Of Gatherings and Concert Screenings. :)

It has always been a bliss attending Cassiopeia Philippines events. My first attended gathering was the 7th Gathering - 7G. I also attended 8G and 9G but I missed the 10th Gathering. Although I attended a TVXQ-fan gathering when I was in Indonesia, it still felt different when I attended CassPH's Gs thus when I had the chance to attend 11G, I made sure I would make it.

11G :) [06072015]

*Note: This is long-overdue. Apologies in advance for the incoherent narrative.*

I don't remember when CassPH announced the details for 11G but the date decided what day I'd go back to the Philippines for my vacation last 2014. June 6 2014 was the last day of our class for school year 2013-2014. After class, I went home right away and packed my bags as I had a flight to catch midnight of June 7. Most of my co-teachers opted for June 8 or June 9 flight  but I told them that I should be in Manila by morning of June 7. Why? Because June 7 was the date for 11G: CassPH's 11th Gathering. I arrived in Manila around 6AM of June 7 and by that time I still didn't know how I'd tell my parents that I'd just go home and change my clothes because I had a gathering to attend to. Luckily, I saw Jessica at the airport and it gave me the cue.

Mama: Sino yun?

Me: Si Jessica po taga Cebu. Magkikita ulit kami mamaya.

Mama: Bakit? Saan?

Me: May gathering kasi ng mga fans ng TVXQ pupunta ako.

Mama: Ano ka ba Regina Marie kararating mo lang magpahinga ka muna.

Me: Eeeeeeh kaya nga ako June 7 umuwi kasi pupunta talaga ako doon eh. Sige na pleeeeease.

Mama: Ay naku bahala ka.

*This may not be the exact dialogue but it's a fact that meeting Jessica at the airport helped me ask permission and I pleaded for their "okay" xD* 

To cut the story short, I was able to attend 11G from beginning until the end. (Sidenote: 11G had a dress code. I purposely packed what I'd wear for the event on my hand carry bag so I needed not to unpack all of my bags just to look for it. xD) Ate Tin's reaction when she saw me and the Cebuanas was golden. Indeed, it was amazing that there were people like us who had to ride a plane just to attend the gathering. I always went alone in the past gatherings (but I was never lonely :p) and so I was so happy when I met Mari and her sister Bel even more when they let me join them. When they went home, I joined Jessica, uridb5k and kimoooy13 (I am so bad with remembering names sorry sorry sorry T_T) for Tohonight. Oh Tohonight. I wanted to show the inner dancer in me but it was never existent in the first place so I was just there at the side as I watched those people who danced gracefully. I was amazed and envious at the same time. There were also TVXQ-JYJ flavored shots that night. I remembered how Eka asked "Natikman mo na ba si *insert TVXQ-JYJ member name*? Masarap!". The cebuanas went home right after the Tohonight ended but the 'bakasyonista' in me wanted to stay longer so I was with the core until egress. I joined CassPH with their little salo-salo after the event at Jollibee. Remember that I just got back to the Philippines that day and anything only-in-the-Philippines makes every bakasyonista or returning OFW happy. We don't have Jollibee in Jakarta! I missed the chicken with gravy! I was so happy and even happier because I had the chance to spend that meal with CassPH cores. And it didn't end there. I was able to get to North Edsa thanks to Beetamins (Again my memory is bad with names T_T) who dropped me there. It was a whole day of overwhelming happiness. OFWs are often expected to give pasalubong each time they go for a vacation in the Philippines but it was a different case for me. I was the one who received pasalubong that day; from bag, to shirt, to bao-na-coin-purse and dried mangoes. The fan screams sounded so pleasing to the ears, the smiles were refreshing and the cheers were heartwarming. I've watched several concerts and events in Jakarta, but as our Department of Tourism always says, it is indeed, more fun in the Philippines, even in fangirling. :)

*snippets from the CassPH's 11G here. *

I went back to Jakarta July 2014 and came back to the Philippines again December of the same year. I had been in the Philippines since then thus the reason why I was able to attend the latest CassPH event up to date, the Dong Bang Day: T1ST0RY Concert Screening. :)

Concert Screening Part 1: TVXQ: "T1ST0RY in Seoul" Concert [08282015]

*note: I said on twitter that I would do a series of tweets for the said DBD but I remembered I was not able to make an account for 11G so instead, I just revived this blog and posted it here.*

