Wednesday, October 31, 2007

a needless rant into depression....

I should be a happy guy today. That the NBA season is already starting, pay day just arrived, you are going to a party or two later, and so on… but I feel a tinge of disappointment and depression that kind of bothers me.

I take a look at pictures that people post and I look at how much fun and happiness each person in that picture exhibits. And then, you look at the picture altogether and you know everyone. One can think… “Teka muna, bakit ‘di ko alam ito?”

I cannot help but feel alone and detached sa mundo. I see people have fun and yes, I do have fun, but mas masaya when you are with good people. I envy them.

I know this is a needless rant… eto nasa isip ko ngayon e… bakit ganun? I can only blame myself. I feel left out... All the time… in perpetuity…

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Saturday, October 27, 2007

to redefine one's fandom (introspecting)

i thought about fandom with how dan shanoff in wrote in his blog about his fandom (especially with the huge criticism he gets from his readers

(http://www.danshanoff.com/2007/10/fan-in-law-one-fairweather-fans-story.html)

i thought about it: maybe i could try to determine my fandom, or its evolution...

in the philippines, one can say that there is a nature of putting yourself along the line of the person or team. in other words, a team that you can identify with. for example, the biggest fanbase in our professional basketball league is a team with a never-say-die mantra, the kind you see in local movies wherein the lead gets beaten up, then mounts a comeback and wins at the end, gets the girl, and so on...

there is also a personality-based fandom, wherein the fandom is fixated on a certain player. for example, i love vladimir guerrero. when he was with the montreal expos, i was an expos fan. whey he moved to the angels, i can became an angels fan.

and then there is school loyalty. especially since i studied in one of the best, if not the best school in the philippines. the Ateneo de Manila University

this article (http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/23/sports/23rivalry.html?ref=sports) will help explain it further.

school loyalty is very much valued here. to the point that if a high school standout from school A moves to the arch-rival school in school B, that person is almost permanently vilified.

but one thing trumps all of these: when national pride is at stake. that is why manny pacquiao is very relevant. that is why any achievements our athletes get here and abroad are treasured, expecially when it comes to B-sports (basketball, boxing, billiards and to an extent, bowling). it has been a cliche, but the country literally stops to see pac-man fight. he is such an icon and celebrity. something similar, but not of that magnitude, will happen with the upcoming World Pool Championships being held here in early November.

anyway, how about my loyalty...

i never really cared about my fandom when i was young. i could have cared less since my mind was on reading. i started with ateneo when i watched them beat la salle in 1996 (those who remember that game well know it as the "kaboom" game, where it was pretty much a three-point shooting exhibition). i decided then to pursue my dream of studying there for my college degree (1999-2003). now, i am a passionate alumnus of that school and will always be proud to have studied there. i do have friends who study in other universities and i do cheer for them when i feel like it, but the standard cheering goes to the school i studied, of which no one will make me shift allegiance (unlike Dan who shifted loyalty from Northwestern to Florida).

as for professional basketball, nothing really much. i started out with Ginebra, then moved on to Purefoods and back to Ginebra, to Red Bull and FedEx (now Air21) to Talk and Text and San Miguel (now Magnolia). it has evolved into more of i enjoying watching the game, period. for international, i originally was a Laker fan, as most of us Filipinos love Shotwime in the 80s and air jordan in the 90s. i then thought about cheeing for the Clippers, since i loved the makeup of the team then, especially elton and corey. also, since there isn't a lot of people who adore that team, for obvious reasons. i also cheer for good and excellent players and teams (lebron, gilbert, etc.) in the big four professional sports and soccer. in other words, just a simple sports nut. my mom would always kinda berate me for my tv habits. i look forward to Western Kentucky games as one of the players in the roster is the first Filipino in ages to be in a legitimate division 1 school. (i just hope that someone would cover the games for us here)

i credit my dad for grooming me into watching sports. nowadays it can be considered as bonding sessions since we don't get along that much. he loves baseball (he was a decent player in his younger days). he enjoys watching the yankees and the red sox play (blame our local espn for this). he always asks me about who this player and that player is (and given my smarts, i could answer). he's such a boxing addict, something i have come to appreciate as well.

i hope that this is something worthwhile to read and wail about.

