CMMA for Back To The 80′s!

Wow, I just found out that “Back To The 80′s” won the Catholic Mass Media Award for Best Radio Entertainment Program in last night’s awarding ceremony!  Of course the award goes mostly to the writer of the show, the brilliant Raffy Reyes, RX’s News and Features Director.  He tirelessly writes the script of the program week after week, while I merely deliver his stories.

It’s just so weird.  I have a theory that we only win when I don’t attend the ceremonies.  Every time I attend, all clad in barong and stuff, we would always lose!  But the times when I’m not there, for whatever reason, we bring home the prize!

But whatever the case may be, we’re all very proud of the recognition.  It’s always a pleasure to be recognized for something we enjoy doing.  The show started out as “Back To The 70′s”, way, WAY back when we started it.  Eventually, the years caught up with us, and we decided to upgrade to the 80′s almost a decade ago.  So it’s just a matter of time now before we reboot the show again, this time to morph into its obvious progression, “Back To the 90′s”.  True, it makes me feel old, especially when we’re counting decades instead of years, but it’s a fun show to do, and it’s a hoot observing the changes as the decades come and go.  Remember, by next year, it would be just a year short of the 2nd decade of the new millennium.  And by January of 2010, I would’ve been in the radio industry 20 years! Whew! Where did the time go?

I get all squooshy inside whenever I wax nostalgic.  I’m not so fond of trips down memory lane.  What’s past is past; I prefer to stress about the future.  How long will I stay doing what I do in radio?  Who knows.  Maybe only until next year, maybe until I’m going to RX in adult diapers.  It’s really futile to fret about the future; I just do it anyway.  That’s why one of my favorite jokes goes — Q: How do you make God laugh?  A: Make a plan.

El Nido (The Resort)

For the past couple of years, we’ve had a checklist of our dream destinations, many of which are in the Philippines, many of which are in Palawan.  We’ve happily ticked them off one by pleasurable one, starting off with Dos Palmas and Club Paradise in 2006, Club Noah Isabelle in 2007, and then now, El Nido Miniloc in 2008.  There are 2 El Nido resorts, the original one in Miniloc Island, and the newer one in Lagen Island.  We stayed in the older Miniloc resort and when we were on the boat, we were holding our breaths because El Nido has gained mythic status in our amateur travel plans.  When we turned into the cove, we were not disappointed.

The view on the left:

The view on the right:

When we arrived, it was very typical of the high-end Palawan resorts: there was a welcome song routine from the staff, a very impressive briefing on eco-tourism, then straight to a sumptuous lunch.  I was just impressed at how the El Nido staff were extra, EXTRA vigilant on stressing the impotrance of respecting the ecosystem as tourists enjoy our fragile nature spots.  They even had a wildlife checklist and supplied buri bags for carrying our stuff around. The only minor nitpick is that there’s a major construction ongoing, as they are building a better boathouse for the resort.

After the lunch we were excited to get to our room.  The nicer rooms on stilts in the oceans were fully booked, and so were the beachfront cottages, and so were the cliffside cottages, so we had to settle for the smaller garden cottages.  This is how our room looked like from the outside:

And this is how it looked form the inside:

It was quite small, but definitely comfy.  It had a very rustic feel, as opposed to the more luxurious rooms in the newer Lagen resort.  The main difference between the 2 resorts, is that Miniloc has a little seaside village feel, while the swankier Lagen has a more expensive resort vibe. It just depends on what type you’re in the mood for.

Plus, Lagen is a little bit pricier than Miniloc.  If money’s no object, then it’s a negligible difference.  But for penny-pinching budget travelers like us, it’s a sum that has to go under a lot of consideration.  Miniloc has a more laidback feel, and you have a feeling that you’re sooo far away from the nearest civilized society.

Plus, the service is top notch.  You’ll be pampered from as early on as the lounge in the Soriano Hangar back in Manila, to every minute you’re there.  They also plan your activities for you, and you’re free to change it to adapt to your specific tastes.

So you can opt for a jampacked, activity-filled adrenaline rush, or you can always opt to just lounge around the beach, kayak or snorkel around the cove, and chill.  Your pick.

