The word palindrome is derived from the Greek palandromos, meaning running back again (palan = AGAIN + drom-, dramen = RUN). By etymology, a palindrome is a word or phrase which reads the same in both directions.
All palindromes are in Bold Typeface.
More often than not, the TITLES of the blogs are palindromes.
I don't even want to think about it, but the underdog has emerged the winners the past few sporting events.
Yes, just yesterday the World Cup started with a big bang! First-time World Cup team, Senegal, won 1-0 over the defending champions, France. This after Pete Sampras, who has never won a cup on clay courts, lost again in the first round of the 2002 French Open and last year's French Open Women's Runner Up, Belgian Kim Clijsters lost to 87th ranked, Clarisa Fernandez.
If this is a trend of sorts, I don't want to watch the Sacramento-Los Angeles NBA Western Finals later....but i will.
I'm sitting on pins and needles. I tried sleeping earlier, tossing and turning and can't seem to find the best position to catch a wink or two. I tried hot milk. I started counting ship and sheeps, whatever works. I opened a boring book. No it wasn't really one, its one book i've been buying and reading and buying and reading every year's edition since 1977, 25 years. Maybe that stands out to be a record in itself. I opened my thinkpad to check email and got some. Reading 'em just kept me more awake than what i had hoped to be.
barely 9 hours from now. its game time. may all the zen spirits be with Master Phil as he battles another game and may the Lakers resurface like the phoenix bird.
Im in a senti-mode again. Maybe it's the end of another month. Or maybe because it's payday, supposedly a moment of celebration for a month's hardwork.... yet I only have myself to enjoy it with.
Allow me to be inspired. Because days like these, you just want to make your way down town, walk fast, make faces pass, and be home bound. You try to enjoy yourself, stare blankly ahead, make your way, through an empty crowd. Sounds like a sappy song?
Because it is.
And I mean it. That times like these - I think of her. I feel everything's so wrong without her beside me. Cause I need her. I miss her. And she knows that I would walk a thousand miles, just to be with her - tonight.
(Inspired by my favorite track spinning in my head, A Thousand Miles by Vanessa Carlton)
RUSSIA and CHINA BEATS AMERICA
in Arms [Legs, Face, Body, Mind] Race
World-Domination. Probably was in the minds of China and Russia as both countries placed third and first, respectively, in the recent Miss Universe pageant. For China, its a mean feat as the event is the first time that they have sent a contender. While for Russia, it is their first time to win the Miss Universe title.
Blogged at :3:06 AM
This is probably what the American government is asking anyone who can provide information leading to the capture of the kidnappers of the Burnhams, one year after they were abducted at Dos Palmas Resort Palawan. I can only imagine the governors of all Mindanao provinces, the local police chiefs and every Boy, Bai and Manong in Basilan, a province hundreds of kilometers from Manila, are now plotting plans for their claim to the huge bounty! Moreover, it could even be the family of these Abu Sayyafs who can lay claim to the reward. That's more money they have amassed in 5,000 lifetimes.
With that price, I can't imagine what the next terrorist will do to make himself or his family members richer by probably P 500 million next time. This is more than anyone's insurance policy from the best insurance companies.
TOP SPOT Its nostalgia time! Today, I played a kid's game we all played in school, called M-A-S-H, which means (Mansion, Apartment, Shack, House - oh I remember, our version had the "S" for Squatters)
This was a great discovery from someone else's blog. I couldn't help myself from enjoying the on-line "young-geek-who-dreams-of-her dreamgirl" game after seeing the results and discovered that I just need to buy a Blue Jag and yes, have a cute Justine Samantha (should have been Samuel Justin) and I've got this M-A-S-H game fairly covered 100%.
Don't blush, Michele, but you were pitted against Natalie Portman (Padme Amidala) and Monica Bellucci (Malena) and you got the nod of the magic number cranked out by the net.
Am very very pleased with the results...you deserve the top spot.
Dyan dyan dyaran (drum roll sounds)...the envelope please...
You live in a House.
You're married to Michele.
You drive a Jaguar.
Your car is the color Blue.
You live in the state Manila.
Your honeymoon is in Paris.
Your occupation is a Entrepreneur.
