Turning a New Leaf.

I have written about it here before, the fact that I don't celebrate my birthday. So when people call to greet me on my birthday and ask where and when the celebration will be, they are met with uncomfortable silence. Or a blank stare. I don't know what and how to respond. There is nothing set for my birthday, no party, no celebration. Silently I ask myself, was I supposed to hold a party and treat everyone? Is this an obligation on my part.

So, usually, I just invite them to our house and join our family for dinner. Most probably, my mom would prepare a lavish meal. Of course, that is not what my friends or cousins expect. They expect a gathering in a restaurant or hotel. Or an out-of-town trip. Someplace nice, as Phoebe from Friends once complained, is always someplace expensive.

I know some of my friends think that I am just scrimping but I am not. As we have done in the past, they can schedule the reunion or dinner and I am prepared to shoulder bill. Just don't expect me to arrange my own party.

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When Quincy asked me a few days ago where the celebration would be, I was like a deer staring into some headlights. Unless you have anything planned, I told him, I will be at home watching Ugly Betty and then The Late Show with David Letterman. Will you not have a party, he asked? Why should I prepare a party for myself, I said without trying to be coy or dismissive. And then I went on to remind him that I do not celebrate my birthday. [I am going to Boracay in a few days, true. But it is not to celebrate my birthday but to have some rest from my stressful urban life. The dates when my court schedule was light and so I could have some vacation just happened to be near my birthday.]

Last year, Quincy and I went to Tagaytay and had dinner in a known steak house. I am not excited to make another trip down south because of the road repairs still being done on the highway and the traffic is so bad. Not even if he drove for us.

A simple dinner, then? Yes, I said, if you like.

I am writing this nearly two weeks after my birthday. Indeed, some celebrations occurred.

When the night set by Quincy turned out to be the same night that I would be having dinner with my law school friends, I just invited him to join us. He was surprised that I extended the invitation. The unuttered question, of course, was, what would your friends think? But we got around it. He pretended to just happen to be in the same mall and so he took the opportunity to deliver his gift.

Some of my girlfriends gushed at his presence. Girls, naturally, swoon in the presence of jocks. Also, Quincy was a very popular collegiate varsity player. I was rained with questions of how I knew or met Quincy. I gave the old "he-is-a-client-who-has-become-my-friend-routine" and the matter was laid to rest. It also helped to shut down suspicions that Quincy has a long-time girlfriend.

I wasn't expecting any gift but this year proved to be a fruitful one. Quincy gave me the new Nike Jordan 23, size 8 1/2, gray. Rachel still remembered my birthday and gave me a bottle of Christian Dior's Fahrenheit. She bought it from Duty Free when she returned from Hong Kong. One friend gave me a hardbound copy of The Devil and Miss Prym by Paolo Coehlo while another gave me a copy of The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon. I love these gifts. If they didn't give me these, I would be buying them myself. Now, I have something worth celebrating.

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Must Blow 53: Danny Saradon.

I have confessed here quite overindulgently that I love Bel Ami. I devour their videos one after another. I must also say that it is the only porn house whose productions are right on my taste. There was never a purchase that I ended up feeling shortchanged or disappointed. Even if I do not like an entire video, there is always one scene or one guy which made the video worth the money.

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I also love Bel Ami boys. I have featured here with gusto and excess a number of their studs: Lukas Ridgeston, Pavel Novotny (I prefer this over his nom-de-porn of Max Orloff), Josh Elliot, Renato Amoroso and Brandon Manilow. How I sometimes wish of making that trip to Prague to be able to meet with these boys. Or even with one who looks like any of them.

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Now, it seems that in all my excitement, I have quite forgotten how I started to love Bel Ami. How I first purchased a video that I loved, which caused me to buy another, and then another.

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Today I pay tribute.
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The first ever Bel Ami video that I bought was Personal Trainers, Part 2. I think it well to disclose that when I say video, I mean in VHS format. There wasn't any VCD or DVD at that time. The copy wasn't original ---the type that bootleggers would produce at their own homes by playing the tape and then recording it in another VCR. I had a problem playing it at first but eventually, it played.

