the Way of the Son of the Sea

The Vote Has Been Cast

2010-05-10T21:31:00.001+08:00

The Election's Over

Expect The Worst. Hope For The Best.

Philippine General Election 2010

2010-05-10T00:11:00.003+08:00

Just Vote!

Whoever you are supporting this election, vote for them.

We've all heard what these candidates have to say and probably most of us have made up our minds on who we think are best and most capable to lead this country for the next six years. Let us just respect whoever a person votes for. There is no use bickering on who we think is the best because we all have our reasons for choosing them, mainly personal ones. My only wish is that whoever will be next to lead this country, will move it in the right direction.

Cast your vote and be counted.

Jogged, Walked for Earth Day 2010

2010-04-22T23:43:00.004+08:00

My legs are still aching for jogging and walking in celebration of Earth Day 2010. I've covered a distance of about 4 kms in about an hour. Not amazing, but to me that's an accomplishment for a person who doesn't normally walk even a 16th of that distance. The aches are still there it revitalized by body.

There's still a long way to go to accomplish my goal of completing a whole marathon which is about 26k but 4km is a good start.

Lupin III : The Last Job

2010-04-02T23:43:00.002+08:00

Watching Lupin III - The Last Job. I can't get enough of those Lupin III television specials.
Waiting for the next one.

"Once again, I have cut a worthless object."

Two Truths to Live by

2010-03-31T00:16:00.001+08:00

Hold fast, and let go: Understand this paradox, and you stand at the very gate of wisdom

The art of living is to know when to hold fast and when to let go. For life is a paradox: it enjoins us to cling to its many gifts even while it ordains their eventual relinquishment. The rabbis of old put it this way: ''A man comes to this world with his fist clenched, but when he dies, his hand is open. ''

Surely we ought to hold fast to life, for it is wondrous, and full of a beauty that breaks through every pore of God's own earth. We know that this is so, but all too often we recognize this truth only in our backward glance when we remember what it was and then suddenly realize that it is no more.

We remember a beauty that faded, a love that waned. But we remember with far greater pain that we did not see that beauty when it flowered, that we failed to respond with love when it was tendered.

A recent experience re-taught me this truth. I was hospitalized following a severe heart attack and had been in intensive care for several days. It was trot a pleasant place.

One morning, I had to have some additional tests. The required machines were located in a building at the opposite end of the hospital, so I had to be wheeled across the courtyard on a gurney.

As we emerged from our unit, the sunlight hit me. That's all there was to my experience. Just the light of the sun, and yet how beautiful it was ---how warming, how sparkling, how brilliant!

I looked to see whether anyone else relished the sun's golden glow, but everyone was hurrying to and fro, most with eyes fixed on the ground. Then I remembered how often I, too, had been indifferent to the grandeur of each day, too preoccupied with petty and sometimes even mean concerns to respond to the splendor of it all.

The insight gleaned from that experience is really as commonplace as was the experience itself: life's gifts are precious---but we are too heedless of them.

Here then is the first pole of life's paradoxical demands on us: Never too busy the wonder and the awe of life. Be reverent before each dawning day. Embrace hour. Seize each golden minute.

Hold fast to life... but not so fast that you cannot let go. This is the second side of life's coin, the opposite pole of its paradox: we must accept our losses, and learn how let go.

This is not an easy lesson to learn, especially when we are young and think that the world is ours to command, that whatever we desire with the full force of our passionate being can, nay, will, be ours. But then life moves along to confront us with realities, slowly but surely this second truth dawns upon us.

At every stage of life we sustain losses---and grow in the process. We begin our independent lives only when we emerge from the womb and lose its protective shelter. We enter a progression of schools, then we leave our mothers and fathers and our childhood homes. We get married and have children and then have to let them go. We confront the death of our parents and our spouses. We face the gradual or not so gradual waning of own strength. And ultimately, as the parable of the open and closed hand suggests, we confront the inevitability of our own demise, losing ourselves, as it were, all that we or dreamed to be.

But why should we be reconciled to life's contradictory demands? Why fashion things of beauty when beauty is evanescent? Why give our heart in love when those will ultimately be torn from our grasp?

In order to resolve this paradox, we must seek a wider perspective, viewing our lives as through windows that open on eternity. Once we do that, we realize that though our lives are finite; our deeds on earth weave a timeless pattern.

Life is never just being, It is a becoming, a relentless flowing on. Our parents live on through us, and we will live on through our children. The institutions we build endure, and we will endure through them. The beauty we fashion cannot be dimmed death. Our flesh may perish, our hands will wither, but that which they create in beauty and goodness and truth lives on for all time to come.

Don't spend and waste your lives accumulating objects that will only turn to dust and ashes. Pursue not so much the material as the ideal, for ideals alone invest life with meaning and are of enduring worth.

Add love to a house and you have a home. Add righteousness to a city and you have a community. Add truth to a pile of red brick and you have a school. Add religion to the humblest of edifices and you have a sanctuary. Add justice to the far-flung round of human endeavor and you have civilization. Put them all together, exalt them above their present imperfections, add to them the vision of humankind redeemed, forever free of need and strife and you have a future lighted with the radiant colors of hope.

Alexander M. Schindler

Calvin & Hobbes : I Like To Set Kites Free

2010-03-08T00:04:00.001+08:00

Strangers In Paradise

2010-02-03T20:58:00.000+08:00

I saw your face and I ascended
Out of the commonplace into the rare
Somewhere in space I hang suspended
Until I know there's a
chance that you care

Sound Advice

2010-01-22T22:17:00.002+08:00

Back To Work

2010-01-03T23:24:00.002+08:00

Happy New Year.

Most of us had a long vacation and, tomorrow, it's back to work.

I hope that everybody will have a splendid 2010 ahead.

The World's Worst Questions

2009-12-07T23:41:00.003+08:00

Will you promise not to get mad if I ask you something?

Do you have statistics to back up that statement?

You don't honestly expect me to believe that, do you?

Haven't you any sense of humor?

You don't remember me, do you?

Have I kept you waiting?

Now what's the matter

You asleep?

So what?

When are you going to grow up?

Home

2009-11-24T00:00:00.002+08:00

Never make your home in a place. Make a home for yourself inside your own head. You'll find what you need to furnish it - memory, friends you can trust, love of learning, and other such things. that way it will go with you wherever you journey.

Tad Williams

Goemon & Casshern

2009-11-10T23:23:00.003+08:00

I'm watching the movie Goemon and found it quite interesting. Great action sequences. It's like watching a live-action anime. Wonderful CG imagery with vivid and luscious colors. In this type of movie, the director can do whatever he envisions because he's not bound by the laws of physics. Lush and vibrant environments are created to match the superhuman abilities of the protagonist.

Also check out the previous movie of this director, which is Casshern. Visually speaking, Goemon is a great improvement compared to Casshern but both have interesting storyline if you're not lost watching the imagery.

Great movies for anime lovers.

2009-11-04T22:28:00.001+08:00

Sometimes the best way to convince someone he is wrong is to let him have his way.

The Shadow

2009-11-03T00:55:00.002+08:00

"The Shadow Knows"

One of my favorite comic book characters, I first saw it as a movie. I'm still trying to find comic books about it. Don't know if there is a continuing series about the Shadow.

I Hate Being the Middle Man

2009-11-02T23:00:00.005+08:00

I've always applied this in my life that when I want to get my message across somebody else, I'll talk to them myself. I've pretty much avoided using middlemen in all my personal dealings even in relationships. But the exception to this is when I'm at work. Oftentimes, I will talk to the person concerned whether they are high-raking officials or not. I doesn't bother me as long as I get my message across. Pretty much, I know how to play their game, you must be the humble one when trying to deal with them to make them appear that they are gracious for something that you ask for, even if it's not theirs. Ironically, we refer to it as respecting our elders even if there is nothing respectable about them.

And sometimes, I'm scolded by my superior because I don't delegate such things. For me it's not really about delegating something that I can do much better myself. And oftentimes, the message gets distorted when it passes through many channels. I want to hear the reply myself so that I can process and act on it quickly with minimal or no supervision at all.

This past few weeks, I became a middleman for my office and a certain organization. At first my supervisor approves what they are asking for but as the days goes by he has grown to dislike them because of their demands. And now, I'm in the middle of it all, they request something and my supervisor angrily declines it but it is I who has to talk to them. We tried to delegate this job to somebody else but they are still contacting me for all their requests. My job is to politely tell them what my supervisor is angrily ranting about. It's difficult to to this because I also have to try to have them believe that we are an accommodating and helpful office. But in reality, my supervisor is only accommodating to the ones he finds useful in the future.

