Because of the unbelievably tedious process my HMO provider requires before you can have yourself checked by a doctor, I’ve decided, for two years now, against going for a check-up whenever I feel something odd or when even when I fear that my blood pressure’s going up again because of having to spend days of feeling sluggish, heavy-headed, and generally not well. Not the brightest idea, I know. But I found this suggested diet plan for people with, or are prone to, hypertension. It is called the DASH diet – Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension. It’s not a weight loss formula per se, but I’m thinking that a diet that is focused on less salt and less saturated fats would be good for the figure conscious, too. We’ll see if I can find a more specific menu plan that would be tailored to my needs and resources.

So who are the big winners in round 2? Federer, Djokovic, Davydenko, Serena Williams, Venus Williams, Ivanovic, Dementieva, among others.

For the random thoughts:

• Venus Williams is being ignored by the press so much that when she won in ruthless fashion against Lucie Safarova, who is a very good player in her own right, she’s suddenly being remembered as a serious contender, together with her sister Serena, Dementieva, Henin, and Clijsters.
• I wonder why professional women’s tennis players can train so hard and compete  so often and still be a bit rounded and plump, especially around the midsection. Tennis has strict anti-doping law so I’m guessing no one takes even a harmless diet pill like phentermine.
• Roger Federer gave his fans a scare when he dropped the first set of his first match, the first set he’s dropped at round 1 of a Grand Slam since 2003.
• I was rooting for Richard Gasquet to win his five-set marathon with Youzny, but it was not to be.
• Dementieva and Henin will battle it out on Day 3 and I’m torn. I want Henin to make a flashy comeback and I wouldn’t mind if Dementieva wins the whole thing. It’s way to early for them to meet at the 2nd round, but because Henin is unseeded, it can’t be helped.

The best thing about the Australian Open being in Australia (duh!) is that it means I don’t have to stay up too late to watch online scores or look for live streaming of matches (seriously, I’ll need eye wrinkle cream if that keeps up). Or maybe the best thing is that Star Sports Asia is finally covering this year’s Open. The bad thing is, I am usually at work during the day matches and I only come home early enough to catch the last few sets of the night matches.

But there’s always the Internet to check who won or who lost, and also to have an idea which ones are worth watching the replays for. Here’s a list of some of the (big name) winners (round 1, day 1): Henin, Clijsters, Dementieva,  Safina (women’s singles); Murray, Roddick, del Potro, Nadal (men’s singles).

I’ve thought about my last post about Maria Sharapova and I realized that I may be wrong to think that Masha probably won’t be playing professional tennis eight years from now. She is just 22 years old, after all. So I take it back; maybe she’ll still be there playing, I just don’t know how successfully or how much of a force she will be by then.

At the Australian Open, however, the big picture may be a little bit “foggy” right now. Sharapova had lost her first-round match to compatriot and good friend (and namesake!) Maria Kirilenko.  Looks like her comeback to the Grand Slam circuit has to wait. The spotlight now will be shared by Henin, Clijsters, and S. Williams.

But I’m hoping Kirilenko can go deep into the tournament, in the very least  the quarters. I read she “danced” through her match, being in perfect balance and positioning as she fought Sharapova. I wish I can be that spry, especially while playing badminton. Maybe need to diet first or get a colon cleanse. I’m feeling heavy-footed these days.

I’m on chapter 10 of this bestseller that’s been making noise for quite some time now for being a tight-plotted, fast-paced YA (young adult) fantasy book (now a series, with the release of it’s sequel Catching Fire and a 3rd book under way).

Not out of unwillingness to finish this book, as I am guilty of several others I own, I haven’t pushed farther than the 10th chapter. My schedule so far is not keeping up with this book’s pace, because it sure is a very enjoyable read. There is a possibility that I will change my mind about this when I get to the end, but most of those who have read this one made book 2 a best seller and one of the best books of 2009.

Ok, about my post title. Here’s the deal, real fast, before I start looking for best eye cream for dark circles in preparation for the sleepless nights I’m planning to spend to finish reading:

Katniss is a 16-year-old girl living with her mother and younger sister in the poorest district of Panem, the remains of what used be the United States. Long ago the districts waged war on the Capitol and were defeated. As part of the surrender terms, each district agreed to send one boy and one girl to appear in an annual televised event called, “The Hunger Games.” The terrain, rules, and level of audience participation may change but one thing is constant: kill or be killed. When her sister is chosen by lottery, Katniss steps up to go in her place.

You read that right. They throw children into an “arena”, have them kill each other in however way they can, until there is only one surviving. ‘Survivor’ has nothing on this game/show. It sounds terrible, really, and that’s partly the reason why I’m apprehensive to read this book. But I’m assuming there’s a moral lesson to all of this. There’s got to be, right?

