# 65 I THINK GOD CAN EXPLAIN

It’s a tough loss for Team Pilipinas but that doesn’t mean that we should stop. We should definitely try again and again and again until we get to fulfill our Olympic dream.

To those who have been waiting to take a swipe at the team, you ought to read this before throwing your stones:

It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.“

- Theodore Roosevelt, 26th US President

Mabuhay ang Team Pilipinas! Mabuhay ang Pilipinas!

Plus Ultra!

# 64 THAT’S THE SPIRIT

Kerby Raymundo earned his rightful spot in RP’s starting five and became a major factor in making our Olympic dream alive as we win over the Chinese, 79-74. Thank you, Lord. I was praying real hard for the shots to just fall in. Jimmy Alapag was all over the floor with his daredevil drives to the basket and long three-point shots. The guy kept on pressing the team to help him out. And they did.

Mark Caguioa who was trying to drain his shots in this tournament came to the rescue in the dying seconds of the final period. He finally made a crucial basket that gave the team enough cushion to post our first win over the Chinese National Team in a very long time. Kelly Williams was truly amazing with his hustling defense. His key steal from a Chinese bomber on the final play completely sealed the win for us.

Much has to be done tomorrow to beat a tough Jordanian squad but I believe in our team to come out in their best fighting form and win it. Our win over China has created an ample breathing space for us to regroup. Tomorrow, I just hope that we don’t need to catch up for the entire duration of the match not like our first two games.

My observations:

1. Take the ball strong to the hoop, ma-tapalan man, okay lang. I just noticed that our players are quite afraid to take a chance to take the ball strong to the hoop. It is our chance to fish for fouls and have our opponents pay for it. Kerby Raymundo showed his fearlessness by putting the big Iranian and Chinese defenders to the test.

2. Enough of the fancy dribble, learn to rotate the ball. One of the fewest things that I agree with my “favorite” commentator, Chino Trinidad, was his observation on the kind of play that we employ. We just love to display our dribbling skills and this consumes a lot of time for us to execute. We have four players on the floor and it takes five to win a ballgame. Just to credit the team, there has been some improvement in passing the ball. Now the hard part comes…

3. I don’t know why but I cannot figure out those easy shots that weren’t going in. There was an Asi dunk that wasn’t. There was a Caguio teardrop shot that wasn’t. The ball went inside the ring and just rippled around and went out of it. Fuck. But it could be part of a big adjustment on our team. They just have to build on our hard-earned win and make those shots.

4. Too much emphasis on the puso of our players, we have to play sound basketball as well. Our commentators particularly Mr. Trinidad has been very emphatic on mentioning the playing hearts of our players. I don’t know why he keeps on saying that. I don’t know if that’s the only thing he could say. It’s already annoying. I would rather listen to Andy Jao’s analysis than to Chino’s pa-kanto boy talk. Could somebody please resurrect Mr. Joe Cantada? The heart to win is equally important as the right skills and strategy.

5. Our defense could hold on its own but we need more hustle. Our players should play like Kelly William’s brand of defense– magpapakamatay para makuha ang bola.

Anyhoo, in this tournament, everybody can be coach I credit Coach Chot Reyes* for raising our level of confidence in beating teams that we thought were unbeatable. Tomorrow might spell out another achievement for our team. It all starts in believing and this time, playing to win.

*Oh, I have to correct myself, it wasn’t Coach Reyes who was complaining of the uncalled traveling violation in the game against Iran but it was Mark Caguioa. In Fiba rules, the bench’s technical foul is slapped on the coach. Lupit mo, Coach Chot for clearing this.

# 63 WE DON’T NEED TO POINT FINGERS NOW

Our National Team played tentative basketball tonight and fell short of winning over the Iranians, 75-69 in the Fiba Asia Cup. The first three quarters were lackluster and we were quite nervous in taking those important shots. We did not capitalize on Iran’s foul trouble and missed free throws.

Reliable players like Alapag, Taulava, and Seigle were injured during the game. I thought that it was over with a 15-point lead by Iran. We’re left with Pennisi and Raymundo- players that I was not expecting to make a huge impact. I was so wrong. Two back-to-back three point shots were made by Pennisi while Raymundo went strong to the hoop a lot of times in the final quarter putting away Iranians who were in foul trouble. We were at striking distance to win the game as the lead went down to only just one point. Unfortunately, emotions were running high in the closing seconds of the match and this hurt our chances to win the game. RP Coach Chot Reyes was complaining over the ref’s no call on a traveling violation and we were slapped by a technical foul.

