The Bear Bitch’s Project

Yup, just like a true Pinoy, my book is covered in plastic!

My sister recently got a new, fancy-schmancy phone from Smart through her retention plan. For some bizarre reason, this phone thinks its a PC and runs a picture slide show screen saver when its inactive for X minutes. This alone annoyed my sister but to make it worse, one of the photos in the screen saver was of a topless woman! My sister took the phone to Smart to have them deactivate the screen saver but after what seemed like forever, all they were able to do was delete the photo of the half-naked woman. When she asked about getting rid of the screen saver altogether, they recommended taking the phone to Nokia for a software upgrade (with "possibility" of data loss).
Being a former Smart CCO (and the Faults & Repairs officer to boot),I couldn’t resist trying my hand at getting rid of the screen saver. Not only have I never ever handled that model before, it’s also been 2 whole years since I resigned from Smart, so I knew that it was a long shot that I’d be able to figure out what the current people at Smart couldn’t.
Well, obviously, I was able to - I wouldn’t be writing this blog if I hadn’t - and, to gloat even more, I figured it out in under 15 minutes! Ha! Take that, you newbies! Tee hee.
Well, gloating aside, its kinda nice to know that I haven’t lost my touch: that my mind is still able to pick its way through the workings of spiffy new mobile phones - and within the 15 minute SLA too! Yee-ha!

I’ve never been a baseball fan: in fact, my knowledge of the game was limited to that which can be learned from watching Charlie Brown’s All Stars. So why on earth, you ask, would I take a week off from work to fly across the country to "Middle-of-Nowhere", Michigan, to watch the Little League World Series?

Well, the Philippine team won the Asia Pacific regional championships (for the very first time, mind you!), and thus, the right to represent the region at the World Series.

Of course, exciting as that may be, that isn’t exactly enough for me to endure 9 hours on a plane (4 1/2 each way), approximately 35 hours at a dusty baseball field, extra-strength sunblock induced rashes, a swarm of bumble bees, a tan, a 1-star hotel room that smelled like stale cigarettes, and sore muscles. I am extremely patriotic, but I have my limits.

No, I endured all that and more because my god-son/nephew, Leandro, is on the team!

** Warning! Proud, gushing tita alert**

He’s one of the youngest and smallest on the team so he was in the field most of the time, but that didn’t stop me from taking a boat-load of photos, cheering my voice away, and wearing a red heart with the #4 on my cap. The poor boy was so embarrassed but what’s new? At 13, all your relatives embarrass you no matter what they do, right?

"I love you, # 4 !"

Though they didn’t win the "World Champion" title, they did win the International division as well as make history on many accounts:

- They are the first Philippine team to represent Asia Pacific (and thus, the first Philippine team to ever play in the Junior League World Series).

- The first Asia Pacific team to ever win more than one game.

- The first International Champion to reach the finals undefeated.

"International Little League Association of Manila, representing Asia-Pacific, topped the International Pool with a 4-0 record beating Canada region’s Whalley L.L. of Surrey, British Columbia, 8-1, in the semis to earn the right of facing Hawaii in the finals.
It was also the first time that an Asia-Pacific regional champion won more than one game in the Junior League World Series since joining in 1999.
The Philippines scored wins over Puerto Rico, 6-0; Canada, 6-2; Latin America, 6-1; and Europe-Middle East-Africa, 11-0, in International Pool play."

In spite of the pesky bees, suntan, rashes, and crummy hotel, I had SO MUCH FUN. I learned a lot about baseball (though not enough to make me a true fan), I screamed and cheered and clapped and stomped until the bleachers trembled, I got to hang out with my mom, sister, brother-in-law, and nephew, and most of all, I got to support a great team.

The boys played so, so well and were true to the cheer: "Pilipinas: Puso at Galing!" - everyone is so proud of them. I’m sure I’ll be booking another trip to Michigan next year.

The first of the "B’s" to arrive were the 2 Warner bras I ordered. I’m not one to discuss my undies in public so all I’m going to say is that they’re wireless, tag less, and hella comfy!

The next to be delivered is the true "bee": my Babolat Aero Tour tennis racquet. I call it "my bumble bee" because of the yellow stripes and the handle looks like the bees’ stinger.

I really really wanted a pink racquet because they’re so pretty but I knew that function is more important than fashion so I ordered the Aero instead. It isn’t as pretty as the pink ones but it’s still really adorable and, more importantly, I play really well with it. I love how the frame tapers off and makes it so aerodynamic (well, duh! That’s why its called the Aero!)
Plus I really enjoy saying "bumble bee"

Whee! The Brit-Pop drought is over; my boyband CDs are finally here. Thanksies, Tatin!!! (hug) She wasn’t able to find Gary Barlow but she was able to get Take That to tide me over until Amazon.co.uk delivers the one I ordered (along with Gary’s autobiography. Am I revealing too much of my guilty pleasures?) so I’m still a happy camper. I also got the Blue albums. Sweet.

My Mom and eldest sister, Chickee, also arrived from Manila today. Neither of them are "bees" - though Chickee’s last name starts with a "B" so that might count - but they get special mention anyway since they did bring my CDs as well as loads of barako - yum!