giving her a house blessing ;oP

Tomorrow, I plan to paint the house. It's a bit rusty.

Went back to my room. Mopped and waxed the floor. Arranged my shoes on the rack. Am beat!!!

Boring Friday

Had an appointment with my dentist at 10 but I was still inside the bus so I texted my doctor and informed her that I plan to drop by around 11. A few minoots later, I got a call from Nikks. She and her son are on their way to the dentist but she didn't know where the office is located. I advised her to meet me at work.

It's her son's birthday today. Boyo's now aged 4 but he speaks like an adult already. He's pretty talkative too just like his mom. He's a fun kid to play with. When he screams, your ears would bleed ;oP

Called my dentist at work and asked if I could drop by at 11. The assistant told me that she has a client already and rescheduled us at 4:30. Crap!

Table, Butch, Aedner and I had our lunch at Sbarro. Not too many people were shopping though. Maybe because it's not payday yet. I only had 500++ bucks left. I ordered pizza and lasagna. Saw that they have Cali Ice so I ordered one. My lunch costs 350++. WTF!!!

Met the mother-son team afterwards. I also swapped my MagicSing Chip 4 with Table's Chip 7. I plan to study "Because of You" over the weekend.

Instead of having a Friday gimmick, I went home. No fuckin' money. Dad cooked a wicked paksiw na bangus. 'twas mucho delicioso!!!

Slimmers World Forever!!!

Had lunch at Yoshinoya today. Presented my Slimmers World card and got a 10% discount. Hot dogs!!!

Since Monday I've been inviting friends to go to the gym with me. I was given a free gym trial for my friends. Armed with our gym stuff, Aedner, Aidz, Butch, Nikks and I left our office building. But instead of heading to Slimmers, we were enticed to try out a competitor, Fitness First.

The first thing I noticed was the festive atmosphere. I was informed by Aedner that they're celebrating their anniversary. A lotta people walking around. Some were hanging out at a nearby cafe and drinking the free iced tea or fruit juices.

A representative interviewed us first and then we were guided to the locker rooms. I noticed that they have a huge locker room. Inside, there are cubicles for shower, sauna and steam room, and stations where you could dry your hair. Perfect!

Changed into my sweat clothes and tried out the treadmill right away. At Slimmers, you're only allowed 30 minoots because somebody else will use the machine. Here at FF, you can jog/walk all you want!

Afterwards, I checked out the machines. I was a bit intimidated because some machines look alien to me. I miss the ordinary ones at Slimmers. I tried the abdominal crunch and it hurts when you bend down. The shoulder pads weren't too comfy. Enjoyed listening to BEP's "Pump It" while trying the rowing machine.

Went upstairs and investigated further. I found an area where dance workout was being held and another space where people in stationary bikes were sweating it out. The old-looking machines were placed on the second floor too.

The water cooler sucks at FF. The water pressure wasn't strong enuff for a decent drink. WTF!

Looked at the clock and 'twas already past 8 so I went home already. Evaluated my trial workout and thought that I would be sticking it with Slimmers World ;oP

Strike a Pose

When I noticed that Aedner is already wearing the shirt that we gave him for his birthday, I immediately grabbed my phone and took some photos. Are we a cute bunch or what?!

Want your Mineral Water with JC?

Requested Dad to cook tinola today. I asked that he put sili leaves instead of the usual malunggay. It tasted better. The dish was kinda oily though. He told me that it's chicken fat. Anyhoo, one of these days, I'll show him my own version.

After lunch, I, along with our kid neighbor, Allen, went to Robinsons Mall to do some grocery. I already swore that I'd never do grocery at SM Fairview because of the mass of people. I love grocery shopping because it helps me relax. Felt the opposite when I tried to shop at SM. I wonder how people could survive such battle.

Around 4, I was done with grocery. We ate first at ChowKing before checking out the movies. I was planning to watch "Till I Met You" again because I wasn't able to see the first part but when I found out that "World Trade Center" was now being shown, I bought my tickets for the latter. A DeLuxe seat costs 91 only. Cheap-o!

