New Blog!

I've just set up another blog, this time to focus on one of my hobbies, which is the CCG Vampire: the Eternal Struggle. Check it out here.

Batman Begins!

I got to see the trailer of 'Batman Begins' online yesterday. Whoohoo!

I hope that this reboot of Batman, which looks like a return to his roots, will revitalize the franchise, which failed miserably after George Clooney's stint. It looks like it's heading in the right direction, based on the trailer and the choice of cast. I'm really looking forward to this.

Traffic!

This morning, I was stuck in traffic in front of the Ateneo for a little over an hour. And it was really bad, considering that: one, I didn't see any reason for the snarl, except that maybe everybody seemed to be going to the Ateneo, and two, I was late the day before, and the traffic was nothing like this.

I wound up arriving at just before 8 a.m., an hour and a half since I'd left my parents' house near Tandang Sora and Commonwealth. Man o man.

The Wheel of Time Turns

I turned 3* last Saturday. To celebrate, we (my family) ate at A Veneto's along Visayas, which is a good place to get cheap, delicious pasta, and mouth-watering half-pound burgers. There was a scary interlude when my mom, who was carrying my 2-year old daughter, missed a step and fell; fortunately, G wasn't hurt, and my mom only suffered a few bruises.

In the evening, my wife and I went to SM City to shop for birthday gifts for some of our friends' children.

I don't really feel my age. Due to the fact that I teach high school, I suspect my mental age is somewhere around 16. I run into people who tell me that I haven't changed much since college, except that I've gotten a little chunkier. Maybe it's true what they say about teaching, that being in the profession keeps one young.

Traffic enforcement...Not!

We were dismissed early from school today, because of our President's State of the Nation Address (SONA). I decided to leave school a little earlier, to get ahead of the outgoing traffic.

When I got to Commonwealth Ave., protesters had already lined up along the avenue, banners unfurled and waving, with megaphone-toting people barking last-minute instructions.

Of course, traffic was already pretty bad; we were moving at a snail's pace, sometimes even slower. The protesters I saw earlier on were moving even faster than we drivers were. However, they got blocked at the Don Antonio Ave. intersection, and were promptly dispersed by stick-and-shield-wielding policemen.

To make matters worse, the police blocked off all turns going to where I was headed, and I had to drive a few extra kilometers to get to Don Antonio. There was a point when I thought I got lucky, when the barrier blocking the Don Antonio intersection was moved to let cars take an immediate left turn instead of adding to the traffic going towards Fairview. Just as soon as I would have been the next car, some riding Pajeros ordered the MMDA enforcers to close the intersection again. In the words of Muttley, "razzum-frazzum."

All of this doesn't make me feel better inclined towards the police, or government, in general. Most likely, the higher-ups don't notice the traffic, not when they have police escorts to clear the way for them. We pay taxes to keep these mutts in office?!

Random Thought # 4

Whenever I go to my parents' house, I normally take the U-turn underneath the Tandang Sora flyover. Normally, before I make the U-turn, there will be a few jeepneys taking on passengers...on the inner lane of the highway. This, with a big yellow sign saying, "Strictly no loading or unloading." To make matters even better, there was a traffic enforcer standing on the opposite side of the concrete flyover island, but he was conveniently facing the other side of the highway.

No wonder our public utility vehicle drivers don't follow rules; the law enforcers don't bother to remind, or even apprehend them.

Epilogue to Stranded

I left the high school at 7 pm, when the janitor informed those of us who were still there that the workroom was already going to be closed.

It was easier leaving Ateneo; Gate 3 was relatively passable. I could see, however, that the other side was jampacked with cars; it was a good thing I wasn't heading for Marikina or White Plains. However, I was met with heavy traffic along Katipunan, but only for a moment. When I got to C.P. Garcia, I was surprised to see that the intersection that the MMDA had blocked off was now open for left turning. Apparently, the U-turn system bogged down due to the sheer volume of traffic.

It was smooth sailing from then, as most of the traffic was going in the opposite direction. I got to my parents' house within 15 minutes of entering C.P. Garcia, as Commonwealth was free of traffic.

Yesterday was probably the worst traffic along Katipunan in a long while.

Stranded!

What a nice way to spend the start of the weekend - trapped in the high school due to strong rains. I left the high school at about 5 pm, only to spend 25 minutes in front of the college admi building. I decided to go back to the high school, and here I have stayed since 5:30. Not too long. Yet.

One of my friends came in from outside, and said that the water in front of McDonald's was about hip-high. Now that's a water level I haven't seen in a long time.

Oog. Ah well. One has to look at the bright side of life (complete with whistling). At least I can add this entry to my blog.

Fr. Macayan, SJ

Fr. Macayan was my first-year math teacher, and he terrorized the beejeebers out of us. Four years later, he was my younger brother's third-year teacher. My theory on that was that the math department probably thought he was too intimidating for freshmen.

