Interview with a ‘Vampire’

Olesen

Wake-uppers:

Scene: The new Miss World 2011 will be chosen at the London Earls Court Arena in London on Nov. 6 (to be aired live by GMA 7 on Nov. 7 starting at 9 a.m.) and beauty-watchers from Philippines are hoping that another one of their kind will bring home the crown for the first time. No Filipino woman has captured the title in the pageant’s 60-year history. The highest placement for the Philippines was Evangeline Pascual’s first runner-up finish in 1973.

Seen: Miss Denmark Maya Celeste Padillo Olesen, one of the four Filipinas competing in Miss World 2011, is a Boholana by blood.

Scene: The Loboc Children's Choir received 3rd prize in the Children's Choir Category of the Tolosa Choral Contest in Spain.

*** 

Is Melchor “Meljun” Daniel Jr., a real vampire?

“I’m a real person who has a serious fascination with vampires.”

Does he consider himself a gorgeous bloodsucking gentleman?

“Bloodsucking? No. Gorgeous gentleman? Maybe…Ha Ha Ha Ha!”

Is he easily attracted to women? (In Dracula, it unravels the secret of Dracula’s attacks on young women, who themselves become vampires.)

“I’m not easily attracted to women. I can very well separate my vampire side from my real side. Vampirism to me is just literature. Vampires, by nature, are extremely monogamous. They fall in love with only one.
The others are just meal.”

Those are the questions Meljun has to “grapple” with everytime he faces the people, such as weeks ago when Bared sat down with him while judging for the City Division Schools Press Conference, his fangs, yes, have caught the attention of many people, are not inspired by the vampire flicks (Twilight, New Moon, etc.) which are the current rage in Hollywood.

Did you know that Meljun, one of the gorgeous and super cool teachers in Bohol tried cigarette smoking when he was in college and he, voluntarily stopped smoking?

“It didn’t make me feel macho or anything. It gave me respiratory problems instead,” he confessed.

He ended loving vampires and reading Anne Rice’s Vampire Chronicles and Bram Stoker’s Dracula.

“I’ve always been a fan of vampires, most especially LESTAT, a character created by Anne Rice.”

Years later, he developed fangs, a long, pointed teeth used for biting and tearing flesh. Thanks to his dentist for the ‘fashion statement’ —he looks like a real vampire— the one and only in Bohol.

“It’s something that’s never been done before at least in Bohol,” said Meljun.

Like actor Robert Pattinson, Meljun has also revived interest in vampires for sure because he’s gorgeous-looking that nobody will ever refuse to be bitten — take note, not eaten — by him. In the photos he sent to Bared, Meljun does it with such flourish that biting into the neck of a woman seems as easy and as yummy as licking a cone of ice-cream.

Find out more about Meljun’s “vampire” side in the following interview:

Do you know Dracula? “Of course! I think everybody does. But I know Dracula more than the average person.”

What did your wife say seeing you having fangs? “I would never do anything without letting my wife know first. She’s totally behind me on this.”

How about your students? “My students find it fascinating. They are very attentive in class.”

Do you have a temper? “I do, so does everybody. I think.”

What makes you angry? “Tardiness makes me angry. The attitude that people have towards time is just insane. I hate it when people are late.”

How do you unwind? “I stay at home and play with my kids while we listen to the music of the Beatles. I sometimes play Red Alert and CS.”

How do you divide your time between family and work? “I don’t bring work at home. So when I’m not at work, I am at home with my family.”

When did you have your last executive check-up? “I’ve never had executive check up. I went to see a doctor a couple of times before I left for France last April.”

Vulnerable part of your body? “ Armpit. I can’t stand being tickled.”

Part of a woman’s body that you look at first? “Uhhmm, the neck? Ha Ha Ha Ha! Seriously, I look at the eyes, then the face.”

How much sleep do you get per night? “I get an average of 5 to 6 hours every night.”

Favorite sleep wear? “Sleeveless shirt and a pair of boxers.”

When you were single, did you bring girls home? “I did a couple of times, but only because I wanted the family to know who I was seeing.”

Do you drink? “Lately, I have become an extremely moderate drinker.”

What’s the last thing that you do before you go to sleep? “I pray, and then
I think of my favorite things.”

What do you like most about yourself? “I like my facial hair. Ha Ha Ha Ha!. It’s not very common among us Filipinos to have beard and mustache.”

What do you usually pray for? “I pray for good health for my family and myself and long, fulfilling life.”

Any favorite saint? “None in particular. I like Mama Mary best of all.”

First thing that you do when you wake up? “I do 10 to 20 reps of dive-bomber push-ups, or 40 to 50 push-ups.”

What was the last movie that you saw? “I saw “The other woman” with my wife. I thought it was good.”

What’s your outlook in life? Are you a worrier or an optimist? “I don’t worry much about tomorrow. I take each day as it comes. One day at a time so to speak.”

Do you and your wife take a shower together? “Only when we are in a hurry.”

How do you cope with stress? “I don’t allow myself to get into stressful situations. I don’t get stressed.”

Who’s your model, somebody you look up to? “I look up to all great fathers and great husbands out there.”

Name three Boholana women that you consider sexy. “My wife, Rich Asuncion and others… Ha Ha Ha Ha!.”

When did you lose your innocence (to a younger woman or older woman)? “I’d rather not comment on this.”

***
Thanks for your letters, all will be answered. Comments welcome at leoudtohan@yahoo.com, follow leoudtohan at Twitter or email at Facebook.