Back in the days when few people had Internet access at home and chatting was cool (we’re talking about way back in 1993 to maybe 1996), I stumbled upon MIRC and #mabuhay which was then being managed by its creator BoyBlue a.k.a. Jardine of poker and Rockband lore. Giz01 a.k.a. Rolly created a spin-off channel and #lasalle in undernet was born. I was founding member of the channel (my e-mail address was one of the 10 listed to get it approved) and admittedly, I still get a kick out of visiting the channel on undernet and just seeing it still exists although I no longer chat.

Last night, we had a sort of mini reunion with the gang and needless to say, it was amusing to say the least. Funny guy Kazmut a.k.a. Darwin who got a lot of ribbing last night for his infatuation with several women in the channel now works for IBM. Bakekang a.k.a. Miles still works for Cathay and we had fun reminiscing how we’d both get drunk during parties and puke by the side of the road as she was driving me home. Giz01 is no longer this skinny Chinese guy whose eyes disappear when he smiles. He’s now an average-built Chinese guy whose eyes disappear when he smiles. But seriously, Giz01 has the best story in chat. He ended up marrying Clio, who he met in chat, and they are now happily married with children. A_x, who now works for a credit card company, has turned into XXX as like me, he has now come out of the closet. Trissie a.k.a. Trissie (baduy!) is still the same Trissie. Seriously. Same hair, same eyes, same built…she hasn’t changed! As for me…well as they were pointing out, TheGirl has now turned into TheBoy and I guess that is the weirdest transformation ever.

I left relatively early and could no longer join them at Max Brenner (we had dinner at Italliani’s where I happily freeloaded off Jardine’s food) because I had to be at FriiSpirit in Katipunan (Aside from the fact that it was my shift, I was seriously itching to play “No More Heroes”). We made plans to keep in touch more often and I set a tentative night out with Miles although we assured each other that no one is going to be puking by the curb this time. Needless to say, I’ll be seeing them all again (especially Jardine of http://iamclockwork.blogspot.com fame).

Saturday at the shop was crazy. We had one of our best days and that is always good but our manager-on-duty Zig took a few days off to attend a wedding and Andrea was under the weather. To make things worse, there was a private party in the lounge room, a Guitar Hero tournament, and it was Burger Night (and Che is the only one who can cook the burgers). The end result? Che and Jen running up and down the stairs, syncing remotes, cooking food, handing out drinks, changing games…all with a smile on our faces (I love talking about myself in the third person). Okay…maybe at one point, I wasn’t smiling. In fact, I was on the verge of throwing a tantrum. Thinking it was my business and that some day I will sow what I reap kept me going. Oh…plus Cobra energy drinks.

It also helped that the girlfriend paid me a visit. She brought her sister along so they could play games and hang out while effectively spending time with me. Of course, our disturbingly comfortable beanbags, good food, Guitar Hero and Wii games could also be the real reasons why she showed up but I’d rather believe the former so please humor me. (And the sentence above was my attempt to discreetly plug FriiSpirit).

So after working myself to sheer exhaustion and after the girlfriend had gone home, I stayed at our relaxation area and tried to chat a bit with Carlos, Andy and Larcy. Since I can no longer avail of Jack Daniels to lubricate my tongue, I needed to make an effort to be funny and amusing while I was sober. I don’t know if it worked but Larcy still insists she likes me better when I’m drinking beer.

I was prepared to spend the entire Sunday alone at my condo, sleeping the day away, but who can stay home knowing that your shop was getting “Rock Band” that day and there are songs to be unlocked? Rock Band was finally released for the Wii and we snapped up two sets real quick. So after taking intermittent naps, I rushed over to FriiSpirit to find Andy, Carlos and Carol impersonating “The Police.” I naturally kicked Carlos away from the guitar and started strumming away. I also ended up being the resident go-improvise-and-sing-this-song-no-one-knows-and-make-sure-you-don’t-die-because-we-need-to-unlock-songs dude. So as soon as an obscure song needed to be played, I took over the microphone and tried my best not to fail. Forget about sounding good…I just wanted to reach the end of the song.

I slept early Sunday night because I had to be prepped for my day job. One mustn’t forget that it’s my day job and sidelines that pay the bills. The shop will pay off later but in the meantime, I need to be editor-in-chief-writer-extraordinaire if I don’t want to end up living on the streets (which is naturally an exaggeration because as Andy once told me, “You can always sleep at the shop.”) Come to think of it, even when the shop starts making money, I don’t think I’ll ever earn more in the business than I do in my day job. Which means, I’ll forever be a grease monkey (if I was a mechanic, which I am not…but I can’t think of a cool phrase to describe being an editor).

