At the end of the day,

Exclusive

2010-08-30T01:52:00.000-07:00

I'm still here. Apparently so are you. Thanks.

I got some posts in the works. Stay tuned.

Akalain mo yon?

You may call it a comeback.

2010-06-20T02:44:00.000-07:00

Welcome to my 2010 half time report! My bad for abandoning the blog for so long. Believe me, I missed it more than you did. I can't offer a good excuse, but boy do I have some news for you my faithful readers! In the past six months I underwent a significant growth spurt and am now capable of performing something every basketball player/fan sets out to do. Peep the vid.

Unless your perspective is off, you probably figured out that the rim is lowered and I am still at a fun size 5 foot 2. I was just playing about the physical changes. I wasn't kidding about the growth spurt tho. It's true what they say about being able to learn more during the hard times than when things are going well. I saw myself at my worst this year and added several entries to my regret list. I originally wrote more for this post regarding those unfortunate events, but it seemed out of place here. It's over and done with. I'm just glad to be at peace with myself again. I'll try not to let either of us miss the blog again. God is good. You're beautiful.

Akalain mo yon?

Only you.

2009-12-31T18:42:00.000-08:00

Someone will be more beautiful than you.
Someone will have a better personality.
Someone will be smarter.
Someone will be more fashionable.
Someone will be richer.
Someone will be kinder and more caring.
Someone will be funnier and more creative.
Someone will be stronger and more athletic.
Someone will be a better dancer, actor, and singer.
Someone will be "cooler."
Someone will be more independent.
Someone will have a better body.
Someone will be more faithful and spiritual.
Someone will be more mature.
Someone will be more virtuous.
Someone will be more confident.
Someone will have prettier eyes and a brighter smile.

But I tell you this: NO ONE, absolutely no one, will ever be better at being YOU.

Someday someone is going to try with all their wit to describe what it is about you they fell so hopelessly in love with. I pray that they don't succeed. It's my belief that if you can describe something, you can replicate/better it. I hope they conclude that it's that wonderful feeling that you, and only you, can provide. Don't try to change too much people. Happy New Year.

Akalain mo yon?

Fun Fact #5: I only have a handful of true friends and I'm willing to go out on a limb for them too.

2009-10-12T09:14:00.000-07:00

You know what you call those people in your life that you can't remember meeting?

FAMILY.

Knowing I would eventually end up a misunderstood loner with walls comparable to that of China's, God knew that it was vital for me to meet friends before I began putting my guard up if I ever stood a chance at having close personal relationships. I was blessed with several cousins that inevitably became my closest friends till this day.

This is my dude-guy Harvey. We can stay up all night talking about anything and everything. I remember when we took a trip to the Big Apple for a wedding and I got piss drunk. Harvey came out to the side of the building where I was regurgitating my guts out and made sure I didn't die. Good looking out dude-guy! He is one of the smartest and most disciplined people I know and is well on his way to becoming a drug pusher. The legal kind of course.

This is my partner in crime Aion. When we got tired of shooting each other with air-pistols, we would sit on our Tita's balcony and take aim at kids that passed by and annoyed us. I know, our bad. We were rotten spoiled kids. They must have deserved it tho since karma had plenty of chances to get back at us but never did. Like when we would build our own miniature canons with A LOT of fireworks during new years. I'm so glad I'm typing this post with 10 fingers right now. Every time I kick it with this guy I'm guaranteed numerous laughs.

This is my buddy Harold. He has probably been one of the biggest influence in my young life. Who do you think got me into basketball? In his prime, no one can touch this guy on the court. Second only to MJ himself in my book. Who do you think got me into fashion? Dude was rocking flannels and snapbacks way before Urban Outfitters made it your generic hipster's/hypebeast's everyday uniform. Who do you think got me addicted to Dr. Pepper? You guessed it! He would force feed me that stuff by the gallon! Just playing. One sip and I was hooked. My Kuya Harold is exactly that, a big brother to all of us cousins.

I've been fortunate enough to have my cousins for all these years, but as we all know, few things lasts forever. Its not that our friendship is coming to an end, its simply being tested by distance. Harvey is now attending grad school in Sacramento, Harold is enrolling in a nursing school in the Motherland (As if I didn't have enough reasons to hate school, now it's taking my homies away from me. It's evil I tell you), and Aion is seriously considering enlisting in the Army.

I'd be lying if I said I wasn't saddened by all this, but I'm not too concerned. If you haven't figured it out by now, my relationships with these guys were established long before I built the walls around me so naturally now they're trapped inside of them (muhahaha). I have no intentions of letting them out of my life. We closer than handicapped parking ya dig?

