FUBARgenre: The Genre of Fubar

In the course of arranging for Hastang’s performance in the upcoming Centennial UP Fair (details coming soon), I got to know a certain UP Diliman Speech Communication major named Rachelle. Our correspondence has brought back an intense wave of nostalgia. I guess, in some way, I envy Rachelle for her youth. I remember that age pretty well — so full of idealism, so infused with vigor, so eager to conquer the world. Those were good times, huh?

I’m posting snippets of our emails here, for no particular reason, except perhaps to publish a testimony to the fact that I really badly need to grow up.

It all started when Rachelle contacted Bon regarding a long-forgotten forum post:

On 10/21/07, Rachelle wrote:
Hi, I saw your post in bagong diskusyon sa UP. I think it was dated last year pa. Nonetheless, I decided to email you. We are hosting the Saturday UP Fair 2008 event. Please contact me if you are still interested in joining in the band/s you are handling. thanks! ü

Bon responded by giving Rachelle my contact information:

On 10/22/07, Bonita wrote:
Hi Rachelle,

Nice to hear from you. Tagal na nga ng post na yun. Actually, the band is based in Cebu. The name is hastang. You can check out their site: www.hastang.com.

Anyway, I am in Jakarta right now and I think I should direct you to the band manager, copied here, so you can exchange details.

Thanks, Rachelle. All the best! I hope I can join the Fair.

Regards,
Bonita

This was the last message in the thread before I jumped in:

On 10/22/07, Rachelle wrote:
I see. Maybe you could still join the fair if you’ll be back by February ü.

I’ll inform our head about this. Right now, we’re still busy with the marketing and sponsorship (we badly need lots of money!) so it’ll take some time before we busy ourselves with the line-up of bands.

Basta before November ends, we’ll get back to Hastang and explore possibilities with the band. Thanks for the info. We’ll keep you guys updated.

Had Bon not alerted me through YM of said email, I would have completely missed it. Hoping that it wasn’t too late, I typed a hasty email to Rachelle:

On 11/6/07, Yan wrote:
Hi, Rachelle:

I apologize for the overdue response. After an impromptu (totally self-serving) 10-day vacation, the unread emails in my inbox now amount to a gazillionzillionmillion. I fear that I may never catch up.

This is my way of saying that I’m truly sorry for not getting in touch earlier.

I hope you’re still interested in Hastang. The band has been itching to play in the UP Fair since last year.

We’re hoping that we can schedule a series of gigs throughout Metro Manila during that week, so that we can shoulder our own travel expenses. Right now, our main goal is to convince you that the band is fair-worthy. We (by that, I mean me and the band) will figure out our travel arrangements later.

To get to know Hastang, please browse through the band’s official blog: http://blog.hastang.com. There, you will find a player with all the original tracks from Hastang’s soon-to-be-released debut album. (lyrics are also posted)

If you’ll give me your snail mail address, I’ll be happy to send you a demo CD plus a press kit with the band profile.

By the way, I am not the band manager. I’m just an overeager groupie. Perhaps a more accurate term would be “marketing and promotions volunteer”. hehehe. whatever. I don’t really care much about titles.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to email me.

Thanks again for your interest in Hastang!

Looking forward to hearing from you,
Yan

PS: I’m a Diliman alumna…my student number starts with 96…wahahaha!

She responded within 24 hours:

On 11/7/07, Rachelle wrote:
Hi, Yan!

First and foremost, here is my address and contact number:
Address deleted.
Phone number deleted.

Second, it’s ok! No prob with the delayed response. I’m glad to hear from you.

I’m really encouraging you to play in the UP Fair. I have checked out the link and your music is oh-so-up-fair (haha, i think you know what I mean). And it is the CENTENNIAL UP FAIR. Not just any other fair. Our night (saturday night) will also be the culminating night of the fair week! we’ll be happy to have you. btw, our head is a boholana! she’s crazy meeting anybody from cebu so she can speak the native tongue. hehe.

Whew! I have to be honest. When I found out you guys are from cebu, i was worried we won’t be able to cover travel expenses (as you already know, up fair starts from bidding a night. We got the saturday night for 400k plus and we still have to raise money to pay for the bands. we are really on a tight budget). i really hope you guys could schedule a series of gigs throughout Metro Manila during that week to cover your travel expenses. we’d be honored to have your band.

We are really targeting not just students but alumni as well (kasi nga centennial).

My sisses and I (and those from EMC2 fraternity) are doing our best to make this such an unforgettable event! Really hope you guys could take part in it!

