the end of a rainbow -- have you ever seen one? usually you just see rainbows in the distance, right?, with the ends fading out or disappearing behind some building or other elements in the landscape?

well, this afternoon at the disc pickup game where we had a bit of rain and some sun, i had the curious experience of actually seeing the TWO ends of a rainbow, because they both touched down in the sunken garden. It was so cool, seeing a colorful patch of air leading straight down into the grass at the far end of the field. I had half a mind to stand in the middle of it, but the game was starting, so I just pointed it out to my teammates:

Look, o! It's the actual END of a rainbow! (it was only after a few minutes that i noticed that the other end was also in the sunken garden)

Teammate: "May pot of gold dyan!" and promptly proceeded to get the game on.

The thing with disc players, I guess, is given the choice between a pot of gold and a plastic disc -- they'll choose plastic. Hehehe.

sakit ng toes ko!

Labels: ultimate

Just got back from the third Sunday of the Monsoon Madness League, and today was actually a little monsoon-y, unlike the first two blisteringly hot game days. We had a bit of rain which cooled the field considerably (made it too cool, at some point). Our team went home with two wins today, one against our fellow SP players (the whole SP group was split into 2 teams to give adequate playing time to all of us 50 members), and the other against Philippine ultimate's current top dogs! Wahoo!

I was browsing the game schedule and realized that the league is seven Sundays long, not six as I originally thought (I didn't scroll down enough =P). It's only week 3 and I feel like it's been going on forever. I guess that's what happens when you play almost every day, for two hours at a time, and then cap your week with a couple of tourney games.

I'm looking forward to the coming week. Come Thursday this week, I'm to be introduced to a new activity by my teammates after disc practice. Cross-training daw haha. Ako, I'm just happy to be invited. We'll see how that goes. Whatever happens, it should be loads of fun to hang around with the PU crew in TS.

Labels: ultimate

Ed Headrick, the inventor of the modern Frisbee said that these discs were more than toys, they were elements of a religion. And its followers? Frisbyterians.

Although I'm not about to follow suit to what Headrick asked his family to do with his ashes, I won't deny my addiction to disc.

Call us discheads, ultimate addicts, and sure, throw in Frisbyterians. It's all the same to me.

Just huck it!

Sana 4pm na! (hoy adik!)

Labels: ultimate

SP organized a one-day disc tourney to serve, as i understand it, as a recruitment-slash-training tourney for interested players. It was immensely successful. I guess SP now has a pool of 50plus players in their roster.

Our team (Blue-ga =P) won the tourney yesterday. I got to play a bit, and shoot a bit. Enjoyed both very much, naturally. But, I accept that I'm better at madshuttering than playing disc =P

Wish I had more shots of my team, though. But it was difficult to shoot while nervously waiting for my turn inside the game. Hehehe.

Got spikes specially for the tourney. It was about time I got em, too, because my running shoes were getting pretty messed up from being used on grass and the occasional rock. Plus, i felt the difference using spikes on turf. I don't worry so much about slipping anymore.

Sunday started bright and early. Taho breakfast at 7:30. Games started 9ish. Lasted until 6pm. So, naturally, I'm sore all over now. But, that's also because of the bad spill i took during game 2, when my mark ran at my heels (literally) and got her feet entangled in mine. I went down hard on my side, slamming the side of my head on the field. Nahilo talaga ako, grabe. But nothing broken, but now I have a stiff neck.

I must say, I'm very happy with how the photos turned out. Nothing spectacular, but I think they captured the energy of the day.

My favorites are, well, the ones in the collage above but especially the following:

* Cherry sleeping on Po - i've been obsessing, though, on how i should've widened the shot a bit more to show the back of Po's top. Oh well.
* K getting ice from the cooler -- it's a simple shot, but i dunno, i like it. I like the different colors in it: the red icebox, the pink water bottle, K's stripey headband, her yellow jersey, and the newly trimmed Sunken Garden grass.
* A about to throw the disc, right out of UP Diliman you would think.

Plus the action shots, all the leaping/jumping for the disc shots. They're all from far away and need cropping for better composition, but I'm pleased that I captured them nonetheless. Thank goodness for good old no-delay SLRs and moderately fast film. The bright day was perfect for shooting, too.

The full album is here. All shots by me, using my Nikon FM10, Fuji Superia 400. =)

Labels: ultimate

It never crossed my mind that it could or would happen, but this afternoon at the game, i was running then i turned around quickly to look at the disc and my ponytail whipped around and hit my eye.

Ow.

Labels: ultimate

A marker should be one disc away from you, but that was surely just half a disc?

But, why should I complain? Well, actually, I should, it's in the rules, but I let it be.

Naturally, the stall count finished and I still had the damn disc.

Tangna, turnover.

Pero ang saya!

Labels: ultimate

There, I joined the PUA's women's hat tournament yesterday with Lifey, believing reema's and evaluna's reassurances that it will be a lot of fun. We (Lifey and I) had been dreading Saturday, sending each other ominous messages all week to remind us that we were going to die on the field.

Before Saturday, we had only played in a pick-up game twice, the Monday and Tuesday before the tourney. What were we thinking, eh? Oh well, we just thought we'd give it a go. After all, it's "just a hat tournament," where they accommodate beginners and experienced players alike and mix them up into teams to get a good balance of experience level in all the teams.

I found my name (Rica-- I had to switch to Ian lest I ignore all cries of Rica on the field) under Team A, Reema's team, which she had christened "Discarte". Well, we didn't die (got ever so slightly hurt only) and had tons of fun. The team I was in got to the fnals undefeated, only to lose the last game to Lifey's team "Pakdatsheet." Weird name eh, go ask her why they're called that. Hehe.

There were some happy cookies going around which I had completely missed. But never mind, cos later that evening, my team got awarded the Team with the Most Spirit and each of us received, aptly, some edibles with lots of spirit.

It's all good! Congratulations to Lifey's team. Twas a great game =)

Labels: ultimate

Sarap mag-ultimate!!! After just practicing on the sidelines for several meetings/sessions now, doing drills with Reems, I was finally able to play in a real game. Lifey got to play, too, on the other team. And since we were both beginners and our skill level is the same, we got to mark each other.

I didn't do too many mistakes, but I didn't do everything right either. My passes and catches were ok... I guess overall I did alright =)

BTW, my blog-neighbor Lyn is giving me a disc! Yay! Thanks!

Labels: ultimate

I attended my first Ultimate...err...practice(?) at sanlo with a few players currently in the local league. It wasn't a game, just a couple of hours teaching us the basics of throwing and catching the disc.

I can do a backhand and forehand ok, thanks to evaluna teaching me a bit last December. Starting today, I can see my Monday (and maybe even Tuesday) nights being a lot of fun, with a lot of running around chasing a flying disc. =P

I might be able to join a pick-up game next time I go. R says lifey and I should join the women's tourney, but that'll be in just three weeks. Hmm...maybe, maybe...

Anyhoo, that'll definitely be something to look forward to (on top of a couple of things that have been making me feel really nice and alive)!

Haayy, can't wait to play disc again!

Labels: ultimate

My friend evaluna introduced me to her current favorite sport and I'm thinking, it could very well become mine. Ultimate disc is such a fun game! :) for those who don't care for generic titles, sige na nga, Frisbee. I haven't joined an honest-to-goodness game, but I'm thinking about it. Maybe after a few more lessons from eva.

On top of this, I'm very happy with my new shoes. Yes, shoes, not sandals. =D I wish I could have more afternoons free to enjoy them as they should be enjoyed.

Labels: ultimate