Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Random Thoughts

Simple thoughts. Complex thoughts. I never thought that thinking is such a complicated and stressful endeavor yet we must do it in order to live. We must think or just decide without hesitation. And we lose. We must think in order to bring some organization in our life. Thinking is believing. Believing is thinking. I don't know.

Have decided to stalk some pictures or status or profiles of some of my friends who do not frequently update their status. And alas! they have many status also in facebook but I do not see them in my homepage. Facebook strategy. Algorithm as they call them. Complicated.

Let's talk about simple things instead. And some distractions.

Life seems to be not in its full swing if not for some derailment. Some detour. Some unplanned and some events that we do not wish to happen or occur but it does for some reasons. As for me I never fear now what will happen today. I am not afraid to embrace the present and the future. No matter what.

This comes to the realization of the story of the "gardeners" in which I am seeing for a frequent time now. It is a story of their lives that without a doubt comes into a dead end. Once a very lively individuals now are just enjoying the retirement age of gardening. Somehow I want that life too. Life free of work, free of pressures. Stress-less life.

Sometimes random thoughts run into my head and I cannot do something but listen and maybe my sub-conscious is telling me something beyond my comprehension. Something I am longing to do or to be. I do not dream that much or dream so big that it will engulfed me in the end. I just dream of a simple and a happy life which seldom comes to us these days. Everything seems to be very complicated. Until we decide it to be just simple. Simple as that.

Writing and conversations are two of my refuge in times of weariness and anxiety. I write in different forms may it be offline or may it be online just like this one. I write without hesitation. I write what I want to write. Not for them. Not for me. But mostly for the sake of writing. Just like breathing. Sharing what I want to share. Sharing what I want other to heard or read about me or about what I have write.

Conversations to my friends even via phone has its therapeutic effect. Just this morning I have spoken to two of my closest friends. One is my Tita. And the other one is my classmate. Such soothing voice of reassurance. Such voice of hope and encouragement flooded my ear that moment I have speak to them. Power of language. Power of love indeed!

And lastly in my randomness day I would like to share some thoughts I have realized eventually; Never put someone on your priority if you are just an option to them. 

A happy Wednesday! Not so.



Tuesday, January 29, 2013

The Art In Me





Thanks to this site in Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/pages/World-Art-Magazine/399209363443600) I can repost and see some of the greatest art ( drawings and sketches) that suits my weary eyes..love to look at those piece of arts which mirror the soul and the dedication of the artist to come with such nice and eye-popping canvass of life..

Monday, January 28, 2013

The Alternative


"We politicize economic issues and give economic perspective to political issues."
The banner speaks it all. The alternative to the mainstream media. And every news is an opinion in itself. I love this weekly newspaper which I have frequently bought at 7-11 outlets.

If you want something like PCIJ ( where the hell is their sites now?) then you made the right choice. The paper tries to reconnect once again the basic truth about the economic sides of everything and the political sides of everything too. The bottomline; it is always been about economics and politics.

Talk about mining. Talk about oil and gas exploration. Talk about money laundering. It is all there. With political twists of course.

I love to read this once a week.

Sunday, January 27, 2013

They Steal Our Time


Or should I say we have allowed them to steal our time. It was an ordinary Friday evening that I have nothing to do when suddenly my cousin Jephren asked if I will not go to Starbucks ( our tambayan nowadays) and I said I was on my way that 7 o'clock in the evening. So I was there and waited for my cousin. As usual we ordered coffee ( oh he did not just some juice drink since he has this "acidic thing") and we settled outside the store. Thanks God there was no wind blowing and we can peacefully settle outside and do our endless conversations almost about everything and about nothing in particular. Just plain talks just passing the time. Then suddenly a not so elderly woman ( a decent one) from the adjacent table approached us and introduced about why they are in the city in the first place. And so the conversation went on and all of a sudden we were caught off-guarded and we were trapped in this marketing scheme. I was not worried because I have seen their announcement in facebook a few days ago that their company, Royale, will open its branch in Batangas City. And so the mere introduction for almost a minute became almost two-hour full demonstration of their business plans. The usuals. A networking business strategy focused on beauty and health products. If you are familiar with Aim Global then you will not find it hard to understand Royale. And they boasted themselves with such incomes and fast check if you work hard and the "presentor" that night who used an Ipad to fully explain the business had this Mustang that really caught the attention of Batangueno in SM that night.

