Rivalry and the desire to do better...

It is really lonely when you no longer have a worthy rival in your field. I experience this a lot of times. What is 'rival' to me exactly? well... I guess it's the time when you're put in a situation when you have a common ground with someone that you feel you wanted to raise against/with (of course this means a healthy competition wherein you help each other improve), and that he/she brings out the best in you. You feel that every cell in your body wanted to crush the guts out of your rival. You feel the thrill of the chase... the hearts pounding, the curiosity of the rival's techniques, and the fear of being on the race... every minute, every second counts... to be defeated knowing your rival did his/her best... to win, knowing that you have progressed... that is rivalry... an exciting journey that escalates everytime you meet... a world that only talented people know of. A world that only gifted people could ever experience.

I for one, I do know that I still need to learn in so many things. Like Photography, Sculpting, Painting, Illustrating, post vid editing/cinematography, (these are the fields I want to excel in at least) I do know that I still need to focus more and study more.... but it would be more exciting if I could have someone to race with towards my goals. A lot of people are already great... but the thing is... they are not my rivals. They have come before me...and after me.... It's quite a lonely journey really, because what I'm looking for is someone who has common ground with me.


And so I quite understand why the skating in men's division is stirring a controversy. I still like Plushenko despite his stinging remarks about Lysacek. (I dream that I'd get the chance to shoot one of his performances... Gosh, such genius execution.... it's very rare that such legendary figures in sports arise...) the likes of ALexei Yagudin and Evgeny Plushenko cannot be fathomed. They always surprise the world in each of their performances. I miss Alexei Yagudin in men's figure skating, and I guess that from what happened in Vancouver this Winter Olympics 2010, by giving Plushenko a silver medal, a lot of people will think that it was all f**ked up. I saw Plushenko's performance against Lysacek's skating and even to an untrained eye like me, the difference in performance was so great. Lycasek just glided.... true he was smooth in his execution... but the intensity and the ability to draw the crowd to the whole performance was lacking. Plushenko never bored the audience till the end. He was engaging people with his skating...He suffered an unfair treatment...

The only one who is a WORTHY OPPONENT of Plushenko is none other than Alexei Yagudin! Go Plushenko! You are indeed platinum! Lycasek is still so green.... he needs more years to be able to face Plushenko!