Another bit of news from Melbourne, at the upcoming Australian Open. Maria Sharapova recently signed an eight-year $70 million deal with Nike. Wow. That means Nike will still be sponsoring her way after she retires, because I can’t see her still playing pro tennis eight years into the future.  A lot can be said about this girl – like she’s more suited to the glitz and glamor of the fashion scene than the tennis courts or that she’s an ice queen, or that her ear-splitting screams while playing are beyond annoying – but they don’t take away from the fact that when she’s at the top of her game, she’s a very formidable tennis player. Her powerful game took out Serena Williams in Wimbledon 2004 for her first Slam. Her accomplishments off the court are astonishing as well. She must be the highest-paid female athlete of all time now. She may be all sorts of out on the tennis circuit recently because of her nagging shoulder injury, but she remains the most bankable of all the pretty tennis WTA stars. Somehow, tennis as a commercial sport cannot do without her yet.

And here’s something that she’ll be wearing, aside from her Nike gear, at the tournament next week. Bet you won’t find those in promotional bags anywhere else.

Those stunning earrings are designed by Paloma Picasso for Tiffany & Co, and Maria  will be wearing them (while playing!) at the Australian Open.  Lucky girl.

On the eve of the first Grand Slam of the year, some of the highest ranking tennis stars (Serena Williams, Kim Clijsters, Andy Roddick, Novak Djokovic, among others) decided to give up their last day of preparation to join in an exhibition for a cause.

Roger Federer, the world’s no. 1 tennis player and the top seed at this year’s tournament, spearheaded a campaign to help the victims of the recent earthquake in Haiti, which has claimed so many lives and is continuing to be a harrowing experience for the people of the country.

They say Federer’s the quintessential Swiss. He’s a quintessential European. He makes me want to pack my bags, call cross country movers, and move to Europe right now.  In 2005, Federer also gathered his fellow players to help raise funds for the victims of the tsunami in Southeast Asia. It’s really heart-warming to see that people are trying to help the best way they can.

It’s a last-minute effort, and hopefully the people of Melbourne will make this event a success. Knowing how superstitious tennis players are – for example, a lot of them profess not to do anything out of habit during tournaments, like staying in the same hotels or eating the same kind of food – changing their schedules to make this happen really counts for something.

Update: Rafael Nadal is joining, too, even if he’s playing his first round on Monday. Vamos, Rafa!

After a relatively long wait – at least for me, because anybody else would tell you that there’s tennis all year round; it’s like they never stop playing – the Australian Open is finally here. Play starts on Monday, January 18.

The seedings are out, too, and of course top seeds are world no. 1s Roger Federer and Serena Williams. The players are already in Melbourne and the official site has videos of some of the most famous of them practicing at the Rod Laver Arena - like Maria Sharapova, trading her miami beach hotels for the Australian heat to reclaim the title she wasn’t able to defend last year because of injury. Kim Clijsters, the US Open champion, has been practicing as well, while the other players are still competing in other warm-up tournaments in Sydney, Kooyong, and Auckland.

I’m bad with predictions, and most tennis players are so superstitious so I’m taking a page out their book – I won’t predict that Roger Federer will win the title, or that Justine Henin will make a comeback to rival Clijsters’ in the record books, so that I won’t jinx them, but they sure are my favorites to win. Big cheers for the first Grand Slam event of the year. It sure is going to be so much fun.

photo from the official site

I’ve been following Paolo Coelho on Twitter; one time, he tweeted this quote from one of his most famous books, The Alchemist:

When you want something, the whole Universe conspires to help you realize your desire.

It got me thinking, it can’t be true, can it? What if people want the same thing? Who will get it? Will it be a fair win just in case? I’m sure that’s not really how the writer sees it; that there’s some truth behind those words that can only be understood by those whose hearts are open, but I can only think of a particular, albeit funny,  situation wherein I got the exact opposite. Let’s just say that there is this something that I really wanted to have; so I prayed for the heavens to give me a sign that it’s indeed for me, and me alone. A few days after, it was gone. Poof! Just like that. But I am a believer in destiny and all that crap, so after a few years I asked for it again. A couple of days after, I got the news that it’s gone out of my reach, the very same day that I prayed out loud for it.  I wish I can give you the sordid details because this is quite funny, but the shame is very much on my part so just take my word that that quote? Not for me. But who knows, maybe I’ll try out that theory again someday;  retest the waters, and hope that they used water softeners this time  for my sake.

I need to change this blog’s name. Lately, I’ve been minding my other blog better and it came to a point when their respective titles no longer apply. Ahh, po-tay-to po-tah-to. Just like copper kitchen sinks and tiled sinks are all just sinks.

Anyway, I’m hoping to start the first working day of the year right. Cliche, true, but that’s my goal. Here’s to a more inspired, more productive but more play-and-giggle year ahead, for all of us! Cheers.