More Items for my Birthday Wishlist

Here we go! More items I thought of (and more filler material for my blog). So without further ado...


1. 64GB iPod Touch or 64GB iPhone 4G. I'll be honest, my android phone is decent. But Apple just nailed it with their devices. More (free) apps, better (free) apps, built-in memory. My android is frustrating because the apps only install into the phone memory and that isn't very big. Oh, and why 64GB? So I can back-up my photos too.


2. A new wrist watch. Something like this Timex Chronograph. Or the Blue in Dark Swatch Irony. I miss having a chronometer. I also wouldn't mind getting a heart-rate monitor wristwatch, as long as it's durable. Something like a Timex IRONMAN Road Trainer.


3. A new steel-string acoustic guitar. With a sturdy bridge, no pegs. Just holes to put the string through. I've noticed the pegs eventually loosen and you have to jam paper in it just to make sure they don't pop off.


4. A home suspension training set. Might help me get motivated to work out. TRX has this Pro Pack + Door Anchor kit that's really expensive. But if I had it at home the only excuses I'd have for not using it is because I'm lazy.


That's all I can think of for now.


Out.

Birthday Wishlist

Right, my birthday is just around the corner. Time for me to whip up another wishlist. I'll be mixing what I want, realistic and the other totally improbable (unless I end up winning big time in the lottery). It's up to you to decide if what I want is improbable or realistic. So here we go...


1. A Place to Call My Own

• I'd really love to own a house and lot with a two-car garage somewhere in the Metro. Flood free area and easily accessible to all major areas, of course. Just so my wife, my child, and I have our own place to stay.
• Or a two or three-bedroom condo unit in the heart of Makati would be nice. With one or two parking slots. As long as the place is, again, easily accessible, and safe. And the streets to get there should be flood free. And the neighbors should at least know common decency and be considerate to others. Nah, I'd rather have a house and lot.

2. My Own Mode of Transportation

• The first car I'd want is of course a family car. The Toyota Innova is the best choice available in the market right now. Specifically an automatic transmission diesel engined Innova.
• Or if I can get a second car, a toy car I can use as a daily driver. The Volkswagen Beetle conversion I'd always wanted would do just right. I'm talking Baja Bug sized wheels, improved engine performance, all-wheel disc brakes, extra fog lamps, etc.
• Or it could be a Kubelwagen. This would also be a pretty decent daily-driver / family car. Just take a look at it.

3. An Electric Guitar Rig

• A Dean from Hell CFH Dimebag Darrell signature guitar, a Marshall amp, Korg G3 effects pad, and a wah-wah pedal. No, I'm not a kick ass guitar player. But this might get me inspired enough to practice at least 30 minutes a day.

4. A "Super" Computer

• Core i7 processor with 16GB RAM, dual videocards (one for work, one for play) and 1 terrabyte of hard drive space. Plus solid state hard drive for the programs.

5. 4 - 5 pairs of Nike Basketball Shorts with Pockets

• I love Nike shorts. With pockets. So versatile, I can wear them when I sleep, play basketball, go walking / jogging, or I can wear them at home. Getting 4 - 5 pairs gives me a total of 7 - 8 pairs, meaning I can get rid of my other older shorts.

6. Dry Fit T-shirts

• The same reason why I love Nike shorts is the same reason I love dry fit t-shirts. They're comfortable to wear, and they dry quickly. Enough said.

And that's all I can think of so far. Those are the things I want for my upcoming birthday. I don't need to get them for my birthday to be happy, but they will add to my joy if I do get them.

Out.

When It Rains It Floods

I've noticed that Metro Manila is not ready or capable of handling typhoons anymore.


Flash floods happen. Most likely the result of years of throwing garbage in creeks, also of poor sewage systems and bad city planning. It happened a few nights ago.


I was fortunate to go home on time with my wife. We made it home in forty minutes or so. Around ten that evening while browsing through facebook I saw posts by officemates of mine saying the street in front of our office had waist deep flood waters. Sadly this wasn't the "normal" type of flood waters.


It was dirty sewer water. From a creek that no one seems to remember was there because they covered it up and put streets on top of it. I don't even want to call it a creek because the water is stagnant. It isn't flowing. There is a portion of it open beside Don Bosco Church and passing by the bridge on foot you can smell the damn thing.


And it's not only there where flooding occurs. My grandmother's house got flooded. Again. The first time I recall that happening it was because of Ondoy, or Typhoon Ketsana (I think that's her international name, but I can't remember), and the first floor of her house had waters 5 or 6 feet deep. Only this time her house got flooded but the storm was some 300km away... from Tuguegarao. Tuguegarao is a couple of hundred kilometers away from Metro Manila.


So what's my point in this post? I think something ought to be done to make sure that Metro Manila should be better able to handle typhoons. Citizens deserve to be taken care of, and people should not have to worry about their safety when travelling because of any storm.


Out.

