Old and new

The kids at our street looked like they were about to play tumbang-preso – they were holding thick, adult-size rubber slippers. But when they started throwing them wildly at their target – a plastic water bottle – and hitting the parked cars instead, I was convinced that their game was nothing like tumbang preso.

Another group was gathered at the other side of the street, holding what looked like trumpo. But just like the other group, there was no rule, much more precision, with the way these kids were playing. In their hands, the traditional trumpo soon became dangerous projectiles that wreaked havoc to properties and even posed threats of injury to passers-by.

So, this is how our native games have evolved.

How sad. And scary.

At least now I know where the small scratches and dents at our gate are coming from.

***

Speaking of evolution, I have recently earned two new titles at the office by virtue of the changes I went through.

I owe the first title to my age, which is naturally beyond any debate, while the second nickname I earned by the change in my office lifestyle.

Oh well. Good or bad, change is how you make of it.

***

Here I go again.

Three things I think I'm starting to get addicted to:

ZX Online. Though not as compelling as Perfect World when it comes to storyline and overall gameplay (plus the characters are not as customizable), ZX Online totally spoils the player with its auto-pathing feature. It’s Man-Nature Combo is also a blessing for AFK (away from keyboard) players like myself.

Facebook. Need I explain? Okay... Dungeons and Dragons Tiny Adventures! Haha! ^^

Crispy bacon liempo, and all the good feelings that go with it at Tomato Kick along Maginhawa Street, Teacher’s Village, Diliman.

Cheers!

Transparency

If there's one game I totally suck at, it would be poker.

My face has been wired to show too much emotion -- all the time, more than what's intended and appropriate.

It follows that for a face to be such a dead give-away, the brain behind it has to be as equally inept in keeping information to itself.

I've been thankful for the tall blue dividers surrounding my work area -- just staying behind them has saved me and others a lot of trouble.

The words I utter and write, however, are a different matter. Haha!

I feel blessed for having just enough facility to express myself, but I feel cursed for my skills in gatekeeping.

Over three decades, and still a work in progress at something so basic. Pur pur pur.

***

(an entry from Samahang Walang Sabado...)

I'd love to think that there's always a reason when things don't go as planned. It may not always be better than what's intended, but a good reason nonetheless.

When the much-awaited Puerto Gallera Techies trip failed to launch a few weeks ago despite careful planning, I was ready to believe there's a good reason why we're missing the chance to enjoy a relaxing weekend at the beach before the heart-attack pace of the year begins.

Thanks to the fun-loving souls who refused to let that Friday night pass by without something to make up for the lost Galera getaway, we ended up in Pork Barrel along Kalayaan Avenue.

The place may not have the sun, sand, and sea we long for, but it has good-looking service crew, nice drinking ambiance, and, as far as I know, the cheapest beer in that part of Sikatuna Village.

And for that few moments of transparency, I say the sun, sand, and sea can wait.

I'm sure we'll get that dream getaway, soon. Cheers!

Trivial

My steady diet of Reader's Digest in my entire adult life has supplied me with bits and pieces of facts, both big and small. Thanks to this, I'm drawn to perspectives that sometimes border on trivial -- if not utterly useless.

January has been a crazy, crazy month. I've heard of so many cases of emotions running too high, irregular monthly periods (my wife included), and people getting way too sentimental (myself included).

There are better and more sound explanations to all these, of course. A friend of mine, for instance, pointed to how people affect each other in certain ways that eventually lead to a certain reaction.

But nooo! I have to blame the sun and the moon and their combined gravitational pull for all these emotional and physiological joyride.

I'm not entirely proud of it: using trivial facts as answers to almost everything when the truth for every action and reaction just lie within me -- waiting for me to reach in and acknowledge it.

I would, in my good time.

But then again, maybe I already have.

Oh well.