2014: A Year To Remember, Hello 2015.

2014 was a year to remember for me. A lot of great things happened throughout the course of the year. Since I'm a bit short on words for this yearly recap. All I did for this year was a collage of some special moments that happened last year.

Photo ©Karl Carandang

Looking at this collage, there were plenty of great moments that happened during 2014. The day, I finally finished my college education after a four year journey filled with success and failures. The baccalaureate mass, that came prior to graduation where they announced the honor roll which I made it and our exit through the Arch of the Centuries. That two day stretch where I won my final competitions bringing honor to the university along the way. The practicum at Marsman where I got involved in the preparation and execution of the trips during the course of the semester. The Quezon City Food Festival and fireworks display with the Claret Alumni Homecoming on the side where I got to meet our AFP Chief of Staff who was also an alumnus of the school. To family reunions on both sides of my family from Christmas to my father's 50th birthday. To reunions with my friends from both high school and college whether it's birthday parties or simple catch-up moments with them. I also lived the life of a passionate sports fan following my teams along the way from following the Houston Rockets transition into one of the most polarizing NBA teams today to the inspirational run by Gilas Pilipinas in the FIBA World Cup.

Despite these fun moments in 2014, there were some few hiccups and sad moments along the way. From witnessing that painful first round exit the Rockets suffered at the hands of the Portland Trail Blazers to the disastrous Asian Games stint of Gilas Pilipinas which led to the ousting of coach Chot Reyes. To the death of my grandmother from my mother's side. To being rejected in the sole job interview I took (Yes, I took more vacation time than job-seeking and I do not regret it).

In ending, I am thankful for the year has passed. Now that the year 2015 has arrived with some important events coming like the visit of Pope Francis in the country, a few weeks from now. I'm looking forward to a great year ahead. I hope I can finally land a job soon and help my family out and save up for my own. I hope that you will still be a part of the year at hand.

Good bye 2014, thanks for the memories. Hello 2015!

My homies for life.

Yesterday, I spent time with the MERALCO PEEPS on the birthday of one of our own, Gelo. Where for the last three years has been the "unofficial" reunion party of the entire troupe. However, unlike previous years. Not every one was there as most of the troupe were having jobs during the summer time. It all happened in the afternoon at Dulcinea in Tomas Morato as we joined the other guests from his Thomasian friends (we're both in UST, but on different programs), and his family.

We spent time catching up with what's happening with our lives. Even to the point, we rant on each other including how I'm always left out of the picture or the other things we pick on with someone from our troupe. It proves that sometimes, people never change. Even with all that's been happening in our own lives since we took our own paths in college, the feeling is still the same. I got to admit, I was mostly silent for most of the afternoon. Because, I don't have much stories to tell I have to say. Still, I'm always thankful to have them as company.

Photo ©Aldrin Dayauon

It was only for a short amount of time though as we never went way further into the night since we went our separate ways into the night. It made me think about next year when I hope to bring them in on my birthday and do something about it. I won't do it this year though since like I've been saying time and time again. I'm saving up on the ticket for the Rockets-Pacers pre-season game this October.

So once again, I'll thank the birthday dude Gelo for having us over again on his birthday this year. As well as to the MERALCO PEEPS who were there: Aldrin (the "orginizer" as he created the event page on Facebook), JL, Quinn, Edison, Nur, Josh, Philip, Airam, Jolly and Siops. I hope to see you guys again soon as well as the other MERALCO PEEPS who weren't with us yesterday.

Thankful for these great men.
K-Smoove

2012: One hell of a year for me. Thanks for all the memories!

It's December 31, 2012, who would have thought we would make it to this day, after the biggest comic epic failure of the century happened 10 days ago with the end of the world not coming to fruition, bringing doomsday preppers and believers into utter disappointment. Well it has gone and passed. Just like the year 2012 will be in a couple of hours. 2012, has been one hell of a year for K-Smoove with all the good and challenging times that life has to offer. So here are some of the highlights of my 2012.

Well 2012 marked the year I turn legal, as I celebrated my 18th birthday on April 30, where I had a simple house party with my friends with some delicious food at home. I was supposed to register for the upcoming 2013 elections. Unfortunately, I was too late to get register, and I will have to wait for the 2016 elections.

It also marked the end of the Quadricentennial celebration of the University of Santo Tomas where we were all witnesses to usher in the Neocentennial Year of the university, we were also witness to a once in 50 year spectacle called Velada Tomasina where we came to school wearing Filipinana clothes from Barong Tagalog to the Baro't Saya, and to cap the celebration with a university party and the ever-famous fireworks around the university.

I got to hang out a lot with my friends this year, whether we'd go out to do a school project, a ordinary school day, watch UAAP games live at the venues, a summer time birthday party, university events like the Quadricentennial Closing and Paskuhan 2012, college events like the CTHM Sportsfest and CTHM College Week, watching WrestleMania 28 at TriNoma or a reunion + basketball with my high school friends. I had a great time with all my friends this 2012. It was a fun time hanging out with them and it brought meaning to my year.

