Welcome to LEVEL 7

Being a comic book geek has its moments. There are times wherein you can't talk to anyone about the awesome book you just read or the super cool movie trailer you just watched. There's just no physical venue wherein one can discuss comic book related things. 

Recently, I got a text from Chef Edward Bugia of PINO Restaurant and he said that Mr. Rick Olivares wanted to discuss a project. It was about comics. So I said I was game. We met up in Katipunan Avenue since that was the middle point for us. Sir Rick wanted to do a Comic Book Podcast. No one was doing it religiously and he said we should do a podcast on all things related to the world of comic books. 

Rick Olivares, Ed Bugia, and yours truly

I was sold! I'm more free these days and I thought it would be a good to do something fresh and new. LEVEL 7! That's the name of the show. This is a S.H.I.E.L.D. reference and basically it's somewhat welcoming you to a level that has clearance and access to all classified information. So I'm quite proud that we finished recording our Pilot episode of Level 7. We really enjoyed doing this and we hope to do this on a weekly basis! 

Please do check it out and tell us what you think! Tweet us up at @jiggycruz, @rickyolivares, and @chefedward

To listen to the first episode of Level 7, copy paste the link below.

https://soundcloud.com/level7rick/level-7-podcast-1-welcome-to

What is the right thing to do?

I sometimes question myself if I'm just too nice. It comes to a point wherein I ask if I'm just too stupid to see the reality or if I'm being a martyr. Do I see that others may be taking me for granted? Do I feel like I'm unappreciated? Do I sometimes sense that what I do will gain me nothing? I actually do feel those often. 

I've been praying a lot recently. I've been praying for guidance. It's been a roller coaster ride this year. A lot of ups and downs. 

At the end of the day, to be the gentleman, to be the nice guy, and to be someone that will do what's right are the things I was raised to do. That's who I am and I cannot let someone change that. I do what I do because I feel it's what's right. 

My Lola always said that if you think it's right and you know it's right, you fight for it no matter what the odds. Even if everyone is against you.

THE BEST DISNEY SHORT EVER

I know a number of people who didn't see Wreck-It Ralph last November. It's a big shame. For me it was Disney's stand alone animated motion picture that really pinched me in the heart. The Pixar ones are those that stand out but Wreck-It Ralph was purely just Disney and no Pixar.

But I'm not gonna talk about Wreck-It Ralph. Apart from missing a great movie, people missed the best short film of Disney.

PAPERMAN.

Enjoy folks!

TOP OF THE LINE COFFEE MACHINE

For those looking for a seriously good cup o joe here in the Philippines, my recommendation is none other than NESCAFE Dolce Gusto. 100% Roast and Ground coffee inside capsules that deliver excellent coffee each and every time. 

For those willing to spend a little extra, the Melody 3 is the top of the line coffee machine of NESCAFE Dolce Gusto. This machine that doesn't look like a coffee machine delivers 15 Bars of pressure that will give high quality coffee every time you brew. Stainless Steel finishes plus 1.3 liter tank to hold the water for more coffee that can be dispensed! Equipped with Flowstop Technology that lets you play and select your desired taste. Just copy what the capsule recommends and program it on the coffee machine with the selection wheel and you're all set!

Be the envy of all your friends and guests at home when you display this awesome machine in your kitchen or even in your room! Coffee Shop Quality coffee you can serve at home! But while you're at it. Settle for the TOP OF THE LINE. The Melody 3 sells for Php 9,999 and you don't need to buy a separate frother! 

You can get this online at http://www.dolce-gusto.com.ph or at S&R

Heartbroken...

No I'm not heartbroken because of a girl.

I'm heartbroken because my team, my boys, my heroes, The Boston Celtics announced that Rajon Rondo (the MVP of the team, obviously) suffered an ACL. To the non sports fans, an ACL is a very serious knee injury and it puts you in the sidelines for a year. That means the Celtics' most valuable player is gone for the remainder of the season and half of next season. 

Mind you that I woke up earlier today to check on the results of the MIAMI-BOSTON game that started at 2:00am in the morning. I woke up to the news that Rondo had an ACL. 

Season over. That's it for him.

What's bothering me more is that this puts Danny Ainge, the Celtics General Manager, into a major dilemma. Will this make Ainge disband my team? Will he trade The Truth and The Big Ticket?

I've said it before and I'll say it again. I LOVE MY CELTICS. I am emotionally attached to this particular era. Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, Rajon Rondo, Doc Rivers, and yes, even Ray Allen. The 2008 championship was the sweetest and I felt for them in 2010. (Laker fans, that was supposed to be ours)

Every time they win is pure bliss and every time they lose is hell... But today, it's not just about Rondo getting injured. Today might be the beginning of the end of the Paul Pierce-KG era. I told some NBA friends that I'm really gonna tear up when that day comes. I love those guys. I love them Celts...

Being a Celtic fan means you have to accept that Celtic Mystique... It's weird but it's part of the Celtics... Just like what the Red Sox had with the "curse of the bambino". 

I'm still going to cheer for the Celtics this season and the season after and so on. I don't follow players. I stick to my team. CELTICS!!! 

Let's see what happens for the remainder of the season. But my request to Danny Ainge. Please make Paul and KG stay...

TEAM TED

I watched How I Met Your Mother a lot before. Past season 5 or 6, it kinda got boring. The show still didn't reveal "THE MOTHER" and I don't think we'll meet her in Season 8. 

Anyway, I watched another episode today and it's one of those back to back episodes. It was when Barney proposed to Robin. I seriously got pissed. I was affected. Seasons back, when Robin and Barney kissed, it was really a WTF WTH moment in television. Ewwwww. I hated that episode and I never found the tandem of Robin and Barney. I was always a fan of the Ted and Robin tandem. 

How Ted just "let go" of Robin after Marshall told him to be selfish and for once, put himself ahead of others hit me. Nice guys will always be nice guys. I got affected because it's something I'd do since I'm a "nice guy". I'm the type of person who puts others ahead. I was actually compared to a Persian Rug once since I was just too nice. True story. I was also told to think of myself. 

But that's not how nice guys roll. 

I realized that nice guys will be nice guys at the end of the day. Switching to the dark side? Not gonna happen.

TEAM TED. That's the team of all the nice guys in the world. 

Stay nice gentlemen. No matter what happens, stick to being who you are.

Getting back to shape

January is always that time when you need to shave off some of the pounds. All the food you ate during the holidays come to bite you back in the @$$. I hate it. 

What I can say is that I've been doing pretty good so far in 2013. Been eating cereeal, salad and soup. I've also started to jog again. Been using the brand new Adidas Supernovas Misha gave me for Christmas. The NIKE Fuelband on the other hand is also a good motivator to help you be more active. The weekends are pretty hard when you're in the house plus there's a lot of junk food and sweets in the kitchen. Being the weekend warrior is the way to go.

I have to share that I'm using my cousin Josh as source of inspiration and motivation. He really did so well last year. He lost 101 pounds through discipline and by working hard at the gym. Love that boy! So proud.

But the thing that got me was my brother Jonty showing me a picture of myself back in 2009. It was probably the thinnest I've been. I have to say that I really gained a lot of weight in 3 years. I need to get back to that.

I can hear my 2009 self asking "WHAT THE F DID YOU DO!?!? GET BACK INTO SHAPE!" No more stress eating this year. It's all about being fit and healthy. This is a promise I'm keeping.