tama kaya?

like what a good friend would do, i deemed it necessary to listen to this album.

it's more of a play-safe thing than anything else.

i know, there will come a time that mark will ask me this:

"anu ang paborito mung track sa album bok?"

and i don't want to end up getting dumped and un-friended on facebook  by foolishly answering:

"track number 15 pake, ayus iyun"

or worst, we might end up playing that sick bottoms-up shit that we automatically and happily take part in when we get drunk.

i already did my part. i can now safely declare that may favorite track is track number 14, "sabog na bandido". so let's move on, wait for the second album, promote it once again (12 months ahead), grab a copy, listen to the album multiple times, promote it some more and we will do the process over and over again.

wait...

listen to the album multiple times. that's step number one here.

i can't organize my thoughts so i'll skip step number two.

step number three and four is as easy as ctrl+a, ctrl+c and ctrl+v. from their website:

Bubblegoo is a Filipino Rock band formed in Baler, Aurora in 2007, consisting of Tobit Rubio (vocals and guitar), Mark Israel (bass and backing vocals) and Apa Rivera (drums and backing vocals).

Bubblegoo came up with a home-made demo CD in 2008. It contains 4 original songs (Magik, Greening, It’s Such A Shame I Think About You When I Smoke, and Know Your Insects). Only about 10 CDs were produced. Most were given to fellow local musician friends. Few copies were intended to be given to top radio stations and record labels in Manila. One copy made it to NU 107′s In The Raw sometime in 2010, the demo got positive remarks from Francis Reyes.

It was August of 2010 when they started doing Metro Manila gigs. That time, with a fourth member and second guitarist Alexies Racca who was Tobit’s schoolmate in high school. Bubblegoo was first regular at Freedom Bar.

2011 saw Bubblegoo producing a 2nd demo CD which has 8 songs (Magik, ‘Di Nila Alam, Know Your Insects, I Want Drrug, Dekada, Greening, It’s Such A Shame I Think About You When I Smoke, and Anung Nangyari). The tracks are combinations of home and studio recordings, and a couple of songs from the first demo CD. Tobit called the compilation “RadioReady” in response to a schoolmate who listened to the first demo CD and commented that the songs are okay but not yet radio ready because of the rough mixes. Lots of copies of RadioReady were randomly given to friends and acquaintances they met on gigs.

Bubblegoo started as big followers of grunge (or grunge-sounding) bands like Nirvana, Pixies, Foo Fighters (post-grunge) and The Vines (post-grunge); old-school punk acts like The Sex Pistols and Joy Division; and Brit sound like Blur, Oasis, and Radiohead. Local bands like Teeth and Eraserheads were a big influence to them as well.

i'm venturing into the unknown now, so bear with me.

but...

conventional wisdom will tell you that you don't review a friends album.ever. for some very obvious reason. so i'll stop venturing to the unknown and go straight to the point instead.

for a debut album, "tama kaya" exceeded my expectations. kidding aside, you don't need a rock journalists'god-given ears and instinct to music to fully appreciate this piece of art. it's not rocket science man.

ayus bok.

magaling.

astig.

sabog na bandido, sabog na bandido ka...
sabog na bandido, sabog na bandido ka...
sabog na bandido, sabog na bandido ka...

i was

pinoy hoops

i once promised somebody that i used to know that i will never watch a basketball game at the mall of asia arena unless she tags along with me. i wanted my inaugural visit at the state of the art stadium to be extra special so it's just apt that she would be my date when that moment arrives. she loves the game as much as i do and she has this some kind of infatuation towards my almost-namesake players that i cheerfully abused. that is the main reason why i never cared to attend the october 10 NBA pre-season game between the rockets and the pacers at the one year old coliseum. okay, that would be excuse 1A. excuse 1B: the ticket is worth a decent makeshift house here in our country.

i soon found out that that somebody i used to know has other plans. but still, i kept my promise, and never lose hope. that's how sacred basketball related vows are to me.

untill...

last friday, october 18, 2013 bernie, a friend, informed me that he has two-(2) patron PBA Governor's Cup Finals game four tickets between my revered petron plaze boosters and his san mig coffee mixers. i was torned. it's the blaze boosters, we will be seating on one of the best seats in the house and it's game four of the PBA finals, with my team leading the best-of-seven series two games to one. will i keep my promise or grab the opportunity to cheer and watch the game just a few feet away? the closest that i watched the PBA live is a lower box seat at the araneta coliseum. i let my stupid self took over and decide over my real one for a few minutes. should have been a no-brainer. she broke her promise, it's about time to brake mine and have a glimpse of erika padilla and/or sel guevarra up close and personal. time to get even, on basketball terms at least.

and so we went.

we arrived at the arena 20 minutes before tip-off,  the annual PBA LEO awards had just concluded and arwind santos is the only player on the court, embracing the elusive MVP trophy that he has been chasing since he joined the league. it was a good sign for my team. june mar fajardo failed to grab the rookie of the year award though. it would have been better. with excitement still washing all over my body, i scanned the court, looking for erika or sel, hoping that either one of them will be the courtside reporter for tonight's game. it was the stunning rizza diaz instead. not bad. now, if you guys don't know what i'm talking about, you've been missing a lot lately, i mean, a lot. 

a quick scan to my left, lewis alfred tenorio and his gilrfriend, to my right, air force ellis too busy interacting with some fans, four seats to my right, the injured alex cabagnot on street clothes, right in front of me, one of PBA's 25 greatest players of all time, the great hector calma. ronny nathanielsz on courtside, kume chito salud relaxing on his throne at the commisioner's row, his ever loyal media bureau chief willie marcial alongside him. cheska garcia and the rest of the petron blaze boosters wives/girlfriends and their kids all over patron 118 blue section. just an ordinary day by PBA standard, not for me. ginger conijero arrived just on time to witness the game four demise of our team and to console her boyfriend, that lucky alex cabagnot.

