Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Rage of The RED Lanterns

Still continuing my current GL fixation, I decided to get for myself the prequel to the much anticipated Blackest Night.
One of the prequels called Rage of the Red Lanterns, takes place after the Sinestro Corps War with Sinestro behind bars in one of the science cells in OA; with the guardians contemplating about the ramifications of the war just past and the different scenarios leading to the formation of the other colors of the spectrum, like Red and Orange.

Now for those not initiated into the mythology, the Green Lantern is what you could call an intergalactic police force comprised of humans and beings empowered with Green power rings and enforcing order and peace throughout the known parts or sectors of the galaxy. Green stands for will and the force behind to shape it. But after the Sinestro Corps War wherein former Green Lantern Sinestro was able to wield the color of yellow and power his own rings and recruit like minded beings who can harness the power of Fear; represented by the color Yellow, the color spectrum has further grown and divided into a new spectrum representing Rage; which is Red.

Without giving too much away, the collection begins with a Green Lantern named Laira who killed a Yellow Lantern, Amon Sur. She claims that it is but in adherence with the new law of the Guardians permitting lethal force be used against members of the Sinestro Corps. But as evidence shows, Amon Sur was willing to surrender and thus her actions are put on debate until she harnesses her rage and makes herself eligible to join the new Red Lantern Corps.

This prequel bridges events leading to Blackest Night and gives Lantern fans stories of other members of the Corps and how one choice affects all; from the new laws enacted by the Guardians, to the restrictions that some Lanterns feel and how they allow themselves to be true to what they feel regardless of the consequences.

For someone who would want to start with reading the Green lantern series, I would suggest that one begin instead with Origins by Geoff Johns in order to orient oneself about the world of the Lantern and how the original Green Lantern of Earth, Hal Jordan came to be selected.  As the series progressed, newer Lantern’s for Earth have been selected and added to the franchise like John Stewart, Guy Gardner, and the latest selection graphic artist, Kyle Rayner.

You could follow this with Green Lantern: Rebirth then with Green Lantern: No Fear then Revenge of the Green Lantern Corps before moving on to the 2-part Sinestro Corps War.


 Addendum to this reading is Tales of the Sinestro Corps then followed by Rage of the Red Lanterns and then Sins of the Star Sapphire before proceeding onto Blackest Night and Green Lantern: 
Blackest Night.




At the time of this writing, I am still waiting for the paperback release of Green Lantern: Agent Orange which introduces Larfreeze, a new Lantern who harnesses the power of the Orange lantern; representing Greed. And he is quite the character and as per Hal Jordan himself looks like a cross between Gonzo and Scrooge. :)


So far my journey to rediscovering Green Lantern continues as I delve into the Lantern mythos and look for more back issues and compilations. In reading this much, have to say that the Guardians themselves have much to answer for. You may also check out Avengers VS JLA which also features the villain named Krona who like the Guardians come from the planet, Maltus. And this journey of discovery continues and culminatesnext year in anticipation of the Green Lantern movie which stars Canadian actor, Ryan Reynolds.


 For now, I am counting the days till the December release of Brightest Day; the next tumultuous saga in the Lantern universe, following Blackest Night. 

Friday, September 24, 2010

After reading Anderson Cooper...

Why do people write memoirs?

Because they want to understand the life they lead by looking back at the life they led.

Why do people read memoirs?

More or less the same reason, but just reversed. Isn’t it rather fashionable to read about someone else’s life, learn what you can and quote it next time in casual conversation in order to pass oneself as learned?

Sure we can.


At times we do and even get a kick out of it equally, especially when someone takes notice of it and marvels at your apt usage of it and at the significance of such a tidbit. Admittedly, what drew me in to buy & read the book is the author himself; a prominent anchorman and news personality on CNN and hosts his own show, AC360. 

And even if he went by another name, who wouldn’t take notice of him; of his piercing stare, his clear and crisp commentaries and equally creative repartee with his guests. Not to mention his distinguished looks; all grey-haired and smart looking. Yes, Anderson Cooper is well liked.

