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Monday, August 07, 2006
Lex Tupas revealed
"PEOPLE have certain expectations from a son of a long-time politician. People expect me to be snobbish, high end. But all those are misconceptions. I want to eat in Burger Machine, talaba on the sidewalks. I don't like branded clothes. A few people have said that I just use people, which is very unfair. I'm just being real. If I like someone, I like. If I don't like someone, I'm not going to force myself. I speak my mind and I'm very objective."
That was the answer of Nielex Tupas when I asked him what the misconceptions about him are.
Misconceptions are either good or bad. The reasons on how and why they're formed are due to various factors: lack of information, stereotyping among others. On the other hand, an interview has become an avenue that lessens misconceptions, granting that the one who hears or reads the revelations accepts what is said by the interviewee.
Being the youngest son of the Governor of the Province of Iloilo, Nielex is a clay pigeon of criticisms and misconceptions. I didn't have any thing bad to say about him, nor I had something to worship in him. I have known him just for couple of months after choosing him as one of my "Individuals of the Night" in the party article I wrote last March and in April again. Since then, we exchange pleasantries whenever our paths cross in party places. But, with the revelations he made during the interview that I had with him, I must admit that my perception of him definitely budge a lot more than an inch---on the good side from the neutral side.
It was a Wednesday morning when I got the greenlight from Lex that I could interview him in their grandiose yet humble abode. And that very evening, for the very first time in my writing career I was able to do my interview right in the heart of the home of a political stalwart.
"Many people had asked to feature our house in the past but you're the first one that we've said yes to," he told me as he ushered me to his bedroom to take pictures there and see what I could write about.
Lucky me, I thought.
First stop: Lex's room.
Black bed sheets. Bonsai. Samurai. Aquarium. A picture of a woman in a Japanese kimono. Right, a Zen-inspired bedroom.
As I gazed around the room, there were so many things worth a second or maybe a third and a fourth look. However, what actually captured my interest was his collection of books, which was in an apple-pie order under his aquarium.
A bookworm?
Not exactly, he said.
"But I'm the kind of person who would finish one book in one sitting and keep reading the same book over and over again if I really like it. I learned to enjoy reading books in the latter part of college. My girlfriend for a long time then kept on giving me books and would ask me if I had read them. One of my favorites is 'How to Win Friends and Influence People' by Dale Carnegie."
Oh yes, I have one at home too, but haven't read it thoroughly, I told him. So, what's the best thing he learned from the book?
"It's easy: just remember people's first names. Everybody wants to feel like a somebody. Everybody wants to be remembered by their first names. In anything we do, we want somebody to believe in us."
Very well said.
Another interesting thing in Lex's room is the aquarium. A feng-shui believer, I thought. But that assumption was dismissed by him after I asked, though he admitted Primo Amigo, the Flowerhorn fish in his room, seems to be a lucky charm. Nonetheless, the primary reason why he has an aquarium in his room is, well, his love for ornamental fishes. To further bolster his claim, he escorted me to the man-made mini lagoon outside the Tupas house, which serves as a haven for more friends of Marina and Ariel.
"Koi is really ideal for collectors. It needs a lot of taking care of. This lagoon was created especially for me because I always wanted a pond. Ever since I was a kid, I've always liked aquarium fishes. They say if you look at your aquarium, you're more peaceful and relaxed. That's true. It has a great impact on someone's mind. And I really like exotic pets. For fish, I don't like ordinary ones but rather the exotic ones. I like Koi, Arrowana, Flower horn, China Hi-Fin and Black Ghost Knife. The one I really want right now is a sting-ray. I'm going to get a new aquarium for our clean kitchen. I will place my sting-ray there In Manila, I collected a lot of Arrowanas. The one I also really want is a Red Arrowana but it's really expensive. I really want something different, exotic. Even with dogs, I don't like the common one. That's why I have a Boston Terrier whom I call Heather and some pugsters."
But why the passion for the exotic?
"Why be common when you can be extra-ordinary? Why blend in if you can stand out?"
Sure. Why not?
Just like most single and financially able guys, Lex is also fond of toys for the big boys. Honestly, it was the part of the conversation when he started sounding Greek to me. No matter what, he still tried to talk in a manner that his words wouldn't be too above my head.
"My first car was a Honda Civic in first year college, which I named as Lexmobile . At that time, everybody wanted to have a Honda because you can change its look. I changed its mags three times. To be more practical, the next car I got was an SUV. Its name is Black Stallion. I can use it for a lot of purposes. I change its interiors and exteriors a lot as I want it to reflect my personality I'm also into mountain bikes and soon motor bikes. "
When we went back inside the house, in the dining room to be exact, the talk became a little serious. Engulfed in the grandeur of the big Tupas house, I was bent on believing that Lex always sees life through rose-colored glasses. Despite the unfair accusations and labels against him---user, snobbish, high end--- Lex admitted that he's very much proud of the Tupas blood that runs through his veins.
"I used to entertain criticisms, but now I just ignore them. After all, it's better to be talked about than to be ignored. It can mean that you have already penetrated the circle. Everybody will have their opinion. You can't control people's thinking. The more you focus on the negative, the more you get affected. I'm grateful for having very supportive parents and a number of real friends. I live a very privileged life. There are certain things that come my way because of the family I belong to."
More than the books he reads, pets he owns and vehicles he drives, Lex's most interesting revelation that night was the principles, beliefs and intelligence that make up the kind of individual that he is.
"Nielex is a good name but I prefer to be called Lex. It sounds more intimate. I don't want anything easy because I love challenges. My siblings say I'm the most opinionated. If my name were to be included as an entry in the dictionary, I would want it to be defined as: An Individual who has changed individuals' lives, not just society, but individuals. I want to touch hearts. I want to immortalize myself and that's the best way," Lex ended.
Trivia:
Lex's childhood dream was to be a pilot but because he doesn't have a 20/20 vision, the dream didn't materialize.
Despite the fact that she was already nine months pregnant, Iloilo Province First Lady Myrna Tupas managed to get on the plane on Aug. 10, 1979. On the plane, her BOW (bag of water) ruptured, but she gave birth to Lex the following day, Aug. 11.
Lex enjoys watching GMA's Debate, Seventh Heaven, WWE(World Wrestling Entertainment), Smackdown and Raw, Strictly Politics on ANC, MTV's Pimp My Ride and other comedy and reality shows on ETC.
He enjoys rock climbing and playing Lethal Enforcer or Time Crisis in arcade game establishments.
(August 7, 2006 issue)
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