it was a great game. running on all cylinders, the san mig coffee mixers built a huge lead that went as high as 28 points before settling for 25 at half time. my companion, bernie was all smiles, while clapping silently and discreetly, during the course of the first half, jokingly liking the petron team to the up maroons. i said no, they are like the mapua cardinals. that's how poorly my team played for the first 24 minutes of the ballgame. (no disrespect to the fighting maroons and the cardinals, so don't take it personally).

petron had a furious rally halfway through the third quarter and trimmed san mig's lead to just four at the end of it. from there, it was a see-saw battle. my team even manged to grab a four point lead only to squander it and eventually lose the game.

it was a surreal experience for me. playing basketball or simply watching a close game is one of only few things that makes me feel high, without thc running through my bloodstream. 

filipinos' love for basketball is simply undeniable and indisputable. the past few months has been basketball heaven here in our country. we have witnessed the cinderella run of our gilas pilipinas, finally, after years of trying,  punching a ticket again at the 2014 fiba worlds in spain by beating the ghost of korea last august, right here in our homesoil, followed by the epic UAAP Finals three game series between the green archers and the growling tigers, then the historic first ever NBA pre-season games pitting the rockets and the pacers at the MOA arena, and now, the on-going PBA Governor's Cup Finals. 

there's more. the basketball gods have more gifts for us. they seem to know that we filipinos celebrate the christmas season the longest so they decided to pour on their presents this early.

pinoy hoops.

(photo was taken here.)

it's the icing on the cake of some sort. 

the first ever documentary about pinoy's passion for basketball by rafe bartholomew, the author of the best-selling book, "pacific rim" (not the sci-fi movie). this guy is interesting. he knows so much about pinoy hoops. when i read this article, i thought it was the dean, quinito henson or bill velasco who wrote it. he knows the players by name, their characters and even their color preferences. i just hope he translates his knowledge to the documentary.

premiers monday, october 21 @ 9pm, on the national geographic channel.

must see tv.

life's a beach (day of the dead concert)

save for the mini brawl that happened when the event was about to be concluded, last years' INB's 10th year benefit jam anniversary, as the mahdox boys would like to put it, was a "quality" one. well, i'm not really sure about excluding that small fracas, i think it made the event more lively and entertaining. it's a rock concert so it's just fitting that there should be a bar fight of some sort. but it doesn't mean that i want to see another one this time. i checked every details of the poster above (which i used without permission from green apple and beredeman productions) and i can't see anything that reads PXC 40 or UFC 164.

im hoping to hear a thank you speech from  naomi aoki in this gig, detailing how they made it to wanderbands' next round and how they are going to win it all. but unless we all stop sharing their video, we won't be hearing any heartwarming spiel from them so share, share and share, its free, anyway. and don't forget to hit the like button too.

and another one from bubblegoo for their much awaited (and long overdue) album.

save the date.

november 2, 2013, day of the dead.

admission is free.

LIFE'S A BEACH.

san pa, adi sa pinakamagandang resort sa harap ng mahdox surf school, sa RUSHIE'S POINT!

For every choice, mistake I made, is not my plan

ang alamat ng bookshelves

the following are based on true events.

ika-walo ng hulyo, taong dalawang libo at labing-tatlo, alas nuwebe ng umaga, pagkatapos ng isang asignatura ni mam marya ay nagtungo siya sa aklatan ng ansci mula sa dalawang palapag na gusali kung saan ginanap ang kanyang klase upang maghanap at manghiram ng kopya ng librong fifty shades of grey. na-curious siya sa nilalaman ng nasabing aklat dahil sa mga nabasa nya sa yahoo.com na ito daw ay gagawin ng pelikula sa mga susunod na panahon. sa kanyang paglalakbay patungo sa aklatan ay nakasalubong niya ang kanyang mga kapwa guro na dati rati ay mga guro niya at palihim na kinamumuhian paminsan minsan dahil sa tingin niya ay pag-papahirap sa kanya at sa kanyang mga kaklase, labinglimang taon na ang nakararaan. kamakailan lang, ang lihim na galit sa kanyang mga dating guro ay napalitan na ng pasasalamat simula ng mapagtanto ni mam marya na lahat pala ng mga lihim niyang bintang sa kanila ay pawang mga bintang lamang. binati niya ang mga ito ng magandang umaga kasabay ng maluwang at tunay na ngiti. at sila ay nag-beso-beso. nakipag-batian din siya sa ilang mga estudyante na nasalubong niya at kumaway pa nga ang ilan. nasalubong din niya si mang waks na matagal ng janitor sa ansci at silang dalawa ay nag-apir.

pagdating niya sa gusaling aklatan, siya ay (medyo) nagulat sa kanyang nakita. at siya ay nanlumo. ito ang kanyang nasaksihan (kahit siya ay medyo nagulat at nanlumo, nakuha pa rin na ilabas ni mam marya ang kanyang android tablet, at dahil likas na multi-tasking ang mga estudyante ng ansci, nakunan niya ng larawan ang aklatan): 

nag-halo-halo ang emosyon ng baguhang guro ng ansci. una niyang napag-tuunan ng pansin ang dalawang estudyante na sinisikap na imisin at i-salansan ang kalat-kalat na mga libro sa loob na maliit na silid aklatan. at dito niya napagtanto na hindi pala ito gusaling aklatan kundi silid aklatan lamang. hindi nya rin malaman kung saan at kanino sya maawa: sa dalawang estudyante na sa halip na nag-aaral o nag-pe-peysbuk ay matyagang ini-isa-isa at binubukod ang mga libro ayon sa uri; sa kisame na parang tinamaan ng meteorite; o sa mga libro mismo. hindi nya rin naiwasang itanong sa sarili kung umaandar pa ang ceiling fan na piping saksi sa kung anuman ang nangyari sa mga nagdaang panahon at ganito ang sinapit ng mga aklat na minsan ding naging instrumento niya upang matupad ang pangarap niyang maging guro, na matyagang nakabitin sa maayos ng parte ng kisame. dahil sa pag-kalito, nakalimutan na ni mam marya ang pakay nya sa lugar na 'yon. 

