Alekcis Balista reinvents himself

Basic facts about Alekcis Balista:
• He stands 5'6" and weighs 67kg.
• He’s an Aquarian ( February 12, 1986)
• He was a former lead vocalist of H2O band (he has also been involved in other musical projects).
• He’s married (sorry, girls) to Rassel Mae!

When the voice tells the story, it reveals much more than just words. Its texture, feel, tone, color, personality reveal a story behind the narrative.

A good voice brings out the best of what is said with it. Such is the case of Alekcis Geral M. Balista.

Correct me, if I’m wrong, but no other vocalist in the province can surpass the popularity of Alekcis—he has captured a wide audience breaking all barriers between market classes and any music genre. He started out singing in folkhouses and he joined several bands (Moshpit, Suitcase101, H2O band) before finally settling down with System Tools and Marswalk (a side project band).

Alekcis is synonymous with H2O band. A heartthrob, his fans (including mi amiga para
vivir De Ders!) came to the venue just to see him performing. In a sudden turned of events, he left the band and moved to Manila for some reasons. As he came back to Bohol, he united with former friend Mark Apat (former H2O leader on drums) and formed the all-male band System Tools which is slowly craving a niche for their brand of music in the province. System Tools creates music that holds its own ground amidst the buffet of present-day rock and alternatives. Alekcis’s rich voice permeates and grabs you. But what make the songs shine all the more is his honesty; honesty not only of feelings, but of his individual styles who is given his own creative space in the band.

There are lot of new things in Alekcis’ s life, including a new band and his marriage to the woman of his life—Rassel Mae (they became one on Sept. 25, 2003).

When I asked him “what song he likes to sing for his wife,” he could think only of Beautiful in My Eyes (by Kadison Joshua, Jerico Rosales and Christian Bautista have their own versions--LPU).

While not busy performing in gigs and at home tendering his wife and kid, Alekcis
can’t help but sing Beautiful In my Eyes: “You're my peace of mind in this crazy world. You're everything I've tried to find, your love is a pearl. You're my Mona Lisa, you're my rainbow skies, and my only prayer is that you realize. You're my peace of mind in this crazy world. You're everything I've tried to find, your love is a pearl. You're my Mona Lisa, you're my rainbow skies, and my only prayer is that you realize you'll always be beautiful in my eyes. The world will turn, and the seasons will change, and all the lesson we will learn will be beautiful and strange.

You'll always be beautiful in my eyes. The world will turn, and the seasons will change, and all the lesson we will learn will be beautiful and strange.”

Catch System Tools at Asiatika Metro Centre Hotel every Saturday, then at the Club Atmosphere every Tuesday and Thursday.

Get to know more about Alekcis…

How do you take care of your voice? I take a rest.

Who are your favorite singers? Dave Eric Grohl of Foo Fighters (an American rock musician, singer and songwriter)

Do you follow diet? Yes.

Dish that you always crave for? Rice toppings and siopao in Dimsum resto.
What vitamins and/or supplements do you take? Stresstabs and Ceecon.

How much water do you take every day? 8 glasses and more everyday!

How much sleep do you get per night? 6 hrs lang, kay work naman ko daytime.

Favorite sleep wear? Naka boxers para hayahay :)

What’s the first thing that you do before you go to sleep? I take a bath and brush my teeth.

And the first thing that you do when you wake up? Mangihi..;)

What part of your body is your favorite? Brain.

And what part that needs some improvement? I don’t ask for more… I am contented with myself and life. :)

What part of a girl’s body do you look at first? Her feet. I like clean toes and nails.

And what type turns you off? Tactless.
Some fans would be, you know, aggressive, how do you cope with them? Di man pod uy... cguro saktong tagad lng..

Doesn't your wife get insecure, especially now that every girl is dreaming about you? No.

How do you assure her that she's the only one? I just let her feel na sya lng gyud.

How do you cope with stress? I take vitamins and proper rest.

What is your outlook in life? Just be responsible.

How’s your lovelife? Going strong and bigger :)

And your sex life? Going strong and bigger pud... hehe

Name three women from Bohol do you think have nice bodies? Daghan man... daghan sexy na Boholana mga gwapa pa gyud!

Using only body language, how would you make a woman know that you admire her? I don’t have the skill yet.

The Mayonnaise Jar and 2 Cups of Coffee

Here’s a forwarded email from Pureza Chatto, wife of Rep. Edgar Chatto. I want to share this to all readers out there.

When things in your life seem almost too much to handle; when 24 hours in a day are not enough;
remember the mayonnaise jar and the 2 cups of coffee...

A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him.

When the class began, he wordlessly picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls.

He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.

The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly.
The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls.

He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else.

He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with an unanimous "yes."

The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively filling the empty space between the sand.

The students laughed.

"Now," said the professor as the laughter subsided, "I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life.

The golf balls are the important things --your family, your children, your health, your friends and your favorite passions--- and if everything else was lost and only they remained; your life would still be full.

The pebbles are the other things that matter; like your job, your house and your car.

The sand is everything else---the small stuff. "If you put the sand into the jar first," he continued,
"there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls.

The same goes for life.

If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important to you.

"Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness.

Play with your children. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your spouse out to dinner. Play another 18. There will always be time to clean the house and fix the disposal.

Take care of the golf balls first --the things that really matter-- Set your priorities. "The rest is just sand."

One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the coffee represented.

The professor smiled. "I'm glad you asked."

"It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem; there's always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend."