Welcome to Part 2 of this month’s Soshified Spotlight.

In Part 1, we featured WingedCBAM, or Arnell, a dedicated listener of our next featured Soshified member. This time, we’re featuring xocescaxo, or Cesca, one of Soshified’s beloved DJ’s. A SONE from Toronto, Cesca holds her weekly radio show every Saturday from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM KST, and as many people who have listened to her radio show can attest to, she does not disappoint. As energetic as she is on air though, she’s actually quite a mellow person when not hosting her radio show, perhaps because she has many other things that keep her busy.

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What is your first name?

Cesca

How did you find out about Soshified and why did you decide to join?

After seeing 9 Korean cheerleaders prancing around, bewitching me with high-pitched cheers of Oh, Oh, Oh! and Ah, Ah, Ah! I felt compelled to get to know these girls a little better. After I saw the Oh! music video, I proceeded to watch other music videos – one of which was Genie. The music video Genie left me with a burning desire to puke rainbows. I can’t remember my reaction exactly, but I imagine I was in some sort of stupor, with my face contorted into something that resembles a “Me Gusta” face. Thankfully, a friend of mine pointed me in the direction of Soshified. After a few sleepless nights spent discovering Taeyeon’s charming sleep habits, Seohyun’s “perfect role-model” personality and Sunny’s uncanny ability to excel at anything she did, I decided it was time to sign up.

How did you come up with your screen name?

My first screen name was “drmcdreamy” (to show my devotion to Dr. McDreamy of Grey’s Anatomy) which then became “dorkcesca” and eventually “xocescaxo”. My current username is a combination of my first name and x’s and o’s, which represent hugs and kisses, although I can never remember which letter represents hugs/kisses.

Where are you originally from, and where do you currently reside (city and country for both)?

Originally from Manila in the Philippines, my family and I immigrated to Toronto, Canada, where I currently reside.

How did you end up in Toronto?

I was about 9 years old when my parents and I moved from the Philippines to Toronto. I wish I could describe the process in more detail, but my memories regarding the experience are limited.

If we were visiting you where you live for one day, where would you take us? Why are these places so significant?

3 places come to mind – the CN Tower, the University of Toronto and my house.
Tourists love the CN Tower, so it’s a must-see for visitors.
I have a terrible sense of direction and am also sadly unaware of anything exciting in Toronto, so I figure the University of Toronto – the school I attend and also a pretty popular tourist destination – is a safe bet.
My house is where I keep what little SNSD merchandise I have and also where I host my radio shows. I can’t imagine a better place to karaoke (SNSD songs, of course), laugh over old variety show moments and have a SONE spazz party.

Tell us a little about your life. What do you do full time and in your free time?

I’m a simple girl, really. Between my rounds of scouring the interwebz for the latest cat videos and funny pictures, I find time to work and make money to feed my SNSD obsession. I can also be found playing the piano (currently learning Yiruma’s River Flows in You), singing off-key, reading (currently: The Hunger Games trilogy), playing games and occasionally working out.

I know you’re an avid baker. What got you interested in baking? What’s the best thing you’ve ever made?

Ace of Cakes! Have you ever seen that show? You haven’t lived until you’ve seen it. Essentially, it’s a reality show about a bakery that produces these incredible “luxury” cakes. I’ve seen them turn cakes into purses, people, dragons – whatever you can imagine. I knew I had to give it a shot when I saw the masterpieces they created. I’d always been a big fan of cake, as well as an appreciator of art, so this hobby seemed like the perfect meld of 2 interests. After experimenting with fondant, food coloring and cake mixes, I finally got the hang of things. Of all the things I’ve made, my favorite would have to be the giant cupcake set I made for Taeyeon’s birthday in 2011. Everything in, on and around the cake represents a piece of Taeyeon. The gummy bears for her love of gummy treats. The butterflies for her butterfly shaped signature. The purple frosting because she listed it as one of her favorite colors in her biography. Feel free to take a shot at the rest of the meanings!

