Tuesday, February 28, 2017

Aven's First Comic Strip

"Aven's First Comic Strip"
by:
Virgilio F. De leon Jr. MD

If in the future my daughter Aven becomes a famous cartoonist the likes of Pol Medina or Manix Abrera then remember  that you  have been treated to her first comic strip in these very pages. Hehehehe.

While the drawings still leave a lot for improvement Aven has shown that she already has what it takes to write great dialogue and speak about things that bother her. I think if I was actually blessed to draw then I probably would have drawn the same thing when I was her age because it is true. School is literally trying to kill you. Or at least that's how I felt back then.



When I found this strip under the list of things she needed to do for the day I just had to say something about it. My one and only contributor has been quite busy at school. She has to read 40 books in her Lexile score and the deadline was supposedly today. She still had 2 books left and so I am left to write here on my own. I hope we get a lot more out of her this summer.

I hope she continues to draw as well. I don't think this is dark. Just an expression of the things that bother her. And this is why weekends are strictly for her and her mom. In case you were wondering here is that "Things to do list" that this comic was attached to. And for a 10 year old during that time it was quite a handful.



Aven still makes lists like this until today and I laugh when I find the lying around the house because she has all these little notes to herself.




Basta Kapal Kilay...


"Basta Kapal Kilay..."
by:
Virgilio F. De leon Jr. MD

A while back my cousin Aljem was raving about a guy in Pinoy Big Brother that she found very handsome which made her exclaim in her facebook status that...Basta Kapal Kilay Guwapo.

Of course I had a little different view on the matter and here are three prime examples why Kapal kilay does not neccesary mean guwapo.

1) Bert

"Eheheheheheheh"

Who can say if Bert is the epitome of manhood? He is funny yes but not what my cousin probably had in mind. Bottle cap collection anyone?

2) Master Musashi from the Yaiba series.



Yup  this guy had a really thick set of eyebrows and in one episode where he was turned to stone Yaiba accidentally broke one of them off. He might be a master but I guess he wasn't what my cousin had in mind too.

3) Rock Lee



While in the future Lee seems to have settled down. We all know where his heart belongs...Master Gai...I mean Taijutsu, His heart lies in learning all he can at the feet of his master.

My cousin was laughing as I bombarded her with these guys. Ah kapal kilays.


"50 things about me"


"50 things about me"
by:
Virgilio F. De leon Jr. MD

1) I am a founding member of Sakbat(Samahang Kabataan Para sa Agham at Teatro)
2) I used to run a Basketball League right in front of our own house.
3) I love rearranging and organizing my files.
4) Terry Pratchett is my Scifi/Medieval Hero
5) I read the Song of Ice and Fire books after watching the whole Season One of GOT.
6) I love Jpop.
7) Urutsokidoji was probably the first anime I have ever watched. Tentacles.
8) I used to think that I could dance. I danced Ballet.
9) My only bone fracture is my Tibula on my right leg after landing wrong.
10) During Medical school I was the guy who could get the liqour in and out.(The Moves)
11) In College I was the designated alcoholic beverage buyer because I had a very mature face.
12) I always get a White Toblerone from my Uncle Ronald after I told him that White Chocolate is the only good Chocolate for asthmatics
13) I love KPOP (Females only)
14) Chicken Breasts. My favorite.
15) More Trekkie than Star Wars fan
16) Alonzo Mourning fan. Even had an autographic(Signed Card) which I bought in Divisoria and card that only 119 others have.
17) Has Been Up North but Never Down South. Cebu being the southernmost that I have been to.
18) Was stuck in Baguio during a YMCA conference due to Gringo Honasans first Coup De etat
19) Often found to have the most food in any camping or outdoor activity.(Thanks Mom!)
20) Has a weakness for Black silk stockings.
21) Has a weakness for Brunette , Petite , Chinitas. (with braces)...Married One.
22) Had a hard type accepting that I actually need to wear glasses.
23) Has a Problem saying good bye.
24) Head banged so hard my glasses flew and I had the reflexes to catch it.
25) Urbandub and Franco are my favorite Pinoy Bands
26) Francis M will always be the king of Brown Man Rap
27) Data Freak. Downloads.
28) Reads people in the background more than the actual speaker.
29) Really close with my Mom.
30) "Under de saya"...Dont mind the term. Its only a term.
31) Was not afraid to be uncool or unpopular.
32) Finds peace while walking alone.
33) Writes better at night
34) Noodle expert
35) I am a Dragon. I hoard.
36) Magic Player / Blogger / Mentor
37) Dad to an aspiring Writer
38) Played bass in a Band during College
39) Used to have several Ragnarok accounts
40) Loves songs with stories or descriptive qualities rather than songs plainly about love.Like Cath by Deathcab for Cutie or Rivermaya's Ambulansya 
41) Moved by a song regardless of language
42) Will pick Samurai over Knight.
43) Beat out the best chess player in school during 3rd year. An unexpected upset.
44) Languages. History. Sciences. Math. Love for subjects in that order
45) Closer to teachers than fellow students.
46) Grew up with more women.
47) Snores
48) Considers Ultimate Noodles from North Park as the Ultimate Noodles. Period
49) Has no problem speaking in public
50) Had doubts that I could ever drive a car.

"Why players quit Magic the Gathering Part 1."


"Why players quit Magic the Gathering Part 1."
by:
Virgilio F. De leon Jr. MD

Why do players quit the wonderful game of Magic:The Gathering? What makes them wake up one day and say to themselves. "Nah , I don't really want to play this game anymore". Or "why did I even bother playing it in the first place."

