Mall of Asia Arena experience

Time: 11:49 a.m.
Where: In my room.
Now Playing: "Tonight, Tonight" by The Smashing Pumpkins.

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It was my first time coming the SM Mall of Asia Arena yesterday and it was fun coming there maybe because of my excitement coming for the very first time. Last year, I came to the Smart Araneta Coliseum for the first time and I felt the same experience but there's something in MOA Arena that I was more thrilled than my experience in Araneta 10 months ago. Maybe because of the modernized facilities or the atmosphere or maybe it's just me.

Inside the General Admission section, I saw different colors from different schools with different objectives. Some came to watch and cheer and some came to raise their hearts out with their passionate chants along with oozing sound of their bass drums. This is what the UAAP is all about. Passion and drive to success.

The opening was very nice. I never thought the host Adamson, my school, pulled it off. Very nice opening indeed. Starting with the Invocation and the National Anthem with our chorale performing them with goosebumps. Followed by the performance of every school in a multi-themed dance-off. Very entertaining and superb dance moves by every school. It was a great opening over-all. Probably one of the best openings I've seen from all of the NCAA/UAAP. With all due respect to the previous host schools of course.

I just hope that the Adamson University will give all they got in different disciplines of the UAAP this season and prove that they have that UNAWAKANAHIMO spirit! Soar High Falcons!

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Time: 12:03 p.m.
Where: Still here.
Now Playing: "Undertow" by Warpaint.

Ang Lakas ni Habagat

Time: 10:35 p.m.
Where: In my bed.
Now Playing: "Carry On" by fun.

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Horrible day. Grabe. I was about to flip out when I just about to escape, crossing the street and suddenly, tumataas na ang baha. I had to balance myself to a parking ledge para lang makasakay ng bus. Medyo hindi abot ng binti ko ang entrance ng bus, buti nagmabuting loob ang konduktor to help me out. I breathe heavily when I got in at nakita ko sa labas ang mga kaganapan sa labas and it was not good at all.

May mga taong nastranded, mga pedicab na hindi makaalis sa baha at mga taong nababasa dahil sa mga dumaraang mga truck at iba pang malalaking sasakyan. Masakit din sa ulo yung heavy traffic. It took me two and a half hours just to get home safely and quickly tuned in to the news. Mas malala pa daw ang sitwasyon sa Espana at Sta. Mesa. Buti at medyo humina na ang ulan pagdaan sa Skyway.

Although the Ondoy experience still kicks me in where I had to stay in the bus for 14 hours with the extremely slow pace of the bus, almost not moving for hours, no food, no water and I had to urinate in the middle of Coastal Road that day, I thought that I will suffer the same fate pero hindi naman gaanong malala.

With this, I hope that the government will continue to have more plans in flood control especially in this part of Manila where flood is no stranger here.

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Time: 10:57 p.m.
Now Playing: "Sabotage" by Suede.

#ThankYouSirAlex

Time: 9:52 p.m.
Where: In my bedroom.
Now Playing: "Glory, glory, Man United"

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26 years, 1497 games, 893 wins, 38 trophies, 13 league titles, 5 FA Cups, 4 League Cups, 2 Champions Leagues, 1 chewing gum.

I am still stunned and gutted about this development. I don't know why the reason of his sudden retirement which is unexpected, it just suddenly came out without any rumors about it. He said that he has done so much for the club which he did and it's about time. I respect Fergie's decision but Manchester United is not the same without Fergie in there so for the next manager, has the big shoes to fill in and for sure will never emulate Fergie's achievements.



For almost 27 years of managing the club, he made drastic changes to the club and the sport of football in general as the club attracts more supporters because of the tradition of winning of the club. That's why I am a fan of this great club because of its glorious history and the culture mentality of being "more than a club".With Fergie, investors have also interest in the club and it is part of the New York Stock Exchange in August of last year but with Sir Alex sudden retirement, I wonder how will it impact the clubs' shares. I admire his professionalism and encouragement on young footballers to be part of the history. I mean, he produced the best players United can have from Eric Cantona, Ryan Giggs, Gary Neville, Edwin van der Sar, David Beckham, Cristiano Ronaldo up to Wayne Rooney along with his unprecedented achievements. I really admire this guy and when I heard the news about it, I feel like losing a grand dad because he is affectionate to his fans dearly and I am one of it that is greatly affected by this. As of now, it is still trending as #1 on Twitter (#ThankYouSirAlex). This is a proof of how much the world love Sir Alex and we will never forget his accolades.

Glory, glory, MAN UNITED! Glory, glory, Sir Alex! Thank You Sir Alex for all you've done!

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Time: 11:36 p.m.
Where: Still here.
Now Playing: "Fergie, Sign Him Up"

Football Month.

Time: 2:32 a.m.
Where: In my bedroom.
Now Playing: "Hear Me" by Imagine Dragons.

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Long time no blogging. It's been awhile but I am so excited this month of May, probably, one of my favorite months in the calendar year. So excited to see the UEFA Champions League Final between Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund. An all-German finale in the famous Wembley Stadium in London. I wanted to see Manchester United in there but I gotta admit that this year is for 'ze Germans'. LOL. They've proven so much and didn't show any sign of weakness in all competitions especially Bayern who are trying to go on a treble this footballing season. After their disappointing penalty shoot-out loss against Chelsea in their home turf in Munich for the Champions League Final, they were eager to bounce back and yeah, bounced back, BIG TIME indeed. As for Dortmund, they had a great season but with strings of injuries depleting their line-up, they still managed to rise up but with Bayern dominating the Bundesliga this season and recorded the fastest championship clinching in history, they know how to slow these guys down from Bavaria. Dortmund who were the underdogs in their semifinals against Real Madrid just overpowered them in the first leg via Robert Lewandowski's four-some (4-1) and hanging on in the second leg (0-2) while Bayern just clobbered Barcelona in both legs (7-0 in aggregate). Can't wait to see these two German giants going at it.