On out 3rd day, we were also brought to Lagen Island, where the other resort is, and it was a very smart move on the resort’s part, because it’s an effective way to lure you back by showing you what the other resort has to offer.  Lagen is about 20 minutes away by boat from Miniloc.  Very early on, as we turned into the cove, I could see the difference in feel, because evidently Lagen is a more luxurious resort from the look of the cottages alone.

We had breakfast there, and we were to stay about 3 hours on the island before we return to Miniloc.  The view was breathtaking.  If Miniloc was rustic, Lagen felt like a high class hotel in Manila.  I couldn’t believe that we were still in Palawan.

Hehehe, to a degree, the place looked so classy, that we felt like the country mouse who visited his richer cousin, the city mouse.  We felt a bit out of place, and a bit out-”classed”, much like country bumpkins in a country club.  If Miniloc was built with nipa and sawali and cogon, Lagen seemed very much a concrete paradise.  And the pool!

This is definitely the ace up Lagen’s sleeve.  The pool was in the center of everything, and while in it, you’re surrounded by the towering limestone cliffs on one side, and the ocean in the other.  Absolutely stunning.  Up until now it’s still unforgettably etched in my mind’s eye.

Just when we thought El Nido was done in our list, suddenly we felt the need to return, next time in the snootier arms of Lagen Island.

(Next up: I’ll tell you WHAT we did in El Nido)

The Best And The Rest 78

Everyone farts. Let’s get that out of the way. Even those prim and proper sosy girls go, “yuck, utooot,” the fact remains…they fart. Everyone farts.  So everyone who complains that it’s a gross topic is probably understandably indignant, but let’s face it…everyone farts.  Some just own up to it more.  Like the following people:

June 20, 2008 → The Top Ten Fart Moments

1. Chrys – I was in a jeep when somebody farted. The conductor said, “yung umutot hindi pa nagbabayad!” Then someone from the back said, “Hindi mo pa nga ako sinusuklian!” Everybody laughed out loud!
2. No name – While watching TV, my nephew goes “Hmmm…sarap, amoy itlog!” His older brother goes, “Oops…utot ko yun.”
3. No name – Back in high school in the 80′s, my seatmate and I called a silent fart, ” Careless Whisper”. We called a loud one, “Shout”.
4. Mulangot – Once we were in a coffee shop, and while the waiter was getting our orders, he said, “We have milk, tea, juice…” Then a loud sound came from behind him, “Pruuooot!” Then he said, “Sorry, that last one is out of stock.”
5. Darna – My whole family was watching TV together, when suddenly I farted.  It was so bad that my sister reacted, “Ate, tae na yan eh!”
6. Mabie-Nge – Back in college, The moment I got home, I let out a deadly silent one. My youngest brother said, ” Wow ate, may uwi kang steak?”
7. Idu – I was on a bus and had kabag. I decided to fart to the beat of the loud music.  After, I realized I was listening to my ipod.
8. No name – While teaching, the teacher sensed that he was about to fart, so he dropped all the books on the table and shouted, “BALELENG!” Problem is, nauna yung bagsak sa utot, so ang sound, “BALELENG! Poooooot!”
9. Moron – Naghaharutan sa class, so when the teacher arrived, tumahimik lahat.  Then someone poked me sa side, so bigla akong nautot ng malakas. I accidentally blurted out, “Virgin pa kasi ako eh!”
10. Bwitching – My husband was in an elevator with one other guy when a stinking utot smell came. The other guy gave him an accusing look. But my husband didn’t fart! Sa inis niya, he blurted to the guy, “Alangan namang maglolokohan pa tayong dalawa dito!”
11. Meanestgirlever – My tita arrived in the condo she shared with her college friends.  She had a bad stomach so she went straight to the toilet, locked the door, then farted loudly for a whole minute straight.  Then she hears whispers from behind the shower curtain.  Apparently, her friends were all hiding in the shower to give her a surprise party.
12. Amber – My oficemate was at the grocery when she saw her super kulit suitor. She tried to avoid him. Thinking she lost him already, she let out a very deadly fart not realizing he was right behind her. The guy told her, “Ang lupit, tumambay sa ilong!” They’re now married w/ a kid.
13. Roo – In school I farted then I had no choice but to apologize because the sound pointed only to me. Later I farted again, but denied it thinking I could blame the 2nd one on somebody else.  My friends said, “Paanong hindi ikaw, eh pareho ang amoy!”
14. Myles – I saw my mom running to the toilet in small hurried steps.  When I asked her what was wrong, she said, “Akala ko’y utot lamang…”
15. Yñaki – My friend, while courting a girl, suddenly farted that made the girl laugh so loud! Ayun, sa sobrang tawa, lumobo tuloy yung sipon nung girl! In the end, sila rin dalawa ang nagkatuluyan!
16. Anjiedy – My hubby was in an office building elevator, when he felt like fartng. He faked a cough to cover the sound. Upon getting off, he heard someone say, “Ano bang ubo yun, amoy utot!”
17. Em-em Unggoy – There were no gasoline stations then. On a bus trip to the north we had to stop beside a rice field for bathroom breaks. During one stop, an old lady took a pee in the field, then farted. Somebody blurted out: “Ay, si lola nautot!” She replied: “Ganoon talaga amang, pagkatapos ng ulan, kumukulog.”