Akalain mo yon?

Play by the rules.

2009-09-09T18:27:00.000-07:00

You've all heard it before; "What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas." I don't completely agree with that, but sometimes one doesn't really have a choice in the matter.

The family headed over to Vegas this past weekend to celebrate Aion's 21st.

It was the greatest time he'll never remember.

He walked into the club, but was carried out of it. Mission accomplished. HAPPY BIRTHDAY PINSAN!

On the other hand, some things refuse to be forgotten. While strolling the Vegas strip... I walked into a street sign. Sorry, no one got it on film. Thats one of the few advantages of being the the camera man, you kick it behind the lens. So HA! suckas.

Damn bump was on my forehead all weekend. You should see the size of the one on my ego. Ouch.

This was probably the only time everyone was sober. Now "you ladies have a good night."

Akalain mo yon?

KIT.

2009-08-27T00:35:00.000-07:00

As all of you have probably noticed by now, I am no longer present on your top friends on myspace. Its not a glitch in the system, stop emailing the site's support team. I deleted my account. Allow me to explain.

Ya'll got lazy.

Remember the days when your close friends came running to you as soon as something crazy went down? If they couldn't physically get hold of you, they would blow up your cell phone until they woke you from whatever state of slumber you were in. Then they'd begin to relate their astonishing experience with all the necessary embellishments that will undoubtedly make you regret ever staying at home to watch the Mythbusters marathon, e.g. "DUDE! all the girls got butt naked then jumped into the pool... OF DR. PEPPER!!!" Damn you Adam and Jamie...

Thanks to these networking sites, very few people do that nowadays. We can now passively keep in touch with our friends. We simply post up pictures and expect everyone to discover our latest antics on their own. This will not do. Yes that is coming from a blogger.

I lost the popularity contest.

I got kinda close, but I don't think I'll ever catch Tila. I think I managed to get somewhere between 120 - 140. I don't know a third of those people. How many does Tila have?.... what?!!!

I got a facebook.

Before you frantically send a request, its only for my family and friends in the Philippines. International texting and calling are expensive. Messages are free! I'm enjoying actually reading and caring about the posts in the news feed.

I'll admit, facebook is better. I do however have some suggestions to prevent it from becoming the same experience as myspace. Lets start with those ambiguous friend requests. Ok, some of them are simply that, a friend request. But if you have more than 200 "friends," lets face it, the majority of them have other motives. To assist you in distinguishing, I present to you... REAL TALK ICONS!

For those people that you never hear from after adding:

For those smooth talkers that you've been skeptical about from the very start:

Of course you don't want to come off as a jerk, so heres a REAL TALK way of responding to these perverts:

Disclaimer: All characters previously presented in this post are strictly fictional. Any similarities (no matter how uncanny) to actual people are purely coincidental.

I gotta let go.

I didn't know it at the time, but I've sent my share of stalker friend requests. Whatever the cause, you're bound to lose friends. Some of which you could care less about, but there are those rare friends that force you to trace your actions to figure out where it all went wrong. The damage is done. It's funny how we attempt to hold on to certain people even if it is just virtually. Did I say funny? I mean unhealthy. I'll just do like Little Michael from now on:

At the end of the day, keeping in touch is a two way street. I had the same opportunities to keep in contact but for whatever reason I didn't. Truce. At least now I don't have to pretend like I don't know what's going on in your life if/when I see you. No not you,... you. One less game to play. Now please excuse me as I go outside to tan before someone accuses me of being emo.

Akalain mo yon?

Mega Pics

2009-08-17T20:42:00.000-07:00

My cousin Ian spent his last week in America here in California before heading back to Philippines. He's a photographer and you can check out his work on his site. Dude's got skills. We took him to several spots during his stay so he can snap awesome pictures. All of the pics in this post was taken by him except for the few crappy ones, those were all me.

First on the list was Santa Barbara.

Meet Kuya Ian.

The original plan was to go kayaking, but that didn't happen so we hopped on one of these...

I still haven't learned my lesson about going off road as it was my idea to go on the grass. Strike 2.

That was fun for about 30 mins, then it just turned into a work out.

We headed over to the pier and took full advantage of our photographer and his fancy camera. muhahaha.

Next up, Griffith Observatory.

Yes, we like to jump. BTW, be on the look out for Aion's calendar. Its gonna be hot.

On to Santa Monica Pier.

Thanks for the visit cousin! Hope you had a great time!

Akalain mo yon?