When I found this hardbound 1st edition at a Book Sale branch in Makati, I liked it all the more because I didn’t have to order it from Amazon as Powerbooks don’t have it and it only cost me only P70, which is roughly $1.56 just to get to know him.

Born into a family of wealth and opportunity, Anderson is the son of famous fashion designer, Gloria Vanderbilt. But he traded all that to live his life, to pursue and discover his calling, wherever it may take him. The book touches on his reminiscing about his father, of his own identity crisis after he died and the chasm that threatened to pull his family apart that claimed his brother’s life as well, for he took his own life by jumping off their condo balcony, just minutes after speaking to his mother.

There are no words for situations like these but somehow Anderson has managed to weave all of this family history and drama into the dream that ever more gets strengthened and tested whenever he travels to other countries like Sarajevo, Nigeria, Iraq, Indonesia and more recently in New Orleans when Hurricane Katrina struck the city in 2005.

Finishing the book tonight and reading his entries about missing his father, I can’t help but think of my own; how my Dad’s own passing changed me and continues to do so and affect me in profound ways that I could not have predicted.

They always say that life is for the living and that the good of men (as well as the bad) are often interred with their bones.  And knowing that it is said often; might we not rock the foundation just a little bit and remember properly those who died? That what they left behind propels us to look inward and decide for ourselves what and how much can we leave behind, when it is time to do so?

I may not be a parent yet. But when the time comes, I would want to do the same for my child, be they be a son or a daughter.

That as a child, you live your life in accordance with what you parents have taught you, what your values dictate. And in so doing, you honor their life and memory by giving and living your life; giving it the best show that you can give. So far the best shots that I have given have resulted and manifested in creative endeavours like the release of my first album, dedicated to Dad and also embarked on the writing of my first book which I am dedicating to Mom who has strongly carried on for us and whom we equally feed and give our own strength back to whenever needed.

Although 3 years after Dad’s passing, I may not be a crack shot just yet, I can at least say that I’ve managed to aim dead center and increase my chances of getting a bullseye.

Target up.

Ready. Aim. Fire.

Bullseye.

……Next Round please.

Friday, September 17, 2010

Zero Hour or Zero Jordan?

Part of rediscovering my favorite childhood hero Green Lantern, was me being catching up to speed with all that has happened to my favorite character.

Alas when I got the book, I was dismayed to find that Hal Jordan only came out during the latter part of the story and we weren't given an idea as to why he became Parallax, he just popped out of the storyline claiming to have absorbed some cosmic powers after the destruction of Coast City and that was it.

------spoiler----------

Lucky for us, there is Geoff Johns now who has addressed the question of the yellow "impurity", and how it relates to the rest of the Corps and brought Hal Jordan back from the dead while re-forming and reviving the Lantern Corps.

For starters, you'll be glad to know that Hal Jordan is back to being a Green Lantern (REBIRTH) after his demise in Final Night. (which I have yet to collect), and we are promised more compelling adventures of our favorite Lantern after the events of the recent Blackest Night.

But since all of this massive graphic novel purchasing that I am doing is adhering to my love and fascination to a character that I have forgotten growing up and only in the past year allowed myself to embrace. (1st one being Dr. Strange), then this is still worth collecting, just to keep oneself in the loop of the Green Lantern/Hal Jordan saga.

Now, it's off to the next graphic novel and the hunt continues for more Green Lantern adventures....

Friday, September 10, 2010

Of Strange and of Fate- My 2 New Doctors

Twas my day off yesterday and hard as I could I couldn't resist the temptation to drop by Fully Booked Bookstore at the Fort and check out their stocks of Graphic Novels.


Ever since I started rediscovering Green Lantern, I have been collecting graphic novels left and right. Anything that has do with my our favorite Green hero, count me in.

But prior to him, my favorite marvel hero, Dr.Strange takes precedence and when I saw the new Doc novel, I just had to get it.