I woke up early Monday and after my morning rituals (which isn’t much, mind you), I tried to get a cab to take me to Makati. After I kept getting turned down left and right even when I was willing to add to the meter, I asked one of the drivers what the hell was going on. I was told that a tanker filled with alcohol (not the one I like) overturned in Edsa turning all routes to Makati a virtual nightmare. Unfazed, I bargained with him like crazy and got him to agree to brave the madness (and I didn’t even have to sleep with anyone). It was a nightmare all right. I was stuck in traffic for two and a half-hours and I ended up forking over almost four times my usual fare (which made me wish I just slept with someone…have a sense of humor, guys. It’s a joke).

So here I am taking a few minutes off work to type out this long, convoluted blog entry in an attempt to fight off burn-out and keep my sanity. One reading this might immediately deduce that I am tired and unhappy. I hope I am not leaving that impression because in truth, I am exhausted…but I have also never been happier in my life.

In typical Che fashion, my birthday started off with drama. But all’s well that ends well. If anything, it made me realize that alcohol just isn’t worth it. It can ruin friendships and relationships. So with that being said, I promised Leah to quit drinking. Last year, I quit smoking on my birthday. I’m giving up vices left and right…that confirms it…I am getting old! Soon I’ll be like Anna sitting in a housedress, drinking herbal tea and knitting. Hehehehe.

Still, I had one hell of a birthday. I told Leah it was one of the best birthdays of my life. She didn’t take me seriously at first until I started crying. I know…I know…I can be so sentimental sometimes. It’s the sentimental sap in me. Once in a while, it just pops out. But anyway, it was such a great birthday because we did absolutely nothing. Seriously.

In the morning of my birthday, I felt like a kid trying to get a glimpse of my presents. I was even trying to wake Leah up accidentally-on-purpose so I could open my gifts. When I was finally able to create enough of a disturbance to stir her awake without it being too obvious, she was surprised to see me wide-eyed with a grin on my face pointing eagerly to where my presents were located.

And what can I tell you? I loved my gifts. I think that was when I started crying. I told her that the gifts she bought were stuff I wanted for myself but couldn’t bring myself to buy (particularly because when it comes to shopping for myself, I’m a cheapskate). She got me three pairs of shoes (which means a lot when you learn that I only have two pairs of shoes and one of them is broken beyond repair), a moleskin notebook (which I’ve always wanted but always found too impractical to buy) and a bottle of my favorite scent.

After I’ve worn all the shoes at least once, jumped around the room a little bit, sprayed Leah with perfume, smelled my moleskin notebook, hugged and kissed Leah countless times, cried some more, laughed even harder, I bought us both lunch. We ate in the condo, shawarma rice, Aysee’s sisig and mineral water. After lunch, we had plans to go swimming but ended up sleeping instead. I woke up after thirty minutes but didn’t have the heart to wake Leah up since I know she’s been having problems sleeping for over a week. So I opted to lie down next to her and read my new book (The Eleventh Commandment by Jeffrey Archer). Four hours later, Leah woke up and it was time for dinner.

We decided to eat at Seafood Island because they have these gigantic seafood meals that are good for three to four people. It was nice to see that despite Leah’s appetite being lacking lately, she managed to eat quite a bit (because it’s my birthday, thank you love). Of course, I ate a lot.

After dinner, we went back to the condo where we wanted to talk and hang out a bit. Unfortunately, I suddenly got sleepy which could be a reaction to the seafood which I am no longer used to. Although I no longer take antihistamines, I’ve noticed that I get extremely sleepy when I eat large amounts of shellfish. I wonder if this is psychosomatic again.

Anyway, we ended up sleeping before midnight ending a very relaxing and pressure-free day. I really believe birthdays should be like this, especially for someone my age. I just don’t have the energy to party anymore and drink the night away. Lately, I’d rather spend a quiet evening with the one I love. In truth, despite the gifts, enjoying the company of the person I want to spend the rest of my life with for an entire day is probably the greatest present of all.

I’m 31 and really, it isn’t too bad.

And yes, I really quit drinking.

As some of you know by now, I have a new job. Once again, I realized that I was happiest when I was editing and writing so I took the offer of a venture-capitalist funded U.S. company that delivered knowledge solutions. True to form, it’s a start-up company (No, I haven’t gotten over my addiction to start-ups) so aside from being editor-in-chief, I also do a lot of product development and process management.

I got a simultaneous offer from another start-up company that was a lot higher than what I am currently getting. Although the corporate whore in me wanted to take the offer so badly, I decided against it because I’ve had it with trying to change what I do for a living simply because I want to earn more. I know my current career path doesn’t pay much but it’s what I do and I’m good at it.

