Ideas of Living

Welcome 2010!

2010-01-01T09:33:00.005+08:00

I welcome you with open arms and positive energy! I hope you'll be very good to me, as good as I believe it would be! I know we'll be great friends, right? So let's have an awesome time for as long as you will be here. Let's get it on, 2010!!!!!

So here are my 3 major goals that I swear to myself I would live by this year:

Travel more to places I have never been to
Read more books
Get in touch more with family, friends and relatives

I know these may seem broad and vague. That's why I'll write a more detailed version (of the first 2 mentioned goals), and keep it for myself. So I can keep track or be more focused and more importantly, I'd be more inspired to live by the day.

Welcome 2010!

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-25T22:25:00.011+08:00

I hope everyone just had/is having an awesome celebration!

As for me, I loved the time spent with my family and relatives today. I enjoyed the food. I loved the feeling of giving out my presents to my younger cousins. I really had fun playing with the littlest kids in the clan (They're just so cute and adorable!). I loved the shared stories and laughter. Not to forget, I loved the fact that we were able to greet and talk with our relatives abroad this Christmas day via Skype (Oh the advantages of technology these days!)

I was a bit disappointed though that I wasn't able to see my my nephew today, and probably for the rest of the season. I haven't seen him in a year!!! I just wish him a happy Christmas. God bless him always.

In general, I just feel blessed this Christmas. I am just so grateful for all the good people and good things I have in life.

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!

Coron, Palawan, Philippines (October 2009)

2009-12-12T13:08:00.033+08:00

DISCLAIMER: These are photos taken by my friend with her nice camera. Special thanks to her! This was during our trip to Palawan last October 2009.

I found there the finest sand I have seen so far! Who knows what a polvoron is? There, you can probably make a polvoron out of its sand (except that it's not edible =p)

I definitely love the beaches in the Philippines. Enjoy!

We didn't have pictures of the Twin Lagoon, which I think was the best part of the trip. We weren't able to bring our cameras. We had to swim to get there, not even a boat can get through in. It's that secluded. It was so beautiful and serene! We just wonder what sea creatures are living under us that time. =p

Coron, Palawan, Philippines (October 2009)

13 days to go before Christmas!

2009-12-12T11:29:00.013+08:00

Christmas is around the corner!

I haven't bought anything yet for anyone. Hi friends, I know you would understand. =) But to be honest, I just really do not know what to get for my friends anymore. It's SO not an easy task to think of something you would get for your friends, not unless you would just buy the same thing for everyone else. But I'm not really a fan of it! If I buy gifts, I make it an effort to think for each one. It makes the gift extra special.

But for this year, I think I'm kind of decided I won't give out, except to my family. =) Oops, sorry friends. First, I do not have enough effort and patience to search the malls and bazaars for something else. I do not even shop for myself anymore! Which leads to my second reason. I am in a super saving mode. I wanna travel more next year! Hence, I need to save, save and save. I have to learn how to delay my gratification.

So for this Christmas, what I need to think of is what to get for my parents, my sister and my one and only inaanak (Wah! I am so excited to see him already after one long year!).

Well, I sort of know what to get my mom already. I'll probably get her comfortable slippers and a Pinoy Umami coffee table book with a recipe book (She loves to cook!). Then for my inaanak, he'll get a shopping spree of toys and clothes from me! =)

As for myself, I'm excited to buy a backpacker's bag from North Face! I found the exact bag I want to get for myself this Christmas. It's a newly released design. Thus, it's a little more expensive than the average. I think I'm going to buy next weekend! I'm going to buy that design, not unless I find a better one. It's such an investment. Hello to more traveling on the next years!!! =)

So what to get for my dad and sister? That I have few days to think of. 13 days more to go before Christmas!

This is my confession.

2009-10-26T21:48:00.006+08:00

When I'm randomly sad, I read my own blog.

Then it helps me lift my mood. It somehow paints a smile on my face.

It reminds me that even if life is unfair and others are made to be happier than the rest, I'm lucky to be alive and blessed to be where I am.

It reminds me that happiness is how we see things and not how things actually are.

It reminds me not to forget to be happy with the simplest pleasures in life.

Then it also reminds me... I should write more often here!

Because admittedly, it helps me.

And I'm really really really hoping my blog is helping others too. =)

Because truly, that is the ultimate purpose.

No Great Expectations

2009-09-07T16:06:00.009+08:00

Such silly things, children - and so embarrassing - because they keep changing themselves out of shame, out of a need to be loved or something. While animals are born who they are, accept it, and that is that. They live with greater peace than people do.

-WICKED, Gregory Maguire-

If I would be an animal, I'll choose to be a bird.

Then I would have the COURAGE to fly. I would not be afraid to soar up high and to reach for the sky.

I would be a bird.

Then I would have the FREEDOM to travel. I would be free to just leave things behind and go to a direction I find necessary. I would be free to travel at my own impulse.

I would be a bird.

Then I would have the KNOWLEDGE of how our nature works. I would know which season to migrate and which place is the best to settle at. I would know the feelings and the conditions of the environment.

I would be a bird.

Then I would have the WISDOM of what our world is. There is no way to be wiser than having a bird's eye view of things and situations in life.

I would be a bird.

Then I would be a good LEADER and a good FOLLOWER at the same time to my fellow birds.

I would find BEAUTY and UNIQUENESS with how God made me. I would appreciate the wonders of my form and my colors. I may look like the same as all the other birds from a human perspective; but I know I am different, we are all different creatures from each other.

If I would be an animal, I'll choose to be a bird.

Then I would have the PEACE as I soar up high and fly above everyone else, as I travel with the sky, with no worries nor any impediments, but only the wind gushing through my feathers.

I would be a bird.

The Overdressed Traveler

2009-08-30T23:04:00.008+08:00

"The overdressed traveler betrays more interest in being seen than in seeing, while the true traveler knows that the novel world about her serves as the most appropriate accessory."

-WICKED by Gregory Maguire-

Road Less Traveled

2009-07-14T05:35:00.003+08:00

By Robert Frost

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth

Then took the other as just as fair
And having perhaps the better claim
Because it was grassy and wanted wear
Though as for that, the passing there
Had worn them really about the same

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet, knowing how way leads onto way
I doubted if I should ever come back

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence
Two roads diverged in a wood
And I took the one less traveled by
And that has made all the difference

What do we want to do with our lives?

2009-06-27T12:04:00.013+08:00

Like I said, I will put my response to my previous post regarding life's toughest questions. It just took me longer than I intended to. Anyway...

The first question is "By what age do you know what you want to do with your life?"

I seriously always ask myself this: What do I really want to do with my life?. I want this. I want that. I want both. I want all. Indeed, it's quarter-life crisis on alert! It's normal for my age not to know the real answer to this question. So even if I get frustrated sometimes for not having an exact answer, I just think that other people especially in their 20s and 30s are having the same problem as me. That is, not really knowing what to do with my life.

We are at an age of adventure. We are at an age of exploration. We lack the knowledge of what would give us identity. We lack the wisdom to choose what would make us happy in the long run.

But I shall repeat the line: "There's nothing to do with a life but live it."

We tend to think too much of what we want to do with our life that would fulfill us. But we also end up with no answers and unfortunately, with more questions. That's how difficult it is. And sometimes we ask, would we really find an answer at this time of our lives? Or would it be better for us to just be patient and wait for the time that we would be wise enough to choose for the best?

Sometimes, we also tend to think too much that we end up doing nothing of anything. We are so preoccupied with our words or thoughts, that we forget to do some action in our lives!

Again, "There's nothing to do with a life but live it." It's difficult to find the answer to the question "What do I want to do with my life?", especially in our 20s or 30s. Perhaps, we would not find an answer to it at all!

So let's just do what we want to do now. What would satisfy our thoughts now. What would make us happy now. We shall make baby steps. We never know... we are actually walking on our path to fulfillment already and these are just ways to train us for our future kind of life.