My friend P has a post on this crusty old Jesuit. See it here.

"Macayanisms":

One of my classmates, who was (and is) rather thin, was slumped in his chair. Fr. Macayan scolded him, saying, "Hey you, T, stop sitting there like a dead cadaver."

Another classmate who gave a wrong answer was admonished with, "That answer might be correct on Pinkus 5 (an imaginary planet), but it's not correct here!"

We never knew whether it was all right to laugh at his jokes, or whether it would be suicidal. On the plus side, a lot of the math he taught us probably stuck with a lot of us who went through his tutelage.

It was rather a shock to see Fr. Macayan deliver a high five to a fellow teacher in the high school corridor when I was in fourth year. It didn't occur to me that he had a soft side.

By the time I came back to the high school to teach, he had mellowed down a lot, although rowdy students would still cower at his approach. It was through teachers like Fr. Macayan that I learned about the value of practicing discipline, of loving math, and of caring for the environment.

Like my friend said in his blog, Fr. Macayan now resides in the infirmary of the Jesuit residence, and, like my friend, I ask for prayers for Fr. Macayan, that he may be healed from all pain.

Favorite Ballplayers

Just about anybody who's a fan of baseball probably has his or her own lineup of favorite players, and I'm no exception. So without further ado, here's my lineup:

C - Carlton Fisk

Fisk has been a marvel for me, primarily because of his longevity, but he has been one of the best catchers I've seen. His homer in the '75 World Series remains a fond image.

1B - Mark McGwire

It's a pity he got injured before he could crack the 600 home run mark.

2B - Ryne Sandberg

One of the best fielding second basemen I've seen, I think Ryno should have stayed retired. Very few players who've come back still perform at the same level; Roger Clemens is one such player.

3B - Wade Boggs

He had an obsession with chicken that was strange, but when he hit .300 in successive seasons, and collected 200 hits for 8 (?) straight seasons, you can't argue with the man's eating habits.

SS - Cal Ripken, Jr.

The Iron Man is my personal favorite player of all time. Not only did he play for the city where I was born (Baltimore), but he also inspired me to work hard everyday. It's something I should remember once again. Cal is a player whom I will always remember.

LF - Kirk Gibson

It was his homer in Game 1 of the '88 World Series that hooked me onto baseball in the first place.

CF - Kirby Puckett

Ever see a fireplug hit? Kirby, for all his size, hit very well, and it's a shame that his career was cut short by eye injury. Some of the plateaus hitters dream of were within reach before his sudden retirement.

RF - Dwight Evans

One of the best fielding outfielders, Dewey is another personal favorite of mine because of his batting swing, which looked very consistent whether he was hitting or striking out. Whatever the result, it was a smooth arc every time.

DH - Frank Thomas

The Big Hurt, as he is popularly known, has lost a step in his second decade in the game, but to hit .300, and collect at least 24 HRs, 100 RBIs, 100 Rs, and 100 Ws a year for seven straight years was amazing.

SP - Nolan Ryan

I remember watching Ryan get his 5,000 career strikeout against Rickey Henderson, who, before the game, was quoted as saying something to the effect of, "Let's see if he can get me." And Ryan did.

SP - Randy Johnson

This guy, at 6'11", could probably have played professional basketball. But he decided to pitch, and, even at 40, he's still one of the scariest pitchers a batter could face.

SP - Pedro Martinez

If it weren't for his being injury-prone, he could probably set new pitching records.

SP - Greg Maddux

What I like about Maddux is his low-key approach to the game, as well as his consistency. I'm hoping that he wins his 300th game this season.

SP - Roger Clemens

"The Rocket" has been on fire all his career, and even after a brief retirement at the end of last season, shows us that baseball life doesn't end at 40. Ryan and Johnson are also proofs of that.

RP - Dennis Eckersley

Even though he is linked with Kirk Gibson for giving up that wonderful home run, the Eck has been one of the most dominant closers in baseball history.

RP - Goose Gossage

A nickname like "Goose" says it all for me.

RP - Gregg Olson

I remember when Olson first came up. The Orioles were coming off one of their worst seasons. Olson was instrumental in Baltimore's resurrection, even though it lasted only for one year. Olson, however, continued to be a closing force for the Birds.

RP - Francisco Rodriguez

The youngest member of my all-time team, K-Rod established himself in the 2002 postseason, where he dominated opposing batters. He's also on my two current fantasy teams, and has been a boon to both.

Bench - Ozzie Smith, Dave Winfield, Don Mattingly, Mike Piazza, Roberto Alomar, Rafael Palmiero, Rickey Henderson, Kent Hrbek, and Mike Schmidt

Obviously, I started following baseball in the 80s, as most of my lineup was active during that time. Note that I chose my lineup on the basis of my having seen these players; of course, if I did an All-Time lineup, the players would be very different.

