Below is a photo I took on 9th August 2006 (National Day).

The story:

1. We’re goin live broadcast at the National Stadium

2. I was supposed to go to some media booth

3. I end up in another media booth, the photographer’s corner with all their big cameras and big tripods.  They’re from here and overseas.

4. I was an idiot for believing the one who directed me that’s where the POWER crew are!

5. I got through all the restricted zones in the stadium, ‘got through this spot by mistake.

6. Everybody started taking shots of the passing chopper and the Singapore flag.

7. I only have my Samsung phone. I had to do something. While everyone’s taking shots, I took my slim phone, along with the other photographers, took a shot of our flag! Voila!  DJ’s can also take pictures, even If it means they’ve gotta use camera phones. The  result – check the photo below!

      Here’s another one from Bangkok. What does F.U.C.K. mean?

Martinis need not be served in Martini glasses. How about in a teapot?

This one’s at the Mezze Bar @ Meritus Mandarin Singapore. Yummy Lychee Martini!

The dips you see are for the dim sum we ordered. Fab selection I tell you and served in a wonderful platter! It’s a must try! They’ve got comfy couches too!

More!! Here’s what I believe is THE ONLY BOUTIQUE MOTEL in HOLLYWOOD! It’s called Hollywood Downtowner Inn! Lovely people manage this spot and you get decent breakfast, a nice swimming pool, colourful surroundings, lotsa restaurants around. Thai restaurants are so hot in this town! Reasonably priced! One of the Managers of this Motel even drove me to the Holly strip when I was on my way there to ensure my safety! Coolest folks on earth!

www.hollywooddowntowner.com

I’d recommend this place to anyone. I love the folks here! I’ll come back and stay here again when I visit L.A. the next round! 

Coming soon! 18 year old Joseph from Station Kitchen! We need more Josephs in our kitchens! Check it out on my next blog!

These are the POWER JOCKS he-he!

Just a heads up – Saturday, 21st April from 10:30AM til around 7PM it’s Movie Marathon with the Hip Alliance/IPOS.  I was wiser to actually watch WILD HOGS the night before the marathon (mwa-ha-ha!)  It’s a no brainer kinda movie but filled with lessons to learn and puts your feet back on the ground – loved it!  SM (that’s me) ran to the NS40 exhibition and learned more about Singapore’s history, its NS experience, and honestly, it made me wanna apply for my Singapore Citizenship (again!) If only I can grab the time to do it! You’ll hear most of the POWER JOCKS for a couple of live reports from different Singapore spots this whole weekend. Jensen for Kit Kat, the rest as far as I know roves for NS40 Exhibition among others.  Tune to POWER98!

Back to me, I then took a nap after a wholelotta goofin around with my angels at home. 9PM, SM headed to Zouk for their 16th bday party, the queue was terrible so by my special powers I didn’t need to line up but – I DIDN”T win the Subaru car coz my name’s not in the draw – I’m stupid!  Oh well, I met lots of beautiful people, old pals, new pals!  Wait a minute, what’s wrong with these gorgeous ladies? Why aren’t they contending for the Ms. Singapore Universe title?!  And what are these ladies doing at the M.S. Universe?!  Now I’m sounding like a realy bitchy woman here.  Well, I’m gonna wait ’til I hear from Maggie of the Morning Jam, her beauty scoring is higher than high.  (oops! smells like memo comin my way this Monday!) 

Today, Sunday! I need to hit the shower for a long event I’m hosting on Orchard!  Catch the POWER crew from 9PM @ Wala Wala Holland Village for the JOHN MAYER ACOUSTIC session. My buddies Jack & Rai (EIC band) will play Mayer tracks, etc and gives prizes galore c/o Wala’s and SONY BMG. Tonight, Sunday, 22nd April.  See you there!

 Big Hugs!

Don’t get me wrong If you’re a Christian – coz I too was born and bred in a family that observed all the rituals there is in the faith and maybe more.  This includes being pinched by Gradma during Angelus time (6PM prayer at home) and I can’t recite stuff by memory spontaneously.