An ole-looking Nicholas Cage and Michael Peña (love him in "Crash") star in this very touching Oliver Stone film. Two actors, Jude Ciccolella (Mike) and Roger Cross (Curtis), I recognized are from "24". I thought they would show scenes like the plane crash from the POV of the people inside the building or the collapse itself. I guess the main focus of the movie was about the two actors and their families. Still, I had goosebumps while watching. There's this scene where they showed JC holding a bottle of mineral water. Not sure if that's necessary. But I heard that Peña's character really had such vision. Oh well....

Watched the "8th Plague" before my shuteye. A waste of time!

What Kind of Fool Am I

Thanks to Miko for this video. Louie Ocampo arranged this song for her back in '93. If I'm not mistaken, the first time I heard her sing this song was during Toyota's "Best of the Best" concert where she performed with Martin, Gary, Kuh, etc.

Anyhoo, in this video, you can tell that Reg's voice wasn't in tip-top shape. Normally she sings this song effortlessly. It's already the second night of her 20th anniversary concert, unforch she suffered speaking-voice loss a bit. During the first few minutes of the concert, her voice was actually hoarse. Thank God for small miracles!!!

Where's Butter?

Had to do my laundry this weekend. While sorting out the laundry, Butter thought of playing with my dirty clothes. After awhile, I saw her sleeping on 'em. Must be the socks ;oP

Sentro's the Best-o

Remember the free pica-pica platter card that I got from HSBC? Well, last night, I, along with my friends, Nikks & Table, dined at Sentro and claimed it. It's Nikks' first time to eat there so we tried the house specialty (corned beef sinigang) and sweet & sour shrimps. We also ordered their bottomless sago't gulaman.

The platter is consisted of four different appetizers: a thinly-sliced beef tapa, chicken lollies, spring rolls, and chorizo. When I tasted the beef, it became my instant favorite. It was super tasty. I guess it was marinated overnight to get that lasting taste. Heavenly!!!

While having dinner, we spotted Alistair and his girlfriend. Butchikik also dropped by. He's been drinking with friends.

We truly enjoyed the food at Sentro. The ladies at the reservation counter were very friendly to me and accommodating. Smiled and thanked them before leaving the place.

Fuzion, a smoothie cafe, is located just a floor above. I dunno why we've been putting off eating there. Finally, we get to see their interiors. They have this area where you can take off your shoes and lay down on a firm mattress while enjoying your dessert or smoothie. Their fondue wasn't available so I got a mango crepe while Nikks got some blueberry cheesecake.

Butchikik dropped off some flan and other goodies before heading home.

Knottydon, VIP!!!

Got a strange call from The Peninsula Manila today. The guy that I talked to introduced himself as Robert Sumpthin-sumpthin (real name withheld). According to him, I was selected as a VIP member of their hotel.

Here's what I will get for a year (starting today till November 2007):

- complimentary meals, as long as I bring 2 friends that will pay (e.g. if our meal amounts to 3K, we will only pay 2K)

- complimentary use of pool, gym and sauna

- a discounted rate for their Superior room. It normally costs 10,600 (comes with free brekky) and I can get it for only 2,750 pesos. Sweet!!!

- gift cheque worth 500

- free cake on me birthday

I need to pay them 6,500 for their annual fee and that's it. I can avail of their services ASAP.

Finding Ney-Mo

I may not be the luckiest person on the face of the earth but every now and then, the heaven smiles at me and pour me some mana ;oP

Barely a week ago, I was walking along EDSA and found a one-peso coin. No biggie. It's not everyday that you get to see a coin on the street, y'know. Then early this morning, after paying for my jeepney fare, a guy tapped me and pointed to a 5-peso coin beside me. I know for sure it's not mine but I accepted it.

This happened back in 2001 when I was in Virginia. I was sitting quietly inside a cab. Then I noticed a folded bill lying on the floor. I picked it up and to my surprise, it's 70 dollars!!!

I dunno what the rule is when you find moulah moolah in a public place. Finders keepers?

I Scream for Ice Cream

My friend, Joyish, told me one time that her comfort food is a delish cake. That made me think about my own comfort food... If I'm not satisfied with my lunch, I look for dessert to make me happy.

Today, my food wasn't so great. I thought I ordered adobo but it was cooked differently. Anyhoo, I looked for my comfort food and bought some vanilla ice cream in a pint.

I don't like my ice cream with nuts or mallows or even fruits. I just like the smooth-melts-in-your-mouth consistency. My favorite flavor is chocolate marble. I also like mango, mocha, cookies & cream, and strawberry.

