1st and 10 ... Week 5 prognostications

Tampa Bay at NY Jets ... Vinny! Vinny! Vinny! I'll believe it when I see it.
Seattle at St. Louis ... Who owns who? I'll stick with recent history.
New Orleans at Green Bay ... first time we lose faith in Brett.
Chicago at Cleveland ... Romeo, o Romeo, you gotta have your say.
Baltimore at Detroit ... c'mon Ravens - suck it up and play.
New England at Atlanta ... never, never tick off Tom Brady.
Tennessee at Houston ... David Carr should never get out of bed because he'll be mostly horizontal.
Miami at Buffalo ... 'Fins should easily handle reeling Bills.
Indianapolis at San Francisco ... welcome to the NFL, Alex Smith.
Carolina at Arizona ... Josh McCown may not win this, but he should be the Cardinal QB.
Washington at Denver ... Redskins will join ranks of beatens.
Philadelphia at Dallas ... hope to see T.O. dance on the Dallas star again so he could get beat up.
Cincinnati at Jacksonville ... are the Bengals for real?
Pittsburgh at San Diego ... Chargers beat Pats, Pats beat Steelers, so Steelers should beat Chargers.

Last week: 6-8
Overall: 28-32 (starting to suck)

caesar salad

After watching another hilarious Seinfeld rerun, flipped through channels and lingered briefly on the latest "i see dead people" TV drama, the Horse Whisp- uhm, Ghost Whisperer, starring the chick that women secretly or overtly hate (at least according to my fave sportswriter Bill Simmons).

Took me all of 5 minutes (yes, i like her but there should be something better to watch on a Friday night) before moving on to ... a-ha - Russel Crowe unleashing his dog, Hell. Just like that legendary TV sitcom about nothing, Gladiator never gets tiresome. At my signal ...

1st and 10 ... Week 4 prognostications

Houston at Cincinnati ... still-undefeated Bengals will kill still-winless Texans
Indianapolis at Tennessee ... hope the O will find its groove but D will still win this
Philadelphia at Kansas City ... embarassed Chiefs should be mad
Seattle at Washington ... Mark Brunell at QB? Last game was a fluke win.
Detroit at Tampa Bay ... Bucs and Cadillac are toast of league
Denver at Jacksonville ... despite improving Broncs, the Jags should pull this one out
San Diego at New England ... a critical game for both teams' season
Buffalo at New Orleans ... played at San Antonio, Saints will still not be comfy
St Louis at New York Giants ... smells like a shootout - bring the popcorn
New York Jets at Baltimore ... despite Ravens being 0-2, this doesnt look good for Jets
Minnesota at Atlanta ... Vikings start climbing out of the hole
Dallas at Oakland ... Raiders could still pull an upset
San Francisco at Arizona ... 49ers could have distinction of winning first NFL game in Mexico
Green Bay at Carolina ... would be a hotly-anticipated game if not for the Packers' decline

Last Week: 7-7
Overall: 22-24

awwwwww.....

but you can't even speak tagalog.

into the j

this friday ....





jessicaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.

acting stupid and contagious

Dude, Courtney is such an evil bitch. She totally shot you for your money, dude. Don't worry though, dude! Your friends from Nirvana took her to court, bro. Ok, so it took about 10 years to settle the case, but your unreleased songs finally came out last year, so that was pretty rad.

In your Next Life, you live in the woods in a shack and construct bombs that you mail to politicians.


Which Dead Rockstar Are You?
brought to you by Quizilla

that's it. this jersey is cursed.

soap-dodging minger

i found this while catching up on dirt like new kabbalah couples, Brangelina, and Moss on coke. (nyuk-nyuk-nyuk)

1st and 10 ... Week 3 prognostications

Cincinnati at Chicago ... despite maturing Chi-Town D, Bengals will grind out a win
Atlanta at Buffalo ... Vick needs the comfort of a dome, plus he's hurting
Cleveland at Indianapolis ... new Colt defense is killing all those fantasy football nuts with Peyton
Tampa Bay at Green Bay ... reborn Bucs will add another nail in Mike Sherman's coffin
Jacksonville at New York Jets ... game might be decided with Mike Nugent's foot
Oakland at Philadelphia ... scoreboard should be ringing but Philly D is better
Tennessee at St Louis ... SuperBowl XXXIV rematch will have same result
Carolina at Miami ... Delhomme should be better this week, restarting the Cats in SBXL talk
New Orleans at Minnesota ... ok i'll pick the Saints, but of course the Vikings will turn it around this week
Arizona at Seattle ... Denny Green's scrappy bunch should catch a break this week
Dallas at San Francisco ... both teams should be mad for losing last week
New England at Pittsburgh ... this Steeler team is much improved than Pats, but never underestimate that mad genius Belichick
New York Giants at San Diego ... Wouldn't want to be Eli Manning now
Kansas City at Denver ... Chiefs should trample the horses

Last Week: 7-9
Overall: 15-17

former fat kid gets Mystique. there's hope for us frogs yet.