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rhythm and stomp

my mini vacation leave was granted. i was kinda panicking early friday morning as i left the office without any updates as to whether it was granted. good thing my supervisor reassured me that it was ok'd.

anyway, i pretty much spent the day at home. i would like to thank fran for letting me win tickets to the halloween party on the 31st of october. i then frantcially tried to find someone who could lend me their camera. unfortunately, i was unable to find one. i like to thank alpha for the ticket. had to get it from the station. i arrived there around 430. got there at decagon early (really early. typical me.) got to see the goings-on before the event itself. it was very much fun and enjoyable.

kudos to the people i met there (jocks: fran, christi, louie, jude, danielle, karen, fritz, jake (one of the judges), and the hosts named rico and gelli; radio 1: alex, helen, jc, jem, bianca, enzo, la, caramel, merrill, alpha, the CEUs, andre; the others: dj mccoy, artstrong (one of the judges and breakdancing extraordinaire), sistene, mad, mariel, miko)

congratulations to UP Manila for winning again. congrats to all the participating schools.

congratulations to pia, dani liz, migz, gino and rj for a creditable job for helping in the hosting. i am at ease knowing that someone from these people will be the next monster dj.

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Friday, October 26, 2007

Breaking my NBA Fantasy Draft.

Champions' League Season 2
Baron Davis (GS - PG)
Kobe Bryant (LAL - SG)
Michael Redd (Mil - SG,SF)
Corey Maggette (LAC - SG,SF)
Zach Randolph (NY - PF)
Richard Jefferson (NJ - SF)
Chris Kaman (LAC - C)
Kendrick Perkins(Bos - C)
Grant Hill (Pho - SG,SF)
Marco Belinelli (GS - PG,SG)
Yi Jianlian (Mil - PF)
Chris Mihm (LAL - PF,C)

Gameface League
Baron Davis (GS - PG)
Allen Iverson (Den - PG,SG)
Corey Maggette (LAC - SG,SF)
Kevin Garnett (Bos - SF,PF)
Mehmet Okur (Uta - PF,C)
Richard Jefferson (NJ - SF)
Al Horford (Atl - PF,C)
Jorge Garbajosa (Tor - PF,C)
Stephen Jackson (GS - SG,SF)
Marco Belinelli (GS - PG,SG)
Grant Hill (Pho - SG,SF)
Acie Law IV (Atl - PG,SG)
Yi Jianlian (Mil - PF)

AnimoAteneo League
Chauncey Billups (Det - PG)
Ray Allen (Bos - SG)
Corey Maggette (LAC - SG,SF)
Richard Jefferson (NJ - SF)
Dirk Nowitzki (Dal - PF)
Mehmet Okur (Uta - PF,C)
Al Harrington (GS - PF,C)
Zydrunas Ilgauskas (Cle - C)
Troy Murphy (Ind - PF,C)
Jarrett Jack (Por - PG)
Acie Law IV (Atl - PG,SG)
Juan Carlos Navarro (Mem - PG,SG)
Marco Belinelli (GS - PG,SG)

mypba league 1
Andre Miller - PHI [PG]
Devin Harris - DAL [PG, SG]
Raymond Felton - CHA [PG, SG]
Udonis Haslem - MIA [SF, PF]
Tayshaun Prince - DET [SF]
Tim Duncan - SAS [PF]
Chris Wilcox - SEA [PF]
Al Jefferson - MIN [SF, PF, C]
Kendrick Perkins - BOS [C]
Mike Conley Jr. - MEM [PG, SG]
Acie Law IV - ATL [PG, SG]
D.J. Strawberry - PHX [PG, SG]
Bruce Bowen - SAS [SF]
Jarvis Hayes - DET [SF]

mypba season 2
Andre Miller - PHI [G]
Juan Carlos Navarro - MEM [PG, SG, G]
Luke Walton - LAL [F]
Charlie Villanueva - MIL [F]
Chris Bosh - TOR [F]
Deron Williams - UTA [G]
Marco Belinelli - GSW [PG, SG, G]
Corey Maggette - LAC [F]
Antonio McDyess - DET [F]
Mikki Moore - SAC [F] replaced by Kendrick Perkins - BOS [C]