• I was so happy when Ate Tin hinted for a T1ST0RY screening on Facebook. I thought there wouldn't be anything of this sort anymore as 4 out of the 5 already enlisted in the military.
•  According to the ticketing announcement, it should start on sale midnight of August 17. I checked around 2AM and I was welcomed with a "there are no tickets currently available for this event" message. I thought "Ano dalawang oras lang ako na-late wala na agad ticket?" Thanks to Ate Tin, she told me the site was already fixed and I reserved my ticket.
• I had a part-time job on the day of the screening. The said screening was scheduled 4PM and my part-time was also set at 4PM yet it didn't stop me from attending the event. I told my coordinator I had something to do that Friday and I'd just work on Monday (August 31, a non-working holiday) to compensate my absence. She agreed. 
• Hannah asked on twitter if there's anyone attending the T1ST0RY screening. That started our conversation and the plan to go together along side with eating at a Korean Resto. All set and it was the day of the event.
• For some reasons, my father asked for my assistance to fix our electric wiring and my plan of meeting Hannah earlier went down the drain. QC to Taguig wasn't a fair distance so when I travelled at 2:30PM, I knew I would be late.
• I arrived at MRT Ayala Station at 3:45PM. As I dashed on my way to the BGC bus terminal, Tohoshinki's Cheering played. Energy boost x 100. :D
• I was not familiar with BGC nor do I know how to get to KCC. The only time I went to BGC was during 9G. I read directions while I waited on queue for the BGC bus. Luckily, I saw someone wearing CassPH shirt and I knew then that I'd get to my destination. If not, I'd be lost but wouldn't be alone. There were 7 of us who alighted at the same stop. A group of friends also gave a hint that they were headed to the screening as some wore TVXQ lanyards while one had a 동방신기 nameplate pinned on her bag. 
• We arrived at the venue just as they were about to play the longest line game. That's when I finally met Hannah and Novee. I was also so happy to see Mari and Bel again. 
• And we're off to the main event: the screening. I had never watched a full TVXQ duo concert DVD by myself.  The last full concert screening that I had attended was The Secret Code screening and I was just a new fan  that time. This time, I smiled with the fans, screamed and even cursed with them but often, I just found myself staring intensely on the screen as I watched Yunho and Changmin carry on as TVXQ. As what I told Novee during the screening, those two adjusted really well; Gumaling kumanta si Yunho at gumaling sumayaw si Changmin. Sobrang nakakaproud. 
• Raffle time. CassPH  is my lucky charm. I had won prizes from their raffles or games since 8G and this DBD was not an exception, my name got called again. Lucky ♥. 
• We were not able to watch everything but though it was cut short, it still felt the same. It was worth it. 
• Again, I didn't know my way out of the venue. Hannah and her squad was kind enough to help me find a transportation that  lead me to EDSA. Good thing I did not choose to ride the bus going to Quezon City. The traffic was crazy that night.
• The end. xD

Concert Screening Part 2: JYJ: "The Return of The King" Concert [10302015]
*note: This will be short because I don't remember some details anymore. >_<*

• For the second time, I went to Korean Cultural Center and watched the Concert Screening of JYJ's Return of The King. 
• I came in late (see the pattern? coughIamalwayslatecough xD), but just in time for raffle and the second part of the screening. 
• So there I was, confused whether I was at the right venue (the emcee was different and there was a child about 5 yrs old so I was hesitant). I dropped my bag, had a minute of chatting with two lovely ladies (whom later on became my company until the end of the screening), and to my surprise, my name was called out for the raffle. I WON AGAIN! Emphasis on the word AGAIN because wow, just how lucky I could be when it comes to fandom-related raffles?! To think that this was the first I've ever attended an event by JYJ Philippines. I was totally delighted! I won a JYJ shirt and a JYJ poster plus postcards. Lucky! ♥
• I sat with Betsy and Genevieve (the two lovely ladies) for the remaining time of the event. Genevieve happened to be the mom of the child I saw earlier. She brought her son to a concert screening! (I'd probably do the same with my child xD) 
• They sang In Heaven and Fallen Leaves in the concert and my fangirl heart was happy. I love their ballads and I am biased to their In Heaven album. Their handsome faces were just secondary to why I am their fan. It was really their voices that made me like them. (I am typing this account while listening to my recording of Fallen Leaves. Calm down, my heart. T_T) Many things had changed, but their songs take me back to that time when I decided to be their fan and stuck with them against all odds. It was bittersweet but it's worth the time. They will always be worth it. :)
• To be honest, I had not been very much updated with JYJ activities. (Please don't hold this against me. I am also not very much updated with my friends' lives so this is standard for me xD) The last physical album I bought from them was In Heaven. I had not been following their activities (same goes for TVXQ) so there are parts of the concert (songs and talks) I didn't get at first. Though different crowd, the enthusiasm of fans were the same. We were screaming, singing along and Krissy and her friends waved their light sticks as if they were in a concert. 
• After the screening, we got hungry so we ate at Jollibee just across KCC. Most of the people who attended the screening also had their dinner there. Betsy, Genevieve and I talked *spazzed* for hours over dinner. Genevieve's child was obviously bored already yet we still continued. It felt like I haven't talked about JYJ for a loooooong time so I was all smiles for the most part of our conversation. 
• And so the screening ended but just like before, I went to the screening alone and gained friends after. ♥

From the bottom of my fan girl heart, THANK YOU everyone. I started attending these events 5 years ago and until now, I still felt the same; awestruck, delighted, overwhelmed, grateful. A lot of things had happened. There's the split, the conflicts, the issues and now the enlistment. Yet even after almost everything had changed, we remained as the constant. It would be so nice to watch them live with the same crowd I had belonged to from all the fan gatherings and concert screenings I had attended. I don't know when or how it would happen but I sincerely hope it would come true. Until the next event. :)

- wolfpeach :)