Just remember one thing: 1 Corinthians 10:31 "...in whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God." We can do as many lists as we can. But if we are doing it for the wrong reasons, if we are not doing it for God's glory, we're doing all of these for naught. We might achieve some of our goals, but it won't mean anything.

With that, I want to present my list:

1. Be Debt-free
- Recycled resolution... sana magawa ko na before my bday...
2. Go to Boracay
- Daig pa ako ng mommy ko... nkapagpara-gliding n sya s Bora...
3. Blog more/Create at least 3 stories for LSS
- Need to practice my writing... sana masundan n itong blog-"novel" ko na ito... haha...
4. Attend a screenwriting/sports writing seminar
- If I want to have a career in writing, dpat malaman ko ung mga basics...
5. Score 16 pts in a game
- Ilang beses na akong sumasali s mga basketball leagues, nde pa ako nka2lagpas ng 15 pts...
6. Learn a new sport
- I'll try to learn ultimate frisbee... sosyala...
7. Get an APG rating
- Wala me balak mapromote this year... pero sana mtaas p rin ang rating ko...
8. Join/win on a game/reality show
- Unfortunately, ang uso ngayon ay talent shows... sayang, nde pwedeng i-consider na talent ung good looks ko... tsktsk
9. Be involved in BIG 6 and invite barkada in BIG 6
- Sana makasama ko ung tropa ko dito... pra ibang klaseng trip naman...
10. Start a d-group
- We have to do it some time... y not now?

I hope I can do all these this year...But if not, there's always next year... haha... ito lang muna... hanggang sa muli... l8r dayz...

Last week, my family and i went to Singapore. Medyo iba to sa dati naming trip to HK. Nde kami nagtour ngyn so sariling sikap ang paglibot. Its good that SG is kinda small. Konting lakad lng nsa ibang landmark ka na. It was also nice to see my tropa in SG. They're all living in one house. Parang friends. Saya. Here are some of my observations and experiences in Singapore:

• It was very hard to be flying during these times when you have symptoms of the H1N1 virus. Unfortunately for me, I had three of the four symptoms. My parents were praying during the entire flight. Lalo pang nadagdagan ung fear namin ng nagbigay ng mga forms about quarantine, etc. But upon arrival, dire-diretso lang kami. Parang wala lang. hehe.
• You can find Filipinos almost everywhere. From the shuttle service in the airport, the travel tour guides and even in convenience store, Pinoys are taking over SG.
  
• I love commuting in SG. It's so organized. I hope their Bus Stop system can be implemented here. Please MMDA. Make this happen.
• Another commuting wonder, their MRT and LRT. I guess we could mimic their MRTs by adding more trains. Para less siksikan.
• My official meal in SG, Pecking Duck.
  
• I love Sentosa. Wish I could spend more time here. I love the luge. Love the Songs of the Sea, and the beach. Kung nakapagdala lang kmi ng swimming attire nung nagpunta kami dun.
• Not a fan of teleseryes? Want to enjoy watching Pinoy telenovelas? Watch it another country. When I visited my friends' house, they were watching TFC and I was up to speed with the latest happenings in Tayong Dalawa and The Wedding. Alam na alam ni Cai. hehe
• Didn't do a lot of shopping in SG. The phone I wanted to buy here, I bought in Greenhills.
  

My SG experience was great. SG is a great way to easen the transition of living in a new country. I could see myself living here. Does that mean I'm ready to work here? Pwede... :)

In my last bullet point, I mentioned about a phone I bought recently. I bought an iPhone. Prang tinetest drive ko lang. That's why I call it my iPhone experiment. It's been a week since this experiment have started. I would like to share some of my findings.

PROS:

• Internet on the go. Wifi or Carrier's data plans. Although I need to know how much is the actual surfing in iPhone cost.
• ipod... never pa akong ngka ipod... and it's cool... i put all my mp3s in it and its like monster's riot... i get to hear the songs that i like, nde lng ung kng ano bago ngyn...
• mdali p lng masanay sa keyboard nya. plus i learn some tricks to easen my transition from t9 to keyboard.
• I am loving the touchscreen.
  
• Applications, major selling point ng iPhone. Buti nde pa ako bumibili. Bka maadik ako

CONS

• No Radio. I need my Chico and Delamar fix on mornings when i wake up early.
  