For those in the know, the good Doctor has been "dethroned" and stripped of his title as being Sorcerer Supreme and it's now Brother Voodoo who wears that distinction, including his magical amulet, The Eye of Agamotto.

After purchasing the New Avengers issue where Doc relinquished his position, I wondered if we would ever hear from him again. Lucky for us Strange fans, there was a new series on Doc's life after that relinquishing.

The new novel is called Strange: The Doctor is Out.



This is a must read and collect for all Dr. Strange fans and it follows his life after being stripped of his title and how the taking of a new apprentice seems to make up for the damage that the Doctor has caused in his misuse of magic.

No Orb of Agamotto here but still enough magic and good writing as well as drawing to keep a fan coming back and hoping for more. :)

And in my search for my doctor, I find myself getting acquainted with another one; from DC this time.

May the best Doctor win. :)

Thursday, September 9, 2010

Was able to collect loose issues of these back in the days but


 when the compiled version came out, I just had to have it.




What could be better than my favorite



 Marvel Character Dr. Strange and 


duking it out with my favorite 


supernatural being. ;)

Friday, September 3, 2010

Starting the Month Right

It's always been like this year in, year out.

Whenever the month of September comes, we all start hearing Christmas songs on the radio or in the malls; the decorations for the Yuletide season also start to come out on flea markets and in the mall stores as well.

But for this year I wanted it to be different.

I wanted to be productive. I wanted to make sure that my productivity level was upped one more notch and I would have something to show for this Holiday season. The productivity that I am referring to is the release of my my debut album; a project that has taken too long in the making; too long in the planning and in the wanting.

Ever since I discovered that I could sing, going at it professionally was always something that I wanted to do. Growing up and listening to homegrown O.P.M. artists like Martin Nievera, Gary V, Janno Gibbs, Kyla, Jay R and see their careers flourish, I so wanted a piece of the pie. But alas, my family didn't see it that way; saying that one cannot live on music alone.

And so for years the desire took a backseat with only me nurturing the desire; feeding it and willing it to grow while honing my craft; on my own.

Fast forward several years after and here I am working at radio and have just released my album online via Mp3 downloads withe the physical album release to follow within the month. I must have done something good at last to get to this point.

Everything changed for me when Dad passed away in 2007; the world stopped and became a smaller place and everything that I thought was important wasn't and all those that I kept shelving had to be on the front seat and take precedence.

I so wanted Dad to have been around to listen to the album. But since he isn't here anymore, I hope that by doing this; living my life as best as I can and living my life to the fullest, would be the gift that I could give back in payment for the life that he has given me. I owe him much and for this I will always be thankful.

I've arranged for the album to be initially available via CDBaby for downloads so that I maximize the time I have while waiting for the physical cd to be released to the market via my own record label, GreenHorn Records.

And just as I posted my album and finalized everything online 2 days ago on the first of the month, there already was a download made for my album.

It was the best surprise of the day for me.

And today a high school batchmate saw me on I-tunes and said that he will be buying the album and alerting the rest of the batch to do the same.

It's support like this that make my day and make everything worthwhile. And I hope that more awareness building like this for my album manifests and translates into more sales for me.

We artists love the support our listening public gives us. We love it when you say that you can relate to the songs that we write. We love it when you say that our songs made you stop, think, reflect and prod you to do something positive about the things in your life.

But the best reward you can give an artist is when you go out of your way to get their work. And then tell them how you love it.

And we will be eternally grateful and love ya back :)

So make this artist happy, download and get your copy here.

Before anyone else does. :)

Thanks in advance. May you in turn be always be happy and blessed!

Blessed Be!

Talk at Miriam College

Impressionable minds make impressionable hearts.

If there was any time this phrase was applicable it would probably be today.

I was invited by my colleague to give a talk at Miriam College regarding my experiences in radio. This was all part of their activity that focuses on the three different forms of media: Radio, TV and Film. It was my first time to be at Miriam and I immediately loved the feel of the campus. I was told by my guide, Therese, that the school is environment-friendly hence the number of trees. Even if the sun was boring down on us, the trees and the accompanying breeze made me feel relaxed at oddly at home. 

