Play The Piano, Meet the Alaska Players

In the "Things To Do Before I Die" post I listed the things that I would want to do before I die which were written in 1998, 2001 and 2003.

Today, I am going to identify 4 things that I have already done since 1998.   

http://www.cooperpiano.com/piano-player-blog/?Tag=piano%20lessons

1.  Learn to play the piano and own one.   In November of 1998, I enrolled in Rosas Music Center to finally learn how to play the piano.  I would go to the music center once a week to learn Book 1.

When I was in Book 2, my teacher,  Ma'am Rose, offered me a brand new Yamaha organ to purchase and be paid in installment so I can practice at home.  It was an offer she gave only to me, hehehe...  So, I took it.

She was amazed at how good I am in memorizing the keys because after a few classes, I can already play a piece without looking at the keys.  I was already just looking at the notes. :-) 

However, I was already in the Book 3, in which after completing it, I'd be able to join the recital, when I decided to quit.  I didn't want to.  But I have to.  My family had a financial crisis and I became an instant breadwinner.   I have to sold my organ back to Rosas Music Center.

Until now though, I still have the urge to really learn to play the piano.  And be able to attend a recital. And play in front of a big crowd.  :-)

So, I could say,  this dream has yet partially came true, hehehe.  
      
2.  Learn to play the guitar and own one.  Got to own a guitar while I was studying to play the piano.  but unfortunately didn't get to learn to really play it.  Though I did some self-study a few times using the chords in the Song Hits magazine.  I tried to practice and play completely 1 song.  I just chose a song that have simple chords, hehehe... But then that's it.
 
3.  Ride the rollercoaster (big one).   I have ridden a roller coaster thrice.  So, I will be making a separate post for this.  :-D 


4.  Meet the Alaska players.   I am not really fond of basketball.  But my father is.  Very.  Both NBA and PBA.  So, I grew up watching some games.  On TV.  And live in person.  My father used to be a coach in our place.  :-)  I remember a story my mother told me when I got to see a basketball game for the first.  My father was a player in the company then.  My mother said that after watching the game for a minute, I told her that they should be given a ball each so they will not anymore fight over for one. :-D  You could say, this is my first impression of the basketball game, hehehe.

Johnny "The Flying A" Abarrientos
http://sydrified.blogspot.com/2010/
10/will-flying-migrate-to-alaska_14.html

I had the time of my life with PBA games in 1996.  It was the year that the Alaska Team made a grand slam - winning the 3 conferences for the year.  Everybody at home seemed to be glued to the tube with every game of Alaska.  I had no choice then but to also watch the game as they (and I) get excited, shouted, screamed.  And each of us also had our favorite players.  Mine was Johnny Abarrientos. I even took a photo of him, on TV, hehehe... He was sort of then my crush in PBA. :-)

As I am not really fond of basketball, I don't anymore remember why I wrote "Meet the Alaska players" as one of my things to do.  Probably because it was with them that for some moments I got excited to watch a PBA game.  And I think it was in October 1998 when I was able to see some of the Alaska players in person.  My officemates and I were attending a training in Manila then.  And on a weekend, we decided to watch a PBA game.  When we arrived, I got excited to learn that it was the Alaska playing.  Though I was not anymore interested in watching them play.  I just watched them.  And Johnny was there too.  I was not able to really talk to them but I was seated just a few seats above their bench.  And even though I was not anymore as excited as before, I regretted not having taken a photo of them playing in the court.  And a photo of me with them.  When I got back in the hotel, I realized I should have also let them sign the new baseball cap I just bought from Hard Rock Cafe.  I don't know why I forgot about it and regretted having not done so.  Maybe deep inside I was still really excited to finally see them in person -the very people I cheered on on TV.  And I was not able to think of the next thing to do.  Or the appropriate thing to do.  And it's already been 14 years since and I have not again met any of them.

So, this is it for now.  I'll be revealing more of the things that I have done from the list in my future posts. :-)