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Thursday, October 25, 2007

Stripped to rock out....

still no update from my boss if my leave was granted.

anyway, i spent the night before at route 196 in katipunan. they were launching a new theme effective every first wednesday of the month.

the event is Stripped. this is where the male or female vocalists of groups do solo acts and sing songs that are not what they sing normally.

the performers for the 1st-ever Stripped were:

waya - the daughter of celeste legaspi (who was there). she did her ene impression. hehehe....

beng (of drip) - electronica pa rin. only four songs though. pero astig.

swissy - for her, this reminded of her old acoustic gigs in aussie-land. she also acquiesced to a d'sound request from ene... :)

ene (of the ronnies) - laugh trip. pang-zirkoh talaga. bwahaha... lab yu ene! hahaha...

hannah (of session road) - astig. amazing. ang ganda pa. i think she brough her sis also. that girl is lovely, too... :)

eto ang bonus, since kumpleto ang ronnies, may bonus ronnies gig! videoke style since may guest vocalists kuno (waya, swissy, jp of route, etc...) kaya rock out na naman! hahaha.... kaya 330am na ako naka-uwi sa bahay.

looking forward to the next one ulet (i think ene, ria of paramita, katwo and the one from mike's apartment are on tap).

btw, nakilala pa rin ako ni ene. astig. wagi ka talaga! wasak! also, mike of outerhope was there.

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Saturday, October 20, 2007

post-haste

i guess when you think about what transpired the other day. it was just traumatic.

everyone has must have seen the footage. everyone must have seen the pictures.

justice must be sought.

i know there are people who will speculate. they have their right to do so. pero the priority is to catch the perpetrators and ensure all are safe.

anyway, happy thank you day to all.

*currently spending time watching youtube videos of golden state-dallas, boise state-oklahoma and ateneo basketball*

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Wednesday, October 17, 2007

being environmently-friendly

this is a bit delayed, since i forgot about this.

i was supposed to write this on the 15th... kaya lang...

anyway, with Al Gore winning the Nobel Prize for Peace, along with the UN's IPCC, it is about time that we stare at ourselves and see what is going on...

as if watching the Day After Tomorrow was not enough..

i do hope we do something to protect our environment. it is the only thing we have.

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Saturday, October 13, 2007

3 yards and a cloud of (star)dust

i am in a gimmicky mood lately. maybe because i want to have fun. maybe because i want to have company.

i spent tuesday night watching a good movie entitled Stardust. it was amazing. ang ganda. a cheesy romantic movie, yet with additional elements that made it fun to watch.

thursday night was a chance to visit tin g (who so loves cholo v). i claimed my Knocked Up tickets. also got to see macrina for the first time up close (she's a member of gang green and was the girl who made cholo call the station).

friday is simply the Animo Ateneo Prom Night. a meetings people who bleed blue and decide to have fun. i normally do not drink much... pero since they asked to do so... i drank until i felt drunk. :) i was supposed to visit my mom, but given the situation, that was unlikely.

tonight, i am on my way somewhere... probably route 196 or saguijo. then hopefully meet up with a new acquaintance somewhere in makati. before doing so, i am addressing my fantasy drafts... all of my teams will be given their due time in my blog. :) good luck.

and i am rooting for the Colorado Rockies.

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Sunday, October 07, 2007

Pacquiao - Barrera: the rematch Round-by-Round (except for round 10)

taken from saddoboxing.com

Manny Pacquiao (49 fights, 44 wins, 3 losses, 2 draws, & 35 ko‘s) vs. Marco Antonio Barrera (69 fights, 63 wins, 5 losses, & 42 ko‘s) Round 1: Boom!!!! There went the bell. Barrera throwing the jab first. Pac pulling the guard & jabbing. Left hook & right from Barrera & Pacs there to take it. Pac jabbing. Hook to the body from Pac. Both trying to go to the body but both have up the guard. Honestly…they look nervous of each other. Pac keeps backing up? Barrera jabbing. Straight right there for Barrera. Pac jumps in with a left jab. Pac now jabbing. Open stance for Pac & Barrera goes to the body with the left. Weird. Barrera swings & misses & Pac comes alive. Pac to the body. Barrera comes back. Pac jumps all over him. Right hand jab or straight is working for Pac right now. Clench. Barrera seems sharpish & Pac seems…I’m just not sure.