We made our way past the parking lot and onto the Communications arts building where 3 different talks would be happening at the same time, but in three different function rooms. I was ushered into an adjoining room where lunch was served along with Starbucks Coffee. You know I just can’t resist a good dose of caffeine, so I just had to help myself to a cup while waiting for the others to arrive.

When they finally did, we started at around 2pm and I was the first to step into the room followed by Magic 89.9’s Sam YG and Slick Rick. Now why they didn’t complete their triumvirate and got Tony Tony so that they could do a version of their show, Boys Night Out, is something I don’t know and figured that Tony was indisposed for today and I happen to be the lucky one to join the famous pair.

At our initial meeting, I remember telling Therese & her classmate that unlike the two, I come not from a Pop Station but from a Smooth Jazz station and would have different ways of doing things. They said that in a way it was good because it afforded some variety to the panel.

After the initial Opening Prayer and opening remarks by the host,  the talk thus started with Sam YG (which stands for Young Guy as he revealed in his talk), speaking about his own experiences and stressed how different and a relief it was to be heard instead of seen because one can be oneself on radio; that is, unless you put on a character for your audience and entertain them to no end. Along with that, and because we were speaking to first & second year students, he urged the students listening to try out their passion.

Slick Rick spoke next and said that Sam covered all the grounds and that was it. I chimed in and said that our work was done and we could go home. He went on to talk of his own time on radio and said that his best experience was when he was given his own show and he found his own voice. He added that doing his work as a Dj isn’t a job for him because he loves doing it.
Finally it was me, and I looked at my key points scribbled at a steno pad in front of me and began. I acknowledged their department head and thanked her for the invite and went on to talk a little of myself. How my family was flabbergasted when I told them that I would begin my radio stint some 10 years back as I was considered to be meek and all too quiet to be in radio, being the youngest and being one who would mostly do nothing but observe and keep to myself. I told the students that my debut stint on radio over at Home Radio, 97.9 was significant because apart from starting out first as a newscaster, I had to write my own news. It was a job that offered me simultaneous training in speaking and in writing.

I then moved on to my then simultaneous foray into talk radio on the AM band as I was invited to co-host, Echoes of the Heart, a show run by our Ms. World, Evangeline Pascual. My schedule then was doing my newscasting on the weekdays, Echoes on Saturday and my regular boardwork handling the Oldies show, on Sunday.

I would have wanted to talk more but we all had to make it quick to give time for the next activity and so I wrapped up my talk by singing my single, HELPLESS, and reminding them that the best way for them to pursue their dreams, whether they become DJ’s or not is to Be A Sponge and soak everything in. Learn as much as they can and also know and learn how to Lay-out their ideas and to be able to express themselves well to the best of their capabilities and apply the amassed knowledge that they have learned so far.

Our respective talks ended & were soon followed by an open forum wherein some of the girls asked non radio questions like “What is Sam’s ideal girl” and the like. At least one asked me about the song I sang to which I was able to tell them that it was taken from my upcoming album titled, Love Has Found Me.

The forum soon led to the organization and division of groups who would select a song from a list projected on screen. The song selected should embody the core values of Miriam. There were 8 groups all in all, with 5 students in it, who came up, talked like they were actually on radio and went to intro a song, give some time checks and come up with different Radio station names. Although some groups were more into it than others, on the count perhaps the ones who came first were really nervous, we all still had a great time and it was nice to give back and be able to share some pointers to the group as each of them came up one after the other. 

Finally the activity ended, we were awarded certificates as well as tokens (Love the bookmark & mug) and the girls took turns for the photo-op and we called it a day. 

All in all it was a day well spent and one that starts the month right for me. Positive and Productive! I wouldn’t mind going back for a visit. :)

August's Accidents -Hungry Ghost Month or Mercury's Retrograde?