However eventually they had to go since the next day they will officially launch the company in SM Batangas. And unluckily I was in Alabang yesterday that I was not able to attend. I guess I will think about this venture. Maybe it will make me rich. Maybe.


Saturday in Alabang


 Yesterday and I was staying at home with no plans of going out that suddenly my Ate Arlyn called me and asked if I want to go with them to Alabang that morning. Without thinking twice I said yes.

First stop: lunch at Bonchon Chicken in Festival mall..I have noticed that beautifully painted wall..



 Second stop: The Coffee Bean And Tea Leaf ( CBTL ) in Alabang Town Center..actually Ate Arlyn and Kuya Efren were left somewhere in ATC and were busy going around the mall when my coffee instinct strikes and I was with my nephews Andre and Limuel..









And lastly we had our snack which was more than a meal since we ate at CBTL minutes before Ate called us and asked our whereabouts and we headed to this California Pizza Kitchen where they are waiting for us..

Do You Feel Useful?

After a tiring yet so happy "gala mode" yesterday, I found myself almost lying on the bed at this lunch hour! I needed this Sunday. I wanted this scene of not doing at all but to sleep all day long until my body ached for some waking up actions. And now I am typing here on my blogs. Is it worth it? Yes. This is useful endeavor which I am doing for almost a decade now.

And I have slept for about hours before continuing this entry. I was not in the mood now to go out as if my soul and body has been drained yesterday.

So back again to the question " do you feel useful?" to reconnect my brains and neuron to the world. Yes I feel I am very much useful to myself and to this world. I have work or job that makes me useful to the companies I have been into for the past decade. I have been useful to my family that I was able to provide some financial assistance to them. I feel I am very useful to others since I have imparted them some of my knowledge when I was in my postgraduate school. I feel very useful to others since I have given to them my precious times just to be with them or give advice to some close friends when necessary. I feel very useful to myself since I was able to enjoy LIFE. I am enjoying life even if I am still single. And I will be very useful too when time get on my way and I will be having a family of my own. A useful daddy and husband. Though it is very awkward to use the term "useful" in that sense.

And to share this topic this is the link and the whole blog entry by Paulo Coelho about this article.

 http://paulocoelhoblog.com/2013/01/25/do-you-feel-useful/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+PauloCoelhosBlog+%28Paulo+Coelho%27s+Blog%29


Do you feel useful?

by PAULO COELHO on JANUARY 25, 2013

Ask a flower in the field: ‘Do you feel useful? After all, you do nothing but produce the same flowers over and over?’
And the flower will answer: ‘I am beautiful, and beauty is my reason for living.’
Ask the river: ‘Do you feel useful, given that all you do is to keep flowing in the same direction?’
And the river will answer: ‘I’m not trying to be useful, I’m trying to be a river.’
Nothing in this world is useless in the eyes of God. Not a leaf from a tree falls, not a hair from your head, not even an insect dies because it was of no use. Everything has a reason to exist.
Even you, the person asking the question. ‘I’m useless’ is the answer you give yourself.
Soon that answer will poison you and you will die while still alive, even though you still walk, eat, sleep and try to have a little fun whenever possible.
Don’t try to be useful. Try to be yourself: that is enough, and that makes all the difference.

Friday, January 25, 2013

Cold Mornings

And it feels like Christmas season. The cold mornings. The temperature is still dropping. In the news at the top of Mt Pulag it is a nearly freezing of zero degree Celsius. It must be really cold!

So what do I do in case of this winter-like cold mornings? Nothing but stay on the bed for some minutes more with hard blankets and lots of pillows. Single is blessedness? I guess not in these times of cold life.

And I am eagerly waiting for the summer. Waiting for the sun to heat up and getting ready for the crystal blue water of the beach. My hitlist for this year? Boracay. Pagudpud. Cebu. Etcetera.

But for now I will stay in the comfort of my friendly blanket.

Thursday, January 24, 2013

Are You In My Directory?