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Three boys from the video easily caught my fancy. They were: Sebastian Bonnet, Matt Philippe and Danny Saradon. Of the three, Matt Philippe became a quick favorite as a fantasy material. Eventually, however, it was Danny Saradon who proved to have a staying power in my dreams.

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Danny is my candy. I have followed his career, trying to buy as many of his videos as I could lay my hands on. I also have his latest appearance, Rebel, as well as all the others that came in between, such as Lukas in Love 1, Out in Africa, Flings, The Private Life of Tim Hamilton, Julian, Too Many Boys, and a whole lot more.

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I have also kept a library of his appearances in print. I bought a copy of the November 2005 issue of Freshmen in which Danny was photographed as a ranch hand with too much time and dick on his hand. I have downloaded his pictures from the web.

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Whether he played a top or a bottom, I always appreciated Danny. I liked it when he bravely took the humongous Pavel Novotny up his ass in Julian. Or how he played it with Lukas Ridgeston and Tim Hamilton in The Private Life. I loved it too when he mastered over the younger actors.

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Like Josh Elliot, Danny's staying power in the industry is secured by his boyish good looks. In his latest video, he looks as young as when I first saw him more than six years ago. He is as fresh and beautiful. Like no day has gone by from the day I played that memorable VHS tape.

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And even when he begins to look his age, I think Danny will still be in demand among directors and among his fans. Why not? Danny always gives a satisfying performance. He always seems to enjoy what he is doing ---and what is being done to him--- in the camera. He always smiles and lets the viewers have a peek of his lovable dimples.
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Busy, Busy MOTY.
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My reigning Man of the Year, Orlando Bloom, appears to be a very very busy guy. He has plenty of time in his hands, after all, as being a MOTY winner does not entail any responsibility other than the expectation to remain handsome, likable and visible. Julian Fantechi reigned without a hitch in 2007 and I expect Orlando to have a smooth ride throughout this year. Or until his successor shall have been named and qualified. He he. Pardon the legalese.

Orlando is in New York shooting an anthology movie entitled New York, I Love You. The project will include twelve short films of five minutes each and directed by twelve different directors (counting the Coen brothers, who won three Oscars this year for No Country for Old Men, as one). Each movie will tell an episode of love that transpires in New York City. This is Orlando's latest film after the highly successful Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End.

When Orlando isn't shooting, he is busily enjoying his current girlfriend, Miranda Kerr. Like my To Bi For model, Adriana Lima, Kerr is also a Victoria's Secret angel.

The first time I saw a picture of Kerr, I easily noticed the resemblance. Doesn't she look like Kate Bosworth (Orlando's last dig) in tan? I thought either something is wrong (Closure problems, Orly?), or this simply is the type of girl that Orlando goes for.

Reading an account in the internet that Orlando is "dating" Kerr, I felt a tinge of jealousy and alarm. Isn't "dating" just a polite way of saying "fucking" or "sleeping with"? After all, if the guy looks as good as Orlando and the girl as sexy as Kerr, who would think about abstinence and waiting after marriage? They must be fucking.

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And the thought ---the mental image--- that Kerr is able to enjoy Orlando's cock in her mouth was too much for me. How could she have such luck being able to enjoy all the best things the world can offer ---designer clothes, travelling to the best cities such as Milan, Paris and Tokyo, money, Legolas' elfin cock--- without an ounce of talent or breaking a sweat? What I'd give to be able to suck Orlando Bloom.

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To Bi For 29: Adriana Lima.

Adriana Lima is my favorite female model in today's lot. Am not much of a fan of supermodels, I find them somehow superfluous, but this girl really got to me. The last time I went gaga over a supermodel, she happened to be Cindy Crawford.

The first time I encountered Adriana was on the cover of GQ magazine. She posed way back in April of 2006. I immediately bought a copy and it went with me almost anywhere I went. I brought it in court and leafed through the pictures while waiting for the judge to arrive and start the sessions. I also read the interview one time when I got bored during a seminar. I got looks of envy from the other lawyers in the convention. While they struggled to keep interest in what the inarticulate and uninteresting lecturers were saying, I had Adriana openly entertaining me.

