orion's belt

A series of unfortunate events...

I must say the past few days have not been the most pleasant for me.

Last saturday, after filling up my car in a Shell Station (but of course) in Q. Ave I went directly home only to realize upon my arrival that my credit card was nowhere to be found. So I had to rush back to that particular station and ask the gasoline attendant boy if I left it and his immediate reply was "sir wala po dito". I then immediately went to the select station (since I bought a ferarri key chain) and asked the lady over the counter and again she told me it was not there. I was quite getting panicked already when I went back to my car to search for it again. When I was about to call Citibank to reRport my lost card, the gasoline attendant suddenly comes to me and says "sir nandun pala sa may hanginan, nalaglag siguro" whew! boy was i relieved. So i thanked him and went home to call Citibank just to check if indeed the card wasn't used while it was "lying around" and luckily it wasn't used.

And then yesterday I was about to go to UP to jog but I had severe headaches in the afternoon. I was forced to go home earler than usual and take a rest.

And just this afternoon after finally pushing through with my jog (together with Walter and Tess), we were crossing the road in a quick jog in order to avoid the oncoming traffic when I realized my p990 fell from my belt bag. I was frozen in the sidewalk just staring at it when the first two cars were able to swerve past it but suddenly a fortuner ran over it and my hopes of it surviving that ordeal was crushed. I got my phone after a few more cars went past it (it was really only the Fortuner who was fortunate enough to run over it) and to my dismay all it displayed was a blank white screen and a crack could be seen on its lcd. The phone was still functioning as I was still able to call some people and play some of the music but the display was really broken already.

So there, three days, three weird, unfortunate stuff happening, but amidst all of them I see lessons to be learned.

1.) Go fill up somewhere near your place so that you can return to it ASAP just in case you leave something.
2.) Fill up at Shell stations. Look how honest the personnel are! (I really want to commend the people there)
3.) When your head's aching, its your mind's way of telling you to slow down, so you really better do
4.) Value your life above your personal possesions. Heck, I could have easily gotten that phone had I wanted to and you woud probably be sending me get-well-soon messages now.
5.) Get a Sony Ericsson phone. Look how tough they are. More than once it fell from my hand and nothing happened, and now, a car ran over it and it still works (though no more screen). That's what you call tough!
6.) Lastly, don't dwell on the bad things but always try to look at the positive side. I have always believed that everything happens for a reason.

So do take care of yourselves and always remember to smile! =)

posted by JaY @ 11/25/2008 04:29:00 PM Comments: 1

Two Years Worth of Reflection.

It has been two years since I stepped on the hard court. Two years since I last dribbled a ball in the concrete floor savoring the its grip as I dictated where I wanted it to bounce off and into which direction. Of running to and from our own basket following the whims of a crazy ball which was dictated by the player handling it. I thought I had lost the feeling and the emotion that came with gripping the ball and passing it on the next player or the silent satisfaction of seeing your shot going through the net.

I had reservations stepping into that floor. I left it a different man from who I am now, a few pounds lighter with a stamina that I had long since forgotten. I was there on the sidelines thinking that if I came into the game I'd definitely tire out easily and be the whopping ass and the laughing stock of the teams. I thought I had forgotten how to play but as soon as I dribbled that ball in play again after two years I realized that it was not that I forgot how to play, I just forgot to have fun in a game. For two years I slaved away in front of a screen typing in numbers and interpreting them. I was making a living, but I was not living.

Basketball reminded me that life is too short to waste on trivial things. As I started gasping for air after just a few minutes, I realized that I was selling myself short. I loved running, i loved basketball and i loved the camaraderie involved in playing a team game - and yet I was "deprioritising" all of them. Maybe the shortness of breath coupled with the mad endorphin rush I suddenly got was a gentle reminder that life is too short not to be enjoyed.

I am madly in love with a beautiful lady, I have a great family, I have a great (albeit, very tiring) job. Maybe now its just about right that I indulge myself once in a while.

And basketball might just be the answer. Let's play ball!

posted by JaY @ 11/22/2008 06:12:00 PM Comments: 0