9/12/2013
Good thing it's just a dream
If you let me indulge for a moment here, may I share something that happened while I was sleeping this morning.
My dream was as action-filled as it can get. To picture the setting, it was as if I was in a martial law state, and I got accosted/profiled/checked twice in my dream, and it was no deja vu because I had that same experience in two different occasions within the same dream. But it was more than that.
The first time it happened, it was nighttime. I was out somewhere. There were lots of people around, but the streets were deserted. It seemed there was a party where I was, and we were the only people around because, you know, martial law.
Anyway, an army truck pulled up outside where we were. Some military personnel alighted and started barking orders for us to line up on the curb. After we were filed out, I felt fear and terror rise up within me.
They asked some of the people I was with to enter the truck. They looked reluctant, but still did as they were told. I overheard the ones beside me saying to hightail it when the soldiers were not looking. I pictured myself jumping over the fence of a property and hide there until there was daylight, and I was actually thinking, "What if there is a dog? What if the occupants of the house wake up to find someone rustling around the yard?"
Somehow, I was transported to the place I was imagining and the scene ended there. The next thing I see is that I was with my girlfriend and I was lugging my black backpack with my laptop, some clothes, and other personal items inside.
We were in what seemed to be a restaurant, and I was still suffering some trauma from the accosting that I experienced in the night scene. A rash of theft, robberies, and picked pockets were happening, and I was alert because of this. Also count the fact that I was in a martial law state, I was already uppity.
I excused myself to go somewhere, then returned a few moments later to leave the venue. Somehow, while walking away I felt something was off. Something unrelated but I just have to point out, while standing on the sidewalk, I felt her holding my hand.
It was then that soldiers arrived and started to inspect our belongings. I opened my bag and saw clothes neatly folded, but I can not seem to find my laptop. I was transported back to the restaurant as if I was on a flashback and continued browsing through my bag's contents.
When it finally sunk in that I don't have possession of my laptop, I started ranting to my girlfriend why she did not guard my stuff, and all I could see from her reaction was this sheepish look on her face as if to say, "Eeep".
As an aside, I have envisioned that I will rant, or at least air my side, because we still have to have that reconciliatory talk. Going back, I was seething mad, I somewhat half-woke up from it, and a thought entered my mind telling me it was just a dream. Some seconds passed, the scene turned black, and I was already fully awake.
The thing is, I can feel my heart beating fast. Now, I've had terrifying dreams before. From getting shot point blank and having to pretend to be dead the entirety of the dream; getting pulled out of a vehicle then getting shot at the back and feeling the pain). I believe this is the first time I felt tense the majority while my dream was playing back.
As is my practice, I try to connect recent events and experiences on how/why my dreamed turned out as such. Well, there's the spat with the girlfriend, that's pretty straightforward. Then, maybe the hostage crisis going on at Zamboanga right now might have seeped into my subconscious. Maybe since I have to open my bag for inspection when going to the office for work probably contributed to how the dream played out.
---
The reconciliation talk will eventually - and has to - happen soon since it has been delayed due to circumstances. I do hope it gets pushed through within this week, if not the weekend.
My dream was as action-filled as it can get. To picture the setting, it was as if I was in a martial law state, and I got accosted/profiled/checked twice in my dream, and it was no deja vu because I had that same experience in two different occasions within the same dream. But it was more than that.
The first time it happened, it was nighttime. I was out somewhere. There were lots of people around, but the streets were deserted. It seemed there was a party where I was, and we were the only people around because, you know, martial law.
Anyway, an army truck pulled up outside where we were. Some military personnel alighted and started barking orders for us to line up on the curb. After we were filed out, I felt fear and terror rise up within me.
They asked some of the people I was with to enter the truck. They looked reluctant, but still did as they were told. I overheard the ones beside me saying to hightail it when the soldiers were not looking. I pictured myself jumping over the fence of a property and hide there until there was daylight, and I was actually thinking, "What if there is a dog? What if the occupants of the house wake up to find someone rustling around the yard?"
Somehow, I was transported to the place I was imagining and the scene ended there. The next thing I see is that I was with my girlfriend and I was lugging my black backpack with my laptop, some clothes, and other personal items inside.
