Wednesday nostalgia...

...now, 'cause it's been a while.  
=====================================================
by PAM

I was rushing to the Center early morning today, excited and anxious to see what the results of the "kids" in the lab's "lab-or" during the last two days will reveal to us.  Then, all of a sudden, the Autumn semester of 1995 at the Chem. E. Department of the Ohio State University  came to mind.  This was the music I was listening to that time...

"Good" by Better than Ezra... of the "Porcelain" fame, which is definitely in the shortlist of my fave songs.  I think their album "Deluxe" was one of the things I bought for my personal CD collection after settling in at the OSU campus in Columbus, OH... making their music a part of the theme of my year of incredible adventures away from home! :)  

Hmm, yeah... those were the days.  It was all good then... it's been all good over the years, and it'll always be all good! :)  

***
Excellent professor + great experience = awesome memories

It's wonderful to see the leap that the OSU Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering Department has been taking lately.  They are building a new "playground" for their "big boys and girls" - amazing!  Drool!  Nah, not jealous... in fact, I'm hopeful. :)

Incidentally, my former professor in "Advanced Chemical Kinetics and Reactor Design", Prof. Umit Ozkan, just got appointed as OSU College of Engineering Distinguished Professor!  It's very well deserved - totally!  

Hmmm, man... I remember braving all those (VERY) cold mornings, walking a good kilometer or so from the Riverwatch Tower (oy!), to get to Dr. Ozkan's class... and she would always walk
OSU days... enjoying autumn by the
Olentangy River behind Riverwatch Tower.regally in her stilettos into the classroom with her mug of incredibly aromatic coffee and a dazzling smile... beautiful and all in her simple and yet classically stylish clothing in light refreshing colors - a ray of light amidst all that gloom in the fading lights of autumn.  After her usual but very warm, "how are you, guys, this morning," she'd start talking about complex chemical reactions in constantly-stirred tank and plug flow reactors in her enviably very well modulated and yet, strangely enough, commanding voice and slight accent, so relaxed as if she was discussing a cozy evening she'd had the night before... and then she'd start whipping all those equations and Runge-Kutta stuff like it was second nature to her - very proper, feminine, ladylike, and yet she talked authoritatively about "traditionally masculine" stuff... aaw!  And then she'd push it a bit in the realm of Catalysis... and all we were in her class were "all eager" to line up behind her to uncork all those exciting bottles of knowledge... and the corks popped merrily at her expert bidding.  At the end of her lecture, you can't help but gush,  "aw, gosh... life is beautiful! :)

Congratulations, Dr. Ozkan!  We were BIG fans then... we are BIGGER fans now! :)

***
Post-script 

Oh, and as for the results of our "lab-or"... it's confusing than ever, gah!  But, hey, tomorrow is another day... and next week is another week.  And, I think it's called "adventure"?  Yeah, I believe it is! :)

Yep, it's all good! :)

***
Video credit:  Thanks, peitzy9 on YouTube!

"The Return of the King"...

...of grass!  Talk about adrenaline rush! ======================================================= 
by PAM


Aah, what a fortnight that was!  The great players in this era of men's tennis created yet another good story, worthy of mention in the tennis history book's golden pages.
The All England Club Cup and
Roger Federer - perfect match!  I know I asked for adrenaline rush, and forced it via The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King but, hey, I didn't realize that went with a bonus - an adrenaline flood straight from the Centre Court of SW19!


I know, this took a while... being a Roger Federer fan (nevermind that I've been turned off by his less than carefully-thought-of, bordering Jose Mourinho sounding, remarks on his talents and other guys' on a number of occasions), this should have come flying right after Andy Murray sent a forehand wide to hand RF the championship point at the Gentlemen's singles final match at The Championships at Wimbledon 2012.  But moments like this deserve to be savored thoroughly... not by talking about it, but by watching, and re-watching... and re-watching again the whole match! :)  Not that am writing about the highlights of the match, 'cause I'm not! :)  I love tennis... and RF, but I have "real life" concerns to afford enjoying life... too much. :)


***
Contrasting emotions... all for the love of the game


After seeing the winning point slip into the money bag to complete a 4-6, 7-5, 6-3, 6-4 victory, the Swiss Maestro fell on the ground in tears - tears of joy.  The "King of Grass" is back... and he
"...the world number one doesn't get gifted
to you...."rolled in one spectacular ride to victory once again - playing brilliantly as if it was 2003-2007 again!  How fantastic that at the end of this fortnight, and two years of ups and downs (mostly downs, actually), RF, in front of his twin daughters, wife and parents, won his record-tying (with Pete Sampras) 7th Wimbledon title, and extending his record Grand Slam wins to 17.  And he is back to the #1 spot in the ATP World ranking, too... just when almost everyone has already written him off as a 'has-been' in men's tennis!  Considering that he is almost 31 years old now, one of the oldest in this illustrious tennis generation that boasts of numerous twenty-something "men of steel", including the one he just beat at SW19's Centre Court, and the other one whom he deposed as Wimbledon Champion and #1 in the World, Novak Djokovic, that is one incredible feat! Too perfect of a story... it just doesn't get any better than this - no way!

