"K'rrik , Son of Yawgmoth - Spreading Phyrexian Mana"

"K'rrik , Son of Yawgmoth - Spreading Phyrexian Mana"

by:

Virgilio F. De leon Jr.MD

K'rrik , Son of Yawgmoth continues the work that his father had begun. Spreading the word of Phyrexia to the multiverse. 

I am most excited about his static ability. Where for each swamp in a cost you may pay 2 life than pay that mana. 

Phyrexian Mana is now a thing! Well a stronger thing in EDH circles. Granted that it focuses mainly on black spells but hey all the other colors turn will come. We already saw that in New Phyrexia where Phyrexian Mana was first used. We might be seeing new ways of using this mana soon as the much hinted return to New Phyrexia is in the works.

For now though what are the implications of K'rrik in mono black EDH decks. 

Well it has been known that if you have a way to play spells without paying mana. Then that is certainly how you want to play things. K'rrik himself is not a 7 CMC , he only becomes a 4 colorless mana cost creature because you can be sure as hell that people will cast him that way. 

And then there are the spells that you can cast for free( well relatively) Sign in Blood for example if a 4 life cost rather than 2 mana. Skithiryx can now be cast for 3 colorless mana and 4 life. You can pay Phyrexian mana to give him haste or even regenerate him if an opponent responds to him. And you bet that there will be a ton of people trying this. The Phyrexian Crusader would be 1 colorless mana and 4 life. or basically 1 colorless mana. Insane.

And K'rrik feeds on this black spells that you have cast. He gets stronger by getting a +1/+1 counter on him every time you cast a black spell and surely he has given you quite the incentive to cast them.

And to make sure that you don't die he also has lifelink. The bigger he gets , the more damage he inflicts the more life you can get. Lifelink is also a hint as to what creatures that you would run with him. Maybe cast a 2 colorless , 4 life Whip of Erebos. I'm sorry. 2 colorless Whip. To give all your creatures life link. Hint hint.

"Dockside Extortionist: The Strongest Goblin."

"Dockside Extortionist: The Strongest Goblin."

by:

Virgilio F. De leon Jr.MD

Goblins are often judged by their aggression. Those who come in fast and lethal or who could bring with them the biggest comrades in battle. Yes Goblins are judged by what they can inflict on their opponents.

This guy however does not even need to attack. He just needs to be in the battlefield and he gives you an advantage or even yet a win condition but more on that later.

So Dockside extortionist is a 1/2 Goblin for 2 mana that has an ETB ability that reads. When Dockside extortionist enters the battlefield , create X Treasure tokens where X is the number of Artifacts and enchantments your opponents control. 

"A small price to keep such pretty things safe."

Yup this guys has the audacity to ask for money so that all the artifacts and enchantments a player controls go on being that way. No harm done. Just pay us in treasure.

So how do you win with this guy? Normally you would want to include him in a Grixis Deck. 

1) First way to win is with Revel in Riches! With all those treasure tokens coming your way and access to Black this enchantment is a must.

2) Hellkite Tyrant. Remember this guy? He wants to steal those all important artifacts from an opponent of your choice. Before attacking though make sure to cast Dockside extortionist to take advantage of the artifact count on the other side of the table. And then wait for your upkeep for the win.

3) Mechanized production is a win con as well here. Enchant a treasure. Win on your next upkeep!

4) Feedback bolt. By far one of my most favorite cards from the Mirrodin Block. Instant speed kill for at least one opponent with enough artifacts on the board.

5) Unli mana. It might not be a win con but it provides the stage for one.  With a Deadeye Navigator in play , Soulbounded to the extortionist and all those rocks and prohibitive enchantments in the mid to late game you have a potential combo for unlimited mana once more. Simply bounce the Dockside extortionist and get more and more treasures. Sacrifice 2 to bounce again and yeah unlimited mana! 

Yup. This guy just has to enter the docks and cause panic. I love it.

"The One's with the Red hats"

"The One's with the Red hats"

by:

Virgilio F. De leon Jr.MD

"I saw you once. The only chance that I got to see you and talk to you."

"When was this?" V asked as he held on to the still naked Jinyo. 

"It was during a book signing.I think it was at a little Cafe bookstore in Gangnam. I managed to bribe my manager into bringing me there. You are an expensive person to meet."

"A little Cafe? Hmmmm. I only did a few of those. You don't mean the Dragon Brew right?"

"Is that the one with the cute dragon Barista logo?"

"That's the one."

"I was there.And I even got to ask you a question in the packed place. It seemed like I was not the only one interested in Hush. I was part of hundreds but I asked you anyway."

"Did you write your book for anyone in particular?" That was how you asked it right?"

"You remembered?"

"Well I actually got asked that a lot but never by a woman who refused to take off her mask and some strands of blond hair escaping from the red beret that she thought would hide all of that waist long hair."

Jinyo laughed. "So you remembered me?"

"I remember feeling odd when you looked at me.And this is after the fact that I have been asked that very same question hundreds of times. Did you remember my answer?"

"That you did write it for someone but it might be impossible for that person to actually read it."

"And your answer was , if she is not dead there is still that possibility that she could have read your message."

