The Kawanga Kid

2011-04-28T21:15:00.000+08:00

There is much awesomeness in the new Doctor Who season 6 trailer!

2011-04-23T07:06:00.001+08:00

Well, it's been more than year since my last post, and much has happened since then. I've become more active on other blogs, we've moved to a different home, and the nature of my work has changed yet again. Plus, I'm a year older and getting that feeling that I have to move faster to get things done.

2009-11-09T03:01:00.002+08:00

Because of color coding problems, on Monday mornings I now wake up at around 6:00 AM, shower, shave, and rush down to the car to head over to Ortigas hoping to beat the Monday prohibition on cars with license plates that end in 1's and 2's. There's an upside: reduced traffic, seemingly fresher air, and a lot of quiet time -- I tend not to listen to the radio when driving these days. Also,

2009-05-22T09:27:00.003+08:00

Star Trek - The RebootI know, it's not quite a reboot or a retcon. The time travel rationale (which has been used before in the Star Trek universe) that allows for this "alternate reality" Star Trek allows us to enjoy all the old Original Series episodes and Next Gen episodes along with whatever they're going to do with this rebooted franchise.Still, this is done all the time in other media. When

2009-03-24T09:36:00.011+08:00

Starbursts, Cylons, Starkillers, and Fireflies – Oh My!This first appeared on the New Worlds site, but I'm reposting it here for the heck of it.Role Playing in Science Fiction’s UniversesDungeons and Dragons (D&D) is not only the grand-daddy of all Role-Playing Games (RPGs), it’s also part of the mental image that most people associate have with the hobby: a handful of players sitting around a

2008-10-14T06:23:00.001+08:00

It's available on iTunes, y'all, but for those of you who aren't interested in buying it, you may wish to view the following link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aym8_S3BXKw

2008-09-18T05:30:00.001+08:00

It's been said that court jesters / fools had the unenviable job of not only entertaining the ruler of the land, but also to offer an unorthodox view on matters trivial and important - to allow us to think about things in a new light.This particular webcomic from "We The Robots" does just that:http://www.wetherobots.com/comics/2008-09-17-GuestRyan.jpg

2008-08-01T10:19:00.001+08:00

Go see Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog.Funny, touching, though Act III kinda startled me with the shift in the storytelling style. The casting of the primaries -- Dr. Horrible (Neil Patrick Harris), Captain Hammer (Nathan Fillion), and Penny (Felicia Day) -- is fantastic and I love the performances.Here are the lyrics I could make out from one of the songs:Bad Horse, Bad HorseBad Horse, Bad

2008-07-30T10:29:00.000+08:00

The Newborn ExperienceIt's wonderful to discover things about infants; every day we're learning something new about our son. Just to recap what we've gotten so far:1. baby poop has no smell -- at first. It slowly acquires an interesting aroma as it shifts from its initial dark, dark green hue and annoyingly rubber cement-ish consistency to its mustard-and-sesame-seed incarnation (indicating a

2008-07-04T09:29:00.001+08:00

A good friend of mine is fond of stories involving time travel. I enjoy the odd time travel story too, but it's difficult to pull off a time travel story that isn't a bad re-hash of something that's been done before, or something incredibly confusing involving paradoxes and multiple instances of the same person.However, there is a fantastic game that bends your mind as far as thinking in terms of

2008-07-02T09:41:00.001+08:00

I was perusing the recent pvponline comics and ran across LOLBAT!Pretty funny! I don't know if it has legs, but for a short strip, quite funny. It assumes that you're familiar with l33tsp3ak or whatever netslang is called.

2008-05-30T13:35:00.000+08:00

Prepping for a New ArrivalIt's getting close to July and our preparations for our soon-to-be son are shifting into high gear. On the schedule for this weekend - clearing up and boxing books from the shelves, figuring out how to transfer two older shelves down to the storage room, and rescheduling the move of the computer table to my sister's room.And then there's the baby stuff that needs to be

2008-04-04T11:54:00.001+08:00

So if we look at Nikolai at http://www.behindthename.com/ we see that:Russian and Bulgarian form of NICHOLAS. A notable bearer was Nikolai Gogol, a 19th-century Russian novelist.Looking at Nicholas at the same link, we find:From the Greek name Νικολαος (Nikolaos) which meant "victory of the people" from Greek νικη (nike) "victory" and λαος (laos) "people". Saint Nicholas was a 4th-century bishop

