Alone Again, Naturally Thursday, Dec 27 2007

 It could have been a very happy Christmas and I wanted so much to write about the events that happened the past few days.    I want to write about all of the Christmas parties and gatherings I’ve attended.   I want to write about the following: 

v      About the Christmas party with the Muay Thai Association of the Phil (MAP)- that happened at the same night with the Christmas party with  my staff.  Fortunately, the MAP party was held at Ultra and our office party was held at Aruba Metrowalk which enabled me to attend both.   

v      About the dinner with my best friend, Christian and his girlfriend at Paparazzi, Edsa Shangri-la Hotel.   I told Beck that perhaps Christian will be announcing something very important, like his engagement, which is why he chose such a very cozy and private venue.    

v      About the Christmas party at World Music KTV in Promenade Greenhills my wife and I held for the staff of our family business.   Beck and I were supposed to meet my high school and college friends for dinner in Makati but since Beck’s not feeling well, we stayed with our staff.   

v      About my family’s visit to my sister and her family.  This is their first time to be in the Philippines during Christmas.   They will be migrating to Canada this coming summer and I may not be able to see her again for the next four or five years.  About my nephew and niece who speak with what I call the “call center accent”.  They have acquired this accent because they’re both studying in an international school.  About RP making an e-mail address to her cousins, making me to remark that kids nowadays are so technologically advanced.  I had my first e-mail address when I was 22.  My daughter is only 8 and her cousins are only 5 and 4.   

v      About the Christmas dinner (December 24) we have at Mezzaluna at Serendra The Fort.  Beck has spent all of her energy cooking spaghetti that she will distribute to her staff and to street kids that she couldn’t prepare our dinner.  So we have our noche buena at Mezzaluna and ended paying Php6000 for a dinner for 4 persons.  Our bill could have reached Php8000 if the foie gras we ordered was served.  Fortunately, the waiter made an error and forgot to include foie gras.   We teased our maid that she just had a very expensive noche buena.    

v      About the dinner the following night (December 25) at New Orleans at Bonifacio High Street my family had with Carlo and his daughter.   

v      About the mountain bike that I gave Beck as a Christmas present since she wants to try mountain biking as a sport.  And for her to have a companion in biking, I bought another bike for me. 

v      About the home theater system with a 32 inch HDTV I bought as a gift to myself.  Knowing that I’ve always been a naughty boy, Santa will not give me what I want for Christmas.  So I purchased my own gift.  And the first movie that I watched with my new toy is my favorite movie Love Actually.   

 v      About the four new books that I recently added to my reading collection.  These books are: 1)The Knights of the Holy Grail: The Secret History of the Knights Templar by Tim Wallace Murphy  2) The J Curve: A New Way to Understand Why Nations Rise and Fall by Ian Bremmer  3) A History of God: The 4,000 year quest of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam by Karen Armstrong  and 4) The Art of Victory: Strategies for Personal Success and Global Survival in a Changing World by Gregory Copley

 

v      About my other best friend, Richelle who kept on checking where I am and if I’m with my family.  I told her weeks ago that if I will not be celebrating Christmas with my family, I would spend the holiday in a place where there’s no Christmas.  And I’m choosing between Siem Reap, Cambodia or Ulan Bataar, Mongolia.   I told her that since I’m in the Philippines, it means that I’m not alone this Christmas.    

But instead, I am writing about the song that is endlessly playing in my mind.  The name of the song is Alone Again, Naturally by Gilbert O’Sullivan.   Though this was released in 1972, three years before I was born, I only heard this for the first time when I was in 3^rd year high school and I loved it instantly, which is unusual for a 15 year old, specially at a time when most teenagers would bang their heads to Ice Ice Baby (Vanilla Ice) or strut their bodies with The man from Manila (Francis Magalona).   

