BAKIT HINDI ITO TRAVELING

TRAVELING: Taking 3 steps without dribbling the ball - Super educated basketball fan explanation

Sa madaling salita. Kapag naka tatlong hakbang ka sa basketball ng walang dribble, ikaw ay matatawagan ng traveling violation. Yan ang pangunahing deskripsyon ng mga karaniwang nanonood ng basketball. Wala nang ibang argumento. Wala nang ibang dahilan. Wala nang ibang konsiderasyon. Traveling yan. Yan ay sabi ng P.E. teacher nila.

Simple and plain. Bakit pa ba magsesearch ng iba pang meaning. E yun na nga 'yon.

Balikan natin ang dunk na nasa itaas

Traveling ba? Para sa iba, OO. Para sa marunong mag research at tunay na Basketball fan mula pa noon, ang sagot ay isang malaking HINDI.

Kung ang tatanungin mo ay si Google, marami s'yang pwedeng ibato sa'yong dahilan kung BAKIT HINDI ITO TRAVELING. Dahil ang dahilan n'ya. Ay hindi lang basta; "Three steps = traveling". Dahil maraming dapat na konsiderasyon bago tawagan ng traveling ang isang move. Maraming "ELSE-IF" statement.

Ilan sa mga konsiderasyon ay ang mga ilang move at rule na ito. Halimbawa:

HOP STEP MOVE
Else If: Kung ikaw ay nag-drive, at ang first step mo matapos ang isang dribble ay ang iyong right foot. Ang susunod mong hakbang ay dapat sa kaliwang paa. Kung ang susunod mong hakbang ay sa kanang paa, ito ay hindi matatawag na traveling violation. Dahil ang first step ay walang count, sapagkat ito ay off the dribble.
If: Pero kung ang first step mo matapos ang isang dribble ay ang right foot mo, at ang sumunod na hakbang ay right foot muli bago ang isang hakbang kaliwa. Ito ay violation na.
Ito ay malinaw na ipinaliwanag sa link na ito: www.youtube.com/watch

GATHER STEP or TWO AND A HALF STEP
"You're allowed 2 steps upon completion of a dribble, so if you dribble while pushing off of one foot it is not counted toward one of your 2 allowed steps." - NBA RULE BOOK
Ito ay madalas na tinatawag na "Two and a half step" kung saan ang half step ay ang "Gather step" na ginagamit ng mga player na gumagawa ng "EURO-STEP MOVE".

Kaya sa mga nag mamarunong. Paki-explain kung bakit hindi traveling si Dwyane Wade dito

Pati sa dunk ni Manu Ginobli dito

At lalo na sa layup ni Michael Jordan dito.

Yun lang. Maraming Salamat.

Parang Namumulaklak ang Hardin

Sa pagsilay sa panibagong araw,
Ikaw ang s'yang unang tinatanaw.
Kapag wala ka ay sobrang lamig,
Parang lunch time na walang sabaw.

Sa pag-daan mo'y ika'y inaabangan,
Sa paglapit mo'y ako'y kinakabahan,
Sa tuwing ikaw ay ngumingiti,
Ako'y labis na nasisiyahan.

Para kang isang paru parong naligaw,
Sa gitna ng isang malawak na damuhan.
At lahat ng madaanan mo'y
Namumulaklak ng tuluyan.

Wala na akong gusto pang iba,
Ikaw lang ang s'yang aking inaasam.

Wala na akong nais pang iba,

Dinggin ang aking nararamdaman.

At dahil nakilala na kita,
Ang gusto ko lang ay makilala ka pa.
At dahil nakasama na kita,
Ang nais ko lang ay makasama kapa.

I Don't Want To Go Home - Marqus Blakely

Marqus Blakely wearing San Mig Coffee's white uniform in a Finals game in Governor's Cup 2013

If you will read the list of Imports for the current PBA conference. You will notice that his name has the smallest height in the tally. 6'5" s'ya mga tol.

