Last night

Tomorrow is D-Day. I'm getting admitted at Medical City tonight. Pray for my quick recovery.

IBM vs Manpower

Manpower, Inc. is a world leader in the employment services industry.

IBM is the world's largest information technology company and a global leader in business consultancy services.

IBM is Manpower's biggest client globally; Manpower is the biggest contractor staffing provider of IBM Philippines.

The healthy business relationship was strengthened with the first Manpower-IBM Goodwill basketball game last night at the Brent campus inside the Philsports compaund in Pasig. Mind you, it was a real game as there were two referees and a couple of table officials presiding over FIBA rules. The challenge was issued by Manpower last week and was graciously accepted by IBS (representing IBM Phils.)

The under-manned IBS team composed of eight players outclassed the more athletic yet overconfident Manpower side, 60-55.

With the embarassment caused by IBM to Manpower, I'm certain there will be more games coming soon.

Too bad I can't play til about a year from now.

3pm at the IBS Public Address System

Good afternoon. This is a friendly reminder to all Account Operations employees and contractors to log and clock their work activities for the week thru IBM's Intranet Labor Claiming tool or ILC. Clocking should be submitted before 5:00 PM today. Thank you and have a nice weekend ahead.

Thanksgiving

I am not American, but I appreciate and laud the United States military and their efforts in fighting terrorism.

My prayers go out to those who've made the ultimate sacrifice in defending our way of life. RIP.

Paypal goes Pinoy!

Finally after a long time, Philippine residents now have access to PayPal. It's the easiest (while secure) way to shop at Ebay. I used to borrow other paypal accounts from friends who have overseas addresses. Now, I can easily feed my Ebay addiction.

Let the spending begin.

Nokia

I had my phone fixed at Nokia the other day and I picked it up today. Had to shell out almost 3 g's for a new LCD.

Fuckin expensive.

Now I have to decide whether I should sell it or not.

Out of reach

My 17-month old phone conked out this morning. For no apparent reason, the screen went berserk, causing Matrix-like animations on the display. From experience, it should be an LCD problem.

I told myself, good thing I had an extra phone available. Little did I know that my sim card does not contain ANY contact. No, not even one single contact. Talk about relying solely on the phone memory (and the memory card).

I need to decide if I should get a new phone soon.

Aegis 2003

Just got my yearbook yesterday. I've been three-and-half-years removed from college and it's been a nostalgic trip down memory lane going over it.

Indeed, college was a blast.

Hekhek lang.

Sunday at IBM

I ditched work early last Friday to go to Medical City and arrange my impending surgery. As a result, I left behind several urgent deliverables. I had to compensate by coming to work tonight, on a Sunday at that. Good thing I swung by the gym earlier. At least, it wouldn't be that bad.

No mo' promo

It's been tough the past few days as Globe's promo having cheap call and text rates to Singtel has already expired. I haven't been able to text nor call my girlfriend at all, scared of blowing my bill out of extraordinary proportions.

I need to tighten my belt cause my post-op rehab will cost be a small fortune.

Nov 29

That's the date of my ACL reconstruction surgery. I'll be admitted the night before. I've mixed feelings about it. I am excited to finally get it done. On the other hand, I'm scared something might go wrong. Thinking about the long rehabilitation process makes it even worse.

Trivia: It's Barbie's birthday too.

Parting time

Three people are leaving WFM. Two of them are gone for good. It's not really the best of timings, and I hope it's not a sign of things to come. I'm on a wait-and-see mode.

Bro onboard

My brother signed with IBS today. He will be joining by mid-December. He's got a great opportunity ahead of him. I hope he does well.

Unappreciated

All of a sudden, I smell chaos and confusion in the atmosphere. I cannot fathom how some people are taken for granted.


"Don't it always seem to go that you don't
know what you got til it's gone."
- Janet Jackson

Ballin' no more

I've been off basketball for exactly two months now. I haven't had any sporting activities since I blew out my knee last September 6. That meant no aerobic exercise too. Yeah I hit the gym, but I don't do any cardio.

More than anything, I just miss playing basketball. I was so used to scrimmaging about thrice a week and now I'm done with basketball at least for a year. Conservatively, I'm looking at 9 months rehab after my operation.

Too little, too late

For the nth time this year, I missed out on another pair of shoes. For the past several days, I've been contemplating on getting these white/pink Air Max 90's online (at finishline.com).

After sleeping on them for consecutive nights, I finally decided on ordering them today. So I logged on and they aren't fuckin' available anymore.

Tangina.

Project Domino

The WFM team is embarking on a new project. It's actually very interesting and challenging to say the least.

Hopefully, we'll be leaving a legacy behind.

Ponti

I saw a feature on TV (ANC's Executive Class) about Il Ponticello. It's a restaurant along the Valero strip of the Salcedo Village area. It's more popularly known as 'Ponti' now among the young crowd.

I was a freshman in college when I first heard about the place. It wasn't known as Ponti back then. I remember hanging out there with the rest of the Ateneo Football Team during get-togethers. It was never crowded like it is now. It also used to be one of the places you'd bring your date for a fine dining experience.

A lot has changed already since those days. It is now a nightspot where the underage young'n's frequent. I feel it has lost its nice ambience, in favor of the loud and club scene atmosphere.

With a crowd filled with minors trying to make themselves fit in, no wonder it has lost its appeal.

Goin' under the knife

I received word yesterday that insurance will be covering my whole ACL reconstruction surgery. Initially, Intellicare said that the surgical screws are not part of the plan, so they will not be able to cover it. FYI, these J&J-made screws cost Php 30-35k.

Now I only have to worry about scheduling my operation. I'm looking at late November as I probably need to take a couple of weeks off for recovery. December is not a hectic month for the WFM team so I think they can afford to let me take a break. Hmm... come to think of it, they do not have a choice. It's health over work anytime.

I wish Barbie could be here for my operation. It seems highly unlikely though as she still hasn't settled completely in Singapore. Going back to Manila that soon doesn't seem to be a good and practical idea for now.

I miss you too, bu.

Fare-shopping

I was checking out plane fares going to Singapore the past couple of days. I'm trying to get the best deal I can. With the proliferation of budget airlines the past year, it's been a welcome sight seeing cheaper airfares from the no-frills airline carriers.

So far I've three choices. It's going to be either JetStar, Cebu Pacific or Tiger Airways. Going through all the pros and cons of each, chances are I'll be flying with Cebu Pacific. I just need to plan out when.