I am puzzled last year when I have seen the directory in the hotel where I have stayed for the seminar. I thought paper directory has been gone a long time ago. Not yet to my surprise! Still the yellow pages lingers on. Classic paper versus online/mobile/e-book reading as we know it. And I think paper version is here to stay for the longer time. 

In other aspect of my life I have tried to save some of the close friends and acquaintances to my phonebook. Sometimes I have written their names and telephone numbers and address in the journal-like organizer. And yesterday I have called one of my co-worker back in our FF Cruz days in Batangas Port. My friend and former office mate Deo is now working in the FF Cruz construction project in North Harbor Manila. He is in-charge of the inventory and warehouse management of the on-going expansion and modernization of the said Harbor.

It was last year that I tried to call him via my sun cell ( thanks to sun indeed! that unlicall is heaven!) and every once in awhile I am calling my dear friend and talk about much of our work nowadays as well as the cherished memories that we have in the Batangas Port Phase II Project. We exchanged ideas and tactics on how to resolve some inventory and logistics problems. We also get ourselves laughing out loud even in the phone when we remember some of the memorable days back in the Port project before. 

I also once in awhile get the chance to talk to my dear friend from our joint venture company Shimizu - QC engineer- Ma'am Gerlie Mendoza which I have called her Ma'am Gelay. She was so kind to me and we always have this "kumustahan moments" almost everyday since I have to go through her first before the approval of the request that I am processing in the port project. 

Of course I have some bonding communication with my fellow The Lycean writers like Dolf, Tina and Mercy and Paulyn. Though Elliet is in the US and Aque also, we still have "kumustahan" via facebook. We almost have get-together every year with Dolf, Tina and Mercy in a simple gatherings and dining in and staying late at Starbucks. 

In my MBA world, some of my friends and classmates have been graduated ahead of me ( I have graduated too last November!), we have this get-together usually in a restaurant or in an outing setting like in a beach last year here in Ilijan. Love to chat and have meaningful conversations with Myra, Myles ( actually 2 Myles since I have two different classmates with the same name), Alona, May, Marisse, Manolo, Wilson and others. 

So who else on my directory? if you are not mentioned here at but at least I have communicated with you via facebook, twitter and even in mail, yes in mail I still use the good old email, well we are still in good company so to speak.

And unluckily I really have to ignore and never mind those persons who really do no conform to what I am believing in and values that I am doing right now. In short I have also those "directory" of friends whom I wish I never met in the first place before. God forgive me but I have to do what is right and what is just for me or else I will be the victim of their selfish and not-so-human habits of bringing down others.

Should I include the list here? I guess a couple will do some justice since I have mentioned some names in my good directory. On the second thought I will withdraw my thoughts. I have promised before to be as professional and to be as responsible self-journalist from then on. 

And I ended this one. With a happy note; Never regret meeting those kind of friends since you will know the real friends eventually.

Spicy Words

Literally translated into Filipino street words as " maanghang na salita" and that was what happened yesterday to two Philippine senators. Those supposedly role models of good governance and right values became like rude children lambasting each other and using the Senate floor as their battle ground. Oh my God what the heck is happening? We are paying them our hard earned money and converted to tax ( oh I remember my tax payables again!) just to stand up and air their not so professional sentiments on national media. And to recapitulate again I have below some of the excerpts from Rappler.com

Enrile: "Tungkol sa iyong yumaong ama. Nandito hanggang ngayon, 'di nabayaran utang niya na ginastos sa opisina namin na tinayo ko para may pakain sa pamilya niya, P37M." (About your late father. Here until now is his debt, what he spent in our office that I started to feed his family worth P37 million.)

Cayetano: "Nung siya’y tumakbong senador, he practically gave his life to you. Nung panahon ni President Cory, kayo’y nakulong, siya ang katabi niyo. Nung panahon ng EDSA Revolution, siya ang katabi niyo. Nung kayo’y payaman nang payaman, siya ay nagtiis din sa law office...I don’t remember he owed you P37 million. My father worked for every single centavo and it’s unfair for you to bring that up."

Enrile: Anong utang na loob ko sa inyo?

