It's All in the Head

It's All In the Head

Last Tuesday, I picked up the Columbia 300 Wrath 13 pound bowling ball from the pro shop. I tried it out on Tuesday evening. I had to wait three hours until league finished. Talk about excited in using a bowling ball.

I got the ball drilled for a fingertip hold. The ball is two pounds heavier than the one I am used to. But, it felt like I had more control.

Unfortunately, league night was not as cooperative. Even though I dropped by and played two games before the league, I did not have absolute control. I guess I was trying the 3 o'clock to 9 o'clock hold and lift too much. I was also dropping the ball.

On Saturday morning, I played ten games in three hours. That was not so memorable either. Although this time around, I was plotting what I was doing in a notebook. I decided that consistency had to be part of the game.

Sunday afternoon, I went bowling again. Amazingly enough, I managed to bowl two games that were 202 and 200. The circumstances were great. There were two groups playing to the right and to the left. I had to stop and basically concentrate on what I was doing. I had to slow down time so that I could feel the delivery. I had to focus my mind. Focus my hand to deliver to the same spot. I used a 5 o'clock to 11 o'clock delivery. I had to focus on my pre-delivery to make sure my hold was at a 45 degree from my hip. The floor target was the break line and the Brooklyn line.

After those two games, I went back to my average. But now, I realize, it's all in the head.

Hiraya

Tingnan ninyo ang mundo mula sa mata ni Hiraya. Pinay Photo Site of the Day for August 20 in the year of the Pin@y 2006.

Bughaw Ang Kulay Niya

Bughaw lives in Seattle, where life resembles Philippine life in weather and people. The blogger milkfish gives a rendition and commentary of life in America. Bughaw is the Pin@y Blog of the Day for August 20th in the year of the Pin@y 2006.

A Marine Comes Home

http://www.poyi.org/63/11/01.php

http://www.poyi.org/63/11/02.php

The sacrifices that humans can make are remarkable.

Bowling

Bowling

I gave my eight Toastmaster speech today on the topic of bowling. I was supposed to use visual aids in the speech. Since Powerpoint was boring, I decided to use bowling shoes, bowling ball and technique as my visual aids. It was quite successful. I did not feel nervous at all. Although, I wish I can prepare speeches much earlier. I feel that I keep winging the speeches. Two more to go and I will get the competent communicator level. Yipee!!!

AND, I picked up the new bowling ball today. I had to wait 2.5 hours to play, but wait I did. WOW! What a difference the fingertip hold gave me. Talk about rotation. Talk about hooking. Of course, with the Wrath bowling ball, the coverstock is so good that my mistakes were forgiven. I actually bowled approximately 135 average. Talk about great. I had about five or six spares/strikes. Awesome. This was a definite improvement. Now, I just have to practice and find my targets.

Transformation

Transformation

I have been thinking about transformations the last few weeks. I have asked myself what I wanted to be in the future. Did I want to continue in my current career as a legal analyst or should I switch to another game? Did I want to continue doing what I currently do for the next twenty years?

I came late into the game. I came late into admitting that I love money. Money is a way to live comfortable. No, money is not everything, but it sure makes life easy. Money can't buy you love. But, love is easier with money around. As the SO says, without money, the first thing out of the window is love.

So I admit that I love money. I like money. I enjoy what money can buy. Comfort and security. Now, I also have to admit that I am lazy. What I want to do is to just read and become a storage house. I want to just learn. What job is like that? Well, that of an academic, but they don't make too much money. And, most of the times, they can be impractical in the business world.

Until one day, Tuhan said that Warren Buffet just reads. He reads and does the things he has a passion for. Warren Buffet is a futurist. He reads and tries to understand the future. Well, right there, I am halfway to being similar to Warren Buffet. I can read lots.

As a start, I began reading the book The Rational Manager. Then, the SO got a subscription for the Wall Street Journal. Now, I read the journal. Lately, there was an interview where someone suggested the book The Future Executive: A Guide to Tomorrow's Mangers by Harlan Cleveland from 1972. Constructive ambiguity : The people who lead in complex organization are not the people who look for structure but those who recognize that important and complex decisions involve ambiguity. Mr White advised people to get as much diverse experience as possible.

Since I probably did not achieve a second round interview in the previous application, I tried for a project manager position. It reports to the vice-president for the legal firm that I am in. I don't know if I can make it. The SO said that I will learn new things. I believe that it will let me be a creative executive. One who understands other things that are essential in business.

Already I see that I must be more adventuresome. That I need to fear less. That I need to become risk taker.

Searching for the Past

Searching for Ancestors

Got an e-mail asking me about my hometown. It might turn out to be a cousin of mine. What a hoot! It's like finding a needle in a haystack.

