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.:Off The Cuff:.

The Maldives were sinkiiiiiiinnnnggg!!!

And with that image, I managed to capture the sheer insanity of being a part of SPIT's first-ever Rookie Night. It was a night to remember, and certainly something I am exceedingly proud of.

Last Tuesday, we had a pretty intensive crash course to get the hang of the basics for improv, and I have to say, it really made me realize a lot of things about improv that I previously never got.

So there I was with Jay-R, my fellow Rookie, and the first thing we realized while we were sitting in Quantum Cafe last night was: plan? What plan? The scripts are thrown out, and the only thing standing between a good and a horrible improv performance for the both of us was our willingness to make it up as we went along.

So I sat there about an hour and a half early for the whole thing. I looked like a deer staring blankly at the headlights of the ATV that was about to run me over as the German film festival went on in Quantum, which was going to precede SPIT. Jay-R arrived shortly past 8 PM, and then the SPIT members asked us to join them for a few last-minute tips and a bit of warm-up exercises. When it comes to rhythm-based exercises, yes, I am still way off-beat.

In any case, things started off easily enough. They did a reggae song, then proceeded to the first game the Rookies were going to take part in: What Are You Doing? This game scared me back in the day, when me and my co-nuffies were playing it at random times of the day, and I actually won the game, although they did give a lot of extra consideration for us Rookies.

From there, we had several more games, and Jay-R got to demonstrate his skill at a murder mystery game called LCD. Needless to say, a lot of stuff was lost in translation, especially the part where Barney had to be played by Chal, who would never have understood that Barney was strangled by his own... member.

By halftime, Jonas was there, but Chino and Xeres actually came in and watched the second half of the performances. The next full-cast game came into play, and we did Eh Di, which was a joke-making game. Surprisingly, Jay-R and I managed to make a couple of solid contributions. Then came the Add-On Story, which is pictured above.

The Add-On Story is one of my favorite improv games, because it's a story built line by line from four different players, with each new line being preceded by the player actually repeating the whole story first. The comedy comes in how people forget details or actually create impossible situations then let the next person come in and pick up from there. Our story was entitled "Sticky Maldives", and we managed to spin a pretty interesting story that inadvertently turned into an Aladdin commercial because Happy saying "afar" reminded me of "Jafar".

At the end of the show, Gabe gave us some sage advice, and we eagerly await to see the next few rookies in the coming months. This should be an exciting time for improv comedy, if you ask me.

Xeres and I ended up having dinner at Behrouz in Metrowalk after the whole thing, though, and we even ran into Rendhl. What a small world.

All things considered, this was a night to be happy about, even if a lot of people flaked out on me at the last moment. Hey, at least, I had three friends actually show up to support me, and I was very honored that SPIT graciously took me and Jay-R under their wing last Tuesday and gamely encouraged and constructively critiqued our output last night in a way that encourages us to keep at it and improve as performers.

.:The Sweet Taste Of (Third Place) Victory!:.

Third place! Third place!

.:Overdosing On The Best Medicine!:.

Tuesday nights, Tomato Kick has open mic nights in Katipunan.

Thursday nights, I get to catch SPIT in Quantum.

Friday nights, Chihuahua has open mic nights in Makati Avenue.

.:Just Another Magic Monday: Mentalismo!:.

I'll edit this to include pictures by tomorrow, but I had the honor and privilege of catching The Mental Assassin, Mr. Justin Pinon do his first ever solo major show, Mentalismo. Considering an encore performance tomorrow is forthcoming, I think you should try and catch it, yourself!

I've always wanted to see someone try and do a full-length stage mentalism show here in the Philippines. There have been some attempts here and there, but most of the time, there has always been a need to hybrid-ize mentalism with something else, which kind of makes sense, since I'm one of those people who tried to bring the art form to the stage, and you know I will always lace my shows with more than just a bit of comedy, as I am wont to do.

But see, Justin doesn't play that way. He's a mentalist through and through, and he did a night of twists and tributes to the people who, directly or indirectly, helped get him known as one of the new generation of mentalists of note in this country. His style, a straight-talking performer who just seems mildly amused at the fact that he's achieving unbelievable feats with minimal effort, is quite an interesting take on the mentalist stage persona.

Is it a perfect show? Well, not really. I'm not at liberty to tell what routines he performed that night, for fear of accidentally divulging any routines he might plan to do again on the second night, but the venue was not the best when it came to production values. I guess that can't be helped, but instead of just handwaving it and telling you it's all good, I'd actually rather emphasize that Justin is a very strong performer, so don't let the production values get in the way of a very good show.

