Getting to Know Leomer

Here's a partial list of some things you may want to know about me: 


FOOD:
1. I love to eat; except that I don't eat native chicken and goat
2. I was trained to eat whatever that comes up in the table; except those mentioned in #1
3. I love sardines and hotdog; I call them comfort food
4. 2 cups of rice for me please
5. Green-leafy vegetables are just awesome
6. I love condiments especially patis (fish sauce)
7. I most of the time crave for okra/talong dipped in bagoong (alamang/isda)
8. I prefer fish over pork, but it seldom happens
9. When it comes to desserts, I love vanilla ice cream or yogurt
10. I'm a coffee drinker
11. I eat pork isaw. Like 10 sticks in one session
12. I seldom drink beer, I prefer tequila, brandy, Tanduay Ice or red wine
13. I'm currently craving for tokwa't baboy
14. I love Karate Kid, Chef d' Angelo, Napoli's and Jolibee
15. I can't forget Planta Hotel's Asian Pork 
16. I've tasted dog meat
17. Weirdest thing I ate was adobong frog
18. Popcorn
19. Seafood pesto makes me happy
20. Meiji black chocolate lifts me up


LOVE and ROMANCE
1. I'm currently on a strong and long-term relationship
2. I consider to having serious relationships since 2005 only
3. Before 2005, I've been to numerous relationships
4. I had my first boyfriend in 2001. We lasted for a year and 6 months
5. I'm a sucker for romance
6. I had 3 serious relationship from 2005-2006; on these three, I'm the one in charge, and I'm the one who called it off. 
7. I only had one boyfriend older than me, refer to #4
8. I prefer younger guys back then
9. Nimmy and I lived together for 1 year and 8 months
10. I still have crushes, but I get to be turned-off easily
11. I still think of Mark Herras
12. Moreno is a plus
13. Bad-breath is hell
14. I don't like overly intellectual conversation, it gives me nosebleed and earbleed
15. I hope to get married soon with Nimmy


EDUCATION
1. I used to dream of becoming a lawyer. I took up Political Science major in Public Administration in PUP Sta. Mesa. 
2. I was a President's Lister for 2 years. 
3. My GPA for the entire course is 1.63
4. I was a badminton varsity player of PUP for 4 semesters
5. I'm the 2nd Grandmaster of our college debate frat. I've joined two national debate contests
6. I joined rallies and the most memorable one was EDSA 2. 
7. I graduated Salutatorian in High School
8. I'm not a natural smart person; I'm just studious
9. I can't study on loud music
10. I think I'm better in speaking than writing
11. I'm a grade conscious person
12. I love libraries and the smell of old books
13. I hate math subjects
14. I almost failed the subject, Logic because of the movie Titanic. You know, cutting classes.
15. I've never figured out the significance of 4 semesters in ROTC.


ATTITUDE
1. I'm an optimist most of the time
2. If you don't like me, I don't like you too
3. I'm a forgiving person
4. I'm honest and transparent person
5. I get easily frustrated if I don't get to achieve small goals
6. I seldom shout on heated arguments
7. I walk out to clear my mind
8. I have small tolerance to arrogance
9. I'm an impulsive buyer
10. Leadership by example
11. I don't choose friends
12. I seldom lend money
13. Perky to some people
14. I can sense if someone is upset
15. I'm a combined type A&B person a.k.a. bipolar


OFFICE
1. I always have my game face on in the office; pretending to be busy
2. Stupid bosses deserves a flying kick
3. I seldom do overtime
4. I prefer an American boss than a Filipino
5. I genuinely love developing subordinates; I love seeing them promoted
6. For a time, I prefer salary over loyalty in the company
7. My best mentors were Barbie, Leah and Lavi
8. I have few closest friends in the office - Joanne, Joey, Debbie, Rose
9. My best supervisor was Jong
10. I miss my Bacolod QA team
11. My last two bosses were unforgettable
12. I enjoy deploying a project and transitions
13. I love excel, powerpoint and visio
14. On team buildings, no one sits beside me. They always want me to be alone, I think
15. I enjoy doodling while on a meeting

My Badminton Crush

I've always been and will always be a badminton fan. But there's one badminton player that really caught my attention. Since then, he has been my perennial crush. 

