2021 Recap in Pictures

Memorable happenings of the past year...

2020 Recap in Pictures

Here are the highlights and lowlights of 2020 that got retained in my mind...

2019 Recap in Pictures

A look back at

2018 Recap. In Pictures.

We're already a month into 2019.  But let me still present my (very late) recap of 2018.

2017 Recap. In Pictures.

Yep.

2016 Moments. In Pictures.

Just like last year, I'm recapping this year through a set of pictures...

2015. In Pictures.

This is my recap of 2015: a set of images, in no particular order, summarizing the notable stuff of this year...

   

"Back to the Future Day" came and went...

...but we still don't have commercial hoverboards around.

Chain of Thoughts: 2014 Highlights

Time for another late annual recap.  I will just copy last year’s format.

How I will remember 2014 for:

→ The expression “Boom panes!”

→ I could hear John Legend’s “All of Me” everywhere. 

→ ALS Bucket Challenge.  I didn’t find it fun at all.  Still, I hope it did indeed raise money for that cause though.

→ Loombands.  Now, that was a fad that died pretty quick.

This was a unique and ironic game because whoever plays this game will surely be frustrated by it but won't be able to stop playing.

→ Speaking of fads, there was the widespread addiction on Flappy Birds.  Personally, I didn’t get to play this app game, thankfully.  I did play Zombie Tsunami for a while though.   

→ Oh, and speaking of app games, if I had avoided Candy Crush in 2013 because of its addictiveness, it was in the summer of 2014 that I got to be briefly hooked on it. 

→ Tech support ended for Windows XP.  My five-year old netbook is still on XP. 

→ Speaking of my netbook, in early December, its monitor gave out; the damage was unfixable.  To still use it, I had to remove its monitor and attach a desktop monitor on it.  Fun set up actually.  Anyway, I now seldom use it now since my father gave me his laptop (Thank you so much, Papa!).                

→ The number of TV series titles I’m following significantly bloated in 2014.      

→ I re-discovered the awesomeness of file sharing.  I probably obtained nearly a terabyte worth of games, comics, movies, and TV shows from it.  (One of the probable reasons why I got into – as well as rewatched – a lot of TV series in 2014.)

→ At year end, I had 15 books in “The Pile” – books I bought which I haven’t finished or started reading yet. 

→ I had two trips this year.  In March, we had a mission trip to a leper community in Quezon.   Then in May, we participated in a Youth Camp in Cavite. 

→ I became back-to-back Bible Quiz champion in our church.  It was an awesome feel-good experience.  Best of all, the first prize was a tablet. 

→ I’m not much of an enthusiastic techie, and with a netbook and a smartphone, I found no use with the tab at all for a couple of months.  But then, I realized I could now play Plants vs. Zombies 2 because I now have a tab.  I remembered that I’ve always wanted to play this game ever since its release but wasn’t able to because I had no smartphone or tab.  Later in the year, I would also discover the special delight found in the practicality of an e-book.  So, thanks to the tab, 2014 was the year I finally got into e-book reading.

→ I passed the LET.  Yay. 

→ I had the silver anniversary of my journey towards Eternity (or I had my 25^th birthday, if you didn’t get that).

→ I actually only learned for the first time that the 1989 Batman movie was released in June 23 – the same date I was born!  (Aside from the movie’s silver anniversary, in 2014, it was also the 75^th anniversary of Batman’s first comic book appearance.)

No big deal, really.  Still, it felt kind of awesome sharing the same birthday with the Batman movie.

→ There were a lot of terrific comic book happenings, but probably the most exciting were the return of Peter Parker and the epic “Spider-Verse” event (which I urge Sony to adapt this into film).

→ In manga, Naruto and Kuroko No Basuke ended.  Both aren’t particularly exciting finales.  I’ve already grown tired of Naruto, but out of nerdy obligations, I still saw it through till the end.  And the finale of Kuroko No Basuke had been disappointingly bland and underwhelming.  Hunter X Hunter, after years of hiatus, finally picked the story again, but after a few chapters, went on another indefinite hiatus.  Boo. 

→ After years of providing our province’s electric needs, ALECO (Albay Electric Cooperative) had been taken over by San Miguel Corporation.  It was renamed APEC (Albay Power Energy Corporation), and, I think, for the first time in history, a private company now controls the power in the province of Albay.  During its first year of operation, APEC had earned the ire of the Albayanos.  Throughout most of the year, parts of the province had been plagued by infuriating sets of brownouts due to APEC’s incompetent management; rumored sabotaging by unhappy laid-off employees of ALECO (that has been fired due to their connections with its corrupt administration); presumed maintenance of its electric distributing system (and, maybe, even some overhauls); and, simply, the lack of power supply (the country will be facing a power crisis this 2015).  There was even a lengthy time during May – which had an awfully hot weather – when we didn’t have electricity for several days because APEC wasn’t able to promptly replace the broken components of a substation.  APEC was incapable of solving the crisis at hand by themselves, and it had to take the active help of our provincial governor for it to be addressed.  And despite of all their faults, they had the gall to overcharge their clients.  All of these exasperating things about APEC prompted me to coin the hashtag #APECfail (a pun for “epic fail”, get it?).          

→ Typhoon Glenda hit my hometown in July.  It was a legit destructive typhoon.  There were a lot of damages.  It even brought down my alma mater’s “Centennial Tree” – an iconic acacia tree that had been more than a hundred years old – which was able to withstand even the infamous “Reming” back in ’06, hence, I was a bit shocked when I learned that it was finally felled by a lesser storm.  Post-Glenda, I was actually expecting that we wouldn’t have electricity for about a month minimum.  But I was delightfully surprised (considering APEC’s problems) that it only took five days.  It was God’s grace, since, in many parts of the city and province, it took several weeks – and even months – before they got their power back.   

→ We were, however, spared from Typhoon Ruby in early December, ensuring an enjoyable Christmas since there would be electricity then.