There are multiple reasons why players from all over the world decide to sell all their cards or shelf them until the time that they decide to come back or when they do decide to come back.

Here are a couple of things that you as a player might have already seen or experienced and some things that we could do to address it. Let us start with two.

1) "I simply have no time..."

Sometimes it not a lack of desire to play but simply we all get caught up in the schedules of our lives. I remember talking to Aster of Spiral back when they were still in Monumento and I asked him if Magic was simply going to vanish if we do not get new players. He answered me quite simply. "I dont think so. The reasons why people are not around is because they have things in their lives that demand more attention. It might be that they do not have time now but A Magic player would always come back and play."

I must agree with Aster on this.New experiences and new things might stop us from playing Magic for awhile but that desire to play is in all of us.We just have to be patient for time to open up or we force it to open. Like in my case , I work in various clinic 6 times a week and find that I am too poofed to play or even get out on Sundays. However since I have been adjusting more to the schedules and work I found that I have more energy and can schedule things more properly. I am raring to go back and smash a few heads.

2) "Bad experiences..."

Every new player goes through something traumatic in their magic journey. It might be an awful combo that makes them think why they started playing in the first place.(The reason why exposing new players to Legacy is a hit or miss. They might like it and get hooked for life or think that this is insane how can I compete).

It might be the ultra rare jerk that reared his or her ugly head and ruined a potentially fine magic player. 

It might be that the new player is too trusting and lent some very expensive cards that was never returned. The list of horrific experiences are endless and these are things that we have no control over but it is important however that when these things happen that we could help our new players. 

While it is true that we cannot control the experiences of others. We as people have the ability to control our own actions. It is good to have different decks when we start playing with a new player. These guys would later on be hungry for new deck techs and might even pick up from the simple decks that you teach them with and build on that.

Let us not take advantage of others and let them suffer for being naive. Let us guide them so that in turn they might bring about new players that could grow us and not divide us.


Tell me what you think about this? What other reasons do you think might cause a player to quit Magic? Thanks for reading. Keep on brewing. Keep on playing.

"Eye Exam"


"Eye Exam"

Me: Sige po takpan niyo po ang kaliwang mata (inaabot ang eye cover)
Patient: (tinakpan ang kaliwang mata ng sariling kamay)
Me: Ah Sir , ito po ang gamitin ninyo(indicating the eye cover)
Patient: (Patient takes eye cover and covers right eye while still covering left eye with his other hand)
Me: Ayan , may nakikita ba kayo sa chart sir?
Patient: Wala nga po doc eh...

Alam na....

"Bitoy"


"Bitoy"

Me: Sige po pabasa po ng lihira ng number 7 sa chart po.
Patient: Tweven po?
Me:(pinipigilan ang tawa) Opo
Patient: Tige po number Tweven po. Batahin ko na po...

"12?"




"12?"


ME:Sige po. Anong lihira po ang pinakamalinaw?
Patient: 12 po doc.
ME: hanggang 8 lang po sa chart sir...

S-quib




"S-quib"

Patient: Actually doc remedical lang ako kasi po last January dahil sa S-quib.
Me: Ano po? S-quib?
Patient: Yung dinurog po yung kidney stone ko doc. S-quib
Me: Shockwave po ba yun?
Patient: Yun po yun doc S-quib
Me: Ok.

"Midweek Magic 2017 #8: When that tapped land hurts."


"Midweek Magic 2017 #8: When that tapped land hurts."
by:
Virgilio F. De leon Jr. MD

What hurts more when you get a Sunken Hollow on turn 4 and you got a Damnation in hand because you are not able to use it? Well the fact that you get Obliterated by a Academy Researcher with Eldrazi Conscription , Curiosity and Helm of the Gods. The annihilator 2 from Eldrazi Conscription alone makes sure that I had only 2 lands on the next turn and I was dead in the water. 

Such is the way of Chaos Pantry Magic in HP Eton Centris where on one match you have an overwhelming victory because you were able the creatures on the board and have enough Planeswalkers that no one had the answers to and on the next round of games you are not even able to use a single removal spell.



The decks I made are made for me to utilize the cards that I have and to get a win or two while being able to use the said cards as they have languished deckless for years before I got them all together and for a brewer like me there is no greater sin than to have a cool card just sit there useless. Now that the games are officially consistent I have more chances to try new things but also consistently build on the things that I have. Magic players always have a pet deck and I think mine is the Sultai Superfriends that I have been harping on for the last few months.

Until the next round of games. The improvements and brewing continues. Thank you Ram , Janry , Pao. On to March! 

"Midweek Magic 2017 #7-B - The Unlikely Jace"


"Midweek Magic 2017 #7-B - The Unlikely Jace"
by:
Virgilio F. De leon Jr. MD

I must admit that when I bought the Jace Vs Vraska duel deck I was salivating over the fact that I would be able to create a deck around the Golgari planeswalker Vraska.And she has not disappointed me when she was included in my Sultai Superfriends deck.

Jace , Architect of Thought was kept safely away for years until I decided to make a deck with the remaining Jace's that I had. Namely him , a Memory Adept , a Jace Beleren and a couple of Jace , Seeker of Truth. I found that Jace , Architect of Thought was the effiest of the bunch. His first ability was anti-weenie aggro which I had no use for and his second ability was a bit too unpredictable to consistently get good results. And yet it was with this Jace that I won with my recent Dimir deck as I was able to use his ultimate ability.



