Monday, May 29, 2006


Home...

Just got home from an exhausting weekend. It would probably take one or two days for me to collect my thoughts so please be patient. No random hot guys and footnote-worshipping in the meantime.

So, what have I done in the past four days? I'll let you guess.



posted by Empress Maruja | |




Tuesday, May 23, 2006


This Could Be Empress Maruja's Longest Post, So Far...

Or maybe not.

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WORK LIFE: JOB QUEST

I finally decided that I shall once again embark on a difficult and treacherous journey. I will look for another job.

Yes, no more waiting for the manna from heaven (also known as delayed salary) to trickle down to my bare pockets. It's time to leave all the previous quest boo-boos and take action once more.

I already worte several letters of application to notable companies and I hope that I could take an unbeaten path to imperial glory.

Wish me luck.

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WORK LIFE: FUN AND GAMES IN THE MEANTIME

So, while preparing for the embarkment of yet another career journey, I had to do my best in making my current work in the children's show a breeze (and less pain in the neck).

The production team went to a local recreation center called Kidz World (yes, with a "Z"). It mainly boast of its golf complex for kids and a huge wave pool.

Our episode is a continuation of our show's Kiddie Amazing Challenge, which is a series of games played by our hosts. This time, it only consists of three games: a wall-climbing challenge, a shoot-the-balloons-in-a-pool game, and a treasure hunt-slash-obstacle-course.

To make the long story short, it was a fun shoot filled with laughs and tears (courtesy from the losing team). And while we kill time, the staff and hosts lounged around the huge wave pool (and that also means HUGE waves).

But as the day ends, I realize that the shoot was also our head writer's last episode as the HD since he preferred venturing into the variety show he once offered me. That means, I would have to take the cudgels (I mean, the responsiblity) of being the head writer for the show's future episodes.

Sigh...if only I could ask for a raise...

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SUBLIMINAL LIFE: CERTAIN DAYDREAMS (OPEN LETTER TO M #2)

Just when I thought I have completely gotten over you, I lie on my bed to sleep and then, deep in thought, your face appeared in my head...again.

Why can't I forget you? I guess that angelic face is so hard to resist and I tend to end up thinking of what have you been doing. Wondering on the life that you are now leading. And just as before I close my eyes into deep slumber, I whisper to God to send my regards to you. I hope He catches my whispers and plant it in your thoughts.

You once told me, in that brief phone call years after not seeing each other, that you finally tracked me to my house (a friend called you a stalker but I didn't mind). Walking along my neighborhood, I wondered that you probably stepped meters away from my house, looking back and see that "FOR RENT" sign hanging in another house nearby. You probably thought of moving in, so you could see me more often. So you could, finally, be with me.

You would probably make friends with my Dad and my Big Brother (before he went to the States), have drinking sprees even during the most petty of celebrations. Whereas I would play coy and be the hostess, offering you bunch of drunkards more beer bottles and platefuls upon platefuls of peanuts and what-nots.

As I would serve to the table, I would probably take brief glances towards your eyes (oh, how I miss those eyes) and give out a smile. While you, like you always do, pretend not to see me, relying on your peripheral vision just to catch me.

We would probably be introduced by my Dad and pretend that we meet for the first time. We would say "Hi!" to each other and smile, as if we are getting to know each other all over again.

That would have been cool, but then again, probably not.

Damn, you're so hard to resist.

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INTERMISSION NUMBER: JASMINE VERSUS JASMINE

Your empress will take a break and while I'm taking my evening coffee, please give a warm Filipino welcome to my special guest...American Idol Season 3 contender Jasmine Trias together with...uh...Jasmine Trias!

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SUBLIMINAL LIFE: CERTAIN WONDERINGS (OPEN LETTER TO "BI")

I gotta be honest. You are still a mystery to me.

And until now I still can't figure out if I let you slip away from my grip.

If I had been insensitive, I'm sorry.

I wish I could hug you now, wrapping my arms around your warm body in this time of gloom. I want to comfort you, but you seem so distant now. I want to assure you that everything will be all right, but I wonder if after all of these, you let go of my arms and walk away.