I have plans to move to a condominium unit in Salcedo Village by September so to add to my income, I write poker articles on the side and do Internet Marketing for my former company. With my hours at the shop, I guess you can say my days are pretty filled up. The strange thing though is that I don’t feel as tired as I used to. To think I am doing so much more now and the pressures of my new job is far greater than how it was in my two more recent companies.

You might think this leaves me with little time for a social life. The strange thing is, that really isn’t the case. Even I am surprised at just how much you can fit in a day. I’ve been seeing my friends more often (even finding time to attend Jardine’s Graduation Party last Saturday and Rizzie’s Birthday Party tonight), visiting my family once in a while, hanging out with the girlfriend more, going to church regularly, and even reading more (if that was even possible since I already read way too much).

I’ve been doing pretty well over-all except when it comes to the battle with my weight. After I quit smoking, my weight has ballooned. I’ve been trying to go on a low carb diet but unfortunately, it’s hard to stick to it when fast food options are so limited. Since I spend 95% of my waking hours outside my home, I no longer get to cook unless it’s food at the shop (which I am admittedly so sick of). So I’ve made a resolution to exercise and here’s hoping I stick to it this time.

So that’s my life right now. Until next time.

Yesterday was our very first S.L.D. What in the world is S.L.D? That question just begs to be asked. S.L.D. stands for, “Spoil Leah Day.”

So the day started off in regular fashion. This means she was late and I had to move lunch reservations. I’m not complaining. It really is part of her charm and I mean that.

I first took her to Café Juanita, that eccentric place in Bgy. Kapitolyo that everyone has been raving about for years now. I was a little worried because Leah was complaining of stomach pains so I figured she wouldn’t enjoy the food much. When we got there, there was a Sunday lunch buffet but thinking of Leah’s condition I asked if she would prefer to order from the menu instead. She gives me this really wide smile and proceeds to line up at the buffet. I really shouldn’t have asked. Although she was sick, she filled up her plate twice and even had room for dessert.

The food was surprisingly good. In fact, for the price, I think it’s the best Filipino food buffet in Manila right now. I’m talking about taste. Plus of course, eating in a place with such a quirky interior really adds to the fun.

After the meal, I took her to a spa in Greenhills where we both got a massage. She wanted a facial, of course, and I encouraged her to have one. After all, she’s been working so hard and she really deserves a break after the madness of the rat race.

While she had a facial, I browsed through magazines and watched a showbiz talkshow. I haven’t watched television in ages (or read the entertainment pages of the newspaper) so I continuously expressed my disbelief at the showbiz news to the amusement of the girl doing Leah’s facial. “Ano? Break na si Heart at si Jericho?”

We killed a little time at the condo before dinner. I had dinner reservations at Galileo Enoteca and it was her first time there. The only downside was that she couldn’t find a glass of wine she wanted so I ended up drinking her leftovers…wait a minute…did I say downside? Galileo is still the same as I remember it to be. The cold-cuts were good. The cheese was good. The pasta dishes were okay. The Tartufo was excellent. The coffee was good. The bill was amazing in a good way.

Yeah…it was a good day. Leah was surprised at how everything was so reasonably priced. I kept telling her that I was the master of things good and cheap. I think after S.L.D., she now believes me.
I can’t wait for Bangkok.

It was my dad’s death anniversary yesterday. It’s been a year.

I wonder. When would it get easier?

Just because we need every excuse to party...

FriiSpirit is Re-launching!

On May 10, 2008...it's FWiiDOM Night at FriiSpirit Fitness & Fun Center!
Members play for free the entire day!
For non-members, there's a 50% discount in membership.

Come in your glam rock attire and get a free drink.
Party starts 5PM - onwards.

For more details, visit http://friispirit.blogspot.com

Show up, guys. It's also our chance to catch up.

Yesterday, Leah and I gladly took up Carlos’ offer to bring us to his family’s private resort in Antipolo. We both had a stressful week and leaving the grind for even just a few hours was too tempting to resist. Plus, it’s been a month. :)

It was a nice place...understatement of the year again…very peaceful and relaxing. It was fun clowning around in the pool although Leah’s idea of fun was making me swim from one end of the pool to another. Being out of shape, I paid for it the next day (ouch). The food that Carlos prepared was so good. Chicken, pork, fish…I ate everything…screw my allergies…they don’t exist. :)

Carlos then brought us to Mabini, Malate to eat Persian food in one of his favorite places. This guy has been going on and on about this particular food find so we were really excited. In the car on the way to Malate, Leah realized she brought not one camera but two cameras and we neglected to take pictures. There’s always next time.