Round even.

Manny Pacquiao (49 fights, 44 wins, 3 losses, 2 draws, & 35 ko‘s) vs. Marco Antonio Barrera (69 fights, 63 wins, 5 losses, & 42 ko‘s) Round 2: Pac now starts fast & throwing the left. Barrera combos. Pac jabs. Tie up. 1-2 from Pac. Barrera to the body. Barrera is moving & shooting Pac is jabbing. Right hook to the body by Barrera. Left hand from Pac & Barrera counters with the same. Right hand from Barrera. Left hand from Barrera. Barrera lands a combo & backs Pac up. Pac applying pressure. 1-2 from Pac. Barrera jabbing. Pac with a left hand & Barrera pops him with 2-3 jabs.

Round to Barrera.

Manny Pacquiao (49 fights, 44 wins, 3 losses, 2 draws, & 35 ko‘s) vs. Marco Antonio Barrera (69 fights, 63 wins, 5 losses, & 42 ko‘s) Round 3: Pac jabbing & throws the left. Barrera seems calm. Barrera jabbing. Double jab from Pac & then a hook. Barrera comes back with a hook of his own. Clench as they clash. Nice jab from Barrera. Pac fires & Barrera slips it. Right hand by Barrera. Left hook from Barrera. They are now trading well. Left by Pac & B slips it. Barrera jabbing. Pac now jabbing. No connection there. Barrera just ate one. Jab from Barrera. Pac comes in with a left & CLOCKS HIM.

Round to Pac.

Manny Pacquiao (49 fights, 44 wins, 3 losses, 2 draws, & 35 ko‘s) vs. Marco Antonio Barrera (69 fights, 63 wins, 5 losses, & 42 ko‘s) Round 4: Pac comes out firing. Barrera counters. Pac jabs & then clocks Barrera. Slug fest. Right hand & then a left from Pac & Barrera counters back. Body exchange. 1-2 from Pac. Nice right hand from Pac. Right hook from Barrera. Pac double jabbing. Right hand by Barrera. Barrera jabbing.

Round to Pac.

Manny Pacquiao (49 fights, 44 wins, 3 losses, 2 draws, & 35 ko‘s) vs. Marco Antonio Barrera (69 fights, 63 wins, 5 losses, & 42 ko‘s) Round 5: Pac starts with the jab. Barrera comes on. Barrera pops with a left. Pac takes it & jabs back. Barrera jabbing. Big right hand from Pac brings Barrera alive & Barrera hammers him with a huge right hand. Pac continues to jab. Nice right hand from Barrera. They are exchanging now. Left hook from Pac. Barrera hammers him back.

Round to Barrera.

Manny Pacquiao (49 fights, 44 wins, 3 losses, 2 draws, & 35 ko‘s) vs. Marco Antonio Barrera (69 fights, 63 wins, 5 losses, & 42 ko‘s) Round 6: Barrera boxing. Pac slugging. I’m not sure what’s more effective. Pac now trying to jab. Pac is trying to work. Barrera fires a combo. Pac whacks him. Pac then goes to the body in the corner. Right hand by Barrera. Pac jabbing to the body. Body shot by Barrera. Jab from Barrera followed by a right. Huge right hand from Barrera. They explode in an exchange & Barrera is all over Pac & Pac is all over Barrera. Hard one from Pac!!!!! Barrera back to jabbing.

HOLY Shit Y’ALL!!!!

Manny Pacquiao (49 fights, 44 wins, 3 losses, 2 draws, & 35 ko‘s) vs. Marco Antonio Barrera (69 fights, 63 wins, 5 losses, & 42 ko‘s) Round 7: Pa now seems tentative to exchange. Pac jabbing. Clench. Barrera works out & uses the ring with his jab. Right hand from Pac. Huge right from Pac after Barrera landed one. Barrera jabbing. Pac continues to work the jab. Pac trying to go to the body & Barrera trying to back out.