I was facing a Seafoods deck which had a Quest for Ula's temple online. Having a slightly different version of this deck I had an idea of it's contents such as the awesome Stormtide Leviathan , Lorthos and the Kederekt Leviathan. It was for this last monster that I laid my hopes on when I activated Jace , Architect of Thought. I was able to drop it on the battlefield. Wiping away the online Quest for Ula's Temple and another monster. From there Ram would not be able to recover and I would be able to attack with new Leviathan on the battlefield in the next turns. All thanks to the Jace that I buried for years. Thanks Architect of Thought. You have finally found your home.

"Midweek Magic 2017 #7-A:Jace seeking Jace."



"Midweek Magic 2017 #7-A:Jace seeking Jace."
by:
Virgilio F. De leon Jr. MD

The decks I face here in HP Eton are varied and challenging. Which is something that I could not say for the current state of standard where Vehicles are the thing as of the moment. Sorry about that. I just had to let that out for the moment.

After enjoying making and fighting with my Mardu and Sultai superfriends decks I realized that I had enough planeswalker to make another deck. Because I recently acquired a Dovin Baan from my friend Janry and my brother Aj was selling me his Tezzeret the Schemer I was planning on doing some sort of Esper deck. Needless to say I felt like my concept did not fit into the Esper mode and I felt like I was lacking manlands or scry lands at this point. I was a bit spoiled with my 2 previous decks. So I gravitated to the other half of my sultai self which is Dimir colors. I took some of my best blue and black colored creatures as well as some much needed mass removal in Life's Finale and Crux of Fate. Some disruption with Despise and card draw with Serum Visions.

I honestly believe that I came up with a deck that was a bit rushed and a bit to chopsuey to be any good. As it turned to be one of the best decks I made even if it feels like an EDH deck with a one of each creature in it .I can't believe that the concept worked. Then again I always did love milling opponents.


One fun time I had with the deck was when I actually got to play against another miller deck. Janry brought out a deck that featured Jace's Erasure and Sphinx's Tutelage. I got beat by how fast it all was and all of my mass removal spells were stuck in my hand because quite frankly there was nothing to mass remove. This was a role reversal of sorts when Janry played with me the previous night and 3 Fatal push's were stuck in his hand because Massacre Wurm and Erebos were not really viable targets.

Needless to say I hope that I would find the Jace I needed to mill at my opponent. So it was case of Jace looking forever for Jace. Jace Beleren turning into Jace , Architect of Thought but too little too late. I guess it is time to tweak it a little bit more against this strategy but I have another story that might not be in favor of change.

"Midweek Magic 2017 #6: Growing."


"Midweek Magic 2017 #6: Growing."
by:
Virgilio F. De leon Jr. MD

There is something about the presence of other planeswalkers that attracts other planeswalkers. If you see a group playing magic the gathering in a pantry or even one of the restaurants or convenience stores near your work or school then you can rest assured that after awhile that group will not remain small for long.

Our little group of 4 planeswalkers in the HP pantry during Tuesday to Thursdays(coinciding with my clinical duties at the  site! What a coincidence! Nakakabigla!) has now officially grown to 7 with a revolving number from 7 to 9! All decks are welcome from Legacy to Standard and everything in between. My reasoning in this is that all of our decks deserve their time in the sun but just in case I decided to make at least one deck for each format.

I was excited today that I just had to write this. My Sultai superfriends took to the field(Di pa tapos yung planned Esper Superfriends ko at the moment) and it was summarily beaten to a pulp by Slivers! Aggro multicolored Slivers that poisoned but normally just beat you to death with superior numbers. Of course the Leyline of Lifeforce didn't help things either when my opponent RJ was able to play it on both games and I had no Damnation in sight nor was I able to dig it up for the rest of the 2 early games. Control was only established on the third game as if my Sultai superfriends deck was running on diesel or something.



I was also able to control a Saheeli copy cat deck with a turn 1 Inquisition of Kozilek discarding Saheeli early. I had to consider myself lucky since the control aspect of my Sultai deck came on earlier but I still had to rely on a Garruk and 8 6/6 wurm tokens to win. I was able to exploit a particular weakness in the combo since I had discard with Liliana. I have to bring my standard Metalwork Colossus deck next time to see if it can fight against this deck and allow me to survive further come GP Manila in June.

I am happy to be part of an ever expanding party of planeswalkers. I might see the day the pantry gets completely overrun by Magic players. That will be the day.

"Hunyo's Movie Ravings - Resident Evil 7: Final Chapter"


"Hunyo's Movie Ravings - Resident Evil 7: Final Chapter"
by:
Virgilio F. De leon Jr. MD

The Plot: 

What plot? After the disaster that was the Washington Stand off Alice finds herself confronted with a truth. She must go back to the Hive where this whole T-virus mess started in order to release a cure that is airborne. Oh and there is also that one little thing , umbrella is wiping out the last human survivors on the planet and she needs to save them from extinction.

The Good:

1)The nostalgic feel of seeing a cratered out Racoon city!

2) The dogs are back and deadly as ever!

3)The Zombies dropping like flies from miles around as cure to the T-Virus is released. Would Alice survive it as she is also infected with the T-Virus? 

The Bad:

1) The lights! where are they?

I know this is a horror flick but this is also an action flick so I would still like to see where zombies are coming from or the fight scenes for that matter. They might as well have been  shying away from any detailed Walking Dead like zombie kill but I feel that this took away from any satisfying zombie kill that this movie would have offered.