I want one.

2009-08-04T23:10:00.000-07:00

Let it load. It's worth it.

Akalain mo yon?

Fun Fact #4: I'll laugh if you fall, I'll stop if you don't get up.

2009-08-04T17:17:00.000-07:00

It really doesn't take much to get me to LOL. It can be irony, satire, wisecracks, anecdotes, or simply stupet people and, as the title indicates, seeing someone eat it (provided that no one gets hurt... too badly).

So if you fall and you know that you're not hurt, don't stay down acting like you broke something just to get sympathy and save face. Just get up, cuss out gravity, walk it off, and let who ever saw it have their laugh.

You've probably already seen this video, but its the best example of what I'm talking about.

Thats how its done folks.

Now it wouldn't be fair of me to laugh at other people's misfortunes without offering one of my own blunders to be ridiculed. I'm not really in the habit of documenting my stupidity, but this particular incident had to be.

No this was not a planned photo-shoot. I drove my front wheel drive whip right into sand.

I was all up in there for a good 2 hours before a tow truck freed me from the embarrassment. Good times.

At the end of the day, you gotta be able to laugh at yourself because if you don't, someone else surely will. My favorite laughs are the ones that catch you off guard and just explode from the bottom of your stomach. Here's an example of one such moment:

Akalain mo yon?

Mr. Alabat

2009-07-22T16:45:00.000-07:00

Looking back at the time when I was planning my Philippines trip, I was very excited about all the events that would be taking place, the weddings and the other parties, but I can't remember being thrilled about visiting my family on my Dad's side. Don't get me wrong, its not that I didn't wanna go. Its just that, at the time, it wasn't a priority to me.

The visit took place during my first trek to Quezon Province right after my church's centennial celebration.

We played some ball on the neighbor's court.

Then my Tita cooked some pancakes and my cousin bumped some OPM on his tiny speakers.

Family business.

At the end of the day, I can feed you countless euphemisms about my family's situation, but I run the risk of implying that I am somewhat ashamed, and that couldn't be further from the truth. The short time I spent with them was the best part of my vacation, hands down. I haven't felt peace like that in a long time. I don't think I have to tell you what my priority is when I return in 2010.

I'm with them. Better yet, they with me.

Akalain mo yon?

Ang aking lupang sinilangan.

2009-07-06T23:30:00.000-07:00

If I set this post up properly (delay post feature), a month has passed since my return from the Philippines....

Ok, you probably don't believe that, so I'll just confess to what really caused the delay. I was lazy. I know, shocker.

Before we start, here are a couple of reasons why I suck at blogging.

1) A good blogger would have blogged about their trip on a day to day bases so they don't end up with one GIANORMOUS post in the end.

I didn't do that. There are well over 100 pictures in this post. The ones I took are tagged and the ones I stole from other peoples cameras are not.

2) A good blogger would have taken some form of notes to remember the details of their trip. The order at which events took place for example.

I didn't do that either, but fret not my friend, I'll do my best to keep everything in chronological order. My memory is as sharp as the nails on my big toes! I do apologize for the random thoughts here and there though.

Here we gooooo!

The flight took approximately 14 hours. They played "Yesman" three times and some other movie I didn't care for. Take a look at that picture, you see the bread and chocolate chip cookie? Ok. You know what you don't see? Peanuts! I didn't get a single pack of peanuts. I guess they don't give them out anymore. Stupet recession. It truly does effect us all.

We landed and before I knew it, we were in the streets of Manila fully engulfed in the dreaded Philippine heat.

All of my photos of the city were taken inside the car, and if you've ever photographed something while on the move you know that its not easy. Its probably just me tho, I still suck at this photography thing. These were the only ones I liked.

It rained a lot. I remember taking showers in the rain in the middle of the streets when I was young. If you think about it, all you can really do in the rain is take showers. I would love to see someone take a bath in the rain.

We arrived at my Uncle's house and one of the first people I met was my cousin's 2-year-old kid Adriel! aka Putchok!

This kid is awesome. He was the life of the party everywhere we went. He's super smart too. But don't just take my word for it. Every now and then, if you're lucky enough, he'll show you his thoughts!

Genius Adriel! Simply genius! Why didn't I think of that?!?

My Tita's house was renovated a couple of years back. Its huge and featured an equally big plasma in the living room. This is where I rooted for the Lakers at 9 in the morning still half asleep.

Unfortunately, the house was still undergoing updates and the room I was staying in was the last thing on the renovation fairy's list.