Cayetano replied, “Ang bahay namin inutang sa bangko.”

 Enrile said, “Pati kahoy?”

What a shame on our lawmakers! What a shame on Filipino people who keep on voting those senators!

"High Blood"

 Oh a precautionary words; this is not about stroke or hypertension but somehow related. I just want to share what I have read and shared late last year on my facebook. I was reading back then ( November maybe) when I bumped into one article in Philippine Daily Inquirer in the opinion page. It was the "High Blood" which literally the counterpart of the "Youngblood" article. As self-explanatory, Youngblood published the letters of sentiments and experiences of the youth generation mostly college and young professionals. I even collected them when I was in my college too. I always checked on PDI in the library if there is a featured article. "Sayang" was one of my favorite ( another story to tell). I even purchase three book collections of this Youngblood series. I loved it!

And now the HighBlood. It was basically written by those individuals old enough to be called as old and old enough to tell their oldies stories. And this one article which I will share below is from our cousin. He is not really close to me since I never had the chance to interact with him because he is in Manila most of the time. But my mother told me that Tiyo Pio ( the author of the featured article) was a cousin and a very good and close friend of my father back then. She told me that my father tell her stories of their high school life in Batangas High.And sadly my father died in stroke literally expired because of high blood ailments commonly called as hypertension.

Anyway this is the whole article which I have sent to my cousins last year via facebook message;


High blood

Protected by God

By 
 10:11 pm | Friday, November 2nd, 2012


I WAS there when the explosion occurred at Glorietta 2 on Oct. 19, 2007. It was a Friday and the explosion claimed 11 lives and injured 126 other people.
My daughter, Maricar, a medical doctor then based in Jakarta, Indonesia, was on a five-day vacation in the Philippines. She took advantage of her leave to see her dentist, Dr. Dawn Red Pineda. The clinic, Dentista Inc. was then located at Park Square 2, a building separated by a narrow street of approximately 12 meters from Glorietta 2.
My daughter’s dental appointment was scheduled at 12:30 p.m. Since our residence in Fairview, Quezon City, is some 20 kilometers from Makati, we left home at around 11 a.m., with me driving, to avoid the lunch-hour traffic. We arrived early but as luck would have it, there were no other patients around at that time so my daughter was immediately attended to. We agreed to meet at Mangan Restaurant in Glorietta 2 for lunch afterward.
Our family usually goes to Glorietta as a form of bonding. My wife, Erlie, and our children, Maricar and Perlita, would do some shopping (or mostly window-shopping) and eat lunch either at Mangan, our favorite restaurant in the mall, which is famous for its native cuisine, or at Luk Yuen Noodle House, which specializes in pancit canton.
On that day, however, my wife had a severe allergy and could not come with us. Perlita decided to stay at home with her, so only Maricar and I went to Makati.
While Maricar was having her dental treatment, I proceeded to Mercury Drug Store in Glorietta 2 to buy medicine for my wife’s allergy. I then decided to pass the time reading on a wooden bench at the ground-floor lobby near the escalator of the building (it is my habit to bring my own reading materials whenever our family goes to the mall in case my wife and daughters take too much time shopping before or after our appointed lunch at Mangan). At that time I was reading an article, “Why New Orleans Isn’t Safe” (Time Magazine, Aug. 20, 2007). But I became restless; I found the article quite technical, with engineering terms which I could not understand, so I decided to leave Glorietta 2 and return to the dental clinic.
It was around 1:25 p.m. when I reached the clinic. Dr. Pineda greeted and informed me that Maricar’s dental treatment had been completed, and at the same time I saw my daughter settling her bill at the receptionist’s desk. We bade Dr. Pineda goodbye and headed to Glorietta 2 for lunch but at the last minute, we decided to go to the public restroom of Park Square 2. But before we reached the restroom, we heard a very loud explosion coming from the mall. We saw a cloud of smoke and, shortly, people were running toward us, scampering for safety. Some of them were bleeding from injuries apparently inflicted by broken glass. We followed them and rushed out of the building. I was yelling “Be calm, don’t panic!” but I myself was very afraid and nervous. My fear was that another explosion would follow. I was running but I did not feel my feet touching the ground, as though I was being carried by my guardian angel.
I do not even remember how I drove home, but we finally reached Fairview without having lunch and in a state of shock.
I believe God was protecting us that day. It was providential that my wife had an allergy. If she and Perlita did not stay home, we would have taken our time at Glorietta 2 while Maricar was at the dental clinic. Had I not been bored by the article I was reading, I would have stayed in the mall for another minute… I would have been one of the 11 casualties, or at least one of the 126 injured. The very bench where I sat was shattered to pieces. Dead bodies were recovered near that bench. I can only thank God that my daughter and I were saved.
Since childhood I have always believed in the Supreme Being overseeing our daily lives. The incident at Glorietta 2 further strengthened my faith.
Pio P. Frago (piofrago@yahoo.com), 73, is a lawyer and a retired director of the University of the Philippines Human Resource Development Office.
( http://opinion.inquirer.net/39970/protected-by-god )
P.S. Thank you PDI for publishing the article of my Tiyo Pio and I am thinking that I should write PDI too of  some of my personal stories.

