There's something about Meg Cabot and Maureen Lenker...

Two authors sharing a mutual love of witches and old time Hollywood in such a hilarious and fascinating conversation is my cup of tea.....

Yes, Meg Cabot really knows how to get a really good conversation started and keep it going (screengrab from the Zoom webinar organized by Blue Willow Bookshop taken by yours truly)

(Event poster courtesy of Blue Willow Bookshop on Facebook)

I have been following Meg Cabot on her social media because I do find her to be not your average author on social media. She makes all sorts of posts about her cats, her thoughts about Princess Diaries (it was Julie Andrews who made me wanna read the Princess Diaries movies), and since the onset of the COVID pandemic, she has been mingling with authors virtually. It doesn't matter if it's in a Zoom webinar or on an Instagram live, she does not just do a completely average author interview, she just loves other authors and would love to explore them a little further. And I have been very lucky to join such a conversation along with Cabot sometime back in 2020, but I barely remember which other authors she was with or what they were talking about.

It's been a hot minute since I have been watching or listening to a Meg Cabot author panel, so when I noticed on my Facebook newsfeed that Meg was going to have a free virtual event hosted by Texas-based Blue Willow Bookshop, I signed up for it with a sense of not even knowing what to expect from the conversation.

And when that conversation started, boy oh boy I was so hooked on it!

The humor and chemistry between the two fabulous female YA writers was something I never even expected, but it left me in awe once the event has finished.

You see, Meg Cabot's latest novel, "Enchanted to Meet You" is based on her family's experience in the world of witchcraft (some of her ancestors were witches) and has a title that some may consider a sign that Cabot is a big time Taylor Swift fan (Who seriously doesn't love Taylor Swift these days?) and Maureen Lenker's novel takes place in the Golden Age of Hollywood in the 1930s where the streets of Los Angeles were filled with the stars, the glitz, and the glamor of all that is moviemaking. But hey, many authors these days have a mutual admiration for each other and the things they see from other writers and that is what makes the whole conversation between Meg and Maureen a wee bit more interesting.

Personally, I really loved when Meg Cabot brought up the aspect of witchcraft in the novel and how she feels very connected to the novel's setting in Connecticut where she grew up, as it was also the place where the first persecution against supposed witches in the United States occurred. This sorta reminded me of Dana Terrace, creator of Disney Channel's The Owl House, who also grew up in Connecticut `around the same kind of witchy lore. Then the conversation shifted to a reference to a Hollywood classic Bell, Book and Candle in Meg's Enchanted to Meet You then things really began to start clicking. Lenker is such a maven for classic Hollywood and Cabot was also fascinated by the world of 1930s Hollywood, and all the rest was still very interesting to listen to, from Meg's influence from The WB in the early 2000s, the tea they all love to drink, and so on.

But overall, what really stood out to me in this conversation is among the most liveliest I have ever heard from writers in the last two years or so. I could really listen to Meg and Maureen talk about whatever's under the sun, their passion for how old movies have a certain magic to them, which writers influenced them, the music and movies they really love, their favorite writing experiences, boy I could really listen in to 'em all day and discover even more interesting things about them....

Find "Enchanted to Meet You" and "It Happened One Fight" wherever books are sold.

There's something about Juicy Brucey.....

There is a caster that I seemed to be fascinated by, in terms of everything he does, and the way that he does his thing on twitch and elsewhere has me caught up.

His name is Bruce Alcomendras, but you can call him Juicy Brucey. He's an esports caster and voice over artist hailing from Cebu but currently based in Metro Manila. He was once a DJ at Monster Radio BT 105.9 down in Cebu, but then he joined the esports elite casting for Valorant Champions Tournament - Philippines. He was tapped by Acadarena to do hosting for the ConQuest Festival, in 2022 he hosted the community panels then the following year in its perhaps most controversial iteration that lead to the events downfall (and that seems deserving of a separate article) he became main stage host together with caster comerade Riku. He has hung out with the big stars of OfflineTV, namely Pokimane, Michael Reeves, LillyPichu, and Yvonnie, and he also chatted with two of the biggest vtubers out there: Bao (I hear she's a great genshin personality) and Shoto (he's a very chill guy)

I watched the recorded live videos of ConQuest to see why the event was so hyped and became very disasterous and it was there I realized that those streamers had such a gigantic following here in the Philippines. But the aspect of CQ that piqued me was the hosts of the event, JuicyBrucey and Riku.

The disaster of the ConQuest event made me want to examine the convention scene I little further. I have seen all the negative feedback about the event, the people who spent too long in line and so much money but never meeting thier idols. But where there is a cloud, there is always a silver lining, and I spoke with Dione, one of the buskers at the event and it was her that provided a moment of light and happiness to the tired out people in the lines through her music. I have also met many cosplayers who have went to ConQuest and they have shared thier experiences good and bad.

But the experience of one of the event's hosts is such a refreshing and very insightful perspective. I asked about how he felt about the ConQuest festival being retired, considering he spend many hours behind the scenes of the event and mingled with all the big name streamers at the event, and he felt very sad about the event having to go. He was an ex-radio DJ looking for a good enough hosting gig, and it was ConQuest that gave him his big break. He felt sad because he was looking forward to more such events. I felt very sad too as I do think that the event had such a great vision to be a pop culture safe haven in Manila.