You have this many kids: 1 (0 male; 1 female).
Just to pay tribute to those who participated in the consolation round, here are their pictures, which I would say pale in comparison to Michele's:
I just came from The Podium and noticed this new fashion. Wow, most "voyeurs" are not getting excited anymore as summer-frolicking teenage high-school kids and collegialas alike are displaying what could be a fashion that they will probably look back after 10 years and smile and say "did I wear that????"...
Here's a suggestion to 'em: Just make sure your underwear is presentable enough like a black g-string or a lacy thong (is there one?)...I saw one where it read SO-EN...on its inch-wide garter....ehehe
THE LAKERS vs. THE OTHER TEAM
5 Robert Horry (LA Lakers) or maybe 5 Jason Kidd (NJ Nets)
8 Kobe Bryant (LA Lakers) or its 8 Antoine Walker (Celtics)
34 Shaq O Neal (LA Lakers) or its 34 Paul Pierce (Celtics)
3 rd Championship in a row for the Lakers
1 Lakers as best team in the NBA 1 game to be won in the Championship Series for either Nets or Celtics
and yes 2, for maybe this post to be here - its 2 premature!
Swoosh! and an eruption was detected along Figueroa St. in downtown Los Angeles!...when I woke up this morning, after a much eventful weekend, I couldn't move my arms and my head was throbbing. I thought I was going down with the flu. In just 3 hours, I was dancing on my bed as the Lakers unveiled a showcase of sorts rivalling the ending of Hollywood favorites, "The Usual Suspects", "The Shawshank Redemption" and "Memento"
24 points, man 24 points down and you win in the last second by 1 point. The Sacramento Kings were great. But the Lakers? Man, in less than a month the Lakers will be champions.
No. It's not yet Father's Day. It was Mom's day 2 Sundays ago. But I just wanted to talk about a guy who in close to five decades was my idol, the man who I wanted to be when I was growing and yes the man who was partly to blame for me. My papa.
This afternoon, I finally got to see the video-tribute of our Lola Meding, who turned 88 last May 20. I was deeply moved by the fact that Mama when she was saying her greetings on video could not continue without her voice cracking and sounding like a cat wringed on its neck. Mama was sentimental about her memories of Lolo Mayong, Mama's papa. It occured to me, "Will I be as affected if ever Papa will be gone ahead of us?"
We spent the whole night, us boys in dinner, after dinner, seeing May, my younger sister, join her friends for a Sunday night gimmick and waiting for Mama from her usual "Swimming" party. We enjoyed at least 3 hours just talking about plans of going to France, Italy and Switzerland in September. We were rib-tickled watching Dolphy and Smokey Manoloto and just talked about work, about Mitzi and her work status, about anything. We talked not minding of the time. I guess it was far better than the original plan of playing billiards.
My earlier afternoon thoughts were washed away and it never again came into mind until...
Papa suffered a high blood pressure of 209/100 at 9:40 pm, just before when we wanted to have a second showing of the video. Fortunately, it subsided at 11:10 pm. wheew. I guess I will feel the same as Mama felt when Lolo passed away. nyii. wag muna.
No evil shall befall you, nor shall affliction come near your tent, for to His Angels God has given command about you, that they guard you in all your ways. Upon their hands they will bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone.
Psalm 91: 10-12
Who are our Guardian Angels? A heavenly spirit assigned by God to watch over each of us during our lives. The doctrine of angels is part of the Church's tradition. The role of the guardian angel is both to guide us to good thoughts, works and words, and to preserve us from evil.
My Guardian Angel's name is Uriel. I was introduced to Archangel Uriel last week, May 16 when we visited the Carmelites Convent in San Pablo. In my silent prayer just a couple of minutes ago, Angel Uriel inspired me to read and meditate on the Bible.
It was my first time to open the Holy Book in 2 months.
What's next, House and Lot? At 8 AM this morning, while stopped at the intersection of Julia Vargas and Meralco Avenue, I came across at least six different sales people plying the streets and strutting their wares. First came, the ubiquitous newspaper boy who will flash the headlines in front of your windshield, when he gets your attention as you try to speed-read "Sexy star....", he takes away the paper from your face - knowing well you would only read the headline and not buy.