Bro. Dunne, SJ

Brother James P. Dunne, SJ, joined our Lord a year ago last week. While I would've liked to have written a lot about him, one of my friends did a better write-up. You can check it out here.

What I do remember about Bro is that he and I were (are?) both baseball enthusiasts. His era was the time of Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris, and mine, of course, came much later. One compliment, though, that I got from him was that I probably knew more about baseball than he did. Of course, while I have the knowledge, he had the first-hand experience. My only baseball game visit was back in '99 in Camden Yards; Bro saw more games with his own eyes than I did.

I miss visiting him in his office, and we'd talk about games finished and how the manager botched this pitcher's call and that, or whether this particular player still had it in him.

There are so many Brother Dunne stories in my life, too many to tell here, and I've probably forgotten more than I can remember. I'll probably wind up mentioning them from time to time in this blog, so that even I will not forget.

Fr OB, SJ

This month is considered as the Ignatian month in the Ateneo (and in other Jesuit schools, I would think), as the feast day of the Society of Jesus' founder is on July 31. To commemorate the occasion, daily reflections of various Jesuits are given to us teachers to share with the students.

Yesterday's Jesuit was Fr. James O'Brien, SJ, or Fr. OB, for short. The reflection struck a poignant chord in me, because Fr. OB was my fourth year moderator, and my Tulong-Dunong teacher. It was through Fr. OB that I became aware of the social situation in the Philippines, as I struggled to teach the public school kids under my care. It is also partially because of Fr. OB that I became enamoured of the noble profession of teaching.

I remember coming back to the high school to teach, and being able to catch up with him in the corridors, and I remember the joy in his face seeing one of his former pupils taking up his profession. By then, he was only a part-time teacher, as the infirmities of the old, and various ills had taken their toll on him. But he still had the passion to teach.

I remember that during his time in the high school, he was the only priest I knew who would celebrate the Mass in Filipino, which was ironic because he was Irish-American. But, of course, as the reflection today stated, in him beat the heart of a Filipino. He was probably more Filipino than many of us.

I remember getting the news of his passing while we were on retreat in Tagaytay, and the sorrow that we felt by his leaving.
When we came back to Manila, each of us made our way to the Ateneo to pay our respects.

I remember the burial at the Sacred Heart Novitiate, at the number of people who went to see Fr. OB laid in his final resting place. I took several pictures of the procession, and, when I got the pictures from the shop, wondered at how the light seemed to soften each picture.

All of this must have come back to me as I read the reflection quietly, trying to make sure my pronunciation of the Filipino would be correct. And when the reflection period began, I found that I couldn't start, because I was all choked up with tears, welling up from parts of my memory that I had submerged. But I had to read the reflection to my class. Perhaps Fr. OB came to stand beside me, because, after my first halting words, I was able to read with more confidence.

I miss him. But I will always remember the lessons he taught me, both in the classroom and out of it. Fr OB, thanks for teaching me.

Halfway there ...

Hell week for me is halfway through. All (?!) that's left for me to do by tomorrow, 4 p.m., is to:

a. Finish checking whatever papers I can before computing for the midterm mark;
b. Revising the 1st year long test (by today!);
c. Entering my grades into Excel for the computation, and
d. Entering my grades into the grading sheet program.

Okay, so it's still a long way to go, but at least I've gotten some of the other work out of the way.

Weekend Blues

G was sick yesterday, a touch of some stomach virus. It made for a difficult day. At times, she'd be happy and playing; other times, she would be cranky and vomiting. When I left for work this morning, she was fast asleep, and I hope she's better today.

While H took care of her, I went out and did the groceries, which is a chore that I love, because at least, I get to determine what I'll be munching on for the next week or so. I have to remember though, that just before lunch is a terrible time to do it, because most everybody was at the supermarket at the same time. When I got to the counter, I was the 10th person in line. Oog. Ah well, at least I got it done.

In the afternoon, I wound up with the cooking chores, as our housekeeper had her day off. I was able to cook one of my specialties: jap chae, which is basically Korean pancit.

While I was cooking, I was also watching the Ateneo-La Salle game, which Ateneo won by 3 points, after trailing by as many as 15 in the 3rd quarter. It's nice to see that the players'fighting spirit got them through a tough time, but I wish they wouldn't keep us biting our nails wondering if they would be able to come back or not. I would rather have a game wherein the team plays well from the start, and not when their backs are against the proverbial wall.

Spider Man!

I got to watch it last Wednesday, and the movie rocks! Without giving too much away, I found the character development to be excellent; Alfred Molina as Otto Octavius was a favorite of mine.

I also liked the little clues that the movie drops to whet one's appetite for future "Spider-Man" movies. The cameo by creator Stan Lee, and the inclusion of the cartoon theme song (sung by a street performer) are nostalgic goodies.

