J2: I hate Mondays

This is something I really do not want to see on a Monday morning.

FML

J2: Random Meeting Doodle

I've noticed I doodle ALOT during meetings and such. So much so that it results into something note worthy at the end. This Monday Morning, I came up with a Lebron VIII concept. When I sat back down at my desk I noticed it looked pretty good for something I scribbled in 45 minutes. Man, I really need to pay attention, sometimes.

My Lebron VIII on a Kilowatts Engineering Pad

*sorry for the crappy cell phone pic

Hahaha.

J2: Evolution in Nike Footwear

via Sneaker News

I'm a Nike Head. In fact, almost all the pieces in my collection sport the popular Swoosh or Jumpman logo. There is a reason for that. Yes, alot of my favorite players and famous celebrities alike, past and present, rocked these on and off the court and Nike Basketball's influence in the footwear market has become a huge success over the years, so much so, that it often overshadows what I find to be what Nike really is at a much deeper level. Alot of people fail to notice Nike's innovation from their "kitchen designers" and continuous growth in footwear technology towards building a better shoe.

Back in the day, it was all about cushioning and stability. The simple concept of sticking air at the bottom of your foot for cushioning hadn't crossed anyones mind, let alone been brought to fruition until Tinker Hatfield created the Air Max 1. Zoom Air was introduced shortly after, and when we thought Nike had a tight grip on impact cushioning, the Shox hit the shelves, which in my opinion, were heavy and not very breathable).

But now it's all about weight reduction, breathability infused with the proper cushioning and support. Much like the automotive industry, Nike strives to remove excess weight and 'baggage' while maintaining performace and durability. Lunar foam and Flywire were created to solve this problem. The Nike Hyperdunk instantly became my favorite pair until the Kobe IV.

Now Nike is about to introduce a full line of ground breaking footwear tech that I find worth writing about briefly. This looks very promising and I'm eager to try this out. Nike's Hyperfuse technology incorporates a durable trio of synthetic materials that makes the base of the shoe breathable, comfortable and lightweight. I'm assuming Lunar or Zoom cushioning with a phylon midsole will be accompanying this piece. But who knows. Just look for them this summer at your local stores.

If they look familiar, one of the first users to try out the Hyperfuse was Rajon Rondo, during the playoffs. Check out the video at the bottom to see how the shoe was put together, it's pretty cool.

Rondo in his PE Nike Hyperfuse

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Sophia Jordyn

My new niece. Born June 23, 2010 at 6.10lbs. and 17 inches.

Congratulations Arjay and Anne.

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Bad Day

Asher Roth said it best when it comes to having "bad days".

I lost my contact lenses and I'm currently using a pair of 5 year old glasses, in which is missing a nose pad. A stupid field mouse/rat kept me up until 3am last night screeching and knawing at my window sill trying to get in, which set off my house alarm. I shot it and killed it. I should have done so sooner because I woke up tired and groggy and forgot my lunch and snack at home on my way to work. My inbox was pretty quiet other than useless work e-mails, which made the day drag on slowly. And on top of all else, there is a thunder storm outside and I had just washed my car and put my golf clubs in my trunk.

On a slightly brighter note, it's Telus/Student Tuesday at the movies and Toy Story 3 is playing. I am going to go see it. It would be just my luck if A) my 3D glasses wouldn't fit over top of mine or B) it's sold out. Either way, it would be just perfect and not surprising if I experience either of the 2 scenarios to cap up my crappy "Monday-like" Tuesday.

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2010 Champs!

I guess MVP and Championship trophies are THAT heavy.

There you have it. The 2010 NBA Champions, the Los Angeles Lakers! Probably the most important one for the Lakers, being it may be the last time Phil Jackson runs the team as Coach. It was a good game. Solid D on both ends. Poor shooting on both ends at the half.

The man of the night wasn't Kobe, only making 6 of 24 from the field. The Lakers should thank Artest. The most unlikely player to step up at times like these. With Kobe struggling, I thought Gasol, Odom or even Fisher would step up, but Artest came up big with 20. That, lifting LA's spirits high, gave the rest of the team, including Kobe, the motivation to close the game despite the big 3 and Rondo hitting double figures.

Great game. And congratulations to LA for taking it.

2010 Ninja Basketball

Had another Ninja practice last night. I actually felt really good playing for 3 hours. In fact, I wanted to KEEP playing. We're aiming to get our zone defense just right for our first game, and I think we're getting there. I'm also getting used to playing full court again. I love our team - no ego trips, no fighting, no wannabe all-stars, just a group of friends looking to have fun and get some exercise. I need more cardio, and this beats running on a treadmill by a mile.

There are little key elements each person holds on this team to make it successful, which is why I think we'll do okay. That being said, I'm just hoping we don't get completely obliterated come our first game.

Anyway, registration is upon us and I'd like to introduce you to the 2010 Ninjas.

