Zerothreetwo Conversations: Interviews With The Creative Class

Ever since starting Zerothreetwo, I took the habit of taking a look back at the year that was, and setting goals for the upcoming year. The goals aren't there as a benchmark for success, but more to set the tone of how to start our year.   In many respects, this habit has been a success. While many goals haven't been reached, the mere fact that we've strived towards them have allowed Zerothreetwo to become what it is today.   So here it is, a recap of 2019 (personal and Zerothreetwo), and my goals for 2020.   Hope your 2019 was eventful and your 2020 is fruitful.   Enjoy the episode!   SHOWNOTES Larry Ypil (Zerothreetwo Conversations episode) End Polio Now Rotary Club Cebu Epic 2019 Chyrel Gomez (Zerothreetwo Conversations episode) 2019 Resolutions Festive 500 Monday Musings Newsletter       Here are the 2020 Resolutions PERSONAL Move into a new home Renovate Furnish Figure out how to live there - currently feels like a vacation Hang out with the kids Try harder to go on dates

Just like last year, I thought it would be a good idea to end the year with a quick recap of the best episodes of 2019.   2019 has been a great year for the podcast. It continues to grow, we still get great guests, and people still listen. In fact, we've doubled the number of unique downloads from 2018 to 2019. So what are the plans for 2020?   We'll just continue chugging along. Hopefully in our own little way, we are contributing to the creative community.   Thank you 2019!   Here's to 2020!         SHOWNOTES Best of 2018 episodes Amiel Cortz Cortes (Zerothreetwo Conversations episode) Nigel Paul Villarete (Zerothreetwo Conversations episode) Anthill Jude Bacalso (Zerothreetwo Conversations episode) Van Go (Zerothreetwo Conversations episode) Jerika Teodorico (Zerothreetwo Conversations episode) Baklay Ihatod Tika Erik Tuban (Zerothreetwo Conversations episode) Shak Mancao (Zerothreetwo Conversations episode) Bunny Pages (Zerothreetwo Conversations episode) Reen Barrera, Terence Eduarte and

This is the fourth Ask Me Anything (AMA) episode.   Christmas is almost here. So we'll be wrapping up season 2 of Zerothreetwo Conversations with an Ask Me Anything episode. This is the second to the last episode of the 2019. Last one, will be next week.   Thanks to everyone who submitted questions.   As with previous AMA episodes, this is an inside peek at the inner workings of Zerothreetwo Conversations.   Enjoy the podcast!   SHOWNOTES Uzi Emperado (Zerothreetwo Conversations episode) AMA 1 AMA 2 AMA 3 Pulangbato Guba Arcilla Sirao Cambiyoos Budlaan Willy's Kalunasan loop behind Guadalupe church CPDRC Happy Jail Buhisan Pamutan Terence Go (Zerothreetwo Conversations episode) Meux Cordova Pamutan Trailfest Tim Ferriss Gabby Alipe Steve Benitez No Radio, No Problem Joe Rogan Conan Freakonomics Gary Vaynerchuk Malcolm Gladwell Revisionist History Seth Godin - Akimbo Longform Podcast Outside Podcast The Creator Life Pod Podcast Historias Amiel Cortz Cortes (Zeroth

When I schedule interviews, I have an agenda in mind. Generally, there's something about the guest that I want to learn about, but every now and then, the conversation becomes something larger, something more important, and uncovers a story about something bigger.   That's what I got in my conversation with Gama Rae. Initially, I wanted to learn about the ins and outs of eSports today. Gaming has changed immensely compared to what it was twenty years ago. These days there are national tournaments, huge cash prizes, and a viewership that rivals huge sports leagues. I learned about all that, but I also got a peek into the darker side of gaming. This is a male dominant sport that doesn't play kindly to women in it. Gama Rae, a very accomplished gamer in her own right, experienced this male harassment first hand. Her story was an awakening for me.   In this episode, we talk about the eSports industry, how she was treated by her male competitors, how eSports is a difficult yet possible source of income, and th