1st and 10 ... Week 2 prognostications

New England at Carolina ... still betting on world champs but Panthers will come out full claws
Detroit at Chicago ... the Joey Harrington Final Exam, Day 2
Minnesota at Cincinnati ... Culpepper cant be that without Moss, can he? Can he?
Pittsburgh at Houston ... won't be rooting for Texans in this
Jacksonville at Indianapolis ... new Colt defense complements Peyton
San Francisco at Philadelphia ... should be interesting
Buffalo at Tampa Bay ... a battle of bruisers
Baltimore at Tennessee ... Ravens should handle rebuilding Titans easily, right? Right?
St. Louis at Arizona ... a nod to old man Kurt Warner against his old team
Atlanta at Seattle ... 'Hawks are a confused bunch
San Diego at Denver ... Chargers almost won last week against good Dallas defense; this should be easier
Cleveland at Green Bay ... waiting for Romeo's defense to show up
Miami at New York Jets ... J-E-T-S, Jets, Jets, Jets!! (despite last week's humiliation)
Kansas City at Oakland ... the Chiefs are poised to make a huge statement this season
New York Giants at New Orleans ... sentimentality my ass. let's play!
Washington at Dallas ... hope this isn't another boring single-digit scoring game

Last Week: 8-8

spin

using the ipod's cool on-the-go playlist feature, one can channel his own inner dj and just play songs that you like. picking songs can be a little time-consuming (you have to shape your playlist into some cohesive form at the least), especially if your library is huuuuuuuuge (showoff). but in the end, the commute is a lot bearable and your journey is enhanced with its own soundtrack. you can be more adventurous and just let the 'pod play any random song (the ensuing smorgasbord will be quite a head-scratching experience, if it say, segues classical music into justin timberlake then jump to Enter Sandman), but i really don't use this. one other thing i like doing is just 'spinning' songs hands on, jumping from album to album, deciding the next song only while the current one is playing. call me dj guerilla.

tsinelas, yano
weapon of choice, fatboy slim
the fly, u2
the ghost in you, mark mcgrath
pistol on fire, kings of leon
stay, oingo boingo
partyman, prince
how can you expect to be taken seriously, pet shop boys
the corner, common
days go by, dirty vegas
king contrary man, the cult
hey mama, black eyed peas
i predict a riot, kaiser chiefs
fuck and run, liz phair
your love (remix), the prodigy
if i ever lose my faith in you, sting
pop song 89, r.e.m.
bedroom toys, duran duran
no more rain (in this cloud), angie stone
don't wanna know, toby lightman

spare us

i should be imprisoned in a monastery. gimme an E, gimme an L, gimme an O, gimme an R, gimmer an S. that's me. alphabetically.

... i was just rantin'

2 years. 2 exercises in futility.

First one had me going back the same path that was abruptly broken back in 2001 (same anniversary as the 9/11 disaster, so that really resonates). It was good for me in a way, because it allowed me deal with ghosts that would have otherwise haunted me in one way or another, no matter how little. And when it became clear that we had outgrown each other, and there was no way either one would be giving up pride anytime soon, the only logical thing was to say goodbye for the 2nd and final time. I did not actively seek her out to be together again - the opportunity just presented itself - but in retrospect it was meant to be that way. We all say we would like to find closure for things that have bothered us, for events that had people wrong us. There may have been "closure"-like events, but then when the real one hits you, like it hit me a year ago, you know. No one is to blame this time. And with letting go came peace. If she is happy out there somewhere, I am at peace with that. I hope she is.