I also got the opportunity to meet a lot of people along the way, from within my own college CTHM, to fellow Thomasians outside of my own college, and the people I meet on Twitter or Facebook. My world just got smaller in 2012!

There were also times of victories in which I finished 3rd in our class at the Tour Guiding examination, the success of our class event "Silhouette: A Glint in the Dark, The Search for the Next Miss Tourism Ambassadress 2012" (where I fondly remember of being the "Devil's Advocate" of the preparation process.), and of course Team UST-CTHM's victory at the 2012 International Tourism and Trade Expo where I was a part of the winning team. I really hope for more success in 2013.

There were also times of defeats and challenges for me, especially not winning a post in the class, there were also a couple of heartbreaks which will not be mentioned on this blog entry, not making the Dean's List for two consecutive semesters, not making the Top 10 of my first competition representing UST-CTHM, and all the struggles of the average student. These challenges though made me a strong as the days progressed this 2012.

Of course, all the family bonding we had this year with our relatives, from weddings to birthday parties, to reunions, outings and Christmas celebration. It was all worth the time spending with my family and relatives.

Since I'm a sports junkie, I also would like to talk all the biggest sporting events this 2012 from the London Olympics, the Miami Heat winning their second NBA championship (LeBron James finally gets the ring), Talk 'n Text, B-Meg (now San Mig Coffee) and Rain or Shine winning PBA titles in 2012, the New York Giants defeating the New England Patriots once again in the Super Bowl, the San Francisco Giants winning the World Series, Sebastian Vettel and Red Bull winning in Formula 1, UFC matches (St-Pierre vs Condit, Silva vs Sonnen II, Henderson vs Edgar II, Dos Santos vs Velasquez II to name a few), Ateneo defeating UST for a five-peat in the UAAP Basketball Finals, but UST gets their revenge in the PCCL vs Ateneo, San Beda defeating Letran in the NCAA, Philippine Azkals games from the Suzuki Cup to all the friendlies, Chelsea defeating Bayern Munich on their home turf in the UEFA Champions League Final, Manny Pacquiao's double whammy in 2012 losing to Bradley and Marquez, Nonito Donaire's 4-0 year, Lance Armstrong's cycling ban, and all other sports events that have happened this year.



2012, will be one for the books for me. To end the year with a bang! I would like to thank all the people who were a part of my 2012, my family, my relatives, to my troupes Tropa-Guise & MERALCO, to my blockmates in T5, to my batchmates in CTHM both Travel Management and HRM, my batchmates across the university, my other friends in the university, my high school friends, my old friends, to my friends outside of the Philippines, to all my mentors, and FINALLY to God for being the best guide of my life.

Until then, cherish the good times this 2012 and leave all the heartbreak behind, let's enjoy the fireworks and the medya noche later tonight, as we bid 2012 goodbye, and usher in 2013!

Hoopin' with my bros once again.

I always remember and cherish all the basketball games, me and my friends in high school played during PE classes twice a week and in Intramurals each year. Victories and defeats. Good and bad games. Falling short and rising again. You name everything that may happen in a basketball game. However, with every game played, the brotherhood gets stronger and bonds are made that lasts a lifetime.

We have gone different paths after all was said and done, and today, me and my PEEPS got together once again as we have been doing so since we went our own ways and played hoops once again, it's been almost three years since we played a game together. It was also time to catch up with things that have been happening with us from the last time we all got together, especially for one of my friends who came back from Cebu for Christmas.

We played our first game on midday at a basketball court inside one of my friends' village, it was at first a 4 on 4 full court battle, until two of my other friends arrived and it became a 5 on 5 match-up. Our team won the game and I scored a couple of baskets, but the defining moment for me in the game were the TWO BLOCKS I had in the game, the most notable of those blocks was a block on a three point attempt from behind the guy taking the shot, after that block, he struggled with his shooting. The other block was on a short jumper also from behind the guy taking the shot. I had some of Serge Ibaka's genes on those blocks. It may not be a LeBron James chasedown, but both blocks were special and the fact that I have not made a block in a game in 5 years. After the game, we took a rest from the action, and then played another 5 on 5 battle with a different set of players, but it was only a halfcourt game. Unfortunately, on the second game, our team lost and the guy who I blocked at the three point line got his groove back, maybe he wanted to exact revenge on me after that block. After the games, we took a long rest at his home, before heading out for lunch where we had more time to catch up and talk about our life stories in college, as well as relieving some memories of our days in high school. After a long discussion, we went our separate ways to our homes.

So once again, I thank JL, Aldrin, Francis, Gelo, Patrick, Nur, Ichi, Miko and Josh for the great time spent and all the hoops. Until our next trip/reunion!

Brothers for a lifetime.
K-Smoove