I’m proud of this friend of mine! Finally, a break for someone so soulful and really with good heart! Mind you, I played this in front of my GM with some tears in my eyes! Pai seh but, what to do?!

With 384.000+++ hits just on one youtube video – this is cool!

With Madonna @ the ex-Club Momo

I’ve performed with Madonna Decena some years back at a couple gigs here in Singapore. She used to perform at Singapore’s HRC and the former Club Momo. Tears roll on my cheeks while listening to her on YouTube. I knew her struggles and have shared a lot of things about life among others with her while she was here. She sang one song that’s still in my protools file and have yet to mix it due to workload. I sang with her @ the outdoor stage of Esplanade with her band Bureau at that time and it was a really heartwarming and inspiring gig together with the band and the wonderful audience!Go Madonna! I pray for your success and you have a home here with us in Singapore!

Hugs!
Mario

Recorded this in my room. Camera’s on top of my bed, just my guitar and Colbie’s song “REALIZE.”
I’m gonna upload more past and present videos on YouTube!

Let’s celebrate life and music! Life’s too short!

Hugs!
SM

If you’re a Dad like me and you put in many hours of work during busy months or weeks you’ll probably say the same thing like me “I SUCK!”  I used to believe that I could spend more than 2 hours with my kids everyday.  Truth of the matter is I don’t get lucky with time everyday. With this in mind comes my great joy. No matter how I suck at parenting, my kids still adore me, they’d shout my name even before our door grill opens, they tell me “Luv you Dad,” or “you’re the best Dad!” It’s a heartwarmer that’s priceless. 

I just bought a second-hand piano for my daughter. I’ve got extra bucks for that and I’ve been searching the internet on the best offers and finally got one from Geylang area and it sounds really good for a 2nd hand piano.  Last night, Hannah’s playing ODE OF JOY and IT’S A SMALL WORLD and I couldn’t help but shed some tears while she was playing and while she read her notes.  I told myself, “even how much I suck on being a Dad and no matter how many faults I’ve made, God gave me my kids and it’s enough for me to be grateful about life.” I was really inspired by Hannah knowing that she can pick up rhythm easily and follow the notes the way it is written on her music books.  My daughter’s first t.v. commercial was a jingle for Sentosa and it was recorded in my home studio with my friend Fred and she was just 4 when she followed my directions to sing the way Fred’s client want it! She nailed it and it’s a handsome fee for a 4 year old kid! 

I can’t wait to go home to play the piano with my kids. My 2 year-old Lana sings her Barney songs while hitting any piano key. I’ll probably send her to a music school in the future. That is if I see that she really likes it. I won’t push them to do stuff that they don’t or won’t enjoy. I spoke to Hannah last night and asked her If she likes her piano and her piano class. She replied saying “Dad, I love my piano and my piano class!” This morning before I left for work she gave me a hug while I was fixing myself up.

I quote Bob Carlisle’s Butterfly Kisses song in a line that he sang “…Oh of all that I’ve done wrong, I must have done something right…to deserve a hug every morning and butterfly kisses at night.”

Thanks to Bing Loyzaga for this funny stuff! I KEN LEE!!!!!

I wanted to laugh my heart out when those US soldiers were given the challenge to eat “balut” for a Fear Factor challenge. I could easily down that in 2 minutes! I kid you not! My friend Neil who mixes our POWERMIXX show on weekends just told me he ate 6 baluts while our other friend – ED, keyboardist of Jive Talking downed 12 baluts at one go!! They bought baluts from Kamayan @ Tanjong Pagar. Can’t miss that spot, also sells the nicest Leche Flan and Yam desserts. You should try it, it’s quite heavenly!

Back to my Fear Factor breakfast delight. Got these “CRISPY LARVAE” from one of those shops at MBK. They’re crunchier, less sweet, but they’re actually nice! Tastes like crispy prawns! I’ve tried fatter ones with spring onions, sprayed with some sweet thai sauce. This round, I made it as a side dish along with my garlic fried rice, some fried eggs on the side, some chilli sauce, and other left-over food, and a pitcher of nice fresh rock mellon juice! It’s a wonderful treat!