I know that the February 12 show went pretty well, even if it wasn't without some hitches, but let's face it: February 14's show will probably even be better, so come on down and catch the show tomorrow, if you can! Tickets are available at the gate, Scenema Concepts Theater, Semicon Building, along Marcos Highway. I believe it's worth every penny for anyone who has never seen what mentalism is all about.

And who knows? Maybe, just maybe, yours truly can finally produce another full-scale show again after two years of scaling down my annual shows. I've had some brilliant ideas over the past couple of years that no doubt, need execution. Now.

.:Priorities, Priorities...:.

... so.

There was a cosplay event over the weekend, and it coincided with Sachika's trip to CamSur. Thankfully, she'll be coming back this February, so I can prepare better, since she kinda informed me about her trip to CamSur a bit too late.

I ended up choosing the Otaku Con instead, since I wanted to meet up with one of my favorite cosplayer friends, Kristell. It was pretty funny when I was looking for her, because all Erving Go, cosplay photographer extraordinaire, gave me for advice, was to "follow the legion of fanboys tailing her." Lo and behold, this was a very accurate picture of what ended up happening anyways.

I also got introduced to her cousin, who was a pretty cool guy, all the same. I think there'd be some pictures of the whole thing later on, but for now, I'm in no rush to do any of that. I'm taking things easy at the moment, what with all the hurly-burly at work at the moment. I can't even do my essays properly at this point, but whatever, it's all good.

Anyways, I had a show for an old client recently, and it was one of the most amazing times I've ever had. You see, about four years ago, this client booked me and I just went nuts and tried a whole bunch of material as I was still at that point in my career where I was trying things left and right to see what worked for me.

Thing is, shortly after the show I did for that client, I did end up figuring out where to take my magic, comedy, and mentalism career, and I haven't looked back since. I managed to come up with a very good combination of routines for children and adults alike, but when I went to perform for this old client of mine, she told me she hoped for more mentalism, really.

At some point after the children's party, it occurred to her to invite me to their house and have a special show for the adults, which ended up being quite an experience for me, as I went there without my standard mentalism stuff. That's not really a problem, tbough, if you know how mentalists are, since we just ended up taking random stuff from the house that I proceeded to use for my act. Psychokinesis was fun, but you had, on top of that, remote viewing, classic card routines, standup comedy, and even a Q and A session. The Oracle act has got to flat-out be one of the best bits I've ever done in my mentalism career, least of all because it was the first time I ended a show with it.

After that performance, we just enjoyed our time with dinner and conversation and whatnot. It was quite an experience, to say the least, and I'm glad I managed to prove myself adequate to the task.

.:Just Another Magic Monday (Sorta): Homecoming:.

One guess why there were no bondage jokes that night.

I had a show Monday night as well, but inasmuch as that was fun, there was still nothing quite like performing in Don Bosco Sta. Mesa once again after approximately eighteen years since I last performed there.

You see, years ago, one of the first people who ever taught me magic was a lovely human being named Sister Angie, FMA (That's Figle Maria Ausilatrice, not Full Metal Alchemist, or Fixed Martial Arts.). It was the most unlikely mentor ever, but Sister Angie really got things started for me, and as you can see to this very day, it never really stopped, did it?

So when I performed last Sunday night in Don Bosco, that was as real a homecoming as can be for my magical career. It was just amazing, and the people were, in a word, entertained, which is the whole point of getting into magic the first place.

It was quite a moment, really, even if I had to be extra careful about my words and my jokes, since I was surrounded by nuns throughout the night, and I knew my liberal ways (LOL) were not going to go over very well there.

On a tangent, by the way, I'm still amused the last time someone referred to me as a liberal, considering how I actually am in practice. Not to mention that said person is apparently one of the least gracious people I have ever met, considering how said person has the temerity to still grouse and whine after being apologized to.

Stay classy, yo.

Anyways, where was I? Oh, yeah. The show. I think Apol and Iza had the idea to get me that night, and when I obliged them, I was overjoyed to see that it went over just fine, considering I had to follow a TV celebrity, which just intimidated me to no end. In any case, it was all good, really. This was a great return to my roots, although the next time I talk about doing a "back to basics," it had better be a post about me finally meeting Sister Angie after all these years. She was, unfortunately, not at the celebration that night.

.:And I Am Still Dumbstruck...:.

                                                                                    otakufridge.com

Ang hair ko, umabot hanggang dooooon sa haba!

Yes, this is hardly related to magic, but the moment was, for lack of a better word, magical. Last Saturday night, I was tasked to do voice over duties for the Philippine Blog Awards, as hosted by Ms. Gang Badoy herself. It was pretty amusing when I was asked, because while I graciously accepted the invitation to do so, I jokingly asked Juned if this was his hint that I had no chance of winning that night for either nomination. Juned just smiled and said he's not allowed to comment on stuff like that.