Lee Yong Dae is 22 years old and was the gold medalist for mixed doubles in the recent 2008 Olympics in Beijing. Aside from his boy-next-door looks, he has this killer talent in court. 

I think I'll visit Korea this year. 

My Crazy Badminton Videos

Here are some of the videos I have while playing badminton with close friends and during practice. I really do miss playing badminton! It's been ages since the last time I stepped in to a court. 

Missing the Court

I can't even remember the last time I held my badminton racket.

As there are many things going on with my life, I can't even dwell in to thinking how I may be able to squeeze some time for this hobby of mine. It's nice to have a very supportive partner. Nimmy plays with me all the time. I have influenced him into this sports and it's nice that he gets to love the sports that I endear so much. 

I just hope that this crazy life I am into now will soon turn to normal. There are times that you feel out of control and that your only refuge is just to let go, or fight and take control. Just like badminton. You either let your opponent smash the shuttlecock and just turn immobile, or you work on your defenses and mitigate a score. 

I miss badminton. Hope to play soon. 

Philippine Badminton Open 2009 Mementos

Although I've lambasted an Olympian from my previous post, there are still some auspicious moments I can relive. For sure you can jot down two important Filipino figures found on the gallery. Enjoy!

Not So Good Experience in the Philippine Badminton Open

Ok, I bought my tickets three weeks before the semis. My boss might have thought of me as a jerk because I have constantly shown it to her. She could have thought of obliterating it in front of my face. Well, I know she gets it. I’m excited to watch the two special days of my 2009 calendar - the Bingo Bonanza Philippine Badminton Open, on its 3rdevent.

I didn’t get to watch this with my boss, but I thought of inviting her and I just thought that maybe, she might not really enjoy it. She’s actually into more contact sports, having been raised in the US and exposed to “manly” sports like football and basketball. The timing wasn’t right either; she was on the hospital starting Wednesday albeit prior to going to Philsports Arena (where the venue is), Nimmy and I visited her to know how’s she’s doing.

Nimmy and I then went to the venue after. It was a great feeling to see the badminton courts. You’ll see players practice, and people watching. You’ll see cameramen fixing their angles and the lights – the lights was astonishing. It wasn’t even a first time for us to see this, especially for me. I’ve seen the Thomas Uber Cup way back 1999 and I still feel this energy of just seeing professional players do the sports you love. I exactly feel the emotions when someone gets to step in the courts. The venue never really changed. It still hosted the tournament, and it is really part of the Philippine Sports history.

So the first day we went there, we watched the semis. One thing I’ve noticed is that most of the players that attended this annual event are not even as half popular than usual veterans of any international badminton event. I didn’t get to see players from Korea and yeah, I’m anticipating Lee Yong Dae. I didn’t even see a Korean in the crowd. I also didn’t see Malaysian players. Could it be possible that Malaysia and Korea had boycotted this grand prix? Chinese dominance has been a normalcy in Badminton. This event has just proven that point.

There were only four nations I’ve seen in two days, China, Hong Kong, Japan and Indonesia. Actually, that’s only three; technically, Hong Kong is a territory of China. So far, they have produced world ranking players. I thought that it could be a more interesting and money-worth too see players from Korea, Malaysia, Germany and England. Which then again made me ask, why did not join? Where are they when some players are gaining badminton points for their ranks?

So we get to see a lot of neophyte, inexperienced and non-ranked Chinese players. Yet, they won major titles after. So this brings me to the point – why do Filipinos have not produced any badminton Champions? Why do I only know the Asuncion siblings? What does it take to bring popularity of badminton? And, am I wrong in saying that badminton is only a sport for those wealthy and powerful?

