Kablog2’s Weblog

My birthday must be near. Clara Garabiles already greeted me “Happy Birthday.”

I’ll be 34 in a few days. Not really old or middle aged yet.

But Paolo Oliveros cheekily asked me the other day if I was still in the YS movement when World Youth Day was held in Manila. He did not seem convinced when I said I was. Must be the beating he took when the CPR-deranged PNP dragged him along a good stretch of Recto. So I forgave him. (Pero subukan niyang ulitin at mag-e-MPT ako sa Trabajo Market and all I’ll be playing is his famous “Father Junie! Father Junie! Huwag mo akong iwanan!” near last words.)

Anyway, napaisip tuloy ako. To be honest, I am approaching middle age-hood. And there are already signs to this. Here is a partial list of said signs. (Warning: list would be updated from time to time.)

Food:

1. I am trying to limit rice my intake (it is NOT easy!);

2. prefer coffee over soda;

3. choose diet soda over the regularly sweetened ones (with seven tablespoons of sugar);

4. like tomato-sauced pasta and hate banana ketchup-laced noodles; and

5. choose canned tuna over canned processed food.

Alcohol:

1. I prefer light beer over pale pilsen;

2. have four bottles instead of eight;

3. choose brandy over beer; and

4. pick wine over brandy (but I really can’t afford wine).

Driving:

1. I no longer think I am the hottest driver on the road (rising costs of fuel has something to do with this as well–thank you, government!);

2. do less tailgating; and

3. make earlier and softer braking.

Habits:

1. I am more predictable; and

2. am generally asleep by 11 (especially when my wife beat me to the remote).

Disposition:

1. I am less rowdy and makulit;

3. Mas senti na raw magsulat (kaya ko nga pinipilit itong kornik article na ito e); and

4. easier to blow a gasket.

Health:

1. I am already with gout;

2. already with gall stones;

3. already wears glasses; and

4. hit 140 over 90 and 180 over 110 a coupla times already.

Looks:

1. I already have white hair;

2. white nose hair;

3. white facial hair;

4. white ______ hair;

5. thicker facial hair;

6. a near 40-inch waistline (what waistline?); and

7. mas gwapo!

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27-11-2005

Where we waited to flag down a minibus or jeepney to take us to Tuguegarao, I remember, was a waiting shed that did not allow us to see vehicles coming. It was (and still is) idiotically placed at the deep part of a sweeping bend. We always had our ears cocked to the sound of an approaching vehicle and when we hear something we crane our necks to see if it was a public transport.

It was this curious audile practice that first got me interested in cars. And when I think which engine sound I liked best, it can only be the venerable VW Beetle. I mean, who could mistake the distinct sound it makes? Plus, it has the most unique of shapes that always made me jump up and point with unabashed glee whenever one passed by.

I know I was not the only who got so enamoured by it. My friend Jayvee Benedicto owns a 1962 lovely that he raced against my car one late and inebriated night along Libis. My dear uncle Humberto Bauza loved his dull red Beetle more than his books, which is saying quite a lot. (Never mind the fact that it was Adolf Hitler who ordered Porsche to design and manufacture it. Even tyrants know a thing or two about beauty and functionality. Look at Imelda.)

When I was still a kid, VW introduced an ugly sibling to the Beetle that was first sold in Australia as a buggy. I forgot its name now but it had no window glass and curves whatsoever. Puro kanto. I still see one or two of those running in the provinces but that model proved to be not as popular nor as enduring as the world’s most popular car. Me, I loved it as well. It had the same engine sound. Plus, what’s not to love about a car that took pride in being the ugliest in history? I can only compare it to the late great Rene Requiestas whose butt-faced ugliness only complimented his formidable thespian skills.

As a tyke, my Uncle Zoilo was my favorite driver. I called him Paspas Driver. He owned a Ford Escort, then the winningest rally car in the international circuit. Sadly, it went up in flames when a moron of a welder worked very close to its fuel tank.

The car that I think was the most popular on Philippine streets was the Isuzu Gemini (relative to the number of cars running around in its heyday). Absolutely all taxis in the early 80s were “Gemi”. It was noisy, cramped and, in the days before air-conditioned taxis, hot. But it was the only diesel-powered car poor kids like me had the chance of riding. Then, as now, diesel-powered Mercs and BMWs were only for the privileged in this semi-colonial, semi-feudal social set up we have.

