2012: Year in Review

It was a Bucket List Year for me. Cheers!

For a lot of people, 2012 was branded as the last year of mankind due to the Mayan prophesy. For some, it was the much-awaited Olympic year. The superstitious ones would highlight it as a boom year because of the Year of the Dragon. I have some friends who wanted to have their baby to be born during 2012 so it would be a Dragon baby. As for me, 2012 would go down as one of the best years in my life.

You have to forgive me if this would turn out to be a self-indulgent writeup. I always infuse my biases on my blogs but 2012 was the first in quite some time when I made it more personal. It would feel right if I end the 2012-centric write-ups with a focus on myself.

My year began with me adjusting in America. It was my lifelong dream. I guess I just wanted to experience living in a different place, culture and people. If there was one thing I could empathize with LeBron when he left Cleveland a few years back, it was the fact that he wanted to live in a different place. You are in your mid twenties and you are at the height of your life. Of course, you would want to experience something different. It is not a ‘restart’ button but it is more of a ‘refresh’ button. After all, you would be at a point of your life where your work gets routine. If you are like me who is too lazy to study for a masters degree, then you would need this ‘refresh’ button.

No Music, No Life Vol 6: I Escaped the Mayan Apocalypse!

Did Foo Fighters have a great year? | Credit: Time Entertainment

Since I began blogging in 2005, I have been writing about my notable songs of the past year. Some of these songs are actually old ones (meaning, they weren’t released during the year I blogged about them) but because my Multiply blog (RIP Multiply Blog) was geared for personal stuff, I did not care how the general public would feel upon reading my Song of the Month. I have lost interest in remembering which song I have abused in my iPod in recent years so I just wrote about the remarkable songs. This year would be the same. However I will be blending the past with the present, because I have to admit that I have written in a more personal level this year as compared to the past four years.

As always, this music writeup has its own calendar year (starts the December of the previous year and ends the November of the current year). I am keeping that tradition even if December is pretty much done and I already know about this month’s Song of the Month.

First Quarter (December 2011 to February 2012)

Foo Fighters – Arlandria
 

“My sweet Virginia… I’m the same as I was in your arms”

This was my December 2011 Song of the Month. I have to admit that it was a bit late because ‘Wasting Light’ was released early that year. But with most songs, it takes time for it to resonate and gain my attention. This mind blowing single was my favorite ‘psych up’ song while jogging the windy streets of our village in Antipolo. No actual lyrical resemblance for me during that time (as all I wanted was a song that pumps me up). But in retrospect, it has its meaning now. I was starting to miss everybody in the Philippines last December because I was about to be assigned to the United States for quite some time. But as I left and as I lived my life in Atlanta, I started to realize that I am still the same old guy in the Philippines. I continued to appreciate how awesome my family, teammates and friends in the Philippines are.

Foo Fighters – A Matter of Time

No lyrical resonance that’s why there is no actual quote. I just loved the melody and the way Dave Grohl sings this song.

Foo Fighters – These Days

“Easy for you to say.
Your heart has never been broken.
Your pride has never been stolen.
Not yet, not yet.”

It has been a Foo Fighters start of the year for me. This one was very memorable because Atlanta’s rock station was usually playing this song. It has been quite a while since NU 107 stopped airing so it was very refreshing for me to have a rock station to listen to. I have played this song for months because I love how beautiful the song is. Its lyrics might be interpreted as hatred for something, but I did not view it that way. After all, there was no particular person I am referring this song to. Grohl’s delivery is superb in this song (especially on the soft parts). His emotions are raw whenever he sings these lines. I feel for it. In my life, I have experienced my heart broken a lot of times and my pride being stolen as well. And when these things happen to your life, whatever advice people give you does not seem that easy once you are bleeding and feeling the pain for it.

Before the World Ends (You Know, if the Mayans were Right): The Best TV Show Episodes of The Year

How I Met Your Mother pulls off a Christmas surprise | Credit: CBS

If you have watched WWE, the sight of the babyface¹ wrestler getting badly outdueled by his opponent must be a normal experience for you. His opponent grapples and throws him into the canvass. He gets clotheslined ruthlessly. The ‘face’ suddenly looks pitiful as the audience starts to root for him to have some life. His opponent does a brutal submission move and the face starts to lose some strength. The referee carries his hand up to check if he still can survive the match. His hand falls. Once. Twice. At the last check, the wrestler’s hand is about to drop but he summons all his will to keep it up. He closes his fist and stand up as the fans cheer for him. He is alive! Good Lord, he is alive! The crowd goes nuts. The babyface wrestler punches his grappling opponent to break free. You know how the rest goes, the babyface carries on with his momentum to win the match in underdog fashion.

That was the feeling I had on ‘How I Met Your Mother’s Season 8 Episode 11/12. Just like wrestling, this scripted show has become lazy and predictable for a lot of times this year. But because I already followed it through the years, I find myself watching it episode per episode. Hoping for some life. Back in its heyday, I could easily recall notable (or even minute) details of the previous episodes. Right now, the last memorable episode I could remember is Marshall’s father’s death (or maybe Robin’s narration episode last Christmas). Heck, I could not even remember who Ted’s last girlfriend was before he reunited with Victoria. But on this Christmas episode, HIMYM definitely threw a brilliant haymaker. I know this might sound strange in the present time but I think that episode is one of the year’s bests.

