My women's tennis album XXX - April 2010

Watch Glee Season 1 Episode 14 - "Hello"

I like Glee. It has become one of my favorite shows, maybe because of how they seamlessly intertwine different songs into an episode's theme. The newest episode is titled "Hello". Fitting, perhaps, because of several month hiatus from the last episode. The songs in this episode have the word Hello somewhere in their titles: “Hello, I Love You” (The Doors), “Gives You Hell” (All American Rejects), “Hello” (Lionel Richie), “Hello, Again” (Neil Diamond), “Highway to Hell” (AC/DC), and “Hello, Goodbye” (The Beatles).

Episode summary: Finn and Rachel are finally a couple, but for how long? Jesse St. James (Jonathan Groff), lead singer of Vocal Adrenaline, catches Rachel’s eye and sways her heart, but what are his real intentions? Looks like he and his coach (Idina Menzel) are up to no good. Will gets to kiss two women, but somehow ends up alone. Sue Sylvester is back as an even more conniving coach of the Cheerios. Quinn being out of the picture, Heather and Santana do her "dirty work". (Source: FOX)

Click on the image to open the video.

Ampatuan endorses Villar

The prime suspect in the Maguindanao massacre, Andal Ampatuan, Jr., is endorsing Manny Villar. Ampatuan wears orange-blue rubber baller ID bands of Villar and NP senatorial bet Gilbert Remulla. "Ito (shows baller bands) ang kandidato ko," Ampatuan Jr. told reporters during his transfer to Camp Bagong Diwa.

Read the full story here.

White hair chronicles XXV - Tales of the Mauban

On a whim, my office mates decided to go on an outing to Cagbalete, Mauban, Quezon. It was almost unplanned that it befits an entry to Facebook's "Mabuti pa ang biglaang lakad natutuloy; ang planado, hindi". Everyone's glad the trip pushed through. The fine, white sand compares with Boracay and Puerto Galera minus the gimiks. Cagbalete is the nearest of slice of heavenly calm and quiet to Manila. This white hair chronicler just tagged along with the group, leaving all the planning and details to the younger set. One of the benefits of white hairs.

From Mauban, Quezon, we hopped on a fishing boat that traveled around 45 minutes to the side of Cagbalete Island facing the Pacific Ocean. We had to transfer to a smaller boat that got us closer to shore. The shore had plenty of needle pine trees and a cacao species also abundant in Mindoro. There were long-legged birds on the shore that must nest deep inside the island. Aside from enjoying the beach, bird watching could be another enjoyable activity here.

We hopped back to the small boat after depositing our luggage at the MVT Sto. Nino resort. We were going to nearby Perez island for lunch. We passed by the Baliscar Island, a lonely uninhabited rock island that is said to be home to snakes and birds. Our boatmen said it is possible to venture and explore the barren island but the four inch jagged rock floor seem uninviting. Maybe next time when we bring rubber boots.

The sumptuous lunch at Perez island and the cool sea breeze lulled us to take a nap. When we got back to Cagbalete, it was almost sundown. The sun setting over the needle pine trees offers a grand view.

What I like best about Cagbalete is the peace and soothing calm it offers. Those seeking nightly beach parties have will be bored to death here. The island has electric service only from 6 pm to 6am. The resort have bare but adequate necessities. There are open huts and rooms. Best of all is you could just pitch a tent or hang a hammock and stargaze all night. Cheap thrills that white haired guys seek once in a while. There is not much corals nor tropical fish from where we stayed. I did not find Nemo here but ask me to come back and I'll tag along again.

The sunrise over the Pacific Ocean is majestic. This white hair chronicler now proudly admits he looks like a young Benjamin Button. In Perez island, folks imbibing the famous lambanog were over heard to say "Patagayin niyo yung matanda" (offer the old man a drink). And there was this very elderly 80-ish groundskeeper who asked him "wala pa ba yung sundo niyo, lulu?" (Is your boat here yet, grandpa?). I don't mind, though.

I really like this place. After all Mauban means white-haired.

White hair chronicles XXIV

Two weeks ago, more than thirty years after my elementary graduation, I was invited to the recognition day of my beloved San Juan Elementary School, a public school. I was asked to speak before excellent kids from Grade 1 to Grade 6. When they were told the year of my graduation, a teacher was heard to remark he wasn't born yet at that time.

Indeed, it was a long time ago. I have gone full circle. I remember having received some of those awards myself. Anyway, I told them the usual blah-blahs. I told them that their time spent in those classrooms will serve them in good stead later in life. That being a long time San Juan residents, my father, my siblings and I all graduated from the school.

I also told them that my even if my batch went on to different schools, we all had an easy time not just because of the lessons learned but also because of the discipline acquired. I told them I had the chance to work abroad and I observed Filipinos to have the ability to adapt to any situation. We are also persevering - matiyaga. That is why there are many Filipinos able to find work everywhere. Those traits – perseverance, discipline, adaptability - I learned at SJES.

It was also a nostalgic trip for me. The gym where the program was held is the same grounds where we played running games. In hindsight, there are many things I failed to say to the kids and their parents. I would have wanted to tell them that the '70s were difficult times. It was a time when one man tried to stay in power forever. It was also Erap's first term as mayor. And his family has controlled San Juan politics since then. We are still in difficult times today. Today we still have one person who wants to stay in power forever. Times have not changed much.