Top 10 Skills I Want To Learn

To have a rich variety of skills or talents is an advantage.  The more you have, the more capable you are in a wider scope of life situations.  It also makes you a more interesting person.

I like learning new things. And, though, I have been called “versatile” or “well-rounded” several times already, I still consider myself lacking.  There are still plenty of skills I want to learn.  Among those, here’s the top ten…

 

10.) COMPUTER HACKING

Movies and TV shows heavily romanticized computer hacking.   When depicted by Hollywood, hacking is presented as having the power to take control or manipulate everything with a laptop and light-speed typing skills.  Of course, several of these scenarios or cases depicted are completely absurd.  However, indeed, there is power in hacking in real life.  And I want to learn it, not because I want to have power, but because everything is starting to get centralized on computer technology.  And when the time comes that everything is dependent on or working by computers, the more computer know-how you have, the more competitive and fit you are in such environment.      

9.) COOKING WELL

Who isn’t fond of eating good food?  I, like everyone else, greatly enjoy eating.  And the only thing as good as eating good food is preparing it.  A delicious meal is made more enjoyable by the thought that you were the one who made it.  Thus, I want to be richly adept in the culinary arts – to prepare good food for myself and for others to enjoy.

8.) MAKING ART

When I was a kid, I often draw. And I love looking at art ever since.

I appreciate art, that’s why I know the fact that I’m still lacking in skill.  I envy those who have the talents to create amazing art – painters, sculptors, pencilers, etc.  I want to feel that fulfillment of creating something that will awe and/or cheer people. 

  

7.) PICKING A POCKET

“First, hacking a computer.  Now, picking a pocket?!  You aren’t deciding of becoming a criminal, are you?” you might ask.  No, of course not.  I just think that this skill is pretty cool – to get something from someone’s pocket without him noticing.  To have such quick and graceful hands is a great way to show off.  I should have probably used the term “sleight of hand” instead of “picking pocket” if I’m pertaining to this skill.  The “sleight of hand” is mighty invaluable in performing magic tricks and such… but more so with picking pockets.     

Note: I’m actually also considering adding “picking a lock” in this list.  But that would probably make you pretty suspicious of this list of skills I want to learn.  Besides, I think that the traditional lock-and-key convenience that we have in the present would be very much extinct in the near future.  Thus, the skill of “picking locks” would be inutile. 

6.) UBERMAN SLEEPING

This is going to be probably the longest entry in this list since I need to explain this skill…

We need sleep to refresh us.  But the time spent on sleeping seems to take out a large chunk out of our precious time.  We sleep, by average, around 8 hours a day (the recommended and usual given amount to the question “how much sleep we should get?”).  That’s already a third of our 24-hour day.  So that means we roughly spend a third of our lives sleeping!  It kind of sucks when you think about it: we’ll be sleeping when we’re dead anyway, why does sleep has to take a third of the time we’re alive, too?!

But what if sleeping would only take two hours out of our 24-hour day, and it’ll still be very much enough to refresh us?  Too good to be true?  Well, that’s how the Uberman sleeping schedule works.    

There are 5 stages of sleep.  But the only actual essential stage is the REM (rapid eye movement) stage.  This is the stage where we dream.  This is the stage where we are really being recharged.  The Uberman system aims to skip the other unnecessary 4 stages of sleep and go directly to the REM stage as soon as the eyes are closed.  The Uberman sleeping schedule goes like this: you take 20-minute naps every four hours.  That would give you 6 naps – a total of 2 hours of sleep – each day.  Of course, your brain and body wouldn’t adapt to this schedule quickly.  It would take one or two weeks till the brain and body gets accustomed to it.  During that period, you would definitely feel like crap.  But the idea is, once your brain and body get used to it, you will be able to sleep comfortably on such unorthodox schedule and will be refreshed from the naps because you will experience REM immediately.

Now that is the Uberman way of sleeping.  And I want to learn it. (Note: Some say that it’s a dangerous method though.) 