Or as Gandhi said: "Almost anything you do will be insignificant, but it is very important that you do it."

So let's just do what makes us happy now. Life is tough. But I don't think it's tough enough not to find what would make us smile or laugh, what would make our heart skip or our eyes shine, or not to find the simple pleasures in life.

Life's Toughest Questions

2009-06-07T18:47:00.016+08:00

SOURCE: Answered! Life's 25 Toughest Questions by Jeanne Marie Laskas from Reader's Digest Magazine

Obviously, there were 25 questions in the article, but I'll just be sharing some of those that I personally like. AND I promise I would place my personal comments and inputs about the question/topic in this blog soon.

Q. By what age do you know what you want to do with your life?

Any moment now. This used to be a question the young asked. But today the emerging generation of adults are no longer intent on being tied and loyal to the one job. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, one in four adults aged 20-24 will change jobs in any given year. Generation X (born mid-'60 to late '70s) will change career at least three times, and generation Y five times. That's a lot of exploration. The wisdom of elders in all cultures seems to be this: there's nothing to do with a life but live it. As Gandhi pointed out, "Almost anything you do will be insignificant, but it is very important that you do it."

Q. When is your future behind you?

When you stop chasing dreams. So don't stop!

Q. Do you have to love your job?

No. Love your chidlren, your partner and your country. Love your parents, your neighbour and your dog. Loving is too important an emotion to attact to the way you make a living. But it's OK to strive for satisfaction. Over 56% of employees across Australia are unhappy or very unhappy with their current jobs, according to a recent survey by employment website SEEK. And a lack of career development is cited by 49% as one of the most hated aspects about their job. If you're among that 49% and thinking about a new job, consider the fact that employees in small firms said they felt more engaged in their work than did their corporate counterparts.

Q. Can a glass-half-empty person become a glass-half-full person?

One current psychological theory is that people have an "emotional set point". Some people are just made happier than others, they say. Pessimists will see this as bad news, believing it really doesn't matter what you do - they are never going to be any happier. But there is hope - as any optimist will see! Happiness has more to do with how you construe the events in your life than the actual events themselves.

Q. Does money really buy happiness?

No. Because happiness isn't for sale. Many people get tripped up by this one, amassing wealth only to find themselves cycling into a bottomless pit of unsatisfiable yearning. As it turns out, joy and misery are not that far apart when it comes to very big wads of cash. Consider the case of a couple who won $34 million in 2000. Thrilled to be released from the demands of their boring old jobs, they frittered their fortune away on fancy cars, mansions, all the usual stuff - losing everything that mattered in the process. They divorced, he died of an alcohol-related illness, and she died alone in here house just five years after cashing the winning ticket. When it comes to happiness, only people you lvoe, and who love you, can bring it. If you have enough cash to buy yoursefl a luxurious yacht, but no real friends to sail with, you're sunk.

Q. Why is it so hard to say you're wrong?

Because it often involves saying, "I'm sorry," which is even harder. Throughout history, people have found it easier to stop speaking to one another, punch, kick, accuse, shoot and bomb rather than apologise. A tip for the future' next time just say, "Whoops, sorry," and see what happens.

Q. Can love really last a lifetime?

Absolutely - but only if you chuck the fairytale of living happily ever after. A team of scientists recently found that romantic love involves chemical changes in the brain that last 12 to 18 months. After that, you and your partner are on your own.

Relationships require maintenance. Pay a visit to a nursing home if you want to see proof of lasting lvoe. Recently I spoke to a man whose wife of 60 years was suffering from advanced Alzheimer's disease. He came to sit with her everyday and hold her hand. "She's been my best friend since high school," he told me. "We made a promise to stick together." Now, that's a love story.

The Routine

2009-05-17T18:05:00.006+08:00

It begins just after sunrise, after a good night sleep
People leave their homes to go to work
They do this so that they can provide a better life for their families
So they can afford nice things
And have a reason to get up in the morning.
And when their exhausting work is done, people come back home again
And some begin counting the days til their next vacation

-Desperate Housewives-

Let It Go... Let the Little Wonders In

2009-05-10T15:22:00.010+08:00

I heard this song on the radio again this morning, and I immediately remembered the movie Meet the Robinsons -- one of my most favorite movies by Walt Disney.

I never thought I would love this movie this much. It has a common theme with some of my favorite movies though.

Dream BIG.
Chase it no matter how impossible it seems.
Go for it, even if others do not believe in what you can do.

And this line is from the movie itself...

KEEP MOVING FORWARD!

If you fail once... the Robinsons family will tell you to "Keep moving forward." And if you fail the second time, the Robinsons family will still tell you the same... Just "keep moving forward."

Failure is part of the journey.
Failure is what would actually make us better in what we do.

The greatest challenge in achieving our dreams is not the people around us or the inevitable fate of our lives. The greatest challenge is our own selves -- whether we will give up when we fail, or we will believe and keep trying until we succeed. Traveling Dreamer

Growing Distance

2009-05-03T17:30:00.007+08:00

As years pass by, things change. People change.

We keep up by trying our best to hear something from them and pretend everything is the same. But eventually, the fact will also wake our minds. Things change. People change.

And sometimes, we keep up by even trying to be like them and letting go of ourselves. It's our way of making up for the difference. It's our defense, so we won't get left behind by things and people we once knew too well.

But we can also choose to stick to who we really are. The thing is... by choosing it, we also choose to take a separate distant path from them.

Feeling Good and Positive (And I don't know why)

2009-05-01T10:37:00.009+08:00

I felt great when I woke up today. I do not know if there is really something special today (which there is none, except that it is a national holiday). But I just do feel great when I woke up -- early morning with a very nice weather (not too warm and not raining hard) I really love!

Today is May 1 -- start of a new month. I guess I just feel optimistic about this coming month. There is a reason, which I honestly do not know what, to make me smile, feel good about myself and be positive! God is good. Isn't it great?

And I just realized...

What makes it better is knowing that I do not know the reason why I feel good and positive today. I just know that I do. =)

- Traveling Dreamer -

2009-04-23T22:27:00.002+08:00

"Many failures give birth to great success."

To replace the much used phrase "Try and try until you succeed"

2009-04-22T22:33:00.005+08:00

To commit suicide is such a selfish act.

- Traveling Dreamer -

The Fifth Mountain

2009-04-18T21:40:00.008+08:00

And since I'm already talking about mountains, I would like to share the parts I like from the book The Fifth Mountain by Paulo Coelho.

All life's battles teach us something, even those we lose. When you grow up, you'll discover that you have defended lies, deceived yourself, or suffered for foolishness. If you're a good warrior, you will not blame yourself for this, but neither will you allow your mistakes to repeat themselves.

Everything in life demands training. Even to understand angels. We so want to talk with them that we don't listen to what they're saying. It's not easy to listen: in our prayers we always try to say where we have erred, and what we should like to happen to us. But the Lord already knows all of this, and sometimes asks us only to hear what the Universe is telling us. And to be patient.

Fear reaches only to the point where the unavoidable begins; from there on, it loses its meaning. And all we have left is the hope that we are making the right decision.

If you have a past that dissatisfies you, forget it now. Imagine a new story of your life, and believe in it. Concentrate only on those moments in which you achieve what you desired, and this strength will help you to accomplish what you want.

And this last one below summarizes what the book is about.

The story had been transmitted from generation to generation so that no one would ever forget: sometimes it's necessary to struggle with God. Every human being at some time had tragedy enter his life; it might be the destruction of a city, the death of a son, an unproved accusation, a sickness that left one lame forever. At that moment, God challenged one to confront Him and to answer His question: "Why dost thou cling fast to an existence so short and so filled with suffering? What is the meaning of thy struggle?"

The man who did not know how to answer this question would resign himself, while another, one who sought meaning to existence, feeling that God had been unjust, would challenge his own destiny. It was at this moment that fire of a different type descended from the heavens -- not the fire that kills but the kind that tears down ancient walls and imparts to each human being his true possibilities. Cowards never allow their hearts to blaze with this fire; all they desire is for the changed situation to quickly return to what it was before, so they can go on living their lives and thinking in their customary way. The brave, however, set afire that which was old and, even at the cost of great internal suffering, abandon everything, including God, and continue onward.