PH to SG

I brought Barbie to the airport this morning. She's moving to Singapore for work. It's difficult but hey, I'd never deny her the chance to look for better opportunities overseas. It's something she'll never experience here.

Hang in there bu. We'll make it through.

Sacrifice

Some opportunities come only once in a lifetime. If you don't grab it, it might never knock again.

Go get 'em bubu! Good luck and enjoy.

Huffing and puffing

I could've died last night.

It was probably the worst time to forget my inhaler.

Good thing I made it through though, with still plenty to spare.

Host no more

I'm off to the 3rd IBS Townhall assembly in a few hours. It's supposed to run from 4-6 pm today. For the first time, I will finally be able to watch the proceedings. I hosted the first two townhalls this year that's why I wasn't part of the audience.

They asked me to host it again but I begged off mainly because I just want to relax and watch the show.

Not sure who's taking my place, but whoever he is, he's got such a touch act to follow.

:P

No effort goes unnoticed

I received the best email in my 7 months of stay here in IBM this afternoon. It was such a pleasant surprise as I never expected it even in my wildest dreams.

My boss forwarded me a couple of emails from the IBS Leadership Team, recognizing my efforts to accomplish what was deemed as a tough, challenging and no-win situation task of recruiting for one of the newer projects. At that time, we were hard-pressed to meet the hiring demand as we were only given a couple of weeks of lead time. I was handed the unenviable responsibility of completing the project. We couldn't say no, as that will undermine our capability as a recruitment team. We had to take on the challenge head-on despite knowing that we might fall short of the deadline.

In the end, we were way ahead of schedule and we're right on track for the second and third waves as well.

This recognition should go out to the rest of the WFM team.

Thanks guys.

Thanks to Ms. E and Ms. C for taking time out to send the thank you notes. Again, I never expected to get recognized nor did I want the accolade, but I'm truly honored and appreciative.



PS. I wrote about this project a couple of times already. Here are the links:

Project TASC
TASC Completed

Tickle Me Extreme

I want a TMX Elmo toy!

If you liked the original Tickle Me Elmo toy, you'll absolutely love this reincarnation. No wonder this has sold out in the US, with resellers putting it on Ebay for as much as $150-200 each.

Check out YouTube.com to find out what I'm talking about.

Crazy Taxi

Had an interesting experience today... Read on..


There I was, standing near the street curb outside my condo this morning, waiting to hail a cab. Minutes later, an olive green 1993 Corona stops in front of me. Rolling down the front passenger side window, a middle-aged man asks me, "Sakay kang taxi?"

I said yes. He then followed with, "Saan ka?" I muttered Eastwood. He then motions me to hop in. I quickly sized the man up. He looked frail and brittle. And he didn't look dangerous. Besides, it was morning and the sun was out. It would've been different if it was night time. So I took the adventure head on and decided to ride. Worst case, I'd be beasting with him if he tried to rob me or something. He told me to just pay him the usual cab fare so I agreed.

He took me to Eastwood, I got off and paid him seventy bucks.

It seems he was just trying to gain a little money on the side. Nice old fella. God bless him.

The Island

I was watching "The Island" on HBO last Saturday night. It had an interesting plot. Got me hooked as I ditched the other show(s) I was watching. Probably one of the better movies I've seen in cable TV recently. Having Scarlett Johansson as the female lead added some eye candy too.

Connected

After a century of relying with dialup connection, I finally have high-speed internet at home courtesy of Broadband Philippines. I believe it's way better than any DSL server out there as it comes with a wireless landline phone. Yeah, you got that right, it's just like your regular landline unit minus the wires. It works like a cordless phone but it has no base. You can actually bring the unit anywhere as long as the area is covered by Broadband's army of satellites. I heard the Broadband folks bring the phones with them to the car. Cool and practical ain't it?

Thanks again to Broadband Philippines for the hookup. It's been a long wait, but it's well worth it.

Talent surplus

I found out just this morning that we overhired for one particular project. Initially they wanted 15 folks for TASC's Wave 2 which is due by mid-October. In yesterday's global telecon, they downsized the requirements to 5 FTE's. Problem is, we've already hired 11 people by the end of September.

We'll figure out what to do with the surplus resources soon. It's actually a very happy problem to have.

First time in IBS history. Glad it was on my watch.

Congratulations to the UST Tigers.

Thanks JC, Doug and Macky. Now it's on to bigger and more important things. Good luck.

UE at 60

I was going through the major dailies today and saw a huge spread on University of the East's sixty most distinguished alumni. I think it's part of their 60th anniversary festivities.

Upon looking and checking out who these people were, I was like, "Err? Who are these?"

No offense to the UE faithful, but if you compare their top 60 to Ateneo's top 60, these UE folks would tremble in fear.

Eaglets soar high

I watched the Ateneo High School boys win the UAAP Juniors basketball title earlier this afternoon. Hats off to these kids who have proved to everyone that they owned season 69. Having had a 12-game sweep during the elimination round, the only glitch on their erstwhile perfect season was an upset during Game 1 of the Finals. They quickly got back to form sweeping the next two games against a very tall, athletic but inexperienced FEU team. It was Ateneo's 15th championship in the Juniors division.

Eaglet Raymond Austria bagged the Juniors MVP trophy. I'm sure his dad, cager-turned-coach Leo, was prouder seeing his boy succeed at the high school level than his triumph leading Adamson to their first final four appearance.

It conjured a lot of memories for me back in my high school days. We were blessed to have reached the UAAP Finals in all four years of my stay. During my senior year, my class had two players from the Juniors squad. Though they weren't part of the regular rotation, it was enjoyable for the whole class to watch the games and show our classmates some love. Shoutout to Marti Gallego and Paolo Santos. 4L 1999 represent.

Milenyo paralyzes Manila

A super-typhoon named Milenyo ravaged Manila and nearby provinces last Thursday triggering a Luzon-wide power failure over the last couple of days. Electricity in my area was restored around 10:30 this morning, after being in the dark for about 50 hours. Some areas are still on blackout as of the moment.

Good thing IBM called off work as it was very difficult to get around town with the strong winds threatening to sweep you off. Only employees involved in critical processes as outlined in IBM's BCP guidelines were required to either come to the office, or be available to work at home. The latter, I think, was quite impossible as how can you go online if you don't have electricity. I skipped work altogether once I received notice of the announcement. On hindsight, I would've done quite a lot more things if I went to the office as there was a multitude of generators providing power to the building. Instead of staying at home with absolutely nothing to do, I could've drowned myself surfing the net.

