Chain of Thoughts on My Family's Christmas 2013 Trip

During the Christmas week (Dec 21-30), my family went travelling around Cavite, Laguna, Metro Manila, Baguio, and La Union.  We attended a wedding, had reunions with friends and relatives, went to see the sights, and had the obligatory picture-takings.  Here are some of my notes and insights during the trip:

 - I forgot to bring my sunglasses.  And couldn’t find a new pair that would fit/look good on me during the entire time of our travel.  Its absence was a constant disadvantage to me throughout the trip.

- Nagged a lot about air con buses.  Travelling at night in them is freezing.  That is already uncomfortable, but it also totally enhances every other travelling discomfort a traveler has.

- Food and other products sold in bus “stop-overs” are around 50% (of its reasonable, usual selling price) overpriced.  If I have the mind of a conspiracy theorist, my train of thinking won’t find it hard to find a correlation between the air con buses and the “stop-overs”; air con buses would make their interiors horribly cold on purpose, so that their passengers would be forced to buy overpriced cup noodles or coffee to offset the coldness.  That’s how I see it.

- I find the staff and management of fast food chains in Legazpi friendlier and more efficient than the staff and management of the fast food chains we have encountered during our trip.  Especially in Pacita Complex, San Pedro, Laguna; the KFC branch there almost ruined the Christmas Eve for us.

- Went to Enhanted Kingdom for the first time.  The only available tickets are those for unlimited rides, so we had those.  I rode this bad boy…

…and was so shaken by the experience that I refused to try other rides anymore (4D movie doesn’t count as a ride).  Look.  Throughout my life, I never rode any carnival rides more extreme than the Ferris Wheel.  Thus, I was not used to it.  Also had a headache afterwards.

- It’s still my dream to go to Disneyland someday.   But I’ll probably avoid the extreme rides. 

- Funny how people are willing to pay money so that they can experience terror. 

- Went to Manila Zoo for the first time.  I’ve got the same opinion of it as I have its city: it’s crowded and unimpressive.  It was the first time I saw an elephant and a hippo in person though. 

The elephant was as bored as me.

- Seriously.  Metro Manila’s air is thick with pollution.  And there’s too much traffic and crowds.  I don’t have the patience and the constitution to live in it. 

- Also went to Luneta and Manila Ocean Park (but did not go see any shows) for the first time.  (Also dropped by Mall of Asia [my third time to be there])   

The thing that thrilled me about Manila Ocean Park was there’s a great view of a US Navy ship docked in Manila de Bay.  I feel like a badass.

- Saw this in Luneta:  

The Korean War was arguably the time in which the Filipino military had its shiniest moment in international warfare history.  

- Baguio’s road ambience, taxis (which mostly are large cars like Crosswinds and Innovas), and taxi drivers’ driving greatly reminded me of the anime Initial D.

- The place we stayed in Baguio – Asia Pacific Thelogical Seminary (APTS) – has a more awesome view that Mines View Park. 

 I exaggerate not.

- Baguio is a pretty nice place.  Especially where the trees are rampant (particularly, Camp John Hay).  We checked out all the sites there.

Burnham Park. Only tourist spot in Baguio where we encountered beggars.

Strawberry farm.  Was foggy when we went there.  Fog is a staple there; greatly reminds me of horror films and Silent Hill.

Bell Church.  Seriously, why is there a lot of Chinese temples in our country?  Just shows how significant and deep China influences our country.  Let’s not pretend that we’re going to war with them someday.  Sigh.  Our country is more or less prepared for occupation.  Hmp. 

Mine’s View Park. Very crowded with tourists.  Taking photos with St. Bernards is a trademark in this place.  I was not interested in having a picture taken with a costumed Beethoven, until I saw this dog dressed as an Igorot.  Now, that’s brilliant and adorable.  I just had to have a photo with it.  His name’s “Casper.”  No one there was clever enough to name a St. Bernard “Beethoven.”

The Mansion. According to what I heard, the President is supposed to be spending his vacation there till New Year.

 Clean Comfort Room. You can find this in all tourist spots in Baguio. It seems there are more of these than McDonald’s branches in Baguio.

Botanical Garden. There’s a miniature Golden Gate bridge where you can pretend you are a Kaiju on an onslaught.

And I can’t help but pretend that this is the yellow brick road towards Emerald City. 

