Guess what?!

I've moved back to my original URL...

http://fredberg.blogspot.com/

Happy belated birthday to JFish. He's in his late 20's now. Wow, that makes me feel even older! I've known Fish since 2001? That's a long time. Ever since then, he's been faithful to God and serving the church. He's been a good friend over the years as well. Thanks for lunch, friend!

Friend, do you remember at "V1" Barstow McDonalds, when you gave those girls our "Smirnoff Ice"? We dared you and we were surprised that you came through! Too bad we couldn't make friends with them for the rest of the trip. I don't think the SH girls at the time would go for that, haha!

Sidenote, I can't believe that "Smirnoff Ice" was our drink of choice back then, hahaha! Looking back at the times and people who were around, I guess it's not that unbelievable. Have to start somewhere, right? Hehehe.
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WEIGHT LOSS: Update
Last MON, I weighed in around 183-184 lbs. Last night, I weighed in around 179 lbs, albeit on a different electronic scale. That's good progress, going in the right direction. Even if half that loss is water weight, it's still good. I'll be stoked when I get closer to 175 lbs or below.

The journey has its sacrifices. I stopped eating pastas and white bread. Goodbye to Italian food and my favorite, mac & cheese! I'm eating more fruits & veggies to fill the void.

Also, I'm cutting down big-time on white rice. For a Filipino, this is brutal. I'll only eat it for dinner, and in small portions. But I think this is the key, because there's so many uneccesary calories in white rice.

No more donuts, ice cream, or chocolate bars for me. No more sugar-cereals. Just plain old Cheerios. Lot's of water, of course. I'll treat myself to a lite beer once a week. 90 calories or less per bottle, not bad.

I think team "Bermuda Triangle" has a legitimate shot at winning it all. Let's keep it going!

LAKERS NEWS: Just did some cruising on the internet. I was hoping that Ron Artest or Elton Brand could end up as a Laker. But that probably won't happen anymore. Artest opted to stay with the Kings at the June 30 deadline. And with Baron Davis signing with the Clippers, Brand may be very likely to stay in L.A.

But there are other guys available that could really help the Lakers. Tayshaun Prince, James Posey, or Corey Maggette. All these guys are athletic, great defenders, and can knock down open 3-pointers. The only way to get any of them is by trade. Which means, we may have to say goodbye to Lamar Odom. I would agree to that because any of these guys has shown more consistency than Odom over the years. Plus, Odom can't shoot outside very well, which all those other guys can do.

We'll see what Mitch Kupchak can come up with...

Hey friends, I haven't blogged frequently recently, so it's time to catch up. I lost of lot of blog inspiration after the Lakers lost. It took the wind out of my sails, so to speak, for a while. It was especially heartbreaking when they blew that big lead on my birthday! ARG! So now it's time to wait and see if they make any significant trades this summer.

Vanessa will be out of the country for the majority of July. She'll be going to Mexico for 2 weeks starting July 4th. Then for another 2 weeks to Costa Rica at the end of July. These are trips she's always wanted to do, even before we met. So I'm glad she'll be able to accomplish them this summer. I hope she can take me to Costa Rica someday. I heard it's a tropical paradise. Maui has been the closest thing I've experienced so far.

While she's away, I'll be hitting the gym as hard as I can. As you know, being in a fairly new relationship automatically adds 10 lbs to each person, ha! It's all that dining out. Also, I'll be able to catch up on a lot of "guy time" with the boys. I hope we can kick it, play ball, drink (light) beer, and play some poker. Dang, that's what summer is all about. Let's do this!

Finally, I'm in the midst of a weight-loss contest. Rob & Jei are my teamates, the "Bermuda Triangle". I started eating lighter yesterday, and the trend will continue. I will also include more cardio in my workout than ever before. I will cut down on the heavy weight lifting. I'm redesigning my workout routine specifically for this contest. You can say that I had to adjust my game for this particular event. May the best team win!

It's been a while since I last blogged, so I guess it's time to catch up a little.

Well, last week we saw the Lakers roll over to the Celtics. It was painful to watch. But it made you realize the weaknesses of the Lakers. They have to get tougher and stronger next year, especially if they meet Boston again. A great way to do that is to get Ron Artest in exchange for any Laker (or package of Lakers) besides Kobe. This was an idea from 2 years ago. I hope they truly explore this option this summer.