No that ain't the latest in toilet design. There was no toilet seat in our bathroom. Awesome.... At least there was AC in the room.

I did some unpacking then we all exchanged our $ for ₱₱₱ and headed for the mall.

We kicked it in the mall a lot. It was one of the few places where you can escape the heat. This was right outside Mall of Asia.

The following day we took a 4 hour road trip to our province Unisan to take part of our church's 100th year anniversary. It was the first of 3 trips I would make there. I did most of my thinking during those rides, the scenery demanded it.

Ain't that effect on the pictures dope? It's simply the cars tinted window between the shot and the camera. See, you don't need those fancy filters. Just carry a tinted car window with you.

Speaking of, I brought a Holga with me during my trip in hopes of taking a bunch of nostalgic and dreamy photos of my experience. That didn't turn out well. The negative film showed that every shot was overlapping and the ones that did turn out decent I messed up by moving the camera too soon after each shot. So wackkkkk. I really wanted to post them individually on here too.

Anyway, that sign reads "WELCOME TO UNISAN QUEZON"

Here we are.

My Lolo and Lola (grandparents) raised their children in this house and at one point they had the difficult task of raising my Sister and I for a couple of years.

We dressed my Lolo up and made our way to the church.

The service featured messages from 12 preachers. It lasted for 4 hours. I spent 3 1/2 of those hours outside trying to find my 5th grade crush. No luck tho.

I really don't get annoyed by heat too easily, but this was something else. My sweat seeped through my skin even though I wasn't even moving a muscle and I'm sure it would have evaporated right before my eyes had I not been in the shade.

The following day, a Sunday, we were back in Manila and once again in a church for service. I stayed for the message this time. We went every sunday I was there. I promise.

This is us kicking it after service.

These are my other pair of sunglasses after they got ran over by some jerk right in front of the church one sunday. My uncle bought the ones I'm rocking in the previous pic. I'm sunglasses-less.

Aion did his best to convince me that they were still good.

I am proud to say that my sober streak continues.... in America.

These drinks were ₱26 a pop. Thats like 50 cents! Cheers.

As you can imagine, not drinking for over 6 months does wonders for your tolerance. Just 2 of these...

...and there were two of everything else. Lightweight for life homie.

Of course it wouldn't be an official inoman (drinking event) without the karaoke. Take it away Jay!

You know its a good time when my cousin MJ's thumb is in the air. That baby doesn't just go up for anything.

After the beer ran out we bounced to a near by 24 hour spot and had some tapa (I have no idea what it is in english, but its absolutely delicious). I normally don't eat the same dish consecutively, but I'll make an exception for this.

Shout out to the Sinangag Express crew!

My cousin Harold decided that he wants to continue his schooling in Philippines so we went school hunting.

He's down for the nursing program and its about $16K cheaper there. Good deal.

It took me a while, but I learned how to decipher tagalog text. Its not easy kids.

We found some fire works then hit the streets.

We were sober. Fo really.

Wedding time!

The venue was Fernbrook Gardens.

I was honored to be one of the groomsmen but wasn't too excited about being paired up with a bridesmaid that was still recovering from chickenpox. I have never gotten it before so I was very much susceptible. Uncool wedding coordinator.

I stayed far away and made sure not to enter a room she was currently contaminating.

When the coast was clear, I took the point-and-shoot out and did some damage.

Where is she...

Ladies and gents, the newest part of the family, the bride, our new cousin Ate Ann.

She's gorgeous, sings like an angel, and she's a dentist. See, a nice guy doesn't always finish last. Good job Kuya "Trokney" Aim. You didn't need that Ferrari after all.

I let the dudes with the fancy lens take over my photo-shoot when I was done.

Sorry Chris, you see that kid to the far left? He's the real "FLASHBACK BOY." Dude just went around carrying a flash for the camera men. Yes, even in daylight. Get that paper kid.

The bridesmaids are ready and looking beautiful.

The groomsmen finally look presentable.

The horse and carriage that they picked over the old school Rolls, despite Adriel's effort to convince them other wise, is parked outside.

The stage is set.

Cue the music, make a last second bridesmaid switch, then walk.

There were other pairs that walked obviously, but you can catch their pictures on their blogs. Suckas. =P

This was about the time something got into the groom's eye.

Everyone had to sit for about an hour or so.

Of course Putchok got to do whatever he wanted. Like a boss.

I just thought about what the newly wed's kid would look like...

Sorry. Heres some pictures to get your mind of that one.

On to the reception!

They had this photo-booth set up for the guest's amusement. You should have seen the commotion that thing caused. Its given that the girls would go crazy over something like that, but even the fellas let their inner cam whores out.