This poignant ballad of a man contemplating to commit suicide after being stood up in his wedding and telling about the death of his parents is one of the saddest songs ever written.  There’s much poetry in its lyrics, specially this line “Reality came around, and without so much as a mere touch cut me to little pieces.” I would think and hum this song at every low point in my life.  This song would help me soothe and pick up the pieces of my shattered self.   

I thought I can prevent the aftermath of the November 9 incident.   There’s really no running away from the consequences of our actions.    

One night after Christmas, I’m alone again, naturally.

 

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Elizabeth: The Golden Age Friday, Dec 21 2007

 

 I was meaning to watch the movie, Elizabeth: The Golden Age with my 8-year old daughter.   I have this notion that since I have a big influence on her, I can convince her to watch a movie based on a historical figure.    When I was 8, I already prefer watching movies and documentaries about historical events and figures.  I was in Grade 2 when I was glued to the TV mini-series War and Peace, and closely followed the story of its main character, Pierre Bezukhov.   I loved the story, even though I don’t really understand it at that time, primarily because Napoleon Bonaparte is my favorite historical character and I have the same name with the lead character.  Instead, my daughter preferred to go window shopping for the latest model of Bratz.  I’m not disappointed with my daughter at all, I just understood and respected that she’s a different person.  But I’m glad that I didn’t watched it with her because I will end up giving a loooong history lesson trying to correct the inaccuracies portrayed in the movie. 

Elizabeth: The Golden age is the sequel to the 1998 movie Elizabeth.    The movie starts at a time when Spain is the most powerful country in Europe (If you remember your history lessons, in the 15th and 16th century, Spain have the audacity to divide any new discovered world outside Europe between them and Portugal through the treaty of Tordesillas and Zaragoza).    Having just secured her English throne, the Protestant Elizabeth I have to contend with both internal and external threat posed by her Catholic cousin, Mary Queen of Scots and Philip II of Spain.   The Spanish Inquizition is sweeping the continent and the Spanish regent and the Pope sees Elizabeth a heretic and it is their God given duty to bring her down and make all of England embrace catholicism.    The movie also portrays the challenges of a female monarch, at a dangerous time when women have no role in politics, and how great leaders often have to sacrifice their personal happiness to address the demands and needs of their country (How I wish the Philippines have such leaders).   The movie also have a subplot of Sir Walter Raleigh beguiling the English queen, whose biological clock is dangerously ticking, but ended up falling in love with and marrying one of the queen’s lady in waiting Elizabeth Thockmorton.  

Here are some of the historical inaccuracies I’ve observed in the film.

1.  The Babington Plot,  one of the conspiracies to assassinate Elizabeth I was portrayed in the movie as having carried out with the shooter coming face to face with the queen and the plot only failed because the gun used for the assassination was unloaded.   The real Babington Plot was discovered before it was executed and the conspirators sentenced to death.   

2.  In the movie, Elizabeth I mentioned about the Sultan of Turkey.    Turkey as a name of a country,  was only coined in the 20th Century with Mustafa Kemal Ataturk as its first president.  In Elizabeth I’s time, Turkey was known as the Ottoman Empire. 

3.   There’s no Robert Reston, the Jesuit who was ordered by Philip II to do the duty God gave him, in history.  He could be John Ballard, who’s also a Jesuit and a conspirator  in the Babington Plot.  I wonder why they have to change the name of the Jesuit priest. 

4.  Walter Raleigh played a big role in the English defense against the Spanish Armada.  While watching the movie, I am shaking my head because the real historical hero was given a minute role.  Francis Drake is the leader of the English fleet who went toe to toe against the Spanish forces and defeated them.   England has so revered Francis Drake that there’s a legend surrounding the Drake’s Drum.  It’s a drum once owned by the famed seaman and on his deathbed, he said that if England will be in danger,  all someone must sound the drum and Francis Drake will come back to defend England.  The drum was played several times throughout history including the 20th century.  People claim that the Drake drum was heard playing when World War I began and when the English forces were routed in Dunkirk in World War II.  

5.  The English fleet  was not severely outnumbered and outgunned by the Spanish Armada.     In the main battle of Gravelines, the English ships outnumber the Spanish. 