The early nightly news just wrapped and another bus accident occurred in the province of Quezon. This is just another incident to be added to this month’s several number of accidents and tragedies involving buses, with last week Monday’s hostage crisis that resulted in the death of 8 Hong Kong residents as the peak for this month.

Oops, perhaps I should recant that and not use the word “peak”. It sounds like as if there is a trend to these happenings. And that was what I thought of as this month draws to a close, and thus marks the end of the month of the Hungry Ghost.


So what is the Hungry ghost? Well Wikipedia defines it as this –“The Ghost Festival, also known as the Hungry Ghost Festival, is a traditional Chinese festival and holiday celebrated by Chinese in many countries. In the Chinese calendar (a lunisolar calendar), the Ghost Festival is on the 15th night of the seventh lunar month (14th in southern China).

In Chinese tradition, the fifteenth day of the seventh month in the lunar calendar is called Ghost Day and the seventh month in general is regarded as the Ghost Month (鬼月), in which ghosts and spirits, including those of the deceased ancestors, come out from the lower realm. Distinct from both the Qingming Festival (in Spring) and Chung Yeung Festival (in Autumn) in which living descendants pay homage to their deceased ancestors, on Ghost Day, the deceased are believed to visit the living.

On the fifteenth day the realms of Heaven and Hell and the realm of the living are open and both Taoists and Buddhists would perform rituals to transmute and absolve the sufferings of the deceased. Intrinsic to the Ghost Month is ancestor worship, where traditionally the filial piety of descendants extends to their ancestors even after their deaths. Activities during the month would include preparing ritualistic food offerings, burning incense, and burning joss paper, a papier-mache form of material items such as clothes, gold and other fine goods for the visiting spirits of the ancestors. Elaborate meals (often vegetarian meals) would be served with empty seats for each of the deceased in the family treating the deceased as if they are still living. Ancestor worship is what distinguishes Qingming Festival from Ghost Festival because the latter includes paying respects to all deceased, including the same and younger generations, while the former only includes older generations. Other festivities may include, buying and releasing miniature paper boats and lanterns on water, which signifies giving directions to the lost ghosts and spirits of the ancestors and other deities.”

Early in the month, when I felt that the number of accidents involving buses and vehicles seem to populate the news, I asked a fellow Wiccan who conferred with her Astrologer friend & said  that Mercury was in retrograde. I thought what could it possibly have anything to do with the tragic accidents and most specially last week’s debacle? At first I thought none but then in hindsight, perhaps there was some planetary influence on the situation.

Mercury rules the mind; the intellect; language; how we express and think. This also governs our perception and thought processes. In short communication and dissemination of ideas.

Am I leading to something here? Perhaps. 

Who would have thought that this month would prove to be the last for those victims of the recent hostage tragedy. And could it be also coincidence that last Monday's crisis falls on the eve of the Hungry Ghost festival based on the Chinese Lunar Calendar? 

On the other hand, perhaps it was Mercury’s influence that dulled the minds of our police force and made them less than pro-active and decisive in their intent to take down the hostage taker. Perhaps it was also what prodded Mendoza to take drastic measures and not think about the ramifications of his actions. Perhaps the next day it was the same retrograde that affected our own Venus Raj in the Miss Universe and allowed her to fumble at the question and thus only to find herself in 4th place. Perhaps it is also the reason why I have been more introspective these days and inspired to create a blog and share my feelings?

Or perhaps I may be taking this a little too far?

But then again, do we and should we blame the planets for what we can decide for ourselves in this physical plane? Or can we take comfort in the thought that in spite of the “planetary” influences that may cause us to behave the way that we do in certain situations; there is still that open window of decision making that is left to us. And our decision should come from a balance of both the mind and of the heart; of the rationale and the emotional; of the cause of our thoughts and the effects of these if acted upon.

As it is, what we ultimately decide determines our course of action and thus crafts our future.

Let's hope in the next month, we are able to do and be better. We need to and we should.