I was watching CNN earlier and they were broadcasting news of the destruction brought about my Milenyo to the Philippines. They mentioned that the strength of the typhoon equalled that of a Category 4 hurricane in the Atlantic Ocean region.

The atmosphere has cleared and things are slowly getting back to normal. I hope there won't be any Milenyo til the next millenium comes.

Value of Time

If you want to know the value of one year, ask the student who failed in the exam.

If you want to know the value of one month, ask the mother who gave birth to her child.

If you want to know the value of one week, ask the editor of a weekly magazine.

If you want to know the value of one day, ask the worker who earns his bread for the day.

If you want to know the value of one hour, ask the family whose house was on fire.

If you want to know the value of one minute, ask the traveler who had missed the flight.

If you want to know the value of one second, ask the UST Growling Tigers.

One Second

All it took was one second to shatter the dreams of many. Lesson learned? It ain't over til it's over. Premature celebrations are worse than premature ejaculations. Ask Allan Evangelista and the rest of the UST folks.


The last moments of Game 1. Vid courtesy of YouTube.

UST + Referees = Ateneo win

Even with the refs on their side, UST couldn't complete the upset. Jervy Cruz kept pushing his defenders all day long, yet they never whistled him for any foul. On the other hand, Ateneans were called for numerous dubious offensive fouls while getting all sorts of fouls on the defensive end.

Anyhow, awesome look by Escalona to Kramer for that uncontested, game-winning layup. Doug would've been expelled if he missed it. It will challenge Gec Chia's winning jumper over UE a few years ago as the best shot in Ateneo's UAAP history. Because UST led by one point prior to that last second play by Doug, I'd say it overtakes Gec's (as he made his shot with the game tied, and UE still had a final possession).

Now Mr. Allan Evangelista, take that and rewind it back. You went from hero to goat in no time.

Mo' Money, Mo Problems

I don't know what, they want from me
It's like the more money we come across
The more problems we see...

What's goin' on? Biggie said Mo' Money, Mo' Problems. But I ain't got no money yet I've got a ton of problems.

ESP

Two people commented yesterday that I had extrasensory perception. I just happened to send them ST messages just before they were actually going to ask me something also through ST.

Amazing.

Yeah, maybe I do have ESP.

Watch out. I know what you're thinking.

You got it bad

You know you got it bad when your biggest problem should be somebody else's.

Ateneo marches on to the Finals

Ateneo clinched a finals berth by surviving a tough battle with Adamson earlier today. The Eagles hung on to win, 76-73, with splendid performances from JC Intal, Macky Escalona, Doug Kramer and Chris Tiu.

Props to Adamson big man Ken Bono. Dude's unstoppable in the collegiate level. He played his heart out today but fell short in the end.

Respect the shoe

I don't really watch GMA 7. I especially don't dig Starstruck. And hell I don't idolize Mark Herras. But I must admit, the kid's shoe game is next to none. Dude rocks the illest Jordans and Nikes all the time.

Props to him. Cat deserves the credit.

TASC Completed

Training Administration Service Center Wave 1: Mission accomplished. Sixteen FTE's onboarded by September 18. We're right on schedule.

Wave 2: Fifteen more folks by mid-October.

E-Ring

I've been watching the television series E-Ring since it debuted on Philippine TV. Nothing absolutely fantastic about the show, nevertheless I don't understand why they pulled it off the air in the US. It never finished its first season.

Anyhow, I actually like it. I guess there's something about guns, power and war strategy that fulfills me. Oh yeah, Kelly Rutherford is sizzling hot. And for someone who's 38, that is still an understatement.

Back to work

I skipped work for a few days to nurse my swollen knee. I ditched my crutches already cause I feel way better now. I'm still having a hard time moving around though, not to mention it takes me a long time to go up and down the stairs. Having four floors as your office makes life a tad bit more difficult.

an ACL injury is overrated

I was talking to a good friend of mine yesterday. He was a former soccer/futsal teammate of mine back in college. He moved to the States a few years ago, and is now residing in Orange County (Anaheim). Anyway, he was asking how I was upon learning that I busted my ACL. Told him I was pretty much alright, except for some swelling and sporadic pain. Also, I have very little range of motion which affects my mobility.

Our conversation led me to think and believe that an ACL injury is far too overrated. People think that it's all over once you tear it, and that it's like the Mount everest of sports injuries. There are people who think that someone who pops his ACL can't walk. I remember when Larry Fonacier tore up his ACL (and LCL) people were saying that it ends Ateneo's chances of winning in the UAAP. A couple of years after, Larry moves on to the PBA (with Red Bull) and wins the Rookie of the Year award.

An ACL injury is not the worst sports-related injury contrary to what a bajillion people think. It's not even a rare occurrence. I bet there's one dude who tears his as I write this. Also, I'd take several torn ACL's and reconstructions than PBA player Eugene Tejada's spine injury that paralyzed him from the neck down.

So don't ever go gaga over someone who pops his ACL. It's not as rare as you think and it's definitely not the end of his or her world either.

POP

There it goes.

I blew out my knee Wednesday night, completely tearing my ACL. I just hope there's nothing else damaged. I've yet to see my doctor. I'll go for reconstruction surgery soon and will be out of commission for the next 6-9 months.

I can still hear the resounding pop, caused by the twisting of my right knee. I was getting ready to catch a pass when I slipped. I knew the moment it tweaked that it was all over.

Having my rehab was useless. I went on a three-week strengthening program and it proved to be worthless as it couldn't hold up my knee.

Anyway, I'll pick myself up and get back to shape. Just need to get the surgery over and done with soon.

WHM

With the amount of workload the Workforce Management (WFM) team needs to do within the next few months, we might have to call ourselves WHM instead - Workhorse Management.

HSBC

I had an ugly experience with HSBC a few days ago. I won't go into the finer details, but I was disgruntled and dissatisfied with how they were treating me. I am an existing client, and I expect to be taken cared of. They don't need to go the extra mile, but they shouldn't give me the runaround either.

It's a good thing that I have friends in HSBC who are occupying good posts. I told them about my horrible experience and they asked me to submit a letter of complaint. Needless to say, HSBC was quick on acting upon my complaint, as everything was resolved the next day.