2008-04-03T06:51:00.002+08:00

I've lost interest in Final Crisis because of most of the unintelligable and unengaging stuff going on in Countdown. But this news item sparked my interest. Yes, Virginia, all the past Legions are now part of DC Continuity! And there's going to be a kick-@$$ story that's going to pit Superman and the heroes of the 31st Century against 'Superboy' and the villains of the 31st Century. Written by

2008-03-26T13:39:00.002+08:00

I got this from my sis, who got this from the following link:The A-TEAM MovieIf you've been holding your breath for The A-Team movie, well, we feel sorry for you. But help is on the way for you and your oxygen-deprived brain. So just hold on. Until June 12. Of next year. Feel better? You should, actually. The release date, as reported by Variety, is the first for the long-discussed,

2008-03-25T09:20:00.002+08:00

TubeWatch: 30 RockI follow the TV Show 30 Rock. It appeals to my sense of humor, and the characters are somehow both archetypal and unique. The situations usually start somewhat plausibly and in grand network TV tradition spiral into silliness without sacrificing my viewer engagement.I also like the occasional breaking of the fourth wall to do some serious entertaining while still pushing the

2008-02-21T12:24:00.001+08:00

It's no secret that I'm a fan of the Hero System, especially the Champions super-heroic setting.Recently, there have been two announcements that promise to shake up the Hero System fandom:Hero Games is coming out with a 6th Edition set of its rules in 2009;Cryptic Studios is coming out with an MMORPG based on the Champions setting in 2009.According to the Hero Games website, the reason they're

2008-02-13T14:02:00.000+08:00

Those Awful Green Things...Just recently, my wife and I found ourselves looking to overcome boredom (and a potential onset of pregnancy-fuelled nausea), and after enduring several card games that are somewhat boring with two players, I pulled out my copy of "The Awful Green Things from Outer Space."This is a classic boardgame currently published by Steve Jackson Games, and is surprisingly fun.The

2008-02-07T09:37:00.000+08:00

The Internet, Computers, College, and GuidoThat's not his real name, but this guy's an old classmate and roomie of mine from college.In fact, as on the occasions that we've briefly exchanged e-mail o'er the internet, I was reminded that my initiation to complex world of the Internet, electronics and computers began in those years.I was, of course, a dabbler in computing - having cut my teeth on

Philippine Speculative Fiction III Book Launch

2007-12-12T04:50:00.000+08:00

My short story "The Death and Rebirth of Nathaniel Alan Sempio" appears in Philippine Speculative Fiction, Volume III. PSF III was launched last Friday, and pictured are the authors who attended and, of course, the editors and hosts of the event!Go out and buy a copy to see what all the fuss is about, hehe.

Stopping World War III

2007-10-05T06:35:00.000+08:00

Folks from my generation (and my parents too, of course) grew up in fear of a Nuclear War. There's a term you all might be familiar with: Mutually Assured Destruction. This theory posited that if both sides of a war (let's say, oh, the U.S. and Russia) knew that starting a war would end up with BOTH sides effectively losing, then no one would start a war.There were movies that fanned the flames

Snippets of Philippine History

2007-10-02T05:02:00.000+08:00

Those Sneaky JapaneseBefore the Japanese invaded the Philippines, they did their spadework. Imperial Japan had the very sneaky tactic of sending immigrants into our young country, and having them work as different types of shop owners. They were very friendly, constantly asking questions like, "how's business?" and "how old is your son now?" and "aren't you related to...?" and "any news from your

2007-09-20T07:20:00.000+08:00

My Ninong passed away at around 7:30 this morning at Capitol Medical Center. Its September 20, 2007 now.Bye Ninong. Thanks for everything, and say hello to Lola Iday and Lolo Benjo, look for Mama Liz if you need stuff taken care of up there - I'm sure she's already pretty busy though. Say hi also to Lolo Paking and Lolo Uncle, and to Manong Susing, Tita Linda, Tito Lenny and Lola Babs, Mommy Lu,

Messages on my Phone

2007-09-19T07:44:00.000+08:00

On Monday (17 Sep 2007), at 11:57:58 am I received the following text from my sister:Manong, your ninong jamin is at the hospital 2 drain the fluid of his stomach. Mom and Dad will be visiting him at the hospital this afternoon.My Ninong Jamin had been in the hospital to had his fluid drained before, because he wasn't able to purge his waste anymore.On the same day, at 2:54:25 pm, I received the

