the week that was..

*due to insistent public demand, i have simultaneously updated both my blogger and multiply blog with the same post. A FIRST! :D*

the first week of my second semester isn't really finished yet, but i did do a lot of things, some of which are entertaining while the others aren't really interesting. i did pick up some new things while i was out there in Manila doing my business (which was to spend and save money).

next week would be our first reporting and our group reflection paper. should be a piece of cake for our group THE FIRM for we are, should i say, the best of the best men in our block.:)

what did i do this week which merits a mention in this space of mine?
- went to Dulce Saguisag's funeral. then the President was there, which explained the tons and tons of security people both outside and inside of St.Scholastica's
- had to adjust myself of going back and forth to Manila (again, the daily grind has left me tired, but nevertheless i find solace in the fact that i got to know something new, although i don't really know what it was)
- spent more time strolling at the mall rather than sitting in the classroom (due to cancelled classes)
- first time for me to encounter a super early bird professor (which made me look like someone who was late)
- bought my coveted nike thong slippers (OH YES!) next on my list: PC UPGRADE!
- had my allowance reduced *sigh*
- thought about blogging my opinion regarding the thin line between being thrifty and being a cheapskate (maybe it's going to appear in my blogspot, when i have the time)
- affixed my signature in a number of accomplished form 5s of the UPM students (salamat chairman Robert sa iyong pagpapa-unlak, kahit di ako USC. wahahaha!)
- thought about joining an org (FINALLY!)
- finally went to Cerealicious, which was delicious by the way, and no, the cereal doesn't get soggy even if it was dipped forever in their milk. SUGOI!
- watching Air Gear (also shown in ABS-CBN), really cool anime. i hope they have prepared a next season
- loving and appreciating life with friends and with the one i love. naks. anlandi. :P

and so it was my Monday to Friday. i still have Saturday though. Chaikofi mode raw kami. Nice. I want the VIP lounge with the strobe lights inside their tables. :)

memory plus

because of a lack or should i say, drought of inspiration to post, i haven't been able to write a lot in my blog for a while. i guess i'm not the type of person who's passionate about writing so that means either i blabber a lot or i write a load of non-sense in my posts. or maybe i'm just too lazy to write about anything. my middle finger hurts (it's sore) which means typing nowadays would become a tad too tedious to engage in. so anyway, after this useless banter i should get on talking about what i'm supposed to discuss about: memories.

after some blog hopping, and after watching episode 1 of eureka seven for the nth time (must watch anime, really!) i stumbled upon a concept which is a worthwhile topic of conversation, the thing we call memories.

because time does not stop for us, and because you can't step on the same river twice, we have memories. these fragments of thought which are used to store specific events which happen to us in our everyday lives. they range from small ones to big, cinematic ones. even those idle moments some of us take for granted can be considered great memories for some.

all the memories we have are stored in the brain. nothing is spared. i suppose it only boils down to the preferences of the individual whether he decides to repeatedly remember a specific moment of his or her life, or none at all. i don't think this is about the brain's power to recall data, but rather it is the willingness of the person to remember which powers the resurfacing of his/her memories.

we all have our favorite memories. we also tend to attach them to people, especially those who are dear to us. for me it is an imperative that each and every person we meet has a memory associated to them if ever we want to recall them. our memories of them serve as our tags to organize them inside our head.

i have a quote about memory.. goes something like:
"the thing about movies and music is that they aren't about the stories they tell, but rather the memories they create. they remind you most of all the past relationships and realizations you have made in your life."

i have a little theory about hit songs and movies. i think those which remind us most of ourselves, of what we have experienced in our lives, of the people we have met, are the ones which we love the most. that the most beloved movies and music are those which share the common sentiments of the people. i suppose that's why the topic of love is thrown around a lot, because people are drawn to it, because they can relate. because they see themselves in that man standing outside the window, drenched in the pouring rain and waiting for his love to come out. somehow a lot of us have these kinds of memories. or maybe not, but they easily associate themselves to these characters.

i think everyone is yearning to find someone who shares the same set of memories about a certain situation as they do. that's why it is best to ask help from someone who has been through what you are going through, although it is hard to find someone who had the exact same experience as you did, a few parallels should readily bridge the gap between two people.

memento. it is an object which represents a memory. it was there when that moment happened, and as such, it becomes a silent witness to what transpired that day. i think everyone possesses a memento of his or her favorite memory. it helps in the recall process. and well, it serves as a reminder that, in some point in your life, you experienced this and this object becomes evidence that, indeed, such a moment happened in your life.

memories, no matter how fleeting, how painful or how long, are always cherished by those who share them with other people. for many individuals, sharing memories with other people is an affirmation of their lives and existence. it is the keystone which unlocks a trove of emotions, both good and bad.

remember when they say, "you don't know what you got till it's gone"? it's the memories which remind you of the real value of what you just lost. memory is an intangible carrier which is controlled by the surrounding environment. it is the clay which is molded by the surroundings and hardened by time. for us, it is the clear testament of the moments that we have had, both good and bad.

one year

i haven't really noticed it, but to my disbelief my blog is already a year old. poor me i didn't notice it earlier, but its better late than never. so...