"The crowd laughed at that. I think they were curious that you might actually know me. You seemed to be so calm."

"Well I was not."

"I looked for you after wards but you disappeared."

"Practice/Promotions/Prior Engagement. Take your pick. I was lucky that I got to go at all."

"You were the girl in the red beret."

"I was."

"Since you told me this I have a confession. It was not the last time that we talked."

"Really?" 

"Yes. I got to attend a fan sign of yours.In Japan."

"We did a lot of those even up to the very end."

"This was the first time you got into Shibuya Records though."

"You were there? You were actually there?"

"I was. Though I was sick at the time. I also had a mask on. I looked like everyone else who was there to see you."

"What were you doing in Shibuya?"

"I was meeting a friend who owed me several volumes of Manga."

"And you didn't just have that shipped to you?"

"Thank goodness I didn't. I was putting them away in my car when I saw all the frenzy that was surrounding you guys.At first I didn't know which group it was exactly they were so many people but when I saw "Oh My Doll" I knew that I had to go.I had to call my agent to get me in. And that was not easy. Good thing she knew the manager from Shibuya Records and I was able to slip in. You too were expensive to see."

Jinyo laughed at V's revenge. 

"I am happy to know that you were there. I think I messed up a lot that day. We have not had any decent sleep and there was a part where they wanted me to sing live. My voice was so raw at that point. I don't know how people would react."

"Are you kidding? I loved you there. You were honest. You sang your song and it seemed time stopped and I was able to see you but I doubt if you ever saw me. Or maybe you did. What was the strangest thing someone had you sign in that event if you remember?"

"Welll....hmmmm pretty normal stuff. There is this one guy though. He had me sign a Manga called the Dragon's bride instead of our album. I found it odd since fans normally would be carrying tons of things for us to sign or even touch if you would believe that."

"I believe it.And what do you remember about this guy who let you sign that manga?"

"He wore a mask. He had a red cap on."

V stood and went to rummage among his things. Jinyo noticed that he only had a few bags but there was a heavy duty one that he never seemed to open. 

V handed her a manga that was sealed in clear plastic and there in the middle where she had signed. "Get well soon and stay healthy."

Jinyo looked at V and kissed him. Here they were chasing each other and finally were together.

"The Summons"

"The Summons"

by:

Virgilio F. De leon Jr.MD

V had come and gone as he pleased that YuuA was no longer surprised. It still upset her when he would disappear but she had grown to somewhat expect her lover to be somewhere else at certain times of the month. And he would never even bother to answer when she asked. He had his ways of evading her direct questions and she would always get it when he did not want to talk about something. Time taught her that a little patience with the Dragon yields better results than insistent badgering. Like her , he divulges things when he feels that he is ready.

He had called her in the middle of practice. As rookies they would have been punished for that but personal calls were now allowed especially for her. Mr. Kim seems to give them a lot of lee way after their first string of wins and the CF contracts that came with those wins.

"Yes?" YuuA asked in her sing song voice hiding her excitement but lowering her tone a little. She knew he could tell though.

"I want to see you." It was just like him to be that straight forward and it was something that she liked.

"Where?"

"The Dragon vault."

"I'd be done with practice in an hour or so.Could you wait?"

"Hand the phone to your choreographer." Was that a sigh she heard on the other side of the phone?

The stern looking Choreographer took the phone and listened to the dragon known as V and the irritation on her face disappeared to one of fear. She had caught herself and handed the phone back to YuuA.

"It is ok YuuA-shi. We will continue the practice without you. You have gotten everything anyway."

Bee and Seunsee began to rise to accompany YuuA.

"You two stay. We still have a lot to do."

YuuA looked at her protectors and she felt a dark mood rising from Bee who was about to protest. Seunsee held her arm and Bee thought better of it. YuuA was going to V and she would not need protection. It was the Dragon who needed it. YuuA despite her patience will want his explanations for his month long absence. And no one would pity V when she began asking her questions.

"Maloko si Oko"

"Maloko si Oko"

by:

Virgilio F. De leon Jr.MD

I was reading the interview for Oko and all I can say is Maloko siya. Maloko si Oko. It seems that Magic wants another trickster planeswalker and Throne of Eldrain has one in Oko.

While they did not reveal his abilities let us hope that it does reflect on his mischievousness. Now so far that is all we know of him so this is about the time that we enter into speculative theories.

#1 Oko will introduce new mana in MTG.

While there have been talks about this new 6th color since as far as I can remember while playing magic , there have been no signs that it would actually come true. Some people thought it was the Wastes from Battle of Zendikar but that is just a symbol upgrade for something that already exists. Colorless mana. 

However this pictue of Oko shows 3 mana threads and one of them is colored purple. The very same color that people always speculate will be the new color of Magic. As of this point we can not be sure but if this is a new color of magic then there will be a lot of things to consider. A new Color Pie chart for one. And that things that it can cast. Maybe Barney.

#2 Oko is kind of like Loki.