Keep in touch.

the-stressed-out-marketing-committee-head-who-still-wants-to-graduate-on-time,
rache (HAHA)

And then, I decided to dish out some unnecessary bits of “wisdom”. What was I thinking?

On 11/9/07, Yan wrote:
Hi again, Rache!

Is this your last sem in UP? Sus, wag kang magmadali. What’s the point of rushing to join the fray? Hehehe. Had I only known that this is what’s waiting for me, I would have chosen to keep living on my dad’s dime. heheheh.

You know what, I got my Psychology degree on time by foregoing socials, studying every night, and staying away from alcohol for 4 freakin years. bwahahahha. yeah right. I wouldn’t recommend this for the weak of heart, but I have a feeling that you’re one of those special people who can take it: drink beer every school night (especially if you have an exam the following morning). For some reason, it makes you just a wee bit smarter. Or bolder. Hahahah. For whatever reason, I graduated in exactly 4 years, but now I regret not staying in UP longer….Ang sama ko, no? BI ba masyado? (Don’t listen to me. I’m still a 16-year-old girl living in a woman’s body.)

Seriously, good luck in your quest to graduate on time. I’m sure you can do it. And trust me, the stress we get by becoming too involved in our school orgs is nothing like the pressure we experience in the real world. It is, however, great practice. And after your stint in UP, the real world won’t seem as daunting.

Back to the UP Fair. Is that an invitation, Rache? Are you officially inviting Hastang to perform in your fair night? Because the band would be so honored! We can’t wait! It really is a wonderful opportunity, and we’d be glad to fly there this coming Feb. I speak for the band when I say THANK YOU very much for this opportunity.

You might as well send me a copy of the solicitation letter, too. I’ll round up some of my barkada slash org mates who are based in Cebu, and we’ll maybe make a contribution as a group. No, Rache, I am not that cheap. Hahaha. But I am that stingy. Especially since I plan to blow some money on a week-long rampage at the centennial fair.

Good luck with your sponsorship efforts. It’s the last quarter of the year, and most books are closed by November. Better get those contracts signed before the month ends. I know you can do it. One Fair night rakes in more money than I do in a year. Hehehehe.

Do keep in touch,
Yan

The poor kid took it in stride (thank goodness!). Better yet, it seemed that the Hastang UP Fair performance is in the bag. Yey!

On 11/11/07, Rachelle wrote:
Hi, Yan!!!

Hahaha! That’s a good idea but I don’t think my dad has as much dime as your dad! hehe

As for drinking, I went out last night with my sisses, but i am not really delighted with beer. I guess I just love the kwentuhan that goes along with drinking sessions. HAHA! I don’t think I am one of those “special” people either! I just go out occasionally. And tell you what, they call me dragon when smoking. Instead of the graceful wisp of smoke, I always make an abrupt blow (much to the annoyance of the one next to me) like a dragon! Point is, I am an amateur when it comes to the things these “special” people do. hehe

“Seriously, good luck in your quest to graduate on time. I’m sure you can do it. And trust me, the stress we get by becoming too involved in our school orgs is nothing like the pressure we experience in the real world. It is, however, great practice. And after your stint in UP, the real world won’t seem as daunting.” —> Wow! I like that! Thanks! I’ll keep that in mind! ü

Yup! That is already an invitation! The feeling is mutual. We will be so honored to have Hastang in the Saturday night!ü

Thanks for asking for a Solicitation letter! But lemme see, I’ll send you one too…only after you make enough money for your travel expenses. Hehe. I think it’s quite problematic if you will be soliciting for us while looking for money to bring Hastang here. That would make me a blood-sucker! Haha! And I also think that it would be impractical for the band to play only during the Saturday night especially when you’ve come all the way from Cebu. I’m not very eager to do this (because it’s like we are in a “competition” with the other nights) BUT my conscience has to do its work i guess. Haha, just kidding! I’ll try to get you contacts for the other nights too so you could negotiate with them. Just be sure you won’t miss the Saturday event, ok?! hehe

Cheers,
Racheü

On 11/12/07, Yan wrote:
Yehey! Thanks, Rache! We’ll announce your invitation in the band’s blog, ha? Okay lang?

Responding to your points below:

My dad doesn’t have a lot of dough. It was just a way to color things up. Hehehe. I remember kasi when I got my grades in my final sem. I bragged agad to my friend Ibyang, a Chem Eng’g major then in her 6th year in UP, that I’m graduating and she’s staying. Hahaha. Her lightning-speed response: “At least I’m still getting funding from my parents! Ikaw?”