If you will make time to read the box-score of Purefoods vs Global port game last Friday. You will see these numbers beside his name, 26 points, 19 rebounds. 7 blocks. Almost a triple-double. 

Actually, the first thing that cross my mind when I heard that he will be the temporary import of Purefoods, I thought, dehado sa height, baka hindi kayanin. But when I saw him made a three point shot, grabbed 19 rebounds and just missed one free-throw that game. Men, we should make him stay!

Here is a guy, who knows the system very well. Knows the team for so long (I will not get surprise if he already shared an Ice-cream with Joe Devance). Became one of the reasons of 2 championships of the team's 4-peat. Beside the fact that his contract will just take 2-3 games, he still giving Purefoods so many reasons why they should keep him. 

Tonight, in his 'virtual' last game vs Alaska. He scored 17points and 11 rebounds. Double-Double is the best two words in sports for him, no doubt.

Every game he bring-up huge numbers. Suffer a lot of bumps inside the paint (bumps with the floor are not included). But I don't think he used salonpas for body-pains. Because literally and figuratively, his body is made of titanium.

What more can we ask for? A 6'5" player who rebound like a 6'9". With a titanium body combined with energy who can light up the whole Farmers plaza. Who is so familiar in any aspects of the team. I wish, Purefoods franchise should give him a permanent Philippine-address and keep him forever. You agree?

And if you still find a person who doubt Mr. Blakely. Pakisabi nalang, "huy si Mr. Everything s'ya".

Skip the Dream XX

In some moment of time, sometimes, life is unfair.

Sometimes, life is on your side and then the next day, you probably don't have any clue what it will throw to you.

I have a very good friend who passed away yesterday. And it was stunning. Every people who knew the news about him were totally shocked. He was a really good person. His personality is great when it comes of dealing with people. He has a very friendly type of personality. And as I heard, and as I think so, he is also a hard working father. His name is Melchor, not the one in 3 Kings. He range about more than 50 years old, I guess. The only way his family will receive coins and bills is when he will go back to home from the barbershop that he stayed-in from 7am in the morning til the barbershop close at 7pm. He used to smoke every-time he doesn't have a customer, or read  newspapers outside the barbershop and turn the tabloid's page to sports section and find the latest news about the PBA. That is what I used to know him. When he got a tabloid on his hands, its either he is reading some articles on Sports or just answering Sodoku and Crossword-puzzles.

He lost his wife in the middle of last year because of a serious health-condition. But he stayed humble beyond that obstacle of his life. He continue to support his childrens in school and in some way, he also made their house renovated. That is what you called, bunga ng pagta-tiyaga. 

And then his time on this Earth ended.

What can we do? If your time is now, we do not have the rights to demand. That is the reality of life. 

"Many that live deserve death and some that  died deserve life." 

- Gandalf 'The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring'

Bakit Iwas si Bob Arum sa Pacquiao-Mayweather bout

Photo from www.latinopost.com

Makalipas ang isang buwan. Matapos magbitaw ng anim na suntok na umiskor ng anim na knockdown at nagpabagsak sa kalabang Amerikano. Nakabangon muli si Pacquiao mula sa multo ng kamao ng isang meksikanong minsang nagpatulog sa kanya. Ang muntikan nang career na matapos ay naiahong muli. Sa kabila ng mga kwestyon at pagdududang makakaya pa. Sa kabila ng mga kontrobersiya sa posibleng laban kay 'Mayo de panahon' (Mayweather) at sa kabila ng banta ng pala-ngiting si Kim Henares, tumabo ulit s'ya ng milyong piso... pero hindi kasing dami ng sa mga nakaraan.

Makalipas ang anim na taong paghahamon, tatlumput-siyam na palusot at labing anim pang palusot na posible n'yang sabihin sa hinaharap. Nagbitaw na ng petsa ang nagiisang pound for pound king sa boxing ngayon. Mayo a-dos ng susunod na taon, gusto na n'yang labanan si Manny Pacquiao.