    

5.) SPEAKING WELL

Like most people, I write better than I speak.  I can organize my thoughts better and have a better command of diction when writing.  So, I prefer prepared speeches than extemporaneous ones.  However, I’m still not extremely good at delivering a prepared speech.  Most of the time during the speech, my eyes are looking down on my written copy.  Instead of using it as a guide, I mostly recite it verbatim.  I don’t want to lose the entire flavor on what I have written.  Of course, a good speaker merely glances at his written copy and maintain eye contact with his audience most of the time.  I want to be like that: to maintain the connection with the audience without sacrificing the entire flavor of the prepared speech.  I want to be able to be articulate my thoughts always; not only by writing, but by speech as well.  Speeches are usually more empathic than writings. 

There is a reason why a batshit Austrian imbecile (it’s a misconception that he’s a genius) like Hitler was able to gain power in Germany.  He might be madman, but he was a charismatic speaker.  I’m not saying I want to be like Hitler, but my point is, more often than not, those that can deliver speeches well are the one gaining leadership, prominence and recognition in history.  Churchill, Lincoln, Luther King, Jr… here are people who, unlike Hitler, used their legendary speaking prowess for the good of many.     

I really want to be good at speaking.  I want to be good at both the prepared speech and the extemporaneous speech.  To rally people with my tongue.  To give encouragement.  To proclaim truth and ideas with clarity and emphasis.  To impact history by words.  I want the skill – no, it’s not just a skill – the power of speech.

  

4.) PLAYING SAXOPHONE

As an amateur musician, I know how to play several instruments.  I’m not saying I am great in playing all of these instruments, but I know how to play them well enough to be able to experience performing with them at least once.  These instruments that I know how to play either belong to the string family or percussion family of musical instruments.  I don’t know how to play any wind instrument.  That’s why the next instrument I really want to learn to play is the saxophone – a wind instrument.  And why the saxophone you ask?  Well, because it is the sexiest sounding instrument there is.  Case study: non-sensual songs like “Careless Whisper” and “The One You Love” (check the lyrics) became “sexy” songs because of their popular saxophone riffs.    

3.) PILOTING A PLANE

I still don’t know how to drive a motorbike or car.  But, I think, eventually, it is very probable I’ll get to that.  But learning how to pilot a plane is a dream of mine since I was small.  I remember that when I was just a toddler – next to being an astronaut – I really wanted to be a fighter plane pilot.  Now, I don’t really dream of piloting planes as a vocation, but piloting a plane (not necessarily a fighter jet, of course) is still something I want to do.  

2.) KRAV MAGA

I consider Krav Maga as the best fighting style there is.  It’s practical and can be learned in just a few months.  Violence is not always the answer.  But as the song and saying goes, “you don’t have to fight to be a man, but, sometimes, you need to fight when you’re a man.”  I want to be equipped and have the confidence that I can go Krav Maga-berserk at any time or as a last result to protect myself and those dear to me from a threat. 

1.) ONLINE TRADING OF SECURITIES

Trading securities is like poker.  It’s risky and rewarding, but not that romantic as pop culture presented.  The reality is, like poker, trading securities involves a lot of math.

I want to have the proper training and knowledge to be able to trade securities via Internet.  Online trading is definitely convenient, since the conventional trading of securities involve leasing a sit on the floor of the Stock Exchange.  With merely logging in, clicking the mouse, I can buy and sell securities for profit at the convenience of being at home. 

Really need somebody to teach me this.  Anybody? Or, if not, you can teach me how to earn through online poker instead.     

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Collections and Collectors

I was always into collecting. Collections fascinate me. Collectors fascinate me more (especially if they are famous). And even if somebody’s collection is not the same as mine, or not a collection I think not interesting to collect, I am still fascinated by it, because of just the concept of collecting and the collectors’ zeal and happiness of collecting them. There is something magical and exciting in collecting. Probably, the best hobbies on Earth are those that involve collecting.

My collections are, mostly, literature and toys. I collected them for about ten years now. My literature collection ranges from novels, encyclopedias, biographies, comicbooks, magazines, newspapers cartoon strips, and others – as long as it is decent literature, I collect them. My toy collection ranges from toy soldiers to those that came from fast food chains. Sure, these collections fill my room, but compared to big time collections, mine is small in comparison. Nonetheless, my collections – which are stacked in cabinets and displayed on shelves of my room – are my treasures.

