Thoughts and Non Thoughts

2nd Floor, Greenbelt 5. Their Chocolate Oblivion and Cheesecake are really good. Probably the best place for dessert in all of Makati. Enough said.

Learned a lot about the golf swing, especially mine, this year. Some of these - I need to make a wide, full backswing, ie, I have to feel my back is facing the target at the top. My right elbow has to separate from my body. - Early wrist cock works for me, ie, it helps avoid a slice. - I am still prone to an outside-in downswing. Keeping the lag (wrist cock) on the downswing and aiming from the inside is a key swing thought to avoid this. - I already have a good pivot on the forward swing, my problem is that it goes ahead of my arm swing. This tendency to square the clubface with my body shifts my plane to the left of target leading to pulls, loss of spine angle and thin shots. I need to wait until after impact before I make the full turn to face the target. - Making a proper release at impact is key to clean contact but very hard to accomplish: it begins with a "short thumb" grip, holding the club diagonally across the fingers and the palm, then the release has to be timed p...

Ayala Greenfield Golf and Leisure Club A 140-yard downhill shot over a ravine. Too bad I bogeyed this hole. Sometimes I wonder if photography can really mix with golf.

Went to the Ayala Museum just before Christmas. The Gold Collection is quite impressive. Combined with the ceramic (China) collection, it gives a good picture of a strong pre-Hispanic culture and puts forward strong evidence for the claim that the Philippine Islands was a "crossroad of civilizations",ie, Chinese, Indian, and Austranesian, which continued during the Spanish galleon trade. Of course the dioramas depicting Philippine historical events are interesting as usual. If you are looking for an educational way to spend a couple of hours in Makati, this is highly recommended. Lunch or snacks at the superb restaurant downstairs would cap it nicely.

With so much tragedy throughout the year - from floods and typhoons to a volcano about to erupt, massacres and kidnappings – one can be forgiven for asking what is there to celebrate. Indeed the human condition is frail, as nature and the media constantly remind us. Even without these constant reminders, we encounter in our everyday lives our shortcomings and those of others, our mortality - and the heartaches these imperfections bring to others and to ourselves. Yet Christmas reminds us that despite our shortcomings, we are loved. That we are more than the sum of our mistakes and imperfections. You may not buy the whole religious reason for Christmas, that Somebody cared enough for you to take the trouble to be born in a manger. But this act of love is too big not to spread around and this kindness and warmth make us feel bigger than our heartaches. Christmas also gives us the chance to look beyond the shortcomings and imperfections of others. It asks us to forget our disappointments ...

The mist descends on the fairways as seen from the tee box of hole no. 15. The microweather at Ayala Greenfield is amazing. You can see the weather change completely within one morning - from showery to sunny to misty - and then another cycle.

While we're on the subject of the University of the Philippines, here are some of the other photos taken on Dec 12. Quezon Hall On weekends the Diliman campus turns into a park. A father and son navigating the Beta Way. But you still find the typical student cramming for that exam. And the usual taho and Ikot jeepney in front of the AS Steps. Camera used was a Canon EOS10D. Shots with film here .

The UP Lantern Parade is also an occasion when students, faculty, alumni and the community gather to celebrate the spirit of Christmas in the University. It starts with the parade of lanterns around the Academic Oval that ends in front of Quezon Hall, and the festivities culminate with fireworks. Here are some more photos taken that night. The Carillon It's a cold night and I'm butt-naked in front of all these people Merry Christmas from the University of the Philippines!

Every year, the University of the Philippines holds its Lantern Parade just before it breaks for Christmas. The different colleges in the Diliman campus show off their creativity in this annual tradition which has become a much anticipated event for students and alumni. Some photos taken during last night's Lantern Parade. Manny Pacquiao doing the Pagdanggo sa Ilaw (College of Fine Arts) An elephant. Chinese-themed lanterns. What looks like a giant prawn about to be grilled. Faces and candles.

Took a walk around the University of the Philippines campus with a film camera. It has been a very long time since I bought film and all I have are expired. Still I tried them to see how it would turn out. You be the judge. From expired Koday HD200. Academic Oval (film scanned and converted to B&W using PS. In what is called the UP Lagoon.

