New Year’s Resolutions: 2013 edition

Yeah, yeah. I’ve said before that I’ll stop writing posts like these in the beginning of the year because at the end of it, I just realize that I haven’t truly done anything to fulfill it. But like the saying says: Try and try until you succeed. So I’m giving this is a shot, and hopefully by the end of 2013, I will have made some progress with these resolutions (which I will keep to a minimum).

Resolution #1: Learn, learn, learn. I realized in the previous years that learning does not only entail getting my Masters’ Degree (which I will still try to get sooner of later), but it also covers the effort needed to acquire a new skill or be better at what I am doing. I realize now that I should not rest on my laurels and instead open my head and my heart to new ideas and new trends that would make me a better asset (not a liability) to anything that I do and any endeavor that I participate in.

Resolution #2: Push, push, push. I also realized that I’ve been a real chicken for the most part because I have not tried to step out of my comfort zone and limited myself in doing stuff that I know I would excel in. I’ve been too afraid of falling flat on my face that I haven’t tried to be anything different. I realize that I have a lot of other stuff that I want to do and the only thing that is stopping me is my own fear of failing. So this year, hopefully, I will be able to do more of the things I love, and whether or not my endeavor will succeed or not, at least at the end of the day, I could say that I tried.

Resolution #3: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. Being involved in Project ICON is one of my greatest experiences, especially speaking before people (which I am normally scared to do, seriously), trying to make a difference in their lifestyle and basically, planting trees from gathering loads of junk — these have all inspired me to do my part for Mother Nature. I have since refrained (as much as possible) to use straws, brought cloth/eco bags with me in which to carry mu purchases in the mall — I’m also going to purchase greener stuff from now on. I think if I can’t save the world on my own, at least I’ll know I trying my best not to contribute to its destruction. I’m still working on not using plastics at all but this requires a bit of effort. I’m going to take baby steps on this front by using biodegradeable plastics for the meantime. I’ll also try to learn to use a bike in the future as this is not only good cardio but it also reduces carbon footprint emission.

Resolution #4: Breathe in. Breathe out. I am known by my friends for being one with a short temper. I will try to exercise patience this coming 2013 and try not to let the small stuff bother me. ohhhhmmmm….

Resolution #5: Exercise more. I like to eat. It’s just the way I’m made. But of late, as I begin to age, my metabolism has kind of slowed down. This year, I will try to remember to stretch and sweat a little bit (hopefully every day) to be more healthy and fit.

Resolution #6: Spend more time with the people that I love. Sometimes I take for granted that my family will always be there for me. As with my friends. I have been lucky to be blessed on both fronts and I for one, would like to make an active effort in the coming year to show them I care (because I really do) by spending more quality time with them, just talking and connecting with each other. I think the same should go for everyone.

Resolution #7: Read more, watch more. Lately, I have been using a lot of my time unwisely and I realize this. I think my TBR and TBW pile are great indications that I haven’t been reading much or watching much of my backlogs (which I love doing but find that I have not much time to do). In 2013, I wish to remedy this by keeping a better schedule, and spending less time goofing off so I could find the time and the space to just relax and appreciate a good book/movie because I realize I’m already missing a lot.

I said I would keep this post short and I would like to be a person of my word.  So, if you guys think my resolutions are crap, feel free to sound off. Or better yet, answer my poll.

Happy New Year folks! Have a great year ahead and thank you for reading my blog.

Making a difference, one tree at a time

I’ve always wanted to make a difference. The problem is, I never really knew how. I wanted to make a change, but I found it hard to pinpoint where to start. But lately, I’ve found myself finding that drive to go the extra mile, and I found this new passion with helping Mother Nature.

Sure, many would think that it’s really easy to say that they are supporting initiatives to reduce waste, and go green but truly, it takes true dedication to try to influence people to do so as well.

At DLSU-D, the Information and Communications Technology Center’s Project ICON (ICT Creates Opportunities for Nature) drive (of which I’m co-chairman) seeks to promote awareness about the responsible disposal and management of electronic waste. As part of the industry that causes the rapid accumulation of e-waste due to the rising demand for new products, softwares and gadgets, IT personnel from our office wanted to find a venue to mitigate the impact of these electronic wastes on Nature by partnering with responsible scrappers who will give fresh new life to these discarded electronics.

Proceeds from the sale of these e-waste are then used to purchase seedlings to be planted in locations identified by the University’s Environmental Resource Management and Campus Development Office and the One Million Trees and Beyond Project.

Last year, ICTC personnel were able to plant 1,250 mangrove seedlings in Calatagan, Batangas. Mangroves are important agents in various ecosystems as they provide shelter for small fishes and at the same time serve as filters against harmful agents, as well as shields against erosion, waves or water movement. This year, Team ICON took on the much more challenging task of trekking to the top of Mt. Palay Palay to clear and dig holes in which to plant 345 fruit seedlings  which could mitigate flooding. The drive seeks to replace foliage lost to deforestation, and protect lowlands from flashfloods, which have become more common in recent years.

