Lines In My Head

There's been quite a number of good albums released recently so I figured it'd be a nice time to share what these records are. My musical taste still predominantly revolves around the alternative/rock/pop/punk/emo scene although recently, someone's been sneakily injecting a healthy dose of M Countdown into my daily viewing schedule. ( Kaya pala familiar na yung "Fantastic, baby" sa kin. Bang Bang Bang! ) The Korean pop music invasion would have to wait for a while though so in the meantime, here are some tracks you should definitely check out. And since I'm a sucker for lyrical content, I'll include my favorite lines from each song. 1. I Don't Like Who I Was Then - The Wonder Years Might as well start with the song I used for the title post. I Don't Like Who I Was Then (from the band's latest effort,  No Closer To Heaven ) packs yet again the usual passion I've come to love with The Wonder Years. Liking a song due to a few stand-out

August has always been a special month for me because of one obvious reason - it's that one day of the year where Facebook notifies my friends about an increment in my age. Yes, it's a special day but in terms of celebrations, I'd say that for the last couple of years, it's been hovering between lackluster and predictable. Mostly it's been lunch outs with the family or drinks with the boys or dinner dates. While this year wasn't entirely different, I'd say it was an interesting one due to the arrival of a new person and the departure of a dear one *sobs*. Oh, and there are the old reliables, of course. August 14, Friday A good friend from graduate school, who was also a Leo, sent out invites for a casual Friday dinner in commemoration of her nth birthday. I sure wasn't going to miss it especially knowing that the menu for that night was an assortment of mouth-watering sea creatures! We also got a pretty nifty surprise from our fellow classmates in

Prologue It was a rainy Sunday morning when I trooped into the mall for a weekend rendezvous. Good thing I got into the mall just before the rain fell as my only protection from the downpour was my trusted red hoodie and its soft, fluffy fabric. I had recently lost my umbrella to an old lady, who had served her master for 80 years, living just right across our unit. She apparently had more need for it as it would allow her to use her money on food items instead of buying a parasol. Or at least, that's what my imaginative partner for this weekend thought so after I told her someone stole my umbrella. Clever. I arrived earlier than the agreed time and immediately noticed the activity area swarming with people thanks to an Oishi event. I'm not exactly a fan of big crowds so I decided to grab a cup of ice-blended chocolate first elsewhere. That turned out to be a bad idea since immediately after the first sip, I felt my tummy start to grumble. Ugh. I remember one time she to

I was on my way to dinner when I vibered her. Me: Nasa bus na nga wahaha. A couple of minutes later, I got a reply saying how my previous message was the equivalent of one of the biggest lies in the history of mankind. What followed was the definitive guide to the most deceptive, cunning, ingenious, and innovative falsehoods ever. Or at least, we believe it is. I must have looked like a madman as I was laughing on my own, on my side of the bus, while scrolling through the items on the list. So, what exactly was on that list? 1. "I love you." - While commonly it's supposed to be a romantic, cheesy phrase, bringing forth an army of fluttering butterflies inside your stomach, we all know how emotionally draining and exhausting these words are. This is true especially when after hearing those three simple syllables countless times, you still end up being broken and left behind. We both agree on this one. /bitter 2. "I have read the terms and conditions.

There are moments you just proceed with the relatively unknown and hope you end up with a damn fine time. Through the magic of that social media application that sounds like the band behind Lips of an Angel , I'd say I had one of those instances on a certain Friday night. It was a casual invite for a Korean-themed dinner, one I wouldn't say no to given my love affair with ramyun. Given the horrific traffic at that time (payday Friday, ugh), we had to walk a good kilometer or so on our way to what I will later know as "The Batcave", passing by an assortment of bright lights and scantily clad women (or men?). Upon arriving at the place, I immediately noticed how authentic it seemed: a wooden sliding door; slippers and shoes being taken off (which gave me a view of her red panda socks); a chest freezer full of Korean goodies; and an authentic Korean guy as the authentic manager/owner. We proceeded to the dining area which featured tables over a recessed floor creati

Before, they were just some sorry, prideful, and egoistic excuses to prove to the universe that I am unshattered, unbent, and unbroken. But now, terms such as 'okay', 'fine', 'getting better' and 'moving on' are breaking the barriers of that sick, sadistic world I enclosed myself with, one where I lost my passion and drive for self-improvement and inner happiness.  Quiet. Calm. Serene. Peace.  In the not-so-distant past, these emotions resembled long forgotten relics of the past - hidden and stuck in the deep and dark crevasses of my heart. Yet now, they've started pouring out of those cracks like steam rushing out of a boiling kettle pot. Errr, I'll think of a better metaphor next time but the point is, I am once again getting familiar and comfortable with these emotions and I absolutely freaking like it. I wouldn't trade this state for anything or anyone else at this point. Nope nope nope. * * * No more running / No more