I hate being the middleman because it is my job that a rift don't come across both organizations to maintain a semblance of camaraderie between the two. It doesn't help when one is so demanding and the other is disgruntled.

Pity me, because I still have to keep us this charade for a few more days.

Signage at a Repair Shop

2009-11-01T22:32:00.000+08:00

We do three types of jobs - Cheap, Quick and Good. You can have any two. A good quick job - won't be cheap; a good job cheap - won't be quick; a cheap job quick - won't be good.

What We Value

2009-10-22T23:03:00.002+08:00

If a nation values anything more than freedom, it will lose its freedom, and the irony of it is that if it is comfort or money that it values more, it will lose that too.

W. Somerset Maugham

Reading Some Daredevil

2009-10-19T23:02:00.002+08:00

Lately, I've been spending my free time reading some comics especially the Daredevil series, especially the past issues. Try reading them, you might get hooked.

What Do You See?

2009-10-01T23:59:00.001+08:00

Guido the plumber and Michelangelo obtained their marble from the same quarry, but what each saw in the marble made the difference between a nobleman's sink and a brilliant sculpture.

Bob Kall

Look Up

2009-09-29T23:39:00.002+08:00

It is said that sheep may get lost simply by nibbling away at the grass and never looking up. That can be true for any of us. We can focus so much on what is immediately before us that we fail to see life in larger perspective.

Donald Bitsberger

A Week of Comedy

2009-09-11T00:31:00.005+08:00

This week, I again indulge myself in watching videos of several stand-up comedy routines. They were videos of the following comedians:

Ricky Gervais - Live : Politics
Bill Connolly - Live in New York
Lewis Black - Red, White & Screwed and Back in Broadway
Rex Navarette - Hella Pinoy
Bob Saget - Comedy Central Roast

I liked the performance of Ricky Gervais in his routine. It was funny and i could understand most of his subjects even with his British accent. I had difficultly before understanding British shows before because of their twang. I am used to hearing the American accent. This is the first time I watched his stand-up performance and I liked it a lot. I also liked his performance in the movie Ghost Town, one of my fave movies.

As for Bill Connolly, I had trouble understanding his routine because of his Scottish accent. I can only undertand a few segments when he speaks slowly but when he's on a roll, I get lost.

Lewis Black is one of the comedians I can identify with. His routines are usually delivered as rants and I liked them. I can see myself in his routine because I usually rant my observations at home or in the office. I tend to express views that are not usually said in public. By the way, they are not crude or obscene, they're just observations about people and society in general.

Rex Navarette is a Filipino comedian who's routines usually talk about Filipino customs and Filipinos living abroad. I can get most of his jokes but in "Hella Pinoy", his routine is not so refined. Maybe, he's better seen live.

I first heard of Bob Saget as a comedian in the documentary "Aristocrats". He was described as a comedian's comedian who's routine is usually composed of foul ideas. But of this video that I got, he was being roasted by his peers and he only got to speak for a few minutes. I'm still searching for a copy of his videos.

Beifeld's Law

2009-09-11T00:00:00.002+08:00

The probability of a young man meeting a desirable and receptive young female increases by a pyramidical progression when he is already in the company of (1) a date, (2) his wife, (3) a better-looking and richer male friend.

Ronald H. Beifeld

Why So Serious?

2009-09-09T00:43:00.000+08:00

Prudence is known in the serious, which is more accredited than the ingenious. He who is always joking is never a real man. We equate them to liars in not believing them. It is never known when they talk with sense, which is the same as their not having it. There is no bigger snub than the continuous wittiness. They win fame as humorists and lose their reputation as wise men. Cheerfulness must have its moment; the rest of the time is for seriousness.

Baltasar Gracián, Manual Oracle, XVII Century

Spirit of Magnanimity

2009-09-07T22:24:00.002+08:00

He drew a circle that shut me out -
Heretic, rebel, a thing to flout.
But Love and I had the wit to win:
We drew a circle that took him in.

Edwin Markham

Hungry for Meaning

2009-09-05T00:45:00.001+08:00

Our souls are hungry for meaning, for the sense that we have figured out how to live so that our lives matter, so that the world will be at least a little bit different for our having passed through it... What frustrates us and robs our lives of joy is this absence of meaning... Does our being alive matter?

Harold S. Kushner

Finally, My Orders Have Arrived

2009-08-29T00:37:00.003+08:00

It's been more than a month since I ordered some videos. Eagerly waiting for it and now, they've finally arrived. These videos as TV series, Agatha Cristie's Poirot and The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones.

I've always been a fan of detective series where the characters use their minds to capture the villains and that are intelligently written. Unlike the TV series nowadays were detectives look more like models rather than problem solvers. They also rely too much on machines to help them solve cases. Once the machines have identified the "substance", all they have to do is state the obvious.

I am a fan of the detective series Columbo, Monk, Poirot and Sherlock Holmes. They use more of their deductive abilities rather than merely relying on machines. And also, they look the part of detectives of the time period their series is set.

Now, I already have Columbo and Poirot in my collection. Although, the Poirot series is up to the 10th season since the series is still on-going. I have already ordered The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. Maybe it will arrive next month.

With The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones, my reason for having it is basically I am a fan of Indiana Jones since my father showed it to me as a child. I caught a glimpse of the series a long time ago while it was shown on ABC-5 but i didn't have the chance to see it's full run. Now, it's time to bring out the whip & fedora and relive the adventures of Indiana Jones.

Why Am I Not Rushing?

2009-08-24T01:12:00.002+08:00

I am in the process of applying for a scholarship and I have basically completed its requirements. The only one's lacking are the essay's and CV that I have to make. The deadline is next week and I've been postponing this task for quite a few weeks now. I need to be in the proper mindset to complete this and hoping to mail it by Wednesday.

The problem for me is that, why am I not rushing to do this? I know I can make this within one night. I should have completed thus weeks ago but I tried to postpone it.

Do I really need the sense of urgency to do this for me to do this right? Or am I just being lazy?

Work to Change

2009-08-18T23:12:00.002+08:00

I am not a moralist who believes that man must change before peace will reign. I think we must work to change the conditions that result from the fact that men are not always good.

Rene Cassin, Winner of Noble Peace Prize of 1968

A Friend

2009-08-14T23:38:00.003+08:00

No birth certificate is issued when a friendship is born. There is nothing tangible. There is just a feeling that your life is different and that your capacity to love and care has miraculously been enlarged without any effort on your part. It's like having a tiny apartment and somebody moves in with you, but instead of becoming cramped and crowded, the space expands, and you discover rooms you never knew you had until your friend moved in with you.

Steve Tesich

Admitting Error

2009-08-13T23:53:00.004+08:00

When a baseball player makes an error, it goes into the record and is published. How many of us could not stand this sort of daily scrutiny? Or are willing to admit an error before we are called on it?

Most of us are protective and defensive, from the chiefs of staff down to the janitor's assistant. Our aim is not to do right so much as not to be perceived as doing wrong.

Yet all the decisive people in the world have made waves, and sometimes they have been swamped by them. But no waves, no progress; and the only way to avoid mistakes is to be totally passive, which is to say, dead. You won't get any blame that way - nor will you get anything else.

Sydney J. Harris

Hope, Faith & Love

2009-08-09T23:02:00.003+08:00

Nothing that is worth doing can be achieved in our lifetime; therefore we must be saved by hope. Nothing which is true or beautiful or good makes complete sense in any immediate context of history; therefore we must be saved by faith. Nothing we do, however virtuous, can be accomplished alone; therefore we are saved by love.

Reinhold Niebuhr

To Dance With Someone

2009-08-08T22:54:00.005+08:00

"Oh man, that hurts. But you know, why would you want to dance with someone who doesn't want to dance with you?" Adam Sandler (The Wedding Singer)

This a question that has been bugging some of us at some point in our life. Simple put, it's wanting someone/something we can't have. It's been bothering me for quite a long time now and I still can't find an answer on why I do it. We could ask psychiatrists are they could provide us with an answer that will be taken from the ideas of how we live our lives or describe human nature. But will I be satisfied with the answer, probably not. Because part of me will reject the answer or disregard it without first contemplating if it's true or not.