6UG, Part One

The original plan was to have lunch at KFC but Butch suggested that we eat at this place that his friend recommends. So we met his friend named Odette at KFC then we proceeded to Palanca. The place is called 6 Underground, a.k.a. 6UG. At night time, it's a bar where live music is played. At lunch time, it's converted into a canteen.

The first thing I noticed is that not too many people eat there. I asked Odette why. She told me that the place is not that famous yet.

They offer about 8 to 10 different viands. Odette ordered some chicken. Nikks had some fish with coconut milk. Butch had fish sinigang. I had some pork-that-looks-like-adobo. I asked the waiter for soda. They don't have one. Crap! They serve cold water on wine glasses though.

Their policy is eat-now-pay-later. I kinda wondered how they could keep up with what each one actually ordered. I later found out my meal costs 70 pesos only.

After our quick meal, I checked out the area. The place is located underground so there are lotsa dark corners at noon. I found a nice area where people could sit on very comfy chairs. They have low ceiling so the chandelier at the center is an accident waiting to happen. Didn't see any fire exit door. Hmmmm.... The restrooms are located outside. I went there alone in the morning and it felt like I was in a horror flick.

I'm very interested to see 6UG at night. Wait for the second part of this review ;oP

Move Over, Elmo!!!

My friend, Olive, showed me this cuddly dog. I was surprised to hear that it was bought in Divisoria. Seriously!

More Photos from the Anniv Party

L to R Clockwise: Jayjay, Aedner, Paul (partly hidden), Beng, Butch, Lloyd, Max, Olive, Felix, Sherwin, Rudy, Nikks, Knottydon, and Ning. If you notice anything strange in this photo, lemme know ;oP

I really like the composition of this photo

With Aedner and Oni

Rock on!!!

Shake your groove thing! Yea-yeah!!!

Don't tell a soul that I'm just drinking coke

Boooooze!!!

Drink moderately, guys ;oP

Team Duquevens

Am now updated in "Grey's Anatomy". Just finished watching the fourth episode of Season 3.

I was telling my friends that I'm in Team Izzie-Denny. I love watching them together. Unforch, their love affair was shortlived.

I love the way the 5 interns worked together as a team finally in the last season ender.

Of course, I cried like a baby when they put the dog to sleep. What's the name of the dog again?

Everytime I watch Addison Montgomery (Kate Walsh), she reminds me of Marcia Cross (Bree Van de Kamp of "Desperate Housewives"). The red hair really does it for me. Oh, her biggest consolation for joining the cast is Sloan (Eric Dane). Such an eye candy for the ladies ;oP

As for Meredith, well, she's a bi-atch.

Regine's Twentieth

Being a fan for 20 years, I know for a fact that Regine's show doesn't start on time so I was relaxed when I went inside the Araneta Coliseum at 7:45. I was a bit shocked that the place wasn't full yet. Some people were still buying popcorn, pizza and soda from the vendors that walk around the area. Ads of Belo, Promil and GMA Kapuso network were being flashed on a videowall. Che and two girls from RVMM forum recognized me.

There's a grand piano placed at the center of the stage. Celebrity sightings or recognizable figures include: Boss Vic del Rosario, Robin Padilla, Jaya with her hubby, and Beth Tamayo. Where's Goma & Lucy?


The show started with our Songbird singing a "Narito Ako" medley. Injected in the medley were anecdotes from her childhood days. She sang portions of "Buhat" (the first song she learned from her Papa), "Mr. DJ" & "Pangarap na Bituin" (she really loves Mega), "Bakit Ako Mahihiya" (the contest where her too-big half slip fell to her ankles), and "In Your Eyes" (her winning piece in Bagong Kampeon). She capped it off with a full version of "Narito Ako". Her gown was diva-ish, lotsa ruffles and a humongous red ribbon.


She took that off and revealed a very sexy outfit underneath. She sang "Call Me". During the first "Anytime, anyplace, anywhere, anyday", she didn't belt it out. When she finished her song and spoke for the first time, I uttered, "patay!". She excused her voice because according to her, she gave it all the night before. She thanked the audience right away for understanding her. She got teary-eyed too because she couldn't believe she has reached her 20th year. And to think when she was just starting, many thought she won't make it because she couldn't speak English and she's not that pretty.