So I was just chilling there watching the vanity with my judgmental eyes, when all of a sudden these guys grab me, against my will of course, and throw me in the booth!

Unbelievable, but I forgive you guys.

Heres some photos by my cousin Wy-man and MJ since I was too busy stuffing my face.

Chickenpox girl got too close.

The bride and her sisters performed.

Predictions were made.

There was a surprise song strictly for the groom.

And I had dessert.

A few more pics and we called it a night.

Good times. Especially when Aion's leg is around me like that. You probably assumed thats my thumbs up, but its actually Jay stretching his arm to the max and weaving it through the crowd to get his signature pose in the shot. Amazing.

The very next night, it was Ika's debut! I didn't upload the pictures on my camera yet at the time and my memory card was full so I had to steal these next couple of photos.

There were a lot of happy tears...

...Adriel had cupcakes,

...and there were amazing parting gifts.

The next morning, some of us made that 4 hour road trip to my younger cousin's wedding. Still didn't have my camera.

The next night Aion sponsored a swimming event. Salamats buddy.

Tita's specialty.

The kids swam.

The rockstars rocked out.

The ladies took pictures.

The fellas did their thing.

And this dolphin did a very impressive impersonation of me.

I did my best to convince my parents to extend my vacation but they weren't having it. We were on the next thing flying home.

A friend of mine asked me if the trip was life changing when I returned.

Sadly, this is the only change I could offer.

At the end of the day, you gotta ask yourself if a person can change. My answer is a resounding yes. People change all the time. From bad to good then back to bad again. From good to bad then back to good again. Sometimes the change remains for a long time, sometimes it doesn't. No human is the same yesterday, today, and forever. I was foolish to think that I could change my ways in just a couple of weeks. I'm back in more ways than one. I had an amazing time in the Philippines and I'm glad to have met all the people that inspires me to change yet again.

Someone found an old picture of my Grandparents with their kids and cousins. Its truly something to aspire to.

Akalain mo yon?

Return to manufacturer for repair.

2009-05-13T22:45:00.000-07:00

If I set this post up properly (delay post feature), I am now thousands of feet in the air eating some honey roasted peanuts as you read this (hopefully on my second pack if the stewardess ain't wack).

Destination? THE MOTHERLAND!

It's been five years since my last visit and although this trip is for my cousin's wedding, I've decided to take advantage of the setting and do some soul searching (yes, contrary to the hater's belief, I have a soul). I mean, what better place to start a back than where it all began rit?

I've been off for a minute and its getting old. I miss me.

It's just unfortunate for the poor stripper who would have banked on this trip otherwise. It's aiite babygirl, you'll find a way to pay for your tuition.

My bag matches my outfit. I'll just leave that to your imagination.

P.S.

Sorry if I didn't text you back if you bid me goodbye via text. I'm still broke and out of text. Thanks for the prayers guys!

God is good. Now you know.

Forget english, talk body language.

2009-05-04T14:05:00.000-07:00

Forget Tagalog too. I was rendered speechless by a sore throat this past weekend. It started on friday and only got worst after screaming and cheering for the homie Pacquiao. I don't think I have to elaborate much on the fight. Dude did what he does.

By the time Sunday came around I had no voice and had to resort to writing on a note pad to communicate since my sign language sucks.

That means turtle. Thats all I got.

Phone calls were the worst. I wish I knew Morse code so I could simply tap away on the mic. I know what you're thinking, "just text the person you handsome man!" I would but...

So if I didn't reply to your text, that is why. Phone calls, emails, messages, and IMs only till 5/18 please. Salamat.

At the end of the day, shutting up and listening to other people talk was very interesting and a very new experience to me since I talk a lot (like a lot a lot). You wouldn't believe how many times someone repeated what had already been said. A nod and a "yea" doesn't necessarily translate to "I understand." I wonder how many times I've done that myself. I think I'll shut up more often. I'm sure that will be appreciated by many. I won't stop singing tho, sorry.

Now you know.

Permanent.

2009-04-23T16:28:00.000-07:00

My cousin's and I made a trip down to LA a couple of weeks ago.

After months of contemplation, I finally decided to go under the needle!

SIKE!

Aside from the free tats (scars) I accumulated throughout my childhood while playing in the streets and jungles of Philippines, this body is still an empty canvas. So fresh and so clean clean, but not really.

Anyway, that soon to be swollen and oh so tender arm belongs to my cousin Aion. AION MAN if you nasty.