umalis siya sa nasabing lugar na may dagdag na panibagong layunin sa buhay. subalit hindi pa niya alam kung ano ito. mag-hapon na bumagabag sa isipan ng guro kung ano iyong dagdag na layunin sa kanyang buhay na dapat niyang matupad. hindi siya makapag-turo at makapag-isip ng mabuti sa huli niyang asignatura ng araw na iyon. maaga niyang pinauwi ang kanyang klase subalit bumalik din sila kaagad sa kanilang silid dahil bawal sa ansci ang umuwi ng maaga.

dis-oras ng gabi ng araw ding iyon, sa ginta ng kalituhan, napahinto bigla si mam marya sa pag-iisip kung ano iyong bagong layunin niya sa buhay na dapat niyang matupad, at siya ay napangiti. animo'y natuklasan na ng guro ang sagot sa katanungan na buong araw ng bumabagabag sa kanyang isipan. bumangon siya, binuksan ang personal computer at nag-log in sa peysbuk. pumunta siya sa TS group at pi-nost ang kuha niyang larawan. at siya ay nag-iwan ng tanong sa dati niyang mga kaklase: 

"ano ang mali/kulang/dapat ayusin sa larawan?"

siya ay nag-log-out at natulog ng mahimbing...

at nakangiti.

kinabukasan...

alas-singko ng madaling araw, mas maaga ng tatlumpong minuto kaysa sa normal na gising ng guro tuwing may pasok, siya ay nagalak na bumangon. binuksan ang PC, log-in agad sa peysbuk.

mahigit tatlumpong notipikasyon ang bumati sa kanya. muli, napangiti si mam marya. sa wakas, nasambit ng guro, masasagot na rin ang aking katanungan. at ito ang ilan sa mga komento sa post na kanyang iniwan ng nagdaang gabi.:

dating kaklase 1 (nasa KSA ngayun): mAm, ynG mga ilAw! dApt paltaN n dAgdgan! saka yung lMp sHade, praNg prOps lang, pAlitan ng tuNay!

dating kaklase 2 (nasa sabang): kaput manen!

dating kaklase 1: laByU dating kaklase 2!

dating kaklase 1: yUNg lBrarY, i-deMoliZ & paliTn nG mAs MalaKing bUilding!

dating kaklase 3 (nasa tabi-tabi): akaw mahal iyun, de kaya.

ni-like lahat ng isang dating kaklase na nasa cubao lang ang lahat ng mga comments pati na rin ang post.

dating kaklase 4 (nasa US): kulang ng wall clock!

dating kaklase 5 (nasa US din): anu kaya kung mag-ambagan muna tayu habang de natin matukuy kung anu talaga ang prayoridad at kung anu ang mali/kulang/dapat ayusin sa dati nating library.

dating kaklase 6 (sarper kuno): tama si dating kaklase 5! ambagan muna tayu, 1k ku na.

dating kaklase 2: 1k ku na rin.

dating kaklase 7 (nasa US din): gawa tayu ng bank account para maihulug naming mga expats yung ambag namin.

muling ni-like lahat ng isang dating kaklase na nasa cubao lang ang lahat ng mga comments.

dating kaklase 8 (nasa middle east): 2k ku peso ha de dollar.hehehehe

dating kaklase 9 (nasa canada): ipapadala ku na lang kay dating kaklase 2 yung ambag ku.

marami pang positibong komento ang nabasa si mam marya, ang iba ay biro, na muli, ay ni-like lahat ng isang dating kaklase na nasa cubao lang.

paulit-ulit binasa ni mam marya ang mga komento at suhestyon sa kanyang post.

"hindi din nila masagot kung ano ang bago kong layunin sa buhay na dapat kong matupad." ang sabi niya sa sarili. "para pa rin silang mga bata, parang hindi mga seryoso sa buhay". dagdag niya.

lumipas ang segundo, minuto, oras, araw at linggo. nakakalap ng sapat na pondo ang grupo dahil na rin sa pagtu-tulungan ng isa't-isa. dito napatunayan ni mam marya na mali siya sa iniisip na hinde seryoso ang dati niyang mga kaklase na matulungan siya sa kanyang mga problema.

at siya ay muling napaisip.

"sapat na pondo?"

"pano ko malalaman na sapat na ang pondo namin kung hindi ko pa o namin natutukoy ang problema?"

dahil dito ay na-doble ang pag-aalala ni mam marya. muli siyang bumalik sa aklatan upang doon ay pag-aralan niyang mabuti ang kalagayan nito. sa pag-kakataong ito, siya ay natuwa sa kanyang nakita. muli, nilabas ni mam marya ang kanyang android tablet, at kinunan ng larawan ang aklatan. sa pag-kakataon ding ito, napangiti siya dahil bigla niyang naalala si mang cards, na siyang matyagang tiga-kuha ng larawan nila nung sila ay nag-aaral pa sa ansci. 

at ito ang kanyang nakita:

"maayos na ang kisame, subalit parang kulang ng bookshelves?" sabi ng guro.

bigla siyang napahinto.