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Vacation Plan

As early as this January we are preparing and planning for the summer vacation of 2013! Together with my cousins Jepren ( the Attoryney) and JB ( the engineer) we plan to go to Boracay this coming March or April. And we have set it on Holy Week maybe to have a long vacation holidays in the sun of the world-famous Boracay island!

The meeting takes place in Starbucks ( as usual) and we have decided to use the 2Go ship-route from Batangas to Caticlan for less expense purposes as well as convenience on our part since the ship is docked and will begin its voyage from the port of Batangas City. We have called some of our cousins including Heidi, Elfie, Dro, Agnes among others. And the more we are to go, the merrier absolutely!

I am convincing also some of my friends, some of my long lost friends, to go with us. I have talked to an office-mate who has been to Bora twice and literally the island is a mess now unlike before. Though it is very beautiful, "commercialism" has invaded the serene island before and turned it into a Thailand-like scenario. How sad it is. However I still want to go to Bora. I still want to see the beautiful sunset and sunrise the island can bring. I want to stroll along the white sandy beaches that stretches a long kilometers off the island coast. I want to spend the night out doing some dancing, singing and just losing myself in the crowd and in the darkened night. I want that summer of 2013 be in Boracay!

The picture above is in Dos Palmas last year in Palawan. I have the best times of my life there with my mother and brother and other cousins.

I want it more this year! I have spoken to my mother this morning about her trip to Las Vegas this weekends and she was so happy to see that American City called Vegas.

Another story to tell till tomorrow.

Thank you.

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Guerilla Media

I am still reading the conventional newspaper if I have the chance. I still buy Time magazine if there are special issues that interest me. I still watch the night time news program. Very conventional media. And then the advent of the new media. Facebook. Twitter. And tons of blogs. Never forget the old time newsletter subscription from Time and Newsweek. And the media is upon us. We are the media itself now.

When there are big issues and events locally and internationally just turn on your twitter account and you will be bombarded by news every seconds of the day. Turn to twitter of any breaking news of any major news network and you will get a blow by blow account of what is happening, for example the earthquake in Japan a couple of years ago. And you can re-post it or you can post it by yourself writing your own words carrying the same news idea. We are the media today.

When you want to bring the news to a more collaborative highly opinionated environment, sign in to Reddit. In it you can answer and participate in a wide array of topics and join the very invigorating forum environment. You can voice out your opinion and ideas freely and be heard at the convenience of your laptop or wherever you are online via mobile technology.

And lastly there is the blog. You can customize your blog to be a personal one that tackle everything personal about you or you can talk about issues of national concern. You can post photos and almost everything you want that the others may want to read. The premise is to share what you know. To impart knowledge like news that maybe very beneficial to others. I have with me a good deal number of blogs under my name in different platforms catering different needs and demands of my life.

And to sum up, in this highly polarized society where almost everyone disagree on certain things, it is nice to have this "guerilla media" as I called it t to express our minds in this world where everyone is busy changing everyone. In this guerilla media available now, I could photoshoot an event just like in the picture where I have took a good shot on an activist in their Labor Day rally in Mendiola two years ago. Of course the Big Media is there but it is comforting to have the technology today and made it possible to self-publish what my thoughts are vis a vis the Elite Media as we call it in the previous days.

