Kung Fu Fighting!

.:Today's LSS:.

Kung Fu Fighting
by (I forgot the artist!)

Everybody was kung-fu fighting
Those cats were fast as lightning
In fact it was a little bit frightning
But they fought with expert timing

They were funky China men from funky Chinatown
They were chopping them up and they were chopping them down
It's an ancient Chineese art and everybody knew their part
From a feint into a slip, and kicking from the hip

Everybody was kung-fu fighting
Those cats were fast as lightning
In fact it was a little bit frightning
But they fought with expert timing

There was funky Billy Chin and little Sammy Chung
He said here comes the big boss, lets get it on
We took a bow and made a stand, started swinging with the hand
The sudden motion made me skip now we're into a brand knew trip

Everybody was kung-fu fighting
Those cats were fast as lightning
In fact it was a little bit frightning
But they did it with expert timing

(repeat)..make sure you have expert timing
Kung-fu fighting, had to be fast as lightning

.:Hai-Ya!:.

While I definitely liked the Max Payne videogame and certainly appreciated its sequel, I would have to admit that finding the infamous Kung Fu mod has made me like the game even more.

Whereas plugging bullets into a virtual human being while moving at bullet time can be extremely fun, I personally find it more entertaining to keep said bullet time while kicking someone in the head. Just turn on God mode, then go for it, and you'd be experiencing the game in a whole new way.

Lots of interesting mods out there, and these mods pretty much prove why I still like PC games for the most part, as I'm doing practically the same thing right now as I'm playing Justice League in my Freedom Force game, as it certainly enhances my enjoyment of the said game.

I haven't been able to do much else beyond play games on my PC as of late. Regardless, the times I find myself doing stuff like talking to Clair or Sacha are still fairly important moments I spend away from the computer screen... then again, since I talk to them over YM, maybe not...

Anyways, try the Kung-Fu mod out for yourself, and be amazed!

.:The Narrative:.

I definitely like where Ricoeur is going with his discussion about the narrative. Inasmuch as the terms seem to fly over my head on the surface, a closer look would actually show me that I intuitively know and understand his terminologies, only in a more communications-oriented way, as Ricoeur's ideas seem to be well-grounded in Comm theory. That being said, I'm certainly pleased about classes, and I have no qualms whatsoever about the flow of the discussion.

.:A Slump?:.

Not really. I have done a lot of writing, but they're mainly for work. Ah, well.

.:Homebound:.

It's amazing, but here I am, calling Eastwood “home”. I guess with the people I'm with here, it's not such a stretch of imagination to regard it as such...

Nevertheless, I'm certainly happy, to say the least. I'm grateful to have finally found a group of friends that I know I can count on in a pinch. I've never really had a group of friends like Clair or Sacha or Ranulf or Dominique in the past, and it still takes some getting used to, as I used to be quite the loner back in the day. Now, with how things have changed, I can't help but think I've been very blessed. What could've been rock bottom instead turned into an opportunity to deepen friendships with other people, primarily those who are also here in Eastwood.

I know it's only a matter of time before my parents welcome me back to the house with open arms. Despite that, I feel no excitement over it whatsoever. Here, I've found like minds and great friends. Here, I've seen what it means to call someone a true friend. Here, I've learned so much that I could never have learned with years inside my house.

Indeed, I am homebound.

.:In Short...:.

Yes, I have little to nothing to blog about today... XP

.:Today’s LSS:.

Where Did My Heart Go
by James Ingram

Where did my heart go
When did it lose the way
How did I let you slip away
Why is it so hard to say
(The) words that might touch you
Make you believe that I'm
More than it seems that I am today

Chorus:
I can run
But I can't hide
From all these dreams
That I keep inside
Now, it's gonna to take a while
But I've got to learn to smile again

Once it was easy
I never had to try
I never had to tell a lie
Never thought I'd see you cry
But now I know better
(And) I've got to find a way
I don't wanna hear you say goodbye

(Chorus)

I've got to find the smile
That fills your heart with laughter
Don't wanna find a way
To get along after you
I wanna be the man, that you knew

Now it's gonna take a while
But I've gotta learn to smile again
Again

.:They’re Gone For A While:.

Ranulf’s going to Bangkok, I believe, for a game developers’ conference. Inasmuch as I love throwing jokes about him, I wish him all the best, and I will definitely do my part in making sure that the transition for him is nothing but a success.

Diane and I have been bonding a lot lately. She’s been doing it all lately. Everything from cooking to massages, she’s been a human dynamo that I can’t help but respect and admire. It makes me wonder how blind some people can be if they don’t see this amazingly brilliant girl and appreciate her more. Like Ranulf, she’ll be leaving today, this time for Cebu.

There go two wonderful human beings. I know they’ll be back in a week or so, but I can’t help but miss them as early as now.

.:Rescheduled:.

Was supposed to meet with Maia, but it got rescheduled. No big deal. At least, I got to spend some time with my Pomelo. She was so gorgeous, as always.

.:Racism When It Was Still Perfectly Acceptable…:.

How do we explain comics like these? Not only is it a racist comic book, it’s a lousy racist comic book.

To quote: “Viet Congs”. What an idiot. The plural of “Viet Cong” is also “Viet Cong”!

Gyehh… just read the whole comic to laugh your head off… especially the rib about sound effects. That just ruled.

.:Sumandali Muna:.

The post will be up when the pictures are available…

As an aside, I really liked Max Payne 2 and Freedom Force Vs. The Third Reich. Nice sequels that really built upon the previous parts. Nothing short of spectacular. Heh.

I Got Tagged...

.:I Got Tagged:.

Thanks to Aiza!

Seven things that scare you:
1. Rejection. Everyone who knows me well enough knows this.
2. Failure. If only for the fact I get rejected more often than I fail, I guess this would've been my top fear.
3. Fear itself.
4. Heights.
5. Dropping the soap.
6. The challenge of writing a dissertation if/when I go for a Ph.D.
7. John Heidenreich.

Seven things you like the most:
1. Philosophy
2. Radio
3. Professional Wrestling
4. Magic: The Gathering
5. Blogging
6. Crunchy Pork and other Comfort Food
7. Video Games

Seven important things in your room:
1. Laptop
2. Laptop
3. Laptop
4. Laptop
5. Laptop
6. Laptop
7. Did I mention, Laptop?

Seven random facts about you:
1. I have a weakness for Chinese girls. More like had. Now, I have a weakness for just one Chinese girl... ;)
2. I've been working for WAVE for over a year now, and I was trained in Radio 1 in RX. However, even before that, my first experience with radio was in DWXI, an AM radio station. I was part of a talk show there.
3. I'm a pluralist. Few people can ever clash opinions with me and expect a complete disagreement from my part, as I prefer seeing all sides of any story.
4. I have two simple dreams: to be a DJ and to be a teacher. For one glorious schoolyear, I approximated both dreams. I hope to do that again soon.
5. I have three long-standing bets with three different people. Two of them involve marriage, while one of them involves financial savings. Two of them were made with best friends. Only one of them did not have witnesses to make the bet official. Only one of them was confirmed by a spit shake.
6. I'm a movie buff. (Duh.)
7. I use third person only when I feel an extreme emotion, and I feel like writing that way.

Seven things you plan to do before you die:
1. Write a novel, published or otherwise.
2. Get a Ph.D., or finish my M.A., at least.
3. Learn Fookien, Mandarin, Korean, German (fully), Japanese, and French. Or maybe any two of those will do.
4. Study abroad, preferrably in Korea.
5. Marry the girl of my dreams.
6. Get a webcomic up and running.
7. Get nominated for a KBP Golden Dove Award.

Seven things you can do:
1. Host.
2. Teach.
3. Blog like a madman and write ten-page entries without LJ-cuts.
4. Debate.
5. Sketch.
6. Write poems on the fly.
7. Fire-spin.

Seven things you can't do:
1. Get mad at Pomelo for any reason.
2. Climb walls.
3. Shoot webbing.
4. Leap tall buildings with a single bound.
5. Program.
6. Ignore the Divine.
7. Turn my back on my friends.

Seven things that attract you to the opposite sex:
1. Intelligence. If they're smart enough, they'd be attracted to me, too. ::gets flogged by all his female friends:: Okay, okay! I didn't mean that! x_x
2. Eyes. If I could get lost staring into your eyes all day long, you know I've got it so bad for you...
3. Height. You can be tall and lean, or you can be petite. Either one works with me.
4. Eloquence. I'd love to be able to speak to you about anything and nothing and everything for hours, and come away knowing I just spent those last few hours well.
5. An angelic face. I'd be a liar if I didn't say looks counted for something, and there's just something about an angelic face that draws me so...
6. Self-confidence. From an arrogant point of view, the more you bring yourself down, the more you denigrate my taste. Of course, that's not really how I see it, but it does prove my point quite a bit.
7. A balance between sophistication and simplicity. I think that needs no further explanation.

Seven things you say the most:
1. Anyways...
2. Jabroni...
3. It's true, it's true!
4. I'm not a geek!
5. I miss you.
6. Tell me I didn't just say that!
7. Oh, well. Heh. Lolzorz.

Seven celeb crushes:
1. Elgine Chua (She's a celebrity in my heart.)
2. Jeon Ji-Hyun (My Sassy Girl.)
3. Ha Ji-Won (My Crazy Love.)
4. Sandara Park
5. Pia Guanio
6. Stacy Keibler
7. Zhang Ziyi

Seven people whom you want to tag for this survey:
1. Gyn
2. Peppy
3. Grace
4. Sacha
5. JM
6. Clair
7. Maia
8. Jason Dayrit
9. Madame Jess
10. Elbert

Oh. I cheated. I tagged ten people. Who cares? I'm definitely interested to hear what they have to say...

Book Review, New Layout

.:Today's LSS:.

I heard this from Paolo Santos. I loved his cover.

The Lady Wants To Know
by Franks Michael

Daddy plays the ashtray, baby starts to cry
The Lady wants to know the reason why,
Daddy's just like Coltrane, baby's just like Miles
The Lady's just like heaven, when she smiles.

The lady want to know, she wants to know the reason
She's got to know the reason why
This Man has got to go, This man is always leaving
How he hates to say goodbye.
But what she doesn't know, is there really is no reason
Really is no reason why.

Daddy he hates airplanes, but baby loves to fly,
Lady wants to know the reason why,
Daddy just like Coltrane, baby's just like Mile s
Lady's just like heaven, when she smiles

.:A NEW Layout!:.

After almost three years in MY BLOG, I finally decided to give the layout a change for the better. It's a lot cleaner, a lot less cluttered, and yes, that's a Chatterbox to the right! Whee!

I hope you guys like the new look, and rest assured, it will change again in a few months, hopefully to something less plain than black. Nonetheless, it's all good. I'm extremely pleased with how the new layout is, as it's perfect to welcome the new comic strip which I've already pencilled, which I just need to ink and then put text bubbles into.

Of course, as I'm not much of an artist, I'd love to feature guest artists do the comic strip from time to time. I'm quite certain it'd look much better that way. I'd be the first to admit I'm more of a writer than a comic book artist. Lol.

.:Book Review: Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince:.

Yes, there will be SPOILERS.

Quite simply, this is a book that I definitely appreciate. It tied up a lot of loose ends that existed from Book Five, but alternatively, opened up a lot more questions that needed answering.

The book starts off with a nice little recap of Book Five, and this is only the first of the references to past books, which means optimal enjoyment of the book means a good re-reading or stock knowledge of the past five books. Nonetheless, it was pretty all right, to say the least. The recap was amusing, and introducing new characters like Rufus Scrimgeour (About as useless as Fudge, apparently.) and Horace Slughorn (Very endearing despite being quite the social climber.) all added a nice touch, as Rowling was “on” with her writing, cutting through a lot more fat than she did in the last book where she rambled on meaninglessly about random insignificant characters such as Grawp. Admit it: Grawp was useless. Otherwise, he would've been used more in the sixth book than he actually was.

In any case, I liked how Harry's character developed away from being angsty, and took charge a lot more this time around. I also appreciated how Ron and Hermione finally came into their own through their own ways. The Dawson's Creek-type of romances put me off a bit as it was a whirlwind that could've been spread out over at least three books, and some of the plot points in the relationships business felt rather... rushed. Tonks and Lupin? What point did that serve? I honestly think Rowling is horrible as a romance writer and having her characters stick to playing detective instead.

Nonetheless, I liked the flow of the story, and how the Half-Blood Prince's book really plays an important role in the story. Despite that, I don't like the revelation of Snape as the Half-Blood Prince, as it simply didn't make sense to me how Dumbledore would be so blind as to trust Snape fully, until Rowling wants to make us go “ohhhhhh” in the seventh book as Snape actually does something to redeem himself.

I'm a fan of the book, insofar as it was better than the fifth one, but this book is not without some odd quirks, such as the fact that the potion Dumbledore was drinking in the cave towards the end of the book seemed to have been a potion he could simply have tossed into the water. After all, he was able to use a cup to get the liquid. Why did he need to drink it?

And who's watching over Azkaban now? The Dementors are gone, so that's another lose end they never quite explained, so it seems.

I know I'm just jumping from point to point, but for the most part, the book worked, and it really tugs at the heartstrings the moment Dumbledore died at the hands of Snape, of all people. It was definitely surprising how it happened, though the fact that it did was only a matter of time. I wasn't too surprised, but I found that his death kind of reminded me of how DC likes building up some of their characters only to kill them off, i.e. the way Blue Beetle got killed in Countdown. Dumbledore was an amazing character who drew parallels to Gandalf The Grey. Killing him off like that so senselessly certainly left a bad taste in my mouth, and made me almost completely ignore that Draco Malfoy was showing hints of turning his back on Voldemort come the seventh book.