2) Unengaging fight scenes

Fighting is supposed to make you root for one character. So what happens when you are not exactly feeling the struggle? or the way that a character is hurt? A good movies makes you want to say get up or take that. Don't expect that here. The opponents are overpowered but end up dead anyway by way of carelessness or silly things like Wesker being Fired and killed by an elevator.

3) Umbrella tech in a post apocalyptic world

Assuming that umbrella has cornered all the tech. It follows that the tanks they are all driving need technicians to upgrade and operate it or maintain it. With most of the Umbrella members in suspended animation I don't see how you could have a fully functioning tank on your hands.

4) Clones and more clones

Yeah. The holy Clone trinity is revealed and the main guy also has clones , mad clones. 

5) The amount of knockout's Alice sustains and she still alive!

The Ugly:

The fact that this might not be the end of this franchise as hinted by Alice in her motorcycle ride around town.

Rating:

All in all this is not the ending that I would have hoped for in the franchise. The plot seems to have been hurried way too much and context for actions is only provided with a sentence or two. Like the disaster at Washington , how it was an Umbrella trap all along or how Claire Redfield ended up on the Human resistance towers in the first place. 

The plot has more holes than cheese but at least I got to watch this in a VIP theater with comfortable lazy boy recliners , drinks and foods. The movie might not have been the best but my surroundings were great.

Hunyo's Movie Ravings - Arrival


Hunyo' s Movie Ravings - Arrival
by:
Virgilio F. De leon Jr.MD


The Plot:

Aliens arrive on key cities all around earth and humans are in a race to see who can understand their purpose. One of them is Amy Adams character who painstakingly learn what these aliens came here for and in the process learn something that would change her life forever.

The Good:
The nerdwriter in youtube actually touted this movie as a response to bad movies and I must agree with him. There is a specific twist here that I liked but will not reveal here because it is up to you to find it out.

It also speaks of language and how language and speech can carry meaning and context. I love how they portrayed language as the main element of this movie.


The Bad:

The army guys who tried to blow up the aliens and the fear mongering humans who show just how frightened monkeys our kind is of the things that we do not understand.

The Ugly:

I'd like to say the Septapods but I do like their appearance here , it does remind me of that monster in Minas Morgul in The Lord of the Rings though. Initially fear would creep in because they look so different but when understanding comes that fear eventually melts away.

Rating:
5 of 5. The story telling is superb and has enough elements to  make you want to learn more about what is going on in the movie. Engaging until the end and it has though , "Damn" moments when the plot is unravelling to show you what it has underneath.

"Knowing where she went"


"Knowing where she went"
by:
Virgilio F. De leon Jr.MD

V opened his laptop. Accessed the wifi of the main building and logged into his youtube account where he had his favorite videos already saved. There was this one particular video that he liked probably because in that video he had counted that she had a total of 3 mistakes. It was rare for her to have even one so for him to find 3 meant that she was really tired or having trouble adjusting to choreography. He found it odd but he was happy to see that she can make mistakes once in awhile. 

He loaded that video and was about to put his headphones on when a patient poked her head in his door and asked him some questions about asthma.He had answered her questions and was cleaning up the table a bit when he heard something on the headphones. He decided to put it on and heard her voice.

"Psst.Hey.You.Yes you." The voice came though the headphones with clarity.

V took them headphones off and  looked around to see who was calling him.He looked at the screen and he had to rub his eyes a couple of times in disbelief. It was YuuA. Rather the YuuA in the video that was in his monitor was speaking directly to him. She was speaking Korean and he was understanding her without the subtitles! He looked at the coffee mug on his right hand and wondered if someone drugged him. He must be hallucinating.He pinched himself to check if he was awake and the pain was considerable. YuuA was the only one moving and all 6 of her other members seemed to be in some time freeze.

"V. Listen. You are awake and no one has drugged you."

"Now you are a mind reader too!" V exclaimed a little too loudly that the nurse outside his office noticed through the see-through glass panels and opened the door.

"Everything ok Doc? You need me for anything?" the smiling nurse asked.

"No. I'm good.I was just reacting to this video I was watching."

"Ok doc." And she stepped out without another word.

"Hey hey hey. You are ignoring me here." YuuA was shouting from the screen. "You know how I am. I hate being ignored."

"Is this some sort of trick? This isn't real." 

And then V saw it. Her infamous death stare from the screen. He knew that whatever this was he had to pay attention.

"Fine. I know better than to question that death stare."

YuuA smiled. "Now pay attention."

"Ok."

"Why do you love me?"

"I don't love you. I just like watching you."

"But isn't that your comment down there? saying "I love you YuuA!!!" she pointed at the comment section just below her and V's recent declaration."

"Yes."

"So answer the question?"

"I...I love you because you make me happy. In my mind you are more than just an idol on a screen. You represent someone who can make me feel things.Granted that you are thousands of miles away and even if I go to Korea what are the chances that I get to meet you in person and really get to know you right?"

"So you content yourself by watching every video that has me in it?"

"I don't watch every video you are in."

"Really?" YuuA touched the right side of the screen and all the videos V watched over a span of a year was displayed. YuuA reached out for one video and loaded it as a small rectangle on her feet. It was the video that her previous dance studio took to serve as promotions. "You even have this one. Isn't this a bit too obsessive?"

"Nope. Besides there might be some videos that you are in that I know nothing about so I haven't watched everything. Only those that I know about."

"Spoken like a true obsessed person."