NBA Draft Live Blog

I'm listening to a live broadcast of the 2011 NBA Draft via ESPN at work. And I'll be blogging my thoughts as this happens, when I have the free time since I am at work. Cleveland Cavaliers with the first pick and five minutes left. I guess they're doing the draft in New Jersey because Madison Square Garden's under renovation? I'll try and add the local time as I type my thoughts.


Oh and I'll only cover the lottery picks. Then I'm logging out.


7:46am - Wilt Perdue is on at ESPN with a few other ESPN broadcasters and they're doing a lot of talking to fill the time while Cleveland decides who to pick. Kyrie Irving or Derrick Williams?


7:49am - Cleveland selects Kyrie Irving with the first pick. Nice. I heard a quick promo of Irving saying he's not in John Wall's league or something.


7:55am - Minnesota selects Derrick Williams second. As expected. I heard earlier the Lakers had offered Odom for this pick. Damn you, Lakers. Where Odom goes, so does my loyalty. Now that the Wolves have Williams, what happens to Beasley, Martell Webster, and even Anthony Randolph? Minnesota could stand to make a few trades to give Williams a chance to develop.


8:00am - Utah gets Enes Kanter. What the fuck?!? I thought Brandon Knight was going to be drafted by the Jazz. Utah now has five bigs (Millsap, Al Jefferson, Derrick Favors, and maybe Memo Okur?) with Kanter on board. I sense a trade will happen. Maybe Utah will get  "The Jimmer" with the 12th pick?


8:06am - Cleveland next picks Tristan Thompson. Say what? Wow, I did not see this coming. Thompson basically plays the same position as JJ Hickson and Antawn Jamison. I guess this was their next choice since the Jazz got Kanter. I always thought the Cavs would get a big man to help Varejao. Interesting.


8:12am - Toronto gets the fifth pick and they get Jonas Valanciunas. What? I thought Colangelo was going for a more American flavor for the Raptors and they get another Euro big? I hope this guy can rebound. I don't get this pick.


8:14am - An ESPN announcer said Tristan Thompson reminds him of Durant. Seeing as how I don't get to watch NCAA games, I'll have to take his word for it. With a grain of salt.


8:16am - Washington gets Jan Vessely with the sixth pick. This guy was supposedly the "Blake Griffin of Europe." I have no idea at all.


8:20am - Sacramento gets Bismack Biyombo. This guy could help the frontcourt. DeMarcus Cousins could handle the offense, and Biyombo could take care of the defense. I'm not sure if this is true, but aren't the Kings trading this pick to the Bobcats? Does this mean Bismack Biyombo is going to Charlotte?


Biyombo sounds funny. Just saying.


8:26am - Detroit gets Brandon Knight. Nice. Now they can move Stuckey to the shooting guard position. Knight and Greg Monroe seem like good building blocks for Detroit.


Could Kentucky get 7 players drafted in the first round this year? We shall see.


8:32am - Charlotte gets Kemba Walker with the 9th pick. Bye-bye DJ Augustin?


So the Milwaukee-Charlotte-Sacramento trade sounds like it's going through. Why do I get the feeling that after the lockout there will be tons of trade activities for teams? Why did the Bobcats get Walker when they had a point guard already. God, I'm so excited for the up-coming season. I just hope there is a season.


8:37am - Jimmer Fredette goes to Milwaukee. I think this pick is included in the trade so maybe Fredette goes to Sacramento? Yep, his rights are going to Sacramento.


8:43am - Golden State gets Klay Thompson from Washington State University. Finally, a tall shooting guard for Golden State.


8:50am - Utah gets Alec Burks from Colorado with the 12th pick. I'm starting to like Utah's young guys, Favors, Kanter, Hayward, and now Burks. I hope they've got a plan.


So the Morris twins are still on the board. I thought Marcus was going top ten. Guess I was wrong. Maybe both end up top twenty. I hope so.


8:57am - Speaking of Morris. The Suns get Markieff Morris. Wait, isn't this the defensive Morris? Good pick by the Suns. They've got enough offense already, now it's time to get defensive. I'm just suprised Marcus wasn't picked first. Unless the Suns thought this was the "better" Morris. Yeah as if that would happen.


I just realized the Suns have two halves of twins in the NBA. And they've got the "lesser" of the twins. They got Robin Lopez, and now Markieff Morris. Both supposedly not as good as their twin, both supposedly the better defensive player.


Apparently Markieff has a jump shot. I hope it helps get him playing time. But he has to fight with Channing Frye and Warrick for PF minutes, and Gortat and Lopez for C minutes.


9:04am - And Marcus Morris goes next to the Rockets. Huh. Scola. Patterson. Now Morris? Stocking up on PFs I see. Again, trades I foresee.


And that's the lottery. I'm ending it here because I really need to use the bathroom.


Out.

Thankful

Has it ever occured to you that all the things you experience in life could disappear? All the sights, sounds, people, places, friends, loved ones, enemies, and everything all could be gone in the blink of an eye?

That's why it's very important that we always appreciate what we have at this moment in time. It's okay to want more, let's just not get too greedy.


So to all the things in life that I hold dear, thank you for being there for me.


Out.