Barely two years after, Adriana is back on the cover of GQ. This time, the pictures are more daring and revealing. Shedding off the wet denim shirt, Adriana is completely naked. There is nothing other than her long mane and a palm leaf strategically covering her privates.

Adriana is one of the busiest models in the industry today. She is a contract "angel" for Victoria's Secret and an image model for Maybelline New York. She has also walked the ramp for noted designers such as Valentino, Giorgio Armani, Vera Wang and Christian Lacroix. In 2007, she was ranked as the fourth highest paid supermodel.

Returns for the April 2007 issue of GQ showed that it was the highest selling issue of the magazine ever. This also explains why Adriana is returning on the cover.

If Adriana could sell that many copies with her clothes on, imagine how many millions would sell if she bares it all for Playboy.

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Earth Day and Mr. March.

Today is Earth Day. Although I am not a hardline environmentalist, I am concerned about the environment and do my share in preserving it and keeping it sustainable.

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I segregate my trash. I minimize the use of plastics and even use just one big plastic bag during my purchases when I shop (I always tell the bagger at the cashier to put the smaller items in the same bag issued in an earlier purchase on the same day). I reuse plastic bottles and, as much as possible, carry an aluminum drinking bottle for water instead of buying bottles of 500 mL mineral water when I am out.

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I maximize the use of paper and use scratch pad, whether at home or in the office. I always turn off appliances that are not being used. I conserve.

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I always finish my food. I avoid being a glutton and put on my plate only the exact amount I knew I could eat. I am a responsible buffet customer.

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I use unleaded gasoline. I carpool with friends as much as I could and give a ride to neighbors who are also on their way to the office. My car undergoes regular maintenance to keep it earth friendly.

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I give my old clothes to my nephews and cousins. Unwearable ones, I convert to rags and use to clean my room, wipe my car or shine my shoes. I limit wastage.

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Today is Earth Day. Take stock of what you have done for the environment. And henceforth, commit to do more. The present food crisis that third and first world countries alike is experiencing is only one sign that our Earth is in serious danger.

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Acknowledge the problem and act. Now.

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-----oOo-----
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Mr. Month. The third Mr. Month honoree for 2008 is Irish actor Jonathan Rhys Meyers. He is the star of the acclaimed TV show Tudors wherein he plays the royal King Henry VIII. He has also appeared in several films, including: August Rush, Mission: Impossible III, Vanity Fair and Alexander. However, his most notable appearances are in 2002's Bend It Like Beckham and the sexually ambiguous Brian Slade in Velvet Goldmine.

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Three reasons why JRM can erect a pole in my pants: (1) the raw sexuality he exuded in Velvet Goldmine; (2) the raw sexuality he exuded on the cover of Details' 2007 Holiday issue; and (3) his uncanny resemblance to my gym crush, Delio.

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JRM was earlier named in my blog as the 51st Must Blow guy.

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Previous Mr. Month winners are model Tyler Lough (January) and Friday Night Lights' Taylor Kitsch (February).

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-----oOo-----

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Letterman Top Ten Earth Day Pick-up Lines. I usually end my days watching The Late Show with David Letterman and its Top Ten portion is one of my favorites. It is always hillarious. In celebration of Earth Day, the following list was prepared by the show's writers. However, the list wasn't used during the aired show. I got it from the newsletter that the show's online magazine sends me every week.

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Here is the list. Numbers 9, 6 and 4 are my favorites.

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10. "Would you like to hug my tree?"

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9. "Wanna swap airborne particulates?"

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8. "When I'm near you, sea levels aren't the only thing rising"

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7. "Let's get sweaty like Al Gore"

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6. "You know what they say about the size of a man's carbon footprint"

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5. "Your eyes are as blue as the ocean used to be before Bush relaxed dumping regulations'

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4. "Looking at you gives me a renewable energy source in my pants"

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3. "Did you know I recorded the 1953 Christmas hit 'Santa Baby'?" (sorry, that's an Eartha Kitt pickup line)

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2. "How'd you like to capture some of my emissions?"