So we get to Malate and it was Persian food heaven. We ordered food good enough for a party of six and there wasn’t anything left when we were done. The different kebabs were terrific and the hummus was good. Hell, I even went ga-ga over the tea. The servings were huge and it was a good thing we were all hearty eaters (nice way of saying matakaw…hehehe). We made sure to take a few pictures and I’ll be posting them in my Multiply soon enough.

After one of the best dinners I’ve had in a long while, Leah and I just stayed at the condo to hang out. It’s been a month and I have to admit, it’s been going really well (I seem to be fond of understatements today). Despite our busy schedules, what we have is actually working out. I think it’s even getting better over time.

But back to the real world. I need to go back to work.

Until next time…

**Warning...this blog entry has no rhyme or reason. I'm just going to write down what I have in mind.*

The long hours are once again getting to me. Plus possibly the sudden climate change. Plus maybe my immune system is fucked up. I don't know but I'm sick and for once, my trusted Airborne tabs aren't working.

I wish I can stay home and get some shut eye but unfortunately, there really is just too much to do. There are PPC campaigns to create, keywords to add, bids to monitor...plus we've been short-handed at the shop (Andy, we miss you!) so it's been crazy. Today, I had to rush to BDO Katipunan, make a stop at Makro Cubao, go back to the shop in Katipunan and rush back to work in Ortigas. Is it worth it? I still believe it is. I love my job. I love the shop. Plus, I now care about my future.

It's almost a blessing that Leah is as busy as I am...otherwise I am pretty sure she'll end up complaining about my work hours. But since her work hours are worse than mine (I can hardly believe it myself...I thought my 14-15 hour workday was hard to beat), we understand each other.

This experience has also taught me the value of time spent together...something I used to take for granted. Now, every opportunity to spend a little time with someone you care about matters. It doesn't even matter if it's as stupid as a 10-minute cab ride from Makati to Eastwood. I no longer view those moments as impractical inconveniences. Those moments are now cherished.

And speaking of moments to be cherished...I miss Mika. I realized that maybe my baby sister (ok, so she's not a baby anymore) left without realizing that she meant the world to me. Did you, Mika? You do know how much I love you, right? And how, if you didn't leave, I'd have worked 20 hours a day if I needed to? I sometimes wonder if I couldn't have done more to keep my family together. Too late for regrets now, I know.

To end this journal entry, I'd like to do a shameless plug. Check out http://friispirit.blogspot.com/
I promise you, it's a good read. I can't take credit, however. Andy is Batman.

Until next time.

No one said it was going to be easy and it hasn't been.

I'm feeling the financial crunch of starting over (thank God for the people who've had my back from the beginning), the stress of the relatively new job and the almost-comical confusion of adjusting to a new relationship.

But no one also said it was going to feel this good.

I'm feeling so blessed realizing how many people are there for me. Even my mom, who I never got along with, has offered her assistance. My family and friends have been so great. My girl is simply amazing. I may not be rich materially, but I am certainly wealthy in so many other ways.

Emotions I've long hidden...anger, sadness, pain, happiness, sheer bliss, love, jealousy...they're coming in waves. After what felt like forever, I'm finally feeling again and I no longer see the need to hide what I feel. I no longer see the need to cut off my emotions for fear that I'll get hurt.

I've stifled the best part of me for so long and it's been dying to come out. But that's over now.

I am finally allowing myself to take big risks for a shot at true happiness.

At 30, my life has officially begun.

As some of you already know, I've recently begun a new chapter in my life.This includes the end of a 4-year relationship and a move to Eastwood in one of those share-a-condo places.

I'm 30 years old and starting over at this "old" age scares me but I know it has to be done. Sometimes I wonder where the years have gone and sometimes I freak out because I have little to show for the years of back-breaking work. But it's better to start now than never and I know there are people in my life who are willing to help me find my way.

In the past, I've somewhat resigned myself to not being completely happy. I was actually content living in the "ok lang" state of being. I want things to be different now. I want to burn through life with my hair on fire. I want to take risks again, to hell with the consequences. I want to rebuild my dreams...the ones I dismissed as fantasies of the young. I don't want to be jaded anymore. I want to live.

Is it to late? I don't know. But I'm going to try anyway. I need to do this.

The long hours at our shop and the stress from my 9-5 job is taking its toll. Seriously, I know I say this all the time but now I truly mean it...I've never been this tired in my life. The strange thing is I get so tired at night but I still have problems sleeping. I would be in bed, exhausted to the bone, my mind running on overtime...needing sleep so bad but unable to get the shut-eye I need.