We were in what seemed to be a restaurant, and I was still suffering some trauma from the accosting that I experienced in the night scene. A rash of theft, robberies, and picked pockets were happening, and I was alert because of this. Also count the fact that I was in a martial law state, I was already uppity.
I excused myself to go somewhere, then returned a few moments later to leave the venue. Somehow, while walking away I felt something was off. Something unrelated but I just have to point out, while standing on the sidewalk, I felt her holding my hand.
It was then that soldiers arrived and started to inspect our belongings. I opened my bag and saw clothes neatly folded, but I can not seem to find my laptop. I was transported back to the restaurant as if I was on a flashback and continued browsing through my bag's contents.
When it finally sunk in that I don't have possession of my laptop, I started ranting to my girlfriend why she did not guard my stuff, and all I could see from her reaction was this sheepish look on her face as if to say, "Eeep".
As an aside, I have envisioned that I will rant, or at least air my side, because we still have to have that reconciliatory talk. Going back, I was seething mad, I somewhat half-woke up from it, and a thought entered my mind telling me it was just a dream. Some seconds passed, the scene turned black, and I was already fully awake.
The thing is, I can feel my heart beating fast. Now, I've had terrifying dreams before. From getting shot point blank and having to pretend to be dead the entirety of the dream; getting pulled out of a vehicle then getting shot at the back and feeling the pain). I believe this is the first time I felt tense the majority while my dream was playing back.
As is my practice, I try to connect recent events and experiences on how/why my dreamed turned out as such. Well, there's the spat with the girlfriend, that's pretty straightforward. Then, maybe the hostage crisis going on at Zamboanga right now might have seeped into my subconscious. Maybe since I have to open my bag for inspection when going to the office for work probably contributed to how the dream played out.
---
The reconciliation talk will eventually - and has to - happen soon since it has been delayed due to circumstances. I do hope it gets pushed through within this week, if not the weekend.
1/14/2011
Nash Flash rehash part three(?)
All I can say is, "Hello, welcome back! It has been quite some time."
I admit that content has been sparse ever since I dropped my freelance projects one by one until it reached almost nil and I concentrated full time with financial services and now back office operations. But what is important is that this is up and running. Again.
For those who are keeping count (if there are any), the design has been in perpetual beta but the content has evolved into what will essentially be v4.0. What started as a depository of random thoughts and preferred websites directory, turned into a short-lived academic requirement, which transferred into a virtual archive of my online freelance work, will finally have an identity uniquely of its own. And hopefully for good.
I have been telling myself that if I will produce a regular chronicle about a general topic it would be a restroom review or Dirty Jobs with Mike Rowe, preferably sans the 'dirty', type of project in written form. Time to execute Plan A.
Why a restroom review, you might ask? I will tell you its back story.
The inspiration came from when I saw the plug of Zach Lucero's travelogue in UnTV when he entered the second floor men's comfort room of Strata 2000. That short clip gave me the light bulb idea of trying to pull the same in Insomniac with Dave Attell fashion. Then there is the I Wish I Can Do That section of older FHM Philippines publications and the legendary adventures of El Gimikero. Yes, I read that mag and not just ogle at the pictures.
However, this so-called project got shelved and put on hold some more for a variety of reasons, foremost is procrastination. The next time this was brought up was last year when Ronald "The Burn" Melendres, the guy who appeared in the Globe My SuperPlan TV ads, was thinking of putting up a blog of his own.
Somehow, talked turned into what I can write about. Sports blogs come into mind but they already are a dime a dozen. I mean there are Deadspin, Basketbawful, Free Darko, Fire Quinito , The 15th Parallel, and the Secret Society of Mico Halili Fans. I have not mentioned yet UBelt, Inbound Pass, Varsity Hoops, Full Court Fresh, and Bleacher’s Brew. Besides, I do not get to watch enough sports nowadays to formulate regular content and I have a standing rule of boycotting American professional leagues and the PBA. But I digress.
Going back, I pitched the idea of writing an RR review with the simple selling point that it has never been done before. I was this ( ) close of doing it but I found the thought of having paper and pen in the loo, jotting down notes, while everybody else is doing his thing. It just looks awk-weird.