• Mahirap mag group text.
  
• Signal reception is low. Madalas no service.
• Difficult to customize. I need to change the ringtone and SMS alert, and i either have to take several steps or jailbreak my fone to do it.
  
• Short Battery life. (But I got a 3g phone, they say 3gs has longer battery life)
• The iPhone is selfish. No Bluetooth transfer, it only accepts its own products, etc.

Looks like the CONS outweigh the PROS. But there is still time. The experiment is not yet over. I'll update you on this some other time.

Thanks for reading my blog. Medyo maraming bullet points, hehe...  Nice catching up with you all. Mag-blog rin kayo so I can know what's on your mind... nood muna ako ng entouage... Til next tym.

l8r dayz...

• this is the first pacman fight i saw live via satellite... i wanted pacman to win because if he lost, then I might have jinxed him... i must have felt what Aling Dionesia (Manny's mother) felt... it was her first time to watch his son fight in the US...
• it was nice watching the fight live, everybody was oohhing and ahhhing at Manny's every punch...
• if there was anyone to blame for Hatton's loss, I blame Mayweather Sr. I saw the HBO 24/7 preview and I saw that Mayweather Sr. was sometimes late during their training sessions... how professional... and he has the guts to say he is the best trainer and not freddie roach? c'mon... more on roach later... but going back to mayweather, maybe senior didn't train Hatton well so he can setup a Pacquiao vs Mayweather, Jr. bout...
• speaking of Marquez, JMM just can't have a break... after his loss to Pacman, he is trying to have another rematch... even going to the Philippines to beg for one... when Pacman goes up a weight level, he goes up as well... to his credit, he has been winning... but he's not money making material... a pacquiao-marquez III won't generate enough cash... at least now, he has a chance to get that rematch he's been clamoring for... he only has to beat Floyd Mayweather, Jr... right, like that's gonna happen...
• manny is getting better in his interviews... i mean, it's not just that he doesn't need a translator, but his answers are kinda clear and they really makes sense, you know... i mean, he is really learning, you know... i mean, even when it was that "walang kwentang" Chino Trinidad asking, he was still answering very well, you know... when asked about the looming Mayweather fight, he said he was never the one to challenge anyone... he just fights whoever and tries to give the fans a very exciting match... i mean, if that's not a well thought of answer, then what is... you know... vitwater....
• every pacman fight, we see new commercials... here are my winners for:

• i liked martin nievera's rendition of the national anthem... not the greatest, but still... another random note: my ate said that the Lupang Hinirang should be sung in a marching beat, and no "birit" required...
• lastly, a quote from Bob Arum: "First, let this be a lesson to all...no matter how much you have achieved, you have to continue to learn. This young man (Pacquiao) does not stop learning. Second, Manny Pacquiao is the greatest boxer that ever lived.” 'nuff said...

l8r dayz...

Ah yes, Valentines day is upon us. And that single day in the middle of the month changes how we live our daily lives. Flowers' prices will quadruple. Red will be the dominant color thru out the month. Motels will be fully booked. And a collective quiet sigh will be heard from all the single guys and girls.

Valentines day do excite those who are currently in a relationship. But what it does mostly is to let those who are single know and feel that they are not in a relationship. Kinda sucks, right? It doesn't have to be. Let me, a guy who has spent 25 years without a Valentine's date, share to you some tips on how to "survive" the dreaded V-day. (Disclaimer: These tips are pretty much general. If you have other ways to cope up with Valentines day, please do share those with us.)

1. Stop sulking... So you're alone on this day. boohoo... Tell that to the other people single. Before you ask what's wrong with you, remember what Eva Mendez (#1 girl in ask men's top 100) told her friend in the movie Hitch: You're not sick, you're single. It's ok to be single, especially on this day. Think of all the savings. hehe... 

2. Stop watching chick flicks or romantic movies... Speaking of Hitch, I just had violated this rule or tip. Last Saturday, I had a movie marathon which included Hitch and the American Preisident. And last Wednesday, I saw Underworld 3, which is basically a "Romeo and Juliet" between a vampire and a werewolf. Nothing wrong with chick flicks. But it just makes having a relationship (or maintaining it) look easy when it ain't. If only Hitch was real. 