Notice the OK in between there.Yeah. I did too. It means nothing. But the thing I would like to point is that if Oko is a shapeshifter(like Loki) and mischievous(like Loki as well) He might very well be the first planeswalker to turn into a creature that is a copy of an existing creature on the battlefield. Yes we had Gideon(who turns to an Indestructible Soldier) and Sarkhan(who turns into a Dragon) but we never had a planeswalker card that could potentially turn into anything that is on the battlefield. Who knows he might not just be limited to copying creatures.

#3 Oko and the Kpop aesthetic

Many players have been pointing to this Kpop vibe that Oko exudes and why not right? Kpop is pretty mainstream nowadays and a lot of MTG fans are also Kpop fans. It might be the right time for a Korean inspired set. We have been to China , Japan , India , Greece. Maybe it might be Korea's turn next.

"Walang Katapusang paghuhukom"

"Walang Katapusang paghuhukom"

Ni:

Virgilio F. De leon Jr.MD

I

Umalulong ang mga ulol

Sa sulok ng mga silid

Nang luminis and luntiang paligid

Usok pa din usong binibilin

II

tumatak ang tamang salita

sa noo ng mamang mataba

Di na ako uulit , di na uulit 

  

III

Di din naman mapapawi

ng galit ang mga nasawi

tatataas lang nang tataas

ang presyong sisingilin sa huli

IV

Sumigaw man ng sumigaw

ng hinihinging paghihiganti

Di naman mararating 

ang mga tenga ng bobo't bingi

August 31 , 2019. 4:52am

"A brush with Death"

"A brush with Death"

by:

Virgilio F. De leon Jr.MD

V walked into the bar and sat at the very edge. Once in awhile he would signal a drink from the pretty bartender and it would slide right over to him. The place was full enough where you can still move around and maybe even whisper a few suggestive things to that attractive stranger that seems to have caught your eye. V was not in the mood for any of that game tonight. He wanted his drink and he wanted a lot of it.

So when the group of 7 entered the bar and began their noisy chatter V had to look and it was among them that he saw her. Long black hair with the tips ending in silver and curled. He felt like he was punched in the gut. How can she be here of all places? He had to put down his drink and see who she was with. V did not know of the girls surrounding her but they seemed to be tightly packed that no one could approach her. A shield formation if he ever saw one. Of course that won't stop him if he chose. It was her that she was afraid of. If it was really her. He had to know for sure and there was only one way to find out.

A few seconds later a dagger went straight to the beautiful stranger much to the surprise of her companions and none on the part of V as she had caught it by the hilt and looked at the direction where it came from. V waved at her awkwardly and a smile broke across her face. A smile that he had not seen in over 60 years. It was really her. It was YuuA.

She had parted the wall that were her companions and went directly toward V. "Shouldn't you offer a lady a drink first before trying to murder them or have we lost our manners through the years V?" Her tone was serious but her eyes told him otherwise.

"Merely a test. Rusty warriors usually die before they are offered a drink."

"Fine. Now where is that drink?"

V waved to the bartender and 2 drinks slid in his direction. He clinked the shot glass at the one that YuuA did not pick up. "Cheers.To old friends."

YuuA drank the whole thing down and plunged her hand towards V's chest. "To old friends."

V spewed blood from his mouth as he felt the speed of his ex lovers attack.

"Just making sure you had a beating heart." The slender female said as he caressed the beating organ from within. "Now it is time to extinguish it."

YuuA was able to crush the mans heart with ease and he fell head first into the counter.

"I thought you would have lasted more than this V. Such a shame." The girl started to move toward her friends when the bartender stopped her. 

"You are picking up his tab." The woman behind the counter said  as if nothing happened. This was a place of death after all.

"With him. It might not even be much. He is fond of cheap whiskey and such. Go ahead and..."

V's laughter echoed in the crowded room. It was maniacal at best. Crazy at it's worst and he was standing up too with the hole in his chest now fully closed.

"What are you laughing about? I just killed you?"

"Killed. Past tense. I'm back. If only it were that easy then I won't even be here drinking."

YuuA sighed. "Come and join me and the girls then. I promise not to kill you tonight."

"I don't even know why I am turning that down. A night with a demon horde seems fun but not tonight."

"Fine. I'll kill you later?" The girl tilted her head sideways and made the threat seem cute with her eyes smiling at him.

"You can try. It was nice running into you."

"I can't say the same. You normally let me kill you at least three times. What's your problem?"

"What makes you think I have a problem?"

"Dead one time and now avoiding me."

V laughed.

"No longer attracted to death are we?"

"Why do you always make this about you?"

"Isn't everything going to be about me in the end?"

"It must bother you when that something does not end the way you want it."

YuuA's eyes narrowed into slits and with a motion that was too fast for mere mortals decapitated V whose blood spurt over the bar and some people , who promptly ignored the wet works.

The girl followed where the head flew and watched it turn into fine dust. V stood up with his head intact looking at his killer. 

"What were you saying?" YuuA asked.

"It does not end the way you want it."

And again the girl attacked but this time V blocked it with the shot glass he was holding.YuuA was surprised that the little glass did not shatter nor the few drops of alcohol in it move at all. He was doing it again. Absorbing time and everything else into this small thing.

"No new tricks? Always absorbing chaos magic like this?"

"Nope no new tricks for this old dog. Your friends seem bored. You might want to join them before they start biting some of the patrons heads."