**Pictures of the cake:
http://soshified.com/forums/topic/59879-2011-taeyeons-birthday-message-board/page__p__3536799#entry3536799

What’s the most interesting thing about you and/or that has ever happened to you?

In 2010, after seeing SNSD perform live for the first and ONLY time in my life, I was moved to tears. Legitimate fangirl tears were shed as they performed Oh! I couldn’t believe I was in their presence. I vaguely remember seeing Taeyeon’s left hip/buttock/thigh swing towards me — almost as if it were in slow motion — as my breathing became ragged and my eyes welled up.

How was your first time seeing Girls’ Generation perform live? What was the most memorable moment for you during that concert?

You know that feeling of riding a rollercoaster? Right before you go down a big drop – the anticipation – the feeling of your heart practically beating out of your chest, your palms sweating and leaving damp spots where your hands grip the rails so hard that your knuckles turn white. Then the drop – what you’ve been waiting for – all that tension escapes your body in a series of high-pitched shrieks as your arms thrash about.
That’s a pretty accurate description of my experience at SMTown LA. Waiting for the girls to perform. Pink glow stick and foam heart at the ready. Then 9 mysterious figures step out from the darkness and I know the moment has come. My lungs beg for mercy as I deplete them over and over again, relentlessly screaming “I *EXPLETIVE* LOVE YOU, KIM TAEYEON!” and the like. And for me, the excruciating pain of my toes being crushed as I stood, jumped and got trampled on for hours (fan girls ain’t no joke, son!). A warning for the ladies: Those cute 5-inch red pumps you were thinking of wearing to that 4 hour long concert? Don’t.
(**My most memorable moment was the one I described – where I cried after seeing them performing Oh!)

For people who are first meeting you (like most of us), how would you describe yourself?

Loyal Taeganger, Soshified radio DJ, insanely fast talker, emotionally unstable around Taeyeon, tech n00b.

Tell us some things that most people don’t know about you that you think they should.

If I could, I would live off of KFC chicken, cherry Coke, Starbucks’ Green Tea Frappucinos and sushi.

Is there anything big in your life that you’re working on? (This can be related to school, career, hobbies, family, friends, etc.)

There’s a possibility that I’ll be teaching English in Korea this year or next, so I guess I’ll just have to wait and see what life has in store for me!

Teaching English in Korea? That’s awesome. How did that come about, especially since you’ve mentioned before on your radio show that you study biology?

In my mind, teaching English in Korea means 3 things: 1) A better chance of seeing the girls perform/bumping into them/wooing Taeyeon. 2) Getting away from my parents and becoming more independent. 3) Earning money while I learn more about a new culture. Win, win, win!

While I still plan on pursuing a career in the medical/healthcare field, I figure now is the best time to go out and see the world. I have my youth, health and lack of commitments on my side. I feel like a year on my own in Korea would be both eye-opening and fulfilling. And the great thing is that teaching English in Korea doesn’t require a degree in English, as long as you have a Bachelor’s degree in an English speaking country (according to my research). So, who knows? A year from now, I may be hosting my radio shows from Korea!

What are your interests outside of Girls’ Generation?

As your typical girly-girl, I love makeup, fashion, hair care, shoes – the works. Lately, I’ve also been learning to cook and trying to work on my fitness. I also have a soft spot for adorable kittens and musicals.

Who is your favorite member and why?

I didn’t realize there was an essay question -sweats-. I’ll try to keep it short. My favorite member is kid leader Taeyeon because everything she does is magical to me. Something about that danshin drives me wild. Maybe it’s her precious smile. Maybe it’s her twinkling eyes that send me flying to the moon. Maybe it’s the way her voice makes me feel like I’m in paradise. Or the way she inspires me to be a better person. Maybe it’s the way that she can be unbearably adorable yet dangerously seductive. All I know is that even an image of her sends me into fits of screaming and hyperventilating.

What is your favorite Girls’ Generation song and MV and why?