We were seated in the second row from the front and this is because I really made sure our tickets will give us the vantage eyes. Oh yeah, it was fun to see them. You get to see players reactions, first hand. You get to see them yell out of frustrations. This seat also made us instant TV personalities. It’s funny, because people started texting me saying that they had seen me on their TV monitors. My plan really is to get closer to players and get pictures. The first day wasn’t that lucky. We didn’t get any.

So on to our second day. Nimmy and I had lunch first in the Galeria. We went to KFC and usually get my favorite two-pieces classic recipe chicken and fully loaded for my Nimmy and I was about to bring our food to our table when suddenly, I saw the male Chinese players. They are having lunch. Then I realized, the players actually stays in Crowne Plaza, so before they head to the venue, they had lunch first. It was an opportunity I thought. But I’m cowardly shy, so no picture taking while they eat. I know there will be a chance. And so I thought again.

We head to the venue, on the second day of the tournament. The crowd is starting to surface. We saw the mixed doubles pair practicing. Ok, they are good. But they are so so exciting to watch during their face-off. By the way, mixed doubles, women’s doubles, singles men and women were all fought by the Chinese and Indonesians. Men’s doubles on the other hand were dominated by the Indonesians.

It was great matches.

But here’s what annoyed me. Women’s doubles were done and so the winners, Gao Ling and some other Chinese Olympic players, god-knows I forgot her name, were awarded $8,000 US. I’m really happy they’ve won. No questions about that. They ranked 38, and both of them are Olympic players, people respect them, and adored. They are popular and they have all the rights to brag about their accomplishments. So they are heading back to their places when I decided to stand up and stood in front of them, and as they approached, I asked if I can take a picture. To my surprise, they rejected me.

Yes, they rejected me. Me, who spent some hard earned money just to watch their games, me who spent some time to see them and cheer them, me who is such a dork, gained some degrees in college and work in a reputable company and just get refusal from these foreigners? Well, I don’t think that’s really fair and I don’t think I’ll get over it.

It’s not really the pictures that pissed me off. It’s the fact that a fan like me gets rejected by a very miniscule thing. How inconsiderate and insensitive.

Well, I’m done with Gao Ling and her partner. I’ve decided to boycott them and if ever they play again next year, I’d rather not watch them anymore.

Leo and the Kung-Fu Badminton Endeavor

Leo is a badminton addict. He works in a call center and he plays badminton every Saturday/Sunday. Is he boring? Just lethargic. Does he have something between his ears? Yes, a pretty poker face. Does he makes sense? Go figure. Coming from an average family, he thinks opportunities are limited. Until he discovers world-wide-web.

Few things you should know ABOUT ME:

1. I love self-help books like The Secret by Rhonda Byrne. I am an advocate, supporter or whatever you call it. It's ideology is not new to me. My well of positivist thinking originated from High School. I write the things I want in life and eventually, I get to acquire them. Who taught me of doing that? I really can't remember. But going back to the book, it sets the very foundation of what majority of my mind is doing. Ok, I think I now sound eerie.

2. I love Badminton. My body oftenly craves the weeknights muscle cramps. I know it sounds weird, but believe me, aside from the cardio-vascular work-out I get from smashing shuttlecocks and picking the cross-court drop by any opponent, I love the fact that it makes my brain work. I am competitive in sports and masochist at night.

3. My weakness - good mothers. The world is not as colorful and worth-living without them.

4. For the benefit of this blog, let's call my significant other as Nimmy.

5. I find it unique and peaceful to listen into Celtic songs. Look for Wind of the Sea by Anuna.

6. I love Bollywood albeit I can't remember titles of my favorite Indian movie. Except for Slam Dog. :) (obviously, I can't spell too.. duh...Slum Dog?)

7. I have mentors and I derive inspiration and strenght from them. They usually don't know they are my mentors though. Some of them are dead. Some are officemates and friends.