I don't think there is anything else that RF fans could ask for from the King after this, nor do they need to keep standing up for Federer when the young "men of steel" in men's tennis make a comeback in the tour, or when a debate on who is the greatest to play the sport arises once again... we rest our case!


But why all these tears of sadness? Uhm, yeah... it's because the British #1, Andy Murray, remains #1... but only to the British, not the world. Will he "conquer
"I'm getting closer...."the world" - ever? On June 8, in SW19, he was the #1... the Champion's #1 challenger that is. But after four gruelling sets, he was the unsuccessful challenger once again, the second fiddler, the one who didn't win... the one who was left to wait another time.  


It really breaks the heart. But he did behave like a winner, which is totally admirable.  Holding back justified tears, he reminded himself, and a dejected nation, in good humor, that hey, he is "getting closer" to the coveted prize. That cheered everyone up... myself included. :)  How he could still summon humor at the most emotional moment of his tennis career so far tells that Murray's "good guy" image is not just an image, really.  This guy is for real! He then congratulated the victor - his conqueror, throwing in humor here and there again as he did, and then thanked his supporters wholeheartedly.  Everyone can tell that every word of gratitude was from the heart because when emotions became too overpowering to be held back, everyone saw a glimpse of his badly broken heart... tears did finally fall.  And the whole tennis world's heart broke, too.  Oy, Andy!  :( 


Such is the beauty of men's tennis these days. Everytime the final in a Grand Slam is played, too many things, on both sides of the net, are at stake. Usually, it's a claim to a
Left? Right? History waited to unfold
either way.glorious place in the history of the sport, sometimes it's to conquer one's weaknesses and finally lift the coveted prize, or lift the prize again on an opportune time. And in rare but truly meaningful moments, what's at stake is a matter of pride. Many times, Murray fought to conquer his personal weaknesses, to break through that massive wall of undisputed greatness in the sport that he loves.  But on the 8th of July 2012, he fought for sheer pride... for the nation he represents, for the nation that wholeheartedly believed in him and in his capacity to re-write the history of the sport in their favor, for the nation whose aching longing for victory of one of their own on their own turf he carried on his shoulders.  Sadly, they would have to wait another time... and with the majestic showing of RF in their Centre Court, outshining their lad, they could hardly complain either.  


One thing is for sure though, after that emotionally draining moment at the Centre Court of SW19, and after giving the man who spells greatness in men's tennis a royal run for his money, the whole tennis world will be rallying behind Andy Murray... next time around!  Gofer it, Andy, ya can do it!


***
Gone too soon...


As for FBC, I sent her away to a "Retreat".  She needs to find herself... 'cause imagine calling tennis "boring"?  Gah!  That was a totally misguided view... considering that she enjoys playing badminton where they don't even use balls! Madre mia!  =)  She'll come around.


***
Photo credits:  All photos were grabbed from the Zimbio website - thanks!

Ballin' siege

by FBC 

Just got the "key" here, yeah!  


So, while PAM is spending time figuring out how "to be busy" again, lemme take over the tennis and footie business around here.  Nope, I wasn't recruited from the outer space or something.  In fact, I'm from this world, only I hang more often in the ballin' wavelength, where PAM is a frequent visitor.  I just thought I'd volunteer to take note of important tennis and footie events 'cause our old girl will be busy getting back to the "healthy lane" over the next couple of months or so... and cruise down the "busy highway", uh, sooner than the planned one-year hiatus methinks.  Who was she kiddin' anyway?  Her spirit is "too round" to stop rollin'... for a year!  That simply isn't possible... not unless Cristiano Ronaldo stopped running the turf like a high-heeled diva - 'cause that'd be the day. ;) Oops... hey, that was close!  Aw, c'mon CR7 fans, touchy much?  Put away all the rotten tomatoes, will ya? Geez....  


***
About the ball business now


I meant to write about Serena Williams's Wimbledon 102-ace triumph, a record in Wimbledon, but that might not be a good way to start the tennis writing takeover 'round here.  So, I'll just go over it quick, afraid that if I lingered around the topic longer than necessary, I'd write things that would forfeit my accepted volunteering here.  