THE LONG ROAD. The 45-minute trek to the top begins. Bearing fruit seedlings in net bags, Team ICON begins the journey. (photo by Lovely Roxas)

TAKING THE GOOD WITH THE BAD. Green is not always good as these tall grasses need to be cleared in order for plant seedlings to survive. These grasses  function as weeds that stifle the seedlings when they grow unchecked. (photo by Lovely Roxas)

CLEARING, DIGGING, PLANTING. Going green is easier said than done. (photo by Lovely Roxas)

The road has not always been smooth for the project. Of course, like many other programs, movements and plans are always subject to the availability of funds. There is also the issue of logistics as for the first year, there was no secure location in which to store items that will be donated by personnel and students. But hard work bears fruit, despite the challenges, the project was able to survive because of the dedication of ICTC personnel in findings ways to move the project forward.

As testament to the Team ICON’s commitment to the program, the Center chose to focus the celebration of its third ICT Week on its advocacy and aptly themed the festivity ICONtribute! ICT Creates Opportunities from Nature in which activities have been pegged to raise funds and raise awareness on the cause.

Highlights of the festivities were kick off events ICON Run: ITakbo Mo, ITatanim Ko (You run, we’ll plant) which raised over P10,000 from roughly 150 participants who wanted to support the cause. Students who participated in contests held throughout the week were enjoined to bring their e-wastes, to which they responded positively. IT students also took part in an E-waste seminar in which Albert Lozada, a representative from Greenpeace Southeast Asia, Marlon Pareja, director of the ERMCDO and John Mendez, Database Administration Unit Head and Chairman of Project ICON spoke of the ill effects of electronic waste on human health (exposure and contamination leads to damage to vital organs — more on this on future articles).

For my part, I also spoke before students about electronic wastes and climate change before trainings and seminars scheduled for the week to maximize the opportunity to encourage students and faculty to back the project. Sir John and I did simultaneous talks in different sessions. It feels good to be an environmentalist.

Even though the week was gruelling, it was quite rewarding. Entering ICON’s third year as a project, we are gradually noticing the changes and people’s attitudes towards electronic waste. And while recyling these electronics only serve to reduce waste for the meantime, at least we are doing something to curb the problem. And we’re hitting two birds with one stone. We are also helping Mother Nature by planting trees that could help her recover from years of abuse and irresponsible use of her resources.

TEAM ICON in last year’s tree planting drive. (photo by Ohsie Austria)

We may be saving lives for all we know, or we may be starting a revolution from this corner of the earth. And while we are just starting out with baby steps towards the overall goal, I could not help but feel pride for what little we have accomplished. I continue to look forward to what else we could achieve in the days, and the years to come, as Team ICON.

For more information about Project ICON, check out our official page here, and for updates, like us on facebook.

Keane Strangeland: Live in Manila — How a simple fan became a superfan

When I first heard that Keane was visiting Manila, I had getting tickets to their concert part of my immediate bucket list. I discovered the band way back in the fifth season of American Idol when Blake Lewis sang Somewhere Only We Know in one of his performances and liked the song right away. While I became an instant fan of the band, I still wouldn’t consider myself hard core as I was not always updated on their new releases and new music.

When we got found a great deal on the tickets a week before the event, it was like a sign from fate, and going to the concert became a must. My friend Mae and I, while we had a difficult time explaining who the band was to our friends (we had to sing Somewhere Only We Know and our lack of musicality did not help in familiarizing them with the band)  were totally excited and even had to go on half day at the office to have time to pick up the tickets (we got vouchers from an online deal site) and rush to the concert venue. We had to watch our time because I had to run a last minute errand and buy batteries because I forgot to bring the rechargables for my camera, which was totally idiotic of me. Last I remembered from my experience with the NKOTBSB concert at the Mall of Asia Arena, the lines were long already three hours before the show, so we made sure to arrive two hours before. We managed to sneak in an early dinner first, of course.

MAKING NEW FRIENDS. Mae and I with 5 year old superfan Tarko.

When the gates opened at 6 pm, we were the first in line to enter the venue and fall in line. It was a long wait but we managed to make new friends — writer Ms. Lorella, her mom and her super Keane fan Tarko, a five year old cutie who knew each Keane song by heart, and also Ms. Betsie, a BPO supervisor who came with her daughter (also a superfan) who won a Meet and Greet with the band prior to the concert. Anyways, the wait was a bit long (almost two hours) but in the end, we got pretty good seats really close to the stage (long story) thanks to ushers Christian Martesano, Jayson Aberin and Jom Lansang who were very accomodating in helping us find our way.