6.  The use of fire-ships (ships purposedly set on fire) by the English fleet was not an act of desperation as portrayed in the film, but an act of brilliant naval tactics.   The fire-ship attacks forced the Spanish fleet to cut their anchors (which troubled them at the later stage of their campaign) and break their formation and positioned themselves against the wind.   This enabled the faster English ships to target the Spanish ships.

7.   It is not the severe storm that battered the Spanish Armada and saved England.  The English Navy  used better naval tactics and strategy.  The strategy of the Spanish navy is to come close to their enemies ship, clip the ship with grappling hooks and the Spanish marines and sailors will board their enemies’ ship for a hand to hand combat.    This tactic was proven effective by the Spanish fleet, specially during the Battle of Lepanto wherein they routed the numerically superior Ottoman Turks’ fleet, but not in this battle.   English ships, being lighter and more maneuverable, prefer distance fighting.  They would unload broadsides of cannons then move out of harms way.   ( In Robert Greene’s book The 33 Strategies of War, Rule No. 2 is Do not fight the last war.  Meaning, change your tactics against every opponent.  Perhaps the Spanish fleet is not aware of this strategy.  Even in the Battle of Trafalgar, which is 250 years later, the Spanish fleet who are aiding the French are doing the same strategy against the British navy.  The defeat of the French and Spanish navy prevented Napoleon Bonaparte from invading England).

8.   The storm that wrecked the Spanish Armada came later when they are defeated by the English navy at the Battle of Gravelines.  Since the English Channel is secured by the English fleet, the Spanish fleet have no recourse but to sail around Scotland and Ireland.  That is where the storm battered them.  With their anchors cut before the battle of Gravelines, Spanish ships are mercilessly hammered against the rocky coasts of Ireland. 

But these historical inaccuracies, for me, are too small to give the viewers a confusing account of history.  It’s a movie, not a documentary.  Movies are meant to entertain, documentaries are meant to inform.   Despite of the many dramatic license the director made, Elizabeth is a great movie worthy to be required as an assignment by every history teachers and professors to their  students. 

By the way, to those charmed by Clive Owen’s Walter Raleigh.  Did I tell you that years later, Walter Raleigh was beheaded by James I (He’s the King James of the King’s James Version of the bible) ?

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2007 SEA Games Debacle Wednesday, Dec 19 2007

There’s no disgrace in losing.  Only in winning with no honor- Kwai Chang Cane, Kung-fu The Legend Continues.

The Philippine delegation to the 2007 SEA Games in Nakhon Ratchasima produced only 41 gold medals, which is the worst performance of the Philippine Team in SEA Games history since 1977.  Thailand, the host country, is a run away winner with 183 gold medals.  Thailand winning the over-all crown is not a surprise.  It is common for the host country of the SEA Games to win the over-all crown, plus the fact that Thailand is the capital of home town decisions in this side of the world.  What is surprising is that the Philippine team, bagging the over-all title during the last SEA Games, nose dived to the 6th position in the gold medal tally this year.  

Many point to the faulty or biased officiating in the 2007 games (did I mention that Thailand is the capital of home town decisions in Asia?).    Annie Albania, the lone gold medalist in boxing was able to get the title because she was able to knock down her opponent.  The other Filipina boxers who outclassed their opponents have to settle for the silver because of the judge’s decision.  This prompted the near walk-out of the entire remaining Filipino boxers all of whom are vying for the gold medal.  In a show of unity and of protest, these Filipino boxers withdraw from the finals and gave the gold medal to Thailand on a silver platter.    Even the legendary judoka, John Baylon almost fell victim to faulty officiating, fortunately, his unequalled judo skills enabled him to gather points to win another gold medal.  In 2005, RP Muay Thai Team garnered 3 golds, 3 silver and 1 bronze medals, this year, we only have 5 silver and 5 bronze medals.   The Thai team fielded seasoned professional fighters, most of whom are Lumpinee Champions.   Which is a direct violation of the SEA Games Charter wherein only amateur athletes can compete.   It is sad to see, that an athletic meet, which is envisioned to foster camaraderie among Southeast Asian countries is becoming an instrument to cultivate resentment among its neighbors. 

