1. Arn went to Foot Locker to buy an extra pair of shoelaces. He ended up…
a) Spending more
b) With new shoes
c) Still with no extra shoelaces
d) All of the above
2. Arn accidentally put what in his coffee?
a) Black pepper
b) No really, black pepper.
Answer to #1: D. I got myself an Air Max 180 running shoe.
3. Arn tried to steam fish. After 30 minutes, the fish was still raw. Why?
a) He forgot to turn on the heat.
b) He forgot to put water.
c) He forgot to put the fish.
d) Because he puts pepper in his coffee.
Answer to #2: A. Don’t ask.
4. Arn saw a “typical Arn movie that only Arn would love”. What was it?
a) “Cloverfield”
b) “Meet the Spartans”
c) “Rambo”
d) “Definitely, Maybe”
Answer to #3: B. At least it’s not C right?
5. After his treadmill routine at the gym, Arn cooled down by
a) Walking for 5 minutes
b) Sitting down and watching TV
c) Dancing that Totoy Mola macho dancer dance
d) No matter what I write here, I know you’re still trying to visualize the previous item (eeewww)
Answer to #4: B.
6. Arn stopped what he was doing in #5 because
a) Another person entered the gym
b) Arn didn’t see this person enter the gym
c) This other person probably thinks it’s a “cultural” thing.
d) All of the above.
Answer to #5: C.
7. During Xbox 360 night, Rache, Lei and Jen discovered that:
a) Arn used to play Dance Revo all day.
b) Their floors are extremely strong to take this kind of beating.
c) A fat guy dancing Jungle Boogie is extremely funny.
d) All of the Above
Answer to #6: D.
8. During karaoke night, all the onshore people heard
a) Arn’s voice crack and croak when he sang “Balisong” by Rivermaya
b) What should only be heard by Arn in his shower.
c) Something horrible
d) All of the Above
Answer to #7: D.
9. During lunch time while at work, Arn went down to the office lobby then went outside. It was -12c and people were looking at him. He went back up because he forgot his:
a) jacket
b) brain
c) common sense
d) All of the above
Answer to #8: D.
10. One morning, Arn messed up his garlic rice by
a) Burning the garlic
b) All of the above
Answer to #9: D.
11. Arn was at the treadmill and people were looking at him. Why?
a) He was skipping
b) Who the hell skips on a treadmill?
Answer to #10: A.
12. Arn was supposed to pick up Maika so they both can go to the office together. Arn…
a) Forgot to pick up Maika and went to the office alone.
b) Made Maika wait
c) Sorry Maika
Answer to #11: A.
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
The Arn Quiz!
Friday, February 15, 2008
More Gym Stories
I’m becoming more of a gym rat lately. I’m happy though that I haven’t seen any of the “gym characters” I wrote about before.
After my usual cycle + treadmill routine, I decided to do some free weights. It’s been a long time since I last used dumbbells so I picked up two 10-pounders, faced the mirror and did some bicep curls with small grunts (for effect).
There’s this huge muscular guy beside me wearing a tank top and he was curling 40-pounders… easily.
He was smiling as if there was a camera behind the mirror. I was frowning because I was having a hard time lifting these stupid things and my left arm started to hurt.
I stopped, looked at him and said “We look like that before-after ad for Hydroxycut!” (Hydroxycut is a weight loss pill by the way). He stopped, dropped the 40 pound weights into the mat, went down on his knees and started snickering while feeling and stretching his bicep. I think he hurt himself but he was still laughing.
He stood back up and tried to lift again. He glanced at me but he started chuckling again. I wasn’t even doing anything. He went to the treadmill instead. I think he’s ticked off because he couldn’t continue his lifting.
Oh great, just what I need… a big hulking guy who wants to put me through the wall. At least he had a sense of humor.
After my usual cycle + treadmill routine, I decided to do some free weights. It’s been a long time since I last used dumbbells so I picked up two 10-pounders, faced the mirror and did some bicep curls with small grunts (for effect).
