A Migraine Boy Grows Up Into A Migraine Man: Sep 22, 2005

1:31 AM. It’s quite humid even at this hour. I already took a shower but I’m still breaking out in sweat. I just came from the nearby 7-11 to buy my current favorite drink. The C2 Cool & Clean Green Tea and Lemon Flavored Green Tea drink variants. I also bought a couple of C2’s competitor’s products just to see what they’re like, Zest-o Corporation’s One Green Tea and Yellow Tea drink variants. I have an industrial fan behind me and one in front beside the computer and it still feels hot. (Maybe I should move the computer back to the bedroom where the air conditioner is).

And now I could start writing…

*****

The last reunion I've been to was a sad one.

Seemed like ages ago when I was still in touch with Reg. It was probably on one of our last phone conversations before I went on 'radio silence' when she told me that Maya was dying. As soon as I got off from work that day, I hurried off to San Lazaro hospital, an institution renowned as a haven for souls afflicted with communicable diseases such as Tuberculosis, Meningitis, Leprosy, AIDS and Rabies. It was the latter that afflicted Maya. And that night when I ran off to the hospital was the night Maya left us. Almost all of our batch mates were there in a happy, yet sad situation. Happy to see each other after a long time yet sad that one of us passed on.

I don’t know if I got my story straight. I probably got it all wrong but I’d put this down anyway. I didn’t really have the time to find out but my version of it goes this way: Maya goes on weekend hiking trip and comes home on a Sunday morning. While she was washing up she gets a “feeling of drowning.” She’s taken to a doctor who diagnoses the incident as a case of “Hydrophobia.” The family takes her to another doctor to get a second opinion. The findings indicate that she was in an advanced state of Rabies. Three days later she passed away. Apparently, a week before she went on that hiking trip, her dog “Alex” died. An autopsy indicated that the cause of death was some liver problem. The dog wasn’t checked for Rabies infection. A few weeks back before the dog died, Maya was scratched by the dog’s tooth while playing. Doctors speculate that when Maya was a lot younger, she got scratched by a dog infected with Rabies but didn’t affect her and became dormant. The virus probably got aggravated when her dog Alex scratched her again and went all-out into her system.

She was 25. She was at her prime. Why God took her away so early is a mystery. Maybe that’s just the way He works.

I miss Maya.

*****

Friday, September 16, 2005. First leg of mph [Mobile Philippines] magazine’s three-day event called Mobile Pilipinas 2005, the country’s largest mobile IT fair goes on it’s second year. It was held at the Expo Exchange, 2nd Floor of Greenbelt I, Makati City. Lots and lots of prizes were given away on hourly raffles, big discounts on all of the state-of-the-art mobile devices on sale, FREE seminars on the latest advances in mobile technology and tech advice from the mph editors and industry experts. The hottest local bands performed for the guests and a laptop computer was given away to a lucky guest on the grand raffle.

mph [Mobile Philippines] magazine's Mobile Pilipinas 2005: L to R: Editor in chief Adel Gabot, Villman Computer Systems Inc President Boyet Villaroman, President and CEO of Hinge Media Inc. Paul Vincent Bermudez and Intel General Manager Ricky Banaag cuts the ribbon and officially opens Mobile Pilipinas 2005. Click on the image to see larger picture.

The first performers of the night were the mph September Issue cover girls namely Hanna Romowac of sessiOnroad, Aia Lucero of Imago and Lougee Basabas of Mojofly. Click on the images to see larger pictures.

And of course, picture, picture with the ladies! L to R: Jayvee Fernandez, Adel Gabot, Aia, Hannah, Poch Bermudez (at the back), Lougee, Art Ilano, Howard Paw et moi. Click on the image to see larger picture.

…and another picture, picture with the ladies and the magazines! L to R: Jayvee Fernandez, Adel Gabot, Aia, Poch Bermudez (at the back), Hannah, Doris Bermudez (at the back), Lougee, Art Ilano, Howard Paw et moi. Click on the image to see larger picture.

The “obligatory” fashion show.

“Japorms ko noh? Like my CPU?” Click on the image to see larger picture.

“Sound trip tayo…” Click on the image to see larger picture.

“O, ha? Ganda ng videoke mic ko ‘no?” Click on the image to see larger picture.