Wala na e, simot na halos ang mga boxing-star sa 147lbs division. Kaya hindi na s'ya makatatangging labanan pa si Congressman. Kahit si Manny nagtiyaga nalang kay Algieri na hindi naman n'ya ka-lebel. Kumbaga pag hinalintulad natin sa PBA, si Pacquiao, Superstar na ala-James Yap habang si Algieri Rookie na ala Manny Pacquiao... Oops.

At malamang, hindi rin nanaising umakyat ni Floyd sa 154lbs at 160lbs weight-division dahil nandito na halos ang mga ka-size n'ya. Tiyak na hahamunin agad ni Gennady Golovkin to pag nagkataon. Umurong din s'ya sa rematch kay Miguel Cotto. Bakit? Si Freddie Roach na trainer ngayon e. Wais.

Pero kung payag na si Daldal at payag din si Pacquiao, bakit parang may gusot parin?

"It's disrespectful to the Mexicans. Only Mexican fighters can fight on that day (Cinco de Mayo)." - Bob Arum

Cinco de Mayo, isang selebrasyon na ginugunita ng mga Meksikano at ng mga Mexican-american sa Amerika. Pero May 2 'yung laban? May 5 'yung pagdiriwang? At kung dapat pala ay puro mga meksikanong boksingero lamang ang pwedeng mapanood sa araw na 'yon, bakit n'ya itinuloy noon ang Hatton-Pacquiao (May 2, 2009) at Mosley-Pacquiao (May 7, 2011) na mga laban kung saan pumatak ang mga petsa sa loob ng linggo habang ipinagdiriwang ang Cinco de Mayo?

Naunang maging usap-usapan ang Canelo Alvarez-Miguel Cotto fight para sa May 2, 2015. Pero hanggang ngayon, wala paring papel ang nalalagdaan. Sa kabila na si Freddie Roach rin ang trainer ni Cotto, ang nasabing petsa ay hindi parin naman pinal para sa laban kaya hindi ko parin makita ang dahilan kung bakit hindi pwede para kay Bob Arum ang petsang nabanggit. Kung saan ang mismong boksingero at guro nito ay nagpahayag na ng pag-sangayon.

$300,000 ang kinita ng pay-per-view sales ng Pacquiao-Algieri. Mula nang matamo ni Manny Pacquiao ang pagkabigo kay Juan Manuel Marquez, kung saan umabot ng $1,150,000 ang nalikom sa pay-per-view ng kanilang laban. Lumiit na ang nakokolekta ni Bob Arum mula sa mga laban ni Emmanuel Pacquiao. 

E magkano na lamang ba ang napupunta kay Pambansang kamao? Mula sa porsyento n'ya na hati sa kinita ng kanyang laban, bente porsyento (20%) ang mapupunta kay Bob Arum. (10%) kay Coach Jawo Este Freddie Roach. Bawasan pa ng mga assistant ni Freddie Roach. Training-camp expenses. Tax bills sa US bukod pa sa Pilipinas o sa makatuwid- share ni Kim Henares. Gastos pang-eroplano, pang-kain araw-araw, pang-yosi at pang-inom ng sandamakmak n'yang dinadalang alalay sa amerika. Pambayad sa inuupahang hotel para sa mga 'yon at balato para kay Pambansang-anino na si Chavit Singson. E baka pang-hermes nalang ni Jinkee at Aling Dionisia ang matira.

Hindi ba't masyado s'yang maraming ginagastos sa isang araw? Kung bawasan n'ya kaya 'yung bilang ng entourage n'ya na may- Trainer, assistant ng trainer, adviser, assistant ng adviser, taga-luto, taga-hugas ng plato, taga-paligo ng oto, taga-pakain ng aso, mga pastor na kaaway ng nanay n'ya, driver, security, alalay at alalay ng alalay ng alalay. Siguro malaki rin ang matitipid n'ya. Mayroon kapang 2.2 bilyong-pisong utang na ginigiit ng BIR, Manny.