Literal Video Versions

There are a couple videos on the net that I really found hilarious.  It basically answers the question: “How would videos look like if what you saw onscreen was the exact lyrics of the song?”  So here come 2 literal versions of hugely popular 80′s videos.

This started it all, A-ha’s “Take On Me”:

And the 2nd installment, Tears For Fears’ “Head Over Heels”:

more about “Head Over Heels: Literal Video Versio…“, posted with vodpod

The Best And The Rest 77

Murphy’s Law states that if something can go wrong, it will.  I hate this law because it makes me paranoid.  And it’s one thing for things to go wrong, and another when things go terribly wrong.  Sometimes fate colludes with the many factors that come together for the sole purpose of thwarting your best plans.  Anyway, here’s our great fears realized.

June 19, 2008 → The Top Ten Signs That Things Have Gone Terribly Wrong

1. ACER – If you wake up and your thingy ain’t up.
2. Rogie – If you wake up one morning to find Manny Pacquiao as the Philippine president.
3. Loipogi – If your doctor tells you that you’re going to be a father, when in fact you’re impotent.
4. Loipogi – If your gorgeous, hunky basketball player boyfriend can enumerate the Ms. Universe winners from 1987 to 2007.
5. Glenneth – I knew something was wrong when I finished a crucial final exam in one of my majors at least an hour ahead of everyone else. It turns out there were more questions at the back page. I flunked the subject.
6. Sayuri – If, on report card day, your son comes home and the first thing he says is, “Mommy, good mood ka ba…?”
7. Rogie – If you ask a hot-looking girl what her name is, and she answers in a low voice, “Joselito.”
8. Laurence – When you return to where you parked your car and you find an empty slot.
9. Rogie – If you see the Philippine flag flying with the red side up.
10. SPY Shadow – If, during a flight, you hear the pilot announcing “This is the Captain speaking. Please, repeat after me. . .”Our Father…”
11. Lennort – I know I’m in trouble when my mom calls me by my whole name, because my lola named me after the girl she wanted my dad to marry, just to spite my mom.
12. Dongster – If your fart feels wet.
13. Marie – If, you remember after you just had vigorous sex, that you forgot to remove your tampon.
14. No name – If you just left your phone for 10 minutes, then when you check it again, you see that you  have 24 missed calls from the one client.
15. Von Trapp – If while you’re on a cruise ship in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, you see a commotion, and upon closer inspection you see the staff distributing salbabidas.
16. Greg – If your ultra conservative wife suddenly blurts out of nowhere, “I want a threesome with a relative…”
17. Danforth – If this hot girl tells you on your first date, “Have you ever dated a girl with testicles?”
18. Carandossa – If your 16-year-old daughter asks you nervously during dinner, “Ma, anong age ka nabuntis?”
19. Flower Power – If you search for the word “pedophile” on the internet and the first thing that pops up is a picture of your husband.
20. Darlene – True Story: my 83-year-old lola blurts out in front of my barkada, “Apo, i-add mo naman ako sa friendster mo. Tapos, pa-testi naman diyan!“