There’s this huge muscular guy beside me wearing a tank top and he was curling 40-pounders… easily.
He was smiling as if there was a camera behind the mirror. I was frowning because I was having a hard time lifting these stupid things and my left arm started to hurt.
I stopped, looked at him and said “We look like that before-after ad for Hydroxycut!” (Hydroxycut is a weight loss pill by the way). He stopped, dropped the 40 pound weights into the mat, went down on his knees and started snickering while feeling and stretching his bicep. I think he hurt himself but he was still laughing.
He stood back up and tried to lift again. He glanced at me but he started chuckling again. I wasn’t even doing anything. He went to the treadmill instead. I think he’s ticked off because he couldn’t continue his lifting.
Oh great, just what I need… a big hulking guy who wants to put me through the wall. At least he had a sense of humor.
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Arn Goes to the North Pole
Sorta…
I opened the window from my apartment and it felt like hell just froze over. The streets were white and there were no people outside. It was like in the movie “The Day After Tomorrow” except that the plot made more sense.
It was -18 C, which is literally freezer temperature. (By the way, the average fridge temperature is 5 C while freezers are -17 C). But wait, wind chill was -27.2 C… wind chill is basically the real temperature outside. It’s the adjusted temperature after factoring in the intensity of the wind. No idea what I’m talking about? Open your freezer and put your hand inside, cold isn’t it? Now put your hand in, put a fan inside and set it to max. You can’t feel your hand? Good, I made my point.
I think the weather froze my brain as well since a few minutes later, I was outside with my heaviest winter gear -> complete thermals, 2 pairs of socks, 2 shirts, fleece jacket then my outdoor jacket, gloves and a bonnet. I had my camera so I can go picture taking.
You read right… picture taking
Hey, I’m a Filipino. Filipinos go picture taking whenever, wherever, however they want.
As soon as I stepped outside my cheeks felt like they were being pricked by needles and my eyes were all watery. I walked all the way to the bridge… where the wind was strongest.
The river was smoking.
I walked further and took a picture of the Wacker Drive clock then I walked downstairs to get a closer look at the river.
Poor pigeons. The one in the lower right actually walked towards me. I checked my pockets and I had nothing but my apartment keys and a Snickers bar. (Who walks around with a slice of bread in his pocket anyway?)
I went back up to the street but then I couldn’t feel my nose anymore and my cheeks felt like they were peeling off. The cold was also going through my bonnet and my gloves which are now freezing my hands and ears. I feel the cold creeping through my shoes and freezing my shins and my calf. Uh oh. While I’m known to have an extremely high tolerance to the cold, this was just too much as I ran back home. This weather is more fit for polar bears and penguins.
Side Note
Thanks to everyone who reached out to me after reading my previous entry - to everyone who commented and gave their own “oks lang yan dude!” pat on the back. For me, posting that feels like one big monkey off my back as finally I can laugh this off.
Comedy equals Tragedy plus Time
Comedy equals Tragedy plus Time
Thursday, February 07, 2008
my so called music career
We had this party over at 1000 N La Salle and we were playing Rockband. Someone was already holding the lead guitar, the bass guitar and the drums. The mic was just laying on the floor.
Someone picked up the mic and gave it to me since I was the person nearest to the mic who wasn’t eating.
I had the strangest feeling of Déjà vu and my mind went blank for a minute.
Let’s flashback to 2001, when Arn was still Arnold, when he sported a bald look and when he was still of great physique.
It was our friend’s party and we decided to form a temporary band and play her favorite songs. One played the guitar since he had guitar lessons back in grade school. One played the drums since his brother had a set and one played bass since he thought it was really cool. I had no idea how to play any of the instruments and so guess who got the mic.
It was my childhood dream to play for a band especially since I grew up loving alternative and grunge music, mostly Nirvana and Guns N Roses
We practiced for weeks, memorizing chords, beats and we played well during the party. We had so much fun that we decided to play on. We held bi-monthly practices, took individual trainings and played in our other friends’ parties. We released an “album” which sold 8 copies. The band was named “The Arnold Band” which started as a joke until it stuck.
