Pacquiao Is Bigger Than He Seems

Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images

Never again will I judge a boxer by his size...

The fist-fight of the year kicked off like a box-office thriller, the kind that misleads audiences to believe that the hero in the movie is faced with a taller, all-powerful force that just might win, whether the Filipinos can take it or not. But lo and behold, Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao, with hardly a scratch on his million dollar mug, has brought his opponent, Miguel Angel Cotto, and everyone else who gives a damn to his knees.

Pugilism reminds us of a thing or two. Enormity does not matter, and perfect practice does make perfect -- spanking new Welterweight Champion Pacquiao is legendary living proof.

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She Let Me Break the Rules

The Simpsons overdo it, though.

When I was growing up, my parents prohibited us from talking back when an adult, or anybody who's at least 10 years older reprimanded us each time they saw fit. Filipinos see it as an act of respect when a kid shuts his mouth in the face of intolerable criticism by an elder.

Five days ago, I can't believe my mother gave me permission to brazenly retort to a self-righteous, haughty, and pretentious family member who's 20 years my senior. Not that my mom has lost her cultural morals and decided to promote abdication of sense of respect. It was simply the right thing to do.

Sometimes, you can't just sit still in a corner with your lips zipped when your relatives are trampling on you and your dignity, especially when they're trying to haul your dead father into the picture. It's sad that it reached this point, since I thought family will always be family, but I guess there comes a time when you need to defend yourself and immediate kin to folks you learned to venerate most of your life.

Painful words had to be said out of necessity, because it would be downright wrong to opt for silence in a situation that requires you to fight back.

The details, I'll spare you. If you belong to a decent family that values confidentiality, I'm sure you'd comprehend.

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The Art of Losing Weight

Before

...and after

I've shed scads of pounds over the last few weeks, but if this is how Kate Cancio spends her time brooding in solitary, I honestly don't know how I did it.

When people ask me how I got the slightly flatter tummy, the answer they get is "No rice nor any form of carbs for lunch." Albeit the occassional pizza and pasta affair, frequent heavy snacks in the afternoon and the full meal at dinner come creeping into the back of my mind every time I give that advice, it's the best that I could do, since the "No Rice Policy" has worked impeccably for me. :-)

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To the Shores

To the Shores

In the scorching season,
the ardent sun beckoned
with a spell too fiery to resist.

The heat renders the city mad,
bland;
Stranded in the dessert of insanity and soiled democracy.
Bored,
floored;
One-time nomads itching to run their fingers through the sand.

We are called to succumb to the solace of the waves,
and live with sang-froid.

-- Kate Cancio

L' Caraz Beach Front & Kawayan Cove...
Three placid days and two unperturbed nights in Nasugbu, Batangas. All the stress we accrued over the past few months has been duly squelched. :-) (Will post the rest of the pics soon!)

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