The concert started a bit before 9 so by this time, we have been at the venue for 3 hours. So when Tom (vocals), Tim (piano), Richard (drums) and Jesse (guitar), hit the stage and opened with You Are Young, everybody rose up and crowded to the center, raised their hands (and cameras) in the air and gave themselves to the music.

While Mae and I were not that familiar with all of the songs, I must admit that we enjoyed every single one of them for the simple reason that the performance was so good. The vocals were so clean that one would think that one was listening to a record the way Tom belted out their original songs. And Tom was not the only one who came to Manila to perform. The rest of the band was so awesome and performed each song seamleslly transitioning from song to song with no effort at all. What’s best about the band (all of them) is that when they perform, they totally feel the song and use their entire bodies to communicate the message of their music, a message well received by the fans which they respond to quite eagerly. There were points that Tim was rising up and using one hand to play the piano while he danced and Richard took out his camera to take a picture of us, the crowd.

The stage was quite simple, and the lighting was also subtle, but each lighting transition complemented each song — a statement to the crowd that yes, you’re in a concert. And yes, this is Keane. All in all, they performed a total of 26 songs in two hours and made sure that Manila will remember them not as just one of the many foreign acts who came this year, but a giver of outstanding performances that is consistent whether they are in Britain, the US or Asia.

photo courtesy of Manila Concert Scene Official Facebook fan page)

The only subpar part of the concert was perhaps the videos being projected on the giant screens flanking both sides of the stage. The videos are important for the people who are sitting farther from the stage so that they can see what’s happening even if they can’t see the actual artists in close up. I think for this aspect, the production was not up to snuff because of the blurred focus and the general lack of filtering for the video, making the projections appear amateurish.

In total, I think that producer DAYLY Entertainment and Trilogy Live did great job in bringing acts like Keane to Manila, an opportunity not wasted on the type of fans who arrived at the venue. There might not have been a packed house last night but the enthusiasm and devotion of the fans who came to see the band, I’m sure made an impression on them, so much for them to say that they want to come back again. And we would welcome them back too. I proudly declare that after last night, I have upgraded byself to superfan status. Witnessing Keane in concert was an outstanding experience that I would not soon forget.

R2, R2, where are you?

I’ve always wanted to do a piece about my babies, but I never thought that my first feature would be so sad. See, the other day, my cat R2 went missing and he hasn’t come home since. With each day that passes, I grow more worried about what has happened to him but while I do not lose hope that he will return, I just want to cry all the time because I miss him so much.

Let me tell you some things about my 3-year-old kitty.

Contrary to initial conclusions, I did not name R2 after R2D2 but rather after his big brother Ruffy, because he looked so much like his big bro. R2 actually stands for Ruffy 2. R2 was the youngest in a litter of three. He was the smallest and he was actually the plainest looking of his batch. Unfortunately, his big sis Sushi died of disease while still in the first weeks of kittenhood and his brother Chuckie died of an accident. R2 survived, thrived and actually became one of my favorites among all my “kids.” He has a personality, this one. He is spunky and sweet and has a mind of his own. Oftentimes, I wonder how he manages to get his way as much as he does. My mom nicknamed him “spoiled” because of this and I for one, cannot argue.

R2 vs Kulas. As a young cat, R2 entertains himself by roughhousing with his brother.

R2 took a while before he grew to become an adult cat. Most of his time, he spent wrestling with his brothers, causing mischief, lazing around. He’s the type of cat that can sleep through an earthquake, a rally or a major commotion. He doesn’t get fazed. He just sleeps through it all until the next mealtime comes.

Because of his personality, R2 has the record for the most visits to the vet to get an antibiotic shot. He has gotten one for tooth decay, gotten himself stitched up after cutting himself from a rusty spring, and went recently for a visit to the vet for a swollen jaw (infected again). He resists his medication, but is smart enough to enter the hospital ward (pet carrier) to get his special meal of Whiskas when he is sick.

He is very smart, my R2. He meows so loudly from the window, as soon as I get home to remind me that he is very hungry and that I need to get on it right away. He doesn’t stop until I capitulate. This is a technique which he shares with his little bro Teddy, who now has become my kitty alarm clock (He wakes me up every morning from 5:30-6 am for his breakfast). Worse, R2 and Teddy has developed a tag team system for this so when Teddy gets tired, R2 takes over, and vice versa. There is really no escape. R2 is also a tattletale. When alley cats try to take his food supply, he returns to the window to call my attention so I can go out and shoo away his competition.

R2 chills out with his big bro Ruffy

I miss my baby so much. I hope wherever he is, he is fine and on his way back. I know that this would sound stupid to some but I really don’t care. I just want to share how great my pet is. I hope he returns really soon. Please help me pray that he does.