Now, what’s next to conquer?!

 

When you’re 37, busy like almost everybody, & have two kids, life is a totally different ride  if you wanna call it that way.  In a million ways, I put my feet on the ground when I reflect on the things, words, expressions, and our travels whenever I get the chance to be with them. 

Here are some lessons I’ve learned from my Kids – Hannah & Lana:

1) Screaming your name outloud and throwing a violent hug after a hard day’s work regardless what time and day it is that you arrive doesn’t matter.  You’re our Dad and we’re your kids. Whether you have a long face, unshaved face, or very sweaty – WE WILL HUG YOU while we’re running no matter what we’re doing! 

2) Forgive us If we wrote on the white wall in our house, we didn’t mean to sack the house and damage it, it’s just that we ran out of paper and “Dad, you weren’t here to show us where the drawing papers are….Tita (our helper) deserves to watch her t.v. and when it’s late she also needs a break dude!” 

3) Never lay rules on smiling and laughing, u crazy or what?! You should know better, smiling and laughing makes you younger, your heart will be healthier, your hair will grow better, and we WON’T FEAR YOU like some kids do fear their parents! Some of our neighbours are like that. You’re not a neighbour, YOU’RE OUR DAD!

4) Watching the JUSTICE LEAGUE and BARNEY are two of the most fun things we like about you.  You never get tired of watching these with us. Although I must warn you, Granny thinks you’re weird coz at 37 you have more cartoon DVDs than two of us combined. But we love you for that!  Now when are you gonna entrust us your Limited Edition Transformers DVD along with the animated collection of yours?!

5) You don’t have to beat us with a wooden plank, a thick wire or a rubber slipper. We know you’re a Voice Actor/DJ and you can imitate those terrifying voices like the ones on HBO and the movies.  When you raise your voice, we’re already shivering. Imagine If you take your belt from behind the door of your room? We do get your message when we are very naughty.  Forgive us when we are naughty, the candies and chocolates at home entertain us well when you and Mum aren’t around and it gives us a real good high ya know! 

6) When we invade your room, please allow us to sleep in there. It’s not really the aircon that we’re goin for, we wanna simply chat and laugh with you guys before we go to sleep. It’s quite hard to book a meeting with you both every week ya know? Do we really need to take an appointment number just to be with you both? Your room is just 5 seconds away from ours right?

Sound Effects:  Vehicle breaks, really loud!!! Screech!

Me : That’s not the way my kids talk to me. But in my head this was how I’ve digested their expressions, reactions, body language – their unwritten messages.  I’m not the perfect Dad, never have been. I’m quite terrible at it.  But what I try most of the time is that I try to be a man, a friend, a kid, a non-boring guy to them coz, I find myself boring a lot of times. That’s the last thing they’d want from me.  I ask myself: “Dude, you spend more than 44 hours/week at work and when it’s time to read a story book to your kids you’re giving up easily? C’mon, keep it real dude!” 

Til next blog – hugs to ya all! It’s SM here”)

 

Sea view front….great service at the hotel….wonderful sun shining….my daughter – Hannah with me on a Jet Ski – awesome bonding time!

That’s Phuket for me and where we stayed was simply close to paradise! Chill, not so noisy, lots of cool Europeans (imagine that?), and less Asians on the spot where we were.  I loved the concept of staying at chill-out spots and then be pampered with some great food and really busy retail therapy! 6 pairs of jeans and a couple of shirts, some stuff for my helper and folks at home, a little bit of spa, a little bit of massage, a little bit of japanese facial at less than half the price of what I’d pay for If I’d spend it here in Singapore – I’m trigger-happy! 

Not many know that I’m aquaphobic. I got drowned once in a deep pool because of giving in to peer pressure. I’m not giving into peer pressure no more coz it nearly caused my life. On two ocassions I’ve conquered it with the help of a life-vest! Years ago, I snorkled in Palawan, Philippines and my balls were over my head thinking that I won’t float. I did float! Silly me!  After being assured by our lifeguard that I’ll definitely float, I then started having fun seeing what’s beneath the waters 100 meters deep or more!  

