KEVIN GARNETT: THE BEST MAN TO BE WITH KOBE BRYANT IN THE LAKERS

I thought the Lakers can be different this season, and improve their satisfactory performance last year to excellence this year because they were winning in the beginning of this NBA season. I was wrong. They were losing big time a little before the All-Star break, and then the second half of the season. Now, as I write this, there’s even a chance they can be knocked out from the playoffs (with a record of 40-39).

Kobe Bryant, as usual, excels this season. He won the All-Star MVP. And he scored some 50 and 60 point games this season, overtaking Carmelo Anthony for the number one in scoring in the league. He’s a good leader and player. But Kobe Bryant is not enough for the Lakers.

Lamar Odom is a very good player. All-Star material even. He can play some very good all-around basketball. But with him as Kobe’s sidekick is not enough.

Kwame Brown is a disappointment. Smush Parker is no superstar. Andrew Baynum is too slow to grow. Luke Walton is good but lacking. The Lakers need to improve their line-up. And I believe that one man will improve their line-up. There were talks of getting Jason Kidd from the Nets before the trade deadline this season. I have no complains since Kidd can quickly learn the Laker system. And his good, he can make the other Laker players improve in offense (when you’re free Kidd can find you), and also a great help in the frontcourt defense. Plus, though he’s a point guard he can grab those rebounds (like a Laker legend named Magic Johnson). But I was not much dismayed when the trade did not come true. I know they needed someone better than Kidd.

They need a big man who is not slow, can force himself to the basket, and can shoot anywhere. Someone to grab those rebounds – yup, Odom is good at them, but the Lakers need more than that. And, yes, to be a defensive force in the paint. And also to be effective in Coach Johnson’s triangle offense. Yup, a player like that. And I have one guy in mind. His name is Kevin Garnett.  He's the most appropriate big man to be with Kobe (second best would be Pau Gasol).

Yes, Kevin Garnett. He’ll look good in the purple or yellow jersey (just as Iverson looked good in a Denver uniform). He’s gone to several All-Star games, and won one All-Star MVP. He also has a regular-season MVP. He’s the man for the Lakers.

Now, Bryant and Garnett can work effectively.  It would be nice to see them playing together in the NBA. Imagine, Kobe driving though and breaking the oppositions’ defense, and then he founds Garnett and gave him a no look pass, Garnett turns to the basket and SLAM DUNK! That’ll be cool. Like Shaq and Kobe back then.

The Minnesota Timberwolves are holding on to KG too much. I think their waiting for a draft pick for a good guard to complement Garnett. (Sigh) I don’t know how the Lakers can facilitate such deal, but they have to be crafty, like send in some satisfactory players, and sweeten the deal with some draft picks.

Kevin Garnett is the man to be with Kobe Bryant in the Lakers. With the both of them in the Lakers, I’ll bet they’ll win another championship. It’s a fantasy I have to see them play together, and bring back glory to the Lakers. (Another cool fantasy I have for the Lakers is a Kobe Bryant, Lamar Odom, Kevin Garnett, and Jason Kidd line-up… dream on, Bernz).

All I can do is pray for divine intervention… and wait and see.

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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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Fried Chicken