The idea sprung up twice recently in passing conversations, the last one my friend telling me that the some writers do include the CR in their food review. So my eureka moment was not that as out of the box as I thought it would be.
But... but... I found a loophole. They mention the john in their food review but NO ONE has a done a where the toilet is the main agendum. Besides, I make a bad food writer since I have a high tolerance for anything palatable, I eat anything and I would end up giving high marks. At least with restrooms, I have a set criteria what is a good, what is not, and what is exceptionally maintained.
So why a restroom review? I noticed I have not answered the question directly yet.
The reason is simple. A restroom tells more about the establishment than the one you see upon entering the entrance. Everything else is a facade. But of course, that is their line of business.
Still, it remains that the fact that they have a well-kept comfort room means the business is taking that extra step to maintain and keep clean what cannot be initially seen. In summary, all I can say is one line...
"Let the toilet tell the tale."
-----
And one line was all that I needed to kick start this long-delayed project. That single sentence concreted with what I felt upon entering the restroom of Little Tokyo in Makati.
From there, the faucet of ideas got tapped as it gushed forth and flowed with ample pressure, emanating the gurgle of flushing words, clearing away the shite for the next occupant or in this case, the next restroom to review.
I admit that content has been sparse ever since I dropped my freelance projects one by one until it reached almost nil and I concentrated full time with financial services and now back office operations. But what is important is that this is up and running. Again.
For those who are keeping count (if there are any), the design has been in perpetual beta but the content has evolved into what will essentially be v4.0. What started as a depository of random thoughts and preferred websites directory, turned into a short-lived academic requirement, which transferred into a virtual archive of my online freelance work, will finally have an identity uniquely of its own. And hopefully for good.
I have been telling myself that if I will produce a regular chronicle about a general topic it would be a restroom review or Dirty Jobs with Mike Rowe, preferably sans the 'dirty', type of project in written form. Time to execute Plan A.
Why a restroom review, you might ask? I will tell you its back story.
The inspiration came from when I saw the plug of Zach Lucero's travelogue in UnTV when he entered the second floor men's comfort room of Strata 2000. That short clip gave me the light bulb idea of trying to pull the same in Insomniac with Dave Attell fashion. Then there is the I Wish I Can Do That section of older FHM Philippines publications and the legendary adventures of El Gimikero. Yes, I read that mag and not just ogle at the pictures.
However, this so-called project got shelved and put on hold some more for a variety of reasons, foremost is procrastination. The next time this was brought up was last year when Ronald "The Burn" Melendres, the guy who appeared in the Globe My SuperPlan TV ads, was thinking of putting up a blog of his own.
Somehow, talked turned into what I can write about. Sports blogs come into mind but they already are a dime a dozen. I mean there are Deadspin, Basketbawful, Free Darko, Fire Quinito , The 15th Parallel, and the Secret Society of Mico Halili Fans. I have not mentioned yet UBelt, Inbound Pass, Varsity Hoops, Full Court Fresh, and Bleacher’s Brew. Besides, I do not get to watch enough sports nowadays to formulate regular content and I have a standing rule of boycotting American professional leagues and the PBA. But I digress.
Going back, I pitched the idea of writing an RR review with the simple selling point that it has never been done before. I was this ( ) close of doing it but I found the thought of having paper and pen in the loo, jotting down notes, while everybody else is doing his thing. It just looks awk-weird.
The idea sprung up twice recently in passing conversations, the last one my friend telling me that the some writers do include the CR in their food review. So my eureka moment was not that as out of the box as I thought it would be.
But... but... I found a loophole. They mention the john in their food review but NO ONE has a done a where the toilet is the main agendum. Besides, I make a bad food writer since I have a high tolerance for anything palatable, I eat anything and I would end up giving high marks. At least with restrooms, I have a set criteria what is a good, what is not, and what is exceptionally maintained.
So why a restroom review? I noticed I have not answered the question directly yet.
The reason is simple. A restroom tells more about the establishment than the one you see upon entering the entrance. Everything else is a facade. But of course, that is their line of business.