-----------------

Jose/Benjy - I didn't want to escalate to you guys, but I believe I was on the right track so I had to complain. Add the fact that the whole situation annoyed the hell out of me, specially since it happened on a Monday morning! Talk about starting the week with a bang. Anyhow, thanks for all the help.

I also wish to express my gratitude to a certain Brian. He was the rep who contacted me to fix the problem. He was kind enough to apologize in behalf of the two HSBC employees who didn't know what they were doing.

IBM and OT

"No IBMer receives (monetary) overtime compensation."

This line is classic. The Workforce Management folks need to make sure that all our candidates are aware of this policy.

Tha fact that one signs an IBM contract, that means he/she is agreeable to such terms. It is non-negotiable.

I've been in IBM for close to six months already, and I feel that I've logged enough overtime hours to last me a lifetime.

This is not good. I'm getting more stressed each passing day. But hey, this is what I signed up for.

I'll live through it.

Two weeks til September 6

Spent the past few weeks religiously rehabbing my knee. It's hellish to say the least. But I know it's for the best. As they say, no pain, no gain.

First game in the IBS sportsfest is on the 6th of September. So far, I'm right on schedule.

Dude popped his cherry

My IBM colleague got confirmation that he indeed tore his ACL completely. He got his MRI results a few days ago and the doctor said that he was missing that "black line". For those of you who know about knee injuries, you know what I'm talking about.

That little black slanted line spells either relief or disappointment. It's about one centimeter in diameter, and and about 3.5 centimeters in length. It's diminutive, yet a whole lot depend on it.

Take care of yours cause surgery and rehab are both bitches.

The New Coke Light

I saw the new ads for Coke Light in the major dailies last week. Flashback to several months ago... I was part of the focus group that the ad agency created to discuss the product. We were about 6 in my group, and they rounded up three groups all in all. It was held in Ortigas, in one of the buildings near UA&P.

As the current ad campaign says, the new Coke Light proudly emphasizes that it is calorie-free.

I remember being skeptical about it as I believed (and still believe) it was useless. The previous Coke Light had less than one (1) calorie, and this new one has zero. Wow, what a huge difference less than a calorie will make.

Other than a big marketing ploy, the product changed very little, if there is any at all.

Entourage

I caught the Entourage marathon last weekend over at HBO. I've been hearing rave reviews about the show. In one internet site, I read someone say that, "the show (Entourage) appeals to just about every male demographic in the world". He couldn't have said it better. It has just about everything that would attract the male specie. From the hedonistic lifestyle, to the cars to the celebrity cameo appearances... there's nothing you will not like. Vincent Chase switches chicks like Shumacher switches lanes.

Entourage got guys hooked like Whitney was to Coke and R. Kelly was to children.

The best series to reach Philippine TV since Prison Break.

Saturday at IBM

I spent most of the day at work, trying to recruit people for our new account. As part of our HR solutions package to this pharmaceutical firm, we have to have our own little contact center for helpdesk support. It's the first time in IBS's short history that we are going to hire call center folks.

I thought I'd never have to recruit for call center requirements, having done so in two call center companies previously.

The thought of having to do it again sends chills down my spine. Hmm I believe I did not sign up for this.

Bummer.

Ugh

I just saw videos of bad-ass knee and leg injuries. I am indeed very lucky to have a partially torn ACL. It could have been way worse.

GOAT

I kinda finished work a bit earlier than usual so I spent about 30 minutes watching old Michael Jordan videos over at YouTube. Just proves, again and again, that MJ is the Greatest of All Time. No one even comes close.

Project TASC

I was given about three weeks to get 16 people for this particular project. Talk about giving me enough lead time. Worse, this whole thing will run during the night shift. Getting people to be amenable to that is going to be a difficult challenge.

It's a fuckin' tough TASC indeed.

Project Madeira

I just hired the first employee for the Manila Delivery Center's pioneer F&A account. It's actually a very interesting role, as it REQUIRES travelling at least twice a month. His passport will run out of pages and his Amex will get serious burn in no time. Some jobs have really nice perks.

Welcome aboard MB.

Idealism, activism on the court

I was watching the UP-NU basketball game earlier this afternoon on television when a maroon-and-white streamer caught my attention. It wasn't the usual "Go type of banner. It said, "UP is Freedom". What the fuck? What the hell was that doing in a UAAP basketball match? Are they bringing the activist/rally game to the basketball courts now?

UP is one of the best schools in the country, no doubt. But that was just dumb.

Zoom Kobe

Just received news that the Air Zoom Kobe (AZK) just made it to the outlets. I don't like Kobe at all, but I do acknowledge that he is one of the best players in the league now. Told myself I'd never cop any of Kobe's signature kicks as I'm very loyal to the GOAT. However at 30% off retail, I just might reconsider.

These are the two colorways that are available at the outlets now:

Zoom Kobe MLPS


Zoom Kobe All-Star

Fearless or Stupid?

Due to insistent peer pressure, I decided to swing by the weekly IBM basketball gig. I initially planned to going to the gym to work out and rehab my knees, but the temptation to play ball was much too great.

I was telling an officemate of mine, this is a "high-risk-low-reward" situation for me. Why would I risk so much for a simple pickup game. My mom was saying I am fearless bordering on stupid for even thinking of playing this early. In a way, I guess she's right.

I was able to go through the motions without much trouble. There were a few times where in I felt pain on sudden stops and turns. This accounts for the sprained knee that came with the partial ACL tear. Overall, it was a good run for me. I needed to know I can still play at a level near game speed as it will prepare me psychologically. Tearing your ACL is just as difficult mentally as it is physically.

A few more weeks of rehab and therapy and I should get close to a hundred percent soon.

Hiring update

I have 7 open hiring tickets. One candidate has signified his intentions of accepting our offer tomorrow, so that will make it 6. Not bad.

But...

I have 32 more hiring tickets that haven't been approved.

Now, that's a shit load of work to do.

Luckless or idiotic?

My friend gambled away his tuition money the other day. Too bad he lost most of it. Now he can't take the exams. What an idiot.

Oh well. Lesson learned the hard way.

He's not the first friend of mine who did that. So I am not surprised. I actually understand him considering I'm a gambler myself.

You win some, you lose some.

Rehab =Sacrifice + Pain

Rehab's a bitch. Now I know why a lot of people don't last long doing rehab. It's hardship at its worst.