Web Comics I Frequent

2007-09-13T07:45:00.000+08:00

It's seldom boredom that drives me to webcomics - it's stress from work. I try to check each of these webcomics three times a week (usually MWF):PVPONLINE - a webcomic about the crew behind a gaming magazine.Least I Could Do - a webcomic about a man struggling desperately not to mature, and his saner circle of friends. Warning - There's some sexual content here, as evidenced by the logo.Multiplex

In the Mags Again

2007-09-07T09:25:00.000+08:00

Our living room has once again been featured, this time in the September 2007 issue of Real Living. It's part the coverage of an article detailing the current status of 43+ makeovers performed by Real Living on various living spaces.We're really happy with the renovation, and have been making small changes here and there. I think the most interesting recommendation is for the color of the active

Alone in the Semi-Dark

2007-08-17T09:17:00.000+08:00

I had a lot of trouble getting sleep on my last trip to the U.S. I hatched several theories as to why this was the case:1) Jet Lag - perhaps my body clock was really still on Philippine time, and when my conscious mind was thinking "time to hit the sack and get some shuteye", my body was thinking "hm? an afternoon nap? Okay!";2) Altitude - perhaps my body was used to being closer to sea level,

2007-08-17T07:23:00.000+08:00

I was in the SF Bay Area briefly (less than a week) to celebrate the marriage of two wonderful people: Tom and Jenny Earlywine. It was a lovely wedding, a fun ceremony, and a great opportunity to mingle with a bunch of folks I haven't seen in a while (Matt, Keite, Antonia, John L., Erin, etc.) and some folks I'd never met before (the significant others and spouses and children of the

2007-08-16T14:41:00.000+08:00

Back in the Bay AreaIt was good to be back, despite the very short time I was there. Good to see you all!And congratulations to Tom and Jenny!

Yay for YouTube!

2007-08-03T06:16:00.000+08:00

I've enjoyed the few Stephen Chow films I've seen. Sadly, I've not seen the highly recommended but hard-to-find movie "God of Cookery".Thanks to the magic of YouTube, I've discovered that the entire movie is actually online on a very small screen. I still hope to buy the DVD someday (if I can ever find it).Part 1Part 2Part 3Part 4Part 5Part 6Part 7Part 8Part 9Part 10Part 11

The Seven Things?

2007-06-18T14:13:00.000+08:00

Man, I don't know if there are that many...1. My curiosity sometime overcomes my sense of self-preservation. When I was MUCH younger and living in BF Homes, I had a notion to test a toy helmet I had. So I rode on my tricycle and purposely flipped it so I'd land on my head. I still have a scar on my head to this day, but I can honestly say that I don't remember if it was this incident that caused

2007-05-03T09:27:00.000+08:00

Once More Times AgainstThe elections are here, and I can't seem to raise the interest or energy level. Perhaps the apathy is engineered or perhaps there's just a weariness setting in. Elections don't seem to matter - they always cheat, and when they're caught they still get away with it.So my attention turns to TV shows, movies, and books.I'm busy reading the series of novels collectively known

2007-04-03T08:24:00.000+08:00

Busy WorkI really need to live healthier. This lack of exercise and inattention to proper eating habits and relative lack of sleep (at least I've got some semblance of control over that) is wearing away at me. I try to keep pumped up on vitamins and so on, but in the current heat wave it's more taxing than it used to be.On top of that, work's been really stressful. I'm thankful that there's a lot

2007-02-06T17:43:00.000+08:00

Search ResultsI did a search on my grandfather on the internet the other day. I found an article written by a retired colonel from the U.S. military who mentioned my lolo by his nickname. I e-mailed him out of curiousity and am now trading stories with him about my lolo.My lolo was a very happy guy. Fond of horsing around. Generous - I remember he once gave me a giant plastic Daimos robot - and

2007-01-20T10:37:00.000+08:00

Time in Dumagete Our time in Dumagete was a lot of relaxed fun! It really felt like a very laid back place. Everyone there is very friendly. Not quite a sleepy place - it felt that there were many things going on, and there was a definite sense that it was about to change. Signs of construction and development suggested that this place might change this year, next year, or the year after. The

2006-11-07T09:29:00.000+08:00

Catchy SongsIt's funny, but sometimes there are pleasantly entertaining songs that just won't leave your brain... I present the following YouTube videos for you to enjoy in that vein!Katamari DamacyWe Love Katamari Damacy

2006-09-05T09:23:00.000+08:00

Last Year at the Bookfair......I picked up a neat hardbound book containing nearly all the Hitchhiker's Guide novels. It was discounted, but months later it hardly seemed worth the time and effort spent trolling around the World Trade Center floor to buy a series of books that I'd already read.This year I went into the bookfair with low expectations. I didn't expect to find anything I'd be