Still, it remains that the fact that they have a well-kept comfort room means the business is taking that extra step to maintain and keep clean what cannot be initially seen. In summary, all I can say is one line...
"Let the toilet tell the tale."
-----
And one line was all that I needed to kick start this long-delayed project. That single sentence concreted with what I felt upon entering the restroom of Little Tokyo in Makati.
From there, the faucet of ideas got tapped as it gushed forth and flowed with ample pressure, emanating the gurgle of flushing words, clearing away the shite for the next occupant or in this case, the next restroom to review.
Nash Flush RR Review#1
Despite the fact that Little Tokyo would like to replicate the ambiance of Japan, the restroom would remind you that you are still in the Philippines.
8/03/2009
wow, long time no post
Archers, Warriors outlast foes in 2 OTs
08/02/2009 | 09:42 PM
It took 10 extra minutes to decide the outcome of two hardly-fought matchups in Sunday’s 72nd UAAP men’s basketball tournament at the Araneta Coliseum.
More here.
08/02/2009 | 09:42 PM
It took 10 extra minutes to decide the outcome of two hardly-fought matchups in Sunday’s 72nd UAAP men’s basketball tournament at the Araneta Coliseum.
More here.
Labels: sports
7/02/2009
My latest racket...
6/26/2009
This might come less than often from now
San Beda opens NCAA title retenrion bid vs Mapua
06/26/2009 | 08:05 PM
MANILA, Philippines – San Beda College’s quest for a fourth straight NCAA basketball crown begins Saturday at the Araneta Coliseum when they face Mapua in the opening of the league’s 85th season.
More here.
06/26/2009 | 08:05 PM
MANILA, Philippines – San Beda College’s quest for a fourth straight NCAA basketball crown begins Saturday at the Araneta Coliseum when they face Mapua in the opening of the league’s 85th season.
More here.
Labels: sports
6/25/2009
I'm not sure if this is mine...
...but I'll post this anyway for record purposes.
AIBA chief appoints Pinay as vice chair of women's boxing commission
06/24/2009 | 08:41 PM
MANILA, Philippines – Nieva Tesoro-Embuldeniya has been appointed by Amateur International Boxing Association (AIBA) president Dr. Ching Kuo Wu as vice chairman of the AIBA women’s commission.
More here.
AIBA chief appoints Pinay as vice chair of women's boxing commission
06/24/2009 | 08:41 PM
MANILA, Philippines – Nieva Tesoro-Embuldeniya has been appointed by Amateur International Boxing Association (AIBA) president Dr. Ching Kuo Wu as vice chairman of the AIBA women’s commission.
More here.
Labels: sports
6/24/2009
NCAA seniors basketball end of elimination ranking prediction
Would you believe that the two-week break from the collegiate basketball preseason leagues came like a breeze and a few days from now the 2009 season of the NCAA would commence?
I almost forgot to put out the necessary prediction rankings that I am compelled to cram this.Not to fret though as I already have an overview of how I would rank the ten teams for the coming season.
This time around, I would be doing things differently since I foresee that competition would be tight. Just like tour cycling, I would classify the teams into three groups: the lead pack, the peloton, and the trailing group.
The lead pack
1-3. Jose Rizal Univeristy, San Sebastian College-Recoletos, San Beda College
These are three strongest teams on paper and they would most likely battle for the top three spots with JRU being the frontrunner at the end of elimination. I have to emphasize the end-of-elimination disclaimer since anything could happen in the playoffs.
Anyway, with an experienced core bolstered by a behemoth in Joe Etame, the Heavy Bombers look primed for another finals appearance. But out to spoil Jose Rizal's party are SSC-R and SBC.
The Golden Stags have a bumper crop of rookies that play like veterans, which makes up for their relative youth. What remains to be seen is whether they could deliver when it really matters.
With a revamped starting lineup, work is cut out for the Red Lions. But that does not mean they will be pushovers this season as they go for their fourth straight seniors basketball trophy. Testament that they mean business when they won the 2009 Nike Summer League.
