And Mike Tyson retires (again)

On a hectic Sunday morning, I turned on the TV and caught Mike Tyson's boxing match. It was his fight with Irishman Kevin McBride, billed as Tyson's "comeback" after many turbulent years of boxing semi-retirement. Astoundingly, by round 7, Tyson just sat on his corner and decided not to continue the fight. As in, he just sat there, and the referee made the decision to call the fight. McBride won by technical knockout.

What struck me was the after-game interview that Tyson gave. Why did you sit in the corner, the interviewer asked. "I just didn't find it in my heart to continue the fight," Tyson said. He had no more passion, no more heart for the sport. If he could, he would have wanted to return the money to the people who paid to watch the fight. "Was this lack of heart present when you started the fight?", he was asked. Yes, he said. So why'd you do it?, the reporter persisted. "Because I had to pay my bills."

Hahaha. That drew a loud guffaw from me. So honest. No bullsh*t. (Either that, or he just knew he was going to lose). Hmm.

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Find of the week: Salcedo Saturday Market at Velasquez Park, Salcedo Village, Makati City.

Every Saturday morning, vendors gather at the parking area of Velasquez Park to sell organic food, veggies, and plants. Lots of yummy food! There are affordable regional dishes (like laing, pancit habhab, etc), gourmet food (there's a stall named "weekend gourmet", being managed by a former chef of Mandarin Oriental Hotel's Tivoli resto. The food looked yummy -- pasta, roast lamb chop -- but a bit pricey for the area), the requisite baked goodies and bottled sauces (cream cheese, pesto, tomato sauce), flowers and plants for sale. (Imagine, a dozen roses for 150 pesos. In Makati!). This is of course, aside from the fresh organic produce you can find here -- mountain rice, organic veggies, live seafood, etc. If you've nothing to do, you can visit the area and eat your lunch/breakfast/morning merienda there. There's a certain charm in the outdoor market, and the place isn't normally overcrowded.

**Jaime C. Velasquez Park is located at Salcedo Village, Makati. It is across the street from Starbucks Leviste. The Salcedo Market is open every Saturday, 7AM - 2PM.