“For destiny is untold…unmeasured…uncertain… and even the sun in its tireless wander might find a way to caress the moon…yet your fate is nobody’s and your own destiny will always find a way since it was meant to be…there are no coincidences in life…everything was born with you…” – From Echoes of Frustration.
Whether or not destiny is a predetermined thing, the advent of modern knowledge brought about by constant global evolution and scientific innovations could indubitably alter the course of one’s fate. The future has been consistently in opposition to predictability and assurance that’s why people have a propensity to execute their best as a grounding for the unseen years.
Though things inevitably happen especially during times when one least expect them yet every episode in life is part of what has already been premeditated and assigned in one’s lifetime.
Take the exceptional case of swarthy Filipino-Scandinavian Matthias Rhoads during his serendipitous encounter with unknown admirers when he joined the recently celebrated PIDCI’s 118th Philippine Independence Day street parade along Madison Avenue in New York City. Having been totally soaked and dripping wet from the heavy downpour that almost blighted the high spirits of parade enthusiasts, Matthias was compelled to take off his shirt with only a sash aimlessly draped over his bare chest that twisted an inadvertent attraction.
“Actually, that was one unexpected scenario…I mean, when I was deluged with selfie proposals and requested to pose with total strangers,” Matthias vividly recalled the June 5th incident still filled with mixed incredulity and thrill. “I was merely invited to join the contingency of Las Islas Filipinas headed by Myrna Santos when the sudden cloudburst left me all wet sans any extra shirt to change into. Unknowingly, my heedless upper body exposure had created a stir… and just realized it when a few people broke loose from the side street crowd and stanchly approached me for a photo opportunity. It was unbelievable! What could I do but graciously obliged. I really never expected such incident to happen but no regrets. I enjoyed the excitement…it was fun,” he zestfully narrated the evitable happening with fondness.
The annual Philippine Independence Day parade had yet to fully unfold but photos of Matthias with different instant “fans” already flooded social media, particularly Facebook. Admittedly unknown but his posted snapshots were eye-catching enough to provoke curiosity and reasonably deserved a second look.
“He’s a naturally charismatic guy!” was the initial reaction of an esteemed Fil-Am community figure that was among the early avid shutterbugs who posed with Matthias. “I mistook him for a celebrity… and he’s very accommodating.”
That side incident within a hugely celebrated event instantly rekindled his artistic passion and ignited the dormant ember long embedded within him…a passion to be in the movies but just waiting to get tapped and strappingly motivated.
If there’s but one strong creative aspiration this ambitious soul has since childhood that would be being under the limelight and enjoying the adoration of fanatic followers. Even if he has entertained diverse prospects that came along and had his hands packed with equally interesting and rewarding opportunities, the magnetizing beckon of showbusiness was never thrown to oblivion. The intense desire to act and react before the cameras is constantly and incessantly in his heart…just waiting for the perfect time and the right break.
An aspiration appears strong enough to identify Matthias. With condescending thoughts and magnificent obsessions neatly tucked under his sleeves, he certainly knows that dreaming knows no boundaries and limitless. Pursuing it will unquestionably give him that exceptional magical experience once realized. After all, dreaming is free and to loftily dream is to hold the world in the palm of your hand.
“I’ve been a dream chaser. I never give up with what I pursue until my goal is achieved. I never settle for anything less,” he said with conviction. His being under a Leo sign (he was born August 12) only justifies his ambitious and persuasive nature. The burning influence of his sun element and driven focus can be perceived through his imposing passion and empowering enthusiasm in life.
Eloquent and a prolific conversationalist, Matthias sounds consistently motivated and driven when queried about any subject…be it uncomplicated or multifarious in nature. He prefers to work and deal with concrete facts in either black or white… and never grey or anything in between. His is plain and simple: it should be direct and concise…no beating around the bush.
Despite the fact that he has proven his worth in many fields of knowledge, with the voluminously accumulated ideas stocked in his already crowded mind, Matthias has but one special talent he has skillfully mastered — his innate versatility in doing impersonation of familiar personalities and celebrities.