→ There were some noteworthy airplane crashes.  But the most intriguing was definitely the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 (MH370) back in March 2014.  In the middle of its scheduled flight from Malaysia to China, less than an hour after its takeoff, the plane disappeared from air traffic controllers’ radar screens.  Up until now, nobody knows what happened – whether it was hijacked, or crashed, or whatever.  It just… vanished.  And despite a multinational investigation and the largest and most expensive search-and-recovery venture in aviation history, there is still no answer – its disappearance still wrapped in Amelia Earheart-scale mystery.  Hence, it was inevitable for this to become another subject that conspiracy theorists can eagerly offer insights on.

→ Aside from the missing MH370, the most notable tragedies this year were the sinking of a South Korean ferry which took 304 lives – mostly students; the Ebola epidemic in West Africa; ISIS terrorizing in Syria and Iraq (in a related matter, I learned that the UN actually put hacks like Lt. Gen. Iqbal Singh Singha in charge of their peacekeeping forces… just sayin’); and Kim Kardashian’s terrifying butt-naked pictorial.

→ Robin Williams passed away.  Well, there were a couple of prominent celebrities that died in 2014.  But Williams’ was probably the only thing that mattered to me.

Goodbye, Genie.  Be free.  (sniff)

→ “The Sony Hacks.”  Sony experienced several attacks by hackers named “Guardians of Peace” (GOP).  GOP released in the Internet several secret and critical information regarding Sony’s upcoming projects as well as copies of some unreleased movies.  Then, later, it was revealed that the likely suspect behind the attacks was North Korea because of their displeasure with “The Interview” – Sony’s comedy movie that ridiculed NoKor dictator, Kim Jong-un.  There were threats that a terrorist attack of “9/11” proportions would happen if Sony released the movie.  To my astonishment, despite Fed reports that such threats are unfounded, Sony actually folded and decided not to release the movie (eventually, Sony opted to release the movie but online).  This was really worth noting and being perplexed about since it’s the first time this happened.  Jimmy Kimmel reacted: "An un-American act of cowardice that validates terrorist actions and sets a terrifying precedent."  I totally agree. If it worked this time, it will definitely be tried again and again! What's stopping the bad guys from moving on and anonymously targeting another movie they don't like? 

→ In probably the most epic casting news ever, Marvel hired the awesome Benedict Cumberbatch to play Dr. Strange!  I’m just crazy for Cumberbatch right now.  The man is extremely talented and charming.  2014 was the year he jumped past Nathan Fillion as my most favorite actor.
→ Warner Bros./DC revealed how Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman will look like.

She hasn't won me over yet.  But at least she bulked up.

→ In one of the most idiotic things in, well, ever, Hello Kitty is officially revealed to be actually NOT a cat but a little girl.  Wait, what?             

→ In relation to their involvement with Janet Lim Napoles and the “pork barrel scam”, senators Revilla, Jinggoy, and Enrile were sent to jail.  Prior to getting jailed, in an attempt to win public sympathy, Revilla did some of the most absurd, hilarious, and shameless gimmicks in the already ridiculous history of Philippine politics.     

→ Vice-President Jejomar Binay’s political enemies in the Senate unearthed some of his dark (no pun intended) secrets when he was still the mayor of Makati City.  The senators had actually provided some compelling accusations, and Binay, in return, didn’t provide a compelling defense at all.  He did challenge Sen. Trillanes to a televised debate, but backed down when the senator accepted (Binay was probably bluffing and didn’t expect Trillanes to bite).

One of the strongest arguments that support the senators’ accusations that surfaced in Facebook is this simple infographic that compares the cost of building the Makati City Hall 2 vs. the building of London’s City Hall. 

→ This year’s hottest government corruption scandal (this is like an annual thing already) is tied between Binay and the discovery that crime lords incarcerated in New Bilibid Prison are living luxuriously like, well, crime lords.  They have first-class accommodations, drugs, money, stripper bars, and Jacuzzis.  And one named Herbert Colanga was even able to nurture a musical career while in prison – and actually found success!    

→ Everyone’s favorite senator, Miriam Defensor Santiago, announced that she has cancer.  Despite of this, she still remained the most entertaining and most prolific senator in the Senate.   

→ Back in August, an MRT train got derailed and rammed into a concrete barrier in which around 36 passengers got injured.  This accident renewed attention on the horrible conditions of MRT.  And while I lamented on the fact that the Philippines still doesn’t have a modern rail system yet, MRT management and DOTC just pointed fingers at each other in whose fault it was.

→ The Philippines filed a case against China in the world court regarding the latter’s invasion of the former’s Scarborough Shoal – and beyond.  The Philippines has a strong case against China, but I’m a bit skeptical that anything will really come out of it.  If China is proven in the wrong (which is quite apparent), I doubt the United Nations will really actively enforce the ruling.  Remember Iraq?  Iraq, under Saddam Hussein, had continually violated UN treaties, but the UN never really made any move – only the US did.

China is still pretending that they lack common sense. 

→ What’s great: Pacquiao earned wins over Timothy Bradley (Mommy D was allegedly casting voodoo curses on Bradley throughout the fight) and Chris Algieri in 2014.  What’s not-so-great: he became a coach-player in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA).

→ After a 27-game losing streak in a span of two years, the UP Fighting Maroons won a game during UAAP 77 (which the NU Bulldogs won in dramatic fashion).  The team was celebrated as if they had actually won the championship.  The university threw a bonfire party, there were TV guestings, and the UP Chancellor was even quoted of saying, “We have proven that we excel not just in academics” (lolwut?).  I really found it hilarious.  This win would serve as UP’s only win this season as they finished with a 1-13 record. 

→ Despite being eliminated in the first round and a 1-4 record, Team Gilas Pilipinas had an impressive performance in the FIBA World Cup.  There was a lot of hype and excitement.  Then, the team fell flat in the Asian Games.  To be fair, overall, the Philippines sucked in the 2014 Asian Games (1 gold, 3 silvers, and 11 bronzes. Ugh).

Kobe looks amazing in black.  He's the Black Mamba after all.