Today, I skipped lunch at work so I can take a power nap during my break. I woke up feeling somewhat refreshed but my back still hurts like crazy and the dark circles around my eyes are prominent as ever.

I really miss being in college when the only thing keeping me awake at night is wondering if I can trick my doctor into giving me another medical certificate so I can be excused from class the next morning.

Tired...

I'm just so tired.

I suppose this may come as a surprise to some of you since I’ve made it no secret how happy I am in Chikka. Last week, I turned in my resignation to rejoin a former company, BusinessSummaries.Com. I’m not getting older and having fun should no longer be numero uno in my list of my priorities so I took the plunge. Although an unexpected and truly sad event last week clearly showed I made the right decision, I already miss everything there is about the company.

On the other hand, I’m excited to go back to Bizsum. My friends Samantha and Ashley are still there and it’s going to be great working with them.

FriiSpirit, our Wii café in Katipunan, is still at its fledgling stage. We’re excited everytime we have a new customer and we know our regulars by heart. I only wish more people would come and try it out.

Well, that’s all for now. Will post soon.

Check out the article about our place in QJ Net!

http://www.qj.net/QJ-NET-invades-FriiSpirit/pg/49/aid/112348

Can't access the link? Here's the article in full:

We all know that some of today's consoles perform other functions - other than being just a game console itself. The Sony PlayStation 3 doubles as a Blu-ray player, the Microsoft Xbox 360 as a music player, the Nintendo Wii as a light exercise machine. But have you ever thought of taking one of those extra functions and taking it to the next level?

That's what the girls from FriiSpirit, an establishment in the Philippines, did with the Nintendo Wii - as they built up a business with the motion-sensing console's waggle mechanics as their foundation. In short, they made a gym that exclusively features the Wii as an exercise machine. Awesome.

It boggles the mind, we know! A gym that doesn't have any heavy-duty exercise equipment at all, and only the underdog of the seventh gaming generation (as far as graphics is concerned) as its main draw? Preposterous! And yet, it's became an outright phenomenon not only with the tech-enlightened yuppies of this generation, but also with the young'uns and their respective parental units. With curiosity (as well as the aspect of participating in its first-ever Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock tournament) lighting a fire under our asses, we went ahead and sent over a few of our local representatives to investigate.

It took some doing to convince them to tear themselves away from their daily Halo 3 and Super Smash Brothers Melee tournaments - our Philippine team takes its videogames very seriously - but with some cajoling and flat-out harassment, we finally got some people inside.

So, what did they find out?

FriiSpirit. That's the name of the gym. Owned by five enterprising entrepreneurs (all of them female, to boot) with a taste for some next-gen gaming, FriiSpirit serves all comers: the young, the old and the Wii-curious. And they do it it in style - from the photographs we've been sent, along with the feedback that the correspondents were giving, it seems that FriiSpirit breaks the mold in terms of fitness-centric establishments (as well as videogame cafes).

Tucked away beside a very busy thoroughfare (and facing one of the Philippines' most prestigious colleges, Ateneo de Manila), FriiSpirit sits on the other side of Katipunan Avenue, where some classier digs can also be found. At first glance, it looked more like a posh, alternative-rock cafe than anything else - but stepping inside, you immediately know that it's something special. Proof? When our correspondents walked in, they immediately saw a full library of the Wii's biggest titles at hand, ready and waiting to be picked (this includes the excellent Super Mario Galaxy and Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, to name a few).


Not only that, but they were just about to hold the first-ever Guitar Hero III tournament as well - something that they've been advertising both outside the gym itself, as well as through fliers and on the internet. It's also to note that the titles on display were clean-cut retail copies, and certainly not bootleg ones - a stark contrast to the article that our very own Glen D. made about piracy being prevalent in Southeast Asia.

While these may all be trivial details, it lends to the fact that FriiSpirit's owners take the business with the Wii very seriously. All the Wiimotes have jackets on, even! Good on you, FriiSpirit!

While the place definitely has a club-like atmosphere to it - the correspondents noted how FriiSpirit had a black-and-red motif, with a bit of white trim on the sides - there's definitely a feeling of coziness to be had. The staff, as well as the owners, are friendly, accommodating, and more than happy to help you - be it with something as trivial as helping you sync the Wiimotes, or even give you a little tutorial as to how to play safely.

And if you do get a bit peckish or thirsty after all that Wiimote-waggling (our correspondents saw Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock and Wii Sports as popular choices), then FriiSpirit has your back, serving up quite the tasty and healthy menu to satisfy your cravings. They even serve the eats directly to where your party is playing, so there's no need to put the Wiimote down! Awesome service, indeed.

So they've got the place, atmosphere, staff and food right - but what about the actual, end-user experience? Well, we thought we'd go and quote our correspondents ourselves. Get it straight from the horses' mouth, and all.