For the second one, it seemed like a very good idea at that time. And with me trying to see if I am able to start something with someone who doesn't know anything about me previously. For awhile it was fine, yet somehow I kept sweeping doubts under the rug. Most of the doubts were for me. And things under the rug have a way of mothballing into something you'll have to deal with sooner or later. I questioned whether I really liked her. I questioned my intentions. I questioned my commitment. And the answers came out ... not-so-good. Selfish? Yes. Undisputably. But I think I have shared enough of myself, and I consider it unfair if I go on doing it, without the same level of love and commitment, just for the sake of keeping things going. Nor will it also be fair if I would be projecting happiness where there is a dearth of such.

And now, to distance yourself and still come out a decent guy - that takes a lot of skillful maneuvering and sacrifice (which I think I obviously did not want to do - jerk!). Funny to think that both relationships only blossomed during the football offseason, and here I am, extricating myself again at the proper "time". Its difficult - but I have to do it because its not fair to her. And heaven forbid, come February next year, I will again fool myself into thinking that I should be settling, because raised and kept standards is fucking foolish and stupid.

If I am really, really, really in love, I would not be sitting here on my butt writing scathing commentaries about myself. I would be going out there buying lots of silly and funny cards to write lots of silly and funny and witty and lovely words expressing how I feel about her. I will be calling her every single chance I get. I will try to see her at every opportunity. I will be very interested in her to the point that I will risk getting served a restraining order. I would be tossing around kids' names even before we are even in a position to make them. I would imagine our kids running around wild and free, yet be behaved and quiet at Daddy's say-so. I would dream of family picnics, movie evenings, homework nights, and bedtime stories. I would be scared at the thought of her leaving me. She will get me, as I get her. But mostly she will just get me. I would not be scared of venturing out into the world everyday, uninspired and hesitant. I will not yearn for nightfall to arrive, just to get the day over with. I will not be afraid. I will be very, very proud of her.




If there's any reason why I'm not settling down, it sure as hell ain't the gadgets. Hey, let's play the gay card, to end all speculation. Look out, world - I'm gay!!!


No, if anything, its because someone set the bar so high for me, its almost crippling. Now, its almost impossible odds.

So be it then.

Open Closed

the classy Federer beats the indefatigable Agassi. Wow. At least it wasn't as boring as Sampras' reign, huh?

any given sunday

Of course, after penning the blog below, and risking looking funny in the jersey, the Jets get completely demolished for most of their first game. And most of my picks were wrong. Sheeesh.

Kickoff 2005

And we're back to staying-at-home on Sundays, with the football season kicking off last Thursday. Shit, more cholesterol crap. Good thing I don't drink alcohol by myself while yelling at the screen like crazy.

After picking out one of those magazine annuals 3 years ago, my interest in American football has been sealed, just like it was for basketball when I started reading NBA magazines back in 1992. So what if am just an armchair athlete? I feel good that I'm a fan. Its an interest just like anyone else's - model kits, horticulture, video gaming, Harry Pothead, Warhammer, cross-stitching, Elvis memorabilia, audiophilia, philatelia, necrophilia, etc. (okay i just threw that last one in just to see if you're paying attention, dork).

Speaking of dorks, I expect if people knew I even purchased a 400-page football prospectus from those stat freak analysts at Football Outsiders (why else would I have a link to their website on this page), I'd be labelled as one (if I haven't been considered already). This book would be uninteresting, boring or terrifying to anybody else - but I find it a fascinating read (humor is of course, more of inside jokes to those in the know). Not particularly philosophical, but I can take deep number crunching, just like anyone who prefers pondering Sartre or Kierkegaard.

Of course, there's the requisite expression of dorkiness, if that's what you might call it - being in a game or buying fan gear *s*.



Ah, what the heck. To each his fun.

1st and 10 ... Week 1 prognostications
Tampa Bay at Minnesota ... no Moss? no Problem.
Denver at Miami ... Saban's 'Fins are still feeling their way around; no W today.
Tennessee at Pittsburgh ... the Titans are rebuilding so this should be a gimme for Steelers.
Chicago at Washington ... between these two bumblers, i'll take the Bears.
New Orleans at Carolina ... despite catastrophe, Panthers still have to win this game.
Seattle at Jacksonville ... Jax's D is better than 'Hawks O.
Houston at Buffalo ... looks like the Bills have improved more than the Texans.
Cincinnati at Cleveland ... Weis already won 2; time for Crennel's first.
NY Jets at Kansas City ... both defenses have improved, so may the better O win.
Green Bay at Detroit ... Lions should now be the king of jungle.
Dallas at San Diego ... will Drew Brees pick up from where he left off?
St Louis at San Francisco ... says here the 49ers will stink this year.
Arizona at NY Giants ... if anything, the Jints should be inspired by 9/11.
Indianapolis at Baltimore ... forget unstoppable vs immovable. Colts should win this.
Philadelphia at Atlanta ... never liked the Iggles, even moreso when TO arrived.

requiescat in pace. 9/11. never forget.

phreak

10:09 AM. Phone rings. "Hello?"