2006-08-29T08:43:00.000+08:00

Lit Crit NightI've learned a lot in the 20+ sessions of Literary Criticism nights that the group has been regularly having these past few months. In addition to many terms and styles of critique, I've managed to identify aspects of the craft in storytelling that I find critical.I know that critical to my engagement in a story is one of three things: plot, character, or idea (setting or macguffin)

2006-08-15T18:36:00.000+08:00

Reading RPGsIt's a sad fact that I don't get to run many RPGs these days (though I'm prepping for a return to the Fading Suns campaign and for my series of Pulp Hero adventures).Instead, I browse through many RPG books and documents that I've accumulated over the years. There are a lot of systems and setting, a lot of layouts and images that instruct or confuse or enlighten.I've learned about the

2006-08-07T10:12:00.000+08:00

Industry Watch: RPGsI'm talking about the original RPGs, the table-top variety! I've been reading the columns and message boards about the terrible state of the industry (RPG publishers).The picture is hazy, but apparently sales are down, and publishers lay some of the blame at the feet of the distributors or the Friendly Local Gaming Store (FLGS). I suppose it's of note that I can think of

2006-08-04T09:28:00.000+08:00

Science Fiction & Spec Fic SitesI've renewed my interest in writing over the past year, and I've been reading a lot more thanks to Dean's Lit Crit Nights, which have a short lecture and about four (4) stories that we now have to critique each week.As I attempt to put together stories, my websurfing (ooh, is that term even current anymore?) takes me to a variety of places. Let me share some with

2006-08-02T17:32:00.000+08:00

Side-response: Fully-Rocked & DoctorsLet me make the following statements before I tackle the "doctors cannot judge other doctors" issue:1. If you had been more polite, you might not have been banned.2. If you had read posts more carefully, you might not have lost your temper.3. If you had attempted to explain yourself more completely, you might not have been so thoroughly ridiculed.Now, you've

2006-08-02T11:00:00.000+08:00

GenresWhen I go searching for a book to read, I naturally gravitate towards the Science Fiction / Fantasy sections. Or perhaps the Young Adult section. These books get lost sometimes, you know?Hunting down stuff in that genre section increases the chances that I'll find something I'm looking for: interesting scientific extrapolation, a space opera or cosmic science fiction story, perhaps an epic

2006-07-21T10:22:00.000+08:00

Philippine Speculative Fiction (or Phabulism)I've been thinking about the nature of local fiction, especially concerning the possibility of a Philippine Science Fiction or Fantasy genre of books. One of the questions is - does anything in it necessarily have to be Pinoy in nature?Is a Philippine writer obliged to insert aspects of the culture, language, or history into fiction? Is it really, as

2006-07-17T17:11:00.000+08:00

Dragonlance - The Movie!Well, check out the list of alleged cast members of the Dragonlance animated movie and see if their actors match your imagined voices for each of these characters:Tanis Half-ElvenMichael RosenbaumRaistlin MajereKiefer SutherlandGoldmoonLucy LawlessFlint Fireforge / Fewmaster ToedeFred TatascioreTika WaylenMichelle Trachtenberg

2006-07-17T16:43:00.000+08:00

Greetings All!Sorry I've been away for so long!Renewed interest in blogging? Perhaps. It's more of getting back into the discipline of typing and putting ideas down into words, phrases, sentences and paragraphs.The subject matter of this blog will probably shift a wee bit. I'll be focused on my hobbies and other interests, less on the details of my personal life. I'll be shifting those stories

2006-04-19T10:07:00.000+08:00

Silent Laser, Deadly LaserI once got into a conversation regarding lasers as an assassin's weapon in a science fiction game world. I remember arguing then that lasers aren't silent weapons. The reason is that the ionization of air causes a loud crack (think an electrical arc or a lightning bolt).I was reminded of this when an almost-argument took place on a message board I frequent. Here's the

2006-04-18T08:28:00.000+08:00

Pinoy PowerWhile going through some webcomics this morning I chanced upon this particular Multiplex strip. I do like the humor in the strip over all, and while only a few might get the humor in this particular strip, I'm posting it because I like seeing Filipino visibility in U.S. media.

2006-04-17T14:55:00.000+08:00

Mazingkaiser Toy Line Commercial?I'm not sure what this is... but it sure is cool. Mazinger Z, Great Mazinger, God Mazinger, Getta Robo, Grandizer, etc.

