Bicol Express!

L posted a great entry about Bicol Express on her blog, and it reminded me of one experience I had when I was with the UP Judo Club.

Sometime in the mid-90s, the UP Judo Club had a delegation of Japanese black belts visiting. After one practice session, we took them to Bakahan at Manukan along West Avenue, and our coach ordered Bicol Express, which as L describes it, is "a fiery dish – and I do mean fiery – an explosive combination of green finger chilies and pork strips simmered in coconut milk (gata) until thick."

One thing to keep in mind was that few of them spoke English, and none of us spoke Japanese, so communication was a tad difficult.

When it arrived, one of the players, a big, bespectacled player named Ikeshima (pronounced "I-keesh-ma"), tentatively asked, "Excuse, please. What this?"

One of my teammates answered, "Sensei, it's like your wasabi," which Ikeshima-san vigorously denied. So he took a big heaping spoonful.

And promptly grabbed his glass of water and drank it down.

In a more muted voice, Ikeshima muttered, "It like wasabi."

End of the Line for the Blue Eagles

Well, it seems that Ateneo never will be able to pass the La Salle exam. Not this season, anyway, and not with the same players.

Yesterday's game result wasn't any different from the previous two outings, when La Salle just blasted Ateneo out of the water to win by a large margin. Thanks to an explosive 3rd quarter, La Salle was able to do just that again to move on to face FEU, which also manhandled their opponents from UE, in the finals of the UAAP men's basketball tournament.

What irritates me about the loss is the way it occurred. I'd feel better if I knew that the players were fighting until the bitter end. But, due to various miscues, and, I believe, a lack of heart, the Ateneo players let the game get away from them.

The season is over, and the Ateneo looks forward to another year. But it'll be different because we'll be saying goodbye to some key players.

One of them, however, is not Badjie del Rosario (why, oh why did they keep him for one more season?), who will finally be leaving the team. I remember last year a colleague of mine was saying that he admired Badjie for his fighting heart, driving to the basket when no other player would. That's well and good, but it would be nice if something good happened; more often than not, Badjie would be responsible for a turnover. That also happened yesterday, when he threw two errant passes during the blistering 3rd quarter La Salle run.

Two of the players I will miss will be L.A. Tenorio and Magnum Memberere. I think my interest in Ateneo men's basketball was rekindled when L.A. came to the school. He was, and still is, one of the most electrifying players I have ever seen. Until cramps took him out late in yesterday's game, he fought as hard as he could to stave off the La Salle charge. In the end, it wasn't enough. But, we'll probably see L.A. directing traffic in the P.B.A. next year.

If there's something I find tragic about Magnum is that we never really saw the player he could've been. Injuries and surgery affected him for two seasons, and he never really was able to take his rightful place among the greats. There would be flashes of brilliance, but that was all.

Well, that's the Ateneo basketball season coming to an end. There's still the junior squad and the women's team, and hopefully, they'll be able to bring some glory to the Ateneo. But, for the men's team, their season is over, some of their grizzled warriors will be leaving, and they have to lick their wounds and look forward to the next season.

On to the Final Four

So, Ateneo got past UE, and will face La Salle in the first round of the Final Four. To get to the finals, the Eagles must beat the Archers twice.

Based on what I saw yesterday, Ateneo has their work cut out for them.

UE yesterday was playing without one of their key players, and they still managed to hang tough against Ateneo. There were times when Ateneo was playing sloppy basketball, and they can't afford to do that against La Salle, which, based on their last few games, appears to be peaking at the right time.

For Ateneo, it'll all boil down to heart and desire. Just how badly does Ateneo want to win? Will Ateneo deal with La Salle's dreaded full-court press? The answers to those questions will determine how Ateneo will do in their first game on Sunday.

More Spelling Fun

Last Monday, I went to the Frio Mixx outside our subdivision to pick up some pasta H was craving for. While I was ordering, I noticed something weird about their menu display above the counter:

Rice Meals
with plane rice, buttered vegestables (italics mine)

Since the misspelling appears to be permanently etched into the plastic display, it's going to cost the owners a pretty peso to replace it.

Movie Time Again

What's nice about HBO and Cinemax is that I get to catch up on movies I'd missed in the theaters. In this case, I was able to watch the recent live-action version of Barrie's classic, "Peter Pan".

When it came out in the Philippines last year, it didn't do too well; I think there were other bigger name movies showing at the time, and it just got squeezed out. Which is a pity, I think, because the movie was a good one.