HAPPY ONE YEAR TO MY BLOG!! WOOHOOO!!!!

i remember trying to think of a domain name for my blog. medyo nahirapan din ako noon, kasi ayoko gamitin yung pangalan ko, at the same time ginusto ko ng unique na phrase or something.

then after playing through the whole 4 campaigns of Warcraft 3: Reign of Chaos for the nth time, i hit upon the word "ethereal".

in my own lexicon ethereal means false or illusionary. cool. then i stacked in the word reality, and there you have it. literally my blog name means "false reality", a very common philosophical paradox often found in the works of Focault, Eco and Kant.

but that doesn't mean that everything in this blog is false. nothing is. this is me, this is what i do and what i sometimes think.

writing for me has become an outlet and a refuge, much like the game of basketball. it can be emotionally charged most of the time, and there are those rare times where intellectualism kicks in and then there would be too few people who know what i talk about. its fun really, especially when people come in and read then leave comments (paparinig sa mga di nagcocomment! haha) and when people appreciate or somehow relate to what i write. it is a good feeling, and so i continue to write when i have both the time and the material to go with it.

so to all of those who regularly drop by, please leave a comment. it is very much appreciated. and don't worry, i'm not going to diss you all. maybe just one at a time. :D

the beginning of something beautiful

i can't really put a finger on it in my head, but i think there exists a song with the same title as this one.
well, i'd have to admit this one came pretty late. a bit of time has flown since i have rebooted my life and everything is in tippety-top shape so far.

called me blessed, or maybe i'm just that lucky.
but i'd be forever thankful and grateful to a lot of people.

okay, so there are a lot of people. but i just want to train my eyes on this particular person.
can you imagine going home at night, getting inside your room with the lights off, slipping off your sneakers then plopping yourself down at your bed, heaving a big sigh saying to yourself that the day is officially over...

then suddenly smile? parang tanga lang no? hahaha...

then there would be times when you're down. times where days can be a drag. may it be because of the annoying rain, flunking exams or pesky people around you, it just puts you down at times. but in spite of all of this, here you are silently laughing to yourself because something funny happened.

i can't remember the last time anyone really went out of their way to make sure that i wasn't cranky or sad anymore. but hey, i have that someone now. and well, i can heave a collective sigh of relief to my problems. take that! haha!!

i remember telling myself when i was a little kid that no one's ever going to like or even understand me. i remember meeting people who have proven me wrong. i remember the ups and downs with them. then i remember us parting ways because of me screwing up big time.

then i remember her. and i remember how hard it is to write about her because i couldn't stop smiling and i can't start typing.

to hell with having a lot of people. just give me 2 or 3 really good ones. i'd take that anytime.
or better yet, give me someone like her. i'd be set for my whole life.


"this is the story of a girl, who cried a river and drowned the whole world, and while she looks so sad in photographs i absolutely love her, when she smiles..."

something i learned this semester

to review for a final exam is boring.

in lieu of reading a whole lot of words regarding our national hero, here i am now, typing them instead. a lot has been said about what he said, a lot has been done since what he has done himself, so frankly i don't think anything substantial would be bound to come out of this post of mine.

the only thing that would matter this time would be my opinion, for this is my personal space.

as of this time, maybe there would also be other people who are bound to study more about our national hero. not that their school requires them to, or that a certain subject of theirs needs a little backgrounder about Rizal, but because they want to. after all, it takes a lot of things to be tagged with the alias "the pride of the Malayan race" or "the greatest Malayan who ever lived.". from food to fencing, from education to engineering, from ladies to linguistics, Rizal has took them on and has excelled at them with immense style and ease. he was, as i would like to call him, an academic machine. a tank with perpetual motion, able to operate at dizzying speeds and accomplish a whole lot in a very short amount of time. to calculate his efficiency would be something of a beauty. no movement wasted, nothing taken for granted.

calm, cool and smart. not your typical nerd. he could lay down his fists as if it were the law if he wanted to. he was the school valedictorian with the bully's strength. he was the doctorate holder who had a jiu-jitsu black belt. he may be, in our time, the Nobel Prize laureate, Olympic Gold medalist and UFC lightweight champion all at the same time. he was THAT good. and he was a Filipino.

but apart from all the accolades (including the 22 languages he speaks fluently), he was first and foremost a nationalist. a reformist who wanted equality practiced in his homeland between his people and their conquerors.

he whom wrote two blockbuster novels which depicted scenes of society delivered with his own critical commentary in the form of his lead character. part historian and part sociologist, our national hero gave us a 3rd person perspective of what the Filipino has endured during the arduous and taxing reign of the Spaniard. noting that not only was thorough critique given but also comprehensiveness not being compromised unlike in other history books written today.