Surviving the Apocalypse: A Doomsday Preppers Review

National Geographic recently premiered a new show (Okay, the poster says February but we got it a bit late in Asia). Doomsday Preppers features different people in America preparing for economic collapse, chemical attacks, hyperinflation and other reasons why the world as we know it will be no more. Its a compelling show, one that takes a survival show to a different level and leaves viewers to question how they themselves will fare against apocalypse when it arrives in this lifetime.

I found this show quite interesting mainly because of the unbelievable extent that these people go to — the amount of money and time that they spend hoarding food, learning survival techniques, preparing their bug out gear (In case you were wondering what to get, click here)– which is both admirable and shocking at the same time. At the end of the segment, experts give their assessment on the preparations made by the featured person/family and they are given advice on how to improve on their current state. NatGeo checks in with them after several weeks to see how they have integrated the experts’ advice to their preparations.

I kind of like this show mainly because I pick up some tips on how to extend food’s shelf life, as well as some tips to survive the end of the world should it happen tomorrow. It has also prompted me to assess my home for exactly how long we would survive apocalypse staying indoors. I would have to say — a week, tops, until we need to forage for food and other essentials to get by. And no, I am not killing my cats for food should any of these events happen. It would break my heart.

Anyways, while I am awed by the sheer amount of effort that these people put to ensure their survival during disasters and am in no way judging them for their point of view, I still think that the amount of food that some of them hoard is over the top. One of the featured families has a container van full of food that will last 22 people an entire year. I think that its quite excessive especially since there are a lot of people in the world who cannot afford to have a single meal at present. If it were up to me, I would much rather share a portion than risk having some of the food spoil in the long run.

The show is kind of bleak in this sense. It would seem that these people, in preparing for the worst, have allowed themselves not to live in the present but in a future as depressing as those depicted in the movies. For me, my strategy would much rather be prepare enough only for a regular disaster (because food is mostly perishable anyway) and store food that has a long shelf life. If and when the time comes, I would much rather spend the last days foraging for food so long as my family stays together and try to survive as a decent human being. I know this is an idealistic view, and I would probably die in less than a week outside unlike these preppers, but that is what I would try to do as long as I can afford to. Sue me. Again, I will not kill my cats. So hopefully, apocalypse does not come at all.

Goofing Off, Having Fun: Seriland

Last weekend, my buddy and I used the discounted tickets that I got months ago from an online shopping site and went to Seriland, located in the Manila Ocean Park building on the second floor. The park has three major features — The Trick Art Museum, the Mirror Maze and the 3D theater. The Museum is a collection of artworks that are made to seem 3 dimensional rather than flat 2D. One could take wacky pictures and copy suggested poses on the framed pictures next to the artwork. Here are some of my favorite shots of the day.

I SEE YOU(r underpants)

STUBBORN AS AN OX. Or in this case, a carabao, who stares cluelessly at you while I try to fake drag him away.

YIKES. The right angle gives an illusion that this painting (on the floor) is actually a waterfall behind the cliff I’m kneeling on.

DID I JUST FALL OFF THE WAGON?

OW! I fake get hit by a watermelon that fell off the frame.

SAY HELLO TO MY LITTLE FRIEND. Cool huh? This little dog that I’m petting is actually painted on a floor.

Moving on, here are some pictures that the ushers took of us while inside The Mirror Maze, where the real challenge is getting out amid a sea of mirrors. Believe me, I had loads of fun trying to figure out the real hallways from the fake ones. I even fell for some of them. We had to wear gloves so as not to mar the mirrors with fingerprints, and we had to walk with our hands in front of us to avoid accidents. Its been known to happen that some guests bump into mirrors if they are not careful. The attendants at the attraction are very mindful of guests’ safety. They are also accommodating of photo requests. They even volunteer to do it for you.

MULTIPLES OF ME. The adjacent mirrors help create the illusion of  multiple versions of me.

BUT WAIT THERE’S MORE. My buddy and I are strategically photographed in front of two mirrors.

MANY ME. So this is what Michael Keaton felt in the movie Multiplicity. Unfortunately, my clones can’t do any chores for me.

We also took in two 3D movies with one hour intervals. Each movie is 15-20 minutes long so kids will surely enjoy it. We caught Sonic Night of the Werewolf with a smaller group and Rilly’s Sky Adventure with a bigger one. It’s actually more fun to go with a larger group of people, especially with kids. It heightens the enjoyment more to listen to and see their reaction to the movies.

