Live the NBA live

Growing up in Manila, watching NBA was a morning ritual.

We were glued to the TV, watching Kobe’s fadeaway, Shaq’s dominance, Stojaković’s smooth jumper, and Iverson’s fearless drives.

Pretty sure I wasn’t the only one who has the ESPN theme song etched in his head.
That tune meant greatness was about to begin.
It meant I’d be late for class again.

When the game ended, I’d grab my controller and play 2K to continue the dream.
I’d play as Kobe, lead the Lakers, and hit buzzer-beaters that echoed through our living room.
It wasn’t just a game. It was a practice in believing that somehow, someday, I’d stand in that same energy.

Years later, I finally walked into Staples Center.
The same court I used to see on screen.
The same floor where legends became memories.
But this time, it wasn’t Kobe anymore.
It was LeBron leading the Lakers.
New era, but same heartbeat.

When the lights dimmed and the crowd roared, I felt every version of myself in that moment.
The kid watching from a small TV in Manila.
The teenager holding a controller.
The man finally seeing it all, live.

Dreams don’t chase you back.
You move toward them.

So grind.
Get that visa.
Book that ticket.
Live the story you’ve only seen on screen.

Dreams aren't meant to be dreams.
They’re meant to be felt.
Courtside, in real life.

While others are sleeping and “dreaming,” grind and make it come alive.

From nursery rhyme to tea time

Who wouldn’t know about London?

As early as childhood, we’ve been singing about a bridge that’s always falling down.

Now here I am, walking its streets for real, with my own fair lady.

Dialing inside the red phone booths near Westminster Abbey.
Recreating the iconic Abbey Road crossing like the Beatles (annoying a few motorists in the process).
Channeling our inner Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts at Notting Hill.
Suited up, Kingsman-style, along Savile Row.
Shopping through the West End and Harrods.
Enjoying high tea at Savoy.
Pushing the trolley at Platform 9¾ in King’s Cross and walking Oxford’s cobbled paths like a true Hogwarts hopeful.
My wife paying curtsy to the royal guards at Buckingham Palace.
And finally, standing at the center of the world in Greenwich, home of the Prime Meridian.

Alas, the boy who once pasted Big Ben postcards on his bedroom wall is finally here.

Sounds exciting? Very!
If I can do it, you can too.

Can it be later? No. Now!
While you’re in your mid 20s, your prime.
While your knees can still handle the long walks.
Before the wrinkles and white hair start to show in the photos.
While that boots and trench coat still fashionably fit.
Before dear kids enter the frame.
Before the bills and 30s' responsibilities turn into your next excuses.