"bookhelves!"

"kailangan ng library ng bookshelves!"

pasigaw na sabi ng matalinong guro.

at gamit ang nakalap na pondo at ang bagong tuklas na solusyon, nag-pagawa ng bookshelves ang naliwanagang guro....

quality

If the going ever gets tough, alalahanin sana ninyo itong mensahe ni Pareng Bob Marley: “He’s not perfect. You aren’t either, and the two of you will never be perfect. But if he can make you laugh at least once, causes you to think twice, and if he admits to being human and making mistakes, hold onto him and give him the most you can. He isn’t going to quote poetry, he’s not thinking about you every moment, but he will give you a part of him that he knows you could break. Don’t hurt him, don’t change him, and don’t expect for more than he can give. Don’t analyze. Smile when he makes you happy, yell when he makes you mad, and miss him when he’s not there. Love hard when there is love to be had. Because perfect guys don’t exist, but there’s always one guy that is perfect for you.”

parte itu ng mensahe ni jeannette nung kasal ni jay at misu, aka 2012 wedding of the year, aka tropangspider wedding of the decade, aka how-could-you-possibly-top-that-wedding-event?, aka the tropangspider wedding standard. unconsciously,  mataas ang standard na nalikha ninyu brad. mahirap iyung higitan. o kahit na tapatan at gayahin man lang. peru de naman talaga dapat at kailangan iyun na higitan o tapatan man lang ng kahit na sinu man sa atin dahil iyun ay ginawa ninyu para sa inyung sariling ikaliligaya at de para higitan o tapatan man lang ni betong o ni markus o ni jeannette o ng kahit na sinu man sa atin.

akaw, isang taun na pala ang nakaraan mula ng huli akung nag-suut ng barung at napag-kamalan na corrupt na opisyal ng gobyerno. isang taun na pala ang lumipas mula ng huli kung makita si batu, antun, marik, hyacintha at kelly nabong. isang taun na pala ang nagdaan mula ng huli kung nakita na umiyak si misu at tita emily dahil sa sobrang galak at tuwa. isang taun na rin pala ang nalagas mula nung muntik na akung dalhin sa ospital nila johnred at betong. at isang taun mu na palang ex-girlfriend si michelle. kumbaga, sa usapang may asawa, de pa matagal yung isang taun. peru sabi nila yung unang taun daw talaga ang pinaka...aryo, teka, aku nga pala dapat ang huling taung nag-sasalita tungkul sa mga bagay na may kinalaman sa buhay may asawa o pag-aasawa. walang kokontra.

sabi naman ni nicolle sa kanyang kanta: "when you see her face, there's not a thing that you would change. cause boy she's amazing, just the way she is." aba, pati yung bata boy, alam kung ganu ka kaswerte.

walang thought itu ay ginagawa ku. kalat kalat at kaput kaput.

happy wedding anniversary na lang boss. mahal namin kayung dalawa!

paul george

Last March 5, 2013 NBA Philippines announced that the Indiana Pacers and Houston Rockets will play at the Mall of Asia Arena, come October 10, 2013 as  part of the 2013-2014 NBA Preseason Games. Experts predicted  that tickets for the event will be as high as PhP 25,000.00, that's barely $600.00. That's also enough money to buy me two pairs of Jordan 11's: a pair of concorde and a pair of breds. And for an "average NBA fan" (average - money wise) like me, if i want to slap hands and do high five's with Paul George, Roy Hibbert, David West, James Harden, Jeremy Lin, Omer Asik and/or perhaps with Danny Granger and Dwight Howard(?) on October 10, that would mean skipping my lunch for six months, getting sober for four months, and avoiding getting high for five months. That's a tall order. And if it so happens that Raam would woke up one day, suddenly wanting to see Gerald Green doing a windmill dunk off an alley-oop pass from George Hill, then you just do the math.

It is for the Filipino NBA fans, they say, the fans that NBA Commissioner David Stern described as "among the most passionate in the world". It is for the fans that's why tickets will be "affordable", one MOA official said and that the report about that PhP 25,000.00 court side ticket is ridiculous. They never gave figures, they just said that admission would be favorable for us, "average NBA fans", until before Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals. How fast things have changed.  It won't come cheap, Yahoo Philippines reported. Indeed it is.Well, at least the word "cheap" is included in the headline. No blaming NBA Philippines and MOA officials here though. We should blame Paul George, Roy Hibbert and the rest of the Indiana Pacers for this. We, the "average NBA Fans" admonish them for thumping the Atlanta Hawks, for making Melo and the Knicks looking like the Melo led Denver Nuggets that never won a playoff series and for going all the way to the ECF, almost beating the defending champs.It could have been PhP 3,200.00 not PhP 32,000.00, Paul George.

So much about that damn overpriced tickets.

Spurs in six.

You read it right, old pal. I will be rooting for your San Antonio Spurs this time of the year, for the same exact reason that I rooted for the Bucks, Bulls and Pacers: I despise that Miami Heat team, specifically, the self proclaimed king (save for Coach Spo of course).To me LBJ is a bête noire. I still hate him for bringing his talent to south beach instead of trying to win his rings in Cleveland. He should have waited for Kyrie Irving rather than teaming up with D-Wade and CB or waited for Dan Gilbert to orchestrate a Pat Riley like trade to give him the supporting cast that he needed to get that first elusive ring. But he took a detour and chose the easy route. The almost easy route. Then there was the Ray Allen Trade. The Shane Floppier antiques. The Mike Miller timely three's. atmaramipangiba.

