i was recently assigned to be a moderator for the RX-Talk Mailing List which i am a part of since almost it began.  the list owner decided to ask for volunteers to help out with moderating the mailing list since not all of the rx airstaff are actively doing it (as what i was told).  i was interested in the position–and i emphasize the word was–because i really was interested way, way back, say, several years ago.  at that time, the position wasn't open and i left the moderating to the higher ups of the radio station.  i made my intentions of being interested before since a friend asked me if i may be up for it.  i replied through the mailing list that with my work, i might not be able to check the list on a regular basis (which is true, i just started to make a comeback and try to be active again).  lo and behold, the list owner then announced my name and my friends reggie and carol as the new moderators of the mailing list.  i was shocked, but at the same time honored to be named one.  i humbly took the position and been starting checking posts for off-topic messages that need not make it to the list.

when i accepted the role, i made my intentions of cleaning up the mailing list of unwanted posts known from the get go.  it has been a problem of the list since it began.  in general, the mailing list guidelines are to talk about the station, it's music, airstaff, events, promotions, parties and events for starters.  so from my understanding, you base the topics of discussions from the subjects given, and go from there.  examples of what kind of off-topic messages the list has been getting are forwarded messages (quotes, jokes, passages), chain emails, articles from newspapers about political, social, religious, and economic concerns.  and since i have been a member, seeing those messages started from being a nuisance to being, "what-the-hell-bullsh**-is-this?!  this-shouldn't-be-here!"  i mean, it's ok to go off-topic sometimes, but not that overboard.  other members of the list have been complaining about it and back then, nothing was done about it.  i asked the moderators at that time to do something about it, but with respect to them, never pressured or bugged them about it as i left it to their best judgement what to do with them.  i didn't complain, i just continued to be a member.  other members have gone maybe because of it, i don't know, but i guess it's one of the reasons why they left, which was of course, a waste.  i have established friendships with people who have a common bond with me, and that's listening to this radio station.

as i made my intentions known, one member questioned my motives.  that member said that those kinds of messages give color to the mailing list and that we would be labeled as "air heads" if we continue to talk about RX day in and day out, for the station doesn't hold events, premieres, and other station-related activities often.  and as for the forwarded articles, they're the sender's way of informing the public about it.  i was quite surprised by what that member said.  the member also said that he/she was part of the mailing list and liked it the way it is and doesn't see the need for added moderating of the list's messages.  and he/she also said that if he/she didn't like the way i'll be doing the moderating, then he/she will leave the list.  i answered his query to the letter and explained that it's not just me who was complaining about the off-topic messages, but a lot of others.  one of the new moderators actually supported my initiative and will help in the clean up drive.  the ironic thing about all of this was he/she was the only one complaining about my initiative.  no one else backed him/her up.  he/she then answered my rebuttal by saying that he/she was just asking questions about how i would do things and repeated the line that if he/she doesn't like that way i moderate then he would leave the list.  i didn't continue to argue with him/her and replied back that we're just agreeing to disagree on how moderation should be performed.

you really cannot please everybody.  this i have learned both the good and hard way.  but in any case, if the list owner doesn't like how i do things, he can easily take me off the job, and i won't complain.  hey, for the record, i didn't apply for it.  again, i was shocked but honored to accept the list owner's faith in me since he knows that me being one of the pioneers of the mailing list, i know what it has gone through and would know what's best for it.  and to that member who happens to pass by and read this entry, do not–and i repeat, DO NOT–even think about arguing with me on this space about my thoughts.  this is MY SPACE and I CAN SAY WHATEVER I WANT TO SAY.  i have dealt with this as well before also with a lister, so don't even think of starting something.  every blogger has the right to say anything they want to say on their own space without being held legally liable for libel or slander.  yes, you can comment on what i said, but hey, don't take it personally that you'll curse me to kingdom come.  you diss me on your blog, i won't react.  why, because that's what you think.  i'll give you the respect of freedom of expression.  say whatever you want about me, as long as it's in your blog, and i won't take it personally.  say it somewhere else outside your blog, well, that's a different story.