Then came, the more ubiquitous - cigarette vendor. I discovered that the Filipino really has this penchant for retailing everything. In fact, we buy our cigarettes one stick at a time. I saw at least two vehicles buying an average of 1 stick from the guy. I have not seen such phenomena in Europe where people, even high school kids are smoking. They lug their packs in their bags like Filipinos lug their cellphones.
Then here comes the Fantastic Four in the fashion show of sorts, the utility man with the little umbrella on top of his head, selling all thinga-majigs for the car, a backrest, a feather duster and Pranela (a local and utilitarian version of the cotton cloth). Then came, the high tech man, with car-lighter driven Cellphone chargers. Second to the last, is the toy man - with a hand puppet that looked like a bird (looked more like Big Bird's kid with Snuffalufagus) with his tonque lashing (ooohh...reminds you of anyone's mom) and lastly the guy - from whom I actually had to open my window - the beverage guy....it was so hot I needed to have a drink.....yes, he sells softdrinks, coconut juice, and water - he might even have martini, champagne or rhum - if you ask him for that....
(Lonely Tylenol's note: By lunch time, there is your peanuts man, your banana boy and everything to whet your appetite while plying the traffic-laden streets of EDSA.
By night time, there could be your streetkids, your sampaguita vendor, flower vendor and maybe if you're lucky enough - your pimp.
All served while you are there seated behind the wheel and waiting for the $%$% ing traffic light to turn green!
Today, is May 23, people close to me know what this date means to me.....
anyway, just to let you know, www.clickthecity.com, is back in cyberspace and familiar people are now running the show....this website means a lot to me, being part of my dot.com days....i just wish everyone back there good luck and God bless. indeed, nobody can put a good site down....woohoo!!!!
Soon it will be total darkness in Metro Manila. If this blackout which started at 10:57 am will not be resolved.....
Not counting the brownouts that happen during ballot counting in last May 14, 2001 national elections, Metro Manila has been hit with 4 major ones in the last 13 (wooh unlucky number) months. We’ve had different alibis and scenarios for each and every major brownout, from blasts (January 21, 2002) to jellyfish (November 5, 2001), from
Faulty power lines (April 7, 2001) to blackmailing the people who have been haranguing the government to lower electricity rates (most recent).
These has led to massive traffic jams with no traffic lights, no MRT or LRT to ride on or malls and cinemas losing money. Trade and industry also suffer as in this morning, the Philippine Stock Exchange had to be put to halt for several minutes.
My only problem right now: as I type this blog, my elbows are sticking to the desk due to perspiration…
Diggings here and there, concrete, steel placed on top of ancestral lawns and houses....and in nine years - a bridge from Guadalupe, Mexico to Winnipeg, Canada has been created! Unthinkable at this point of US heightened security but yes, either you believe it or don't!
“What’s worse than a Monday morning?” the radio blared while I was driving along EDSA (The Philippines' version of the 405 of LA)….the other DJ answered “blow drying your long hair for 25 minutes, to find out that it will get wet because you left your umbrella at home, thinking it will not rain…and IT DID.”
Is that the worse you’ve got?
Last week probably was my happiest moment in years as I was complete with my better half who was home but only for a short time. We got to do things together, the same way we did things for the last 10 years!
Plus our family was complete when we went home to Cebu for my lola's 88th birthday. Ahhhh.....that was one good week.
But why would it worse than a Monday morning? You'd ask.
Last night, she had to go back to work, 11,657 kilometers away from here.
Won’t lovers revolt if I say that their kind of love is overrated? IF I ask them "have they succeeded in a long distance relationship? Have they tried letting go? Will they say yes?
Pardon the palindromic title once again...i couldn't help talking about STAR without talking about RATS. That's a palindrome for you, one thing its sooooo nice, twinkling twinkling...and then, all of a sudden, they are twiking twiking pests.
Great flick huh? For someone, like me, who has seen the Star Wars saga (in its perfectly right chronological order) only in this new millennium, it is explicably alright. But if you are 33 years old and your childhood years fell right smack into the Jedi era of late 70s and early 80s, then this kid has a real problem. That kid is moi.
I am waiting with much anticipation the third in the series come 2004 or 2005. Until then, I can't see Star Wars 4, 5 and 6 yet!