Fried chicken is truly one of the most beloved food on earth. I am very fond of it, though it’s not my favorite food - but it used to be when I was a little boy. Now, my lil’ sis is the one who loves fried chicken like I used to when I was her age – it’s the only thing she orders when we go out.
I don’t know why most children are very fond of fried chicken. It’s a fact. Fried chicken is the most popular food among kids. And when they grow up, they may put other kinds of food above fried chicken but they will never forget fried chicken. It’s still going to be in their list of preferred food.
The best meat for me is beef, followed by pork, and fish and seafood, and lastly, poultry – chicken in particular. But when it comes to being fried to crispy brown perfection… I’ll go with chicken. How would you like chicken be cooked? Grilled? Roasted? “Tinola”? Great ideas, but I’ll go with “fried”… most people will answer the same.
You can eat fried chicken with anything you like. With rice, or pasta, or baked goods. Gravy, ketchup, mayonnaise, sauce, or nothing at all. It is also a great finger food. And it can be eaten anytime - in snacks, meals, luncheons, picnics, etc.
There might be some instances when someone gets tired, or sick of it (probably because of eating too much, or eating one with e coli bacteria, or the chicken was inferiorly fried). But often it is only temporary. Given some time, fried chicken will be back on his diet, simply because he can’t resist.
Fried chicken comes in different tastes, because there is a lot of ways to marinate it… or depending on a restaurant’s trademark recipe. Me, I use flour, salt, egg, some vinegar or “kalamansi” – preferably “kalamansi” than vinegar – on it. If I get lazy, just salt and vinegar. I make good fried chicken – and my number one is my sister.
I think the best fried chicken restaurant in the country is KFC. I can’t wait for it to open a branch here in Legazpi. I love KFC’s chicken strips. KFC is one good thing those Americans brought us.
Come to think of it, fried chicken is an American influence on us. Americans love it. Filipinos love it. And probably everyone.
Ah, fried chicken. If you just think about it, there’s something fascinating in all of this about fried chicken… the smell… the recipes… deep fried… the crispness… the taste in your mouth… it’s appeal… it’s popularity… everything.
Maybe the loneliest people on Earth are those who can’t eat fried chicken because of some reasons (like they are allergic to it). They’re missing out something big. Fried chicken is one of the best things out of life.

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On The Philippine Comics Industry

I want the Philippine comics industry to succeed. Really. I dream of a time where the Philippines will rank among the United States of America and Japan as makers of top-rank, first-rate comics.

Filipinos have the talents, no one can deny that. We have certified world class artists. And the ideas in Filipino comics are good. We have good writers and artists. Sadly, success in the comic book industry is dependent to one’s economy. Look at the US and Japan, they have good economies, thus good comic book industries. In the Philippines, the talents cannot find much money in the local comics industry, so they work abroad where they can be find their talents and abilities paid handsomely (another case of “brain drain” in the Philippines).

* * *

I read a lot of comics since I was a kid. And back then, part of my reading was of Filipino comicbooks like Bata Batuta, and Funny Comics. Sadly, most of my Bata Batuta comics are gone now. However, I still have my Funny Comics with me. They have some decent stories there, satisfactory to kids. The only problem, like other weekly comics books, is the lack of art quality – I guess it’s because of the lack of time production and budget. If only the coloring is improved. I don’t care if they raise prices or it will take a longer time to produce one. Tinay Pinay, Combatron, Tomas N’ Kules, and the other children-loved characters deserved to be appreciated by Filipino kids like they appreciate foreign characters like Archie.

* * *

I also have Pugad Baboy compilations in my collection. Now in all the cartoon strip franchises that I know of, for me, Pol Medina Jr.’s Pugad Baboy is the best there is. Pugad Baboy has good art and has good entertaining quality. Now that’s Filipino talent!

And there’s Lyndon Gregorio’s Beerkada, another great Filipino comic strip. Only second best next to Medina, but Beerkada also has its own appeal.

With guys like Medina and Gregorio, Filipino comic strips stood up with the foreign comic strips in the newspaper comics page.

* * *

I was sad when Culture Crash stopped publishing because of – probably – financial problems. It was a very promising Filipino comicbook. Yup, it has Japanese influence in the art – but it was still very Filipino. The art was good, and so are the plot and the stories.

I was in my late elementary when the first issue of Culture Crash came out, and since then I promised to collect each single issue (sadly, I missed two issues). I did not mind of their irregular schedules of releasing issues. I really wanted Culture Crash to succeed – thinking it would start the revolution in Filipino comics. I was wrong. Culture Crash has its ups… but it cannot fully become paramount.

Culture Crash never finished the stories. I do not know if I would ever know the ending of One Day Isang Diwa, Pasig, Cat’s Trail, Solstice Butterfly, and Kuburi Kikiam. All I can do now is reread the past issues.

* * *

Well, there are decent local comicbooks out there. Like indie comics (mostly manga influenced), and those published by Mango.

But I guess it isn’t enough. Filipino comicbooks are not very popular. Captain Barbell and Darna cannot be Superman (or is Captain Marvel?) and Wonder Woman.