I have asked a couple of them to dance with but they rejected my offer. Rejections came bluntly, full of excuses or just disregarded. It hurts to be rejected no matter how nice or how cruel it came about. The bottom line for me was I wasn't good enough for them. Others might have tried immediately the other options available in the dance floor just to have that dance but I didn't. I waited to find someone I want to dance with. A selection not made by preset standards or appearance but by just following what the heart dictates. I often went home not experiencing that dance.

Then again you go to another dance and still again most of the participants were there during the first dance. Once again, you try again to woo the one's who rejected you before. I'm still drawn to them by some force that I can yet explain, Maybe it's just plain desire or lust or ego or just trying to prove myself to them or clinging to the hope of a change of mind. As with the same result as before, I went home alone.

Oh, I will ask advices from people I trust. They will give their piece and l listen to them but not necessarily implement what they think is right. I ask advice not to be told what to do but to be given an option. It is up to me to weigh my options without losing my sense of self. I wouldn't pretend to be something I'm not just to get someone to dance with me.

I will put my best foot forward and hope that my moves will be accepted.

New Additions to the Toy Collection

2009-08-05T22:23:00.004+08:00

Scarecrow (Hush version)

Mighty Muggs - Wolverine

These are the new additions to my brothers toy collection which I happened to by during my vacation. I bought them on sale because I can't afford to buy them at their original prices so I wait for sales at various department stores before I make a purchase.

Tie a Yellow Ribbon

2009-08-05T21:52:00.002+08:00

You'll be missed, President Corazon Aquino.

I Shed Tears for Cory Aquino

2009-08-03T22:41:00.002+08:00

Cory Aquino meant a lot to different people. She is regarded with so many wonderful adjectives befitting such a great person.

But for me, she was my President. She was the president when I was old enough to understand what a president was. I remember the days of my childhood when we would raise our hands and give the "Laban" sign. My friends and I didn't understand what it meant but we were proud of ourselves when we were doing it. I watched her on television and was beguiled by her calm, smiling and motherly demeanor.

She was my only President. Many have came along and tried to lead our country but they all meant nothing to me. As if they were just figureheads that I cared nothing for. Being an opinionated person, I have many criticism and praise for them but I will always judge them on how they measure up to Corazon Aquino.

She was truly a remarkable person that even her detractors and enemies respected her because of what she stands for. She will fight for what she believes in whether it was popular or not. She supports the people in their struggle for a better leadership and be the light we desperately need.

Oftentimes, we don't heed her calls because of our own daily struggle for survival. But for her, the self in less important to the needs of the country. She's the person who acts what she talks about. It's not mere publicity but genuine love for a country that needs change.

We'll definitely miss her especially in these times of uncertainty. The time when we doubt every move the government makes. The time when half-truths are presented as facts by our leaders. The time when the government is manipulating things and events for their own personal gains.

We'll miss the President who showed to us without a doubt what love for country truly is. Together with her husband Ninoy, they were the pillars of, not just democracy, but of genuine love and concern for fellowmen which they archived by conquering our hearts.

Goodbye, Cory. You'll be in our heart and our guiding star in the heavens.

My First Taste of ROYCE'

2009-08-02T23:08:00.002+08:00

the opening of the Royce' Nama Chocolate for every0ne to enjoy after dinner

My first knowledge of this highly popular chocolate was through the blogs I visited. I was intrigued on the way described its taste. It sounds as if it is the bets chocolate they've ever tasted, almost addicting.

I researched about it in the internet and found several other blogs posting showing their admiration of this hard to find chocolate.

I wanted to find where to buy this chocolate and I was saddened to discover that it is only available in three stores that are all in Manila or in airports abroad as this was usually given as "pasalubong" from Japan.

Procuring it would be difficult since I'm from Mindanao and only rarely do I get the chance of going to Manila. Then suddenly I was informed that one of our companion in the vacation will be coming from Manila. So, I jumped on that chance and requested my friend to contact that person hoping that he will have time to buy it during his busy schedule. Luckily, he agreed and let him decide on which type and flavor to buy. The rest was history.

All of us got a taste of this delectable chocolate during our vacation and we all tasted it for the first time. It was delicious and you can taste the fine ingredients that were used to make this product. However, none of us were overwhelmed by it's taste. I expected a bit more because of it's expensive price tag.

A total of five types of Royce Chocolate was purchased: Nama Chocolate, Nutty Bar Chocolate. Coffee Bean Chocolate, Macadamia Nuts Chocolate and Pure Chocolate.

In the question if I'm going to buy Royce' chocolate again even with its expensive price tag. The answer would be YES. Will I buy it for myself? Probably not for me but it would be great for someone special.

It's too expensive for normal consumption but if you have extra money, you won't regret tasting it.

bon appétit

Back from My Vacation

2009-07-31T23:16:00.002+08:00

I've just arrived early this evening from my week-long vacation. It was one of the most enjoyable, memorable and life-enriching activities I have done. Meet new friends and gained insights along the way. I'm still tired from all the traveling. Had an early plane flight and van ride just to get home. I immediately requested for a massage when I got home because of the aches and pains that my body have endured during this trip. And I'm ready for another round of aches and pains.

It was truly a wonderful vacation and I can't wait for the next one.

Still Packing

2009-07-25T00:21:00.003+08:00

I have finished packing my main backpack with all my clothes, however, I'm still packing secondary bag and I have problems determining what I bring. the cameras ready, jacket, sunglasses, medicine are now in it but I'm still wondering if I forgot to brig something. It's not unusual for me to forget my belongings so I have to double-check everything.

I'll be leaving early this morning so that I could prepare for the tomorrow morning's flight. I'll be gone for about a week. Hoping to replenish the spirit and come back renewed and refreshed.

Eagerly Awaiting for My Vacation

2009-07-24T00:02:00.004+08:00

I will be having my week-long vacation next week. My friends and I will be going to an exotic locale for the first time. We've booked this flight months before to avail of the discounts offered by one airline. We want to enjoy nature at its best. City life is quite stressful. Too many buildings and less trees to look at.

I will be leaving this Saturday but I haven't packed yet. Not even one piece of clothing is in my backpack yet.

It's nice going to places you've been before. This is a new thing for me because I don't usually go out to other places to have a vacation. I usually stay home and most of the outing that I've attended are just overnight stays.

I'm a homebody. I don't go out a night to party or have some activity during weekends to immerse myself into or have friends to hang out with. My friends are important to me and we stay connected. We plan our meetings because of our busy schedules and the distance from each other.

I prefer to spend a couple straight days of vacation to relax rather than spend almost everyday after work to go out to some party or activity. It's tiresome for me. I would like to immerse myself in what I do so I prefer long vacations.

Recommendation Letter Dilemma

2009-07-23T01:20:00.002+08:00

I need to have two recommendation letters, professional and academic. I already asked permissions from the signatories if they could give me a recommendation. But the catch is, I have to make the recommendations myself and they'll just sign them.

That's where my problem comes along. I don't want to make them myself. I find it difficult to praise or give approval to myself and have other people attest to it. It is difficult to make a casual recommendation to oneself. How could we gauge if we are already too self-indulgent I what we write about ourselves?

And I have to find the answers to this questions soon because I need to have both documents by next week.

I Missed Going to School

2009-07-22T00:32:00.003+08:00

Yesterday, I went to my collegiate university to take care of some documents that needs the school seal. It's been more than a year since I last stepped in it and I still adore it. It changed a bit but most of the buildings during my time were still there and improved dramatically.

We used to have only electric fans in our classrooms, but now, most of the school is air-conditioned. Overall, the school looks much better than before.

I miss studying there, not because of friends or the activities, but i missed learning from the teachers who helped me to be what I am today. I miss doing the assignments even if i used to dislike doing them. I miss listening to the teacher especially in Philosophy even though I'm afraid that he might solicit my answer or just an opinion.

Learning things on your own like reading from books or surfing is internet is good but I believe that the teachers are great at reinforcing those knowledge that we've learned from other mediums of instruction.

Beginning

2009-07-19T23:28:00.000+08:00

This is the moment of embarking.
All auspicious signs are in place.

In the beginning, all things are hopeful. We prepare ourselves to start anew. Though we may be intent on the magnificent journey ahead, all things are contained in the first moment: our optimism, our faith, our resolution, our innocence.

In order to start, we must make a decision. The decision is a commitment to daily self- cultivation. We must make a strong connection to our inner selves. Outside matters are superfluous. Alone and naked, we negotiate all of life's travails. Therefore, we alone must make something of ourselves, transforming ourselves into the instruments for experiencing the deepest spiritual essence of life.

