Black Kicks

Seeing today's NBA players sport kicks with outrageous colorways or custom shoes made by the likes of Kickstradamus or other designers is always an amazing spectacle. It shows so much of the players sense of style, character and confidence. We the consumer demographic would also tend to buy these said shoes to show support for our idols and maybe even show off our...swag (or class.)

Funny thing is this never caught on with me. Sure I do look for the latest models or whatever is currenly lit at the moment but for the longest time I could remember, I always prefer black (sneakers). There's something about black shoes that every self-professed baller should have one.

Yes, I like the color black. Yes, I'm also on the lazy side that I prefer my shoes won't get dirty (very) easily. Yes, it matches easily with any uniform or any attire you would sport. These are all factors you can count in. But having black sneakers for me is like a statement. That I rock this kicks with style without needing additional razzle-dazzle. It's dependable. It has form and function. My game and/or attitude will speak for itself. Black kicks forsho. Black kicks for life.

This is something that I don't really share with everyone and I think the only person who I've shared this is to my Pa who has always supported this uhhhh obsession hehe even though he keeps saying but there's so much other colors! (He prefers bright neon colors for sneaks and kicks). Much love. But strangely enough, it's catching on to a few of my friends this year who are also getting kicks. Some have the same reasons as mine and others just decide on black when I share my opinion but one thing is for sure: You can never go wrong with black kicks.

 
-Chady

Goodbye Arc

With a heavy heart, I regret to announce that Bohol Arcadium's doors will be closed by the end of June. What this means is that the arcade (Street Fighter, Tekken, etc.) as well as the play area (ps3 and xbox 360s where you could play games like NBA and Call of Duty) will no longer be operational and we will no longer provide services that cater to consoles (Xbox 360/PS3) and handheld gaming devices (Psps/Tablets). I can honestly say this has been not only the toughest thing I have attempted my life, but also the most rewarding.

Ever since we started in late 2012 till the final time I close down the doors, the journey has been amazing. Everyone seems to agree on one thing: the arcade is dead, and I'm actually okay with that. The statement doesn't really sting (anymore) because it's a fact and we could mention several reasons for this.

 The economics aren’t there anymore and that's true.The Arc hasn't been getting much foot traffic as of late.To those who don't know, the Arc is kind of outside the city. Well, it's not that far (around 5 minutes tops) but people can get decisive when they need to do more work to play games so maybe people just found other places to play console games. This is also fine with me. In fact, I have been to as well as serviced a few other shops that have consoles as well and I am glad that they offer console gaming. Maybe because of the recent road construction on the Arc's street that people found it hard to visit. Less customers meaning less reason to keep the shop open for longer hours, especially with the sudden spike of elecrtic bills this summer but honestly, money is such a small issue when you watch people of all ages band together and see them get competitive or just hang out and talk about their favorite games and share their ideas and opinions with each other. Now, people may mention that "...but sir, the road has been fixed now! You can return to regular hours and --..." Let me stop you right there and move on to the next reason.

 The community support isn't the same. This may seem unfair to the Arc faithful but it's true. Over the years, I have seen countless faces come and go at the Arc. Some have stuck around and have become a part of Bohol's local fighting game community (will be referred to FGC from here on out). Some have become some of my closest friends. There are a few others who visit because they just love gaming but truthfully, apart from these few people I mentioned, a lot of the regulars are gone now. I knew a lot of these "regulars". Some are not in Bohol anymore, looking for jobs and other competiton elsewhere and I wish them nothing but the best. Others have lost interest in fighting games or gaming in general and that's okay, hobbies come and go. What I'm trying to say is that it's hard to maintain a niche shop when your faithful have lost faith. Again, you might say "Sir, you can always build up a new community and start fresh!"...which brings me to my next reason which for me seems to be the most important.

 I am burned out and distracted. The Arc isn't necessarily going through a very tough time and in fact, it's even poised for a makeover. A great opportunity to start out fresh and get a renovation but honestly, my drive isn't there anymore. Now, dont get me wrong, I still have the passion. I still love fighting games. However, I have too much on my plate as of late that I find it hard to devote both my time and focus to the Arc like before especially when I'm the only one running the whole show now. I will not go into detail about this and I hope everyone can respect my decision.

 We're almost done! I'd like to give out rather specific reminders to Bohol's FGC and a few special shoutouts as well.

 Bohol FGC!
In the coming months where I won't be busy anymore, I think I'll finally be able to get some play time with the most recent fighting games like SFV and MKXL so even though the Arc isn't going to be around anymore, hopefully we can still hang out and get some sessions in. It's only a matter of looking for a place to crash lol.

 Special Shoutouts!
To my fam for allowing me to run the Arc for as long as it could. Thank you!
To Seddy Israel and Ricardo, two of my greatest friends and the Arc's first ever sponsors.
To Randz Revil for continuing the Tekken love and supporting us.
To Marcky D. Arcky! for helping me build up the SF scene here and also sponsoring events.
To Paolo, Julius and Arthur, you guys might not have been to the Arc and I'm sorry that it closed down before you could visit but you guys have been giving us help, support and shout outs for as long as I could remember. Thank you!
To Jade, Nino Prince and all the other regulars, thank you!