Dealing with the recent tragedy

There will always be people who deal with it well and those that don't.

There will also be people who would condemn and those that would make an attempt to rise above it and see the situation for that it is and for the good that it brings inspite of the pain involved in it.

What I'm referring to is the recent hostage taking crisis that happened last week here in Manila. So much has been said about who did what, who didn't do what, who should have done this or that. But as a nation, we are hurting as well and thinking how this tragedy could have happened here in our country and why of all times it had to happen when we are truly off to a good  and hopeful start just after the recent Presidential elections.

If there is truly some good that would come out of this tragedy, then I hope that as a nation we would embrace that; we would recognize it and apply it to our lives.

And to see a non-Filipino in this youtube video posted below, speak with much understanding, it certainly warms my heart to see that Pandora has not locked up hope in her box. It is there. Alive and Thriving. We just have to be aware enough to see it and vigilant enough to protect it and the heart to spread it around.


<object width="445" height="364"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/MojMYTNWc6M?fs=1&amp;hl=en_US&amp;rel=0&amp;border=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/MojMYTNWc6M?fs=1&amp;hl=en_US&amp;rel=0&amp;border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="445" height="364"></embed></object>

Starting the Month Right

It's always been like this year in, year out.

Whenever the month of September comes, we all start hearing Christmas songs on the radio or in the malls; the decorations for the Yuletide season also start to come out on flea markets and in the mall stores as well.

But for this year I wanted it to be different.

I wanted to be productive. I wanted to make sure that my productivity level was upped one more notch and I would have something to show for this Holiday season. The productivity that I am referring to is the release of my my debut album; a project that has taken too long in the making; too long in the planning and in the wanting.

Ever since I discovered that I could sing, going at it professionally was always something that I wanted to do. Growing up and listening to homegrown O.P.M. artists like Martin Nievera, Gary V, Janno Gibbs, Kyla, Jay R and see their careers flourish, I so wanted a piece of the pie. But alas, my family didn't see it that way; saying that one cannot live on music alone.

And so for years the desire took a backseat with only me nurturing the desire; feeding it and willing it to grow while honing my craft; on my own.

Fast forward several years after and here I am working at radio and have just released my album online via Mp3 downloads withe the physical album release to follow within the month. I must have done something good at last to get to this point.


Everything changed for me when Dad passed away in 2007; the world stopped and became a smaller place and everything that I thought was important wasn't and all those that I kept shelving had to be on the front seat and take precedence.

I so wanted Dad to have been around to listen to the album. But since he isn't here anymore, I hope that by doing this; living my life as best as I can and living my life to the fullest, would be the gift that I could give back in payment for the life that he has given me. I owe him much and for this I will always be thankful.

I've arranged for the album to be initially available via CDBaby for downloads so that I maximize the time I have while waiting for the physical cd to be released to the market via my own record label, GreenHorn Records.

And just as I posted my album and finalized everything online 2 days ago on the first of the month, there already was a download made for my album.

It was the best surprise of the day for me.

And today a high school batchmate saw me on I-tunes and said that he will be buying the album and alerting the rest of the batch to do the same.

It's support like this that make my day and make everything worthwhile. And I hope that more awareness building like this for my album manifests and translates into more sales for me.

We artists love the support our listening public gives us. We love it when you say that you can relate to the songs that we write. We love it when you say that our songs made you stop, think, reflect and prod you to do something positive about the things in your life.


But the best reward you can give an artist is when you go out of your way to get their work. And then tell them how you love it.

And we will be eternally grateful and love ya back :)

So make this artist happy, download and get your copy here.

Before anyone else does. :)

Thanks in advance. May you in turn be always be happy and blessed!

Blessed Be!

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Talk at Miriam College

Impressionable minds make impressionable hearts.

If there was any time this phrase was applicable it would probably be today.