And besides, me and the Big Fundamental had a strong relationship in the past (bromance?). I once had a life size poster of Timothy Theodore Duncan, all 6'11 of his frame, posted in a wall of my room, way back 1998, when he was still a power forward and  David Robinson was their center. (Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett should be listed as fives not fours).

The Spurs will become the world champions once again at the American Airlines Arena on June 18, 2013. But the Miami Heat will not just hand them the Larry O'Brien trophy tout de suite. We could talk all day about Lebron's decisions but still, there's no denying the man's talent, power, ability and basketball know-how. When I claimed that he is an  anathema, i mean it in a complimentary way. For the Miami Heat, this series will be all about him. They need a 40-10-12 production a night from him, with zero turnovers, four steals and four blocks, to win it all or at least make this one a series.

Clearly, D-Wade and Chrish Bosh are still hurting. But come game time, they will give their all, as they have shown in the Game 7 of the ECF. They will, they should, they must. But like any other athletes, their body will eventually betray them in the end, unless somebody gives them a magic beans.

And for the Spurs?

It will be all about the great Pop. He will make the necessary in-game adjustments and match-ups. Play mind games with the referees. Make Eric Spoelstra sleepless at nights. Answer every reporters question sarcastically, with one liner punch lines. Call out Pat Riley maybe. Or get the ire of Commissioner David Stern for the second time this season. How about sending T-Mac, Nando de Colo, De Juan Blair, Cory Joseph and Boris Diaw home for game 2? Or making them his starting five for Game 1? How much would it cost the Spurs Association? We could only speculate what his plans are, that's why he is a genius, on all matters basketball.

Those so called basketball connoisseur has the Miami as the title favorites bro. I had the Spurs in six, but then again, as Rasheed Wallace said, "Ball Don't Lie".

Kung sa atin naman, "Bilog ang Bola".

Sabay gan-un anu? :-)

(And yes, just like all of you, I also have forgotten that  LeBron's Cleveland Cavaliers has once faced this almost exact Greg Popovich-led San Antonio Spurs six years ago.)

nba playoffs

i have already forgiven jalen rose for that "walis, walis" thing that he said about my mighty boston celtics during a halftime show in a game between the lakers and the spurs. it could have been more obvious, with the celtics down 0-3 in the series, and averaging only 75 points per game, i thought they would just roll over and die. but insulting them on national tv, using our very own language i think is simply too much. yes, to me, it was a slur, well, with your team losing, down 0-3, facing elimination at home, sans the best point guard in the nba, every opinion and reaction against them could be very well regarded and taken negatively. that's how a fan retorts.

it's been a very long first round. only two teams has been swept. four teams will again fight for their lives tomorrow to prolong their season, and two teams will battle for a winner take all game seven, the day after tomorrow.

jason collins and the basketball gods are watching closely.

red auerbach is always ready to intervene once he sees doc, kg and paul desperately pushing the c's panic button.

the spurs' well deserved rest is over and steph curry and the gang are "coming over to get them" jopay.:-)

the houston rockets' will survive the first round, yes they will, if patrick beverly could also tore kd's lateral meniscus and as long as whoever-what-his-name-is free throws are sinking in.

it would be david stern's last playoffs as nba commisioner. let's just wait and see what is it that he stored for us in his bag of tricks. maybe another $250,000.00 fine for the spurs for using this jersey?

we never know...

lab1ng5ima

intro

kinse segundos para humikab at mag-unat

kinse segundos para mag-isip kung anong gagawin pag-kagising

kinse minutos para maghugas ng plato

kinse minutos para mag-lunch break

kinse minutos para maligo

kinse minutos para mag-abang ng siksikang tren

kinse minutos para mag antay ng bulok na jeep

kinse minutos para mag-basa ng duguang frontpage ng  dyaryo

kinse minutos para mag-dasal sa dyos, na, nananaginip

...............

pero iba ang labinglimang taon

kinseng taon para mag-kalat ng lagim

kinseng taon para humubog ng matinding samahan

kinseng taon para mag-ingay ng walang humpay

...............

kaya, takbo na

maghanap na ng matataguan

dahil puputok na 

ang kalibre kinse

ngayon na

- kinse kalibre intro, slapshock (sa pag-bigkas ni lourd de veyra)

intro ulit

"you can't aim too high."

yan ang matapang na mensahe ng 12" x 20" poster na niregalu (o rinegalu?) ni jeannette sakin nung March 31, 1998, isa't kalahating dekada na ang nakaraan. tandang tanda ku iyan, de ku iyan makakalimutan.

minsan naisip ku, bakit kaya ganun ang binigay niya sa akin? at bakit kaya poster lang?

medun akung teyorya at haka-haka kung bakit.

siguru, malamang, nakikita niya aku nuun palagi na pilit inaabut yung rim (rim ang tawag duun, de ring) sa basketball court natin sa ANSHS. pinipilit mag-dunk, kahit hirap. kaya naman ay. kaunting praktis at determinasyon lang. naabut ku din naman iyun dati at nag-tagumpay na madakdakan, nung medyu tumungu na yung rim, gamit ang bola ng volleyball.

insert: do not kick the volleyball ball - sir cabanayan

panu ku iyun nagawa? tungu na nga yung rim ay kaya medyu mababa na tapus bola pa ng volleyball yung gamit kaya madali na lang gawin. peru bukud duun, medun akung "workout" na ginawa para tumaas ng kaunti yung talun ku, gamit ang manual na binigay sakin ng isang kaibigan at masugid na kalaru at kakumpetensya sa basketball. manual na ginawa at sinulat daw ni spud webb. epektibo naman. tumaas naman ng ilang pulgada yung lundag ku dati.

