That one time I guested for TV5

Last Saturday, I went to the offices of TV5 in The Fort for the taping of the episode I'm guesting on for Tayuan Mo! At Panindigan, a show that tackles current socio-cultural issues. I guested on the episode for fresh graduates and they asked questions like what my plans were after college, if I was ready to get a job, and those other questions usually reserved for people who just got out of school. The show was hosted by Lourd de Veyra, Direk Joey Reyes, and Aida Sy. I had such a blast.

This is my fourth time to appear on TV but this is the first where I was actually in a studio. The first time was when MYX featured a Madonnathon and I was seen in the background dancing like a lunatic to Borderline, the second was when Y Speak ambushed me in UST and asked for my opinion on pre-marital sex (I remember saying something about fucking all you want as long as you take responsibility), then there was the time when I was in Rockwell with my friend and some VJ offered for us to request a song. Sadly, she forced us to "request" a song from Nina, who we didn't know at the time.

I was really nervous but it was a good thing that there was a desk, that way no one could see my hands shaking. Perhaps it was my internship at the Marketing Department of my school but everyone thought I did well. Direk Joey said he was impressed by my answers and he and Lourd even congratulated my mom for raising a son like me. After the taping, the staff gave me a bottle of rosé wine from Marks & Spencer, which I'm planning to age (but I had two glasses last night while watching the 1945 adaptation of The Picture of Dorian Gray).

Before the taping, I met some of the other guests, including a representative from the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and the Managing Director of JobsDB, the largest recruitment portal in the Asia Pacific. They gave me really important tips which I took note of. When I told them I wanted to write, they all told me that I shouldn't make writing my primary source of income because A.) there's no money and B.) I'll tire of it. So we all decided that I should get an office job but with creative pursuits like corporate communications, advertising (Direk Joey was convinced that I will end up here), or PR. Sir RJ, who works in JobsDB and runs Theaterrific suggested I contribute in magazines instead of applying as an in-house writer.

But if you insist on a career in writing, Direk Joey said that you will earn a lot of money in scriptwriting. It's a lot different from actual writing but he said that if you have the skills, you have it and that there's no need for tons of workshops. He even mentioned a certain big-time actress who attends so many acting workshops but still acts the same (if you want a hint, she's the Queen of a certain genre). And if you want to write for fashion magazines, it's all just glitz and glamour, but there's no money. Also, according to the representative from DOLE, the unemployment rate in the US is higher and the reason why so many Filipinos are unemployed is because of choice. Instead of being active in the search for a job, many of us just wait. For what, I have no idea.

When my bit was done, I met friends from Tumblr at Ayala Museum. The plan was to go museum-hopping but since I was late, they were finished and it was time to go to Cubao X to celebrate two birthdays. It was my first time and I had a lot of fun visiting the stores. I even found a signed copy of The Best of ABBA album. On my way home, I broke my Emilio Pucci mirror. What the fuck, right?

My episode airs on March 31, on AksyonTV, the extension channel of TV5 (Ch. 41 if you're on Destiny Cable) at 10PM. Please watch and let me know what you think because we don't have the channel!

Of human luxuries.

I have received criticism for my tastes. When people see the brand of my pen, my clothes, my shoes, or my bags, I have been called frivolous, with matching raised eyebrows. They would often say stuff like "Ikaw na. Ikaw na naka Marc Jacobs" (a common Filipino phrase reserved for people who brag) when they see my new lunch bag. What’s irritating is that I never even brag!

Sure, I have designer stuff. It's something my family invests in, but not regularly. Because of the high price of luxury goods, my family can only afford a few items a year.

Many people buy Gucci for the sake of buying Gucci. They would buy monogrammed items (Louis Vuitton, Fendi) to show off, but to me, buying Prada or Lanvin is not for effect. Whenever people complain to me about spending an arm and a leg for a bag, I answer that I buy them for the quality. As Oscar Wilde once said, I have the simplest tastes. I am always satisfied with the best. Things are usually expensive because they are crafted carefully with the best materials. But honestly, I get uncomfortable talking about these things because I don't like to talk about the money I have and spend.

I find it frustrating how people criticize my spending habits when theirs are just as questionable. I buy singular items that lasts a lifetime and looks glamorous. They spend tons of money on food, books, cab fare, or tons of clothes that when you add up is a dress from Valentino. To each his own. It just so happens that I like quality stuff. And if you say something about my Marc Jacobs bag again, I swear I'll slap you across the face with it.