Maybe I Could Have 2 Jobs...

Watching the new Harry Potter 6 trailer makes me want to be a movie trailer editor.



The book wasn't that scary or that intense. So that is a testament to the director of the movie and the movie trailer editor for making it look that good. Seriously. It made me want to read the book for the 5th time (one of my favorites). It made me want to get the car from Back to the Future and drive 85 mph to July 17, 2009.

It must be cool to make a video that would excite people this much. Getting the full movie months earlier and watching it, imagining the trailer in your mind, splicing clips, syncing them up to the musical score, then getting paid to do all of these... Yep, I need to take video editing seriously now.

Why You Should Watch the WPS

The new Women's Professional Soccer league (WPS) has way less fans than MLS... and it is to be expected. More people watch NBA than WNBA anyway. Also, the WPS just started a few weeks ago.
The WPS is actually the second coming of the WUSA. The latter was a women's soccer league that lasted only 3 seasons due to cumulative losses that reached almost $100 million. Even when it came at the heels of the Women's National Team's (WNT) win at the '99 World Cup, and with Mia Hamm and Brandi Chastain joining the league, WUSA didn't get the support that it needed to stay afloat. It folded in 2003 with the Washington Freedom (led by Mia Hamm) becoming the last WUSA champ.

Six years later a new league was born after much hard work and lots of expense cut backs after learning from WUSA's mistakes. The WPS made its debut at the heels of the WNT's gold medal win at the '08 Olympics. Mia Hamm may have retired from soccer but the league was able to get Marta, widely considered the best female soccer player in the world.

Now allow me to state my cases as to why you should be watching the WPS (and why I'm following this more than MLS).

Case A: The league has acquired the best international players in the world.

1. Marta - this Brazilian striker is a 3-time FIFA Player of the Year (2006-2008) and can do some sick ball handling. She currently plays for the LA Sol.

For more of Marta's awesomeness, click on the pic

More of Brazil's best players in the WPS: Cristiane (Chicago Red Stars), Formiga (FC Gold Pride), Daniela (St. Louis Athletica), and Fabiana (Boston Breakers), among others.

2. Kelly Smith - played at the UEFA Women's Cup and for Arsenal, Kelly is considered the best female soccer player in England. She is currently the go-to goal scorer of the Boston Breakers.

3. Sonia Bompastor - the captain of the French national team has been showing some great moves as a midfielder for the Washington Freedom. She has played at both UEFA and the World Cup.

4. Lisa De Vanna - a nominee of the '07 FIFA World Player of the Year award, this Australian national team member currently plays for the Washington Freedom with Bompastor.

5. Homare Sawa - considered as Japan's best player, Sawa also plays for the Washington Freedom.

Other players from the Japanese national team: Aya Miyama, who played an impressive game for LA Sol at the inaugural match, and Eriko Arakawa, who scored the first goal in FC Gold Pride history and is famous for her 'fro.
6. Caroline Jonsson - the goalkeeper of the Swedish national team and known to be one of the best goalkeepers in the world. She currently plays for the Chicago Red Stars. I saw her in action a few days ago at the Freedom-Red Stars match and she pretty much made me want to pull my hair out as she made save after save after save...

For other notable international players, click here.

Case B: The US WNT is currently ranked #1 in the world, and all of its members play in this league. They had their best record last year with 32 wins, 1 loss, 2 ties. The only loss was at the opening game in the Olympics where they quickly rebounded from and went on to win the gold.

Click to see their commercial with Rainn Wilson

Let's start with the #1 female goalkeeper in the world - Hope Solo. If you watched the Olympic final against Brazil, more or less you will think that the hero of that game was Solo, who shutout Brazil through overtime. My favorite save was at the 72nd minute when Marta was just a couple of feet away from her, and Hope started to dive towards her left when she made a quick reaction save as she realized Marta was targeting her right. Her quick thinking and exceptional athleticism helped her to be the only goalkeeper nominated for the FIFA Player of the Year award, not to mention the MVP of the '09 Algarve Cup in Portugal when she shutout all of their matches up to the final.

Click to see Hope's WPS commercial

Of course, the WNT's olympic gold medal win would not be possible without Carli Lloyd's goal in the 96th minute. The former Rutgers star is US Soccer's Female Athlete of the Year for '08 and is currently playing for the Chicago Red Stars. Her goal was assisted by USC's Amy Rodriguez, the 1st pick of the WPS draft and one of the fastest young strikers today. The WNT rookie's competitive spirit will certainly help the Boston Breakers, as she even takes a sandcastle competition seriously.

Hawaii native Natasha Kai of the NJ/NY Sky Blue FC is one of the top goal scorers of the WNT. Her 90th minute goal at the Algarve Cup back in March is one of my favorites. Chest trap, flick to the left over a defender, volley to the right aaaand... goal. Kai's Sky Blue teammate and the player who took on Mia Hamm's #9 is Jersey girl Heather O'Reilly. She stepped up when their Sky Blue captain got injured and scored the team's only goal in the season so far. She is known to be a victim of various WNT pranks.