And as I stare at your disappearing figure, I breathe freely and tell to the winds, "Thank you for being my number one fan."

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MEME LIFE: 10 SIMPLE PLEASURES

While taking a break, I received a meme from Nao asking for my 10 simple pleasures in life. Well, here are mine:


1) TV. A TV geek since kindergarten, I have been enjoying watching television (both the educational kind and the sleazy kind) and it has become my comfort tool.
2) INTERNET. Whether I am posting a forum, chatting with friends, or searching for hot guy pics, the Internet is my brand-new pleasure. I could be online for hours and still don't go tired.
3) WRITING. My passion since high school, and until now I polish my writing skills through this site as well as on paper.
4) COFFEE. Anytime is a good time to have a warm cup of coffee.
5) LAUGHING. With all the crazy stress on work and other aspects, it feels good to let out a hearty laugh.
6) CHIT-CHAT. Small conversations with friends can stimulate one's mind and further enforces friendship.
7) MARUJA RADIO. The sounds of Manila have never been so good.
8) INSTANT PANCIT CANTON. A habit I am now controlling, but a little "snap" won't hurt.
9) BOYS. Why is this at the bottom of my list?
10) PAD THAI. My comfort food. The smell, the taste, lovely!

And with that I am passing this meme to 10 other bloggers, namely:

* RIBBITICUS
* CHAS
* PAULIE
* GODDESS
* YURI
* MARTI
* DEMENTIA
* SCOTT
* TALAMASCA
* MIKHAEL

Happy meme-ing!

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GAME LIFE: DA MARUJA CODE UPDATE

To help you solve the secret message encoded in Da Maruja Code, I allign the letters in the cryptogram and provide several keys to the puzzle.

Again, the first to post the secret message in the comments section will be humbly recognized at the Recommendations section, which will run for four weeks.

Here is the secret message:

U MQIEH DY DNI KEA KYTM DNED TIRRUM DHUCCY UM TIWURUDICA RYD KEA. BUYCY UM.

Now, here are some of the keys to unlock the puzzle:

A = Y
B = P
U = I
E = A
K = G

Can you solve the secret message?

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RANDOM HOT MEN: MARC NELSON

I used to have a huge showbiz crush on Marc Nelson. When I used to work at a modelling agency, I often bump into him at several events projects, but I never managed to chat with him. Sigh...he's so dreamy.


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BOW DOWN AND WORSHIP MY FOOTNOTES

1) I would like to invite once again my fellow Thomasian bloggers to help me compile a directory of blogs wrtten by students, faculty, and alumni of UST. Send me an e-mail at empressmaruja@gmail.com containing your blog URL and course/major.


2) CELEBRITY BOO-BOO: "Can you repeat that for the second time around once more from the top?" -- Melanie Marquez

3) NOTE TO A CERTAIN NEPHTALINA: Courting a girl named Rica doesn't hide your fishy smell.

4) What?! My activeness in the Philippine Idol forums has caused certain people to supposedly "stalk" me...scary...

posted by Empress Maruja | |




Saturday, May 20, 2006


New Template, Same Old Imperial Fag

BLOG LIFE: Turning Green For Now

Uy... (as I twiddle my fingers while waiting for the dial-up to load)

Uy!

That was my reaction when I saw my new template for the first time. With many thanks to Chas of Bend It Like A Banana, he put in this cute design (although this is similar to my friend The Goddess' site).

What I really love about my new design is the navigatible sidebar (and it's clean! CLEAN!).

However, this is just a temporary template. The new template is still being worked out and the first stumbling block Chas and I encountered is the header.

What image would best fit this site? I suggested a photo of Empress Dowager, but Chas thought it look too old for my persona. And then, just now, a eureka moment popped in my head.

I'm now searching for the appropriate images and will send it to Chas for editing. I promise...

It would be Amazing.

It would be Magical.

It would be Beautiful, like me.

So in the meantime, let's hold hands again in suspense.

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GEEK LIFE: Idol, I'm Your #1 Fans!

My Dad (who by now you know works in a major TV network) never understands my fanatical attitude towards certain TV shows. He would always say that I'm working in the Broadcasting Industry and screaming in delight or laughing whole-heartedly while watching my fave shows is a faux pas.