Bowling was disappointing. We ended up losing 3 of 4. However, the other team had to bowl way above their averages to beat us. One bowler was in the 220's while the other one had to hit 200's.

I am taking tai-chi. Still have to figure out which style. It will probably depend more on the time of the class more than anything else. I found on the internet that the horse stance is really called the horse-riding stance. Imagine how your legs would look like if you were riding a horse.

Haven't heard from the interview. Probably did not make it to the second round. The good side is that I learned what I needed to work on.

Got an inquiry for a wedding. The SO will speak with the bride-to-be.

Busy at work what with all the files that need closing.

Oh, did I mention that soc.culture.filipino is a wasteland? Not one interesting thread. I can't help but smile. When it comes down to it, as a writer, you either have it or you don't.

Bowling

Well, bowling has been pretty good. This past week, I actually managed to bowl above my average of 110 and somewhat carried the team. The previous weak was a bad one what with the gout pained right ankle. The average score was 70 two weeks ago. Yuck.

We were in third place at the start of the evening. By the end, we were in second place. We managed to sweep the other team.

The job has been going along well at the law center. Although, I have not heard about the position I interviewed for. I am still hoping for a second round of interview, but it seems remote. They probably want more experience.

I learned that I needed to do some extra work though. Gotta do some risk assessments.

Job Interview

Last Monday, I went for a job interview. The job was four levels above my current status. It was also for a manager position. I decided to pursue it because it was one of those once in a lifetime opportunities. A new building with a new staff. That just does not happen every year.

I believe I did well in the interview. I managed to show enthusiasm and a different mindset from everyone. I believe that the old ways of doing things don't work. There must be a new way. Some of the things I thought were important:

1. Positive attitude.
2. Being creative in resolving problems.
3. Communicating effectively.
4. Implementation of systems.
5. Creating priorities in the job.

I ended up reading this book called the One Minute Manager. It had some pretty interesting ideas.

Life is Full of Surprises

Yesterday was an amazingly busy day. Three, count them, three parties. The first party was for the Malasiquenean Organization of the SO's family. The party was in honor of the visiting mayor from Malasiqui, Pangasinan, Philippines. The mayor could not get his visa on time for the yearly Malasiqui party. Thus, he is visiting during the summer.

To reserve the spot, members of the organization was present at the picnic site at 6 o'clock in the morning of a Saturday. Yup, you can bet that he missed the Saturday morning cartoon shows. But, the FOOD!!!! The great characteristic of Pin@ys is that they know how to eat. Whether they bring catered food, or they make it themselves, or they make it on the spot, you can be rest assured that the food will be delicious.

I did not get to eat too much because I spoke with a cousin of the SO's who is getting married in a year. I had to give the college advice.

The next party, was a babyshower for one of the cousin-in-laws. The baby is due in one month. Mother and child are doing well. This will be the third child for the grandparents who also happen to be our ninong and ninang.

Now, for the great part…THE FOOD!!! Food like that is usually reserved for the binyag. But, we got lechon, kare-kare (made for me, I would like to think), spicy bagoong, sisig, and lumpiang shanghai. Wooohee!!!! For dessert, fruit salad, puto and buko salad. Can you feel your arteries hardening yet?

Now the last party was a birthday party for Tuhan. Tuhan is my money group teacher as well as the SO's martial arts master. Tuhan turned 50 this year and that is why there was a bash. Tuhan has created a community through his life. It's an amazing community filled with very interesting and very special people. In a lifetime, a person would be lucky to meet two or three of these people. Tuhan had close to fifty of them in his house.

Perhaps my favorite part of the ceremony was the promotion of Tuhan's students. The first hint was when the SO and others were asked to break boards and concrete blocks. Then as Tuhan prayed over the first set of students, I understood the transformations occurring.

The SO said that it was great that she had five years before becoming GURA in the Kamatuuran School of Kali. As a novice, there are no responsibilities, no care and no expectations. But as a GURA or GURO, the expectations and the responsibilities begin.

Woke up at 8AM. We slept at 3AM. Whew!!!

My Lovely Sam Soon

I am in the midst of watching My Lovely Sam Soon. Check it out and get into Korean drama.

Visa Anyone?

Well, here it comes... I need to study and bone up on American history and English. I'm slated for an interview. After twenty plus years, I'm going to be naturalized as an American.

One of those things that I just never got around to doing. But since the SO wants to go to Europe, I better change my citizenship. I don't want the Europeans to think that I was a babysitter.

The Nature of Drama

There are a few places where I can buy or rent Asian movies. For the more mature selection, a store in Japantown is a select place. For the mainstream selection, a store in downtown Oakland. However, the video store in Oakland is only open during the weekdays up until five o'clock in the afternoon. Considering my work schedule, I just don't have a quick enough drive to get there. So I am left to going to the store on the weekends.