→ Kobe Bryant finally got to wear a black jersey in a game!  I’ve always wanted an official black Laker jersey (which only happened during 2013-2014 season) and I’ve always wanted to see Kobe play in such jersey (Kobe only played six games in the 2013-2014 season and never had a chance to wear it); it had been long overdue.  Ok, this seems pretty petty.  But, as a Laker fan, there’s not much to rejoice about in 2014  The Lakers completed their most horrible season in history (and are now undergoing what looks to be a worse one).  Spurs won the championship, now tying the Lakers with the most championships of this era.  In the offseason, Pau left the Lakers.   There was a slim chance that LeBron would choose to go to the Lakers, but he instead went back to the Cavs.  And the most exciting Laker thing I had in 2014 was probably Linsanity joining the Lakers.  That’s just sad.
→ WWE had its historic Wrestlemania 30.  And Undertaker lost his match with Brock Lesnar  – destroying his perfect Wrestlemania record.  In my opinion, Vince McMahon’s  decision to let Lesnar be the one to beat the Undertaker in Wrestlemania was a big mistake. 

→ Hoverboards have not been invented in 2014, so there will still be no prevalence of commercial hoverboards in 2015 as Back to the Future II had predicted (bummer).  However, there are some intriguing developments in cybernetics.  A guy named Les Baugh, who had lost his two arms, received two mind-controlled cybernetic arms!  They’re not yet permanent add-ons, but the researchers are optimistic that such technology would soon be.

2014 could have been the dawn of cyborgs!

Chain of Thoughts: 2013 Highlights

Per usual of my yearly reviews, this one is late as well...  

The year 2013, for me, is defined by the following:
→ After three years, went travelling with my family again.

→ “Selfies” and “throwbacks.”  Maybe such practices had already been done prior, but it was in this year that these terms and doings had full-blown, extensive cultural popularity. 

→ Hashtags has been around since Twitter’s boom.  But doing hashtags become more popular and widespread after Facebook integrated hashtags to work in their site. 

→ Psy attempted to replicate the success of “Gangnam Style” with “Gentleman.”  It’s just as catchy, but the “newness” factor is gone, so it’s not that impactful.  

 Psy never got Wolverine to dance it with him this time. 

→ Ylvis led the world in obsessing about what sound a fox makes.  (But everyone who had seen The Fantastic Mr. Fox would have already known that a fox does clicks and whistles.) 

→ Smart Gilas – the Philippines’ men’s basketball team – failed to win the gold during FIBA Asia championship.  But, still, there is a silver lining: as silver medalists, the Philippines finally qualified for the World Cup (this 2014)!  And sweeter still is that Gilas earned the qualifying win over South Korea, the consistent bane of the Philippines in past years’ basketball competitions.  Here’s a quote from one article I read about the context of that basketball match, which perfectly articulates the sentiment: “When it comes to bringing tears to the eyes of Filipino fans, the most dramatic Koreanovelas have nothing on the South Korean national basketball team. South Korea has been responsible for the most pain for the Philippine team when it comes to international basketball. The Philippines has not won against South Korea in a high-level basketball match since the 1985 Asian Basketball Championship.”  Yes. That’s so true. I haven't gotten over the Philippines' bitter loss to South Korea in the 2002 Asian Games; I was watching it live and felt a sharp, numbing heartache when the Koreans got the win after a buzzer-beating gamewinner.  That’s why that I was so ecstatic of Gilas’ victory over Korea.  

 #LabanGilas #Puso #Espanya

→ After Inquirer failed to stand up for Pol Medina, Jr. but instead made him the scapegoat of the whole fracas with St. Scholastica, the Pugad Baboy creator rightfully resigned.  He would then take his cartoon strip to the media web site, Rappler, wherein the strip took on a different formatting: each strip would have three different punchlines and readers can vote which they like the best.  Good job, Pol.    

Pol hit a nerve.  Hmmm.  Implying… guilt?

→ I’m surprised that all it took for Inquirer to drop Pol Medina was this one time.  Pol was merely doing what he has been doing for years: making cartoons.  Cartoons have historically been an honored medium of articulating and spreading thoughts and opinions on issues about society and politics by the use of cleverness and humor.  That's what cartoons are, and Inquirer should have known better.   Heck, in the past, I've read harsher and more cringe-worthy Pugad Baboy strips than this controversial lesbian jibing at St. Scholastica.  So why now?

→ Courtesy of a deodorant brand, there’s going to be a first Filipino in space.  And it’s not me.  I’m envious.  Going up there, seeing the glory of outer space, has been a fantasy of mine since my toddler years. 

→ People were recruited to start a colony on Mars?!  (Hmmm.  Tempting.  There’s a good possibility I’ll choose to go if given the chance.)  Among all of the year’s news, this was what gave me the sweetest thrill.  At last, humanity’s interplanetary expansion is happening. 

→ In my years as a Laker fan, the last season was the worst I’ve ever had.  Everything fell apart. 

And the worst thing that happened was Kobe Bryant’s Achilles injury.  T_T

→ Kobe did have a Wolverine moment and returned from his Achilles injury during this ongoing season.  He played a few games but a knee injury has sidelined him again, hence, we haven’t really had the chance yet to see if Kobe can still play in an elite level consistently.  

→ I have no problem with Dwight Howard’s departure.  I was actually apathetic whether he would stay or not.  But what appalled me a lot was how the Lakers basically begged Howard to stay through billboards.  That’s not the Lakers I know!  Dr. Jerry Buss has made the Lakers into the NBA‘s cream of the crop.  The Lakers is a proud organization that doesn’t bow to anyone.  They do not beg.  Heck, the Lakers didn’t do that to Kobe Bryant, why then do it to someone like Howard?    It baffled and outraged me.  This is a disturbing indication of where this organization is possibly going post-Jerry Buss.

Early in the 2013-2014 season, the Lakers’ box scores were like this.  Awesome rotation. 