Went for these. One try with the 6 iron and it felt like how an iron should feel. It may be too much club for my handicap right now but I tried it on the range and it was surprisingly easy to hit. They go straight and high, less workable than the Ping S57 that I also tried but much softer in feel. It comes with the NSPro 950GH Stiff and I think the shaft has a lot to do with my liking it. My current gamers are TaylorMade Burners in NSPro 950GH Regular, which I find easy to hit but too light in the mid to long irons. I tried a friend's MP52 with Project X 5.5 and found it too heavy. These are forgiving sticks but still give you feedback if you mishit so it prevents you from getting sloppy. In the shorter irons and PW, I have to remind myself to keep my spine angle through the release. Choking a little also helps with control. In the long run I think these will be real game improvers but not too punishing while I'm still improving the consistency ...

Reshafted my TM CGB Max with a Graphite Design Tour AD ys5+ stiff. It's a match made in heaven. Compared to the stock Re-ax (stiff Japanese which felt very harsh), this one is smooth without being whippy. It's a surprise since the ys5+ measured 254 cpm vs the Re-ax's 247 cpm. At the driving range, I measured my swing speed using my Suunto G6 watch and got an average of 94 mph -- perfect for this shaft, according to GD's Perf-Fit Guide . It gave a more boring trajectory, plus dispersion is tighter. I also don't have to muscle it and can therefore get distance while making a more controlled swing. I can't wait to bring it to the fairways!

Hank Haney advocates a grip that is not all fingers. He suggests the left palm partly grips the club. It goes against what I've been taught but I have not been getting consistency so I tried it today at the range. I noticed that my hooks and wild sprays disappeared instantly. It makes it easier to feel "back of the hand aiming at the target at impact." It encourages a shorter, more compact, backswing and allows you to make a full turn on the follow through without fearing the ball will go left. Is this the key to consistency? We'll see on the fairway.

When all is said and done, what matters most is not how much you were loved but how much you loved.

De la Torre's method really simplifies things. "Bring the clubhead back with the hands, then swing the entire club towards the target with your arms." Arms being the upper arm, between the shoulders and elbows. "Your job is to swing the club, not hit the ball." It's like a wave that washes away all other swings thoughts on the shore. You just swing, the club takes care of the ball.

Many of the golf instructions focus on positions -- of the body, arms, club -- during the swing. This is well and good. Few talk about tempo, which is important in accomplishing a swinging action. Advocates of the Manuel de la Torre method and Tour Tempo bring these concepts to the fore. My pro gave me an insight that helped me incorporate these into my swing. He noticed I already have (more than) enough body/pivot movement and suggested I focus on the movement of my arms and hands. He said I should start my takeaway/backswing faster, slow down at the top/transition before accelerating again in the downswing. Of course it is important to swing from the inside out and retain that wrist cock/hinge/lag in the downswing. When everything else (swing plane thoughts) fails, it may be the tempo that is off.

Record rainfall caused flooding in Manila. six hours of rain equivalent to a month's rainfall. My daughter commented that she can now relate to the Noah's Ark story. If six hours of continuous rain can do this, you would really need an ark for 40 days and 40 nights of non-stop rain.

This is a cheap shot at "pogi points" at the expense of the historical integrity of the Philippine Flag. The eight rays of the sun in the flag are embedded in the Philippine Declaration of Independence. A look at the history and evolution of the Flag reveals the profound meanings the revolutionaries who fought for independence put into the design of the flag. No one should lightly put these things aside, not even -- not specially -- a Senator who has not shown any significant contribution. I say leave the flag alone. If they can't respect its historical significance, how can the citizens be expected to show it more respect?

Ayala Greenfield Golf and Leisure Club. Fairways of hole no. 4 and 5.

Shelved the Nike Unitized Leo and went with the Yes! Nicky. First time I held it in my hands, it immediately felt right. I was actually surprised, this being an "old-fashioned" heel-shafted flange putter. But the double sight lines looked reassuring, and the 350-gram headweight felt perfect. The heavy toe seemed to help with my tendency to push putts, like a draw biased driver alleviating the tendency to slice. The fact that it looks similar to an iron at address also lends it an immediate familarity. The proprietary C-Groove technology attempts to bring this design to the 21st century. It works best with minimal forward press and the ball left of center. On the greens today, it gave a preview of its potential. Distance control was superb and short putts seemed easy to sink. The best of the lag putting feel from my Cameron Circa 62 #2 and the short putt confidence from my Odyssey 2-Ball Blade. The Nike Unitized Leo ended up not as good at distance co...

