1998

Lately, I've been missing my sophomore year in high school so bad. That year was just plain perfect. Everyone in class got along. Breaks consist of playing chinese garter, 10...20, jackstone and magic box. The beginning of what was to become my 5-year Savage Garden fixation. The highs and the lows. And almost making a "darren" tattoo on my left forearm with a rusty blade.

1998 was the year of good music. Third Eye Blind, Jewel, Matchbox 20, Barenaked Ladies, The Wallflowers, All Saints, The Corrs just to name a few. I was obsessed with Dave Matthew's Band's Crash Into Me. And my Savage Garden (SG) obsession.

When I think about it, my SG fixation was freaky. My daddy called it idolatry. I had this organizer/planner wherein I would write down the time when I saw their music video on tv or heard their song on the radio. I traded other bands' posters for SG's. I remember calling my bestfriend and crying upon finding out that the Philippines was not included in their Asian Tour. I memorized all of Darren's acceptance speeches at the ARIAs and Channel [V] Awards. I wrote to their fan club in Australia and almost shelled out AUS$25 for membership. It was crazy back then. My dad thought that I was too obsessed over the shit that he told me that he would burn all my posters if I didn't stop the nonsense. By the way, I still keep my SG collection. I can't part with it just yet. I refuse to let go. And I still believe that Darren Hayes is not gay... unless he says so.


It was also the year of Titanic. And Leonardo di Caprio was god. I thought the movie was overrated though. When my sister narrated the story to me, I cried. But when I watched the movie, I didn't cry. The movie's OST included Celine Dion's My Heart Will Go On and remember so well that there was a proliferation of bazillion versions. Cheesy, right? But my classmates and I recorded every version there was. So sino mas cheesy? Yung cheesy o yung mga pumatol sa cheesy? Ha.

It was also the year when boybands reigned supreme. The Backstreet Boys was the shizz and N'sync was just their rip-off. Justin Timberlake was still platinum blonde and and ugly. Boyzone was pretty popular, too. Ronan Keating was my bestfriend's ultimate crush. Boyzone's downfall started when Stephen Gately came out of the closet. Why was I not surprised?I also remember "stalking" Code Red cos it was my birthday that time. My sister, who was the one into Code Red, wanted to watch their performance in Megamall. After the performance, we followed them to their hotel and pathetically waited for them to grace us with their presence. Anyway, I know there were more but I can't remember them anymore.

The best year of my high school life.
Good times...