If you've watched the animated Disney version of "Peter Pan," then you'll be familiar with the story. Three young children are invited by Peter Pan to come visit and live in Neverland, which is found by following the first star on the right and straight on till morning. There, they encounter pirates, mermaids, indians (er, Native Americans?), the Lost Boys, and the infamous Captain Hook, essayed beautifully by actor Jason Isaacs.

The casting was excellently done. Jeremy Sumpter, who plays Peter, exhibits an innocence and a sense of mischief in his role. Isaacs plays both the father and Hook, and is always a good actor, bring the right mix of menace and humor to the roles. Richard Briers, as Smee, does the comic relief, which he does well.

The set design was wonderfully executed, giving the audience a dreamlike fantasy world.

All in all, a good underrated film.

Favorite quote (taken from the Internet Movie Database)

Mrs. Darling: There are many different kinds of bravery. There's the bravery of thinking of others before one's self. Now, your father has never brandished a sword nor... nor fired a pistol, thank heavens. But he has made many sacrifices for his family, and put away many dreams. Michael: Where did he put them?
Mrs. Darling: He put them in a drawer. And sometimes, late at night, we take them out and admire them. But it gets harder and harder to close the drawer... and he does. And that is why he is brave.

* * *

Last night, I was able to watch "Field of Dreams" which was a nostalgic viewing for me, considering it's been some time since I've watched it. And it's still a magical film, about going after one's dream.

And, it's about baseball, one of my favorite sports.

I have a lot of favorite quotes from the movie, but, right now, these are my favorites:

Dr. Archibald "Moonlight" Graham: Well, you know I... I never got to bat in the major leagues. I would have liked to have had that chance. Just once. To stare down a big league pitcher. To stare him down, and just as he goes into his windup, wink. Make him think you know something he doesn't. That's what I wish for. Chance to squint at a sky so blue that it hurts your eyes just to look at it. To feel the tingling in your arm as you connect with the ball. To run the bases - stretch a double into a triple, and flop face-first into third, wrap your arms around the bag. That's my wish, Ray Kinsella. That's my wish. And is there enough magic out there in the moonlight to make this dream come true?

and

Ray Kinsella: Fifty years ago, for five minutes you came within... y-you came this close. It would KILL some men to get so close to their dream and not touch it. God, they'd consider it a tragedy. Dr. Archibald "Moonlight" Graham: Son, if I'd only gotten to be a doctor for five minutes... now that would have been a tragedy.

* * *

Finally, last Sunday, H and I got to watch part of "Brothers Grimm". Part, because our car broke down, and, while we were waiting for my parents' driver to come and get us, we decided to catch a movie. And we arrived in the middle of it.

It wasn't a bad movie, but it wasn't a really good one, either. I did love Heath Ledger, who was hysterical as Jacob Grimm.

When it comes out on VCD, I'll probably buy or borrow a copy, and see what I missed in the first half.

Oog

In the second half, it seemed as if Ateneo didn't have the heart to play.

It was painful to watch The Game yesterday, what with all of the turnovers and missed shots and opportunities. La Salle was a well-oiled machine, hitting on all cylinders. Ateneo was also a well-oiled machine, albeit with a sign saying, "Do not oil" (joke taken from Harry Anderson).

What's worse is that JC Intal, Ateneo's top scorer apparently injured his knee just when Ateneo was trying to rally. With him out of the way, Ateneo was hard-pressed to find points just when they needed it most.

Worst of all is that we've lost any possibility of staying in the second spot. What we can hope for is that La Salle loses to UE this Sunday, which will give us the 3rd spot, meaning we will face UE in the first round. That wouldn't be too bad, considering we've beaten UE twice in the eliminations. But the playoffs, of course, is another story, entirely. Anything can happen.

Ateneo let a golden opportunity slip out of their hands, but, hopefully, come the Final Four, the team will reach deep down and find the will to win.

Quick Musings

Just some quick thoughts for today:

1. Tomorrow is The Game: Ateneo vs La Salle. Both teams are coming off wins, although it can be argued that Ateneo's win over league leader FEU last Sunday was the bigger one. Both are in a must-win situation; Ateneo needs to win to solidify its hold on 2nd place, and La Salle needs to win to maintain some momentum going into the Final Four. If Ateneo plays the way they did in the 2nd half against FEU, then La Salle is in trouble. If Ateneo plays the way they did in the 1st half and against UST, then they'll be in big trouble. Either way, it's going to be a hell of a game.

