MussoLOLen is Always Right! |

It never fails to surprise me how I have more readers than I think. My last entry elicited more spectators than actual contestants, and more spectators than I expected. (Hell, it got more comments than my n00dz. wtf.) Well I suppose I shouldn’t be too surprised since I made quite a spectacle out of myself back there. So to satisfy everyone’s curiosity, I shall make a rather brief entry on What Happened That Night.

Fritz was my date for the evening and whether he was lucky or not to have won is a question only he can answer. You see, we didn’t get around to watching Avenue Q.

Yesterday morning, Anton texted me to say that the folks at Atlantis read my blog and was unhappy with my marketing scheme. And by “marketing scheme”, they probably meant “Whatta slut, whoring herself on the intarwebs for a date. I can’t believe someone like her is what people consider a ‘respectable blogger’ these days.” As a result, they withdrew the extra ticket reserved for whoever I would take (though for some strange reason, they didn’t say I couldn’t watch), and I effectively made an ass out of myself on the internet. How embarrassing.

To be fair to them, I understand why they’d be a little bit shocked. This is the first time they’ve used bloggers to attend a press event, so they’re a little wary because they don’t know what to expect from us. It didn’t really help that I was pretty much soliciting for a date for their event. How very un-Dalagang Pilipina of me. On the other hand, they should have realized that I was simply doing what was expected of me in the first place – namely, generating buzz on the internet. Bloggers raffle off freebies all the time! Well maybe not all the time, but this is certainly something that isn’t new; Abe raffled off tickets to the Bourne Ultimatum a few weeks ago. Of course, he did so without having to post a photo of himself licking a gay friend. But that’s besides the point.

You have to admit that the whole contest thing did work. I got people hooked. I required the winner to make an entry about the play so in effect, I’d have given Atlantis two reviews instead of one. Clearly, my methods are a tad too unconventional for them, so they don’t get any reviews from me AT ALL. As much as I wanted to see Avenue Q, it didn’t feel right for me to go watch despite what just happened. And okay, I admit I was a little pissed off too. So I decided to forfeit my ticket and hang out with Fritz over at Cafe Breton. I’m no naked puppet show, but I certainly hope that I was entertaining enough for him not to secretly hate me for showing up with no tickets.

Needless to say, I won’t be making any more contests anytime soon.

A random idea is random! Depending on the responses I get, this could either be a fun, unconventional way of meeting new people or a fast ticket to blogosphere loserdom.

Do you want to be more awesome and watch Avenue Q before everyone else can? Do you want to be even more awesome and watch Avenue Q before everyone else with a hot girl? Well now is your chance to make that happen!

What the hell?

I have an extra ticket to the Thursday (Sept. 6) show of Avenue Q, courtesy of the awesome Anton. It shall be at the RCBC Plaza Makati, 7 pm. And I want you to go with me!

Date me? No? kkz.

Srsly? How?

It’s very simple! If you are a single male blogger between the ages of 21-29 based in the Philippines (sry, I don’t have the funds to fly you out here ), all you have to do is answer a very easy question: Why should Lauren watch Avenue Q with me?

So as to avoid bias or whatever, I am letting my best friend Kristel pick out my date for me. She doesn’t scare easy so feel free to answer the question in any way you want. (Hint: we’re both suckers for self-deprecating humor. Especially me.)

E-mail your answers to an.obliteration@gmail.com with the following information listed below.

- Your name
- Your blog URL
- Your cellphone number and YM handle
- A photo of yourself if your blog doesn’t have one
- Subject of the e-mail should be “Lauren’s Avenue Q Contest” so Kristel doesn’t get confused.
- Again, you MUST answer the question: Why should Lauren watch Avenue Q with me?

Deadline of all contest submissions is at 4:00 pm, September 5. Teh winner shall be contacted through text and/or YM.

This guy could be you!

So what’s the catch?

I shall only be asking two things from the winner:
1) Show up on time
2) Write a review of Avenue Q in your blog. You don’t really have to say that you watched it with me, although a mention would be kind of nice.
3) Number three is optional but it would be much appreciated. Please don’t be creepy afterwards?

Oh, and I don’t actually have the tickets with me right now. Anton says to just kind of show up at the RCBC Theater at 7 pm. So if it turns out that there are no free tickets, or there’s just one free ticket and none for you, I’m buying you dinner. You pick where (but nowhere expensive, k?).

