Finally, I am back!

Hi there. This blog has been mothballed for years. I have been so busy I found short shout-outs in facebook and twitter more convenient. But heck, I got loads of thoughts to share and immortalize. And now I am so restless to write again and get drowned in the oceans of my imagination. Just now I am starting to recall why this blog was called 'The World is Round'. Hmmm. This is me, the man with some sort of amnesia. And I don't like the format of my webpage!

I am selling my Toshiba laptop (2008)

I have been keeping two laptops for months now. As I only use my Toshiba once a week (but the last time I opened it was three weeks back), I finally decided to sell it for whatever price it is worth. I think it is about time to get rid of one white elephant.

Here are the specs:

-Toshiba S L310-S410
-Windows Vista 2007 (with Microsoft Office 2007, Adobe)
-Processor: Intel Core Duo CPU 2.00 GHz
-Memory (RAM): 1.00 GB
-Sound Card: Conexant High Definition Smart Audio 221
-Video Card: Mobile Intel(R) 4 Series Express Chipset Family
-with built-in Camera, microphone, bluetooth, DVD/CD Drive/Burner

Date of Purchase: November 2008
Purchase Price: Php 50,000

Selling Price: Php 25,000 (Negotiable)


If you are interested, just text leave a message, email me at jrwerdna@yahoo.com, or contact me through my mobile phone.

For the love of peanut butter

For more than a month now I spent at least two hours on the road driving to work. During my first two weeks I was without license (I only had this expired student's license I kept for more than a year already). Lucky I did not get into trouble otherwise I could have ended behind bars. But I did get my license, not after that old lady at the LTO Office failed me in the practical drive test that required me to move the car backward a little bit, then forward. The car was old and crappy anyway, and I am not used to driving an aged manual car... Okay, okay, I was a lame driver.

When I used to take public transport everyday, how I wished I would get a car to save me from the throngs of people in the MRT station. Now that I am driving I always long of times when I can just walk through the traffic and take any mode of transport that brings me to where I want to go ahora mismo. Talk about pros and cons. And oh, I am a strong advocate of LTFRB's plan to reduce the number of jeepneys and buses in our highways. EDSA, Taft, Buendia - everywhere - are just cramped with half-full buses and jeepneys. The government's next steps should be to improve the train system, fix the puddled roads, and regulate and monitor all modes of public transport. Let us put our bus stops and pedestrian lanes into use.

After having watched the anime series called 'The Avatar' (watch out for the movie showing next year), I thought which power I would like to have: earth, fire, water, or air? Becoming the avatar himself is way too powerful - and I am just a plankton. I am not a monk, so wind power is not an option. Fire? Uhh. Earth sounds cool, but I'm more comfortable with water. And so I thought that becoming a water bender is awesome. I could surf, dive, paddle, walk on water, save whale sharks, and clean up Manila Bay by doing those water-bending moves. These are things really I wanted to do. But then again, the real world is not anime.

In 2007, the security personnel at the Sydney airport confiscated six bottles of Vegemite I placed inside my hand-carried bag. Aside from bombs and guns, carrying fluids or anything viscous that is more than 100 grams inside the plane is not allowed. Dang. That was worth 6 months of yeasty (for lack of better word to describe its taste) toasted bread for breakfast. Thank heavens when I got home in Manila, I had one bottle of peanut butter to munch on.
Now, back to my work. Who says making soaps is not rocket science?

Finally, a Silver Lining

There is a good reason for UPDT to celebrate after SAVA Sprints V: a Silver in the 200m International Freestyle Category, and a Third Place standing in the 200m International Men's Open Plate Finals.

Several international teams participated in the event, including those of expatriates based in Singapore. Five teams were from the Philippines - CamSur (powerhouse!), Philippine National Women's Team (simply unbeatable!), Triton, Drago Pilipinas, and of course the UP Dragonboat Team.

The Malaysians and university-based Singaporean teams were the line-ups to beat. The had all the advantages: experience, training, physique, funding. My team, after a long hiatus from international races, only brought one thing to Singapore - fighting spirit.

And this did not fail us. After the two-day race, we won a Silver in the 200m International Freestyle and was Third Place in the 200m International Men's Open Plate Finals. Overall, we ranked 8th out of the 35 teams competing in the men's open. No doubt, a srong come-back by the UP Dragonboat Team.

The other Filipino teams were winners as well, with CamSur winning the Gold in the men's open and the Philippine National Team topping the Women's Nation Cup. Drago Pilipinas, Triton, and the Singapore-based Filipino Dragons did not go home empty-handed as well. SAVA, I should say, was ruled by Filipinos.


To the UP Dragonboat Team, welcome back to the league!