My Blog

Over the years and over the course of my freelance writing career, I had a chance to interview a good number of famous people, some of them in person via one-on-one encounters or during a press conference while I got to chat with quite a few others over the phone in what organizers usually call as "phoners." Surprisingly, I haven’t actually interviewed somebody via email, at least not one who can be considered a celebrity or household name. There are also quite a few familiar names who are not even based in the country or who just happened to visit.

Anyway, here’s a partial list of all those famous folks:

One-on-one

Alanis Morissette, Rob Schneider, Miss Saigon composer Claude Michel Schonberg, MTV VJ Denise Keller, Channel V VJ Paula, Eraserheads, True Faith, Kjwan, MTV VJ Nonie Tao, Donita Rose, Vilma Santos, Rosanna Roces, Anton Ramos, Jericho Rosales, Giselle Sanchez, Tropical Depression, Color It Red, Ogie Alcasid, Aiza Seguerra, Jaclyn Jose, Pinky Amador, Rivermaya, Tetchie Agbayani, Soapdish, Barbie Almalbis, Angela Velez, Cez Campos, Joey "Pepe" Smith, Mike Hanopol, Binky Lampano, Apo Hiking Society, Ex-Presidents Combo, Rizal Underground, The Lotus Eaters, Runaway Boys, Mudhoney, Tom Colvin of Lampano Alley, Toti Dalmacion, Third World Chaos, Introvoys, Betrayed, Ocean Zoo, Ethnic Faces, Throw, Dead Ends, Chico & Delamar, Chad Borja, Monique Wilson, Former Senator Tito Sotto, Put 3 Ska, Brownman Revival, Bamboo, Blue Jean Junkies, Vivian Velez, comics creators Whilce Portacio and Jae Lee, Princess Punzalan, Rick Rocks of Sham 69, Kate Fernandez, Disney Channel Managing Director Raymund Miranda, Claire Miranda, Gina Marissa Tagasa, Retrospect, Angel Aquino, Grace Nono, Rage Band, Cristina Gonzalez, Anthony Pangilinan, Ranie Raymundo, The Jerks, Wuds, The Dawn, Dong Alegre, Albert Anido, Raymond Red, Jose Mari Chan, Alma Concepcion, Chito Roño, Bea Lucero, Magic 89.9 DJ’s Big Daddy Jake and Tina Ryan, Former Finance Secretary and AIM President Roberto De Ocampo, Gene Cajayon, Jose Cuisia

During a presscon or with other writers

Good Charlotte, Sting, Phil Collins, James Taylor, Bobby Brown, Jasmine Trias, Chicago, Toto, Go West, China Crisis, Frente, Marion Raven, Lea Salonga, Ben Cabrera (Bencab) Intel CEO Paul Otellini, Frank Sinatra, Julia Clarete, Beastie Boys, Joel Torre, Dave Grohl of the Foo Fighters, Tirso Cruz III, Shaina Magdayao, Eddie Garcia, After Image, Christopher Cross, Andrea Del Rosario, Gina Alajar, Nelson Twins. Aga Muhlach, Vina Morales, Gary Valenciano, Richard Gomez, Agot Isidro

Over the phone (long distance)

Bjork, Tom Jones, Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day, Jenny McCarthy, Joyce and Uchenna (Amazing Race winners), Desiree, Hans Zimmer, Corpse Bride Co-Director Mike Johnson, Tim Fariss and Kirk Pengilly of INXS, Mig Ayesa, Sky High Director Mike Mitchell, Sum 41, Lee Ranaldo of Sonic Youth

I think that’s about it for now.

A friend recently asked me how many publications have I actually written for. It was then that I realized that my byline has graced quite a number of publications since I first started doing this as a "sideline." I probably can’t remember them all but here’s a "short" list from over the course of two decades so far:

Major dailies:

The Manila Bulletin (currently of course), The Philippine Daily Inquirer, Today (now Manila Standard Today), The Manila Times, The Manila Chronicle, Libre (reprinted from Inquirer)

Magazines:

GamesMaster, T3, Gadgets, Metroactive, Newsbreak, mph, Men’s Zone, Mega, Manual, Forward, Stir, Reviewer, Stopover, Mabuhay, InMall, Pulp, Jingle Chordbook, Health & Lifestyle, Publics, Herald X, Chemical, Fudge, Volume, Bride & Debutante, Wedding Essentials

Books:

Encyclea Guide To Restaurants In Manila

Others:

The Adamson Chronicle, The Wall

Online:

Hackenslash.net, PinoyMac.org

I guess that’s about it.

