Lack of time

This, I believe, will be a recurring theme in this space. A few months after I vowed I would regularly update this blog, I am again confronted by the reality that time is resource that I simply have little of. So despite the number of topics that I promised myself I would tackle extensively here, I have to be satisfied with discussing them in bullet form.

In order of importance here are some of the things that have been on my mind recently:

*The Varsitarian, UST‘s official student publication will be celebrating its 80^th anniversary this Saturday, January 19 at Sofitel in Manila. As with past Varsitarian anniversaries divisible by five, the paper’s former staff members will be having a reunion.

Unfortunately, there’s a very high probability I won’t be able to attend because my brother chose that day to get married—in Malolos, Bulacan of all places. I’ve done the math already and it just doesn’t work. It’s too far even if a drive like a demon to make up for the distance. And there’s also the problem of me not knowing how to drive or having a car for that matter.

But no bitterness here. Just as long as he promises me that he would spare his children the burden of being named after him—my brother’s name is Karyon—I'm fine with not being able to attend the Valik-Varsi event. After all, there’s a less formal after affair get-together that I can still get to. Now I only have to worry about the speech I am supposed to deliver as my brother’s best man.

But just in case I don’t make it to any of those gatherings, I’d just watch this video to get all nostalgic and sentimental. It's a bit corny but aren't we all anyway? Also the types of relationship built in the V can really drive people to corniness but of the good kind.

*For those wondering—if there are actually any—whether Kanto is still alive, it still is. We have recently made available copies of our third edition at these shops:

1. F*ART Gallery- K1st, Kamuning

2. Bokswagen Experiments- Circle C, West Avenue

3. Bound Bookstore- Scout Castor, Tomas Morato

For those unaware of Kanto, it is an independent Filipino pop culture publication that some friends and I thought of during our college days. It offers an alternative perspective to this thing we call Filipino culture-all just for P30. We also like to think that it does so in a smart and funny way. Hopefully those we were able to dupe to buy it think so too.

The days of Kanto-Print edition will however not last very long. We have finalized plans to move online sometime in March for practical reasons. The move to the Internet is promising especially as two more members have come back on board to lighten our load. Naturally the three of us—Bim, Pao, and yours truly—who decided to stay and try to make the whole thing work are as giddy as Piolo Pascual fanatics waiting for his next concert. We’re dreaming of fame and fortune but I guess that we’ll be just as happy with consistency and wider recognition.

*The trade rumors surrounding Houston Rockets superstar Tracy McGrady really has to stop. ESPN senior correspondent Marc Stein has lent credence to this whole brouhaha with an article saying that of all the big names being shopped around, T-Mac is most probably the likeliest to be moved.

The problem with Stein’s article was that it didn’t even have the side of the principal characters involved in the alleged trade talks namely McGrady and the Rockets management. Stein’s principal sources were these old reliables: sources and insiders, who said that Number 1 was disgruntled with Houston and the management has responded by staging “exploratory talks” with the Chicago Bulls.

Back in Houston the trade rumors were quickly quashed by Houston Chronicle beat reporter Jonathan Feigen, who rightly went straight to T-Mac and Rockets GM Daryl Morey for the real score. Both denied the rumors with McGrady laughing those off. While McGrady seem able to ignore these swirling speculations, it no doubt weighs down on his mind. He is especially vulnerable to these because Houston has played better as of late. There also hasn’t been any let- up on the media attacks. For being frequently injured, T-Mac was recently branded as “Half Man, Half a Season,” a play on the moniker his cousin Vince Carter earned. I have to admit that it’s funny but come on guys, give him a break. It’s not his fault that his body easily breaks down.

Usually there's some iota of truth in such types of rumblings but, this I think, is just the Bulls management way trying to get deal they know would not be forthcoming. After their failed attempt to pry of Kobe Bryant away form the Los Angeles Lakers, they are now trying to get their hands on the next best player available. They floated this trade rumor in hopes that it would be a self-fulfilling prophecy. The way I see it, they're banking on the fact that Houston's disappointing performance and T-Macs recent injury woes would force the management to try and find a solution involving the shipping of their best player. This in short is psy-war played out in the media with Bulls crying wolf and hoping that it would actually come.