I used to have a big “tex” – the Filipino counterpart of trading cards, only smaller and less quality – collection. You got to enlarge your stack of them by either of the two: a) you buy more or b) you win them in games like “kapulan”, “tatchian”, “bangkuhan”, or any other “gambling” games. A tex’s popularity was dependent on the present popular TV show. Example, if Dragon Ball Z was hot, Dragon Ball Z tex were hot also, and they are the only kind of tex that can be traded or played with. And when Ghost Fighter became the hit, the Dragon Ball Z tex got obsolete. But I was a good collector and though one kind of tex was no longer popular, I still kept them. My only mistake was not being able to maintain my interest in them, and by and by, they disappeared (one of the worst mistakes in my life). I don’t know what happened to them. I miss them… especially the Marvel Vs. DC and the Streetfighter tex…arg!

The same thing happened with my pogs collection. And my robot, zoo, and Wild West toy collection. And my 4wd Let's Go kit. And I also lost some comcbooks…. Enough said about all those mistakes; it brings some bad feelings.  What is important is that I should take care of what I have now and not allow any of those mistakes to happen again.

My collection reflects to what I am economically. One’s collection is proportional to one’s economic status. That is absolutely true. Just look at celebrities and their collections. They are rich, so they can afford a large collection – or even several collections. It is fascinating to look at their collections. Sharon Cuneta has mugs, books and DVDs. German Morena got movies, tapes of shows, movies, clowns stuff, toys, memorabilia and others. Jay Taruc has paintings and toys. Former Senator Webb got Star Wars stuff and others. Senator Chiz Escudero has vintage cars. And there are many other personalities that have collections that are worth mentioning, but it will go a long way (a list of Hollywood personalities that collect comicbooks would go a long way already.)

Collecting is exciting with all the thrills of a find, the satisfaction obtained when looking at them, and the gentle greed that motivates a collector to make his collection bigger – and of course, I experience all of this… I want to make my collection bigger as time goes by and start new collections, too, like DVDs, guitars and other things. There is nothing wrong with collecting, but we should not always live in our collections. Yes, I said that my collections are my treasures. But my collection of friends and family are more valuable treasures. There are important things that we should not forget when we are engrossed in collecting and in our collection. There is danger when your addiction and love for your collection is greater than the more important things in life... or your life.

There are many good things derived in collecting. When you are with your collection, and making it improve or grow bigger, you are happy, and makes you forget some of your current stress or problems. You also get to learn patience, perseverance, and other values when you collect. The bottomline, though, is to be happy with collecting and your collection without sacrificing the most important things in your life and never forgetting your priorities – the right priorities.

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Some Tastes

When asked, “What kinds of books are your favorites to read?” I answer, “All of them. I read all kinds (which is true).” Or, “What kinds of music do you listen to?” My reply: “All kinds of good music.” Or, “What kinds of food do you eat?” the answer is. “I’m not a pick eater.” This goes for movies, TV shows, games, etc. I have a wide area of interests, and so my answers to questions like that are not specific. Ask me what are my favorites… the list is long.

But okay let me be a bit specific on some of them…

I like to read best mystery, thriller, suspense, espionage and such (I grew up reading Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew that lead me to read Sherlock Holmes and James Bond later on). These kinds stimulate my mind most. But of course I like to read other genres, too, like classic, sc-fi and fantasy – but not romance. As for non-fiction, I prefer biographies, history and witty essays or reflections above other else. Michael Crichton, C.S. Lewis, Max Lucado, Mark Twain and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle are my favorite authors. As for comics, I grew up on Spider-Man and Marvel Comics, so I say Marvel is my fave. As for local, Pugad Baboy is the best!

For music… Rock is my favorite (I’m not much of a hip-hop fan, but I listen to some of them, too). I’m a kind of music lover who prefer Hillsong over Integrity, Bon Jovi over U2, Beethoven over Mozart, The Beatles over The Rolling Stones, Maroon 5 over Linkin Park, Rivermaya over Bamboo (Rico Blanco left the band? Pity. I guess Bamboo is now my fave local band, unless Rivermaya can make further impact without Blanco), Red Hot Chili Peppers over Limp Bizkit, Eagles over Led Zeppelin, The Corrs over Evanescence… I’m that kind of music lover (but of course I still think of Bamboo, Evanescence, Integrity, Led Zep, Mozart and others are great). In summary, I’m into good music… not worthless noise.