All in all, this was a good read that I appreciated a lot more than the fifth book. It's worth a read, assuming you can keep up with all the references to previous books. If you don't, then you'd simply be bogged down in details.

“Fun” Evaluation: A
“Critical” Evaluation: A-

.:Today's LSS:.

Ordinary People
by John Legend

Girl im in love with you
This ain't the honeymoon
Past the infatuation phase
Right in the thick of love
At times we get sick of love
It seems like we argue everyday

I know i misbehaved
And you made your mistakes
And we both still got room left to grow
And though love sometimes hurts
I still put you first
And we'll make this thing work
But I think we should take it slow

Chorus:

We're just ordinary people
We don't know which way to go
Cuz we're ordinary people
Maybe we should take it slow (Take it slow oh oh ohh)
This time we'll take it slow (Take it slow oh oh ohh)
This time we'll take it slow

This ain't a movie no
No fairy tale conclusion ya'll
It gets more confusing everyday
Sometimes it's heaven sent
Then we head back to hell again
We kiss then we make up on the way

I hang up you call
We rise and we fall
And we feel like just walking away
As our love advances
We take second chances
Though it's not a fantasy
I Still want you to stay

(Chorus)

Take it slow
Maybe we'll live and learn
Maybe we'll crash and burn
Maybe you'll stay, maybe you'll leave,
maybe you'll return
Maybe another fight
Maybe we won't survive
But maybe we'll grow
We never know baby youuuu and I

(Chorus)

.:A Teaser:.

Watch out for Pamantasan Ng Capiz, a webcomic by Marcelle T. Fabie (Okay. Maybe an attempt. I'm not really a great artist, after all.).

You read that right.

Coming soon, so keep those fingers crossed! And drop me any suggestions from the get-go...

.:Nachos:.

420 pesos for a plate of nachos will normally sound like an absurd price tag.

However, the moment you get a chance to try the wonderful Cable Car nachos, you'd realize it's well worth it.

.:Tres Rotatos:.

So there I was, finally eating in Mang Jimmy's with Clair and JM after the longest time. Truth be told, it was all good, although Diane didn't go with us.

Mang Jimmy's chrges around ten bucks per plate of rice now, but that's no big deal. The food is still great, and the company was just better.

I have a bone to pick up with Diane, though. Leaving me alone with those two was certainly... disorienting. Lol.

.:Loaded Weekend:.

Truth be told, I wanted to just sleep all weekend long, but I didn't quite get that luxury.

In spite of that, I was glad to have found the time to go to Jobert's game last Saturday, which was nothing short of wonderful. I really had a great time while I was being pummeled to death left and right by various villains in Jobert's campaign as I was a lowly Monk who couldn't quite survive but dealt mad damage when given the chance. I didn't bother multi-classing, and went all the way to Level 12 just with this class. It was pretty snazzy, in my opinion, as I was doing a pretty good job, although a total of three notches were spent on my character between me and Trish, Henry's girlfriend, just to keep my character, Marvoleth, alive. He was an amnesiac, and in the end, he was killed off by the god in the campaign for being a smart@$$ and attempting to wish for seven thousand wishes. Heh. Game ended around five in the morning already.

All in all, it was a good game. I didn't get to roleplay as well as I wanted to, but I'm sure next time, I'd get the chance to. All I need is to be better at making a character and not relying on some oddity or abnormality to make the character's individuality shine. I really think it's a whole approach to the character that would give him the edge, and not necessarily how wacky he is.

I'm not really too great with pen and paper RPG's. Despite that, giving a small effort to it should really help me along. Monks rule. They really don't require you to give much of a thought to building the character, truth be told. No need for armor or weapons, just deal with your stats, soup up your damage and AC, and you're off.

Thanks for the nice game to everyone there. Jobert, Gio, Charles, Henry, Magat, and Trish. It was wonderful, and I found the game very engaging, and the whole “In my professional opinion” schtick from Trish highly amusing.

.:Astonishing:.

I'm proud of my brother, Francis. Not that he was the black sheep of the family or anything (The assumption is that such a distinction belongs to me. Heh.), but he has certainly made a radical change ever since he became Christian. There's just an amazing amount of enthusiasm and spirituality that is bursting from him, and I would be loathe to stifle that.

However, I ended up having that nasty but expected clash of ideologies with him the moment he started wishing he could “help” me. “Help” me with what?

As a pluralist, I find it rather condescending and impugnating for one to assume someone needs “help”. Inasmuch as I do believe in a God and I do believe that He will help me, I still put quite a lot of stock in human autonomy and refuse to believe that someone should be forced to look for redemption. I kept on reminding Francis that we all take our own roads to personal redemption, and that is certainly true. Not everyone can be an evangelist. Otherwise, there's nobody in need of evangelizing.

I am a pluralist, and I've chosen Philosophy as my mode of elucidating my beliefs. Philosophy holds a dear place in my heart, if only for how solid its foundations are in explaining a lot of things. I refuse to subscribe to imposition, and refuse to circumvent the autonomy of anyone in attempting to give them some helpful hints at finding their own path to redemption. Truth be told, the fun is in having them find that out for themselves. It'd be such a travesty to do it otherwise.

Needless to say, other than the occasional attempt to have me going in the same direction, I am definitely proud of my brother. I hope time will not jade his idealism. We all could use some idealists in this world of cynics right now.

.:Today's LSS:.

I feel the pressure pushing down on me...

Under Pressure
by Queen

Pressure pushing down on me
Pressing down on you no man ask for
Under pressure - that burns a building
Down
Splits a family in two

Puts people on streets
It’s the terror of knowing
What this world is about
Watching some good friends
Screaming let me out
Pray tomorrow - gets me higher

Pressure on people - people on streets
It’s the terror of knowing
What this world is about
Watching some good friends
Screaming let me out
Pray tomorrow - gets me higher

Pressure on people - people on streets
Turned away from it all like a blind man
Sat on a fence but it don’t work
Keep coming up with love but it’s so slashed
And torn

Why - why - why
Love
Insanity laughs under pressure we’re
Cracking
Can’t we give ourselves one more chance
Why can’t we give love that one more
Chance
Why can’t we give love
Cause love’s such an old fashioned word
And love dares you to care for
The people on the edge of the night
And love dares you to change our way of
Caring about ourselves

This is our last dance
This is our last dance
This is ourselves
Under pressure
Under pressure
Pressure

.:Quotable Quotes: Courtesy Of Krisette:.

I won't format anymore. But these are funny as Hades.

Alex: "i am in the taxi. i arrive." (in a text message)
----
Kathy: "Why don't you like green mango shake?"
Alex: "Pangiiit!"
Marcelle: "Of all the Filipino terms to learn, "pangit" has to be one of them."
----
Kathy: "Exactly, and he's 6'4"...oh, don't worry Marcelle, you're not my type."
Marcelle: "Don't worry, Kathy. You aren't my type either. Not even the call of the night will change that."
----
Krisette: "Yeah, he even gave me a sample of what I should write. I can't understand half of the things in that thing: G2G, 2 on 1, DP... I mean, what the hell is a DP?"
Marcelle: "I think I know G2G and 2 on 1. But DP? Hmmmm...."
Kathy: "Alex, whatever job my friends may have does not reflect on the kind of person I am." (Smiles sweetly)
Krisette: "Yeah, I've been asking around. A friend of mine said that it might be double play... either that or down play..."
Kathy: "I'm so embarrassed.." (covers her face with her hands)
Marcelle: "Perhaps, dragon punch?"
Kathy:"Oh, sh**. Wait, I think I know what it means..."
Krisette: "What does it mean?"
Kathy: "Deep penetration."
Krisette: "Holy cow! How'd you know that?"
----
Marcelle: "Yeah, and I could hold a 'Creative' Writing workshop."
Alex: "I do not think the kids would be very interested. The fathers, maybe..."
----
Marcelle: "My Saturdays are off. It's for a good cause (referring to his date with Pomelo)."
Krisette: "See, that's nice. I wish someone would say that of me. I'm a good cause! I'm a good cause!"
Kathy: "And I'm a good cost!"

.:Done:.

Finished reading Book 6 of Harry Potter. Will write a review this weekend.

.:Wha?:.

Thursday night's Ricoeur class was definitely interesting, to say the least. I'm glad I didn't miss the class, because the whole discussion about the responsibility of a writer to write stories for those who can't is just very interesting. Rest assured I'll think about that some more and see what I can write about it...

.:A Loyal Listener:.

So Robi and Don were ogling the picture of their listener who was in Candy Mag. The two found her cute, but well, she's seventeen.

Soon enough, they just kept on talking about her, and how “age doesn't matter”. I just had to sneak a jab in when I left...

I'll see you pedophiles tomorrow.

Heh.

.:Deelish:.

Sean and Diane went on a nice date, and it was a wonderful dinner, as far as I've seen, as she was gushing about the food, truth be told. The mushrooms seemed to be amazingly delicious, as there were three cheeses...

Sean, when can you take me on a date? Lol.

.:Today's LSS:.

Heard it while eating over McDonald's before going to work. I guess it hit a nerve with me. I suppose I still catch myself like this from time to time... I'd be a liar if I said it didn't matter to me.

Never Get Over You Getting Over Me
by Expose

hear you're taking the town again
Having a good time
With all your good time friends
I don't think that you think of me
You're on your own now and I'm alone and free
I know that I should get on with my life
But a life lived without you could never be right

As long as the stars shine down from the heavens
Long as the rivers run to the sea
I'll never get over you getting over me

I try to smile so the hurt wont show
Tell everybody I was glad to see you go
But the tears just won't go away
Loneliness found me, looks like its here to stay
I know that I ought to find someone new
But all I find is myself always thinking of you

As long as the stars shine down from the heavens
Long as the rivers run to the sea
I'll never get over you getting over me

Oh, no matter what I do
Each nights a lifetime to live through
I cant go on like this, I need your touch
You're the only one I'll ever love

And as long as the stars shine down from the heavens
Long as the rivers run to the sea
I'll never get over you getting over me

I'll never get over you getting over
I'll never get over you getting over
I'll never get over you getting over me

.:The REAL Half-Blood Prince:.

Now it can be revealed!

This news is BIG!

.:Brief Encounters:.

Short as it may have been, spending time with Pomelo in Greenbelt was certainly anything but boring. Receiving an SMS from her was all the same a refreshing deal, as I was treated to one of the most affectionate messages I've ever run into.

.:Hilarity Ensues:.

Hanging around with a Kathy Chua and a Krisette Sia never fails to be a memorable experience, and last night was no exception.

So there I was, talking to them with Alex, a French juggler whom Kathy got to know, and we were mostly exchanging ideas about circus school. It was all in all a very amusing experience, as the whole "Hrbivore" joke kicked up again (Krisette's boyfriend is named Hrbs. A carnivore eats meat. If I'm an "hrbivore"...), and then something absolutely hilarious which I will discuss in the next segment of this post. It was sincerely a good moment to bond, and this was underscored by how many quotable quotes we had, including the numerous times Kathy and I had a go at each other when it came to put-downs and insults. We're crazy that way.

Kathy and I rarely find ourselves in a serious moment, but when we do, I can't help but respect her for her personality. I don't have to like her the way I do her elder sister (Lol.), but I can at least respect her for what she does and what she believes in.

I'll think of quotable quotes when I remember them.

.:It's A Job, But Somebody's Gotta Do It:.
WARNING: Risque content up ahead. Read at your own risk.

A tempting job offer was thrown on my lap last night, which resulted in a huge laugh trip from everyone...

A certain website is asking people to review its movies.

Here. Let me give you a sample of the reviews they expect of you...

"From 'Perfect' - Directed by Antonio Adamo, starring Jodie Moore

This scene is a pretty hot 2 on 1. Jodie is sensational as she takes on these two characters. One guy is a Marilyn Manson wannabee and the other guy looks like the devil. More shows us why Private signed her to a huge exclusive contract here. This Australian blonde bombshell is stunning from head to toe, as she seems to effortlessly enjoy @n@1 reverse cowgirl and DP's. The scene ends with a double facial.

Hmm... a very interesting review. I'm inclined to believe this is a movie about a massage parlor, as there is a double facial at the end. Those facials are very relaxing, after all. And of course, the girl's being a reverse cowgirl means she likes riding horses backwards to show off. DP's could probably be Dragon Punches, indicating some reference to Street Fighter.

If you can't take a hint that this is a review for a porn film, then you really should stop reading this post. Truth be told, it was surprising to hear from Kathy, of all people, what DP meant, as she was the last person I'd expect to know what it meant. Lol. Nonetheless, we had some laughs about it, as the reviews just went on and on, and Alex was showing genuine interest in taking the job, ignoring the fact that you have to sit in the office from 9PM to 6AM watching their movies and then writing about them. I don't know, but because I honestly am not enticed by porn, that's not an inviting prospect to me, horribly scarred resume and dignity as a byproduct notwithstanding.

But maybe I can give it a try, if only for fun. The lingo is really amusing, because the guy just rattles off the various terms like a pro in his string of reviews. Hmm... lemme see. I can do that for Harry Potter Book VI. With a chapter entitled "Hermione's Helping Hand", you just know what crazy things we can cook up...