Monday, January 21, 2013

Choice And Consequence

The past weekends is a blast. I feel some sort of rejuvenation and should I say enthusiasm. Regaining myself once again in this world of chaotic routines. I stayed up late in bed last Saturday feeling the cold comfort of the morning with breeze coming out of nowhere that brings chill out to my bones. Thanks to the blanket I have in my bed. I have with me a temporary warmth feeling that day. I am trying to enjoy the weekends without the hurry routine of everyday work. I am trying to sleep continuously until my back ache that it is time to get up and greet the new day. A new day has come. I have to call my mother. She will be in Las Vegas soon. But for two days only. My mother is enjoying the American life as we know it but nonetheless want to come home and she misses the country very much.

And finally I get up that Saturday at almost noon time and try to think and go on with my life on a sunny yet windy weekend. Choice and consequence. First in my mind is the choice of getting up late. Consequence of having time thinking and reflecting on important matters that should really matter. I should have been to other places that early Saturday as my routine on weekends. Since my MBA is done I am free now to go to whatever place I wanted to be. Money included. Choices. I should choose place where I can enjoy the company of others or most of the time the company of no one and really enjoy what that place can offer. One time a couple of years ago I have photographed some man on a lazy Sunday doing nothing but fishing on Manila Bay near the CCP. They have that gear and equipment to catch those small fishes. What a life! I love that life! Free from hassles free from stress. Consequences.

If we could pause and rewind our life just like in a CCTV that we can play backwards what happened for the past hours or days, and tediously look up for some glitches or pattern that may serve as clues to our decisions and actions I am willing to do that. Or we might think that all of our life are based on some random acts of choices and decisions without any cause just living it "irrationally" to fulfill our journey as human. Or we could rely on the Divine Providence and believe in Divine Intervention. Whatever it is we believed in, it is our duty to make choice or as tautology as it is, doing no choice is a Choice itself. So we cannot escape unless we die.

Upon reviewing some of my photos from my new 2 terabytes portable hard disc, I have noticed the "empty swing photo" I have shoot it a long time ago in Cancer Institute in PGH. I was there a long time ago to take care of my grandmother. And I have visited the same institution after more than a decade and have seen the swing and took a good photo of it. An empty swing. No children. No noise. Just a simple swinging of steel that supposedly for those children to have some fun. But no more fun since they are stricken by the cancer at the very young age. How sad it is. They do not make that choice. Heaven has its own reason why those young generation has the terminal illness that do not only deteriorate the patient itself but the family as well. They do not have the choice but they have the consequences. Randomly choosing who will have a better health and who will die young is such a mysterious cult that clogged into our mind.

In the past weeks I have seen some consequences which is very just and fair for some actions of others since it becomes the punishment for their wrong deeds. A very cautious personnel with all of his might and gut power somehow managed to cross the line of his willingly desire to capture the attention of the higher authority. And he made it though. He made it with such stupid one mistake. I must have been laughing. I laughed actually. God has its own way of punishing those who do not conform to what is planned and those greedy persons who will do something beyond of what it is he is directed to do so.

I have seen this past weekends two of the wonderful movies for this year; Argo and Zero Dark Thirty. The former is about the Iran hostage crisis in the 80's and the latter is about the tracking and eventually the killing of Osama Bin Laden. In those award winning films I can see the choices and consequences that made our life not much simpler but complicated and even those notorious individuals have to face the reality or consequences of what they have done. It is too political and sensitive nevertheless make it very exciting to watch. Imagine if you are in those persona where every action and mistake you commit will have greater consequences for the world over.

So no matter how small or big our decisions are, make it sure you can defend it until the very end. As my former manager in the construction industry has sarcastically said " kaya mo bang ilaban ng dikdikan ng bayag and desisyon mo..?"..and I said with firm stand " yes sir.."..

Thank you DSJ.



Friday, January 18, 2013

Show Me The Picture And I Will Tell What I Have Remembered

They have said that a single picture could tell a thousand stories. Thousands of stories and one single story is real and true. So show me the photo and I will tell you what I have remembered. If not the truth at least close to it. At this very moment.