After getting rid of the defending champion, Petra Kvitová of the Czech Republic, the mighty Serena fired something like 24 aces, a record in one match, to erase the name of the a-month-ago-former-#1-but-now-#1-in-the-World-again Viktoria Azarenka in the ladies' draw during their boring-than-boring semi-final 
Killer serve... "anti-tennis"?match.  Seriously, they should set an "Aces Quota" in the Grand Slams!  While great service game usually adds to the "sweet tension" during tight matches when summoned during key points, it can take away the excitement in the match, too, when it is the "only reliable" weapon an aspiring champion carried with him/her to the court.  Why do you think Andy Roddick had been tucked away in the forget-him trunk by most tennis fans, regardless of Jimmy Connors in his box as coach?  It's annoying how his big serve ruins his matches!  Variety is what tennis fans look for.  Variety of shots is what makes this, let's face it, otherwise boring sport exciting (oops, PAM is going to fire me on this, I'm afraid.).  Relying on big service throughout the match is equivalent to "parking the bus", "anti-football" über defensive football tactic.    


Serena's final match with Agnieszka Radwanska was predictable.  And that doesn't mean that the first Polish woman to reach the final in in a Grand Slam since 1939, Radwanska, didn't 
Better luck next time. have the requisite talent to be in the final because she did... maybe a bit short in all departments to be considered a promising Champion in the same realm as Steffi Graf, Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert... okay, make that SHORT - for now, at least!  But, hey, three different women hold the other three Grand Slam trophies presently!  And the World #1 spot in the Women's ranking had been swapped four times already since January.  Let's face it, everybody had a shot at the "big prize" at SW19.  But, and that's a big fat BUT, the result of the final match was predictable because everyone knew that when Williams starts getting the service game going, she is unstoppable.  The game of the mildly sick Radwanska collapsed predictably easily in the first set, but she returned with a vengeance in the second set when Williams decided to try to play lawn tennis.  In the third set, on Williams's serve at 1 set all and 2-1 to Radwanska, the American hit four blistering aces in 47 seconds, leveling at 2-2.  Radwanska stared into space after that.  Like the whole world, she knew how that final was going to end.  


And it did end with Williams raising her fifth Venus Rosewater Dish over her head.  It was her 14th 
The reverse was simply hard
to imagine.Grand Slam title, too - the third biggest Grand Slam title haul in women's tennis in the Open era.  At 30 years, and after an embarrassing first round exit at Roland Garros less than a month ago, that was indeed a great achievement.  However, it is also true that trophies only tell half of the story.  Of course, with the media, at Williams's own cue, playing the from-sick-bed-a-year- ago-to-SW19-story-of-triumph, that worked really wonderfully, too.  Serena did charm the world with her reply to the "is 30 the new 20" question: "Well, gosh, of course - hello!"  That was too cute, sister! :)


Uh-oh, just when PAM was beginning to embrace the Maria Sharapova women's tennis reign, and trying to convince herself that Azarenka can be humble and "acceptable", too (nevermind her just-look-away fashion sense, e.g. the Rocky look she sported on her way into the court with Serena in the semi-final match), Serena Williams is just gettin' started.  You go, sister!  Oh, and good luck, old girl! ;)


***        
Photo credits:  All photos were grabbed at the Zimbio website - thanks, guys!
   

The Spanish Conquistadores completed their Italian Job

Viva, España!  Woohoo! 
======================================================= 
by PAM 

Europe and the world saw red!  Glorious day for La Roja! 

La Roja... Campeónes de Europa!

They did it! The beautiful Spanish Men in Red wrapped the Euro Cup with the Spanish flag in Kiev, Ukraine... and
Iker Casillas, Número Uno...
El Capitán de la selección
española de futbol.brought it home, to stay for another four years on Spanish soil. And they did it so superbly, so beautifully, so worthy of a place of honor in the history of the 'beautiful game'... made even more beautiful by the dazzling way they play it. 

Their victory in Ukraine is indeed historical... Vicente del Bosque González and his brilliant men, captained so ably by "the 1 and only", Iker Casillas, catapulted Spain to a place of honor in the history of the 'beautiful game'.  Theirs is the only other side (the other one is Germany) to have won the European Cup thrice! Theirs also became the FIRST and the ONLY side - ever - in the history of UEFA Euro to have successfully defended the title.  They won with a record margin, 4-0, too!  They also stand as the only European country to hold the European title back to back and the World Cup at the same time = hat-trick of titles, a FIRST in the history of... uhm, mankind!   :)

Following a number of eras of brilliant Spanish players with so much promise, but that stayed unfulfilled, Casillas's illustrious era, with Del Bosque's guidance, finally fulfilled the great promise of Spanish football brilliance. They continue to dazzle the world with the beauty of their game.  The streets of Spain, and other places in the world, flooded with red-donning fans who shared the joy of La Roja!