"It's not what you do during your 9-5. It's what you do during your 5-9."   I'm not sure where I heard this, but it resonates with me because it made me realize that you can still do what you love despite having to do other things. There are ways around balancing a full time job and your passion.   This balance is what I wanted to discuss with Uzi Emperado. Not only is he able to figure out that balance, but he also happens to create compelling art. His Punk Darth Vader piece is still a favorite of mine, and it currently hangs in our bedroom wall. Uzi is a talented artist as well as a freelance illustrator. When I heard that he got a full time job, but still managed to continue his art, I was curious as to how he was able to do it.   In this episode, we talked about his start in illustration, balancing a full time job with art, porngrind, and future projects.   Enjoy the episode!         SHOWNOTES Uzi Emperado article Lean Reboja (Zerothreetwo Conversations episode) Mark Deutsch (Zerothreetwo

Traditional schools have been using the same system for a hundred years. There was a good reason to do it back then, but that system is outdated and worse yet damaging to the children of today.   This is particularly important to me because I have two young boys. Frankly, as a parent, I don't know what to do. As much as I want the best for them, there doesn't seem to be many options. So after hearing Hannah Martinez-Florendo talk about today's school system in the Tropical Futures Forum, I had to invite her to do an interview. I was curious to hear her insight as a parent and also as an educator. She has an art school called Artastic which is informed by her perspectives with how we should teach our children.   In this episode we talked about her personal experience in school, the morbidity of the traditional school system, the importance of good teachers, and rock climbing.   Enjoy the episode!       SHOWNOTES Rotary Club of Cebu - End Polio Ride Tropical Futures Forum (Zerothreetwo Conversations

As is typical with most conversations, topics bounce around and have nothing to do with each other. This is what we try to do with the podcast. Talk without any agenda and with the intention to connect with another human being in a real way.   That's why I really enjoyed this interview with Dexter Sy. After re-listening to the episode, I was surprised by the number of topics we covered and how far ranging the conversation was. It's always fun when a guest sits down and decides to have a conversation as opposed to an interview. I didn't expect this because I knew of Dexter Sy back in the days when he used to write music reviews for Bite Magazine. He was honest. Some would say brutally honest. So after meeting him in person, it was not what I expected, but a good surprise nonetheless.   We started it talking about parenthood, then touched on his music endeavors, then talked about his stint writing music reviews for Bite Magazine (he wrote a review about Rescue a Hero too), then we talked about corporate life

Lacking in Cebu are businesses that are true partners with a community. A lot of businesses are run like hardware stores. They put wares on the shelves, wait for people to come in, and sell them stuff. That's it. No community building, no partnerships, no sense of giving back. Nothing against hardware stores, I'm just using them as an example. There are a ton of businesses that all they want to do is sell you a product. Handuraw never felt like that. They've managed to not only survive, but thrive in the restaurant business. There aren't many that have been in business for more than 15 years, and definitely not a lot that put community as a focus. It is a storied venue that has supported countless communities. Not just in music, but also in film, literature, charity groups, etc. With this in mind, I talked to Eric Smith, the managing director of Handuraw. I was interested in his perspective and how he has managed to grow it to what we know and love today. In this episode, we talked about the importance of com

Have you ever looked at artwork and asked yourself, "Where does this come from?" The same thing can be said for all the pop culture characters that you know and love. Sometimes the answer is complicated, but other times, it's as simple as hanging out with friends over a few drinks.   When I first spoke with Thom Jopson, fantasy and surreal painter, we walked around the gallery looking at his artwork. His stories from each piece made his characters come alive. Not only did it seem real, it made it familiar. "I've been in that bar, I've hung out with those people, I have a friend just like that," I couldn't help, but relate as he was talking about each piece.   In this episode, we talk about treating art as work, how to balance inspiration with distraction, painting seemingly mundane situations, and making the real surreal.   Enjoy the episode.     SHOWNOTES Kenichi Wani Lean Reboja (Zerothreetwo Conversations episode) High School Never Ends artwork I Want to Hold Your Hand artwork Asylum de Busa

Eventually, I hope to bikepack around the Philippines. It's not something I'll do anytime soon, in the short term, maybe I'll bikepack in short spurts, but a long trip with my bicycle will have to wait. One of these days when my children are older, with any luck, we can all go.   For now, I'm happy to live through other people. When I heard about the Cebu Divide, my interest was piqued. The Cebu Divide was done by the folks from PacGear. They started in the North of Cebu then made their way to the South, but instead of passing through the coastal roads, they made their way through the middle of Cebu, up the steep mountains, and in many cases, through dirt roads and paths. I interviewed Prockie Genovia, Larry Honoridez, and Kekel Villalon of PacGear. They were the group who organized the Cebu Divide.   The Cebu Divide is a huge physical feat. It took them seven days, 394.7km, and 12,404m of elevation gain.   In this podcast, we talked about the preparation to do the Cebu Divide, the inspiration of doing