She talked about her love affairs. First she talked about how her parents love taking pictures of her. Then behind her and on the videowall, photographs by Jun de Leon were flashed. She sang "Shine". In the last note, her voice broke a little and it was uncomfortable. I wasn't sure if she will last through the night =*o( She told the audience that she knew she would lose her voice so she opted to make herself more beautiful for the night. She modeled her gown. The fans liked it.

There's one fan who was screaming at the top of her lungs. She extended her mic to the fan and motioning to replace her ;oP

According to her, she only wanted to sing. She couldn't believe that she was given a chance to do movies as well. She thanked Boss Vic for believing in her. Incidentally, she was playing "Maria Clara" in a "Noli Me Tangere" production when Vic saw her for the first time. Her second love affair was about movies. She proceeded to singing her movie themes: "You are my Song", "Pangako", "Pangarap Ko ang Ibigin Ka", "Ikaw", and "Kailangan Ko'y Ikaw". The videowall showed scenes from her past movies.

She acknowledged Binoe's presence and the crowd shrieked. Robin walked up the stage, greeted the audience and went back to his seat afterwards.

Backed up by 5 dancers (from "Hot Legs", I assumed), she did a remix version of "Hot Stuff" and "Shake Your Groove Thing". She channeled Nicole of "The Pussycat Dolls". In fact, sections from "Buttons" and "Don't Cha" were included in the arrangement of her Retro songs. Director Louie Ignacio created an MTV just for this number.


She left the stage and a chorale group appeared in white. The minute they sang the first bar, I knew that they would sing "On the Wings of Love", reminiscent of "One Night Only". Men wearing robes and carrying lanterns appeared.


She explained that her next love affair was her collaboration with other musical directors. First on the list was Louie Ocampo. In the early 90s, Louie gave her this song that became one of her signature songs... the very-challenging-not-for-the-weak-lungs "What Kind of Fool Am I". She was sitting when she sang this song. During the belting portions, the crowd roared. And to think she's hoarse!!! A lotta people gave her a standing ovation here (including the knottydon!).

She proceeded to singing "Dadalhin" with Cesar Aguas on guitar. Clips of her crying her hearts out in her past tv shows or movies were shown. She teased Cesar for his unthinkable long hair in the old days.


Next love affair was her collaboration with other artists. She couldn't remember how many duets she's done in the past. First on the list was "Please be Careful with my Heart". Instead of Jose Mari Chan appearing, Dennis Trillo sang with Regine. The audience love this guy. While Dennis was singing, Reg mouthed the words, "Ang cute nya no?!". "Forever" was assigned to Jed Madela. Other songs in the medley were "It's Hard to Say Goodbye" (Gabby Eigenmann), "Magkasuyo Buong Gabi" (Mark Bautista), "In Love with You" (the guy from Shamrock), and "Hanggang Ngayon" (Erik Santos... I give props to this guy for belting it out with Regine). "Muli" was the last song in the medley and it was fully appreciated by the crowd. I also noticed that her voice is coming back! Yay!!!

For the past 17 years, she's worked with only one dance group, the "Hot Legs". A pair of dancers complemented her "Music of Goodbye" number. This number will remind you of the "Paalam" number in her "Reigning Still" concert.


She introduced another musical director, Mon Faustino. She sat beside the piano and sang "Sana Maulit Muli". Thank gawd it's not the acoustic version. I miss this version a lot.

She left the stage and introduced 3 guys: Geline Eugenio's son, Marky Cielo, and Mark Herras, that danced to a remix version of "Reason Enough", "You've Made Me Stronger", and "Follow the Sun". Another MTV was shown in the background.


"I Don't Wanna Miss a Thing" was her comeback piece. At this point, my fear of her voice cracking up again was gone. In the first chorus, the audience sang for Reg. She thanked the audience silently.

She was thankful that her friend, Mr. Ogie Alcasid, has given her such wonderful songs. 2 of her favorite Alcasid compositions were not hers but Gary V's: "Kailangan Kita" and "Ikaw Lamang".


She then introduced another musical genius, Gerard Salonga. Salonga conducted for the song, "Love Me Again". I was hoping she would sing "Ikaw ang Lahat sa Akin" similar to her version in Lani Misalucha's concert.