→ The Lakers had been doing okay at keeping afloat at the start of the season.   They weren’t title contenders, but they were a lot of fun to watch when everything was clicking.  Everyone was contributing something.  The minute distribution and line-up rotation were delightfully effective.  The Lakers were adopting an eclectic identity.  I was excited.  Then injuries ate them up again.  And started losing a lot.  Now, getting into the playoffs is questionable for the Lakers.    

→ Philippines dominated the international beauty pageant scene.

When she was on Starstruck, she was my bet. 

→ It was an election year.  Same old story.  Tons of unworthy candidates won.  Sensible candidates were routed.  Majority of Filipino voters are fools. 

→ Again, Philippine politics is only good for one thing: entertainment.  And no matter how we pretend we care, as long as the political circus keeps us entertained, we will be too distracted to kindle change.      

→ Janet Lim Napoles.  Pork Barrel Scam.  Sexy, Tanda, Pogi.  “Di ko po alam.”

The most annoying face of 2013.  This or Miley Cyrus’. 

→ Three extensively horrible catastrophes (outside of those induced by the politicians) hit the country.  First, Islamic terrorists turned Zamboanga into an urban war zone for weeks.  Second, a destructive earthquake ravaged Bohol.  Third, and worst, was the massive devastation brought about by the horrifying wrath of typhoon Yolanda (which my hometown, thank God, was spared from) on Tacloban and the entire Samar/Leyte area.  Still, the Filipino people are known for their resilient spirit.  Filipinos will surely bounce back.     

→ To a degree, Manny Pacquiao bounced back from his disappointing 2012 matches.  He was not able to knock out his opponent, but a win is a win.  Pac-Man’s full return to boxing glory is just around the corner.  The next opponent is Timothy Bradley, who was unfairly decided upon by judges as the winner over Pac-Man in their 2012 bout.  Now, winning that one (this coming April 2014) is where real vindication starts.  (And since Mayweather is too big a coward to fight, maybe Pac-Man should try to avenge his loss from Marquez next)       

God bless you, Manny.  And through your triumphs, may God’s glory be magnified.

→ Everything got addicted to “Candy Crush.”   I did not attempt to try it in fear of being a junkie, too.  

→ The Rock, the greatest wrestler ever, found enough time from his Hollywood career to become champion again!  Unfortunately (but not unexpectedly), he lost the tile to John Cena in Wrestlemania. Still, he will always be the “People’s Champion.”  In addition, he is also a “Hollywood Champion” since he was named as the top grossing actor of 2013 (with $1.3 billion dollars earned!).   

→ WWE, finally, after several years of having the WWE Championship and World Heavyweight Championship, decided to have just one championship again.  In the unification match, WWE Champion Randy Orton overcame World Heavyweight Champion John Cena to become the first WWE World Heavyweight Champion.    

Randy Orton.  Ultimate champion.  

→ It was a fantastic year for comics, movies, and TV shows.  Lots of awesome stuff. 

→ Superior Spider-Man reigned in 2013 – which provoked me to write at lengths on.  (Thank God, Peter Parker is really returning this coming April)
→ The Avengers had its Golden Anniversary.  In commemoration, Daniel Acuña assembled almost all of the legendary superhero team’s official and honorary members from its 50-year history in an epic poster.  

→ I have this accumulation of books still unread.   It’s just that whenever I see a book that looks interesting, I often give in to the urge of purchasing it for my collection, with the idea that a future opportunity will come for me to finish it.  (That “future opportunity” rarely arrives.)  I call this growing pile of books to read “the Pile.”  And the Pile just keeps on growing taller.  It seems that with every book I finish, two more books are added to the pile.  The year’s notable additions (which I also get to finish reading) to the pile were “The Gun seller” by Hugh Laurie (Yes, that Hugh Laurie, the awesome Dr. House himself), “Odd Hours” by Dean Koontz, “Pirate Latitudes” by Michael Crichton, “Krispos Rising” and “Between the Rivers” by Harry Turtledove, “Warrior” by Donald E. McQuinn, and “The Silmarillion” by J.R.R. Tolkien.
→ This happened:

First time I got this badass hairstyle.

→ And last but not the least, 2013 was the start of my attempt to “reboot.”  Still initializing… (Hoping that the rebooting process culminates successfully this 2014.)  

2012 in Review (Part 7): Wrap-Up

I would have wanted to do two or three more parts for this series, but it’s March already and I have to wrap this up.  Maybe having a series format for the review of 2012 wasn’t a good idea after all; never found the time to finish all the parts in January, as intended.  Won’t do this again for the review of 2013. LOL.

So how would I evaluate 2012? Hmmm.  It was okay… but could have been better.  Both 2010 and 2011 had been more awesomely notable.  Since 2009, I felt that each successive year has been better than the previous.  Now 2012 had some amazing stuff for me, however, I can’t say it was a better year than 2011.  Let’s say, that with 2012, I feel like I’m still stuck with the “step one.”  Still, I am thankful of 2012.        

In 2012, I screwed up aplenty, but God is so gracious, He bailed me a lot, too.  Of course, I’m deeply sorry of all my mistakes, but eternally grateful for God’s mercy and protection. 

God has shielded me from any major tragedies and sufferings (and I pray He would continually do so).  There were some heartbreaks, but, because of God’s grace, immediate speedy healing follows.  There were some discouragements, but I was always reminded to put my hope in God always and trust His wisdom. 

There weren’t much personal glory obtained during the year, but that doesn’t matter; I just hope I was able to amply give glory to God in 2012, which is more important.

Lastly, I think the top highlight of 2012 in my life is the fact that I gained a lot of weight that I’m now officially fat (never had a fat physique since I was in my early parts of being a twelve year old).  Hehe.

2012 wasn’t really as terrific as I wanted it to be.  But it didn’t suck either.  I had a blessed year as always.  Life has always been full of struggles.  But God is good.  And everyday in my life, He makes sure that I am reminded of this.    