looks like this new role is going to be exciting, dontcha think? 😀

i had site problems during the past few days so this post was originally made on the morning of may 31, 2007, but i decided that the posting date is may 29, 2007 to keep up with my 31-on-31 series.  in any case, the series is about to end but i still have a few things to talk about before i go back to my old posting ways.  one good thing though, that it's already starting to rain!  so less heat, more cool temps.  🙂

now this is the life!  here at home, doing absolutely nothing!  not worrying about anything about work, sleeping whatever time of the day i want, how long i want, eating when i want.  which reminds me, calling all my friends who i haven't seen for the longest time.  let's have lunch, dinner, coffee or a couple of beers, shall we?  i mean, i'm on vacation until saturday so you can bug me anytime.  haven't seen pirates 3 yet, but i'm planning to this week as well.  just right after i see the dvd of the second sequel maybe tonight.

i'm having a heck of a time doing nothing, would you believe?  reminds me of how so many things are being done at the office that i even don't stop sometimes to breathe or take stock at what i have or enjoy the simple things in life.  i mean, i may not have my voice back at a hundred percent, but the times that i don't talk are the more meaningful ones wherein i observe and just be at the sidelines.

darn it, i just hope that it would rain so everything will be a bit cooler.  all i see is clouds and not a drop of rain.  c'mon, rain!!  drop!!!  give me 20!!!  nyahahahahahaha!!!!!  😀

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by markie – written at 6:45pm, 3/12/97

The silent moon looms over as sunlight fades
darkness falls as the day nears its end.

Yet she doesn't know what I truly feel for her
only that I hope my feelings will not end in vain.

another poem back from my college days that i wanted to share with everyone.  🙂

there are normal days, and there are special days.  and yet there are days which you think are normal yet turn out to be special in a blink of an eye.  one such day was yesterday.  i was still recovering from my unknown sickness (i called it unknown because i didn't have fever, but was coughing like crazy, with matching phlegm and colds to boot and there were times that i would feel weak and then normal and then weak again) and the only thing left from it is the occasional coughing and that it affected my throat, thus i didn't have any voice.  i was really struggling to talk so i would do so only by whispering (i brought ginger brew this morning and it's taking it's effect, thankfully).

anyhow, it was right around dinner time when i decided to take a shower first before eating.  i was already in the bathroom when a familiar tune hit my ear.  my mobile phone was ringing.  clad only in a bath towel, i went out to check who it was, even though i know i wouldn't be able to answer it because of my voice.  the ringing had already stopped when i took my phone.  i checked the missed call and an unfamilar 14-digit number was indicated.  the thing is, it's not local.  so i wondered, "who would call me up using a foreign number?"  i asked my brother if he was familiar with the number as i showed him the phone.  he said that he didn't know what network it was.  i was still holding the phone when it started ringing again.  it was the same number calling me.  i immediately asked my brother to answer it for me since i can't talk.  he did and a couple of seconds of silence passed after he said "hello." he then said, "i'm sorry, i'm his brother.  i answered the phone because my brother has no voice."  he then held the phone, looking for something.  he then pressed the loudspeaker button.  then, a female voice came on, saying, "are you really that sick?"  the voice wasn't familiar.  i tried to muster enough strength to have my vocal chords function, saying, "i'm really sorry, but i'm having difficulty talking, as you can hear.  who is this?"  "oh my god, you really are sick," came the reply.  she had to hear for herself, maybe thinking that i was just playing around.  "who is this?" i pressed on.  "did my voice change at all?  anyhow, i just called to greet you a belated happy birthday," she said.  i thanked her the best way i can say it and continued to ask who she was.  "you don't remember me?  mark, it's lisa."  i was walking in circles around my room, wearing only a towel while talking to her and at the instant she said who she was, i stopped dead in my tracks.  "oh my god," was the only thing i could say to myself.  "hey lisa, thank you, i'm sorry i couldn't talk normally, i wish i could," was the first thing i told her after coming to my senses.  "it's ok mark, i just called to greet you a belated happy birthday.  we'll talk when you get better."  all i can say in reply was, "thank you, thank you for calling."  before she hung up, she wished me well and that she reminded me that we'll be talking soon.

wow, talk about surprises!  it was around three plus years since we last talked to each other, and it was even hardly a good conversation.  we parted in an unexpectedly negative way when she got married and left for australia.  if you need a refresher course on our history, backread lots and lots of pages, say, right around 2004-2005, and you'll know what kind of history we had.  but in any case, it really felt good when she called me up.  i didn't feel anything except being elated that she would call.  the bummer there was my voice.  we could've had a better conversation if not for my condition.  but, maybe there are better things to come.  she even sent me a text message after calling, which i was able to read after finally taking my shower, suggesting that i take ginger tea and that it would help, although the taste is something to be desired.

to make the long story short, she made my day yesterday.  and here's hoping that our once good friendship would be restored.