But what can I do? I grew up in a TV studio, I love watching TV and it's an added privelege that I now work in a TV show.

And my new-found fanaticism is starting to grow anew with the upcoming first season of Philippine Idol. I am so excited about this show, I started spreading the good news in different Filipino forums and fansite, sometimes acting like an advice columnist for those aspiring idols who ask about the audition phase of this competition.

So don't be surprised that within a few months my blog would be littered with Philippine Idol whatevers while babbling about my random lives.

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INTERMISSION NUMBER: Babae Po Ako (I'm A Girl, Not A Fag)

Your empress will take a break. In the meantime, here's a special production number. (applause)



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OPINIONATED LIFE: Da Vinci Coden't

The City of Manila has passed a resolution banning the showing of The Da Vinci Code within its city limits.

What kind of drastic effect that would do? Most of Manila's cinemas have turned into bathhouses anyway.


You know the TV network war is going bad when:

The two major networks have their own Mount Everest Climbing Team.


Don't get angry. That's just my imperial opinion.

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RANDOM HOT MEN: Romnick Perrea

A candidate of Face Of Basilica. Yum!


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BOW DOWN AND WORSHIP MY FOOTNOTE

I am working on a directory of blogs created by Thomasians. If you are an alumnus (or alumna) of The Royal and Pontifical University of Santo Tomas, send me an e-mail (empressmaruja@gmail.com) containing your blog title, blog URL, and course/major of blogger. Spread the good news!

posted by Empress Maruja | |




Sunday, May 14, 2006


Smacked Twice, Coded Twice, And Exorcised Twice

THE EMPRESS GOT SMACKED

YoU probably have heard of I Talk Too Much, a collection of blog reviews. A month ago, I subMitted RLOEM for review and this Saturday morning, the critiQue for my site was published.

I know, I know I'm aware that the reviews were mostly on the negative side, that the reviewers would always look for the most vile and awful in one's blog and understating the positive. That some of the blog owners who received negative smacks either ended up raging in anger, threathening to sue the reviewers.

Does that make me stupid to throw my precious blog into a lion's den? I don't think so.

Does that make me too confident that I would get the highest rating of five smacks? NeIther.

I submitted my blog for three reasons: to increase readership, to see what to improve in my site, and to make a review of my own review.

So without further ado, here's the IT2M Review of The Random Lives Of Empress Maruja according to Merciless Minx:



Now, what's my review of the reviEw?

I'm Honestly puzzled as to why Filipino blogs have only been noticed this recent. Perhaps, since some of the Filipino bloggers who were reviewed live in foreign countries, the reviewers probably generalize them as Asian.

I like the fact that the strengths I'm expecting to get noticed in the review were prominently noted. However, I'm sad by the fact that the reviewer forgot to try my Maruja Radio.

I give the review TWO FINGER BANGS for being patient (and tolerant) enough to read through my posts.

I don't mind about the comments from those other readers. Kerr ko? Why should I kerr? They're not my target reaDers anywaY.

Reading through the review, what changes must this blog undergo?

Nothing much. For one, you can tell by now that I am using regular font size instead of embolDening it.

As for the template, a frieNd of mine offered his template-building skills to me and I only accepted his offer two days before the review was published. Since I have no idea what he would do, I guess we have to hold each other's hands In suspense.

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THE "BADING SI..." CODE

Comedian Joey De Leon wrote in his newspaper column about a checKlist/ blind item as to how to detEct if a male celebrity is a gay guy in hiding. He calls it "The Bading Si..." Code.

According to him, here Are the tell-tale signs:
* He has no Known girlfriend.
* He has a good-looking male driver.
* He is a CAL-boy, or he's into Cologne, Alcohol, and Lotion.
* He spraYs his car with cologne.
* He has a ski mask or a surgical mask inside his car.

I don'T know about the ski mask, but that's relatively logical. However, even using this checklist, I believe that nothing beats the good old-fashioned gaydar instincts that only the people of green-blood can possess.