“palmOne Life Drive, mmm…” Click on the image to see larger picture.

Metallic models…. Click on the images to see larger pictures.

And so I conclude my day one of Mobile Pilipinas 2005. Now off to Power Plant Mall in Rockwell Center, Makati City…

*****

Later that evening, Arnold Arre launched a Special Collected Edition of one of his earlier works which was originally published as a four-issue miniseries, “The Mythology Class.” It won the National Comic Book Award for Best Comic book in 2000—the first one that won in that category. It was held at Fully Booked at the Power Plant Mall, Rockwell Center, Makati City.

The Mythology Class Special Collected Edition Book Launch

The Mythology Class Special Collected Edition. Click on the image to see larger picture.

Recognize the “shaman-esque” character? :) Click on the image to see larger picture.

My autographed copy :) Click on the image to see larger picture.

I’ve been waiting to read this book for a long time now. During the time the four-part miniseries came out, finding individual copies was like looking for a needle in a haystack (or I probably just didn’t look hard enough :)). I’m just glad Arnold decided to come out with just one book. I know that four-part thing was just some marketing ploy to make readers hang on a bit longer and wait for the consequent release of the other issues. The original publisher probably thought at that time that Arnold couldn’t generate a steady fan base that would flock to newsstands as soon as the next issue comes out. At least that’s what I think. I guess he thought wrong. :) I think I became a fan myself, ever since he gave me a signed copy of his other work, “Trip to Tagaytay,” (a bit mushy for my taste but then the guy’s very much in love so that’s forgivable) as well as his other (mushy) work, “After Eden.” :)

Admirers of Arnold Arre’s work. Click on the images to see larger pictures.

Professor Emil Flores reads a message of praise for Arnold’s work. Click on the image to see larger picture.

Arnold talks about how he consciously missed an opportunity of a lifetime to come up with his own comic book masterpiece. Click on the image to see larger picture.

The publisher hands a copy of The Mythology Class Special Collected Edition to Arnold. Click on the image to see larger picture.

Book signing… Click on the images to see larger pictures.

The launch turned into a sort of mini-reunion. Lots of U.P. Fine Arts people turned up and we hung out after “Kaiser” Arnold was done signing up autographs for his fan boys and fan girls. Ah, the price of fame… Reminds me of a story that Sarah McLachlan shared in her VH1 Storytellers video about the song “Possession” which was about people sending her fan mail, a small percentage of which were bordering on “psychotic.” I just found out Arnold had his share of a’la “Misery” fans. No, he didn’t get kidnapped and got his legs broken and forced to write a graphic novel the way his loyal, yet crazy fan wanted it. At least it wasn’t as extreme as that. His legs are still intact. :)

The Arre’s with Reg. Click on the image to see larger picture.

Reg, moi and Arnold. Click on the image to see larger picture.

Sam, Bia, moi and Reg. Borrowed this photo from Arnold and Cythia's phlog. Click on the image to see larger picture.

The Macasaets. Click on the image to see larger picture.

Bia’s bunsoy. Click on the image to see larger picture.

multiply.com’s poster boy :) Click on the image to see larger picture.

Reg was there. So was Bia and the rest of the Macasaet family, and Coco… oops, he’s now known as Sam, I keep forgetting. Multiply.com’s poster boy, Carlo and Niña. Dulzzi and Lizza. Terry came by and so did Juliet. Ang saya saya!

We should do that again soon.

*****

More photos from day 2 and 3 of Mobile Pilipinas 2005.

Ala Paredes performs with Hiraya [She looks a bit like Ruffa Gutierrez, don't you think? :)].
Click on the images to see larger pictures.

Chicosci. Click on the images to see larger pictures.

An overview of the exhibition area. Click on the images to see larger pictures.

The entrance to Mobile Pilipinas 2005. Click on the images to see larger pictures.

Nyoy Volante and our Host/DJ from Wave 89.1. Click on the images to see larger pictures.

Wunjo. Click on the images to see larger pictures.

At the registration area. Click on the images to see larger pictures.

The winner of the Viper VPC laptop with representatives from Villman Computer Systems Inc. and mph [Mobile Philippines] Editor-in-chief Adel Gabot. Click on the image to see larger picture.