I’m harmless! Really!

But why should I go on a date with you?

1) I’m very easy to talk to. As long as you have a triple-digit IQ and can speak the English language fluently, I think we’ll get along fine. I can spew word vomit on a variety of topics – music, movies, books, philosophy, the environmental problems plaguing the state of Montana. Alternately, I’m also a very good listener. But be warned–I can smell bullshit from a mile away.

2) I’m low-maintenance and independent. Don’t have a car? No problem – I can hop on a train or hail a cab and meet you wherever.

3) I’m not that creepy. If I have a good time, you don’t need to worry about waking up to 25 missed calls and 10 text messages from me where I swear my undying love to you and insist that our children be named Talulah and Amadeus.

So go! Send those emails! Now! It’ll be fun. Promise. xD

I have this semi-bad habit of saying yes to every social invitation thrown my way. How’d you like to host an inuman this Friday for people you haven’t seen nor spoken to in five years, some of which made fun of the way you spoke to them in English? Sure! A weekend in Baguio with two couples, leaving you with nothing to do but write, smoke, and listen to melancholy music all by yourself when they go off and have sexy time, which will probably make you even more depressed than you would have been if you stayed in town? Yeah, why not? How about an inauguration for an organization whose name you didn’t really catch, but Loren Legarda will be present so it must be important? Okies, I’ll be there!

That last invitation came from Mike, and I said yes even though I only knew three things about the said event: it shall be held in the Manila Peninsula Hotel, Senator Loren Legarda will be there, and the attire is “smart casual”. Whatever the hell “smart casual” is supposed to be.

It turns out that the event was this year’s first meeting of the Philippine Internet Commerce Society (PICS07), and Mike was to be inducted into the Board of Directors as the Vice President (Online). It was also, I realized, the first real businesslike social event I’ve ever attended and I thanked whatever god is out there for a) putting me in a nice, sociable mood this evening, b) giving me enough energy to dress up well for the event, c) making me smart enough to bring calling cards in my wallet. I met a lot of important people tonight: Franklin Naval, software QA engineer for Google; Hans of Syndeo Media, who owes me money; and this other guy whose name I don’t remember because he didn’t have his card on him, but I pimped my writing services to him so I hope he gives me a call. I need monies.

Senator Loren Legarda giving her speech

The most Important person that I met tonight, however, was Senator Loren Legarda herself. She was the evening’s guest speaker and she gave a rather engaging talk about the growing importance of e-commerce in the modern world, with emphasis on the need to make online business opportunities more available to Filipinos all over the country. I was rather content to just sit there and listen, and then kind of watch as the Senator left the room with her aides in tow. But nooo. Mike had to drag me outside and introduce me to her the First Filipino Blogger. A “title” which I find rather awkward because I don’t think it’s that much of a big deal. Being the first blogger has little or nothing to do with skill or talent; it’s entirely a matter of luck. I was just lucky that I had access to the Internet at home in 1996. I was just lucky that I came up with the brilliant idea to make Dear Diary something public. I didn’t even start the whole blogging movement in the Philippines, nor did I even try to bring bloggers together like Abe does. I was just…the first.

Loren meets Lauren in all her bloated period glory

Those were the thoughts that were racing through my mind as I stood trembling in the presence of Loren Legarda. Hence, the WTF-am-I-doing-here expression on my face. I hate that I act like a bumbling teenager around VIPs like senators and parents! All my youthful bravado and sass just vanishes into thin air when I’m being introduced to people I need to impress. I fail at being a Grown-Up.

I became a member of PICS shortly after because there’s a wealth of opportunities for money-making online and it’s a shame that the people who really need the extra income aren’t even aware of these opportunities. I’ve never joined any “socially-oriented” organizations because I hate the idea of working my ass off so other people can get free stuff. Sorry, but your gratitude isn’t going to buy me the shoes I really want. Anyway, I think being a part of PICS is the closest thing I’ll ever get to giving something back to society while serving my interests at the same time. I mean, it’s not just other people who will benefit from the development of e-commerce in the Philippines. I’ll be profiting from it too. Everybody wins!

Let it never be said that Romance is dead

The best part of the evening? Getting roses from the Invisible Boyfriend. There were flowers, flowers everywhere! As impermanent and fleeting as our superficial Internet love. Okay, I don’t even know what I’m talking about anymore. I sleep now.

Technorati Tags: PICS07