Hello World! It's A Reboot...

Hallo World!

It's been more than a year since my last post, time to pick it up again.

First off, I'll spare you the long read. Most of my post from here on will be unrelated to running. If you're fellow runner who tagged me in your blogroll, feel free to untag me, no worries, you wouldn't hurt my feelings (well, maybe a just a little :-)).

This post will be my soft adieu to running blog. Will be back one day of course, but in the meantime, moving on to newer stuff.

Now that said, I'll still be posting a few running-related stuff here and there, but I haven't run in half a year, so there isn't much material for me to draw on.

From here on, I'll mostly be blogging random mundane stuff that will probably bore you to tears. Life, girls, cult TV shows Spartacus/Dexter, obscure arcane books by NN Taleb or RA Heinlein, Kim Chiu/Katrina Halili, OSX stuff, anything I find interesting really. Be warned, lots of crazy stuff on my head.

And then of course there is my new-found life philosophy I've recently picked up, which I hope to practice, gradually over time, slow and easy, "10,000-hour rule" and all that Malcolm Gladwell stuff.

And that boys and girls, is what this newly resuscitated blog is going to be all about.

And so, first part out of the way. Here's my second slightly-related post (I meant to post this separately and early on but got lazy so I'll just cross-post a shorter version here).

Here's my belated New Year's Resolution for 2011!

• Primary Directive for 2011: Practice of Stoicism Philosophy
  
  Seriously, this is something I'd really give a shot this year.  I picked this up from reading one of  NN Taleb's book.  Although his writings are generally out my league (I have to read his books twice to understand half his points) I'm glad I managed to pick this up.
  
  For the uninitiated, Stoicism is not an off-shoot of Catholicism, it's not some new religious movement.  Hardly.  Think of it as Zen Buddhism-lite.  Surprisingly, I got hooked after researching it and reading some materials despite being predisposed to a (benign) hedonistic lifestyle.
  
  
• Write. A Lot.
  
  This is one of the soft-skill I'd like to develop this year, which partly explain why this blog is departing from it's running roots.  If I had to limit my writing to running, I wouldn't be able to write anything.
  
  Also, rather than writing a long narrative that reads like an essay from a grade school student, I'd like my writing to develop into a more concise, fast-paced and definitely more syntactically and grammatically correct writing.  Hopefully, if I write often enough I'll develop more competency.  Or at least get those pesky pronouns/past/present/future tenses right.
  
  
• Develop some non-trivial Web Applications.
  
  I've been playing with Google App Engine and Python last year, time to take that up again.
  
  
• Develop some nice, warm and fuzzy romantic relationship.  Actually, friends with benefits should be fine since I'm not really cut out for a mature/responsible long term relationship but you gotta do what you gotta do.
  

Happy Holidays Everyone!

#3 Todo Stuff Before Getting Married

[Note: This was mentioned by a couple of readers but haven't really took note of it until now. Apparently, if you're using Windows/Internet Explorer, the pics in my blog only shows up as microscopic thumbnail (you have to squint to see it) as opposed to smaller size picture that are still reasonably viewable. I use Linux/Firefox combo so haven't really notice it. In any case, just point your mouse on the picture and click on it. This should enlarge it. 'hope this helps.]

I've been really slack in posting stuff on my blog. That's because it takes me a while to post a single article. A normal post/article for me takes at least 4 hours. An hour to scribe the idea, an hour to make it into some coherent, readable article, and then at least 2 hours to finalize it (I always get bog down on whether I'm supposed to use "in" instead of "on" or incorrectly using past/present tense, etc). It ain't easy boys and girls. My Ading (Ading is an Ilocano word for younger sibling) keep telling that I should at least proof-read my articles before posting it (unfortunately, critiquing your own work is easier said than done since errors, syntax or otherwise is not as obvious).

Aniweys, I thought I'd post a quickie article that doesn't take too much brain cells. My list of TODO stuff before I tie-the-knot, settle down, and live blissfully ever after and into the wonderful world matrimony and monogamous relationship. Number 3 (but in no particular order) in my list TODO stuff before getting married is rock climbing! Wuhoo!

This was something I was into before I got into running. It's physically and mentally demanding, but serious kickass! After work, I'd hop into my bicycle and head over to Kangaroo Point with a couple of guys at work and hit the rocks and the fräuleins and mademoiselles that hang out at the scene (Hehe, joking :-))

Hey Spidey baby, this is how you do it.