Another thing that I've been waiting is the UEFA Europa League Final in Amsterdam where Chelsea and Benfica will go out for the title. I've been always supportive of English clubs in European competitions like the Champions League and the Europa League but not the domestic level like the Premier League. I've seen Benfica play last year and they were a great side even beating my fave club last year in the group stages of the Champions League so it will be a good end-to-end match for sure.



Lastly is the latest development on Filipino club football where Global FC will be participating in the AFC President's Cup which would be the first intercontinental club competition that the club will join in and the first Pinoy club to do so. It is a big deal to somehow expose our Pinoy clubs to Asia and improve the status of club football here. They will also join the Singapore Cup for the first time together with the Loyola Meralco Sparks who joined the knockout tourney last year finishing as semifinalists. I maybe a Kaya FC fan but for Pinoy football, I will support them.

Exciting month for me and for the Filipino football dieheards. I guess this will be a great month. :)

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Time: 3:36 a.m.
Where: In my bed.
Now Playing: "Closer" by Travis.

Hari ng Sablay

Time: 3:22 p.m.
Where: Near Adamson University
Now Playing: "We're Coming Up" by For the Foxes.

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I am being left out to the group. I am always left behind and now, I am all alone, miserable and desperate to face these obstacles on my own. It's kind of frustrating though that there are thing that you didn't expect yet I am being hit with barrage of sucker punches from behind and all-over. Nakakainis lang talaga ngayon. Parang may naghahatak sa akin pababa pero susubukan kong lagpasan lahat ng ito. Composure lang and tiwala sa sarili. Come on Ralph. You can do it! :)

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Time: 3:26 p.m.
Where: Still here.
Now Playing: Still the same song. (Stress-reliever)

Having an All-Time Low

Time: 1:41 p.m.
Where: In a computer shop.
Now Playing: "It's Time" by Imagine Dragons.

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It's really something that I never experienced before in my life as a student, or even my entire life. It's something I never suffered before and really, I was surprised with myself that how did I come up with these? It's like the feeling of my mind is not connected into my heart or my body is not doing what my mind wants it to do.

Well, I never had this huge amount of stress before but who am I to blame but myself. I just simply lost my discipline and composure. I know that failure is a mark of coming back but let's face it, it's degrading my morale at the moment that I don't know if I ever can come back again as the same person I was in the elementary and high school days where I was active as hell on studies but since I stopped for two years to sacrifice myself in order for my sister to graduate, I think I lost the momentum of the culture I had few years back. Well, as I write this blog, I am at my "all-time low" now. Degraded, humiliated and disgraced, yet I am still optimistic that I CAN DO THIS. It's just isolated that I didn't gave my best in the prelim, but when I saw that coming, I just realized that I need to wake up and be back on the game. I am so slow, but I can catch up or surpass my expectations. I just hope that I can do it all the way. I will not give up and thanks to my friends who believe in me that I can do it. Please, I cannot afford to be careless again. No more mistakes!

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Time: 1:51 p.m.
Where: Still here.
Now Playing: The same song.

Manny Pacquiao vs. Juan Manuel Marquez IV: Traumatic Day

Time: 3:50 p.m.
Where: In my bedroom. ;(
Now Playing: "Neutron Star Collision (Love is Forever)" by Muse.

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It's been four months since I last had my blog entry and it's obvious that I was so busy with school. Glad to be back but not a nice comeback though. I was quite disappointed today, cried a bit and scream a lot when I saw Manny flat on his chest, unconscious for two minutes and it was the same scenario when he knocked out Ricky Hatton flat on his back as well in May 2, 2009. Like Manny's scary knockout to Marquez, that one was about to end the round. After that, Hatton started to get addicted to drugs and stuff the reason for his retirement that time was that traumatic KO loss to Manny.

All of the Filipinos who watched the fight felt what Pacquiao just received there. "Sobrang sakit", 1 second na lang ng round, where Manny could've awarded that round six eh nagkasalubong ang aggression ni Manny at ang kanan ni Marquez, twice the force and BOOM goes Manny. Totally traumatic. With these questions answered on whether who is the greatest after four matches, I don't care now if Marquez proves it but Manny is my champion, the champion of Filipinos and I respect the achievements he did in the past decades who really sets the tone in the sport of boxing. Making it into the mainstream sports because of his thrilling encounters like with Juan Manuel Marquez.

I wanted Manny to continue with his career but with this tragic loss to his long time rival, I don't know where would be his next move. I think it is the time that Manny hang up his gloves and concentrate to public service and his chosen religion. It's like these are the thing that Manny caused him lost his passion for boxing, maybe a bit. Also, he forgot his rosary and the signature sign of cross routine before the bout that will somehow make him different again in the ring like his prime few years back.

I congratulate Juan Manuel Marquez for the best win he had in his whole career and for the Pacman, hope he thinks of a better decision for himself and his family. Laban Pacman. So proud being a Filipino!

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Time: 4:34 p.m.
Where: Still here. :(
Now Playing: "Head Over Heels" by Tears for Fears.