Men
Don Elson Dino - C
Lloyd Dino - C/F
Dave Dino - F
Jordan Dino - F/G
Matt Alatiit - G
Arjay Malimban - G
Sean Chicote - G

Women
Giselle Dino - F
Chelsea Dino - F
Harlene Vidallo - F/G
Jane Malimban - G
Barbara de Leon - G
Nicole Sun - G

J2: Weekend Recap

I have the case of the Mondays. Like crazy. Especially since we IFC'd last week and I'm stuck here with nothing to do.

• Friday was the Ninjas' inaugural practice. If I failed to mention this before, the Ninjas are our 2010 co-ed basketball team. We haven't played as a team before, but so far so good. Capped the night off at Boston Pizza for "Team Bonding".
• 3 and half hours of playing ball puts a heavy strain on my feet. I woke up the next morning barely being able to walk. I spent the Saturday putting the soles of my feet through rehab.
• We spent most of the Saturday building a new computer. Finally, a NEW computer. I've had my laptop since 2003 and people wonder how I could cling on to such an ancient piece of machinery all this time. I'll probably post specs and pics later.
• I didn't make it out to DTP or "Driven" this year. I would have liked to, but I was occupied with other things. Plus I don't think I've been to one since I entered my car in 2007.
• Sunday - Ball practice/3 on 3 with the boys and Barbara. I don't know how some people do it, but playing in +25 degree weather is EXHAUSTING. I think we called it quits after an hour and a half in the sun with no water. 
• Sunday was also game day. Lakers VS Boston, to which the result will be a 3-2 lead going into LA Tuesday. I had a couple people over to watch the game. Needless to say, it was a silent post-game. I love the Lakers, but in 2009, I made a bet that they wouldn't take the W in 2010. I have no choice but to cheer for a team that I really hate.

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Finish him! Down, Forward, Back, Back + A...FATALITY!

I watched Prince of Persia recently in theaters. It was, in my personal opinion, the best video game-to-movie adaptation ever made, plus it starred big names with even bigger names behind the screen, such as Jerry Bruckheimer.

The Street Fighter movie franchise was a disaster, even more so when The Legend of Chun-Li hit theaters, I would have given Van Damme's performace as Guile an Oscar. Silent Hill was boring as hell and was a box office flop. House of the Dead should have been a straight-to-DVD joint. I didn't enjoy Resident Evil as much, as it wasn't "zombified" enough to my liking, and was missing Leon Kennedy. The Mortal Kombat series was okay at best, and finally - Who the fcuk casted John Leguizamo as Luigi and Dennis Hopper (RIP) as Bowser in Super Mario Brothers?!?!?

Alas, a trailer that looks VERY promising. Yeah, the premise might be a little butchered, but with epic failures like the ones I've stated above, I don't care, just make it good. It still isn't clear whether this trailer is the new hype for Warner Bros. new movie in 2013 or Midway's 9th installment of the MK franchise. Either way, it can't be fan made with Michael Jai White and Jeri Ryan as Jax and Sonya. Check it out:

J2: Random Blog 06.08.10

• First off, Happy Birthday to my sister. She turns 23 today. Scary how time flies. I hate realizing how old we all are.
• My sisters, cousins and I decided to throw a co-ed basketball team together in a local rec league. The hardest part is coming up with a team name, which was the topic of discussion all day in e-mail yesterday. Keep you posted on that.
• I plan to go to Hawaii in August. So far, those are my only travel plans this year until I leave for the Philippines in December. And we still haven't booked it yet.
• I am an idiot and threw my iPod in someone else's bag (which looked exactly like mine) at the gym last week and lost it. However, the owner of the bag was nice enough to search through the device to find my e-mail and notify me. I hope I can pick it up today.
• Without my iPod, I get no music, no Podcasts, or videos. I didn't realize how boring the office is without plugging 8 to 9 hours of noise into my ear. God, I hope I get my iPod back today.
• I started my Ketosis diet again yesterday. I feel weak. I couldn't lift my usual last night at the gym, and it will probably be like this until I get back into Ketosis, which I assume will be a week or so from now.
• I didn't make it to game 2 of the NBA Finals, so now I have a little money to spend on things I've been meaning to buy but never really got around to it. It's either a new TV, a camera or a new computer. Hmmmmmm...
• Summer weather is taking so long to get here. But when it arrives and STAYS, I'm hoping to be outside alot more instead of finding things to do or working out on rainy days. With that in mind, if I do get a camera, it'd be a great opportunity to go outside in the sun and practice photography.
• Game 3 of the NBA Finals is going down tonight in Boston. Should be a good one.
• I NEED A RAISE. Some people think I am underpaid. I'm inclined to agree.

J2: Finally, they came in.

Big ups to Alex on ISS for hooking these up!

