LIFE IN 2011

All of us strive hard to be successful in life... we go through life like it's a rat race but at times, our lifestyles can hold us back from fulfilling our dreams and reaching our goals. Seriously... it can wear us down.

me providing distraction to Bob Sinclar LOL!

Exhaustion

It is energy that is the most precious resource for driven business people like me... It is not time. Today's fast-paced living or lifestyle often depletes our energy and wears us down to the point that it is sometimes difficult to recover from. As I grow older each year, I have moments of having difficulties to better manage my energy to stay healthy.

with my best friend and photography partner Vincent Garrucho

with my best friend Melissa Chua

In this new age of all-access information, we tend to deplete our energy... our life force zapped by partaking in way too many activities which eventually leads us to unhealthy lifestyle practices in order to deal with day to day stress.  

with Jay Server of Time

Time for me is important. Energy is also for me, equally important. Time without enough energy can make this limited for us. I'd like to resolve the thoughts and stories running in my head that are driving me non-stop. It's crazy and it's taking away my focus from being present in the world I live in today with a lifestyle plan and goals that work for me. I don't want to be stuck then leave issues in my life unresolved later on. I got plans... I got dreams... I got ambitions. I don't want heavy lifestyle outpace my ability to take care of myself.

with Domini Primero of Time

With Hidehiko Sato and Youngji Nam of Time

with Jay Server and Pav Parrotte of Time

I'm going to sustain a high quality of life... in the sense of living it right... gaining energy more to make full use of my time in this life. Not by money motivated by envy, greed, lust, or any of the deadly sins will I get my strength to sustain my life and go on living unlike others do. I will get and sustain my high quality of life if I make my mindset work for me and definitely not against me.  

with Capt. Harry Lero of Airgurus Ltd. Co.

It's a Saturday night... I am tempted with the texts and calls for another night out but I'm going to be responsible of myself. 

with Bernard Anacta of Monaco Models International Philippines

with Edda Galoy and Luciano of Monaco Models International Philippines

 
I'm going to relax this night away, gain my energy to keep my companies Airgurus Ltd. Co., Time and Monaco Models International thriving and clients happy.  In return, things will fall into the right places and I will be eventually more happy and powerful to achieve my personal and professional goals. 


Whenever I have to say "No" to fast-paced lifestyle sometimes, here's one funny vain line i usually tell my friends that I'd like to share with you.... "WITH GREAT LOOKS, COMES GREAT RESPONSIBILITIES"! LOL!

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To mwro mou...

To my best friends in life...

To my best buddies in photography - Vincent, Norman and EyeQ Media men... 

To Harry Harvey Lero of Airgurus Ltd. Co., my Time partners Jay Server, Domini Primero, Pav Parrotte, Youngji Nam, Ortanez Brothers, and my best friend Bernard Anacta...

"The world has yet to learn that the actual pleasure derived from material things is of low quality on the whole and less even in quantity than it looks to those who have not tried it." Deep? I never acquired you guys through material things... I acquired you through years of friendship, trust and respect and that's how it's gonna stay till the end. I treasure you guys.... Here's to a great 2011! My new year starts today (10 days before the actual Chinese New Year.... Lovelots...  Kung Hei Fat Choi from me and my family!

BOB SINCLAR LIVE IN MANILA: THE AFTERMATH

It was a huge success! Bob Sinclar didn't just prove that he's one of the top most recognized names in dance music anywhere in the world, he also proved to people in the Philippines that indeed, he is one amazing, prolific artist and a dj! He shook the World Trade Center of the Philippines with his love for music!

Bob Sinclar... oftenly mistaken as "Sinclair" is actually Christophe Le Friant born May 10, 1969 in Douarnenez, France. He is a Grammy Award-nominated French record producer, House Music Dj, remixer and owner of the label, Yellow Productions.

In 2005 he scored a hit with the single "Love Generation", that reached #1 on the Australian ARIA Singles Charts and the German Media Control Single Charts in 2006. The song was a huge success throughout Europe, also peaking at no. 2 in the Dutch Top 40 and it stood 39 weeks in the Ultratop 50 in Belgium. It became one of the official anthems for the World Cup 2006 held in Germany. 

The follow-up hit was "World, Hold On", that features Steve Edwards and also managed to chart in the top ten in most of the European countries. "Rock This Party (Everybody Dance Now)" followed on 22 August 2006. The remix of "World, Hold on" by E-Smoove was nominated for a Grammy in 2007 in the category of Remixed Recording. Also, "World, Hold On" topped in Billboard Magazine as Number One Hot Dance Club Play Single of 2006, beating Madonna and Christina Aguilera. Since then, he became a global household name in the dance music industry!



Bob Sinclar was brought to Manila last January 15, 2011 by the Ambassador of Cheers and Good Vibes in Manila... dance party producer Domini Primero of  Driven Manila and Avant Artists. The prolific dj performed at the World Trade Center in Manila in front of thousands of beautiful thumping party animals and boy, it was just way too great to describe!