The brave are always stubborn.

From Heaven, God smiles contentedly, for it was this that He desired, that each person take into his hands the responsibility for his own life. For, in the final analysis, He had given His children the greatest of all gifts: the capacity to choose and determine their acts.

Only those men and women with the sacred flame in their hearts had the courage to confront Him. And they alone knew the path back to His love, for they understood that tragedy was not punishment but challenge.

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Sometimes, it is really necessary to experience tragedy in our life. For it is through that and after that, that we realize our maximum capacity and greatest potential. We become stronger. We become wiser.

But it is also the time when we doubt God's power and omnipresence. Like us, Jesus on the cross said, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"

Yet, God does not want us to just wait for a miracle to happen in our lives, or just simply give up. God wants us to use our gift of freedom instead: to choose and determine our acts. He does not give us something we can not surpass.

Thus, with tragedy in our life, He expects us to be challenged and struggle against it. We will become stronger. We will become wiser. And eventually, we will understand what God has really planned for us.

Mt. Pulag, Benguet, Philippines

2009-04-04T23:21:00.031+08:00

Mt. Pulag, with peak at 2, 922 meters above sea level, is the 2nd (now considered as the 3rd) highest mountain in the Philippines.

Disclaimer: It was my first time to hike, so I have no other experience to compare my hike at Mt. Pulag with. But to date, it was the best night sky and sunrise I have seen! =)

THE TRIP -- from Manila to Benguet

My friends and I rode a bus, bound to Baguio, at Cubao Station (Quezon City, Manila) at Friday, 11 pm. Bus ticket costs Php 435 one way. After a 6-hour bus ride, we arrived at Bagiuo.

From there, we rode a jeepney to Benguet. We already rented the jeepney days before our trip. It costs Php 8, 000 to take us from Baguio to Benguet and vice versa, on our way home. It was relatively a bit expensive, and there are cheaper rates than that. But since we did not have enough time to find another one that is cheaper and we were all fine with it, we resorted to that anyway.

After an hour of jeepney ride, we stopped over to eat, and then proceeded with our travel. We arrived at DENR (Department of Environment and Natural Resources) office at around 8:30 am for our registration and orientation. After, we headed to Mt. Pulag for another 2-hour jeepney ride.

The hike at MT. PULAG

There are 3 trails that climbers can choose from -- Ambangeg, Akiki, and Tawangan. We took the Ambangeg trail, the easiest one.

We hired 2 porters to carry the bags of the others and a travel guide. Porter is Php 600 each and guide is Php 900.

There are also 3 campsites available. We initially chose to camp at campsite 3 where fewer people are (and so, a quieter place). But then we ended up settling at campsite 2, when we knew that it will take us another 1 and a half hours to get to campsite 3 and that, the summit is even farther from campsite 3 than it is from campsite 2.

It took us 3 hours, with short breaks, to get to campsite 2. Upon arriving, we set our tents up. Then, we took a nap until 4 pm, just in time to hike to the summit for the sunset.

Well, we eventually decided not to climb to the summit for sunset anymore. We ended up hiking just a little until here. It was a nice view anyway.

We went back down at campsite 2, cooked dinner, eat and had a bonding session. We felt a bit sad we did not bring alcoholic drinks with us. Besides the fact that it was a good moment to drink with friends, the alcohol was surely going to help us get over the low temperature that night. I am not sure how cold it was that time, but temperature in Mt. Pulag can get as low as 0 degree celsius.

The next morning, we woke up at 3 am to hike up to the summit for sunrise. It was colder than it was the last night! I was not really prepared for it and so, I just really had to wear all the clothes I have to get over it. Good thing I brought a lot of t-shirts and 2 jackets with me, and I had friends to let me borrow gloves and extra pants to put on.

It was definitely harder to climb the mountain that time because it was darker and steeper. We had to bring our flashlights with us. Plus, I could feel more "the higher, the less oxygen you breathed in" moment that time.

But as I can feel the sun was about to rise at any moment, I was more eager to get to the summit.

I can see that everything was starting to get more beautiful than ever.

And then... there we were... above the clouds... at the summit... watching the sunrise.

It was so beautiful and breathtaking.

It was definitely worth the difficulty of the journey.

After an hour or so, we went down and walked back to our campsite.

I appreciated the nature even more! It feels so good just to sit (or lie) down and look at the amazing creation. The mountains, trees, clouds, sky, grass, plants, ...etc.

And oh, we also saw some area covered with ice. It was that cold there.

Upon arriving at our campsite, we ate and then packed up our things. We started to go down the mountain at around 8:30 am. It was, of course, easier and faster. It took us 2 hours.

THE TRIP -- from Benguet to Manila

From the end of our trail, we rode our rented jeepney to the DENR. We washed up and logged out there. Then, we rode the jeepney for another 3 hours.

Upon arriving at Baguio at around 3 pm, we bought our bus tickets to Manila. Our bus was departing at Sunday, 4:30 pm. We also bought pasalubong at the wet market. Then, we immediately ate lunch/snack/dinner at Cafe by the Ruins.

Although we were already eating in a hurry, we almost missed our bus. Good thing, we were just in time to get inside the bus!

It was a safe trip. We arrived Manila at around 11:00 pm.

A Mountain

2009-03-20T10:42:00.011+08:00

A mountain has a lot symbolisms and meanings according to people. It symbolizes faith, loyalty, strength, steadfastness, serenity or salvation. It is believed to be the abode of gods and goddesses. It is believed to be a place where heaven and earth meet. It is believed to be a place where one can find spiritual guidance and meaning, and a place for self-discovery.

I've been wanting to climb a mountain not really because of the spiritual implication of it, but ever since I had the urge to travel and be more concerned for the environment. I think it is a very nice way to discover the beauty of a place and to be closer to nature.

Although I have no experience yet, I am sure that climbing a mountain is not an easy task. You have to be physically prepared for a difficult journey, and you should be determined enough not to give up when the climb gets further difficult along the way. And so, it is also a good exercise (Haha!).

I think it is also a good bonding experience with friends. The long journey together is enough reason already. And I think you'll get to know more your friends by the way they would handle the difficulty of the journey.

Later, I'll hop on a bus for a 6-hour ride, and then a jeepney for a 4-hour ride to my starting line. I have never ever climbed a mountain, and my first time would be the highest peak in Luzon, Philippines! I'd like to believe I am physically fit for it. But I'm still asking for my greatest strength and motivation to sink in me for the entire journey!

I am excited!

I promise to keep you updated of my first hiking experience when I get back from it. ; )

Have faith and He will provide.

2009-03-18T13:39:00.006+08:00

I am a self-confessed "overthinker". I think too much of my past, my future, and my life in general.

What have I done before that made it this way? Where did it go wrong? What should have I done to make things better? Is my future secured? Will I be able to live my dreams? Will I be able to do what I am most happy and satisfied about?

It's just an everyday necessity for me to think a lot. Not that I do not know how to have fun, but I just learned from my past mistakes of being too spontaneous and a quick thinker. Now, I have a different way of handling and weighing things -- more responsible and mature, if you may call it.

But I guess I have to lay low, even just a bit. My overthinking is making me so anxious, I guess it isn't too good anymore.

Lesson: There is a reason the past is called the "past" and the future is called the "future". We should not dwell too much of what has happened, and should not worry too much of what we want to be eventually.

We should live one day at a time! Relax. Not that we should not think and be prepared for our future, but taking a step down would be fine.

Life has its own way of unfolding things to us.

Only God knows what the future holds.

Have faith and the Lord God will provide.

You Just Do Not Know...

2009-03-16T23:46:00.012+08:00

"..... don't be too offended by someone who is openly rude... because they may be that way... for the nicest of reasons"

- Desperate Housewives Season 5, Episode 16 -

Think about it. Be open-minded.

