my CHARICE mystification

I remember it was the last quarter of 2009.  I was alone in my room watching Youtube videos of famous entertainers when i stumbled upon this Star King video of Charice.

I had no idea who Charice Pempengco was. I never knew she joined this ABS-CBN singing contest--and the drama that came after. The judge purportedly told her she lost the competition because she isn't beautiful and that her face isn't marketable. Ouch!

I was hesitant to watch the video thinking that she's just another one of those talented local singers I've already seen many times. I can't blame myself, Filipinos are blessed with good singing voice and they thrive everywhere. But I did view the Star King vid anyway. There I saw onstage a typical Asian-looking girl in ponytail, wearing double-sleeve collared tee and skimpy skirt. She belted out And I Am Telling You--powerful voice, commanding stage presence, natural dance moves ala MJ, unassuming innocent smile, charismatic. I felt like my entire body is levitating as I watched the girl hit those high notes perfectly then shift to lower notes with smoothness and clarity. The Korean celebrities and myself were virtually in a state of euphoria relishing every moment of her fantastic performance.

From then on, I have become a Charice follower. I've read over a hundred articles, watched several videos, made a number of posts on her fansite. I am well aware of anything Charice:

*her first appearance on US television show was the Ellen DeGeneres.

*she guested on the influential Oprah' show 6 times.

*her mentor is the legendary composer David Foster.

*her single Pyramid peaked at No. 1 in the US dance chart.

*her self-titled debut album ranked no. 8 in the US billboard.

*her album reached Gold status in Japan with more that 100,000 record sales

*she has a recurring role as Sunshine Corazon on Glee.

*she is collaborating with Jim Beanz and Sean Garrett on her next album.

The recent events in her career is an indication that windows of greater opportunities have widely opened for Charice, paving her way to worldwide fame and stardom.

Above all,  her story is the realization of my long-held belief on the possibility of myth and reality to become intertwined. I nearly yielded to the notion that Cinderellas were only for the books but through Charice, I am now certain.. Fairy tales can actually happen in the real world!

Manny Pacquiao in Guinness World Records

The victory of Manny Pacquiao over Antonio Margarito has cemented his status as one of the all-time greats in boxing. His inclusion to the elite league of Harry Greb, Henry Armstrong, Benny Leonard, Muhammad Ali and Ray Robinson is a remarkable recognition that goes into the annals of history. But what made Pacquiao's feat even more meaningful is the claim by some experts that he has taken the spot of Ray Robinson as the recognized greatest boxer of all time. They argue that while Robinson had more fights, Pacquiao fought tougher opponents who are bigger and heavier than him. Pacquiao is unstoppable in wreaking havoc over world-class fighters. His winning streak continued unabated. 

Notwithstanding the outcome on whether Pacquiao can lay claim to the undisputed title of the greatest of all time, one thing is absolutely clear: Manny Pacquiao's recent victory earned him the distinction as the first and only boxer to win world titles in eight different weight divisions.

The following are Pacquiao's major world titles:

WBC Flyweight (112 lbs)

IBF Super Bantamweight (122 lbs)

The Ring Featherweight (126 lbs)

The Ring and WBC Super Featherweight (130 lbs)

WBC Lightweight (135 lbs)

The Ring and IBO Light Welterweight (140 lbs)

WBO Welterweight (147 lbs)

WBC Super Welterweight (154 lbs)

No one comes close to Pacquiao but himself. Pacquiao is also a seven-time world champion in as many weight divisions. Only time can tell if someone else with such extraordinary ability as Pacquiao's will emerge in the future. In the meantime, let us savor this great moment in history that unfolds before our very eyes; How fortunate we are to witness an incredible athlete who transcends even the highest of standards as The Guinness Book of World Records!