Had quite a good striking with the irons. In a recent golf forum discussion, the topic was "do you hit with your left or right arm?" A similar question/thread was, "do you push or pull in your backswing and downswing?" What works for me is that I push with my left arm/shoulder in my backswing, then I pull with my left arm in the downswing -- until impact -- then the right arm takes over on the release just after impact and then the follow through. The finish is a natural turn of the body as the right arm follows the swing plane towards the left shoulder. An early wrist cock in the backswing is critical for me, with this "lag" maintained on the downswing. I hope this holds up...

Replaced the Japanese R flex shaft of the 19 degree Burner Rescue with a Japanese S flex. Suits my swing better, not balloning now. Still easy to hit. Having compared the Burner Rescue clubs with Reax shafts (19 and 25 deg) vs the Cobra Baffler DWS with an Aldila NV 65 R shaft (a club I've been using for more than a year), I can sense that the Aldila has a "smoother", really sweet feel to it. The Reax shaft is a bit "grainier" or rough in feel. The Rescue head is very forgiving and has a hot face. I wonder if shafting them with Aldila will really transform them to something magical. The jury is still out, so I'll give it more time, but so far these have been very good clubs for me. Didn't have that good a putting game with the Nike Unitized. I don't know if it's because the greens were soggy or because it was raining during the entire front nine. Let's see if it will redeem itself next time. Oh, and rain and golf definitely don't go toget...

Got new clubs this last couple of weeks. 1. A Nike Unitized Leo putter. It has an Anser-type head that has been laser-welded into the shaft to have a "unitized" club to enhance feel. From one round it does seem to live up to its promise on distance control. The SS303 face is "hotter" than the carbon steel Circa 62 but actually requires less backswing for me, probably beneficial since I have a slow putting stroke. It has a surgical and precise feel which gives confidence. Let's see how it goes for a couple of months. 2. Burner Rescue 19 and 25 degrees. I really like these, specially the 25 deg rescue. Need to be more consistent with the 19 deg but I have been able to hit it well in the range. A couple of months and the verdict will be out. 3. V Steel 3 wood. This one is a keeper. For the first time I can hit a 3 wood on the fairway. Just need a more consistent swing, but this has already allowed me to rea...

Before You're 10: 1. A childhood friend 2. A good English teacher 3. A sport In Your Teens: 1. A girlfriend/boyfriend or at least a crush 2. A good Math/Art/Computer teacher 3. A good dentist/derma In Your 20's: 1. Lifelong friends 2. Political beliefs 3. Your owns sense of style In Your 30's: 1. A family 2. A passion, business, or career 3. A good barber/hairdresser In Your 40's: 1. A good doctor/internist 2. A good banker 3. A good lawyer In Your 50's: 1. A spiritual adviser 2. A good name 3. A contribution to society In Your 60's and Beyond: Pick any 3 from the above. The list doesn't actually come in sequence.

How do you score 93 while not hitting your irons well? By scoring two birdies with chip ins. Maybe the question should be -- how can you have two birdies and score 93? By not hitting your irons well.

He did what was never done before -- beat Tiger Woods when he was leading after 54 holes. Ranked 110th in the world, he came from nowhere, shooting 67 on the 3rd round to start the final round 2 shots behind. Now he is the PGA Tour champion. He got a good break with that eagle chip on the 14th hole. But it was more than luck. He made an amazing blind shot over a tree on the 18th, then shot an 8-foot birdie putt to seal the deal. He basically kept his cool, the yin of Yang. A late bloomer, taking up golf at 19 years old and turning pro at 30, he is the first Asian-born golfer to win a major. Quite a feat. My friends are already asking what 3-hybrid he used to make that 205 yard shot on the 18th. I think the sales of this club will skyrocket. It was a Taylormade rescue TP (19-degree) Aldila NVS 105.

You saved Philippine democracy. For those who lived through it, you embodied the best hopes and ideals, the best that a Filipino can be. You are an icon not just in the Philippines but also in the world. May we live up to your ideals, and be ready to stand up for what you stood for. May we as a people deserve you. May you finally find the peace that had eluded you all these years.

