And so, a week and a day ago, a goal that I had set out to accomplish had the closure and taken its course. I took the road less traveled, dropping out once, then enroling in a different school and had countless bumps and flips and spins like a trapeze artist/ball rolling around. So much had happened in the past five years, sounding like an over dramatic actress on stage. However, my time in college had to end. And it did with a degree to my name.
Walking up that stage, hearing my name called out loud (and mispronunced), I felt that sheer sense of relief and exhuberation clothing me. So much emotions running through my head. As I was told by the organizers during the briefing: Do not do anything funny. Go up there and shake the dignitaries hands and walk across and back to your seats. As much as I had been flashingly annoying in classes and made a name for myself by speaking up too much, I didn't want to mess this up. Just. Be. Normal. That's what I did. Like how everyone else went across the stage with no attention.
The rest of the ceremony was spent meddling around with my phone and I couldn't wait for it to end, knowing that I had a super long day ahead the next morning-- like a responsible adult, judging yet another debate tournament and making a couple bucks, and a super cool 6 days to look forward to-- time to get out of town to meet a special someone. Something I have been eagerly waiting for to happen for a good 2.5 months, and here I am now, coming towards the end of this 6 days sadly.
Monday, July 23, 2012
Saturday, July 21, 2012
Olympic Trials fever!
I'm probably the only local, half a world away who has been watching the US Olympic swimming trials religiously online. After 2008 when the team had training camp here before Beijing, an online friend and I decided to wait around to try and meet the team on two evenings. I did so, four times in total since the team hotel was downtown. Those were the days of being a crazy fan. For example, heading downtown early Saturday afternoon before going for a music festival (thanks to having a free ticket from Joe) with bands I sort-of listened to during my teenage days (New Found Glory and Lost Prophets) and Travis that were playing. Boy, did I get lucky. And I must say, August 2, 2008 was one of the coolest days of my life meeting a ton of Olympians who had won medals/would be crowned.
The races were spectacular I must admit. My condolences to those who came so close but didn't make the team. Ie: Garret Weber Gale, who was part of the historic 4 by 100 free relay in Beijing, the senior statespeople like Ed Moses, Megan Quann-Jendrick, the mid-distance fly Kim Vandenberg, teenage sensation Amanda Beard and the list goes on on who I was rooting for.
Members from the 2008 team that will be competing in London that I have met:
Matt Grevers, Elizabeth Beisel, Rebecca Soni (the double breaststroke queen) and her boyfriend, Ricky Berens, Chloe Sutton, Kathleen Hersey, Kara Lyn Joyce (not too pleasant I must admit.) Ryan Lochte (*gasp, ladies you can start throwing rocks me*), Cullen Jones, Brendan Hansen and Eric Shanteau aka the guys I've camwhored with when I met them. I've met Eric twice and he was really humble and friendly. Brendan was laid back as chill.
The races were spectacular I must admit. My condolences to those who came so close but didn't make the team. Ie: Garret Weber Gale, who was part of the historic 4 by 100 free relay in Beijing, the senior statespeople like Ed Moses, Megan Quann-Jendrick, the mid-distance fly Kim Vandenberg, teenage sensation Amanda Beard and the list goes on on who I was rooting for.
Members from the 2008 team that will be competing in London that I have met:
Matt Grevers, Elizabeth Beisel, Rebecca Soni (the double breaststroke queen) and her boyfriend, Ricky Berens, Chloe Sutton, Kathleen Hersey, Kara Lyn Joyce (not too pleasant I must admit.) Ryan Lochte (*gasp, ladies you can start throwing rocks me*), Cullen Jones, Brendan Hansen and Eric Shanteau aka the guys I've camwhored with when I met them. I've met Eric twice and he was really humble and friendly. Brendan was laid back as chill.
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
Yankees have been goofing as of late, 2 straight losses to the White Sox who have suddenly established themselves as the AL Central team to beat. And the Red Sox are streaking and finally above .500 which worries me. Anaheim is getting better too, and no division lead is safe in the AL East till the regular season is over.
Now on to NBA musings... Who would've ever predicted that the first two top draft picks would come from the same school? Anthony Davis and Michael Kidd Gilchrist did it for the National Champion Wildcats... but sadly Thomas Robinson, the power forward from Kansas who received nationwide support and made headline news when he lost his grandparents and mother in the span of 3 weeks and had an elementary school-age sister to raise slid to the fifth pick. I admire his strength and how he became a dominant player after the Morris twins left for the NBA. (Marcus and Markeiff Morris, re: 2011). He deserves utmost respect and I certainly wish him well and hope he succeeds in the NBA.