Joe was THAT good. his teachings are timeless. his writings have a certain prophetic ring to it. fanatics to him claim that he is a godsend. a reincarnation of Jesus Christ. yet the mere fact that his writings about society which were published more or less 300 years ago are still applicable today indicate a sad truth: we still have not progressed as a nation.

backward, neo-colonial and marginalized. this is who we are. and unless a conscious effort is given to make sure that our national hero's works are to be rendered ineffective in today's world, we would still be stuck in where we are. still a conquered and beleaguered people whom owe their identity to foreign powers in control. the only things which are different in today's society is the fact that we are being controlled in more subtle and psychological ways. our patronization of the english language is one. sabihin nyo nagsusulat ako ngayon sa ingles. oo nagsusulat ako para yung mga nagfifeeling na magaling dyan at nakakaintindi ng ingles (kuno) e basahin yung blog ko. para mamulatan naman sila. para di sila tawaging tanga at ignorante.

if what Rizal wrote a couple of hundred years ago still holds true today, then we have a lot of work to do. if what we see in his writings still reflect in our society today, then we can say that we still live in the Spanish era. Filipinos still being a minority in their own land. peddling what remains of their "culture" to tourists who feel that they immerse themselves in deeply rooted cultural activities. in a world where everything is sourced to maximize profits and gains, nobody has yet taken that step backward to see if we have moved even a little bit as our national hero envisions us to, or there are a lot already, such as the Constantinos, but their influence is heavily limited to those who have access to the vast syntheses they have made for Philippine historiography. our national hero's writings are preserved for a lot of reasons, one to for us to appreciate his vision for a better nation, and another to be a guide or a point of comparison for us to know if we have indeed made strides forward towards national development. if we still see ourselves in the picture Rizal has painted in his works, then what we have done is inadequate.

there is more work to be done. and there can never be too many hands to do the dirty work.
if we fight a mirror image of ourselves, all we have to do then is to break the surrounding glass.

SENATE

galing kami sa senado kanina. kasi kinapanayam namin si Senador Pia S. Cayetano ukol sa isyung e-waste.
eto mga nangyari:
- late si mark at nilibre nya kami ng pamasahe (taxi pa) papuntang GSIS kung saan nagtatrabaho ang mga senador
- di pumasok yung magaling kong titser kaya di rin kami nakapagpasa nung case study na pinagpuyatan ko. haha laking abala talaga.
- daming media at senador sa senate building (malamang)
- dami ring kupal. mga mayamang squatter. mga kakandidato sa eleksyon kaya pumunta sa senado para manghingi ng suporta sa isang senador.

halimbawa.
lalaki1: oi pare! long time no see! balita ko kakandidato ka raw sa barangay ninyo a.
lalaki2: oo nga pare. kaya nga ako andito e. hehehe!!!

tignan ninyo, ultimo mga taong kumakandidato sa mga mababang posisyon ay nag-aabala pang lumuwas ng maynila upang mamalimos. ang gastos ninyo. para kayong mga tao sa wowowee. napakahayok sa pera. tama yung kinaiinisan naming security sa sinabi niya.

"mga maliliit na buwaya lang naman yang mga yan eh."

- dumalo rin kami ng senate hearing. may mga bill na madaling napasa. at dun ko narealize na ang privilege speech pala ay maaring maging tungkol sa kahit saan. sa senado, pwede kang dumaldal ng tungkol sa kinain mong almusal kaninang umaga kahit na tungkol sa national budget ang agenda ng inyong meeting.
- sa wakas nakita ko na rin sa tunay na buhay ang pagwawala ni Miriam Defensor-Santiago. ayos.
- andun din si Rez Cortez. baka papanoorin nya si Kiko Pangilinan. o kaya sisigaw sya ng "NO TO MR. NOTED!" habang nagsasalita ang asawa ni Sharon.
- walang pumapansing taga -media kay Migs Zubiri sa Senado. hmmmm bakit kaya?
- nagresign na si Benjamin Abalos bilang Comelec Chairman
- may babaeng dumating na galit na galit na pinagmumura ang mga Aquino. malamang isa sya sa libu-libong sakada na nabiktima ng pangmomolestya ng mga may-ari ng lupa.
- MAY TWISTER FRIES NA ULIT ANG MCDO! :)
- at may bago na kaming crush. si Art Angel! woohoo!

yun lang. masaya mag-ikot sa senate building. at tama naman ang mga senador natin. may mga problema tayong sana ay tapos na kung maayos lamang ang pag implementa ng batas.

salamat sa bench

yesterday BENCH saved my day. and my life.

bow. :P

an apple a day keeps sadness at bay. :P

an apple. so? masarap yan. hahaha!!! weird yung fusion ng caramel at yung fruitiness ng apple. it's a new experience for me, este, for us pala. hahaha!!!

more apples to come! woohoo!!!

next up: frozen bananas and caramel fondue!!!!
*rawwwwwwwr*

mga kwentong regular bus

Mas masarap yata to ikwento sa tagalog. Hehe.. mga kwentong bus daw o. ayos. Hindi ito yung bus na de aircon ah. Eto yung bus na regular. Yung sinasakyan ng karamihan sa ating hindi gaanong kalakihan ang laman ng bulsa matapos ang isang araw ng pagtatrabaho o kaya’y pag-aaral. Yung sinasakyan ng mga nagtitipid tulad ko kapag malamig naman ang panahon at hindi gaanong brutal at nagpapawis ang aking balat. Eto yung bus ng masa. Eto ang pinakamalapit sa tao, at sya ring pinakanaglalaman ng mga samu’t saring kwento ng pakikibaka, pagtatagumpay at kasiyahan sa gitna ng laganap na kahirapan at paghihikahos dulot ng mga garapal sa itaas at ng mga nagpapatakbo sa kanilang mga banyaga.