With the UAAP first round basketball action coming to a close, here are the top 5 shoe sightings:

Rank Shoe (colorway) - Player

1. Jordan 21 low (white/carolina) - Macky Escalona of Ateneo
2. Pure Money Jordan 4 (white/chrome) - Macky Escalona of Ateneo
3. Mars Blackmon Jordan 4 (white/red/black) - some guy in UP
4. Jordan Melo 5.5 (white/gray/navy) - Melchor Gile of UST
5. Jordan 21 mid (white/chrome) - Canlas of UST

Ateneo dominating UAAP basketball

Barbs and I watched the Ateneo Blue Eagles blowout the UST Tigers earlier at Araneta, 114-78. It was easily the best game I've seen the Eagles play in a very long time. It was just masterful. Simply unbelievable.

The Eagles might not be able to duplicate this performance ever. But I'm glad I was there to witness it.

It was a fitting end to a dominant showing so far in the UAAP first round. The Ateneans lead the way toting an unblemished 6-0 record.

--------------

On a similar note, the Ateneo Blue Eaglets (juniors) and the Lady Eagles ended the first round on top of their respective divisions as well. Like the Seniors, the Juniors also hold a perfect 6-0 slate while the Lade Eagles are 5-1.

Go Ateneo! One Big Fight!

Clutch Driver

Had quite an adventure with Barbie last night. She was on her way home when her car suddenly lost its clutch. She couldn't shift gears. She pulled up by the roadside along the Katipunan flyover towards P. Tuazon.

I got a call from her, she was like panicking already. She had no idea what to do. I told her to just remain in the car, and to absolutely not let anyone in. I arrived after about 10 minutes. There was her car, stranded along the road, near the curb. Apparently, she turned off her lights and wasn't even on hazard. It was an accident waiting to happen.

She called up IBM security and they were saying they couldn't do anything. They'd just call her up daw from time to time to check on her. I called up my boss telling him about the emergency. He immediately calls IBM security and after a few minutes, he said that they were on their way. Talk about Pinoy bureaucracy. They had to wait for a boss to talk to them before they act upon it.

As we were waiting for the IBM people to show up, a QC mobile patrol stops and checks on us. I told them about the problem and they said they'll try to help out. One of the police officers volunteered to look for a rope so we can tow the car to Barbie's place which was only a few minutes away. Calling for a tow truck will definitely not be a good idea because they will charge about 2k for the service.

After about 20 minutes of waiting, the policeman comes back with a long rope. Now we only need to figure out a way to hook it to the car. It took us a while to figure things out but we were able to find a way. It took more than an hour but at least the ordeal is over.

Many thanks to the two policemen and their Revo patrol vehicle. I failed to get their names but they were very helpful and accomodating. May God bless them and their families.

Indeed, there are still good policemen among the ranks. I haven't lost hope.

On rehab

I started my unofficial rehab last night over at Pinnacle Gym. Why unofficial? Well apparently, the rehab doctor is very busy so my appointment with him is on August 11. I can't wait too long so I decided to do some rehab work on my own. I've been going to the gym for about 5 years now so I think I've learned a thing or two about exercises.

I was talking a few P&G peeps over at Hepa Lane during lunch. They were asking if I was going to play in tonight. I said I couldn't as I just started rehab. Told them it'll take me several more weeks to get my knee in playing shape. They joked that they highly doubt I'll get back in time. Hmm... I guess they figured out that no way any team will win over us especially with me around. So the best chance for everyone is hope that I won't recover in time. Cocky? Nah, I speak the truth. ;)

They're getting their hopes up. I'll be suiting up in no time.

Mixed feelings

I spent much of the weekend trying to deliberate whether I should have surgery or not. I guess I'm bothered thinking that my partially torn ACL might give way completely in the future. I know that's looking far towards the future but still. I'm very concerned.

Some people are suggesting to go ahead with the surgery since my insurance will cover it. If it pops completely in the future I might not have insurance anymore. Very good point. It is indeedsomething to consider.

Barbs and my mom were telling me not to have surgery since it won't guarantee that it won't tear again in the future. An ACL will always have the possibility of getting ruptured regardless of whether it's completely normal, partially torn or reconstructed. The doctor doesn't recommend reconstruction anyway so why do it. Should it rupture completely then that's the time to go have it fixed. I fully understand their thoughts. I think it makes the most sense for now.

Doc says a partial tear is alright as long as I don't lose any mobility and I don't feel any instability. I honestly don't feel any of those symptoms now as I've never even felt my knee buckle or give way especially when walking on inclines and going up and down staircases.

But I'm still confused though. I'll just see how it goes after rehab. Then I'll take it from there.

I should be back playing by September, in time for the IBM sportsfest. No way in the world I'll miss that.

I'll be ready by then.

Partially torn ACL

Got my MRI results this morning. I immediately took out the report as I headed over to Dr. Bengzon's clinic.

It read:

Acute partial tear of the anterior cruciate ligament.
Bone contusions, lateral femoral condyle and posterior aspect of the tibial plateau.
Minimal joint effusion versus hemarthrosis.

It was a relief knowing that my ACL wasn't completely torn. Though I'm not sure whether it was good news or bad. It wasn't the best-case scenario but it surely wasn't worst-case either. I'd take it nonetheless.

Doc said I'm lucky to have strong thighs and legs. He was astonished on how I was able to survive my valgus-abduction clip injury (a direct blow to the side of the knee) with only a partial tear. Normally the MCL and meniscus give way too. He recommends that I should undergo a 4-week rehab program to strengthen my quads and hamstrings further.

I immediately had several thoughts and concerns about the results though. I grouped them into the "pros and cons".

Pros:
- I don't have to undergo reconstruction surgery
- No need for rehab/therapy for at least six months post-op
- My muscles won't atrophy
- I can go back to playing after about a month of therapy
- I don't have to miss work
- No crutches for me
- No incisions due to surgery
- Surgery and rehab is expensive (though my insurance will pay for most of it). I still won't have none of that.

Cons:
- Since there is a partial tear, I'm afraid that there's a high probability of completely tearing it in the future
- Knowing that I have a partially torn ACL might get into my head. It's just as difficult mentally as it is physically
- Should I stop playing strenuous and physically-demanding sports to prevent further damage?

I think the pros outweigh the cons so far. I'm grabbing myself a new pair of Jordans, and will have myself ready to play ball soon.

Watch out.