may problema lang. iniisip ku na dati kung panu makapag 360, off-the-dribble-two-handed-reverse at windmill dunk, nakalimutan ku na pag-aralan yung basics. de pa nga pala aku masyadung maalam na mag-dribble nuun gamit ang kaliwang kamay, reverse lay-up na agad ang hinangad ku na matutunan. nag-workout aku para tumaas ang lundag, de naman nag-palaki ng brasu at katawan para sa pakikibag-banggaan. dyableg.

tama nga naman, "you can't aim too high".

peru de rin. obra laang naman ay. nasa iyu na lang iyan kung maniniwala ka. sa kasu ku, parang nasa sub-conscious ku na yata ang kataga na iyan. ilang taun din niya akung pinaniwala at kinulung sa matapang at mapanghimasuk niyang mensahe. hanggang sa makilala at mabasa ku ang ilang aklat ni jack canfield, dale carnegie, spencer johnson, gretchen rubin, joel osteen at kung sinu-sinu pang author ng mga self-help books na nagku-kwento ng mga nakaka-inspire na true to life story,daw (de kari, si jack canfield lang ang kilala ku sa mga iyan. ayaw kung basahin at kausapin si joel osteen, mag-kasalungat ang paniniwala namin sa buhay. ganun din si jack canfield, medyu taliwas din minsan ang paniniwala niya sa paniniwala ku peru mas nakaka-relate aku sa kanya) dun aku nag-umpisang malitu. sinu ang paniniwalaan ku, ang poster na galing kay jeannette o yung payu ng mga author na kahit paanu ay nakalalamang at mas may alam sa akin tungkul sa buhay?

background music:

"kung saan ka man abutin, pare ko, tandaan mo lang, c.r. mo ang buong mundo."

"alcohol, alcohol utak mo'y buhol buhol." (4x)

yung poster na iyun, nilagay ku dati sa likud ng pintuan ng aparador ku. siguru para bihira ku lang siyang makita at mabasa. at dahil punu na din yung dingding ng kwarto ku nuun ng poster nila michael jordan, grant hill, allen iverson at penny hardaway. peru kahit de ku iyun lagi nakikita o nababasa, andali naman tandaan nuun.

de ku yata pati napasalamatan si bakla nuun sa regalu niya, dahil bukud sa pagiging mag-kaklase ay wala naman kaming espesyal na samahan o relasyon. kaya nga medyu nagulat aku nung inabut niya sa akin ang kanyang regalu. de ku iyun inaasahan. bibihira lang nga yata kaming mag-usap nuun o mag-batian man lang. dahil ang tingin ku sa mga kaklase natin na nasa top ten nuun  ay gods. them gods know everything. sila sila lang ang dapat na nag-uusap. at sila sila lang ang may karapatan na mag-kaintindihan. kung usu na ang cellphone nung mga panahun na iyun, sila yung may mga smartphone gaya ng nexus 4, samsung galaxy s3, samsung galaxy note 2 o htc one x+. custom made ang features ng mga nabanggit na cellphone para sa kanila. samantalang kaming estudyanteng sagigilid ay nakikitxt lang sa mga may cellphone na nokia 3210 o nakikigamit lang ng radyo na may rubber duck na antenna. 10-2, 10-2. 10-4?

peru de obrang sila-sila lang ang dapat nag mag-kagustuhan at mag-ka-krasan. masyadung diskriminasyon naman na pag gan-un. wala naman ng kinalaman ang grade mu sa p.e. o sa values education sa karapatan mung humanga o mag-ka-kras. saka de yata proportion ang bilang ng mga nasa top ten na lalaki sa bilang ng mga nasa sa top ten na babai. sa huling pag-kaka-alam ku, walang myembro ng mga nasa top ten nuun ang kabilang sa LGBT community. aywan laang ngay-un.

wala na yung poster na iyun. iba na rin ang may-ari nung aparador.

(parang walang koneksyon yung poster sa teorya anu. parang gustu ku lang sabihin na kaya ku mag-dunk dati, pinahaba ku lang ng kaunti)

chapter 1: classmates etc.

1. jericelle

2. jenniffer

3. aileen

4. roselle

5. maria salve amor

6. adeline

7. april

8. noreen

9. james lawrence

10. josephine

11. konny

12. mirasol

13. sherwin

14. ilyn

15. ramil

yung unang labing apat, limitadu na lang ang alam ku sa buhay-buhay nila. de ku na alam ang kanilang whereabouts. malamang, ganun din sila sa akin. de naman sa interesadu aku sa kanila dahil may i-o-offer aku na produkto, ma-ngo-ngopya ng assignment, o uutang aku, peru makatuwa laang din isipin pa-minsan minsan kung nasaan na nga sila, anu na ang trabahu nila, anung kotse ang kanilang minamaneho, anu na ang paborito nilang pagkain, anung cellphone ang gamit nila, katulad pa rin nila kaya kami na electric fan ang nililinis pag binabanas o aircon na, at kilala pa kaya nila tayu? sila lang yung mga nilista ku, in no particular order, dahil bukud sa kanila, yung iba ay halus araw araw ku naman ka-text, kausap sa mga post, kainuman at kahit-hitan. si ramil?   pampunu lang siya para lang maging sakto yung labing-lima dahil ang tema ng aking sinusulat ngayun ay temang pang-labing lima. ramil who? (salamat pala kay bay sa pag-kompirma na ang pangalan talaga ni ramil ay ramil nga.)