Nung igala ko ang tingin ko sa mga pasahero ng bus noong gabing yon, nakita ko ang mga pagmumukha ng mga taong pagod, at kung minsan naman ay, kuntento sa kanilang nagawa ngayong araw. Sila’y mga manggagawa, mga estudyanteng dugyot tulad namin, mga klerk ng department store, mga trabahador sa pabrika at kung anu-ano pang mga samut-saring trabaho. Dito ko naisip na, ito ang realidad ng lipunang ginagalawan ko. Dito rin nagsimulang umagos ang daloy ng inspirasyon na bumalot sa aming dalawa ng aking kasama rin sa bus. Sa hindi inaasahang pagkakataon, napagnilayan namin ang aming mga minimithi, mga pangarap at mga gustong makamit pagkatapos mag-aral. Napag-usapan din namin ang realidad ng buhay dito sa pilipinas, mga nakaraang nakakawiling ungkatin tulad ng mga ala-ala nung hayskul, mga nakaraan ng ibang tao, mga ex boyfriend nya, mga taong hindi marunong magbasketbol at ang tatak ng pulitika na umiiral dito sa ating bansa.

Malaking tulong din pala ang paglanghap sa tunay na hangin, mabaho man ito o hindi. Masangsang man ang amoy ng hanging ito o kaya’y mabango, hinding hindi mawawala mula rito ang katangiang ito ay buhay, kabaligtaran ng hangin na lumalabas mula sa bibig ng isang air conditioner, na bagamat malamig ay likhang tao lamang na hindi nagtataglay ng buhay.

Tinanong ako ng aking kasama kung bakit napili kong mag-aral sa UP manila.
Ganito ang nasabi ko sa kanya.

Tignan mong maige ang paligid mo, walang mga puno di ba? Walang lilim, walang proteksyon mula sa kalikasan. Ano ba ang andito sa Maynila? Walang iba kundi ang katotohanan ng mga nangabubuhay dito. Ang kahirapan, ang masangsang na amoy, ang kriminalidad, ang hindi kasiguruhan ng iyong buhay at ang nakakapasong init ay araw-araw na hinaharap ng mga tao rito upang mabuhay pa ng isa pang araw at nang sa gayon ay panatilihing buhay ang kanilang pangarap na kasaganahan. Sa tingin ko’y kapag nalampasan mo ang apat na taong kurso sa peyups maynila ay maari mo nang harapin ang ano mang kalokohan na pwedeng ibato sa iyo ng buhay.

(medyo pinapogi ko yung nasabi ko, pero eto rin naman yung punto nun e. haha.)

delikado ba kamo sa diliman? Subukan mong dumaan sa pedro gil ng gabing gabi. Tignan natin kung di ka masaksak pag napagtripan ka ng mga kumag dun.

Pangarap kong magduktor. Hindi dahil sa pera. Hindi para sa angas. Hindi para sa karangalan. Gusto kong gawing mas mainam ang kalusugan ng mga taong nagkukumahog magtrabaho upang may maipakain sa kanilang sarili. Gusto kong tulungan ang putang nagbebenta ng kanyang laman para lamang mapaaral ang nakababatang kapatid, ang manggagawang sumasali sa kilos protesta upang siguruhin ang kaayusan ng kinabukasan ng kanyang mga anak, ang guro na walang sawang nagbabahagi ng kanyang kaalaman hindi lamang sa kanyang asignatura kundi pati na rin sa kanyang kaalaman ukol sa buhay. Nais kong tulungan ang mga maliliit na mga mamamayang ito, na kahit wala sa upuan ng kapangyarihan ay nakakakita pa rin ng paraan upang makatulong sa pagsasaayos ng lipunang sinira ng patuloy na pananamantala mula sa mga nakakataas. Nais kong tulungan silang maging malusog, nang sa gayon ay mabuhay pa sila ng isa pang araw upang ipaglaban ang kanilang mga paniniwala’t adhikain.

Ito ang kwento ng isang tao na sumakay ng isang regular na bus. Isang tao na kahit papaano ay naisagawa ang mga ipinukpok sa kanya ng kanyang mga propesor sa kolehiyo. Ang taong kahit papaano’y naanalisa ang katotohanang tumambad sa kanyang harapan. Isang taong nag-iisip. Hindi na ignorante. At higit sa lahat, isang taong mulat.

Let's GO UP!!!

*the following are thoughts of someone who has watched his favorite team literally resurrect themselves back from the depths.*

i've always been proud of my school. though i'm not the blabber mouthed, active and engaging student who parades himself/herself as a bona fide member of the UP constituency, i am still, by heart, a true Isko. someone who has lots of stuff to do in my everyday life, yet still manages to squeeze out free time and funds to show my support for the school's team.

yeah i know, we are 0-15 (i think). we suck. we have the worst record in the UAAP standings. i've never seen a team with such a record that sucked. we were supposed to suck anyway, but not by this degree. hell, we're even heckled by people we don't know who relentlessly throw one-liners at us.