If You Guessed Palawan…

I’m Back! And yes, most of you guys guessed right, I’m back from probably my favorite place in the Philippines, Palawan.  I’ve been to Puerto Princesa, to Busuanga, to Taytay, and now it’s El Nido.  Each one has it’s own charm, but each one breathtaking in its beauty.  I’ll be sharing my experiences and pictures in the coming days after I sort through my almost 1,000 photos from the trip.

It’s nice to be back, the show this morning was really a lot of fun.  We had a hoot of a topic thanks to Boknoi and JDV.  I don’t have any of the post-holiday depression I used to suffer from, I’m pretty happy with what I experienced, thankful I even got a vacation on a paradise island, and grateful I have a good life to come home to after a pumped up holiday like we had.

That’s it for now, since we have to teach at St. Paul in a couple of hours time (yup, it’s back to work, full time!).  By tonight I’ll start fixing my photos, and hopefully I’ll start posting about it by early next week.  Whew, I come back, and hit the ground running!

I Shall Return!

Okay, it’s vacation time for me again.  This time though, Delle and I won’t be taking it together.  So you’d still have Delle on air, but minus me, from Monday until Thursday.  I’ll definitely be back on Thursday morning.  I believe Gino will be holding the fort for me.  Thanks Gino!

It’s a strange habit of mine to actually take the bulk of my leaves, not during the summer months, but during the rainy months of October and November.  So I’ve gotten used to dealing with rains during my vacations, but hopefully the weather will cooperate with us this time around.

See you on Thursday!

Poll Poll

WordPress just came out with a new option in its blog editor: we now have the option of putting polls!  It looks fun, so I decided to try it out.  Besides, I won’t be around to blog for the next 3 days, so I guess this is the best time to do this.  So therefore, here is my first poll: To poll or not to poll?  Do you think it’s a good idea to put polls in this blog or not? Let yourself be heard!

The Best And The Rest 76

Okay, this is weird.  Delle just celebrated her birthday, but coincindence would have it that it happens to be my birthday Top Ten turn to be posted.  You’ll have to wait for Delle’s birthday Top Ten when we get to October (hehehe…long wait).  Anyway, indulge us when we do this once a year.  It still touches me reading these.  It’s really humbling.

