Silent Rebel

For a good cause or for a lost cause? (part one in a series)

Anybody still aware of the local basketball scene?

A quick glance. The PBA or Philippine Basketball Association has taken up the responsibility of maintaining a training pool of players who will represent the country in international competition. For this year alone, the national team has participated in a couple of big name tournaments - Jones Cup in Taipei and the FIBA qualifier in China both outings ending in disappointment. Disappointment to the sponsors, basketball officials who overesees the progress of the team and the Filipino public who are still hoping for a miracle that the Philippines can reclaim its former glory as a basketball power in Asia.

Those were the days.

Looking at the tournaments that I just mentioned above - the Jones cup is a prestigious contest that is participated by mostly national teams. The participants use this tournament to size up their possible opponents in future international meets. If my memory serves me right the last time the Philippines won the gold was in 1998, when the so-called centennial team convincingly won the title under coach Tim Cone. Back then we didn't have Fil-foreigners playing for the flag but how come we won the 98 edition of the tournament? Fast forward to the present. The team that competed for this year's Jones cup is definitely more atheletic and talented but why did fell short of a respectable finish?

Evolution.

 If we look at the asian basketball scene for the last three years there was this gradual change that alot of people didn't expect. The changing of the guard. After the Chinese monopoly on the basketball golds here come the teams from the middle east. Iran has been steady in their campaign as far as winning international competitions are concern and not far behind are Lebanon and Jordan. Korea once an arch rival of China for the gold has also been relegated to a supporting role. The absence of Yao Ming on the Chinese bench is a big blow to the Big Red Machine but a golden opportunity for others. Even with Yi Jianlian playing for China they still were beaten badly by an Iranian team that didn't have a superstar.

A fact that I like to point out. China was the great innovator when it came to developing talent and assembling a team while Korea was the hands down choice for conditioning and shooting. From these qualities that the teams on the raise also invested greatly. A practice that the Philippine team does not have. Yes it's a given that the players that is currently in the roster are the finest that the country has but is this enough?

The preparation alone is already a big question mark. The team still has a lot trials that they need to undergo as one but I guess with the current set-up they wouldn't have enough trials to look forward to. A player's stint with the national team is short and uncertain, just like the national basketball program.

To be continued ... 

Fast forward to the present

After a few months of silence I'm at it again. Now that summer is official over it's back to the rat race. Just a quick glimpse of how my summer went, a couple of out-of-town trips namely - Nasugbu, Batangas, Cabanatuan, Nueva Ecija and lastly Cebu. You can say that I was able to have a taste of everything during this summer. First trip on the agenda was the beach outing to Nasugbu with the J.H. Inc. - my core group at work to just relax by the beach have a few rounds and forget about work for just the weekend. Then there was "Cabs" as our friends fondly call Cabanatuan, Nueva Ecija - this was sort of a despedida for Rey - a very good friend of ours and god father to Joaqui. He was set to depart to Hawaii by April so a common friend of ours hosted us at their humble home for Rey's despedida. By the last week of May we were enroute to the "Queen city of the south" Cebu to attend and witness Mervin and Dale's wedding. We had a great time in Cebu during our brief stay mainly because, it was Rhoda's first visit to Cebu, in the process I became her improptu tour guide. I think I flunked as a tour guide because I only took Rhoda to the Ayala center the whole time. The only time we were able to change venue was during our last full day in Cebu, I took Rhoda and Joseph - a friend of ours from Bustos, Bulacan to the downtown area. We visited Sto. Nino's Basilica, Magellan's Cross and Fort San Pedro, we also had a last minute shopping at Gaisano Country Mall in Banilad to buy "pasalubongs" for home.

 

On a personal note, it brought back memories from several years back. I told Rhoda that I frequented Cebu before because one of my Aunt was then assigned to Cebu everytime I would visit I got the red carpet treatment from them. I can still recall the places we went to the beach resort in Mactan, the classy restos and the bars that was hip then. A lot has changed from my last visit what was then a sleepy town has transformed to one of the most progressive city of the south. 

 

The trip would not be complete without the wedding, the venue - Sacred Heart Church was one of the more traditional churches in Cebu. The reception on the other hand was at Casino Espanyol a five minute drive from the church, the only glitch was during the "waiting time" of the guests the the club's lobby. The guests had to wait 20-30 minutes before we were given permission to enter the ballroom, during this time a number of guests went home. The night was truly amazing from the program to the food and the new acquitances we've gained because of the wedding. Then right after the reception the newly-weds then invited us to a few rounds at Formo a bar located at Banilad Town Center, this was the venue for the North vs. South face off drinking contest. In my opinion it ended in a draw, because we were still in the thick of it when my comrades from the north decided to go home, this will definitely have a sequel. 