“They’re all competing to be golden boy for the day. Clean his pool. Take his shoes off. They will do anything for Manny Pacquiao. I’m telling you, the funniest thing is, whoever is on the best terms with Manny at that moment sleeps closest to him, at the foot of his bed." - Freddie Roach from nytimes.com

“I see new guys every day, Guys who I don’t even know who they are, or what they do.” - Joe Ramos from nytimes.com

Pero sino nga ba ang balakid sa laban na dapat noon pa nangyari? Si Pacquiao na naghahabol nalang daw ng kikitain sabi ni Mayweather? Si Mayweather na humihingi ng mga kasunduan (blood/drug test, 70-30 cut, Turn down Arum, Showtime boxing ppv) O mismong si Bob Arum na minsan nang tinalikuran ng mga boksingerong umangat pa ang mga numerong nakukuha sa kanilang payday mula nang iwanan s'ya- gaya ni Oscar De La Hoya, Julio Cesar Chavez Jr, Mikey Garcia at ultimong si Floyd Mayweather.

Iwas ba si Bob Arum sa Pacquiao-Mayweather bout?

Gusto n'ya (daw) matuloy pero tingin ko, gusto n'ya munang palakihin ang pera. Sa mga nakaraang laban ni Pacquiao na kasama s'ya na madalas 60-40 ang hatian, angat si Manny sapagkat ang 60% na hati ang sa kanya. At ang kabuuan na makukuha ni Mr. Arum matapos ang pag-upo at pano-nood sa venue? 20% ng kita ni Manny, 20% ng kita ng kalaban ni Manny at porsyento din n'ya sa pay-per-view at ticket sales mula sa HBO at Venue.

Kaya ano sa tingin ninyo ang iki-kilos ni Bob Arum? Hayaang 70-30 ang hatian ng laban at 30% lang ang mapupunta kay Pacquiao? Ano nalang gagamitin n'ya pang Casino sa Vegas kung hindi n'ya naman makakaltasan si Mayweather at kahati din ng Top Rank n'ya ang Golden Boy sa pagpo-promote ng laban?

At kahit magpahayag pa sila ng samut-saring balita, hanggat walang napipirmahang kontrata, wala paring aabangang laban. At ang tanging may posibilidad lang kung sakaling matuloy ang laban (na isa sa hiling ni Mayweather), ay ang katotohanan na masakit- Walang "Let's get ready to rumble" na introduction ni Micheal Buffer dahil hindi HBO ang broadcaster! Anak ng piktal na tsinelas talaga.

Salamat sa Pagbabasa

Charity Basketball Game to a Refundable Practice Game. Toinks

Milyong piso para sa mga Talent Fee. Daang-Libo para sa mga plane tickets. At Ilang libo pa para sa mga Hotel Reservations para sa mga NBA players na bumisita sa Pilipinas. Sila ay dumating para sa THE LAST HOME STAND event na inorganisa at binuo ng PLDT. Ito ay isang charity event. Charity Basketball game na nauwi sa..... nevermind na nga lang muna.

Binuo ang Fibr All-Star team ng mga NBA players na sina Terrence Ross, Damian Lillard, Demar De Rozan, Kyle Lowry at Kawhi Leonard. Kasama pa sina Tyson Chandler, Ed Davis, Nick Johnson and James Harden. Yup! Hindi man lang dumating kahit anino ni Blake Griffin at Paul George na silang inaasahan talaga ng marami.

Real work out? o Real Practice?

Mapapalaban daw.....

LAST PLAY daw oh!

Mukhang ang unang plano talaga ay Gilas vs NBA stars in a Basketball game. Halata naman sa mga tweets nina Coach Chot, MVP at Paul George. Pero bakit nga ba nagbago...... Siguro ganito:

Hindi dumating sina Paul George at Blake Griffin (Mga NBA Superstars) NBA superstars meaning, mas malalaking pangalan, mas malalaki ang talent fee. Idagdag mo pa yung ibang mga NBA stars. Hindi dumating sina Paul George at Blake Griffin dahil a week before the event, alam na nilang hindi maso-sold out ang tickets dahil sa hina ng bentahan.

