Friday, May 16, 2008
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Friday, May 16, 2008
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I'm starting to play chess again. I don't know what's getting on my head. But I feel like I need to exercise my brain more often. And chess would be the best way to do so since I'm already familiar with its rules. Although I know the rules, I didn't play the game as a sport or a hobby before. If my guess is right, I've just played more or less 50 chess games in 15 years since I first learned it when I was 13. It was my father who taught me the basics. I only played against high school friends who, like me, were very amateurs and didn't even know the rules of the game in a real tournament. No time control, no Reti or Sicilian opening, not even some special tactics. Nothing at all. Just plain capturing and checkmating. I beat almost all of them, and almost all of them beat me in return, much to my chagrin.
When I realized that I was neither gifted nor talented in the game to even become a decent amateur player, I simply gave it up and played no more of it. But now it's all coming back to me. Not the idea of becoming a master, but of beating the damn chess program in my computer and lording it over my friends. I simply figured that if there are many masters out there, there are even more low-level players like me around.
I started playing the game again last Wednesday. The first three games were very frustrating, I nearly cursed the chess software. I lost them all in no more than 30 moves. After the third game, I immediately looked into some of Grandmaster Wesley So's games in the Internet archives (particularly those of him being up against GM Susanto Megaranto and GM Ahmed Adly) and check their openings and tactics, and guess what? I improved! Well, at least that's what I thought of myself. I 'almost' managed to salvage a draw with my fourth and fifth games against the computer, but being a computer capable of knowing thousand to million possibilities of a winning game, I eventually lost the end games, another proof that some time in the future computers will outwit us. Remember when a computer chess program of IBM defeated then world champion Garry Kasparov in 1997?
It might be a little too late to study chess to improve my playing, but that's exactly what I'm planning to do. I don't know, but it kinda challenged me. As of now, I have learned the algebraic chess notation. Next in line will be the openings. Sounds ambitious. They said that during the Renaissance, chess was a part of noble culture and it was used to teach war strategy. Well then, it's applicable to life challenges, as it is about evaluating possibilities. It's nice being two to three steps advanced. It's like you have some power to read what your opponent thinks.
Friday, May 9, 2008
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Friday, May 09, 2008
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The prices of goods and commodities have been soaring sky high lately. And coming from a lower middle class background with a roughly average standard of living, we're feeling the pinch. Veggies, meat, oil, cement — even pandesal! Life isn't as easy as I anticipated when I got married. Our plan of saving up a certain amount of money in the bank every month isn't likely to materialize in a time like this. Thankfully, we don't have to get frantic over apartment rental yet, since we decided to live under one roof with my parents for a while. Of course, we're no freeloaders. I'm still paying for our electric bill, sack of rice (now amounting to P1,700 — up from P1,200 two months ago) and LPG (now amounting to P700) once in a while, though we don't eat much in the house. Speaking of electric bill, we paid over P3,000 last month, 15% more than what we had paid the previous month. That's still what we paid for after almost burying our refrigerator in oblivion.
Whatever the motives of the Malacañang in criticizing the biggest power supplier in the Philippines that is Meralco — forcing them to reduce the price of power will be much appreciated. It would surely help us make both ends meet. Too bad oil price is also out of control and it seems that there is nothing we can do about it, except to cross our fingers and hope that OPEC will stop manipulating oil production rate. Ironically, the standard of living in the country is rising. I remember two years ago, we used to buy a cup of meal (meat) at a price of P25. Now it's P40. Even veggies can't be called "alternatives" now, since its now costly, too. After TV and laptop, I don't know if Kuchi and I will still push through the plan of purchasing a light motorcycle, an underbone (probably, a Honda Wave 125cc), which we can use around the town. We're wondering whether it is still practical, although we're not just after the practicality thingy (we don't want to miss the fun part).
There's so many things we wanna buy, but have little money to spend on. Even the thought of rearing a healthy baby — and bringing up a well-provided family for that matter — gives us some worries. Wish we could come up with ideas that would give us some fat checks. Because whatever jobs we have at this moment are simply not enough to chase the dreams we had envisioned a decade ago when still in college. But that's life. Who knows what's in store for us in the next 10 years?
Posted by
Nutty Boy
Labels:
economic crisis,
meralco,
underbone
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
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Wednesday, May 07, 2008
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So the former Afro-sporting Kobe Bryant of Los Angeles Laker was named the NBA Most Valuable Player of this year (not officially announced as of this moment, though). At long last. In my honest opinion, it's a little long overdue. If you're watching his games, Bryant has matured and grown into a versatile, constant scoring machine, and if there's another individual worthy to be called the "next Michael Jordan," that's definitely Kobe. He can score, pass, rebound and defend, and has given his team three championship ring so far — things that make one an MVP. Maybe not as great as MJ once was, but Kobe is just 29 and he can still break some records that the former has been holding for a long time. Oh, how I love to see Kobe becoming MJ-incarnate. Fans need it. NBA without such superstars is boring.
 Kobe Bryant believes he can fly...