Top 10 Highlights of 2011 (in My Life)

2011 was awesome for me.  I’m not saying it was perfect and painless, but it was generally good and happy. Yes, it had been awesome (even though the Lakers’ failed to threepeat.  At least, the hated Miami Heat didn’t win the championship either).  My 2010 – my first full year as an adult – was great and filled with highlights.  But my 2011 upped it significantly. Keeping my fingers crossed for this pattern to continue with each succeeding year – that each year would be even better than the prior one.   

For my year summary for 2011, I’m going to do it in a “top 10” format.  For a change.  Also, lazy to write all the 2011 highlights worth recording in a year summary essay.  

10.) “ANGRY BIRDS” IS THE GAME I PLAYED MOST DURING THE YEAR (“RETIRING” FROM GAMING)

As one grows older, his free time (and energy) for his hobbies and interests lessens.  And when he only has limited free time, he has to choose which among these hobbies and interests are his favorites or most advantageous on which he will spend the available free time he has.  This reality slowly applies to me.  Now there are a lucky few which this doesn’t apply, especially those who found careers in their hobbies.  Well, good for them, but most of us aren’t that fortunate.  This depletion of free time for hobbies and interests come about to someone due to growing responsibilities (like career or family).  Or finding activities that one thinks to be more worthwhile than them – not necessary more enjoyable, just more worthwhile.  Or even because of finding new hobbies and interests that one derives more happiness from (to be fair, this is somehow a reason in my case. See no. 1).  Or just plain outgrowing them.

Now, I’m a person of many interests and several hobbies.  And one of my hobbies is gaming.  Ever since I was a kid, there is some form of gaming that I waste my time on – Nintendo (through the Family Computer console), arcades, and – mostly – PC.  But because of the sad reality that one loses more and more free time and the energy to go with it when one grows older, gaming was the first real hobby that took the hit.  Other hobbies and interests are affected too (still got a pile of books I got in 2011 that I haven’t read yet) but gaming was the first “casualty”.  

Well, it started slowly.  In the first place, gaming is such a time-consuming (aside from being greatly enjoyable, modern gaming is a sport.  You need to practice hard to be competitive), addictive, and expensive hobby that it would take only take some time before I realize that I – in my current condition – can’t afford such hobby.  In my latter part of college, I found myself stopping playing in Internet Cafes though I had still played at home.  But from that point, my gaming started to decline.  I started settling with only flash games and Facebook applications, like “Mafia Wars” (was hooked for three years).  Then in 2011, I realized they eat too much of my Internet time and free time, that I stopped playing “Mafia Wars” and the others.    That stopped my gaming altogether.  Uh, maybe I played one or two retro games (i.e. PC games of my childhood, Windows ’95 stuff) during the year, but those games are finished in a few hours.  I played maybe some online Texas Hold ‘Em Up, too, but not as much as I do before.  Though, I did get hooked with “Angry Birds” and played it for a few weeks, but only until I got most of the golden eggs.  The bottomline is I didn’t spend the type of time that gamers significantly spend on playing games.  

In 2011, I “retired” from significant gaming (kind of sad, really, but necessary).  

9.) EXPERIENCED DINING IN A CLASS RESTAURANT 

Last March 2011, my parents celebrated their 23rd wedding anniversary.  They decided to bring my sister and me along with them to dine at, definitely, the best restaurant of the city (which is the restaurant of the best hotel in the city).  Crossroads is the name of the place (and St. Ellis is the name of the hotel).  Prior to dining there, I never had such eating experience before as what I had experienced there.  The restaurant is not exactly 5-star, suit-and-tie fancy, but could be the closest thing to fine dining we have here in Legazpi.  It had been awesome.  

I was actually hesitant to enter since I was wearing just a T-shirt, jeans, and slippers.  But since the security guard and our “maître d'” (if I dare to sound fancy) didn’t drive me away, I, with great haste, went to conceal myself at our table.  The appetizer part of the meal – bread sticks with oil and then tempura salad – had been delightful already.  The main dishes ordered – some BBQ and beef and I forget the rest – were fantastically delicious and enough to stuff me (who probably is the one with the biggest appetite in the family).  The mango (I think) shake was great.  But it was the truffles which had been really special – one of the best, if not the best, desserts I ever had.  There were also some live music, and my father asked me to request Elvis’ “Can’t Help Falling in Love.”  The singers were real pros.          

         

After that experience, I promised that, as much as possible (the promise won’t apply if someone again decides to treat me there), I would only return to that place when I finally get the sufficient success in life needed that allows me to afford inviting anybody there and to wear the appropriate clothing.    

Got myself another goal in life.

8.) EARNING A PAYCHECK FROM AN EIGHT-TO-FIVE JOB

From sometime in 2010 to August 2011, I derive income from tutoring Koreans and being a teacher-monitor in our church’s school. It was decent income, but it wasn’t exactly from an “eight-to-five” kind of job that is in line with what my course in college prepared me for.  I’m no teacher.  I could have stayed there, but I wanted to try some other work – something in an office environment.

By September, I got that kind of job.  Nothing fancy.  Just as a humble accounting clerk (in my alma mater).  It’s not even a permanent position, just by job order.   Still, it was the “eight-to-five” experience that I wanted.  And the main upside is such non-permanent position allows me to have some flexibility and no full commitments.  I could leave (or be fired) anytime, to look for the next step in my life as part of the work force, until I finally get my calling – the vocation I was meant to do and be productive on for the rest of my life.    

     

7.) GOT A PASSPORT

I only own two valid IDs.  First (which I had gotten in 2010) is a postal ID and the second is the passport I have obtained this year.  I got a passport, not because of a soon and certain possibility or plan of going abroad, but my father just asked me to get a passport for the sake of owning a passport.  So, for now, it serves as an ID. A very expensive ID.  (Note: My voter’s ID takes too long to get released!)   

But I believe that God has a purpose for everything.  When God has a plan or a gift for someone, He first equips and prepares him for it.  And this passport could be a preparation for a future blessing of God.  This passport will expire in 5 years (2016) and I have a great feeling – very optimistic – that sometime within this 5-year period, God will bless me the experience of visiting a foreign land.      