So far the putting thought that works for me is rock and roll. Basically it is to keep the knees and the head steady while rocking the shoulders. Right shoulder up on the "backswing" and left shoulder up on the "through" swing. Rock your shoulders -- then listen to the ball roll into the cup. Rock and roll.

I feel sad that Tom Watson lost in The Open. He embodied the hope of eternal youth. That age didn't matter, that one can win golf majors at 59. His win would have given us all a belief in our unfading powers. It almost happened, and for more than one moment it was in the realm of the probable. And for that I thank Tom Watson. Because he dared to prove what we all want to believe in. One day, someone will do it. Because Tom Watson showed that it could be done.

Scored a round of 93 today. It was quite windy, like playing on a links course. Driving was on -- 300 yards on the 18th hole, helped by the wind and a cart path bounce. :-) Now if I can only nail those 6 footer birdie putts....

And Tom Watson, 59, is in the lead. Go Tom!

There is a restaurant in Gerona, Tarlac, called Isdaan. You eat on one of these floating rafts. Double-fried pla-pla and inihaw na hito -- yummy! A more interesting feature is the Tacsiyapo Wall, where you can throw glasses, plates, vases -- anything -- while shouting "Tacsiyapo!" to vent your anger. There's a pile of broken glass and ceramics that speaks for itself. As the wall says, it's an effective way to release your anger. Tacsiyapo is a local cuss word, so no need to add your own. Angry at anyone or anything? Tacsiyapo!

Too bad for Andy Roddick. He deserved to win the Wimbledon Championship as much as Federer. After a record-breaking (and heartbreaking for Roddick) 30 games in the 5th set, Federer prevailed in the late summer evening sun. The championship was Roddick's had he converted his 6-2 lead in the 2nd set tie-breaker. A 2-0 set lead would have been too hard to overcome, specially with the way Roddick was serving all night. Somehow Federer stole the set, and the match turned into a battle of stamina and consistency in the homestretch. Federer deserves the win after holding Roddick at bay the whole night, and his service game served him well. With the win, he sets a new record for most Grand Slam championships. He is ranked number 1 now, but the shadow of Rafael Nadal looms large and long as the shadows on Center Court. He has the numbers, but he may have to beat Nadal on the same court if he is to erase any lingering doubt that he is the better, if not the best, player today. The greatest o...

If you are a high or medium handicapper, this is probably the best book on the golf swing you can get. What I like about it is that it goes back to basics -- no, essentials. For instance, there is a very definitive discussion on the grip. But it goes beyond the basic fundamentals for beginners. It is unequivocal about what is an essential golf swing element. For instance, the end of the takeaway position is an essential (parallel to the ground and the target line). It is more than a breakdown of the swing into intermediate positions; on the contrary, it simplifies staying on plane by indicating two important drills for the backswing and the release. His descriptions of the "feel" is also spot-on, such as the wrist cock (he doesn't call it that but describes how to do it) at the start of the takeaway. It is not a collection of tips. Haney distinguishes his approach from the "instant fix" mode of instruction. He refers to Hogan...

Been using this smartphone for about a week now. It's really good and deserves the positive reviews it has received. I like it much better than my Nokia N95. It is sleeker and has much better build quality. The sliding querty keyboard comes in really handy when you are typing long text messages. It also starts and runs faster, unlike the N95 that seems to take forever to launch applications and programs. Plus, it's got push email capability. To help protect the screen I looked for a screen protector in some of the cellphone shops in the malls but looks like there is none yet for this new model. So I checked if the solution I used for the viewfinder of my Canon DSLR would work. Well, it does. I was thinking of a temporary fix but maybe it's for keeps (see pics above). It's simple really, just use a packing tape like the one below to cover the screen, then use a blade or a cutter to cut the edges -- voila!

Time flies! It's the end of June and suddenly the first half of 2009 is gone. Six months. The world has seen the inauguration of Barack Obama, swine flu, the passing away of Michael Jackson and Farrah Fawcett, unrest in Iran, Steve Jobs back at work, the "emerging shoots of the economy" that seem short-lived, scandal in the UK House of Parliament, and my losing 18 pounds! Well, Christmas is less than 180 days away, and I still have around 20 weeks to break 90. This has so far been a mixed bag of a year and it promises to continue being so. Shaping up to be a year to remember.