2006-04-07T10:59:00.000+08:00

Voltes V!The Original SequenceLive Performance

2006-04-06T09:47:00.000+08:00

Life on the BorderThe recent lit crit nights have revived my interest in my old books and anthologies.One of my favorite shared world fantasy anthologies series was the one set in Bordertown. Looking at some of the fan sites, I'm happy to see I have three of the anthologies and one of the novels. My cousin Franco a.k.a Tyke has the first volume of the series.I believe that one of the best stories

2006-03-14T09:26:00.000+08:00

Daniel is Blogging Tonight on the...Okay, I'd like to welcome my good friend Dan to the Blogosphere. He certainly projects a different demeanor from the Dan I remember, but then again it's been YEARS since I've seen him.I applaud his efforts and concerns about education - it's very admirable and reminds me of the sorry state of affairs of the educational system in this country as well.Everyone,

2006-03-02T15:32:00.000+08:00

Spiderman. Captain America. Santo!Long before Spiderman got his current movie streak, he had to pimp himself out in cheap flicks alongside buddies like Captain America!See here.

2006-02-08T10:04:00.000+08:00

Living On Your OwnA friend of mine has recently begun planning his life on his own... a life away from his family after a long number of years living under the same roof as them.I remember how when I first had a taste of that in dorm living at college, I ended up keeping myself to stricter schedules as far as home life was concerned... I got up early on Saturday mornings so that I had first crack

2006-02-06T09:36:00.000+08:00

In addition to the Justice League DVD set...I want this! Yes, Ultimate Avengers: The Movie! It looks cool!The storyline promises to run similar to the Ultimates TPB one and two, but veering off in surprise directions. Or so I hear.Update: Thanks to El, I've been alerted to the presence of a trailer. I found it on the Ultimate Avengers website!

2006-01-31T09:19:00.000+08:00

Hating Math but Loving GamesFor some reason in my youth, I developed a dislike for math. One theory is that it was because it didn't come as easily for me as other things did (reading, comprehension, etc.). Another theory is that it just wasn't as INTERESTING in application as other things.I did find, however, when the math problem was interesting (and not presented as a math problem) I really

2006-01-26T09:29:00.000+08:00

Manic Burst of ActivityI've been slacking in my blogging duties, and in an effort to jumpstart things, I've decided do some reactions to various news tidbits related to my various interests.Science Watch: Tabletop Fusion?It turns out that there's an (as yet unsubstatiated case) for tabletop fusion. In an article found in www.sciencenews.org it's related that a technique "that some scientists

2006-01-23T12:16:00.000+08:00

Quizola - Heed My Words!Take this quiz at QuizGalaxy.com The secret's out. I AM the reincarnation of... gee... which God would I want to be the reincarnation of anyway?

2006-01-09T14:43:00.000+08:00

Wasting Time: Interesting LinksHave time to waste? Stress giving you headaches? Need to be distracted?Go to the following links!- Batman's REAL Origin: http://www.jaypinkerton.com/blog/archives/001228.html- Hyperspace Travel: http://www.newscientist.com/channel/fundamentals/mg18925331.200.html

2005-12-22T09:14:00.000+08:00

Married LifeMy wife and I have been trying to settle down, but gosh darn it, there's a lot to do. Furniture and appliances to organize, expenditures and finances to plan, and lots of little details to deal with post-wedding...Still, the gifts we've received and a couple of purchases have made things easier. One is the fridge, the other is the TV / DVD set. Woohoo! Now we gotta focus on getting

2005-11-21T09:49:00.000+08:00

Hawk and... Dove?Just a short note: hectic work schedules and the wedding preparations are cutting down on my blogging time. However...Kate and I were watching the Justice League Unlimited episodes I hadn't seen yet... and saw the episode "Hawk & Dove". The episode focused on two characters from DC Comics: super-powered brothers who held different views on life. Hawk tended to favor aggression

2005-10-06T16:30:00.000+08:00

Prayers and PaperworkThe long process of getting my Catholic Wedding papers in order is still going on. It's become something of an adventure... an epic adventure.It started innocently enough back in January when I discovered that all this wedding paperwork we were starting on had to be delayed. The required Baptismal Certificates and Confirmation Certificates must be stamped "For Marriage

2005-09-13T14:56:00.000+08:00

Top 100 Songs Meme: 1990 [part 1] Hold On, Wilson Phillips - Pleasant listening and good KTV fodder... nice harmonies, now that i think of it. Sadly, it never really left a mark in my psyche as something significant. It Must Have Been Love, Roxette - Liked this song. Excellent for KTV if you can belt the refrain out. Nothing Compares 2 U, Sinead O'Connor - Ah, another angsty song. Loved

2005-09-12T09:57:00.000+08:00

CraftWatch: Another Open Call for SubmissionsIt's currently titled A Time for Dragons: An Anthology of Philippine Draconic Fiction.Check out the link here.I guess it's time to sharpen my pencils again.