Just by staring at the celebrity's eyes, I can tell that he's a "nephtalina" (Moth balls, since they best kept in the closet).

Here's a collection of photos of popular Filipino male celebrities (ranging from actors, singers, to reality show contestants). Just by looking at their eyes, which of them Do you think is gay? Take Note, there could be more than one of them.





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DA MARUJA CODE

And if that's not Enough (and in anticipation of the upcoming showing--or banning--of The Da Vinci Code here in the Philippines), I came up with my own set of cryptograph hiDden in this post. The first one to solve the code and post it in the comments section gets his or her site to be featured in Maruja Recommends, which will run for four weeks.

You have to find all the green letters in this post and arrange them from firsT letter to the last letter to fill out the following blanks:

* ***** ** *** *** **** **** ****** ****** ** *** ***. ***** **.

Using this cryptograph, solve for my secret message. It's not really that difficult. Besides, it's fun.

Here's a key: A = Y.

(NOTE TO READERS WITH NON-BLOGGER SITES: If you're attempting to solve the code, leave your blog URL along wIth your answer in the comments section.)

Are you ready?

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THE EXORCISM OF MARUJA ROSE

In recent days, your dear empRess had been quite unstable.

I'd been heaRing things in my mind that I would die.

BecaUse of this, I'd become afraid that anything I might do would be a premonition. I became afraid of hugging my Dad, thinking that it would be my last. I became afraid of saying goodbye, instead replacing it with "See you later" or "I'll be back."

Last Thursday, while watching TV, those crazy thoughts escalated in to crazy whispers that I would die the day after.

And since I just wanted to released that pent-up craziness, I told my sister about it.

She told me that I'M probably possessed. Possessed by the evil spirit of Maruja.

So she took a fan and started tapping on my body as she began her faux trance chants.

"I call upon the spirit of Maruja. Leave the body of my brother Kris. I banish you, in Jesus name! In Jesus name!"

She asked Maruja if it's still in my body. I giggleD.

"Oh no! That evil spirit is still there," my sister exclaimed and started exorcising me again.

(Don't worry. I've consulted some officemates and I realized that tHe thoughts were fueled out of my own made-up fears. In other words, I worried too mUch.)

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MARUJA RADIO VER.4.0: THE FUTURE SOUNDS OF MANILA

Maybe this is the reason why I was so Calm while reading my blog review.

I've updated Maruja Radio featuring songs from the country's newest artists (well, most of them anyway). Collectively, I believe these are the sounds that will populate the music mainstream in the Coming daYs.

The genres are so diverse this time from Bossa Nova (Sitti), Reggae (Brownman Revival), Jazz (Kala), AcoUstic (U-Turn), and Indie (Up DharMa Down).

This playlisT also features the hottest musIcal acts like Spongecola, Urbandub, and Rachelle Ann Go.

So press "play" while reading through my blog and listen to the future sounds of Manila.

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BOW DOWN AND WORSHIP MY FOOTNOTES

1) Check out the neWest blog featUred in MaRuja Recommends. Bend It Like A Banana features the life of a Filipino living in Norway. His posts are mostly fUnny and over-all interesting, equipped with a new and improveD easy-to-navigate template. So clIck on the sCreencap located at the sidebar. Now nA!

2) I'm planning to observe the proceedings of the Fast TRack auditions of Philippine Idol this MondaY. I want to see the panDemonium slowly being created. No, I have no ambition of auditioning. I'm no William Hung, and I'm no Taylor Hicks either. I thinK I would become so fanatical to this show, likE the time I used to post a lot about thAt celeBrity search StarStrUck.

3) Will somebodY in GMA-7 tell reporter MiChael Fajatin that his on-cam bloopers have alreadY become internet fodder? And since we all want a good laUgh, Might as well watch this clip.


posted by Empress Maruja | |




Tuesday, May 09, 2006


The Wave And The Blossom

KWYING A WAVE OF KOREAN TEARS

Oh no! I think I'm gonna "kwy" again...