Hermione is a really hot piece of work in this chapter. She just wails on Ron with her helping hand from the start, and then Harry gets involved in the fray in about two minutes in the action, as he tries to pull them apart, only to be included in the whole mess. Ron seemed to be a curious mix of excitement and revulsion over this prospect, as they then went 1 on 1, 2 on 1, 1 on 2, and with Draco Malfoy poking his nose into the commotion, 3 on 1, and 2 on 2, notwithstanding the pairings. The magic wand figured into a lot of DP and golden showers with the Galleons were just all over the place. Hermione proves why she's the best "student" of Hogwarts as she does a magical handstand spread-eagle approach in one of the segments, and caters to longtime fetishes of having Ron use the 'Alohomora' charm on Hermione's drawers. I was waiting for Firenze to figure into this, but there was no need for horses in this scene as Harry showed off what he learned from his "private lessons" with Albus Dumbledore, much to the shock and delight of Draco Malfoy. M2M action was definitely not something the characters shied away from, but the stars of this show were Harry and Hermione, who were both extremely flexible from the get-go, and didn't hold anything back. A triple facial comleted the scene.

See? It's really, really easy. If the pay were good and the hours were better, this would've been a pretty cool job. You could practically revolutionize the business by making up your own lingo for the industry, for crying out loud.

I could imagine people being fulfilled with a career like this... lol.

.:Because I'm A Jack@$$:.

Because I'm such a Jack@$$, the key is P2468... word up!

"I Love Women", he says. Yeah, right. He's just sooooo incorrigible, neh? In any case, if you're smart, you'd decipher who I'm talking about without even breaking a sweat. Or do I have to spell things out even more explicitly for you?

Nah...

.:Knock Suman Out:.

I will not be held responsible for unanticipated tearing out of hair and lamentations over reading the rest of this post for the webring...

For your perusal, I present, Suman Knock-knock Jokes. Five of them. Yes. Five of them.

1
Knock-knock.
Who's there?
Suman
Suman who?

Ladies and gentlemen, the Spice Girls...

I need suman like I never needed love before (Wanna make love to you baby)
I had a little love, now I'm back for more (Wanna make love to you baby)
Set your spirit free
It's the only way to be...

2
Knock-knock.
Who's there?
Suman
Suman who?

Ladies and gentlemen, Ric Segreto...

I have loved you only in my mind
But I know that there will come a time
You'd feel this feeling I have inside

You're a hopeless sumantic is what they say,
Fall in and out of love just like a play
Memorizing each lines, I still don't know what to say...

3
Knock-knock.
Who's there?
Suman
Suman who?

Ladies and gentlemen, Side A...

Su many questions
But the answers are so few
All I really know is
I love you...

4
Knock-knock.
Who's there?
Suman
Suman who?

Ladies and gentlemen, Dice and K9...

Itsuman kokoro we hoshi itstuka
Dare katu mata koi nei utchitimu
Itsumo kokoro nei eiro itsumo
Anata dake no basho ga aru kara

5
Knock-knock.
Who's there?
Suman
Suman who?

Ladies and gentlemen, the Eraserheads...

Masdan mo aking mata
Di mo ba nakikita
Ako ngayo'y lumulutang at nasa alapaap na
Gusto mo bang sumana?

.:Today’s LSS:.

Didn’t even know it was the late Ric Segreto, but I still love his songs, regardless…

Loving You
by Ric Segreto

It's been quite a while,
You've really kept me wanting you;
You've got some style, so unique,
You're beautiful, so warm, so deep
Stay with me tonight,
Let me know the kind o' love
that will remain forever be,
A dream that had become reality.

Chorus:
Ohh, lovin' you, woh
Is such an easy thing to do;
No, you never know
It's drivin' me crazy
'cause it grows and grows;
But I won't let it stop,
No I'm ot givin' up
Lovin' you, Lovin You
Just a bit too much.

It's been quite a while
I never felt so easily;
Wonder how you broke my style
You're close to me I need you now.
Stay with me tonight
It's got to be just too much love
I could remain and forever be
A dream that had become reality.

( Chorus )

Woh, Lovin' You
Just a bit too much...

.:Spoilers? I’ll Give You Spoilers!:.

The original first chapter draft for Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix! It will shock you!

.:It's Been A While:.

Reconnections rule, and I did just that with one of my friends, April. It was fun, to say the least. We met up in Shakey’s, and ate ourselves silly on shakes and a big pizza. I can’t believe how much I’ve been eating lately.

In any case, we were just talking about our plans for the future. I know April has a lot of things on her plate right now, and I’m sure she has a lot of things going for her. I can only hope that she reaches for her dreams, because the only thing that could stop her is her imagination.

I’m glad we had the time to meet each other and catch up on things. I’m a rare fixture in ADMU nowadays, so I really have to make an effort to go there. Nonetheless, meeting an old friend like April, and hearing her talk about stuff like Mr. Dy-Liaco’s new rejuvenated teaching approach, Dr. Reyes, and rumors about couples in the Ateneo Debate Society were all a joy to hear about.

See you around next time!

.:Ahh… Relaxation:.

At April’s advice, I decided to give myself a treat and went to Abada near Katipunan for a massage. It was at a pretty modest place. Blind masseurs who charged 300 pesos for an hour and a half of a full-body massage that lets you lie down in a bed as the masseur worked his magic. Needless to say, it was a much-needed dose of relaxation for me, and I could really get used to this… heh. Maybe if I had more money. Even a weekly massage would be such a boon to me already, I’m certain.

.:Waitaminute...:.

Met up with Pomelo today. She was soooo pretty. Kailan ba hindi? I guess I just felt a bit sad about the possibility of an arranged marriage, but that’s a bridge I will have to cross when I get there, I suppose.

Marcelle: So have you tried LJ yet?

Pomelo: But how do I change the font colors? It's not like Blogdrive...

Marcelle: Well, all you have to do is use “<”, then add “font color”, then “=”, then... waitaminute... why'm I teaching you basic HTML? Didn't you graduate from Computer Science?

People like her make me look like a geek when I'm not... =P

.:Taking Names, Kicking @$$:.

Diane challenged me to some Eternal Fighter fighting game of sorts, and hilarity ensued when I button-mashed my way to victory.

While searching for the game, we ran into some H-games her brother installed in the computer...

Ranulf: Hey, let's play that!

Diane: Uhh... no?

Ranulf: Maybe I can just copy it to my computer, and...

Diane: Uhh... no?

.:Hello, Garci Is Nothing When Compared To...:.

... Hello, Sexy.

It certainly riled my best friend up a lot more than what GMA did... Heh.

.:Today's LSS:.

Due to what happened this morning...

Sleep All Day
by Jason Mraz

His after moan though cries oh no
He's building up a shine but he take it slow
And he knows it's time to make a change here And time to get away
And he knows it's time for all the wrong reasons, oh, time to end the pain
But he sleep all, sleep all day, sleep all, we sleep all day over again
Why don't we?

She said what would your mother think and how would your father react oh lord
Would he take it all back what they've done
No way he said take it, take it and don't break it with your own two hands
That was my old man and he said
if all is grounded you should go make a mountain out of it

oh what a lovely day to have a slice of humble pie
recalling of the while we used to drive and drive here and there
going nowhere but for us, nowhere but for the two of us
and we knew it was time to take a chance here
and time to compromise our lives for awhile
and it was time for all the wrong reasons
but time is often on my side and I give it to you tonight
and we sleep all, sleep all day, sleep all, we sleep all day over again

as time goes by we get a little bit tired waking and baked another Marlboro mile wide
it's sending the boys on the run in the time in hot summer sun
to swim beneath or over outside as they're reading between the lines
then they remember the part in the hallmark card where they read about the dreams
and reaching for the stars to hold on a little bit closer to
and they knew it was time, time to take a chance here
time to compromise our little lives just a little while
and they knew it was time for all the wrong and, lonely, lonesome reasons, oh
as time is often on my side and I give it to you, oh boy
and we sleep all, sleep all day, sleep all, we sleep all day over again

She said what would your mother think and how would your father react oh lord
Would he take it all back what they've done
No way he said take it, take it and don't break it with your own two hands
That was my old man and he said
if all is grounded you should go make a mountain out of it

.:Double Standards:.

The moment people boo someone for telling it like it is, is the moment I realize the WWE marks can be such moronic rednecks.

New York Post Online Edition
'Terrorist' Wrestles After Bombing
By Don Kaplan

July 12, 2005 -- UPN's "Smackdown" aired what appeared to be terror-themed hijinks last Thursday — the same day as terrorist bombings in London killed more than 50 people.

The sketch was edited out of a U.K. edition of "Smackdown," which aired that same night.

The sketch included images of Arabs in ski masks carrying a fallen Arab wrestler over their heads after he had "sacrificed" himself, evoking imagery similar to a suicide bomber's funeral.

"We're very proud of our product," says "Smackdown" executive producer Kevin Dunn.

"We try and be sensitive with everything we portray, but there's got to be protagonists and antagonists on our TV shows.

"We just happen to reflect the politics of the world sometimes — especially with these Arab-American characters."

A WWE spokesman added that it was "unfortunate" that the sketch aired the same day as the attacks.

"If we had any idea that something like [the London attacks] might happen, obviously you wouldn't try to do that segment on that day," he said.

But the show was taped July 5 — two days before the telecast.

After the bombings took place last Thursday, WWE execs gave broadcasters carrying the show a heads-up about the sketch.

It was edited out in Europe, but aired on UPN here with a discretionary crawl along the bottom of the screen that said: "In light of today's tragic events in London, parental discretion is advised in viewing tonight's episode."

WWE's Dunn says, "We are firmly in the entertainment business," and that the plot, as edgy as it might have been, should be taken tongue-in-cheek.

On last Thursday's show, an Arab-American wrestler who fights under the stage name Daivari was beaten by The Undertaker.

After the bout, a second Arab wrestler, Hassan, knelt near the ring and prayed while five masked men attacked The Undertaker and choked him into unconsciousness.

All five then knelt into praying positions and Hassan lifted The Undertaker's head up for the camera in a scene that looked eerily like a beheading.

The group then left the ring carrying the unconscious Daivari over their heads.

This has to be one of the most ridiculously atrocious articles I have ever read in my life. Check out Muhammad Hassan's scathing response to this:

I stand here tonight the only patriot left in America. I stand here tonight perhaps even a martyr against tyranny and injustice. Because the fact is I am an AMERICAN professional wrestler, but because of my heritage, because of my background, because of who my ancestors were, I'm labeled - we're labeled terrorists. Terrorists; I'm a terrorist! Well it must be true - it's gotta be true - because it's right here in black and white, in a reputable source, like the New York Post.

What, you don't believe me? Here it is: 'Terrorist Wrestles After Bombing.' I'm a terrorist - we're terrorists. We wrestled after a bombing. Well, Mr. Don Kaplan, (to Daivari) have you ever met Don Kaplan? Have you ever spoken to Don Kaplan? Have you ever called Don Kaplan on the phone? Well, I never have either. So, if Don Kaplan of the New York Post has never met us, how does Don Kaplan know we're terrorists? Don Kaplan also wrote that 'Arabs in ski-masks carried Daivari out as a sacrifice last week.' Arabs in SKI-MASKS...in SKI-MASKS...in a ski-mask. How does he know that they were Arabs?

The point is, because of articles like this, because of the fear that the media has put in all of you people, I have been denied my God-given right to pursue the profession of my choosing...to pursue the American Dream. I have been denied my basic rights as an American citizen. You know, as I look around this crowd and I look at all these faces looking at me in disgust, I think a lot of you have forgotten what this country was founded on. I think you have forgotten that your ancestors fought for their freedom. They gave their lives for their freedom - whether they be black, Irish-American, Italian-American, Jewish-American, Asian-American, they gave their lives for their freedom.

What's next? What's next? Because anytime anything goes wrong in this country, it's the Arabs. When a plane crashes, it's the Arabs. When a bomb goes off, it's the Arabs. The blackout two summers ago - it was the Arabs. Hurricane Dennis must be the Arabs.

"You people say what you want. Because I have a right to be in here. I have a right to say what I want. And what I'm going to say, my name is Muhammad Hassan. I am an Arab-American and I am very proud of my heritage. But, as an American, my first amendment rights have been trampled. And, I stand here before all of you ashamed of my country.

You tell them, Hassan! Remind these people how blinded they have been over seeing nothing but stereotypes in a supposedly progressive world! I don't even think I have to add anything to his commentary, if only the fervent hope that smarter fans would turn this guy face already after he feuds with the Undertaker, who will hopefully do the right thing and put him over cleanly on the Great American Bash.

.:Wehehehe:.

When all you do is play Freedom Force and the Justice League patch for it for an entire day, you tend to not have anything much to update with.

Of course, I was being an idiot, and I fell asleep in the station during my boardwork. Ended up missing my entire one-hour shift...

Ah, well. Will let you know what happens in this job-hunting week.

Dammit, dammit. You know, not everyone has enough money to plunk down for Book 6 of Harry Potter. People have lives too, you know.

Ultimately, I'm annoyed. These things don't have to be talked about in public.

Man, it's not like I have nothing better to buy with my hard-earned money, like oh, maybe, food, clothing, and shelter. So please don't use the "real fans know" schtick as a goddamned excuse to throw spoilers at will about who died in the effing book, because I may be a big fan, but I would want to have money to buy food after I get the book, you know.