Gym

I finally hit the gym last night after about 2 months of inactivity. Haven't been off the weight room this long, so I badly needed a workout. It was actually very productive. I was stressed so I needed an outlet pretty bad.

Funny though cause I saw some IBM colleagues that never in my wildest dreams would I think they work out.

I need to get back into shape, not that I ever was out of it. But you get the drift. Going back tonight for second servings.

Rude awakening

Does anyone here agree with me that copying and sending a supposedly personal IM conversation to a third party is downright rude and improper?

I hear a chorus of "Ayes".

On MRI; Second opinion

Had my MRI done yesterday afternoon. Man, that was like the longest 45 minutes of my life. The machine was noisy, my headphones weren't enough to muffle the sound. The music aided though, but the songs weren't exactly my choice. Anyhow, glad it's over and done with. The results will be ready by tonight. Still thinking whether to get them later or over the weekend.

I went to another orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Michael Bengzon, to get a second opinion. He's an Atenean, and I've friends who were his patients already. I felt more comfortable with him than the first doctor. Dr. Quintos was kinda aloof and nonchalant, while Dr. Bengzon was more hands-on. He actually took time to explain and answer my multitude of questions.

Going back to his thoughts, he said that my right knee was bit looser compared to my left one but that it wasn't obvious at all. He said he's looking at a partial ACL tear, or best case, just a badly bruised knee. He also said that he would recommend having the MRI done too, just like Quintos.

I'll reserve judgment until I get the MRI results.

Crossing my fingers.

Mother Knows Best

One of the biggest misconceptions in life.

Mother knows best.

No, not all the time.

Believe me.

Torture

I'll be having my MRI later this afternoon. I think the results will just confirm the doctor's diagnosis. I'm hoping otherwise though. I don't want to go under the knife. And I'm still in a bit of denial that I've torn my anterior cruciate ligament.

It doesn't help that for the past couple of days, I've been reading ACL Reconstruction articles and diaries over the net. I swear this is torture. I can just imagine myself having the surgery. It gives me the chills.

Ugh.

Blek Hawk Down

We had some sort of a grand reunion yesterday at my friend's wedding. Friends from high school and college were there to show support to our dear hekhek master. Most of us actually agree that we felt Von was the last person who will get married amongst everyone. And now he got himself locked down. For good.

On a personal note, it was a totally new experience for me, as I've never been invited to attend one. I was a bit nervous as I had to play a role in the wedding. Blek asked me to be part of his entourage as a groomsman. Of course, I had no idea on what role a groomsman plays. No one briefed me (or us) about anything. I just found out as the mass started that I was to light the candle along with Von's sister. Talk about short notice. Anyhow, it was fun. Had a really good time.

Shoe stories

I went to Rockwell last night hoping to cop a pair of black leather shoes I saw a couple of weeks back. In true Zara fashion, it wasn't available anymore. When you see something you want in Zara, buy it right away. Chances are, it won't be there when you come back for it.

Punyeta.


--------------------

I almost bought basketball shoes this morning. I've been wanting to get these pair of Jordans since I first saw them online several months back. Weird though cause this colorway is only available in select SM and Olympic Village outlets and not in the major Nike retail stores. Anyway, they were at 20% off, which makes it a pretty good deal already.

But I remembered I had a knee problem. I was going back to the doctor this Monday to have my knee evaluated. Worst case would mean a torn ACL, reconstructive surgery and 6 months recovery time. Best case is I can play in a few weeks time.

Should the checkup go well this Monday, I'll go 'head and get 'em shoes. Otherwise, I'll hold back.

I'm praying for the former.

Goin' Stag

My friend's getting hitched tomorrow so he had his stag party last night at some hotel in QC. Unfortunately, I missed the show. Got tangled with my own plans and was just too exhausted after so I fell asleep.

Heard it was hella crazy.

Yeah, I bet it was. Si blek pa.

Maong para sa Tulong

We don't have casual fridays here at IBM unlike most companies. We can, however, wear casual on Fridays if we donate 50 pesos to the Gawad Kalinga fund. This has been going on since April. It was only supposed to last for the rest of summer. But due to it's popularity and success, they've decided to continue to project.
---------------

I wore jeans today. It's actually the first time I ever wore casual to the office. Wala lang. It's a milestone.

My colleagues here at workforce management were commenting yesterday that they've never seen me in jeans and that they want to see me in jeans. So there. I obliged to their request.

Cancelled plans

I don't think I'm OC, but sometimes I have to admit I'm a control freak. That's the reason why I keep track of my schedule. My time is platinum, more valuable than gold.

Oh yeah, did I mention that I especially hate late or last minute cancellations?

ACL tear(?)

I went to see an ortho-surgeon yesterday over at Medical City to have my knee checked. Initial diagnosis is that liquid or water is building up. It resulted in my knee flaring up but not to the extent that it needs to be aspirated. Doc says it should go away within the next week. Aside from the water build-up, he said that my right knee was loose as compared to my left one. There is a possiblity of an ACL tear, but that has yet to be confirmed. That's just looking at a worst case scenario. Best case is that my knee is just badly 'bugbog'. I'm supposed to go back after a week when the swelling goes down for an accurate diagnosis.

Damn. My heart sank upon hearing that. I guess hearing those three letters comprises an athlete's worst nightmare.

Regardless of what happens during my next checkup, friends are telling me to get a second opinion. Possibly even a third. Then reach a consensus afterwards.

Til then, I'm keeping my hopes up.

100

This is my one-hundredth post. It's a milestone so I'll dedicate one post just for this.

Moving on...

Knee Scare

I busted my knee yesterday afternoon playing ball over at Moro. Wasn't even an hour into the games when someone cut me and hit my right knee just as I was about to takeoff for a fastbreak layup. I never had a chance to jump. I felt my knee give way and buckle down as soon as it was hit. The collision made me fall right to the floor with no ability to cushion my landing.

It was hella painful. Couldn't walk for about 30 minutes or so. Had to be carried off the court. Initial signs seem to be positive. I was playing with people who have had torn ACL's before, and they said it didn't look like an ACL injury. Still had enough mobility to move my knee around. Just the same I need to have it checked asap. Too bad though it was a weekend, thus no orthopaedic specialists available. My girlfriend kept pressing me to go to the ER, but I said that wasn't needed. No offense to the ER personnel, but I bet they don't know jack about sports injuries that are not bone-related. It was just going to be a waste of time and effort.