I had a great time checking out these three attractions. And I’m already an adult. I would surely recommend this to parents who want to do something fun and different with their kids. By the way, there’s also a play area for children in Seriland. Depending on the package, tickets may or may not cover this. Check out their facebook page for more details and current promotions. http://www.facebook.com/serifantasyworld

Tip: If you’re going on a weekend, go early as field trips tend to be scheduled on these dates. The crowds will surely cramp your style when taking a bunch of photos. Plus, the Mirror Maze can also accommodate a certain number of people at a time, so numbers are given out and called after the previous group finds their way out

Phantom Fever: The Opera takes Manila

When my friend Leslie and I heard that the international production of The Phantom of the Opera was coming to Manila, we couldn’t wait to see it. I’m not as big an expert of the show as she is but I did love the movie and I am absolutely nuts about musicals so what better way to spend a Saturday afternoon than taking in a performance of world class artists and getting lost to the best compositions of Andrew Lloyd Webber?

I figured that should not pass up this opportunity because who knows if I would be able to see them abroad or if they even return to Manila in the future. It was a bit pricey (We spent over P2,000 each for a balcony seat and we were really far from the stage) but I should say that the show was no less exciting from afar.

The Phantom of the Opera tells the story of a deformed musical genius who haunts the Paris Opera House , one of the most prestigious halls of art in (of course) the French capital. Christine Daae, whom the Phantom has developed a tendre for,  is a talented young singer who is suddenly thrust upon center stage when the Phantom causes an “accident” in the theater which endangers the life of Señora Carlotta, the prima donna of the opera. Unknown to Christine, the stranger who has been giving her lessons whom she refers to as the angel of music is actually the Phantom and that he has plans to lure her to his lair underneath the opera house to make her his bride. But her childhood friend Raoul stands in his way, as his muse favors her suitor to the hideous ghost who ruthlessly murders people who defies his wishes.

From the time that the orchestra played the opening bars of The Phantom of the Opera, I knew I was in for a treat. The intricate detailing of the set pieces, the flawless transitioning from sequence to sequence —  unbelievably astounding. I was truly curious to see how the production would execute the changes in the setting because when I watched the movie, they had a lot of sets, but I was completely blown away by how well the stage was utilized.

HUGE TURNOUT. The crowd loiters the halls of the CCP prior to the performance.

The performances were so amazing. Not a single pitch off key. The cast was absolutely marvelous and drew applause after each production (deservedly so). The actress who played Daae, Claire Lyons was an absolute pro who performed popular pieces like Angel of Music, The Phantom of the Opera and Music of the Night effortlessly. The crowd loved her. Anthony Downing, who took on the role of the suitor Raoul, embodied his character and injected his own flavor to his performance as well. Among the secondary characters, I loved Christine’s friend, the ballerina Meg Giry played by the Cat Lane. I felt that she was a very likeable character and the ease in which Lane portrayed the role made the audience easily relate to the part.

But truly, the most fabulous character in the show was none other than the Phantom himself, played by Jonathan Roxmouth. All of his scenes were perfect because he had this excellent voice projection that translated his emotions through his performance. More than his charisma, he had a unique type of voice quality that reaches out to the audience draws them to the character. He is so good that one can listen to him for hours and still be amazed at his skill. I’m having trouble describing it because I myself, can’t get over it. I have never thought that a musical performance could bring tears to my eyes, but Roxmouth was able to, just from listening to him (We were too far out to see his acting close up) and that, I believe is a feat in itself. His voice just has that power — to enchant the audiences, make them empathize with the Phantom and bring them along to the journey that is his story.

Aside from saying that I had goosebumps after each performance or never for once felt the need to say anything other than, ang galing (awesome), I think the entire production is deserving of superlative praise for this world class act. I especially want to give credit to the orchestra, for bringing the music to life.

All in all, I am glad I saw it and if they come again, I would gladly wait in line for hours just to see the show again. The Phantom of the Opera is not just an ordinary musical, not just a regular play. It is an experience. An experience that I was glad to have, even for a short while. Bravo!

Fight Night: OneFC Pride of a Nation

I have always had an appreciation for mixed martial arts. Not because I want to watch athletes get their faces bashed in or because of the sheer violence of the sport but because I appreciate it as an art form. Like boxing and wrestling, and all its predecessors, mixed martial arts entail a huge amount of discipline, presence of mind, and intellect. Because there are a lot more techniques available in one’s arsenal, it is more explosive, and more unpredictable. Most often than not, one does not have an idea what to expect from a match and this makes the sport doubly exciting.

READY FOR THE FIGHTS. My bro and I arrive relatively early to check out the stadium. Excited much?