Travelling and meeting all kinds of people from different parts of the world.  Living in Sri Lanka made me understand Buddhism,Hinduism, & Islam much deeper.  I’ve visited friends, ‘been invited to countless celebrations even in the streets where they invite you to dine with them FOR FREE!  I became more conscious of what it means to be not just a Christian, but to be human.  To the Atheists, I am stupid – I do believe in God. To the harcore believers, I could be that person they won’t want their kids to mix around with, I’m what they’ll call “too worldly, too secular.”  I was even questioned once in a gathering, “how is it being a DJ and being a believer?” A Church leader enquired in a condescending tone mind you.  I just said with a big mouth-tearing smile “IT’S FUN” and I added “YOU? ARE YOU HAVING FUN?”  

The fundamentalists in most faiths (of any kind) would judge you that in the afterlife, If you are not a member of their religion – you’ll be simply a wandering soul or you’ll be punished, maybe burn forever and will suffer pain that no one can fathom, or you’ll be punished the way you’ve treated others while you were still living on earth.   This is something I can’t understand, an issue I have with people and groups who believe in them and yet see the most wicked practices from them.  For being a Filipno, I’ve made friends at one time at one Church I used to go to coz I bring my kid there for her Sunday school.  Name all the funny things that their employers do, I’ve probably heard of them, yes, including non-stop mahjong after the service, maids drinks/meals measured daily,   It’s amazing what information you can fish from Domestic Helpers.

When I lived in Dubai in 2002, I found that the most hospitable and warmest of people are the Arabs. My hairdresser’s an Iraqi guy, my computer admin pal’s from Syria, my party buddies are from Morroccans, Syrians, & Jordanians.  What’s admirable about my Arab buddies was that they didn’t have to consume alcohol to be happy and high, they’re naturally in high spirits, always up for a good fun,  a great long drive, boisterous laughter, non-stop jokes, they’re simply nice brothers from a different world and I love and miss them a lot!

Why am I sharing this to you?  Mate, it’s Easter Weekend, in my faith it’s what we call JESUS HAS RISEN, or the Redeemer lives.  But, there’s more to that than meets the eye.  In the present age, I see many people who have embraced this faith and still miss the point – the point of simply ”BE NICE.”  And as always, misses the point of the offensive motto “DO UNTO OTHERS” it didn’t say “DON’T” it commanded “DO.” 

Contrary to what other hardcore believers who come and knock at your door sometimes that you have to be like them to be nice or to inherit a special room in heaven or so, truth is you don’t have to be a Christian to be nice.  Being nice and kind is not about religion or faith, it’s deeper than that or maybe more simple than that.  Promise yourself some of these from this week onwards:

1) DO HELP SOMEONE WHO’S CLUELESS ABOUT WHAT HE/SHE NEEDS TO DO TO MAKE HIS/HER JOB BE DONE IN A BETTER/HAPPIER WAY.

2) DO BUY SOMEONE LUNCH OR SNACK.  THIS WILL MAKE HER/HIM SMILE, AT LEAST A LITTLE.

3) DO CALL A FRIEND YOU HAVEN’T SPOKEN TO IN AGES. HE/SHE MAY NEED A LITTLE TIP OR TWO FROM YOU AND YOU MAY JUST SAVE HIM/HER FROM SOME KIND OF TROUBLE.

4) DO HUG A FRIEND, OR ANY OF YOUR FAMILY MEMBER.  IT’S CORNY BUT HUG POSESSES MAGIC THAT’S HARD TO EXPLAIN. 

5) DO WAIT FOR PEOPLE TO EXIT THE MRT/BUS DOOR FIRST BEFORE YOU ENTER.  IT’S JUST THE RIGHT THING TO DO.

6) DO SAY HI TO YOUR NEIGHBOUR EVEN IF HE/SHE THINKS YOU’RE WEIRD. AT LEAST HE/SHE WOULD KNOW THAT THERE’S A WEIRD NEIGHBOUR IN THE HOOD WHO SAYS HI TO HIM/HER.

