11:50PM So Little Time
I'm really sorry that I haven't been able to write here as much as I used to. I know that as a would-be writer I have to sharpen my proverbial claws on this scratching post, but I can't seem to find the motivation lately.

Maybe it's burn-out. Maybe I'm lazy. I'll let you know next month. Ü

No, sorry, I'm no drama queen, so I won't keep you in suspense. To tell you the truth, my life is boring. Well, it was boring until two days ago when I went to Subic Bay. And then today I went shopping with my mom.

Bleh, I'm kidding myself. My life is still boring. But I think it's about to get a little more interesting. I have a thesis begging to be begun.

11:44AM No Train Wreck
Today I had my nth tennis lesson with my club pro and found out that yes, badminton wrecks my serves and overheads. I know this because the last time I had difficulty with my strokes during a lesson, I had played badminton that previous weekend (which was the case today).

This time, though, I didn't fall apart, and I feel that was a big accomplishment. And I had fun even while playing badly, which is important for me because I usually play against better hitters and am always on the losing side. I knew that staying positive would help me enjoy the sport, but I didn't know it would help that much. Even now, I still have the faint traces of a stupid grin on my face. Ü

My sister's the one who'll be shafted by my new discovery. Badminton is her chosen sport, one she wants to master, and since I've sworn it off (on the advice of my parents) it'll be that much harder for her to find someone to play with. My mother wants to get into the shuttlecock spirit, though, so a new hitting partner for her isn't too far away. (Duh.)

On a different topic, today is a holiday because it marks the end of Ramadan for Muslims. Most people in the metropolis have taken advantage of the three-day weekend and have gone out of town. Hence, no traffic, which means relatively wider streets for driving. This should be a good thing, but it had a negative effect on me; since I didn't have to watch out for vehicles crushing me on either side, I felt free to swerve and speed. There isn't a deterrent to reckless driving today, either: the police are also on holiday.

04:27PM Get Sporty!
I just came back from several hours' worth of badminton games. As most people in the Philippines know by now, badminton is the latest biggest fad to come crashing onto our shores since, uh, Zagu pearl shakes. No, I may be exaggerating a bit, but the point is that if you took a gander in any major mall on a weekend, you'd most probably spot someone sporting a backpack with a badminton racquet handle sticking out of it.

(Of course since I'm a contrary person, I prefer tennis. But that's not the point of this post.)

Even local celebrities are getting into it, and from what I saw on Sports Unlimited during the replay this morning, they're pretty good. This ups its "coolness factor" for the masa and so even more people will start taking up the sport. Basic, cheap racquets work almost as well as the really expensive brand-name models (if I were thrifty, I would repaint my old toy badminton racquets and re-grip them and they'd be good). The benefits of physical exercise gained from this sport has already been touted in local TV shows.

Badminton's popularity has grown so much that people have to make a reservation to use a court or two. Big companies like JVC and Yonex have been sponsoring tournaments since last year, and in Glorietta's Activity Center two badminton courts have found semi-permanent residence.

I have mixed feelings toward this trend. On the plus side, people would be encouraged to maintain fitness in order to do well at the sport. Thus, the population may shift towards a healthier lifestyle. On the minus side, however, people get tired of fads rather quickly. (I believe it's because most Filipinos have Attention Deficit Disorder, and that's why the Marcoses are still wreaking havoc to this day. Just kidding. But jokes are half-meant.)

I do hope that many people take up the sport and keep it up. Actually this hope applies to any sport. If we could encourage sports in this country, we might be able to grow our own sports heroes, our own Olympians. Maybe bring home a gold medal, or two, or three, or ten. Or fifty. Or more.