Arrogance is a necessity

I'm better that this. I've been thinking about a lot of the problems I'm facing, and they didn't turn out to be problems at all! I over thought things that really don't deserve to take up one-half of my already malfunctioning biological memory card. It felt like I've gotten my arrogance and pride back. I have something a lot more in me than the sh*t I'm feeling. I don't need them. I don't need their approval. I only value the opinions if the people I look up to. I will now do things for myself, intrinsically.

 I've been working my ass off for a couple of years now, not because I wanted it, but because I wished to be recognized. That mentality is seriously twisted. I can't believe how stupid I was to seek approval from those who wished to possess what I have now. I was blinded when i strived to be in the same level just to seek praise. It's effed up. I have all of these but it wasn't enough.

I realized there's more to life than trying to get hold of a star while lying in the grass under the blanket of darkness while being illuminated by the moonlight. It's something that I would never reach. I didn't fail because i wasn't able to. I succeeded because I realized that it wasn't worth it anymore. I'm better than this. I finally know.

NBA Starter or the Young Journeyman?

I don't know where to start. Seriously.

This blog entry is about fans suggesting that Denver Nuggets' center Javale Pierre McGee (who happens to be a legitimate NBA starter) should NOT be our naturalized player (and the one who'll take Douthit's place) in favor of the PBA Commissioner's Cup Best Import 2012, Denzel Bowles.

This guy....

McGee vs Andrew Bynum

vs this guy...

Denzel Bowles vs Ali Peek

Should this even be debated? Let me get this straight, you want a journeyman who recently won a championship in the PBA (who failed to get drafted) over an NBA Slam Dunk contest runner-up, 18th overall draft pick and once again, a LEGITIMATE NBA STARTER? Weird. Seriously. Mind boggling. Mind effed.
If you were hoping to read a neutral entry from admin KP, you thought wrong. I just find this whole situation absurd. I'm not trying to escalate the issue here, I want to end it. I'm just frustrated at how  (sorry for the term) some "superfans" are. Bowles > McGee? Really? Really? Really?

On a serious note, I do understand why Bowles fans want him on the national team. Let's face it, the whole nation hates the Tropang Texters. They were rallying BMeg. They wanted to see Chot Reyes choke, and choke he did. BMeg won the championship in seven games behind the dominating performance of "Super Bowles". He overpowered the likes of Kelly Williams, Donell Harvey, Ali Peek, Harvey Carey and Ranidel de Ocampo! WOW.

Meanwhile, McGee's team lost to the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1st round of the NBA Western Conference playoffs. He tussled with the likes of Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol. Here's a vid:

Nuff said. McGee FTW. It's not the fans who chose him over Bowles, it's the SBP's call.

So SMC fans (who are members of Team Bowles), if you want to do something helpful to the NT, cut the crap about Denzel. He's good, but not but not a perfect fit as McGee is. We really don't need another guy who can shoot the lights out at the perimeter, we need an intimidating presence inside. McGee's the guy for the job.

Oh yeah, and tell SMC to loan their players to the national team, rather than talking crap about a team who didn't attend the PBA All-Star Weekend because of playing all year long due to their commitment to the national team.

~KP  -_-

All photos belong to their respective owners.

Gibberish

There are options... there are priorities.

As I'm encoding this entry, I'm enjoying the cold breeze brushing against the nape of my neck while trying to ignore the faint smell of chicken feces. The weather has taken a turn for the better. It's starting to rain and well, yeah, summer is over (thank God).

I kind of feel apathetic. Probably because of my Gilas 2 entry. I won't deny the fact that I was stupid enough to write something very personal and present it to a worldwide audience. Damage control mode is on.

I really don't care that much about everything anymore. Probably because of my mood or just my mindset or maybe I'm just so effing tired. I've never spent a whole day at home for like a month now. The two day excursion to the beach earlier this week wasn't enough. I need a proper vacation! I'm not getting any younger for Pete's sake!

Let's see what happens this week, although I'm not really looking forward to anything anymore.

Enough is enough. I keep telling myself that. I know I'm just an option, not a priority. Leaving now is a necessity, but I just can't because I'm lacking the capacity.

Gilas Pilipinas: An Obsession Part 2

These past few days, I've really been bothered by the inconsistencies regarding all the aspects of my life . It just came to thought that this will be my last summer vacation while being a student, as I am on verge of finishing my education with the hope that I will keep on learning. I've never been in a serious relationship before. Yes, I might be lame, but I spent the last three years getting dumped numerously and waiting to be given the opportunity. Oh yeah...   isang babae lang yan. I could have gone on looking for other girls, but no. I didn't have the capacity to.

Ang corny mo KP, cheezy pa.

What the hell am I writing? This is supposed to be about Gilas, not about my boring and rather ridiculously effed up life.