Glorious Age, indeed, for Spanish Football! Woohoo! 

Hi, July!

Good to see you! :)
=======================================================
by PAM

July is "my month". And I'd like to begin it with some serious adrenaline pump... 'cause heaven knows I need it! :)  

Only a few things come to mind... one of them is "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King".  There are a number of worthy scenes... and while I love this scene so much...

...I'm going for this one...

Thump, thump, thump... whoooosh!  Whew!  That felt good! :)  It does 'take the heart of me' each time... over and over again!

We know how that ended, of course.  A courageous little hobbit with a pure heart of goodness, aided by his equally courageous best friend, brought to an end the menacing evil's threat to conquer and wipe out all that is good in the Middle-earth... one tiny little step at a time.  The wars that caused tremendous pain to the entire Middle-earth, which also brought out the very best in men and women, and forged alliances stronger than before among the good that their world cradled, finally became worth it.  None of it, of course, was possible if not for the good intentions of the valiant heroes who matched the desire of their heart for goodness to prevail with incredible sacrifice, the sternest of courage, and faithfulness to the goodness in their world... and among each other.  

Through it all, one man who strayed away from his destiny... staying away from the seat of leadership of his people, laden with self-doubt in spite of the extraordinary wisdom that his ancestry gifted him with, courageous and fearing nothing but the thought of being seduced by the evil and corruption that might go with the seat of power... finally heeded his beckoning destiny... and pursued the path that his forefathers treaded - the Path of the Kings.  He returned to his land... and led his people to bravely stare down death in the great battle of the Middle-earth, when man makes his last stand against the towering force of evil, not for victory and glory, but for the restoration of peace and the blanket of goodness that his heart craves for his people. Just awesome!  J. R. R. Tolkien... oy! :)

Very well, "the King" has spoken.  

Alright then, July... we hold our ground. ;)  And, oh, do you mind telling your brother, August, and your cousins September and October, too?  Nah?  Good... er, yeah, you do???  Really?  Oh!  Hmmm... 

***

June 28, 2012...

...what was wrong with you??? ====================================================================
by PAM


The morning after....

Now, it feels like I floated blindly through one of the most "anomalous" days of tennis and football yesterday! Now, watching BBC's Sport Today in bed, I still ask myself... what the heck happened???  ;) Uhm, ahem... sorry, please excuse my language. It's just that it really feels strange how these catastrophes came like an unexpected avalanche. :/

***
Wait, weren't they supposed to "fire at will"? 

First, Mario Balotelli took Italy to the Euro 2012 final with a brace of goals in a "whoa-whaaat" semi-final match with Germany in Warsaw, Poland! Yes, yes, and yes, sir... to THE EURO
The explosively brilliant German "young guns"...
...gunned down in Poland - by the Italian "Mafia".2012 FINAL!!  And, yes, AGAINST GERMANY, too!  Yeah, that team that was captained by Philipp Lahm and which had Mesut Özil, Mario Gomez (yeah, the real "super" one), Bastian Schweinsteiger, Manuel Nauer, the toast of World Cup 2010, Thomas Müller, and a host of other incredibly talented young players. Yes, them, who are Europe's hotshot young players... who have played their way into the semi-final round like they were on their way to winning the EURO 2012!  Their performance yesterday was lacking in coherence and depth against Italy's solid defense and aggressive attacks with very defined purpose... plus the "veteran" goalkeeper, Gianluigi Buffon, was a "beast" out there! 

I am mightily disappointed by the outcome because I really like that 'breath of fresh air' that these German boys generate on the pitch, I do love the way they play... just like I would've loved seeing them going through to the final in South Africa in 2010... if only the draws were worked differently, and they weren't up against Spain in the semis.   Uhm, ahem... perdón, "Mama España", I didn't mean to sound like I wasn't rooting for you because I was then, and I am now! And will do again in 2014! :) I just thought it would be fantastic to see Germany's exciting "young guns" playing Spain's tasty blend of "fine wine" and "new brew" at the Euro.  I was imagining getting "sweetly intoxicated"! :) And without the "Lionel Messi factor" this time, make that a truly, unadulterated European "intoxication" right
La Furia Roja de Mama España - European Champs...
...still the side to beat!there!  Who else could give you that these days but Spain and Germany, whose pool of talents in their own Leagues are of high concentration of talents from their own countries - the best of them all?  But, apparently, Joachim Loew had a real reason for feeling stressed out all the time... and I thought he was "over acting" a bit considering what a talented team he's managing!  These boys seem to be a bit prone to panic when stared down by the 'big guys' with passionate purpose... I still find it disturbing how Manuel Nauer stood immobile when Balotteli & Co. was gunning for an Italian goal   Aaargh...  Or... it's as simple as a case of Italy remaining to be a massively strong pillar of European (and world) football despite the tumultuous sea of controversies that their National Team had to navigate a couple of months before travelling to Poland and Ukraine, which is very good, too.      