Natural, san kukuha ng kick-back para masalo ang Talent-fee na ibabayad sa kanila? Syempre sa Game-tickets. Kaya ayun, Ang isang Patron ticket, katumbas na ng sweldo sa dalawang buwan ng isang Contractual Employee sa Pinas kasama pa ang O.T. pay.

Eto ang mga price ng tickets sa The last Home Stand ng PLDT at sa Ultimate All-Star Weekend ng Smart noong 2011.

Biglang umatras sina Griffin at George? Nakakapagtaka ba? Well, nagtataka karin siguro kung bakit panay ang plug ng mga players ng Gilas sa Instagram at Twitter at kahit sa Eat Bulaga. Mukhang sa unang limang araw palang ng pagbebenta ng Ticketnet, langaw ang pila.

Kaya nagpa-promo na ang mga organizers para may kumuha ng tickets. Namigay pa nga ng mga Free Tickets sa pamamagitan ng isang..... "Retweet" lang ang ibang page. Nag PRICE DROP pa days before the event. Pero kahit anong hakbang ang gawin nila (kahit 30% off na daw), ang kinalabasan kagabi, ang mga upuan, PURO BAKANTE.

Pero kung ginawa sana nilang Wallet-Friendly ang tickets? Yung tipong kagaya rin nung prices ng ticket sa Ultimate All-Star Weekend na kasama pa sina Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant, Chris Paul at Derrick Rose. (Ang ilan sa mga  Top paid players sa NBA) Panigurado, masosold-out yan hanggang General Admission.

Isang malaking kapabayaan ang nangyari. Hindi napagisipan ang tamang-presyong ilalagay sa printed tickets. At dahil OLATS sa bentahan ng tickets, mababawi paba ang ibinayad sa mga NBA-Stars? Kaya imbis na palaruin sila, edi 'wag nalang silang magpa-pawis para may discount din sa TF nila.

At kung sakali mang hindi talaga pinayagan ang mga NBA-stars mag laro ng kanilang sinasalihang Liga, alam na 'yan dapat ng mga organizers ng event bago palang magsimula ang program na 'yan. Hindi 'yung last minute na saka mo sasabihing "AY MALI KAYO NG AKALA WALA KAMING SINABING GANO'N" sa mga fans na bumili ng pala-gintong tickets at sasabihing refundable nalang ang binayad kung hindi masisiyahan sa panunuod sabay segway na "for a good cause ito".

Ayan, dahil sa nangyaring ito. Baka wala nang magtiwala kapag sinabing "For Charity" ang gagawing event ni MVP. Nasira pangalan n'ya dito e. Hindi naman sisisihin ang mga organizers na nagayos. At kung sakaling gumawa ulit ng ganitong klaseng event dito sa Pinas, baka i-boycott nalang din ng mga Pinoy. Haaay Nevermind nalang.

Will The Dream Finally Come True - The Quest For The Grand Slam

It was in December 2011, in the Philippine Cup Quarterfinals of the PBA, my last bad dream happened. B-Meg, my favorite team, that is now called San Mig Coffee Mixers, lost to the eight seed Powerade Tigers in a winner takes all match.

It was a tough loss, I was stunned. I can't even eat my dinner after I saw Gary David put B-Meg on drowning by making all of his dagger three point shots in the crucial moments of the game. I even reached 3 O-clock in the morning just to sleep because it's so hard to take one that night. The night that whenever I close my eyes, I always see Gary David, facing his hot hands, running all over the court with 38 big points.

Photo from Interaksyon.com

The elimination-round finished that B-Meg is at the top of the standings. They entered the quarterfinals with a twice to beat advantage on their side and  faced the young Powerade team led by Gary David, Marcio Lassiter and Jayvee Casio. Magoo Marjon also announced that time that Powerade has 'no chance in hell' in this match-up.