What was very different about this year's program was the fact that there were actually acceptance speeches this time around, which Arbet reminded me about while going over the program. I just casually noted that being the VO guy for the evening meant I wasn't going to win, shrugged, and moved on.

The evening was great, seeing as I met awesome people like the aforementioned Gang Badoy and the Christopher Lao! He seemed a lot shorter than I thought he would, and oddly enough, without his glasses on, he reminded me of Mr. Fu. Nonetheless, it was fun running into him, and to be referred to as the "voice of God" by Gang throughout the evening.

Pretty soon, they got to the part of the awarding ceremonies where my blog was nominated in two different categories. When I didn't win the Personal Category, I kinda assumed that was the end of it already, since that was the one I've been gunning for since 2009, I believe (I was off the grid in 2007 and was the host in 2008, after all.).

Next thing I knew, I was announced as the winner for the best blog in the Society, History, and Politics category.

                                                                                    otakufridge.com

This is how you feel so big and so small at the same time.

I haphazardly went onstage, still shocked (Hades, I still am to this very moment!), joked about loving all 20 of my loyal readers, joked about the fact that I was the disembodied voice throughout the evening, then quietly shuffled to backstage immediately afterwards. Yep, I pretty much didn't have an acceptance speech at all, but that's okay. This is my blog, so I get to do that here.

First of all, I'd like to thank the judges of the Philippine Blog Awards for the recognition of this blog. I've been blogging since 2002, so winning something like this, without a doubt, is truly a great honor for me. I still cannot contain my joy over this great recognition, and it never gets old. I've won best Philippine Blog in the Flying Chair Asian Blog Awards in 2003, then won one of the top 10 best blog posts in the Philippine Blog Awards in 2009, and yet, this honor couldn't have come at a better time, for me.

I am very honored that despite splitting my writing between this blog, The POC, Filipino Freethinkers, and, for a while, Filipino Voices, my blog still managed to strike a chord with the people who have read it in ways that I didn't quite expect. I've always been an autobiographical blogger, so it comes a bit surprising to me that my life has taken a turn towards the societal, historical, or political aspects of this nation. Sure, I do political satire here and there even in my blog, but I realized that with no active desire to stay relevant via my blog, my life itself has given me the opportunity to do and say something relevant that I can only hope brings, aside from the lulz, some measure of knowledge or dare I say enlightenment, no matter how unenlightened my position may or may not get.

To the people who do read this, know that I can only be grateful that you like what you see. I really can't please everyone, so I only ever write for my own sake, because I'm pretty much the only person I have any business representing in an official capacity, even if I do try my best to put forth a great picture of the Philippine Magic Industry in my blog every now and then.

I guess what I hope people take away from my blog is that I am a multi-faceted person with something to say. Whether or not you agree or even find what I have to say interesting, at the very least, I hope you can see where I am coming from and how I have come to form the opinions or even convictions I hold onto.

I have no illusions that this win would bring me to the upper echelon of recognized bloggers whose every word people wait on with bated breath. I have no illusions that my writing will directly engender changes in this nation, unless I myself take a direct, pro-active stand offline as well. I have no illusions that my writing would magically become more prolific and more enticing for consumption for the general public. Hades, I'm even shy about showing my own mother my own blog, despite the fact that I don't really write anything embarrassing about myself here.

What I do know, though, is that I will keep writing because I have something to say. I have always believed that is the first reason someone would want to blog, and that is reason enough for me to keep on doing what I have been doing for the past nine years in my own little corner in the web, ever since I realized I can't read my old diaries anymore because of my atrocious handwriting.

I'd like to thank Cracked because their sense of humor has influenced my writing immensely, and hopefully for the better. I'd like to thank the POC and the Freethinkers for having faith (I use that word very loosely, Freethinkers!) in my writing as well. Of course, I'd also like to thank everyone who has touched my life and been a part of this blog, really. It's hard to name all of you, but you know who you are. Obviously, without you, there'd have been at least one less entry for me to write, and as an archivist by nature, that would've been a travesty.

And the only thing I regret not having said onstage would be... I'd like to dedicate this win to someone who was, without a doubt, someone who did effect change in society, whether within the blogosphere or through his personal advocacies. Thank you, AJ Matela. I miss you, and I think that it is fitting for me to dedicate this honor to you, because you have, in your own way, sparked a revolution of minds and hearts, in life and in death.