When my brother and I learned that ONE Fighting Championship, Asia’s version of of Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) was coming to Manila with veteran UFC fighters Andrei “Pitbull” Arlovski and Tim “Maine-iac” Sylvia as co main events of Pride of a Nation, I just went nuts. I have been pulling for the Pitbull every since his days as a champ in the UFC and I really want him to get back at Sylvia for the two losses in their trilogy. Our very own URCC champ Eduard “Landslide” Folayang was pitted against Japan’s Felipe Enomoto, a BJJ expert, while another URCC champ Eric Kelly was matched against former UFC lightweight champ Jens “Lil Evil” Pulver. Two Pinoys also opened the fight with URCC lighweight champ Honorio “The Rock” Banario taking on conteder Andrew Benibe. Three fighters from the Enzo Gracie Academy also fought for the pride of their family — Gregor, Igor and Rolles Gracie — Believe me, having Enzo at the event was awesome not only for the fans, but obviously for the fighters as well.

At first, I was afraid of what my reaction to watching a live fight would be. While from afar, I am perfectly comfortable watching the athletes destroy each other, I’m not really big on violence while it is happening right in front of me. During the first fight, I was feeling twinges of sympathy of Benibe, who showed a lot of heart but was outclassed in technique but I was soon able to adjust my perspective, and see the matches as excellent back and forths between two warriors wanting to give the fans a good show. As with the rest of the fans, I yelled my head off and enjoyed every moment of the event.

BOO! Judges rule Arlovski vs Sylvia 4 a “No Contest” due to illegal soccer kick to the head, but really, its just Sylvia chickening out. Andrei is obviously not happy. (photo courtesy of OneFC Facebook page)

There were highs and lows of course — even the UFC has such moments but what’s great was that everybody came to fight, well most of them. The event that I was most anxious to watch — Arlovski vs Sylvia was actually the biggest letdown. Before the match, they aired a mini primer where Tim boasted that he would expose Andrei’s weak chin and that he was taking the pitbull down like he did years back. When game time came, however, the weak chin never materialized. During the first round, Tim was able to corner Arlovski a couple of times and landed combinations of strikes but Arlovski weathered him out and was generally unaffected by Sylvia’s attacks. He was obviously better conditioned between the two as Sylvia was already gassing out by the end of round one. Arlovski took control of Round 2 and landed two punches that dropped Sylvia to the ground, where he continued his onslaught. Unfortunately, Arlovski prematurely landed two soccer kicks to the head which is considered illegal in the OneFC until the referee says so. He is given a yellow card and Sylvia is given several minutes to recover. After announcing that the fight will resume shortly, the crowd was surprised (and outraged) when instead of getting on with the fight, the judges have a huddle inside the cage and later on rule the match as a No Contest because Sylvia is unable to continue. It was truly a WTF moment because he obviously had his wits about him, and he was standing up and all. Andrei was obviously pissed, as were we. The biggest dude on the fight card was obviously the biggest wus.

THE DRAGON IN ACTION. Some Mitch Chilson action during the early rounds of the prematurely ended fight. It could have ended better because the two fighters really had great game going on. (photo courtesy of OneFC Facebook page)

Another disappointing result was the premature stoppage of the fight between Thailand rising star Shannon Wiratchai and crowd favorite Mitch Chilson. Mitch pretty much took control of the first round and Shannon was returning the favor in the second round. When Wiratchai landed a heavy punch and a kick that knocked Mitch to the ground, the referee stepped in to immediately stop the fight, even when Mitch was already getting up and returning to stance. The ref never lived it down, as the crowd booed him at the beginning of every match that he was called to referee. That’s what you get for sucking, bud.

ENZO GRACIE, NUFF SAID. The legendary Enzo Gracie coaches from the corner.

The high points of the evening obviously came from excellent submissions from the Gracies. Gregor submitted Australian URCC champ Nicholas Mann via armbar. Mann was very good natured about getting locked on a Gracie submission as hugs were exchanged between both camps after the announcement. Rolles finished opponent Tony Bonello in the third round with a textbook rear naked choke but Igor got caught by his Korean opponent, the stonecutter Jun Hwang Cha who controlled his takedowns and turned on some vicious ground and pound, handing Igor his first loss in his OneFC debut.

Folayang won against CFC champ Felipe Enomoto via his lethal kicks and and great takedown defense. Enomoto was unable to practice his BJJ on the Landslide mainly because he could not find an opportunity to take down Eduard.

TITLE SHOT. OneFC President and CEO announces Folayang’s title shot in October in Singapore against a still to be determined opponent. (photo courtesy of OneFC)

I love this kid. Really, in all his fights, he has shown great courage and consistency and I am glad that this champ is getting his shot at a OneFC belt in October as announced by ONeFC CEO Victor Cui himself. Eric Kelly finished the scrappy Jens Pulver in the second round after a lengthy (but entertaining) back and forth in the first round. Eric, not known to let the grass grow under his feet, capitalized after he landed some hard rights and sees that Pulver is hurt in the opening of the second round. He follows with a body kick and Jens drops to the ground. The crowd goes wild and it is over. Eric, it was announced, will be vying for a title shot in the next OneFC against his compatriot and fellow URCC fighter Honorio Banario. Anyhow, Jens was a great sport and even heaped a huge compliment down Kelly’s head, dubbing him the Manny Pacquiao of the MMA. Pretty big. Plus, he’s also helping out typhoon victims from the Philippines through his website” http://www.jenspulver.com. I can’t help but love this guy.