"o bigyan nyo na yang mga taga-UP na yan, andami namang panalo ng mga yan e."
"o tatakan mo na yang mga yan, para namang mananalo sila di ba?"

this kind of mediocre verbal attack places them at a level way below what we perceive as standard decency. di ko nga magets e, anlaki yata ng mga problema nila sa eskwelahang pinapasukan ko. di naman sila napasok sa ibang eskwelahan. di naman sila mukhang alumni. mga pangkaraniwang manggagawa naman din sila, na binabayaran yung pag-aaral ko. i really don't get it.

what i do know is, despite of our dubious record which i think no team would ever match, our boys have lived up to our school's name. FIGHTING Maroons.

Yeah, there have been times that the losses were too much to swallow (30+ pts margin in more than 3 games) but the boys showed up to play once more the next game. There were also disheartening losses (like the one in FEU) which would really make you wonder how these boys got up from where they were sleeping on and trod the path towards the gym in the wee hours of the morning or afternoon, while all the time thinking of the bundles of requirements they also have to submit (they’re students like us, you know). Being a varsity member doesn’t mean you’d be excused for slacking, because you’re not.

Yes I know, I’m cutting once more the slack that these boys burden. The high expectations, the bitter taste of loss, the fact that every loss amounts to something more as they pile up and the utter frustration and gloom (thank you Studio 23) they have to suffer everyday.

No, I’m tired of pointing fingers. I’m tired of the politics and the whatnot. Let those who are ambitious enough for their own good deal with such bullshit. Joe Lipa is a good coach. Papa Rod (assistant director for athletic recruitment) wouldn’t be lying to me if he said that they always had great practices. Overall it’s the general willingness of the players which are to blame for this. None of them execute plays, none of them plant screens, none of them sacrifice for the team. Sabi nga nung nakausap kong matandang lalaki (UP Alumnus and probably a former Maroon himself) walang puso maglaro yung mga bata ngayon. I kinda agreed with him. I’ve had enough of the “me-first” attitude and the scorer’s mentality they bring to the floor every time. Why won’t they mold their attitudes to the school’s founding principle? The Oblation means giving oneself for the greater good of humanity. Why won’t these guys sacrifice for the betterment of the team? I really don’t know the answers to that question. I’m leaving space for them to prove me wrong next year. I want to see selfless team basketball. I want to see set plays being run. I want to see players who cut hard receive a good pass, and of course, I want to see them win it all. I’m not rushing. Just win it all while I’m alive. Haha.

Supposedly, this blog was for bashing the players for their selfishness on the court. But something happened that changed my mind. Something that happened for 10 minutes.

T’was the last game for the year, and we were against Adamson. Again, mediocrity set in, and we found our beloved school down by 27 at one point of the game due to stupid turnovers and porous defense. I was already waiting to throw in my version of the white towel, or wave the white flag, or whatever to stop the game and further humiliation of our Alma Mater. But the boys bought in something that was missing for fourteen games: their heart.

Suddenly, stops were made, shots were swat, defenses forced turnovers which led to easy baskets, and a few loose balls chased here and there, and suddenly that huge 27 point summit was whittled down to twelve with 8 minutes left on the 4^th quarter. I’ve never seen Mike Gamboa run like that. It was like he was running for his life, along with his teammates. He celebrated, he jumped for joy with every made basket. I was impressed by Zarlo dela Victoria’s defense on Patrick Cabahug. He shut down his man for almost the whole time he was on the court. Too bad he got victimized by a lot of touchy calls and he got strapped with 4 fouls. I was enthralled by the UP crowd and by the Maroons themselves. For an immaculate period of time, momentum was with us. We cheered and jeered. My voice gave out shouting those chants by the pep squad. For some unknown reason, we truly had something to cheer about our down-with-their-luck team. We were one with them. And there we were, surprisingly alive and well, coming up from the pits of a 27-point deficit. And it was good. Really, really good. I was alive and so were all the people around me. The energy was insane. We all stood up to see what would happen next. It was though we were winning. We lost in the end though. But we kept the score respectable and the game became a thriller at the end. It was a very enjoyable experience. And it made me think of how much I am proud to be a part of the UP experience. The thrill, the heartbreaks, the upsets and the joys. All of those were in that game. Our team gave it all. We gave them our all, and that was all that mattered.

I sang the University hymn with pride and honor. Something I haven’t really done yet until now, and it made me happy.

So, see you boys next year. Hopefully you’d be playing really good team ball by that time.

