18 October 2003

tOdAy i mEt a "fAn".


i could hardly believe it. i guess i could say that all the work i do now, whether playing-doll-slash-dress-up when modeling, or babbling-and-goofing-around when hosting, or going-psycho-and-crazy while writing, are all my dream jobs. (yes i guess they are and i thank the lord for all that!) but i do all these for myself. i mean, i like facing different challenges, i like working my ass off, i like seeing the products of my hardwork, i like abusing my energies while i'm still young, i like earning my own money.. i don't really expect other people to commend me for the work that i do, but of course i love it and deeply appreciate it when people give me a pat on the back. and today i met michelle, a sweet girl who just turned sweet sixteen today. her mom brought her all the way to our house today to "see me", since she was a "fan". i could hardly believe it.

rewind: three years back. my first ever encounter with a "fan". i had just bagged an ad for pantene (and my first ever big pay check!) and an article-slash-interview on me came out in the inquirer. a few days after that, i got a letter from a seminarian in tagaytay, who was apparently so impressed by my answers in the interview. he even said that i "seem like a very sophisticated and smart young girl, who has so much promise". i really didn't know how to react to that letter. at first of course i thought it was a prank from my friends. then when i decided to accept it as a real letter, i still found it so weird! i mean, i'm really such a normal girl (or ab-normal even - ask justin or pepel!) so i really cannot imagine anyone "admiring" what i do. he even sent a picture with the letter, and hoped that i would send a picture back too. it was very, very flattering, but i really didn't know how to take it.

fast forward: three years after. as my mom and i welcomed michelle and her family into our house, i really didn't know what to say. i just greeted her happy birthday and led them into the house. i was being my usual sunshiney self, asking them if they needed anything and talking to michelle about normal teen-topics. (ack! just realized i'm not a teen anymore! aaah!) my mom, being the biggest fan in the universe of my brother and i, brought out a portfolio of all the ads, magazine editorials, newspaper clippings, and whatever little insignificant thing that has my face on it. i was quite embarrased as usual, and my feeling started to change when michelle started to reaffirm the clippings in the clear book. "ah yeah, i have that!" referring to a meg magazine from three years ago where i was the cover with carlos agassi.. (yeah i know what you're thinking, "what the?!?") things really started to get weird for me. how would i react to that?! i started to think, did i look up to anyone when i was 16?! i mean, yeah, there was vj sonia of mtv and tyra banks, but hello!! look at them! i felt too weird about it. i always think, how can anyone look up to me as a "model", i have scabs on my legs, i have dark knees, i'm kuba, my eyes bulge out, and in general, i'm very un-model-ish! but after a few more pages, and as i saw the look on michelle's face, i started to feel this very light feeling. my mom told me that this girl started to go on a diet when she saw me in a magazine, she was apparently inspired to become a model. i still can't believe it. i can actually inspire a total stranger? it was very inspiring for me as well. to know that i can influence other people. this makes my utopian self extremely happy! all my theories on smiling at other people, how whatever little thing we do can affect other people in a big way, and how our world can definitely be a better place, were all affirmed.

today i met a "fan", but i was the one who was star-struck. :)

4 comments:

zwirl said...

i can't help but smile myself:) you're really such a natural person:) i can't believe someone as famous as you would even think of herself as that. you do inspire a lot of us girls, bianca:) keep up the good work:)

Anonymous said...

you inspired/inspire/will continue to inspire people especially the teens.. i really admire you, bianca.. you are soo real.. plus i find you very witty.. yes, you are just a normal person..but you are an inspiration to a lot of people.. fly high, bianca! :)

.acciemaj. said...

maybe it's weird to still post a comment on this after a few years but i find this post really interesting. i just feel like reading stuff for i got nothing to do now,whew. anyway,you really have that something that makes a change in anyone who finds this connection with you. you're not like the others who only seek fame and power then show people they truly care for humanity or whatever. the people see your sincerity in what you do. and by acknowledging it it your own little ways,you make a big difference in their lives. i'm glad that my friend referred me to your blogs. i don't really get to read this kind of stuff from famous pinoys i mean people fr local showbiz. but i dunno. you show that you're more like us ordinary people only that you have the greater power to influence more coz you're in the public light. i hope that you'll keep on doing this for you truly inspire strangers :)

Anonymous said...

you are truly an inspiration biancs, your blogs made me smile and it inspires me to even try the best that i can be to also inspire people by making them happy and even my innocent smile could light up and make this world a better place to live in, just like yours, and to be contented of what i have now.. don't count your blessings bianx, just continue to share and make us happy in your own simple way...GB=)