Jared Sullinger slid all the way to the 21st pick and got drafted by Boston due to his injury report. He might have been the steal of the draft with an ageing Celtics team needing some temporary saving grace, perhaps.
The Tar Heels almost had four players go in the lottery. First was Harrison Barnes at number 7 to Golden State, followed by Kendall Marshall at pick 13 to Phoenix, then John Henson rounded out the lottery by going one pick later to Milwaukee. Tyler Zeller went at 17 to Dallas but was traded to Cleveland. Should be fun to see Kyrie Irving have his former college rival as his running mate on the fastbreak. If Steve Nash were to bolt during free agency, Kendall Marshall might be forced to grow up, real fast. Harrison Barnes, hopefully he doesn't turn out to be Brandan Wright #2 aka a former Tar Heel, also drafted by Golden State who was a bust/ did not fit well in the system.
Now on to NBA musings... Who would've ever predicted that the first two top draft picks would come from the same school? Anthony Davis and Michael Kidd Gilchrist did it for the National Champion Wildcats... but sadly Thomas Robinson, the power forward from Kansas who received nationwide support and made headline news when he lost his grandparents and mother in the span of 3 weeks and had an elementary school-age sister to raise slid to the fifth pick. I admire his strength and how he became a dominant player after the Morris twins left for the NBA. (Marcus and Markeiff Morris, re: 2011). He deserves utmost respect and I certainly wish him well and hope he succeeds in the NBA.
Jared Sullinger slid all the way to the 21st pick and got drafted by Boston due to his injury report. He might have been the steal of the draft with an ageing Celtics team needing some temporary saving grace, perhaps.
The Tar Heels almost had four players go in the lottery. First was Harrison Barnes at number 7 to Golden State, followed by Kendall Marshall at pick 13 to Phoenix, then John Henson rounded out the lottery by going one pick later to Milwaukee. Tyler Zeller went at 17 to Dallas but was traded to Cleveland. Should be fun to see Kyrie Irving have his former college rival as his running mate on the fastbreak. If Steve Nash were to bolt during free agency, Kendall Marshall might be forced to grow up, real fast. Harrison Barnes, hopefully he doesn't turn out to be Brandan Wright #2 aka a former Tar Heel, also drafted by Golden State who was a bust/ did not fit well in the system.
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Madagascar 3: The Review
A child-friendly summer movie not to be missed, the third chapter of this 90 minute animal themed movie teaches values and morals such as teamwork, friendship, determination, the truth will always come out and helping others. This movie carries on from where the previous chapter ended-- in Africa. Alex the lion has nightmares of ageing in Africa and unable to return home.
Alex and his friends have a strong desire to return back to where they originally came from, the Zoo in New York's Central Park. With that, Alex, Gloria the Hippo, Melman the giraffe and Marty the Zebra set off to Monaco by scuba diving (as shown from their head gear when they pop out from underneath the sea) in search of the penguins and King Julien. They reach the casino and trouble ensues when teamwork does not go as planned-- introduce the villian, Captain Dubois, for the first time ever in the movie.
The casino is wrecked apart and a high speed chase through the streets with the penguins piloting the van, which is later taken over by Marty who is unable to drive on the right side. Their plane is damaged as they attempt to escape back to New York and they encounter a traveling circus train and claim that they are circus animals in order to fulfill their dream of reaching back, as Vitaly the tiger was very stern and did not allow stowaways on board. Gia the snow leopard and Stefano the sea lion are the main characters on board the trains carriage.
At the circus in Rome, the show goes bust and finally on board the train to London, Alex decides to help Vitaly, Gia and Stefano rediscover and remodel what a circus is all about. Vitaly is a defeated tiger whose days of being the star have faded due to a freak accident while performing. King Julien meets Sonya the brown bear and falls in love with her, through the streets of Italy, she acquires a new motorbike going into a shop and scaring the customers and owner. On the way to London, Alex has convinced Vitaly to give it another shot and the troupe begin rehearsing in the mountains, fleeing when the cops strike. Meanwhile, Captain Du Bois is still hot on her heels to chasing down Alex in order to have his head mounted on the wall of prized catches. She makes her moves in calculated fashion. In London, Alex's relentless effort pays off with the boss awarding the traveling party a contract to perform in New York after a slam-dunk performance with dazzling lights and lots of intriguing stunts.
However, once they arrive in New York outside the gates of their old home, Captain Du Bois manages to capture Alex, Marty, Melman and Gloria. They are locked up in prison style cages and Captain Du Bois is given a reward for finding the Alex. However, she rejects it and reveals her evil intention. Her plans are foiled by Vitaly, Stefano and Gia, (whose feelings were hurt and when the truth was revealed to them that Alex and his friends were masquerading as circus animals) who rescue them as their circus act was revived. Another round of antics sets of the fireworks and inflated balls given to the children, ending the movie off with a bang.