The biggest finish of the night came from the New York badass himself Fil Baroni, who never gave BJJ expert Rodrigo Ribeiro a chance to land a punch. He went in with a hard right and landed a barrage of punches against his opponent. Lights out for Ribeiro but party time for the American as he danced around the cage, jumped up and down and just engaged the crowd. Fil Baroni rocks. (Mike Swick was in his corner too)

The main even between CFC champion Gustavo Falciroli and former Dream champion Bibiano “The Flash” Fernandez was kind of anticlimactic, perhaps because it was the last match and people were leaving after the Folayang fight. Bibiano won the fight in the third round, which was frustrating because he could have ended the fight sooner as he got Falciroli in different vulnerable positions on the ground plenty of times throughout the match.

Overall, my experience in watching a live match was awesome. I’m not really great at writing blow by blows but I hope you got the idea. Thank you OneFC, for coming to Manila. Please come again. And if the UFC is thinking of coming too, Dana White, you would be more than welcome.  Bring it on!

For a more detailed account, check out this website: http://www.thefightnation.com/

Things I learned from Clean House

Recently, I’ve been catching this show on The Lifestyle Channel called Clean House featuring Niecy Nash and her team of home makeover experts Mark (design wizard), Trish (yard sale diva), Matt Iseman (go-to guy, and handyman extraordinaire). I know this show’s been around for a while now but I just recently caught the bug. The show kind of inspires me to treat my own home and stuff with a bit more practical perspective.

See, we moved from a three storey home in Manila in 1996, to a one-storey 120 sq meter bungalow home in Cavite. We had a lot of stuff, mostly merchandise from our old establishment which was what made up the first floor of our former residence. The following year, we decided to start a hardware business but it didn’t pan out so now, on top of the stuff that we took with us in ’96, we had merchandise from the hardware to deal with.

But I think the main thing now is that the pile of stuff just keeps on growing, mainly because (I recognize this now), my family has a tendency to hoard stuff, like buy a ton of stuff that we don’t really need because its on sale, or buy stuff that we think we will need in the future, but later on just gets lost amid a sea of other things we bought. My mom and dad are the same, and I too, have my own stuff to deal with. My guilty pleasure, books. And books take up a lot of space. I have never taken to e-books because I like the smell of books better, plus the experience of turning the pages old school is how I get my kicks. My brother, on the other hand, is a collector who collects a bunch of stuff, but unlike us, he is more practical and knows how to let go of the stuff he doesn’t need anymore.

Anyhow, I guess why I love the show so much is that I see so much of ourselves in the people who are on the show, asking for help in dealing with the clutter in their houses. I can relate to them because there is something to be said of coming home to a place where you can relax and enjoy your surroundings. That being said, I think I’m slowly gaining headway in the attitude adjustment arena so here’s a few tips that I learned from watching the show.

1. Let Go. I am a very sentimental person and I truly appreciate the stuff that people give me. I treasure the thought behind the gifts that they pick for me and I have stuffed toys that have been with me the better part of 15 years because of this. As a result, half of my bed is occupied by said stuffed animals. So much that I am forced to not move while I sleep lest I fall off the bed. Another thing? Books! I still have tons of books on my TBR pile but I find it hard to let go of the stuff that I read when I was just a kid or a teenager because they come with so many great memories.

I learned from Clean House that if you want to make space to get some breathing room, you have to let go of stuff that you don’t really use anymore and are just taking up room in your house. It is not really disregarding the sentiment behind the gifts but rather making sure that they get a new lease on life which leads me to the next lesson. Same goes with literary material that you grew up with.

2. Sell your old stuff. I have a friend who just loves to read as much as I do and she purchases the same type of books that I do almost on a regular basis. What I have chosen to do is sell some of my old books to her at a wholesale price which is like only 10 percent of what she regularly pays for a single book at the store. As a result, I’m doing us both a favor. She is saving money, and I am also getting some money back for the books that I haven’t touched in years. What I do with the money is I save them up to buy toys for poor kids on Christmas, or school stuff for charity missions before class opening. So some good comes out of my old stuff. Not a bad deal, huh?

3. Give to charity. OK, some stuff can’t be sold. We have a lot of clothes that we have outgrown that are just lying around in the bottom of the closet, waiting to see the light of day. During the long holiday, I sat down and started dealing with them, stocking them in bags and bags full of donations to typhoon victims. See, at least the clothes are going to be used by families who have lost a lot in the disaster. I have also sorted through some children’s and teen books and will donate them to a library soon.

