The Nike+ website asked me if I wanted to "brag to friends". So I shall.

Friends, check out my 250k certificate.

Ok, I think Nike is confused because my total is currently over 428k. I think they meant 250 MILES! Oh well, it's a cool certificate, ang layo lang ng diff between miles and kilometers no?

Is it just me, or are there more coins floating around these days? Just yesterday, I checked out the little coin compartment of my car, where I like to empty the loose change that's in my pocket. I counted and it was over P100 worth of 10's, 5's and 1's.

Just now, I came from 7-11 to buy a snack. The cashier gave me mostly coins. Hassle. I don't remember a time I've been hassled by coins. So I asked a bank teller about it, and he told me that the P20 bill has been missing lately. No new bills have been issued by the Central Bank for some time now. I guess that's the culprit.

My question is, why don't they just make P20 coins? For that matter, include the P50 as well. For some, that may not sound like a good thing, but think about it, one P20 coin is better than 20 P1 coins.

It's been a good 39 years since I was born.

I can't help but mention that It has also been a year since many lives were lost at Ultra: Wowowee tragedy.

It's a sad week for many. Two friends just passed away, a day apart of each other.

Last Sunday, Ernest John "EJ" Litton, died after a two-year battle with cancer. A little over a year ago, he had a celebratory party because he was diagnosed as having beaten it. A few months after that, he was told it was back, and the cancer eventually beat him.

Yesterday morning, I got news that another friend died. Joel Tantoco, who's my age, didn't wake up. Autopsy reports revealed it was acute pancreatitis that killed him. In this part of the world, that's known as bangungot.

EJ and Joel are two of the nicest guys I know, they're two of the happiest too. They're both very popular and have each gained many friends and nay an enemy.

EJ is lying-in-state at Santuario de San Antonio, while Joel is at the Sacred Heart (near Cardinal Ceramics) in Makati.

They are both in a better place now and we will miss them dearly.

May they both rest in peace and may their family find the strength to cope with their loss.

EDIT: here's a promotional video, starring Joel: http://homepage.mac.com/elbertcuenca/iMovieTheater40.html

Because I had too much of this last night



I'm having a lot of this today



I hope you had a blast last night too.

Happy New Year!

James Brown is Dead.

Gosh, I remember the line so well, thanks to L.A. Style's 1992 techno hit of the same title (their only hit). It was a line taken out of an erroneous news broadcast, sampled, and used as basis for the song. I guess they can now dig up that old report and air it again (but please. let's leave the song buried).

Four years ago, James Brown was cast in the short film Beat the Devil, the last film in BMW's The Hire series. Directed by Ridley Scott, it was a movie about the godfather of soul having sold his own soul to the devil. In it, James Brown played himself and was trying to extend that contract he made decades ago (since he "couldn't do the splits no more"). The devil was brilliantly played by Gary Oldman. It's a great immortalization (much better than the Blues Brothers or Rocky Iv). Try to find a copy of the film (the one in YouTube is cut a couple of minutes short of the ending).

Papa gets a brand new bag, indeed.

With another typhoon about to batter Metro Manila, the topic of billboards is once again in the forefront. I see it as an opportune time to post this old pic.



At first, it looks like just another in-your-face, self-serving piece of propaganda, serving the highest public servant of our land. In smaller print, it's a friendly reminder of where our road taxes go.

Nothing new, right?

Well, look closely. Its not a billboard. It's a tarpaulin banner placed on top of an official road sign for lane directions (Ayala and Cubao). It was placed there by no less than the MMDA itself (the group that's supposed to ensure motorists are directed properly). Now you know what their priorities are.

That sign was up for the longest time, until Milenyo did us motorists the kind favor of blowing it away.

Because the name Elbert is so unique, Starbucks baristas almost always get it wrong. "Albert? Gilbert? Elmer? Ver?" It gets tiring. I've tried "God", but I got tired of the stares from other customers nearby. "COFFEE FOR GOD! ...GOD?"

To simplify, I just gave them a name that's familiar to everyone: John.

This is what I got:



Sige na nga, Elver nalang.

There are some billboards I miss.