Sa puso at isipan, MAROON ang aking tangan.
U-niber-sidad ng Pilipinas!
Let’s GO UP!

maroons

i'm a basketball freak. i think everyone whom has come to know me knows that. i live and breathe the game. i'm this guy who could talk about it all day. i play when i have time. i watch basketball shows. i am begging God to please give me cable tv so i could watch basketball games more often. when summer or sembreak comes, i come out every morning and shoot the lights out of our court (ok i admit it, my friends and i have ruined 2 nets because of shooting too much).

so here i am, a basketball crazy guy, wanting to talk about my school's team, the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons Senior Men's Basketball Team.

i've been watching games of the UAAP since 2002. back then people practically worshipped wesley gonzales and enrico villanueva from Ateneo versus the Mike Cortez and Ren-Ren Ritualo show in La Salle.

now all of the players of then are now in the PBA.

what about me? well, i was watching Jino Ferrer, Toti Almeda, Nestor David, Abi Santos, Jireh Ibanez and Marvin Cruz will my favorite school to win games. really, life is hard for UP. as a fellow Isko, i too am being subjected to arduous torture, freakishly short deadlines, endless activities and terrorist professors every single day. now these guys, well aside from those mentioned above, also worry about team strategy, the Xs and Os, and the big guns of the other schools. they had a coach (whom i cannot remember if it was Lito Vergara or not) who supported them and raised hell whenever they were messing it up at the court. the team was good, but they always came up short to qualify for the Final Four.

fast forward a few years. i am now a junior in UP. i've practically seen it all of what the school can offer. and now what happens to the Maroons? here we are, strapped with a whole bunch of kids who play well individually, but can't play well as a team.

where do we stand right now? we are here, in the lowest of lows. where we can't even look at the eyes of our schoolmates and co-constituents while singing our school hymn.

yes Ateneo alumni, i agree with what the lady on my right said during the ending ceremonies of our little game.

"we don't need your fucking applause."

The Maroons have become a running gag in the UAAP. are we proud to have a 0-13 win-loss record? i don't think so. I think all of us here are freaking tired of losing. Who wants to get used to losing? Not fucking me. Not anyone inside the UP community.

How many times has our beloved team come up short for a win? The closest one was the game with FEU, the team with potential ROY winner Marnel Baracael. We led that game 80% of the time, then we collapsed.

No more excuses. I want a win on Saturday against Adamson. Fuck the politics. Screw the point shaving and the gambling of games. Stop the pointing of the fingers. No one wants this “sweep” of ours. Let us deny Adamson a season 70 sweep. Their only win this season came at our expense. Let us return the favor shall we?

Let me say something that may produce a ring to your ears. The UP Fighting Maroons are good. Really? Yeah, they really are. INDIVIDUALLY that is.

Imagine this, have you seen these guys play a good quarter? Have you seen these guys spill their blood out on the court just to put points across the board? Have you seen them dive for those loose balls? Have you seen them clawing their way through thicker and bigger guys to get offensive rebounds?

I’ve seen them do that, and more. We are, and can actually, able to win games from any school save UE. Oh wait, no I’m taking that one back. WE CAN WIN AGAINST ANY FUCKING SCHOOL IN THE UAAP. PERIOD.

A step behind, a step too slow, a step too late. That has been the case of our players whose feet are too big to move around the court.

I’m cutting the slack for these guys right now, because they are receiving more flak and criticism than they should deserve. Come on haters from our school, stop pointing those fingers at people. What they need from us is our support. Not some dissin and trashtalk from you.

And for the players who represent our school, just hear what I’m going to say to you:

Mike Gamboa – you’re a good guy Mike. Tama yung anak kong si Bea, magaling ka nga. The comparisons to Marvin Cruz are well deserved. If you want the school to win, stop giving the ball to the opposition. Four turnovers a game? How many of those were on errant passes? Come on man, look before you pass. And stop poking the ball. Hindi lahat ng tao masusundutan mo ng bola. Try and play honest defense man. Naiiwan ka lang ng bantay mo pag sundot ka ng sundot e. And try not to force your way into the paint. You don’t want to miss a whole year like Marvin Cruz with an ACL do you? And oh, can you shoot the ball better next year? If you wanna be Marvin Cruz, heed my advice, improve your shot. Remember man, Marvin Cruz is the one you wanna emulate here. Not Japs Cuan.

Migs De Asis – “the assassin” eh? Yeah, for a while in your rookie year, you were. Betcha don’t know what an uncontested shot feels like. Look at your game man, a hand in your face every time you shoot. And in a fadeaway? You’re not Kobe or Michael, come on! Why not try and copy Reggie Miller for one? Make liberal use of screens. Cut fast, and cut hard. You have a big body Migs. Hasn’t it come to you to use that tank like body of yours? Konting gulang pa pare. You’ve managed to floor Chris Tiu last year (my favorite Migs de Asis highlight), certainly you can do it again right? At wag pikon. Man, you are the 1^st player I’ve ever seen draw 2 fouls within 30 seconds. Try to keep your cool.

Woody Co – wow, anlaki mo pala sa personal. And you can shoot man. Really. Ano bang pwede kong sabihin sa yo? Well, the point shaving controversy got me somewhere and I thought, you’re freakin rich pare. Ano yun? Sana di totoo yun di ba? Just play the way you play. Good things come to those who work hard.

Jayfelson Agbayani – pare nakakatuwa ka maglaro. Lakas mo magcut, masipag ka sa depensa, mahilig ka sa ilalim ng ring. Tama yun. A few effective post moves should do the trick. Nestor David material ka tsong, galingan mo pa.