They may be the people who have offended us, hurt us, or made us angry. Sometimes, it's just because they tell something true we forbid to accept. But we never know, they might be the same people who will be there for us when others have already turned away from us.

Passion Play

2009-03-12T13:47:00.009+08:00

Passion Play - William Fitzsimmons

I should not have hid where my heart can't follow,
'cause this grace gets so far and too hard to swallow.
I've been running from Saul, he's been giving chase;
when I look in his eyes, all I see is my face.

You're still on my back after all these years,
chasing me out of hell and my nice veneers.
I don't know how you stand when you've got no floor,
or how you can breathe with your hands on boards.

I just want to be not what I am today,
I just want to be better than my friends might say,
I just want a small part in your passions play.

Do you hear when I call in the midst of wrong?
Do you hear these here words while I sing this song?
Are you caught up in me like I heard you say,
or just some big cashier that I'll have to pay?

'Just want to be not what I am today,
I just want to be better than my friends might say,
I just want a small part in your passions play.

No matter how many times we fail and make mistakes in life, He'll still be there to help us get up and be a better person.

We might doubt our faith sometimes. We might not hear him when he is calling or not listen when he is talking. We might question his presence and power, especially in our saddest moments.

But he is there whether we call him or not. He is listening when we speak. Because again, no matter how many times we fail and make mistakes in life, He'll still be there to help us get up and be a better person.

*** I just love this song -- the message of the lyrics and the instruments used at the end. Plus, I love this artist -- (they say "odd", I say) different, gifted guy and a son of two blind people.

Be Grateful

2009-03-10T18:11:00.013+08:00

Last Sunday, I went to my friend's nephew's 2nd birthday celebration at the orphanage. No, her nephew is not an orphan. Their family just decided to celebrate his birthday there with the kids at the orphanage, instead of the usual (big) children's birthday party.

I really enjoyed it since I am fond of my friend's nephew and of kids in general. The food was simple. The games were really fun! I was laughing while watching the kids play the games. We were also entertained by the sing and dance performances that the orphans have prepared for us.

That day just made me reiterate two things to myself:

First was how much I really want to spend or celebrate a special day in my life, perhaps my birthday, for a good cause. Then, I would dedicate not just a day, but a portion of my time for a good cause. My personal choices would be the street children, orphans and the environment. I have strong emotions for these and so, I really want to make a difference on these, at least in my own (little) way.

Second was how grateful I should be for the life I have. As much as I try to stay positive in life, I still sometimes think how bad my luck is or how sad things turn out to be. I still complain about random things in my life! If you come to think of it, I am a shame for doing so!

Looking at the faces of the less fortunate people, I should really be thanking God for the good life I have. Those kids have no parents or have been left by their parents but still, they can put a smile on their faces. It is indeed very touching to look at them.

I am blessed!

We are blessed.

We should always remember to count our blessings, even on our down moments. It will help us feel better. It will help us realize that things happen for a reason and God will never give us challenges we can not surpass. Even the smallest good thing in our life should be counted as a blessing. Life itself is a blessing.

We shall all be thankful... for God is good... all the time.

Losing Life

2009-03-08T02:07:00.013+08:00

"Benjamin, we're meant to lose the people we love. How else would we know how important they are to us?"

- The Curious Case of Benjamin Button -

We know we are all going to die. It is when and how that we do not know.

We have a choice to make the best out of our relationships. So we do not have to wait til we die to make others realize how much we have touched their lives. Or we do not have to wait til they die to make us realize how important they are to us.

Physical presence is something we must not take for granted. Everydayness is something we must savor for what it is. We can not all be William Parrish (of Meet Joe Black) who would have the chance to know his "death" or the option to say "I'm ready." even before he actually dies.

We die, whether we want it or not. We lose the people we love, whether we are ready or not. That is the only thing in this world we are genuinely sure of.

William Parrish: It's hard to let go, isn't it?
Joe Black: Yes it is, Bill.
William Parrish: And that's life... what can I tell you.

- Meet Joe Black -

But why are we still indifferent and unaware of how important the people around us are? Their presence is actually enough reason to already celebrate the wondrous gift of life.

We do not have to wait to lose the people we love to know how important they are to us. We can, even before we lose them. And most of all, we do not have to wait to lose the people we love to SHOW how much they have touched our lives. We can, even before we lose them.

With today's global crisis, we have to play smarter!

2009-03-04T21:02:00.007+08:00

Today we are facing global and technological changes as great or even greater than those ever faced before. No one has a crystal ball, but one thing is for certain: Changes lie ahead that are beyond our reality. Who knows what the future brings? But whatever happens, we have two fundamental choices: play it safe or play it smart by preparing, getting educated and awakening your own and your children's financial genius.

- Sharon Lechter -

This paragraph is from the book Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki -- one of the great books I have read. I would say that it has more impact to me this time than when I first read it before. Perhaps, it's because I earn my own money now, as opposed to when I was entirely dependent on my parents. Now pushes me to be financially wiser and more responsible than ever.

The book was written years ago, and so, it is not that updated and really applicable now -- considering the current condition of real estate and stock market. However, the essence of the book remains. It teaches us the importance of "financial education" that our schools have never thought us and most parents did not teach their children. We all have to be financially intelligent, more so that we are in a global crisis now!

Money and Relationship

2009-03-03T19:03:00.009+08:00

The sad thing about money is that, it can destroy human relationships more than people think it can.

- Traveling Dreamer -

As Desperate Housewives (Season 5 Episode 14) would word it:

"There's a lot you can do with money in the suburbs.

You can pay for a night on a town.
You can provide a private school education.
You can purchase a token of affection.
But the one thing you must never do with money... is use it as a weapon.

Because someone... always... gets hurt."

Never choose greediness over any kind of relationship.

Men on the Job

2009-02-24T21:59:00.007+08:00

Why is it not unusual to see a woman carrying the baby, pushing the stroller, feeding the kids, going to the grocery or doing the household chores?

But it is when you see a man doing either one or all of these?

For some reason, I admire men pushing the stroller and doing the grocery shopping. =)

What is the meaning of your dream?

2009-02-23T00:24:00.007+08:00

Dream -- I do not mean the goal you plan to achieve in life, but the one you have when you are sleeping.

A dream is an extension of our feelings and not a prediction of our future. They say, we usually dream when we are preoccupied by fear or we think too much about so many things in life.

A dream is always unusual. It is often out of this world. It is unlikely to happen. Have you dreamt you were flying?

But no matter how strange the story of our dream is, there is a meaning behind it. A dream often symbolizes the desires we hardly admit or the emotions we try to suppress. It reflects what we truly feel. Hence, the meaning of our dream helps us to gain a better understanding of ourselves.

The thing is, how do we interpret our dreams? Well, I don't know how either. But there is a good site that I use to interpret my dreams.

So a few nights ago, I had a dream that I have never ever had before. I dreamt of the devil and evil spirits. I felt scared in my dream, and thinking about it now, I still think it was frightening.

As I entered my room at home, I saw a lot of evil spirits inside. Naturally, I got scared of all of them. What were they all doing in my room? They have evil smiles and laughs. Then suddenly, my feet were lifted off the ground and I was floating already (surely, they have caused that). So I started to pray and pray, but the devil in front of me was laughing and mocking my prayers! I was still praying though, while I was also panicking and crying. Then, I was slowly going back to the ground.

Then poof! I woke up already. In the same place (my room) where my dream happened.

According to Dream Moods:

To see the devil in your dream, signifies fear, limitations, and negative aspects of yourself. You may be harboring feelings of guilt. It is time to release these feelings. Alternatively, the devil represents intelligence, cunningness, deception, and cleverness.

To dream that you fight off the devil, indicates that you will succeed in defeating your enemies.

To dream that the devil talks to you, suggests that you will find certain temptations hard to resist even though you know it is not in your best interest.