chapter 2: reunion 2.0

isa si ramil sa mga gagawin kung dahilan para ang konsepto ng ating reunion 2.0 ay maging mas kapana-panabik. bibigyan ku kayu ng labing limang dahilan para maging mas makatotohanan ang binabalak na reunion 2.0. isa din aku sa naging pasimunu nung unang reunion natin nung december 2008, some fifty one months ago. de pala, de ku aarin ang konsepto ng reunion 2.0 natin, konsepto iyun ni john red. at oo, siya din ang unang unang nakaisip na tayu ay dapat ng mag-reunion nuung 2008, kaya sa kanya pa din iyun. ilang beses ng nabanggit ni john red ang konsepto na ikalawang reunion natin, nung kasal ni jay, nung post b-day celebration ni kap at sa marami pang pag-kakataun. sa makahiya na din, sa halip na isa sa atin ang nakaka-isip nuun ay "ibang" tau pa ang nakaisip nuun para sa atin.(para kay john red: maraming ibig sabihin ang salitang "iba" na ginamit ku sa huling pangungusap. depende na lang iyan kung panu mu siya hi-himay-himayin at kakatayin. peru dahil sa kunwari ay nag-paliwanag naman na aku sa iyu, naiintindihan mu naman na siguru anu. sabi nga ni armi ng up dharma down: "matalino ka naman. kung ikaw at ako.....").

at itu na nga, ang

labing limang malupit na dahilan kung bakit kailangan nating ituluy at kung bakit kailangan nating dumalu kung sakaling matuluy man ang reunion 2.0:

1. si ramil. mag-lalaan ng isang oras o higit pa para pag-usapan si ramil, kung anu ang kanyang naidulut na saya, takut o anu mang emosyon ang naramdaman natin nuun sa tuwing makikita natin siya sa ating iskul na may dalang teddy bear at isang dosenang bulaklak. gagawin itung open forum, at si pia ang tatayung host.

2. 99.9%. pag-tu-tulung-tulungang sagutin nila jeannette, sol, jp, konny, at kung sinu mang matalinung kaklase natin nuun,  na de hamak na mas marami ang alam sa atin pagdating sa siyensya, kung panu pupuksain yung natitirang 0.1% na germs na de kayang puksain ng sabun na safeguard.

3. kakantahin ulit namin nila markus at ando yung luha ng the teeth, at syempre mag-papaliwanag kami, habang sumasayaw si betong ng always, kung bakit namin iyun kinanta at kung bakit pang-apat lang kami, out of four participating bands, sa battle of the bands na sinalihan namin nuun sa maria aurora, aurora.

4. si mam de mesa ang guest speaker. (para mas marami o lahat ng boys ay pumunta)

5. wala ng surprise quiz, kaya de na ninyu kailangan na mag-review.

6. itu ang mga ihahain:

          0. tig-iisang brownies.

          1. hors d'oeuvre - beluga caviar

          2. soup - saffron fish stew with white beans

          3. shellfish - shellfish with chipotle and tequila

          4. palate cleanser - apple and calvados sorbet

          5. main course - one pan salmon with roast asparagus

          6. cold dish - black fungus with mashed garlic

          7. dessert - chocolate mint bars

( sa mga nakalistang pagkain, item 0 pa lang ang natitikman ku, de ku rin alam kung magandang kombinasyon para sa seven course meal yung item 1-7, sa madaling salita, nag-a-alam alaman lang aku pagdating sa pagkain. tip: pag naka brownies ka na, kahit anung ihain na pagkain ay masarap na, masaya ka pa habang kumakain.)

7. puru happy horse ang iinumin, mas wasak, mas masaya.

8. mag-pa-pa raffle ng sampung electric fan, limang washing machine, tatlung ref, at isang tricycle.

9. may group picture ulit na gaya nitu:

peru sa susunud, isang camera na lang ang gagamitin para de malitu ang bawat isa kung saan titingin. saka i-po-photoshop muna bagu i-publish, para naman pumuti kami nila betong at jay kahit paanu.

10. may special performance si mang junior at ang universal motion kids.

11. pati na rin ang fantasy girls kasama si asec tayag ng doh.

12. iimbitahin at pipilitin na paratingin ng mga organizers sila ramon bautista, lourd ernest hanopol de veyra, at jun sabayton. para lalung masaya. peru de naman sila mag-tatagal, dahil unang una, de naman natin sila ka-batch. (ay pag itu ang nangyari, pwede na aku mamatay kinabukasan. kasing babaw din lang ng mga jokes ni bayaw ang kaligayahan ku ay.)

13. mamimigay ulit ng box box na tsokolate si jopay at ng informative reading materials si jeannete.

14. dalawang banda na ang tutugtug, sa halip na isa lang, rugged band at bubblegoo.

15. at masasagut na rin sa wakas ang isa sa pinaka-malaki at pinaka-kontrobersyal na misteryo ng ating batch na lampas isa at kalahating dekada ding bumagabag sa ating isipan: ang pag-amin mismu ni bay kung saan baga talaga yung sakit niya na tinutukuy sa kanyang ginawang excuse letter nuun... kahit baga worst kept secret nila iyun ni mam querijero ay maigi pa rin na sa kanya mismu mang-galing kung saang parte ng kanyang katawan tumubu ang kanyang sakit. (pake, pangit basahin yung pigsa o skin disease ay kaya sakit na lang ang ginamit ku na termino.)

binasa ku ulit,  "labing limang malupit na dahilan kung bakit kailangan nating ituluy at kung bakit kailangan nating dumalu kung sakaling matuluy man ang reunion 2.0".

mali pala. de pala dapat  " labing limang malupit na dahilan kung bakit kailangan nating ituluy at kung bakit kailangan nating dumalu kung sakaling matuluy man ang reunion 2.0". 

dapat pala ang pamagat lang nung labing limang item na iyun ay "labing limang malupit na dahilan kung bakit kailangan nating dumalu kung sakaling matuluy man ang reunion 2.0."

hiwalay pala dapat at pre-requisite yung "labing limang malupit na dahilan kung bakit kailangan nating ituluy ang reunion 2.0."

at itu na iyun sila, ang labing limang malupit na dahilan kung bakit kailangan nating ituluy ang reunion 2.0:

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

13.