Life was happy. Despite all the usual college challenges, band life for me was extremely happy and satisfying. For me, I started out my site and named it ArnoldRocks to chronicle my band life, our gigs and any bit of news.
After a few years, we decided to take it to the next step and play semi-professionally (semi since it was still an on a side thing and we played more for experience than for money). We changed the name of the band. We played in small unknown places near Paranaque for free as opening acts. It was great, but something was off. Something was wrong and yet no one in the band minded, except for me. One day we had an audition and some talent manager pointed out our problem. That same problem we all knew but refused to talk about. Our lead guitarist was already great since day one. Our drummer received lessons from his older brother and was fast developing. Our bassist has shown steady improvement throughout those months. The spotlight was on the lead singer.
He sucked.
He was fat.
He didn’t have any stage presence.
He wasn’t talented and wasn’t even good looking.
The band was held back by this guy. I stood there quietly as I heard more and more criticisms but I wasn’t listening anymore. I just remember nodding and giving out fake smiles and laughs. See, I knew about this after our first few practices. While they all grew into great musicians, I was showing no improvements. I had little practice. I couldn’t afford voice lessons. By the time I did, it didn’t matter anymore.
It wasn’t my personal failure that really hurt. It was the thought that I let my friends down that felt excruciating.
After that audition, we went to our old practice room but no one sang anymore. I was outside, smoking near a drainage ditch. They were my band mates, but as agreed since we first formed, we were friends first, band mates second, businessmen third. They defended me and told me the band will only have me as the front man. I was too hurt and ashamed to go on. I left the band against their wishes.
To quote a phrase from my journal entry at that time: “No one must walk away from their childhood dream. No one.”
Years passed and the band eventually got their new singer but eventually disbanded once they graduated from college.
Head back to 2008 when “Arnold” evolved into “Arn”, grew even fatter and now sports a menacing long hair and goatee. Imagine the feeling of holding a mic again, with your drummer behind you, lead guitarist to your right and bassist on the left. I know Rockband was just a game but it sure opened old wounds.
It took a minute before that blank stare on my face turned into a big smile
Things change. Time heals all wounds. I’ve already accepted what happened to my so called music career. It didn’t matter to me anymore that people used to boo me for having a singing voice like a drowning cat. I still have my greatest fan. I sing for her and my songs make her smile. She told me she listens to the songs I recorded for her and how it made her happy.
So maybe Jaye has an unusual interest for the sound of drowning cats. Who knows?
But for me, she was all that mattered.
Someone picked up the mic and gave it to me since I was the person nearest to the mic who wasn’t eating.
I had the strangest feeling of Déjà vu and my mind went blank for a minute.
Let’s flashback to 2001, when Arn was still Arnold, when he sported a bald look and when he was still of great physique.
It was our friend’s party and we decided to form a temporary band and play her favorite songs. One played the guitar since he had guitar lessons back in grade school. One played the drums since his brother had a set and one played bass since he thought it was really cool. I had no idea how to play any of the instruments and so guess who got the mic.
It was my childhood dream to play for a band especially since I grew up loving alternative and grunge music, mostly Nirvana and Guns N Roses
We practiced for weeks, memorizing chords, beats and we played well during the party. We had so much fun that we decided to play on. We held bi-monthly practices, took individual trainings and played in our other friends’ parties. We released an “album” which sold 8 copies. The band was named “The Arnold Band” which started as a joke until it stuck.
Life was happy. Despite all the usual college challenges, band life for me was extremely happy and satisfying. For me, I started out my site and named it ArnoldRocks to chronicle my band life, our gigs and any bit of news.
After a few years, we decided to take it to the next step and play semi-professionally (semi since it was still an on a side thing and we played more for experience than for money). We changed the name of the band. We played in small unknown places near Paranaque for free as opening acts. It was great, but something was off. Something was wrong and yet no one in the band minded, except for me. One day we had an audition and some talent manager pointed out our problem. That same problem we all knew but refused to talk about. Our lead guitarist was already great since day one. Our drummer received lessons from his older brother and was fast developing. Our bassist has shown steady improvement throughout those months. The spotlight was on the lead singer.