Your smile brightened many a young boy's heart. And through the years you always showed grace. Miss Farrah Fawcett, you will be missed.

He was a storybook, magical, tragic, larger than life figure even in death. He will be ranked among Marilyn Monroe and Elvis Presley as an iconic personality. Neverland will become like Graceland. He wasn't able to launch his comeback in life, but in death he will make his comeback with a vengeance. May he rest in peace.

It was a week -- and more. The weather made sure the final round would spill over to a Monday. It is a US Open to remember because one might forget it otherwise. One might remember the greens being flooded and swept. Or that the rounds spilled over into each other. There was the Mickelson factor, riding on a wave of emotion due to his wife's approaching battle with cancer. And there was Tiger Woods who was almost a non-factor. Neither was able to conjure enough magic to transform this Open into another chapter in their legends in the making. One may remember Ricky Barnes and how he disintegrated in the last round. Put all of this together and this could still be one of the most forgettable US Opens. But that would be unfair to Lucas Glover, the first man since 2005 to win the Open after not making the cut in previous tries. His story may not be as dramatic, but he did write a story that is heartwarming as it is personal. It is the story of someone who was seen to be full of promise...

Got rained again... Didn't know New Jersey could get this rainy this time of year. I'm betting on Mike Weir and Phil Mickelson.

I've been using a Canon EOS 10D for the last five years. It's a dinosaur by tech standards but still takes good pictures as the day I got them. The build quality is top notch. Aside from megapixel count, it does lack some of the features of the newer models, including the image sensor "cleaning". But there is a way, and the one I found seems to work well. Here are the basic starting materials. They are a wooden spatula (given out with some ice cream cups) and an anti-static wipe such as Dust Off (Pledge Wipes also work). Cut the wide end of the wooden spatula with a knife to have a straight beveled edge. Cut a 3 inch square piece of the wipe. Wrap the wipe around the spatula end. Wipe the sensor gently but with single strokes. Disclaimer: It works for me, but your mileage may vary. I am not responsible for any damage caused to your equipment from using my method.

Had some resistors made to load into the Jolida phono amp. The dynavector 20XL recommends a resistance loading of 30 ohms. To lower the load nearer this number, I place a 62 ohm resistor in parallel via a T-connector into the phono stage. The net resistance is around 38 ohms, which I find just right. (I also tried 47 ohm and 82 ohm resistors.)

Got back from a holiday. Nice break. Lost 5 pounds too. Total of 15 pounds in 3 months.

I've had this phono stage for almost two years now. It's been paired with a Dynavector 20XL cart mounted on a VPI Scout. It's a pretty good phono stage, very dynamic. It has a tube output stage, and tube rolling the pair of 12ax7s really has a big impact on the sound. The stock Jolida tubes I found quite forward. I have tried a few 12ax7s and here are my impressions: Tungsol (new production) - sound is more restrained, a bit dry. Electro Harmonix - quite forward, with a lot of gain, but rough. Sovtek LPS - big bass and heavy bottom end, but has a peaky upper midrange. Telefunken (NOS) - very detailed but sometimes sounds bright. JJ (Slovak) - warm and smooth, but with less gain than the others. This is the tube I left in the Jolida. Settings of the dip switches 100 ohm (#1 on) 0 capacitance (none on) Gain at #2 Output RCAs used is "Hi"

It looks cool - It sounds great too, perfect for the bedroom. Don't expect that much bass, but the midrange is quite warm. Compatible with ipod classic and the new itouch. Comes with a remote. Worth considering if you're looking for ipod dock speakers.

It looks like the (selective browsing) problem with PLDT myDSL happens when you set your DNS to automatic. There's a couple of solutions: 1. Set the DNS manually at the TCP/IP Connection setting. Here are some of PLDT's DNS servers: 58.69.254.3 58.69.254.4 58.69.254.8 58.69.254.9 58.69.254.43 58.69.254.46 58.69.254.70 58.69.254.72 58.69.254.103 58.69.254.104 58.69.254.106 58.69.254.133 58.69.254.134 58,69.254.135 58.69.254.137 202.57.96.4 203.87.128.3 203.172.11.21 203.172.11.25 203.172.11.26 2. Use Opendns servers: simply use the ff in the DNS setting 208.67.222.222 208.67.220.220 Just be aware that there have been reported cases of Opendns blocking some google pages. I used the first PLDT DNS server listed above and it has solved my problem completely. I also noticed webpages loading faster than before. Hope this fix is going to hold up. 3. Update >>> You can now use Google DNS 8.8.8.8 8.8.4.4 Hope this helps.