Bastich who wrote the spoiler really didn't have to do that, you know. You may be Marcelle's friend, but you're currently in his bad books for the time being.

Last time this happened to him was in Book Four. Since the one who died there wasn't so important a character, it was no big deal. But this one?

Eff you.

Did I really have to walk into a trap like that? You could've just laid off of it, you know.

Or maybe you could've done the smart thing, like keep it to yourself.

Really, really annoying. Infuriating, almost.

Ergghhh... my head hurts already. Thank you for spoiling who died. I point the finger of shame on you. I damned well didn't need to know that.

Damn it all to Hades. You couldn't have been more discreet about it could you?

I really can't help but wonder how inconsiderate you are. There's such a thing as LJ cut, and there's no need to make the damned thing your title.

Either way, people who want to know who died can easily find out in this post. At least, they can only if they choose to.

DAMN IT ALL TO HADES!!! PUNYETA!!!

Did nothing but play Neverwinter Nights, eat, watch wrestling, and get some fun mods for Freedom Force...

I'm such a lazy lout... heh.

Not to worry. I'll blog some more tomorrow. Most of my writing today was devoted to my articles for eyp.ph...

.:The Eve:.

Thursday was, in a word, memorable.

Truth be told, everyone was in a panic, but that's no big deal, really. I was being helped on the lasagna by Kathy and Diane, while the guests were getting to know each other more as the combo birthday-bon voyage party was going on for Ranulf and Sacha, respectively.

There were lots of people, and the stress level was high, but everyone was happy, although certainly liable to miss Sacha incredibly within a few days. My head is still swimming over all the details, as so many things happened in one night, all from the moment I got there with Pomelo only to walk her all the way to the LRT since nobody else was there yet, to the moment Ranulf cut his hair as a present to Sacha as she left, to the bonding I had with Kathy while she lamented the loss of her U2 Ipod, to the time I spent trying to stay awake while exchanging stories with a certain couple of people about high school life and the evil things I did back in the day.

And so it went, that people really bonded with each other in that final day where everyone came together to celebrate Ranulf's 28th birthday and Sacha's departure from the country for two years. People were truly a revelation, and amid all the gay innuendo going on during Ranulf's toast (Clair kept on looking in my direction whenever something remotely double-meaning was mentioned.). I was really happy over knowing how deep the ties went among these friends, even if I met some of them only for the first time. The way they showed their bond with Ron was just really inspiring, as it made me see how special friends can truly be when time and circumstances have worked with them.

As I told Sacha, you shouldn't let my lack of words in describing the event fool you. I lost myself in the moment, completely. I had no idea whatsoever how to just make heads and tails of what was going on, and record each and every little detail.

The moment was something you had to be there to relish. I just felt, all in all, overjoyed, knowing I have friends like the Just Geeks League.

It was funny how a snore-down ocurred between two people throughout the night, though. Regardless, only goes to show how tame this group of friends happened to be, as nobody there had a drop of alcohol... I really love my friends, more than ever.

.:The Airport:.

Clair, Sean, and JM didn't go with us, but Dom, myself, Ranulf, Diane, and Mario went with Tita Harvey to take Sacha to the airport. It was rather surreal, to say the least, but I do declare that it was still a pretty wonderful moment, as people, while of course sad to see Sacha go, were still very confident of how great she will do when the time comes in Canada. For two years, she won't be with us physically, but considering how the entire barkada save for me is composed of geeks, I don't see that as a problem whatsoever. The internet is our friend... heh.

And so there we were, saying our goodbyes for the most part, and I guess what really makes this moment so significant is that people ended up being such revelations to one another today. Funny how Diane ended up getting a Big Hairy, Audacious Goal, all while taking Sacha to the airport, and even asking me to spit-shake over it. I gladly obliged when the situation was less public, although truth be told, having to become richer by 250,000 pesos in two years' time is quite a huge goal that I have to work with. Oh, well.

Godspeed to Sacha. I know she'd do really well.

.:I Beat My Previous Record:.

Two Spicy roast, one Classic roast, two Krispy Chicken.

I think I've officially eaten more than one whole chicken in one sitting after that meal. Kenny Rogers' eat-all-you-can promo was definitely worth it, and I'm sad that it ends tomorrow, but glad the temptation to eat that much will now be gone. =P

.:My Thanks To Clair:.

The help you've given me for my article has been really great. I can't thank you enough for it.

.:My Thanks To Pomelo:.

I love you so much, and I can't help but be grateful that you've been kind enough to understand where I'm coming from. It just means the world to me...

I really want us to work. I really, really do.

.:Today's LSS:.

I can really relate to this song...

Magic Words
by Coco Lee

I want you to come to me when you're feeling down.
Knowing I can count on you during hard times.
We will find a way but it won't come easy.
When the yearning fades away, do we wanna stay?

Trying to be strong for you like you're strong for me.
Looking at you holding up so easily.
When I'm having doubts about what I'm feeling
And future worries are darkening my mind.
That's when you come around.

Chorus:
And you just say the magic words and everything is fine again baby.
You just touch me like I love and loving you feels new again...mmm yeah.
Sometimes I can get kinda low and I just wanna walk away (from you).
Then you just say the magic words - oh baby - and I feel the sun shinning down on me again.

I know I can be a pain to you at times.
I just wanna find a way to compromise.
I gotta learn to deal with you going your way.
And though you can't be here with me sometimes.
I can't wait till you come around.

(Chorus)

You belong to me.
I belong to you.
And the feeling's true.
A sense of security.
I love you baby.
And I know you love me too.
When you say the words, the special words, the magic words...
When you say you love me.

(Chorus)

.:A Quotable Quote Or Two:.

I can’t believe this H title! It doesn’t have any subtitles!

But that doesn’t mean a thing, right? You still get to see the goods.

No. I care about the plot. I may be a pervert, but I’m a pervert with substance!

Man, this just cracks me up… as does this, found on a label on a toy...

It dances uniquely. Have very happy time and play with it when you're depressed or hard...

Engrish rules.

.:On The Daily Rally:.

Wow, I’m really racking up this post with content, neh? Oh, well. Anything to make up for the severe lack of posts I’ve had in recent weeks since I ended up being sent to the graveyard shift…

But yeah, I just had to make a couple of diatribes here and there, mainly because I’ve been meaning to talk about these things for the longest time already…

First, I’d want to talk about the fact that yesterday saw me in the middle of yet another rally in Ayala, and it’s getting pretty damned old really fast, already. Apparently, permit-less rallies are now in vogue in Makati, and the mayor is even encouraging it.

I personally do not begrudge people the right to express their opinion in the form of demonstration, right or wrong as they may be. That, after all, is usually a matter of perception, to begin with.

However, I certainly resent it when they trample on other people’s rights, as their daily rallies have certainly affected business in Ayala. I look at Makati, and I see chunks of key locations whose productivity are clearly cut short because of the rallies closing off access to these common areas. Truth be told, it’s annoying, to say the least, and most definitely inconsiderate.

This is not to mention the fact that the horrible stench of urine permeates from the park near Ayala, as no portalets are in sight for these rallyists, which I find to be ridiculous, as they should have access to these. Proper planning prevents piss poor performance. Clearly, the organizers of these rallies had horrible foresight, and you have to wonder how the females in the rally managed without portalets.

These recent rallies are about as pointless as decaffeinated Espresso. I have the sinking suspicion that rallies are usually made up of 60% payroll rallyists who may or may not even want GMA ousted, 20% blind activists who rally for the sake of rallying, 19% vendors, and 1% people who genuinely have something to contribute to these rallies if they were given the chance. It’s sad, but these rallies achieve nothing but further throw us into an economic turmoil as the general outlook of and towards the country becomes bleak. It’s irrelevant if GMA is guilty or not guilty at this point. What matters is the fact that most of these rallyists are the very people who would be first affected by an economic crash. If they realized that, maybe they wouldn’t be as quick to rally when there are far better, far more productive means of advancing their cause.

I worry about the security of the people in and around these rallies. I don’t mind at all whatever social classes may be involved in these rallies, but polarized points of view in a very cosmopolitan venue could possibly lead to some untoward conflicts. I have quite a personal stake in this, as I worry about the safety of my friends in the Makati area, more so the safety of someone I really, really care about.

Here’s hoping people wisen up to the futility of rallies like these. There are better means.

.:Twisted Points Of View:.

Wow. I really am making up for lost time, aren’t I?

Nonetheless, my last diatribe for the day is about people with twisted points of view. There are many types of people like these, but I’d like to give a specific example…

Don’t you think someone who dresses so sexily is such a slut? If she gets raped, it’s because she asked for it! She dressed like that to seduce men!

That, my friends, is precisely what I mean when I say “twisted point of view”. It’s extremely disgusting how people, some women even, no less, would think this way, as if to say that really is the law of the land.

Ever heard of the expression “all bark, no bite”? If you haven’t, let me acquaint you with a bit of a newsflash: I have lots of friends who dress in mini-skirts and sleeveless shirts all the time. Some of them even take that further and dress even more skimpily. Regardless, I never saw any of them as a slut. Hades, I even have a female friend who can almost make me blush with the way she candidly talks about sex all the time, but I don’t see her as a slut, but as a “Babe In Total Control of Herself”.

What’s the point of this exercise, really? Why am I talking about this? Well, it’s just in reaction to some people I’ve encountered lately who should know better than to be such a moron and actually make such an assumption. Just because someone labels her blog as “strips for you” doesn’t mean the girl is a slut. Just because someone likes writing about gay innuendo in Lord Of The Rings does not mean he’s gay (Not that there’s anything wrong with that.). Hades, just because around half a dozen or so people write about suman on a weekly basis does not mean they don’t like bibingka. Perceptions based solely on what someone says are nothing more than myopic and pitiful. What that person does is an even more resounding barometer of the person, and even that is not enough to judge someone. In my opinion, there is no cause enough for one to judge another.

Twisted viewpoints, once you see them for what they are, help you make heads and tails of a lot of things. People with twisted viewpoints tend to make some more sense once you recognize the way they think. This is not to say that it justifies their actions. I mean, if you see a person whose point of view is that all bald people must die, that does not make their actions (Assuming they kill bald people.) any less heinous.

I try my best to understand where some people who just disturb my sensibilities lately are coming from. I recognize that one of them really sees what he has done as a way of him coping with the lemons life has handed him. It was his rather disturbing way of making “lemonade” out of the whole situation, and it has hurt a lot of people in the process. He doesn’t see what he did as something he has to apologize for, but he recognizes he wasn’t entirely right. Despite that, he feels that so much time has already passed that he has earned his keep to sweep the whole issue under the rug.

I understand that point of view, because I somewhat share it, in some respects. At least, in the sense that I see one thing one way while the other party sees it another, I see where the dichotomy exists. However, I recognize the other viewpoint as valid, and valid enough to have any accusation against me practically true, if the viewpoint is valid and justifiable enough, no matter how untrue it might seem in my eyes.

What I cannot fathom, though, is how one would just refuse to acknowledge the other viewpoint altogether. The way he does it makes me shudder, as though he almost believes in all honesty that he was right. It just unsettles me, to say the least.

Another point of view is the blind loyalty one can have for someone so dear to that person. I know of someone like this. She would sooner die than recognize the clash of opinions and make up her own mind about it, and instead becomes a mouthpiece for a party whose dispute with another party shouldn’t really involve her, to begin with. Inday, it’s getting really old. Blaming one’s faults on anyone else but the one truly at fault all to protect an image or a reputation is just plain sad. After all, everyone can see the real deal. Perceptions do not a man make, and she clearly ignores this fact, conveniently ignoring the fact that through her logic, someone who writes about delinquent drunkards isn’t one himself.

It grates on me how people can be like this, talking out of both sides of their mouth. This kind of blind loyalty is precisely what has protected people like the Marcoses for decades, and it sometimes makes you just pray it’d all stop.

One shudders to think when one who sees one thing differently from most other people and another person who can be blindly loyal come together, though. That is an unholy alliance that makes you wonder if they really deserve each other.

I have to write more about this in the near future. I’m pretty rushed, but I think I made my point pretty clear…

.:Discoveries:.

I found Pomelo's weblog yesterday, and it was just a revelation to me, to say the least.

Admittedly, there are a lot of things the both of us don't know about each other. We've only been acquainted since November of last year, so it hasn't even been a year yet. Nonetheless, I've been extremely grateful for every opportunity that has been presented for me to get to know her better.

One of her recent posts, talking about Coco Lee’s song, “Magic Words”, is just really wonderful. I guess she’s right. I feel the same way about that song. No matter how bad my day is, no matter how horrible I feel, just hearing from Magic Words from her just makes me feel so alive again.

Every new day that comes is a new opportunity for the both of us to gain an insight into each other's being more. I love her so much. That much is obvious. It sometimes gets to me that I can't write about her as much as I'd want to, that I can't shout out to the world how lucky a man I am to have someone like her simply because of the remote risk that her family might catch wind of the fact that their daughter has a non-Chinese boyfriend.

Looking at her blog, I just can't help but smile. Gyn and I started off on a pretty interesting note, as she noticed my eyes while I noticed her mini-skirts... heh. Seriously, the song “One Hello” would be pretty apt for the both of us. Turns out that the moment I started talking to her, she began to notice me. It's flattering in a way, especially since she initially thought I was going after her blockmate, and not her. In one of her archives, she was talking about meeting her crush in school. I don't think I would've figured she was referring to me had I stumbled onto her blog back then. I’m honestly amazed how it all began, really.