Thank you, one and all, and I hope that my life continues to intersect with what is relevant and important to this nation, even if what I personally have to say about it doesn't always live up to the same standard.

                                                                                                                                             azraelcoladilla.com

.:Just Another Magic Monday: The 1thcyworm5!:.

Yes! Yes! This pleases me greatly.

I decided to write and do my JAMM's whenever I feel like it, but yeah, don't expect a religious weekly update from yours truly for now.

Anyways, last Friday, the Itchyworms celebrated their 15th anniversary, and I was invited to be a part of it. To say I was honored would be the understatement of the year.

I've been a huge fan of the Itchyworms ever since their first album came out. Whether it was "Happy Birthday" or "Antipara", I was immediately captivated by their music, seeing as they were a great alternative to the kupaw rockers of their era.

The scene of the crime was in Metro Bar. Jampacked to the rafters with fans, friends, and everyone in between, the Itchyworms went in to play fifteen of their songs, and everyone was just hype the whole night! Special guests abounded, including...

... Marcus Adoro, alumnus of the Eraserheads.

And even...

... the man you least expect standing beside the Straight Edge Comedy Magician, Mr. Pepe Smith himself!

I also ran into Ebe Dancel, Ronnie Dizon, Francis Brew, and Chris of "Ako Si Chris" fame. It was star-studded, and every single person out there definitely raised the sheer energy for the night. Conspicuously missing was Lourd De Veyra, though. We were hoping we'd find him doing the spoken word part of "Freak Out Baby" for old time's sake.

Lemme share my moment onstage, though, as they asked me to perform during their rendition of "Antipara"...

I'm blind! Blind as a bat! How blind is a bat?

The challenge was simple: I was going to solve a Rubik's cube blindfolded, but the time limit was the song. If I couldn't solve the cube by the time the song ended, I was going to have to get hit upside the head with one of their guitars, and that put a spring in my step, or fingers, if you will.

It was hilarious, because thanks to my sheer terror, I actually finished the cube a full minute before the song ended. I was so nervous that I was solving the cube significantly faster than I expected to, and I misheard the cue for the song, as I mistook the bridge for the ending, which made me finish well before the final chorus of the song actually played.

Nonetheless, I managed to pull it off just fine, and finally, I got to enjoy the rest of the show. It was, without a doubt, one of the best nights to be a Philippine magician with friends in the music industry. You just never know what crazy stuff you could end up collaborating on.

In this picture: two Kels!

It was a great night, and capping it off with some Mr. Kebab immediately afterwards was just icing on the cake, albeit I was very annoyed they didn't have Ox Brain again.

Welp, I had to do it sometime, I guess. I've been so busy lately, and to be honest, with everything I've been doing, it's just getting more increasingly difficult

Nonetheless, let me take this time to plug the fact that I will be hosting this Wednesday's Rex Reloaded at the NBC Tent!

JB Dela Cruz. Mike Unson. Rex Freaking Navarette.

.:Just Another Magic Monday: Because I Keep Having Gigs Over The Weekend:.

And the world can't erase this fantasy...

So yeah, aside from treating myself to an X-Box Kinect, I had a working weekend, hosting for the Alodia's Fantasy pre-screening event, and then Kathy's wedding. Overall, a pretty crazy hectic weekend, but one thing recently turned up that I'm pretty happy about...

... My De Ring is improving ever since I bought that awesome ring from Cosmania a week ago.

I haven't really been doing De Ring much beyond the normal ring-on moves, but now, with the new ring I got, I feel more and more inclined to show off, and I've been improving by leaps and bounds in that department.

.:Just Another Magic Monday: Magic In (Non-Magic) Conventions:.

After a successful stint of doing magic and even impromptu hosting at this year's Cosmania in SMX, I realized that I have ended up in a very strange niche that I don't see most of my other contemporary Philippine magicians doing at the moment, and that's being a (geek) convention magician. Or mentalist. Or escapologist. Whichever works, really.

I think it's a very different challenge altogether for a magician, particularly when they're not too cognizant of the fact that they're far from the reason people went to the convention in the first place. You are not the main attraction, and as such, you might find the audience significantly less on your side than they normally are when you are considered one of the main attractions.

The thing is, it's often a humbling experience when that happens. One of my first experiences as a performer was the mortifying tepidness I was received with when I did my bit four years ago in Toycon. Here was an unknown doing mentalism immediately after the cosplay event, and, needless to say, the audience didn't care at all. I mean, the main event was the cosplay. Everything else is secondary compared to that, and it would've been a soul-crushing moment for any other performer to have to face such a huge audience giving you nothing but blank stares and infrequent smatterings of polite applause.