When I was attending college, a rich kid drove a Chevy BelAir to school. It had a condensada yellow paint trimmed with evaporada white which looked gorgeous on its Batman wings. It was chromed tastefully too. Hindi bastos like those on MTVs “Pimp My Ride”. Even today’s spoiler-burdened cars could not hold a candle to it. In the few times when rich classmates would invite me to cruise around with them at the then drag race central of Greenhills, there I would see the BelAir regally rolling and drawing all the attention to itself. However souped-up the Corollas, Sentras and the Lancers were, there simply was no better babe magnet on the horizon then.

Yeah. I loved cars so much when I was a kid and when I was growing up. But being a son of a lowly and honest civil servant, there was simply no way I could be given a key to even just a second-hand car by my father. Like the great majority of poor boys, happy na ako sa aking iilang pirasong Matchboxes.

When I became an activist, I pretty much gave up on owning a car. Full-time tibaks are not supposed to have any earning capacity, right? Yet, lo and behold, another activist virtually gave away the junk rotting in front of his house to me in 2001. Hence, my first and only car. (See my earlier entry “Batik” somewhere below.)

I love this car. Even in the very remote possibility of me being able to afford another one soon (not necessarily a brand new set of wheels) I could not bear the thought of parting with this one. It’s a keeper.

Today however I still dream of owning a new car. I have an eye on several, actually.

While I will be keeping Batik as long as its is still being held up by its flaking paint and rust, it would do me well to drive a fuel miser of a subcompact in this age of privatized oil industry. A Kia Picanto? A Honda Jazz or City? A Toyota Vios? A Hyundai Getz? A Suzuki Swift? Heck! Even a ‘matic 600-cc Norkis Legacy double crew cab or a Suzuki Bravo (Super Carry) would do.

Nangangarap na lang din naman, hindi masamang magkaroon ako ng all-wheel drive sa hinaharap. But I abhor those American-sized SUVs. Any Suzuki would be just fine, thank you. The bantam-sized Suzukis are perfect for our narrow and perennially choked streets and my perennially shallow pockets. A Jimny should be fun to drive, ‘no?

Next, I dream of owning an Aston Martin for no other reason but its being the best car out there, bar none.

But I am not holding my breath.
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11-27-2005

My wife is a La Salle system alumna. Kaya pasintabi sa kanya.

I just don’t understand why La Salle sounds so aggrieved when the UAAP board announced it wanted a deeper investigation than the in-house “investigation” DLSU made in regard to their fielding of ineligible players.

Lalo namang hindi ko maintindihan why some sports columnists would write that La Salle has suffered enough already.

Leche!

If one cheated in a tournament, sanctions would have to be meted. Returning throphies is not enough. Suspension is not even enough punishment–expulsion is.

Who these pindejos are trying to fool, I don’t know. It is common knowledge naman that La Salle has been cheating–matagal na. It actively pirates promising players from other schools and offers them not only scholarships but huge allowances, pads and cars as well. Heck, some college ballplayers are getting paid much more than some players in the semi- and the pro leagues.

Nasabi ko na rin lang naman, ganun din ang Ateneo at iba pang schools sa UAAP at NCAA. As far as I know, sa NCRAA lang walang bayaran at suhulan. When I was an NCAA reporter, I heard that some NCAA schools (Intramuros-based) are fixing the referees. Noong 1991 pa naman ito. But what do you say, Mr. Go Teng Kok?

For all their faults, not the least of which is being in long title droughts, the SBC and UP sports programs have never been involved in such shenanigans. Mainam na bumuo sila ng bagong liga, along with NU, UE, FEU, JRU, PCU, MLQU, AU, UM, PUP, atbp. Some of these schools may not be marquee pero an Intercollegiate Honesty League is not necessarily a bad idea, right? At least, alam natin that their players are real students at hindi pampered hoopsters out to earn big bucks without putting in some class time man lang.

I agree, a deeper investigation is needed. Pero hindi lang sa La Salle kundi sa buong NCAA at UAAP din.

Kung hindi, usapang ulol lang ang lahat ng ito.
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11-10-2005

My fault. I should have said I can’t do it the first time I was asked.

Now that I know how much the offered gig would line my frayed and lonely pockets, I want to kick myself for asking “how much”.

I was asked if I am interested in the editorship of a Hong Kong newspaper. Urgent daw; ready to fly next week.

Actually, I blame Rhea Veda “Maganda Daw” De Los Santos too. Sabi niya, maganda siya. Kaya sinagot ko rin siya ng pabiro. I said that if they’re offering 5k a month, then I’m good.