Tim Cone was tested, this is only his first playoffs appearance as a coach of the Purefoods franchise. He recently broke the silence of the cyber world when he decided to break up with his former team- Alaska Aces. After earning 13 championship trophies from about 25 title-shots, Tim Cone decided to call it quits.

The game was decided by a nerve-breaking over time. Powerade won, B-Meg lost. Gary David reached  the super-stardom level that night. And his name, together with that game will be remembered forever.

Denzel Bowles

In the following conference, B-Meg finally entered the Finals. It's only Tim Cone's second conference with the team. The series went to a do or die Game 7 vs the mighty Talk N' Text. The tickets for the game was sold-out before it reached the game day. There were over 21,000 basketball fans inside the venue (minus the mop boys, the mascots, the team members, the media and the Pba crew). Hundreds to thousands are still outside the venue because Big Dome cannot sell tickets anymore for security reasons.

The Game clock was stop at 1.2 and the score is 76-74, Talk N' Text is having a 2-point lead advantage at the moment. Fortunately, Denzel Bowles, the 21-year old 6'10" fresh from NBA D-League was fouled by Kelly Williams. It was that time, that almost 80% of the crowd and the millions watching at home was holding their breathes for the 2 biggest shots of the night.

Denzel sinks the first free-throw, he turned around, and takes some more steps before shooting the second and the most important one. The most important free-throw of his basketball career.

He steps in to the free throw area and face the basketball ring with tears flowing down on his face and there were a jam-packed crowd all around him, wishing for a possible overtime.

Bowles makes the second shot. A loud roar from the crowd covers the whole big dome. At home, I was shouting and punching the pillow beside me brought by my emotions. It was an incredible feeling watching the two biggest shots of the tournament.

B-Meg fans are enjoying every bit of a second after that shot, like they won the 6/55 Grand lotto jackpot on that particular time. A lot of fans are exchanging high-fives with their co-fans (yeah, not a family member, a classmate or a friend neither) that they have talked to for about seconds ago. As if they've became friends automatically after those free-throws.

That night is the sweetest night of all the championship nights for me. After a hard fall from the previous conference. After a long title drought. A gift was arrived, and it arrived so perfectly. It arrived like a gift came in to the chimney by a drop from Santa Claus sleigh. And after that game, everybody treats Denzel Bowles like a Christmas present under a Christmas tree.

"Those are, I mean gargantuan free throws by Denzel Bowles. He made the first, and I don't know any human being who could stand the pressure of having to make the second free-throw."  -Mico Halili

3-PEAT to Grandslam

Are we an underdog? Somehow, you have to agree with me. But in some way, you have to say no we're not, we're strong.

The team always start a conference in a weird position. After winning a championship in the previous conference, they always start the next conference at the bottom part of the standings. Oh well I forgot, they are SANMIG, there should be no problem. They can afford to have a 1-5 Win-Loss record in standings but still able to get championship trophies after getting one.

So if there will be someone who will ask me for the explanation of the quote: "It's not about how you start, but how you finish" I will just simply reply, go search SanMig on Google.

I'm not a Purefoods/B-Meg/SanMig fan before. I was a Talk N' Text Phone-pals devotee from the years of Alapag-Ravena-Pablo-Telan-Taulava first five. I remember watching my first PBA game cheering for Talk N Text vs Sta. Lucia inside the gym of Baste, my College school in Cavite City. I was a fanatic of Vic Pablo's fade away shot before I found James Yap's elegant picture-perfect jump-shot capture more interesting to see.

I used to be entertained by Noy Castillo's three point shots before PJ Simon's version became much cooler to see. I used to be amazed by Ryan Gregorio's reactions after a shot made in a crucial moment of a game. Then I found out that a Tim Cone's "ALL RIGHTS" (OWAYT) in a timeout are the best. Mark Barroca and Justin Melton taught me that a 5'10" solution can be an answer to a 7 footer problem.

