So it snowed today. Yeah I know, this is New York, so that shouldn’t be a surprise — until you realize it is only October. Well, you do experience something new everyday.
Just Another Game
So many games, so little time..
Filed under Self Improvement …
Welcome to New York
New York, New York
I took this picture last Thursday while sitting in a soup kitchen on 51st and Lexington. The skyline was hazy, the wind blowing just hard enough to make all those umbrellas turn inside out. It was difficult to imagine that it was only half past four. It was New York’s way of saying — Hey man, this is the real deal.
If you look at my previous post, I sincerely hope that the big change in my geographic location counts as the “upward spiral” I have been waiting for. I am optimistic because of the loved ones I have left behind, my fat dog who I have had as my roommate for the past 5 years, and my friends who have managed to help me realize where I should be. I am doing this for all of them.
Most of all, I am doing this for my wife, who has had to endure several years of what you see in the picture above.
“Upward spirals; not circles.”
As I resume the activity on this blog, there are about a hundred things on my to-do list. Before I get into that, let me condense everything that has happened in the past few months. Since August, I have managed to get myself immersed in more work (what’s new?), take a much needed 2 week break (more on this later), and turn 31 (not ashamed at all to say it). So why write now? At 1:23 AM in the morning on a Monday? I am still up because I fell asleep for a few hours this afternoon.
Ask the people close to me, and they’ll tell you right away that I’m the type of person who doesn’t like a day to go to waste. If I had the flexibility, I’d want to eat breakfast at 5, be at the gym by 630, and at my desk by 9am, and be able to watch a movie by 6. Sadly, the traffic in Metro Manila makes this kind of schedule impossible. Instead, I am up by 430, at the office by 6, and off work by 430 at the latest. When people hear this, you’d usually hear “ano yan graveyard shift?”.
These people can call it what they want, but while they are still going after a deadline, I am already on my way home.
The main point of this post is this — growth isn’t only characterized by the job title that you have, or the places where you think you should be at, or the amount of money you should be getting paid. At the risk of sounding like some middle aged guidance counselor, growth can also be characterized by the time you have for your other passions. This can include sports, videogames, school, or whatever you think floats your boat. Some people even have to leave their current jobs just to find out how lucky they were.
If you think you are stuck, just keep this quote in mind. My wife Mariel got it from one of her Yoga instructors (who was just inspired by their studio’s move from the 2nd to the 3rd floor lol). You can also read about her experience here.
“It is when when we move around in circles and find ourselves in the same spot that we ask ourselves, ‘Why am I here again? Why is it that I never learn?’ When in fact, we’re actually moving in an upward spiral, not in circles; that when we end up in the same spot, we’ve actually gone one level up.”
If you’re one of the few who have managed to come back and check if I am still alive, well, here I am. Along with my nth blog theme change, I’ve also changed the secondary header of my blog to “So many sports, too few days in the week”. You have no idea how much I would like to define that phrase even further.
Image is nothing. Pacing is everything.
One look at Dwight Howard’s frame can tell you he can easily bang with anyone inside the paint. Japeth Aguilar? The first time I saw the guy, and even without seeing him play, I knew that he’s more athletic than most Filipino basketball players. Is it safe to say that an athlete’s physique is always a good indication of how capable and effective they can be?
Not in running, buddy.
In my recent attempts to understand this sport more clearly, I’ve encountered guys who look like fat bastard. I’ve run into douchebag types on the track oval near my workplace as well. I’ve met guys who don’t look the least bit like they’re fit. But the moment they lace on those running shoes… Oh man, it’s on.
Sunday’s Adidas King of the Road marathon was no different. Though my gameplan was to just keep my eyes on the ground in front of me and let my music set the pace, I just couldn’t.
Not yet ready to run.
So today is Thursday, and the Adidas King of the Road 2009 race is two days away. Any runner out there will tell you — there’s just no friggin’ way anyone can cram their training for any marathon. Well, here’s what I managed to squeeze into my schedule over the past month or so since I acquired my Nike+ sensor.
In case you’re curious, the graph above represents the distances I’ve done, segregated by km per day. And what category did I join for Sunday’s marathon? I joined the 10k. So yes, based on estimates alone, I’ll probably cross the finish line in at least an hour and thirty. In runners’ terms, that’d hella slow.
Oh well, I do know that the P500 I paid to register netted me a cool Adidas singlet which was such a pain to claim (see previous post). In any case, goodluck to everyone joining the Adidas King of the Road 2009. See everyone at The Fort!
So what if I look like a douchebag?
On my last trip to Las Vegas around this time last year, my fiancee surprised me with a 2nd generation Ipod Touch. I’ve never owned an Ipod until that time because I always thought I would only end up breaking it because of my rugged lifestyle. I refrained from using it in the gym, and only used it in the office. I subscribed to a few podcasts here and there, but the novelty quickly wore off. It was around May of this year when I got another surprise from her. After repeatedly telling Mariel not to get me those Senheissers, she got em anyway.
I know what you’re going to say — that I probably look like a douche when I bring, wear, or use the thing during my runs.
My answer to that, is that I really don’t care.
- My Ipod Touch helps me fend off boredom when I run. I am incapable of running long distances at a uniform pace. This is Mr. Short Attention Span you’re talking to here.
- Believe it or not, those Nike + sensor thingies actually work. I know a heart rate monitor is more useful, but I can’t afford the thing (besides I’m not a hardcore runner). Though far from being 100% accurate, hearing the automated voice say “Workout complete” is actually rewarding.
The moral of this story? There’s no need to worry about perceptions when it comes to your health. If you need that Ipod, dri-fit shirt, or new pair of running shoes (No, I’m not trying to justify a potential purchase) to keep you motivated, then go for it as long as you can afford it. A few years down the line, you’ll realize that you’d rather be a fit douchebag than an overweight, unfit, tub of lard.
And oh, Mariel, thank you again for my Ipod Touch and kickass earphones.
Gone too soon
I can only hope that this first post out of the 30 I’m supposed to finish by same time next month isn’t an indication of how I want to do this. Posting a minute right before the stroke of midnight shouldn’t count. Though I should still be high after seeing Kobe up close for a good 30 minutes or so, today, the world lost a very cool guy.
Raoul Erana had been battling with a brain tumor for the past two or so months before today. Everything was so unexpected.
Just Another 30 Blog Posts
I’ve always believed there’s a way to avoid every stressful situation that comes in your life. I don’t like going to the movies without buying tickets beforehand. If you know you have to wake up early the following day, only be good for a drink or two. If you have a deadline coming up, make sure you’ve covered all your bases and plan ahead (this one I think I can still use some improvement on — just ask my people).
As with everyone who who has started their own blog, the number of days in between posts seems to dwindle as the days go by. Just see how often I posted in my first few months and you’ll see what I mean. I’d like to think that there isn’t a lack of post worthy stuff to put out there, and all I need is a more time management. It’s just funny that I would get the push I needed from the unlikeliest of people.
Well anyways, in the spirit of blog announcements, I can only hope I churn out enough quality posts for the next 30 days.
Social Schmo-cial
It’s been a while since my last post, and with many a reason. I joined a few sports in our month long company sportsfest (none of which ended the way I would have wanted them to). Pair that with some unexpected changes at work, and you’ll find yourself trying to spread yourself thin across many many different tasks and projects. Something happened though, that was quite unexpected.
My fiance finally got a Plurk account. Yep, that’s the big news!
Sometime in May, Mariel and I actually had a petty quarrel about it. She complained that the first and last thing I did in a day was “update others about myself and find out what other people were doing”. An accusation which, I could not come up with an “acceptable” explanation for.