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by PAM
'Sunshine' in the middle of all this Pacman-was-KO'd frenzy? I'm sure you're guessing that that sunshine's gotta be Lionel Messi's doing, right? Ya know what? Of course, you're right! Hah!
Yep, he did it! With a
Thumb up... if you're the greatest!
(Photo: David Ramos/Getty Images)brace of goals in FC Barcelona's La Liga contest with Real Betis last Sunday, La Pulga surpassed Gerd Mueller, posting the highest goal tally in one calendar year in the history of the 'beautiful game' - 86 goals! INCREDIBLE, I know! And, nope, he ain't done yet, mind you, ah, nah!
Last week, during FCB's 1-1 draw with SL Benfica in the UEFA Champions League, we stared in horror as Leo clutched his knee in pain while on the verge of equalling Mueller's 40 year-old record. The whole football world waited in nightmarish suspense waiting for the FCB medical team to issue word on Leo's injury. Later in the week, it was described to be 'just bruises' and, therefore, he was declared fit to play in the La Liga on Sunday. Whew! And play, he did... providing the two goals in their 2-1 win against Betis, and eclipsing Mueller's record on the most number of goals in one calendar year for Club and country as well! And he didn't think much of the record feat, not more than FCB maintaining their position at the top of the Liga Table. Awesomeness? Definitely awesomeness, couldn't be anything else! Woohoo!
Alright then, Pedro Pinto (of CNN), you may keep promoting Cristiano Ronaldo as a human-too-sort-of-a-football-god, but it's all smelling like a fourth Ballon d'Or for Leo here. Even you cannot deny that... so, just let Don Riddell talk some sense into you, sir, to cushion the blow. I'm sure you'll recover... you always have anyway! =)
There, Pacman, and my dear kababayans, we have hope... let's pray that Manny Pacquiao's misfortune last Sunday was a mere glitch, a 'minor' error of judgement... although the blow couldn't be mere 'bruises' 'cause he actually passed out on his way down the canvass, and stayed passed out for a few seconds. Whew! Horrific! Later in the night though (Monday early morning, Manila time), Messi turned ugliness to beauty. Let's hope that a ray of sunshine from Mama Mary's loving hands chases away the horror of Pacman's nightmare (and all Filipinos', too). Like I said before, we're proud of Pacman no matter what. Now, if he picks up where he left off before straying 'away from sunshine', then we'd be more than just proud. Hooray!
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Striking a balance... sunshine through my (TV) sked
For the first time in a few weeks, I was able to watch all five episodes of "Ina, Kapatid, Anak" on TV last week. This means that I got home everyday last week on or before 8:15 PM. Hooray! And after that very intriguing sneak preview last Friday, giving us a hint of what the 'IKA Gang' has in store for us this week, I resolved to win back 'my weekdays nightlife' from the selfish grip of work, and catch all five episodes again this week. So far, so good. Hooray! :)
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A ray of scholarly sunshine...
Yes, yes... and yes again! I got to sit in front of a formidable panel of big brains again today with their intimidating stares and sharp, fast-moving thoughts darting at me like Legolas' arrows. I had to swallow hard several times to make sure that I haven't passed out.
Yeah, I attended a Fulbright/PAEF (Philippine-American Educational Foundation) meeting to fulfill a task this afternoon... and I got that exhilarating feeling back again! Cold, sweaty
That good old feeling....hands shaking, my mouth dry, both ears on fire, and my heart beating like it was going to jump out of my chest... that familiar feeling when I first sat for a panel interview, vying for a slot in the 2002 Scholars line-up. Today, 10 years later, I got the same feeling all over again, but this time vouching for the wonderful men and women who are vying for a precious slot in next year's line-up of scholars... the thought of how those incredible men and women worked hard to get their names in "watermark" in the line-up, and were later counting on me to make their case to the Big Brain Panel so their names could be written in permanent ink in the prestigious list, felt like a Marquez uppercut for me - I was close to falling face down on the floor even before feeling the blow! Honestly, feeling like that twice in 10 years, I can't tell which instance was harder! And, honestly, I LOOOOVE IT! How exciting!
The lunch was also fantastic today, especially with a company who speaks tirelessly of wonderful things, things that I only get to speak about - with myself - when reading good books... the enjoyable conversation over lunch did encourage me to check that my ideals are in place. I wish of more days like this. This is my problem with sitting on "big chairs"... they tie you down, and run you dry - until you're almost empty to just realize that you're drying up. Thank goodness they can't touch your soul, even in your most dry spell! In any case, I prefer sitting on grass, under the shade of a beautiful tree whose branches and leaves play the most soothing of music when the wind blows gently... lots of sunshine for the mind... and the soul. So, now you know why I rarely sit on the 'actual' big chair behind that massive table that felt more like a bullet block in that cold, cold office... and if I had no choice but to sit on it, I'd usually sit on the very, very edge, so I could get away as fast as I could when my obligation to sit had been rendered. :) Ah, life... always beautiful, but never perfect. And yet, we love living it, just because it is a gift from God.
Alright, enough of that sunshine talk now. It's nighttime... time to work! Right! Ugh! Bring on Batman then! :)
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