I was invited by my colleague to give a talk at Miriam College regarding my experiences in radio. This was all part of their activity that focuses on the three different forms of media: Radio, TV and Film. It was my first time to be at Miriam and I immediately loved the feel of the campus. I was told by my guide, Therese, that the school is environment-friendly hence the number of trees. Even if the sun was boring down on us, the trees and the accompanying breeze made me feel relaxed at oddly at home. 

We made our way past the parking lot and onto the Communications arts building where 3 different talks would be happening at the same time, but in three different function rooms. I was ushered into an adjoining room where lunch was served along with Starbucks Coffee. You know I just can’t resist a good dose of caffeine, so I just had to help myself to a cup while waiting for the others to arrive.

When they finally did, we started at around 2pm and I was the first to step into the room followed by Magic 89.9’s Sam YG and Slick Rick. Now why they didn’t complete their triumvirate and got Tony Tony so that they could do a version of their show, Boys Night Out, is something I don’t know and figured that Tony was indisposed for today and I happen to be the lucky one to join the famous pair.

At our initial meeting, I remember telling Therese & her classmate that unlike the two, I come not from a Pop Station but from a Smooth Jazz station and would have different ways of doing things. They said that in a way it was good because it afforded some variety to the panel.

After the initial Opening Prayer and opening remarks by the host,  the talk thus started with Sam YG (which stands for Young Guy as he revealed in his talk), speaking about his own experiences and stressed how different and a relief it was to be heard instead of seen because one can be oneself on radio; that is, unless you put on a character for your audience and entertain them to no end. Along with that, and because we were speaking to first & second year students, he urged the students listening to try out their passion.
Slick Rick spoke next and said that Sam covered all the grounds and that was it. I chimed in and said that our work was done and we could go home. He went on to talk of his own time on radio and said that his best experience was when he was given his own show and he found his own voice. He added that doing his work as a Dj isn’t a job for him because he loves doing it.

Finally it was me, and I looked at my key points scribbled at a steno pad in front of me and began. I acknowledged their department head and thanked her for the invite and went on to talk a little of myself. How my family was flabbergasted when I told them that I would begin my radio stint some 10 years back as I was considered to be meek and all too quiet to be in radio, being the youngest and being one who would mostly do nothing but observe and keep to myself. I told the students that my debut stint on radio over at Home Radio, 97.9 was significant because apart from starting out first as a newscaster, I had to write my own news. It was a job that offered me simultaneous training in speaking and in writing.

I then moved on to my then simultaneous foray into talk radio on the AM band as I was invited to co-host, Echoes of the Heart, a show run by our Ms. World, Evangeline Pascual. My schedule then was doing my newscasting on the weekdays, Echoes on Saturday and my regular boardwork handling the Oldies show, on Sunday.

I would have wanted to talk more but we all had to make it quick to give time for the next activity and so I wrapped up my talk by singing my single, HELPLESS, and reminding them that the best way for them to pursue their dreams, whether they become DJ’s or not is to Be A Sponge and soak everything in. Learn as much as they can and also know and learn how to Lay-out their ideas and to be able to express themselves well to the best of their capabilities and apply the amassed knowledge that they have learned so far.

Our respective talks ended & were soon followed by an open forum wherein some of the girls asked non radio questions like “What is Sam’s ideal girl” and the like. At least one asked me about the song I sang to which I was able to tell them that it was taken from my upcoming album titled, Love Has Found Me.

The forum soon led to the organization and division of groups who would select a song from a list projected on screen. The song selected should embody the core values of Miriam. There were 8 groups all in all, with 5 students in it, who came up, talked like they were actually on radio and went to intro a song, give some time checks and come up with different Radio station names. Although some groups were more into it than others, on the count perhaps the ones who came first were really nervous, we all still had a great time and it was nice to give back and be able to share some pointers to the group as each of them came up one after the other. 


Finally the activity ended, we were awarded certificates as well as tokens (Love the bookmark & mug) and the girls took turns for the photo-op and we called it a day. 



All in all it was a day well spent and one that starts the month right for me. Positive and Productive! Wouldn’t mind going back for a visit. :)