When talking to younger artists, I always end up relating to them with my time in a band. Some might say that's an advantage when doing the podcast, but more often than not, I sound like the old Tito in the family party talking about "in my day".   My Tito-ness came out when I talked to Elisha "Icy" Ang, the vocalist of Sepia Times, a Cebu-based alt-pop duo. Early on the interview she mentioned her father was Anot Ang of Cuarenta - who I consider one of the best guitarists of Cebu. So I geeked out on that for a few minutes. But after I got over that, it became clear that Icy has a lot more to contribute to the music scene than just being the kid of a local rock icon. Her band Sepia Times is set to release a lot of good music in the next few months, and if it's anything like their latest single Breakfast, expect to hear more from them in the future.   In this podcast, we talked about what it is like to cry after playing a gig, transitioning between different styles of music, being in a band with your signif

Growing a community. These words get thrown around, but who are really doing that? Who are genuinely championing a community? Who are sacrificing themselves for the sake of an industry? Who are putting their skin on the line?   In my eyes, the Cebu music industry is lucky to have Cattski. It's been twenty years since she's been in music, and the last few years have been dedicated to creating a sustainable industry in Cebu as well as making it a legitimate music destination.   That was on my mind as I attended a press conference celebrating Cattski and Monsters the Musical. It must have felt weird for her. It's been a while since she's been celebrated. Through the years, she's been shining the spotlight on other artists. Helping them create their music, being a champion for them, and making sure everyone else outside of music heard their stories.   This time, we get to hear Cattski's story. Or more accurately her music - portrayed through Monsters the Musical.   "Monsters the Musical is a coming-of-age

One of my discoveries last year was I am able to easily record the audio from conferences. Considering the ephemeral nature of talks, the ability to record the audio and give that talk a longer shelf life appealed to me.   So I was excited to get an invitation from Mark Deutsche to take part in the Tropical Futures Forum. He allowed me to record the audio and release it as a podcast. Thanks again Mark! There was a lot of learning that day, and I was happy to have the chance to absorb it again through audio. I didn't want to post the full talks because most had something to do with what was on a power point presentation. So it wouldn't be of much value, but there were plenty snippets that were worth highlighting.   So what follows are highlighted portions of the talks from Myka Arnado, Mark Deutsch, Dan Matutina, Chris Fussner, Chad Manzo, Roxy Navarro, and Hannah Martinez-Florendo, as well as a little commentary from me.   Enjoy the podcast!   SHOWNOTES Tropical Futures Forum Myka Arnado Daot Qube

When I first started getting into cycling, one of the apps that helped me was Strava. It's basically a social media for sports enthusiasts. It allows you to keep track of your workouts and check out what other people are doing.   One of the first people I followed was Terence Go. I've known Terence since high school, but I didn't know he enjoyed the outdoors. Ever since college, Terence had already been hiking and camping, then two years ago, he started trail running. He recently finished a 100km trail run in Chiang Mai Thailand. The idea of running 100km boggled my mind! I wanted to know how he did it. Turns out, there's an active trail running community in Cebu.   In this podcast, we talked about his experience running the 100km trail run in Thailand, at what point he started praying during that run, how he trained, how he managed his nutrition, and about the trail running community in Cebu.   Enjoy the episode!       SHOWNOTES Strava Chiang Mai Thailand RJ Abalos Kilian Jornet CM6 Cebu Epi

The more I do these interviews, the more I realize that there's no single way to do something. You can be distracted or focused. It can take you seconds or years. You can wake up early or you can stay up all night. How you do your work is different from everyone else, but one thing is certain, good work comes out when you know yourself and work with who you are.   Lean Reboja is a full time artist who delves into creating sporadic and colorful characters, usually having a relative appearance with beasts and animals. These are then set against each other creating a juxtaposition of them all together in one composition.   In my conversation with Lean, his way of working is so different from what I am accustomed to. He works all night, usually with a movie in the background, but still manages to create wonderful work. He's not rushing anything. He's created a ton of work, and still finds ways to do the tasks not related to creating art - like joining exhibits, pop-ups, art shows, gallery shows, etc.   In th