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1. "Here's an inconvenient truth -- you have a nice ass"
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All Shirts are Off. .

.Anyone who has been out under the sun knows that shirts and summer do not go together. One has to take his shirt off in order to survive the heat. I, for one, is one them. I would rather walk around the house without a shirt or sando rather than suffer then feel sticky sweat and cotton on my skin.

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Before this summer is through I will be making my third voyage to Boracay for some rest and recreation. While there, I will dally with one of my hobbies, people watching. I will most probably spend an afternoon on the beach, not swimming, but with a novel on hand or beside me pretending to read, just watch as gorgeous people walk tight Speedos. And twentysomething gym guys with their shirts off and displaying their broad pecs and taut abs.

It will be an afternoon well spent. A feast for the eyes that will rival any parade ever organized. Maybe I'll have a tall glass of fruit shake on the side to allay any thirst that will dry my throat.

A local magazine, Star Studio, put up a Boys of Summer portfolio of the hottest young wannabe actors in shirtless summer mode in its most recent issue. I was luckily able to find a blog with scans of the hot pics. Here are my favorite guys in the bunch: Brent Javier, Will Devaughn and Jon Mullally (aka Jon Avila).

I also included a dash of Victor Basa. Though he isn't my type, this guy has a great body. Truth to tell, if it ever happens that he will offer me his naked body, I will not be walking away.

The prospect of seeing guys as hot as these four on the beach makes me want to fly off to Boracay at this very instant. Sadly, I have to wait a few more days.

So for now, these pics ---and these pecs--- are all I have.

-----oOo-----

He's Hot in Here. Back in February, I featured Diether Ocampo in my Not as Hot segment. I intended to include this particular picture but hard as I tried to search and google, I couldn't find it. This photo was pasted on various billboards in the city at the start of the year and it was one of my favorite. Diether is wearing a shirt here. But the way he raised his left arm and stared straight into the camera were enough to cause me to orgasm each time I drove by the billboard on my way home at night.

Glad I finally found a repro of the billboard to put in my blog.

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[Icons 03] Hulk Hogan.

Browsing through my blog, it would appear that I am quite a serious person. Well, I really am.

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But though I am rather serious, I am far from being square, a bore or a prude. I have a very affable sense of humor. I watch comedy shows and comedy movies. I appreciate art but I also adore popular culture. I laugh at David Letterman's top ten list.

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Perhaps nothing else demonstrates my lighter side than my appreciation for Hulk Hogan. Yep, I am a Hulk Hogan fan. Yep, I am a Hulkster.

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I must have been nine or ten years old when I began idolizing Hulk Hogan. It was the late eighties and it was at that time that WWF's popularity was on a steep ascend. The sport was also shown on local TV, albeit on a delayed basis. If it was already Wrestlemania 8 in the United States, it was still Wrestlemania 6 on our part of the globe.

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The show was aired very late on Wednesday nights, after the second evening news. As it was about 11:00 p.m., I was already done with my school assignments. As it was also already late, I had to fight off sleep just to be able to keep myself awake until the show starts. I usually slept at ten o'clock at that age.

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But all thoughts of sleep is easily forgotten once the show starts. The ring action was enough to keep me up and pumped in the next thirty minutes. I would watch with excitement the bouts of Randy "The Macho Man" Savage, Ted Dibiase, Andre the Giant and all the other superstars. Like all kids and the audience, I bought the idea that it was a real sport and a real competition. I am excited by the fights. I cheer for the winners and sometimes commiserate with the losers.

I cheered mostly for the good guys. I had a roster of my own favorite wrestlers that whenever they are in the ring, they could always count on my support. My favorites were Hulk Hogan, The Ultimate Warrior, Bret "The Hitman" Heart, Randy Savage and Jake "The Snake" Roberts. But even then Ravishing Rick Rude inspired lust in my young mind.