There's this idea that life hits you the hardest when you least expect it. But I guess, in a more realistic manner, there comes a point in time where you already have an inclination that things are going south, yet you still try your hardest to deny the cold, hard facts and hope for a positive outcome. That's the exact moment when life  supposedly  hits you unexpectedly. Some would dramatically call it "the ending", but not really. You'd still be a fine, living, breathing human being the day after, just with a new pair of bloodshot eyes to contend with. I had that belief that I'd never go through such a stage again but I guess I was wrong. Hurled into that boiling pit of emotions, I told myself that I knew how to handle this phase already but I guess I was wrong. I thought I had it all figured out -- the right pieces, the right chemistry, the right answers -- but again predictably, I was wrong. What I ended up with was a wrecking ball (Miley Cyrus reference

That stage has improved a lot. This is almost a month late but still. I had a phase in my life especially during my college years when I was so into local bands. I used to spend a significant amount of my allowance buying records from Odyssey(!) and scouting the Sarabia Optical Shop in UP Shopping Center for any hidden gems from indie bands. It was only natural then that I'd have this long-term February love affair with the UP Fair. Match made in Sunken. This year, I decided to watch on a Wednesday. The event for the night was called "Roots" and historically the event has been really good in terms of band line-up and how organized the program is. Understandable since the organizers are musically inclined student orgs from UP Diliman - guys who are knowledgeable and passionate about their craft. Anyway, I saw the lineup for the night weeks prior, found it cool, bought tickets, and patiently waited in line to get inside the fair grounds. Aside from a few n

Masahiro Tanaka. Ace of Diamond. Aside from the memorable and nostalgic retirement tours for Mariano Rivera and Derek Jeter (watch this epic  video to relive those moments), the New York Yankees have absolutely stunk (relative to Yankee expectations) the past two years. Missing two consecutive postseason sucks. Watching an uninspiring cast of broken-down sluggers, struggling hurlers, and a bunch of replacement-level retreads sucks even more. Double ugh. But...that doesn't mean I won't follow and root for the team anymore. There are still plenty of reasons to watch and cheer for the Yankees and well, here are mine. Warning: The following list contains tons of baseball jargon, inside jokes, and unfamiliar names. Enjoy! 1. Masahiro Tanaka's splitter - An absolute thing of beauty. Unless you're the batter flailing helplessly against it. Filthy. 2. The return of A-Rod - The most enigmatic Yankee ever is back and I am secretly rooting for him to mash this

Welcome to another edition of The Homegrown Squad . The defending champions San Antonio Spurs are notoriously known for being a well-run organization and for being adept at scouting, assessing, drafting, and developing their players. That is the image that they have been conjuring for the last couple of years. Does this perception match the actual product on the court though? Let's see! Same rules as before apply. The top twelve active players originally drafted by the team are selected to form a competitive roster. On to the Spurs' list! Note: Career per game averages are in this order (Points, Rebounds, Assists, Steals, Blocks)

Inspired by a recent web article, I've decided to make my own list of albums that stuck with me throughout the past year. While I honestly thought this would be an easy exercise given my propensity for discovering new bands and music, it's strange that I've been having a hard time compiling such a short list. Either there was a drought of quality records or I haven't been paying much attention to the scene lately. More of the latter, I guess. I managed to come up with ten albums though and knowing my affinity for emo-pop-punk jams, you won't be seeing any Ed Sheerans, Ariana Grandes or Iggy Azaleas here. Instead, you'll get... HONORABLE MENTION(S): Lift A Sail - Yellowcard (Released: October 7, 2014) Key Tracks: One Bedroom, The Deepest Well 1989  - Taylor Swift (Released: October 27, 2014) Key Tracks: Blank Space, Clean, Out Of The Woods We Don't Have Each Other  - Aaron West and The Roaring Twenties (Released: July 8, 2014) Key Track

It’s really hard to describe how good or bad a year has been given that there is so much variability that happens within 365 days. It’s like a collection of positives and negatives wherein if you get a net positive value in the end, then you say you’ve had a damn good year. Otherwise, meh.  In any case (and most especially for an optimist like me), I find it better to reminisce about the feel-good stories rather than sulk at the mishaps and misses. Welcome to my rainbow-colored view of 2014. A relatively quiet family life. No health, financial, emotional problems. That is why I find it always a pleasure to make that 3 hour bus trip to Bataan. Nothing beats the comfort of home. A promotion in my professional career. Something I didn’t really wish or ask for but thankful nevertheless for the opportunity, challenge and additional benefits (!) bestowed upon me. A successful first year in my MBA program. Passed all my pre-MBA courses and honestly appreciated my Leadership class even