Commentators Quinito Henson and Chino Trinidad were obviously peeved but this should not be seen as the tipping point of the game. Iran has edged us in field goal percentage and they took advantage of “unsportsmanlike” fouls committed by our team. We outrebounded them but the shots we took were not getting in.

We should just move along and set our sights on winning over China tomorrow. Our past mistakes are acknowledged but we don’t need this to hamper our chances of getting to our goal. I believe that our team will bounce back and I still believe that we will win our next games.

Mabuhay ang Pilipinas!

My body hurts oh so bad

Been religiously working out and now I’m in so much pain I feel like one day I’m gonna wake up and find I’m missing one of my limbs.

The pain is good.

It tells me that the hard work is paying off. It also tells me that my trainer is doing his job and that I’m not just throwing away money.

Speaking of trainers, I was going to lunch with a friend when this really big guy walked up to me and was like, “Do you work out?” I was thinking, “Hmmm, those training sessions must be really effective.” Then this guy blurts out that he’s a trainer, that he can beat my trainer’s fees, blah blah blah. I was like, WTF?! And here I thought he noticed that I was working out. Turns out he thinks that I need to work out.

Geez, thanks a lot. *rolls eyes*

FYI, he’s the second trainer who approached me since I set foot in NYC. Do I really look that bad?

One time Hayden was telling me about two fat girls who were checking him out:

“Ohmygod, you are sooo mean!”
“I am not. They are really fat.”
“I bet if you didn’t know me and I happened to give you the once-over, you’d be like, Eww, that fat girl is checking me out.”
“No. You’re not fat. You’re thick.”
“And that’s supposed to make me feel better? Thanks a lot.”

Turns out, this is what thick means. So I guess that’s not so bad. Back home, I’d be considered borderline obese.

Cheap thrills.

Hi, I’m Anne and I’m a “thicky thicky thick girl so you know that it’s on.” [Ride Wit Me, Nelly]

Now accepting donations. Cash preferred.

Going to Maryland this weekend to meet up with Notty Not. Hope everything goes well.

Going to LA on the 16th. Still need to get tickets. I need to purchase the tickets this week. I’m hoping the fare goes below $350. *crosses fingers*

# 62 MOVING ON AND MOVING FORWARD

He who does not risk is not free.”

-E-Jay Paz, TLS Art & Graphics Logbook

And so it’s fate and faith. I made a decision last Tuesday, a move that would change my life in the coming years and I am very happy with it. I finally had the guts to take a chance of pursuing what I really wanted to do. For six years, I’ve been too scared to enter my field of interest. I was afraid to be a failure but what drove me to do this revolves around my desire of doing what I love to do. The buck stops here. I do not want live in regret.

So what’s in store for me next month? I’ll be waking up earlier than the drones of Makati and pursue my goal of becoming a regular employee in three months. It may look tough but extraordinary results require extraordinary actions. I am looking forward to this new path and learn the ropes quickly.

And the adventure continues…

I solemnly swear that I am up to no good

For the past seven months I have somehow managed to:

turn a year older (a year wiser is debatable)
drive 11 hours to Chesapeake, VA (we got lost)
sign my son up for taekwondo
sign up for gym membership (and stick to it)
open a savings account for my son
deplete my savings
not see Fantastic Four, Transformers and Harry Potter on the big screen (I’ll be damned if I don’t see the Simpsons movie)
reconnect with old friends and make new ones
get drunk once
start taking baby steps to getting an MA
be in a love-hate relationship with my brother
not cry each and every single time I speak to Beb
miss out on a lot of my daughter’s firsts
still be at my job
not speak Tagalog na may slang
lose my tongue ring for the nth time (don’t ask me how)
not see how my kids are growing up so fast (too fast)
not go home to be with Beb

Pretty tame stuff.

Boring.

I need to do something else. That’s seven months that just went by like *snaps* that. Totally unacceptable.