GMA-7 has decided to re-broadcast (for the third time) Endless Love 1: Autumn In My Heart, the first Korean drama that became a huge hit in the Emerald Isles. This series is a heart-wrenching story of two siblings whose lives and fates become twisted after finding out that the sister was actually switched at birth.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH A CLIP

The first time I watched it, I cried. The show was just so...sad. My eyes let out a wave of tears over a man and a woman whose love is forbidden since their parents consider them as brother and sister.

It was then I realized, I became swayed by the Korean Wave. I became an addict for Korean dramas. I watched Endless Love 1 until its tragic end and anticipated for more. Perhaps it's because of the beautiful storylines, or the good-looking actors, or even its majestic cinematography (which completely pales in comparison to local dramas).

But overall, I think the plotlines in Korean dramas are parallel to the supposedly conservative Filipino culture and it possesses a universal appeal.

It's no wonder the Korean Wave is starting to spread across Asia and even North America with a deluge of Winter Sonata, All About Eve, Full House, Lovers In Paris, Jewel In The Palace among other Asian television greats.

But that does not mean the Filipinos are doing nothing about world domination.

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THE BLOSSOMING OF THE FILIPINO

There is more the Philippines can offer to the world aside from maids and caregivers.

"The Blossoming Of Maximo Oliveros" will have an Australian premiere in no less than the historic Sydney Opera House as part of The Message Sticks Indigenous Film Festival. It will be the first Filipino film to be shown in the art palace of Down Under.

Although I'm still saddened by the fact that the Philippines failed to submit an entry for Best Foreign-Language Film in this year's Academy Awards, I hope this simple, low-key, low-budget, low-tech of a film continues to warm the hearts of every viewer in every country.

Another Philippine pride is "The Promise," a drama series that was shown in ABS-CBN for two years (soap operas here used to last for years). This undying love story became a hit in South East Asia, even beating the highest ratings posted in Indonesia.

I personally think that in order the local TV dramas continue the tradition of international prominence The Promise has lead, networks should stop focusing on casting and instead focus on the story and technical aspects. It is undeniable that The Promise has one of the best cinematography in local TV history and I think it can be repeated. This also goes to the film producers who have yet to regain its once glorious reign.

On a peculiar side, did you know that a Filipino sex comedy "Liberated 2" actually premiered in Korea? One of the lead actress, Francine Prieto, apparently once worked as a sexy model in the Peninsula, appearing as a cover girl in Korea's FHM Magazine.

The Filipino Blossoming is slowly taking form. However, most producers are adamant in going international. I say, the international market is actually a bigger market.

I wonder what they are afraid of...

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RANDOM HOT MEN #4: JON MULLALLY

Half-Filipino, half-Briton, all manly. This hottie recently won in a spokesperson competition for Century Tuna. The photo (courtesy of MabuhayBeauties.com) was taken during his appearance at last year's Bachelor Bash organized by Cosmopolitan Magazine.

Drool, sisters, drool...


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BOW DOWN AND WORSHIP MY FOOTNOTES

1) Coming next week, I'll be featuring a new site in Maruja Recommends. Will it be your blog?

2) I found out that Hong Kong superstar Stephen Chow (of Shaolin Soccer and Kung Fu Hustle fame) recently endorsed Philippines' pride San Miguel Beer. The TV commercial was shown in China and Hong Kong. Check out the video below (although you have to squint your eyes a bit for the subtitles).


3) LESSON FOR TODAY: In the world of entertainment and media, charm is your best weapon.

posted by Empress Maruja | |




Friday, May 05, 2006


Dealing With Harassment/ Maruja, Defender Of The Great Brown Race

HANDLING SEXUAL HARRASSMENT

How should a queer queen like me handle certain situations I felt violated?

Last Wednesday, while typing a script (or pretend to type a script), one of our technical crew lounged in our production room while waiting for the video clips to render in the editing room. He then stretch as if yawning and exclaimed that his tool is so hard.

He asked if it's a good thing. In jest, I just said, "It might burst."

But he didn't stop and commented that I'm probably good for ass-borking.

THAT'S IT!

Although pretending to be one of the boys, I let out the crispiest cuss imaginable. It sounded like, "Put Tang in a mow."

We both laughed to hide the brewing tension. He should be.

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LIFE IS SOOOOOO NOT FAIR!!!