QJ.NET: Okay, guys. Out with it. What was it like to waggle in FriiSpirit? Good points, bad points, anything memorable? I know you guys had fun, out with it! Let us live vicariously through you!

Correspondent A: FriiSpirit is a different animal altogether. Having a Wii at home just won't cut it as an excuse not to visit this place. Right off the bat, widescreen projectors already gave me my money's worth. I'm not even raving about the food, the relaxed atmosphere, and the sense of community yet.

Guitar Hero III and Wii Sports are the cafe's flagship games. Great choices, really. One can just de-stress there all day - that is, of course, if one can secure a Wii. With word of mouth having gone frantic about the place, there have been more and more days when FriiSpirit has more than what they can handle.

QJ.NET: Very astute answer, Correspondent A. A bit crunchy, somewhat vanilla, but definitely good news. What about you, Correspondent B? What do you have to say about FriiSpirit?

Correspondent B: It's pretty much what Correspondent A said - why didn't I get A? - in the sense that it's a gym that focuses entirely on the Wii experience and delivers it faithfully and lovingly. The projection screens are awesome, there's loads of space to play around in, the seats are these huge and comfy beanbags that you can easily shuffle around for more room - everything makes sense, and everything clicks. I can't figure out why this is the first time we've seen something like this, when all the innovations they've made in terms of delivering the entire experience are pretty much no-brainers.

One thing I particularly like is the food. Along with a gratuitous amount of playtime, we were treated to some of the tastiest (and healthiest) chow a gamer could ever feast on. And we washed it all down with a generous helping of very cold (and very delicious) iced tea. Not only does FriiSpirit get you moving AND having fun, but it also gets you snacking on some chow that's a tad bit healthier than your usual game fuel.

QJ.NET: Good eats, huh? Awesome on all counts. And what about you, Correspondent C? Do you have anything to contribute to the class discussion?

Correspondent C: ...

QJ.NET: Okay, fine. Be like that. See if I care.

It's to note that these particular correspondents of ours are quite finicky with their waggling experience, so if they like it, chances are it's actually pretty good. Now, we get an in-depth look at the inner workings of FriiSpirit, courtesy of a very candid interview with two of its owners - namely Ms. Andrea Jalandoni and Ms. Jazmin Dela Cruz.

We sort of feel sorry for them, having to put up with our correspondents' pestering - but they proved game enough to fill us with info. Oh, and a little bit of trivia - this was after the Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock Tournament, where both Correspondent A and B joined in on a whim (and summarily blew it on the elimination round). Better luck next time.

So, what did we learn from Andrea and Jazmin? Quite a lot. The idea of having a gym with Wii consoles as the exercise machine stemmed from Andrea purchasing a Wii of her very own, and getting hooked on Rayman's Raving Rabbids. With the owners being pretty much friends to begin with, and the Nintendo Wii being the party animal it is, they began liking the idea of a Wii-centric fitness center. After researching on how one could make it possible, as well as a lot of elbow grease and financing - FriiSpirit came to be.

Being an equal-opportunity console man, Correspondent B asked about the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, and whether they were considered to be part of FriiSpirit's menagerie of exercise machines. The answer was no - it seemed that while both machines DO offer better gameplay in terms of visuals, they didn't offer the same type of get-up-and-move gameplay that the Wii did, as well as garner players from all ages (we're talking about the gaming bug spreading from kids to their parents, here).

We also got a look at just what sort of gaming demographic that the gym itself handles - and it seems that FriiSpirit is big amongst the casual crowd. This is verified, as we found out that the hardcore titles for the Nintendo Wii (Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, Metroid Prime 3: Corruption) aren't as popular as, say, Wii Sports or Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock. Speaking of which, RedOctane's fret-diddling rhythm epic gets a LOT of playtime - so much that they decided to hold a contest on that very day the interview was held. Couldn't it have been a Mario Strikers Charged contest, Correspondent C asked? Ah, well.

From FriiSpirit's demographic, we move on to what sort of plans the owners have for their own piece of wiimote-waggling heaven. Specifically, what they think about Wii Fit, and if they're going to get copies of it - seeing as the gym IS all about fitness through waggle, after all. Their answer? Yes, they ARE going to buy into the Wii Fit craze - but not right now, as Nintendo has yet to release the NA version of the game. Until then, we'll just have to wait.

