we don't call our place the betty ford center for performing arts for nothing.

here, i must give thanks to good buddies ashbloem and carrrrrrrrrmen who helped me uncover my secret love.

i came back from manila this year with perhaps the best souvenir i've ever purchased. so precious, in fact, i hand-carried it from manila through tokyo and back to america.

i am now the proud owner of a karaoke machine. it arrives over the loud protests from dabney whose only two fears in this world are barracuda and karaoke. i am convinced that this little investment will rid her of the latter. not to mention, provide our frequent dinner guests with entertainment over dessert.

this is not just any karaoke machine, mind you, it's a "WOW magic sing!" this all-in-one handheld mic contains everything one needs to belt out your favorite of over 2000 songs, whether your taste runs to madonna, led zeppelin, mariah carey, tim mcgraw, or even radiohead. while you sing, a montage of pretty filipino landscapes fills the background.

if you don't believe me, take it from asia's own songbird, regine velasquez, the founder and spokesperson of "magic sing" technology.