To dream that you and the devil are friends, suggests that you are easily influenced and can be persuaded into doing something you do not want to do. You may be dealing with issues of morality.

So, did you also have a dream last night?

I advise to interpret your dream, rather than to just treat it as a reason of your good night sleep or a hindrance to sleeping well. It can help you understand yourself better.

Diminished Freedom

2009-02-20T23:18:00.006+08:00

"What we cannot control often makes an impact on what we can control."

- Star World (a TV network) on a Lipstick Jungle episode preview -

This left me confused and wondering..... How???

Perhaps, an example can explain this statement to me.

But as of now, I beg to disagree.

14th Philippine International Hot Air Balloon Festival

2009-02-15T22:01:00.056+08:00

February 12 to 15, 2009 at Clark Air Field, Pampanga

This year's event was the biggest ever -- as it gains popularity each year, not just in the Philippines but worldwide. There were 25 hot air balloons that took off at the opening of the event. Among the participating countries were France, Germany, Hungary, Japan, Malaysia, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Switzerland, Thailand, USA and United Kingdom. (inquirer.net)

But this event was more than just hot air balloons, as it is also called the "weekend of everything that flies". There were also kite-flying, paragliding, skydiving, airplane/aircraft/helicopter flying.

Furthermore, the event promoted aviation careers, displayed military transportation, guns and photos, and presented different exhibitions that both the children and adults have enjoyed.

My friends and I went on the third day of the event. We left Manila early but unfortunately, it was not that early to catch the start of the hot air balloon flight at 5:30 am. We arrived when the balloons were on air and some were landing already.

Kite Flying

Skydiving

Paragliding

Hot Air Balloons at night

We waited til 7pm for the hot air balloons, which I thought were going to fly. Apparently, they only lit the balloons and not all at the same time! It was still nice though.

Oh! And I would like to share my photo with Tony, the mascot from Kelloggs, who the kids kept calling "Tigger". Hahaha!

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

2009-02-12T16:45:00.013+08:00

Maybe ignorance is not really a bliss after all. Some memories, no matter how we repulse them, are meant to remain for they make us who we are right now. They tell us of our mistakes we should avoid doing again and show us the lessons we should never forget.

Probably, the erasure of our memory gives us a lift from sorrow to a world we (only) want to see. And for sure, that resembles the utopia we desire.

But the ignorance of the past separates us from our own identity. We create a person we want to be, but not who we really are in the first place.

We experience "bliss" as we repulse the memories we do not want, until we realize that it is just a temporary feeling. As always the case, we never know what we want or what we do not want not until we are actually there. (Just like how we do not realize the meaning and importance of our life not until we are dying.)

Here's a scene from the movie Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

Nietzsche said "Blessed are the forgetful: for they get the better even of their blunders."

I say, ignorance is not really bliss at all. Memories, no matter how repulsive, are meant to stay for they make us who we truly are.

Quarter-Life Crisis

2009-02-03T11:51:00.012+08:00

* Here are some common signs:

feeling "not good enough" because one can't find a job that is at one's academic/intellectual level
frustration with relationships, the working world, and finding a suitable job or career
confusion of identity
insecurity regarding the near future
insecurity concerning long-term plans, life goals
insecurity regarding present accomplishments
re-evaluation of close interpersonal relationships
disappointment with one's job
nostalgia for university, college, high school or elementary school life
tendency to hold stronger opinions
boredom with social interactions
loss of closeness to high school and college friends
financially-rooted stress (overwhelming college loans, high cost of living, etc.)
loneliness
desire to have children
a sense that everyone is, somehow, doing better than you

*from www.Wikipedia.org

OMG. I must admit. I am not only feeling some of these signs but honestly... ALL of it!!!!! And there you go, I seriously think I'm having a quarter-life crisis now. =(

Quarter-life crisis usually occurs from early 20s to early 30s. It is a period in life when one is going through major changes and challenges. One is quite not sure who he is and what he wants in life. One feels directionless and does not know where to go. One regrets what he has done or has not done in the past. One starts to have a more realistic, responsible and productive goals in life. One feels that he should accomplish certain things in life immediately or soon, because he feels that he has no more time left. Or if one does not accomplish these certain things immediately, he feels that he may never ever be able to or that, he is falling behind others who have accomplished. One realizes that he has not done yet anything very substantial in his life when he should have. One is not simply satisfied with life.

A solution to this quarter-life crisis is ACCEPTANCE. Yes, this can be a challenging phase in life. But know that you are not alone in this situation. There are millions out there in the world who are experiencing or have experienced too the struggle you are currently in. It is a phase in life.

The Catcher in the Rye

2009-02-01T11:34:00.012+08:00

I cried when I read this part (and I am not the type who would). Holden Caulfield, the main character of the book, really reminds me of someone very dear to me. Below is what Mr. Antolini, Holden's former teacher, said to him.

"I have a feeling that you're riding for some kind of terrible, terrible fall. But I don't honestly know what kind... Are you listening to me?"

....................

"All right. Listen to me a minute now.... I may not word this memorably as I'd like to, but I'll write you a letter about it in a day or two. Then you can get it all straight. But listen now, anyway...... This fall I think you're riding for -- it's a special kind of fall, a horrible kind. The man falling isn't permitted to feel or hear himself hit bottom. He just keeps falling and falling. The whole arrangement's designed for men who, at some time or other in their lives, were looking for something their own environment couldn't supply them with. Or they thought their own environment couldn't supply them with. So they gave up looking. They gave it up before they ever really even got started. You follow me?"

............

"Here's what he (referring to a psychoanalyst named Wilhelm Stekel) said: The mark of the immature man is that he wants to die nobly for a cause, while the mark of the mature man is that he wants to live humbly for one."

...........

"I think that one of these days, you're going to have to find out where you want to go. And then you've got to start going there. But immediately. You can't afford to lose a minute. Not you."

.........

"And I hate to tell you, but I think that once you have a fair idea where you want to go, your first move will be to apply yourself in school. You'll have to. You're a student -- whether the idea appeals to you or not. You're in love with knowledge. And I think you'll find, once you get all past the...."

"Once you get past all the Mr. Vinsons (Holden's former teacher who he hates) you're going to start getting closer and closer -- that is, if you want to, and if you look for it and wait for it -- to the kind of information that will be very, very dear to your heart. Among other things, you'll find that you're not the first person who was ever confused and frightened and even sickened by human behavior. You're by no means alone on that score, you'll be excited and stimulated to know. Many, many men have been just as troubled morally and spiritually as you are right now. Happily some of them kept records of their troubles. You'll learn from them - if you want to. Just as someday, if you have something to offer, someone will learn something from you. It's a beautiful reciprocal arrangement. And it isnt' education. It's history. It's poetry.

......

"I'm not trying to tell you that only educated and scholarly men are able to contribute something valuable to the world. It's not so."

......

(But) "Something else an academic education will do for you. If you go along with it any considerable distance, it'll begin to give you an idea what size mind you have. What it'll fit and, maybe, what it won't. After a while, you'll have an idea what kind of thoughts your particular size mind should be wearing. For one thing, it may save you an extraordinary amount of time trying on ideas that don't suit you, aren't becoming to you. You'll begin to know your true measurements and dress your mind accordingly."

How I wish I can also be a "Mr. Antolini" to that dear person. That is what EXACTLY I would also tell/advice him (if I find the time to be serious and courageous enough). This is worth a read for every young people too.

You do not need another plastic bag.

2009-01-30T15:55:00.009+08:00

One tip on your next visit to a store: If you do not need the plastic/shopping bag, then just tell the cashier or the bagger that it is okay for you to not put what you have bought in the plastic anymore.

Just remember to get your receipt before you leave the store! This is to make sure you have a proof that you paid and did not shoplift.

You can carry around a small item or few items with you. Or you can put it inside your bag (especially girls). Or if you have previously bought something, just put it there instead.

You do not need another plastic.

Otherwise, trust me. When you get home, you'll just put the items out and toss the plastic. It's hard to find a purpose to reuse a small plastic bag.