"I honestly just want your company V. Why can't you get that?"

"I got it exactly 60 years ago when you left." V stood up and threw a Platinum card at the bartender."Here put the cost here. And the Demon horde over there can have anything they want on me."

The Bartender took the card and nodded.

"I will be seeing you."

"I know where you live."

"I knew but that doesn't mean you'd want to pay me a visit. Death often hates what it cannot kill."

"Doesn't mean I will stop trying though."

"You forgot about me for the last 60 years until now."

"You are right. It is so much fun and the night is still young."

"Don't cull too much ok? I still need a lot of mortals to go to work tomorrow."

"I would do the best that I can."

"Not good enough."

"Oh ok. I would just collect the dues and not put some icing on my cake."

"Make sure that you do."

V stepped out of the bar and into the street vendor across the street. A brush with death always gave him an appetite.

"3 things I have seen this week: Names on the rise"

"3 things I have seen this week: Names on the rise"

by:

Virgilio F. De leon Jr.MD

Every week I run into some of the most interesting names in my practice. Normally I don't notice them until I am already logging them at the end of the day. And then I smile.

For this week I have these 3.

1) Lovely Sunshine

I am not sure if this persons parent/parents named her after the first thing they saw after she was born. So I assume she was born in some mountain somewhere and not in a hospital , no Lovely Sunshine there. Otherwise she might been named Masungit na OB or Maskuladong Orderly.

2) Alexka

I am sure that this is a version of Alicia or Alexa. So I guess they made a list.Alexmo.Alexyun.Alexsiya. Ahhh! Alexka!

Ikaw na. Alexka nga.

3) Mary Rise 

If she was named after a hill or sea land mass I am not really sure. Her parents might have predicted that she would be not so easily roused in the morning? Or it might be a declaration for her to succeed. Rise Mary Rise. It is a good thing that her parents cared. It might have gone the other way and turned into Mary Fall.

And I am looking forward to the exotic names next week. It doesn't seem to end.

"The Coin Prison"

"The Coin Prison"

by:

Virgilio F. De leon Jr.MD

I

We all have our prisons

Shackled by what could have been

Dark things that hold us

Unspoken things left unseen

II

Flip a coin and that prison

is not as unhappy as you think

For what holds you

also holds another close

III

And what you think traps you

makes you see other things

Not a deception or illusion

merely something you could not see on your own

Optum Bldg.N Quezon City. August 31 2019. 4:38am

"Doc In , Doc Out: No Revealing"

"Doc In , Doc Out: No Revealing"

by:

Virgilio F. De leon Jr.MD

Patient: Doc someone advised na dapat daw wag kong sabihin na may card ako kasi baka kung ano ano daw ang ipa surgery sa akin.

Me: Hmmmm. Kayo po eh sa malalaking hospital lang nagpupunta di ba?

Patient: Opo Doc.

Me: Tapos ang card mo eh M____care. At never ka naman pumunta sa hindi M___care accredited di ba?

Patient: Opo Doc.

Me: Maam for sure alam na po nung doctor na nakakita sa inyo na may card kayo. Di niyo na po kailangan sabihin.

Patient: Oo nga po ano.

"Midweek Magic 2019 #22 - The night of the Eldrazi Ooze"

"Midweek Magic 2019 #22 - The night of the Eldrazi Ooze"

by:

Virgilio F. De leon Jr.MD

Jethro proclaimed in our chat group. "Nakapull off si Doc ng Meld with the Eldrazi Ooze."

And I was so damn proud of it. I was not the first one to pull it off. It was another person in our playgroup , Janry who did so. It was so hard to deal with a 7/4 who dropped 2 3/2 attacking Ooze with it that I conceded.

When I was making my Aurelia Boros Deck I had thought of where to put my Hanweir Militia and Battlements. It seemed that it needed another color as it would be a bit hard to pull off in a mono red deck(at least that is how I viewed it) and since I was trying to cram in as many good cards in my Boros deck I did add these two cards.

I could fetch for the land with my Weather Wayfarer and if the deal for The Imperial Recruiter I had went through I would have gotten to fetch the Hanweir Militia as well.

In this game I was able to cast the 2/3 Militia early at turn 3. On my 5th turn I was able to draw the Land! And much to my pleasure I had the mana to pay for it. And as I joined these two cards to bring about such an abomination my heart was filled with joy. Yes abominations bring me joy. My Phyrexian self is surfacing again.

So what is worse with a 7/4 Trampling Haste Eldrazi Ooze who drops 2 3/2 Ooze creatures that are attacking? Well it is absolutely worse when it attacks with Aurelia , The War leader. Because after the first wave of attack it can create another pair of 3/2 monsters. 

First wave damage was 16. The second wave was 22 points of damage. Doing the math my opponents didn't take much time to decide to scoop and move on to our next game.

I did not where else to put these cards but tonight I was happy that I have put them here. It was truly the night of the Eldrazi Ooze.

"The Inkigayo Sandwich"

"The Inkigayo Sandwich"

by:

The Vole

One of the things that is often asked in interviews with former Idols(since they are no longer active they can reveal a couple of things about their dating lives) is if they had either given or received an Inkigayo sandwich.