The artist for the job will be the homie Ruthie aka RUTHLESS.

Despite her evident disability, Ruthless still managed to land on the pages of Urban Ink's latest issue as one of LA's sexiest female artist. Well deserved buddy. Good job.

Formalities. I think it mentioned something about being charged extra if you cry. Fair enough.

So many possibilities.

An hour of pain later and their friendship remains. I don't think it could have endured more than that.

Cool guy.

At the end of the day, your body is a temple and what temple is deprived of decorations?

P.S. girls + ink = yummy

Now you know.

Priorities.

2009-03-24T14:58:00.000-07:00

I've been getting numerous emails since my last post. They had nothing to do with my inactivity here, just spam, but I do apologize to all 3 of my readers for my laziness. I'm still alive, you may call the search party off now. With that said, lets get back into this blogging thing.

One of my older cousin just had his second child this past weekend and that merited a trip to the hospital. Now I wouldn't normally walk into this germ-infested building without a broken bone or a questionable burning sensation during my jingle, (it was nothing ladies, don't trip) but its always a family event to welcome the new member of the squad.

World, meet Isabel. I don't recall all the details about her birth, but I can tell you that she only took 10 minutes to escape the womb and that she's healthy, what else matters rit?

After we got our share of cuteness, my cousin opened up his blog on the hospital pc (I guess hospitals now realize that some people really can't live without this internet thing) and germs weren't the only thing spreading anymore...

My twitting cousin decided to join the blogging community and we all came to the conclusion that it would be a great way to KIT since we barely get to see each other nowadays. I'm still waiting on those blog links fam!

We hungry. Lets eat.

Since we were already killing time, we thought we might as well shoot each other!

After an hour we finally got seated, (always call ahead of time when you rolling deep, lesson learned) my cousin told us about one of her patients passing away that same day. He was a gun shot victim and was in and out of the hospital for about 5 years to the point where he called it home.

At the end of the day, I can't help but make a connection between a new born and the recently departed. What does a dying man in his death bed and a new born in her cradle truly want? (granted that the baby is well feed and has a fresh diaper. I say this because if the baby is hungry, her desires at the moment wouldn't be similar to that of a dying man, it would be the same as that of an adolescent boy or adolescent girl really: boobs) My answer is more time to be with those they love. I don't think anyone can argue with that. Somewhere along this opportunity we call life, we get distracted. Get your priorities straight people.

Now you know.

Fun Fact #3: I don't rock the Js, cause I know it wasn't the shoes.

2009-03-12T17:47:00.000-07:00

I outgrew my obsession with Jordans (just the shoes, MJ will be a part of my life for a minute, no homo) several years ago, primarily because I no longer get any satisfaction from collecting something so prevalent and partly because I didn't have the ends to support my addiction (bankruptcy: better than rehab!). In any case, I got a whole collection to stock, none to rock.

So where does one go to replace what many believe to be the most important part of their ensemble? I can only think of one place. History.

"In 1916, the Keds brand was introduced by the U.S. Rubber Company as the first national athletic and lifestyle footwear brand. At this time, the shoes were called sneakers, a term invented in the late 1916 by Keds advertising agency because the rubber soles made the shoes quiet."

Its nothing flashy, but that suits me well. Its an originator, and I can relate to that too.

You can easily see where some of today's popular shoe models got their inspiration.

Now you know.

Jeffrey's Combo #2

2009-03-10T01:09:00.000-07:00

If you are a Dragon Ball Z fan like myself, then you're familiar with the dragon balls and the power they possess; one wish granted by a dragon summoned when all 7 dragon balls are collected. Goku, the main dude of the series, had to fight several of the universe's strongest fighters just to retrieve the set and get his wish.

I never thought there would ever be another set of balls worth the trouble, aside from mine of course (my basketballs, I got like 3 of them...), until my homie Chris introduced me to these babies:

These are buchi balls (sesame seed balls) and like the dragon balls, they present several challenges and struggles. For one, they seem to disappear during noon and for two, it's gonna be $1.20 (.60 cents a ball). Nothing an alarm clock and a trip to the piggy bank can't solve. Unfortunately there will be no appearance by a dragon when the set is attained, but if there was, my wish would be for the second half of the combo:

A Taro Slush Boba. I'm glad the boba craze died down years ago, more for me. Too bad only the boba comes in a large in this combo. Come to think about it, I would actually wish for a basketball size buchi from the nonexistent dragon. A fatty can dream...

Now you know.

Fun fact #2: Real life has the best graphics, so I go outside to play ball.