Speaking of MVP, I heard that Jason Castro (not the dreadlocks-haired folk from American Idol), the extraordinarily talented point guard who became 2006 and 2007 MVP of the Philippine Basketball League signed up with the first Asia-based club in the NBL, the Singapore Slingers. This just made him the first Filipino to have signed up with a team in Australia's highly competitive National Basketball League. Slingers' operations manager Michael Johns (again, not that one from American Idol) said that Castro was really good. But I know John is a little exaggerating. I believe it's a marketing move from the team since there are large Filipino communities in Singapore and Australia. And they know how addicted the Filipinos are to basketball.
Not to put our fellow Filipino down, but there are many better players in the PBA to choose from, if the Slingers is really after the "talent." But as professionals, they will definitely have problems with the cost, hence they stick with a talented but an amateur Castro. It still sets a record, anyway. Unlike what happened to Johnny Abarrientos who, long time ago, figured in a proposition that might have made him the first Filipino and Asian to become an NBA player. Remember? The proposition, put forward by some publicity-hungry agent from United States had turned out to be a hoax. Many saw that coming, however, but it put Johnny in a bad light. Who could have believed that a 5-6 Filipino player could make it to the NBA?
But nothing is impossible in China, as the case of Batere Menk and Wang Zhizhi, who were really overhyped by both US and Chinese media (but where are they now?). Now, it's Yao Ming and Yi Jinlan's turn. With nearly a billion Chinese watching the game, that's really a sure big market for the NBA. That will generate a hell lot of money, one of the main causes why NBA exists. They mean business. If they can't get something out of a player other than the usual basketball skills, I don't think anybody can be in the NBA.
 Menk Batere. "Overhyped?"
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
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Tuesday, May 06, 2008
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I like pizza a lot. Whether it's Italian, New York or Hawaiian, nothing beats the oven-baked bread-based open pie topped with mozzarella cheeze, tomato, meat, pepperoni and Italians-know-what-else. It's not everyday that I eat pizza, so Kuchi and I make it a point to feast and gloat over it once in a while. An exception is this sort of pizza that's been creating some buzz in Vigan City. It's a "pinakbet-flavored pizza." Just the sound makes me eeew. Haha! Actually, I patronize pinakbet, but as a home-cooked meal, not a pizza. I heard that local restaurants in Vigan started serving this kind of pizza some months ago. Like any other pizza, pinakbet pizza includes usual flavors, except that its toppings include squash, eggplant, patani, okra and string beans. Don't forget ampalaya — which I can't imagine finding in a pizza, but yikes, it's there! And the bagoong!
 Pinakbet Pizza
 Pinakbet Pizza — Put the above veggies over this tasty pizza and that's what you'll get, LOL
Friday, April 25, 2008
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Friday, April 25, 2008
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It was weird hearing my father asking about religion yesterday. I didn't know what's on his mind. I'm no expert in religious matters, although I'm knowledgeable enough to give him a crash course concerning some religions. I owe this to my years of reading books/pamphlets about basic philosophy and intro to religion, studying evangelism (during my 'born again' days) and getting immersed in several religious forums — which unfortunately provided me more questions than answers.
So I explained to him what he just needed to know — the varied definitions of atheism, deism, agnosticism, pantheism and the simple theism, and how (or why) people came up with such ideas and decided to become men of such beliefs. I don't know if religious stuffs are getting into his head, or maybe he's beginning to experience "spiritual crisis," if such crisis really exists. Although I wish he would not inquire and try to dig deeply into religious matter — lest he really wants to get himself into confusion. I myself have had enough of it. Finding the 'truth' is a lost cause for me. "Kaysa naman hindi mo alam tapos oo ka lang ng oo, e di parang niloloko ko lang ang sarili ko..." he said, something to that effect. Indeed, there are lots of people out there who don't even have the slightest idea about their religions. I WAS one of them.
Sadly, there are many people blinded by their indomitable faith who keep on proselytizing their religions to some who they believe have become "lost sheeps." What made them think that their religions are true and others false?
Posted by
Nutty Boy
Labels:
religion
Friday, April 11, 2008
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Friday, April 11, 2008
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While anxiously awaiting the results of the Philippines final population count — two months late off the scheduled release — I came across an interesting article about population program of Singapore. Worried about the city's declining birth rate, the government of this tiny country began teaching its high school polytechnic students in FORMAL COURSES on HOW to FLIRT. Said one Singaporean student: "My teacher said if a guy looks into my eyes for more than five seconds, it could mean that he is attracted to me, and I stand a chance."
And would you believe that the course includes "love song analysis" and how to chat online? As we are bracing ourselves to accept the incredible projected population of over 90 million — excluding the undocumented mouths feeding on luck or rugby — here is one rich tiny country trying to increase the number of its people!
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
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Wednesday, April 09, 2008
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I know I should be used to this since we live in a tropical country, but I just can't let the feeling pass without saying it — IT'S FREAKIN HOT!
Yesterday, the weatherman in a cowboy hat reported that the temperature in the coconut islands could reach as high as 40 degrees Celsius in May, depending on how soon La Niña (another phenomenon that could turn your day into a catastrophy) will say hello. This is so close to saying I should take a cold shower every night and hit the sack naked... or almost naked.