I simply can't help but be grateful. Against all odds, despite her initial misgivings about the setup as she knows her family wouldn't approve, here we are, still together after two months. I know she’s been making a Herculean effort to meet me halfway on things. It’s an effort that I sincerely appreciate.

I love her so much, and I want this to work. God knows I’m doing everything I can, but only time can tell if we’d really last. In the meantime, I am thankful that we continue to go through this road of getting to know each other better. She is a wonderful human being whom I learn to love more and more with each passing day.

.:Mini Review: Pump Magazine:.

I don't know how to put this, but the magazine just simply feels like FHM with different segment names and horrible production values. I think the editor-in-chief did a Rob Liefield by ripping off something he used to do himself.

Truth be told, the articles felt just like FHM. Same approach sans the off-beat intros to interviews, same format, even same writing style for a good chunk of the articles.

In fairness to Pump Magazine, their first issue wasn't so bad, but I know for a fact that it could be better. At the very least, they simply could've innovated some more as they really ripped off so much from FHM that one realized that since they don't have a single original segment except for the X-Rated Challenge, then the fact that they didn't rip everything off makes them a stripped-down version of FHM, especially since the quality of their paper and pictures reminds me of 10 Mag. Yes, I do know about that magazine, and yes, I really do concern myself with the articles a lot, so I can quite be finicky with what they have to say. For a magazine priced as much as FHM, they sure feel shoddy in direct comparison to the latter.

All things considered, I can only hope the magazine gets better with time. I won't be picking up any of its next issues unless the change becomes apparent.

.:Din-Din And A Birthday:.

Needless to say, I was glad to have found the opportunity to have a fine dinner with Sean, Clair, JM, Dom, Sacha, and Tita Harvey at Crocodile Grill. This was just right after I met up with Pomelo, although we didn’t get to stay on long, mainly because of the rallies going on in Ayala. I’ll talk about that later, but short as my time with Pomelo may have been, we certainly made the most out of it. She is sooooo gorgeous…

So yeah, the dinner. We were at Crocodile Grill, and having fun with conversations all around. The gay innuendo was still flying around, but all in all, it was good. I felt embarrassed when Sacha started ribbing me about Ching around Tita Harvey, though… that just isn’t the kind of conversation you toss around a dinner table with someone’s mom…

I certainly enjoyed the dinner. The food was great, as we had Crispy Tadyang in addition to our regular orders, plus a few more. Needless to say, the food was simply splendid. Everyone enjoyed the company, and bonded with each other quite a bit. I did have a memorable comment that sort of stuck out, though… heh.

Still, it was a great time. Too bad the birthday boy, Ranulf, wasn’t there. He would’ve certainly enjoyed it.

Despite that, Ranulf had me and Jac mini-celebrating his birthday in Cheesecake, Etc. It was a good time, really. Ron has been quite a revelation of a friend to me in recent months, as he has been spot on with telling me a lot of different things.

Happy birthday to you, jabroni. =)

.:No Separation Anxiety This Time?:.

I decided to skip on this week’s suman post, but I’m still in a bind, regardless. =P

Seriously, I think since I had to pick between writing about my best friend who will be leaving for Canada for a full two years or writing about suman, I definitely would pick the former. I haven’t written a post that is dominantly about Sacha in ages, but this occasion just screams for it, I guess.

And so she’ll be leaving. And she’ll be gone for two years. The realization has sunk in a long time ago, but unlike the last time when she disappeared for six months, I don’t seem to be as affected as I was the last time.

But don’t let that fool you. Sacha is my best friend. I care about her a lot, and of course would terribly miss hearing from her personally on a regular basis. I would certainly miss those random moments where the two of us would hatch a hare-brained plan at the spur of the moment to get the barkada together, fetching the Just Geeks League (Lol.) from the darkest of libraries, to the coldest of radio stations, to the depths of Eastwood, to the farthest of Baguios, and to the mazes of Dumaguete. I would definitely miss hearing that inimitably anime voice that makes Smurfette seem like Sean singing bass. I’d miss her again on my birthday celebration, as she’d obviously miss another one of them, making it four successive invitations she inadvertently turned down for one reason or another.

Yes, there will be a lot of things I would miss about Sacha once she’s gone. But in the end, I know it’s because she’s doing it to blaze the trail she was always meant to. Who are we to get in the way of that? Like all of us, Sach was born for greater things, and she would naturally choose the better things. In the sense that I know all too well that she won’t regret her decision to go to Canada for two years to take her Masters, then I’d be too happy for her to go through Separation Anxiety all over again.

A lot has changed for me since she came back from Japan, and I don’t really have to enumerate those changes. I don’t even have to mention the most important change with regard to her. You all know that. The bottomline is this post is less about me saying I’m going to miss her than it is about me saying that wherever Sacha may go, she’d still be that amazing, breathtaking, and enchanting human being I’ve known for five years. I’d still hear from her. She’d still be thoughtful enough to send postcards to her friends. She’d still care enough to comment on someone’s blog or LJ when he or she feels too depressed and finds a severe drought of cyber-hugs.

Even if she didn’t, we’d still know that her heart’s in the right place, anyways.

Godspeed to you, Sach. Blaze that trail, and do us all proud, most especially yourself, your family, and the one whom He gave to you.

You are blessed to have what you do. In turn, we are blessed to have someone like you.

.:Stressed Out Again:.

I had a deal that was supposed to net me $800. It was supposed to jumpstart me out of my financial woes.

And then the guy’s dad forces him to balk from the deal.

Eff you. You have no idea what you just did. You just put me in a stranglehold, you bastich.

.:Today's LSS:.

Those who went to the party would know why...

Like A Virgin
by Madonna

I made it through the wilderness
Somehow I made it through
Didn't know how lost I was
Until I found you

I was beat incomplete
I'd been had, I was sad and blue
But you made me feel
Yeah, you made me feel
Shiny and new

Chorus:

Like a virgin
Touched for the very first time
Like a virgin
When your heart beats (after first time, "With your heartbeat")
Next to mine

Gonna give you all my love, boy
My fear is fading fast
Been saving it all for you
'Cause only love can last

You're so fine and you're mine
Make me strong, yeah you make me bold
Oh your love thawed out
Yeah, your love thawed out
What was scared and cold

(chorus)

Oooh, oooh, oooh

You're so fine and you're mine
I'll be yours 'till the end of time
'Cause you made me feel
Yeah, you made me feel
I've nothing to hide

(chorus)

Like a virgin, ooh, ooh
Like a virgin
Feels so good inside
When you hold me, and your heart beats, and you love me

Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Ooh, baby
Can't you hear my heart beat
For the very first time?

.:Morning Saturdate:.

Nothing like quality time with Pomelo in the morning. She was her gorgeous self as always, and we ended up talking about a lot of things, mainly how we intended to work things out for the long term.

I'm grateful that she really sees me as worth all this effort. I sometimes wonder what I ever did so right to deserve someone as beautiful, loving, and wonderful as she is, and in the end, I don't regret one bit ever taking a chance with her. She is, without a doubt, one in a billion. I love her so much, and like her, I want to make this relationship work. Every ounce of my being does.

Pomelo and I may indeed have a lot of differences, but we're willing to meet each other halfway. That's precisely why I think this relationship will work.

.:The Despedida Recap: Seatwork:.

So after Pomel and I got to Cubao for her to board the LRT and for me to board the MRT, I took a cab at the Buendia station to get to the Enrique Adphoto studio.

I arrived pretty late, so most of the guests were already there, and a good chunk of them had already eaten, so it seemed. Regardless, I was about to dig in, when my attention was called to a seatwork I had to accomplish before I could be able to eat: I had to fill in a mini-CV index card and write a letter to Sacha there, which was rather amusing, to say the least, although it didn't do my stomach any favors. Lol.

In any case, it was fun talking to everyone in the party. There was this couple I wasn't able to identify, though. I didn't exactly know who they were. One of them was a Chinese girl, the other was a guy with glasses.

Gee whiz, that fits just about any couple in that venue last Saturday...

Amusingly enough, I, the non-geek that I am, happened to be the first to whip out a laptop in the venue. Lol. Peppy then showed me a Korean video and a hilarious Star Wars video...

.:The Despedida Recap: Clair and JM Sitting In A Tree...:.

H-A-C-K-I-N-G.

I shan't say any more...

.:The Despedida Recap: Taboo:.

After dropping the program of speeches in favor of a more free-wheeling party, Sacha got some people to play a game of Taboo. What was amusing about this game was how quick some teammates got to read each other. For instance:

Clair: This is my dog!
Teammates: PANDA!

Marcelle: This is what Ranulf does a lot.
Dominique: Snore.

Pan M: This is another word for swordfighting.
Marcelle: M2M?

Clair: Where we ate last Wednesday.
Marcelle: Crocodile Grill! (Answer was crocodile.)
Sean: That's just unfair... (He wasn't our teammate, but he was at that dinner...)

Marcelle: Chris Benoit vs. Kurt Angle over an extended period of time.
Dominique: Feud.

Marcelle: I swear, I'm NOT one!
Peppy: Pervert? I mean, geek.

Things were crazy there, as we were cracking jokes in rapid succession throughout the whole deal, and Clair told me that if I said “Elgine” when it came to the word “mini-skirt”, she, Peppy, and Dominique would've gotten the hint with ease. Heh. Is that so?

.:The Despedida Recap: Videoke:.

I found it pretty amusing that I got the most 100's throughout the night, and everyone present wanted to debug the machine because of it.

Mario and I were trying to outdo each other with corny songs, while Peppy did dance steps to some boy band hits he found in the list of songs, while I did doble kara songs like “Endless Love” and “A Whole New World”. Mario was gutsy enough to try “My Way” while under threat from being stabbed to death by a watermelon rind. Peppy sang “My Heart Will Go On”.

As for Sean, he tried “Hotel California”, and Ranulf, on the other hand, went for “Careless Whisper”.

I think I took the cake in freaking Mario out by singing and dancing to “Like A Virgin”, though. Yep. That got 100, too. Heh. I then dedicated “Ngayon At Kailanman” to someone special, and all in all, things just really went smoothly for the most part. The night was pretty much capped off on a high note, as we exited to a fireworks display at a nearby building top.

.:And Come Monday...:.

Met up with Pomelo again, as silly me left my laptop cord at the studio last Saturday, so I had to swing by Sacha's house to get it. I was having withdrawal symptoms for quite a while there... heh. In any case, it was all good, really.

So I let Pomelo get home, although we ran into a mob outside Fully Booked, I believe, as Neil Gaiman was there. As that was none of my concern (Yes, I'm an infidel. So sue me.), I then headed to Ranoosh Shawarma to have myself a nice little meal... it was amazing, to say the least, as I certainly appreciated the nice gesture of the owner's wife when she added a bit of the roasted fats of the Shawarma when I asked for it.

Needless to say, I only swear by two places for Shawarma nowadays: Food Channel, and of course, Ranoosh. Ranoosh Shawarma is in Rustan's Superstore in Cubao, as well as Ateneo. They serve the Shawarma on a wonderful round pita bread, and the salespeople are very friendly. If you're craving for good Shawarma, give either of the two a try, especially the latter.

.:New Drivers...:.

Apparently, my laptop can't handle a game like Enter The Matrix. Looks like I need to update my drivers...

.:Today's LSS:.

Let me be the first to wish you a Merry Christmas. :)

The Christmas Song

Chestnuts roasting on an open fire
Jack Frost nipping at your nose
Yule-tide carols being sung by a choir
And folks dressed up like Eskimos.

Everybody knows a turkey
and some mistletoe
Help to make the season bright
Tiny tots with their eyes all aglow
Will find it hard to sleep tonight.

They know that Santa's on his way
He's loaded lots of toys
and goodies on his sleigh
And every mother's child is gonna spy
To see if reindeer
really know how to fly.

And so I'm offering this simple phrase
To kids from one to ninety-two
Although it's been said
many times, many ways
Merry Christmas to you.

.:Knocked Out:.

I was so underslept I ended up going to work at 4:40 yesterday. Yep. I was two and a half hours late for work. It was that horrible…

And I’m still ruddy sick.

.:So I Looked At The Last Two Poems I Wrote...:.

... and I repeat... hidden messages rule.

I know everyone found the one about suman, but the other one was a bit more subtle... ;)

.:Today's LSS:.

A song I would want to dedicate if only for the title...