But the biggest message for me for this debacle, which should also be a lesson for the government, is not to expect too much from the athletes at a budget so miniscule.   Atheletes and the National Sport Associations (NSA) that trains them have to make do with what little the Philippine Sports Commission gives them.     There’s simply not enough funds for elite athlete’s training, foreign training and exposure, equipment, and grassroot program.     More than half of the Philippine muay thai team have not even set foot in a muay thai camp in Thailand.    This is only muay thai, perhaps the case is worse for other athletic discipline.   One only need to go to Ultra or to Rizal Memorial Complex to see the sorry state of our athletes and the facilities where they train to understand why an Olympic gold medal is still a dream for the Philippines.     

It is not the athletes who are to blame but our honorable lawmakers who prioritize their pork barrels over the budget for sports development.  Oddly, it is our athletes who makes the country proud by winning medals in international competitions, despite how little monetary support they are given.  I still have to see a lawmaker coming home to a hero’s welcome after going to another country.   

The equation is simple, no money, no medals. 

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Investing Monday, Dec 17 2007

The past week has been very busy at the office.  With the year nearing its end, I have to contend with endless reports that must be generated, next year’s budget must be finalized, goals must be set for the following year,  and staff clamoring for a higher Christmas bonus.   Plus, I have to finish the business plan of the venture I am working out with a Finnish group.    Then one morning, one of my staff invited me for a lunch meeting to discuss the IT company that he is setting up with a friend and the possibility of being one of its investors.   I’ve been discussing with my staff about the the potentials of setting up a Medical Transcription company specially that our mother company is the largest hospital group in the US.  Just think about it, our mother company owns and manage more than 190 hospitals in 22 states.   The number of doctors working in these hospitals, who can be our captured market, is mind boggling.   

The IT company they intend to set up aims to service the ICT requirements of BPO companies.  I told my staff’s business partner that I may not be able to invest in their company but I sure can refer them to somebody who might be willing.   I follow Warren Buffet’s principle of investing only in the things you understand.  And I do not have sufficient knowledge about ICT consulting and servicing  (which is very ironic and surprising because as a high school student I was part of the Philippine team in computer programming and I used to be the chairman of the sub-commitee on IT Education of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce, yeah, its a long and weird story ) so I prefer to put my funds somewhere else.   Moreover, I was told that the projected rate of return is 10% p.m. or about 5 years ROI which for me is too low considering the risk involved. 

Whenever I invest I always consider three things 1) risk 2) return 3) liquidity.      For small time investors, like me,  liquidity and risk is of utmost importance.  The PSE is presently,  performing extremely well, despite the current political situation, with the average performance of mutual funds hovering around 30% return for this year.   I learned from a former Chinese boss that any business that will take you more than 4 years to recoup your investment is not a very appealing one.     Further, if you invest in a business, you have no, or perhaps a little, liquidity.  If will be very difficult for you to cash out in case you need the funds, unless there’s another investor who wants to purchase your share. With mutual funds or UITF,  you only need several days of processing to have your cash back.   So at present, in my opinion,  mutual funds and UITFs are better investment instruments compared to starting up a small business. 

There’s a simple computation for determining at what rate or how long your investment will double or have a return on your invested capital.  It’s call the rule of 72.   For example, if you want your money to double in 5 years and you want to know at what rate of return it will double, just divide 72 by 5. Which means that you need to have an annual yield of 14.4% compounded annually for 5 years for your money to double or have your ROI.    Or let’s say, you have an investment that yields 15% per annum and you want to know in how many years you’ll have your ROI.  So divide 72 by 15 and you have 4.8 or in less than 5 years, you have your investment back.