8. I love to laugh!!!

9. I am a proud bread-winner. I might put up a bakery soon. Hmmm... Not really. But I am a bread winner really.

10. I have random interests to things. It's magnitude you can't even comprehend.

11. I love cats.

12. I'm not a big fan of clown fish, but Marlin like me is adventurous enough to journey in quest of one special.

How I Came About Playing Badminton

Summer of 1998, I was an incoming junior student of Political Science in PUP. I was struggling then with my grades, just like any college students. It dawns me now that during that time, I am a very competitive and love bragging about me, being a University Scholar. I thought of being a different scholar at this time, I want to get stipend by being a varsity player. But what sports?

I thought of joining one of the try-outs for volleyball, but when I went to the gym and saw all the volleybelles and the dudes with striking muscles, dripping with sweat, I just thought that it wasn’t for me. Right across the volleyball court, I saw a group of people playing badminton, and guess what; one of my blockmates was there. I shouldn’t be surprised, for one, she already did mention that she plays that sport during high school. I got that from our usual chit chats before our classes. Then I saw them play and get mesmerized.

I spoke to one of the trainees; the coach during that time was doing some training in the US. I did some crunches, ran back and forth the court as if we are some bunch of idiots.

I got to meet the real coach, after a month. I am still a sore loser that time, not knowing what I’ve been to. But I was deeply inspired by the way he taught me play and improve my game. Just for three months, I raised the ranks, and became the number 1 player.

During that time, our training days was Mon-Wed-Fri. Wednesday being the hardest, since we have to do weights. Friday, is a fun day, since we get to do a lot of drills. But before we get to play or train during those days, we have to train our endurance and finish 16 rounds of running in the PUP oval, the same size as the Philsports Arena. Wheeww….

I got the real and serious stuff back then. But right now, I enjoy playing this sport every Sunday with my officemates. We have thought of creating a Badminton Club in the office, but it’s still not being realized. But no worries, just as long as I get to play Badminton, that’s fine.

What am I headed right now is to go back to the rudiments of training, play better and join more local tournaments which I happened to do last November of 2007. I plan to join more and more and hopefully play internationally if given the chance.

I guess, if there’s two undying ambitions I have, that is to become a lawyer and have an international medal in Badminton. But I would certainly love and appreciate the latter. Ü

Philippine Badminton Open, July 2009

I had searched and waited for this annual event just last year only to find out that it had been cancelled due to Olympics. Most players won't be able to come since they are busy and preoccupied in their trainings. Today, nothing can stop the official opening of this tournament. This is the third run of the prestigious Philippine Gold Grand Prix Badminton Championships sponsored by Bingo Bonanza Corporation.

Nimmy and I will need to sleep early this coming Saturday morning (since we work both in the night shift). Saturday lunch, we have to prepare and need to be 30 minutes before the venue. The tickets we bought are just for the Semis and Finals. Can you tell I'm excited? Hell yeah!!!

Game Schedule:

July 1 & 2 : 10:00am - 10:00pm
July 3 : 6:00pm - 11:00pm
July 4 & 5 : 1:00pm - 6:00pm

The first Badminton Tournament I've followed was the Thomas and Uber Cup back in 2000 or 2001. I got free tickets from my Badminton coach back then and ever since - it ignited fire in me. I love to see my idols smash, drop and drive. The exhilarating feeling I get to see them is priceless.

So what is in store for us? Well, we'll get to see top players from Korea, Malaysia, China, Vietnam, Indonesia, England and of course, our very own players in the Philippines. I hope to see my favorite men's doubles team from Malaysia, Koo Kien Keat and Tan Boon Heong. I also anticipate the presence of Lee Yong Dae from Korea, and probably, you'll going to see a lot of him here in my blog in the next few days.

You know, Badminton is not really a popular sports in the Philippines compared to MJ's world, but I must say that there is a strong following. Right now, we have witnessed the ever sprouting badminton courts around the neighborhood. Tournaments? You bet. We have those local tournaments too, although it's not of a big shot sports for the media and the people in general. Only a few appreciates them.

So July 4-5 it is! For now, I'll make sure to take some pictures and I''ll let you see some of them soon! If you want to buy tickets, please log on to: http://www.ticketworld.com.ph/events/philopen2009.asp. For exact schedules of players, you may visit : http://philopenbadminton.com/schedules.php.