We Belong Together
by Mariah Carey

I didn't mean it
When I said I didn't love you so
I should have held on tight
I never should've let you go
I didn't know nothing
I was stupid
I was foolish
I was lying to myself
I couldn't have fathomed that I would ever
Be without your love
Never imagined I'd be
Sitting here beside myself

'Cause I didn't know you
'Cause I didn't know me
But I thought I knew everything
I never felt
The feeling that I'm feeling
Now that I don't
Hear your voice
Or have your touch and kiss your lips
Cause I don't have a choice
Oh, what I wouldn't give
To have you lying by my side
Right here, 'cause baby

Chorus:
When you left
I lost a part of me
It's still so hard to believe
Come back baby please, 'cause
We belong together
Who else am I gonna lean on
When times get rough
Who's gonna talk to me on the phone
Till the sun comes up
Who's gonna take your place
There ain't nobody better
We belong together

I can't sleep at night
When you are on my mind
Bobby Womack's on the radio
Singing to me
'If you think you're lonely now'
Wait a minute
This is too deep, too deep
I gotta change the station
So I turn the dial
Trying to catch a break
And then I hear Babyface
I only think of you
And it's breaking my heart
I'm trying to keep it together
But I'm falling apart
I'm feeling all out of my element
I'm throwing things
Crying
Trying to figure out
Where the hell I went wrong
The pain reflected in this song
Ain't even half of what
I'm feeling inside
I need you
Need you back in my life baby

Chorus x2

.:Saya:.
isang Tula ni Marcelle T. Fabie

Sarap na di mapantayan sa tindi
Umaatikabong sandali; sumisidhi
Marami na akong noo'y natikman
At marami na ring ibang dinaanan
Ngunit ngayon lang ito naranasan
Sayang ang ulirat ay nasasapawan
Ano ba ang maaari kong idahilan?
Labis kong inuunawa ang sanhi
At naguguluhan sa pangyayari
Tila pagnanasang hindi maikubli
Inaamin ko, ako'y tila nasasaniban
Kapag itabi mo ako sa isang suman

(By the way... hidden messages in poetry rule!!!)

.:More Reconnections:.

I'm glad I ran into my Philosophy classmate, Anne, while I was on my way home from Gateway. We had a lot of catching up to do, and it was just wonderful talking to her. Amusingly enough, I ran into a high school classmate and a former student while I was sitting down in front of Starbucks and talking to Anne. All in all, we really had a pretty interesting conversation, and I realized just how much I really can't help but appreciate all my friends, old and new alike.

Reconnection with Jon Bulaong, my former Philosophy professor, was likewise in order. He kept on insisting I'd end up going for one girl after all has been said and done, but I reminded him that doesn't follow, as it's all ancient history now.

For good measure, I threw in this line... "For further reference, see : Yao, Abby."

Yep. Ancient history, all right.

I did some reconnection with Maia all the same. She's been going through some rough times lately, but I'm very confident that she's strong enough to pull through beyond this. That girl is just made of really strong stuff.

Personally, I'm going to miss one of my best friends when she leaves, though. Hopefully, continuous communication will take away any need for reconnecting with her in the future. The realization she's going sort of just hit me lately, but I guess the separation anxiety is no longer as relentless.

.:Sweet:.

Thank you, Pomelo, for spending time with me yesterday. Celebrating our second month together was truly something I treasured, no matter how quick our time with each other was.

It's not really how long we've held each other's hand, after all. It's all about how well we've loved each other.

I love you so much. You make my world go round, and I just can't help but be grateful to the One who gave you to me. Thank you for reciprocating this love that I feel for you.

.:KOF Neowave:.

Geese Howard is an amazing bazroken character. I can't believe some so-called Geese experts dismissed him right away just because his damage is low. The man is broken against anyone who can't Just Defend, and currently, there's absolutely nobody who can.

I had fun reconnecting with the people from Pinoygamerz. It's been a long time since I last got to play KOF with these guys, so seeing them there was just fun. Too bad they banned Geese in the upcoming tournament. That's no fun, really, considering how characters like Vanessa are arguably even more broken.

.:Kenny Rogers Eat All You Can:.

All the chicken you can eat. For 169 bucks.

I’ve had three quarters of chicken and a drumstick.

Ergo, I almost ate a whole chicken last night.

That, and bottomless iced tea. =P

.:Today's LSS:.

When I heard their first song, I never realized they were a local band...

The Day You Said Goodnight
by Hale

Take as you are
Push me off the road
the sadness,
I need this time to be with you
I'm freezing in the sun
I'm burning in the rain
The silence
I'm screaming,
Calling out your name

Bridge:
And i do reside in your light
Yeah you'll lose the side of your circles
That's what i'll do if we say goodbye

Chorus:
To be is all i gotta be
And all that i see
And all that i need this time
To me the life you gave me
The day you said goodnight.

The calmness in your face
That i see through the night
The warmthess your light is pressing unto us
You didn't ask me why
I never would have known
oblivion is falling down

Bridge

Chorus

If you could only know me like your prayers at night
Then everything between you and me will be alright.

Chorus

She's already taken,
She's already taken
She's already taken me
She's already taken,
She's already taken me

The day you said goodnight

.:I Can't Believe It...:.

It's been two months. Wow. I'm so happy. =)

.:Must... Stop... Overspending:.

I keep on vituperating about this, but I keep hoping to lucksack my way through King of Fighters Neowave and Marvel Vs. Capcom 2 all to no avail. I guess I really should stay away from these places for now. They're hurting my wallet quite a bit... gakk.

.:On Political Uproars:.

I pity the poor people who get manipulated by people in power into going up against President Gloria right now, really. The allegations over her cheating may or may not be true, but ultimately, the losers are the poor people who unwittingly clamor for her to step down.

It's not that I resent these people for complaining. Not only do they have the right to, I also feel that they are right. I don't see any reason to doubt the allegations that the president cheated during the elections, but that feels like a given, as far as I'm concerned. I would go so far as say that I agree with their cause, but disagree with their methods.

What I don't like is the fact that when people complain for the sake of complaining, they tend to lose sight of the consequences of doing it. It's not that I'm being cynical, really. But everyone has to admit that in the end, whoever is president will really do little for the country on a personal level. I'm almost no longer worried if Noli De Castro becomes president, because as most taxi drivers I speak to would put it, "whoever is on top will not affect whether or not you're riding in my cab, so who cares?"

Whoever is president is irrelevant. It's the whole system of people that needs to be overhauled for things to be considerably better, but that's beyond our control, so for now, we have to learn to deal with the system we find ourselves to be inextricably submerged in. That being said, challenging the status quo to replace this guard with a new one, only to have the same people who asked to oust her be the same people to ask to oust the next leader is just ludicrous and an exercise in futility.

Or have we forgotten all these people who wanted Erap out of office and wanted GMA, only to complain about GMA afterwards? You just can't ever satiate people, apparently.

In the end, whoever is on top cannot do everything for us. As such, the whole system is the one that needs to be challenged, but a caveat to that is important: the consequences of challenging such a status quo.

The problem with most of these poor people who complain is that they aren't quite ready to face the consequences of their actions.

Or are they too blind to realize that the falling economy they complain about so much is also in part due to their contribution in destabilizing the government?

The only reason who the president of this country matters is that it'd matter to America. That being said, guess which people are the first to be affected by a falling peso and a rising cost of living?

That's right. The same poor people who indirectly caused it.

And they can't, nor will they take responsibility for the consequences of their brash actions. Brash actions that do nothing but exacerbate the status quo in favor of the people whose incomes can take a beating from inflation, or have the luxury of getting out of this country and bailing from this country like rats deserting a sinking ship.

That's where my point of contention lies. Believing in a cause and standing up for it no matter what is one thing. Believing in a cause and not accepting the price that has to be paid for pushing for such an agenda is another.

Sadly, it's dubious that these people even realize that what they are doing is digging their own grave. Inasmuch as giving people enough rope to hang themselves is an easy way out, my willingness to do that severely drops when I see that I would eventually be hit by the folly of their actions all the same.

That's precisely why I'm voicing this out right here, right now. Maybe if people were less brash to challenge a status quo they don't know how to improve to begin with, they'd realize that they're better off not aggravating the situation the way they're doing right now.

A change of the guards won't do us much. If you want to make the world a better place, you have to look at yourself and make that change...

.:Two Moons:.
a Sonnet by Marcelle T. Fabie

It's a little bit funny how it all began
Like a sudden bolt from out of the blue
Over time, the heart surpassed the mind
Vain hopes at first, no longer so today
Everything is now reality, come what may
Your heart to mine I will forever bind
Overcome the odds, this much is true:
Undeniably, your love makes me a lucky man

Endear me with sweet words of affection
Love so divine, such a heavenly confection
Give it our all: there is nothing to fear
I see what the future holds is so unclear
Nevertheless, there is but one thing I know:
Eternally, it's only you I will love so

No LSS for today... I'm in a rush.

.:KOF Neowave:.

Geese Howard is an amazing bazroken character. I can't believe some so-called Geese experts dismissed him right away just because his damage is low. The man is broken against anyone who can't Just Defend, and currently, there's absolutely nobody who can.

I had fun reconnecting with the people from Pinoygamerz. It's been a long time since I last got to play KOF with these guys, so seeing them there was just fun. Too bad they banned Geese in the upcoming tournament. That's no fun, really, considering how characters like Vanessa are arguably even more broken.

.:Kenny Rogers Eat All You Can:.

All the chicken you can eat. For 169 bucks.

I’ve had three quarters of chicken and a drumstick.

Ergo, I almost ate a whole chicken last night.

That, and bottomless iced tea. =P

So underslept... but I have quite a lot of things going on in my head right now.

No problem, Clair, I'll play that song. That's one of my all-time favorites.

Ahh, to be underslept but so blissfully in love... =P

.:Meandeck Doomsday, A Deck Primer: Part III of III:.

After a long time, finally, Mondu gets his chance to have his flamethrower ready! :P

In part 1, we talked about the deck itself, and the card choices. In part 2, we talked about how to play the deck and various Doomsday stacks for various situations you'd find yourself in.

In this third part, we'll talk about sideboarding and matchups.

MEANDECK DOOMSDAY PRIMER PART III: THE METAGAME

A. Sideboarding

I won't give you a specific sideboard. However, let me give fifteen cards you'd want to consider for sideboard options, in no particular order. Feel free to mix and match which ones you like. Feel free to suggest other cards you think would be useful for the sideboard as well.

1. Cranial Extraction/Extract: Perfect against fellow combo decks, as well as decks that roll over to losing a set of key cards. I'd prefer Extract though, if only for its cheaper mana and money cost.

2. Cabal Interrogator/Defense Grid: Cards you'd use against control. If your opponent has too many counters to deal with, either of these can help you immensely, though I personally prefer the Grids due to the lack of summoning sickness and the colorless mana cost. The Interrogator can be useful if your opponent sides out all forms of creature kill, though. It can really hurt your opponent's hands constantly, but taxes your mana somewhat.

3. Damping Matrix/Pithing Needle: Shuts down Welders and Mindslavers for a mere 3 colorless mana. Shuts down a good chunk of Madness' outlets for discard, i.e. Wild Mongrel and Aquamoeba. Shuts down some nifty abilities from Fish creatures. This is a good card in place of the more expensive Old Man Of The Sea, which I would've recommended if only we had those in this country. :P

4. Back To Basics: Do a land count and see that only your Underground Sea could get locked down. I've used this card very well against Workshop decks and other non-basic heavy decks. Couple this with Energy Flux against Workshop decks, and they'd have fits dealing with you.

5. Energy Flux: You have a severe mismatch against Workshop decks because of their ability to work with a faster clock and superior disruption than other aggro decks (In the case of Workshop Aggro.) or lock you down indefinitely until they kill you (In the case of Workshop Prison.). Sure, they might insist on keeping one or two key artifacts against you by paying for it every upkeep, but it's far better dealing with only one or two artifacts than a whole bunch of them. Combined with Back To Basics, their situation just gets worse.

6. Chain Of Vapor: While you actually have an advantage against certain Oath builds (They usually don't run Stifle, so forcing them into a counter war would prove advantageous.), there are just broken opens of Lotus Petal, Orchard, Oath. Chain Of Vapor helps against the first creature. It can also bounce back your own Necro when you want to get a draw step again. It can also bounce back random threats that might suddenly become fatal after a Doomsday such as a Goblin Sharpshooter. It also bounces a Worldgorger Dragon in mid-combo. Also the best option against hosers like Arcane Laboratory, Rule Of Law, or Pyrostatic Pillar.

7. Tormod's Crypt: It's a bit redundant against artifact decks that run Welder, but is a welcome answer to Dragon decks, which is about as fast as you are because of your lack of a Black Lotus

8. Null Rod: Sure, it'd hurt your Artifact mana and your Chromatic Sphere (So duh, side out some of those affected cards, right?), but it'd hurt your opponent more than it'd hurt you if they're fully powered. It buys you time against Workshop decks and other combo decks like Belcher and Meandeath, and costs one mana less than Damping Matrix. Use this if there are just too many Moxen running around and not enough creature abilities to prevent.

9. Cursed Totem: In a random aggro environment, you'd find this card to be a house. This card could single-handedly shut down the Elven Nation deck I described in Part II, and for one less mana than the Damping Matrix, plus the ability to shut off mana abilities. This is a judgment call between Matrix and Totem, really. But I'd lean more towards the Matrix because of the ever-present CS.

10. Claws Of Gix: I saw this random sideboard card in some of the decklists I studied, and I see its use for being able to draw again after a massive Necro, as well as to ensure you never have Spirit tokens against Oath. If there's a high presence of Oath in the meta, this is a great sideboard idea.

11. Memory Jar: It's a card I would've maindecked, but only against a non-powered deck. You wouldn't want to EVER have this in your opening hand against a powered or even semi-powered deck. That being said, this is purely a fun win-more card. I do not see a single matchup where you'd actually need this card, ever since I used Frantic Search in its place. Consider this nothing more than a fun slot.

12. Chromatic Sphere: If your opponent is a creature deck, you'd rather accelerate your drawing than picking them off with a semi-useless Duress. This is a very situational sideboard card, but worth considering if you run into players who port their Type 2/Extended decks and bring them into a Vintage tourney.

13. Misdirection: Just to replace/enhance your FOW's against annoying decks that target you all the time (Read: Sui Black.). You have no idea how painful Sui Black can be against Doomsday...