I want to wish Emeline a happy belated birthday. I'm not overexaggerating when I say that I've known her for over a decade. In fact, I've known her for about 14 years?! We go back to about 1994, when she was still in high school, visiting CSULB PAC events. Man, those were the days. I've seen her grow up, and now she's a grown woman with all the things that a woman can ever want. So I hope she had a great time with family and friends. Happy birthday, Em.

We're still in the midst of paying over $4/gal for gas. It was projected to reach $5/gal before summer ends. Recently, the price seems to have leveled off. I've been paying about $4.45/gal at my local ARCO. I hope I don't jinx it by saying that. Let's hope it goes down from here.

I just wanna say thanks to those that gave me a birthday greeting last week. Email, MySpace, text, etc. all were appreciated. Extra special thanks to those that came out to TGIF last THURS. My mood was a little subdued due to the huge Laker meltdown, but it was good to see all of you regardless. Let's get together again soon. Shall I do the traditional birthday "tour stop" this year?
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LAKERS: I didn't think they could win another game. After that nightmare loss last THURS, I figured they were done. But I'm glad they showed a little heart and won a tough game. At least Boston won't celebrate at Staples Center.

Boston is a better team this year, no shame. They were built tougher. A few adjustments and the Lakers will be even better next year. I'm okay if they lose on TUE. I'm just glad they didn't give up on SUN. But I hope they can win Game 6 in Boston. If they do, who knows what can happen.

June 12...

...means it's my birthday. Just wanna thank God for the blessings He's given to me thus far. Thanks to my family and friends for supporting me in the various things that I do. Among other things, I have one, huge birthday wish. I wish for a Laker victory tonight in Game 4. If so, that would be awesome, and the rest of the night would be fantastic.

On that note, please join me for good food and drinks at our favorite happy hour spot, TGIF in Cerritos. I'll be there by 9:30pm. Look for us at the bar. Holler at everyone and bring them. Hope to see all of you there!
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As some may already know, I share a June 12th birthday with other people...

1) Jesse Moya, Sr. - my long-time Catholic teacher and mentor. Without him, I wouldn't be hanging around, let alone, serving the Church.

2) Mr. & Mrs. "S" (to protect privacy) - One of the nicest couples that I know. Mrs. "S" is a long-time friend of mine. Always a smile on her face. And she sings like an angel. We (M7) have been glad to have her guest sing for us on various occasions.

3) Jocelyn - I just found out that we share the same birthday. If only she stuck around down in SoCal. I hope she's doing well up north.

So let's celebrate the June 12 birthdays, yes?!

One game at a time...

I didn't think it would happen, but the Lakers won a game last night. I was happy to see them get more free throws, though they missed a LOT, they still got the free throws that they deserved. Odom and Gasol had poor games, but they made big baskets down the stretch. Sasha Vujacic was on fire, he was the deciding factor. Kobe was just being Kobe. Just make sure the game is close near the end, and give Kobe the ball every time.

Game 4 is this THURS. What I want for my birthday is a Game 4 Laker win. If they can do that, it will change the mood of the whole series. One game at a time.

Sidenote: As some know, Dave is a massage therapist at Burke-Williams in Torrance. He told me that Sasha Vujacic is a frequent client there. GO SASHA!
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"BIGGEST LOSER"
A bunch of people associated with HFYA will be participating in our own version of "Biggest Loser". Basically, it's just a weight-loss contest. The only thing is, MONEY is on the line. HFYA gets a portion of the jackpot, the winning team splits the rest. For now, Rob & Jei will be on my team of 3. There's the Bermuda Triangle again! I'm really hoping to lose weight myself, and take home some cash to boot!
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For the past few years, I've treated myself for my birthday. Last year it was rims. Before that, it was a video iPod. Before that, it was the older iPod. This year, I really don't know what I want. Maybe you can help me out. What cool gadget or toy shall I get myself this year?

UGH!

If you're a Laker fan, it was an absolutely horrible weekend for you/us. I can blame the Game 1 loss on the lack of Laker effort. But for Game 2, I give the referees a big part of the blame. I hardly blame the officials, but the calls were really uneven. Giving Kobe and Odom 2 early fouls each? Come on. Leon Powe gets more free throws than the whole Laker team in the 1st half? Strange.

Maybe it's the pessimist in me, but maybe the Lakers aren't ready yet. To me, they aren't at full strength. They haven't had Bynam, who is their best shot blocker and rebounder. Of course he would've came in handy in the Finals. And Ariza is not at full speed.