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Summer Slam and Royal Rumble were my favorite events. In Summer Slam, all the best wrestlers fight for the championships like the WWF belt, the Intercontinental championship, and tag team championship. Sometimes, I was made to choose between my guys, like when Hulk Hogan fought against Randy Savage. I parted ways with the latter. In Royal Rumble, thirty wrestlers are brought to the ring at intervals of a few minutes. Whoever gets to stand last on the ring when all the others have been thrown out or eliminated is declared the winner.

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Hulk Hogan is the most distinguished wrestler I have ever seen. He is unique. He is easily likable. He pumps up the audience from the very moment that they hear his music and now that he was about to march in. And when Hogan pumps his oiled muscle, dances for the crowd and tears up his yellow spandex jersey, the crowd is all his.

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Wrestling may not have been a real sport but Hulk Hogan taught his young audience about true sportsmanship. He taught us how to fight like a gentleman. To resist cheating even if it was the only thing that could hand us victory. That the size of our opponents does not signal the outcome (Hogan was able to carry and body slam Andre the Giant). To be gracious in defeat and magnanimous in victory. He taught us that walking away is sometimes the only way to fight.

.Sure, I could have learned these lessons from other people in other sports. But Hulk Hogan had his way of teaching these to the young kids. And see, I can still remember the lessons.

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American Idol Equations.

Waking up in a strange bed and then slowly realizing that I am in a foreign city without need of worrying about work, or friends, or family, or money is a priceless moment. I savor the moment. I slowly open my eyes, stretch my arms wide, reach for the pillow to catch some more sleep, and then smile to myself in realization: This is life!!!!

I had such moments during the last weekend. I went up north during for a brief vacation. Quincy and I thought of having some alone time. It was too late for a prolonged getaway to Boracay or Palawan as the basketball season had already started. He couldn't leave Manila for a long time since he had to attend team practices. Alas, two days were all that we could manage to steal.

And so waking up to find that my head was resting on his firm chest made me want to not leave the bed. But I had to as my trip up north was a mixture of work and play. I had a meeting in the morning and I had to make sure that my suit didn't suffer a lot of creases during the journey. Otherwise, I had to do some very light ironing.

It was nice having some alone time with Quincy. The cold weather did us both good. Although some fans walked up to him to ask for usual autographs, we were both thankful that we didn't run into anyone we know.

-----oOo-----

It was also up north that I got to watch the last elimination episode of American Idol. Like the majority of the show's fans, I was surprised and disappointed with the untimely exit of Michael Johns. Why was such with great potential and talent being shown the exit doors?

Honestly, after Ramielle Malubay got ejected from the show, I secretly cheered for MJ. If only I could vote. I have reconciled myself to the fact that MJ would not have won the contest. He had fewer following than David Archuleta, the kid wonder. Still, I thought he would make it to the final three or four, as his talent deserves to lead him to.

-----oOo-----

American Idol Equations. When the AI judges said that this season is the best twelve yet, I was cynical. That is what they always say, I tell myself.

However, as the weeks went on, I realized that the judges were right. Unlike the first six seasons (or the last four that I watched) all twelve contestants are nearly as equal in talent and yet as diverse in style that it was very difficult predicting who would win and who would get eliminated. Every week ---nearly after every performance--- I change my opinion on the contestants and who best deserves to win.

Anyway, my musings have led me to make the following comparisons between this year's contestants and the best of the past seasons -

1. Jasmine Trias minus vocal range equals Ramielle Malubay.

2. Jasmine Trias minus staying power equals Ramielle Malubay.

3. Vonzell Solomon plus vocal range equals Syesha Mercado.

4. Hailey Scarnato minus mini skirt equals Kristy Lee Cook.

5. Katherine McPhee minus acting crossover potential equals Carly Smithson.

6. Chris Daughtry minus humility equals David Cook.

7. Taylor Hicks minus soul patrol equals Chikezie Ezie.

8. Diana Digarmo minus country music appeal equals Ramielle Malubay.

9. Sanjaya plus real talent equals David Archuleta.

10. Chris Daughtry plus matinee idol appeal equals Michael Johns.

-----oOo-----

Would I Dare? Last night I went home more than three thousand pesos (roughly seventy US dollars) richer. I played poker with Quincy's friends and we stayed up until two o'clock in the morning. We had to break the game because it was already Monday and we all had to get some sleep if we wanted to function during our own work hours.