Like I said, the stock market is perfoming excellently.  Specially with the sub-prime woes that is hounding the US financial market.  Fund managers are now putting their war chests outside the United States where it is much safer and where the companies are performing better.  Perhaps the only problem we have to worry for the PSE and the Philippine economy is that the people will finally take Sen. Trillanes and Teofisto Guingona seriously. 

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The Contender Asia Friday, Dec 14 2007

Finally, after months of waiting, The Contender Asia will be shown in AXN.  Muay Thai fans in the Philippines have been anticipating the airing of this event as early as May 2007.     AXN has already started broadcasting teasers of the show and hopefully, The Contender Asia will start airing next month.  The taping of the preliminaries is already over since last October and the championship will be held in the US this March. 

A Filipino-Danes fighter, Ole Baguio Laursen is supposed to be in the show but has to bow down because of an injury he sustained during his K-1 match against Andy Souwer.    In the video teaser below, he’s the one wearing a white with black stripe MMA shorts, doing shadow boxing on top of a building. 

Below is the video teaser of The Contender Asia.  

When I went to Fairtex Pattaya last November, I got the opportunity to train with two of the contenders, Naruepol Fairtex and Yodsanklai Fairtex.    Each one has their own distinctive style of fighting.  The former being a tall fighter, prefers distance fighting while the latter is more of an inside fighter who can also deliver some devastating punch aside from his deadly kicks.   Many consider Yodsanklai as the best pound for pound muay thai fighter, some even consider him much better than the famous Buakaw Por Pramuk. 

 Beck, Naruepol Fairtex and Me

 

Me with Yodsanklai Fairtex

 

With the other fighters of Fairtex.  Attachai (the tallest of the group) and Kaew (standing at the right of Yodsanklai) are also Lumpinee Champions.  

Beck doing the pads with Tee a former Northern Thailand Muay Thai Champion

I already know who are the two fighters squaring off in the championship of the show.  I don’t want to make any spoilers so I’ll keep mum.  But I’ll give a clue, the March championship is some sort of a rematch because the two have fought each other before, with my favorite muay thai fighter emerging on top.   

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A Strong Peso? Tuesday, Dec 11 2007

Filipinos and the business  and financial community has been so accustomed to the peso being a favorite whipping boy of the almighty dollar that the peso’s skyrocketing value is viewed as an economic miracle for some and as an economic bane for others. 

Working for an American company,  all of the financial computations I made are converted into dollars .  As early as August or September of each year, I would make the budget proposal for the operating expenses of the Philippine office for the following year.   When I made the budget proposal for 2007, it was in August last year and the exchange rate is about Php54 to $1.00 .   The surprise strengthening of the pesos has greatly squeezed my budget because my $60K to $80K budget each month now has a lower peso value.   Part of my compensation is in dollars and I am also feeling the blow.  If a foreign company is wobbling from the peso appreciation, what more the OFWs and their families.

A high peso value has its good and bane.  A high peso cushions the rise of oil prices in the world market, specially in the winter months wherein the demand for this commodity is at its highest.   It somehow make foreign goods cheaper for the Filipinos to purchase.  On the other hand, a strong peso affects not only the OFW, Filipino exporters but is also hurting the BPO industry.  I’m in talks with a group of investors who wants to start up an outsourcing company.   The figures now, with the dollar falling to Php41, are no longer very appealing compared to financial figures several months ago.   Fortunately, I’m also doing another business venture with a group from Finland which will enable me to be compensated in euros.    I maybe wrong, but a strong peso will also hurt the already taking-off tourism industry.    The tourists’ dollars will go a long way in Thailand than in the Philippines .  Plus, the fact that Thailand has better tourism programs and peace and order situation. 

Sadly, the Philippines is so used to a weak peso that its  monetary policies are designed to protect the peso from weaking but no policy to protect the peso from strengthening.   Is it just the government’s shortsightedness, or is the idea of a robust peso a far fetched one. 