"Yes, I'd like to ask what the voltage in China is, because I am traveling there in a couple of weeks and I'd like to know what the voltage is."

I could have told him its 220V and they have this weird plug-and-socket, plus also to pack his Maalox and extra familiar food. But what am I, the 411 operator?

Now if we could get calls that inquire about corrugated boxes, the annoying automated telemarketer, and that pesky phonecard company from Manila that keeps deluging me with special promos because my name got picked out of the tambiolo (with only one name inside), my day would be perfect.

Not.

music maestro

new 'pod. new life. 'nuff said. or maybe not.

container box is smaller now. doesn't come with a remote either. they now come with black foams for the distinctive white earphones (to discourage potential subway thieves?), but they got torn immediately as i tried to fit it (i still prefer my Shure E2Cs). but for 60 Gb, hell, i'll take it.


repeat after me ... "yeah right."

nice fonts. crisp and clear colors. and long album titles now scroll on their own (but not during play).


what should we play first ... yeah, let's pick something cheesy (you can cringe now).

ok, now we have a bit more choices. let's go to my faves ...




"... i tell everyone ... i have a city love ... i found it in Lydia ..."

some of the old reliables




"and raise em up ... into the air ... that's all around ya!"


my favorite album in 1988

not taking any chances this time, i opted for a hard plastic case from contourdesign. it's a bit of hassle to insert (probably because i got the cheaper iSee, and not the Showcase, difference of $13). nevertheless, i can live with it.

and thus i leave you with this to haunt your dreams ...


scary, huh? (the pic i mean)

starter pistol

Great NFL Opening Kickoff program ... except for Freddie Prinze Jr., who just plain got overpowered by the crowd (scream, Freddie, scream; we know what you did last summer). Kanye 'Bush Hates Black People' West started things off with "Heard Em Say" with Adam Levine, then Levine was joined by his Maroon 5 bandmates for "Harder to Breathe".

In Detroit, the Stones continued making hay with their deal with the devil - Mick was a dervish as usual. Green Day also rocked the joint, with pyro and mascara. Then Santana segued in for "Smooth" with some Latino singer (what, Rob Thomas had diarrhea?). One-time collaborator (and still hottie, despite some pounds) Michelle Branch, broke in her new project, the Wreckers (with Jessica Harp), onto the national stage. She has a freakin great agent.

For a surprise twist after the unveiling of the latest Patriots' championship banner, the Ozzy hisself got showed up and did "Crazy Train". But he looked like he was blabbing through the lyrics as if anaesthesized. His own deal with the devil must be on the rocks.

Country star Trisha Yearwood then sang the national anthem. Never fails to touch.

Then Freddie tries again ... dude, you're no Hank Williams Jr.

dvd on tap

The Woodsman
dir. Nicole Kassell
Kevin Bacon, Kyra Sedgwick, Mos Def, David Alan Grier, Benjamin Bratt, Eve

Reintegrating yourself into society as an ex-con is always dicey. Reintegrating yourself as an ex-con for child molestation is even worse. Walter (Bacon) wants to be normal again - despite all the enormous odds and bias stacked against his kind. Not only does he have to deal with stereotyping at work (outing him as a registered sex offender) and with his relationships (with his estranged sister and with a blossoming affair with a co-worker), he also has his inner demons to contend with. Mos Def is revealing as his parole officer - exuding humor, menace and humanity in appropriate moments - who inadvertently inspires him to shred those demons as a 'woodsman' - the axe guy who saves little Red Riding Hood (nice allusion). When Walter tests himself and comes out on top, you exhale along with him in relief. Director Kassell wisely plays the minimalist card, and let the sparse dialogues and effective monologues carry the movie (given its sensitive subject matter). Bacon lays out a performance at par or even better with his previous acting gems (Sleepers, Mystic River, Murder In the First). Will somebody give this guy an Oscar already?


"its so unfair - i'm almost 50. Will they ever forget 'Footloose'?"

Bangon, Nawlins.