As it turns out idols who give these sandwiches also hand out their phone numbers secretly so that they can communicate secretly. Hence dating scandals can be said to stem from these innocent sandwich exchanges.

I would never get to experience giving or receiving one of these in my lifetime. I am not an idol nor do I personally any Idol. I am curious as to what these actually taste though.

And it so happened that there is a stand in the middle of the basement , right next to La Lola in SM North , The Block that makes these sandwiches. They come in 2 flavors , Strawberry and Cheese. The Former being the original flavor made me decided to buy it and see how it actually tastes.

So it is a sandwich best eaten right away while it is still cool. It has the aforementioned strawberry sauce , Chicken , Corn and mayonnaise. So it had all those different textures and tastes. 

I could only describe my first bite as tasting a very sweet Macaroni salad in a sandwich. It was very tasty and different. I liked the cold and the crunchiness of the corn and the chewiness of the soft chicken. The Mayo and Strawberry mixing together was quite a treat. Never eaten anything like it before. 

I would go back for the Cheese next time around.Let us see how that goes.

"The Bigger Idiot"

"The Bigger Idiot"

by:

Virgilio F. De leon Jr.MD

"Are you still awake?" V asked Hani who was actually sleeping on the hotel bed.

"If I don't answer would you go away?" said the girl a bit gruffly. "Look it's 3am. You'd be meeting her in 4 hours."

"I know. And I can't sleep."

Hani knew that tone in V's voice. Ever since he was young and he was excited like going to a new place or buying a new toy V would have that sleepless night before the actual event. This was more understandable. He was meeting someone that he had watched obsessively on a computer screen over the course of 3 years.

"V. You can close your eyes and rest or you would look ugly the first time that you meet her."

"I know. I think this was a mistake. I mean to go and actually see her like this."

"You won that contest fair and square." 

"It's not about that. What if I meet her and she doesn't turn out to be the person that I thought her to be."

"There is that possibility."

"You are not helping."

"Well you woke me up. You can't expect me to be happy about it."

"I need to talk to my best friend."

Best friend. Hani bristled at the word. V was a helpless mess without her even he knew that but it seems that over these past few years she had developed feelings that he did not share. It was a lost cause. V loved that Idol and nothing she did could distract him. It was pure torture to be here. It was like giving away the most precious thing in the world. Of course it was V who taught her that nothing is really any one's until that person agrees. Hani tried to hit herself in the head for being so stubborn but here she was still being a "good friend". 

"Spill."

"What do I know about YuuA really?"

"Well what do you know?"

"Well , she is an adorable , world famous idol , known for her on point dancing , angelic voice and top notch visuals."

"Those are the things that others can see clearly as well."

"Exactly. It dawned on me that I know nothing about her really."

"But what about those times that you were rambling about the things that she likes or does not like? or her food preferences? or her favorite pet?"

"All found on the Internet. Some could have even been fabricated by her own company to cultivate her image. Like that time she was talking about her favorite book. It could just have been all for show."

"Or maybe she really loves that book and could turn out to be as big of a nerd as you are."

"I don't know."

"Ok V. I will tell you this. You can have all these fears but sooner or later you would still want to face them. This is one of those chances for you to know. And not knowing, maybe missing this entails a lot of regrets. So whatever she turns out to be tomorrow you can walk away with the knowledge that you got a glimpse of the real person rather than the idol on the screen."

V nodded. He moved closer to her and looked into her eyes.

"See. This is why you are my best friend.Thank you Hani." And V kissed her on the forehead.

Hani was trying hard not to cry so she turned around and pretended to sleep. Masking her sobbing with the thick pillow.

V totally unaware laid flat on the couch and looked at the ceiling and after a couple of minutes snored softly.

"You are an idiot V." Hani said between sobs that only she could hear.

"3 things I have seen this week - Odd balls"

"3 things I have seen this week - Odd balls"

by:

Virgilio F. De leon Jr.MD

Usually I have duties where nothing out of the ordinary happens. Patients coming in for advise or consultation. Nothing more. Nothing less. 

Sometimes along with the rain comes the weirdness. And I have really odd patients coming in. Here are 3.

1) Walang kinalaman

Patient came in with a stuffy nose and coughing profusely. Turns out that she had been given antitussive  drugs( cough suppressants) and advised that she had a viral infection that will likely pass. 

Of course when she came in to work she told me that her colds had nothing to do with her cough. And so I had to remind her of that little tube at the back of her nose that leads to her throat causing it to be irritated. There is your relation Maam. you are welcome.

2) 2 Hours rest.

Someone came in to the clinic requesting if they can rest for 2 hours. I asked them why they were asking the clinic that because upon assessment they were physically normal.

The person said that he was a working student who was working on his thesis and was sent to the clinic to request for the rest.

I calmly told this person that I could not grant it. I still advised that he could ask for an early lunch so that he can rest but the clinic could not grant his request. He is not the only working student who is working on this thesis. It would be quite unfair to the others.

Thank you he said sarcastically.

I am not here to make you happy I replied. This is the clinic not a hotel. 

3) Wet na wet.