Anyway, moving on, after three years of being a Bachelor in Broadcasting student, I have learned that mass media chooses what to cover, censor and show to the public and that those materials will inevitably have a strong and direct influence on the masses. Check these communication theories: Agenda Setting, Gatekeeping and Hypodermic Needle. (Being a Broadcasting student really requires brains, a voice, writing ability and a face, which I have. JUST KIDDING)

In this regard, we all know that Smart Gilas Pilipinas National team had meager TV coverage. Print media was consistent in bringing up updates about them (kudos to writers Joey Villar, Cedelf Tupas and Jonas Terrado). However, TV was a totally different scenario. The team first signed up with GMA7.

lalalala

You know, that network that airs ridiculous fantaseryes which made me puke. After the contract signing, I heard nothing from GMA. Nothing. Zip. Nil. It was crazy. It's like having a parent's permit to a school activity signed and ending up not participating. It was crazy. They showed a series of documentaries. Really? Documentaries? Documentaries of Gilas fighting their hearts out against the giants of the middle east with out an import.  I remember that they had Ballesteros as their only legitimate center. He had to stand up to the likes of CJ Giles, Matt Freije and Joe Vogel. GMA also aired a Gilas' Australian tour. By the way, did I mention that they aired these months after the events concluded?

                                      

Preposterous.


Part three of this series will continue soon. Keep you posted =D



~KP

Ripples

My life is just a drop in a bucket.

I just watched "Ripples", a japanese visual novel (translated to English). It just lasted a few minutes, but it really left a lasting message.

"Yes, life is just a drop of water in a bucket, but remember every drop leaves ripples."

It's downloadable at the Apple App Store.

Trust me, it's really worth it =D

Gilas Pilipinas: An obsession Part 1

I stumbled upon Raybitoy's tribute to Smart Gilas Pilipinas National team yesterday. I've watched his mixtapes (which are very, very good by the way) before and well, I wanted to see the job he did with his Gilas 1 tribute.

LINK TO THE VIDEO

And before I knew it, tears were on my eyes. The memories. The sleepless nights I spent looking for livestreams for their middle east jousts. The classes I deliberately missed (Do not follow my example!) because it was in conflict with their games. The arguments I had with crabs on cyberspace who were doubting their capabilities and Filipino heritage. The opportunities I missed to go out with my friends because Gilas had a PBA game. I chose them over sleep, my classes, my productivity on the internet and my friends. I do not regret any of it.

People around me rarely talked about them. I felt isolated. I had no one to talk to personally. I had the Interbasket forums but I've been bothered by a troll named Big_ticket which reverted my status to being a lurker. Add the fact that I'm only one of the three guys in class at that time (currently the only one who happens to be a regular student) where girls are engrossed with trivial matters such as teleseryes and KPOOP (as a Filipino basketball fan, I have a natural hatred of South Korea, but not to the point of making me a racist douchebag).

It was all WORTH IT. I was obsessed. Addicted. Blinded. I didn't care. I prayed for my national team before going to bed. Daydreamed in every Trigonometry class (which I regret every examination period) about them... with their right hand on their chests, singing the national anthem in some indoor arena in London up against a European team which would probably beat them black and blue.

With every victory, they put a smile on my face. With every loss, a better performance to look forward to. I was a fanboy. I'm not ashamed.

I loved Smart Gilas Pilipinas despite the heartbreak.

Even if it ended that way, it was all worth it. Thank you Gilas. ~KP

Photo from FIBA Asia

                                 

What you are and What they think

We perceive ourselves in a different way than other people.

I'm currently enduring the sweltering heat while in bed, encoding this blog entry. I've been waiting for days for rain to shower down and cool everything up, but no. It just made the atmosphere unbearable. Because of it, concrete and other materials that absorbed sunlight during the day are now releasing vast amounts of heat. So much for a cool night's sleep right? Meh.

Google, Y U SO MALICIOUS? I typed in "hot night" and all  I got  are censor-worthy materials!

That aside, let me get to the focal point of this entry. The way we carry ourselves in public is one thing. The impression we think we give is another. The impression we actually give is another. I know a guy who worked his butt off every exam, every project and just about everything. However, whenever he got the results he desired, he was pretty vocal about it, but not to the point of him telling everyone. He was just saying things like: Yes, I nailed it! or Glad I did it!. Being a close friend of his, I knew for a fact that he is a down-to-earth person. He never flaunted his achievements or put himself in a rank higher than anyone. He'd always choose the least comfortable chair in a party.

Sh*t happens for a reason and some people have sh*tty mindsets. What my friend thought were little "expressions of satisfaction" was actually perceived as arrogance by others. When confronted, he broke down in tears and couldn't believe that they saw him like that.

Did I mention that those people who perceived him that way were aspiring honor roll graduates? Oh well. Competition really brings out the worst in everyone, that's why I think it's stultifying. Compete with yourself (not with others) and at the same time, set higher standards (because in that way, you'll become a better than what you were). There will always be people who will try to bring you down. Their mentality is "to win by defeating everybody" not "to win is simply being the best." I know my point is kind of hard to grasp, but please put a little thought into it and you'll understand eventually. =3

Someone once told me that there are three windows in knowing yourself. One is how you see yourself. Two is how others perceive you to be. Last one is things everyone, including you, never knew that you had. But hey, what others think is none of your business. If your conviction is strong and what you do and how you act goes in accordance to morality set by God and the society and if you have no bad intentions whatsoever you don't have to change... they do. =3

You're the problem, not me. The F*ck I care :)

Wait, wait.... did I use the meme correctly? LOL. G'nyt =D