I remember being a KPOP fanatic way back in high school. I got addicted thanks to BoA who was singing a set of songs for this all-musical variety show called “Showking M” and next thing I knew I got hooked on KPOP shows like Show Music tank, Showbiz Extra and most of all, Pops in Seoul where I fell in love watching VJ Soy, which I kinda of compared as Korea’s Heart Evangelista but that’s another story.

That was 2003…

Now? My ears kinda got glued to more mainstream…OPM, RnB and all that jazz but I still have that KPOP heart in me.

It was also that time when I took an interest on discovering what skills and talents I may have had and thus started trying out on new hobbies and interests. Among those I took up in the long-time is learning how to play a violin. From 2004 til almost exactly 2008 last year, I was working very hard to know the basics, the know-how and the pieces in order to become a good violinist.

I admit that it is hard. My fingers (especially my two thumbs) sored on every whim of the bow and every string I have to hold to make a note. But the hardship ends with reaping its fruits…I feel that week by week I get better and better and more familiar with the way I play. I may not turned out to being the next Yo Yo Ma in the four years learning the craft, nevertheless, the knowledge and and experience became a part of me that’ll never go away. I had to leave violin for the meantime because of the demanding schedule I had at the time (one of the many reasons I quit the CSB Debate Society 2 years before).

A year later, I decided to try out for DLSU’s Pops Orchestra, one of a select few orgs I believe that recruit Benildeans. It was actually a one-year pilgrimage, having learned about it from an old classmate of mine in Philien (Philippine Literature in English) who happens to play the violin and is a member of Pops. But time and again, gaining entry is a difficult task to achieve considering that effin’ old hooligan that looks like a militant activist in charge of the Visitor’s Desk in the South Gate. Don’t want to go there, but I really really want to see him disappear for once.

And  disappear he did several months ago. I was able to gain entry inside and inquired about Pops in DLSU’s Cultural Office. I learned that the org is going to recruit members the next term (this term!) so I decided to wait it out til then.

 Today was simply great timing: 1)I get to have my refund from CGO back this day and 2)I plan on printing my next CP (contact print) for Conctpho in Paco (Because they’re so cheap and I wanna explore Manila more!). So timing is just right.
I  wanna thank Jeco for reminding me about the recruitment week, at least I still had some time left to achieve my goal.

The cultural office directed me to go to the “band room” in the Science Building that’s somewhere near the La Salle sports complex. Too bad my permit only allows me to go to not anywhere else but the library where I told the evil man from the South Gate that I’ll be going, which I did went so I could have access to a book that’s only found there (I want to thank Niko for that bit by the way).

I got hold of the school’s number and Pop’s extension number and I was able to talk to what I presume as one of the org’s officers, which calls himself ironically by the initials “JL”…Same initials as I (except people don’t usually call me by that nickname other than James, Jaime and, rarely, Luis).

JL told me that he’ll text me but for the meantime, he’ll try to arrange my audition with his supervisor and fixed the necessary permits for me to gain entry without any hussle from “the rotten old goon of the South Gate”.

Pray that I get myself in…

We are the Few, Loud, and Proud! Faith in the Flame!
ANIMO BENILDE!

Sometimes, there are certain things that draws people together: common interests, hobbies, school affiliations, orgs, associations and anything the shares a common bond between individuals.

Thus, it kind of transcends the process of “common interests” to the World Wide Web which not only provides the infrastructure for people from all over the world, but also helps creates a senses of pacified social order and understanding. The proliferation of various online forums and social networking sites proves such.

However, as any other mediums, it is without its own set of problems: identity theft, cyberporn, bashes, conflicts, and flaming. It prevents people to trust each other in cyberspace in belief that above all else, they are still strangers. That belief unfortunately is what fuels this unnecessary bashing and fighting online because these hooligans do such knowing people won’t be able to identify them in reality and because the Internet in general has limited regulations, it provides and avenue for them to do harm in cyberspace.

Nonetheless, it seems that it doesn’t prevent good-hearted people to at least give a kind of trust to whoever they meet online in forums or any other social networks. Much the same as how the Internet is used to harm people, it also do a lot of good (if it is used for good that is).

There have been cases wherein married couples reasoned the Internet as the reason how they met, fell in love, and eventually tied the knot. It also became an open window wherein celebrities and ordinary folk could connect with each other (with the likes of Facebook, MySpace and Twitter). Not only that, people who are legends in their own right are somehow drawn to online discussions concerning different fields that affects them, one way or another. Not only that long lost friends, and family members were able to reconnect with the help of sites like Friendster and Facebook.

In my own experience, I’m more than honored to have met such extraordinary people with really interesting stories to tell as well as share the common things that “makes us brothers”. I have met people who works, who used to work in an industry that I will, someday, join. I have met people who not only helped me understand things more in the clear, but became the kind of friends that I always wished to have (even if I already have friends in the physical world) without having to reveal much of who were are nor at the same time having to be lie).

And this is what fulfills the Internet’s ultimate purpose: Create and foster an environment where people could freely gather and express their views liberally without fear and conflict as well as with understanding and prosperity.

In other words: “Make the world a smaller place”