When the Going Gets Tough

It was one of those days. It was a Saturday afternoon and I just woke up from nap. I did not want to wake up yet but I have work on six and I need to charge my mobile phone. Dad just approached me and told me that the Ateneo Lady Eagles (The Ateneo Women’s Volleyball Team) have a game going on. I nodded that I knew of it but I want to continue sleeping. He told me that the team was down by two sets against NU and their star setter, Jem Ferrer, is injured. I did not react but deep inside this was how I felt:

“Great. I am having a horrible week and I get to hear news like that. It is a bad idea to watch after all. I do not want sports to further destroy my day.”

Problem was, my mobile phone charger is downstairs. I have to pass by the TV to see the horror unfolding. While I was heading down, I had some glimmer of hope. Dad loves to joke about sports outcomes. He says my team is getting beat down but the truth is, they actually won. But by the time I reached the TV, alas, the Lady Eagles were really getting beat badly. I proceeded back to bed to sleep. There are more important things in life than sports.

Be Thankful

It has been a blessed 2012 for me. I hope it is the same to most of you. I may have been pessimistic, er, realistic for a lot of times, so I guess it is time to be realistic by acknowledging the positives. This has always been the goal of my blog – to acknowledge the good stuff and to point out and learn from what is wrong. I call it as I see it. This is why I wrote and recognized LeBron’s feat in the NBA Finals this year even if I am a hater.

Whether I have been successful in this blog’s goal or not, I will still try to pursue for it. I am not an American but it does not mean I cannot be thankful this Thanksgiving. (Sorry, if I will be self-indulgent on some parts)

I am thankful for an awesome year in sports. It may not have been ideal in the collective level, but it was surely a special one for me. For those who do not follow this blog that much, my year was supposed to be heading to a drastic direction. It started with my New England Patriots losing (again) to the effin’ New York Giants in the Super Bowl. Oh wait, not only that… The same Giants team defeated my Green Bay Packers along the way. Ugh. It does not help that the G-Men are a cocky squad. A few weeks later, the Ateneo Lady Eagles succumbed to our archrivals, the La Salle Lady Spikers. I was preparing for a possible disaster year as all of my teams have the propensity to reach the Finals and lose in the big stage. I know that placing second is better than being a cellar dweller. But if you will lose in a tragic fashion against a rival, it is another story. That changed. By St. Patrick’s Day, my Duke Blue Devils got upset in the first round of the NCAA tournament. Bloody hell.

The Sports Bucket List

 

Legen…

…wait for it…

…dary.

Legendary. That word sums up the feeling I had when Ateneo won its fifth straight championship.

I have to warn you though. I am primarily doing this write-up for myself. Forgive me for my self-indulgence. I am on sports cloud nine right now. How many times in your life can you experience five consecutive championships? Only a few are fortunate to witness their favorite team achieve that. Even powerhouse teams like Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Lakers and New York Yankees were not able to achieve those feats. Even Michael Jordan only managed up to three straight. In my lifetime, the only other team to have done this half-decade achievement were the San Sebastian Stags two decades ago. So yes, this is special. (It also makes it bigger if your team has the most in collegiate basketball history at 22)

I have to admit: this fifth championship was very much expected at the start of the year. With or without Greg Slaughter, this year’s crop of Blue Eagles were the most poised to achieve the rare five peat. The player with the highest basketball IQ in the team, Ryan Buenafe, was returning. Another year in Kiefer Ravena’s resume is always a plus. The fact that he owned the team like an alpha dog last year – on his rookie year – says a lot on how dominant he is as a player. Nico Salva is consistent as ever. And in case you forgot, Justin Chua was the starting center in the three-peat year. Not only was he the starter then, he was one of the leading scorers in the team. My buddy Rap and I were even joking in Twitter last June that if we were going to get an alumni card (yup, it has been six years since I graduated and I still do not have one then), it would be at the bonfire. The Blue Eagles were even predicting championships since 2009. We were a confident bunch.

8 Random Sports Thoughts on Chipper’s Farewell Game and the Blue Eagles’ Resurgence

Thank you, Chipper! | Credit: Sports Illustrated

We’re baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaacccccccckkkkkkk!!!

What an amazing month in sports it has been. Before this month ends, I am writing to discuss some of the Atlanta Braves, my NFL Week 4 picks and of course, the Ateneo Blue Eagles. Actually, this blog writeup is mostly about the Blue Eagles after we witnessed a wild Final Four game awhile ago.
That was supposedly my introduction from last week. But because I was not able to publish it in time, it is already outdated. Either way, I will still be commenting on the Ateneo-La Salle Final Four game.

Random Thought # 1: Did your attempt at predicting your teams’ fates gave such a huge scare when the La Salle Green Archers mounted a strong lead in the third quarter of the Final Four game?

Technically, I was not scared during the Ateneo-La Salle game. La Salle got a great lead and was able to match Ateneo’s scoring punches with their own (especially from Yutien Andrada). But if you have been witnessing your team winning four straight championships and having the most talented lineup this season, you will have that irrational confidence. I knew they would come through some way or another. We were in a crucial game against our archrivals. This batch of Blue Eagles rarely let their guard up against the Green Archers. Just so you know, La Salle has the same number (1) of victories against Ateneo as UP had since 2008. La Salle even had more tries. With the immense talent and pride of this champion squad, we felt that if La Salle gives us the opening we need, we will come through. And, yes – we did.