6.) PERFORMING IN A BIG STAGE

I am no stranger to performing in concerts or in front of big crowds.  Both in school and church activities, for years, I was able to perform.  Even just this year, we (my band) were able to perform in several events, both local and out of town.  But all of these are nothing compared to what I experienced this year at Will Graham’s “Celebration of Hope” that was held at Pili, Camarines Sur.  It was like being part of the Big Leagues.    

It was a major event.  There were celebrity guests performing and giving testimonies.  There were a professional stage and equipment.  There were pro roadies to assist you and other sound support.  There were cameramen.  There were directors.  And there were thousands in the audience.  The environment was like of that a concert of an international act.             

Prior to the event, there were auditions around the Bicol region for local artists (that’s how they termed it) good enough to perform at the event.  And our church was blessed to have the chance of sending about four acts to that event (moreover, our church’s talents also participated in two “heralding” events – which occurred weeks prior – for the “Celebration of Hope” event).  One of the acts was our band, Floodgates.  We opened for the Day 2 – April 29 – concert.  As the front act, it seemed we were used as “sound check” for the technicians to properly mix the sound and equipment for the acts ahead of us.  Still, it was a wonderful experience and exhilarating for us.  And according to the response, our performance had been powerful.  

Happy we were given a copy of the official video of it (private or individual video taking was not allowed during the event).    

Aside from the great experience of performing on the big stage, there were other wonderful experiences as well at the back stage.  There were conversations and fellowship with other performers.  But my most favorite backstage experience was being a few feet away from Barbie Almalbis.  I was walking alone and she, with an assistant, was walking opposite me.  I greeted her a “good evening” and she acknowledged with a smile and nod.  Such regret I have that I didn’t ask to have my picture taken with her (all because I don’t have a blasted camera with me).    

I thank God for the chance he had given to glorify Him through such glorious manner.  

5.) FROM GUITARIST TO KEYBOARDIST

At the later part of the year, the keyboardist of our band has to excuse himself from the band because of his work.  His work schedule disallows him from joining our gigs, practices, and Sunday service.  Thus, there is a void in the keyboardist spot.  And the band leader asked me to fill the void.  

Before this, I only play keyboard during the Wednesday night and Friday night services in our church.  But now I have to be the keyboardist in all church services and band performances.     

It’s always fun to make music and play with a band no matter what the instrument I play, but I love the guitar the most above all the instruments I can somehow play.  I love being a guitarist.  I have been a guitarist for years.  But I have to lay down the beloved guitar and have to embrace the keyboard.  For the good of the band.  I have to be the keyboardist until our original keyboardist comes back or a new keyboardist joins the band.  I’m not certain if I will be returned as a guitarist or be a keyboardist from now on, but I will be faithful to this new role that has been given to me.  (Praying for a personal keyboard to practice on at home.  Need to be the best keyboardist I can possibly be.)

4.) MISSION TRIP TO MANILA

My first ever mission trip was a wonderful experience.  Many first times.  Plenty of enjoyment.  And overflowing with God’s grace.  Some highlights:

• We went to Manila via air plane.  It was my first plane ride since I was ten years old.  And we went back home via air plane as well.  I now have a total of four plane trips under my belt in my lifetime.  
• We went ice skating and it was my first time. Really don’t know how.  And we finished our skating session without me learning at all.  
• We watched “Thor” in 3-d.  
• We performed a set of performances in the church that invited us.  
• We went to several places, most notably the Chinese cemetery.  I have been to Manila many times since I was a kid that I already lost count how many times.  But it was my first time at that Chinese cemetery.  Funny how the mausoleums there are more beautiful and bigger than most Filipinos’ houses (including mine).  
• I ate my first Burger King burger.  Man, it was the biggest burger I have ever eaten.  First time I got stuffed by one burger.  
• Stayed at the home of Pastor Ko, our host, during our first night and stayed at a hotel for the second.
• Visited several book stores.  Saw several graphic novels (rare to find graphic novels in Legazpi).  But didn’t see anything worth buying among the expensive literature being sold there.  
• Great bonding time (see no. 1).

3.) MY SITE'S 5TH ANNIVERSARY

In May 2011, http://bernel.blogspot.com had its 5th anniversary.  I’ve been blogging longer than that (6 years blogging in 2011), but this is where I have spent most of my blogging days.  It had been a splendid writing experience during all those years.  As I’ve said in the 5th anniversary post of this site: 

“I made this blog to house most of my written works.  Later on, I would also use it to archive my videos and host my photo albums.  But initially and primarily, this blog was for my writings.  I wanted to create a form of ‘autobiography’ of myself through my writing and discussion of various topics (and, now, also through the photo albums of my life and videos) and not just explicit journal-type writings of what happen in my life.  I write about all things that interest me or what was on my mind at a particular time, and through these, a reader might catch a glimpse of who Bernel is.

“In those five years, I had written more than a hundred posts – in essays or scribbles – on a range of topics in this blog.  I love to write.  I write to organize my thoughts.  I write as therapy (in fact I consider it as my best form of therapy for myself).  I write to chronicle a particular moment I want to look back to.  I write as a pastime.  I write for fun.  I just love to write.”    

So thankful that for this site.  So thankful I am able to write.  One of God’s great gifts to me.

2.) TURNED 22 YEARS OLD

Birthdays are always important highlights of each year. I didn’t get a birthday cake this year unlike in 2009 and 2010 – the first two birthdays of my adulthood.  But I had a birthday dinner with my family in a good restaurant (4 seasons).  Got gifts from friends.  Plenty of greetings from friends and acquaintances through text and Facebook.       

Wow.  I’m 22 already.  Time really flies fast.  And it’ll fly faster and faster as one gets older and older (just the psychological reality of time perception).  I’m getting older.  I’m getting fatter and slower (missing the insane teenage metabolism).  I’m getting wiser (hopefully). 

