Hobbyist Part 2

Being raised with a dash of virtues, everything is evaluated both moral-wise and health-wise. Adding strict implementation, war games is an absolute sure-fire no-no. I only play those kinds of games either secretly, in computer shops, or plead all day and argue that this war game indeed teaches something about history. Other times I get away by doing those need-to-be-grateful work for my parents. It ranges from all the way from getting really high grades to cleaning the CR. That's also one pretty strong aspect that my parents inject in us: that everything we want should be earned. My gaming is bound over these earn-learn-reward system. Oh I remember this solid instance showing that they really don't want to get me into violence: it's Grand Theft Auto: Vice City. I bought this fake CD. By some miracle, I think it was vacation that time, that I got to install and play it. It's core violence and true pugnacious nature nevertheless floated despite my best efforts to convince them that it's just a city game with a really big map. So in no less than two weeks, they had me uninstall it. Sadly, I've really finished pretty lot of the missions at that time. But thanks to them for that action that I sure wouldn't attack anyone with a katana on the streets when I grow up.

So this whole gaming craze I'm going through is virtually, unfeasible. Especially that FPS games are my thing. So what else can I do to be happy? :(

Sports, you might say. But I already tried that but with no real professional competitiveness at any one sport because, as much as I don't want to make it sound bragging, but I can say I really really know how to play a lot of sports and excel in them if I want to. For a short history, my first sport was baseball. I got to say that I, then, had a real throwing arm. Thanks to my dad for being such a versatile sports player that I have acquired this same versatility. We bought 2 gloves then and 1 ball. All original since money has quite some value then than now. We threw balls weekly at the UP sunken garden or the UP sports oval, although not at a strict schedule. We play whenever it strikes my head or his head to throw balls. But it had never been better, always the same throwing and catching. Although I enjoy it at first and for so long, I finally was bored. Since baseball's not really that popular here in the Philippines, only in excecutive areas and true stadiums can you find a mini league. So I was never tested for a competition, not even for a real complete game. Just the same throwing and catching. I can't say I abandoned it for sure, but that when I finally saw no real future that I passively stopped. But I still really like it. It's a good bonding activity, with my older brother and my dad, and my best friend. I play it still, even now, only when it hits me that I want to play and maybe my best friend's not doing anything. That's hobby hindrance number 1, the lack of true sports test.

I never really liked basketball. I only played it when I want a little bit of fun with my friends. But there was a time that I was a real shooter. I became really good in shooting but not ball handling. Maybe that's one reason I disliked it because I can't control the ball inbound. This too was supposed to be a nice bonding activity. Now this one we really took a schedule on. Also weekly, Sundays to be exact. Because my father was a member of a tennis club in UP Village. I forgot to tell you but that's my dad's real sport: tennis. I can say he's a pro on that. Anyway, so there we were, at the UP Village sort of clubhouse or recreational area. There's a basketball court, a tennis court, a pillota/badminton court, and a not so fun playground in a fair park. I remember those old days and oh, how it was relaxing and pleasing breathing in early morning air and feeling the gentle warmth of the sun at it's low path. My kuya and I, played basketball. Sometimes even invited to have small games, 3 on 3 and above. But there's something that I noticed in basketball. Since it was the most popular sport here in the Philippines, almost anyone can play it, and a lot more play it superbly, even the smallest people under the poverty line. So I thought, I can't excel on this. Maybe I was wrong because of how basketball or UAAP superstars were cheered and screemed upon. Another thing, which I can say it's my problem in my personality, is that, basketball is the most vulnerable sport for players and fans to be annoyed with each other, sometimes even leading to violent riots. I said my problem because maybe I'm the one that's sensitive to things. I noticed that it's in basketball that I am most vulnerable to have an enemy. Maybe I'm at a degree, "pikon". But maybe it's also with the players with no manners. I don't know. But the bottomline is, basketball's not for me.

For a little more info, those sweet Sundays were cut for the place where we play in, which was supposed to be open for public and everyone, was taken in advantage by the barangay (UP Village). They imposed rates for which to use any of the courts. So my dad and the club (his old friends) moved to a new court in a new barangay, not that far from us. But nothing went stable and they had to move again. This changes caused my dad to acquire an injury in his leg. Because the first court they moved in was a clay one and then they suddenly moved to a hardcourt one. Because of the more frictioned movement that my father had planted his foot badly while on the chase and this caused the hamstrings of one leg pop apart. He said he heard it. Loud and Clear. POP. Those were the causes of the end of the sweet Sundays. Hobby hindrance number 2; own fault.

I played soccer, only here in pisay when there's a widely available field. It started in First Year. I was attracted to the field and the new prospect of engaging a sport without using the hands: soccer. The time I finally was stable here in Pisay was the time I fell inlove with the field.

*oh my god, I never thought I would have so much to say about my dreams. I have many more stories on the sports that I indulged in and I would certainly tell it all and continue this in the next entry! Stay tuned... :D