14.

15.

bahala na kayung mag-isip para sa sarili ninyu ng labing limang dahilan kung bakit kailangan nating ituluy ang reunion 2.0. pag nakaisip kayu ng lampas labing limang dahilan, piliin nyu na lang yung sa palagay ninyu ay pinakamalupit na labing lima, isulat sa papel at itagu. kung pitu, dalawa cha, labing apat, walo cha o isa lang ang naisip ninyu, de kayu kasali sa magaganap na reunion 2.0. yung labing limang dahilan na iyun na nakasulat sa papel ang magiging passes o ticket ng bawat isa. de po papapasukin sa venue ang kulang sa labing lima ang dahilan. bawal din ang may parehong dahilan (saka na lang natin i-define kung anu ang magiging basehan para tawaging "parehong dahilan" ang mga nilista natin na mga dahilan).

lilinawin ku lang, de naman sa dahil sa itung taun na itu ang ika-isa at kalahating dekadang anibersaryo ng ating pagtatapos ay dapat na nating ganapin ang reunion 2.0 sa disyembre, o sa nobyembre o sa abril. de naman itu dapat madaliin, kung sakaling matuluy man. mas mahalaga pa rin na makapunta ang lahat kaysa sa matuluy at ipagdiwang lang ang ika-isa at kalahating dekadang anibersaryo ng ating pagtatapos. sa tutuu lang, gustu ku na ulit makita si jeniffer at si mirasol, saka si mang junior. pwede naman ganapin ang reunion 2.0 sa 2034, pag presidente na si bam aquino at pag may "akin" network na si kris aquino. a kris aquino network that is.

chapter 3: and 1

mayruun tayung tatlumpu at walong miyembro sa tropangspider facebook page na pinag-hirapang likhain ni jopay. ibig sabihin, may apat tayung import, considering na kumpleto yung tatlumpu at apat na miyembro ng aurora national science high school batch 12.

pag aku ang nag click ng seen by tab sa isang post at ang member na nag-basa na nung post ay 20 na, ang lalabas ay seen by (supposed to be 20 list of names) and one more. nakatagu si one more. peru pag 21 na ang nagbasa, ang lalabas ay, seen by (supposed to be 19 list of names) and two more. sa two more na iyun, naka-embedd at nakatagu din si one more. minsan makalitu at conflicting yung figures dahil kay one more. pinatulan ku ang pag-a-analisa niyan minsan na wala akung magawa, pero de ku pa rin kayang suportahan ng konkretong datus ang findings ku hanggang sa ngayun. peru dahil sa de naman na masyadung mahalaga si one more ay dumaku na lang tayu sa pang-apat at huling chapter. (pustahan tayu may susubuk ng ginawa ku at magbibilang din. clue: by default, hanggang 20 list of names, kumpleto, ang lalabas pag pinitik mu yung seen by tab, pag 20 na yung nagbasa ng post. eventually, makikita mu rin si one more, de dahil sa nagbilang ka, kundi dahil sa na-realize mu na tanga ka lang din talaga kagaya ku. mas maganda pa, wag mu na  lang siyang hanapin.)

chapter 4: emperador brandy

pwede na natin sigurung pag-batayan o gawing basehan ang lumipas na labing-limang taun para sukatin o timbangin ang tagumpay ng bawat isa sa atin. sa ganang akin, mahaba na ang isa at kalahating dekada para magawa o maabut natin kung anu man ang pinangarap natin nuun bagu tayu mag-hiwa-hiwalay nuung marso 1998. bilib aku sa mga kaeskwela natin na simula at sapul ay alam na kung anu gustu nilang gawin sa kanilang buhay at nakikita ang sarili nila kung anu ang kanilang itsura o sitwasyon sa buhay pagkalipas ng labing-limang taun, kahit na wala silang third eye. tulad na lang ni jopay na talaga namang halus itaga niya sa batu dati na dapat ay maging green card holder siya at makarating sa estados unidos at kung hinde, masasabi nya daw na failure ang buhay niya (kampat na lang bok yung huling phrase, pampunu lang nung pangungusap). o ni kap na nung nakahawak ng espadang may cross-guard, grip na tansu, blade na stainless steel at riffle na kahuy, ay hinde nakuntento na tawagin na lang na dating platoon leader. o ni daisy at janette na elementary pa lang ay pag-tuturu na ang trip. 

sa isang banda, de din naman pala natin kailangan na mag-sukatan o mag-paramihan ng naabut na pangarap. dahil unang una, de naman de numero ang tagumpay o pangarap na naabut mu na na kayang sukatin o timbangin. at pangalawa, isang tropa nga lang pala tayu. walang iba-iba kumbaga. may mas magagaling lang talaga na mang-asar at mas makakapal ang mukha na mambwisit sa atin peru wala pa akung nabalitaan na may nag-tangka nang bilhin ang isang medyo hindi pinalad sa buhay na miyembro ng tropangspider ng isang miyembro  na medyo pinalad sa buhay na gamit ang kanyang milyong milyong tagumpay, so far. may mga kaunting tampuhan minsan. maraming asaran. may mga bumabaligtad na lang na de mu alam ang dahilan. ganun lang talaga. minsan.

maligayang labinglima mga katropa!

sana umabut pa tayu sa ika-labing anim.

mahaba na. baka mag-reklamu na naman si flora.

sampu mang pangako, di na maaring ibalik