Correspondent B then busted out more questions - one of which queried about how the decision for the unique furniture came to be (i.e. the horribly-fun and disturbingly-comfortable giant beanbag sofas). Both Jazmin and Andrea fielded this one, answering that not only were they easy to move around, in case the players needed some extra waggle room, but they also gave players a lower (and better) seating height, if they wanted to play while sitting down. Plus, it made everything just a bit safer, as those of us who have Wiis of our own know that furniture and waggle often mix with painful consequences. I still have bruises all over my arms, myself.


With the day slowly winding down and the humiliation of losing in a Guitar Hero III tournament (which was held on the Medium Difficulty, for crying out loud) our correspondents then decided to finish up by asking about the origins of the gym's name.

Andrea and Jazmin gamely provided us with the name's first incarnations - the first being Wiird World. Everyone liked it, except for their attorney - who warned that there could be legal implications, as it has the Nintendo Wii trademark name at the very front. After a lot of revisions (as well as suggestions from the correspondents themselves, namely Frii Lunch, Frii Parking, Frii Load), they decided on FriiSpirit, and we have to say, it's a catchy alternative.

And with that, the interview ended. With full stomachs and bruised egos, our brave correspondents bid goodbye to the owners of FriiSpirit, promising to visit again in the future. And while we can't stop ragging on them for losing on the Guitar Hero III tournament, we also can't help but feel just a tad envious that they managed to spend time in what could be one of the coolest gyms ever.

In any case, expect more articles about this budding phenomenon - and if you're in the general area, why not give them a visit? Tell them that the guys over at QJ.NET sent you, and maybe you'll get to challenge Andrea in a Guitar Hero III match.

:)

For the pictures, visit http://www.qj.net/QJ-NET-invades-FriiSpirit/pg/49/aid/112348

1. What did you do in 2007 that you'd never done before? Cook for a living at least part-time.

2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year? I no longer believe in resolutions.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth? No.

4. Did anyone close to you die? Yes. The person closest to me passed away.

5. What countries did you visit? Bangkok for the very first time!!!!!

6. What would you like to have in 2008 that you lacked in 2007? More money. 2007 wasn’t a difficult financial year for me but it also wasn’t an easy one.

7. What date from 2007 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? The day my dad died.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? Writing a business plan for the very first time and actually be involved in opening and running a business.

9. What was your biggest failure? Once again, I am going into another year in debt.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury? Aside from my occasional allergy attacks, I was healthy.

11. What was the best thing you bought? Tickets to Bangkok. That trip made my year.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration? Jaz. For sticking with me even during times when I was irritable, depressed and exhausted.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? Some of my relatives. Show some respect for the dead. Don’t kick us when we’re down.

14. Where did most of your money go? Hospital expenses (not my own).

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? Opening FriiSpirit in Katipunan.

16. What song will always remind you of 2007? How to Save a Life by The Fray.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. Happier or sadder? Sadder
ii. Thinner or fatter? Fatter
iii. Richer or poorer? Around the same. I’m still in debt.

18. What do you wish you'd done more of? Spent more time with my dad. Wish I slept more.

19. What do you wish you'd done less of? I hate to admit this but maybe I should have done less poker and less drinking.

20. How did you spend Christmas? Christmas Eve, I spent it with my brother in the house of the sister of my sister-in-law.

21. Did you fall in love in 2007? Not with anyone I haven’t loved before 2007.

22. How many one-night stands? ZERO. You read that right. ZERO.

23. What was your favorite TV program? House and surprisingly, GossipGirl

24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year? I hate her about the same. NO wait…I hate her more.

25. What was the best book you read? Ayn Rand’s Atlas Shrugged tops the list.

26. What was your greatest musical discovery? I recently realized I was a closet Justin Timberlake fan. AND I’ve rediscovered Bon Jovi and I’m not ashamed of it.

27. What did you want and get? A new iPOD Shuffle (thanks Babe.)

28. What did you want and not get? Move to a bigger apartment.

29. What was your favorite film of this year? 300

30. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? Celebrated my 30th by having dinner and drinks with Christine and Jaz until the wee hours of the morning at River Banks, a cheap place in Marikina.

31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2007? What fashion concept? I still wear jeans all the time paired with either a t-shirt or a collared shirt.

32. What kept you sane? My friends and beer.

33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? Katharine Mcphee (only because she was so hot)

34. What political issue stirred you the most? Trillanes’ idiotic move. (Good job. Taking over a private enterprise AGAIN. For someone who supposedly loves the country, you’re doing everything to hurt the economy.)

35. Who did you miss? My dad and Mika since she recently moved to the U.S.

36. Who was the best new person you met? My assistant at the shop, Jen. I've never met anyone who worked this hard and so tirelessly.

37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2007: Life is short. Make every single day count.

38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year: “Where did I go wrong? I lost a friend. Somewhere along in the bitterness. And I would have stayed up with you all night. Had I known how to save a life.”