“My inclination towards acting has effortlessly provided me with ample ability to keenly scrutinize and imitate vocal sounds and distinct nuances that make my act even more effective and convincing,” was his strong pronouncement sounding credibly firm. “I just wish to be given the chance to perform and show my other “hidden” skill,” he added while supporting his rejoinder with a quote-and-unquote finger gesture.
Despite being ably armed with a Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Arts from Savannah College of Art and Design (in Georgia) and another degree in Communication Arts while currently employed as an Insurance Broker in one of the better-established insurance companies in Manhattan, Matthias still opts to lean towards entering the fascinating world of cinema. With fundamental training in acting and Broadway musicals while in high school at New Orleans Center for Creative Arts, he feels ready to resume what he had started.
The physically fit (he works out daily) 5’10” showbiz hopeful was actually all set for a brief visit to Manila last Saturday, June 25…a couple of days away from our interview. “Just to visit some relatives and purposely, to test the waters if there’s a spot available or intended for me in local showbusiness. I really want to try my luck in acting,” were his pertinent reasons for going back to his mother’s homeland.
To accomplish great things one must not only dream but also act…not only plan but also believe that he can do it.
Incidentally, how long did it take him to achieve a body that toned?
“Well, in high school, I was already into cross country sports, a competitive team sport like skiing, running, biking, rowing, and the like. Then I started weightlifting in college,” was Matthias’ seemingly enlightening reply. A health buff, he strictly observes his diet and follows a rigid physical regimen.
He was about to shift to a recline position when I noticed a mark on his left arm from an apparent wound after a surgical procedure.
Matthias lifted his arm closer to me and applied a gentle rub over it while replying, “Oh, that was a reminder from my formative years. I was biking with just one hand and got injured when I crashed and fell. This serves as a tangible testimony of my basic growth from being a care-free teenager to a maturing adult.”
Adventurous and never faint-hearted with an insatiable impulse to travel, this wanderlust knows exactly which track to tread so as not to end up on devious paths. During one of his family’s visits to the Big Apple five years ago, he begged to stay behind after their brief stay.
“I cancelled my return flight to Texas in lieu of New York City. I felt this was where I belong. I loved the cultural diversity, the fast-paced lifestyle, the vibrant energy of the metropolis, and the way every moment induces action. The exciting breath of city life has more than enticed me to stay and be a New Yorker. New York City is the perfect destination for someone as hyper and active like me,” the half-Pinoy adventurer profoundly expounded.
Living by one’s self, especially in a metro like NYC, has its peril that defies freedom…and boredom, at times. Compelling statistics and mounting updated analysis about the hazard and quandary of city survival have diverted former dwellers to nearby suburban areas, but how does such situation affect Matthias?
“I have been accustomed to being independent and tackle challenges on my own. When I decided to embrace NYC life, I already prepared myself for the worst. With a good-paying job and a comfortable place to retire after working the whole day, how can you complain? It’s just a matter of choice…and I don’t regret it when I chose to stay behind,” Matthias said, sounding indisputably contented with his five-year stint in the city that doesn’t sleep…and the way he presented his rationale, he surely is enjoying it.
For a better up-close encounter with Matthias, here’s a fact-file that can paint a more vivid picture of the persistent dreamer, aspiring actor, model, food and travel journalist, DJ, and entrepreneur who continually struggles to reach the star destined for him:
Nickname: Thias or Tai-Tai
Birthplace: Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Parents: Delia & Mark
Childhood dream: To be an artist
What interest him the most: Self-expression & designing
What could possibly piss him off: Being disrespected and insulted
Weakest point: Poor time management
Strongest point: Perfectionist and driven
Place of interest: Japan…I love the food and the culture
Personal Picks:
Scent – Kilian Hennessy
Song / Singer – Drake’s new album
Movies- James Bond series
Watering hole – 9th Ward (New Orleans-themed bar)
Broadway musical – Allegiance (“great actors!”)
“Dream as if you will live forever…Live as if you will die today!” – A fitting quote from a short-lived aspirer James Dean.
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