First, No Fear.


Then, look cool.


Then see if you can pull those Asthanga moves from master Yoda teaching yoga.


Is the Force with you?


Yes? No? Just take a deep breath...



Then shout for help. Saklolo!


Hmm... you ok up there junior?


The rock walls (man-made) at Kangaroo Point.


At the local wall climbing gym, but not too often though since it's Besides, wall climbing at the gym is very much like running on treadmills at the gym (a poor second choice).

Hey, tomorrow's going to be the Milo Finals, one the major running events in Manila. I'll be running in 10K category, my recovery run (and my first run since the NB race two weeks ago). See you all there people!

Is George Sheehan running in heaven?

Do angels go for a run in heaven?

I was at the church this morning and really trying to focus on the gospel for the whole hour of the service, no can do jose. Don't think me bad, but there's only so much biblical enlightenment you could take in an hour before your mind goes haywire and head somewhere nice and cuddly. Since running is on my mind, here's a thought:

You love running and you're hardcore. Then one day while out running you got hit by a truck, and because you've been a good little boy/girl, you went straight to heaven and turn into an angel. Having attain nirvana, would you still bother to run in heaven?

Probably not. First, it make more sense to flap and hop around in your angel wings than go around running. Second, that endorphin rush you get while running and make you high... should be plenty of it in heaven without sweating it out. Third, all angels are pretty fit, that is pretty na fit pa, so it seem silly to run, grunt, and sweat to be a better you. In heaven, you are already a better you. Besides, all they do is play harp there, so you're really better off practicing your karaoke talent.

So, is George Sheehan running in the great beyond? Well, if you already have a perfect body, perfect soul, would you?

----

The Men's Health 10,000km Miracle Run is going to be next Sunday, it's for a good cause, check it out. Hope to see you all there! And if you're out to prove a point in Takbo Bayani run on Sunday, good luck and may the various deity of running be with you! :-)

#2 Todo stuff before getting married

Most people have a done a list or two of thing they want to accomplish before they pass certain milestone (ie. before hitting their 30s, before getting married, etc). Well, I did mine a few years back, made a list of stuff I'd like to do before settling down. So for posterity, I thought I'd post them here or at least those that I've manage to cross-out from my list :-)

In no particular order, here's the second in the series of my personal todo stuff before getting married: Climb a mountain! Go back to nature and plant a tree (hehe, the planting I have yet to do :-))

This was at Mt Beerwah and back there they call it bushwalking. The difficulty grade was "Class 5" which is basically mountain climbing with some rock climbing. Climb on friends!


The guys I climbed with.


The view from afar.


Definitely not for newbies.


Climbing up!




And it's sweet at the top!


Hanging-on on dear life on my way down!



[I've rename my entry from last 11th July as that one was also in one of my todo stuff]

On another note, tomorrow is the marathon event of the year, the Milo Marathon. It's been raining the whole week and the weather forecast for tomorrow is yet another gloomy day :-( but no way I gonna miss this run!

Good luck to all runners, have fun and see you all at the race!

Great pics from other bloggers/ Todo stuff before getting married

[Addendum: I've renamed the title for this post as this turn out to be a prequel to my post in 2nd July]

Last few days, a couple of great pictures was posted by some of the running bloggers. Awesome pics, and the kind that makes you wish

The first one was a great pic shared by sfrunner, the picture that says it all. This was way back when he was young lad in 70's, the picture reminds me of various essays of George Sheehan and how he would describe runners in the early days. And of course, probably the most iconic pic among the running bloggers here :-)

Then some really nice pictures posted by HighAltitude while doing trail runs in Mt. Batulao, medyo pang-commercial nga yung pics eh, I was half-expecting an endorsement for power drinks there somewhere hehe :-)

I wish I could post something similar, something that can connect and resonate the way sfrunner's picture does with others but since I have nada I'll just take my cue from one of the recent bungee jumping pics I've seen on one of the running blogs.




Yeah, in case you're wondering I was shouting my lungs out there.




This was the mindless jump (second) I did. I had the jump film, and this pic was a snapshot from it so it's a bit is granny. It was just crazy but heck of fun.

The La Salle Run is going to be tomorrow, good luck to all runners!