Kristine Lilly, captain of the Boston Breakers, is the former captain of the WNT and the most capped player in soccer (she has played at 5 World Cup tournaments!). In 2006, she came in second after Marta for the FIFA World Player of the Year award. Former Tar Heel captain Lindsay Tarpley, now co-captain of the Chicago Red Stars, is the go-to goal scorer of her team (her effortless goal against the Washington Freedom broke my heart). She is also the reigning WNT ping pong doubles champ and an okay dancer.

Click to see Tarp's WPS commercial

If you checked out the link of Solo with her 72nd minute save, you would have noticed that the ball was still good and could have easily gone in had it not been for the defenders who kept it away from the goal. The first one who tried to keep the ball away was Lori Chalupny, the captain of St. Louis Athletica. Another one that kept it away and tried to contain Marta throughout the game was #2 Heather Mitts of the Boston Breakers. Even though she is known to smile at dangerous strikers while she tracks them, she is one of the most physically fit members of the national team and is known to be Abby Wambach's personal rag doll in trainings.

I guess Abby wasn't present in this training.

The captain of the WNT is also the captain of the NJ/NY Sky Blue FC and one of the best defenders in the world, Christie Rampone. Rounding out the defenders is FC Gold Pride captain Rachel Buehler, who is known for her fearless headers.

For other WNT members playing at the WPS, click here.

Case C: The comeback of Wambach

Click to see Abby's WPS commercial

Abby Wambach started in the WUSA as a rookie for the Washington Freedom. Mia Hamm took her under her wing and mentored her, helping Abby to become a dominant presence on the field and a goal-scoring machine. The national team took notice and soon Abby was added to the WNT roster. Since then she has become the top goal scorer for the WNT and considered by many as the best player in the US. That is, until she got injured right before the Olympics. As a result, the WNT lost their first game without Abby against Norway (their only loss in 2008). She has made 99 goals in 125 caps, which is pretty impressive. Now we wait as she gets back to her old self and scores her 100th international goal next month against Japan and scores her first WPS goal for the Washington Freedom. I hope she does it as soon as this Saturday in their game against the Boston Breakers.
Because the league is new and the teams are new, the level of playing has not yet reached its peak. Players are still trying to get know each other's moves on the field, teams are still building chemistry, etc. But with the best players in the world playing in this league, I have no doubt this will be the top women's soccer league in the world in no time.

You Set Us Free

A few weeks ago I was at Arise DC, a youth festival held at the Catholic University of America. I was there to volunteer but given that my job was only to direct people to the parking lot, I was able to enjoy the festival as a participant once it started.

Throughout the worships and talks and anticipated mass there was this urge inside of me to be free. So I took it as a sign when, after mass, confession at the Shrine was announced during the break. "I have to go to confession," I thought. Nobody else wanted to go as it was cold and windy outside haha. I almost chickened out because aside from that, I was wearing heels and wasn't really feeling the windy walk to the Shrine. My feet were screaming "NOOO!"

But I'm glad my feet cooperated because that was one of the best confessions I ever had. I learned a lot from the priest about being in love with God. And I felt so light after the confession, so free. Light enough that my feet didn't ache as I walked back to the festival.

What's the best way to follow that up? Well when I got back to the festival, there was Eucharistic adoration. It was such an awesome experience. I really felt His presence in the room and I thanked my heart out for loving me unconditionally and for setting me free. For setting all of us free even though sometimes we act like complete idiots. Because our Father's love is endless and immune to idiocy.

And what do you know, Matt Maher and his band played one of my favorite songs after adoration.



I love it! Praise God for giving me the opportunity to experience Arise DC, and for His grace through the sacrament of reconciliation.

30 Years of Life

If in the past year you asked me how it felt to be turning 30, I probably have either given you a look, mumbled something incoherent, or defensively declared that I don't look 29 anyway. It's just that I've always seen the 20's as the most fun period of your life, so when I turned 29 and realized I won't be a 20-something any longer, I started to dread January 18, 2009.

But the Lord has a sense of humor and chose my birthday as CFC's pro-life rally at St. Columba. And as every year, my birthday's only a few days away from the March for Life in DC. With these two events, I realized that I should be happy I'm 30. God has given me 30 years of life (and hopefully more). A lot of people do not even reach 30. A lot of people did not have the happy moments that I had in my 30 years of living. 

I also realized not being thankful for reaching 30 is kinda like disrespecting my mom. Here's the story. When she was pregnant with me, there was an incident which resulted with her bleeding. She went to the doctor and he said she miscarried and there was no way I survived so they just better get rid of me. My mom was inconsolable. But she didn't want to believe that I was gone. So she went to another doctor for a second opinion. Thankfully this doctor said there's hope, I can still make it. A few months later on January 18, 1979, I was born.  

And 30 years later, I marched in the cold streets of DC in defense of the lives of the unborn.

March for Life '09

Praise God for my mom, and praise God for the gift of life.

Bleries Post #4

I suck.

I previously mentioned that I signed up for a basketball league that will start in February. Well, I'm probably going to be in big trouble because I played basketball a few days ago, and I only lasted for a couple of minutes. Hee.