An agent came in , barefoot and wet into the clinic. He was sent by his TL to ask what the clinic can do for him?

I advised him to borrow warm clothes from his team mates. He promptly answered with "wala yung mga yun." And I said natanong mo na ba?

So I still gave him advise. "Borrow dry clothes or ask your TL if you can go home and change clothes. Otherwise there is nothing the clinic can do for you. We don't have scrub suits or gowns for you here."

The guy walked out. I still don't understand why they are sending these concerns to us? The clinic cant control the weather , your level of wetness or comfort in wet clothes. Only you can do that.

"The girl in the bleachers"

"The girl in the bleachers"

by:

Virgilio F. De leon Jr.MD

I

You sat there , eyes closed

Swaying your head to the music

Letting the waves through you

In this delicious convergence

II

To the beat of the drum

and the slide of the bass 

I know that you feel it through you

the powerful , electricity of this place

III

And you mouth the words

of the songs that I love to sing

and in an instant your voice is the one I hear

IV

Time and space no longer exist

Except for you  , pretty girl in the bleachers

Singing your heart out

and not minding if the world could see.

V

I remember you as you sat there

Singing as Our song plays on rewind

And so I know that it still does 

On and on with you in my mind

Completed: August 31 , 2019

"A poem about a girl in Urbandubs 10th year anniversary concert"

"Doc In , Doc Out :Namamalat"

"Doc In , Doc Out :Namamalat"

by:

Virgilio F. De leon Jr.MD

Nagtatanong for patient: Doc bakit ganun po sabi nung kapatid ko wala naman daw sugat sa ari niya pero namamalat daw.

Me: (Ari? Namamalat? May vocal cords?) So bale nagbabalat po ba?

Nagtatanong for patient: Yun po Doc.

Me: Ok po. Nalito ako for a moment eh.

"Midweek Magic 2019 #21 - Living Death staving Death"

"Midweek Magic 2019 #21 - Living Death staving Death"

by:

Virgilio F. De leon Jr.MD

It was a Thursday and I was playing with Yo and Jethro. Jethro was able to pull off Chandra , Torch of Defiance's ultimate ability. An Emblem that deals 5 damage when it's controller casts a spell. This prove almost lethal for me as I was down to 7 life points. 

I had Muldrotha and Trinket Mage in play. I played my Sidisi , exploiting Trinket Mage and looked for my salvation. Living Death. I attacked with Muldrotha and a Lightning Greaves equipped Sidisi. My Muldrotha died and went to my graveyard. Inside I was already anticipating what would happen. I hoped that Jethro would not have a Counter in his hand. And he did not. On my Second Main phase I casted Living Death. Returning all the Creatures in my GY to the battlefield. Most important to note was Courser of Kruphix , Tatyova , Viscera Seer and Worldshaper.  I already had a Zuran Orb in play so I floated 9 mana and sacrificed all of my lands to it. 

7 lands became 14 life points. I now had 21 life.

I then sacrificed my Worldshaper to the Viscera Seer and I had 17 lands returning from the GY to the battlefield tapped. This triggered 17 life from Courser of Kruphix and 17 life from Tatyova , as well as drawing 17 cards. 

I was at 55 lives. Since I had Muldrotha already in play from Living Death as well I casted Worldshaper from my GY one more time. I sacrificed 17 lands to the Zuran Orb. 

I was at 89 lives. I sacrificed the Worldshaper and would again have 17 lives from the Courser and Tatyova respectively. 17 card draws and I was at 123 lives.

It was then that I knew that I was well beyond any amount of direct damage that Jethro could throw at me. And I was attacking for lethal on the next turn. 

From Sidisi to Living Death. 7 lives to 123 lives. Whew. It felt great escaping that one.

"Queendom and the Aspirants"

"Queendom and the Aspirants"

by:

The Vole

There is a new survival show from MNET and it is called Queendom. It's concept surrounds 6 acts that will make a simultaneous come back which will then be ranked by votes to determine the first winner of Queendom.

I am quite familiar with most of these acts and here are some thoughts and story lines that might emerge from this show. I do love girl group interactions and even if my favorite group does not win just seeing them enjoy each other's music is quite a lot.

So here are the groups vying for Queendom and the drama that may have brought with them.

Lovelyz - 

Intact team since their debut but only has 1 win under their belt.And thought they have been consistently coming out with quality songs have been somewhat overshadowed by other girl groups that are younger as proven with just their lone music show win. Still brimming with talented vocalists. 6 out of 8 are actually pretty good vocalists. While they have no rap parts in their concepts Baby Soul is a rapper in pinch. Their innocent girl concepts seem to mask some of the innate sexiness of their members like Mijoo and Yein. It might be the right time to release some of that now. 

Oh My Girl - 

Oh My girl has been growing steadily since their debut and had proven their relevance and longevity. Getting more and more significant wins with each comeback that they have done. 

They lost a member but who's win rate has gone up since their last 4 comebacks and is on the heels of their first Public Music Station win in Inkigayo.

Rejuvenated interest with Blonde Jiho , the rise of their maknae Arin , the talented living Doll YooA ,Actress Binnie , Strong Rapper Mimi  , Cute song specialist Hyojong and Musical Genius and all around prodigy Seunghee. They might have enough of a force to surpass but it would still depend on what concept they will play in this competition.