 Camp John Hay. This is, hands down, the best part of Baguio.

First thing that came to my mind when I saw the awesome forest sceneries: “Let’s take pictures as if we’re in the Hunger Games!” 

“Ukay-Ukay” at Harrison Road. Tried my hand on it. No luck getting some cool stuff. Just not my thing, maybe.

This Haunted House? It’s President Marcos’ former property, seized by the PCGG.

- Baguio City, though generally refreshing because of the dominant nature presence, is not immune to littering and garbage mismanagement problems.

- There was also some medium to heavy traffic in Baguio when we were there.  This is due to the amount of tourists – many of whom brought their own vehicles with them – coming up to the city at that time of year.  Getting a taxi ride is a hassle, too.   Baguio is probably as crowded in Christmas season as it is during the summer.

- After Baguio, we went to La Union, our last stop. 

After the cool, foggy mountain comes the hot, steamy beach.

- To Kuya Orly, Ate Ana and Kuya Edgar, Kuya Griam, Pastor Rey and Ma’am June, Ate Remy, Pastor Arlan and Family, Kuya Oca and Ate Pressy, and the entire Trinity Gospel Church – San Fernando: my family is greatly thankful for your loving hearts, as you graciously served as our hosts, tour guides, and/or liaisons that made our trip a truly blessed one.  May God bless you greatly for your generosity and thoughtfulness. 

- “Home is where the heart is.”  That is so true.  Was so restless to go back home.  So restless to go back to my heart.     

For more photos of the trip, check them out in “My Photos”; these memories are now part of my life in pictures… 

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Joy Young People's Dance for the 26th Church Anniversary

For Joy Church's anniversary this year (the first one after its milestone silver anniversary), one of the special numbers was a dance number - to the music of "Father Abraham" and "Free As A Bee" - by the church's young people.  (As usual, it was choreographed by Ms. Arlene Bemida)

click here for more videos

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Food for Thought from an Optical Illusion Image

Check this out. 

Can you find a horse in this picture of a frog?  Really.  I’m not kidding you.  There is a horse hidden in the image.  You just need to look hard. 

If you finally see the horse or has given up looking for it, scroll down.

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This is probably my most favorite optical illusion image.  To see the horse, you need to look at the picture from a different perspective:

Pretty cool, right?

We can derive a simple but valuable lesson from this: it pays to look at things through a different perspective.

In solving problems, it is important to think out of the box.  The solution to a problem might be derived by looking at it differently.  See the problem from a different perspective to find the “horse.”       

Also, looking at a different perspective also helps in settling any disagreements.  Now, I acknowledge and believe that there are indeed such things as objective and absolute truths, in which there is only one way of looking at the matter.  At these particular instances, it is necessary to resolutely stand firm by the objective truth against the opposition.  But, in life, there are also many times where we will encounter subjective truths – a matter that can be look upon from many perspectives.  You might see it as a “frog” and another sees it as a “horse”, and you are both correct as far as the respective context or perspective that you are looking at the matter from is concerned.  Hence, if we find our emotions being roused to obnoxiously argue with someone that sees it as a “horse” since we see it as a “frog”, then it is wise to take a pause first.  And carefully think.  Let us be discerning and try to understand where the different view is coming from.  Let us put ourselves in their shoes, and try to look at it from their point of view.  By understanding that there are several ways to look at it, the opposing sides could have a proper and effective discourse and together reach a higher vantage point to see the whole picture. 

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Top 10 Fictional Sports Teams

Most of the time, I start getting interested on a particular sport after witnessing its portrayal on animation, movie, or TV show (take basketball, for example).  And what make these portrayals interesting are the fictional teams that have been depicted engaging on these sports.  Here are my favorites:    

10.) BLUE PLANETS

Battle Ball – or Go-Q-Choji-Ikkiman – is the name of the anime which features this team.  Battle Ballis all about a team of humans, the Blue Planets, competing against aliens in a game of galactic baseball.  It’s for the fate of the Earth, I guess.  Not sure.  What makes this high-tech innovation of baseball interesting is that different gadgetries and weapons – that are used as bats – are allowed in-game; attacking opponents are permitted in some instances (can’t remember the when).  It was pretty cool.  The players composing the team are not at all all baseball players.  There was even one human player – who, if I remember it right, was a soccer player prior Battleball – who bats (I think it’s the blonde man in the accompanying picture above) using his leg!  There is a basketball player, a hockey player, and a tennis player, too.  Also, I remember that the players had to wear “heart protectors” since getting hit by the heavy metal baseball was deadly.