 

That's my summer for this year, there were indeed countless memorable moments that I'll remember. Looking forward to the next summer!  

Operation: Restoration

One of the surprises that the New year brought was the acquisition of V.2 - our first family car. We really didn't have plans of buying a car this early because of several reasons. First is the price of a brand new car and second the monthly payment you need to pay for several years. That was our reservation, but when we learned about that Tito Vic was going to sell his Subaru Legacy, I grabbed the opportunity. the car, A Subaru Legacy wagon version 96 is a very ideal car for us it has the features of a regular sedan plus a wide trunk space.

Although it already has its years on it the car in general, is still in good condition. The only thing that needs immediate attention is the engine. Initially, the engine oil was leaking due to faulty oil seals and gaskets it was never fixed due to the limited availability of the parts. The search for parts led me to Banawe - where they sell all car parts for almost all  car brands. The first trip to the "talyer" was a disaster, the mechanics not that knowledgeable with the Subaru design damaged the parts upon installation. The only time I detected the faulty work was several days after, this prompted me to send the car back to the shop for improvement. Unfortunately, the mechanics were never able to fix the problem, the best they could do is minimize the leak that's it.

The woes continued when the temperature went up. I speculated on the subject, probably the fan is longer working or a busted radiator it's only a toss up between the two. The thing that I was trying to avoid was sending the car to Subaru directly. There is this negative perception about having your car service directly with the manufacturer, they say that it's too costly and it's impractical. I had no choice, Subaru was "the" only option so with reservation I had the car checked. Upon estimating the car parts I figured, price is not as outrageous than I thought yeah sure we're still talking about a good amont of money but the parts are genuine. And what is more important is the mechanics, they're knowledgeable with the car and the work that they would be doing will have a warranty so it's not that bad.

I've decided to have V.2 to go to Subaru for repairs after all there's no other car shop willing to take on the job because of parts shortage. 

 

Acceptance is the key

I'm now 32 years old, and officially out of the calendar date. One thing I discovered is that I'm no longer healthy as before. Diet - I have to avoid eating fatty food, I would need to follow the food pyramid more consciously. Drinking - I'm doing my best to cut down on it, instead of drinking weekly I'll just reserve it for special occasions. Although this is a challenging thing to do I'm doing my best to change.

I still want to do a whole lot of things - indulge in sports to keep me fit, try out new things and spend more quality time with family. I feel that without the proper reforms I will not be able to achieve my goal so with that in mind I am sincere and serious of my goals for this year.

One good thing about this issue is that everyday I learn new things, I unconsciously become more responsible, more mature and more of a family man. The defining factor here is - family, not a day goes by that I am so thankful that I have a loving wife and a wonderful son.  

Hoping for a prosperous and joyful 2009.

2008 has been a memorable year for me. I am already 1 year with my employer, and work has been challenging and at the same time rewarding for me. In terms of domestic life, I still am learning a whole lot of new things as far as being a husband and father is concerned. I am hoping I can sustain these things if not surpass it for 2009. As they say there is always 2 sides of the coin, there are also disappointments and frustrations we encounter along the way I hope that I can manage it in a better way. I know my negative traits and habits and I feel that the time is now to "start" curbing these habits. With prayer and focus I know I can achieve my goal. Here's to 2009 wishing everybody all the best! Happy New Year.

Merry Christmas to everybody.

Happy Christmas (War Is Over) - John Lennon

Let's all remember why we're celebrating the season the first place. It's not about the gifts, it's all about honoring and remembering. As part of the season's celebration let's touch base with loved ones and all who are dear to us. Merry CHRISTMAS!

Life is good.

We have to have a positive outlook in life always. I had a chat with somebody a couple of days ago and he asked me what was the purpose of my work? I politely answered his question " I am with collections, I remind and convince clients to pay the correct amount and at the correct time." Then I continued " my work sometimes gets interesting, sometimes I get aggressive with clients and occasionally it erupts to an argument". "This is actually my first time in this kind of work environment. Ever since I started working I was with customer service this time around I'm at the opposite side of the fence." Then his rebuttal to my answer "You have to always be of service to the client no matter what line of work you are in, you also have to be thankful that you are employed." What he just said to me was correct.