I'll be going to see a specialist tomorrow. I'd like to go see Dr. Jose Canlas, as he's the resident sports medicine specialist of Ateneo, as well as the national team. I think he's regarded as the best in Asia too. But I don't think he's part of my healthcard's network so that means I have to pay. Knowing that worst case scenario will be a potential ACL tear, that's gonna be damn costly. I'd have to pass on him then. I'm sure there are good and capable specialists that are part of Intellicare's network of doctors so I'll go check them out.

I'm actually scared to have my knee checked as I don't know what they'll tell me. Nevertheless, I've been hurt and injured so many times already that it's really no big deal anymore. I'm sure I'll bounce back regardless. Injuries never get to my head anyway. They have no psychological hold on me. Hmm. Come to think of it, it only shows that I'm either fearless or stupid. I'll take the former. I just don't back down, especially not with my daredevil ways.

I play for contact. Bring it on.

United 93; Looking back at 9/11

Barbie and I watched the documentary-like film, "United 93" last night at Power Plant. It holds a bit of sentimental value as my dear mom was airborne on September 11, 2001. She was flying Cathay to Manila via New York and Vancouver. She was on her way back home when the US officials ordered all aircrafts in US airspace to head back and land in the nearest airports. For all we know, it could've been her flight that was hijacked and used as a weapon of mass destruction.

After seeing the movie, I hold the following sentiments:

1. I salute all the passengers of United 93. I admire the courage and bravery that these people demonstrated. I was hoping to see the passenger manifest after the movie, in case the producers want to give some sort of tribute. Alas, there was none.

2. The US military, despite being the most powerful armed forces in the universe, have officials that don't have balls. Freaking cowards. Fuck the rules of engagement when we're talking terrorism and war.

3. I want to go and beat up the next Arab man I see. No racism here, just plain and simple angst. If you guys watch the movie, you'll understand.

-------------------------
Damn. It's been like a day already and I still have that urge and angst. I need to find myself an Arabian punching bag.

Anyone with me here?

Let's roll.

Nastiest Dunk ever.

I've seen a lot of nasty dunks over the years:

MJ's free-throw line dunk...

Dee Brown's 'no-look'...

Vince Carter's elbow slam...

Jason Richardson's between-the-legs...

Andre Iguodala's off-the-back-of-the-backboard...

...but nothing even comes close to this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRdpjxIlhvM&mode=related&search=

It's a 720. Done by Air Up There from the And1 MixTape Tour 2006.

Elbow Room

Played basketball with the IBM folks last night in Ateneo. Had an ugly start as I almost came into blows with an officemate. This guy had the freaking guts to come up to me and ask for a fistfight. He was holding and pushing me as he was setting screens. Naturally, I'd fight off the screens and shove him back. Not my fault if he got thrown off with my effort.

Everyone will acknowledge that I will tear him apart should I want to.

Anyway, I met another accident later duing the night. It was a fastbreak opportunity so I drove down the lane with the usual reckless abandon. Juvy decided to challenge my shot so we had a huge collision mid-air. I'm used to falling to the ground since my goalkeeping days so I knew how to fall. Too bad though as a metal cage usued to store basketballs for PE was directly under the goal. I slammed my elbow right into it. Tangina mo, Juvs. Hehehe.

I couldn't move my right arm for about the next thirty minutes or so. Damn, it was painful.

Barbie accompanied me to Medical City afterwards to have my elbow checked. X-rays were negative so it was a big relief.

I don't want to have another major injury. I think I have more than enough to last me a few lifetimes.

Thanks B. What would I do without you?

Love at the Workplace

"You can meet interesting people, attractive women at all sorts of venues - parties, bookstores, concerts. But most people I've asked tell me almost all their long-term relationships were with people who worked in the same office (though in a different department) as they did, or whom they met through work-related events. They clicked with them because they already had so much in common."

- Men's Health Philippines, February 2006

I just came across this today. Nice. Seems like a situation I'd love to be in right now.

Whirlwind Month

It's been a month since a series of events occurred. I've never been this delighted before. Life's never been this great either.

I love the feeling.

World Cup fever

A lot of people, non-soccerheads especially, have been riding the World Cup bandwagon. These people aren't even knowledgeable about the beautiful game that's why it upsets me that everyone's so going gaga over something they wouldn't care about had it not been a World Cup year.

I'm certain that after the final match has been played, these people will forget abour football. They will never watch another game. Yet four years from now, I'm hella sure the same people will be die-hard fans once again albeit for only several weeks.

Frontin' at its finest.

Oh yeah, I played competitive football for half my life. So no, I ain't riding the bandwagon.

IBMers at Cebu

Waterfront Hotel, 21-24 July 2006

Just got back from a Cebu business trip last week. We joined the 2006 EnTOURpreneur Conference at Waterfront Hotel in Lahug, Cebu. IBM was a major sponsor so that meant having a booth allotment at the job fair.

It was the first out-of-town recruitment activity for IBM Business Services so we were pressured to make it a successful one. Our initial goal was to create enough awareness and exposure for the company so that Cebuanos will want to relocate in Manila and work with us. So far, the only white-collar type of work available in Cebu are those from call centers. We're giving them another option.

About a week or so before the trip, we had another goal in mind and that was to get 5-6 hires from the Cebu trip. We felt that was a reasonable number considering the amount of investment IBS had to make. We were then really pressured to come up with quality hires otherwise our efforts will go to waste.

At the end of the 3-day conference, we were able to gather five qualified candidates for the final selection stage. These people are not considered 'hirees' yet, but there's a very good chance that we will onboard them soon. As part of our package, we shall be shouldering their travel expenses, with a little extra for their relocation to Manila.

For the first off-site, out-of-town recruitment project for IBS, I would say it was a job well done for the whole team.

Cheers!

Lost cause

Inkrite beat us last night by a hefty margin to win the Metro Invitational Cup division championship.

It was a tight match for most of the game until Inkrite broke the game open in the fourth period. A flurry of turnovers and lapses in concentration led to numerous fastbreak points for them. A series of controversial calls and non-calls also gave Inkrite all the breaks they needed to secure the win. It seemed we had nothing going for us.

Take note that Inkrite was one of the few MAJOR sponsors of the league.

Enough said.

Road to the Finals

We faced Nova168-Inspec last week for a chance to play in the finals. We were raring to take revenge at them as they handed us our first loss a few weeks back. That defeat prompted us to go on a 2-game skid entering the knockout semifinal stage.