9.) WASHINGTON SENTINELS REPLACEMENTS

Due to salary disputes, the players of the Washington Sentinels went on strike.  This prompted the management to recruit replacement players to play out the rest of the season.     The replacement players were made up of an interesting ragtag band of misfits – talented but flawed non-pro players.  There were four more games left in the regular season, and out of those four games, they would have to win at least three to qualify for the playoffs.  They lost the first one due to lack of teamwork, but gain chemistry afterwards to win the rest in close games.  It was never revealed what happened further after their qualifying win.           

8.) MEAN MACHINE

Another American football team that interested me was the “Mean Machine” of the movie The Longest Yard (the remake, I haven’t seen the original).  It’s unique in this list for the team is made up of incarcerated convicts. 

Paul Crewe is a former NFL star quarterback who went on a high-profile, drunken driving rampage, in which he was sentenced for three years in prison.  In prison, he was tasked by the warden – a big football fan – to help out improve the prison guards’ football team.  Crewe was threatened additional jail time if he refuses to comply.  Fueled by the desire to have the chance to get back at the antagonistic guards and to embarrass the warden, Crew convinced him that what his team needs is a tune-up game against the inmates.  Hence, Crewe was tasked to assemble and train a football team made up of the prison’s inmates.  There were several obstacles and opposition – from the hands of the prison guards and co-inmates – during Crewe’s recruitment and training process.  But eventually, Crewe succeeds in winning all the inmates’ support and assembling a football team made up of a diverse and eclectic roster – from hardened veterans of solitary confinement to the prison’s community of athletic black basketball players.  And, finally, in their game against the guards, the “Mean Machine” succeeded in their collective goal: kicking the prison guards’ butts.             

7.) THE SCOOBY DOOBIES

 

I love all things Hanna-Barbera.  And Laff-A-Lympicsis among my most favorite Hanna-Barbera programs ever for it put together in one show most, if not all, of Hanna-Barbera’s cartoon characters.   It features three All-Star teams of Hanna-Barbera characters competing in a couple of creative sport heats.  My favorite among the three teams was the Scooby Doobies.  I’m not really sure why I rooted for the Scooby Doo-spearheaded team back then, but I just found their roster and color motif as the cooler ones among the three competing teams.   Overall, the Scooby Doobies have the most first place finish throughout the show’s run.   

6.) TEAM SHAOLIN

I am no soccer fan at all.  The sport bores me.  But if it’s even as half as exciting as how Team Shaolin does it, then I will surely be a fan.

 In his desire to make kung fu relevant in modern times, “Mighty Steel Leg” Sing partners with “Golden Leg” Fung (a former ace but disgraced soccer player) to assemble a soccer team which Fung would coach.  Sing saw it as an opportunity to advertize kung fu.  He went on to recruit his Shaolin brothers, and together, they formed a formidable soccer team as they make use of their respective kung fu techniques in the sport. 

5.) MIGHTY DUCKS

I totally love the Mighty Ducks Trilogy.  Yes, they were not really awesome films, but those movies are probably the most entertaining hockey movies I’ve ever watched.   I adore the Mighty Ducks so much that a fourth Mighty Ducks film – a reunion movie – is one of the movies I strongly wish will get made.   I would even want to see that happen more than a Batman/Superman movie (nonetheless, I’m thankful it’s going to be made anyway).  Seriously.  I really, really, REALLY (can’t emphasize it enough) want to see the Ducks back together.  Read more about my “D4: The Reunion” fantasy in my second article of movies I want Hollywood to make (it’s at the last part of the article). 

4.) SHOHOKU HIGH

Slam Dunkis a major reason why I started loving basketball; the anime taught me a lot about the sport.  And Shohoku High was the basketball team I rooted enthusiastically before I even started rooting for any real-life basketball team.  I was easily enamored by the team’s starting five, whose exciting talents defined to me, to a degree, how the five basketball positions are played. 