He sucked.
He was fat.
He didn’t have any stage presence.
He wasn’t talented and wasn’t even good looking.
The band was held back by this guy. I stood there quietly as I heard more and more criticisms but I wasn’t listening anymore. I just remember nodding and giving out fake smiles and laughs. See, I knew about this after our first few practices. While they all grew into great musicians, I was showing no improvements. I had little practice. I couldn’t afford voice lessons. By the time I did, it didn’t matter anymore.
It wasn’t my personal failure that really hurt. It was the thought that I let my friends down that felt excruciating.
After that audition, we went to our old practice room but no one sang anymore. I was outside, smoking near a drainage ditch. They were my band mates, but as agreed since we first formed, we were friends first, band mates second, businessmen third. They defended me and told me the band will only have me as the front man. I was too hurt and ashamed to go on. I left the band against their wishes.
To quote a phrase from my journal entry at that time: “No one must walk away from their childhood dream. No one.”
Years passed and the band eventually got their new singer but eventually disbanded once they graduated from college.
Head back to 2008 when “Arnold” evolved into “Arn”, grew even fatter and now sports a menacing long hair and goatee. Imagine the feeling of holding a mic again, with your drummer behind you, lead guitarist to your right and bassist on the left. I know Rockband was just a game but it sure opened old wounds.
It took a minute before that blank stare on my face turned into a big smile
Things change. Time heals all wounds. I’ve already accepted what happened to my so called music career. It didn’t matter to me anymore that people used to boo me for having a singing voice like a drowning cat. I still have my greatest fan. I sing for her and my songs make her smile. She told me she listens to the songs I recorded for her and how it made her happy.
So maybe Jaye has an unusual interest for the sound of drowning cats. Who knows?
But for me, she was all that mattered.
Wednesday, February 06, 2008
It Just Shows How Athletic I am
I was on my way home from the office and it was snowing real hard. I was a few minutes away from home but I was starting to freeze fast because of the strong winds.
I was approaching the pedestrian walk when the walk sign started to blink red. Since I didn’t want to stand there for an extra minute or so, I decided to run for it. Full speed.
Halfway, the blinking red light stopped blinking and stayed red.
The motor from the stopped vehicles started to roar.
Fat guy had to run faster.
I reached the other side of the street with full momentum only to be met by a huge patch of snow and ice. I decided to skid my shoes so I can slide and stop ... you know, like ice skating.
Turns out, ice alone is slippery. Snow AND ice isn’t.
My shoe didn’t slide, it planted itself on a pile of snow and I did a half cartwheel – half somersault then landed on my back. I couldn’t get back up right away since I was still exhausted from running.
I sat up and found myself at the feet of this one family with the kid laughing hard and the dad telling the kid to stop since it’s rude. The mom wanted to laugh but was trying hard not to. The dad looked away. I just laughed and told them I was fine and I was just trying to impress them.
Once a clown, always a clown.
I was approaching the pedestrian walk when the walk sign started to blink red. Since I didn’t want to stand there for an extra minute or so, I decided to run for it. Full speed.
Halfway, the blinking red light stopped blinking and stayed red.
The motor from the stopped vehicles started to roar.
Fat guy had to run faster.
I reached the other side of the street with full momentum only to be met by a huge patch of snow and ice. I decided to skid my shoes so I can slide and stop ... you know, like ice skating.
Turns out, ice alone is slippery. Snow AND ice isn’t.
My shoe didn’t slide, it planted itself on a pile of snow and I did a half cartwheel – half somersault then landed on my back. I couldn’t get back up right away since I was still exhausted from running.
I sat up and found myself at the feet of this one family with the kid laughing hard and the dad telling the kid to stop since it’s rude. The mom wanted to laugh but was trying hard not to. The dad looked away. I just laughed and told them I was fine and I was just trying to impress them.
Once a clown, always a clown.
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