Flying Kitty Airlines

This is definitely on my Bucket list! No thanks to Travel and Living host, Janet Hsieh for sharing her experience on board the Hello Kitty Airlines

The Return of the King

Tolkien's "The Return of the King" was the climax of his literary masterpiece, "The Lord of the Rings" (LOTR) trilogy, wherein the reign of Sauron was finally put to an end, and the return of the rightful heir to the throne of Gondor.

I am not blogging about LOTR. I am blogging about the Thierry Henry's return to the club that made him a global football superstar, Arsenal. My love affair with Arsenal began with Thierry Henry (But I have no intention to end it with Thierry's impending departure at the end of this week.). He may have left the club for Champions League glory, but he is a Gooner through and through.

His brief second spell as a Gunner are stuff that fairy tales and/or Hollywood sports movies are made. Unlike the LOTR's, Theirry's return is not the climax of Arsenal's 2011-2012 season. I must say his return served as a band aid to the club's beleaguered line-up due to injuries, out-of-form players, and players on-duty for their respective countries.

Thierry's first game was versus Leeds United in the third round of the FA Cup. He started from the bench. Arsenal fought a gritty Leeds United team who were playing for a draw at the Ashburton Grove in order to attain a replay at Elland Road. Just as we thought that this game was going to end in a goalless draw, Thierry Henry scored a goal that was reminiscent to his Arsenal heydays.

That goal brought tears in my eyes. I could not describe the feeling, as if that moment was already written in the stars. I had high hopes with Arsenal's next fixtures in the Premier League now that the legendary player who was cast in bronze last December, came to life with the same clinical precision with his feet.

Unfortunately, Arsenal failed to win their fixtures vs. Swansea City, Manchester United and Bolton. One time they were sitting on seventh place, the lowest rank that they have ever  been since Arsene Wenger took over the reigns of the club (at this time of the year).

But on the first fixture for the month of February, Arsenal thrashed Blackburn Rovers 7-1 at the Grove. The club's present captain, Robin van Persie, scored a hattrick. Thierry came on as a substitute. In the 90th minute he exchanged passes with van Persie, and scored the 7th goal for the Gunners. That goal seemed to remind me of his partnership with Dennis Bergkamp, van Persie's now retired compatriot.

Just this weekend against Sunderland with scores tied up at 1-1, Andrey Arshavin delivered a lovely cross to Thierry Henry's foot, and snatch a hard fought victory almost at the death (and not to mention a very patchy pitch).

Goal # 229. That could be Thierry's last goal for Arsenal in the Premiership. He he will have to return to his present club, the New York Red Bulls, for the coming Major League Soccer season. But before he goes back, he'll have to face AC Milan at the San Siro in the knockout stage of UEFA Champions League. Thierry competitive as he is, will always stand up in any huge occassion. I remember how his teammates then thrashed AC Milan's bitter rivals, Inter Milan, at the same stadium, when qualification for the CL knockout stage was on the line. I still remember that scoreline, 1-5.

They say I am too old for fairy tales, but because of Thierry, I still believe in them.


Au revoir and merci beaucoup, Titi! Bonne chance!

PS: I am quite disappointed that he will not play vs. Tottenham on the 26th. He is fond of scoring goals against them.

Finding Consolation. Thank You Mr. Hornby.

As a football fan, you have to stick to your team, no matter what.
After loosing against Swansea last Sunday, Monday in my time zone, 
Gooners are demanding for the manager's head, the players' head,
and even a spat between a returning club legend and a fan.


I find consolation by reading the book written by a certain Nick Hornby, 
who himself a Gooner. In his memoir, he wrote the highs and lows of being an Arsenal fan.
He was able to keep his faith on a club that went barren for 18 years, then won the league title again in that magical night at Wembley.

My copy of this Nick Hornby book is full of dog-eared pages and receipts marking his favorite highs and least favorite lows. I always carry this book wherever I go, his and Haruki Murakami's.

PS: Here's a quote by Dennis Bergkamp, "I really like Arsenal. But you, do you really like Arsenal? Or just Arsenal with trophies?"

Ooooh To Be A Gooner

What does Queen Elizabeth II, Osama bin Laden, Fidel Castro, Piers Morgan, Dido, Nick Hornby and Kevin Costner have in common with little me? We support the same football club named Arsenal FC. We call ourselves the Gooners, since the team is aptly nicknamed the Gunners.




I have never met this people, and I have never been to Highbury or Ashburton Grove, but I felt a connection with this people, all because we support the same football club.

This blog entry is about how I became a Gooner. I have to say, I never dreamed of supporting a football club before. Back then, I consider myself as a, ahem, "glory hunter". Hopping from 1 team to another, that would depend if who is winning. I was more of a basketball fan then, but I also had a fleeting interest on football or soccer.

It was one lazy October 2003. I was a semester shy of completing my first college degree. Back then, we had a ladderized system of obtaining your degree for veterinary medicine. The undergraduates were most likely packed their bags and went off to their homes for the semestral break. That time, I already passed all my first semester subjects, and was waiting for my classmates who were taking their dreaded removal examinations. I was sitting in our usual table to eat my lunch, when the boyfriend of my housemate, Justin, sat across me. I don't exactly remember if he took the removals or already passed the subject in question or completely flunked it. But anyway, we talked about the new NBA season, where the San Antonio Spurs were the defending champions. As I have said, I have no loyalties in sports, and I hated the Los Angeles Lakers during that time, so my dime was for the Spurs. And as a girl, I was gushing on Tony Parker, the young French point guard, with a daze that melt you! Or in my case, melted me. So Justin gave a trivia about Tony Parker that sparked my interest. He said Tony's best friend is a football player named Thierry Henry, who plays for an English Premier League club, Arsenal. Being so head-over-heels on TP, I became interested to watch the Premier League and Arsenal. It turned out that my Barcelona-loving friend, Justin's favorite team happened to be Arsenal and his second favorite player is Thierry Henry (Ronaldinho's his favorite).