2009-03-09T15:53:00.000-07:00

My only claim to being a gamer is owning the original game boy.

I remember being obsessed with this thing as a wee lad. I just realized that the only reason I enjoyed playing my gameboy was because there was no one to compete with in those games. When my cousin's introduced me to two player games on their Super Nintendo, I was made aware of just how much I sucked in the virtual world. I would wait an eternity for my turn, then 5 perfectly executed combos later, I had to hand over the controller. This was the case for every game I played. Needless to say, I no longer enjoyed video games. Thanks a lot jerks!

It was around this time when I discovered the wonderful world of basketball. From 3rd grade to 10th, I played basketball purely for fun. It wasn't until I was good enough, not to mention academically eligible, to join my high school's varsity team in my junior year that I started becoming competitive. Heres a look at my highschool basketball career in a nutshell:

Its aight, you can say it. I was garbage! (haha) Fortunately for me, those stats don't reflect my entire experience with basketball. Most of the memories I hold on to are the ones that took place off the court. Well, not that far off the court really. Yup, the bench. As you can imagine, a player averaging .6 points per game didn't really get a lot of PT, but luckily for me my closest homie just happened to be a fellow bench warmer. Being on the sideline was just a series of jokes about the opposing team's players and how badly we sucked. I sweated more from laughing than from actually playing the game. Being down 20+ points didn't stop us from having fun and simply making the best of the situation. I mean when it comes down to it, we had the best seats in the house.

I'm happy to say that my love for the game carries on to this day despite my horrible performance during high-school. I still enjoy watching the game and playing it as often as I get the chance. You can catch me on the court every friday in my church league and pick up games on sundays. Bring some shorts and shoes, LET'S GO!

Now you know.

Leaving on a jet plane.

2009-03-04T01:27:00.000-08:00

I wonder how much cheaper your bill would be if they took out all those fancy lights and decorations from the restaurant your eating in and just relied on good respectable service. Not to mention the premium your party paid for just to be catered to by those cute hostess and waitress. Do we really need all these things to make the evening feel special? Ok, the cute hostess and waitress can stay, but I ain't down to pay for the setting.

But enough about my excuse for seriously considering Costco as a great place for a first date, last night's outing was all about celebrating my little cousin's departure back to the motherland!

It's been a little over 18 months since Ika and her brother first stepped onto American soil and I couldn't help but ask what she would miss the most. Her reply was the weather which didn't really surprise me much. I'll take our current bipolar weather over Philippine's humidity any day. I would miss all the possibilities this country has to offer to the dreamer. That and the super-size option (GO LARGE FATTY!). So necessary.

Speaking of dreamers, this is my Tita's (auntie's) girlfriend's little girl, Jordan.

I used to be against exposing kids too early to the internet and rated R movies, but ever since this 8 year old raved to me about how she counseled her much older brother on his long distance relationship and how she helped two of her homosexual classmates come out of the closet, I'm all for it! No Barney or Dora for my little ones, just myspace (yes, Jordan has one) and Brokeback Mountain on HD. They grow up so fast.

Exhibit A:

We'll miss you cousin! Have a safe trip and we'll see you when you get back!

Now you know.

Fun fact #1: I like learning, hate being taught.

2009-03-02T14:59:00.000-08:00

It's obvious why good students would want to hold on to their report cards. Who wouldn't want to someday compare stars with their very own little scholar? With that said, I have no idea why I have this:

That right there are my academic records that span from 6 grade all the way through my high school years. I'll save you the time and show an example that best represents the majority of the stack. (I decided not to include the teacher's comments, there might be kids reading this.)

I know what you're thinking... yes, I was no stranger to summer school. I signed up for those classes at the same time I got my regular classes.

I can't recall what turned me off to school. During my high-school years, being in a class somehow turned into the most dreaded part of my day and it was evident in my behavior. There was no learning to be done within a 2 seat radius of me. If you had plans on passing the class, move up a bit. My teachers would rather allow me to sleep in class than disrupt the other students (they got no complains from me on that policy). I'm just thankful I had a car to chill in during those rare occasions when I couldn't fall asleep in class and eventually got kicked out. If it wasn't for a couple of shared laughs with my homies, I would have nothing to show for those countless hours of waiting for the bell to release me to basketball practice.

Were you ever asked as a kid what you wanted to be? I didn't know it back then, but if you were to ask me now I would simply reply: I already am somebody.

At the end of the day, school might be the most secure way to a good future, but by no means is it the only way. You gotta do you.

Now you know.

Go outside.