Wednesday. Thanks to the president that Malacanang had granted a holiday fiesta day for Batangas City. Never mind political differences. The first photo is the famous Calumpang River. The bridge is the one connecting Pallocan famously SM from the downtown. I have walked that Wednesday morning just to see the annual parade. I want to be child again. Another story. Every year when we are children a not so long ago, we always wanted and actually go to the city to witness the parade and other festivities the fiesta was bringing that time. We also had the time to go to our cousins in the city to eat what they have prepared. In short, it is always marked on our calendar and mind that comes January 16 we will always be on the street of Batangas City. Back then at the plaza I used to rent "Game and Watch". But now you can rent also but a PSP and Game Boy. Technology has stretched its mighty arm but still our wants and desires did not stop from being a child. That photo also reminds me of the murder that took the city by the storm a few years back. I think it was fiesta or foundation day. The murdered child was from a rich and famous clan, Pastor. The boy was killed and dumped at that very place of the photo. Maybe he roamed around that time when I took the picture. God bless him and may his soul should be in heaven now.

After the colorful parade I had attended the mass led by His Eminence Cardinal Rosales. I loved this cardinal that much that I really make it sure I am on the very near of the center aisle to have a clearer glimpse of the tall cardinal. I think he is on his golden 80's  but his intelligence and charisma never fades. He is so good in delivering the homily in that mass. He is so authoritative that I think of him as the highest leader of the Catholic Church in our country. He should be a Pope. I remembered him as a visiting priest in our native Barangay Ilijan especially in September 29 we have celebrated the birthday of the patron saint, Saint Michael. I remembered him as he led the mass near the shore of Ilijan. As some older folks here have said, Cardinal Rosales was a priest here in the 70's or 80's maybe.

I know that photo is such an easy medium of today's world. It is widely used to convey information. And with the advancement of technology, everyone seems to have a camera now. But only those few chosen can really capture the true feeling of the moment. Like me? Check my photos hahaha!

So tell me or show me the picture and  I will tell you what I have remembered. Much better if I am the one who took it. Just like those photos above. I am the one who have passed that bridge. I am the one who took the photo of the Cardinal. I also got the chance to hold his hand and make the Filipino tradition of "pagmamano" as a sign of high respect.



Thursday, January 17, 2013

The New

Last Monday I've got my new desktop. As a policy every five years our computer will be replaced by a new one. And it was my turn this year. A newer and much advance computer for my work. For SAP and others. Coincidentally I have seen last Monday the new Korean expatriates which replaced the previous Koreans which basically have a three-year stay here in the Philippines. New faces. New challenges. Same management? I do not know. We will have to see. Giving the benefit of the doubt.

I am hoping that they could bring new lessons and challenges for us. Everyone is deliverer of good news. Of new knowledge. Everyone we meet is someone whom we could get some lessons of a lifetime. By simple talking with them we can easily grasp the agony and pain that they have been through and somehow we are relieved of what we are going through right now.

I do not know if I can still see the next new computer of mine. Meaning another five years? I am not saying that I do not like it in here. Actually every place or work that we have, there will always be good and evil people lurking around waiting to strike to everyone. So just beware. Or maybe we ourselves are the villain itself. But let us not focused on the negative sides of the coin. Let us always have hope that everyone and everything have its goodness. Let us assume that God made us all beautiful therefore will do beautiful and just for everybody. Let us just assume and believe.


Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Three Acts

I cannot post photo now. I have my new desktop computer and I have my google chrome and all of a sudden I cannot post photo or attach photo on my blogger.com. What's happening? I do not know. That's why I am asking.

And now it is working. And tomorrow is a holiday! How can it not be? How can a city fiesta cannot be a holiday? Damn that political parties. But now it is confirmed; a holiday tomorrow by virtue of Presidential Proclamation 536. Where's the PDF file? I will look for it now. And I cannot find it. Called some friends in the city to confirm the news.

Just yesterday while waiting for my new computer to be installed in my table, I have the chance to talk to some friends of mine. And Manolo is not yet confirming. Oh no..