What were my realizations?  Aside from the one I mentioned in no. 10 about free time and hobbies, I also continue to realize how God has been – and is being – good to me.  In spite of trials and difficulties, I never experienced pains that destroyed me.  I never lacked anything I need.  I never begged to get my daily bread.  I never got sick seriously.  I enjoy overwhelming gifts and favors.  All thanks to God’s grace and providence.  This is an encouragement that God would, indeed, never leave me nor forsake me in the years to come.  So, I’ll continue to trust God and to desire to live a faithful life for His glory.        

1.) ARL

'Nuff said ^__^  ^.^

A (Very Late) Recap of 2010

I know this should have been posted last week at the latest.  I didn’t have the time (i.e. got lazy) to finish it last week.   Anyway, after reviewing my 2006 and 2007 recaps (and wondering why I didn't make recaps for 2008 and 2009 – were they boring years?), got interested on writing one for 2010.  

Enumerating the highlights:

a.) Good news: The traffic of “The Bernel Zone” picked up this year.  One major reason, probably, was the “Top 10” articles which I started in 2010 (note: blog statistics was only activated in June).

Bad news: Adsense cancelled my account when it was on a good pace on nearing $100 – the amount to earn before a check would be sent.  Just like that, it was cancelled because of “illegal clicking activity”.

b.) My celfone of three years got broken in February.  And Ma gave me a China phone as replacement.  As usual, my celfone usage was minimal.  Text sent is probably around 3,000 and text received is around 7,000 (estimation based on texting stats of previous years, when I still had my former phone that can record text stats). 

c.) During this year, I was able to experience bowling again.  Thanks to the new bowling alley in Embarcadero.

d.) In February, I finally finished my On-the-Job-Training (in BIR) – my last course in college.   And after wrapping up some other school requirements and then grabbing my last academic medal (as a dean’s lister), I was finally set-up to graduate.

e.) In April was graduation day.  And, by the grace of God, I graduated cum laude.  I love the cum laude medal most among the medals I got from college.    This was the best thing that happened to me in 2010.

f.) This year, in a reunion among my high school friends, I got drunk for the first time.   Hahaha.  No, I’m not really proud of it.  But it’s definitely a highlight.  I got drunk, not because I was “pressured” to get drunk, but because it was an “experiment.”  Really.   Just to understand the feel of it and why many like to drink booze.  And if there’s going to be a point in my life where I can allow myself to get drunk, that was the most preferable circumstance.  I’m of legal age…  I’m out of college… and, most importantly, the booze is free (I’ll never pay up just to get drunk at all).  How did it go?  I wrote about it a few days after the experience:

Ok. Just this once. For experience’s sake. I downed glass after glass.

Throughout my drinking spree, I kept track of how drunk I was by asking those with me to ask me simple trivia questions for me to answer. When I answered, “Uh… Bzz… Aldrin…” to the “first man to go to space” question instead of “Yuri Gagarin”, I know I was screwed for missing such easy question. 

I was mentally calculating everything.  Forcing my mind to focus.  There was like three of me that night.  First, the one with dreamy outbursts, saying things without actually thinking. Second, the still logical thinking machine which was trying to force the first to calm himself; observing and taking notes of the first’s responses and reacting by “So, this is how getting drunk feels… The dreamy state… The quick tongue” or “Why did I said that? I never thought of saying that” or “The volume of my voice is starting to get loud. Better soften it” or “I still have a part of me which is rational. I will hang on to it, so that I will not do anything stupid” – you get the picture.   My nature of making logical connections, my desire to remain rational and in control, and the oral recitation (if I was not drunk, I will not recite what is going on in my mind, of course, but it keep it there) of these mental notes that I took every step of the way amused and impressed observers. The third personality, which in a way scared me, was a cold third-person observer.  That was very much like a Twilight Zone movie.  At that time, it seems not at all weird.  But it was weird when I thought about it the next day.  Subconsciously, there seemed to be a third me taking independent notes from the second, with an amused (scary) smile on his face while just observing.  In a way, the third was like the second, but I can feel that the second was a part of me (which is actually, how a “waking” non-drunk me semi-normally acts).  This third feels like someone distinct from me.  I am not sure if I imagined or hallucinated an actual doppelganger watching the scene in a third-person view.  But what I know is it felt that this independent personality existed in my mind. (Probably the manifestation of the Devil’s Agent of Drunkenness? Hahaha.)

With this “three-personality” observation, I mentioned it feels like “border-line psychosis”… and that’s one reason I will not get drunk again.  I value my mental-emotional-personality control too much.  Crazy things do happen when getting drunk. 

Wow (just read this again for the first time after writing it more than half-a-year ago).  Aside from this, there’s another thing.  My main defense mechanism is a sort of Repression.  But instead of burying memories into the subconscious, it buries emotions.  I don’t allow emotion to be an uncontrollable variable or as an outcome of a circumstance.  I want emotion to be something controllable or a mere “tool”.  As an epigram of mine goes, “Feelings are irrelevant, they can’t change reality.”  Emotions should fuel you to a result and not be the result.  Thus, if an emotion can’t help you at all, it is illogical to hold on it. That is my philosophy.  However, the Repression defense mechanism’s repressed memories can re-emerge in a future time.  The problem with this is other memories might “re-emerge” that actually did not happen.  Thus, repressed memories are defective.  Real forgotten memories are mixed with the subconscious’ fabricated memories.  Often, you can’t set them apart.  It’s the same with repressed emotions.  I learned that getting drunk can trigger their resurfacing.  But you can never tell the difference between real feelings and illusionary feelings.  Of course, I will not tell you the details of this part of the experience.  Anyway, to continue the documentation, here was my conclusion:

The results of that night’s “experiment”? Nausea and vomiting interrupting my sleep, experiencing the “dreamy” (almost psychedelic?) high that regular alcohol-drinkers love, a lesson learned (there should be a lesson, of course, from the experience, like “Don’t get friggin’ drunk next time! Are you crazy? You nearly lost it!”), appreciating more the logical mental-emotional control God-given talent (“feelings are irrelevant. It can’t change reality.”), and an allergic reaction brought by rashes the next day - which is either brought by too much alcohol or the hellish summer heat, but the former is more probable (now, I can use it as excuse to avoid being drunk the next time. “I’m allergic to alcohol!” Nice.)