"I am not obsessed about you. If I were I would be in a plane to Korea by now or might have camped out outside MW Entertainment offices a year ago to just get a glimpse of you. I am here on my desk now and talking to what seems to be my hallucination of you.I think after this I would still be here."

"Have you eaten yet? You seem grouchy."

"You just accused me of being obsessed! I have the right to be grouchy!"

YuuA laughed her sweet laugh at him that almost melted the scowl that he was now wearing on his face.

"I am just teasing you V."

"Is that an apology from the great YuuA? I am actually surprised."

"hey. You watch me. You know that I do say sorry."

"Like that time you took Seunsee's special metal chopsticks and didn't bother to wash them? that didn't sound like an apology."

"And you don't sound like you are obsessed at all!"

"Hey. What is with you and that word? I am nothing like that."

"If you say so but I know otherwise."

"How the hell would you know? Like I said I am on the other side of the  East China sea and you know nothing about me."

"I know this though."YuuA pointed at the histories of videos , saved pictures , bookmarked sites. "I know enough that you should stop and start living your life again."

"What life? You mean the one where I am alone all the time? Where no one understands me? The life where no one cares if something happens to me or not? That life?"

YuuA looked as sad as she would in real life and she seemed to flicker on the laptop screen for a moment.

"I meant the life that you ran away from. The dreams that you had to be the one on the top of your field. The one where you created beautiful poetry. The one that made you happy rather than me."

"Sometimes things happen for a reason. I think I was meant to be alone.To be here in this place taking care of sniffles and unknown gastric pains. I just want you to keep me company as I trudge on. So I can smile a little and think of things that can be."

YuuA moved closer to the screen and placed her hand there as if to reach for the sad man. "It all seems like a trap that you can't  escape from. I am going to prove you wrong though.Wait for me."

V gave off what can only be described as a snort/laugh/choking sound."Hallucinations can't change the future. I swear I am not going to take any more duties on weekends. This is getting way off hand. "

YuuA laughed at him then pursed her lips with a little bit of sadness in her eyes. He had forgotten how expressive they were and he simply cannot turn away as she looked more at him.

"Just wait for me. I am on my way."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX


"Doc...Doc. We have a patient coming up. It seems like one of our guests got ill after eating something." His nurse patted him awake. And he knew instantly that he fell asleep in front of his laptop again. His coffee untouched. The food he brought now cooling on his left. He rubbed his eyes and yawned. His laptop screen was dark and of course YuuA was nowhere to be found. 

"Yup. My favorite reality. Unknown Gastric pains." V murmured.

"Doc?"

"Oh sorry. I mean send the patient in when they arrive."

The nurse turned around and opened the door , "Oh , the patient is here." 

"Annyeong-haseyo." The patient bowed in greeting and as she lifted her head V knew just where YuuA went.

"Annyeong-haseyo." V stammered in response.

"The Dragon Waits"


"The Dragon Waits"
by:
Virgilio F. De leon Jr. MD

V waited for her in the underground parking lot , right across where YuuA was currently in practice sessions for another variety show. Sometimes it seemed that all he did was wait and he did not mind it at all except for the fact that Blue was always on his case about not taking the end of the world seriously. She was having her whispered tirades now as she stood beside him smoking a cigarette , her back and right leg to the wall for support.

"Time is running out master. Ms. YuuA needs to be harvested for you to ascend. The end of the world is at hand." For someone who wears a color associated with Ice Blue is not a mellow person and she is trying to be discrete by whispering these not so certain reminders in between drags. "The Magistrates , The Yuu ,Black , Green and White are all moving and we seem to be stuck in one place."

"Have a little faith in me ok?" 

"Faith is all I have in you master. It is the only thing keeping me from going insane with your plans."

"Good. She will surrender her orb to me when she is ready and not before."

"Why does it seem to me that you really are not interested in taking it from her?"

"What makes you say that? We are here after all."

Blue slid her thumb over her phone to reveal a picture of  a dusty tome , it's pages covered in the minuscule writing of one of the worlds wisest dragons. 
"Master , seeking alternatives from the Tome Dragon might prove unproductive. No one believes in him anymore."

"Which I find odd because the man is a genius."

"Be it as it may. The Magistrates have exiled him and no one is permitted to talk to him in his tower."

"Another odd thing because you knew I talked to him and you were able to take this picture. Which makes One Scaleless dragon and One Talon who was able to make contact with the Tome Dragon in a small amount of time.You think the Magistrate's didn't notice?"

"I don't know about you Master but I was very careful."

"I have faith in you Blue. Now show me the same as I figure this one out."

"They say if the Maiden loves you then the orb can be freed from her physical form without killing her. You are patient Master but what makes you think that other of your kind are as patient."

"With me standing guard over these girls I think they can afford to be more patient don't you think?" V's eyes glowed a shade of black and Blue recognized anger when she sees it in his master.

"Be that as it may. We still need to get this going Master. Time is not standing still."

"Only her feelings for me stand still it seems."  V spoke almost inaudibly to himself.

"What was that?" Blue asked.

"YuuA will be finished soon. I will see you at the Water Palace on Sunday for the Scales to make their reports. I am reserving Saturday."

The talon knew when she was being dismissed as well and with a slight bow she slid into the shadows keeping a watchful eye on the Scaleless dragon known as V.

"Dragon Menacing"


"Dragon Menacing"
by:
Virgilio F. De leon Jr.MD

The Benevolent one strode inside his pleasure palace with a handful of his most trusted guards and was instantly displeased by the presence of someone else occupying his favorite couch. The man was well dressed in a tailor made suit of blue and black , his skin was light brown and he had closely cropped hair that hinted of silver on one side.His long legs were stretched on the expensive Italian couch. He found that odd more odd than the presence of someone in the same room that he was. The man smiled when he noticed him. 