True enough, since I graduated, I haven’t asked for a single centavo from my parents. I declared my independence the day I got my first job. It was a high-paying job, and I couldn’t stop gloating. And I badly wanted to move in with my boyfriend then, which was totally against the rules. Hahaha. Since I started my own consulting business, things haven’t been as smooth. And now, sometimes, I regret not living off my parents for a little while longer. Hahaha. Of course I say that in jest. Truth is, having my own money rocks! But when things get rough, I don’t have the guts to ask for financial support anymore. I’ve been too proud, and I’m still too proud to ask for help. Hehehe. Story of my life.

And I didn’t mean that people who drink and smoke are “special”. I meant that you’d be special enough to actually take that little sage advice in stride. Hahaha. Frankly speaking, if I can turn back time, I wouldn’t be too eager to ingest my body with nicotine. It’s a really bad habit, I know. In fact, I don’t let my youngest sister (who’s about your age, I think) smoke. I have to quit, I know. I spend thousands of pesos every month on my addiction. But I justify it by telling myself that without yosi, I wouldn’t be as creative. Hahaha. Talk about lame excuses. But I will quit. Soon.

You’re a good girl. Keep it that way. Hehehe.

Anyway, thank you sooo much for the invite, Rache! We can’t wait! And I can’t wait to meet you.

I find this so awkward to ask: but what’s the name of your sorority again? I’m sorry I didn’t ask sooner. Stupid me. I thought I could wing it by googling the fair bidding winners, but I can’t find any information online yet. A little help, please?

How many songs will Hastang play? My last fair was in 2004 (work and real life intervened, though my friends and I promised that we’d make the UP fair an annual tradition), so I’m a bit rusty on the details.

If I recall correctly, there’s a theme for every night. Tama ba? What’s your theme for Saturday?

On 11/13/07, Rachelle wrote:
Hi, Yan! Sure, sure! Go ahead and post it in Hastang’s blog or yours. No prob
Hahaha. I really like reading your replies (you sure you are a psych major and not a creative writing major? haha!) I am both enlightened and amused.

It’s orayt! No need to apologize. our soro is Delta Pi Omicron Sorority (omikron not omaykron. many people embarrass themselves by saying the latter. hehe). We tied up with the Engineers and Men for College and Country Fraternity (EMC2). So it’d be better to also mention their name

The Saturday’s theme is going to be “EuFAIRia”. whoohoo!!! Like everyone’s gonna be on ecstasy or something! HAHA!

I’ve yet to consult our program committee head about how many songs, what time, and the likes.

Thanks for the added contacts! Grabe, lahat na yata ng kompanya sa Pilipinas ay titirahin ko. From tampons to condoms! Haha!

Thanks so much Yan! Keep in touch! I share with my sisses our mails and all of us would looove to see you!!!

Take care,
racheü

On 11/19/07, Yan wrote:
Hi, Rache!

Sorry for the slight delay. It’s been a busy week for me. Things are crazy here!

Nah, I’m pretty sure that I’m not a CW major. Or so it says in my Diploma. Hahah. But I did use up most of my free electives for CW classes. It’s a passion. Still, I should have picked something more practical, now that I think about it.

We’ll post the press release soon. Thanks again for the invite.

Is there anything you and your sisses want from Cebu? Otap? Dried mangoes? Gorgeous Cebuanos? Hehehe.

You know ba the running joke about Cebuano men? Mas masarap daw ang mga Cebuano kasi matitigas ang dila. Wahahah. Censored, censored! Hindi talaga ako bastos. Medyo lang, minsan. hehehhe.

~Yan

Corrupting the mind of a minor, am I? Not really, no. Just having fun. And delighting in the company of a new-found friend. To borrow a phrase from someone, I’m dangerous with an audience.

So, that’s it so far. Hastang will be playing on the culminating night of next year’s UP Fair (an official press release will be posted in the band’s blog soon). That’s a Saturday, February 16, 2008. Mark your calendars. Better yet, book your plane tickets in advance.

Groupie alert: if you’re coming with us, and you need a place to stay, please let me know in advance. Gen is helping us get decent accommodations. If you don’t mind roughing it, you can stay with us.

It’s the centennial fair, people! We can’t miss it.

Rember Gelera, Hastang’s Manila-based booking agent, is also rounding up some gigs for the band. In particular, there will be a Hastang Night somewhere, some place. Details are still being ironed out at this point, so I really have very little information to share. All I know for certain is that Hastang will be in Manila from February 12 - 16 of 2008.

So, see you there?