At that point I silently said to myself "life is good."

In my opinion, we have to live a balanced life. We have to have time for family,work and even fun, this helps lessen the chances of burning out or living a sedimentary life. The same person also told me that we have to step back and enjoy the things that life has to offer. On a personal note, I maximize my weekends by spending quality time with my family the one-on-one talks with my wife and father and son moments I spend with Joaqui. Though it may sound shallow or stereo-type it still fortifies my personal relationship with my loved ones and puts a smile on my face. These are the real "priceless moments." 

 

Temporary refugees

This is our first night here in Morato, we had to temporarily relocate here to avoid contracting the virus. My mom was diagnosed last Thursday with a virus which attacks the nerves and its manifestation are painful rashes concentrated on a specific area, in mom's case it was the right arm. For safety measures my mom suggested that we spend a week here in Morato to avoid Joaqui catching the virus. We are all hoping for mom's quick recovery so that things can go back to normal and in order for us to move back to the condo. One thing I hate about relocating temporarily is the adjustment and the effort that goes along with it. I almost forgot the one thing - the train ride to work, riding the train in the morning is one thing but riding the train during the rush hour is suicide. On top of the long lines and the long wait for the train is the struggle to get in and out of the train. I have to be honest, I am no longer used to riding the MRT just like before I would prefer the leisure walk from the office to Shaw boulevard and the trike ride to the condo. The Morato stay is not struggle and adjustment, there are also good things about it. The space - Joaqui can wander and explore the house without the risk of breaking a furniture. Net access I can go online every night thanks to the broadband connection that mama has. 

A song for the "Last king of France"

Coldplay - Viva La Vida

    

   

Custom made title.

In my opinion the recently concluded UAAP season 71 basketball title had already an owner even before the championship series started. The Ateneo Blue Eagles bagged the title at the expense of their arch rival De La Salle Archers 2-0. This was evident after the first round ended, with the Eagles sporting a solitary lost they were picked as favorites in the finals. The Eagles were destined to win the championship this year. The Archers on the otherhand, had a mediocre season, they had to slug it out with UE and FEU just to get the No. 2 position and the twice to beat advantage.

Blue Eagles

The Eagles time has come. The last championship it held was when Enrico Villanueva wore the blue and white jersey and this was in the early part of the millenium. With Norman Black heading the coaching staff of Ateneo he turned things around for the Eagles. The players also has to take credit for their success this season, Chris Tiu the co-captain for the squad had an above average output for the season. The other Eagles that deserves recognition are Rabeh Al-Hassaini, the 6'6 Tim Duncan-type center was the main reason why Ateneo was a cut above the rest of the field. With his presence inside the paint be it offensesively or defensively he was just doing marvels and doing things right for the team. For the feat he was voted the MVP for the season. Who can miss Nonoy Baclao, the Western Negros University recruit, without him Ateneo would have given more points to the opposing team. He was a force to reckon with defensively, with the way he plays he kind of remind me of Dennis Rodman. Lastly, Rookie of the year Ryan Buenafe, this former San Sebastian alumni will be a valuable player for the Eagles in the future. With his brilliant performance this season he might be even one of the future draft picks in the professional leagues. I am sure that with these players returning for Ateneo, the possibility of a return trip to the championship series is a reality.

Green Archers

Now we shift our attention to the runners-up - the De La Salle Green Archers. I am a La Sallian, and I am proud of being one. But in my opinion the team that fought against the Eagles during the finals really couldn't win against the Eagles. On the day that game one was schedule there was a newspaper section dedicated to the Eagles-Archers game and the column that really caught my attention was the comment of former Archer Mike Cortez. He said "Coach Franz knows how to motivate his players."With that insight I started hoping for an upset, the Archers in the past Archers won games and titles because of poise and team play this year those ingredients were absent. The veterans on the team - JV Casio and Rico Maierhoffer was not as effective as in the past and for the young Archers they are still raw experience-wise. I still commend and the coach and the players from De La Salle, they might not be as experienced they were still able to reach the finals and have the right to defend their title. Too bad, we weren't able to prove to them that we can win back-to-back. I am sure this lesson and this particular season will be a good experience for them.

It was the dream face off between the Eagles and Archers, I hope a sequel will follow soon.