When we got to the house where the game was held, one of Quincy's friends was showing off his Civic. He had the car painted yellow ---like a racecar--- and then he had the Ferrari emblem put where the Honda symbol used to be. He even had two more patched on the sides. He was really proud of what he did.

I wasn't a fan of what he did. To the contrary, I found it disgusting. I wanted to ask him: Would you ever paste the photo of your dream girl (say, Angelina Jolie or Rachel Bilson) on your girlfriend's face while you fuck or date her?

I think that is exactly what he did with his car. Insulted his car and himself. I would never in a million years do that.

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SpeciMen 11: Keanu Reeves and Ian Veneracion.

Keanu Reeves is haunting me.
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For the past weeks, the fact that I have not written an entry on my SpeciMen featurette in this blog has been constantly in my mind. I wanted to write one. The problem lies with the fact that I had only one guy in mind (Ian Veneracion) and I always inducted guys in pairs or sets of three. I couldn't pick another. It seemed that all my obvious choices have already been named here.

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That is when Keanu stepped in. Rather, that is when Keanu came to mind. And stayed there.

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Keanu Reeves is one of the biggest stars of the 1990s. During that decade, he appeared in nearly 20 movies, from Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey and Point Break to The Matrix. And then in this decade, his star somewhat waned in Hollywood as the Matrix sequels disappointed critics and moviegoers, his biggest hit was the modest returns of Constantine and his most notable appearance was a minor role in Something's Gotta Give.

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He was one of my favorite actors in the 1990s. I even watched more of his films during that era over Brad Pitt or Tom Cruise. But in the following decade, not so much. We parted ways on artistic differences. We had digressing views on what constitutes a good film.

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But this past days, Keanu made sure that I remember how good he was as an actor and how much I patronized his craft during my teenage years. And he also made sure that I pay tribute to him by the time I write down my next SpeciMen blog.

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Suddenly, out of nowhere, Keanu returned to haunt me. He was everywhere I turned. I recently bought a copy of Genre and, there, pasted on the Men We Love portion of the magazine is the picture of the young Keanu. The mag paid tribute to his groundbreaking role in My Own Private Idaho. I opened the TV and HBO is playing (and replaying) his latest collaboration with Sandra Bullock, The Lake House. And then, just as surprising, his movie with Chris Evans is playing in theaters, Street Kings. Really, he still has a movie? was my highbrow reaction.

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Keanu is reminding me about his old greatness and I can say that a tribute is much deserved for this Hollywood survivor.

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I remember that it wasn't easy when Keanu was just making a name in the industry. Although recognition followed him, controversy wasn't always far behind. A lot of directors wanted to work with him. But during that time, his appearance in the adolescent Bill and Ted movies worked to his disadvantage. He was typecast. Thus, when Bernardo Bertolucci cast him in Little Buddha and Francis Ford Coppola included him in Dracula, the choice was met with abject criticism. It was seriously doubted whether Keanu can play roles outside of the goofy stuff.

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And he did. He gave decent performances in this films that although they did not completely silence critics, justified the confidences that the seasoned directors reposed on the young actor.

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The result of Keanu's perseverance, resiliency and gamble was his ability to greenlight a project by simply signing on to it. Thus, what followed was a string of commercial releases starring this amiable but reluctant Hollywood star: Speed, Johnny Mnemonic, A Walk in the Clouds, Chain Reaction, Devil's Advocate, Feeling Minnesota and The Matrix.

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To his credit, Keanu never let the success he achieved change him. He never let the system eat his soul, too. He remains one of the humblest bonafide stars Hollywood has ever had.

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Lindsay Lohan and all those young pretenders in the industry can learn a lot from this Zen-following guy.

