Category Archives: buhaykolehiyo

“Rising Phoenix-like”

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Hmmm…nine people read the first post and was viewed 12 times while my follow-up article received some pretty good comments on Facebook.  I hope this one is as good as the last two.

MAINTAIN THIS FREQUENCY!

For sure, a lot of people were saddened by the news of Campus 99.5‘ sudden discontinuation on the air last year and even now I’m sure a lot still do. Well, things happen and I guess we should all leave these behind us and move on.

I’m saddened by the bash, hate, pessimism and criticisms the station received from bashers, haters, and even a few listeners from the brand that replaced Campus last year based from what they posted from forums and other social network sites. Nevertheless, as a long-time and loyal fan, I feel as if I need to defend it against the likes of them. Even to the point of having my own share of insults as well some troll hacking my Facebook account and post whatever I wrote on my profile page in Pinoy Exchange (Thank goodness for mods!).

News broke a couple of months later that a couple of ex-DJ’s from Campus are planning on transplanting Campus Radio in a new frequency. Lately, some ex-Campus jocks have already moved on with new-yet-familiar jobs like Joe Spinner who’s now known as Koji Morales and is now doing midnight duties for 99.5 RT, Jimmy Jam is program director for RJ 100 and, at the same time, is hosting a show on UR 105.9. I was kinda worried that time, because of a lot of factors that prevents Campus from ever coming back.

Eventually, the hype brought by the news of another go for Campus died down that lasted til the first few months of 2009.

However, around March, I discovered that Campus Radio is back, this time as an internet radio station, a rather new but increasingly vital form of media at this time of age. A bit nostalgic when I first opened the stream, all the songs they were playing were relatively old tracks from last year meaning Campus Radio Online was on test broadcast. It didn’t took long though before it finally got some newer ones in rotation.

One of the first stingers I heard was a recorded voice of Triggerman, whom many listeners may remember as the controversial host of the Top 20 @ 12 back in WLS-FM. In later weeks, John Hendrix-voiced stingers also began playing.

Upon this discovery, I felt relieved because all the hurt brought by Campus’ terrestrial demise suddenly disappeared. Believe me, never in my life had I’ve felt such an attachment to something people would perceive as an “addiction” and mere “fanaticism” (as if they don’t do the same things on themselves.).

Then came more recent news about going live online and later a grand launch. So far so good, the vibe has been positive especially those coming from my co-listeners whom I get to interact often online in PinoyExchange. According to one recent update, something’s cooking this August.

Ironically, it’s going to be almost a year since Campus went unplugged by the higher powers by the time Campus Radio Online reveals what they’re keeping mum about (August 14 to be exact or what I personally call it “Ill-Fated Thursday“).

Flashback to a few months ago, I opened Campus’s online stream again while at the same time I was watching this clip of John Hendrix and Jaybee recorded from last year’s UP
 Fair 2008 on the Net where they announced that time Campus Radio’s return (via 99.5). I didn’t noticed the streaming was still on so as I was watching the video clip, the stream is playing Coldplay’s “Viva la Vida” which turns out to be symbolic in a sense. After the clip ended, the song continued on and just a minute before it ended, someone suddenly spoke live. Turns out to be the Triggerman, hehehe. Now that’s a surprise!

I’m completely impressed by the mere fact that John Hendrix and Triggerman really poured all of their time and energy investing something that is seen most unlikely to be revived after it got screwed twice for the past few years. Maybe this time, third time’s a charm.

Most of all, none of these would have been possible if it weren’t for us, the listeners/fans who have remained loyal to Campus Radio. It’s our continuing support that kept them going despite the ups and downs, as well as the bumps along the road. So in a way: It was US who brought Campus Radio back!

And as I quote a line from Jimmy Jam: “Lo and behold, from the burning ashes of a scorched barangay, rising Phoenix-like, Campus Radio LIVES! “

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Reestablishing Connections

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It’s been quite a while since I’ve seen several old schoolmates from high school who goes to CSB. Nothing biggie really but I haven’t heard anything from them since all of my class are now based in SDA. And the only Jamers I’ve seen on an almost daily basis are Justin and Gelli P.

So it feels such a relief to see at least one of them every once in a while right? Last Wednesday was just that:

I bumped into Nikko P in Main recently. I only had one class on a Wednesday so shortly after I went to Main to get some grub. Afterwards I saw Nikko and again who, like me, was on his way home.

Considering we take the same route, we decided to commute as a group. As we rode the train up north, we talked about things ranging from reminiscing good times in high school to catching up with each other’s lives. And I realized how much I missed seeing old friends and acquiantances that I’m used to see before stuf like college and reality broke us apart like scattered chess pieces.

But chess pieces do get themselves together you know? Hahahaha..

Things definitely changed (as I’ve said so before) and people changed but one thing’s never change, that kind of relationship you’ve established like a friendship being a foundation of a life-long connection that will never cut.

