The One I Haven't Watched on my Spotify Top 5 Artists

Spotify has a summary of what you listened to for the year. Saw this earlier when I used the app to play some Christmas songs after my last meeting. I needed to be in the right frame of mind to write several contracts*. 

I looked through the "wrap" and it included a list of the top 5 artists I listened to in the past year. I showed the list to Sweetie and he pointed out that I have watched 4 out of 5 live in concert. I immediately looked at the list and asked my friends to guess who I haven't watched. 

So who haven't I watched?

The Piano Guys

Most of my friends guessed The Piano Guys. If you did, you're wrong! Haha. I watched The Piano Guys on September 25, 2020 in Singapore. It was a surprise from Sweetie. The amazing music of The Piano Guys helped heal me and continues to do so until today. 

Backstreet Boys

Some also guessed the Backstreet Boys. It was the last biggest concert I watched before the pandemic happened. It was also another surprise by Sweetie! He bought tickets just two days before the concert because he heard good reviews about the concert. It was on that day that I said goodbye to Menudo. 

Truefaith

Ahhh, my all-time favorite band. I'm sorry to say, but I love Truefaith more than the most popular Pinoy rock band. Of course I got to watch them because I got free tickets from Eugene Marfil (Medwin's brother) who used to be SK chief of their barangay (story here). Anyway, that's how I got to watch them.  

Juris

Of course I watched Juris when she was part of MYMP. Twice hehe. And the second time was a surprise by Sweetie! The sappy story on how it happened is here. The first time I watched with my friend Mabel (I've completely forgotten about it, thanks to my blog now I remember!). I love Juris' voice and that's why I still listen to her songs to this day. 

Ben & Ben

I haven't been able to watch a concert in Manila for a long time now and Ben & Ben hasn't visited Singapore yet. So it's them. I haven't watched them perform in person yet. I'm subscribed to their YouTube channel and that's how I've come to love them. 

If you noticed, most of the concerts I watched was a surprise from Sweetie! That's because Sweetie is the founder of Titikpilipino.com. It's a multi-awarded website on Filipino music and I was starstruck when I first met him (teehee!). The website is offline now, but you can check out some of the photos he took of Filipino artists back in the day on the Titikpilipino Instagram account. Hopefully someday Sweetie can surprise me again to watch another concert!

Ben & Ben, please come to Singapore when it's safe! We'll definitely watch your concert! 

*This is where my legal management degree comes into practice haha. Dad would've been proud. 

#CB//238 #StuckAtHomeDay/268 #WFH158 #StayHome #BeKind  

Love2Love2Love

One of my most popular posts is about relationships where I ask the question, "Is it better to be single or married?" I wrote this post during the time when I was contemplating single blessedness already since I just couldn't seem to find the right one. I gave myself a deadline back then, if by end of the third quarter of 2007 I didn't have a boyfriend I would enrol for PHD and I'd be single forever. I know it's crazy, but having deadlines keep me sane. 

I was on the plane back from the US on September 28 and I told God, "I give up. It's a sign for me to stay single forever." That was my last thought before I fell asleep. Who would have guessed that my best friend would tell me his feelings less than 24 hours later? I secretly liked him, but I had already accepted that we'll just be friends. Anyway, just-in-time for my deadline and my life totally changed since then. 

It's only today that I found the answer to my question, "Is it better to be single or married?" I think it really depends on you and your "constitution". Commitment is very important and being in a relationship is not all about being sweet and mushy-mushy all the time (ask Sweetie, he's been nursing me back to good health for four months now and I do get really cranky at times).

"My Dad gave this inspirational talk yesterday when he and my Mom joined their friends in a marriage vow renewal in time for Valentine's day. Dad shared this bit over dinner today -

In a few months, my wife and I will be celebrating our 50th wedding anniversary. Now you must be wondering what our secret is for staying together. There are just three things to remember:

One,  put God at the center of your relationship. He is, after all, the best referee there is.

Two, always be together for any problem or situation, be it financially, a physical problem etc. (i.e. if he need to live abroad, then you should go too!). (Mom said, "Laging may bantay?" LOL.)

Three, always put to rest any argument before you sleep. Never go to sleep with ill-feelings for each other. 

That has been our secret all through-out the years."

I get to have lunch and dinner with my parents every single day and I can't help but be envious of them since they've really stuck it out with each other. I never saw them fight and they're still very sweet with each other. They used to be quite formal when I was younger, but now they banter a lot. And Dad still manages to make my Mom blush every once in a while. 

And I hope and pray that in due time I'd just be like them.

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For the first time in my life I got to celebrate Valentine's "properly". And one of the bonuses was watching Love2Love2Love at the Araneta Coliseum with Sweetie. MYMP, Freestyle and Side A performed favorite love songs and it was a blast. I have to give it to Jinky of Freestyle as well for being the best performer last night! She brought the house down! And can you imagine Joey G. of Side A raising the roof and doing a Bubble Gang chicken dance? He did! Here's some photos -

Also got to watch Rachelle Ann Go's "Falling in Love" Concert at the Music Museum. I was certainly impressed with her talent. The video on Myx showed last weekend and it does not do her talent any justice. You have to watch her perform live.  

Back to Back to Back

Photo by JayDJ

Last December 1 I got the chance to watch the "Back to Back to Back" concert of Side A, Freestyle and MYMP at the Araneta Coliseum with Sweetie (special thanks to Titikpilipino.com and Viva Records!). It was a rare chance to see all three super-loved OPM bands in one show and the venue was really jam-packed.

I had wanted to scream along with other fans, but I had a bad cough back then and all I could do was wave my hands. Aside from the hits of the three bands, Michael of Freestyle brought the house down with his rendition of "Give Love on Christmas Day" ala Michael Jackson (at age 5). It really brought a great feeling to everyone and was a good way to mark the beginning of Christmas (since it was December 1). People also started dancing when Leevon (Mica's newest crush) and Joey Generoso of Side A  made everyone stand up. I stood up as well and ended up dancing a bit. 

It was really a great night and I hope next year I'll get to watch more concerts!

Other concerts I watched this year:

Eraserheads Reunion Concert

Swing Out Sister

George Benson and Al Jarreau

MYMP (a surprise Valentine gift!)

and a whole lot of other shows by favorite Filipino artists like Richard Poon