Once we make our decision, all things will come to us. Auspicious signs are not a superstition, but a confirmation. They are a response. It is said that if one chooses to pray to a rock with enough devotion, even that rock will come alive. In the same way, once we choose to commit ourselves to spiritual practice, even the mountains and valleys will reverberate to the sound of our purpose.

Deng Ming-Dao

"Isang" Unleashes The Power

2009-07-17T22:35:00.003+08:00

News reports are talking of her power. The devastation that she brought throughout the land. I thought that my town will be spared. We live in the opposite end of her center. But I was wrong, her power was encompassing. It reached us and exuded her will. Fierce and strong. "Rain, rain go away..." won't be enough for this one. For two consecutiev nights, she bashed us with her might, only to give us hope in the morning. Tonight's a very dark and cold night but may tomorrow give us sunshine with a smile.

Let her have her will but spare us from destruction.

God Bless Us All and Be Safe.

A Gentle Reminder

2009-07-15T23:15:00.002+08:00

I received this text message from my mother that reminds of something that I take for granted:

"In our everyday life, we may fall into the trap of losing our sense of wonder. Experiences may become so ordinary that we no longer see each.

A moment as a miracle from God. the people we meet, the things we accomplish, our simplest joys - all of these are concrete proofs of the Lord's love for us."

True Friend and True Love

2009-07-14T23:50:00.000+08:00

A friend that you want to be with, every moment possible each and every day.
To share the joys and sorrows of life, and help them in any possible way.

A friend that can influence your day, with a little word that fills you with smiles.
A friend that can do all of this, even when separated by many miles.

Have you ever had a friend that outshines all the others?
A person so special to you, they rank up with sisters or brothers.

But a friend who is even more than that, in their own unique and special ways.
Because this person can make you feel good, even when your having "one of those days."

A friend who can touch your heart, with everything they do.
A friend that knows how you feel, even when you don't want them to.

Have you ever had a friend, who makes you start to feel.
That you may be more than friends, a feeling that is strong and real.

Have you ever had a friend, who has a special place within your heart.
One that you know you really love, in fact you've known it from the start.

A friend who you want to hug, a friend you want to hold.
A friend to keep warm with, when the both of you are cold.

A friend whose eyes enchant you, have you ever had a friend
That has magic in their smile.
A friend you want to kiss, and hold them for a while.

A friend whose touch excites, a friend who you want to spend all day with
And then look forward to the nights.

Have you ever fallen in love, with someone that is a friend?
A love so real and wonderful, a love that is a friend...

In The Dark Ages

2009-07-12T21:38:00.002+08:00

For a day and a half, it felt like we were living in the dark ages. Yesterday morning, the electricity went out and the water supply was cut off immediately after that. There were no notifications made or any warnings. Most of us didn't have any water stored.

In the afternoon, we learned from reports that the power supply was cut off because some rebel insurgents destroyed three power lines while they were fighting with the military forces.

Not having any water stored, we went to a nearby neighbor and fetched some water using the jetmatic pump. It's been years since I used one of these things and it came as a savior to us during this waterless day. We hauled water using the five gallon mineral water bottle. My brother and I made about 8 trips each back and forth to fill up the pails in our house that were to be used for bathing, washing and for the toilet. We were so exhausted carrying it because its been years since we did that. Way back in our elementary and high school days when water was still scarce and far from where we lived.

It was so hot most of the day that we bathed in sweat and had many shirt changes. Since there were no cold drinks available in our area, we went downtown and bought some iced refreshments and softdrinks in one of the few establishments with a generator. We ate halo-halo, mais con heilo and some s0ftdrinks. It was quite refreshing and I didn't mind that I have to spend that amount for such refreshing delights. On other days, I would've declined to purchase them because of the cost.

Luckily, the lights came back this evening and we don't have to haul water anymore tomorrow. I'm glad because my back is already aching.

I think that sometimes it is necessary that we lose some of the conveniences that we are used to having in order to remind us what is necessary in life. I wouldn't have had conversations with some of my neighbors earlier while fetching water if there was electricity. It brings us back to the basics. And it's good to be reminded.

Don't Ask

2009-07-10T23:54:00.001+08:00

Are you asleep?
Now what's the matter?
Have I kept you waiting?
You don't remember me, do you?
Will you promise not to get mad if I ask you something?

Be Whole

2009-07-09T22:51:00.004+08:00

The Missing Piece (by Shel Silverstein) tells the story of a circle that was missing a piece. A large triangular wedge had been cut out of it. The circle wanted to be whole with nothing missing, so it went around looking for its missing piece. But because it was incomplete and therefore could roll only very slowly, it admired the flowers along the way. It chatted with worms. It enjoyed the sunshine. It found lots of different pieces, but none of them fit. So it left them all by the side of the road and kept on searching. Then one day the circle found a piece that fit perfectly. It was so happy. Now it could be whole, with nothing missing. It incorporated the missing piece into itself and began to roll. Now that it was a perfect circle, it could roll very fast, too fast to notice the flowers or talk to the worms.

When it realized how different the world seemed when it rolled so quickly, it stopped, left its found piece by the side of the road and rolled slowly away. The lesson of the story was that in some strange sense we are more whole when we are missing something. The man who has everything is in some ways a poor man. He will never know what it feels like to yearn, to hope, to nourish his soul with the dream of something better. He will never know the experience of having someone who loves him give him something he has always wanted and never had. There is a wholeness about the person who has come to terms with his limitations, who has been brave enough to let go of his unrealistic dreams and not feel like a failure for doing so. There is a wholeness about the man or woman who has learned that he or she is strong enough to go through a tragedy and survive, who can lose someone and still feel like a complete person.

When we accept that imperfection is part of being human, and when we can continue rolling through life and appreciating it, we will have achieved a wholeness that others can only aspire to. That, I believe, is what God asks of us - not "Be perfect," not "Don't ever make a mistake," but "Be whole." And at the end, if we are brave enough to love, strong enough to forgive, generous enough to rejoice in another's happiness, and wise enough to know there is enough love to go around for us all, then we can achieve a fulfillment that no other living creature will ever know.

Harold Kushner

The Jewel

2009-07-06T23:15:00.000+08:00

Once upon a time there dwelt an old King in a palace. In the center of a golden table in the main hall, there shone a large and magnificent jewel. Each day of the King's life, the stone sparkled more resplendently.

One day a thief stole the jewel and ran from the palace, hiding in a forest. As he stared with deep joy at the stone, to his amazement the image of the King appeared in it.

"I have come to thank you," said the King. "You have released me from my attachment to Earth. I thought I was freed when I acquired the jewel, but then I learned that I would be released only when I passed it on, with a pure heart, to another.

"Each day of my life I polished that stone, until finally this day arrived, when the jewel became so beautiful that you stole it, and I have passed it on, and am released.

"The jewel you hold is Understanding. You cannot add to its beauty by hiding it and hinting that you have it, nor yet by wearing it with vanity. Its beauty comes of the consciousness that others have of it. Honor that which gives it beauty."

Thaddeus Golas
The Lazy Man's Guide to Enlightenment

Street Fighter IV has finally arrived on... PC

2009-07-05T22:37:00.003+08:00

The game that I've been waiting for more than a year has finally arrived on PC. I was ecstatic when I find out that they were developing a new Street Fighter game. This was the game that I grew up with, starting with Street Fighter II in the old family computer, then in Sega Mega Drive and then in PS One.

After Street Fighter II, I was hooked with the EX version. I didn't have the chance to play Street Fighter III in the console because I couldn't afford to buy the newer consoles. Arcade machines are not for me because I have problems controlling the joysticks. It isn't the same for me without the gamepads, even if my fingers suffer from blisters after playing it for long hours.

I had just finished playing Street Fighter IV from my friends PC and it was awesome. It brought me back to the days of hadoken and shoryukens especially with my all-time favorite character Ryu. I just stuck my game with the basics because I can't do the SUPERs because of a cheap gamepad. It really hurts my fingers just to do a simple hadoken.

We've just unlocked a few characters and I hope soon that my friend will unlock all the other characters, especially the new ones. I'm more of a Versus kinda guy because I'm not good in fighting the Arcade Mode at higher difficulties.

I can't wait to play it again tomorrow if I have the time.

To all Street Fighter fans out there, prepare your fingers and get ready to FIGHT....