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Humility seems to be my theme for today. Like Keanu, humility is also the most marked characteristic of today's other SpeciMen inductee, local actor Ian Veneracion.

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I remember Ian as one of my first male crushes alongside (or a little after) Albert Martinez (SpeciMen 02). I was but five or six or seven years old then and he was only a bit older than I was. He was just starting in the movie business and his first gig was the son of comedian Joey De Leon in the TV show Joey and Son.

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He was mestizo, bibo and a little naughty in the show. If my memory serves me right, the show was aired afternoon on weekends. I will always stop what I was doing during that hour ---whether I was playing outside with friends, doing my homework or fiddling with my GI Joes--- and watch with gusto.

After that show, Ian's career pretty much took a dive. He plunged into adolescence and producers did not know what to do with him. There were numerous unsuccessful attempts to pair him in a loveteam. There were equally disastrous efforts to market him as an action hero, and much later, sexy actor.

It was good that Ian had a good head inside that pretty head of his. When his movie career wasn't going in the direction that he wanted, intended or expected it to, he put it to a stop and tried other career paths. He also busied himself with starting a family.

Ian is back in the industry after nearly a decade of absence. He is mostly seen in TV dramas and fantasy series playing father roles to today's new set of matinee idols and bankable love teams. The roles aren't much but I am sure he is just as happy to be able to once again do what he enjoys doing.

The country is in dire need of a romantic lead and I am sure with Ian's look, physique and talent, he fits the role into a T. What's more, Ian remains one of the more lovable actors we have. I am quite sure, pair him up with Sharon Cuneta, Judy Ann Santos or Regine Velasquez in a romantic drama and moviegoers will line up and fall in love.

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Must Blow 52: Gabo Reinhardt.

For more than two months I have been going out with a woman named Emie. She is an old friend who separated from her husband middle of last year. She kind of fell out of the group when she married. I semi-fell out from the group for a different set of reasons ---work, Rachel, Quincy.

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We got in touch again around Christmas, when my social-romantic life sort of fell apart. I returned to the fold and was accepted with open arms by the group. Emie and I would join the group for dinner, movies and shopping. However, since we were the only singles in the barkada, we were paired at the dining table, on the aisle seats of movie theaters and walking behind our other friends as we wandered around malls.

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Since late February, we have become comfortable in each other's company that we would go out on our own. Just us. Our other friends would kid us about our "date" but we have never used that word. Sometimes, I would take her out with her kids.

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I am not yet sure what my intentions with her are. She sure is attractive, I even harbored a crush on her some eight or nine years back. But I know I am tinkering on unchartered waters. I always remind myself to take caution, not to give signals that may be misinterpreted. I like her, sure, but I have to make myself certain on where I want this relationship to head. She is in a delicate condition ---might even be vulnerable--- I don't want us to rush into something that we will regret.

Anyway, that dilemma isn't really the point of today's blog. So I am stopping my ruminations now and turning to the topic I really have in mind.

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Last night I was waiting for Emie to get dressed. I fetched her at her house so that we will only take my car when we meet our other friends for dinner. Buddy, one of our friends, was celebrating his birthday at a Japanese restaurant in Quezon City.

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As I waited for Emie to get dressed, I sat at the sala and leafed through some of the glossy magazines on the center table. One of the magazines lying there was the September 2007 issue of the local Cosmopolitan. This particular issue had the infamous insert of the magazine's 69 Hottest Bachelors and 10 Celebrity Centerfolds. I wrote about it last year. However, I never got to buy a copy of the issue.

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Emie arrived just five minutes ahead of me so I knew that I had enough time to leaf through the insert. The pull-out, after all, was soft-porn. I looked left and right and made my ears keen for any footsteps coming to my direction. The coast was clear and so I extended one hand to get the Bachelors' pull-out.

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I leafed through the Bachelors' pull-out for about three minutes. Sensing and checking that Emie still wasn't ready, I looked through it a second time.

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One thing that I got from this risky adventure is that I was finally able to get the name of the male model I have the hots for. I have been seeing him in a lot of TV and print commercials and I was curious to get his name. I don't what I'll do with his name, I just wanted to know it.