"Ah. I was wondering when you would arrive." The man spoke almost in a low growl both enticing and menacing at the same time as if he was being patient for awhile.

"Before I have my guards shoot you , tell me who you are.Or they can beat that information out of you and then shoot you. Your choice."The Benevolent One took out a hand rolled Cuban cigar from out of his coat pocket which one of his guards instantly lit. He took a long satisfied drag and savored the flavor."So what will it be stranger?"

The stranger audibly sighed and stood on his long legs. Fixed his sleeves and looked directly at the dictator who at this distance only seemed to reach his armpits in height. Then the stranger smiled.

"What do you think is so funny? Are you not afraid to die?" 

"I was just remembering that your grand father and father threatened me with the same thing when I met them for the first time too. Is this some sort of family script?"

"You knew them?" The Benevolent one asked he found this man oddly interesting. "You look like you are my age.So how can you know the old men?"

"Believe me when I say that I am far older than anyone in this room. I am V. My full name would be difficult for you to pronounce so simply call me V."

"Ok V. Now that that is out of the way. All I need to know is why the hell you are here?" The guards aimed their guns at the unarmed V with a slight signal from the man.

"What power do you want me to demonstrate?"

"I am sorry. You said you wanted to demonstrate your power to me? Me? The Benevolent one? Shoot him."

The guards opened fire.Releasing whole clips at the man who stood there calmly and with an open palm facing toward them stopped the bullets in mid air.

"Just like Neo!" The benevolent one exclaimed and he coughed when he choked on his cigar smoke. The bullets dropped to the marbled floor. 

"Where do you think they derive their inspiration from? Now. Since you do not have the same sense as those elders of yours let me show you something." With a wave of his hand , people started appearing by the dozens around the dictator until he was completely surrounded by men in lab coats , Hazmat suits and security officers. 

"Who are these people?" The guards formed a protective wall around their leader and radioed for back up.

"Wait for it." V said and he closed his hand into a tight fist. The ground shook and there was the sound of the crowds collective screams at the sudden quake. 

The dictator ran to his balcony and saw smoke rising from a few miles south of his pleasure palace.

"The Wongdang Complex!" The little man lost his temper and flew into a rage knowing that billions worth of plutonium and nuclear research had just gone up in flames in his most advanced research complex. "You!"

V tilted his head. He ran toward the screaming man and lifted him to the air as he flew upward.

The dictator screamed and flailed his arms but V had an iron grip on his coat.

"Now do you know who I am?"

"You are V. What do you want from me?"

"Good. I am glad that you are willing to listen now."

The wind howled as V went higher and higher. With a slight lean of his head V pointed South of where they were.

"I live there now. So I would appreciate it if you just use your words towards your southern neighbors from now on. If I even see a stray soldier over the demilitarized zone or even any hints of covert weapons amassing on the border I just might come back here and who knows , my arms might get tired and drop you from a much higher height than this. Now nod if you understand."

The small man nodded.

"Now there you see? It wasn't so hard. I would let you be for now. Set your eyes towards something else maybe do something about this famine that has been ravaging your people. Far be it from me to meddle though. I just want us to have an understanding."

"You have my word."

"We both know your words mean nothing. Make sure that they remain so." V growled in the other mans ear.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX


CIA headquarters , somewhere North of Seoul.

"Colonel you need to see this sir."

"What is it?"

"The North Koreans have detonated something huge sir. Something underground."

"Have someone confirm it with the global sats."

"Right away. There is something else sir."

"What?"

"Those troop movements we observed the previous month."

"What about them?"

"They seem to be moving toward the border to China."

"That doesn't make any sense."

"That seems to be their movements sir."

The Colonel scratched his head and looked bewildered at his specialist.One moment you have something bad about to happen and then that bad bubble just burst without any explanation. It can't be that simple.

"Global sat picked up one more thing sir." The specialist brought something on his screen and it appeared to be two men floating in the air. One seemed to be desperately holding on to the other while one had an amused look on his face.

"If this is some computer photoshop trick , I really don't appreciate it Lt."

"This is the high res image we picked up as the global sat passed through going to the Wongdang complex."

The Colonel recognized the bald man smiling toward the passing satellite and it dawned on him  , he knew who it was that was in the picture.He had done this with previous Nor Kor leaders.
Almost decades apart. The Colonel was a young man when they first saw him.

"That asshole has done it again."

"I am sorry sir." The Lt. asked not sure of what his superior officer was alluding to.

"That asshole in the photo is a being called V. He appears once in a couple of decades and does this. Look at him. He smiled directly at the global sat pass. He knew exactly where he was looking at. And that poor sap he is carrying. That is the Benevolent One. I am sure when it comes to menacing something V just made one hell of an impression."

"What are your orders sir?"

"Send this to the Pentagon. Let the higher ups decide what they want to do with Nor Kor and V but if you ask me that man is a hero. Expect a lot of tough talk from the Benevolent One starting tomorrow but that is all it is going to be. Stand down from red alert and compile a report."

"Aye Sir."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Teleporting from North Korea was easy only he felt guilty that he had to use his powers this way but if he wanted to be on time before she arrived he just had to do it. The house was still empty and he longed to have her fill it with her voice and her laughter. In all his centuries of being alone he did not mind the silence but now silence meant that she was not around and he felt alone.