Hindi naman ganun kalaki. But what I would get as “allowance” in two years, I would get as a month’s salary. Not bad, di ba?

It is really a case of bad timing. Had it been offered to me less than half a year ago, I would have grabbed at the opportunity to earn real money. The gig’s perks include doing some “poltasks” pa rin naman. Not a bad deal, huh?

Pero, I am happy where I am. And although I am swamped with too many tasks (that I think I am doing good at), I am fulfilled naman–hindi nga lang financially.

Incidentally, I will be commemorating my 13th year as an “official” tibak come Monday , November 15, Teddy Casiño’s birthday. (Kasalanan mo, Vilma Santos!)

I am tempted. But I don’t believe in the 13th year, or any other goddamn year, itch. I must decline.
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11-08-2005

Weird season, this year for F1 was.

But not for Ferrari and Schumacher-haters. (My wife loves the Ferrari team and Reubens Barrichelo but hates Michael.) Many think that this year has been the best F1 season in years. Yesterday, Renault bagged the constructor’s championship. A couple of weeks back, Renault’s Fernando Alonso became the youngest F1 World Champion.

I agree that it is good some new faces are being touted as the next Ayrton Senna or Michael Schumy. Heck, they may even have cult followings like Jacques Villanueve (a French-Canadian relative? Not!).

But some would have agreed with me this is really a weird season.

Last year, it was a given than a Ferrari driver would be at the podium. Every other team was trying their best to prevent Schumy from copping his seventh title. But at the middle of the season, everyone was ready to admit he will have it, with the help of his long-suffering partner Reubens.

So what did the F1 bigwigs do? Change the rules, they did. They made the teams use the same engines for two races and the tires for the entire race, including time trials. I firmly believe these rule changes were made to cripple the formidable Ferrari formula—change engines every race and tires up to three or four times in a race.

I am willing to admit that Renault, Maclaren-Mercedes, BMW-Williams. Toyota and BAR-Honda made huge leaps in engine development. Still, I kinda think that Ferrari got the raw end of the deal.

As a result, the only Ferrari one-two win this season is the bizarre American Grand Prix in Indianapolis where only four Bridgestone-shod teams participated. That’s right. An F1 race with only four teams running.

To make matters worse, Barrichelo announced mid-season that he’s driving for BAR Honda next season, breaking up a team up that is as legendary as Jordan-Pippen and Malone-Stockton, even Paras-Magsanoc in basketball.

I did not like this season nor do I look forward to next year. I still prefer the “fastest engine/tire/team/driver” formula. That, for me, is Formula 1.
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10-17-2005

I took a three p.m. lunch today and while waiting for the Ilocano Igado to be served, I picked up a copy of today’s sports page. My jaw dropped and I lost my appetite when I read the main section story–the Red Cubs got swept by the Junior Stags in the NCAA juniors finals!

If you really want to know how shocking this is, the following come close:

1. GMA finally admitting she cheated massively in the last elections;

2. George Bush admitting he invaded Iraq and Afghanistan for oil ;

3. Aga Muhlach admitting he is a chain smoker;

4. Toting Bunye admitting they doctored the “Hello, Garci” tapes; and

5. Mikee A. admitting he really is “M2″.

It really wasn’t expected. One somehow knows that something isn’t normal if the Cubs are not the ones winning the plum.

Yet they were swept in the finals!

Never mind the seniors squad. The only thing going for the Red Lions is that their 29-year title drought is somewhat better than the Heavy Bomber’s own 33-year sorrow.

But not the juniors. The Cubs were the players that the La Salle Archers, Ateneo Eagles, UP Maroons are salivating after. They are the pimply hoopsters who are lured to change jersey colors in exchange for polished condo units, faster SUVs and even more polished and faster girls.

But, hey! I’ve got an idea. Since this year’s Cubs are like the Lions, i.e. losers, they can’t be that attractive to the UAAP vultures now. So why not do away with the idiotic you’ve-got-to-undergo-tryouts-even-if-you’re-mythical-five-material BS and make them all Lions next season? And will SBC please give our teams more than just scholarship and food allowance? For this, I am even willing to pay my alumni dues. (Does SBAA accept clamshells?)

And, please! will a team save all Bedans from this misery and win a seniors title soon?

Mabuti pa ang San Beda Alabang, spotless.

Sa WNCAA na lang kaya kami?

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09-22-2005