--MTG Grand Prix & Independence day.

It's Independence Day and most importantly today is the MTG Grand Prix here in Manila. It is his second time to join and this time, he's more prepared.

I got up early, set up the breakfast, with spam + egg + rice and instant coffee and ate. It’s a heavy meal since by the time they start the game, there's no more chance dilly dallying. We bathed together like we used to..And by quarter past 7am, his friend was already by the station waiting for us. We are excited. As expected, there were already plenty of players inside the convention center. Bruce was with us, to keep me company later, so it was sort of inconvenient to walk around while it's hanging on my shoulder.. I'm such a people observer so it's got me occupied mostly. Since MTG is a game all over the world, there were a number of foreign players who came all the way from the US, India, Malaysia and of course the Japanese who took most championship, like the 2006 GP. Most of these foreigners are probably nonchalant of how they look, but really, some of them just act so odd. I realized too, that they have the same features that make me feel Tom or John or Paul is alike. Myk and I were trying to match their faces from the Hollywood celebrities, and laugh as soon as we get the look-alike. Another American, looks like the one from Into the Wild flick, he was lanky, tall, donned in whatever shirt, Dockers shorts and some sandals with unkempt hair. And when they pass by, they have this distinct smell....some sort of salty ocean air. I don’t know. It’s a funny observation I guess. So when the game started, I left the building and sat over at a coffee shop with Caffe Mocha and some cheesecake to match. The internet connection was really frustrating me, coz I have to disconnect/connect frequently,....so I wasn’t able to use the time as planned, which was to send my agents individual coaching, etc since I'm on a one week vacation leave. i found myself just updating this blog. He would text me in between to give me updates, and after four hours I stepped out at Starbucks. But wait, as I was passing through the door, that Irish looking MTG player was still there, sitting the way I saw him when I arrived four hours ago, with that same positions..Did he ever touched his food or there's 30 minutes of intervals before he chews the next bite??I was thinking he's kind of all so prim and proper as if he knew he was being watched. Actually, we also found him eating a clubhouse sandwich when we ate at Frenchbaker yesterday.*shrugs,

Back to the convention, Myk had a few losses already but it was better than the last GP. The decks he competed were really good and as he says nothing can ever overturn luck. Luck is luck no other intelligent influence needed really. We were able to have a picture taken with a guest artist, RK Post (Tidehollow Sculler) whose arms were all covered with funky tattoo and he is really tall. I stayed inside the function room since it was cold there. After a 2-3 standing they decided to drop the game. He didn't feel really bad...he just needs to really invest on good cards to win the game...and it's truly costly. I have supported him on these all through out,,,,and I wish I could've continued playing it too. When I play, it consumes me more than giving me fun, coz I go back and forth, and ask myself what could have been my best move to win. It's 50% challenging and 50% fun. After a quick ,meal we went home. His friends' driving agitated my stomach and induced me a great deal of headache. As soon as we got home, I found myself to the toilet bowl..vomitting.
The next thing I found...it's almost midnight..it's now.