I just spent another nice weekend at Boracay, this time as a writer for the About Weddings section of Manila Bulletin. The whole shebang of AW plus some from my regular i Section was there–I think we’re 15 in all. In addition for the five (count ‘em, baby, five!) articles that I need to write for the Weddings section, I’m writing two more for i.

So does that necessarily mean that I love to write? Hell, no. Far from it. The truth is, I hate to write. I find it just as stressful as your typical 8 to 5 office job. But I guess writing is what I do best since I pretty much suck at just about everything else. I think I said this to a friend before. I’m not a big fan of my own writing and have always wondered what people see in them, why they actually like them. But I guess when people appreciate what I do, no matter how much I don’t then I must really be good at it.

So much for that. Boracay remains a great place and as I’ve discovered over the weekend, a great venue to hold weddings and honeymoons. Not that that is such a big secret but as you guys will find out on the first week of October when About Weddings come out, it is still an island whose mystique can still surprise you in so many different ways.

I learned a new term from a friend the other day. Since I write about wedding matters a lot, then it must be safe to say that I’ve become a "wedding journalist" as well. Hmmm. Me? A wedding journalist? You know, it does have a nice ring to it.

Turned out Singapore wasn’t the boring place most people I know regard it to be. Not on the first weekend of September, anyway. I had a blast with my brief stay here. Opening night of Cirque Du Soleil’s Quidam was an unforgettable circus experience for me and if you do have the chance, please try not to miss it as it is still on a limited run until October 9. If you can get a copy of today’s Manila Bulletin, please do check out my review at the i Section. If not, you can always click on the i Link at our official web site at www.mb.com.ph.

I also checked out this new trendy bar called Club Momo. John Lee, the owner is kinda like the Louie Ysmael of Singapore, having owned several clubs there, all of which are regarded as trendy and cutting edge. Club Momo has a big land area occupying what used to be four cinemas in the Central Mall area near Clarke Quay. Believe me, even an area as wide as that can be jampacked in just a matter of hours. They have a great live band that actually plays some pretty good rock tunes like Coldplay’s Clocks and Franz Ferdinand’s Take Me Out and they play them well, too. Watch out for my article on this club next weekend.

I also got invited to the opening of the World Cybergames National Championship in Suntec and I had a blast watching young kids kick ass in Halo 2 and on Xbox live, too! Terrific exhibits and booths and my press kit included a couple of nice t-shirts, cool giveaways and copies, CD installers of Myth and Maple Story of PC Magazine Singapore, Playworks and Gameaxis magazines.

Finally, I got to experience living in a pleasantly quaint backpackers hostel at Summer Tavern which included free unlimited broadband internet use. I actually got to write two articles in this place. And yes, like Club Momo, I will write an article about this place for next weekend’s issue of Manila Bulletin’s i Section.

Right now, I’m typing this blog at Station 168 in Boracay where I’m spending the weekend for another special coverage for Bulletin. Having a great time here as well and you know, I’m beginning to get the hang of this blah, blah blog thing.  Till the next post.

From what I’ve been hearing, Singapore isn’t exactly the most exciting place in the planet. But I’ve never actually been there and I’m actually excited to be visiting it for the first time. Because there is never a more timely and exciting reason to go there than the world famous Cirque Du Soleil circus which I have the good fortune of covering thanks to a coincidental referral by my good friend and fellow gamer Joey Alarilla of Inq7.Net.

Joey’s referral ultimately led to an invitation to watch the premiere show of Cirque Du Soleil’s Quidam which is being staged for a limited engagement only in Singapore and in the whole of Asia for that matter. The glowing reviews of Cirque Du Soleil have given me the impression that this human circus offers some of the greatest shows on earth. To pass up an opportunity to see it and I actually almost did would be to pass up a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

As an added bonus, I’ll also get to interview a cast member together with another writer from our i Section in Manila Bulletin. And maybe get to do other interesting stories on the side.

Great things are happening for me this year and after a really tough 2004, I felt blessed and in a way, vindicated for getting this second wind in my life.