14. Chill: Considering how prevalent Sligh can be in the meta half the time, this is a convenient choice to slow them down with. FCG is collateral damage as well, and your slightly slower Doomsday version sure can put the speed disparity to good use, although a Lackey on his side usually means Chill can be moot a lot of the time.

15. Stifle: Now, THIS is situational. I have run into Iso-Chant extended decks when I started playing Doomsday and I didn't have power yet. You have no idea how annoying it is when they have an imprinted Orim's Chant on the Magic Stick. Stifle can stop the imprinting itself or the activation for one turn, and doubles as a counter to the ever-present fetchlands. If a lot of people port Extended decks to the Vintage environment, such as Life, Cephalid Breakfast, Black Clerics, and Iso-Chant, then this is actually a good card. Be warned again: a meta like this has yet to happen.

B. Matchup Analysis

I will be using a grading system to evaluate the difficulties of matchups, assuming similar playskill between both players. A matchups would be the easiest of games for you, that you're almost guaranteed to win every time. B matchups give the advantage to you, in varying degrees. C matchups would be fairly even. D matchups put you at a disadvantage, in varying degrees. F matchups would be the most difficult of games for you, that you're almost guaranteed to lose every time.

<>B.1. Versus Regular Aggro

Regular aggro is rarely a problem, and are an A-A+ matchup for you most of the time. You only have to watch out for how they can disrupt you or your combo. Each of the two specified aggro decks have one form of disruption against your deck that you definitely have to watch out for, and you have to be conscious of their sideboard options against you as well. For any other aggro deck, just keep track of your life, and then disrupt them and combo out one turn before they can kill you. However, if the deck runs discard, then you are automatically at a huge disadvantage. Be very wary of discarder decks. No wonder how janky they may seem to you, they have a huge advantage over you simply because combo decks have huge problems when they can't play any spells, as they have too few permanents to bring down.

1. Sligh:

Pre-board: A-
Post-board: B/B+

There really isn't much you need to worry about against this deck, but just be aware of your life total due to the heavy concentration of direct damage spells that might suddenly kill you after you play Doomsday. They have little to no form of disruption against you in game one barring Strip Mine, Wasteland, and potentially Ankh of Mishra.

In Game 2, board in Chain Of Vapor against the Pyrostatic Pillar they are most likely going to board in against you., and consider a Defense Grid for comboing out without giving them a chance to cheese yo after Doomsday. If you put in Chill, use that against them as well. As they usually have more to board against you than you against them, they have a better fighting chance in Game 2, but it's still a race between their bringing down their kill conditions or hosers against your combo.

2. White Weenie:

Pre-board: A+ (Old versions.); C- (New versions.)
Post-board: A (Old versions.); C (New versions.)

Older versions of White Weenie are way too slow to kill you without your comboing out before they can, but you have to make sure they don't pull surprises on you. For instance, some decks run a maindecked True Believer, which will prevent you from targeting the player as long as it's alive. Another little trick they might pull is use Swords To Plowshares on one of their own creatures to survive your kill, so you still need to disrupt them when comboing out, just to be sure.

Newer versions splash blue for Meddling Mage and run True Believer, no questions asked. You don't have to worry much about Samurai Of The Pale Curtain, but the former two cards definitely wreck you once both of them resolve. Considering they can get these guys into play by Turn 3, then you have to make sure you combo out before they do, or you pluck off the cards via Unmask.

Post-board, they will probably bring in Rule Of Law, which you rarely expect in play until turn 2 at the earliest, so I suggest boarding in Chain Of Vapor and keeping up the disruption. The old version is a fairly easy matchup. Don't sweat it much. The new version pre-board has the slightests of advantages against you, but is nearly dead even post-board.

B.3. Versus Control and Aggro-Control

Your main concern is what elements of control these decks play. Do they run Stifle? How many counters do they run? How many of these counters are free? Each decktype mentioned here is usually at a slight disadvantage against you because of Storm, but the lack of Power means the advantage is not as strong as it conventionally is. Your disruption is certainly very important here. Maximize your Duress, Unmask, and Force Of Will.

1. 4CC/3CC:

Pre-board: B-/C- (Depends on the Wish board.)
Post-board: B

4CC/3CC is a Game 1 nightmare because you never know what tricks they have up their sleeve. Wish boards can contain anything from Stifle to in some rare cases, Orim's Chant, and those cards will wreck your gameplan easily. Your only advantage is that these decks usually only carry eight hard counters, so it's easy to work around them when trying to combo out.

Alternatively, their advantage is a full set of Strip effects, and Exalted Angel, that makes your life more difficult when it comes to comboing out.

In Game 2, your advantage is pronounced because you can remove your own permission in favor of Defense Grid, bring in Back To Basics (Depending on the situation.), and maybe Null Rod. You have lots of board options against them, and they have little against you. It'd be safer for them to just keep them in the board for Wishing purposes.

2. Control Slavery:

Pre-board: C/D+ (Depends on if they run Duress.)
Post-board: B-

Whenever a deck only has eight or less counters to work against, you automatically have the edge disruption-wise. However, what makes Control Slavery difficult to deal with is the fact that being hit by a Mindslaver can easily win them the game. They have a lot of tools in their maindeck to keep you from pulling away, particularly when they also run Duress, which really hampers you from comboing out even further. It's usually an even matchup, but the moment they have Duress, the scales tip in their favor quite a bit.

In Game 2, your best bet is to bring in Damping Matrix or Pithing Needle, and Defense Grid. That way, you'd be more worried about the goldfish than anything else. Watch out for a Tormod's Crypt that they'd probably board in against you. Always be on the lookout for a Beacon-based win before a Yawgmoth's Will-based win when going against this deck.

3. Fish:

Pre-board: A (UR); C (UW); B- (WTF); D+ (Vial versions.)
Post-board: A- (UR); C+ (UW); B- (WTF); C- (Vial versions.)

What can UR Fish do against you that Landstill can't do better? Virtually nothing. Considering how you already have a slight advantage against Landstill pre-board, Fish is more disadvantaged against you, because they're too slow with their kill conditions and only run four hard counters, barring Stifle. When disrupting, Stifle then Force Of Will are your main targets.

UW Fish is a different animal altogether, with both the annoying but occasionally effective trick of using Swords To Plowshares on their own creatures, Meddling Mage, and the potential of running maindeck Orim's Chant. It's a fairly even matchup.

WTF isn't too big a problem, really, but has better kill conditions than UR fish. That being said, treat it similarly. This is assuming they don't run Chalice Of The Void. If they do, then treat it like you would the Vial version. Null Rod does NOT hurt you as much as you think it does.

The Vial versions of Fish are a pain to deal with if they keep in tricks like Rootwater Thief or run Jitte. It gets worse with Chalice of the Void around. You're definitely at a disadvantage, and should consider disrupting your opponent asap. Vial Fish is one of the worst matchups you'll ever run into, possibly third in line to Suicide Black and Workshop decks.

In Game 2, consider bringing in Back To Basics and Defense Grid. UR will probably bring in some annoying little tricks against you, such as more Misdirection and Stifle. Treat WTF with Null Rods similarly, unless they splash white. If they do, treat it like UW Fish.

UW, on the other hand, can bring in Abeyance and Orim's Chant which both ruin your day, in addition to Stifle. At least, resolving a Defense Grid against Fish would deny your opponent the chance to utilize these neat little tools.

The same sideboard plan goes for Vial Fish, but consider using Damping Matrix or Pithing Needle to prevent the Vials, and consider running more bounce to deal with the Chalice.

4. Landstill:

Pre-board: B
Post-board: B-/C-. (Depends on what they board in.)

Whether the deck is UW or UR, the matchups are fairly similar, although the UW build is inherently weaker against you due to the number of dead cards the W part of the deck has against you. Despite that, both builds will carry two or more maindecked Stifle, which can be quite a headache, and quite a few bits of permission as well. Combining all of those would simply mean you are at a disadvantage against them save for one thing: they can't kill you as fast as other decks. Because of this, you have the advantage against them, as you can continually disrupt them, and not fear Standstill as much as you usually would when Duress is still on the stack, anyways. Duress targets in order of priority are usually Standstill, Stifle, then permission. Of course, removing direct damage is important if you are about to cast Doomsday with a low life total.

Post-board, they have a lot of options to use against you, but the fact that they will have Annul might prove to be a slight problem, as your hosers are countered by their Annul. The one trick I discovered while fighting Landstill is that the Plan C kill is your most reliable road to victory against this deck. Therefore, concern yourself less with getting Doomsday off than getting ten or so spells off without a Stifle to worry about. If they board in a full set of Stifle, then you will definitely be at a disadvantage.

5. Madness:

Pre-board: B+
Post-board: A

There's little to say about this matchup. The advantage is yours, but just watch out for permission and try comboing out quickly enough, which shouldn't really be a problem for your deck so long as you can Brainstorm a couple of times. If they run strip effects (Not entirely sure if they do.), then you might have a slight problem, so don't fetch your non-basics until you really need them.

Post-board, just bring in the Matrices or the Cursed Totems, and maybe the Defense Grids. That'd teach them. =P Just don't underestimate the deck, though, or you might regret it.

6. Sui Black:

Pre-board: D/D-
Post-board: C-/D+

You're at an obvious disadvantage due to Chalice, Duress, Hymn, and Strip Effects. The moment they wreck your hand, you're in topdeck mode, which would prove problematic for you since you don't have much mana to work with and even with a full set of Power, only two Moxen. That being said, disrupt their disruption and hope for the best. Your best option is to combo out as soon as you can. Throw away caution into the wind if needed be.

Post-board, you have little to bring in against them except for some bounce and then Pithing Needle, which is only limited in use against them . Consider a Misdirection or two (Even maindecked. Remove Mox Diamond.) if Sui Black is prevalent in your area. This deck is one of your worst matchups ever, and unlike Workshop decks, can be quite popular in random metas. Yes, you can win (Barely.), but their disruption will frustrate you incredibly. Alternatively, consider bringing a different deck if Sui Black is popular in your area. Save yourself the frustration.

B.3. Versus Combo

Pure combo decks are usually a race that you are better equipped to win. Otherwise, if you're against faster combo, then it's all about the die roll. Be very careful with these decks. You never know who wins until the last moment, and matches can get fairly quick. Mulling aggressively for disruption or Force Of Will is a pretty good idea, especially against the first deck. I won't discuss Sensei, Sensei because I have yet to see it in action. Despite that, the advantage is yours if they never get mana to pump out UU, ergo win on your second turn. No easy task.

1. Belcher:

Pre-board: B-/D (Depends on who goes first.)
Post-board: A-/D (Depends on who goes first.)

Belcher is all about broken openings and fast mana. They have very little ways to deal with your combo other than Duress, which they would often use to aid their comboing out instead of hindering yours, anyways. In the first game, you just have to make sure you either go first and have disruption, or go second and have permission. Mull aggressively for this. If you survive turn one and two, then unless you do something stupid like forget to cast Doomsday when you can (Ahem, ahem.), then you're going to win.

In Game 2, board in Null Rod and/or Damping Matrix or Pithing Needle. That should swing the matchup heavily in your favor, but still be aware of the aggressive mulling needed to prevent your opponent from doing crazy stuff against you. This matchup is almost in the bag once one of your hosers hit the table. You normally run at least three of those in your deck post-board. Be warned again that Belcher is all about taking you by surprise, so you never know when they'd kill you on the first turn with Duress backing them up. It's a race that they have a headstart on. Force Of Will and Duress/Unmask is your best hope to rein them in.

2. Dragon:

Pre-board: B (Regular Dragon.); D+ (Golden Dragon.)
Post-board: C+ (Regular Dragon.); D (Golden Dragon.)

Dragon is arguably more resilient than you are to disruption due to their redundant combo parts, but is generally slower because the redundant parts can mean quite a few dead cards. Their combo, barring the version that runs on Bazaar, is a full turn slower than you, but despite that, they make up for it in running almost as much disruption and permission as you do, and a lot of search effects that help them find what they need quite quickly. It's more or less half and half when it comes to the race to combo, but the advantage of Golden Dragon is that you can't disrupt their card-searching engine, the Bazaar. Golden Dragon is a horrible matchup, especially post-board. If you were powered, the story would be entirely different, though.

Post-board, if you had board cards like Stifle or Tormod's Crypt, then the advantage swings to you due to the ability to hate them out by killing their combo. However, if you don't, the matchup is now almost in their favor because all you can board in is a Chain Of Vapor while they can board in anything from Chalice Of The Void to Stifle. Golden Dragon will have a field day on you if this is the situation. Disrupting them is nowhere near as effective as racing them to combo, so be aggressive in comboing out, and just watch out for Force Of Will.

3. Meandeath:

Pre-board: B/C- (Depends on who goes first.)
Post-board: B+/C- (Depends on who goes first.)

Meandeath is faster than you, slower than Belcher, but is a lot more consistent than Belcher while being less consistent than you. Again, it's all about who goes first, and make sure you have disruption against Meandeath. Target what resource they have little of: do they have little mana? Hit that. Do they have little draw? Hit that. Don't bother with the Wishes unless they have nothing better in their hand. If Meandeath goes first, watch out. A simple Mind's Desire for three or four can already seal the win for them, if only for the advantage a play like that generates, even if they don't win the game. Also, a first-turn Draw 7 will force you into a new hand you can't mull out of.

