The Best and Worst of 2012

2012, a year that was supposed to be the last for various reasons, turned out to be one of the best years I’ve had after college. While it still had the usual relationship drama, the highlights from one project after another more than makes up for it. So, as I try to avoid my usual tendency to be way too wordy, here are some words and pictures that should describe my 2012.

Turning 30.

We're getting older, wiser, drunker.

The dread 3 and oh came and I was all for meeting it. Despite my original plan of having just one amazing party to celebrate my three decades and surprising decision to stay alive, I ended up having three. The first one was a surprise party thrown by, ironically enough, people who I mostly don’t speak to anymore. (One of the many reasons I hate surprises.) The second was the one me and Marvi planned, and that one was awesome. Of course, there’s that third party, the extra party I have every year with the Scoobies.

I knew, in that second party, as I lay there, nearly stoned and a tad drunk in the pool, looking at the night sky of the South, that it was going to be a great year.

The Office.

At the end of 2011, I was content with the way things were in the Think Tank. At the start of the year, one major change occurred that resulted in the social upheaval of most things I’ve come to be accustomed to up in the Tank. That change was the Boss’ resignation. This paved the way to a lot of friction to those left behind, especially considering how the replacement decided to handle what remained of the team. What once was a tightly knit group is now... you know what? I’m not even going to get into that. It’s just equal parts hilarious and annoying.

We had a mostly good run, and if there’s one thing I learned about social structures this year, sometimes you just have to trim the fat.

Another Year, Another Relationship.

Got a girlfriend, didn’t work out, she asked to be friends, that didn’t work out either, so now I’m like, a mean guy or something. That’s basically it.

Seriously though, this last relationship had the potential to go the distance, but I guess our wants differed. It was the aftermath that burns my ass, and the sense of entitlement that seems to have resulted from it. But that’s done, and lines have been drawn, and does tend to make life in the Think Tank a tad more interesting.

Indie Jones.

Yeah, we dropped him after this photo was taken.

In support of the family business, I assembled a crew that comprised of the Big Man, The Tapa King, and Jo F’n Regis to go forth and make a shitty indie movie that blew chunks but, as I’ve heard, made bank.

Among other things, this project paved the way for a lot of things that shaped my year, one of which I will discuss in a bit, but in essence, it was just plain fun. It was an amazing experience for me personally, and after years of inactivity, brought me back to form.

One of the Gang.

Shortly after I the movie wrapped, I received a phone call from the director of a show that has been making me laugh since the mid-90s, asking me to come and work for them as a writer. That’s right, I was finally doing comedy on TV, and it was amazing. Week after week, despite certain hassles and issues, I feel like I grew, not just as a comedian, but as a person as a whole working with the business’ best and brightest. To be considered among them is truly an honor, and while I may be on sabbatical right now, I’m looking forward to returning and bringing the funny.

My Boys and I.

For the longest time, I’ve been friends with the boys from (or in close proximity to) Hidalgo street. 2012 saw a rare occurrence wherein me and the Big Man were at odds. Sure, the Critic and the Tapa King were involved, but the basic conflict, or at least the only one that matters was the issue between me and the Big Man. It was resolved, and it resulted in what I think is a greater appreciation of not just our mutual history, but also our basic differences; the things that make the whole relationship work.

Other people from the group also made their presence felt, primarily the Tapa King, who quickly went from being our blunt instrument to just being a useless tool. That’s what happens when one person thinks himself as better than the rest of the group. Jonic and Raymond became welcome additions to the weekends, and the Critic is now enjoying a reclusive kind of being in love or whatever the fuck that is.

All in all, things seem to be looking up, and considering the other endeavors me and the boys pursued over the latter part of the year, this may be the most competent incarnation of the group.

The Scoobies.

Before the big bye bye.

The Scoobies themselves have been through some changes. The biggest of which is Nikki’s departure to Singapore, though we still tend to see her on a fairly regular basis. Marvi also has been moving around, amusingly enough, towards me. She moved to work in Alabang, just a block away from the Think Tank, and, shortly after the flood thing which I was also around for, she and her family moved just a stone’s throw away from where I live. It’s made meeting up with them easier for me. Shelly, Weng and the others also have their own things going.

I’m happy the Scoobies are going strong and have been going strong for almost a decade now. Here’s hoping we all grow old together.

Hong Kong Once More.

And the crowd goes... docile.

My second tour of Hong Kong was better than the first. After nearly not qualifying for the contest, I made the most of the experience. Getting to know the other comedians, learning, relishing the entire journey. I came back better, happier, and filled with a sense of accomplishment. Yeah, I lost, but I did get invited to perform in Singapore, so there’s that. We’ll see what next year holds for my comedic career.

The Beach.

No, we're not known for our maturity.

After HK, the movie, the breakup, the multiple, simultaneous jobs and all of the other shit I had to go through, all I wanted was to enjoy a trip to the beach where I could unwind and do my annual rock thing. The boys and I took two cars and had a weekend in Zambales that resulted in me getting sunburn, a sprained knee, and much needed time to think. That weekend got me ready for next year’s quests, which I will discuss soon.

One Last Project.

The vacation was supposed to be how I end my year, and I wanted to just chill during December, content in knowing I’ve done everything I set out to do in 2012, from a successful 30^th birthday, to competing in Hong Kong. However, I don’t turn down jobs, and when the Big Man’s boss asked us to make a music video for one of his friends, I spent my December making an amazing video that saw the return of my Nephew, a Student of mine, and SMI. Postproduction begins in January, and I’ll be detailing the experience next post. Basically, it’s a fine end to a fine year.

The Verdict.

Here's hoping 2013 is just as awesome as 2012 is, and if not, then fucking end the world already.