Tomorrow Should Have Been My Rest Day

2009-07-03T21:38:00.002+08:00

As with most employees, I look forward to a relaxing weekend were there is no paperwork do do in the office but, alas, I was informed today that I will be working tomorrow with my boss to do some unfinished work that was supposedly due this week.

I'm quite disappointed because during Saturday, I wake up late to recover some of my lost sleep during the past week. This is the time for me to sit back and relax and maybe watch a movie or two. But this is the life on an employee, you have to work when you're asked to during weekends.
Just suck it up and do my job even if I don't feel like it.

Attitude is Everything!

2009-07-01T23:57:00.000+08:00

Being happy in this life isn't dependent on what happens to you, but rather how you respond to what happens to you. It's true: Attitude is everything! So take it easy, smile a lot, look for the rainbows in life, real or imagined, and just be happy. Life's just too short to do anything else!

Just Laugh!

2009-07-01T23:51:00.001+08:00

Celebrate life by laughing loudly and laughing often. Find something silly to enjoy just because it's silly. Laugh because you're sad and want to feel better. Laugh because someone else tells you a joke--even if it's not the funniest one you're ever heard. Appreciate their effort in making you laugh and do so! Laugh when you do something that would otherwise be embarrassing. Laugh at life in general. Laugh because life's too short to spend it being unhappy. :)

Does Our Being Alive Matter?

2009-06-30T22:45:00.000+08:00

Harold S. Kushner

It's "Still" A Magical World

2009-06-29T23:31:00.002+08:00

The cover of my Calvin and Hobbes book. The title says it all.

What's Up With The Weather?

2009-06-29T23:05:00.003+08:00

It been rather hot the whole morning that you dread going out of the office and then right when you're about to go home, the rain pours heavily. Flu has been rampant nowadays with this unpredictable weather pattern.

As a child, my parents would advise me to go out and have some sunshine. But now, even adults wouldn't like to stay out long under the sun. The sun's heat pierces the skin and it burns. In the morning right after I have taken my bath, I am already sweating. I used to feel refreshed after showering but now it's different with this weather.

There's been a lot of talk about climate change and I believe that it's already happening right now. Some of the "experts" argue that it's just part of nature's cycle and not made by the pollution contributed by man and their machines.

I have a question though, could we still repair the damage done or are we just minimizing it's effects? I was wondering how we could repair the hole in our ozone layer that's been damaged. What are the end result of the environmentally-friendly activities being developed?

The Most Agreeable Companion

2009-06-27T21:36:00.006+08:00

The most agreeable of all companions is a simple, frank person, without any high pretensions to an oppressive greatness - one who loves life and understands the use of it; obliging at all hours; above all, of a golden temper and steadfast as an anchor. For such a one, we gladly exchange the greatest genius, the most brilliant, the profoundest thinker.

Gotthold Ephraim Lessing

It's Been Approved

2009-06-20T23:12:00.003+08:00

Finally, I've just learned today that my request to apply has been approved with the help of the one who invited me. It's been a dilemma for me this couple of weeks because I was very interested in it but it need some higher approval.

Now, it's time for me to iron out the details and I hope that I will be accepted. The experience would be tremendous, however difficult it may be.

It's been a while now that I see myself as having no purpose in what I do. Maybe this will help me grow as a person and learn new abilities and improve my knowledge.

Maybe, just maybe, I will fin my purpose here.

You Can't Lose 'Em All!

2009-06-18T00:20:00.000+08:00

We're all pretty familiar with Murphy's Law:
Nothing is as easy as it looks.
Everything takes longer than you expect.
And if anything can go wrong - it will.
At the worst possible moment!

But what Murphy didn't tell us is that things won't always go wrong. If you keep trying, sooner or later, you will do the right thing at the right time and succeed surprising yourself to no end.

This is the value of determination and persistence. It works because each time you fail, you gain a little more insight into how many different ways things can go wrong allowing you to avoid the same mistake next time. Slowly but surely, the wrong options are eliminated and we find the road to success. There is nothing new to this process of success, it's just that many people don't want to accept it. The idea of failure scares the hell out of them. Their sensitive egos can't bear the thought of others finding out that like all human beings, they aren't likely to get it right on the first try. And that's the heart of the problem, that notion that somehow we have to get it right the first time, or we have failed and are somehow worth less because of it.

Fortunately, egos are very gullible. They don't want to hear the truth and will accept any pleasant sounding lie we care to feed them. This is called rationalization (or more commonly, making excuses). Since we can't change the nature of reality very significantly and hence Murphy's Law, perhaps a change in perspective can alleviate the depression and frustration that comes from apparent failure.

"Nothing is as easy as it looks." can be dealt with by not looking at things as being easy. Under the right conditions, any human being on earth could screw up almost anything. Who is always at their best and when are conditions ever ideal? The same goes for "Everything takes longer than you expect." for who can keep track of all the possible delays that can arise and compensate for them. Truth is we don't know how long anything will take, just how long we would like it to take. "And if anything can go wrong - it will." is just a reminder that we seldom see all the ways that things can work out and success elude us.

Life is like a stacked deck of cards, sometimes for us and sometimes against us. So do your best and if you succeed enjoy the results but take no credit. If you don't succeed, take no blame and keep on trying. You can't lose 'em all!

Roland F. Arms

The Uniqueness in the Unimpressive

2009-06-15T21:46:00.003+08:00

Genius is recognizing the uniqueness in the unimpressive. It is looking at a homely caterpillar, an ordinary egg and a selfish infant, and seeing a butterfly, an eagle and a saint.

William Arthur Ward

Tomorrow Will be Our Independence Day

2009-06-11T23:13:00.003+08:00

Let us salute the flag.

Enjoying Some Comedy

2009-06-07T23:24:00.003+08:00

For about a week now, I've not been feeling well. Maybe it's a flu that is yet to come out fully. To pass on the time, for most of the day I have been listening or watching comedy series, films and stand-up comedy.

I've been listening the following stand-up comedy:

I've enjoyed listening to these stand-up comedies even if I've heard them already for a couple of times. If you could find a copy of these, try listening to them. A warning though, most of them include foul language except for Bill Cosby. Mr. Cosby's comedy is basically clean without the use of any offensive language.

Also, try The Aristocrats, if you can take it. It's about 100 comedians telling one dirty joke. This is not for everybody.

Laugh Out Loud.

Why We Fall In Love

2009-06-04T22:17:00.001+08:00

We all want to fall in love. Why?
Because that experience makes us feel completely alive,
where every sense is heightened,
and every emotion is magnified.
Our everyday reality is shattered
and we are flying into the heavens.
It may only last a moment, an hour, or an afternoon,
but that doesn't diminish its value,
because we are left with memories
that we treasure for the rest of our lives.

from The Mirror Has Two Faces

False Modesty

2009-06-02T23:20:00.001+08:00

Some men have an oblique way of expressing superiority by assuming an attitude of humility. But, as a great scientist observed about an aggressively diffident colleague: "He is not great enough to be that modest."

Sydney J. Harris

Watching the Cartoons I Missed As a Kid

2009-05-31T23:52:00.003+08:00

When I was still a child, we didn't have television because my parents wants us to concentrate on our studies and when they finally bought a television, they didn't buy an antenna. So basically, we only turned on our television during Saturdays if ever there is a VHS movie available which was very rare because we were one of the few individuals who bought a VHS player when everybody else was still in Betamax format.

As a kid, I would run to my neighbors house just to watch television shows from one channel especially the cartoons but oftentimes I would miss them because I was tasked to watch over our little "sari-sari" store. I missed watching He-Man, She-Ra, G.I. Joe, Tom & Jerry, Looney Tunes and other cartoons during my childhood.

Nowadays, I like to find those cartoons that I grew up with and watch them again. It brings back memories of carefree childhood where cartoons have simple stories that could readily be understood. The prevalent cartoons today especially the anime are not good for kids growing up because they deal with such complex and oftentimes mature subject not suitable for a child's development.

Don't get me wrong, I love anime and I collect some of them especially the complex and philosophically-themed animation like Ghost in the Shell. Most of the cartoons today have their own toyline that is focused on what used to be simple toys like the yo-yo, marbles and "top".

Recently, I just found copies of the G.I. Joe series and my brother bought the complete original Tom and Jerry episodes (the one where both Tom & Jerry don't talk). I have seen the He-Man series but it was not the one I was looking for, it was the updated version. Hope to find copies of the original He-Man and She-Ra series.

Against All Hobbies?