I read this article in a magazine about doing what you love to do. And about how you’re the only one stopping yourself from doing just that. The article said that a lot of people get stuck doing something they don’t love because they set boundaries for themselves. They often use time, money or both as an excuse to stop them from taking that first step. Why do something where success is not guaranteed? Why not just stick to what you have? Is it worth it?

I think the main reason why I’m not pushing myself into action is fear. I’m scared. Scared that I might fail. Scared that I will be thought of as selfish for putting myself ahead of everyone else.

It’s so easy to say, “Go for it!” But it’s just so hard to put yourself out there, be vulnerable and exposed, and just do it.

So tell me, when is it okay to stop putting my dreams on hold? After my kids are done with school? I don’t think God gave me children just so I would learn not to be self-centered. I think He gave them to me so I would strive to be a better person for them. Am I just justifying myself in thinking that pursuing my dream will also benefit them?

I keep going back and forth. Each time bringing up reasons not to, then contradicting myself minutes later with reasons to.

What do I want to do? I want to write, to travel, to work in media. I want to get my Master’s. There are so many things I want to be and here I am, 27, still trying to figure out what to do with my life. I know I can be more. I want to be more.

I wish I could be like him. He did it. He took the plunge and he’s now going to do what he loves. People like him are lucky. Or just plain determined to make something more of themselves.

Sana ako rin.

In other news

Happy 15th birthday PJ! Birthday punches!

# 61 A E I O U

Finally, after days of anticipation, friends and customers, I am so happy to say that the TRANSFORMERS ROCK! The production, cast, story, and EVERYTHING is terrific. It’s a refreshing take on how those robots would blend into reality and the fight scenes were truly awesome. The Great Optimus Prime has not lost the touch. I’ve posted this in my previous entry but I have to put it again:

Freedom is the right of all sentient beings.”

He is the Autobot’s most revered and benevolent leader. He truly belongs to the ages.

Anyhoo, the story is simple and I think that it should be that way. It’s not a thinking man’s movie. It’s mindless entertainment and it rocks. For those who haven’t watched it, I say that don’t expect it to be like Lord of the Rings or the first two Spiderman flicks. It’s different. Nothing profound to take home. Unless you count the scene where the Autobots were trying to hide from Spike’s, este, Sam’s parents or this (lifted from Youtube and jopert)…
FOXY MEGAN. I want to ride her home.
I thank God that I’m alive to witness this childhood wish coming true. I recall with fondness those serious discussions my neighbors and I had about a live action Transformers flick and now, it’s here!

Another wish is for the toyline to be better. I saw the toys based on the movie and they weren’t good. Hasbro needs to get somebody who made the Master Piece toyline if they want something really sellable to fans like me If only they could manufacture something like this…
Ang lupet ni Bumblebee! May warmask pa sya na mukhang bubuyog

# 60 MABUHAY ANG PILIPINAS!

My heart was pounding real hard not because of the game between Pilipinas vs. Chinese Taipei but more of ESPN cutting off the game for a damn F1 show. I became delirious. Team Pilipinas was up by more than 14 but the Chinese were trying to catch-up by putting in three’s. I first thought that I could easily know the game results through the net but I was so wrong. It was a live game.

Good thing was that when I furiously channel surfed I heard Ed Picson deliver the news– Pilipinas ang panalo, kabayan! 82-64 over Chinese-Taipei (Note: their fans were idiots for cheering for our opponents like Lebanon). It’s end game poise now working, baby!

I saw how our boys played and whatever Atenean-bred coach Chot Reyes is doing to them, I say that it’s effective. I am impressed by their speed and quickness, our main weapons. This translated into good defense. Their offense is terrific as well. Mark Caguioa traded 3-point shots with the Chinese top gun. Jimmy “Mighty Mouse” Alapag was awesome in the arc. We were in control and this time, we finished the game on a winning note.

Looking at the odds of finally making it to the Olympics, I think we have a very good chance of clinching a slot. Bilog ang bola. We won’t roll out and die. We fight to win in the Group of Death. Oh and just in case you need news about our team, check out this web site.

Masarap matulog pag ganito. It takes my mind off from things that I cannot control. I am hoping to hear good news this week because now, I believe that I know what I really wanted to do in this lifetime. A series of events have led me to think things through. If it’s fate, so be it.