The movies I prefer most are action, suspense and comedy (that’s why I like Jackie Chan), and of course animation, too, and movies that entertains and makes the viewers think. Same with TV shows, I like animation, action, suspense and comedy. I really really love cartoons; even now that I’m not a child anymore (I love both American and Japanese cartoons [and comics]). I watch TV shows like “The Twilight Zone” (my fave), “The Simpsons”, “Buffy the Vampire Slayer”, “Angel”, “Smallville”, and “Whose Line Is It Anyway?” to name some of them. I love Discovery Channel and National Geographic.  There are no local TV shows that made an “impact” to me. As for Asianovelas (as they are called), there’s “Gokusen”. Other than this, there are none that became a favorite. I liked the early part of “Meteor Garden” but it got too syrupy as the show progressed so I dropped it. And for Mexican telenovelas (that were amusingly dubbed), there are three (so far) that I can still remember that I liked, they were: “Maria Mercedes” (I was in Grade 1 then and it was the firs of its kind), “Alta Gracia” (Now this is my most fave TV show from Mexico ever. The mystery and plot was just too good! I even cut classes back then to watch episodes of it), and “Daniela” (it has a great theme song).  Between the two, I prefer soaps from Mexico than soaps from Asia (which most of them come from Korea).

And now for food… I love fish (though beef is my favorite), I grew up on them. I also love eggs. I do eat ampalaya (I like to cook them with egg, tomato, onion and garlic), my fave veggie next to potato. But, of course, shakes are my favorite drinks, pizza my all-time fave food, halo-halo my fave dessert, sisig my fave dish, and chocolates my fave sinful food. My diet very much also includes Lucky Me instant pancit canton, canned corned-beef and lots of bread and rice (very Filipino!)

Okay. Okay, I’ll include my taste on girls before I end this essay. Mmmm… I’m attracted to girls with beauty (but beauty with no character? Forget about it), inner beauty that equals her outer beauty, talented and intelligent… girls that make me say, “Wow. There’s something fascinating about her.” But don’t get me wrong… I like female friends, and not female flames.

Of course, all our tastes vary and these tastes can reflect on what we value, what we prioritize and what we are as a person.  And these some tastes I had mentioned should, somehow, give you a glimpse on what kind of person I am.   

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In Creating A Band

I am not an authority in band making, but I can give some advice. For me, there are five essential elements needed: talent, relationship, attitude, discipline and inspiration.

-Talent is of course needed. you need people who can play the instruments and who will sing.

-Relationship is greatly needed. the members should be good friends. they should be able to communicate freely. it is a big plus if the members grew up together and were friends since childhood.

-Attitude. positive attitude to all members. all members should be ready to give and receive positive suggestions and criticism. a member should always follow the leader (if there is one) and the leader should not abuse his power and think that he is better than the rest of the band. each member should not think that he is too good for the band.

-Discipline is needed, especially in practices. members should always be on time. members should be disciplined. they should not "mess around". it is a waste of valuable practice time. but in jammings, it is sometimes okay to mess around.

-Inspiration is the foundation. what motivates the band is very important. here are my elements. it is what i think is needed. after considering them, always keep in mind that it does not matter if your band does not make it big, as long as you are together and having fun. having fun is all that matters. your band is the best as long as the members has good relationships.

Most of all, always remember that God gives the talent. it is only right to use it for Him. so consider making your band a praise and worship band. like 1 Corinthians 10:31 says, "Whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it for the glory of God."

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Guitar Opinion

I love guitars. And I have this fantasy of owning a large guitar collection someday. Complete with different kinds of effects pad and gadgets, guitar straps, picks, and, of course, different kinds of guitars: acoustic, electric, jazz, classical, folk, etc… different kinds, brands and models. And it would be nice to have vintage models, too. Ahhh… if only…

Anyway, in my opinion, the guitar is the best musical instrument there is. And I believe all people can play it, all it takes is perseverance, dedication and love for it. It’s also the best instrument to start with (only in my opinion… some say it’s the keyboard), since if you know how to play the guitar, it would be easy to start studying how to play other instruments, too. After some time of guitar playing, learning the basics of bass playing would be easy. Then, with increased sense of rhythm and timing due to playing the guitar, the playing of basics of the drums would follow. Anyway, it is not always true – it’s still up to you. And besides, no matter what the instrument, it requires constant practice and study to master it; from basics, to variations, and then mastery.