Moving back to Patong Beach, I took the courage again to hit the waters! This time, with my 5 year old Hannah! We wore our life vests and hit the waters!It was awesome!I’m not a racer and I don’t want us both to be thrown away by the motored jet ski so we just cruised and enjoyed the sights, the yachts, the waves, the deep blue waters of Patong Beach! It’s a wonderful experience that my Hannah entrusted her life to me knowing that we’ll float either with our jet ski or with our life vests. She was screaming with joy sayin  “WOO HOO!!! I LOVE IT! I LOVE IT DAD!” Deep in my heart, I was telling God to please guard us with his Angels and that my Angels be not as silly as the one driving this jet ski (me!).  God’s been nice so far and we landed with pure joy and simles on our faces! The secret to enjoyment really relies into moderation, keeping a clear head, and try not being an idiot! In my case, more than anything else it’s my kid putting her faith in me that we’ll be ok. We did just fine we’re still alive!

That’s all at the moment.  Hope you’ve got your break as well. If not, there’s always tomorrow!  Hey, www.tigerairways.com offers 50%off on various destinations. Go check and book your seats asap!

          

I’ve been silent lately. Lots of things running all over my head, my heart, my soul. More than anything else, more than my own family – my kids and all…it’s my Nanay, my mother who’s now 75 years old.

Cecilia is her name and she married my Dad – Mario Lajarca Senior (I’m the Junior!) when she’s barely 33 and was running a high fever due to all the madness and beatings from her own Mum. My Granny is a weirdo!  Years ago when they tied the knot it was really hard just to go along with my horrible Granny. To think that she’s had 2 weddings and had 2 husbands! She doesn’t approve of my Mum to be married at that time! What a Bee-Yatchhh right?! Mum gets locked-up after being beaten by Granny when they were younger (even if she’s already qualified to get married, she’s 30++ at that time no?!) Dad was a hero! He’d buy food for Mum, thow it on their window so she could eat some nice bread or food thrown by Dad. Isn’t that heroically-romantic! Dad’s a good guy, gentle, strict, but gained the respect of his peers and the whole neighbourhood. To date, If you want to find my house in my town, you can simply say “You know the house of KA MARIO?” and you’ll be directed to my house. 

Nanay (Mum) has suffered for years. Her medical condition isn’t getting any better. What makes me sad in many ways is that often, my elder sisters have no patience for her. It breaks my heart to even write this and share with you a bit about my life.  I ask myself, “how can you be really this hard to your own Mum?” I can’t fix the puzzle on this chapter of my life. All my life, all I dreamt of is to be able to give my Mum a better life, provide for her medicines, give her a better roof over her head and pamper her whenever/wherever. But at times, I don’t see eye to eye with my sisters on this.  I’ve probably done what I could for them, but reality is “it’s never gonna be enough.”  At one point, I phoned my Mum during one of her most depressing moment some weeks back. I can’t help but cry just thinking about her and I cried harder when she expressed to me “son, you’re my last hope…” How do you react with that? I tried to contain myself while sobbing a little and told my Mum “while I’m around, I’m here for you, don’t worry….” 

What really hurts me a lot is the fact that I’m having a much better life here, a more comfy life than my Mum. That hit me bigtime coz there were things I was unaware of that’s happening with her until recently.  I’m not sure how I’m gonna be able to make up with my Mum.  I’m praying to God that He’ll give me a chance and some time to be able to spend more time with my Mum and bring her here to play with my kids, cook for her, bring her to some body wellness treatments, the works.  I may sound like a Mama’s boy, but – she’s all I got.

It’s not Mother’s Day. But it’s something you can think and reflect on as well while reading this.

Big hugs!

SM

 

Ok guys and gals FEMALE mag quoted my age as 25. They’re actually on the spot on that – I’M 25 FOREVER!! 

I’m really not big on birthdays. I usually spend it on my own. I contemplate, I recall, I reflect, I talk to myself, eat on my own, I try to appreciate the tiniest and most humble things in life, I try to chat with strangers – the tuktuk drivers in Thailand, the cab drivers in Dubai, the Chauffers in Colombo, the tricycle/trike driver in Manila, the normal dude on the street. It’s what really life is all about. Trying to know the most humble and simplest of people from all walks of life and how they’re coping in their daily living.