Sure, over time, with the right combination of hosting, street magic tours, and onstage performances, I no longer have that problem connecting with audiences in your average cosplay convention, but what if, let's say, I found myself in the trade convention circles, knowing what I know now, what can I do to assure myself of a better experience as a performer than the first time I hit the stage? Well, I have a few ideas, really.

1. Make it clear what you're about to do the minute they see you.

This goes hand in hand with the kind of routines you choose, your performance style, your scripting, and even your introduction. The minute you are there for the public to see, do not assume they already know who you are, much less exactly what it is that you do. Even in the standup comedy circles, I've seen plenty of good comedians bomb solely because people didn't realize the guy onstage was telling jokes. It's good to let the people know what to expect.

2. Don't be a snob: connect with your audience!

This actually should be common sense to the magicians by now, yet I see so many novice performers just going through the motions of their tricks without establishing any rapport with their audience. Precisely because you're not the main event, you can't expect to be disconnected from your audiences and still establish your cred as a performer. It just won't work. You need to connect with them more, whether by chatting them up, or by working in more spectators into your act. The more people who could tell other people about your awesome performance, the more likely your name recognition would grow.

3. You can do intricately drawn-out, engaging, and memorable magic. Pick two of the three then move on.

Let's face it: even if you're an exceptional performer, people didn't come to see you in an anime convention. They came for the cosplayers. With that in mind, yes, you can do an intricate and drawn-out performance, but it will come at the cost of being engaging because of the alienation these performances tend to create with the audience. But that can be memorable, at least.

It's the same with engaging magic: because you engage your audience so much, you will be memorable, too. But don't expect to put on a sleight of hand clinic while trying to build a lasting connection with your audience. Focus on routines that are as sleight-free as possible, or have scripts that are so easy for the audience to understand that you can focus on the patter or presentation more than the actual mechanics of the routines.

.:Just Another Magic Monday: The Three Magicians (Who Were Secretly Badasses):.

So while I was reading up on some magicians the past week, I was asking myself how tough it must be to be a magician: technical skill, charisma, performing style, these are just some of the ingredients that make a magician great.

But see, all things considered, I don't really think anyone considered being "badass" as one category for being a great magician, and they'd be right. It's a criteria that doesn't really fit, anyways.

Until today.

After having looked at the magicians then and now, seeing what feats they have accomplished that could count as "badass," I pretty much have a list of the three magicians who absolutely fit this description. It's one thing to do a magic trick, it's another thing to just not give a f**k and still bringing your A-game even when life and limb is at risk.

No, Criss Angel and David Blaine don't fall under "badass" to me at all. Not even Blaine's record-breaking performance impresses me, because he required a lot of medical preparation to do his schtick, whereas these three magicians just ended up being badass by default.

I'd have included Seigfried and Roy here had it not been the fact that their career abruptly ended after the tiger-mauling incident. Sure, surviving that takes toughness, but it's not nearly badass enough.

These three magicians will make you look at the things they do, and make you realize that for all the "fakeness" of magic, they're pretty unbelievable when s**t gets real.

3. Jonathan Pendragon

Nicolas Cage apparently has a long-lost brother.

A lot of us know and love the Pendragons because they are the masters of the male and female duo act. Sure, they have some insane legal troubles here and there, but we love how good this tandem is when they perform their illusions with amazing grace, speed, and choreography. They're practically world-famous for their insanely quick rendition of the Metamorphosis illusion.

It's really quick. Those shots are all animated GIF's.

Yeah, sure, choreography, leotards, illusions. Nothing too badass about that, right? Sure, until you realize that the speeds the Pendragons have achieved in doing the Metamorphosis switch required years of practice. This could only mean one thing: concussions galore.

That explains why he dresses like that!

Without revealing the method, anytime the switch was done during the illusion, there was always the risk of ramming heads along the way. In fact, in the video where the Pendragons teach how the secret is done, they outright mention that Jonathan has been knocked unconscious during a show in the past, and this wasn't the first or the last time that quite an injury has happened.

But yeah, a little concussion here and there isn't what makes Jonathan Pendragon a complete badass: it's the fact that he had a near-fatal accident in 2006 that involved him falling on an arrow, piercing arteries, his stomach, his liver, and even his heart. Now, any other human being would've died right on the spot, but he pretty much ignored mortality for a while, and instead survived the accident and resumed performing a few weeks after the accident. I don't think mortality and Jonathan have gotten back to speaking terms ever since.

Yeah, I think that qualifies as badass right there.

In fact, it's criminally badass! Oooohhh.

2. Harry Houdini

On second thought, nothing looks "secret" about this...