One of these days, I'll list down my list of favorite hero movies.

Made it!

Whoohoo! Most of my week is now officially over. Now I can get some shut-eye.

Midweek Report

I always look forward to the end of Wednesdays. Not only is the week more than half over, but my schedule also starts lightening up. You see, my subject has six periods in five days, meaning I have double periods for each of my classes, which are spread out from Monday to Wednesday. After Wednesday, instead of four periods each day, I only have 3 periods each day for the remainder of the week. After Wednesday, for me, it's cruising time. :D

I like my classes this year. And I'm starting to enjoy teaching third year, which is new to me. Here's hoping that the rest of the year proves to be restful. :D

Free Comics, Anyone?

How nice, that my previous post covered comics I find online, and now, I get to extol that wonderful celebration that occurred last Saturday, I'm talking about none other than Free Comics Day!

What a nice idea, to be able to sample some of the interesting titles that are out there in the market, and not have to shell out from one's wallet. Of course, if any of the titles are interesting enough, I'll eventually wind up adding titles to my lineup.

On the downside, some of the comics given out were reprints of comics that I had already read, but then, I have to keep in mind that not everybody has a brother who goes out and gets all sorts (Thanks, B!) of titles. One of these days, I'll list down the titles I like the most, but that's a thought for another day.

Kudos to CCHQ for celebrating Free Comics Day, and thanks for the stash. It took up half an afternoon going through it, but in the end, it was worth it. :D

Comic Strips Galore

I love reading the comics. They help lighten my mood, and they help me keep a perspective on life.

One of the wonderful things about the internet is that some of my favorite strips can be found online, ready to be downloaded. Here are some of the strips that I read (and download) on a daily basis:

from uComics.com

Adam@Home - is about the travails of working at home and raising young kids.

Foxtrot - is another family strip, albeit more offbeat and culture-specific compared to Adam@Home

Non Sequitur - Latin for "does not follow," "Non Sequitur" pokes fun and the occasional criticism at life in America

from Comics.com

9 Chickweed Lane - is about a divorced mom and her daughter, and the various oddball characters which populate their world.

Ben - is a grandfatherly figure, and focuses on the situations of the elderly and their relatives.

For Better Or Worse - is Lynn Johnston's version of "Gasoline Alley"; the characters have aged according to time, and the situations range from the familiar to social.

Herb and Jamaal - is an African-American strip, and looks at the lives of the two friends, Herb and Jamaal.

Rose is Rose - is an upbeat look at a family; it sometimes gets too sweet, but it focuses on the optimistic side of life.

from King Features

Baby Blues - is similar to Adam@Home, and focuses on the trials and tribulations of raising a family.

Buckles - is a dog who interacts regularly with his owners.

Crankshaft - is about a crotchety old bus driver with a heart of gold. "Crankshaft" often addresses serious issues such as teenage pregnancy and Alzheimer's disease.

Funky Winkerbean - is made by the same creator as "Crankshaft," and addresses similar serious issues.

Safe Havens - is an offbeat strip which follows the adventures of the various characters.

Others

Sherman's Lagoon - Sherman is a shark, and while sharks are generally portrayed as dangerous and sleek, Sherman is a bit out of place.

PVP Online - PVP is a magazine, and its various employees create the situations which populate the strip. There's a lot of gaming reference here, which may be confusing to non-gamers.

Greystone Inn - Think of a strip about producing a strip. "Greystone Inn" gives us a look at the backstage shenanigans of a comic strip.

The Dork Tower - Another gaming strip, "The Dork Tower" sometimes covers topics that aren't about gaming.

Nodwick and Full Frontal Nerdity - The first strip is about a group of adventurers and their henchman, Nodwick, who tends to bear the brunt of most traps and monsters that the group encounters. The second is about a trio of gamers, and their discussions while playing.

Random Thought # 3

Why is it that bus and jeepney drivers can't be assigned fixed stops so that the public transportation system is more efficient? One example is the Tandang Sora-Commonwealth intersection. Despite the presence of traffic enforcers, and the proliferation of sign stating that loading and unloading passengers is not allowed, drivers and passengers conveniently ignore these and load and unload wherever they want.

If drivers are really apprehended and given stiff fines, and if stops are formalized and drivers made to stop only at these points, perhaps we might have less chaos on the roads.

Halfway Through the Week

I love it when Wednesday's over. Not only is the week half finished, but it also signals the end of my heavy schedule. You see, we have 6 periods a week in English, so we have a day with a double period for each class. All of my double periods fall from Monday to Wednesday. By the time Thursday rolls in, I'm a tad tired, and it's nice to have a lighter schedule going into the end of the week.

Oog. The storm that's been battering the country has caused classes to be cancelled in the elementary level. Why can't it cancel out high school classes as well? *sigh*