Sunday foodie

It's Father's Day today.  Here's to all the cool fathers out there!  Cheers!

Oh, and my "almost bro-in-law" turned the day into a foodie day.  He brought something that made our father happy - huuuge flat box... 

Do we need to ask "what's in the box"?  I guess not...

...and what was inside the box looked yummy!

...look at all that cheese!

It didn't only look yummy, it was yummy!

So good! :)

Even our furry little food critic rated the pizza highly... he ate almost 2/3 of a slice! :)


Foodiely happy!

***

Saturday photo

...of my "alternative workplace".
=================================================================
by PAM

Uh, nah... I don't hang out in the attic all day long like some recluse these days.  That's not possible, of course not!  I'm "retired" from my previous work, not retired to a hermit life!  Haha.... I'm still a 'practicing geek' at the Research Center though... and I probably need to figure out a way to keep it that way for as long as possible... just because this is one "fire" that no amount of "water" can extinguish.  At least, that's how it feels these days... and I'm sure it'll stay that way for a long time.  

Alternative workplace... "the doctor is about". Welcome! =)

But, yeah, generally, I'm taking a break... and I do have an "alternative workplace" at home when I'm not "geeking it out" at the Research Center and at the... uhm, yeah, the attic!  It's a little corner in our front yard, under a kind old tree.  A "furry friend" (who can't keep still for a photo) keeps me company, too (and entertained... or maybe distracted? hehe...), while I, uhm, "work". :) 

I know... it's a 'good life', and I love it!  :)  God is good... He is!  I know, too, that I probably do not deserve any of these blessings... but I'm enjoying them nevertheless, like all graces from God should be enjoyed and be thankful for. :) 

But, yeah, I probably need to get back to the 'grind' in a little while... maybe in a few months.  I'll be back in full steam - hot, hissing with the highest possible enthalpy, flowing powerfully at full speed... starting a "new chapter" in my professional life! :)  Until then, I resolve to just enjoy my little break... and that's what I do now.  Slowing down, pausing to savor the sweetness of an incredible life of blessings... and figuring out this new path in front of me, to use God-given gifts in a way that allows me to give back - more - and enjoy life to the fullest at the same time.  Exciting days, indeed! :) 

Oh, and speaking of exciting stuff, EURO 2012 is just about to wrap up the Group stage and soon getting into the Quarterfinal stage... Wimbledon is just around the corner, too... and the 2012 Olympics beckons - London calling, baby!  :)

***

Pilipinas kong minumutya...

Happy Independence Day, Philippines!

...aking adhika, makita kang sakdal laya!

***
Image credit:  THANKS, Google!

Sunday foodie...

...a string of unsavory situations turned into a sweet foodie day.
===============================================================
by PAM

Not a very good day today... first of all, Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao lost to Timothy Bradley in a badly-judged bout in Las Vegas, Nevada.  Tsk!  The Philippine "National Fist" should really protest that fight!  And Bradley should return that belt - it doesn't belong to him!  What an additional disgrace to the already "ugly" sport!  And, oh, I didn't even see the match live... I was working at the Research Center, figuring out what it takes to give coconut water "eternal freshness"... yes, on a "national sacred day" of a Pacman fight, too! ;)  Oh, well... first things first!  And, the coconut water is worth it - it is.  But that isn't why this post was classified as "Sunday Foodie".   

Second of all, rain interrupted the Nofael Djodal Brofight at Roland Garros, and the score froze at 6-4, 6-3, 2-6, 2-1, with Rafa Nadal winning the first two sets... and Novak Djokovic losing - umh, his temper - and getting warned for racquet abuse!  A proof that the weather and tension situation at Roland Garros was close to desperate... even the usually cool headed Nadal also lost his temper, complaining to the chair umpire about how heavy and soggy the balls were getting due to the light but steady shower.  And when the match was suspended due to bad weather - finally - the Spaniard gave the match official an earful and walked hurriedly out of the court - bitchfacing to the max - looking eager to disappear before losing it completely and exploding with extreme annoyance.  The #1 and #2 in Men's tennis will be resuming their brofight tomorrow.  Oh, well....