In her next number she became very emotional. She dedicated the song, "Bakit Ako Mahihiya?" to the 2 most important persons in her life: Mommy V and Mang Gerry. She's very proud to be their daughter. She thanked the Lord for her parents.

Regine is a product of a singing contest. Her next set of songs were her winning pieces: "In Your Eyes", "And I'm Telling You", and "You'll Never Walk Alone". They showed her winning the Asia-Pacific contest too. Ahh, I was in highschool when I saw this on tv. When she deliver these contest pieces, it's really obvious that she's the only diva who can sing such difficult songs. Another standing ovation for this medley.


The Promil gifted children and the chorale group joined our Songbird on stage. She sang "Greatest Love of All" and "I Believe". In the belting part of "I Believe", she kneeled down and dedicated the song to our Lord.


Robin went up the stage once more to give her flowers. She then sang "Till I Met You" with Robin's eyes glued to our Songbird & with their lips almost touching. Ahh, their chemistry is sooooo great!

Happy 6th!!!

One thing that I like about my company is that I get to organize stuff like parties and events. For this year, I helped in the anniversary party. We had a BINGO night, some funny games involving eating polvoron and whistlin, solving frustrating puzzles, bringing out petroleum jelly, and acting out movies like "There's Something About Mary" where one lady contestant actually performed the "masturbation" scene of Ben Stiller ;oP

We started the party around 6. We had one final game (Pinoy Henyo) so other teams could catch up. The game was about asking the right questions about a mystery word. The first contestant was OJ. 'twas hilarious. He kept asking questions like "sinasaksak ba 'to sa katawan?", "nilulunok ba 'to?", "may protina?", etc. Other team's representatives were Earl, James, Mike, and Sherwin. We thought there's a pattern on the guessing contestants... Team 2 composed of Kendz, K, Sherwin, Bimbs, Patty, and Alwyn won overall. They got a trophy for their teamwork.

Anyhoo, the food was great but it was already cold when we started eating. We had chicken (courtesy of DPM), pizza, BBQs, pichi-pichi, pancit, and spaghetti.

After dinner, we started the videoke session. Max, along with Nikks and Butchikik, bought some booze. I played with Nikks' son, Oyo. Since he like cars, I let him drive my office chair. He screamed in glee.

There was a lot of singing, drinking and dancing. Most people got hammered, including Beng, K, and Max. 'twas fun watching the drunken peeps. Beng kept on shouting, "Everybody cut Buttercup!". She's actually singing "Footloose". Max did some crazy muscle flexing. He reminded me of Croc Hunter/Hulk Hogan ;oP

As for me, I'm on medication so I avoided drinking anything with alcohol ;oP But I wasn't 100% successful. The whole time I have this mug of coke, otay? At some point when I sipped it, I tasted rhum. Somebody freakin' spiked my drink. I threw the drink right away.

Butchikik, Nikks and I had a soul-bearing moment before we called it a night.

Aedner's Birthday Celeb

Last night, we celebrated Aedner's birthday at his place in Pasay. From the office, Butch, Nikks, Mike, Earl, Boy and Toffee joined in the celeb. The food was good: bbq, palabok, some homemade bread roll with ham and cheese filling, and fried chicken. Close friends and relatives were there too. We also met his big brother.

My MagicSing was working again after I bought a new cable. According to Ambassador (the shop where I bought it), the warranty only covers the microphone. Not the cable nor the adaptor. Crappy service!

Till I Met You, the Movie

Watched the movie last night with my friends, Nikks, Joyish, and Butchikik. Didn't get to see some portions because we came in late. We reached the part where Luisa (Regine) was being introduced to the hacienda peeps...

My favorite scene was the drinking portion. Robin's laugh was infectious. The moviegoers were laughing with him ;oP

I thought that there would be lotsa intense kissing scenes. But didn't see that in the movie. I dunno if they cut it because there were kids watching...

When Gabriel went back to Sr. Manuel and Luisa was left crying alone in the bus, many thought that it's gonna be a sad ending. But after a few seconds, the movie had a continuation. I wish they had prolonged the gap. I prefer the sad ending though.

In the last scene where Luisa was looking for Gabriel in the mall, a fan couldn't help taking a photo of Regine using her cellphone camera. Why didn't the director stop this?

I'd definitely go see the film again.