Houdini is often one of the first magicians the average person would recognize, along with David Blaine, David Copperfield, and Harry Potter. Nonetheless, Houdini, as an escapologist by profession, had badass hardwired into his DNA by default. There was no question that his escape acts were, in all honesty, dangerous and life-threatening, and having demonstrated the ability to ignore pain, hold his breath underwater long enough to previously hold a world record, and to suspend himself upside-down for extended periods of time during his straitjacket escapes, Houdini's repertoire by default already qualifies him as badass as can be.

But see, it's not just the inherent risks involved in Houdini's act that set him apart from other performers, but more so, it's his methods that make him just not give a f**k.

Where most of us would use lockpicks to escape from handcuffs and the like, Houdini was famous for dislocating his wrists and shoulders then popping them back into place once he liberates himself from the cuffs or the straitjacket in question.

Pictured: entertainment!

If you've ever had the displeasure of having a joint dislocated, then having it fixed, then you would know how painful those two moments are, and ideally, how much nicer it would be if you could keep those two moments away from each other. Houdini, on the other hand, saw his joints as mere tools that he could dislocate and pop back at a moment's notice, with little regard for how much that whole process actually hurts.

For a small man like Houdini, he was larger than life because he looked at pain in the face and laughed at it maniacally, and unlike Jonathan Pendragon, he did it on purpose.

1. Jasper Maskelyne

He is vanishing the ink on his picture right now. With magic.

Jasper Maskelyne isn't badass because of misadventures he may have experienced while doing magic ala Pendragon. Neither was he badass because of the inherent risks of his illusions or methodologies ala Houdini.

Jasper Maskelyne was a badass simply because he used magic to wage war. A British stage magician, Maskelyne spent the second world war aiding British intelligence and operating in subterfuge by using his skills in magic. Because clearly, a man who dresses like a sorcerer, gesticulates wildly, and makes things appear and disappear from thin air would totally not call any attention to himself whatsoever.

This might shock you, but one of these men is actually a magician. 

Hint: it's not the long-haired douchebag in the center, but you knew that already.

Just a list of his feats on his wikipedia entry alone already details a litany of badassitude: he used his skills in magic for camouflage. He created decoys, including one of a German warship. Whether through subterfuge, deception, or outright chutzpah, Jasper Maskelyne managed to play a significant role in the war with his so-called "Magic Gang," helping keep the Axis powers on their toes because what they see isn't what they get.

And on the side, he entertains the troops, too. How's that for multi-tasking?

.:Best Of Anime 2011 Recap!:.

The magnetic stage proved to be metal man's undoing.

Hosting Best Of Anime 2011 was one of the most amazing experiences I've ever had, and I don't even know where to begin to tell you about how much fun I had.

Well, I guess I could begin by mentioning that I probably won't be giving a full-blown recap of who the winners were and all of that stuff, since my memory isn't that great. If you wanted to find out about that stuff, you can go here instead. I'm sure Roch would cover that part better than I would, to say the least.

In any case, I had a ton of fun hosting the event, and considering how my co-host was an absolute dream to work with, we really managed to pull off quite a coup. For two days straight, the audience was hot and firmly behind every single band, cosplayer, and performer onstage, which, admittedly, is one of the most difficult things to do in an event where people only generally care about the cosplay segment and nothing more.

On day 1, the muse of the Best of Anime, Sam, was featured, and that was pretty interesting. Some of the highlights that day included Dennis Isidoro rocking like mad to the tune of "Jiban", and the Gibson sisters dominating three of the non-cosplay contests.

During the cosplay proper, I was wholeheartedly rooting for the girl who cosplayed as the Panzer from Zoids. The detail and the movement she put into the whole bit really wowed me. Of course, Umali came in his War Machine costume, complete with pulsating guns and cannons, which I quipped made for a lucky girlfriend for War Machine. The audience agreed.

Sagashimono disproved the notion that nobody cares what happens in a con after the cosplay, because their fans were positively rabid! I was overjoyed for Sagashimono as they just ruled the stage on Day 1.

Towards the end of the event, I had my first attempt at planking onstage, which I was totally doing ironically. One of my friends dared me, so I just went ahead and pulled it off. I'm still not a fan of planking, and I'm not going to start doing it at every gig I perform at. Besides, it's gonna be illegal soon. Welcome to the Philippines.

Special mention as well to MC, the girl we had on Day 2, who announced to everyone what a Gashapon was. She was our official Gashapon endorser for the whole day, and the last auction we had on Day 2, which led to people bidding like crazy for an overcoat, really caused quite a stir. The bidding war that sent the overcoat to 2,000 bucks was simply a sight to behold.