Post-board, consider playing Null Rod. There's little else you can play against them, but Null Rod should suffice as long as you prevent their bounce. Again, the advantage is theirs if they go first. They have far better first-turn kill odds than you do, after all. It'll be a race to combo, and your only advantage is Force Of Will. Meandeath is plain faster, period.

4. Meandeck Doomsday:

Pre-board: C
Post-board: B-/D+ (Depends on your respective boards.)

This is a no-brainer. A mirror match between players presumed to have similar playskill levels should be dead even. Doomsday is not touted for first-turn kills, so the die roll is not that important. The Doomsday decklist is so tight that you can't take away anything further from what I already did, so adding to the cards I lack (Lotus, two Moxen, Time Walk.) automatically swings the advantage to the powered player, but that's a given.

Post-board, if you ran Tormod's Crypt, Stifle, or Extract, the advantage is yours. Consider going for Defense Grid and removing your permission. That might help. The better board wins, hands down.

5. TPS:

Pre-board: A-
Post-board: A+/A- (Depends on your board.)

TPS is the easiest Storm deck to deal with. This is because while they run permission, they aren't fast enough to win based on the die roll. You actually have better odds at a turn two or three win than they do, and the key to beating this deck is disrupting them quickly. Exploit your advantage to the best. Otherwise, you'd pay for it dearly if you hit turn five. As the game gets longer, the TPS matchup swings in their favor.

Post-board, Null Rod, Stifle, and Tormod's Crypt should help you along. Extract can be great as well if they only run one Tendrils. If you have these board cards, this is a near auto-win for you. On the other hand, there's not much they can board in against you.

B.4. Versus Aggro-Combo

Aggro-combo decks are usually easier for you to deal with due to having very lucrative Duress targets and their general lack of permission, but unlike you, they have a fallback plan if they can't combo out. Consider this a race where you have a headstart that you run the risk of losing.

1. Elfclamp:

Pre-board: B+
Post-board: A

The advantage is yours all the way, except for one problem card: Wellwisher. Lifegain can ruin your combo math, but other than that, this game is a near cakewalk for you as you have three to five turns to work with before they start becoming a threat to deal with.

Game 2 should swing the game even further to you with Cursed Totem. Really now, there's little to say about this deck, as you have better odds against this deck from the get-go. Try preventing them from resolving Concordant Crossroads, by the way. It slows down their combo dramatically.

2. FCG:

Pre-board: B/B+
Post-board: B/B+

This matchup is always in your advantage, but is slightly less due to your lack of power. Despite that, FCG will always be at a setback against you as they have very little ways to disrupt your combo. It all boils down to avoiding horrible opening hands for you, and for watching your life total carefully in case you itend to go Doomsday, done.

You have little to board in against them, and so do they. The second game is almost going to be identical to the first game, so your odds stay the same.

B.5. Versus Combo-Control

Control-combo decks can be a pain when they're trying to protect their combo while disrupting yours. Your only advantage is speed. Their advantages are their wall of counters and their fairly quick win condition. Watch out for these decks, and even if you never run into the second one in the list, it's definitely worth being aware of.

1. Meandeck Oath:

Pre-board: B
Post-board: B+

You have an advantage against Oath because it takes them no less than three turns to kill you. You have three turns to work with, so use it to your advantage to disrupt them while the going is good. They are going to be relatively easy to deal with when they're too busy looking for win conditions. Consider Plan C wins when going against them. Playing Doomsday against a wall of counters is too risky for my tastes, unless you've disrupted them enough. This will be an easy matchup unless they get those patented first-turn Oath plays with Force Of Will backup. Otherwise, you can rest assured that the clock is in your favor, which means you have to play conservatively, unless you really trust your gut that they're not holding permission.

Post-board, Chain Of Vapor and Defense Grid are your best friends. Use them well, and play the way you did the first game, but be on the lookout for these hosers. Your deck will definitely have a major advantage against Oath once the Grid resolves. Otherwise, the matchup is exactly the same. If you know the meta will have lots of Oath, consider having a Claws Of Geeks... err... Gix in the board to deal with tokens. The reason Oath is a bit tougher than most control matchups is that they have an alarmingly high number of counters. Chalice Oath is a meta deck, and as such, is not a factor to consider.

2. Shortbus Severance Belcher:

Pre-board: B+
Post-board: A+/A (Almost an A+, but not quite.)

SSB is powerful, but you're not the type who'd walk with arms wide open into a Mana Drain. They have a very slow combo and while they have permission, you can easily deal with that. Even if they run Duress, it's not a big problem because they can't immediately do something crazy afterwards most of the time. The only worry is when you are safe to combo out, but the clock is definitely on your side on this one. They can't just expect to do much against you, and you can expect to disrupt them heavily throughout the game. Consider going for Plan C against this deck, by the way. Anytime someone wants to go on a counter war with you, a Mind's Desire at the end of it should make them smack their head for feeding you so much ammo.

Post-board, you become a near auto-win with so many things to board against them: Matrix, Null Rod, Defense Grid, and the like. Resolving one of at least five new pieces of hate from the board for you means you will definitely cause trouble for their deck. There's little to worry about post-board, but like any matchup, never underestimate the opponent. Some broken hands happen for SSB, and walking into one of those post-board with no FOW means you can't stop them.

B.6. Versus Workshop Aggro

Pre-board: D+
Post-board: C+

What a headache. They have lots of hate against you, some of them maindecked, and chances are, they have Sundering Titan, which is a house against your deck if you have a few lands on the table already. At least, some of their cards, such as maybe Triskelion, Seal Of Cleansing, and Duplicant are usually not-so-great cards against you. Crucible locks are not as horrible as you think they are when you realize you can combo out within three or four turns, but still must not be underestimated. That being said, you definitely have to work for your wins against these decks.

While I won't get into specific Workshop Aggro decks one by one, you just have to consider the nuances among them. For instance, Masknaught is deadly, but you can work against it by using Force Of Will. In contrast, 7/10 Split is, on the surface, safer to fight than Cerebral Assassin due to the fact that C.A. can bring the Titan into play the fastest. However, since 7/10 maindecks Chalice of the Void, you will have problems. 5/3 is less of a concern, but try to not let any Chalices or Spheres get through. I think it and 7/10 are the worst Workshop Aggro matchups for this deck, but there's one version of Workshop that just ups the wazoo when it comes to being a headache of a matchup.

Game 2 is all about your sideboard. You can actually gain an advantage if you board in all your Fluxes and B2B's, and maybe the Needles. I saw how the matchup changed dramatically when I had my board cards, and unlike Stax, they only have REB to deal with it. Smokestack is not an issue normally, but it becomes one when you have to keep a hoser in play. That being said, Workshop Aggro doesn’t emphasize Smokestack, so you have some marginal breathing room, give maybe one or two turns, which is usually enough time for you to work with.

B.6. Versus Workshop Prison, aka $T4X

Pre-board: D-/F (Depends on what hosers they run maindeck.)
Post-board: C-/D+ (I'm being too generous with a C-, but I don't think it's a D+. Call it in between.)

Wow. A whole section to only one deck? I guess since this deck is pretty much your worst matchup ever, then it's worth discussing in this much detail. $T4KS, without a doubt, is your toughest top-tier matchup in a tournament setting. There is nothing that you have that they don't have an answer to. Force Of Will? Goblin Welder. Duress? Chalice Of The Void. Rebuild? Sphere Of Resistance. Doomsday? Jester's Cap, Memory Jar. Slow play? Smokestack. Back To Basics, Energy Flux? Red Elemental Blast.

The only reason the deck is not completely unbeatable is that their lock pieces, Smokestack and Tangle Wire and possibly Uba Mask, are not going to hurt you much in Game 1 because your board is usually clear anyways. This means you don't have to play anything unless you see a plan formulating, and when you do, only their hosers can stop it. Hopefully, you have Duress and Unmask to deal with that, but you both have fairly even odds of coming up with disruption and hosers, respectively.

When playing against Workshop Prison, your best bet is to either go for a turn three kill with Unmask or FOW backup, or keep the game slow by disrupting them all the way. The main problem with fighting $T4KS is that it's so hard to do either when they are also disrupting you with their own hosers. Ergo, he who has more disruption will win. Newsflash: he will statistically have more disruption than you will. I think your life was actually easier when it was Trinisphere and not Sphere Of Resistance, as Rebuild wasn't affected by the former. Rebuild is in the maindeck for the very reason that it's your only out against a Workshop deck that resolves any of the artifacts that hose you: Trinisphere, Sphere Of Resistance, and Chalice Of The Void. The idea though is that you must win the turn after you Rebuild, or else he'll just plop down all those artifacts again.

Game 2, you will have to depend on your board to see you through. The same boarding plan as you saw in Workshop Aggro would work, but my main point of contention is that unlike Workshop Aggro, suddenly, $T4KS' main lock piece, Smokestack, becomes a factor in the game for as long as you can't keep your hosers on the table. If you can, then the win is yours. But that's a tall order, as they will also probably board in some REB's to deal with B2B or Flux. That being said, if you were fully powered, then this matchup shouldn't be as hard as I say it is right now. But then, if you're not, then it will definitely be their game most of the time.

Without a doubt, this is your worst matchup, period. If you ever go into a meta with lots of these decks, forget it. Stompy would have better odds than Meandeck Doomsday.

C. Problem Cards To Skirt Around

I'll be generous here and give you the top ten cards you would want to watch out for. These are the cards that you have to work around when playing Meandeck Doomsday. These are in order of difficulty of dealing with. As I’m not the first to write about Doomsday, I don’t suppose I’m telling you anything you don’t already know, so no new tech against my own deck for you. =P

1. Chalice Of The Void: Setting it for 1 or 0 will definitely set you back. You have a lot of spells that cost only 1 or 0, and these are the spells that jumpstart your play into the combo.

2. Sphere Of Resistance: Unlike Trinisphere, Rebuild is affected by this, which actually makes it more annoying than Trinisphere, in my opinion. Trinisphere is still a card you don’t like to see on the table, though.

3. Stifle: I actually worry more about this card than Force Of Will. Using FOW on a Mind's Desire will not hurt it. Using a Stifle would. Hence, any deck that runs Stifle should be disrupted before you do anything Storm-wise. I'm lumping the rest of permission as the number three concern for Doomsday, but Stifle is chief amongs those concerns.

4. Wasteland: Every time you run into decks playing these, you have to use fetchlands conservatively. Fetch basics whenever you can, and try to keep Gush to respond to a Waste or a Strip. You need all the mana you can get, as you intend to win within three to five turns. Ruining your mana base means you will delay your win beyond that.

5. Jester's Cap: Get hit by this card, and if you're not holding your kill conditions or if they're not in the graveyard, then it's game over. Unlike Extract or Cranial Extraction, the Cap can remove all of your kill conditions in one go.

6. Arcane Laboratory: Usually comes off the board, and costs 3. You also board in bounce when this is expected. Ergo, it's a problem to work around, but it's not as big a problem as it seems. Duress and Unmask hit this card with ease. The trick is being aware which decks can afford to board this in against you, and preparing yourself to deal with them.

7. Meddling Mage: Two of these means you have to bounce one of them before comboing out. They're not artifacts, so your bounce is in the board. Uh-oh. If it's any consolation, you don't expect them to have two in play by turn two. If you had only one kill condition, you'd have problems, neh?

8. Tormod's Cryt: It's not a big problem because you have Plan B and a Timetwister-fueled Plan C to work around Tormod's. Just be aware of the possibility of the Crypt post-board when you see a Plan A hand dependent on Yawgmot's Will. At this juncture, I just noticed how many cards you have to worry about are dealt with by Pithing Needle. You got to love that card.

9. Pyrostatic Pillar: If you cast ten spells and get hit for each low-CC spell in it by the Pillar, you just know you're going to die. It can be dealt with by casting a non-lethal Tendrils before using Yawgmoth's Will, and of course, bounce. Be glad it's usually from the board. Ankh of Mishra is maindecked, but at least you only play one land a turn, so at most, it will deal five damage to you because you used a fetchland, and then you combo out afterwards.

10. Memory Jar: Anytime you go for Plan B, always consider the remote odds of being forced to draw cards. Memory Jar comes to mind because it happened to me once. Ancestral Recall, Wheel Of Fortune, and other similar cards are a minor concern once Doomsday's on the prowl.

D. Conclusion

I hope you liked this three-part primer. It sure took me a long time to work on all of this, but this is my labor of love for the MTG Vintage community. If you have any suggestions, feel free to let me know about them.

At the end of the day, not everyone can play combo or likes to play combo. Despite that, a good grasp of the thought process going into a deck like Meandeck Doomsday would certainly do one's gameplay and strategy favors. The critical thinking and decision-making involved in Doomsday is sufficient enough of a step beyond the most brainless of aggro decks, is interactive enough to mimic control due to Force, Duress, and Unmask, but is intermediate enough to be a gateway into more complex combo decks like Meandeck Tendrils and Meandeath. Knowing how a combo player's mind works is also a valuable tool for and against the combo player.

I hope that this primer has given people a deeper appreciation for this deck, which I personally laud as one of the best decks I've ever seen, not because it's unbeatable (Far from it.), but because the deck construction is just so elegant. Meandeck Doomsday is generally a meta deck, which means you can't expect to walk into a Workshop-heavy environment and win with ease, or at all in some cases. This deck is a house against the aggro-heavy environment of the Philippine meta, and as such, is worth a try when such a meta presents itself.