V ran his hand toward through his head making the hair on it grow and the silver streak on it to fade to black. He had taken off his clothes and lowered himself into the warm waters of the jacuzzi , the heat  relaxed him and he began to doze off only to be awakened by a kiss on his cheek.

"Did you wait for me long?" YuuA said as she began undressing and joined V in the warm waters.She felt happy that she could do that in the privacy of this house they shared. "Today's practice was hard! Binmi tripped on herself and Linnie got mad at Bee for being overbearing."

"Is Binmi ok though? I know how those two fight. They would be much better after they have rested. Or in Bee's case after a lot of Jinyo's cooking."

YuuA laughed and her eyes crinkled into small spots which showed her amusement. Bee was her best friend and she knew that more than anyone but even if V was just around them for a short while he seemed to have gotten everyone else personalities. As expected with someone with pattern detection skills.

"Hyosin and Seunsee accompanied Binmi to Moon Rae Hospital. Dr. Moon Rae seems to be very fond of Binmi. Did you know that they went out to see a movie the other week?"

"She always wanted to have a kid and I guess Binmi reminds her of that. I guess Binmi also loves the motherly attention. You want me to call her so I can follow up if everything is ok?"
V said as he began to stand from the water. YuuA held him down with one hand.

"Maybe later. You know me. I want you all to myself when I am here." She gripped his muscular arms and smiled but this one had a hint of what she was after.

"No arguments from me there.Are you hungry?You want to have some dinner?"

"I want you for dinner."

V closed the gap between them and when their lips locked all time seemed to stop.

"They better not make me mad."


"They better not make me mad."
by:
Virgilio F. De leon Jr. MD

He felt the music reverberating through the walls as he opened the keypad with his single free hand. He had bought a hotdog  sandwich and a bottle of water from the convenience store across the street. It might be something that YuuA might not find healthy but it was something that she definitely ate. Pentatonix's  La La Latch was playing and that meant that she was practicing for this years ISAC and as he opened the door V could see the way that YuuA twirled her ribbon so that it looked like there was swirling beams of light all around her. There are many who believe that this illusion was based on spirits hovering around humans and the beauty that they could add to them if the human becomes aware of them. V has been alive long enough to know that this was true but had a slightly different view on how these spirits could affect humans. 

YuuA was so intent in her routine that she failed to notice that V was already seated at the back of the room. His long legs crossed in front of him as he held the food he brought for her.

"Oh I am so sorry V. Have you been there long?" The girl said smiling in way of apology and running toward the man when he offered the food.

"Enough to see your routine a couple of times I think." V said as he handed the bottle of water to Yuua which the girl responded to with a quick thank you and a kiss on his cheek.

"So what do you think about it?"

"I'd say Mr. Kim is really pushing you to all this individual promotions a bit too much but I like it. Linnie could be the best runner in the group but you are really the best chance at winning Rhythmic gymnastics this year."

"We'd still be in the 400m relay too."

"And I am already predicting that as the baton is passed to the third runner another wide gap will be created and Linnie will be crossing the finish line all by herself again."

YuuA sat beside V and slapped him on the shoulder."You give the third runner so much credit."

"Not even enough. I predict that this will be your 2nd straight win in 3 years. I was there for the first time and I believe that you lost merely because you chose Hyosin to run last and Linnie first."

"Oh you were there the first time?" YuuA said. "Did you notice me then too?"

"It is kind of hard to miss the twin pig tails you were wearing that day."

"You even remembered that."

"If I can memorize spells that create matter from nothingness I think I can remember that about you. That and the effort that you put out to be neck in neck with what might have been the best runner on that field at that time. You beat her too which made me believe that you would do much better next year. I even thought that you were just being respectful to your sunbae but after seeing how upset you were it was safe to say that you gave your all in that race."

"You saw that too huh.It was inside the dugout and I thought Jinyo covered me well enough so as the fans could not see my disappointment."

"I always see you YuuA."

"I believe you." YuuA started munching on the hotdog like a little kid and a bit of mustard fell on her white shirt. She sighed.

"You don't always have to be perfect. I keep telling you that. Not with me at least." V said as he stood to go to the door.

"You just got here V-oppa. Where are you going?"

"The Magistrates said that they will meet with me tonight regarding the matter of the Dragon Altar I destroyed in the mountains."

"Oh. Are you going to be ok?"

"My hope is that they don't make me mad."

YuuA thought of the last time he saw V mad.

"I hope so too."

V waved two fingers at the dancer and was out the door.  

"To go on"


"To go on"
by:
Virgilio F. De leon Jr, MD

I
Close your eyes
Accept the darkness
Let Oblivion take you
Into the consuming sweetness

II
Why resist this peaceful sleep?
Why do you persist?
When it is so easy , all so easy
For all that you are to cease to exist.

III
You breathe , you live
You claw your way up
Up to an existence
Where you don't give up

IV
But for what?
But for who?
I guess in the end 
that is all up to you.