Even if connections slow down, you could always have them “refreshed” every once in a while for them to “amp up”. The fact that you knew a person for a long time proves that this will never wear out nor it will go away.

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Unknown Connections

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Other than Louie and my wide network of distant relatives, I absolutely don’t know anybody form SJA when I transferred there back in July 1, 2002. Before becoming a Jamer, I used to see that seemingly “creepy”-looking building of cement when I accompanied my dad on bringing my two older siblings to SJA (me and Jorge went to another school in Valenzuela). I didn’t have the slightest clue of what “hidden” and “unknown” connection I have with some of the people I came to know during my 5 year-stay in SJA.

One was during my Grade Six graduation ceremony. My dad met a familiar fellow he knew back in college. That fellow turns out to be Russel I’s dad (That’s a surprise!). He and my dad were classmates back in FEU and both were pursuing degrees in electrical engineering.

A very awkward fact with my dad recounting that they were the closest of buds. Ironically, me and Russel were classmates (twice) but we were not exactly very close friends.

Another connection was revealed on the eve of my high school graduation. My mom discovered that one of the parents used to carpool with her back in the day. It turns out that she was referring to Payat’s mom. Coincidence?

Here’s one going all the way back. My family have long been clients of Nanay’s Pancit Malabon going way before I was born. Back in Grade 6, one of the owners told my mom that her daughter goes to SJA as well and she’s on the same batch as me. Didn’t have an idea who she was referring to until a year later when I found out that Ria’s the granddaughter of Nanay’s.

Weird having to know these fun facts and it’s kinda nice that I actually knew such. Not sure how that would affect me in a larger-than-life kind of way but it’s better that I know about them than not knowing about them at all.

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Reconnections

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Oh my…How times certainly changed for better and for worse. As if it was like yesterday when I have to wait for my carpool to fetch me and my siblings to school, grade school that is, and try to not go past 7:15am or else I’ll get a sermon from my teacher.

As if it was yesterday when, in a fit of anger, I took away Chris Ibbar’s purple bag and put it to some place within the school (kasi bully siya) or when I was the “center of attention”between 2 girls back in Prep.

Life was never the same again for me the moment I came back to the Philippines after staying stateside for more than a year (June 24, 2002). At the time, I was in the process of transferring to a new school, a new life and a new nickname (don’t ask).

Even up til now, I still have this sense of homesickness, having being unable to see my old friends from grade school. Old friends, enemies, bullies, and praning people…Yes, I miss them all.

I’m not quite sure how did those people react upon hearing the news of me no longer going back to SMMC. And I don’t buy that nasty rumor about them celebrating my departure, that’s not a very nice thing for them to do that considering it was hard on my part about leaving.

Throughout the months I was away,. I kept in touch with at least two people I regard as the only people I could trust: Michael and Carlos. Before none of us have any email addresses, I would write and send my own letters and do IDD phone calls. Just hearing their voices kept me sane.

When I got home, the first thing I did was visiting Gerard’s house from the next block. As far as I know, school had already began so it’s kinda weird that he didn’t have classes yet in CMIC. Eventually, through him, I was able to hear Angelique’s voice again when Gerard called her up on the phone.

I eventually made visits to Mangga, Carlos, Janine, and Michael. Most significant is when I saw Joyce April a.k.a. “Cheche” again. Sad to know that her life is pretty much a wack.

I saw Maricris again near Polo since her family run a stall in the nearby marketplace. Mark Paul went to my house once back in 2002 but never reappeared since then. I first saw Chenee again when she and her family went to Maysilo once…we reconnected through Multiply and YM. Same goes to Jamelle, L.A., and Kenji when we all “saw” each other through YM.

I’ve yet to see John Paul but my sister saw him and his older brother last December. I remember Joan (from Grade 2) but she didn’t recognize me because I wear glasses now. I saw Lucky a.k.a. Leo’s profile on Facebook recently and had him added up as one of my contacts.

Two separate jeepney incidents became mini-reunions when I saw Angelique and Señelita again (first was back in 2004 and the latter was earlier this year). Señelita saw me on Facebook recently and so were Jamelle and Mangga. I added Michael last year on Multiply. I think I saw Marvin’s name appear on Facebook as well.

At most, I’ve already seen Zach, Carlos and Michael. I last saw Zach when we were waiting on the same train last March in Central Terminal.

Me and the guys have long been planning on doing an all-Montessorian reunion but it never get to push through nor hints of doing one never materialize. I’m usually the one that tries to organize such a reunion so I’m really hoping on getting the right timing for a lot of us to finally have a get-together.

It’s really hard for a person to reconnect with the people he has known practically his whole life but haven’t seen them for the longest time. He cannot do it alone but with the help of his friends, he will make it happen.

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