But really, day 2, to me, was marked by an amusing turn of events, where three attempts were made to get me to the Ani-Marriage Booth.

The first time, I managed to evade capture until the priest cuffed my co-host, Marybeth, instead.

The second time was hilarious, because initially, one of the security people was shooing the priest away. Then, he changed his mind, held me in place, and they did manage to cuff me to my co-host. Of course, what most people forget is that I'm serious when I say I'm an escapologist. I asked for a hairpin from Marybeth, then proceeded to lockpick my way out of the cuffs within a minute. We even went onstage just to taunt the Marriage Booth guys about it.

The third time, there was no escape...

You can just see how vehemently I was protesting this.

So I managed to end up cuffed to one of my best friends, Jazminne. It was hilarious even if she did try to hammerlock me a couple of times. We both had fun, though, and it was a pretty enjoyable as far as non-binding marriages go.

With this ring, you will become myyyy preciousssss...

Shortly afterwards, our "marriage certificate" was drawn up, the handcuffs were released, and I casually pointed out that I still had a hairpin in my pocket. I guess it just slipped my mind to lockpick my way out of getting "married" to Jazminne. LOL.

They didn't even spell her name right, making it doubly non-binding.

At the end of the two days, I felt exceptionally happy, having hosted non-stop for the duration of the event, and having made some great new friends, as well as touching base with some old ones as well. It was a great time for me, and as early as now, they want me and Marybeth to host for them in 2012. Well, why not?

In any case, thanks to Primetrade Asia for the opportunity to host this event. I was truly honored. More thanks to Chanty, who was with me for an after-party for two after the event as we had dinner to mark the successful occasion.

.:Just Another Magic Monday: Stick To Your Strengths:.

This past weekend, I had an epic hosting gig that I'd write more about, but I was only supposed to do half the weekend initially. At the last minute, I ended up doing the whole thing, because I had to beg off a particular booking that from the get-go, I figured was just too good to be true.

It was a show I was going to do for a debut, except the organizer insisted that I do a levitation illusion involving the debutante. I quietly suggested other magicians who were actually illusionists, but he was persistent and wouldn't take "no" for an answer. I had no idea why, but he really wanted me to be the performer for that debut, and I managed to strike a compromise with him that would allow me to pull off what he wanted.

A contemporary of mine, JB Dela Cruz, also a skilled illusionist, offered to help me out with doing an illusion that fit their requirements, and we were all set to pull it off. We knew what we wanted to do and had everything lined up, but I never heard from the client again.

Looking back, I'm glad the show didn't push through, but I was more glad that I approached JB Dela Cruz to collaborate with him rather than allow myself to be in over my head if that show came to pass.

Most magicians have their specialties, and assuming they're worth hiring, they do these particular things very well. It takes a rare breed of magician to be capable of doing everything, but there are some luminaries in our industry like Lou Hilario who come pretty close.

As a performer, I've done several things over the years, and I've found what works for me and stuck to it. I'm known for comedy mentalism, with a touch of magic and escapology. Considering that my signature acts are metal bending, the Shanghai Shackles, and Lady and the Rope, I'm really the last person you would expect to do live animal acts, or full-scale illusions. That's actually the very reason why I don't do illusions anymore, since it clashes with my onstage persona, and worse, makes me look bush-league, because whatever illusion I have, any magician with deeper pockets would have a better version of. This gap in material doesn't exist when it's all about scripting, improvisation, and performance, which is more the purview of a comedy mentalist than a stage illusionist.

As such, while I probably can't saw a woman in half, I'm pretty confident I can hypnotize a theater with 500 people in it. It's the fact that I know where my strengths lie that I can market myself in a way that assures my client they are getting their money's worth. That I can handle myself well whether in a street or stage setting only proves that versatility comes with the performer's skillset more than it comes with his arsenal of magic items.

It's the best advice I can give an aspiring magician who wishes to make a pro career, honestly: choose your battles wisely, and don't get in over your head. I know it's tempting to take a gig that would pay you well for an hour's work, but if you can't deliver, that one-time windfall of cash would hurt you more in the long run because you can be sure it won't be happening again anytime soon.

Knowing what I know now, I'm just glad I found my niche sooner than later. The first show I ever had will forever remind me exactly how difficult it is to turn pro when you don't know what you are doing. I had a lucky break then, but if I ignored the signs from that first show, I know I would very well have never improved as a performer, which is really what every magician worth their salt should aspire for, right?

.:Just Another Magic Monday: Michael Ammar Live In Manila!!!:.

They don't call it "The Michael Ammar Experience" for nothing.