Veejay Serios – along with Martin Reyes and Woody Co, you my man are one of the most productive players in UP. Too bad your unbridled effort goes together with a L. I hope you continue what you do for the years to come. Sana di pa totoo na last year mo na to sa UP. You’re a very vital piece for the Final Four bid.

Martin Reyes – I was blinded by the brilliance of Migs de Asis back in your rookie year, yet now in the long run, you have shown the consistency that everybody loves. Allan Caidic-esque shooting, a fellow lefty jumpshooter like me (ehem) with the length to match. Like what I said earlier, use more screens, cut hard and be aggressive. I’d love to see you going strong to the basket.

Mark Lopez – was I hallucinating? The first time I saw you I thought Jason Castro transferred from PCU to UP. But then it wasn’t the case. You’re built and strong man. The only thing I wished you could have is better ballhandling skills. For me Mark Lopez bringing the ball up court is like a turnover waiting to happen. Don’t let the defenses abuse you man. And don’t overdribble.

For the rest of the UP players whose names I have not mentioned, try to play honest defense and contest shots and deny passes. And make the most of your time on the court.

A special mention to Coach Joe Lipa:

I really don’t know what you are up to, but I hate your player rotation. You see, for me it isn’t good to take out a player who is shooting well on the floor and putting him on the bench to cool off. Really, that’s not good.

On the brighter side, I wonder what would happen if the real you showed up. You know, the former you. The spunky, hot-headed, animated and passionate coach you once were. Obviously, I think you’re not really playing to win right now. You’re not coaxing players to play at their best. This isn’t practice Coach Joe, and if you want us to win, we’re going to need every bit of help we could get. I wonder if you’d still be around next season when the UP Centennial hits. Maybe you have a grand plan for that, but too bad, you were giving up all hope for this season.

You’re the only coach who has gifted us of a UAAP basketball title, and I believe you could do that again next year. But I would have liked you to use this season as a preparation for next year, not as an opportunity for us to be laughed at and bullied around by others.

Thus my rant is now complete. Wooh, haba rin nun a.
Good luck to us all.
U-niber-Sidad ng Pilipinas!
Go! UP FIGHT!

paint the streets with blood red

"GO AHEAD, TELL THE WHOLE STORY MY DEAR."








yun lang. just needed to get it out.
*nnnggggyyyyaaaawwwwwwrrrrrr* >:P

:))

Oh, It is love - Hellogoodbye

Oh, It is love
From the first time I set my eyes upon yours
Thinkin' oh, is it love?

Oh dear
Its been hardly a moment and you are already missed
There is still a bit of your skin that I've yet to have kissed
Oh say "please do not go" but you know oh, you know that I must
Oh say "I love you so" but you know oh, you know you can trust

We'll be holding hands once again
All our broken plans that will mend
I will hold you tight so you know
It is love from the first time I pressed my hand into yours thinkin' oh, is it love?

Oh dear
Its been hardly 3 days yet I long to feel your embrace
There are several days untill I can see your sweet face
Oh say, wouldn't you like to be older and married with me?
Oh say, wouldn't it be nice to know right now that we'll be?
Some day, holding hands in the end
All our broken plans will abend
And I will kiss you soft so you know

It is love
From the first time I pressed my lips against yours
Thinkin' oh, is it love?
Ohhhh

Your heart may long for a love that is more near
So, when I'm gone these words will be here to ease every fear
and dry up every tear
and make it very clear
I kiss you and I know

It is love from the first time I pressed my lips against yours
Thinkin' oh, is it love?
Oh, it is love from the first time I pressed my lips against yours
Thinkin' oh, is it love?

Oh I kiss you and I know it is love
From the first time I pressed my lips against yours
Thinkin' oh is it love?




_haha. nakyutan sa kanta o. :D

BIOHAZARD!

tis the first week of September and boy, there's a lot going on in my student life.

nakakawindang!!! woohooo!!!

toxic! toxic! toxic!!

for the first time in my whole college life, i am able to use the University jargon when there are many things to do.

at ngayon pa ako naramihan sa gagawin. oh well.

good luck!

poetry topics

sa mga taong wala pa ring topic para sa aming poetry reading (alam nyo kung sino kayo), eto ay mga additional topics na pwede ninyong kunin.

1. terraforming - TAKEN by Mark
2. whaling (i.e. japanese mass whaling) - TAKEN by Ruthy
3. "sensitive" environments
4. extremophiles - TAKEN by Karl
5. Rare Earth hypothesis
6. voluntourism (volunteer work + tourism) - TAKEN by Dana da bertdey girl
7. carrying capacity (in ecosystems) - TAKEN by Riki
8. peak oil
9. "green" power
10. virgin territories

ayan, sinipag kasi ako. sana makatulong! ^_^

maaari lamang pong ilagay sa tag board o kaya magcomment kung kayo po ay kukuha ng topic, para di nakakalito. salamat po ulit!!!!

hindi po kailangang gumawa ng bagong account kung walang blogger account, basta click nyo lang yung comments. hehehe!!! :)

yeba!

as of yesterday, i have signed up to be an online activist for Greenpeace.

