Thoughts and Non Thoughts

He caught Federer on one of the Swiss's best days at the Australian Open Finals. That third set tiebreak was tennis of the highest quality. But he'll have his time. Wimbledon perhaps?

This post on a swing thought related to transition is a swing thought to keep. This puts it all together for me, like learning the basics when starting to learn how to swing. All subsequent swing thoughts that worked are captured by it. The junk that came from poor advice along the way, including those from a range pro, are automatically disregarded. I haven't felt this good about my swing for some time.

"Myrna" "Cascade"

... Planted.

22 posts in 25 days. Not a bad start for the year...

to an end. There's more to life...

A Swatch Irony, close to twenty years old. Strap has been replaced but still is in good shape.

Finish the backswing, even if it means a pause at the top. Resist the urge to start the downswing with the hands or shoulder. No jerking, no uncocking of the wrist . Think SMOOTH. The transition should be the most RELAXED state of the whole swing as far as the hands and arms are concerned. Just let your hands drop naturally to the side as the downswing automatically follows the correct plane to impact and the shoulders rotate to the finish.

The Seiko 5 Sports SNK031K (7S26-01G0). It has a 7S26a movement which is used in new production divers. Very nice bracelet, akin to the Omega Bond Seamaster's. No wonder it is called a Seiko Seamaster.

on a Friday.

you wonder if some things are worth it. What is the right question -- "what for?" or "for what?"? What to do when you see a lot of b$*^s#%&? Turn your nose up? not inhale? Sometimes...

All that watches do is tell time. Or is it? To some it is a fashion statement. Like clothes, they can be an expression of personality. There are dress watches and sports watches and designer watches. Others collect watches like paintings, cars, or girlfriends. These are prized (and pricey) possessions, each one an object of desire. Others are fascinated by the mechanical qualities of movements and complications, marveling at the engineering and workmanship that go into such a small package. And there are watches designed for diving, racing and landing on the moon. And of course watches tell time. Not the time "as the clock strikes" but the time that a watch marks in your life. The graduation gift from your parents. The gift from the ex-girlfriend who is now your wife (or you wish is your wife). The watch you bought with your first paycheck. The watch the company gave you after a decade of employment. The watch you bought (or should have bought) on your first trip to Europe. T

Suunto G6 Showing a bit of the knocks from the fairway and driving range sessions. Very comfortable it gets a lot of wrist time on weekends.

I've had this for more than 30 years, but haven't used it for many years, just kept it in a box. I recently looked at it and it still works! However, noticed the scratches on the glass and oxidation on the hands. Should I have it serviced? Or "if it ain't broke..."

Different faces of this versatile daily beater. Glamour Portrait Time to call it a night. (Omega model ref 2503.80)

This is my first Omega. Had it for more than ten years, still keeps great time. It's a very versatile watch, looks good in a suit and around the clubhouse too.

Post-processed. In monochrome. (taken with Nokia E75 and photoshopped.)

Canon EOS 10D + 28-135 IS lens.

The New Balance 904 has all the buzzwords: lightweight, provides stability and just the right support for overpronators like me. Well, it doesn't disappoint. Out of the box it felt great right away and the first 5k walk-run with it was a joy. I've used it for about 20k now and it feels even better, living up to all the descriptions above. These shoes really make you love running more and hate it less. Best running shoes I've ever had.

Avatar on IMAX is awesome. The 3D adds another dimension (pun intended) to the already stunning visual effects, bringing one closer to the "you are there" experience. It is used to good effect, adding to the story, but not overwhelming it. After the initial impact of 3D, the movie has to stand on the strength of the plot and characters, just like any movie, and Avatar pulls it off successfully. Very good transition from the human world to the alien world, their contrast (machine vs nature) and inevitable clash of the two worlds. It took one hundred years for movies to get here but what a watermark! This is definitely the future of cinema. A masterpiece by James Cameron.

Tough choice.

Mall of Asia (taken with a cellphone - sometimes you use what you have)

Each culture has its hot buttons. Filipinos have been described as tolerant, friendly, warm, and hospitable, specially by foreigners. I believe this is an apt description of Filipinos at their best -- but touch a hot button, like calling them a nation of servants, mail-order brides, or joke about their medical education and you will see a collective reaction and even an official response from the Philippine embassy. There have been poor souls who bore the brunt of Filipino cyberhate after being falsely accused of writing anti-Filipino blogs or an entry on Facebook implying that Filipinos deserve suffering calamities for their sins. Some say these hot buttons are wired deep. Count three centuries of being called Indios by the Spanish, and then fifty more years of Japanese and American colonialism. When you are subjugated, you bite your tongue when you hear your subjugators' insults and find other ways of getting back at them. One of them is through humor. You make fun of them behind

View from Phase 2 of Ayala Greenfield Estates. Laguna de Bay (Lake) on the left and Mt Makiling on the right. Perfect. (taken with Nokia E75)

One of the more interesting documentaries last year was National Geographic's Apocalypse World War II. It is always interesting to decipher if history is a product of circumstances or the actions of individual people. I believe it is both. Of course circumstances have to be ripe for revolutionary or colossal events to happen -- one can go back to the French Revolution, the American Revolution etc -- and that of Nazi Germany is no exception. But I also believe the actions of some individuals direct the turn of these events. In this case, Hitler's fanaticism and those around him. One of the most telling footages from this documentary is the sight of the six children of Joseph and Magda Goebbels playing in their yard as if the world was perfect even as the tide of war was turning against them, and the same children killed by their own parents when the end of the Reich drew near. Maybe the course of history can be likened to a car -- the circumstances are like the engine providing

These fireworks may be simple, but they welcome the new year and the new decade no less. Happy New Year!