Park Bom -

Eldest in the group who will represent herself ,  as her former legendary group 2Ne1 has officially disbanded. She has been on the trail of redemption since her very public drug charges. She has come back with 2 good songs and is determined to be able to sing again for her fans. We will see if she can still belt out in the competition. It is rather sad to see her in this diminished state but we never know what the show has planned for her.

AOA - 

With only 5 active members since the departure of Main Vocalist ChoA and Mina. AOA still has their rappers , 2 main dancers and Yuna as main vocals. They are proven winners with their sexy concepts but has been mired in some controversy as of late. Jimin suffering from excessive weight loss for example. AOA is out to prove that they still have what it takes to win. They have the experience. The only question is will they have the fire lit up in their bellies to compete.

Mamamoo -

If I had to pick a clear winner in terms of talent and popularity it is this ever consistent , talented 4 some. Even the participants looked worried when they found out that Mamamoo will be participating in this competition. It is not even fair at this point.

G-Idle -

Super rookies who made the record of the shortest possible time to win in a music show since debut. Resting on the shoulders of it's charismatic rapper Jeon So-yeon and their powerful girl crush concepts. G-Idle might be the other group to look out for. They might be the youngest but by far they are 2nd only to Mamamoo in terms of charisma.

"Coreset 2020 Planeswalker decks - Chandra"

"Coreset 2020 Planeswalker decks - Chandra"

by:

Virgilio F. De leon Jr.MD

Now that I am officially sick and have some time on my hands I actually got to look at the exclusive cards that can only be found in these planeswalker decks.

The deck to have caught my attention is that of the Red planeswalker Chandra. I know there have been so many Chandras to come out as of late and that this new Chandra will be swallowed up(in terms of attention) by the 3 other Chandras making their appearance in Core set 2020. 

And this is probably why I am writing this so that she might not be forgotten , even if she is probably a bit watered down than what we expect from a Red Planeswalker.

I just know the theme for this deck is non-combat damage and Chandra does encourage you to burn opponents. She also wants to give that little push for her creatures to claw a little or blow up a little for the spicy lethal damage.

Case in point is this creature:

Wildfire Elemental. 

Where it has that static triggered ability 

that gives creatures you control +1/0 every time an opponent  is dealt non-combat damage. Sure +1/0 doesn't seem much. except when you have huge elementals or plenty of elemental 1/1's receiving the stat booost or many many triggers of the said ability. And Chandra also has that particular creature in this deck.

Pyroclastic Elemental.

Yup another elemental that has the ability , pay 3 mana to deal 1 damage to target player. Yeah there is an elemental party going on here and the Synergy between Wildfire and Pyroclastic elemental cannot be denied.

Let us say that you put in Pyroclastic elemental in a R/G Gruul deck that has access to unlimited mana...You can just sink all that mana to it and then watch as each opponents gets 1 damage for 3 mana and feel the burn. This is going to be good in a Nikya deck...hmmmm.

"Ghired , Conclave Exile: The Aggressive One"

"Ghired , Conclave Exile: The Aggressive One"

by:

Virgilio F. De leon Jr.

As of now I have no idea why Ghired was exiled from the Conclave. Probably because he was too aggressive? Far more aggressive than most Selesnyan Conclave Cultists would want to be? With the way that they have been cultivating plants to fight their battles it sure is funny to think that Selesnyan Conclave members are chill people. 

Till Ghired came and he had access to Red mana making him a Naya Legendary creature. I think it is this ability to use Red mana that made him an exile in the first place but isn't this aggression that is naturally inherent in Selesnyan decks? I run a Trostani deck and while I always gain a ton of life , most of my wins usually come from a horde of 8/8's or swarms of tokens from using Populate like there was no tomorrow.

So it seems to me that Ghired was designed to be the aggressive one. And I like him already. Costing 2 colorless mana and Naya colors to cast. This 2/5 Human Shaman comes into play with a 4/4 Green Rhino creature token with Trample.

And when he attacks you get to Populate. And the best target is that 4/4 Rhino that is already in play. (Unless you have a bigger token in play like a 9/9 Golem or 8/8 Tree folk.) This token that you have just created comes into play tapped and attacking with Ghired. Talk about aggressive. Unblocked that is a total of 10 damage. 1/4 of the EDH 40 life points! And of course it gets worse with each attack.

14 points and then 18 points of Damage. Take note that if you are Populating the Rhino each token you produce has trample. Unblocked this is a total of 42 points. 3 turn death count. Not bad for a former Selesnyan right? Or should I say this is how Red mana elevates that innate aggression in Selesnyans?

Ghired, Conclave Exile is my must have of this Commander 2019 set. What do you think of Ghired? Is he a little too aggressive? Or is he going to be a clunky Commander?  

"My Left Shoulder"

"Not really Mine"

"My Left Shoulder"

by:

Virgilio F. De leon Jr.MD

The past few weeks have been hard for me personally. I had dislocated my left shoulder over a very simply thing. I have lifted from the stairs in my house , misjudged how heavy it was , it dropped by the force of gravity to the floor and along with this sudden drop my arm who held it.