2005-09-07T11:19:00.000+08:00

HobbyWatch: Keep your eyes peeled for... Shining Gold! Ner has told me that he's just gotten copies of a comic book he did the art for.From what I can piece together, it appears to be a story set in the comic book "Golden Age", and concerns a whole bunch of mystery men who fought in that era.But no one remembers them.Why?I guess we'll find out when this comic book gets released.

2005-09-07T09:46:00.000+08:00

I Think I Think, Therefore I Think I Am: An Evolution of ThoughtI believe it was only in high school that I chose to "think my way through school". In grade school, I think I relied on my natural intelligence and what meager memory skills I had to get through school. I don't remember being particularly cunning during that time, and seemed to have been content with doing what I'd always done to

2005-09-02T17:54:00.000+08:00

Palanca VirginSo that's what Palanca night is like.Never been to one before, you see. Wow, it's a posh affair (sorta). It's got good food, bottomless drinks, and lots of literary people there.I got to watch my friends Dean & Nikki Alfar get their awards. I got to listen to poetry and listen to a funny one-act play. I got to meet up with Chris Millado, an old acquaintance from San Francisco and

2005-08-26T10:53:00.000+08:00

We Are A Brown RaceI was just looking at my birth certificate and I noticed the Nationality and Race of my parents. Nationality: Filipino; Race: Brown.Race: Brown? WTF?Lest you think I'm ancient, Kate's birth certificate lists the same thing for her parents.

2005-08-25T15:41:00.000+08:00

CraftWatch: WritingI suddenly realized I'm writing a lot more than I used to. I write a semi-regular column for a news magazine, I've just written a short story for Dean's anthology (rejected, for being... ah... more than meets the eye), and I'm rewriting the script for a 10 page comic.Techie that I am, I keep thinking about a way to systematize writing things up. I think that a notebook full of

HobbyWatch Comics

2005-08-23T14:17:00.000+08:00

HobbyWatch: ComicsDC Comics has been my favorite publisher for the past 10 or so years. I’ve always collected at least one DC comic series such as Legion of Superheroes or Teen Titans or some funky Elseworlds thing. They came out with the Swamp Thing and Sandman stuff that eventually become Vertigo, and they’ve shown they were willing to make major changes to the world for fairly lengthy amounts

2005-08-15T11:39:00.000+08:00

Top 5 Things You May Not Know About Me:1. My mother saved my life twice (that I know of): At around age 8, I was swimming in a pool, but was pulled underwater in the deepish end and panicked. I began to drown. My mom, leaving the life guard in the dust, waded in, clothes and all, and pulled me out. Another time, I was around 6, and I was given hard candy to stop crying. I began to choke. My mom,

2005-07-22T17:02:00.000+08:00

BLOG Filler: Main Causes of Liver DamageWell, all my writing energies are focused on work and preparing my submission to Dean's anthology... so, here's some blog filler based on an e-mail. I learned this technique from my old friend Amos. Enjoy!Warning: I cannot confirm the accuracy of the following statements. I am not a doctor, nor do I portray one on TV.The main causes of liver damage are:

2005-07-21T08:43:00.000+08:00

Techno-Integration and WaterI recently submitted an article concerning managing your electronic information, and I was thinking about how, at a certain point, I had both a Palm Pilot and a Cellphone that could use Infra-red to send addresses to each other. It resulted in a highly synchronized address book on my Palm Pilot.Both those devices have long since perished. The cellphone did a face-down

2005-07-18T10:01:00.000+08:00

Great Goonie-googoos!Man - it's so hard to wrestle with actual stories after writing only vignettes and RPG adventure modules for so long. I've got a pseudo-outline that always morphs tries to morph into "something more ambitious" at every turn, I'm grasping for vocabulary with the right connotation, I'm struggling with speech patterns and exposition and non-cinematic action.I've missed this!