2009-05-31T01:24:00.004+08:00

I am against all hobbies. I have been against them since I figured out that nothing I ever do is considered a hobby. All my life I had to fill out forms that ask about hobbies. I always wanted to write down "reading," but reading is not a hobby.

If you collect books, that is a hobby. If you actually read them, it is not.

If you happen to watch a butterfly in a field, that is not a hobby. if you put a pin through its heart, that is a hobby.

Richard Cohen

Fame

2009-05-30T23:04:00.001+08:00

I feel about fame as the fellow did who found himself in heaven. He didn't ask himself whether he deserved it. he just kept quiet and stayed.

Walt Whitman

Music from Ghost Town

2009-05-28T22:50:00.002+08:00

It's been weeks since I have seen the movie but I still like listening to the songs from the movie. All of the songs are wonderful although not very popular. Here are four of the songs that I keep on listening:

Wilco - Please Be Patient With Me

Mason Jennings - Which Way Your Heart Will Go

Citizen Cope - Sideways

John Mayer - The Heart of Life

Enjoy!

Daydream

2009-05-27T19:57:00.003+08:00

The only big ideas I've ever had have come from daydreaming, but modern life keeps people from daydreaming. Every moment of the day your mind is being occupied, controlled, by someone else - at school, at work; watching television. Getting away from all that is really important. You need to just kick back in a chair and let your mind daydream

Paul MacCready

The Art of Wandering

2009-05-24T12:49:00.002+08:00

There is an art to wandering. if I have a destination, a plan - an objective - I've lost the ability to find serendipity. I've become too focused , too single-minded. I am on a quest, not a ramble. I search for the Holy Grail of particularity and miss the chalice freely offered, filled and overflowing.

Cathy Johnson

Back from the Expedition

2009-05-23T22:33:00.003+08:00

I just arrived late this afternoon. We went for an expedition in some far flung areas in our city to discover new sites and destination that would be made into future destination for adventurers and nature lovers alike.

First, we climbed a mountain to reach the observation point for the Philippine Eagle. It took me about one and a half hour to get there. I almost quit because my legs can't take any more punishment from the uphill climb. Basically, I was not fit enough to climb that mountain but I was glad to reach the top. It was a case off mind over matter for me.

The view from the top was breathtaking even though we haven't caught a glimpse of the eagle. The trees that we view from the observation point were amazing. Tall trees that is not commonly seen by a urban dweller like me. Maybe some of those trees are over a hundred years old.

The next day, we explored an island and again climb to the top of it. My feet still tired from the climb a day before and my thigh beginning to ache, I climb with all the strength left in my feet. Even though it was just a small hill to climb, it was quite steep and has has no clear trail to follow. We had to climb a through slippery rocks, loose gravel and itchy grasses just to reach the top. I slipped a couple of times and was really afraid that I might fall to the rocks below. So, I did some unconventional way of climbing, I crawled through the rocks just to prevent myself from slipping.

The view from above was breathtaking although very dangerous because it was a cliff that went straight down to the sea. It looks like half of the island collapsed. When we down, I was told that they encountered a snake on top which made me more frightened. I was just glad that they didn't tell me that when I was headed to the top because it will just add to the fright I was feeling.

The trip was a wonderful adventure, especially for me who is not what you call a nature lover or an adventurer. It was wonderful to see nature for what it is and not as man wanted it to be.

I await the next adventure.

The Necessity to Unite with Other Living Beings

2009-05-22T01:10:00.002+08:00

Man is torn away from his primary union with nature, which characterizes animal existence. Having at the same time reason and imagination, he is aware of his aloneness and separateness; of his powerlessness and ignorance; of the accidentalness of his birth and death. He could not face this state of being for a second if he could not find new ties with his fellow man which replace the old ones regulated by instincts. Even if all his physiological needs were satisfied, he would experience his state of aloneness and individuation as a prison from which he had to break in order to preserve his sanity. (...) the necessity to unite with other living beings, to be related to them, is an imperative need on the fulfillment of which man's sanity depends. This need is behind all phenomena which constitute the whole gamut of intimate human relations, of all passions which are called love in the broadest sense of the word.

Erich Fromm

Private Conscience

2009-05-20T23:27:00.002+08:00

I think that when statesmen forsake their own private conscience for the sake of their public duties, they lead their country by a short route to chaos.
from"A Man for All Season"

I am watching once again the 1966 movie of Fred Zinneman about the Life of Sir Thomas More entitled " A Man for All Seasons". It a wonderful movie about standing one's group over an issue even at such insurmountable odds and dire consequences.

Most of us know that Thomas More has already been declared a saint by the Catholic Church and rightly so. What is wonderful about the movie is the fact that it didn't present it is the view of his saintliness by his humanity. The dialogue is much more of a courtroom drama rather than drama.

The quote above is something to ponder about because it creates a debate on which is to be followed when holding office, is it your own conscience or is it your duty as a civil servant. With the separation of church and state, we sometimes encounter laws that must be implemented but is not morally sound based on our beliefs.

Which would you follow? I have my own convictions about it and that's a blog for another day.

Sleep Mode at Work

2009-05-18T21:10:00.003+08:00

It is Monday and for almost the whole day, it was raining. However, in the afternoon, there was heavy downpour and immediately the lights went out. For almost 4 hours, there was no electricity in the office.

What was I to do ion such a situation?

Well, most body started its sleep mode. The cool breeze was enough to entice me to sleep and the absence of electricity makes me want to go home and lie down in bed. The problem was that it was still one in the afternoon but may body was already in sleep mode. It was quite embarrassing to take naps in the middle of briefing and meetings when you superior is in front on you. It happened for most of the afternoon. I thought that maybe the loss of electricity would lessen the workload but my superior was still in his usual busy self going to other offices that were partially illuminated compared to our office. It was almost pitch black in our office because we have no windows.

Often work, I immediately went home and slept. Awoken only in time for dinner.

This weather is usually bad but if this happens on weekends, I would have loved to slept through it.

New Cellphone

2009-05-14T23:29:00.002+08:00

I have just received my new cellphone. As with all postpaid accounts, every two years one gets a new cellphone. Although I'm in tune with the latest technology and gadgets, I am not a techie. People who just by the latest models of anything revolving around technology & gadgets. I see some who just have them for bragging rights. For them to say that they have the latest even though some of them don't know that much about the thing that they have. There are some who keeps looking for new applications and features in their cellphones even though they wouldn't use it that much. Although some people are excited about watching TV shows or videos in their cellphones, I am not one of them. It only stains my eyes and let's be frank about it, would you really want to watch something in those tiny screen in your cellphones. Come on, we are buying or dreaming of buying the latest plasma or wide screen television sets and yet some are ecstatic that their cellphones have TV capabilities. If ever these phone manufacturers invent a cellphone that projects video or images towards any surface, much like the projectors, then I would be one of the many people who buy them.

I'm pleased with my new cellphone because it has some features that I was looking for. One of the obstacles that I'll be facing now is to teach my fingers again on the operations of the new cellphone. My fingers almost had a cramp when I used it earlier to type in again my contacts. I have gotten so attuned with my old cellphone that I can even text without watching the screen. Old models have little fuzz regarding its use but the newer models and modeled upon personal computers which means that we get features that we wouldn't even use during the cellphone's life span.

I just think that technology should help make our lives easier and not complicate it further with details that we shouldn't be thinking about in the first place.

Movie : Ghost Town

2009-05-13T23:23:00.003+08:00

I've just finished watching the movie Ghost Town, starring Ricky Gervais, Greg Kinnear & Tea Leoni and found it quite remarkable. It's a comedy with clever jokes and a wonderful storyline featuring a different take on the idea of a ghost's "unfinished business". However, in this movie, we find out that it is not ghosts who have "unfinished businesses" but the people they left behind. Sort of the "letting go" idea.

I like the part of the movie where Gervais' character found out that she was in love with the woman that she haven't noticed before even though they lived in the same apartment building. It's that sort of realization that strikes me because I can actually happen in life. Maybe, I'm sentimental about that kind of idea but it was wonderful presented in the movie that it didn't seem like a cliche.

The best quote in the movie, for me, was said by Tea Leoni's character, "We just get the one life, you know. Just one. You can't live someone else's or think it's more important just because it's more dramatic. What happens matters. May be only to us, but it matters." Oftentimes, we are victims of envy of other people's lives because they have more drama in them while we think that we live in a boring life just because there's not that many fireworks in our daily living. This explains why people love watching telenovelas. They like exploring the twists and turns of the characters in the series.

