Risk

The ISC Grad Reception went great!  I'll admit that I was incredibly nervous while starting the speech, making some pronunciation errors here and there.  But as I went on with the speech, it got easier as the anxiety went away.  By the time I ended my speech, Dr. Hill was already shaking his head and pointing his finger, not in disbelief, but in gratefulness.  As he walked up to the podium, he shook my hand with a large smile on his face, saying that it was "the best introductory speech he's heard in years" and that I "should introduce him more often".  Coming from one of the most iconic members of ISU in recent years, not to mention being a former Olympic Gold Medalist in Hurdles, I was incredibly honored.  Even after the event, the Director of International Students and Scholars, James Dorsett came up to me to personally send his regards on the speech.  That was very touching for me, and I owe it to Onalie, Kanchana, and Latif for their encouragement and faith in me.

Also, I just got my babies in and broke them in yesterday.  They're the Nike CTR360 Trequartista III FG, the second-grade knockdown version of the Nike CTR360 III Series.

Hoping that after another couple of games that it'll be more comfortable on me.  I was surprised by how rigid the heel counter was, but then again this was my first pair of football boots since I was 11 years of age.  Moreover, my previous pair of boots had blades which were focused more on speed than traction.  This pair of boots had wide, rounded studs for better traction and turning rather than pace.  The synthetic leather (Kanga-Lite) feels great when controlling the ball, and the pass pads (which are more like grooves) makes instep trapping to be more effective, though only marginal.  It'll take some getting used to due to the structure of the instep.  That being said, the passing panels give an increased curve to the ball due to increased contact with the ball.  I seemed to be more comfortable in possession and my distribution was better, having the option to swerve the ball past the defense rather than lobbing it through.

It felt really different running on the pitch too, having an actual pair of boots which makes your legs feel a lot heavier compared to wearing indoor futsal shoes.  Even my playing style had to change, as I felt more inclined to pass the ball rather than to simply take on opponents with raw pace.  That was a positive change in playing style, as I can be selfish on the ball at times.  I believe that this boots are worth every buck of my paycheck although I've only used them once.

I'm super stoked to play more games this Summer!

Today I played touch football with some of the Malaysians and one thing's for certain: plays make all the difference.  My team lost by 2 touchdowns due to our inability to conjure an effective offensive play.  We were sound defensively, with me being the annoying guy whose sole purpose on the field is to rough the quarterback up.  That was fun, albeit my size, due to the 5 second rule before the quarterback can be tackled.  However, as a linebacker I got mauled instead!

It's 2.27 am now and I recently got back from Todd Drive after dinner at Hickory Park, and a almost-2-hour Risk game with 5 other players.  In the end, it was an army of 6 units holding off Indonesia against a 30-strong army from Siam.  Oh well, second place is much welcomed since I was struggling during early parts of the game.  It's my first time completing a game of Risk, so that was cool.  That's all from me today!  See ya.

Muscle Museum (Cover) - Vitamin String Quartet