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The iPhone4: Steve Jobs Live at WWDC 2010

I'm not one for Apple. In fact, I hate Apple and their proprietary software and products that render all else obsolete. But I've had my share of shitty phones in the past and I'm pretty stoked about this one. I absolutely cannot wait until the iPhone4 reaches the Canadian market.

Check it out LIVE, now on Engadget!

http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/07/steve-jobs-live-from-wwdc-2010/?sort=newest&refresh=60
(it refreshes every few minutes)

J2: Sometimes you find...

...little gems at local GR stores.
I found this shirt, among 2 left, at my local Champs.

Goes great with a pair of Elmer's AM90s. I know they aren't J's, but that's all I got to match the colorway. Looks dope anyway, IMO.

Dress my age you say?



Fuck you.

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GRINDTIME NOW: Andy Milonokis & Dirty Nasty VS L Money & Frank Stacks

Usually I search Grindtime for the best videos and hilarious battles, but this following vid is too hilarious not to post up.



Now onto some real shit.
I love DFD's battles. This one's kind of old, but it's a good one.

Celebrity Death Pool 2010

Celebrity deaths seem to happen in clusters of 3. RIP to those who have passed on. But it seems Hollywood is getting bitten by the death bug. In light of Gary Coleman and Dennis Hopper's recent deaths, sad to say, someone will die next. Very soon! Who will be? Join Beyond.ca's Celebrity Death Pool!

Yeah, it's morbid, some say wrong....and very entertaining.

Here are the picks as of today, including mine:

Hugh Hefner (ryansteg)
Michael J Fox (Cos)
Harry Morgan (spoons)
Vince ShamWow Guy (Twin_Cam_Turbo)
Kirk Douglas (drtoohotty1)
Perez Hilton (flamboyant)
Zsa Zsa Gabor (Kloubek)
Scott Weiland (SJW)
Kim Jong Il (beyond_ban)
Keith Richards (tunasandwich)
Betty Ford (syeve)
Dick Clark (kevie88)
Bret Michaels (Proyecto2000)
Lindsay Lohan (Tomaz)
Muhammad Ali (rumeo)
Clint Eastwood (D'z Nutz)
Justin Bieber (sdevils15)
Henry Kissenger (im2fst4u)
Fidel Castro (wintonyk)
Bill Cosby (derran.m)
Bob Barker (bubbley)
Betty White (Mr_ET)
Keith Richards (RecoilS14)
Amy Winehouse (calgarydub)
Jimmy Carter (ndhal417)
Billy Graham (FraserB)
Kate Hudson (freshprince1)
James Garner (ianmcc)
Barbara Walters (oilerfan4lyfe)
George Clooney (know1edge)
Oprah Winfrey (LLLimit)
Mickey Rourke (DonJuan)
Donald Sutherland (Ven)
Regis Philbin (baygirl)
Willie Nelson (Aniki)
Ozzy Osbourne (Tik-Tok)
Jack Nicholson (JAYMEZ)
Jack Klugman (Dilmah)
Nelson Mandela (justincalgary)
Larry King (JordanEG6)
Margaret Thatcher (Intent_Fire)
Dick Cheney (Jeremiah)
John Wooden (CKY)
John Paul Stevens (97Scort)
Herbert Lom (ClearBlueWater)
Andy Griffith (spikers)
Gloria Stewart (C_Dave45)
Nancy Reagan (sputnik)
Stephen Seagal (EvolutionI)
Barack Obama (dandia89)
Paul McCartney (almerick)
Steve Jobs (eb0i)
David Attenborough (n1zm0)
Heidi Montag (gts_gurl)
Roger Ebert (Myrrinda)
Chuck Norris (lilmira)
William Shatner (B20EF)
Bill Gates (shutterbug_art8)
Mickey Rooney (psycoticclown)
Whitney Houston (redsrt4)
Diego Maradona (banned3x)
Steve-O (ArjayAquino)
Peter O'Toole (Quizzes)
Arnold Schwarzenegger (03ozwhip)
Jorge Garcia (bituerbo)
David Hasselhoff (disoblige)
Peewee Herman (chathamf)
Snoop Dogg (95teetee)
Jesse James (Schlade)

2010 Playoffs

Yesterday afternoon, during a boring day in the office, I received an e-mail with an offer to go to the NBA Finals, which is, in my opinion, the opportunity of a life time. Morning trip from YYC to LAX, then off to Game 2 of the Finals and back home in less than 36 hours.

I thought hard for an hour or two about what to do; For some, you're sitting in your chair thinking "Fuck yeah, you should go!". Considering the magnitude of the game, it's an easy yes, but I'd have to miss work on Monday and blow a shit load of cash in less than a weekend to go to the Staples Center for less than 4 hours and nothing more. But, its the finals, so I said yes. J2 is going to the Finals!!...So I thought.

Like the other 28 teams in the NBA this year, I know what it feels like to fall short of making the 2010 NBA Finals.

My passport is expired. FML.

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