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2007 Philippine International Grappling Tournament Saturday, Dec 8 2007

The Best BJJ Team in the Philippines-Kamphuis-Fabricio Academy

One World, One BJJ- Team Fabricio with Teams from Guam, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Bangkok

“The Juggernaut” Baby Joe Taimanglo- I’ve always wanted to play BJJ like him.  A very technical fighter

Frederic Martinoli from United Grappling France- this white belt moves like a bluebelt

Beck with our coach, Sir Stephen Kamphuis

If only I’m not having some issues in uploading photos in this blog, I would have posted this much earlier.    Actually, my issue is that my work is so demanding that whatever little time I have left is divided by my family and my sport which leaves me no time to study other things even something as simple as optimizing images to make it easier to upload in the net.   Perhaps, I’m suffering from what Alvin Toffler called as “future shock”. 

Anyway, the 2007 Philippine International Grappling Tournament was held last December 2 at the Activity Center of the SM Mall of Asia.  The 2007 Philippine International BJJ Tournament was held the day before, but since its bonding day with my daughter, I have to forgo it. 

The said event attracted BJJ practitioners and grapplers from the Philippines, Guam, Thailand, Australia, Hong Kong and Taiwan.    I helped in officiating the said tournament.     The Guam Team sent their very best and ruled almost every weight division and category where they fielded an entry.   But my team, Kampuis Fabricio Academy won the most number of medals to bag the trophy for the team competition.   As expected, Luis Blanco of Team Guam was honored as the Most Technical Fighter of the competition, beating fighters who are more than twice his weight.

After the tournament, my family with RP’s friend Winona went to the nearby Global Carnival to have some family fun.  Beck got more than she asked for when the cast and crew of Sports Unlimited was there to film their next episode.  Needless to say, Beck is exceedingly exhilirated to see Marc Nelson in the flesh.  She’s got a big crush on him for the longest time.   Beck and I were able to get some pics with him.    Well, oh well, when will I have the opportunity to have photos with my long time crush Andrea Corr or Jennifer Connely (I have a crush on her since I was grade 4 when I first saw her in the movie Labyrinth).

 

Beck with Marc Nelson

My long lost twin brother

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Night with MMA Legends Friday, Dec 7 2007

MMA and BJJ Legend, Royce Gracie- the man who started it all.

Jeff “The Snowman” Monson.  Man, I look like a beanpole.

Josh “The Babyface Assasin” Barnett-Former UFC Heavyweight Champion

Ginele Marquez- professional muay thai and MMA fighter.  5-7-1 fight record.  She can kick any man’s ass. 

For the first time ever, Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) legends will do battle in Manila for the Ring of Fire MMA Team Competition.    Four teams lead by Ken Shamrock, Royce Gracie, Josh Barnett and Gokor Chivichyan will face each other on December 9.  Unfortunately, ticket prices are extremely expensive, Php8,500 for the ringside and Php5,600 for patron seats.    Two patron tickets will cost me Php11,200 just for a few hours of watching MMA.  The amount is obnoxiously high, specially if that event will eventually be shown on TV or in Youtube.    I only watch events or concerts if I will get patron seats.  The reason is simple, you’ll be better off watching on TV than watch an event on a seat farther than the lower box. 

Fortunately, these MMA legends and their fighters are billeted at Crown Plaza Ortigas and are working out at my gym,  Red Corner Galleria.   So, last night, I was able to watch and train side by side with these world class athletes.   I studied their drills and techniques so I can share it with my team mates at MAP-Ultra and at Kamphuis-Fabricio. 

The fighters are all lean, ripped and mean looking.  Even a female MMA competitor, Ginele Marquez, is more muscular than me.     I don’t think I’ll last one round if I spar with her. 

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Enchanted Tuesday, Dec 4 2007

Saturday, December 1, being bonding day with my daughter, we watched the movie “Enchanted”  at Shangrila after her Kumon Class.

The movie is a gentle parody, a spoof of the fairy tales that Disney itself popularized.  A fairty tale of a princess waiting for “someday her prince will come” who was trapped, of all places, in the real world of New York City. 