Round to Pac.

Manny Pacquiao (49 fights, 44 wins, 3 losses, 2 draws, & 35 ko‘s) vs. Marco Antonio Barrera (69 fights, 63 wins, 5 losses, & 42 ko‘s) Round 8: 69-64 for Pac. Barrera comes out jabbing. Right hand from Barrera. Right counter from Pac. Nice 1-2 from Pac. Barrera counters. Barrera jabbing now. Right & LEFT from Pac. Hard left snaps B’s neck. Body shot by Barrera. Big left stuns Barrera. 1-2-3 from Barrera. Barrera content to jab & keep Pac away.

Manny Pacquiao (49 fights, 44 wins, 3 losses, 2 draws, & 35 ko‘s) vs. Marco Antonio Barrera (69 fights, 63 wins, 5 losses, & 42 ko‘s) Round 9: Barrera jabbing. Pac’s there but nothings happening. Barrera to the body. Pac comes on. Double left by Pac. Pac jabs. Right hand by Barrera. Pac hammers him with a right & LEFT & Barrera goes to the ropes. Body shtos by Pac. Left hand from Pac. Barrera starting to look clueless. Combo by Barrera. Double left by Pac. Barrera combos. Pac fires back & the crowd comes alive.

Round to Pac.

Manny Pacquiao (49 fights, 44 wins, 3 losses, 2 draws, & 35 ko‘s) vs. Marco Antonio Barrera (69 fights, 63 wins, 5 losses, & 42 ko‘s) Round 11: Round 10 got lost but nothing happened. Barrera now more or less trying to make it out. Barrera jabbing. Pac cracks with a right & LEFT. Jabs from Pac. Right hand & left come from Barrera. Barrera stings Pac. They exchange evenly. Pac tries to get right back on him. Pac jabbing. Right & left send Barrera tot eh ropes. Left hand hurts Barrera. Barrera butts Pac. That had to be intentional. Hit on the break? Whatever it was…Barrera lost a point. Pac gets right back on him. Barrera seems to be the one bleeding. Pac jabbing. Yeah Barrera’s face is cut the F*** up.

Manny Pacquiao (49 fights, 44 wins, 3 losses, 2 draws, & 35 ko‘s) vs. Marco Antonio Barrera (69 fights, 63 wins, 5 losses, & 42 ko‘s) Round 12: Barrera’s eye/cheek is fucked up!!!! Barrera hit on the break. 109-99 for Pac. Both come out trading. Pac jabbing. Barrera fires right back. Left hand from Pac. Clench. Pac just jabbing. Left hook from pac. 1-2-3 from Pac. Barrera just taking shots. Barrera slips. Left hand from Barrera. Barrera jabbing. Pac fires a 1-2. Pac wants to fight…but Barrera just backing out. 1-2 from Pac again. Barrera just jabbing. Pac countering.

FIGHT TO PAC.

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Monday, October 01, 2007

looking back at the past few

highs and lows from seeing victories and defeat.

seeing the blue and white and the zens decked in green.

watching men, boys and ladies ball

whether the Big Dome or Ninoy Aquino

reading the fora Gameface and AA

staring at armchair analysts and stat freaks

in the end, seeing the gesu

players and coaches shedding tears and sharing laughs

fans lining up and taking pictures and asking autographs

and seeing the zens...

pretty much seals the deal as to why it has been a good ride.

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I am John Paul Manahan.

I am a Cancer, born in the Year of the Dog, a day after the feast day of St. John the Baptist, in the month of the Pearl.

I am a philosopoet, devoted to now writing what are on my thoughts on a frequent basis.

I am a Filipino, devoted to its culture and traditions and will not trade it for anything else in the world.

I am a Catholic, devoted to the tenets of the Church.

I am an Atenean, devoted to the faith and principles of magis.

I am a Maristian, devoted to Mary through the ideals of St. Marcellin Champagnat.

I am a proud graduate with a major in Development Studies, devoted to changing the world, whichever way possible in this grim reality we put ourselves in.

Hello! Welcome to my domain!
Remember to always keep an open mind.
To navigate, click the warning signs. Hope you enjoy the blog.




This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License.