My Brand of Pain Killer

I'll do the miles tomorrow. I need to feel the wind on my face, gaze in wonder as the early morning sky welcomes the sun, and focus on the pain of each heartbeat as I run. There is no room for grief and disappointments in that place. It is in that place or moment where I draw the energy of life that is constantly being sucked out of me.

I still feel like a bird with clipped wings. I am delearning to fly. I am learning to crawl and trying so damn hard to forget the sensation of flexing my wings without fear. I have chosen my path for I continue to believe. No amount of sadness will erase who I am.

I will endure. I will survive. I will learn.

Pretty much like when I run.

Elevating the Elevator Experience

An elevator ride, for me, is not exactly an elevating experience. I'm just not keen on being in a place where my personal space is reduced to almost nothing. It could also be because I often find it ironic that people in such cramped places are creative in finding ways to avoid eye contact or any form of human interaction outside of the accidental brushing of shoulders.

Here's a funny take on some annoying things that could transform even the most mundane ride to an unforgettable one. Whoever wrote this list captured what probably a lot of people have thought of at some point.



Annoying Things To Do On An Elevator

1) CRACK open your briefcase or handbag, peer Inside and ask "Got enough air in there?"
2) STAND silent and motionless in the corner facing the wall without getting off.
3) WHEN arriving at your floor, grunt and strain to yank the doors open, then act as if you're embarrassed when they open themselves.
4) GREET everyone with a warm handshake and ask him or her to call you Admiral.
5) MEOW occasionally.
6) STARE At another passenger for a while. Then announce in horror: "You're one of THEM" - and back away slowly
7) SAY -DING at each floor.
8) SAY "I wonder what all these do?" And push all the red buttons.
9) MAKE explosion noises when anyone presses a button.
10) STARE, grinning at another passenger for a while, then announce: "I have new socks on."
11) WHEN the elevator is silent, look around and ask: "Is that your beeper?"
12) TRY to make personal calls on the emergency phone.
13) DRAW a little square on the floor with chalk and announce to the other passengers: "This is my personal space."
14) WHEN there's only one other person in the elevator, tap them on the shoulder, then pretend it wasn't you.
15) PUSH the buttons and pretend they give you a shock. Smile, and go back for more.
16) ASK if you can push the button for other people but push the wrong ones.
17) HOLD the doors open and say you're waiting for your friend. After a while, let the doors close and say "Hi Greg, How's your day been?"
18) DROP a pen and wail until someone reaches to help pick it up, then scream: "That's mine!"
19) BRING a camera and take pictures of everyone in the lift.
20) PRETEND you're a flight attendant and review emergency procedures and exits with the Passengers
.21) SWAT at flies that don't exist.
22) CALL out "Group hug" then enforce it.

Found here

The Cold One Just Got Hotter

I guess it's a blessing that I'm no movie critic because when it comes to Twilight, objectivity and logic escape me. Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson) literally took my breath away when he told Bella (Kristen Stewart) this ---> "I don't have the strength to stay away from you anymore."

Edward is totally the hottest vampire, ever.

Which character are you from Twilight?

Looking for Value in the Haze

I find that one of the many simple ironies of life lies in perceptions and realities of a person's value. I think that knowing you're valued gives that extra push to achieve the seemingly unachievable. Being valued enables you to stretch yourself to an unimaginable proportion just to prove that impossible is a wall that can be scaled.

I have recently heard that smartest thoughts and strongest soul make for high performing individuals. I believe this is true. But what would that soul do when it keeps groping in a haze of the unknown? What would that soul do if it feels like a worthless appendage to the recipient of its commitment and efforts? When does valuing move from an unimportant part of the overall scheme of things to something that inspires?

As what's mostly true in life, you collect as much experience and disappointments hoping that in the end, everything will add to that strength that only you can truly nurture and develop. You consistently remember to acknowledge your worth. Then you just try not to be derailed by how tiresome things sometimes get - of that sad feeling of giving everything you've got to that something that consistently fails to acknowledge your value.

This is why it's not wise to put yourself in a box where your heart and soul wither. The box is a reality that you live with but it's neither a cage nor a stage to stand and be glorified. You see the box as something that you can easily reach out from because it's outside the box that the heart and soul truly lives.

Who knows, one day, you'll be surprised to know that you're valued outside the box. And you didn't even have to do much and lose yourself to feel it.

FISA/OS Technical Course for Rowing Coaches

November 19-22, 2008
Makati Sports Club/La Mesa Dam
Manila, Philippines

Thoughts.Heart.Soul. ~ Lessons from Johan Flodin

Interesting insights I picked up from Johan Flodin during the seminar:

(Johan Flodin sharing coaching insights ~ Day 3)

Smartest thoughts & strongest soul ~ I love this. Johan said these are important especially for those who aspire to become high performing athletes. And the beauty of this is that, it's true in life regardless of what it is that we choose to do. At the end of the day, we can decide what to think then the strength of our soul will bring us closer to the fulfillment of our dreams.

(The participants)

The quality of inner dialogue separates the best performers and low performers. ~ I think that this is connected with the first one. I do believe that we can only learn and absorb so much from training, or from life for that matter. But if it comes to that moment when we need to decide to hang on tight and give ourselves a fighting chance to get what we truly want, how we talk ourselves towards holding on would provide that shift in favor of what we chose.

(Maricon, me, Johan, April, & Carole)

Keep It Simple

"If you can't do it easily, you can't do it at all."

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International Rowing Federation (FISA)/Olympic Solidarity (OS) Technical Course for Rowing Coaches

November 19-22, 2008

Manila, Philippines

The first day felt like a reunion of sorts with some of the Rowing and Dragon Boat vets. I was at Makati Sports Club early to meet James because we needed to prepare everything for the seminar so I had the chance to do some catching up.

I was really happy to see that quite a number of athletes I've known from both teams are still actively training and competing until now. But it's also nice to see newbies especially in Rowing and learn that they've done quite well in their competition in Hong Kong just recently.

The rowers who competed in the HK Championships won two (2) golds, two (2) silvers, and two (2) bronzes. This is indeed happy news for me, and I'm sure for the rest of the Philippine Rowing community as well because it means the sport is still thriving despite the challenges that we face in terms of promoting the sport. It's a daunting task to promote a sport that has the murky waters of Pasig river, plus the barge/ferry traffic, to offer since La Mesa Dam allows only the national team to train on its pristine waters. This recent win is just proof that Rowing truly has also its share of potentials here.

Johan Flodin, an international rower with merits from World Championships and Olympic Games, arrived to conduct the seminar. Johan has a Masters Degree in Exercise Physiology and in Sport Management and he's one of the most successful coaches in Scandinavia. He's currently the Head Master of the Swedish Rowing Gymnasium.

It's a good experience to learn from an expert. The past two days have been filled with great coaching insights. All of us attending the seminar agree that we're lucky to have Johan conduct it because he makes everyone understand even the most complex ideas.

It was more than a decade ago when we had the Level I FISA Coaching Course. Only a handful of us are now taking Level II. Most of the participants now are new and haven't had the chance to take Level I yet. We're lucky that Johan made Level II easy to grasp because even those of us who took Level I needed our memories refreshed.

We're now halfway done with the seminar and I must say it's a very gratifying experience. I'm glad I took the time to help Mr. Ramos, Steve, and James organize this. I realized that I do miss the sport and the people. It also made me determined to get back into shape. And more importantly, it made me determined to help develop the sport further here in the country.