Playing the guitar is both easy and hard (You’ll understand this statement when you start to play). It’s nice of someone can teach you (better still, to have lessons), but you can also study it on your own. Like me. I just self-practiced and self-taught myself. Just have yourself a guitar and a chord chart, and then practice the chords. Sooner or later, you’ll be able to play your first song. As I said, it only takes perseverance, dedication and love for playing the guitar. By and by, the basics of guitar playing – chord shifting, strumming, timing and plucking – will be “programmed” in your mind.

Then learn some lead. For starters, one should learn how to read lied sheets or tabs, to learn to play the pieces made by others – usually downloaded from the internet – in playing particular lead situations in songs, and to gain some ideas about lead playing. Octaves, chromatics, pentatonic, major and minor scales, slides, bend, pull-off, hammer, triplets, tap, mute, and the other “principles” of lead should be learned. And as one get himself familiarize with the principles, techniques and scales, one can make his own guitar fills and ad libs.
In using a guitar effect, I guess, distortions are the best to start from… not only because it is cool, but, mainly, also to mask your mistakes. Honestly, the hearers may not notice the mistakes when you play with distortion – just be quick to bend, slide, or whatever to make the lead flow right. (Especially in strumming a chord with some heavy distortion, it is rare of the hearers to notice you struck the wrong chord). But try other effects, and clean, too, by and by. Experiment, practice and study the effects. And also try playing lead, acoustic style. Playing lead with the acoustic is not at all inferior compared to playing with an electric, and in some cases better still, especially if one masters the classical or Latin styles.

In playing lead, fast fingers are not necessary – but very convenient. Often, it is not about how fast your fingers but the proper usage and progression of the notes – plus the phrasing and proper use of guitar scale/technique, whether, it is jazz, disco, classical, basic rock-pop, or others. Learning to play “grooves” in the guitar is necessary, too, I guess, though it’s mostly the bass guitar’s job.

Learn also to play or “jam” with others. Learn band principles and techniques, communication, and teamwork. No matter how good you are, if you cannot work with the band, you cannot play effectively.
The guitar is a very fascinating instrument. Playing the basics, and then some, nor even if you “mastered” it, it does no stop there. It is best to continue practicing and learning new things. Playing the guitar is definitely rewarding.

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Hanging Around The Bookstores

Being a bookworm, bibliophile, and literature collector, I spend a lot of time hanging out at the bookstores. When I have some free time, I take trips to the bookstores, or when my family goes out, I excuse myself sometimes and visit the bookstores. I always did these since I was a kid.
I find browsing around the bookstores fun. I like the thrill of finding a book I really wanted to have after years of searching for it. And to find that the price of the book is something I can afford is a big plus.
Sometimes, I spend very long times in bookstores. Browsing and scanning each nook and cranny of the store; reading the synopsis at back of the books.
The National Bookstore was my favorite when I was a kid. There was still no National Bookstore here in Legazpi City back then (it only arrived here last year). And when I got the chance to visit one - like one in Manila or Cebu - heck, I spent hours there, very happy. And I obtained some pretty good books from National Bookstore for my collection, like “Jo’s Boys”, Pugad Baboy compilations, Nancy Drew, and Hardy Boys. The only down part about National Bookstore is the price; very often. I cannot afford the books. But still the National Bookstore is one of my favorite bookstores, and I visit the place occasionally.
But my most favorite bookstore, at this time, is Book Sale. The bookstore, either with their own place or those consigned with malls and other stores, where someone can find cool literature, old literature, new literature, and - most importantly - cheap literature. Yes, most of the books are second hand or residual stock, but I’m not complaining. I found good books here with cheap prices… heck, imagine getting an Ian Fleming James Bond novel for 15 php, or a Crossgen comicbook for only 12 php… great deal!
Well, bookstores are a whole lot better hangout than libraries. And as long as there are bookstores - especially like Book Sale - hanging around them will brighten my day. Literature can always brighten one’s days.