3.) SEIRIN HIGH

My fondness for Slam Dunk and Shohoku High has been longer than my fondness for Kuroko No Basket and Seirin High, since I’ve just encountered the latter this year.  However, I’ve already found Seirin having a more interesting roster than Shohoku.  My thrill for Shohoku’s line-up is limited on its starting five.  Outside of Shohoku’s starting five – and, maybe, to a lesser degree, the sixth man – Slam Dunk has not made the rest of the roster that interesting.  Kuroko No Basket, however, invested personality and uniqueness in all members of the team – even its coach (Riko Aida, who is a mere high-schooler like the players, and a female, but is a very capable coach with an eye for physical attributes) – and introduced, even if it’s only minimal, a particular aspect or talent about each player that contributes something to both the team and the story.  Every player is utilized at some point.  Hence, you would care for everybody on Seirin’s roster. 

Moreover, Seirin’s players’ skill set are fresher and different. 

The main character, Tetsuya Kuroko, has no permanent position and has below average skills.  However, he has so little presence that people fail to notice him.  This he put into advantage, making use of “misdirection” to make himself invisible on the court. Hence, he is able to put himself in the best position on the court, without any resistance, where he can effectively make brilliant passes to his teammates on offense or steal the ball when on defense.  He’s the X-Factor, providing significant “intangibles” to his team’s chemistry. 

Kagami Taiga (PF), the team’s ace, is a naturally brilliant basketball player with exceptional leaping ability – allowing him to make thunderous pro-level dunks.  He benefits the most from Kuroko for he is the one chosen by Kuroko to be the “light” to his “shadow.”

The captain, Junpei Hyuga (SG), is a talented three-pointer whose shooting accuracy increases with the increase in pressure during clutch time.  Most of the time, he is composed, but when the pressure increases, his real hot-headed, “hooligan”-like personality emerges.

  

The point guard, Shun Izuki, possesses a special ability called the “Eagle Eyes” which allows him to mentally picture the court from any point of view.  Outside of the center and power forward, Izuki the point guard is the only one that is capable of dunking among Seirin players.  I find this cool and different. 

And the center, the mild-manner Teppei Kiyoshi, is the team’s second best player.  His original position is that of a point guard, but had to start playing center due to the need of his team back in junior high, for it doesn’t have anyone that has the body size to play center.  Nonetheless, he is capable of simultaneously playing both point guard and center in-game, much to Seirin’s advantage.  His large hands allow him to easily handle and clam the ball, allowing him to change his decision – to pass or shoot – mid-way his play after his opponents had already made their decision and reaction. 

The bench players also possess respective specialties – like a “jack-of-all-trades, master of none” skill-set (Shinji Koganei) and rebounding (Satoshi Tsuchida).  But the most notable is the sixth-man, Rinnosuke Mitobe, who specializes in hook shots and is a tough defender, especially in the post. 

2.) DEIMON DEVIL BATS

Another American football team, but is far the awesomest among all.  This team is a rich assortment of varied personalities and talents; each member, though flawed or unmotivated at first, has a particular strength that proves to be an integral asset – whether small or big, but an integral asset nonetheless – to the team.   Put together, they make the Deimon Devil Bats a very interesting, talented, and deep football team.  Led and assembled by the twisted but brilliant Yoichi Hiruma, several of the team members were initially forced or blackmailed – including the main character, Sena Kobayakawa, the titular “Eyeshield 21” – by Hiruma into joining the team, but all of them eventually learned to love the game of American football.

1.) TUNE SQUAD

This is definitely the greatest basketball team ever.  Composed of all those colorful, hilarious Looney Tunes characters, the team also has the legendary Michael Jordan, who most acknowledge as the Greatest Basketball Player Ever, in the team.  Moreover, don’t forget that the equally legendary Bill Murray played for the team, too!     

Most importantly, the Tune Squad’s captain is Bugs Bunny.  And it is a fact that Bugs always wins, always figuring out how to come out on top in the end  – more than Batman ever did.    

Hands down, this is the greatest sports team ever assembled in fiction. 

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RE: Superior Spider-Man Part 5 (Or "Peter Parker's Death Anniversary")

It has been some time since I’ve written about the Superior Spider-Man or SpOck (Spider-Ock) for short.  And a couple of notable things have happened since then: SpOck encountered the Scarlet Spider and Spider-Man 2099 (and he’s currently tackling with Agent Venom); Miguel O’Hara got stuck in the present time after crossing paths with SpOck; Carlie and Wraith did some secret investigating and finally learned of Doc Ock’s takeover of Peter Parker’s body; Carlie got captured by the Green Goblin’s posse (I have a gut feeling that Carlie will end up dead in the culmination of this arc); Horizon Labs and “Peter Parker” parted ways; “Peter Parker” got his doctorate; “Peter Parker” started his own tech company;  SpOck mind-controlled the Sinister Six to aid him in crimefighting (which I had accurately called back then); etc.