Suffice to say, much more than "The Phantom Menace", "Attack of the Clones" - I enjoyed. For now. Bye.
I always break my promises. I promised that I will not write about Kobe and the Lakers and how they have dominated the last 3 NBA seasons. I promised not to mention that although they may be losing in the middle of a regular season or a halftime of an all-important game, that they end up winning and bringing home gold and diamond rings for all the players. I also promised not to even mention Kobe in any other post for I have mentioned his name in past two blogs, Kobe or Not Kobe and Kobe Error or Reebok. I promised not to mock the opponents of the Lakers, like the Blazers or the Spurs or the Kings, like what I did in past blogs as well. This is going to be a bad habit....but let me say it one more time, the Lakers are the best.
On with the Western Conference Finals, please - Bring in the Kings!!!!
I have been a Laker fan for the last 24 years. That was when Magic Johnson was drafted from Michigan State after winning the NCAA Championships that same year and the High School National Championships, 2 years before. So in 4 years, Magic Johnson won 3 championships in 3 different levels.
I have been smitten by Purple Reign and would always believe that whatever happens, that even if they are losing by 5 points in the last 65 seconds just like in Game 3 vs. the Blazers or today's game when they were trailing by 10 points, that something will happen and somehow, they will win the game. Today, they just did!. All because of one man - # 8, Kobe Bryant.
By the way, I've been a fan of the Lakers even before Kobe Bryant was born in August of 1978. That makes me a bigger fan than him...
..I woke up with some human warmth beside me...first time since the 1st of April in Barcelona, Spain!...I am not a Lonely Tylenol at all...my wife is here with me....not alone anymore
It's not the gifts that can be bought
that are life's greatest treasure
It's not the moments that are planned
that are life's greatest memories
The decision to conceive,
the endless care and love
are the priceless moments in life
The embrace when i need warmth,
the look of pride for a job well done,
the undying support
are the greatest moments that I remember
To my mother, my life's greatest treasure
Happy Mother's Day
I plastered this in my email signature and sent to all my friends, associates and to everyone acquainted through cyberspace. Wow, Gen. Douglas McArthur did this. Magic Johnson did it too. Michael Jordan did it twice!
Ahhh. The keyboard feels fine, my fingers seem to nestle on them as it rests firmly well every time i type. The sound of the clicking as you type is like the sound of your mother waking you up when you were young. They are so familiar. The monitor was missed so much with its smudges of oil from potato chips eaten in one web session. I can see a print of my lips from last month when I tried kissing the monitor as I looked at my wife's picture sent via email. Everything seems to be the same. I was able to recover most of the treasures inside. Treasures that would have been part of a memorial park of sorts for the cyberspace. I don't mind if one officemate tells me I am holding a zombie. A thing from the grave.
As I place my hand behind my head and rock my creaking chair, I feel good about being able to log on to my old trusty computer after more than 40 hours of being a disjointed person. I am really really back.
While designed to be stealthy, the malicious code was revealed to many puzzled victims in recent weeks when it began causing instability in their PCs or crashed them - Salon.com, May 7 article.
I wanted to be like C.S.I. on my dead laptop. I wanted to know what happened and what made my files corrupted, much worse unusable. I chanced upon this Salon article, The Pop-Up Ad Campaign from Hell. It made me realize that I was a sucker for this free what-have-yous that make your console look good, have a small 1-inch mp3 dancer wriggling her ass in front of you and yes I chanced upon visiting this KoolKatalog thingee probably more than once.
Whatever it is, you guys better be aware, be afraid, be very afraid....of the pop-up ads from hell. Your PC might be next.
Ok, here's more to my momentous day (see pre-quel below). My IBM Thinkpad died today. RIP May 8, 2002. I lost all my sensitive files, some were recovered by the old reliable and nostalgic dos prompt. It's really hard losing important things, much more budget files, pictures of loved ones, downloaded music and 2 year old outlook emails as well.(never mind - work files).
More to that - my Lakers lost to the Spurs. ouch. Let the day end, my God. I just want to end this day.