2009-03-01T14:10:00.000-08:00

My cousins and I visited my church's camp yesterday. It was a nice change from my usual saturday schedule of sleeping in till 1PM. After driving 5,000 ft up with no signs of the camp, we figured we were lost and decided to make the best of it.

With some quick reassurance that it was a common mistake any group of men could have made, we got back on the road pride intact. 3,000 ft the opposite direction later, we arrived at the camp just in time for a hike. Grab a stick, lets go!

The fresh air alone was worth the trip. I wouldn't mind going back up every now and then.

Now you know.

About me.

2009-02-25T23:03:00.000-08:00

I have a myspace and the about me section has this in it:

I like learning, hate being taught. I don't rock a fitted cap, so don't be surprise if I'm quick to snapback. I'll laugh if you fall, I'll stop if you don't get up. I have plenty of regrets about my past, none about my future. Ain't got a line-up cause I don't want you to wait. Don't make me hungry, you're not gonna like me when I'm hungry. I dance a cappella, sing instrumental. I only have a handful of true friends and I'm willing to go out on a limb for them too. Inspiration is my boss. God is good, all the time. No plugs on my ears cause I'm open to listen to your problems. Always appreciative, never content. Real life has the best graphics, so I go outside to play ball. I'm easily discourage, even easier to motivate. Blank shirts are my cup of tee. My heart is the only organ I play. I don't rock the Js, cause I know it wasn't the shoes. Germaphobe, so don't give me dirty looks. I'm just kidding cause I'm bad at the adult thing. Smile, it looks good on you.

I would have elaborated more, but no one really reads those about me's. They go straight for the photos (I know I do). So I will be elaborating on each of these statements here in my up coming posts.

Now you know.

The Usual.

2009-02-20T00:21:00.000-08:00

It's no secret that I get a bit irritable when I get hungry. Luckily for me, and those who happen to be around me, I'm not a picky eater so the problem is easily remedied. I'm down to eat at any fast food joint granted that they are rocking the big blue "A" on the front door. For each fast food place I get the same thing all the time. For Mickey Ds its a number 1: Big Mac combo, for Jack in the crack it's a number 4: sourdough jack, for In & Out its a number 1: double-double, and for Carl's Jr its a number 4: double-western cheeseburger (best smelling burger in the world btw).

For those times when fast food can't offer a quick enough fix, then something else will have to do. Something made just for me. Something that took years of experimentation and research to perfect. Something I like to call... Jeffrey's Combos!

We'll start it off with Combo #1. It's comprised of two items, the first of which is my favorite cookie bar: Twix. I believe I wrote a poem about this candy bar back in grade school. It's that serious.

The second part of the combo is my favorite drink: (you already know...)

So if you ever notice me starting to get a bit more intolerable than usual, just pick up a Jeffrey's Combo #1 and I'll stop throwing rocks at you. But wait, there's more! It wouldn't be a genuine American combo if you can't super-size it rit????

I got a couple of other combos on the menu I'll reveal in the future.

Now you know.

Sunny the seal, your tummy will squeal, for $49.95, oh what a deal...

2009-02-17T20:16:00.000-08:00

I got my first license on my 18th birthday and my picture on that was located on right side. As you can see from the strategically (lazily) edited picture above, this is not the same one. This is the license given to us 21 and over drivers. For those of you who happened to miss/forget my birthday this year, I turned 22. Don't let the baby face fool you, I'm a grown man. Well, kinda. I really don't have much to show for my 22 years of existence other than a couple of life lessons I picked up after making the same mistakes over and over and over again. Things like: eating spicy food will not cure your diarrhea. (It seemed so foolproof at the time.) I am more than willing to share the rest with you over some Dr. Peppers. (I'm aware that beer is the traditional drink to have during "deep" conversations, but staying sober is one of the few resolutions that I haven't broken. 48 days strong sucka!)

Now what do you do after another year of your life has gone by? Evaluate of course. I remember telling my friend in middle school that I would make my first million by the time I turned 18, and we both believed it. I had every reason to believe in myself back then. If you've seen what kind of rims I'm seatin on today, you'll quickly realize that I'm a couple of dollars short of my goal, a million to be exact, but it's all good. Money doesn't motivate me much nowadays. Fruition on the other hand, I'd get up for that.

At the end of the day, I am, and always will be, appreciative of everything I have in my life. I'm blessed with a loving family and a handful of true friends. Ya'll can have the rest.

Now you know.

Allow me to reintroduce myself...

2009-02-10T23:50:00.000-08:00

My name is Jeffrey.

Now you know.