The peloton
4-7. Colegio de San Juan de Letran, Mapua Institute of Technology, Arellano University, Emilio Aguinaldo
Any of these four teams could make it to the final four provided breaks go their way. Every game matters to them or they might find themselves spending an early vacation in a quite lengthy calendar.
CSJL gets the inside track because Louie Alas always has an ace up his sleeve. This season he has two in siblings Kevin and Jun Alas. And do not forget the pair of RJ Jazul and Rey Guevarra.
MIT has a lot of potential despite getting a virtual overhaul. Gone are Kevin dela Peña, Neil Pacual, Ian Mazo, and coach Leo Isaac. Jonathan Banal is sitting this season out as he recovers from his ACL injury. How the rest of the Cardinals would fare is worth watching as they now employ a more aggressive approach in offense.
Meanwhile, guest teams AU and EAC could make it with the core of the NCRAA lineup getting the green light to play.
The trailing group
8-10. College of Saint Benilde, Angeles University Foundation, University of Perpetual Help System Dalta
The three teams rounding up the list may not make it to the next round, but they could pretty much play the spoiler's role which could foil the top teams' playoff runs.
I am going out on a limb here and predict that CSB would do better than virtual unknown AUF. I might be showing a little green here but based on their preseason performance, the Blazers were showing lots of promise.
Since I have not seen the Great Danes, I could not say anything about them.
As for UPHSD, it is garbage in, garbage out as head coach Boris Aldeguer would only rely with Bai Cristobal's leftovers.
I almost forgot to put out the necessary prediction rankings that I am compelled to cram this.Not to fret though as I already have an overview of how I would rank the ten teams for the coming season.
This time around, I would be doing things differently since I foresee that competition would be tight. Just like tour cycling, I would classify the teams into three groups: the lead pack, the peloton, and the trailing group.
The lead pack
1-3. Jose Rizal Univeristy, San Sebastian College-Recoletos, San Beda College
These are three strongest teams on paper and they would most likely battle for the top three spots with JRU being the frontrunner at the end of elimination. I have to emphasize the end-of-elimination disclaimer since anything could happen in the playoffs.
Anyway, with an experienced core bolstered by a behemoth in Joe Etame, the Heavy Bombers look primed for another finals appearance. But out to spoil Jose Rizal's party are SSC-R and SBC.
The Golden Stags have a bumper crop of rookies that play like veterans, which makes up for their relative youth. What remains to be seen is whether they could deliver when it really matters.
With a revamped starting lineup, work is cut out for the Red Lions. But that does not mean they will be pushovers this season as they go for their fourth straight seniors basketball trophy. Testament that they mean business when they won the 2009 Nike Summer League.
The peloton
4-7. Colegio de San Juan de Letran, Mapua Institute of Technology, Arellano University, Emilio Aguinaldo
Any of these four teams could make it to the final four provided breaks go their way. Every game matters to them or they might find themselves spending an early vacation in a quite lengthy calendar.
CSJL gets the inside track because Louie Alas always has an ace up his sleeve. This season he has two in siblings Kevin and Jun Alas. And do not forget the pair of RJ Jazul and Rey Guevarra.
MIT has a lot of potential despite getting a virtual overhaul. Gone are Kevin dela Peña, Neil Pacual, Ian Mazo, and coach Leo Isaac. Jonathan Banal is sitting this season out as he recovers from his ACL injury. How the rest of the Cardinals would fare is worth watching as they now employ a more aggressive approach in offense.
Meanwhile, guest teams AU and EAC could make it with the core of the NCRAA lineup getting the green light to play.
The trailing group
8-10. College of Saint Benilde, Angeles University Foundation, University of Perpetual Help System Dalta
The three teams rounding up the list may not make it to the next round, but they could pretty much play the spoiler's role which could foil the top teams' playoff runs.
I am going out on a limb here and predict that CSB would do better than virtual unknown AUF. I might be showing a little green here but based on their preseason performance, the Blazers were showing lots of promise.
Since I have not seen the Great Danes, I could not say anything about them.
As for UPHSD, it is garbage in, garbage out as head coach Boris Aldeguer would only rely with Bai Cristobal's leftovers.
Labels: NCAA