3. Date your family/friends and yourself... One time, I gave flowers to all the female in my barkada. And it felt good. Maybe this time, i'm going to give flowers to my mom, sister and grandmother (sa 15 na lang pra mura) And of course, you can treat yourself from time to time. I bet the girls have mastered this defense mechanism. Just a reminder, just because you're single doesn't mean you have to celebrate Valentine alone.

4. Date God... You might have asked God why you're single this time of the year. Or why you are still single upto now. Maybe you're blaming Him for what happened to a previous relationship. You can spend your time doing these, or you can spend time with Him to know what He thinks and what He wants. God is not a killjoy. He wants what is best for us. But we often think we're better than Him. Being single is a gift from God, not a curse. Just remember these two things: 1 John 4:1, which says "We, for our part, love because God first loved us." The second, the age old saying: God Loves You! How's Him for a Valentine's date.

There you have it folks. My tips on how to survive V-day. I don't know about the other three, but the last one is fool-proof. But if you're not content with these tips, here's another one. Just think that by next Valentine's day, those who are in a current relationship (excluding married couples of course) will be the one needing these tips. And you'll be the one celebrating V-day with a special someone. hahaha... 

l8r dayz...

JANUARY: i started the year in Java bench, a place in our company for people who has no project as of that moment... i bought my first gaming console, my PSP (technically, i bought it on Dec. 30)... i got a text from ABS-CBN that i will be screened for GAME K N B... i passed the test and the screenin, got to the show and won 20k...

FEBRUARY: my appearance on GAME K N B was shown... i was rolled in to a project, thank God...

MARCH: hong kong baby!!! my family and I went to hong kong and shenzen, china... we went to HK disneyland at sa window to the world... check my multiply for the pics...

APRIL: i turned 25... and my neice nearly had the same birthday as mine...

MAY: simula na ng trabaho sa aking project... carry pa nman... hehe... kasagsagan ng ABL namin... we almost had a winless season, buti n lang nakadagwit p kami ng isa... i led the team in scoring, rebounding and steals... in a span of two games, i had 11 rpg and 5 spg... san k pa... hehe

JUNE:celtics won the NBA finals (against the lakers, buti nga)... and manny pacquiao won his first bout in the lightweight division (135 lbs.)... on a personal note, one of my tita's in my father side passed away...

JULY: cmula na ng sleepless nights sa project namin... late na kung umuwi ung iba... one time, i had a 36 hours stay in the office... kala nyo grabe yun... one of my colleagus had almost 70 hours... our project's  mott: work, work, work...also, nagbakasyon c rhys sa pinas...

AUGUST: JLX escapades in pangasinan (nde na sa hundred islands... hehe)...  tska, first dinner, este, team building in our project...

SEPTEMBER: i got promoted... from YM administrator to professional gamer (naglalaro ng PSP sa office, hehe)... actually, from SE to SSE... i felt that my promotion was due... pero i was pleasantly surprised with my rating... thanks sa mga TL ko from both projects... also, my d-group leader, Mike went to work in Hong Kong... end of the Mike era, start of the Archie era... go archie!!!

OCTOBER: if my memory serves me correct, we had my current project's team building s pansol... videoke to the max!!!

NOVEMBER: after the team building, roll off talks naman... haha... pero for me, something BIG happened on november... this was my first time to be really involved in the retreat...i only wanted to help in a committee, like program or promo... but not only did i join the program committee, naging facilitator rin ako... talk about pressure... here, i saw the many sides of "christians"... nobody's perfect not even christians... also, i saw how the devil can attack God's people before and during the event... he knows that God is working mightly in that retreat... so he tries anything to ruin it... but God won't let that happen... this was also the first time that i know quite a few people in the retreat... 5 of my dgroup were there, two of my ka-tropa were there, my sister was there, plus i met some new found friends in the program committees... and the results were amazing...the  retreat was a success... plus 175 were baptizedincluding my ka-tropa/ka-dgroup...