2005-07-11T10:18:00.000+08:00

THE WEEKEND ROUNDUP: SaturdayThis past weekend was a busy one, and more than a little bit tiring. It was, however, quite enjoyable and exciting as we shall see...Early StartDespite getting to bed late after the Friday night Isle game, I found myself awake at around 630 am. After a quick shower and no breakfast, I stumbled out to the elevator after checking three times that all the books I wanted

2005-07-07T10:13:00.000+08:00

PNP PresenceI get antsy when I see tons of PNP personnel crowding the streets of Ortigas. On my way to work I saw a number of them at key intersections (not really directing traffic, just hanging out...) a couple of vans... and a big truck with K9 personnel on it.Is there a big rally in Ortigas slated later today? Or will there be a buncha VIPs here later? Who knows?

2005-07-07T10:07:00.000+08:00

A Brand New SpinAnd so, to further defuse any arguments that our little President had done anything wrong in calling him up, Garcilliano now calls (from a place of hiding) to claim that both opposition and administration candidates called him up to ask how they were doing.If everyone does it, then it's okay.It's also done to bolster the argument that even if PGMA called, it is not tantamount to

2005-07-05T10:45:00.000+08:00

Awash in IdeasAs an exercise I've been trying to catch snippets of ideas here and there. Today, something funny came up - what if (the cornerstone phrase of speculative fiction...) we became a telepathic society?Perhaps not entirely telepathic (I sense great anger in you), but capable of messaging everyone certain thoughts. Yes, it would be great to do so without talking and all... but if you

2005-06-28T13:52:00.000+08:00

Writing HabitsIn sharp contrast to my old "fire-and-forget" tactics when writing stories, I'm actually collecting my story ideas and concepts in a notebook again. I'm taking down storytelling devices and character ideas in the hopes that they'll all percolate in my thoughts so when I do sit down and write, it'll all flow from my thoughts and fingertips.I've tried writing from outlines before, but

2005-06-28T13:31:00.000+08:00

Admission and OmissionWell, she came out on TV and admitted she was the voice on the tapes (well one of the voices, anyway) and said she was "sorry" that she was talking to a Comelec official during the time of election counting. She did not identify who she was talking to. She did not admit that she was orchestrating an exercise in "dagdag-bawas". She's asked everyone to move on.She still

2005-06-09T09:53:00.000+08:00

Watch 'em Circle Them WagonsWell, the recordings are certainly causing a stir. Which recordings? The ones that allegedly have our President GMA talking with some undisclosed COMELEC official about how the election returns are being fixed in her favor. From what I've seen on the news and the papers, there are certain interesting tidbits that piqued my interest: The Palace revealed the existence

2005-06-03T09:35:00.000+08:00

De-stressingWell, I was a bit miffed this morning because they're cementing off the fricking pedestrian pathways through the center island of the street formerly known as Emerald Avenue. It forces us to walk further away to find an open path, or to use the horrid overpass-crosswalk monstrosity over at the corner of Emerald and Julia Vargas.It sucks.Still... eh. Here's some destressing mindless

2005-05-30T16:08:00.000+08:00

Stories UntoldThis past weekend, Kate and I went up to La Union to meet with one of the grand old matriarchs of my Dad's side of the family. We enjoyed our lunch, dinner and breakfast with her a great deal. We did not lack food (at least 5 viands per meal [including breakfast] plus dessert).It struck me how many stories will be lost to time when she finally joins the rest of the clan that has

2005-05-17T18:07:00.000+08:00

Cute PictureWala lang...

2005-05-16T17:13:00.000+08:00

Shattering PatternsOnce in a while I actually notice my pet phrases being used as verbal crutches. Verbal crutches are things that you say when you're trying to think of something to say. (By the way, I applaud anyone who attempts to think before saying something - even if you're terribly slow at it.)In my case, I've shifted my crutch phrases a couple of times in my life. My current ones appear

2005-05-12T09:41:00.000+08:00

Riot ShieldsI work in Orient Square Building, and sometimes park in the parking lot across the street from El Pueblo.Today, when I parked there... I was surprised to see many riot shields propped up against the hurricane fence. Then I noticed that some 20-odd blue-clad police there with riot batons idly sitting in vehicles or standing around.I was surprised because I saw lots more of them there

2005-05-10T13:17:00.000+08:00

Gulaman, Dumbells and BolerosFr. Prudencio Macayan, S.J. passed away just a few days ago. In my 1st and only year of High School in Ateneo, he was my math teacher. A very stern and demanding one too.He would grade an answer to question wrong if he couldn't understand the handwriting. He would not check the back of the paper for the rest of the answer to the questions (even if the questions he