For now, I'm just waiting for a not so miracle kind like to happen. I'm just hoping for a dream to come true. I'm just wishing for a GRANDSLAM. The most prestigious title in the PBA that every team wanted. The title that last happened in 1996. The title that so hard to achieved. And the title that Tim Cone embraced before.

We all know that it's not easy to win it. Because it will takes too long before a team gets a chance for a shot to earn it. And SanMig faced a lot of obstacles first before they reached their spot right now.

But I believe to my team. I believe that a Jerwin Gaco's 45 high fives per game can do it. 

I believe that a Joe Devance and a Rafi Reavi's rebound can help the team to do it.

I believe that a Marc Pingris block shot can erase every attempt of the opponent to secure it. 

I believe that a Justin Melton's dunk from an alley-oop pass or a Blakely's tomahawk power-slam can make it.

I believe that a Mark Barroca's tear drop or a PJ Simon's perfect jump shot can shoot it. 

And I believe that a James Yap's turn-around-fade-away shot can win it!

We're almost there. Just one more win. Just one last time.

It's about 37 hours ago since I heard Game four's buzzer sound and we're less than 24 hours away from the next game. And I'm here wishing and hoping that I will see them again. Celebrating. Like what they're doing in the pictures below. Enjoying every seconds of the moment, under the rain of balloons and confettis falling from the roof of the coliseum, standing at the center stage, surrounded with a giant crowd that clapping their hands because they DID IT AGAIN.

San Mig Coffee - 2013 PBA Governor's Cup Champion

San Mig Coffee - 2014 PBA Philippine Cup Champion

San Mig Coffee - 2014 PBA Commissioner's Cup champion

Skip the Dream XIX

Paano mo ba masasabing ang isang araw ay isang kumpletong araw? O paano mo masasabing ang isang araw ay ang isang araw kung saan wala kang nakitang dapat ikapangamba dahil walang kulang sa araw na 'yon.

Ngayong taon, ay ang ika-dalawampu't isang taon ko bilang nilalang sa mundo. Ika-apat na taong pagiging ganap na botante ng bansa. Well, bilang isa sa napapabilang sa madlang pilipino, ang aking ika-dalawampu't isang taong eksistensya sa mundo, ay masasabi kong perpekto. Hindi dahil may Internet connection ako kada-araw kundi dahil sa tinagal-tagal at sa dami ng araw na lumipas mula sa una kong pagmulat at pag-gapang sa mundo ay kaya ko nang mag-prito ng itlog na hindi ko na nababasag ang pula. Nakakatuwa diba. Isang malaking karangalan.

Ngunit hindi ko masasabing walang balakid na dumaan. Dahil sa habang tumatagal, habang nabibilang ang araw na dumadaan. Isa paring malaking pagsubok kung paano ako makakapag prito ng isda na hindi na didikit ang isda sa kawaling kinalalagyan nito. Isa lang yan sa maraming bagay na nagpapagigil sa akin minsan.

Pero siguro, mas magiging perpekto, kung may kotse, sariling condo, at sandamukal na gadgets ang hinahawakan ng mga kamay ko kada araw. Pero ang reyalidad, wala, at hindi ako naghahangad ng anumang bagay hangga't maaari kung nabubuhay naman ako ngayon ng wala ang mga 'yon.

Pero hindi ko maitatanggi at aminado akong isang malaking kagalakan kung magkakaro'n ako kahit isang latest gadget ngayong taon na magiging luma agad sa susunod na taon dahil may bagong modelo nang lalabas. Hindi parin naman ako mabubuhay nang walang cellphone na gagamitin sa isang araw. Pero diba, napatunayan ko rin na totoo pala ito: "Sa agham at teknolohiya ang buhay ay gaganda." Yan ang sabi ng Sineskwela.

Sa makatuwid, ang ibig ko lang ipaabot. Ay magiging kumpleto, o matatawag mo lang na kumpleto ang isang araw, kung wala kanang hihilingin pa sa araw na 'yon dahil kuntento kana sa lahat ng bagay na meron ka. Pero langya, gusto ko talaga ng Pringles araw-araw.