DECEMBER: balik bench ulit... my project had its official closure... and my company was so kind... they made us spend more time with loved ones, enjoy the holidays and pursue other activities... aka forced VL... hehe... my tropa had its mini reunion... jen and acehad their wedding... ivan and tina went back to the philippines for a vacation... kaya puro gathering...

tomorrow i'll be writing about what i'll be looking forward to in 2009... it's just fitting that the music in my background is "it could be the start of something new..." cause i know it is... every year is... every day is... to quote master oogway in kung fu panda... "yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift. That is why it is called the present..." l8r dayz...

i remembered that it was dio's bday mga 12:05am ng oct 13... when i remembered that it was his bday... tingin ako agad s celfone hoping that it was still oct 12... i kinda felt guilty at hindi ako nkahabol sa bati (para namang may celfone yun... hehe)... cguro i thought na bka hindi lang ung bday ni dio ang nkalimutan ko kundi c dio mismo... now that's really something far from the truth... just recently i thought about a video i want to make if i have a band (yes i think of these things...) and it would feature ung mga ka-batchko nung high school and in the end of the video may tribute k dio and other batchmates who have passed on (i only know of one other)... 

pero its really easy to sometimes forget about someone na nde mo na madalas kasama... after all, wala na sila dito... pero that shouldn't mean you have completely forgotten them... it should mean that you have moved on... moving on can be as grand as not crying anymore when hearing his/her name, as subtle as focusing on people who are still with us, or as simple as forgetting one's birthday... (i bet these can also be signs of moving on from a breakup or something... but how should i know...) but for me, i guess moving on is inevitable... and we shouldn't feel guilty when that happens... (haba ng palusot ko... hehe)

is this my yearly tribute to dio... not by a long shot... expect something by the end of the week... right now, i might hug people who are dear to me, should be breathing of course... and try to remember their birthdays...

other notes from today's bout...

• it was good to see the boston celtics with manny after the fight... manny was said to be rooting for the celtics during the recently concluded finals... while the manny and celtics were celebrating, the lakers and marquez were seen sulking and crying their asses of... (hehe, last tira ko na sa lakers... pramis)
• do we need a set of commercial between the national anthems? really???
• having your haircut while a pacquiao figth is on... not a good idea...
• david diaz is a classy opponent... he gave it his all and even reached the 9th inspite of the flurry of punches manny landedon him... he was gracious in defeat, even citing that Manny was the better man that night... his class act just earned him a San Mig commercial with Manny here...
• speaking of commercials, we hada whole bunch of them... what do you expect... i now realized that a Manny Pacquiao fight in the Philippines is equivalent to the Superbowl in the US wherein companies try to sell their products by getting a commercial spot for that event... there were a lot of commercials during the 10 hour coverage (feeling ko ganun katagal), but only a few were worth mentioning... the new ads that caught my attention were: 4 of the many LBC commercials (TOW the nangangating palad, TOW the umbrella, TOW the happy anniversary? and TOW the natutulog n employee), the motolite commercial, and Robin's liveraide commercial (it conveys a very positive message)... special mention goes out to the smidgets commercial... ever since i saw avenue Q, i have a soft spot for puppets...
• and still on the commercial side of things, i have a proposal for a Pacquiao commercial... this is for McDonalds, where Manny is an endorser... the commercial starts as Pacquiao is finishing an opponent... after his hands are raised, the crowd will chant his name, "MANNY, MANNY... then the chant will turn into "BURGER, BURGER"... the ad will end with Manny having a very confused look on his face... ayos dba... sa mga tiga ad agency ng McDo dyan, pwede nyo gamitin tong idea n ito...email nyo lang ako... hehe...
• i'm very fond of reading comments in web articles so i can't help reading the comments in the article about pacman's victory... i saw many comments saying he isn't the best pound for pound, and he will lose boxers they mentioned, etc... bahala cla kung ano gusto nila sabihin... pero the fact is, manny's speed is unmatchable... tapos his strength increased through out the years... he will be a force to be reckoned with sa lightweight division... plus, he is a certified money maker... and the opponents the commenters mentioned that will have a "hayday" against pacquiao, they will be the one begging pacman to fight with them...it will be their biggest payday they can get... and they will pay dearly for it... pacman will knock out all of them... as long as he stops doing unnecessary things like running for office or  making movies...

thanks pacman for giving us a glimmer of sunshine despite tragedies, crisis and hardships inthat befall the lives of us Filipinos... l8r dayz...

xs: one tragedy i hope the pacman fight helps easen up is the passing away of my tita Ining... please pray for the family she left behind...