Last Sunday night, Manila played host to the legen... wait for it... dary magician, one of the students of the Professor, Dai Vernon, none other than Michael Ammar. It all came together on such short notice, but lo and behold, the fine people from the Philippine magic community, including Chubster, George Ma Mon Luk, and so forth really worked hard to make this event succeed.

The event happened at Pepeton's Grill, which had awesome barbecue, to say the least. I went there not knowing what to expect, and half-assuming we'd be eating inside a restaurant or outdoors in a very informal setting, which I'm certainly would've been strange.

Of course, when I discovered there was pretty much a function room for the lecture, my expectations went back to normal, albeit I definitely figured there was going to be a shortage of space given how many people wanted a chance to meet Michael Ammar.

That night, we were treated to an amazing time, and the Philippine magic community showed Mr. Ammar all the love in the world as he delivered a world-class lecture worth every single penny everyone paid for that night.

I've always liked Mr. Ammar because he was a true student of the craft. His very simple and old-school approach, punctuated by his very infectious humor, never fails to remind people that magicians don't always need to reinvent the wheel to become luminaries in this industry. While many would say Ammar gives us a back-to-basics approach, very few would ever say that Ammar's skill level is anywhere near "basic." He is exceptionally skilled, and with his simple but funny story, he lets that skill shine through without having to rely on hype or gimmickry to carry him through. It's this old-school sensibility that many people overlook when trying to be contemporary magicians. Too many people pattern themselves after the Blaine's and the Angel's of this world without even first figuring out if the old-school approach would fit them more. Michael Ammar proves effortlessly that old-school isn't out of time or out of style: it's just out of this world!

That night, we learned a lot of subtle nuances from him, but overall, just like the last time Shoot Ogawa came here, what I appreciated most was the chance to see a performer at work, showing us the difference between doing tricks and performing magic. I think that all things considered, every single magician in that room that night got more than their money's worth from that experience alone, even if they never bother to do a single routine from the lecture for the rest of their lives.

So yes, thank you very much, Mr. Ammar! You were phenomenal, and picking your brain was, without a doubt, one of the most wonderful opportunities we Filipino magicians have ever had the honor of being gifted with.

.:Just Another Magic Monday: Suddenly, Hecklers:.

And not even the good kind!

.:Just Another Magic Monday: Raising The Bar:.

So, tell me... which of these people held you up at gunpoint again?

Aside from the fact that the awesome people from Nuffnang Australia swung by the Philippines a few weeks ago, I even had the pleasure of hosting the 10th birthday party of Teriyaki Boy in Eastwood recently. Whether it was the awesome dance moves of Moo and T-Boy or the great costumes from the cosplayers who joined that day, or even the Happy Lemon drink I was introduced to by my co-host Erin and her man, it was quite an experience that really made me understand the need for being a multi-dimensional performer. It's not much of a secret, but as some of my friends know, with each breakup I've had, I ended up getting professionally involved with something. Before, it was magic and mentalism, and now, it's standup comedy. When it comes to the Philippines, where magicians are still considered a dime a dozen, people need to do what they can to stand out, and that's why most of the best magicians you will know of in this country are equally known for something else. For instance, The Boss, Rannie Raymundo, is considered a veritable Renaissance Man. He does magic, true. Outside of that, he is also well-known as an OPM artist, having composed excellent music over the years, resulting in multiple gold and platinum records to his name. You talk about Jeff Tam, and you could very well be talking about the fact that he's an internationally-awarded magician, or the fact that he's a TV comedian, or the fact that he's a well-known tattoo artist. In my foray as a Philippine magician and mentalist, I've branched out into standup comedy as well, and I've been doing respectably for the past two years I've been at it. Needless to say, it has been a great experience for me to open for Mike Unson as I have been doing, what with our shows in Capone's A Venue, every 10PM on a Friday night. Performing comedy in a bar setting is usually expected, but doing magic in a bar setting is admittedly a bit harder, even for people who actually do it for a living. It's something I've been doing for quite a while already, though, and mixed and matched with standup comedy, it produces quite a lethal package.

Not pictured at all: mediocrity.

In fact, last Saturday, in The Grillery, Mike and I had a phenomenal show, despite the torrents of rain pouring down throughout the night. It was my first time to perform in The Grillery, so I was pleased as punch to know that we had a great show that night, although when your night is being capped off by a Mike Unson comedy show, I fail to see how that can't be a great show, really. I find performing in bars to be among my favorite situations to perform magic in. When the audiences are inebriated by juuuust the right amount, they tend to be even more appreciative than any other audience you could ever hope for. And speaking of a magical Monday, why don't you celebrate your work-free Monday night with this?

Stay classy, Explorers!