2. I'm still in a bit of a funk, and I haven't gotten over it yet. I really need some sort of break.

3. It's amazing how much junk I accumulate over a term. I spent some time yesterday cleaning out my cubicle for this term, and the amount of stuff I threw out was tremendous. Ironically, by the end of this term, it'll probably be the same thing all over again.

Requiem

Why is it that the good Filipinos, the people we can use in our time of political crisis, are dying out?

First, FPJ passed away last year. While he was a good man, he was used by his political handlers to give a golden sheen to their agenda.

Then, Raul Roco moved on last July (somebody correct me; I'm not quite sure about exactly when). Another good man, Roco was derailed from his quest to become President by his human frailties; I think he would have made an excellent President, and I regret not having voted for him.

Finally, former Comelec commissioner and PCGG chair Haydee Yorac died of kidney failure this morning. What I knew of her was that she was a feisty and incorruptible woman, and she fought against injustice and corruption throughout her life. The nation is poorer for her loss.

Crunch Time

It's crunch time in the high school, as we teachers scramble to finish our grades. I'm almost done.

And now, I'm done. Heheheh.

Katrina Musings

The damage from Hurricane Katrina is horrific; one would think that it was a Third World nation that experienced it, and not the world's superpower.

Yesterday, while I was resting, I was watching CNN and their coverage of the hurricane's damage, and why the government was unable to respond effectively to the disaster. One point struck me, and it was that while the U.S. government appears to be well-equipped to deal with terrorism (the report mentioned that in states like Wyoming and Alabama, the police and fire departments have chemical warfare suits, or something like that), it has not made strong efforts to prepare for natural disasters, like Katrina, which are more likely to happen.

This imbalance in priorities is what caused the logistical nightmare that was New Orleans.

Breakdown

I called in sick yesterday, due to physical breakdown. Headache, fever, and aching body, I had 'em all.

I guess it wasn't a surprise, as I had been going full blast on work and family before yesterday. So, getting a day off of rest was probably a necessity. At least, it gave me time to spend with my family; H, who's expecting, by the way, also decided to stay home to deal with the hormonal changes going on inside her. G, of course, stayed home, as well.

The payback today, natch, is that I have some work that I wasn't able to get done yesterday. Ah, well. Life's checks and balances.

Moving Right Along

It turns out that the opposition didn't have the numbers, after all.

They fell 28 congressmen short of the magic number of 79 to send the impeachment complaint to the Senate.

And, while the opposition can whine and rail that they've been 'railroaded', they have only themselves to blame, what with their disorganization and disunity, which probably turned off the people they so desperately wanted to join their side. The fact that the opposition supports an ousted President who was known for his immorality, as well as a political ideology whose proponents have been exposed as mere opportunists, also hurts their cause.

Don't get me wrong; I would like nothing better than to see GMA ousted. But, at the same time, if all the evidence there is is an illegally obtained wiretap, and heresay, well, it'll be even more difficult to defend than trying to explain the constitutionality of Erap's ouster. And if the alternative leaders are those who come from the opposition, I'd rather stay with GMA. For now.

For now, it's time to put politics behind, and concentrate on the tough task of governing the nation. Lord knows we have enough problems as it is without this political problem dragging on and on.

If the opposition truly wants to remove GMA, then they have to find stronger evidence and more credible witnesses. Otherwise, they will simply have to realize that they live in a democracy, and, unfortunately, in a democracy, the majority rules.

Bookfair!

It's been hectic, what with the exams and checking and getting rid of my backlog, so I'll just post a quick update.

Yesterday, I went with my family to the Book Fair at the World Trade Center, and I realized that I really do miss looking at and collecting books. It was a visual smorgasboard, with all sorts of titles to check out. What I'm currently interested in, and what I'll eventually acquire: Orson Scott Card books, particularly the Ender saga. A introduced me to Card via the Alvin Maker series, about an alternate 19th century America, and I was hooked.

I also noticed that I was paying close attention to the children's books more than I used to (Ah, the joys of parenthood). I wound up getting a pair of writing workbooks for G; it'll be a while, though, before she'll be able to use them effectively.

I also got to visit the CCHQ booth, and chatted with K. I was a bit saddened by her no longer playing V:TES, but c'est la vie. Life goes on.

G enjoyed walking around, but, after a while, I registered her in the play area, Playstreet. I had to fudge her age by a year (they only accepted kids aged 4-8. Go figure.), but she adapted quite quickly to her environment.

We ended our visit with lunch at Pancake House, over pancakes (for G and my mom), and various dishes.

G was asleep on the way home, and slept for the rest of the afternoon.

Not a bad way to spend a Sunday.