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Which between the two is better? Electric Guitar or Acoustic Guitar?

hmmmm. good question. what is the better instrument to play? it is true that the electric guitar is much used by bands nowadays. but the acoustic guitar can be played even without a pick up, even without electricity. so the acoustic is a portable jamming instrument. you use both guitars differently. i pluck an electric guitar by the use of the picking technique, with or without a pick. i pluck an acoustic guitar with my four fingers, which the pinkie is the only finger not used. in playing the electric guitar, it is cooler to see you standing with your strap extended enough so that the guitar is within or below your waist. in playing the acoustic guitar, it is cooler to see you sitting down on a stool. but what is really the cooler instrument to play? the electric guitar is a cool instrument. it can do many things an acoustic guitar cannot do. you can do many different effects and sounds from it by the use of an amp or/and an gadget. the use of distortion, overdrive, flanger, chorus, delay, echo, fuzz and many different kinds of effects allows you to do cool lead pieces and ad libs. muted strumming is more effective in an electric. artificial harmonics is also more effective. the sound from an electric can last a long time form the last time you ringed or plucked it by the use of an effect (overdrive usually). you can do a lot of things from an electric, especially the feedback technique. imagine using an acoustic guitar to play the cool Bon Jovi (or any rock band's) guitar fills and guitar instrumentals. the acoustic guitar has it's own beautiful sound. it has a unique clean sound better than clean electric guitar. maybe because of the wood and all the acoustics inside the guitar. classical guitar (the guitar with no fret marks, thicker neck and different tuning keys) is a cool instrument to play. especially if you studied to play it and knows how to play the guitar using notes, not only chords. some acoustic players uses cool styles different from classical playing. Like the guitar playing of Paolo Santos in "Foolish Heart", Ryan Cabrera in "True" and Chin in "Especially for You" (MYMP revival). the use of the Spanish guitar is also awesome, with that cool Latino feeling in its sounds. like in "Lonely No More", it was great and i think it is very difficult. doing the muting guitar is not bad in the acoustic guitar. you can see that in Avril Lavigne's "Why". now another question, what is much better, band versions or acoustic versions? well, it depends for me. often acoustic versions are just as good as the original band versions. like "My Immortal", "Suntok sa Buwan" and "Sige". and sometimes the acoustic version is much better. like the Eagle's favorite "Hotel California". i like the original one with all that cool fills and guitar solo. but the acoustic version is much better with the long intro and better guitar playing. now back to the question, what is much better, electric or acoustic? well, it depends on the taste of a person. i love both. both has cool and unique characteristics. besides, it does not matter what you love to play. what matters is why are you playing. is it to let yourself be recognized and glorified, or is it to have fun and please and praise God. the latter should be the answer. Glory to God!

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The Power of Reading

I am a book worm. I guess, I am nearly a bibliomaniac. But I assure you I am still sane. Yes, I love to read. Come to think of it, one of my hobbies is collecting literature. I collect novels, pocket books, comics, magazines, encyclopedias, etc. I collect, as much as I read, almost any kind of literature. Hey, I even have a newspaper archive. I have a big collection now, because of more than ten years of collecting. Most of them are housed in the three compartments of my old cabinet (one is for my clothes). My family is a bunch of readers as well. My father has a good collection as well.
Reading literature does not only improves your vocabulary but it is some kind of meditation, too. Literature is a beautiful art. It lets your imagination flow. When you read about a biography about someone, you are part of it. When you read an awesome fictional story, you are a part of it. When you read about the cool adventures of a super hero, you are part of it. When you concentrated well in reading, you became part of the action. Reading is a cool way of learning about life. You can learn a lot from literature. It not only entertains but teaches as well. You will learn the ideas of different people. You learn values in life in literature. You will learn humorous or terrible facts in life thru litearature. The power of reading is great. And when you become a great reader, you will certainly be a great writer.
But all of us should know our responsibilities. Reading is power, so we should be responsible. Reading should be used for good. Remember to discard all the negative points and absorb the positive points. The ideas of other people should not influence us greatly. We have our own principles and ideas. We should not let the ideas of others influence us greatly. We should first make sure that his or her ideas are right. All readers should be a mature reader. Never letting himself fully be influenced but should also be open minded. A mature reader should know the right and wrong points and parts of a literature. If we do our part, reading will certainly be a great experience.