Ok ok. Kobe made an error and lost the game for the Lakers. He changed his mind in mid-air and created more problems than what he thought it'd be. He double dribbled. In fact he double dribbled in mid-air. haha. It only showed his human side.
No, Kobe wears Adidas, it was a Kobe Error and the Lakers paid dearly for it. 88-85. 1-1. On with the next game please!!!
This morning was not the same kind of mornings I've had for months. Everything was half blurred when I woke up at 1am as I discovered that I lost one half of a pair of my contact lenses. Yes, I wear them to sleep so that I could see clearly in my dreams. I removed the other half knowing that in a little while my head will throb and a headache will follow. I decided to wash my face before I placed on my 7 year old Trussardi eyeglasses. They still look fine, although the acid collection in the nose pads have accumulated even without being used.
I decided to shave my 5-day old goatee thinking that it would not sit well with my nerdy-look. I can't be Rasta-looking guy with an Ivy-leaguer spectacles. I guess this was when all the bad luck started. Just like Samson who lost his hair in his sleep, I lost my power when I lost my beard to the sink.
In short, these were the things that have happened since 6 am : I had a bad case of my morning sickness, rhenitis, which married my sinusitis. Then there was the blue screen of my IBM laptop which right now is missing in action (I am using a public PC at the British Council in front of the office), then in the middle of the traffic jam in the highway, I decided to check my PDA-cum-cellphone to know my meetings and people to call up. I was not surprised that Murphy's Law will come to play tricks with me. Yes, I wasn't able to bring my mobile phone with me. Thus, completing my morning's disconnection to the world.
Now, no one knows me. I am in glasses without a goatee. I have a laptop that has frozen at me and I've got no cellphone and no one could text or call me. And its just 9 am in the morning! What else could happen....let's see.
This morning I had tuna and rice,
gobbling the whole meal in 5 minutes;
Lunch time came and I wanted to cut down
on sugar, fats, and carbohydrates;
Decided to order Tuna raclette,
forgetting I had tuna that same morning
Well, that's alright, I'm a Tuna Nut,
call me that, for me, its tuna or nothing.
Today, at our company's summer respite at Island Cove Resort in Cavite I got to do one thing I thought I couldn't do. Thanks to Garfield who once said, "It's amazing what a person can do when he doesn't know what he can't do". Take that from a fat wise-cracking feline!
Not knowing my "semi"-fear of heights, I decided to climb the stairs knowing that every step up is a foot away from the ground. When I reached the highest point, I thought it was an enjoyable site to behold - to see things from a different vantage point. As I sat down to prepare my slide down from at least 50 meters up taking me to a pool of 1.5 meters deep, I realized that I never did this stunt ever. But what the heck, I never heard of anybody dying from sitting down and landing on pool water. So I just let go and I saw myself sliding down to 50 meters x 9.8 meters per second squared add the pressure... (there goes my nerdy self)...equals to a lesson in life:
That is : taking out some doubt that I can go up high and come spiralling down and still enjoy the flight.
My life / Is like a bowling ball / Heavy / And black / And full of holes / And headed for / The gutter - William Burrill
Last night we played a game of bowling. My first game probably in 3 years! I never really played the game well, but as I sit and wait for my turn, during this time, it always makes me think of the poem above. Is my life like a bowling ball?
Never really answering the question fully, I take my turn, pick up my black ball, wipe it, make a prayer audible to myself, and look at the target - the destination. As I push it with all my might, the ball moves fast, takes a curve, goes back in line, moves by itself, shatters the pins and I hear my teamates clap, and the other team say its a fluke. Although it leaves one pin standing in soliloquy, I see that my ball is going back the alley and is given a second chance to hit the mark again.
Life is like that, a bowling ball...if you don't hit the mark, there's a always a second chance....but always remember to make that prayer for it to hit its destination.