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And the name was there on print: Gabo Reinhardt. The guy with the long mane appearing in the Clear commercial alongside Piolo Pascual. The same guy in the Lee denim billboards and other local campaigns.

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Cosmo identified Gabo as a young student from Costa Rica who travels around the world to model in order to support his studies. The Philippines is but a stop-over in this man's journey.

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Earlier today I googled the name "Gabo Reinhardt" to find out more about him and get more pictures. His Cosmo picture flaunted his wide chest and taut abs. I wanted more of roughly the same. Or something more daring and revealing.

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To my utter surprise, my search brought me hits of images, likeness, data and files of "Gabriel Garro". Some sites identified him as Gabriel Garro Reinhardt. He represented Costa Rica in a Mr. International competition but lost. The exposure, however, opened doors to an international modelling career.

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I have featured him here last year, a guy I mistook to be a model or actor from Brasil. I pasted his photos on my blog because he very much looked like my much-coveted personal trainer. Wow. I almost sang It's a Small World. Gabriel Garro and this model are one and the same!! Gabriel Garro is in Manila!!!

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My heart was leaping. As if I had any chance. He he.

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Anyway, since yesterday I have not had enough of Gabriel. I have his semi-naked pictures as the wallpaper of my phones. In my mind he is presently my boyfriend. Since I am not monogamous, he is one among many, including Tyler Lough, Chace Crawford and Jonathan Rhys Meyers.

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-----ooOoo-----

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A Final Say. Getting hold of a hard copy of the Bachelor's issue gave me the opportunity to closely scrutinize the scandal-making appearance of actor Dingdong Dantes. When the issue came out, a lot of blogs and tabloids speculated that Dingdong's pic was cropped and photoshopped to perfection. Some even suggested that it wasn't his body after all.

Looking at the photo closely, I found it odd. Dingdong's head was a little too large for the body below it. His chest too wide for the torso below it and his legs looked like they belong to a woman. He looked like a tarsier, if I may be blunt. It was ugly and disappointing.

What is the point of commissioning real-life actors and models if the magazine will only end up printing wax figures and anime cartoons? All that cropping and photoshopping did nothing to make Dingdong ---and Cosmo--- look any better. If at all, it only showed the insecurities that the actor had with his body and the magazine only reinforced such insecurities.

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Busted.

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This incident happened just before Christmas break last year. I have half-forgotten about it but it crept back to memory while I was driving this morning. There is a moral to the story so I consider it worth writing about. I am bracing myself for a looooong blog for this.

The office Christmas party was just about winding up when I received a phone call. It was nearly one o'clock in the morning. It was from Jim, an up-and-coming professional singer and recording artist once introduced to me by my friend and client, Lui (a TV executive). Our short conversation was to this effect:

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Hi, attorney. This is Jim. Remember me? Are you busy? Are you still awake?

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Yes, Jim. No. The office Christmas party is just about done.

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I need help. Can you meet me now?

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Is this something urgent? It is nearly morning. Where are you?

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I am in my car in Quezon City. I need your help.

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What kind of help?

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I am with the police right now.

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My heart skipped a bit. I smelled trouble that I was not sure I wanted to get involved in. Especially when I was just in the mood to go on Christmas break.

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What is this about? I insisted.

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Basta. I'll tell you when you get here.

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I need to know what it is. If you are with the police I need to think of my strategy while I drive to you.

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It's nothing serious. But quite embarassing. It is not drugs or murder. I'll tell you when you get here.

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Okay. Where exactly are you? What is your car model and plate number?

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When he told me where he was I heaved a sigh of relief. I had quite an idea of the nature of his legal problem.

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I got to Jim in about twenty minutes. Quezon Circle, that notorious place, isn't really that far from our office when you drive at one a.m. I easily located his car parked under the pedestrian overpass along Philcoa. There was no police car around him. His car was just waiting, hazard lights on. A public utility jeepney was in front of the car and waiting for passengers. I parked my car behind Jim's and stepped out.

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