We're giving students a break on this one so...

Wii Party Again!
P250/Head
Wii All You Can + FREE Meal
12pm-12am

So please come one, come all to FRiiSPIRIT FITNESS and FUN!

G/F ONE BURGUNDY PLAZA, KATIPUNAN AVE., LOYOLA HEIGHTS, QUEZON CITY.

Text me at 0929-6986738 for directions or more details.
See you there.

After much sweat, tears and blood (mosquitoes during construction…such a hassle)…it can be told:

FriiSpirit Fitness and Fun is now on its soft opening.

What started out as a dream between us partners has now become a reality. Our fitness center centering on the Wii has opened its doors to the public.

Sorry for the melodramatics but I still get really choked up about it. :)

I hope you can support our business endeavor. We have projectors set up so you can play the Wii and work out simultaneously in style. We also have Guitar Hero 3 and a host of other activities. We also serve food and drinks.

Visit us at G/F ONE BURGUNDY PLAZA, KATIPUNAN AVE., LOYOLA HEIGHTS, QUEZON CITY. You can’t miss it (although our signage is still being made). It’s right besides Landbank, the same building with a Kitaro and 7-11.

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Last Saturday, I joined a group of officemates that took a great bunch of kids to Avilon Zoo. I took care of the cutest and sweetest kid in the world, Jan Andrei. I would have given the world to be able to take him home. I wish it could be me who'd adopt him. Seriously, the hours I spent in the zoo were some of the best spent hours in my life. It felt so good to make a kid smile.

This week, I missed my dad. It’s really funny what you end up missing when that person is gone.

I miss coming home after work and seeing my dad looking through the peephole at our gate waiting for me to come home. I miss sitting at the dinner table with a beer in hand, my dad half-drunk, listening to him tell me the same old stories about the war over and over again. A few times, I’d impatiently remind him that he has told me the stories before. Now, I’d give anything to hear those stories again.

I miss watching UAAP games with my dad and how I’d get so pissed off at him for cheering against La Salle. He was an Atenean at heart, although he also studied in U.S.T. I remember seething in anger when he whooped it up after U.S.T. creamed La Salle four times in a row. I remember ignoring him for an hour after the game when he teased me mercilessly when La Salle lost to Ateneo.

I miss how we used to walk around Escolta when I was a kid. He would collect the rent from the building and upon my insistence; we’d go up to sidewalk vendors to buy posters of Tom Cruise (who I guess I wanted to look like when I was 10). I miss how he’d drag me off to those cheesy moviehouses to watch horrible action movies where Amazon warriors chopped people’s heads off.

I miss how he’d play Julio Iglesias songs (in Spanish) over and over again, irritating me beyond belief. I miss how he’d insist on playing the song, Don’t Worry, Be Happy over and over again even when I begged to play my Guns N Roses cassette. I miss how he would ask me to leave the radio station on in one station for the entire day because he heard the station play a song he liked.

I miss how he’d use to pick me up from school everyday, something that in my youth I found embarrassing. He would always be there, a smile on his face. He would take me by the hand and ask me how my day was. When I would tell him stories, he would listen. Then he’d take me to our after-school adventures. Sometimes, it would be a trip to Wendy’s, Orange Julius, or Shakey’s. If I was lucky, he’d take me to National Bookstore and ask me to pick any book I want.

I miss watching television with him. Even during his last days, we’d be side by side, watching television. My dad never complained so during his last months, we were stuck watching telenovelas that my mother insisted on watching. I miss laughing with him whenever the characters would go hysterical. I miss how we’d both give my mother weird looks when the telenovela characters started breaking down in tears.

I miss how even when I’ve already moved out of my house, he’d call me aside and slip me some extra cash. I miss how he’d wink at me and whisper that I shouldn’t tell anyone he gave me something extra. I miss how he’d reach into his pocket and give me his last 200 pesos just so I don’t have to spend my own money on a cab ride home. I miss how he’d insist on calling a cab for me and how I’d get angry and tell him to rest instead.

I miss holding his hand and hugging him, knowing that whatever happens, my father would be there. I miss calling him on the phone and telling him how much I love him after every conversation. I miss hearing him tell me how much he loved me and how I shouldn’t worry about anything because he’ll take care of it.

I miss those days when I’d think of my dad and not have to hold back tears. I miss those days when I’d miss my dad and all I needed to do was pick up a phone or take a 30-minute cab ride to my parent’s house.

As I said, it’s really funny what you end up missing…what you end up realizing you took for granted…when that person is gone.

= = =

Hey Dad, just thought I’d tell you how much I still miss you. I guess I always will.