Find a way to bring myself back home to you.

What was the last thing you "got away with?"

You wouldn't believe me if I told you. ;)

One

After waiting half a day in the Kuala Lumpur Airport and traveling another couple hours, I finally arrive in Penang. I call Pastor Mike as soon as I land and he tells me that a certain Pastor Jonathan was waiting for me.

K. More waiting before I see people I love. Everyone was hanging out at the Hensons' place, and I had yet to officially meet the Hensons not named Jonathan, Joe, Jenny and Luis.

After a few minutes I get to meet Pastor Jonathan. First thing he tells me is that Mike and the gang told him to look for a Mr. Incredible look-a-like.

Har har.

In the car Pastor Jonathan gives me a very, very detailed tour of Penang. I find out later that he does that to everybody. (I miss him.) I get more and more excited, by the minute, to see them -- Mike, Chrina, Ana, Ronna, Bojo, Faye, Lau, Francis, Nikki, and the Hensons. (I'm pretty sure part of me was wondering how dramatic my entrance would be...but I didn't plan anything. Was too exhausted.)

 Finally arrive in front of this series of white houses. I could see some of them through the window -- plain silhouettes. Some were watching TV, didn't know what the rest were doing. Had to take down my luggage first -- this giant, spectacularly metrosexual Elle Paris bag.

I knock, and walk in. MIKEY! There they were. Francis, Bojo, Ronna, Nikki, the Henson kids. Mike Gayatao. Hello, hello, hi, hi, BRO!, BRO!, HI!, YES-I'M-HERE!, hello hello hi. Chrina and Lau eventually say hi. They gave in -- apparently, they were pretending not to pay attention me, waiting for me to notice.

Tita Ida and I finally meet for the first time. She introduces herself, then apologizes because my arrival was overshadowed by this guy whose video they were watching on DVD.

It was Bono. They were watching the music video for U2's With Or Without You. 

Two

Recently, I'd been realizing things I should've known all this time:

• Mom and I are the only two people who live in this house
• It's a pretty cool house
• I have a lot of time
• ...things
• ...talent
• ...toys
• ...power
• ...etc., etc.

• To whom much is given, much is required. 

That phrase used to scare me. It sounded like such a curse! Lagot ka Mikey, there is a price to everything you're enjoying... you're screwed.  But see, the thing is, the Source of my blessings isn't an X-deal blesser. He's a blesser, period. Yes, there is a price to all these blessings and gifts...but it's been paid for. One time, big time. 

The kicker is that whatever is "required" of me isn't going to be from my own power, but, again, from him! Whatever I'm going to be giving is NOT "in exchange" for something I've received, but actually a spilling over of everything I have and everything I am. It's not "the price to pay", really, but it's just -- forgive the cliche -- overflow.

Do you own all the albums of any particular musical artist or group? Who?
Submitted by dutterman.

Thanks to iPod-sharing love, my answer is a resounding YES. And even some of their compilations, live concert recordings, and songs under a different artist name.

Oh, and the band? Here's a clue = ABSOLUTELY FRIGGIN' AWESOME.

When driving alone, what do you do?  Sing along to the radio?  Think about your day?  Something else?
Submitted by carapiccoladiva.  

7-word answer: Sing and dream and talk to God.

Which friend or acquaintance most influenced your taste in music? 
Submitted by Rev Stan.

Music questions always have long stories. It's like, music is one huge mountain in each person's life. It's just that, in mine, this very moment, U2 rules that mountain. So let's just answer the question of who got me into liking loving U2, and how.

Besides, for a while now, I'd been wanting to reflect and see how this thing started for me in the first place!

In alphabetical order:

•  Amper, Adrian
  
• Lent me a copy of the U2 rockumentary Rattle and Hum, and the most awesome concert ever, U2 Go Home: Live from Slane Castle.
  
• Introduced me to his favoritest song ever, Bad.
  
• Bowlen, Thelma
• Introduced me to U2 live (SUPERBOWL 2002 HALFTIME SHOW!!!!!!) Appreciated them in a whole new way. Nothing beats U2 live. Nothing. She then told me about U2 Go Home, which I then borrowed from Adeng. Boom.
  
• Most of the U2 songs I have in my library, I got from her, when she updated Kyera's iPod on my Mac. Life would change soon after.
• Introduced me to her future wedding song, All I Want is You. It's her I'm quoting everytime I say "'Wag na tayo mag-lokohan sa promises! Ikaw lang! Ikaw! All I want is YOU!!!"
• Introduced me to her future funeral song, Where the Streets Have No Name. A song packed with meaning, and the song with the most bone-chilling (in a good way) intro ever.
• She was a part of that First U2 Car Ride, along with Kyera and Francis, where we just sang the whole time.
  