Why do some people (like Gengki) are so lucky to have this?



While I have to settle for this?



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THE MOST INTELLIGENT WAY TO EAT

When I first heard about this news, I thought it was a hoax just like Mariah Carey lambasting Regine Velasquez as "a brown monkey who can sing."

But it is as true as the rising price of oil, a 7-year-old Filipino boy in Canada was being disciplined by the school monitor just because he eats his lunch in a Filipino manner: with a fork and spoon.

And what's infuriating is the principal's statement to the complaining mother: that since they are in Canada, they should eat how Canadians eat (with just a fork).

That comment was just sick. It reeks of alienation and outright ignorance. I thought Canada is supposed to be a country that embraces cultural diversity? Should the school monitor also reprimand Chinese students from eating with chopsticks, calling it dirty and yucky? How about certain students who eat with just a spoon, would they be called pigs?

Well, sorry for those fork-sticking Canadians, but eating with only a fork is stupid and dumb. For one, scooping rice (the loose one, mind you) with a fork would only result to utter mess since most of the rice grains would just fall off spaces between the tinders. And don't get me started with using the fork in eating soup.

Eating the Filipino way is the most intelligent way to eat. You pick a piece of meat with a fork and eat it, then scoop some rice using a spoon and use the fork to sweep the loose grains onto the spoon. Not much of a mess.

Arrrgh, enough of the ranting for now. This argument would not end here, I'm sure of it.

But the bottom line is that the school monitor and the principal were disrespectful and disregarding of other people's cultures. That in itself is not educational.

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"FILIPINO" IS NOT A BAD WORD

This leads to another issue concerning the Great Brown Race. I remember Donita Rose, former MTV Asia VJ, told a personal account while riding a taxi around Singapore. The cab driver asked her what ethnicity she was, she proudly stated that she was Filipino (Filipino-American to be exact). The cabbie was stunned.

"You're not Filipino," the driver exclaimed. "That's impossible."

Probably the driver thought that all Filipinos look like this.

On another note, a local celebrity and her entourage visited Australia several years ago. She then went into a restaurant for lunch. Upon learning that she and her companions are Filipino, the restaurant staff suddenly put out a spray bottle and started squirting disinfectant to them.

What's so wrong about the word "Filipino"? Better yet, what's wrong with being Filipino anyway?

Dog eaters? The French eat pig brains. Americans eat bull's testicles. Japanese eat raw food.

Maids? So are the Sri Lankans, Chinese, Indonesians, and yes, even French.

Uneducated? We are a nation of writers, educators, inventors, businessmen, statesmen, diplomats, artists, and all other jobs the first-world occupy.

Whores? What's wrong with our innate exotic beauty?

Nothing belittles us Filipinos. We have toppled presidents in peaceful revolutions while America does not have a female president yet.

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RANDOM HOT MEN #3: MIKE TAN

Teen star Mike Tan goes shirtless for the first time just for X-Ray Magazine.


Do you think you are hot enough? Why don't you submit a photo showing off your hot body worthy of a god to empressmaruja@gmail.com

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BOW DOWN AND WORSHIP MY FOOTNOTES:

I updated Maruja Radio with new tracks from Zsa Zsa Padilla and Itchyworms. I Hope you like it!

posted by Empress Maruja | |




Tuesday, May 02, 2006


Grenn Pess and Philippine Idol Updates

GRENN PESS

I received a text message from a colleague inviting me for a writing job at a low-budget afternoon variety show. It sounds pretty tempting, considering that people behind variety shows are paid on a daily basis.

But after deep thoughts and evening coffees, I decided to turn down the offer. Considering that the show is low-budgeted, I fear that I might be paid in sponsor products, particularly in bags of green peas.

Or as the show's main host would say, "Grenn Pess."

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PHILIPPINE IDOL UPDATES



No, I'm not talking about this Philippine Idol. Gosh, what gall for him to call himself such?

I'm talking about THE Philippine Idol, the Philippine franchise of worldwide phenomenon Pop Idol, and it is starting to create a wave of curiosity among potential auditioneers and fans as well. A lot of news have been circulating over the past weeks, and so far, here are the updates, speculations, and rumors about the country's version of American Idol...