It would be really cool if finally the Filipino comicbooks will be proudly put beside the foreign comics on the stands and racks.

I will never lose faith in the Filipino comicbook industry. I will never lose faith in Filipinos. Someday, my dreams about the improvement of the comicbook industry may come true.

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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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Love And Romance... Almost Everywhere

Hmmm. I don’t understand why love and romance are almost everywhere. Really they are.

First, in stories in literature and movies. Sure there are novels and flicks that have romance all that stuff as the main concept (love stories). But look at other kinds of stories as well; love and romance are still sub-plots or sub-themes of it. In action, fantasy, mystery, suspense, thriller, comedy… whatever, why do there are often some romantic themes in them? Like, the main character in action or comedy often have a leading lady (or leading man), or the genre is suspense but still you can find a romantic theme there somewhere, or the hero of a fantasy should rescue a damsel in distress… and things like that that have romantic flavor in stories. Read a book or watch a movie, doesn’t matter what kind, chances are there is some romantic part in it. Heck, even in the comic books, Superman has Lois Lane.

And also on those TV shows. Doesn’t matter if it is a soap (which often have the same dosage of romance as much as drama in them) or something like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Smallville, Charmed, X-Files, Star Trek or anything, there are romantic them in each of them somewhere. And you can also find it on cartoons and other animations, from Japanese animes to Disney shows, love and romance are still there. Tamahome has Miaka, and Mickey Mouse has a Minnie Mouse. And even though there’s a big difference between Armitage and Kim Possible (though both of the main characters are female)… yup, there’re still romantic themes in them.

There, love and romance are in literature, movies and TV shows, even if the story is not about love at all, you’ll still find some romantic parts in them.

And it doesn’t en with stories. It’s in music, too. Most songs have themes like love, romance, heartbreak, courtship, or anything of that’s sort. See? Love and romantic themes are even in music. Love is a popular theme with songwriter. Even hardcore rock bands sing songs about love or anything related to it. Some even spent their entire music careers to sing only about love (ever heard of an Air Supply song with no love theme in it?). Wipe out love and romance out of the music scene and you also wipe out a very large percentage of all known songs in human history (all Air Supply songs will be wiped out, and Cueshe has nothing to sing about).

Love and Romance are all around us nowadays, from media to airwaves. IT only proves how much people are interested in these themes. With all these different ideas and concepts about love from music, literature and entertainment, makes me wonder of humans still knows what true love is all about.

Mmmm. All these stuff about love and romance are okay sometimes, I guess. It gives some thrills and sparks – not only to stories – but also to our lives. I just hope that all this will not distort the true meaning of love.
The danger of it all is with all this concepts about love and romance everywhere, our generation will jump into relationships (or will want to jump) without thinking; with no patience, understanding, and evaluation of emotions, and with this in mind, “Heck, even Mr. Bean and Donald Duck have girlfriends, why shouldn’t I have one?” Pity.

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Fiction Fondness

I love good stories. And good stories are mostly found in fiction. That’s why I read a lot of novels and comicbooks, and watch a lot of movies and TV shows. I love good stories. I love fiction.

I think fiction is an integral part of the growth of ones; imagination. It feeds our imagination. Fiction and imagination helps us to see not only how things are, but how things can be.

You can learn a lot of things from fiction as much as you can learn a lot from fact. I learned trivias, lessons, ideas, and even facts from fiction. I believe not only feeds out imagination, but also knowledge and wisdom. .

Fiction is not only good entertainment, but also a good refuge. Sometimes it’s good just to forget all about the realities if this world of fact, and just sit back, relax, and read a good novel or watch a good movie. For an interval of time that we are indulge with fiction, we forget about our problems, worries, frustrations, disappointments and pain.

There’s nothing wrong living in a world of fiction. Just don’t live there forever. The world of fact should not be completely forgotten – no matter how hard to accept, it’s still the more important thing. The realities of life still has to be faced in the world of fact, the world of fiction just helps to refresh us to face the challenges.

I read a statement like this somewhere (I forgot how it really goes), but I’ll paraphrase it as ending: ‘Fiction is not important because it tells us there are dragons, but because it tells us that dragons can be slayed.’

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