• Flores, Kit
• My youngest elder brother Kit was driving the car during that trip to Zambales (early summer 2007). I was riding shotgun, and the designated iPod man of the car. He asked if I had any 80's songs, I said I had U2. I first played the stuff I knew (W/ or W/out You, I Still Haven't Found), then played the other stuff. Then this exchange: Mikey: "Bono's a good singer pala." Kit: "A VERY good singer!"
• It was also then I found out that he used to own every U2 album that ever came out. Soon after, Tita T updates Kye's iPod on my mac, and the rest is history.
  
• Henson, Ida
• I share in her idoliconatry of Bono.
• She'd always let me know that she gets it whenever I speak of, or quote, lyrics from a U2 song, and how it hits me in a particular way that I would feel only I understand. Apparently, she does too. And that's absolutely awesome. 
• Her Top 10 U2 Videos list (on her Tumblr, page 16 onward) opened up the songs (some I've never even heard of at that time) for me.
• Through her list, and her YouTube collection, introduced a whole bunch of songs to me.
  
• The dedications and dedications-back. Very much appreciated! And it's a blast. Hehe.
  
• Legaspi, Kyera
• It was from her iPod, Riley, that I got a chunk of my U2 collection.
• Countless car rides, after That First One (see above), with U2 playing and me (and sometimes her) singing.
• Introduced me to One.org, and inadvertently to Joinred.com (which I thought was what she was talking about).

Honorable mention: Multiply, Tumblr, YouTube, Wikipedia

Where do you consider home?  Is it the place you grew up; the place you're currently living?  Why is it home?
Submitted by uncagedbird. 

This question is begging for a cross-post of some quotes and a couple of videos.

What celebrity do you most often get told you resemble? 
Submitted by Leets.  

A few:

1. When I was younger, and my head was shaved, people said I looked like Vandolph.

2. Years later, when I got my Ateneo grad pic, my mom said I looked like Anjo Yllana. I think she took it back a little while after.

3. Nathan Fadera says I look like Jollibee.

4. A lot of Victory people say I look like Pastor Juray Mora (guy on the left, yes he counts as a celebrity).

5. Finally, the Awesome Tita Ida's point of view is my favorite:

"Yay!!! Mikeybono, your twin has a countdown on my tumblr... He's on every page from page 15 onward."

Yes, it's Bono on page 15 onward. Of course, I tell her that Bono's more an icon than a twin. But hey, I'd pick him over Vandolph any day.

What are your top 10 most-played songs currently?

U2 pare. One playlist (entitled "Idol!")  over and over again. In the car, at home, in the morning, in the evening. I'm beginning to think that if I hung out with Tita Ids and Tita Thelma often, they'd get sick of U2. (But I'll humble myself and say the opposite might be more realistic.) Hahahahahaha. I haven't written about my recent U2/Bono idolatry, but a beloved friend has, sort of (veiled in a good blog to boot). So check it out so I don't need to explain. :)

But yes. U2. Comments and/or lyrics in italics.

1. With or Without You. THE song. "On a bed of nails (you) make me wait. And I'll wait. WIthout you." Ouch. But I'll wait. Hehe.
2. All I Want is You. 'Wag na tayo mag lokohan sa promises!!!! IKAW LANG! YOU! YOU! ALL I WANT IS YOU!!!! "Yeoooooooo-hooooooo! All I want is... yeeoooooooo-hooooo!"
3. Where the Streets Have No Name. Heart. Love. Superbowl. U2 Go Home. You know what? I think the place where the streets have no name is what I am looking for. And I haven't "found" it. I sang this in the 2nd Expresso.
4. Miracle Drug. "The songs are in your eyes. I see them when you smile." Hay... hehe.
5. Vertigo. Unos! Dos! Tres! Quatorce!
6. I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For (From "Rattle and Hum", with the choir) Gospel/Worship with a restless spirit. Sounds like David. And me. ;) I sang this in the 3rd Expresso.
7. Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own. "You don't have to always be right. Let me take some of the punches for you tonight."
8. One. Africa. Charity, not justice. Make history by making poverty history. / Due to what's been going on around these parts, the lyrics of the song makes me think it makes sense for the Church.

What websites do you visit every day?
Submitted by Chez Michelle.

Multiply (multiply.com), Vox, Inside Pulse Wrestling (wrestling.insidepulse.com), The Unofficial Apple Weblog (tuaw.com), Engadget (engadget.com), Yahoo! Mail (mail.yahoo.com), heck, even Friendster (friendster.com) and blogs blogs blogs (ronna, kyera, kyera/thelma[sis!], micah, my secret blog, etc.). Will be checking out more theatre stuff soon. Ask me this question again in a few weeks.