When I went home that weekend, I checked the TV schedule for any EPL match. I can't remember who were Arsenal's opponent, but all I remember was that the match was at Highbury, the home pitch for the Arsenal. I kept my eyes on Henry. He is quick, he is lethal. I thought I might fall asleep during the match. In the past, watching two hours of football knocked me out to sleep, but watching the Arsenal play, I was mesmerized by their passing, attacks and counter attacks. They won that match, and after wards I was looking forward to watch their next games.

Academic Year 2003-2004 and Season 2003-2004, was truly a memorable one. I graduated from my first degree, and Arsenal won the Premier League without even a loss. Played 38-Won 26- Drawn 12-Loss 0. That batch of players later became known as the Invincibles. It was not only Thierry Henry who I became fond with. There was Dennis Bergkamp, the Dutchman, who orchestrate their attacks on goal. He happened to be the same guy who scored that marvelous winner against Argentina in the 1998 World Cup quarterfinal (Since that clip was kept on replay by CNN, the BBC and ESPN, I grew to like the Dutch National Football team.). I also came to like Freddie Ljungberg, whose marauding runs towards goal made him a thorn on every defender. Then there was Robert Pires, Mad Jens, Ray Parlour, Lauren, and the list goes on.

That my folks is the reason why my Twitter time line is filled with Arsenal stuff. I'm a Gooner for 8 years and counting...


PS: I am currently reading Nick Hornby's memoir, "Fever Pitch". It's about his life based on Arsenal FC's season. I haven't finished it yet again, but I enjoyed it. Many more blogs about Arsenal to come. Thanks for inspiring me, Mr. Hornby!

Appalling

It was a quiet Friday afternoon, when suddenly a guy who is driving a Porshe SUV arrived with his Boston terrier. The dog has a bloated tummy and weak hind legs. As a veterinarian, I already had a list of possible diseases that causes such conditions on my head. As I was explaining the things that we are going to do to arrive on a proper diagnosis on his dog's condition, I noticed that the guy is carrying a Louis Vuitton bag. Most likely a man-purse.

Since majority of the laboratory examination will take about 30 to 45 minutes to run, the owner left the clinic. It was just his ward and the dog who were there waiting  for the results.

The dog has a bad case of liver diseases plus she also has heartworms. That explains her bloated condition. We explained the owner the seriousness of his dog's condition, but he opted not to have the dog treated! That's right, he refused to have his dog treated! Appalling, right? His dog's condition is treatable, but it will take a longer period of time for the dog to fully recover. Instead, he will send the dog in his far flung farm in Surigao.

What a freakin' b*st*rd?! You don't deserve to own 50+ dogs (That's what he claimed)! You can afford pricey and luxury car, clothes, bags, and yet you cannot even have your dog treated! I can't believe that there such people that exists!!!!!!

We let the guy signed a waiver for his refusal for treatment to save our ass. Appalling!

What to Write?

Or should I say what to blog?

After a few months of blogging hiatus, I decided to blog again. As of the moment, I have no idea what to blog about. The blogging light bulb has been lit, but not a full maximum 200 watts of ideas. Maybe this post would serve as a rumbling post.

You see I have so many things to blog, animals, Arsenal, Gooners, movies, music, Azkals, running, cycling, swimming, life in general. I seemed to have a clutter of ideas about to burst from my brain, but I don't have the energy to write.

Does this mean I have to do what Haruki Murakami does? Murakami-san runs to sort out his head. And since my second injury I have been enthralled by my bed. My bed seduces me not to leave until it's 6 in the morning. Sigh.

I also gets a kick from an Arsenal win! Ooooh to be a Gooner! As what the chant implied, the Gunners have been treating us to a roller coaster 2011-2012 season, and still they are a team in progress. Yes, Arsenal is also one of the reasons the impedes my return to running. Blame that Arsenal and I do not share the same time zones. We're 8 hours apart, and a thousand miles away! I have a very long distance relationship with this club.

As for animals, I am often bugged by the questions on rabies. Rabies, the only feared zoonotic disease known to men. That I must say. There are so many "myths" about this disease that I will surely bust. But it's not only rabies that man should be very afraid of. I have a catalogue of possible disease from animals that can wipe out humanity. Sorry for scaring you, but it's true.Ever heard of the African Sleeping Sickness?

Life has not been a bed of roses as of late. I lost our beloved Aunt to cancer last December. I lost a well-loved high school batchmate last April. I lost a family friend last May. And I lost our beloved Lola last July. And it made me realize that life is too short to sulk and complain.

So this is just a random rumbling. So bear with me...

Then and Now...

Then...

Me: "Ma, could you buy me a toy?"
My Mother: "Sorry dear, I have no budget!"

Now...

My Mother: "'Ta, will you buy that Christmas tree that I saw in the mall?"
Me: "Sorry ma, I have no budget!"