A few years ago, I was so frustrated with spending hours and hours in my car, I decided to give cycling as a commute a try. That decision changed my life. I now have more time to spend with my family, I'm spending less money on my car, and I've never been more fit in my life.   Ever since then, I've harped endlessly on the benefits of riding a bicycle as a commute. But I didn't realize that my point of view of traffic was limited at best. This was never more clear than after I spoke to Nigel Paul Villarete.   I connected with Paul through one of my cycling articles on Zerothreetwo. He commented on the post, and I felt compelled to see who he was on Facebook. Turns out that he was the city administrator at the time, and most of his posts had to do with urban planning. I made a mental note to list his name on potential interviews for the podcast. His views on the congestion problem in Cebu were worth hearing, and I learned a lot, especially since I got a new perspective on how to look at the problem.   In this

The beauty about working today is that there are so many options available to you. You can be a photographer, a videographer, a graphic artist, a virtual assistant, a coder, or a combination of these things. It's not uncommon to find people doing all sorts of freelancing jobs. There are many benefits to these jobs, but there are also things to look out for.   This was something I was curious about when talking to Ezekiel Sullano. He's one of those people who has been freelancing for a few years, and he is hustling hard. His main thing was photography and videography, but along the way he found himself working as an indoor cycling instructor which according to him was the furthest thing he imagined himself doing. So it was fun to talk about that journey with him.   He also recently started a show called In Your Element. It's good and worth watching. I especially like the featurettes like the Tattoo Tours, the Neighborhood Series, the Quick Sketches, etc.   In this episode, we talked about the HUSTLE and meet

Do it yourself.   Those three words have spawned generations of creation. It's tempting to think of accomplished creators as individuals who have a team behind them, but we forget that many of them started out literally doing it themselves, toiling away quietly before anyone ever took notice.   Erik Tuban is no stranger to DIY. He has managed to create a community through Pawn, a Philippine-based multimedia publishing group which specializes in pushing bold & forward-thinking literary, sound and visual art projects. Of course, DIY doesn't mean he doesn't have help, but despite having collaborators and partners, he has continued this journey with the DIY ethos in mind.   In this episode, we talked about his first experience in the Cebu gig scene, how to approach bands, how a music label works, why have analog experiences, and being self reliant (DIY).   Enjoy the episode!     SHOWNOTES The Spirals The Pervs The Subspring Mural Highway Seven Circus Bumbo Pluto Ova Wessui Bacareza (Zerothreetwo Conversatio

Starting a business is a huge creative pursuit. It requires plenty of knowledge and patience, but at the same time, you need to come up with creative solutions to problems.   One of the biggest problems when starting a business is making that choice to start. That's something I was particularly interested in when I talked to Bunny Pages. He started his business at age 49, by many standards, it was late in the game, but obviously worked well for Bunny.   What started as small kiosks and a school in a garage is now a leader in Cebu’s growing food industry. With household name restaurants like Lantaw, House of Lechon, Mooon Cafe, and Thirsty just to name a few, they are one of the biggest names in the food industry.   In this podcast, we talked about the decision to start a business, his humble beginnings, the main purpose of their business, maximizing return on luck, blue oceans vs. red oceans, and closing a business.   Enjoy the episode!   SHOWNOTES Pages Holdings Manulife Insurance Company of Cana

Talking to artists is a treat. It takes a certain kind of person to bet on themselves and say, "I'm going to be an artist." Especially when the generation before us was dominated with a sense of "practicality" and "sensibility" - ie. Getting a "real" job.   After my interview with Mark Copino, better known as the artist called Kidlat, I got a real sense of what it is like to be a working artist. He was in the middle of preparing for his upcoming show and I was lucky enough to steal time with him in between production hours. I've been a fan of his minimalist stencil style and I was happy to finally talk to him.   In this episode, we talked about the good from those struggling years as an artist, his early attempts at art, the beginnings of the Cebu street art movement, finding ideas from the mundane, and how family has impacted his art.   Enjoy the episode!       SHOWNOTES Michael Anthony Curan (Zerothreetwo Conversations episode) Comedians in Cars Drinking Coffee Turning Wheels Ivan Zaldarriaga