 If you actually took the time to read all of that, thank you as well! You may or may have not been to the Arc but I'd like to thank you as well :D

 In closing, here is my final statement: The concept of travelling to a destination outside of the home to engage in competitive gaming may seem outdated because of online play but it's such a worthwhile experience. Bohol Arcadium was built on that idea. On the internet, players can be anonymous. Things could be said that would never be said in person or, at the very least, would be lost in translation and could be simply brushed off. But when you meet people in person you want to present yourself in your best light. It's about humans. That was the Arc's main purpose and has always been the appeal of an arcade. The connection. That's never going to go away. It's here that friendships are won, rivalries settled and intense staredowns in front of the glow of the machines. Can it come back? That depends. Creativity will bring anything back. All in due time, I guess. But for now...

All I can say is thank you so much for the support all throughout the years. I'll see you guys around.

 Chadymac Out.

The Grind Part 3: Some Q&A on your concerns and finding yourself a bobby. A strenuous,dangerous and fun hobby.

Concern 1: This is too hard.
Uhhh...maybe you skipped two sections too quick, buddy? Head on back to The Grind parts 1 and 2 before you head on back here. Kthnxbye.

Concern 2: This is stupid. I still want to eat but lose weight. What do?!
Well yeah, it is. The key to losing weight is to reduce calorie intake. Find out how you can do that and do it. As I mentioned in part 1, you can do baby steps like cut out the soft drinks, reduce the rice or replace chicken thighs with chicken breasts. Find what works for you. You don't have to do it right away because you'll risk losing interest and just give up. Do it gradually. Another strategy is you could find a diet you like like Paleo, low-carb, Atkins... I don't know what else is popular these days and just go with that for awhile. I'm not saying any diet is better than any other diet but having a sustained diet is a healthy diet therefore you'll have a sustained and healthy body.

Concern 3: I can't afford healthy food!
Look, Imma be real with you. You don't have to be healthy to lose weight. You just need to be aware of what you put into your body. For example, compare the calories of chocolate milk to skim milk. The difference can be from 100-200 calories per CUP. Compare potato chips to a potato. 1 oz of lays classic potato chips can be 160 calories while 1 oz of baked potato can be about 30 calories. See the difference? Also, it's just healthier to, you know.. be healthy. Word of advice? Use the internet guys. Seriously.  Just googling "cheap healthy food" will net you a thousand good lists and guides already. Potatoes, sweet potatoes, cabbage, iceberg lettuce, rice, beans, pasta, eggs,chicken breast...just to name a few. There are a lot of cheap healthy foods. I promise you can do it if you just invest a little time into it. Also, vegetables!  I used to hate them but I they grew on me. :D

Concern 4: I heard that you needed to be eating at least every 2 hours to maintain a good body.
Yeah that's not real. Research has shown you don't need to eat every 2 hours to maintain muscle, you don't need to have a full breakfast to start your day right, you don't need to get protein within 10 minutes of lifting before your muscles fall off and straight muscle catalysis. No. Stahp. Studies that show that you lose more weight eating more often or eating breakfast were observational. It just so happened that the people who ate breakfast or more frequently ate less in general, hence more weight loss. With a controlled diet, you can lose weight no matter when you eat. Find what works best for you and do it. I'd like to back and mention that your muscles won't fall off if you go more than 2 hours without eating. Our bodies don't work that way.

Concern 5:Can I still lose weight when I still drink (beer)?
This was asked by a lot of the people I know and I can understand.
So here's the deal. You can still drink while on a diet but like anything else, it's all about moderation. A lot of people think that if you drink, you can't lose weight and  if  you don't, you can. It doesn't work like that. Alcohol may be made differently but put remember, it still is basically just calories in, calories out. Try to limit your drinking to one night a week, two at the most. Spirits, dry wines, and low calorie beers with diet mixers are lowest calories (and the saddest hehe.) Try not to eat a huge meal while you drink and don't just snack whatever you want. Still keep in mind what you eat.
Keep in mind there is almost nothing concrete in nutrition. We already understand  that in order to lose weight, you have to consume less calories that you burn, and vice versa for bulk. This can be extremely difficult for some people and so easy for others. Genetics, environment and your lifestyle all play a role in this. It's going to be harder for you to lose weight if you've been big all your life. It's going to be harder if both your parents are overweight and you are too. It's going to be easy if you didn't get fat until last year and the list goes on. If  you truly want to make yourself better, change not only the physical but also your mental state. Your attitude will also need to be adjusted when going through this process. You need to stand up for what you started and be a good influence on other people, Please don't judge another person who is just trying their best even if they are misguided. Appreciate the effort. Again, almost nothing is set in stone in nutrition. If someone tells you that something has been proven and it's not very simple like if you don't eat you will die then they probably aren't really an expert in the field. What works for one person might not work for another. Low carb might work great for me and it may be jackshit for you. Almost nothing is set in stone. It's all about what finding WHAT WORKS FOR YOU and what is SUSTAINABLE. This is the number one most important thing. Who do you think is in better shape? The person who goes all out for 3 weeks until they mess up once and quit or the person who eats healthy when they can but has a cheat meal here and there and tries their best do go for a walk or jog or go biking or whatever year round.

Concern 6: What about supplements? Will they help?
Honestly, 99% of the supplement industry is bullshit.  You need exactly 0% of it in order to make gains and be healthy.  However, here are some supplements I do recommend:
Whey or Casein Protein Powder - Convenient way to help reach daily protein requirements.  NOT a replacement for whole-food protein sources, try not to exceed 50g protein from shakes in a given day.
Multi-Vitamin - Even whole food today is much less nutritious than it was 50 years ago, so a decent multi will help fill in the gaps that even a healthy diet will have.
Fish Oil Capsule - Unless you eat a lot of fish, then you probably are deficient in Omega-3's.

I'll cover the hobbies part later.


-Chady