Also, listen to the soundtrack of the movie because it features many wonderful songs.

An Employee

2009-05-12T21:58:00.001+08:00

Don't Change the World

2009-05-10T23:54:00.000+08:00

Once upon a time, there was a king who ruled a prosperous country. One day, he went for a trip to some distant areas of his country. When he was back to his palace, he complained that his feet were very painful, because it was the first time that he went for such a long trip, and the road that he went through was very rough and stony. He then ordered his people to cover every road of the entire country with leather. Definitely, this would need thousands of cows' skin, and would cost a huge amount of money.

Then one of his wise servants dared himself to tell the king, "Why do you have to spend that unnecessary amount of money? Why don't you just cut a little piece of leather to cover your feet?”

The king was surprised, but he later agreed to his suggestion, to make a "shoe" for himself.

There is actually a valuable lesson of life in this story: to make this world a happy place to live, you better change yourself - your heart; and not the world.

Somebody’s Angel

2009-05-09T23:40:00.001+08:00

Some say that angels come from God,
Borne here on wings snow white,
To touch some human being’s life
While on their heavenly flight.

That may be true, for so it seems
To happen, now and then.
Some heavenly being reaches down
To touch the hearts of men.

But there’s another kind of gift
That comes from God to men.
It happens when a human heart
Is filled with love again.

And this can happen any time,
On any given day,
If human hearts will hear Love’s call
And let Love have its way.

But human hearts are often shy,
And fear what men would say.
They also fail to see how Love
Could use them in this way.

And so they miss the chance to be
Somebody’s Angel when
A caring word, a thoughtful deed
Would’ve brought Love back again.

So listen, friend, and heed Love’s call
To help someone in need.
Somebody’s Angel, on this day,
Just may be you or me.

Charles David Heineke

First-Rate Intelligence

2009-05-07T23:13:00.000+08:00

Manic Monday

2009-05-04T22:42:00.003+08:00

At the start of the day, we were immediately bombarded with problems at work. It started a frenzy in our office and it never stopped. Problem after problem came along and all requiring prompt response or solution. People were beginning to be hot-tempered. They were all trying to justify themselves and place the blame on another. No one wants to admit any mistake on their part. Now, even the people who are not involved in it are dragged to this frenzy. Creating more strong emotions. Some are trying to parade themselves as know-it-all's in front of the public. Trying to show everyone around that they are in-charge. But why does efficiency in your job be paraded in front of everybody. Are they egotistical or just problem-solvers? I have this notion that if you are efficient in your job, no one knows about it because everything runs smoothly.

I heard this story before that the people of japan don't care about who heads their government. Most people don't even know the name of their prime minister. A citizen once declared that they will only know the name of their leaders once they make a mistake. And efficient leaders don't have to promote their own achievements.

It is better for the people to know your accomplishments from the effect that it has in their lives. Don't tell everyone that you did this and that because no one will believe in you. We are not as dumb as they think we are.

Discerning Your Mate During a Movie

2009-05-03T22:45:00.002+08:00

A theater is an interesting place to analyze someone new in your life. Does he have a phobia about sitting on the aisle? When everyone else is sniffling and crying, is he busty unwrapping licorice and covering up emotions? Does he hog the communal armrest? Does he put his feet on the seat in front? Is he reluctant to ask people to move over one seat so the two of you can sit together? Everything you want to know about your potential mate can be discerned during a movie.

Kathleen Kroll Driscoll

Our Deepest Fear

2009-05-02T23:47:00.000+08:00

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us.

We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be?

You are a child of God.

Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure about you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to manifest the glory of God that is within us.

It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone.

And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.

Marianne Williamson
A Return to Love

24 Things to Always Remember

2009-04-29T23:44:00.001+08:00

Your presence is a present to the world.

You are unique and one of a kind.

Your life can be what you want it to be.

Take the days just one at a time.

Count your blessings, not your troubles.

You will make it through whatever comes along.

Within you are so many answers.

Understand, have courage, be strong.

Do not put limits on yourself.

So many dreams are waiting to be realized.

Decisions are too important to leave to chance.

Reach for your peak, your goal and you prize.

Nothing wastes more energy than worrying.

The longer one carries a problem the heavier it gets.

Do not take things too seriously.

Live a life of serenity, not a life of regrets.

Remember that a little love goes a long way.

Remember that a lot … goes forever.

Remember that friendship is a wise investment.

Life’s treasures are people together.

Realize that it is never too late.

Do ordinary things in an extraordinary way.

Have hearth and hope and happiness.

Take the time to wish upon a star.

AND DO NOT EVER FORGET… FOR EVEN A DAY HOW VERY SPECIAL YOU ARE!

Nice Guy / Great Woman

2009-04-28T23:42:00.001+08:00

This is why they never meet.

How Would I?

2009-04-25T23:03:00.004+08:00

I'm in love with a woman that's different from me. Different traits, different values, different likes & dislikes. But does that matter at all. Being me, I will always consider all angles. Some aspects would matter while some don't. Well, the heart must follow what it wants and maybe the mind will understand tomorrow. i don't know how this will end because it hasn't started yet. I have to let her know whatever her reaction would be.

Would I only use the window of opportunity that she'll give me to tell her or would I make my own opportunity?

It's tough for me because I am at a loss on how it should be done. Is there a proper way? Would I just wait for her to show me signs that she's already ready? It's already months since I tried to ask her out but there is no clear reply.

Where should I tell her? The problem with is that I can tell that to her anywhere she is. There's no problem for me. But is there a proper venue for it.

It's hard to court someone you're not familiar with even if you're known them for a very long time.

Well, I have to find out how and very soon.

Waiting is the hardest part.

Finished with " Benjamin Button"

2009-04-24T22:08:00.002+08:00

I have just finished watching the movie "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button". It was a wonderful movie. I now understand why it was nominated for a "Best Motion Picture" award at the recently concluded Oscar awards. The movie is told in a narrative by the protagonist Benjamin Button.

This is the type of movie that I like watching. It's thorough in telling the story just like some of my favorite movies, "Out of Africa" and "The English Patient". It's a movie full of inspirational messages that talks about life in general.

Some of readers of this blogger have inquired if what i think of this movie. I have to say that it is wonderfully made with great casts but not recommended for everyone. I say that it's not for everyone because it is quite a long movie with a sad undertone. This is not a feel-good movie even though it has many moral lessons" scattered throughout the movie. This movie is sort of a tragedy were both the protagonists die in the end but in a different way. One die of old age while the other one died the opposite way, just as he was before he was born. But for people who wanted to watch a movie with great storytelling, this one is a must-see.

Here are some wonderful lines from the movie:

Your life is defined by its opportunities... even the ones you miss.

For what it's worth: it's never too late or, in my case, too early to be whoever you want to be. There's no time limit, stop whenever you want. You can change or stay the same, there are no rules to this thing. We can make the best or the worst of it. I hope you make the best of it. And I hope you see things that startle you. I hope you feel things you never felt before. I hope you meet people with a different point of view. I hope you live a life you're proud of. If you find that you're not, I hope you have the strength to start all over again.

You can be as mad as a mad dog at the way things went. You could swear, curse the fates, but when it comes to the end, you have to let go.

It's a funny thing about comin' home. Looks the same, smells the same, feels the same. You'll realize what's changed is you.

Nothing is Random

2009-04-23T23:25:00.000+08:00

Nothing is random, nor will anything ever be, whether a long string of perfectly blue days that begin and end in golden dimness, the most seemingly chaotic political acts, the rise of a great city, the crystalline structure of a gem that has never seen the light, the distributions of fortune, what time the milkman gets up, the position of the electron, or the occurrence of one astonishingly frigid winter after another.

Even electrons, supposedly the paragons of unpredictability, are tame and obsequious little creatures that rush around at the speed of light, going precisely where they are supposed to go. They make faint whistling sounds that when apprehended in varying combinations are as pleasant as the wind flying through a forest, and they do exactly as they are told. Of this, one can be certain.

And yet there is a wonderful anarchy, in that the milkman chooses when to arise, the rat picks the tunnel into which he will dive when the subway comes rushing down the track from Borough Hall, and the snowflake will fall as it will. How can this be? If nothing is random, and everything is predetermined, how can there be free will? The answer to that is simple.

Nothing is predetermined; it is determined, or was determined, or will be determined. No matter, it all happened at once, in less than an instant, and time was invented because we cannot comprehend in one glance the enormous and detailed canvas that we have been given - so we track it, in linear fashion, piece by piece. Time, however, can be easily overcome; not by chasing light, but by standing back far enough to see it all at once.