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Playing

Playing. It is really fun. I love playing. As the saying goes, "All work and no play..." well you know how it goes. But sometimes I overdo my playing than my working. I just can't help it sometimes. It is actually one of my hobbies.
When I was a little boy, I am often outside our house playing with my playmates every weekend, holiday or free time. In school I played with my classmates. Games such as "patintero", "darakupan", "aragawan base", "taraguan (hide and seek)" and such. And sometimes the harmful, "pellet gun wars".
I was also playing "text","mini-text" and "pogs" when I was a kid. I love collecting those things, unfortunately I gave them all away to my younger playmates when I was in my last days in elementary. I also raced my mini-4 wheel drives when I was still a little child. I had several of them. Unfortunately again, my set dissapeared. I cannot remember where it had gone. I kind of neglected it because my interest in those things grew cold.
I also loved playing with my toys. My radio controlled car, my zoo collection, my wild wild west collection, my mini toy car collection, my war toys collection and such. I really love my toy soldiers, along with the other war toys. They are now retired veterans with pension in my toy box beneath my bed, along with my remaining toys. I still play with some toys, like the radio contolled car. And I display some in my library and room.
Playing sports is also fun although I am not really good at it. I really love basketball. I am not really a good player, but I love it. I am also interested in bowling and volleyball, like my father. I rarely play volleyball and I only played bowling about three times only. I am not good at these sports unlike my father.
But what I really into is the world of "gaming". Like most boys (and a few girls) in my generation, I am a gamer. A gamer is someone who is into video games, either in console, arcade and PC. I am into all three. I am a gamer since elementary. My first exposure to it was with our family "family computer". I really loved playing it but I only mastered most of the games when I reached high school, playing those games in a vcd player. I then began playing arcade games. My favorites were Marvel Vs. Capcom, Marvel Vs. Streetfighter, X-Men Vs. Streetfighter and King Of Fighters. I finished the first four mentioned but up to date, I still cannot master the King Of Fighters.
Then the PC gaming came. I started playing PC games when I was in my early elementary. Playing in our family PC or in my mom's office. My favorite then was "Metal Marines", a hard 20 level strategy game that I was able to finish. But I started playing games in the internet cafe when I was in Grade 5. My peers and I played it almost daily. The popular games then were "Counter-Strike" and "Starcraft". Then the others followed, "Red Alert 2", "Yuri's Revenge", "Half-Life", "Team Fortress", "Stronghold", "Earth Empire", "Battle Realms", "Warcraft III", "Generals", "NBA Live", etcetera. I say "etcetera" because there is really a lot of games I played since then. I was a real gaming addict when I was a in my late elementary. Sometimes I played about nine hours non-stop a day. I finally got sick because of playing PC. I became sick of bronchopneumonia, then it became primary complex tuberculusis because of neglecting my health, my lunch time and heavy dose of radiation. Luckily, I got well after a year of medication.
That is what I got from over-playing. I advice you not to neglect your health just fot the sake of playing. I still pretty much of a PC "addict". I still played a lot of PC games when I entered high school. But I promised not to play so much now. I can control myself to stop, if it is really time to stop. Like when I decided to stop playing Philippine Ragnarok On-Line after I decided it is a game which is really a waste of money when I was in 2nd year. I still play with Ragnarok but in Aero (Asian European Ragnarok Online), which you do not need a prepaid card to play.
Playing is a gift from God. But we should not make it the center of our lives. We should not neglect our responsibilities and priorities. We must not be slaves of the games but masters over it. We can learn a lot from playing. Teamwork, sportsmanship, honor, patience, perseverance and ingenuity are easily learned. Computer literacy, communication with others and socializing are improved when we are playing. Playing is a lot of fun if used properly. A good player never cheats (this does not apply to gamers, as using "cheats" in some games are allowed). Winning is not important as long as you gave your best and had fun. Playing is as important with working. That is why we should all work hard and play hard, enjoying what we do and giving it our best until "Game Over".

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