yes, somehow within me is an environmentalist waiting to shine. hahaha!! but seriously, consider these simple facts that i have noticed during the past four years:
- since 2003, every succeeding summer has been a hotter one. thus i wonder how hot next summer will be, since we're going to the provinces for our immersion.
- yearly, the water level is going up, so if don't notice, your backyard was actually flooded when monsoon rains came around.
- how about the erratic weather? a long dry spell in july when it's supposed to be raining? what about the hot december we had last year? come on, 8am heat during a 5:30am simbang gabi? definitely not the Christmas i was used to.
- how come we've had these storm-like monsoonal rains when tropical storm Egay never actually hit Manila and Southern Tagalog?

it astounds me, that when we see a clean street, we tend to put our litter there. can't we realize that what we are doing is actually helping in the further deterioration of the Earth? nakakainis yung mga taong tapon na lang ng tapon. parang hindi kayo tao e.

here's something really simple for us to do. kung may makita kayong basura sa harapan nyo, please naman, pakipulot at ilagay sa tamang lugar. don't worry about getting the germs, you could always wash your hands later. and don't even think that a clean-up crew would always be around. for other people's sake, take action by yourself, even just for once. please. its going to go a long, long way.

and another thing, get educated. see what the moronic capitalists do not see. after you get educated, inform other people who do not know.

seriously, we only have a little time left. sana basahin to ng lahat ng taong dadaan man lang dito. dumaan na rin kayo e. salamat.

let us save the Earth. unless you can give me any other planet on which we could live on, please clean up your act. :)

randomness

Tagged!
Instructions: Each player starts with 7 random facts/habits about themselves. People who are tagged need to write on their own blog about their seven things, as well as these rules. At the end of your blog, you need to choose 7 people to get tagged and list their names. Don't forget to leave them a comment telling them that they have been tagged and to read your blog!

My 7 Random Facts/Habits

1. i consider myself mildly autistic

2. i hate storms due to the fact that they bring in noisy rain

3. i am a basketball nut (who doesn't know?)

4. stand-up comedy jokes only work once on me

5. i had the skin of my foot peel off for more than five times

6. i am VERY superstitious

7. i do not have a very good night tonight

Now i tag alpha, jerelle, sunogbaga, migi, ryan, me-ann and chowee

leaning beside the cold, fragile wind

here i am, currently sleepy, listening to sounds from tiny little speakers, writing something in this blank white space.

its literally storming outside, not exactly the weather we had a few hours ago.

the good thing about the storm is, it brings out these billowing, cold winds.
masarap magrelax. masarap gumawa ng wala.

masarap din kapag katabi mo yung taong gusto mong makatabi, sabay inom ng mainit na kape o sipsip ng umuusok na sopas, habang nakatalukbong sa loob ng malaking kumot na pinaghahatian ninyong dalawa. hehehe!!! :)

masarap ang malamig na hangin. makakapagjaket na ako. ayus.

strike me! strike me!

Everything has changed...
Faces stayed the same...

and then... then what?

saaaaarbey!

survey mula kay chrish. astig.

10 years ago...

8yrs. old ako. hahaha!!! tapos wiling wili pa ako sa family computer. adik maglaro ng contra at super mario (kasama si miko, ang aking kababata). mahilig din kami maglaro ni miko ng mga sundalo sa veranda nila. hahaha!!!

5 years ago...

13 ako. kakasimula pa lang ng 2nd year. pinakamasarap na taon ng high school ko.

1 year ago...

2nd year ko ng kolehiyo. enjoy. hahaha!!!! pasok na ako sa dean's list.

5 snacks I enjoy: (at random)

1. siomai
2. pishbol
3. french fries
4. ice cream
5. proven

5 songs I know all the words to:

1. The Happy Birthday song
2. Lupang Hinirang
3. Theme song ng The Simpsons (da da da dada dadada dada dadadada dadadada!)
4. Burnout ng Sugarfree
5. We Love You Father Hannibal (AMP!)

5 things I would do with 100 million dollars:

1. purchase a Mclaren-Mercedes Benz SLR600
2. get a house for myself and my family in Valle Verde or Alabang (whichever they like)
3. buy lots and lots of Nike apparel
4. buy a new SE phone
5. play in the stock market (para naman lumaki. hahaha!!!)

5 places I would run away to:

1. basketball court
2. kwarto ko
3. simbahan (oo, tampulan ko ng problema ang simbahan)
4. rooftop ng bahay namin (para magpahangin)
5. bahay nina lolo

5 pieces of clothing I would never wear:

1. bras
2. ladies' clothing
3. jumpers
4. girly shoes
5. girly accessories

5 bad habits:

1. junk food
2. impulsiveness
3. exaggeration of emotions
4. hindi mareklamo (people don't know what's wrong when i'm sad or angry)
5. indolence (naks)

5 Biggest Joys:

1. buying something that i actually planned to buy
2. Naruto: Shippuden
3. helping people in need
4. Transformers
5. learning something cool (may it be a fact or a skill, doesn't matter)

5 fictional characters I would date:

1. Tsukino Azusagawa - Yakitate! Ja-pan!
2. Eureka - Eureka seveN
3. Rosemary - Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty
4. Himeno Awayuki - Pretear
5. Elhaym Van Houten - Xenogears