So at the very least I did not feel it popping out but I felt it tearing. Suffice to say I would not be able to lift my left arm which made my day to day routines very interesting.

When taking baths I could not shampoo or soap myself properly. I needed someone to help me towel off. So for 2 weeks I had that feeling of being not totally clean or dry in some places. 

To the rescue was my wife and daughter that I was at least dry in the places that I could not reach on my own.

Spraying a deodorant was agony. I needed to put my left arm on a railing , lower my body and spray. One time I sprayed and the nozzle was pointing at my face. Some parts of my face were dry for most of my duties. 

Sleeping. I had to sleep on my right side or on my back. The first week was hell and I had to be on pain meds round the clock. I was scared because I know the harmful effects of these pain meds were. So when I could endure the pain I would not drink them but during that first week where no position provided relief. I had to take them. I slept and woke up in a sling.

Driving. Yes I still went to work. I drove myself to work. Slowly and carefully. There was a couple of days that I had to be driven to work because the swelling in my left shoulder was too much that even sitting down was causing me agony.

Feeding time. I was a small child.At least I felt like one. I had to be spoon fed. Well My wife and Daughter insisted to do it for me. I was fine just eating with my right hand no matter how slow or clumsy I looked but of course these two would not leave me alone during meal times. They would want to hug me but were wary that they might hurt me. 

Work. I still filled charts , logged patients and wrote prescriptions , lab requests , filled out fit to work forms and signed one day passes. I was at work. I was writing. I was in pain but that did not stop me. Ganyan talaga kapag maraming bills...err....mahal mo ang trabaho mo.

So I can now say that I have about 90% function of my left arm. Still hurts like a bleep when I move a certain way but I can do my routines on my own now. Oh and Aven can hug me without remembering my painful shoulder.

"When you wish Upon the Dragon"

"When you wish Upon the Dragon"

by:

Virgilio F. De leon Jr.MD

YuuA answered her phone. And it was voice that she did not expect. It was him. Despite her feelings she tried to tone done her voice to the coldest that she could.

"What do you want? I'm busy."

"Really.The cold tone? Even if you looked excited just a moment ago."

YuuA looked around trying to see if V was around but she could not distinguish him from the crowd that was around her.

"I'm not there if you are worried. You wanted distance and so you got it."

"So why are you calling me now? What do you want?"

"When I call you is it always about me wanting anything or isn't it the other way around?"

"There you go with your circular questions again."YuuA tried to act annoyed but a smile was creeping on her face.

"Is that a smile I hear?"

"You can't hear a smile."

"I have known it for decades."

YuuA was smiling more fully now.Knowing that V still remembered but she had to keep up the act.

"I am asking you again. What do you want? Tell me or I am going to put this down and block your number."

For a few heartbeats the girl could not hear anything from the other end of the line until he answered almost in a whisper.

"I want to be with you."

YuuA sat down. Her heart was pounding so hard that she was worried that he could hear it. 

"You only need to say the words..."

"I want you here..."

And time stopped for a little bit. Reality ripping right down the middle to allow the dragon to pass the distance of time and space to stand there before her.

"And so I am here."

The girl ran to him , her hands embracing him for what seemed like an eternity.

"3 things I have seen this week:3 Goodies for Monoblack EDH decks"

"3 things I have seen this week:3 Goodies for Monoblack EDH decks"

by:

Virgilio F. De leon Jr.MD

Commander 2019 will be out in a couple of weeks and spoilers have been coming in fast and heavy and there are things that excite me. Of course that is the whole point for spoilers. To set us all in a rabid buying frenzy. And maybe some are already in that point where...just release the products and take my money.

Today I want to look at 3 goodies that that have made for Commander 2019 that will benefit existing Monoblack EDH decks. I have a couple so I am always on the look out for these.

1) Bone Miser

Well Well Well Waste Not is now on a 4/4 body. The 5 mana cost seems a bit daunting but in EDH games you can easily cast this on turn 3 and no one will even bat an eyelash(not that people still do that today). This guy is a welcome redundancy for decks that love to just decimate other players hands or just throw things in their graveyard for fun.

2) Nightmare Unmaking

Did black really need another mass removal spell? Of course. One can never have enough Mono Black Mass Removal spells. While this is no Damnation or Bontu's reckoning in terms of mana efficiency this 5 situational spell can take care of Really big creatures or that Token Army that is about to attack you. And it exiles them too so that they can't be reanimated by your opponent. Pretty neat right?

3) Mire in Misery

And probably the one goodie that breaks away the color pie for Black. Granted that it might be considered a weak spell for 2 mana. Black has always been efficient in killing creatures or even Planeswalkers but it has never had an enchantment removal before which has made some to lose their minds when they read that last part of the spell. ENCHANTMENT. Black can now make you sacrifice an enchantment. Given that an opponent can just go and sacrifice an unimportant enchantment or a creature to save the enchantment you hope to remove but this is something that has not existed before and that is enough. This will be in my monoblack decks.

As the month of August rolls on what other goodies can we expect from Commander 2019? Probably a lot more than these 3.