Haven't been there yet (well, just up to the airport) ... maybe someday.

luka brasi(lian)

polishing off crepes at 6th Ave Brazilian street fair (yeah, i should've gone for the native food but i was saving space for kare-kare and daing na bangus at Krystal's Cafe for lunch)


the national yellow and green - and adopted by our Boy Scouts - nyhahahaha


group dancing at one of the reggae music stalls (no sign of alcohol though)


more tribal dancing (do a little dance, make a little love ... you know the drill)


in the midst of Little Brazil at 46th and 6th


who's on stage? is that Shakira? Oops, ok, she's not Brazilian ....

Just Like The Neighborhood Sorbetero

something to enjoy with kids someday ... if ever.

Rise To Fall

On the recommendation of my friend who just adores b-movie horror shlock, I borrowed a couple of his books by this upcoming horror novelist Brian Keene. Haven't read any scary stuff lately (well, not the ones on news channels - everyday life is scary enough), so I went and gave it a shot. Finished it in 2 days. Easy.

First up is The Rising, an opening shot in ending the world as we know it, where scientific research diluted with hubris allows malevolent beings from the Void (where God all kept 'em) to cross into our world and start inhabiting and reanimating the dead. Yep, we got zombies all over the place, and once they get you, your body is just a new shell that another one of their kind takes over. Kind of like bodyjacking. And as it is, these ain't the usual run-of-the-mill zombies either. They have a purpose, and any living being can be repossessed (we still haven't seen zombie trees or roaches yet) and smart enough to learn from the memories of their hosts, and from their mistakes. And all because they want to get back at God. Gee, and we humans are complaining of our lives on this earth? Nyahahaha.

To maintain an interesting air, Keene keeps it personal, from the point of view of one Jim Thurmond, trying to rescue his son, and we don't get to see the world view (what would the situation be in Papua New Guinea? Or in offshore oil drilling rigs? Would you be safe in a nuclear submarine?). Thurmond goes on a hellish journey from West Virginia to Joisey, picking up a few survivors along the way, and ultimately encounter the leader of the evil Siqqusim, Ob. And when the book ends with a cliffhanger, I could imagine all those readers groaning at that time ... with the mixed views at Amazon, that was to be expected. But I suppose Brian doesn't care - it won him the Bram Stoker award for a debut novel. Take that, whiners.

And thus we have City of the Dead, the inevitable sequel, which allowed more moolah to line Brian's pockets. No word as yet if it will garner him another Stoker nomination, but it sure won't please those who expect some sort of sunny ending to the whole proceedings. Nope. Nu-uh.

Jim gets to save his son, but then they have to make a last stand in where else ... the Big Rotten Apple, baby! Holed up in a skyscraper that is supposed to withstand any future 9/11-type disasters (built by a wacko industrialist who's a cross between Donald Trump, Howard Hughes, and Hugh Hefner with a messiah complex), Jim gets to barely enjoy time again with his son and newfound friends when the zombies, led by Ob in a new body (think hard-abbed fashion model in badass black leather) and mouthing smartass lines, storm the building. That really sounds like a good movie to make (Tim Roth as Ob!). Too bad the humans forgot about their secret weapon - a sonic device that is used to disable birds, and reworked to enable it work on the undead.

So when I say "last stand" ... as my soul brother is wont to say ... "Patay lahat sila!!! Nyahahahaha!"

I hear they've optioned the movies, not to mention the video games. Not bad ... but I still get a rise more out of my Slades.

Autopsy

disaster struck last Thursday, as I was careless and my 'pod went bungee jumping 24 inches without a rope or protective suit. first sign of trouble: songs weren't playing. an invalid folder icon came up - i need to get home quick. connecting it back to a pc showed the 2nd sign of trouble:


not a happy icon.

this website has been helpful, describing stuff on how to run diagnostics on your 'pod. betcha didn't know that huh? (i didn't either)




finding the right diagnostic test ...


... yields the final bad sign.

length of service yielded around 44 cents a day of aural pleasure on the average. not bad. It was my fault anyway - it had barely a defect, except for the depreciating battery charge (around 4 hours a pop from its initial advertised 6 - the newer ones go for 15), but that's expected.

my salutations! You will now be joining my Sony MiniDisc player in my Gadget Hall of Fame.

So, ... on to the next generation?

Gotcha. Arrogant prick (in a manner of speaking).

http://www.nydailynews.com/front/story/342819p-292574c.html

Fritillaria in a Copper Vase, Vincent Van Gogh, 1887