June 17, 2008 → The Top Ten Messages For Chico On His Birthday

1. Xbat – On your birthday I elevate you as the final member of my big 4 of radio legends: Rey Langit, Joe Taruc, Kuya Cesar and Chico Garcia.
2. No name – Happy birthday to Chico & my son Jake. Sana magmana si Jake sa iyo Chico – so funny, so lovable, and so witty!
3. Cheyenne’s kids – Tito Chico! We wish you’ll get married soon kasi gusto namin na dumami pa ang lahi mo kasi we dont want your genes to just be wasted!
4. Mr. Perk – Non-fattening breakfast treat for you: freshly-squeezed CARE; a meaty slice of LOVE; a loaf of PEACE; buttered TRUST & a hot bowl of PRAYERS! Happy birthday!
5. Amber – Chico if and when I win the lotto I promise to give you balato, as in. So don’t be surprised when someone drops by your station w/ an envelope containing cold cash!
6. Mikej – Happy birthday Chico, have more birthdays on air w/ Delle! Alam mo, lahat naman tayo tumatanda, pero nauna ka lang. Just remember, maraming nagmamahal sa yo kahit di mo kami kilala.
7. Bards – Just for today, decide to be happy & live with what is yours. If you can’t have what you want, maybe you can like what you have.
8. Jamfong - Chico it’s not how long you live but how you make your existence a blessing to others.
9. Mrs G – Parang may roll call ng fans mo so ito lang masasabi ko: PRESENT! Happy birthday, Strange Fruit!
10. Mau – Chico, like wat Delle always says, you’re a great catch. And this is coming from a straight guy which makes it extra truthful. Naku, kung naging bading lang ako, eh na-kiss na kita (at lagot ako sa asawa ko). Hehe…I see myself in you: makulit but with plenty of love to give way. Stay YOU buddy!
11. Cherry Pie – Happy birthday my one and only Chico Pie! I will always be your mistress…Forum mistress! Hehe. Mwah! Mwah! Mwah!
12. Senses – They say laughter is the best medicine. Oh yeah, my favorite brand is Chico! Adik na nga yata ako!
13. JULES VERNE – Happy Birthday, Chico. I haven’t listened to you guys in months. My hubby of nearly 25 years this coming July died last month. Today is the 1st time I am alone in the house, my kids all in school. And I turned on the radio, and there you 2 are. Delle was right. You’re spouse is your partner. At this moment I feel like I am being ripped apart. Listening to you guys brings back fond memories.
14. Marizel – Nakaka-touch naman kayong dalawa. You made me teary-eyed with your friendship.
15. Dru – In my life I give only 4 people credit for shaping my personality to what it is now: Murphy Brown, Will and Grace, and Chico. Happy birthday!
16. Thoryan – Happy birthday Chico. I know it’s probably hard to be in such a job like yours, especially when you’re dealing with a heavy problem. You’d need to wear a mask just to do your job.
17. Jose de vengenge - As God adds years to your life, let Him add life to your years. HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHICO!!!
18. Jemo – Happy birthday Chico! Su-swertehin ka sa pag-ibig ngayong taon: Lalo na pag naging akin ka. Hahaha!
19. ACER – Don’t be frustrated na si Barry Manilow lang ang ka-birthday mo. You have other great ka-birthday like Greg Kinnear…and me!
20. TReiz – There is no better example of one who never let age hinder him from following his bliss.
21. Tuna Belly – I’ve been your avid listener for about 8 years now, & I must say radio for me is like breathing air; it’s essential. That’s because I’m listening to the greatest DJ’s I’ve ever heard. Keep it up!
22. Geyp – Haba Birdy, Chico! Ay teka, ang pangit yata pakinggan!
23. Knightwing – To Chico: Count your birthdays not by your age but by the number of friends you have. So in that case, you’re really not as young as you think you are.
24. Gorgeous Bitch – My wish for the drop-dead handsome birthday boy: Just always go with your heart. It doesn’t matter who or what makes you happy, as long as you’re happy. If it makes you happy, we’re happy.
25. Chip – May the saddest days of your future be no worse than the happiest days of your past. Happy birthday chics!
26. Xtinger – Enjoy here while you’re here; there’s no “here” there. – Happy Birthday, Chico!

EK-EK (Enjoy Kami-Enchanted Kingdom)

My photo buddies and I went to EK (Enchanted Kingdom) to practice our low light shooting.  I’ve always wanted to take pictures when the available light wasn’t so good, but the results were bland at best.  So eventually, I gave up taking pictures at night altogether.  But armed with some new found skills, we decided to try it out last Sunday afternoon/evening to see if could eke out some improvements.

We got there a little too early, so we ended up whiling away the time until sunset came rolling along.  It was pretty warm, and the place always looked infinitely better at night than in the daytime, so there wasn’t really much to shoot.  We skipped the rides as well since we had so much gear in tow, so it wasn’t even an option.

Finally the sun set, and we were off.  We went around EK from sunset onwards, waited for the fireworks, then kept shooting until closing time.  I haven’t been to EK in ages, so I often didn’t know where I was.  We were spent and sweaty by the time we finished.  So, I’d like to share some of stuff I was able to shoot.

Other than the rides, we didn’t really have that may subjects to choose from, so we were basically limited to finding interesting shots of practically the same things.

The roller coaster:

The ferris wheel:

Our favorite, the “Flying Fiesta”!

We were pretty happy with the results of our photo shoot.  Besides, it was a nice challenge to find interesting ways to shoot rides which are not usually considered photogenic.  It was also a nice change of pace to shoot something different from my usual landscapes and nature shots.