All the actors gave superb performances, except for Patrick Dempsey who I think gave a constipated performance.     Amy Adams and James Marsden were able to give life to fairy tale characters who suddenly found themselves in a four dimension world.   I didn’t almost recognize Susan Sarandon due to her excellent characterization of the Wicked Queen. 

The movie has all the formula of a Grimms Brother fairy tale, a scheming, wicked queen, a prince looking for his ladylove, an old hag, poisoned apples, the magic mirror.   But the movie wanted to have a politically correct angle, or a modern angle in the story with the princess rescuing the “prince in distress”.    I think the movie scored high among the feminists world wide. 

The movie somehow implied that love is not really a fairy tale.  But an everyday thing that must be worked on.    I’ve also observed that the movie has some sort of Jane Austen twist wherein two opposites coming to terms with each other at the end of the story. 

Overall, Enchanted is a wonderful movie for kids and adults alike.  Though I still think the wicked queen turning to a dragon as an overkill and Patrick Dempsey, in the King and Queen’s Ball scene, looks like the ugly version of Hugh Jackman in the movie Kate and Leopold. 

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Akon Live In Manila Saturday, Dec 1 2007

 ” I say are you reeeaadeeeeee????”  “Tell me where you’re from babeeeee???”  Those two phrases are the most often repeated by Akon to connect with and enliven the crowd who braved the traffic and ignored the failed coup d’ etat just to watch him perform live last Thursday, November 29. 

It’s a surprise for me to watch a concert of an R & B dance/hip hop artist.  I don’t dance, I don’t listen to club music, I prefer mellow and classic songs.  Heck, even my favorite boyband is a classical group, Il Divo.   No, I didn’t get free tickets, I bought them myself.   And nobody coerced me to watch this concert either.    But the rhythmn of his music and the poetry in his lyrics turned me from a cynic to a fan.  His song ”Sorry, Put The Blame On Me” is very timely and I dedicate some of its lines to my wife,  my daughter, and to my mom.     Also because of that song, I have huge respect to the man who wrote a song full of apologies  be it his fault or not.    One night in September when I was in Miami,   I was having dinner with a colleague in a cuban restaurant near Gianni Versace’s former mansion when in the street, I saw some gorgeous latinas gyrating to the song, ”Smack That”.     In that moment, I understood why nights in Miami are subject of songs, movies and television.

My wife and I were late for the concert and had some trouble going inside the concert because of our digicam.  The guard wouldn’t allow Beck to bring it inside the coliseum and was requested for us to deposit it at the package counter.  Later, to our dismay, we saw a sea of people brandishing their digicams, some with even their videocams.  I so want to go out and make a complain agains that guard.   Without our digicam, we have to contend with our cameraphone.  My Dopod, for all of its advance features,  I couldn’t fathom why does it have poor capability in taking pictures, specially if its low light or if the object I’m shooting is moving.  

I thought that Akon didn’t have any front act until I heard from the news the following day that The Kitty Girls front acted for him.   We are very late for the concert that we missed their performance.  The Corrs still holds the record of foreign artist/s who held a concert in Manila who didn’t have any front act. 

My wife and I were dancing to Akon’s music as if we were teenagers.   And so is the crowd in Araneta.  They are all so lively that it seems nothing of national importance happened hours earlier.  What coup d etat?  What curfew?  We are all alive and dancing in Araneta.    Good thing I got Patron seats and not the Patron VIP because we are seated on an elevated platform and have better vantage point.  My friend Chris and his date are in Patron VIP and have to stand at the chairs to have a good view of Akon. 

I respected Akon the more when he told concert security that he don’t have any issues of fans shaking his hands or touching him.  And asked them to allow people to come close to him.  I find it rare for foreign artist/s to do this. 

After this concert, one thing’s for sure.  I’ll be playing Akon over and over again in my office to the astonisment of my staff. 

 

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