4. Clean as you go. When we have a lot of stuff and a messy home, we usually take leaving stuff anywhere a given so long as we remember where we left it. I have been a victim of this mindset and have spent hours looking for stuff because I can’t remember where I left them. The best way to stop the clutter from accumulating is perhaps not to pile them on and leave them to clean for later. Be better organized and have a place for everything because believe me, based on experience, cleaning up years worth of clutter is no picnic. I recently spent a whole day just trying to make a dent in one section of our house. One day! No kidding, so I strongly recommend against this practice.

5. Repurpose, dump old stuff. Rather than buy new stuff, old stuff can be repurposed, especially furniture, which can be done on your own (if you are handy with a hammer and a saw). You can also have these commissioned (reupholstery or redesigning) but they’re bound to be cheaper than buying brand new stuff. This way, you still get the feeling of newness with less cost for stuff that has been around for decades. But for stuff that no longer function, don’t think twice. Take it to the recycle bin or sell it to the local junk shop rather than leave it at home to gather dust and take up space.

And lastly, 

6. STOP BUYING STUFF YOU DON’T NEED! Mainly, this is the culprit in this entire mess. No matter how much temptation it is to buy stuff on sale, if there’s no need for it, don’t go for it. I watched one episode where Lisa (back up host) suggested to one mom that she could just save the money that she would have spent bringing home toys for her kids and use it for a family bonding vacation. Not a bad idea, right? I might take a page from that book.

So, I realize that I still have a long way to go before I finally achieve the clean house transformation that I dream of but at least I’m making a start and am willing to change my ways to reach that goal. That should count for something, right? RIGHT?

Love your Language

ALIBATA, An ancient form of Filipino writing, much like the Egyptians’ heiroglyphics.

I’m writing this post in two versions (click to view Filipino version) to emphasize the essence of love for language to help the nation progress. Don’t worry, this will not be a lengthy lecture, but rather a reflection of how natives view their primary language and how they often take for granted their rich culture in favor of westernism.

We take our native language for granted. We’re all guilty of it. A friend of mine says that this is because when we use our primary language, we are more concerned with the delivery of the message rather than the syntax (grammar, transitioning). I agree completely. When we Filipinos speak or write in Filipino, we hardly ever analyze if we are using the proper words often relying on context. Heck, our language has so far evolved to include gay lingo, which is oftentimes considered a dialect of its own. It is not only Filipinos who are guilty of this crime. Westerners often speak with wrong grammars but they really don’t care about it because they are after communication, and if the message gets across then it is already considered a success.

This crime against language is not exclusive to certain groups of people but is often considered by many as a common occurrence. But why is it that when we try to learn a different language, we are very conscious of the technicalities. We are embarrassed when we use a word in a wrong context and we apologize for errors. How many of us have truly delved deep into understanding our languages, caring enough to use it properly, and with pride, like we do for “international” languages such as English.

I came to a realization today as I was editing our university’s official website. For the entire month, we will be translating some portions to Filipino in commemoration of our Buwan ng Wika and Buwan ng Nasyonalismo (Language and Nationalism Month). It took me a while (and a lot of effort) to translate several announcements when it took me only a few minutes to do it in English, and when I finally did, I was so proud of myself.  But after some editing, I learned that I used some words wrong, and this brought me back to my reflection of how good we truly understand our language. How many of us remember the Filipino translation of nouns, pronouns, subjects, predicates, simple and complex sentences, etc.? (Sentence structure is different for Filipino). Sadly, my answer is barely. I barely remember what I learned when I was in the first grade, let alone in high school. I learned the language but I did not cherish it. Not in the way that it should be cherished and I fear that future generations are going farther down the line with the advent of texting and the internet.

So much so that when they watch television, they will see that some Filipinos who broke through the US market hardly ever speak Filipino anymore, and answer in slang English even if the questions are phrased in Filipino. So much so that when said artists do speak in Filipino, they don’t pronounce the words properly, as if they are foreigners having difficulty with the language. I shall not name names but these are the people that abhor the most — the type of people who forsake their roots because they have had a taste of something more. And this is the precise reason that I salute Filipinos who take pride of their origins despite being overseas for the longest time — Black Eyed Peas Apl.d.ap, UFC’s Brandon Vera and Mark Munoz, stage actresses Monique Wilson and Tony winner Ms. Leah Salonga. I believe their success stems from their pride in their roots, in their language, in their people.

We have to love our language. Whether it be English, Filipino, Chinese, Indonesian, Malaysian, African, or some rare language that only 10 people speak. We must be proud of our heritage because it is what makes us great people of one nation. If we do not speak our language, if we do not write books in our native words, our language will die, and so will our nations because nations are fueled by its citizen’s sense of pride in its culture, in its diversity and its history. And more than anything, language defines a nation’s identity.