Till I Met You, the Soundtrack

An iMusic's initial offering... The album packaging looks good with photos taken from the movie and lyrics sheet. The CD cover itself was nicely designed and glossy. As for the music:

1) 'Til I Met You - when Regine revives a song, she makes sure that it's gonna be BETTER than the original. This version is given the Songbird trademark. In the first 1/3, her voice was soft. In the second 1/3, the pitch picked up a notch, and the last 1/3 was not for the weak heart. It seems that she wants to tell the world that she and only she can deliver this song ;oP

2) Alipin - with Robin Padilla. Just like in their first movie together, Robin was coaxed to sing for the soundtrack. Good thing he can carry a tune. I wanna do a movie with Reg so I can sing with her too. Anyone who sings with the Songbird sounds damn good ;oP

3) Fallin' - a Janno Gibbs original. You know I love you, Reg, but this time, I like the original more.

4) 'Di Na Nag-iisa - my initial reaction was, "Why do they have to include this song in the album?" It's been used already for the GMA telefantasya, "Darna". But as I listen to it, it was given a different arrangement. I like what Reg did to the humming part. It contains both "Till I Met You" and the original "Di Na Nag-iisa". I really, really, really like this stripped-down version

5) Mangarap Lang - when Dennis Trillo sang this live in SOP, I wasn't impressed. When I listened to the album version, he sounds more confident here

6) Don't Go - an instant favorite. Unforch, I wasn't able to hear the original version of Viktoria. A relaxin' Velasquez can be heard here. *** Belting not included

7) Sana Ay Malaman Mo - Louie Ocampo + Alcasid = a haunting ballad from our Songbird

8) Pangarap Ko'y Ikaw - during the launch of "Covers 2", Regine mentioned that this song was originally meant for a guy. Sadly, this song was never given the right promotion. This time, two guys sang it: Jay Durias of SouthBorder and Paolo Banaga of K24/7. This is one of my favorite tracks

9) Alipin - just otay

10) One Day I'll Fly Away - fans know that this is one of Reg's favorite songs. She wanted to do a "Moulin Rouge" type of movie before

11) Wherever I Go - the weakest track for me. One word: Forgettable

12) Ako Si Superman - a Rey Valera original. The husky voice of Janno Gibbs is perfect for this song. Of course, he had to do his James Ingram vocal affectations. Typical Janno. I like this track

13) Sa Wakas - a heartfelt song. Reminds me of "Linlangin Mo"

14) 'Di Na Nag-iisa - this original "Darna" version. I'm imagining Angel Locsin now in her costume. *drools*

Intense Episode of "Grey's Anatomy"

Just watched the two-part episode of "Grey's Anatomy" where Christina Ricci guest starred as a paramedic (Season 2). This is one for the books. The episode has everything: suspense, drama, action and sex ;oP That four-way scene was kinda funny though. I thought Ricci would blow up but "Early Edition's" Kyle Chandler got it instead.

Missed my Bus

Woke up around 8:30. Had my hot choco, fed Butter some bread, and then I took my warm bath. Around 9, I was already on my way to Fairview. There's a fork road in Fairview where the left fork would lead to Regalado and eventually North Fairview while the right one would reach North Fairview the faster way. Unforch, my jeep took the left while a Fermina Express bus took the right. Crap! Looked at my watch, it was only 9:38. Normally, I ride the 9 or 9:30 bus. But this time, I took the 10:00 one. Reached the office around 11ish.

Stars Falling From the Skies

Arrived at GMA studios around 10. My friends, Nikks and Bel, were already waiting for me. When Bel told me some months ago that she used to work at GMA, sumpthin clicks inside my head right away. I could actually watch and meet Regine personally. Sweet!


There was a lotta people wanting to get in too. We lined up three times before we were able to see the SOP studio itself. I was told that the studio props were not fixed. Meaning, a crew disassemble the set after each show to give way to other shows.

SOP stars were already practicing their opening number when we got seated. Immediately, I spotted Mark Herras, Marky Cielo, and the son of Geline Eugenio (his mother was barking instructions at the dancers). There's a big clam on stage and Jolina would come out of it singing "Cherish", holding a framed photo of Dennis Trillo. Singers like Kyla, April, Karylle, KC, Dennis, Gabby, etc. rehearsed their number. Bel got excited when she saw Dennis Trillo ;oP


Next, the Atlantika stars came out. Dingdong Dantes looks very fit. Nikks commented that Gardo Versoza looks handsome. I guess they will promote the telefantasya once more. They didn't get a good start last week because of the typhoon. Somebody shouted that Regine would come out after their number to sing the theme song. Sweet!