After some tough deliberation, I’d have to say Genie. Genie is a perfect combination of sexy, cute, catchy and amazing Taeyeon hair/forehead moments. Taeyeon’s solo still gives me goose bumps to this day. Tiffany’s curvaceous figured fills out those fitted, short-shorts perfectly. And I can’t seem to wipe the memory of those 9 incredible pairs of legs from my mind. To me, Gee may have launched them into stardom, but Genie made them unforgettable.

What is your favorite Girls’ Generation moment and why?

This is an insanely impossible question. How have others managed to select a single moment as their favorite? I’m not decisive enough. Can I choose every Taeyeon moment I’ve ever witnessed…?

How has Girls’ Generation impacted your life, in specific areas or even as a whole?

It’s thanks to these beautiful girls that I’ve been able to connect with people from all over the world. It’s thanks to them that I work to improve myself every single day. To stand up straighter, to face the world when I’d rather cower away in the dark and to work a little harder. It’s thanks to them that I’ve learned more about others and myself. They’ve opened my eyes to things that I was somehow blind to before. They give me a reason to laugh, smile, love, spazz and strive for something better.

What do you like most about Soshified, and why? Any section in particular you’re attracted to?

I rarely find myself venturing beyond the Taegang Spazz Thread as of late. It’s chock-full of the latest Taeyeon pictures, videos, news, and the like — the perfect place to feed my unrelenting hunger for Kim Taeyeon. I’m sure you can see the appeal for a hardcore Taeganger such as myself.
In regards to Soshified as a whole, I’d have to say that the best part about it is the people I’ve encountered. It blows my mind that this site has given me the chance to interact with and befriend people from all over the world – the United States, Malaysia, Australia, England, Philippines, Korea, and so much more. The friends I’ve made through this site are some of the best I’ve ever had.

Why did you decide to join the Soshified staff, and why the particular job you have now?

At the time that new DJs were being hired in 2010, Taeyeon’s DJ position at ChinChin radio was coming to an end. Being the hardcore Taeganger I am, I absolutely had to follow in my idol’s footsteps. So, I applied to be a DJ and got the job!

What exactly do you do? Do you enjoy this position? What do you like about it?

As a radio DJ, my only job is to entertain Soshified radio listeners. I spazz on air, play fun games with contestants, host interviews with SONEs, gossip about the latest SNSD news and do whatever I can to put a smile on your faces. The answer to the question of whether or not my dignity has remained intact varies depending on who you ask, but knowing that I’ve made my listeners laugh is enough to make me realize that it’s worth it.

How do you stay so energetic and funny during your radio shows? Is it deliberate, or are you like that in real life?

Unfortunately… or maybe fortunately… I’m not always an energizer bunny with caffeine for blood. When I’m on my own, relaxing at home or spending one-on-one time with a friend, I’m a mellow girl. Except when I see a particularly enticing Taeyeon picture/gif/video. Generally, it doesn’t matter where I am, who I’m with or what I’m doing – Taeyeon induces involuntary fan-girling.
When I get together with a large group of friends, like I do on radio, I can’t help but get happy and excited. It isn’t deliberate, really. Getting together with friends just gives me a boost of energy!

Any interesting experiences when interacting with members?

During my first year as a SONE, I was able to meet and briefly interact with fellow members at SM Town 2010 in Los Angeles. Getting to meet in person the people I’ve been talking to and spazzing with online over the past few months was a priceless experience.

Is there anything else about you that you would like to add?

I’d like to thank the writers for this opportunity. I’d also like to thank each and every member who contributes to Soshified and makes it such an incredible place.

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Huge thanks goes out to Cesca for participating in Soshified Spotlight this month. As usual, you can submit nominations for future Soshified Spotlights if you’d like to participate or if you’d like to get to know a fellow member better. Instructions on how to do so can be viewed at the Soshified Spotlight Solicitation announcement.

Remember to take a look at WingedCBAM‘s Spotlight here.

You can also read past Soshified Spotlights by clicking on the “Soshified Spotlight” tag below.

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Graphic by: [email protected]

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