The universe is still and complete. Everything that ever was, is; everything that ever will be, is - and so on, in all possible combinations. Though in perceiving it we imagine that it is in motion, and unfinished, it is quite finished and quite astonishingly beautiful.

In the end, or rather, as things really are, any event, no matter how small, is intimately and sensibly tied to all others. All rivers run full to the sea; those who are apart are brought together; the lost ones are redeemed; the dead come back to life; the perfectly blue days that have begun and ended in golden dimness continue, immobile and accessible; and, when all is perceived in such a way as to obviate time, justice becomes apparent not as something that will be, but as something that is.

Curious About the "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"

2009-04-22T23:23:00.002+08:00

I just had tonight got a copy of the movie"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button". Started watching it tonight but then I realized, when I glanced at the timer, that I runs for almost three hours. I started watching it late so I decided to continue watching it tomorrow.

I first heard of this movie because it was starring two famous Hollywood celebrities but then I was more captivated by the premise of what if a person aged backwards.

Well, I'll have to find out tomorrow how it turns out.

Hug That Monster

2009-04-21T21:50:00.000+08:00

One couple spent a holiday driving in the mountains. "Every time you race around one of those narrow curves," exclaimed the wife, "I just get terrified."

"Then do what I do," suggested her husband. "Close your eyes!" We are all afraid at times, but closing our eyes is not always a helpful way through fear. Better to open your eyes and face those fears head-on.

In 1972 David Miln Smith had such an opportunity. Smith, an adventurer, author and professional speaker, decided to spend a night alone in St. Michael's Cave on the island of Gibraltar as a test of courage. In his book HUG THE MONSTER (Kansas City: Andrews and McMeel, 1996), he tells of hearing strange sounds all around him as he lay there in the pitch-black, damp, deserted cave. Most frightening was the fact that he came to believe he was not alone!

Fear became panic and he was afraid he was losing his mind. Then suddenly, as he was approaching his psychological breaking point, Smith thought to himself, "Whatever the monster looks like, I will hug it." That simple, almost silly thought brought great relief to his restless mind. He soon fell into a deep and peaceful sleep until morning. He learned that embracing his fear, literally or figuratively, allowed him to subdue it.

We each have our nights of fear. We each encounter monsters of some sort. We may fear spiders or insects, heights or crowds, abandonment or loneliness, the future or death. And most of us are occasionally visited by shadows of these monsters in the dark of night.

The next time you're afraid, try "hugging the monster." Face that fear head-on, whatever it is, and embrace it. You may be surprised at how quickly it slips away and at how confident you begin to feel. Like that beautiful spirit Eleanor Roosevelt said, "You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you stop to look fear in the face."

Do you have a monster to hug?

Friendship Badge

2009-04-16T23:43:00.004+08:00

I got this friendship badge from my friend, Jessy Jessieca. It represents friendship and now I'm gonna pass this to Sheng, Vinkoy, Icedgurl, dio t'ama, Thea, & Chuchie.

Return to Reality

2009-04-14T22:40:00.002+08:00

Many of us leave home convinced we are going to conquer the world. We are anxious to shuck off the restraints of family and tradition, to cut our own swath and make our own rules. We know we can do it better, make it faster and see it all.

Somewhere along the way we learn we didn't know quite as much as we thought. Our ideas weren't as new as we took them to be. Suddenly the "quaint" homespun wisdom that once we rejected takes on new form. The first trip home after such awakening is a return to reality

Gary L. Bauer

The Blogger Trophy

2009-04-13T21:39:00.003+08:00

I received this award Ms. Chuchie for giving me this award. It is such an honor to have this.

Here are my list of recipients for this award:
gjramos, sheng, donna, glenda, simplyhappyme, donna kristel

Good Friday

2009-04-10T21:42:00.003+08:00

This afternoon I attended the Way of the Cross. I've made it a habit to attend it with my family. It has been a tradition for us to attend the activities during the Lenten Season. Before, we used to go to my grandmother's house to spend our Holy Week. We go there to spend some time with our relatives by attending the Lenten activities.

For some, this is the time to go to the beach or go on vacation with their families, but for us, ever since I was born, our family tradition is to participate in the Lenten celebration. This time is offered to the Lord.

I'm Worried

2009-04-07T21:38:00.002+08:00

She's sick right now and all I can do is worry from afar. I want to take care of her and help her feel better. This is such anguish for me not to be with her. Modern communication has made it easy for me contact her but it lacks the personal touch that can't be substituted by any gadget or invention. I'm just hoping that one of this days I can visit you and have a pleasant conversation.

For now, all I hope is that you get better right away.

It's A Holiday

2009-04-06T22:08:00.002+08:00

Today, April 6, 2009 was declared by the President as a Holiday to commemorate the "Araw ng Kagitingan" which supposed to be on April 9 because April 9 was already part of Holy Week, conidered as a religious holiday in our country.

Today was supposed to be a holiday but why don't I feel that it is. Maybe because I had to work today or the fact that I did almost nothing today but sleep. I went out earlier and the streets still look like a typical monday scene. The road is still crowded with vehicles and there are still a lot of people in the streets. Usually, during holidays, it is not crowded because people either stay at home or went early to the beach.

Maybe, I don't like its a holiday because I have already have a pre-determined mindset that Monday is the start of a week of work. It could be that I didn't adapt quickly to this holiday. Sometimes, we act unconsciously because there is already a preset activity that my mind is accustomed to doing every Monday. My waking habits on weekdays and weekends could be an example of this. I could wake up early during weekdays while I have to awakened during weekends or else I can sleep the whole morning.

Whatever, the reason may be, I think I have to prepare my mind for the coming holy week to experience it better.

Working on Weekends

2009-04-04T23:21:00.003+08:00

I really don't like working on weekends or on holidays. When I work on those days, my mind is not on the job. I'm not as effective as I can be. This also goes with bringing work at home, I can't really focus on what I'm doing. For me, the office is place where I work and my home is the place where I relax.

Just this morning, I had to go to work to complete some task and just as I was about to go home, my boss informed me that I also have to work on Monday, which as recently declared as a holiday. It's not that I don't like working, it's just that I can't focus well during those times. My mind and body wants to relax but it has to work. That's why when I arrived home this afternoon after work, I slept for most of the after and woke up just in time for dinner.

Well, I can't get out of working on weekends or holidays because it is one of the constraints of being an employee, you have to do what you are tasked to do.

The Very Best I Can

2009-04-02T23:40:00.000+08:00

If I were to read, much less answer, all the attacks made on me, this shop might as well be closed for any other business. I do the very best I know how, the very best I can, and I mean to keep doing so until the end. If the end brings me out all right, what is said against me won't amount to anything. If the end brings me out wrong, then angels swearing I was right would make no difference.

Abraham Lincoln

My Computer is Back

2009-04-02T21:40:00.002+08:00

I've just had my computer repaired by a friend of mine. It was infected by the jollibee virus and it slowly destroyed my operating system. It was only repaired by re-formatting. Who the heck created that virus? Maybe it's from Surigao as displayed in the start-up page.

We must all be careful with these viruses nowadays because most of them cannot be detected by the common anti-virus softwares available in the market. And most of them readily attach to the flash drives when inserted into an infected computer. That's how my computer was affected because my mother used her flash drive that was infected in her office computer.

Is there a way to prevent viruses or malicious scripts from entering our flash drives? I still haven't seen such a software for that purpose.

How to Miss Someone That Got Away

2009-03-31T14:02:00.002+08:00

Missing someone is not easy especially when it's with someone who got away. You're still close with them but there is a line that you cannot cross. A part of you is still longing for her even though you thought that you're over her.

What is moving on? Is it defined by me having let go of my feelings for her or me accepting the fact that she wasn't mine to have.

I was secure in the fact that we're not together but I know I can reach her easily whenever I want to but this time it is different, she plans to go somewhere far. Somewhere that I can't go with just a whim. I know I'll still see her someday but just thinking of her so far away makes me sad, makes me miss her even if she's just a friend that I like.

For me to tell her that I'll miss her would not be an easy task to do. It might be misconstrued as me making a move on her again or me not letting go. Or maybe she'll just think of me joking.

But do I care if I'll be misinterpreted? I think not. Maybe I'll just tell her that I'll miss her if her plans push through.

Missing someone is never easy.