Ogie arrived and sang with an Italian singer, Patrizio Buanne. Jaya rehearsed her "Habang May Buhay". Where is the Songbird?

It's my first time to be in a studio again after more than a decade. When I was a kid, I attended shows like "Eat Bulaga", "Student Canteen", and "I Love Lea", through the orphanage. The government send out the kids to these shows and usually, gifts were given away afterwards. That's why I love going out with the orphans before. I bring home lotsa stuff too ;oP

Fast forward to 2006. I noticed that some fans are very vocal about their admiration. A "guy" kept on shouting "I love you, " with a Visayan accent. Oftentimes, the star didn't mind him. The funny thing is he kept on doing this throughout the show.

And so the show started at 12. Opening number was inspired by "The Little Mermaid" and "A Shark's Tale". Jolina came out wearing a mermaid's costume. Jaya channeled Ursula. And Ogie revealed a lot in his King Triton's costume.

After the Atlantika members got introduced, I got to see Regine finally. The fans adored her. She's wearing her extensions again. She lipsynched "Maghihintay Ako". When she was singing, Jean Garcia was nudging Ariel Rivera. She'll be promoting her movie, her concert, and her soundtrack today. It doesn't get any better than this. I'm excited to see her numbers.


Before her actual number, she rehearsed her songs. Since she'll be singing a lot of her songs, it shouldn't require much prep.

In B2B2B, they celebrated Regine's songs: "Sa Aking Pag-iisa" (Janno), "Habang May Buhay" (Jaya), "Kailangan Ko'y Ikaw" (effortlessly sang by Ogie), "Buhay ng Buhay Ko" (Vernie), "Minsan Lang Kitang Iibigin" (Ariel and Regine), and lastly, "Ikaw ang Lahat sa Akin" (Regine).


Next, Regine sang "Bluer than Blue" and in a very showbiz fashion, guests like Jamie Rivera and Cacai appeared. A vtr was shown and a few close friends (Louie Ignacio, Mark Reyes, Ida Henares and Donna) expressed their thoughts on our diva. Teary-eyed, she thanked the people who contributed to her success. Afterwards, she promoted her concert. Janno joked that Reg must be happy since her celeb is complete. Janno, Ogie, and Ariel were present ;oP


'twas already late and we haven't had lunch yet so I requested my friends to take it while stars like Rufa Mae, Jen Rosendahl, and Joyce Jimenez perform. Bel showed us the canteen where we had pancit, chix curry, and bopis.

We came back when Robin Padilla was welcomed as the latest Kapuso artist. He sang "Alipin" with Reg. Binoe was staring at Regine the whole time. At some point, he gave up his own mic and used Reg's. Their lips almost touch when they sang! Reg finished the number with a live rendition of "Till I Met You".


After Robin's number, he was assisted out of the studio. To our surprise, he was walking directly on our path. So that's how I got his photo. He was friendly and charismatic.


Gigsters was up next. Celebrity sightings include a buffed Richard Gutierrez, Mark Herras, Jolina, Marvin, and some StarStruck stars.


'twas krezy inside the studio. People leaving, floor directors shouting at fans, and stars rushing to get out. Bel was quick to approach Regine for a photo op. She's leaving for a mall visit with Robin. Here's my first picture with the Songbird ;oP


After the show, we decided to stay and watch "S-Files". Since we had an hour to kill, Bel showed us the other parts of the studio. We bumped into Yasmin and April (she asked about my phone after our photo op). She's very pretty ;oP


Watching "S-Files" was a different experience. The set was smaller. The hosts, Mayor Joey Marquez, Pia Guanio, and Richard Gomez, were relaxed. They just needed to see their spiels and that's it. After Oyo Boy was interviewed by Pia and finding out that Reg and Robin won't appear in the show, we ended our celeb watch.

I really couldn't thank Bel enuff for this unforgettable experience. I wish I had a digicam so my first photo with Regine didn't have to look crappy. By the way, if you look closely, there's someone at the back trying to get in the photo too ;oP