As much as I can help it, I don't want to get drunk again.

g.) Both North Korea and Iran (and to some extent *cough* *cough* *cough* China  *cough* *cough* *cough*) continue to be douchebags this year.  Especially North Korea.

h.) It was an election year this year.  And it was my first time to vote.  And I got my first encounter with this:

Anyway, I really did my homework before I choose who to vote for president.  I didn’t want to vote without thinking at all and just go with the popular.  Though my candidate did not win, I support P-Noy and wish him well in leading the country.  God put him to be in charge and I should submit to authority (because, ultimately, all authority comes from God and all leaders are put in position by God).

i.) In May, my band was invited to play in the Ice Music Festival held in Embarcadero.  On August 29 (I can still remember the date because it was my father’s birthday), our church held a concert at Albay Park.  And on December 10, we were invited to play in the second One Heart concert.  These three gigs were all blessed opportunities to perform for the Maestro, which I love doing.       

j.) Lakers won back-to-back!  Oh, what joy I got from that when it happened!  Beating the Celtics in an epic and grueling Game 7 to earn the championship.  I love that game (my favorite game of the year).  Of course, I expect them to win again this year.  Though they are still not at their best form (so far) this season (just good enough to be number 2 in the West), I am expecting that when the playoffs comes, they will be on the roll.  This year, we also had LeBron James’ “The Decision” where he became the NBA’s lead villain overnight.   LeBron joined D-Wade and Bosh to form a so-called “Three Kings” (now, the “Heatles”) superteam in Miami.  But I am not worried about the Heat (even though they had beaten the Lakers in their Christmas meeting).  I am more concerned of the Celtics.  But I have faith in my team, that they can beat whoever faces them in June.  Go Lakers! Threepeat!  

k.) It was my “debut” this year.  Hahaha.  

Anyway, turning 21 means I am no longer a “borderline” adult/teen.  20 years old is still “twenteen.”  Now, I am definitely 100% young adult.  I’m still wondering if I can handle it (I miss the teenage license of being reckless and carefree. Hahaha).  21 already and I am still not sure what to do for the rest of my life.  But I do pray for God’s direction.  Starting when I turned 21, I continually pray (up till now): that whatever God wills for my life, he would put that desire in my heart, so that God’s will and my desire would be in sync.

l.) Spain won the World Cup… breaking the pattern of winners in history:

m.) I’m a fan of Neil Gaiman since I was in high school.  But it was only this year that I got to buy some of his books.

n.) I also went job hunting this year (after graduating).  My first ever job interview was for Rapu-Rapu Minerals, Inc.  A friend of mine (working there) told me about a job vacancy (administrative assistant) there.  So, I applied.  On the day of my interview, I went to the site via motor boat.  It was a three-hour ride.  Pretty tiring.  I did not get the job.  Let’s just say, the company couldn't give me what I wanted, and I couldn't give them what they wanted.  Nonetheless, I had a great time there.  It was just like an overnight vacation.  My friend toured me around the mining site.  I got free and delicious lunch and dinner.  And my room accommodation was great.   The rooms for visitors and regular employees were all filled to capacity already (at least four persons occupy one room), so I was housed in, probably, the quarters for executives or special visitors.  I had nobody sharing the room with me.  It had a personal CR, a table, a piece of art (!), a lavatory, and a TV with cable.  And it was roomy.  It was fun staying at that quarters.  Again, it was like a vacation.  I had to wake up the next day at 3 am because the motor boat to take me back to Legazpi goes at 4 am.  Great experience.  Some pics...

  

o.) My Hawk Gear backpack, which I had since when I was in Grade 3, finally got broken.  It was too old already that the cloth was already weak and tore easily.  From elementary to college, I had used it.  And now it's finally time to say goodbye.  Thanks for all those years, faithful backpack.

p.) I miss this cat...

She was energetic and naughty.  She would do funny things like annoy my other cat (which is already old and serious) or enthusiastically "swim" on our home's tiled floor.  She also would usually wake me up every morning (jumping on my bed).  Then one day this year, she disappeared.  My theory is that a biology or nursing major student kidnapped her to be dissected in a school project.  She's a gentle and trusting creature that she probably didn't realize the danger when, one day, a stranger in white took her.  I hope her ghost will haunt that student's conscience.

  

q.) ESPN tied-up with Marvel Comics to make these awesome comicbook-themed art of NBA teams.

Pretty cool, eh?

r.) In a single week, the Philippines was hit by a “meyjer, meyjer” 1-2 punch.

s.) Pac-Man continued to dominate and give the country pride.  (While Mayweather continued to make excuses.)

t.) Had fun hanging out with church friends throughout the year.

u.) My favorite place for food this year was "Binalot".

I like the concept of "binalot" (wrapped) Filipino food in banana leaves and paper.  And the amount of rice is always enough.  I never order extra rice when eating here.  Had eaten several times there, with family or with friends.   

v.) Went to Lucena again after three years.   

w.) This year, I was able to experience, for the first time, watching a movie in 3-d.

x.) December was full of fun activities in our church.  We went caroling in which instead of asking for presents or Christmas favors, we did the giving instead.  Our church had its 23rd anniversary (and I get to dance again… after a year.  The last time I did was during the 22nd anniversary).  We had a fun Christmas party.  And before the year ended, we went swimming in San Mateo Hot Spring Resort (in Sorsogon). 

  

y.) I got three wallets for Christmas gifts – and I haven’t used the wallets I received last year yet!

z.) I spent my New Year’s Eve at the annual reunion of the Jimenez clan.

So those were my highlights of 2010 (I hope I haven’t forgotten anything).  Expecting for great things this 2011.