It is unnerving to go to a store where I don't understand the language. For the first times that I went, I always felt like I did not belong. But after a while, I realize that the color of money is a beautiful way of communicating with store owners. Make sure you buy stuff and pretty soon you belong.

I had not been in the Oakland store for at least a year. I stopped going when I realized the magic of netflix and dvd rentals. There was also Blockbuster sales on movies. But as I mentioned previously, I had been bitten by the Korean drama or Goong. So on a Sunday, off I went to downtown Oakland.

The saleslady made an interesting comment to me as I surveyed the movies. She was recommending the later Korean dramas because the earlier ones did not end happily. The characters usually had cancer or died and so the resolution of the drama was unhappiness. But the later ones are now having happy endings. Like Cinderella.

And this got me to thinking about our lives. Do we choose to emphasize the sadness or do we choose happiness. I know that for my part, I have begun choosing happiness. How about you?

Friday in July 2006

This week, there were some opportunities in the law firm. A lot of personnel movement occurred over the last two weeks such that opportunities abounded. I had to take advantage so I had to dust off my old time resume. Being content in my current position, it was difficult to get myself to fire up the resume builder. However, though I am indebted to my current boss for saving me from the hell that was the photofinishing store, I still have to take care of the family. So, after lounging around watching youtube.com for Korean dramas and variety shows, I hit the resume builder.

There were good and bad news. The resume got through the first level screen. However, it was "late" because by the time I had submitted, the internal period had passed by. Teached me a lesson. If you really want that spot, get your gear on. Ironically enough, buying the DVD for Goong served as my motivation for finishing the resume. At least now, my resume is in 80% tip-top shape.

I am addicted to Korean dramas. They are high value productions with excellent storylines. The translations are iffy, but I get to understand it in a round-about way.

The current one I am watching is Goong. A drama about a nineteen year old woman who becomes a crown princess in Korea. Perhaps I like it because I am a romantic at heart. I love seeing mushy love stories. Perhaps I wish that I was a charmer during high school. More debonair. More assured of myself. But then, what would be my price if I were like that? Would I have been married at the age of 19?

Ahh, the choices in life.

Phalluses Waving in the Air

Howie Severino helps Ramon Obusan document little known pre-Spanish and Hindu-Malay tradition.

I laughed when I read that the waving of phalluses was considered masturbation. Hehehe.

I have Goong!!!!

Yes! I have obtained the DVD 10 disc set of Goong as a prize for cleaning the refrigerator on Monday evening. It also serves as a part prize because I updated the dear old resume. Gotta keep looking you know.

Paper Airplanes

During 6th Grade in LSQC, we made paper airplanes. The goal was to get it across the street, approximately 300 feet away.

Best Paper Airplanes

Goong a Korean Drama

Over the weekend, I was entertained by youtube.com, a service that shows films/movies over the internet.

While looking for silly Japanese game shows, I stumbled across a Korean game show populated by Korean actors and singers. I was fascinated by the fact that the actors and singers allow themselves to be the subject of ridicule and fun. This is vastly different from American royalty. More than that, it required said actors and singers to be WITTY. This is something that Americans do not necessarily have.

One game requires a person to ask a question, and the other person must say "Of course." This often led to confessions of true love to the other person. Showing one's genunine feelings for another person is quite touching. In one episode, a female singer mentioned how she wanted to get to know another singer. In ten minutes, she explained her obsession/crush and it was complete with tears.

Absolutely attentive television!

One of the results is a television drama called Goong. Go check it out.

My Harem

I used to have a harem.

However, if you leave the rats to four a cage, they will inevitably get nasty. Rats are carnivorous and if one of the rats get sick, the others will begin cannibalizing. So imagine hundreds of rats in one cage container. Some of those rats will have to be put down.

Life

Continues even though some lives end. Three weeks ago, my uncle passed away. And as I sat and looked at the way Pin@ys grieve, I am struck that the only times we see people now are during weddings and funerals. Life goes on and passes on by.

Had a training at work in which I saw the good, the bad and the ugly of the law firm. Some lawyers were just so ignorant that they screwed up the system. Some lawyers wanted to do well in the training. Other lawyers just sat around and did not try.

I realize of course now why some people become partners, while others don't. First, you got to have some sort of brain. Second, it's all in the attitude. One lawyer in particular in the office does not have either one. She does not understand how the system works, and at the same time, he does not have the proper attitude of going with the flow. She made the mistake of stopping the work twice. In the first instance, he was just ignorant. In the second instance, he did not listen.

As for me, I need to learn how to encourage people and not sound judgemental. Damn, that is hard.