Microwaveable Popcorn

I was having lunch yesterday at Charlie's Burger in Ortigas (delicious burger btw) when the music in the restaurant played early 2000 music, particularly Matchbox 20 and Third Eye Blind. I was suddenly brought back in time when I worked in Singapore.

When evening came I frantically searched the other bedroom like a mad pirate searching for treasure. I was afraid that it got lost (or given away) when the house was being renovated. Finally, inside a plain white plastic bag at the upper rightmost section of the cabinet, I found it.

There it was.

My Minidisc player.

I bought it in Sim Lim Singapore back in 2001 when I worked there. I immediately looked for that prized minidisc. I labeled it back then so that I won't forget: Microwaveable Popcorn Live in Singapore, Dec. 20, 2001.

Listening to it brought me back to a time when, believe it or not, I was playing guitar for a 3-man band led by long-time schoolmate Cyrel who provided vocals and bass guitar. Joenil completed our small gang with his perfect drum playing. Together, we were the Microwaveable Popcorn.

It was great to listen to the songs we recorded in one of the studios there in Singapore. I was away from my family and the missus (who was then my girlfriend) so the band was a welcome release from being homesick. I felt that, even though we were just confined to playing in the studios, I was a rock star with my Fender Squire Strat and ZOOM guitar effect gadget.

After the MD finished playing, I put in my "Unplugged" MD. Then, when Grohl's Foo Fighters played "Times Like These," I remembered how much I loved listening (and playing) to these songs.

It was like 2001 all over again.