Atom Araullo

A 5 AND UP YAHOOGROUPS FEATURE ON ATOM!

by maria zobel certeza

Due to your insistent email demands, this website’s Webmaster asked me to interview Atom. Why me? Because I have the power…buwahahaha!! (‘ de, joke lang.) The interrogation of the suspect took place on UP grounds one morning at around 10. Atom, though a bit late, greeted me with…well…an overwhelming smile. So, here’s the file of that informative, anime-and-music invaded interview:

NAME: Alfonso Tomas Pagaduan Araullo

AGE: 19

BIRHTDAY: October 19 (oi! Manlilibre!)

SCHOOL: University of the Philippines, Diliman

COURSE: Applied Physics (on his 2nd year)

Why Applied Physics? “Kasi na-enjoy ko yung mga nabasa ko lalo na sa theoretical physics, medyo mind boggling…”

According to our intensive chit-chatting,I found out that his interest includes:

SPORTS: (siyempre!). He started with swimming. Then played soccer for the Ateneo grade school team. Continued with Taekwondo, flat form diving and tennis (whew!). He was competitive with these sports. Also knows how to play basketball, though not competitive. Now, he’s busy with Triathlon (swim,bike,run) because he’s a part of the National Team (galeng!). He’s also preparing for a competition for soccer this coming March (Good Luck!)

MUSIC: Digs artist from the Rock/Alternative genre like Soul Coffin, Bjork, Rage Against the Machine, Tool, Sound Garden, Self (yeah!), Smashing Pumpkins, Pavement, Mud Honey and Asian Dub Foundation. He shared that he likes music more organic and listens to electronic “chill-out” music. Atom confessed that Jay Kay and his band Jamiroquai is his favorite band of all time. In the local music scene, he’s more into reggae and ska. The Brownbeat All Stars, P.O.T. and Blue Jean Junkies are some of the bands he listens to. I was thrilled when he said that he also likes Tropical Depression and Noel Cabangon. He remembered that his liking for music started when he was young because his parents like listening to classical music. DZFE 98.7 was his favorite radio station then.

ANIME’ ? Yes, this Applied Physics student likes to watch Japanese animation. One of his favorite movies was “ Ghost in the Shell”. The first anime’ he watched was Ranma ½. He also likes Dual, RK (Rorounin Kenshin) and El-Hazard. Atom is also fond of listening to Japanese animation music scores. He even has CD’s of these scores like Ranma ½ , Lupin III, RK, Dual, and of course, Ghost in the Shell.

WARNING! The following part of this interrogation file will be question-and-answer type…….BEWARE!

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE SUBJECT? “ Siguro, Chem. 17, medyo notorious kasi siya. Na-eenjoy ko siya kasi siya yung pinaka-practical chemistry. It’s more on thermodynamics and kinetics…”

WORST SUBJECT? “ Physics 1-12. Mathematical physics…napakahirap!

FRATERNITIES? “ I have nothing against them being an organization. Pero, for me, I’d rather spend my time doing things more concrete. Kasi sa frat, aside from the brotherhood part, parang wala silang definite agenda, diba? ….”

THING THAT YOU REALLY WANT TO DO BUT YOU CAN’T? ” …I want to be more active in music in the sense na more than just listening , creating music din. E, problema, wala din time kasi siyempre, band, band ang iniisip e, tapos, siyempre,walang time pare iconceptualize may practice din yon…maybe this summer would be the perfect time.” ( He will play wind instrument, maybe flute or sax )

SONG THAT WOULD REPRESENT HIMSELF? “ It’s a composition, Les Nuis . Narerelax ako pag naririnig ko…” (He cannot give a real song at the moment. Actually he gave this song kasi sabi ko he would sing it for me, lusot siya kasi wala kasing lyrics yung kanta :P )

FAVORITE ANIME’ SONG? “ Yung theme ng Ghost in the Shell…”

FAVORITE BOOK? “ Einstein’s Dreams by Allan Lightman. Ang galling e! It’s about the theory of a physicists. Isang concept don is, what if, time gets slower as we reach a higher altitude… he explains every theory on each chapter. Also, The Old Man and The Sea by Hemingway, isa siya sa first books niya na nabasa ko. The style wasn't superfluous. Nice and exact.”

FAVORITE CARTOON CHARACTER? “ Ren and Stimpy , and Sponge Bob Square Pants.

FAVORITE SUPERHERO? “ Batman, kasi napaka-human niya…yung pag-develop ng character niya is 3 dimensional.

IF YOU WILL HAVE SUPER POWERS, WHAT WOULD IT BE AND WHY? “ Gusto ko yung powers ni Night Crawler kasi nagtatravel siya by teleportation. Siguro, mas malakas ang weapon niya kasi kunyari mamatay ka na…e ‘di punta ka na lang sa past para buhay ka parin…diba ang cool?