I watched many of the clips of the streamers that were there and I do believe that ConQuest really did have a vision to become a celebration of all things pop culture, uniting the worlds of anime, gaming, music, cosplay, k-pop, TV and movies, anything related to pop culture. Despite all the issues that have come about in terms of ticket overselling and line mismanagement, it was such a spectacular star studded event bringing people and worlds together. And with all this in mind, I already see why Brucey feels very sad in regards to the retirement of the brand.

It is sad for him and me, but I believe that where one major event on the scale of ConQuest comes to an end, another may start its hero's journey. I had so many ideas about how a convention of that grand scale can better manage the lines and the logistics of such an event. He does agree with many of my ideas.

The more I watched JuicyBrucey stream, the more I found out about his personality and the more we found ways that we were able to connect. For instance, I found out that he does play animal crossing and the fact that he had to restart his game was something that amused me very much. I did admire his persistence in rebuilding the whole island. In less than a week he basically grinded the regenerated island by getting Blathers to study the island, it was all a very great effort that somehow entertained me.

There is something in him that I do connect with.

Ang Larawan: The All Star Concert

Gaano ba mahalaga ang isang obra?

Isang obrang pinaghihirapan na magiging larawan ng magagandang buhay sa mundo?

Isang obra na ipinagpakita ang galing ng mga Pilipino?

Those are the questions that were dared to be asked by Nick Joaquin's masterwork "A Portrait of the Artist as a Filipino", its film adaptation, "Ang Larawan", and this showcase concert at the Metropolitan Theater which was held last May 6th, 2023.

The premise and story of this is simple: It's 1941 in Manila. The threat of war was becoming more and more prevalent as the Allies fought the Nazis and Japan prepared its moves. The glitz and glamor of vaudeville or bobadil and Hollywood movies captivated the imaginations many Filipinos. In the midst of it all is an artistic family who has kept guard what could become the greatest masterpiece of the Philippines. Isang maestro obra na pinagtiytiyagaan at matagal nang pinagtatrabhuan. Ito ay maglalarawan ng kakayahan ng mga Pilipino noong araw.

Its portrayal of the beauty and colors of life had gained the attention of some of the most discerning art connoisseurs in Europe and America. They wanted to grab hold of the masterwork from a fine Filipino craftsman, but for the creator of the work, it was a work of importance to himself and his family. He protected it as if the painting was his child. Because he believed that he had the Philippines' finest art piece. With the looming Pacific War, can he be able to make his mastery remembered, even if it meant so much to him as a person??

This showcase effortlessly took us back to the heart of pre-war Manila and the family's struggles through National Artist for Music Ryan Cayabyab and his majestic orchestral score. The way the score flows into every moment of this presentation takes you back to the glory of 1930s culture. The songs of this show add a layer of drama that showcases how much of a struggle the family faced especially the question of what the piece means to them. The grandeur of the music and lyrics can make you think if that piece is special to the family despite the international attention has thrown at them.

And with this being an "All-Star Concert", of course it brought together some of the brightest luminaries of film, television, music, and the stage. The stars were the glue that held this presentation together and made it a wholesome experience. Recording legend Celeste Legaspi was such a beauty in this show. It was her voice that was the highlight of the all star presentation. She sang every piece wholeheartedly as if this was her own story and it portrayed her own artistic journey while she portrayed the Filipino's never-ending quest for greatness. Kapuso beauty Bea Alonzo along with rising theater star Karylle Tatlonghari, radio DJ and actor Markki Stroem, 80s OPM star Rachel Alejandro, and stage luminaries Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo and Milkki Bradshaw-Volante were also amazing in their portrayals here, as they dress up to become the high society of the pre-war age, every costume is a picture that can speak a thousand words about the exquisite way of life in the era. They had such a way of bringing the good times and elegant tastes of the pre-war times closer to modern audiences. When all these are placed together, they all add up to an experience that is very immersive. It's as if you were invited to their grand party to wine, dine, and celebrate the wonders of the pre-war culture.

While the music and costumes of this concert were some of its biggest key points, it is only the tip of the iceberg. The show ends when the war begins, and it comes with a quite emotional and thought-provoking closing number. It is a remembrance of the artists who have gave their lives to showcase the beauty of Filipino artistry, as well as how despite how much of our beloved culture was destroyed as a result of war, the memories remain strong through the power of the arts, music, paintings, literature, and film. For me it gave off the same ring as "The Story of Tonight" from Hamilton, as it is about how the remains of the past that were preserved continue to spark the imaginations of generation after generation.

The finale number shows us that the arts, along with the dreams and aspirations of FIlipinos that it carried, will never ever be diminished. The memories that are preserved of those before us will stay fresh in our hearts in the form of paintings, music, books, and other art forms. The power of the arts will help us remember our ancestors, and it cannot be taken away from us, whether it be destroyed by Japanese bombers, corrupt governments, or a virus that became a silent killer and infected humanity. Those themes are very relevant now especially as we come out of the hardship of the COVID pandemic and how the arts served as our refuge in the midst of the lockdowns.

Ang sinig at kultura natin ay susi sa pagaalaala sa ating kasaysayan.

At kahit mawasak ang ating buhay, ang sinig ay nagiging pinagmulan ng pag-asa at mga alaala ng matamis na buhay noong araw.

Mahalaga ang mga obra bara mabigyan ang mga susunod na henerasyon ng opportunidad na makikita ang masasayang buhay noong araw at mai-preserve din ang mga bagay na masaya sa ating kasalukuyang buhay at ang mga adhikain na pinagtindigan natin para sa mga tao sa kinabukasan.

Ito ang mensahe ng All-Star Concert ng Ang Larawan.