From the depths of the abyss, darkness wraps me in its inescapable clutches, but here I am, borne again and resurrected. I have born the unbearable breathlessness of blog-less life. I have stretched my pseudo-elastic patience to lengths I have never thought possible to exist. I have been a prisoner of what almost seemed like eternal slumber but slave to its cruel and ironic fate of restlessness and unease. I have been dead.

But today I changed it all. I heard the soft cries of willowing whispers coursing through silent breeze in those foggy nights. Little by little, it fed me through the pain-staking hunger I had epically endured. Soon it gave me enough strength to break through the herculean force that kept me in heavy shackles through all these days. I have finally seen the light, something that was totally in-existent from where I came from, AGAIN.

Hi guys, it is very unfortunate that until this very day, our internet connection at home is still under repair. I could only steal enough time in the office to respond to a few comments and visit a few blogs each day. It is a very sad thing that this catastrophe had to befall on us. Nonetheless as a responsible blogger that I am (or at least trying to emulate) I will try to update my blog somehow.

But then again, this is what I can offer you for the mean time. Just think you haven't heard this yet. And enjoy this as much as I enjoyed composing, recording, and singing this song.

Quote of the Day:
A friend is someone who gives you total freedom to be yourself-and especially to feel, or not feel. Whatever you happen to be feeling at any moment is fine with them. That's what real love amounts to - letting a person be what he really is. -- Jim Morrison

I have been away from my blog for a long time, a week, more or less. And it made me feel very detached. I was active in interacting with other bloggers in the blogosphere though, and it was a very enriching experience meeting other bloggers, talking to them with ‘forum’-esque proportions in their own territorial domains, bugging and teasing each other.

Image by Dr Case via Flickr

I found this from Rob's site. Well, I just couldn't help it. I needed to re-blog this. Please visit his site to check our more from him.

Winning, of course, is in itself a debatable concept, for losing is still winning, although it’s winning something else. But now’s not the time to discuss that. Let’s go to the very core of the word itself.

Winning a game needs precision in moves, decisive attacks, and passive manipulation of the opponent’s pieces. This practically applies to any game, be it for children, in business, and even in poker.

Image via Wikipedia

I played poker with a friend last night, and man was he good. We put on our poker faces, like we always do, placed our bets, and started the game. It was as intense as it can get.

Of course, it’s not the type of game where you could really prepare for an attack, right? I mean, once the cards are dealt, it’s practically up to you how to play them.

Luckily, my poker face isn’t that easy to decipher. Raise a brow here, pout lips, take a deep breath, and look at him intently. Look back at your cards, take a one-second glance to the side, then back at him, back to your cards and then back at him.

I don’t really know what those glances mean, but they sure convey something. Something that he doesn’t know, ‘coz for all obvious reasons, I don’t either.

I’m playing an Ace and a King, both of Hearts. They were really good cards, and I could feel that sense of security and assurance even before we rolled in our first bets. I play safe and call in every time we start a game. The flops are turned, giving us an Ace of Clubs, Ten of Hearts, and Three of Spades.

It wasn’t intentional that the mirror had been positioned behind him; it was a really old mirror that had been hanging on my wall for ages already. Nor was it intentional that he had set up the poker table in front of that mirror. It was even more purely coincidental that the reflection showed he holds in his hand the other pair of Aces. It was a losing game for me.

Flopping a pair of Aces has no chance of winning against his Three of a Kind. He raised the bets. It takes a while for me to make a sound. Heavy drops of perspiration are already building up my brows now. I had to bluff. I check and raise the bets, doubling it. Risking this much is worth it, I believe. He calls it in.

It seems as if my heart was beating faster than the flapping wings of a flying hummingbird. But I had to keep my poker face on. Composing myself, I take another deep breath, keeping blood to flow through every part of my body, allowing as much oxygen to supply my already pounding heart.

The fourth street is turned. A Jack of Hearts appears. Was it a sign from God? I had no idea.

Drafts of cool night air rushes through the window, but somehow, it fails to win over the extreme heat I’m feeling. I wipe of the sweat off my face. He checks but I raise the bets. He still has the best hand in the game so far. He still has to play the game, and calls it in.

The intensity of the game is still rising and who knows when it will reach its climax. I see drops of sweat already forming on his face. He briskly wipes them off. That is all he can do now.

With poker faces still on, we exchange blank stares. Two amazing players bashing up against each other, not knowing how much experience each one has. It’s really an intense game.

What are the odds of drawing the Queen of Hearts on the fifth street? It is the final piece of my winning set. I am seconds away from getting my Royal Flush. He knows that all too well!

We struggle to keep our selves appease. The building squalls within us are becoming unbearable by the second. The fifth street is slow being drawn, but just before we could even see the card’s face, the power goes out.

…

Nah, the power does not go out. But I’m holding you guys off a bit. I’ll get back to you guys when I know what card has been dealt. For now, I’ll leave you with this.

Image by fithtyfithty

Did I hit the Queen of Hearts? That very thin, extremely minute and incredibly slim chance? I’ll tell you soon!

Quote of the Day:
"Obstacles don't have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don't turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it." -- Michael Jordan

Song List:
1. Last Song - A Capella
2. Let The Pain Go Away - A Capella
3. Open Up - First Draft
4. So Close - Cover