"All my dreams have come true, when I met you"....added to that are some travel wishes that we both ticked off from this book that we bought 5 years ago....here are some we have cherished together in the last 10 months:
(pg 45) spend Bastille Day in Paris, July 14, 2001
(pg 51) (climb) see the Duomo in Florence, Italy, Sept 2001
(pg 55) climb (the mountain in front of) the Matterhorn, Mar 4, 2002
(pg 64) walk across the bridges over the Seine in Paris, July 13, 2001
(pg 76) spend a snowy Christmas in Germany, Dec 19-20, 2001
(pg 124) be part of the parade of life on La Ramblas, Barcelona,Mar 29
(pg 166) smell the lavender in the fields of Provence, July 4-9, 2001
(pg 167) sit on one of Antoni Gaudi's mosaic benches, March 30, 2002
(pg 221) wander through the seaport of Marseilles, July and Sept 2001
(pg 239) drive (a Maserati) on Italy's fabled Autostrade, Sept 2001
(pg 261) tour the wine route of Alsace in France, March 2002
(pg 265) climb (Philosopher's Pass) to look down Heidelberg, Dec 19
(pg 269) drive (a Mercedes) on the German autobahn, December 2001
(pg 271) find out how much the Leaning Tower of Pisa leans, Sept 2001
(pg 345) stroll the old section of Nice, July 2001
These are just the travel wishes and there are more to see and behold in life...I know that deep in our hearts we will see and experience more of the world as we grow old together. I love you!
I have great affinity with the man bitten by the spider and became mine and every nerd's favorite hero. To start with - I have been a great Spider Fan since I was 3 years old. I have a picture of me wearing the costume of Spiderman on my 4th birthday with all the spider friends sticking beside me. My mama bought that one as a surprise gift. Cute. Since then, I got fascinated with the way they live and how they reproduce. I started researching on spiders when I was young. At present, I can't recall any of my known trivia on them except the famous Black Widow story and the one about Peter Parker. Tonight, I might catch the first day of Peter Parker and relieve the day I was Spiderman myself a good three decades ago. Oh by the way, we also had the same teenage problems of pimples, crushes and being broke. Another thing, I am also stuck to the internet - the world wide WEB. hehe.
Give him the MVP award. No one man deserves it more than Mr. Jason Kidd. He scored 20 pts in the 2nd half and the 2 overtimes to bail his team, New Jersey Nets vs. the undying spirit of Indiana Pacers, 120-109 in the 5th and last game of their series. Wow! and more wows! How many things can you do in 0.1 seconds? In the same game, Reggie Miller scored 3-points in that span of time to bring the game to its first overtime! That game had me sit on the edge of my bed. Yes, I didnt go to work just for that game. It was worth it.
Blogged at :7:33 PM
2.5.02
It was once said to "Never test the waters with both feet", well I think I just did. Although a private blog, I tested the power of Google and "I did squat with my spurs on." I made an experiment on the physiology of the sexual mind of internet users.
I never really realized that Google, as early as the first day, will pick up my blog on Anna Kournikova and her supposed nude pictures. The joke was on me with Lonely Tylenol now released as far as South America and all around Asia. In one day, visitors flocked to this lonely site as if ransacking its contents, primarily to check whether their keywords : "Anna Kournikova nude pictures Penthouse sue beach house Enrique Iglesias" would land them with the actual photos. Well, they all landed to my blogsite.
Pardon the weak palindromic title. It wasn't a way to get your attention but even what happened before the UEFA Champions League game between Real Madrid and Barcelona could stop Spain's capital to advance to the UEFA finals.
Although it ended at 1-1, the aggregate score to include their 2-0 loss in Nou, Barcelona did the Catalans in. Don't get me wrong. I love Barcelona. I love Catalunia. The place was fantastic. The food was great. We had the best hosts when we were there. But it was really hard for Barca to stop the bombs thrown at them by Real Madrid and to win by more than 2 goals in Real Madrid's turf was a tough act to pull. Maybe even if Rivaldo was not injured, it would still be a tall order to accomplish.
Not even the bombers stopped Real Madrid from their date with destiny!
Achievements for the day: washed dishes used after eating "brunch", cleaned the library, blogged. replaced hinges of cabinets in the middle room, vacuumed the car, changed catches of cabinets, covered 3 books, finalized April expenses and appropriations for May, cleaned electric fan, glued rubber sole of old rubber shoes, fixed faucet in main bathroom, shopped for a new multi-media headset and microphone, sold 8 old CDs to my favorite Used CD store and earned P 1,600, paid bills online. Blogged.
What was left out of my checklist: nothing. All part of Labor Day laboring.