I always wonder how Arabian people who lived before the 19th century could have survived living in the deserts and their surrounding areas, most particularly in the Middle East. Today, air-conditioner is a must in countries such as Saudi Arabia whose temperature could reach as high as 45 degree Celsius... or even more. I can attest to that since I got my ass working in Saudi before. When the air-conditioner (or AC as Indians normally call it) in our room failed to run one night, we just couldn't bring ourselves to sleep. It was both suffocating and well... hot! How much more if you find yourself visiting El Azizia in Libya or Death Valley in the US of A where frying food is no problem.
As always reported, this planet gets hotter and hotter each day, thanks to the First World countries for emitting too much greenhouse gasses while reproaching and blaming other countries for global warming. Well, if global warming continues, expect the sea level to rise, the weather events to go extreme and the amount and pattern of precipitation to change. Other than that, changes in agricultural yields, trade routes, glacier retreat, species extinctions and increases in the ranges of disease vectors should be expected as well (yeah, vectors, you know, whatever that means). Remember my last post about doomsday? Well, this may very well be the start of it.
Ice candy, anyone?
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
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Wednesday, March 12, 2008
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Life gets nuttier, crazier for me — but in a sense of happiness. I just got married last March 1! Quite a moment in my life, it was like coming fresh out of a cocoon; I'm a new man, so to speak! So far, after almost two weeks, our lives have been spiced up with more laughter and more loving. We both know that we have a new and different kind of life ahead of us. Marriage life is not all smiles, that's for sure. There will be lots of adjustments, trials and tribulations that will certainly come our way to test our bonds — and overcoming them is no easy feat. But if the person you love and promised to take care of is at stake, what else can't you conquer?
 Our wedding rings!
 Capturing the photographer's camera
 A glimpse of the cathedral's altar...
 Bye, bye, my paycheck, huhu... LOL
 Kuchi-kuchi
 Just married... no mercy! Hahaha!
 I was actually the one who really hit the jackpot.
 My wonderful wife. Isn't she lovely? (sigh)
 Priceless...
 Awww... Kuchi...
I still have plenty of pictures here, but I've got to ask my kumander's permission to release them, hahaha! (subject to approval, LOL)
Posted by
Nutty Boy
Labels:
2008,
march 1,
wedding pictures
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
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Wednesday, January 16, 2008
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I'm an avid basketball fan. I play the game, idolize its legends, immitate talented players, analyze statistics and watch a lot of games — NBA, PBA or even UAAP/NCAA. In short, I love it more than any other kind of sports in the planet. My favorite team in the PBA are Ginebra (Añejo, Tanduay) and San Miguel. While in NBA, my favorites are the old-Chicago Bulls (with Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman, Toni Kukoc), LA Lakers (Both Magic Johnson and Kobe/Shaq era) and the current Nowitski-led Dallas Mavericks. In UAAP, my favorite team is --- never mind. I joined some barangay leagues before when I was in my higschool and, later on, I played with and coached a young team abroad (when I worked in Saudi Arabia), even managing to get our boys to the finals, where we lost to a rough backbreaking veteran team (we're cheated!) sometime around 2004. That was the last time I ever got to play the sport. I miss basketball so much, but I haven't got time to play it. Well, honestly, there have been a lot of opportunities for me to play and get wild again on the court. The thing is I will have to "sacrifice" my time with Kuchi just to get into the ballgame. And to sacrifice a time with Kuchi for a baskeball game is kinda hefty. That I cannot do. Huhuhu. I just wish a perfect time to play basketball would soon come knocking on my schedule.
So what's with this sudden talk about basketball? Well, I dreamed last night that I was a basketball player, an awesome NBA player playing for the BOSTON CELTICS. Dream on, man!
Posted by
Nutty Boy
Labels:
Boston Celtics,
NBA
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
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Wednesday, January 09, 2008
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Here’s the remaining dumb and funny headlines in my cellphone’s archive.
CRASH COURSES FOR PRIVATE PILOT (if the course is about “going to heaven,” why not? LOL)
COCAINE USE HITS NEW HIGH (wow, pare, nakakahigh naman ang balitang to...)
DEAD BODY FOUND IN CEMETERY (hindi nga? may patay sa sementeryo?)
MAN SHOOTS NEIGHBOUR WITH MACHETE (ano kaya ang bala ng machete? hmmm...)
BLIND WOMAN GETS NEW KIDNEY FROM DAD SHE HAS NOT SEEN IN YEARS
(errr... so ngayon nakakakita na siya?)
MAGICIAN’S CAR VANISHES (e di palitawin niya uli!)
SEX EDUCATION DELAYED, TEACHERS REQUEST TRAINING (wow! sarap naman ng magiging training nila! parang gusto kong maging teacher!)
ABILITY TO SWIM MAY SAVE CHILDREN FROM DROWNING (hah? so kapag hindi marunong lumangoy, malulunod? ahhh...)
Bwahahahahahahahaha!
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Kobe Bryant believes he can fly...
Menk Batere. "Overhyped?"
Pinakbet Pizza
Pinakbet Pizza — Put the above veggies over this tasty pizza and that's what you'll get, LOL
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