This is just a wee step on saving the environment. It's easy anyway, so why not try it next time? Then, it can become a habit already. =)

01-20-09

2009-01-21T13:04:00.006+08:00

Barack Obama's Inauguration Day and President GMA's 8th year in the position.

And my 21st Birthday! =)

Indeed, a very special day in our history.

I welcome myself to the world of adulthood.

Go Vegetarian!

2009-01-19T20:15:00.029+08:00

Source: www.petaliterature.com

I want to share my favorites photos which I find so cute from the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals website. Hope this campaign by the pigs, cows and chickens makes you eat your vegetables and fruits instead of them! Seriously, there are a lot of alternatives and HEALTHIER food out there!

Aww... this chick nugget campaign is the cutest!

Yes, vegetarians help save our Earth.

Another Week

2009-01-16T15:58:00.004+08:00

It's Friday today. AGAIN. It just reminds me that another week has passed and still, I haven't gotten it. It is disappointing. I feel like I am not making any progress in my life. I should have been somewhere I have planned or imagined.

It looks like I am not doing anything about this whole matter. But seriously, I am. It just doesn't show. It's not coming towards me the way I would want to and I feel like I can't really do much about it. Can I? It is frustrating.

Pfft.

Dum dee dum dee dum. Anyway, I think I have to charge my system again with positive energy. That's for another week to come. Plus, I have to look pretty when the light suddenly shines on me. I don't wanna look unprepared, do I?

Pray and Hope

2009-01-13T23:16:00.011+08:00

A friend of mine gave me a bookmark that says "Pray" on one side and "Hope" on the other, as a gift last Christmas season. It was very simple, yet meaningful. Plus, I love the different designs of the letters on the bookmark. =)

......................................................

PRAY and HOPE. Those are the two things I often forget before. I never thought how powerful these can be. I pray. I hope. Sometimes! Not enough!

PRAY and HOPE. Those are the two things I often remind myself of now. I believe in the magic these can give me. I pray. I hope. Always. Never forget.

So when you feel down and feel like nothing great is happening in your life...

Just... Keep praying. Keep hoping. Always. Never forget.

And oh, patience is a virtue too! ; )

What comes first: Life or Death?

2008-12-31T19:33:00.006+08:00

Life naturally precedes death.

But why is it by understanding death that we then understand the true meaning of life?

Travelling Differently

2008-12-31T14:11:00.014+08:00

Excerpt from the book Like the Flowing River by Paulo Coelho

I realised very early on that, for me, travelling was the best way of learning. I still have a pilgrim soul, and I thought that I would use this column to pass on some of the lessons I have learned, in the hope that they might prove useful to other pilgrims like me.

1. Avoid museums. This might seem to be absurd advice, but let’s just think about it a little: if you are in a foreign city, isn’t it far more interesting to go in search of the present than of the past? It’s just that people feel obliged to go to museums because they learned as children that travelling was about seeking out that kind of culture. Obviously museums are important, but they require time and objectivity - you need to know what you want to see there, otherwise you will leave with a sense of having seen a few really fundamental things, except that you can’t remember what they were.

2. Hang out in bars. Bars are the places where life in the city reveals itself, not in museums. By bars I don’t mean nightclubs, but the places where ordinary people go, have a drink, ponder the weather, and are always ready for a chat. Buy a newspaper and enjoy the ebb and flow of people. If someone strikes up a conversation, however silly, join in: you cannot judge the beauty of a particular path just by looking at the gate.

3. Be open. The best tour guide is someone who lives in the place, knows everything about it, is proud of his or her city, but does not work for any agency. Go out into the street, choose the person you want to talk to, and ask them something (Where is the cathedral? Where is the post office?). If nothing comes of it, try someone else - I guarantee that at the end of the day you will have found yourself an excellent companion.

4. Try to travel alone or - if you are married - with your spouse. It will be harder work, no one will be there taking care of you, but only in this way can you truly leave your own country behind. Traveling with a group is a way of being in a foreign country while speaking your mother tongue, doing whatever the leader of the flock tells you to do, and taking more interest in group gossip than in the place you are visiting.

5. Don’t compare. Don’t compare anything - prices, standards of hygiene, quality of life, means of transport, nothing! You are not traveling in order to prove that you have a better life than other people - your aim is to find out how other people live, what they can teach you, how they deal with reality and with the extraordinary.

6. Understand that everyone understands you. Even if you don’t speak the language, don’t be afraid: I’ve been in lots of places where I could not communicate with words at all, and I always found support, guidance, useful advice, and even girlfriends. Some people think that if they travel alone, they will set off down the street and be lost for ever. Just make sure you have the hotel card in your pocket and - if the worst comes to the worst - flag down a taxi and show the card to the driver.

7. Don’t buy too much. Spend your money on things you won’t need to carry: tickets to a good play, restaurants, trips. Nowadays, with the global economy and the Internet, you can buy anything you want without having to pay excess baggage.

8. Don’t try to see the world in a month. It is far better to stay in a city for four or five days than to visit five cities in a week. A city is like a capricious woman: she takes time to be seduced and to reveal herself completely.

9. A journey is an adventure. Henry Miller used to say that it is far more important to discover a church that no one else has ever heard of than to go to Rome and feel obliged to visit the Sistine Chapel with two hundred thousand other tourists bellowing in your ear. By all means go to the Sistine Chapel, but wander the streets too, explore alleyways, experience the freedom of looking for something - quite what you don’t know - but which, if you find it, will - you can be sure - change your life.

Nine Mornings

2008-12-25T01:19:00.005+08:00

It was my first time EVER in my whole life. And He knows I did it with love and passion for Him, especially on the 9th morning.

For You. For me.

Street Style Fashion and Vintage Finds

2008-12-16T06:29:00.012+08:00

I am getting more inspired by STREET STYLE FASHION and VINTAGE FINDS.

There is something in these two styles that allow a person to be free and unique. She does not always conform in the society and more especially, does not go with the fad! She does not limit herself to what's on hand or what's accessible but rather, digs the dirty soil or swims into the deep ocean in order to find treasure no one would even care to look for. She does not get satisfied with the ordinary, and so, she works on her utmost creativity to produce the extraordinary. She does not fear to get noticed by people around, but has the confidence to strut her stuff all the way.

I am loving these two styles! A person can be unique in thousand ways she can, and live up to one of fashion's definitions, that is, a form of self-expression.

I'd also like to share what I read from a book by Nina Garcia. It goes something like this: The true fashionistas are the ones who can pair the latest trend with a vintage item, and the real fashion victims are the ones who wear a different outfit every single day!

I totally agree.

There is a difference between a shopaholic and a fashionista. The former is most likely to just shop for the current or latest trends in fashion, which will most probably be phased out on the next season. But the latter knows the basics and the importance of 'mix and match' that would last a lifetime or so. Not all shopaholics are fashionistas.

Street Style Fashion. I love the ones in Tokyo, Buenos Aires, Milan and Paris. Vintage Finds. I especially love the old clothes of my mom and my aunt.

The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

2008-12-10T13:14:00.018+08:00

This is a book about the love story of Henry DeTamble who time travels involuntarily caused by his genetic disorder and Claire Abshire who has to bravely face this inevitable situation. Henry time travels mostly when he is stressed and he has no control over this, where he will go, how long he will be gone and even the fact that he is naked after time traveling. Henry is eight years older than Claire, but Claire met Henry when she was only six and he was thirty six. So technically, Claire has known Henry almost all her life but Henry has first met Claire when he was already twenty-eight years old.

Sounds weird and complicated?

Well, yes it really is. But with love, they will try to live a normal life and remain courageous over something they can not prevent and control. And that includes having their daughter Alba, who also time travels just like her father.

This is a rare story that I love.