2005-05-06T17:52:00.000+08:00

Fanboy NewsI'm a fan of many things... so here are a few things that I've got off the top of my head...- American Idol - Scott is out. It was about time. I think he's a good singer and all, but I didn't think he was at the caliber of the rest of the folks there.- Dr. Who - after a long hiatus, the BBC series lives again! After the first comeback season, however, the actor portraying the good

2005-04-28T13:40:00.000+08:00

American BridleAs I anxiously await who has been eliminated (heard it was a shocker) from the show, I wanted to pause and go back to the misheard lyrics of some folks near and dear to me... you are not alone!Here, taken from the am i right website are misheard lyrics from Heart's "Alone":Misheard Lyrics:'Til now I always got by on my ownI never really cared if you loved me, too. Correct Lyrics: '

2005-04-25T22:15:00.000+08:00

Late Night BlogIt's yet another late night at work. I'll be signing off in a bit, hoping to work faster and sharper early tomorrow morning.Before I sign off, I'd like to touch on several things: reading and writing; asking questions and seeking answers; getting on with it. In a country like the Philippines, it's difficult to guesstimate how important reading and writing are. My experiences

2005-04-14T11:56:00.000+08:00

Makati Tickets and NinoyI lost my driver's license to a Makati traffic aide this past weekend and had to go early this morning to pick it up (after paying my fine).They had an interesting mechanism there - you're supposed to drop your ticket in the basket, and wait for them to find the matching ticket with your driver's license. Then you wait for your name to be called out, and go to the window

2005-04-06T10:04:00.000+08:00

Writing Committments Let's see... long-lingering things that I've got to finish include: the revised Sandugo issue #1 script the outline & script to Sandugo issue #2 the outline & script to Sandugo issue #3 the outline & script to Sandugo issue #4 the Hinirang RPG ruleset the Hinirang RPG sourcebook ... and not necessarily in that order. I've also been wanting to write short stories

2005-03-29T17:03:00.000+08:00

Finding PurchaseEvery day is a constant battle to get things done. Scads of work piling up and trying to cut through them... trying to organize my personal life so that I can make sure nothing slips through the cracks... trying to keep in touch with old friend... trying to do all things for the upcoming wedding.It's freaky how I know there's probably enough time... but where does it all go? Back

2005-03-02T13:07:00.000+08:00

Catch-phrase Cut-upsEvery so often, we play a game after lunch at work called Catchphrase. A randomly selected word (or phrase) must be guessed by one's team mates... you can give verbal clues or gestures, but you cannot say the word or a part of it.The game lends itself to some funny moments... here are a few:Team A Lead: What's the opposite of dry?Team A Members: Wet!Team A Lead: Hindi pa.Team

2005-03-02T09:29:00.000+08:00

Balanced ImbalanceI always hear about the importance of a balanced lifestyle. I hear about it enough times that it tends to go in one ear and out the other.What is a balanced lifestyle? It suggests that one's time is to be spread evenly between the various "must do's" and "might do's" that vie for one's attention. However, this is seldom simple or easy.Determining how much time should be

2005-02-17T10:08:00.000+08:00

It's time for a revamp!We've been working on the current version of www.hanapbahay.com.ph for a while now, and it's time to modify certain things as we begin to prepare and plan for a sales and marketing drive. If you've never gone to the site of our entrepreneurial venture... drop by!Any comments would be greatly appreciated.

2005-02-14T11:09:00.000+08:00

Who Will Watch the Watchmen?Well, if it ever gets made, I probably will! However, it's gotten a step closer to reality... check out the website for the movie here.Weekend review: Isle, Pamanhikan, a baptism, a birthday celebration, and The Phantom (of the Opera)Oh yes, a brutal "episode" of the ongoing Isle campaign. My character faced a nasty dragon (huge, nasty, with several breath weapons it

2005-02-03T10:40:00.000+08:00

Planetary #22I really enjoy this series. Like everyone else, I dislike the irregularity of releases.Part of the attraction for me is the attempt to tie all these different genres of comics, novels, movies and serials together into a fascinating universe. I loved the idea of Island Zero (where I believe the shiftship is probably located), the HK Ghost Cop was just too cool for words. The Pulp

2005-01-28T11:23:00.000+08:00

1602, American Gods, Neverwhere... I found this little paragraph on the web from a link passed to me... Incidentally, I'm trying to organise (well, I'm not actually doing the organising) the promised signings in the Phillipines and Singapore before or after the Melbourne convention and Australian book signings this summer. The signing in the Philippines looks like it's happening, but I'm not