When I was much younger until my University days, I used to read all the letters I receive from all over the world and friends I met from camps and gatherings from different Philippine provinces. I used to get all excited coming home and asking my Mum If the Postman delivered something for me. It was really nice receiving pictures, letters, packages even though it is from your own country. The feeling of excitement knowing that thousands of miles away someone really cares for you and thinks of you. I still miss those moments. Naturally, the cyberworld has changed all that and honestly, it lacks the personal touch of relaying a message as it was when I get my letters handwritten by my friends from various parts of the world. Personally, I’m not a fan of forwarded messages. Don’t read ‘em, don’t like ‘em. I hate chain letters with all its threats when and if you don’t forward it. C’mon, gimme a break life isn’t dependent on some lucky chain letter propagated by some believers of lucky charm or religion.  If you’re a friend, the least you could do to another friend is at least “SAY HI, HOW ARE YOU?” Not some forwarded message that’s not from you. You’ll be remembered as sweet and not a BEE-YATTCHHH!

Back to my 26th Birthday. I spent countless of Spa treatments in Phuket and I’ll say it again and again, If you ever come to Phuket, never miss to visit Nanai road and look for HIDEAWAY. It’s a little rundown and more meek than your normal chic spa spots in Thailand. But it’ll be really a pampering treat for you and your partner. As for me – never was alone in my adventure there. I had a funny experience when I got into the sauna with some people already in there – a naked Aussie dude with his semi-naked girlfriend. It was hillarious. I wish to share more with you about this couple but – let’s keep it to your imagination til it really runs wild.

What’s classic about this last trip to Phuket: a) My Jungle motorbike got chained/locked by the cops. Paid Bht.300 to unlock it, the cop was nice to me. b) I missed my morning flight. c) The hotel fax is broken so I couldn’t get my new ticket on the spot. But, it all worked well in time for me to catch my flight to Singapore.  Probably, the last bit of my unlucky encounters before I enjoy another fresh year after my birthday.  Everything’s alright so far.  Well, the best present I got this year would be my Singapore Citizenship plus the envelope given to me by the Commisioner of Oaths that says “ORGAN DONATION TRANSPLANT ACT AND YOU.”

Thanks for your greetings (if you did greet me). It’s just another year for me. Nothing really hot or exciting as my second parents  Glenn & Ruth tell me “Mario, it’s just another year that’s all.”

Finally, here are my life facts when you’re at my age: (well, for me at least)

1) You massage your scalp/head every now and then in the hopes of it’ll grow more hair and that you’ll have a healthier scalp. Jon Bon Jovi believes that too.

2) You have all sorts of ointment/oil at home for different body aches. At times – pills as well.

3) You fall asleep halfway while watching just one DVD at home.

4) Redbull doesn’t work anymore to get your little cousin alive and kicking. You need the Matrix pills if you wanna be a cassanova-kinda-lovebed-conquistador!

5) Fact that hurts – your skin shrinks past this age like mine.  So, trying to stay healthy and eating greens, veggies, & fruits is something you try to enforce in your daily living.

6) You’re confused whether you wanna stick to be a fashionista, a sloppy Dad, or a hot or lousy boyfriend. I’m still confused!

7) When you have children, if you get lucky with your Wife at least twice a week – you’re one lucky bloke!  If you’re getting three or more, share me your secret!

Your kids scream your name anywhere/everywhere when they see you as “DADDY!!!” And there’s no way that you can say to anyone that you’re single!  To some babes – that could be a turn-on actually. “Ooh, that’s Big Daddy…” A little dangerous sometimes especially for those who wear their wedding rings and go club/bar hopping. Heard from a galpal that some gals in town do bet on guys who wear their rings and how long it’ll take for them to (ahem) carry him home! 

9) Sleeping 8 hours a day is a luxury. 

10) At my age, you runout of things to say. 

Big hugs to you wherever you maybe!