The penguins were not featured as much as I would have loved them to be shown in the movie, but all in all, every leading character was given an equal amount of face time which enabled the audience to decipher their character and personality. The catchy tunes such as Everybody Dance Now by CC Music Factory, Hot In Here by Nelly, I Like to Move It and Firework by Katy Perry will certainly get you grooving in your seat! And as for "We Speak No Americano", if you've watched Alvin and the Chipmunks, you might recall hearing it, in the chipmunk version. The adults could relate to it with this song originally released in the 1950's. I'd gladly watch this movie again, wholesome educational fun for the family!
(Side note: I would recommend watching this movie in 3D, the effects are way more stunning), credits to Pat who advised me to.
Alex and his friends have a strong desire to return back to where they originally came from, the Zoo in New York's Central Park. With that, Alex, Gloria the Hippo, Melman the giraffe and Marty the Zebra set off to Monaco by scuba diving (as shown from their head gear when they pop out from underneath the sea) in search of the penguins and King Julien. They reach the casino and trouble ensues when teamwork does not go as planned-- introduce the villian, Captain Dubois, for the first time ever in the movie.
The casino is wrecked apart and a high speed chase through the streets with the penguins piloting the van, which is later taken over by Marty who is unable to drive on the right side. Their plane is damaged as they attempt to escape back to New York and they encounter a traveling circus train and claim that they are circus animals in order to fulfill their dream of reaching back, as Vitaly the tiger was very stern and did not allow stowaways on board. Gia the snow leopard and Stefano the sea lion are the main characters on board the trains carriage.
At the circus in Rome, the show goes bust and finally on board the train to London, Alex decides to help Vitaly, Gia and Stefano rediscover and remodel what a circus is all about. Vitaly is a defeated tiger whose days of being the star have faded due to a freak accident while performing. King Julien meets Sonya the brown bear and falls in love with her, through the streets of Italy, she acquires a new motorbike going into a shop and scaring the customers and owner. On the way to London, Alex has convinced Vitaly to give it another shot and the troupe begin rehearsing in the mountains, fleeing when the cops strike. Meanwhile, Captain Du Bois is still hot on her heels to chasing down Alex in order to have his head mounted on the wall of prized catches. She makes her moves in calculated fashion. In London, Alex's relentless effort pays off with the boss awarding the traveling party a contract to perform in New York after a slam-dunk performance with dazzling lights and lots of intriguing stunts.
However, once they arrive in New York outside the gates of their old home, Captain Du Bois manages to capture Alex, Marty, Melman and Gloria. They are locked up in prison style cages and Captain Du Bois is given a reward for finding the Alex. However, she rejects it and reveals her evil intention. Her plans are foiled by Vitaly, Stefano and Gia, (whose feelings were hurt and when the truth was revealed to them that Alex and his friends were masquerading as circus animals) who rescue them as their circus act was revived. Another round of antics sets of the fireworks and inflated balls given to the children, ending the movie off with a bang.
The penguins were not featured as much as I would have loved them to be shown in the movie, but all in all, every leading character was given an equal amount of face time which enabled the audience to decipher their character and personality. The catchy tunes such as Everybody Dance Now by CC Music Factory, Hot In Here by Nelly, I Like to Move It and Firework by Katy Perry will certainly get you grooving in your seat! And as for "We Speak No Americano", if you've watched Alvin and the Chipmunks, you might recall hearing it, in the chipmunk version. The adults could relate to it with this song originally released in the 1950's. I'd gladly watch this movie again, wholesome educational fun for the family!
(Side note: I would recommend watching this movie in 3D, the effects are way more stunning), credits to Pat who advised me to.
Sunday, June 17, 2012
Down went the Spurs to OKC. They are the first team in NBA history to win 20 straight games then lose 4 straight and get bounced from the postseason. This one sure did hurt. It might have been Tim Duncan's last chance at winning another title, slipped away thanks to the hungrier, younger and fresher OKC team.
Miami beating Boston, I was very surprised that the ageing Celtics managed to push the series to the brink but LeBron and Wade were too much to overcome, and Shane Battier, the unsung hero who is quietly filling up the stat sheet.
As of now, the NBA finals is tied at one apiece. It's anybodys game but I've got a feeling that this is the year that LeBron will win his first title.
The LA Kings won their first Stanley Cup. New Jersey won two straight games but couldn't hang on to force a game 7, since game 6 was played in LA. Jonathan Quick outplayed Martin Brodeur who is in his twilight years and at the tail end of his career.