I used to wonder before if time machines really exist? Hmmm... Because if it does, I'm sure I wanna get my hands on it and try! But unlike Henry, I want to have control over my time travel. Of course, I would want to travel to my "happy" past instead of my sad ones and instead of my future. Reliving the happy memories seems fun, but experiencing the sad portion of the past is like torturing one's emotions and experiencing the future is like spoiling the mystery of one's life.

BUT reality check? It is so impossible for a person to have a genetic disorder that would cause him to travel through time. Isn't it? Yet this unrealistic case resulted in a brilliant unique love story.

"The Pursuit of Happyness"

2008-11-25T18:34:00.016+08:00

Chris Gardner said to his son Christopher:

"Don't ever let somebody tell you, you can't do something.
Not even me.
Alright?
You got a dream, you gotta protect it.
People can't do something themselves, they wanna tell you, you can't do it.
If you want something, go get it, period."

La Union, Philippines 2008

2008-11-24T18:42:00.025+08:00

It was my first time to go to La Union. It was my first time EVER to surf! La Union is definitely one of the best places to surf in the Philippines (or maybe, in the world)! =) The waves are great, which I'm sure amateur and professional surfers alike would really love.

La Union is around 250 kilometers away from Manila. It will take you 6 to 8 hours to get there, depending on the day and time of departure (considering traffic, bus stops,...etc)

I enjoyed my weekend / short vacation in La Union. Great company! I went with my Ateneo friends Patty, Glenne, Krizia, Jino and Jay. We took a bus (in Cubao, Quezon City) at 10 pm, Friday. Then we arrived around 4 am, Saturday in San Juan, where we stayed in a small place (just right across Sebay Resort). We slept until 7 am first, before we hit the water, as we obviously all needed to rest first. I seriously wasn't able to sleep the whole time in the bus!

Since most of us were just beginners, we opted to surf in Bacnotan which has smaller waves than San Juan (where we were staying). Bacnotan is approximately 15 minutes jeepney ride away from San Juan. I definitely had fun surfing! =D And thanks to my instructor too. For a first timer, you just really have to master your balance on the board and you can learn faster than you expect. But of course, there's more to learn if you really want to be like the experts or other great surfers you watch on TV or movies. And like any others, it is still practice that makes it perfect. But anyway, I find it interesting to learn surfing!

Price for surfing lessons and board rental was Php1,600 for 2 mornings

We also watched the sunset in San Juan. Aaww... I really love sunsets. And of course, the trip would not be complete without drinking by the beach at night! We had rhum coke, beer (for the boys) plus chips to enjoy on the beach. =) Fun night!

Then we left the next day, Sunday at 1:30 pm and arrived Manila around 8 pm.

*** Thanks Patty, Glenne, Krizia, Jino and Jay for the great La Union trip! 'Til next time guys. I really enjoyed it, even more that our brains weren't working much during the trip. Hahaha! ; )

I shall believe in "MY time".

2008-11-19T00:04:00.010+08:00

I wish God will give me "MY time". I believe He will. I just need to patiently wait for it to come. I know it's not yet too late. It will be there for me at the right time.

But when will that arrive?

For now, I ask Him to grant me more patience to wait and believe in His time, and still be grateful regardless.

Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert

2008-11-12T19:22:00.011+08:00

Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert

This is a book about "one woman's search for everything across Italy, India and Indonesia". Liz traveled to Italy to find pleasure, India to find devotion and Indonesia to find balance.

I loved the book. And if given the time, money and opportunity, I would also opt to find myself by traveling across the world. I guess I will go to France to find pleasure, Tibet to find devotion and Nigeria to find balance.

I will also leave everything to do what I like, do what I love, let go of negative thoughts and feelings, have stronger faith in God, believe in the power of love, and learn a LOT more things I never thought I would. I would pack all of these on my way home as I remember all my experiences and ensure that I live up with it. Then, I could be wiser and more mature in life.

Follow my dreams. Do my passion. Put where my heart is.

2008-11-06T10:12:00.016+08:00

The last two days marked another important point in my history. That was something to remember. Hence, something to be highlighted in my book.

She will be one of my most unforgettable characters in my story. I guess, she went out of her usual way, took chances to be concerned and spoke as an experienced woman. (At least, that's what I believe in. Thank you.)

I was definitely surprised. Who the heck am I? I was confused (maybe, still now). I was sort of speechless. I did not expect that by just popping one bubble, everything would come out. One day I'm there, next day I'm out. I doubted the sincerity. Was she too good to be true? I doubted my principle. Can my decisions in life be really easily shaken by just one person?

But for any reason or motive she has, I know she was right. I felt exactly the same as what she told me. I have been asking the same question, and she just reiterated the answer deep inside I already know. I guess she deserves a thank you note for that. It was as if she can really read my mind. According to her, she has a strong feeling for what I think and feel. Really? Because I think I left no evidence for her to trail. In any way, she saw something in me. I was different.

I still feel grateful somehow. She made a point and I would like to believe in it.

I am a very intelligent woman. What am I doing there? I know what I want in my life and so I should already set my foot on something that I love. If I can't see myself doing it for a very long time, then why waste time on doing it? There are things in life that we do not need to experience (just for the sake) if we already know in the first place that we do not like it. That's wasting our time.

There are a lot more opportunities for me out there that would better suit me, my skills and capabilities. I can see myself somewhere not there. I am intelligent. It might take time, but I will find it. It's not enough to say I like doing it. I should love it. And for sure, loving what I do will take me very far.

I should not always think about what others would say. Think about what's inside of me.

FOLLOW MY DREAMS.
DO MY PASSION.
PUT WHERE MY HEART IS.

And even if many would disagree and see things the opposite way, I still chose otherwise. In the end, I decided myself. So no other people should be blamed for the manipulation. If it's brainwash, let it be. There's nothing I can do about it already. There's no turning back. What's done is done. Time to move on and immediately take a step forward after the shift I have just done.

Singapore and Johor, Malaysia 2008

2008-10-12T15:27:00.022+08:00

I wasn't supposed to go to Singapore with my family since I'm no near entitled of a vacation leave from work (because I'm a newly hired employee) and for other personal reasons I was over thinking of. But oh well, I ended up deciding to go with them 5 days before the departure. I had an unpaid "sick" leave from work. Good thing, it was a holiday (Ramadan) that Wenesday, which is our day of departure, so I only had 2 days of "sick" leave from work.

As expected, everything didn't go well and smooth as I wanted of a vacation trip to be. It wasn't the perfect travel I'm always really excited of and after, very fulfilled of. Not because I don't like the country, but because of other reasons! Ugh.

Nevertheless, I actually like Singapore. It wasn't as clean and orderly as I've expected it to be, But generally, the place was nice. =)

Raffles Place

Singapore Flyer

I swear, the penguins there are soooo cute.

The pink dolphins' show in Sentosa

We also crossed the border of Singapore and Malaysia. But we weren't able to travel around Malaysia (like, go to Kuala Lumpur) because we didn't have enough time to spend in Malaysia and we wanted to go around in Singapore more. So, we ended up eating and shopping in Johor only, accompanied by my dad's friends there.

The Third Person You Meet in Heaven

2008-09-23T17:56:00.013+08:00

The Third Person Eddie Meets in Heaven

.......................................................................................................................................

ALL PARENTS DAMAGE their children. It cannot be helped. Youth, like pristine glass, absorbs the print of its handlers. Some parents smudge, others crack, a few shatter childhoods completely into jagged little pieces, beyond repair.

The damage done by Eddie's father was, at the beginning, the damage of neglect. As an infant, Eddie was rarely held by the man, and as a child, he was mostly grabbed by the arm, less with love than with annoyance. Eddie's mother handed out the tenderness; his father was there for the discipline.

.......................................................................................................................................

This was the final handprint on Eddie's glass. Silence. It haunted their remaining years. His father was silent when Eddie moved into his own apartment, silent when Eddie took a cab-driving job, silent at Eddie's wedding, silent when Eddie came to visit his mother. She begged and wept and beseeched her husband to change his mind, to let it go, but Eddie's father would only say to her, through a clenched jaw, what he said to others who made the same request: "That boy raised a hand to me." And that was the end of the conversation.