7) I’M RUNNING OUT OF WHAT DO’S TO TELL YOU BUT, PLEASE “DO BE NICE.” 

Til then, this is SUPER M:) Hugs!

It was one Sunday Morning and I went to Church with my close pals Alan, Cherry along with their kids. At that time, I was really feeling a little miserable. Some years back at another workplace, I’ve experienced working under weird kinds of people and I did try my best to seek out the good in them. I’m not perfect neither are they, but my patience runs low when time and again I encounter indifference and insensibility around me.

I used to serve a Boss whose got all kinds of vices and bad habits, name it he’s got it. Funny thing was, to him I was the bad guy. He’s married, I was (then) a bachelor, and yet he calls me a playboy! When he chases the girls I also try to date! Hey, I was then a single man! He even gambled with his buddies one night just to prove that the girl I was trying to go out with will never come to me or that I’ll be ditched. Somehow, the gal found out about it and in the club where we were all gathered this Swiss girl took me by the hand, hugged me real tight, and french kissed me at the center of the dance floor, just the two of us! My ex-Boss lost a lot of money that night and again Mario’s bad in his books AGAIN! To date, that girl is still one of my closest friends.

Back to that Church service. The preacher started telling sensible things that spoke directly to me.
1)GOLD 2) GLORY 3) TROPHIES. He’s basically telling me that these are the things that hinder people from becoming better and more successful. It spoke to me because of his examples and illustratons. People who keep repeating and torturing themselves and others about their glories, riches, and trophies don’t really move forward in this life. I couldn’t agree more. From my Primary grades to College, I’ve been awarded quite a number of medals and trophies. From singing contests to writing original compositions, from orations to school projects.
They all burned into ashes in 1993, everything – photos, medals, trophies, all burned into dark ashes. I cried rivers of tears for all of them, and yes for our house of course.

The preacher pounced more on these 3 subjects GOLD, GLORY, TROPHIES. The more he puts life and meaning to what he’s telling everyone, the more I interpret the message with arms wide open. I’ve realised more that in life:
1) Sometimes to be number 1 you’ve got to be the last
2) That the bigger beings are actually the smaller beings
3) That it’s not all about the lights, the fame, the recognition
4) That the smallest member of your family, workplace, group could be the Mightiest and strongest of them all
5) That happiness depends on happenings and joy comes from deep within
6) That no matter how tall you walk today, there’ll be days that you’ll slouch
7) That I have to cherish what I have in my hand then and now (job, family, anything)
That it’s better to get other people sing you your glories than yourself.
9) That being grateful means, even If it hurts at times, be thankful that you’re alive
10) That there are other people who are better and more talented than you.

Gold is all about the riches. Glory is all about being honoured, recognised, accepted in the high social circuit. Trophies are all your awards, accomplishments, medals, winnings. Reality bites, they all mean nothing when you lie helpless in your sickbed and none of your family and friends are there.

With all these in my head tonight, I’m more challenged to step out and do something for the world. Something to make it a little better. That’s when I think of my friends from Music For Good, NVPC, Mercy Relief, my so-called Church- EVERY NATION, Rachel Ong’s THUMB’s UP, even World Vision. I saw our NMP Eunice Olsen’s trip to Cambodia last year from a women’s mag and thought, If someone who’s as busy as Ms. Olsen can make a difference I can too.

I accept and know that there are better and more talented people than me. I had this little chat with POWER98’s Harry in the taxi last week. We were sayin, we knew there were others who could do our jobs when we just started DJing when were much younger. It just so happened, we’re hired at the right time, at the right place. Truth is, in the world and industry I belong to, the Glam Factor can eat you inside out. I’ve seen this happen time and again and I’m trying my best to remind myself that besides that glitz and sparkle – it is still a job.

Are you caught in your own Glories, Gold, Trophies?