10/22/2017
Shaw 500 Centrum

"Troll"



"Troll"
ni:
Virgilio F. De leon Jr.MD

I
Tagaktak ang pawis
Sa silid na madilim
Takatak sa keyboard
Tangi mong maririnig

II
Opinyong kakatwa
Pilit na pinapakain
Sa isinumpang online
Walang paki sa damdamin

III
Balat sibuyas kapang napansin
mura ang sagot sa magandang layunin
Pagbabanta , pagkondena
ang araw araw niyang hinahain

IV
Nagtatago sa ibang ngalan at anyo
Troll sa internet laging humahayo
Nagkakalat ng pait
Nagkakalat ng lagim
Mga sigaw lang ng duwag sa dilim

10/08/2016
Shaw 500 Centrum

"Ang Bulag , Pipi at Bingi"


"Ang Bulag , Pipi at Bingi"
ni:
Virgilio F. De leon Jr. MD

I
Pumipikit ang mata sa galit
Maghahanap ng sinulid
Dumaraan kung saan malalim
Umuubos sa daang madilim

II
Bumubulwak ang pulang dugo
Dumaranak , kumakalat , bumabaho
Dun sa lansangan ng napiling siyudad
nakahandusay bangkay na nakahubad

III
Di tumitigil ang isa isang putok
Mula sa bangko hanggang bundok
Nangyayaring mga konsepto
Saan nga ba ito patungo?

IV
Kung saan tayo ang bulag
at sa takot ay nagkukubli
Sa katarungan pilit kumakapit
at nagmimistulang bingi
Inaalisan ng katwiran
at ngayon ay nagiging Pipi.

10/08/2016
Shaw 500 Centrum 

"Sa Ilog"


"Sa Ilog"
by:
Virgilio F. De leon Jr. MD

I
Dapit Hapon
Doon napiling tumalon
Sa Malalim na ilog
Di na Umahon

II
Iba-iba ang sabi
Mga bersyon ng nangyari
Naumpog ang ulo
pinulikat , nalunod
Sumingil ang ilog
Dinala ng malakas ng anod

III
Dapit hapon nakita
Lumalangoy na bata
Nahawakan ang paa , hinila
Di na nakita. Di na nakita.

09/23/2016
Shaw 500 Centrum

Wednesday, February 22, 2017

"Hunyos Movie Ravings - Passengers"


"Hunyos Movie Ravings - Passengers"
by:
Virgilio F. De leon Jr, MD

The Plot: 

Avalon is a colony ship transporting 5000 passengers to the planet Homestead II when a malfunction occurs accidentally waking Mechanical Engineer Jim Preston(Chris Pratt). The problem is that he is woken 90 years too early.

The Good:

1) The Sex scenes!

Hoooboy. Once Jim and Aurora start understanding each other they don't just do it in the bedroom. A ship where you are the only two people? They even do it in the mess hall! Messily at that with wasted cereals that the cleaning robots had to clean after wards. Most likely it wasn't just milk in that mix. Hmmmm

2) The comical attempts at opening the crew hibernation pods

From blow torches to an array of very sharp objects Jim attempts to open the hatch with zero success.

3) The effects of Zero G gravity.

One of the highlights of the malfunctioning ship is when the artificial gravity is shut off. Jim Preston only suffers a fall while Aurora who unfortunately went for a swim that particular time had to contend with swimming in a bubble and almost dying in the process. Yup. Zero G. Beautiful and deadly.



The Bad:

For a high tech ship with all the bells and whistles and humanoid bartender who could talk this ship didn't just tell Jim Preston why he was woken up for in the first place. Instead he has to suffer being alone for a year and then drag Aurora Lane (Jennifer Lawrence). It took them 2 years to figure out was what wrong!

The Ugly:

Robots dying and they die here one by one because of the overloaded ship. Arthur the bartender cutting his head on the bar as the ship wide system failure continues.



Rating:

I would have to say that  for a movie with Jennifer Lawrence in it this was just an ok movie. And it might have been a less ok without her in it.

Of course in the end she chose love and eventual death probably because she had found where she wanted to be. For a lot of the passengers on the Avalon , the goal is to reach Homestead II but there are times in life that you don't reach a particular goal because you found something else worthwhile to occupy your time. In Aurora's case a lifetime with Jim and all the finite possibilities that it offered.

Hunyos Movie Ravings - A Monster Calls


Hunyos Movie Ravings - A Monster Calls
by:
Virgilio F. De leon Jr. MD

The Plot:

It centers around a boy who has to deal with the reality of his mom's terminal cancer. At night he is visited by a monster who tells him stories.

The Good:

1)The First Three Tales

The Monster , an ageless Tree folk who has been witness to the towns long history tells three tales and at the end demands a 4th tale from the book. Enjoy each of the stories.

My favorite is the one that goes. "There was once an invisible man..." Watch.

2) The Fourth Tale/ Truth 

I don't want to reveal the secret here but this 4th tale is the most heartbreaking of all. A secret so deep that the boy may might as well die from uttering it.

3) His Mom's Art book in the end.
The boys mom is an artist and at the end of the movie watch as  he realizes how the monster may not have just called on him.



The Bad:

1) The Dad - Of all the dads in the world this one takes the cake and just once could have taken a really great step to being closer with his son , only he didn't. I have a deep sorror for fathers who are not able to connect to their children either because they are away or refuse to connect to their children.


The Ugly:

1)The Smashing of the Figurines. Well it was kind of fun actually but that look on Sigourney Weavers face when she discovers that her figurines and her antique clock has been destroyed is just one of anguish and silent rage. 

2) What would be the point? Is the question that answers this question. Aren't you going to punish me?

And it is ugly because it is the truth. Knowing that your mother is dying is punishment enough isn't it?

Hunyo Rating:

5 0f 5. A Monster Calls is an emotional roller coaster and it is a movie that has helped me with some questions about a loss that I have suffered as well. Given that the young boy in me has not learned how to fully cope with that loss as well. 

The monster tries and helps as he could and heals those that should be healed. It made me wish I had such a monster.