All parents damage their children. This was their life together. Neglect. Violence. Silence. And now, someplace beyond death, Eddie slumped against a stainless steel wall and dropped into a snowbank, stung again by the denial of a man whose love, almost inexplicably, he still coveted, a man ignoring him, even in heaven. His father. The damage done.

.......................................................................................................................................

PARENTS RARELY LET go of their children, so children let go of them. They move on. They move away. The moments that used to define them - a mother's approval, a father's nod - are covered by moments of their own accomplishments. It is not until much later, as the skin sags and the heart weakens, that children understand; their stories, and all their accomplishments, sit atop the stories of their mothers and fathers, stones upon stones, beneath the waters of their lives.

The Third Lesson

.......................................................................................................................................

Ruby stepped toward him. "Edward," she said softly. It was the first time she had called him by name. "Learn this from me. Holding anger is a poison. It eats you from inside. We think that hating is a weapon that attacks the person who harmed us. But hatred is a curved blade. And the harm we do, we do to ourselves."

"Forgive, Edward. Forgive. Do you remember the lightness you felt when you first arrived in heaven?"

Eddie did. Where is my pain?

"That's because no one is born with anger. And when we die, the soul is freed of it. But now, here, in order to move on, you must understand why you felt what you did, and why you no longer need to feel it."

She touched his hand.

"You need to forgive your father."

--- Mitch Albom, The Five People You Meet in Heaven ---

His New Tyranny

2008-09-22T17:38:00.009+08:00

That was the worst so far...

He made it sound like it was that easy
That he does not know me
That he does not care much

He made me feel like I'm the biggest dirt again
That I grew up to be the bad one going in the wrong direction

Sometimes I wonder,
How do I manage to be the very best of me with others?
But feel the very worst with him?

So I always ask myself if I'm really as bad as he thinks
Because as much as I'd like to think that I am not,
His voice is too loud not to haunt my mind
He is too strong not to instill it in my heart

And as much as I don't like it,
I guess the water is getting thicker than ever

He declared the new rules
HIS rules per se

I also heard straight from his mouth
He doesn't care of my opinion about the matter
There's no use in forcing my point
I don't need to talk about what I feel
And if I can't suck it up,
Then I have the option to leave
(Or was that if I have no option anymore?)

Because it's either black or white, and nothing else
It's either I live with it
Or I leave

.....

And I'm afraid I'm not yet ready to be by myself
I don't think I have enough courage yet
And I know in my heart that I should not,
Because I don't want to be labeled as the ungrateful one

On Change

2008-08-28T19:44:00.011+08:00

Why should we embrace the changes in our lives?

CHANGE. We don't like it. We fear it, but we can't stop it from coming. We either adapt to change or we get left behind. It hurts to grow, anybody who tells you it doesn't is lying, but here's the truth sometimes the more things change the more they stay the same. And sometimes... oh... sometimes change is good. Sometimes change is everything.

-Dr. Meredith Grey, Grey's Anatomy Season 4

Yes, it can happen so quickly
Life as we know
It can change in a blink of an eye
Unlikely friendship can blossom
Important careers can be tossed aside
A long lost hope can be rekindled
Still, you should grateful for whatever changes life throws at us
Because all too soon
The day will come
When there are no changes left

-Mary Alice Young, Desperate Housewives Season 4

TRUE. We get frightened by the changes in our lives, because we do not want to let go of things and we want things to stay the same as they are, OR we're just not ready to face the change and its consequence. So we firmly refuse it, or we pretentiously act nothing has happened or should happen. But here's the thing, change is part of everyone's life. Even insects undergo metamorphosis or adapt to change in order to survive. Like death, change is inevitable.

We get frightened by the changes in our lives, but we can't forever avoid these. Shouldn't we just be thankful that changes do happen? That just means we have a LIFE, and that is something to be grateful about. Right? It's just up to us to attach meaning, use and purpose to it. Shouldn't we just embrace these changes? It's not wrong to fear since it's perfectly normal. But we should at least be open to changes because we never know when at one point along our way, we can no longer feel any of these... like, NO change at all. THAT I think is more frightening than change.

Point vs. Circle

2008-08-14T21:57:00.009+08:00

An argument exists between the "point" and the "circle".

The point argues that he is better than a circle. Yes, a point can make you immobile. But you do not have to go around in motion, only to go back to where you came from. You do not have to make the small swirl or the big loop, no matter how fantastic it looks like or how amusing to make it, only to end up on the same point you have started from. It is like wasting your paint against a piece of art which could have taken you farther than your beginnings. A walk along the circle can preoccupy you with unnecessary things, but a point will allow you to sit and deeply reflect on what is important or what matters the most. So when the right time comes your way, you have the wisdom to do something way more worthy than wasting time going around the circular motion.

The circle argues that he is better than a point. Yes, a circle will take time to get you to nowhere but to your origin. Yet in defense, the motion would not be a waste of time. It is your choice, a small swirl or a big loop, and whichever you choose between is actually not the issue. A circle would bring you great experiences and unexpected learnings that a point can never bring you. The journey along the circle would make you realize the beautiful blessings you have inside and take pride for what you have achieved and conquered over time. At the same time, the travel along the circle would allow you to see amazing things beyond your boundaries and look for more possibilities you can achieve and conquer out the vast space.

The point says,

Be conservative or at least, be moderate on making decisions. They say, "Life is short." and that, "We only get to live once.". We can never bring back time and repeat things over the way we perfectly want it. Sometimes, a risk is actually more dangerous than it appears to us. So be wise from the very start, it is the only way we can avoid making bad mistakes and painful regrets. A point is better to make than to waste your ink on a circle.

The circle says,

Do not fear to try. It is better to know and experience than forever think about what could have been... IF only. They say, "It is better to have loved and lost, than never to have loved at all." We make mistakes, but we learn from these. We experience pain and troubles, but we become stronger because of these. A circle is better than to do nothing but a point.

I hope it's worth the wait

2008-08-11T21:05:00.011+08:00

How long will I wait for IT? How long CAN I wait?
They say, "Patience is a virtue."
I just hope it's really worth the wait.

And I should quote Jordin Sparks,

One step at a time
There's no need to rush
It's like learning to fly or falling in love
It's gonna happen when it's supposed to happen
That we find the reasons why
One step at a time

Runaway

2008-07-28T13:06:00.019+08:00

I wish I could run away as fast as I can, as far as I can
I hope they won't be able to catch me
I wish I wouldn't get tired from running
I wouldn't slip and fall down
Yet if I will, I hope I could instantly put my head up
Pursue the marathon
Run like there's no more tomorrow and stop like it would kill me
Breathe endlessly
Endure any amount of pain and perspiration, like I'm invincible

I wish I can be stronger than ever, braver than ever
This is a battle against myself
Against my weaknesses and fears

I wish I could run away as fast as I can, as far as I can
And one day, reach the road I can not even begin to fathom
But a wondrous road I have always imagined

I don't know how long it would take me to get there
How much time to allocate and distance to anticipate

I know it would be very toilsome
My heart would pump like million bits per second
My blood would run like the pressure would erupt my veins in a minute
And I would catch air like it would be forever gone in an hour

I know it would not be easy
But at least, I could run away
To a place I have always dreamed of

Run Away
Away
Away
Away like I have always wanted to

Unlikely

2008-07-21T09:50:00.003+08:00

Why do sometimes I feel that I know the person really well?
But when I look underneath the circumstances,
I just realize that I was just looking on the outside.

And why do sometimes I feel that I can be trusted?
With secrets I can keep or incidents I can understand
But when I look at the bigger picture,
I just realize that it's made up of puzzles that do not fit at all.

Unlikely
But people can be wrong, and I can be wrong.
Who are we in the first place?

I know it's rude to be sort of pissed off and be selfish about it.
But I see gray and blurry areas
Forgive me, if you do not understand
Thank you, if you do