The game started out very competitive. Teams traded baskets throughout the first quarter. We initially led by about 10 points, only to let them come back and take an eight point lead of their own. We managed to come up with our own run to make the score close. The rest of the first half was tight as no one could really pull away.

The second half was a different story. We held our own defensively, keeping Nova168's powerful offense at bay. Our own offense flowed smoothly as we knocked down one shot after another. Our transition game was on full swing as well, as we kept running and getting easy fastbreak points. We quickly got a double-digit lead and we never looked back.

It was sweet revenge for us as we booked our ticket to the championship match to be played this Saturday.

Can't wait no longer. We're going all the way.

Two straight losses

We lost our last two games of the regular season, against Nova168-Inspec and Inkrite. It's a good thing we started out 5-0. Even with consecutive defeats, we are still guaranteed a spot in the playoffs. Not only that, we get the number two seeding.

The seeding is actually useless, as you don't get a twice-to-beat advantage. We're proud though because we never thought we would actually reach this far. When we joined the tourney a couple of months ago, we did it because we wanted to play competitive basketball, and we would like to see how we match against other teams under an organized setting.

Little did we know that we were competitive enough to be a good team. Of course it does help that we have an ex-pro in the roster. Nevertheless, one man cannot carry the load of one whole team. Despite numerous differences with each other, we managed to keep the team intact and play good ball.

We've reached a minor hurdle in our two successive losses. But I hope things will get better come the playoffs.

On cowardice

I don't understand how some people are so afraid to take chances. Being a risk-taker, I just can't fathom why people play it safe. Does that bring them fulfillment? Does that provide satisfaction? If so, then they must be living shallow lives.

People who don't take risks are cowards in my book. I guess they just can't handle defeat. They're probably used to getting the short end of the stick so they want out.

One can argue that those who always play it safe never lose... but they never achieve victory either.

Epoch Audio-Dunlop vs. Nokia Phils.

I wasn't able to play as I was out of town for a company outing at Batangas. But my team was able to squeak out a 58-53 victory over Nokia Philippines last Satruday night. That put our winning streak to a division-best 5 games.

Five games down, two more to go. At the moment, we're guaranteed a top 2 finish.

Epoch Audio-Dunlop vs. Pog-G

Chalk up another victory for Team Epoch Audio-Dunlop in the Metro Invitational Cup as we took care of an athletic but inexperienced Pog-G squad, 76-60, last night at the Metro Gym along Pioneer Avenue.

As always we started out in our typical diesel-powered engine as we gave up the early lead in the first quarter. A series of fastbreak plays by Pog-G had them up 20-13 in the opening period. They just kept running and getting easy lay-ups as we were not able to defend the outlet pass.

We managed to get our act together in the second quarter as we were able to close them down defensively. I took care of most of the offense as I was able to drive in for an onslaught of lay-ups and easy baskets. I was quite unstoppable in the second period shooting 6 of 8 from the field for 12 points. As I waxed hot, my teammates got their grooves as well and we led by 4 at the end of the half.

We finally got our diesel engine hot and running in the third period as we quickly built a double-digit lead. Multiple fastbreak plays off a series of steals from our fullcourt press led to a barrage of points. On the other end, Pog-G were missing a lot of the shots that were falling in the first half. Inexperience did it for them as they didn't know how to react to the pressure that we put.

We didn't let up for the rest of the game and we cruised to a 16-point victory. I had my best game of the season finishing with 13 points and 5 assists.

Epoch Audio-Dunlop vs. ICT-HSBC

Three in a row for Team Epoch Audio-Dunlop.

We had our third game a couple of hours ago against call center ICT-HSBC. They said they were missing their two best players and were asking us for mercy. Some of the organizers also asked us not to play our best player, ex-pro John Cardel to make the match more balanced. We gave in to their request and agreed.

We started out a bit slow as they managed to gain the upperhand during the early moments of the game. It was neck-and-neck for the most part as we exchanged leads. We were able to find our offensive flow and got the lead by halftime. It was a bit of a blowout from the third period onwards because we managed to pull away for good.

We won by 17 points when the final buzzer sounded. Had my worst scoring game this season but I made it up by dishing out a game-high 6 assists.

crüeL 1999 (AHS 1995-1999)

I had a reunion with my high school classmates at Katips last night. It was a bit of an impromptu gathering as I only knew about it the night before while everyone else knew days ahead.

Anyhow, it's been 11 years since we all started freshman year together at the Ateneo de Manila High School. It was a totally new world for me being a transfer student. I can't believe I've known these guys for more than a decade now. Time indeed flies so fast.

There have been several intriguing revelations last night. A high school kabarkada of mine will become a father soon. Nothing weird with that right? However, he's expecting two kids from different mothers. The story's not finished yet... there might be a possibility of a third one! I just hope he knows what he's gotten himself into.

We also have a classmate currently being tried for frustrated homicide. He (with some other fratmates) allegedly beat up (almost to death) some guy. I'm not sure how the case has progressed but I remember reading about it in some of the major newspapers. He wasn't there last night though. So we couldn't get his side. I guess he got all macho and stuff in college as we'd always pick on him back in high school. It's probably our fault that he became a violent wreck.

Several classmates have come out in the open regarding their sexuality too. Though we've always speculated on their sexual preference, there was never really any confirmation. As of date, I think about four or five from our class are out in the open. Heck, they even shared stories about their sexual escapades with men. This is surprising too as they were very quiet and reserved back then.

Hmm... we have our own share of celebrities too. Chicosci, a famous band in the rock circles, started out in the hallowed grounds of Ateneo High. Almost all of them were our classmates. Marti Gallego has had a number of TV appearances in ABS-CBN due to his romantic involvement with aspiring actress Roxanne Barcelo of Pinoy Big Brother Celebrity Edition fame. Robbie Reyes is known in the mixed martial arts world having competed in the URCC (the Pinoy version of UFC). I had my own fifteen minutes of fame too, when I guested in Boy Abunda's morning talk show, Home Boy, last year.

It was a blast seeing these guys again. We've all gone our separate ways but we've managed to take time out and reminisce on what most people consider the best years of their lives... high school.

Til the next one crüeL, cheers!

Sullen Sunday

They said what doesn't kill you makes you stronger.

Right now, I should either be scarred yet tougher or dead.

For all I've been through in life, I think I ought to be Superman by now.