 
When Bob Sinclar played, he became my guilty pleasure. I am not overweight and I don't hate exercising but this was one big party that really kept my feet jumping around from the start till the end of his set except for moments that I had to catch my breath! I also had the privilege of being there onstage with him together with my photography partner, Vincent Garrucho thus; these images you see here are from our lenses. 

The whole time I was beside him or behind him on stage, there were times that I carefully sized-up Bob Sinclar as I peer through the lens of my Canon EOS 450D. He is indeed very unpredictable and most prolific! I look at the crowd below us... jumping non-stop, ladies screaming non-stop, men kept their hands on air non-stop as they move to every single rhythmic track Bob Sinclar unleashed! I have never before seen in Manila a huge dancing crowd moving in consistency!

I'd like to talk now about how Bob Sinclar is in person. Meeting Bob Sinclar and having the great  privilege to talk to him as he relaxes while awaiting for his set is just awesome experience.  I sat beside him... tried to be cool (even though i felt like wanting to ask him a thousand questions) but I refrained. He's a smiling person but a man of very few words... very mysterious to me. 

 
When he listens to people talking, his eyes have this seemingly relaxed but piercing look. I think it's the artist in him. Then he suddenly asked, "How's the crowd outside?" and I replied nervously, "Bob, the world trade center is really jam-packed... they are waiting for you." then he nodded, smiled and said "That is good". He then noticed my production ID and asked, "Can I have one of that for souvenir later?" and I said, "Yes of course, Bob... will give it to you later". With a nod and  his simple smile at me, it meant "thank you". He then went back to his quiet moments.


Then, it was time for him to go up on the stage...and he transformed! From a simple, sweet-smiling, quiet, mysterious man he was back stage, he became a major flirt...like a playboy...like a high class gigolo... like a hardcore porn star! He was onstage, a world-class rock star and boy!... did he rock World Trade Center! 

I was there... I've witnessed how this man transformed himself from a man battling fatigue and jet lag to his greatness... a very energetic and playful person! On the wheels of steel, he got himself at the peak of his power! 

Listening, dancing, singing, taking his up close and personal photos, I keep on telling myself.... Bob Sinclar is legendary!

This is all for you, Bob! It was a great pleasure meeting you and thank you for giving us Filipinos an awesome party here in Manila, Philippines!


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Watch out for Avant Artists and Driven Manila's next parties in 2011... Bob Sinclar was just a starter!!! ;))

Thanks Vincent Garrucho for contributing your shots here! For more photos of  The First Big Party in 2011: Bob Sinclar Live in Manila, go to www.drivenmanila.com

The Social Media Chameleon would like thank Domini Primero (Driven Manila and TIME www.timeinmanila.com), Al Mojica and Sunny Ku (Avant Artists), May Abigael Legaspi (Driven Manila), Pav Parrotte and Jay Server (TIME www.timeinmanila.com)! Congratulations for the great First Big Party in 2011! You guys rock!!!

JAY SERVER & THE DONSOL WHALE SHARKS

This is Jay Server... my good friend and boss who recently had a great time with the world's largest fish in the ocean, the whale sharks.

And that is Jay's "Butanding"... Pinoy's term for the whale sharks. The following are some photos Jay took on what he calls a "fantabulous" Whale Shark experience. Awesome creatures, awesome adventure!

Anyways, this happened in Donsol located in the province of Sorsogon, Philippines. Yes.. Donsol and its' local community thrived after embracing whale shark tourism. I somehow believe, Marina (the local telenovela mermaid was Jay's ex in real life lol but true!!!) had something to do with this though as the number of whale sharks have increased as have local income levels which is just great. Donsol was once a sleepy fishing village and the community once thought of these creatures as "mga salot" or pests.

The community's attitude towards these gentle creatures changed when Dave Duran came in Donsol. According to CNN's write up about him, Dave is a charismatic, passionate cameraman turned diver. Twelve years ago he shot footage of the whale sharks and brought it to international spotlight. His footage caught the attention of the World Wildlife Fund, the marine biologists and scientists. Suddenly Donsol became a major research destination.

Little is known about whale sharks, a major part of preserving the species is understanding their migratory routes and breeding habits. Within three months of Dave going public with his footage the Philippine government issued a ban on fishing whale sharks.

Dave said to CNN, "If we were just late for about a month or so the story would have been different".Maybe now we would be seeing whale sharks being slaughtered here, right on this beach." (As per World Wildlife Fund, whale sharks are coveted in many countries. Their meat can sell for up to $17 per kilo, their fins a staggering $800).

Eco Solutions have covered many great stories in the ongoing battle of preservation vs. destruction. Here the balance shifted in favor of nature. It's just a matter of luck," Dave says. "We gave [the people of Donsol] some sort of hope that eco-tourism could work in Donsol and they believed it."

Thanks to Dave Duran, a great Filipino with a passionate concern for these majestic marine animals, the world-famous Donsol Whale Sharks are now coveted for it's ability to attract tourists and definitely not for its' fins. Dave Duran saved the whale sharks. Mabuhay ka, Dave Duran... salamat!