SINO SA MGA ENEMIES NIYA AND GUSTO MONG MAKALABAN? “ Siyampre, dapat yung matatalo ko… (laughs) si Penguin ang feeling kong pinaka-low class, yung pinaka walang kuwenta…hahaha.. pero astig talaga si Ventriloquist!

FAVORITE COMIC BOOK SERIES? “ Sandman”

PERSON YOU LOOK UP TOO ? “Medyo gasgas na… pero my Mom and my Dad (awww!)… marami akong natutunan sa kanila, bilib ako kung paano nila hinahandle and isang tulad ko, kung baga, strict at maluwag at the same time.”

WHO'S PERSON'S LIFE YOU WANT TO HAVE A LOOK AT AND WHY? " Siguro si...Jesus Christ, diba? kasi parang naweweirdohan ako dun...parang, what must it be like to be you, na parang alam mo na God ka, parang paano ka makikipagrelate sa mga tao. Gusto ko rin malalman nung panahon na yon kung bakit may sinabi siyang ganon, parang interesting, parang feeling ko siya na yung pinakasikat na tao sa buong mundo... how does he eat? how does he take a bath? does he take a bath? being a god diba? how does he do it... kahit yung mga mundane task?... and gusto kong makita kung nung time na yun, e nag-eexude ba siya ng something godly..." ( i was supposed to tell him about my opinion on this...kaya lang baka magdebate lang kami...hehe!)

IF YOU WOULD BE AN ANIMAL, WHAT WOULD YOU BE AND WHY? “ Uhmm… Polar Bear siguro kasi ibang klase environment niya. Sarap sigurong tumira sa North Pole…”

WEIRD THING ABOUT YOU THAT YOU WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW? “ Minsan, nahuhuli ko ang sarili ko na kinakausap ko ang sarili ko… kunyari nag-lalakad akong mag-isa tapos parang…teka nagsasalita ba ako? Parang dinedebate ko minsan and sarili ko on a certain issue…”

HOW DO YOU HANDLE ANNOYING PEOPLE? “ ni-huhumor ko lang…”

DREAM CLIMB? “ K2 siyempre! May iba pa bang sagot diyan… if something closer, Mt. Halcon siguro…”

HOW RIGID IS YOUR TRAINING IN TRIATHLON? “ Weekends is definitely for training, weekdays, nag-tratraining ako unless there’s an exam or something important to do…usually one sport at a time.”

COURTING ANYONE? “ No…”

WHY? “ Well, siguro, a multitude of reasons, the reasons mismo e ‘di ko rin naman alam. It’s just that I don’t feel courting anybody right now. I have a lot of girl friends and I really enjoyed their company. Pero, I don’t feel like,parang I need to take it one step higher…

ARE YOU AWARE NA HEART THROB KA? “ What? Yehey, Go me! Hahaha!…”

ARE YOU GOING TO AA'S JUNIOR NIGHT? " Yes, I did...I went... I was with the daugther of a friend"

SMOKING? " no, i dont...i have nothing againts it...parang diba, di siya practical sa sport ko...pero ive tried, of course..."

DRINKING? "I do...social drinking... i've been very drunk, kasi diba, you have to be there to know your limits, and pag naabot mo na yon, you know it doesn't feel good, diba?... so magandang lesson yon, para next time, di mo na gagawin..."

FAVORITE STORY ON 5 AND UP? “ Palawan and Germany. Palawan, kasi first time ko pumunta do’n no’n. Germany, kasi first time ko out of the country. Tapos , totally different culture, different language, different people, different lifestyle, different time natutulog…”

WHAT DO YOU MISS ABOUT 5 AND UP? “ Yung pag busy ako with my stories, pag-bisita sa office with producers and other reporters kasi good company sila”.

WHY HE’S NOT POSTING? “ Di na kasi ako masyadong nakakapag-check, di na rin ako makapag-keep track, kasi and daming tao tapos parang ang dami ng pinag-uusapan…”

OTHER FACTS ABOUT ATOM: § He writes! He enjoys writing short stories and essays about everyday life. § He “survived” Africa! He won an essay writing contest and was chosen to be among the four Filipino delegates to go to Africa! Galeng! § He climbs mountains. He’s a member of the UP Mountaineers, one org who well… climb mountains.

after the interview, i've realized how very "normal" he is. with no complicated things on him... very straight...pero makulit din..hehe

if you have comments, viloent reaction, questions & etc. on this subject matter just email the author bHeL- sweetie_bhel@yahoo.com or 5nupegroups@edsamail.com.ph or just leave a message on our guestbook , better yet email aToM- porotong@hotmail.com

photographs by: Mike

graphic designs by: Nick

bhel 2002