Miami beating Boston, I was very surprised that the ageing Celtics managed to push the series to the brink but LeBron and Wade were too much to overcome, and Shane Battier, the unsung hero who is quietly filling up the stat sheet.
As of now, the NBA finals is tied at one apiece. It's anybodys game but I've got a feeling that this is the year that LeBron will win his first title.
The LA Kings won their first Stanley Cup. New Jersey won two straight games but couldn't hang on to force a game 7, since game 6 was played in LA. Jonathan Quick outplayed Martin Brodeur who is in his twilight years and at the tail end of his career.
Sunday, June 3, 2012
I might have spoke too soon.
The Spurs were up 2-0 but had their winning streak snapped and went down without a fight in game 3 at OKC. Then they lost game 4 today, so yes, series tied and they do need help with defending the paint. In the first two games, they destroyed OKC and shut them down, forcing the team to take jumpshots.
The Yankees lost to Detroit today. Previously they dropped 2 out of 3 to Anaheim, then won the first game at Detroit thanks to a Curtis Granderson grand slam! Consistency doesn't exist.
Both games in the Stanley Cup finals went to overtime and the Kings are now up 2-0. The road warriors of this year's playoffs (or basically any of the major professional sporting leagues.) Never have I seen an eight seed win that many road games in one postseason! Now they head back to Los Angeles and get to close it out at home to win their first cup in franchise history.
I'm rather tempted to start writing about other things on this blog, perhaps on daily life such as food blogging or travel or product reviews.
The Spurs were up 2-0 but had their winning streak snapped and went down without a fight in game 3 at OKC. Then they lost game 4 today, so yes, series tied and they do need help with defending the paint. In the first two games, they destroyed OKC and shut them down, forcing the team to take jumpshots.
The Yankees lost to Detroit today. Previously they dropped 2 out of 3 to Anaheim, then won the first game at Detroit thanks to a Curtis Granderson grand slam! Consistency doesn't exist.
Both games in the Stanley Cup finals went to overtime and the Kings are now up 2-0. The road warriors of this year's playoffs (or basically any of the major professional sporting leagues.) Never have I seen an eight seed win that many road games in one postseason! Now they head back to Los Angeles and get to close it out at home to win their first cup in franchise history.
I'm rather tempted to start writing about other things on this blog, perhaps on daily life such as food blogging or travel or product reviews.
Saturday, May 26, 2012
I've abandoned this blog for almost 2 months! So what's happened with me? Finally got done with all my coursework for school, am hanging by a moment for work (nothing is confirmed yet)
The Yankees have been playing terrible as of late, this weekend they're in Oakland and have won four straight, after dropping the first game to Kansas City at home.
Two rounds of the NBA playoffs have gone by in a flash. Lakers certainly need to address the need for a solid point guard, which was their downfall, and a bench that was nonexistent in point production. The defending champions, Dallas were swept by the youthful Thunder, Chicago couldn't advance without Derrick Rose who tore his ACL in game 1 vs Philly and would also be out for the Olympics. Spurs swept both rounds... Miami is hurting with Bosh out, and Wade is injured... OKC looks like the team to beat, and the ageing Spurs are a rejuvenated team!
I'm going with the Spurs to win it all since they're my favorite... and yes, go hard or go home!
The Stanley Cup playoffs is way wilder... Both top seeds have been knocked out. The LA Kings are the cinderellas of the NHL. And the teams representing both conferences to play for the big prize are lower seeded teams. 6th for the Devils and 8th for the Kings. This could be Martin Brodeur's last chance to win another title before he hangs his skates up for good.
Rangers were sent home for the summer thanks to their crosstown rivals. Ouch.
The Yankees have been playing terrible as of late, this weekend they're in Oakland and have won four straight, after dropping the first game to Kansas City at home.
Two rounds of the NBA playoffs have gone by in a flash. Lakers certainly need to address the need for a solid point guard, which was their downfall, and a bench that was nonexistent in point production. The defending champions, Dallas were swept by the youthful Thunder, Chicago couldn't advance without Derrick Rose who tore his ACL in game 1 vs Philly and would also be out for the Olympics. Spurs swept both rounds... Miami is hurting with Bosh out, and Wade is injured... OKC looks like the team to beat, and the ageing Spurs are a rejuvenated team!
I'm going with the Spurs to win it all since they're my favorite... and yes, go hard or go home!
The Stanley Cup playoffs is way wilder... Both top seeds have been knocked out. The LA Kings are the cinderellas of the NHL. And the teams representing both conferences to play for the big prize are lower seeded teams. 6th for the Devils and 8th for the Kings. This could be Martin Brodeur's last chance to win another title before he hangs his skates up for good.
Rangers were sent home for the summer thanks to their crosstown rivals. Ouch.
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