I actually intended of not writing about Superior Spider-Man anymore (at least, for this year).  And among the developments I’ve enumerated above, they weren’t that much compelling to make me rant about.   So why am I writing another rant on Superior Spider-Man?  Well… this month marks a full year since Peter Parker’s death.  So let me share my thoughts, for the last time (at least, for this year), about the Superior Spider-Man, in honor of Peter Parker’s death anniversary.  One year has passed of Dan Slott’s blasphemous (albeit, I admit, entertainingly kickass) Superior Spider-Man run and I’m tired of it.  I greatly miss Peter Parker, the Amazing – and RIGHTFUL – Spider-Man. 

Yes, there are still a couple of Peter Parker comic books out there: the Marvel Knights mini-series and Amazing Spider-Man #700.1 to #700.5, plus, a graphic novel that is on its way in 2014 featuring Peter Parker and his sister (?!).   The tales are, however, merely flashbacks – Spider-Man adventures prior Doc Ock’s takeover in Amazing Spider-Man #700.  Yes, I am thankful for these; that is better than no Peter Parker at all.  But it’s not the same as having him back in present continuity.  Not even close.  The actual return of Peter Parker would be an enough Christmas gift for me.      

Aside from the inspiration, the thing I miss most about Peter Parker as Spider-Man is the humor.  Gab, comedic antics, and witty quips have always been an integral part of Spider-Man’s charm as a character.  Thus, it’s one of the many reasons why this whole SpOck storyline should end as soon as possible, for the characterization of Spider-Man being a compulsive comedian might get lost from general consciousness.  If references like this are made…

…those that will grow up on SpOck, who will not be aware that Spider-Man used to be funny, will fail to appreciate how awesome Tony Stark’s comment is regarding Peter Quill’s witticism.   

Though SpOck’s arrogant personality can be unintentionally amusing in certain circumstances, it however induces more annoyances at most times than funniness.  Usually, he’s all about business.  No room for nonsense and fun.  However, there are rare gems like this…

With moments like this, I hate SpOck less.  He is being Peter-like.  And that’s good.  In fact, it makes me think that this SpOck – regardless of Superior Spider-Man #9 – could be actually be Peter Parker after all.  He only believes that he’s Otto Octavius.  Their personalities just got mixed up badly – Otto’s memories and personalities complexly integrating into Peter Parker’s; enough to make Peter Parker think that he’s actually Otto.  And as time will pass, Peter’s real personality will gradually resurface (instances where SpOck will act more Peter-like), until Peter Parker full “resurrects” by realizing and remembering his real personality.   Crazy theory. 

Still, most of the time, I hate what SpOck is doing as Peter Parker/Spider-Man.  Sure, there are a few awesome changes that Otto is bringing into Peter Parker’s and Spider-Man’s status quo.   I like that Otto made “Peter Parker” a doctor.  And I totally dig the new retractable spider-limbs at Spidey’s back (hope Pete keeps most of SpOck’s tech when he gets his body back).  But most of the time, SpOck seems to be messing up with the good that Peter has done.  

Greatest example: his treatment of Kaine – the Scarlet Spider – during their meeting.

That was horrible.  Made me sick.  Ruined how Peter Parker’s goodness touched Kaine into turning his life around.  Now Kaine thinks that Peter has given up on him.  (To be fair, it was kind of dumb in Kaine’s part for not noticing the difference in “Peter Parker”; this was not the Pete he knew.) 

(Sigh.)  I hope for the end of Superior Spider-Man soon.  Before SpOck completely ruins everything about what Spider-Man stands for.  The Amazing Spider-Man 2 movie is on its way in 2014.  Surely, it’s wise to bring back Peter Parker in the comics by then, right?  One year of SpOck insanity should be enough!

Oh, come on, stop Superior-ing everything already! 

Superior Spider-Man #27 has this intriguing title: “The End” (to kick off the “Goblin Nation” arc)– then, I hope that this end is of SpOck once and for all (though unlikely at this point).

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