Let's just hope Boston plays poorly on the road as they did against Atlanta (thanks for the correction, Rob) and Cleveland. The Celtics lost all their road games against those subpar teams. We'll see how Game 3 plays out.

I've been tagged by Reenz! So that means I must share 6 random factoids about me. I will keep it clean.

1) I love the Lakers. I started watching them when I was a kid in the early 80's. I didn't really understand the NBA game, but I enjoyed watching Magic Johnson play. The 80's Lakers were exciting to watch. Then I was happy when the Shaq-Kobe Lakers won 3 in a row. Those were good times. And now, I hope Kobe can impose his will on these Finals and win a title this year. GO LAKERS!

2) I love to play instruments and sing, sometimes doing both at the same time. And I tend to raise my skills to a higher level when I'm with "Jam Society", or when I know that there will be lovely ladies at a given venue. I credit Robby for helping improving my instrument skills. I credit Dave for helping me sing better. Music is an awesome hobby to have.

3) I like to work out. I have phases when I'm hardcore. I also have phases when I don't work out for a while, usually due to illness or lack of time (e.g. school). Since I have more time now, I will hit the gym more often. And it's cool because Vanessa likes to go to the gym with me.

4) I've never got into a real fistfight. But I would like to try out my strength and skills out on someone. A few years ago, when I was pressured to be a goodie-goodie, there was some guys at the park that tried to start some ISH. I wanted to scrap, but there was something holding me and the boys back. But nowadays, if someone tries to punk or take advantage of me, I'm throwin' down.

5) I appreciate "guy" time. That usually means hanging out with the boys on THURS night for happy hour. It's a time to catch up and have good conversation over dinner and drinks. Girls are allowed, too, but they have to be able to relax and chill. No hating! With summer here, we'll have more good times. June and July birthdays will be opportune times for the boys and girls.

6) I'm still into car stereos. In high school and some college, I had the boomin' system. Now that I'm older and have a diverse taste in music, I like my car stereo to play clean and clear. It sounds great and has some bass still (albeit not like back in the day), AND I can play my iPod through it. It's a neat thing to have when you're in your car for hours during the week.
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Game 1 aftermath. From my perspective, the Lakers lost the game in the 3rd quarter. They had a lead. Then Paul Pierce went down (with an injury), the crowd was in shock. But the Lakers failed to capitalize right there. They didn't extend their lead. When Pierce returned, the momentum shifted to Boston, Pierce hit a pair of 3-pointers in a row, and the Lakers couldn't catch them after that.

So it's all about making adjustments for Game 2. Phil Jackson is the best in the business at doing that. Kobe will shoot better, and hopefully right from the start. They have to box out better, too. Too many 2nd-chance points for the Celtics. That's what happened against Utah. So I hope they figure out that problem.

Let's hope for a better result in Game 2.

2008 NBA Finals

Lakers vs. Celtics. At the beginning of the season, everyone picked Boston to win it all as soon as they landed Garnett and Ray Allen. They had the best record in the league, with the best overall defense. Now they are in the Finals, just as predicted.

The Lakers, on the other hand, were not expected to finish this well. They were predicted to finish 6th or 7th in the West. Perhaps losing in the playoffs to the Suns or Spurs. Yet, here they are. And Kobe Bryant is the MVP and playing like one in these playoffs.

I think these teams are evenly matched. Boston's "Big 3" will give the Lakers problems, ONLY if Ray Allen can hit his outside shot. He was a non-factor against the 76'ers and Cavaliers, but he broke out against Detroit. The Lakers just have to contain Garnett and Pierce. I hope Ariza sees a lot of action this series to guard Allen and Pierce.

For the Lakers, the "X" factor is Odom. He's been playing more aggressively and consistently. He will be a hard matchup for Boston because of his versatility on offense and defense. And of course, Kobe will be unstoppable. He's playing on a higher level above anyone in the whole playoffs. All the Lakers have to do is keep the game close, then give the ball to Kobe in the 4th quarter.

I have a gut feeling on how this series will go. Do you remember the 1991 Finals with Lakers vs. Bulls? That was Jordan's breakout year, winning his first ring. He was unstoppable. I think this series will be similar to that year, for Bryant.

Lakers vs. Celtics. 2008 NBA Finals Game 1. Tonight!