I am currently watching about three dozen kids doing their warmup exercises just before their tennis classes. Yep, that’s about three dozen kids doing jumping jacks and stretches at 9am on a Saturday morning. I guess that translates to about three dozen parents waking up early on a Saturday to shuffle their kids to the tennis court.

So, when I have decided to sign up Aya to this class, effectively I have said goodbye to those long, lazy Saturday mornings spent in leisure in bed. That, and several thousand yen each month.

Continue reading Sportsy →

When someone brags about accomplishing something before he/she has had the chance to do it, you give them the benefit of the doubt. You smile and nod, then hope that they will eventually make good on their word someday, somehow. Not that it’s any of your damn business, really.

Blame it on my amazing ability to listen intently to what other people say. I especially latch on when people talk about their grandiose plans for their lives and their future, or whatever else they’re involved with. I listen with the rapt attention of an eight-year old who naively believes anything an adult says. And I actually believe them. It seems that my take on these matters is: consider them true unless proven otherwise.

Continue reading Hot Air →

Just before graduating from the university, I volunteered to be part of a group tasked to talk to high school students about the joys (and pains) of taking up Physics as a course. Our aim was to “orient” their young minds towards considering Physics as a possible career choice.

I thought about how to prep my young audience. I knew it was going to be a daunting task, because let’s face it, Physics isn’t exactly everyone’s cup of tea. Especially in high school.

Anyway, I began my talk with the following question: “Sino sa inyo ang gustong yumaman?” Who among you wants to get rich?

Everybody raised their hands!

Continue reading Learned →