Got these earphones to replace the stock ipod earphones. What a nice surprise! The music played through these 'phones have the right balance between detail and weight. I played Miles Davis's "Kind of Blue" on a 5.5 gen ipod and the bass lines are well defined and tuneful. The texture of Miles' trumpet and the sax solos are tangible with just a hint of warmth. Cymbals decay naturally. These are great value for less than $20 and bring the ipod experience to a new level. They may not have the same level of resolution and warmth as good in-ear monitors (IEMs)like the Shure e2c, but they are no less enjoyable, especially for day to day use when the noise reduction function of IEMs are not needed.

It's been a week now. Some websites won't load. This sucks.

The pairing of Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson provided a sideshow that took center stage Sunday at the US Masters. At one point, it looked possible for Phil Mickelson to take a share of the lead. And if that was possible, then of course Tiger could as well. But their sideshow faltered at the end and they had to surrender center stage to the leaders. The trio of Chad Campbell, Kenny Perry and Angel Cabrera provided one of the most entertaining endings to a Masters, when they went on a three-way sudden death playoff. Campbell couldn't deliver when it mattered, though he played solidly. I feel the most for Kenny Perry, I think he should have won it, during regulation. And he still had a chance in the first playoff hole. But such is golf, and no one can fathom the minds of the golf gods. Who would have thought a second shot bouncing off trees would give Cabrera a perfect set up for an approach shot to save par? Cabrera seemed like he was playing Sunday with nothing to lose and, in the ...

Chad Campbell proved his first round lead wasn't a fluke by staying at the lead at the end of round 2. Tiger has not made his move, and he's running out of time. Anthony Kim was a big surprise with a round of 65, breaking the tournament record with 11 birdies. I think he's the guy to watch.

Backswing with the shoulder, downswing with the arms...

Or Con whimper ?

You can still be famous...

Eden Atwood is one of the best kept secrets of jazz. Playing this album (180 g 45 rpm vinyl) brings an hour filled with musical enjoyment. The recording quality is superb, it brings you into the session. Eden sings with a lot of soul, her style borders on the raw rather than the over polished, which makes the songs come alive with emotion. Superb set of musicians. Tom Harrell brings in a spontaneity rare in recordings these days, as in the first cut (Without a Song) where his flugelhorn weaves around the vocals of Atwood, as if coaxing her next sigh. The sparse arrangement of "Blame It on My Youth" brings home the point of the song, and bares its heartache. Overall a nice selection of ballads that Atwood makes her own. This album and this artist deserve a wider audience.

Reviews to follow...

Used the Jim Furyk grip, the double overlap, during yesterday's round. This really helped me swing with my left arm and hold back the right arm and hand. Scored 41 on the back nine.

Could this be the dream of Fernando Amorsolo, what he saw in his sleep? Or could this be his worst nightmare? If not, then maybe Van Gogh's then.

A harvest scene in Batangas, coming from Laiya going back to Manila. What attracted me was the unique architecture of the building in the middle of the field. It doesn't look like someone lives there, more like a storage of tools. Yet it has a veranda wrapped around the second floor. Perhaps a rest house? Or a watchtower?

After reaching the top on plane, how to make the downswing on plane? Here's the tricky part, because the feeling of an on-swing plane comes from the rotation of the shoulder. But the downswing is not initiated by the shoulder. The shoulder rotation is just an effect. Initiating the downswing with the shoulder will tend to result in an over the top (outside-in) move. What seems to work is to initiate the downswing by tucking the right elbow into the right side and then quickly turning the right hip toward the target. Tuck then hip turn. The club will pass close to the right side and after a crisp impact the club is released on the follow through and the shoulder rotates on plane. Sounds complicated but tuck then hip turn simplifies it. Tuck then hip turn.