Must be because for 2 weeks I did nothing but eat and eat and did not jog at all (funny how I don't look like I gained weight, but that's beside the point). Or that my anemia may have resurfaced. So I'm probably back to square one on my quest to get fit. I'm actually debating whether I should go to my weekly soccer game on Wednesday because I'm afraid I'm gonna get exhausted after only a few minutes of playing. That's what happened when I played basketball with my cousins. At least they were also out of shape so I wasn't really the first one to call for a sub :)

I'm supposed to start my Washington Freedom soccer clinic this coming Sunday, but I've decided to attend the goalkeeper clinic instead (which starts Feb. 22). I realized from my weekly soccer game that I enjoy being a goalie more than being a defender or striker or midfielder. So I switched clinics. And then I realized that the goalkeeper clinic is outdoors. In February. Gah.

Meanwhile I will continue this bout of laziness (which started in the middle of December) due to jet lag and a bad cold.

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Christmas season '08 is awesome. I get the best of both worlds by celebrating the season in Maryland and Manila.

I've been in Maryland for over 5 years now and I've grown to love how the season is celebrated here. Radio stations that play only Christmas songs, snow, ginormous Christmas trees in DC and the Rockefeller center, a jillion Christmas movies and television specials on TV, etc.

Of course, nothing beats the Christmas festivities that you grew up on. In 5 days, I will be embarking on a plane that will take me home to Manila. Due to the time difference I will arrive the wee hours of Monday morning, Dec. 22nd. Which is still before Christmas so I will still get to experience the pre-Christmas activities and festivities that I missed so much. Going to Alabang Town Center to do some last minute shopping while Christmas songs play in the background, attending Simbang Gabi, eating puto bumbong right after, wrapping gifts on a big table (doing so in the small confines of my room is extremely difficult - especially with the big toys that need to be wrapped), watching the MMFF Parade of Stars (what? It has always been a ritual), watching ABS-CBN's stars lipsync Christmas songs on TV (pretty lame, but again, a ritual), the awesome Christmas vigil mass where the church choir is at their best and you wish your neighbors a merry Christmas, etc.

I love the days leading to Christmas. For some reason once Dec. 1st hits, I get extra happy (sometimes I even become nicer). It's like the atmosphere changes, and people are jollier and kinder. Must be the Christmas spirit upon us (pretty hard to ignore when you're in a store w/ the Christmas songs playing in the background). But you could feel the anticipation. And then Christmas comes and you spend it with your family, then Dec. 26th comes and it's like, so what do we do now? Hee. Good thing my cousin planned a post-Christmas outing in Tagaytay.

But the Christmas season is definitely the most wonderful time of the year not just because of the things that I mentioned above, but because of the reason for the season - Jesus. This is the time that we prepare ourselves for the coming of Christ. When we ready our hearts by going to confession or adoration or mass or whatever. I am so thankful that I am coming home to Manila soon because as I previously mentioned in an earlier post, our parish's adoration chapel is open 24/7. And I could just walk or jog there (yay more reason for me to run and get fit). I am so excited for Simbang Gabi as that will serve as my daily mass. This upcoming Christmas vacation is a welcome break from all of the work stuff and service stuff. This is my time to take a step back from my real world and refocus on Christ. Spend more time with him because it is, after all, his long birthday party. What better way to celebrate it than to spend it at the country that is known that have the longest Christmas season :)

Old Post from '05

After 3 years of ignoring MySpace, I logged back in to my old account earlier today because I had nothing better to do. I read some of my old blog entries there and cracked up on this one, entitled "Frog!!!"

I was peacefully reading a soccer magazine in my room when my sister banged on the door. I calmly opened it and and my sister exclaimed, "I saw a frog downstairs, on the wall! A tiny neon green one!"

AAAAAAAAAH... and I slammed the door on her face.

I realized I was rude and opened the door a fraction of an inch. "Umm... what the heck is a frog doing inside our house and for the love of Kermit GET IT OUT!!!"

My sister realized I was of no help at all because I reacted worse than she did (I seriously have a big fear of frogs - give me bugs, snakes, cockroaches, worms, anything - NO FROGS). She went to my brother-in-law so I slammed the door again, and locked it. Because, yeah, frogs can turn doorknobs. I nervously glanced at the gap between the door and the floor, in fear that the frog would decide to go upstairs and sneak through that gap. The thought scared the crap out of me so I stood on my computer chair, ready to scream.

I then hear excited voices from downstairs. Apparently my niece & nephew are happy to have a new animal in the house. That's nice kids, WE'RE NOT KEEPING IT! You don't pay the mortgage, I do :P

From what my ears gather, my brother-in-law caught the frog and tried to show it to the kids. Once excited, were now crying. They ran upstairs to get away from the frog, so I silently prayed that my brother-in-law would not chase them upstairs because I will not be on the same floor as the frog is!

I hear my sister ask where it was and apparently it was brought outside. Umm... back in the pond far away or just out on the deck where I could see from my window and I could feel the frog staring at me??? My sister whined why it wasn't killed and all and my bro-in-law asked if she was crazy. She said so it won't come back anymore. My brother-in-law said it will knock if it wants to go back. Heh.

Wow I had some serious past tense/present tense issues back then. I probably still do :)