1) The show will have three judges and two hosts. One music icon has been confirmed to sit as one of the judges. Ryan Cayabyab is one of the most popular composers in the Philippines. His works include pop songs, film scores, even full-length ballets. Mr. Cayabyab is a respected figure in the music industry and he will definitely make the viewers listen to his criticisms and admirations on the contestants. Before the auditions are barely starting, he has been labelled as the Randy Jackson among the three judges.

2) Another names that has been confirmed to become part of Philippine Idol is Ryan Agoncillo. This TV host has had a string of successful shows and has been known in the entertainment circuit for having a great command on-cam. This is definitely his biggest break so far, adding to a string of successful shows he hosted. Although contrary to certain naysayers, I don't think he would become a Ryan Seacrest clone.

3) Now, will there be a Simon Cowell-type judge in Philippine Idol. Most likely...not. The masses would consider such behavior as "bastos" (rude).

4) But what is this I am hearing? Rumors have been spreading that another TV network wants to enter the picture. ABS-CBN 2, the country's largest network (although I would like to add that it currently holds a dismaying #2 spot in Metro Manila ratings), is said to have been negotiating to ABC 5 (currently a #3 network and the holder of the Philippine Idol franchise) for a co-production of Philippine Idol. It may sound as a good juicy offer, but considering ABS-CBN's history when it comes to business deals, I hope ABC would not take the bait. ABS-CBN denies the report...yeah right.

How will Philippine Idol fare with so many singing competitions on Philippine TV? Let's wait and see.

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MARUJA SPREADING THE INSPIRATION

I realized that this blog has not only become my avenue of thoughts, ramblings, and what-nots, it also has become a source of inspiration from other bloggers as well.

My post about my sad experience with a film company was featured in Torn and Frayed, a blog about two foreign journalists covering beats in the Philippines. Torn has expressed his sympathy over moi and his take on the issue of a "potential" plagiarism. It was very well said.

That post also inspired another blogger, Asiatic Neil, to share a similar story in the comments section. A schoolmate of his entered a local scriptwriting conference and won second place. His screenplay was about a fantasy world of warrior fairies. He was shocked to see months later that his concept became a reality, in the form of a TV series bearing the title of his script, Encantadia. He was silent upon witnessing it and was mum about it for months until the writer showed his proofs to Asiatic Neil that Encantadia was plagizrized from his work, from the script, to the names of the characters, even the map of Encantadia which the writer himself painted. And in what I think as his way of avenging, he now works at another TV network.

Upon reading the story, only one question surfaced on my head: "Why didn't he sue?" I guess the answer is all up to him.

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RANDOM HOT GUY #2: CODENAME "HE"

I have no idea who he is. But then again, would that be important?

If you think you got what it takes to be featured in Random Hot Guys, just send me your photo showing off your hot body for us to worship through my e-mail address empressmaruja@gmail.com.

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BOW DOWN AND WORSHIP MY FOOTNOTES

1) As you may have seen, I have added a new feature at the sidebar replacing my blog renter. Maruja Recommends features blogs that I actually read and admire. Our buena mano is no other than Tenchu. Do check him out, it's worth it. If you want your blog to be recommended by no less than the empress, please leave a comment on my site so I could check your site out.


2) CELEBRITY BOO-BOO: "I would like to thank everyone who buyed my album." --Yasmien Kurdi

3) De La Salle University has been suspended for one season in all sports in this year's University Athletics Association of the Philippines (UAAP) after finding out that two of their basketball players have faked their high school credentials to be in the team. As a protest, DLSU is mulling on a possibility of pulling out of UAAP. I say, cheer up Green Archers! There's always next year. To boost your school's morale further, what better way to do it than with your own pep squad. Let's hear it!

4) UPDATE: Check out my latest additions in Maruja Radio. I wish to spread fun and happiness, so I decided to put on some commercial jingles, TV soundtracks, and several spoof songs. Put a smile on your face...make the world a better place. Sumusunod...sa galaw mo, sumusunod...sa galaw mo.

posted by Empress Maruja | |