Fear. Let's talk about fear. When the needle penetrated my skin a few days back, I guess I really never have fear. If it is for the sake of my health I will not fear fear. Even if it is blood. But it is not. Just confidential.

Amusement. I have this fascination for some people whom I know for quite some times and suddenly I do not like them now. They are so annoying. So verbally rude. So amazingly....I am lost in my words now. Dont want to talk about them. Let there be peace on them..

Yesterday, as I have remembered a few lines of this post, I have talked to my two friends who are into business now. How I wish I could start a business this year. The first friend talked about surviving the first year of starting up a business. She just called me if I knew a CPA since they needed for their financial statements. And she was in rough water right now but still trying to survive the turbulent beginning of having a family business.

Another friend of mine talked yesterday of surviving the odds in the business world. They have poultry and trading company in Mabini, Batangas. The notorious town is really different from the outside world since killing and other illegal activities are never seen on media and they feared every step of their operation. However the business is good in that part of Batangas. So they are trying to mingle and blend  and cooperate with the local people in order to survive in the not yet saturated market of Mabini. Both friends of mine told me about the tactics and strategies they have done to really keep on sailing despite the rough environment of the business itself as well as maneuvering tax with BIR and other suppliers. It began to amuse me. That business thing.

Last weekend I should have blame myself but I do not. I have ignored a couple. A very important couple. And I ignored them since I was drinking coffee. My coffee was more important than them. Period.

I know that she is in Clark now. What should I do? Wait for her? I guess so. She will return here and I will be happy again.


Thursday, January 10, 2013

Alone

Last night we had our dinner at Hot & Cold. Nevermind if I did not like the whole array of food or maybe I was looking for some vegetable but to no avail. Blame the place? I guess not since I do not have the control of the venue since I am just "riding it for free" as you know what I mean. So no more complains though I was so full or maybe I was craving for those sea foods in other restaurant. Well I will just wait for another diner maybe after a month or two. Thank you anyways to the persons who paid for our dinner last night.

I will not post the photo I have taken as my two office mates made an amazing pose alongside the very good actor Boyet de Leon. Instead I will focus on myself. I have noticed that I have this photo as solo as no one is besides me. Yes I am still single but it signifies something. That we can stand on our own. In our own decision. And on our own we take responsibility.

Let us give some example that we are indeed alone. At first when I was  born I am alone.I  alone take the first breathe of life. And I alone got the first cry. At school I alone answer the examinations or else I will be branded as cheater and could get me kick out of the school. Our existence is mostly the dealing with ourselves alone. Others are just accessories of our life. Take it or leave it we will die as alone as you and me alike.

I have remembered the very first time that I have learned how to swim. At first my brother and other friends and they already knew how to swim and  always tried to drown me so that they have said  I can easily learn how to swim. I nearly drowned myself alone one time that they left in the middle of a deep portion of the sea just near the shore. I will never forget that. Then I guess I really learned how to swim when we ride at the banca bound for Mindoro and we took a dive and swim far enough to really conquer my fear. It took us about twenty minutes of non-stop swimming and that time I really  can say that I have learned how to swim in the sea of life. Really.

I have remembered also when I have a major surgical operation back in 2001. A benign cyst must be removed from my thorasic portion ( beneath the ribs at the right side of my chest)  and that time I was not afraid. I was never afraid of everything. The operation process began at 6 am when the doctor and nurses came to my room and put me in a cart oh the bed itself was the cart but before that they injected me a medication which calm me I guess. I remembered it so well since it really hurt on my shoulder when they put the injection. Then after several minutes I was in the operating room and I was so calm that time and no nervousness whatsoever. And then my consciousness vanished and all I have remembered was I was in the same room again waking up at around 6 pm. So my mother told me everything that around 10 am that day, the operation was successfully completed and the cyst was removed.

In that moment I have contemplated the situation alone I can die in that instant. Indeed our life is a journey alone though we have so many with us like our family and friends but in the end it is only us who will meet the Creator alone.

So much for the "alone-ness" that I am discussing. For the meantime I will enjoy the company of others. Since I will be with myself forever.

Tuesday, January 8, 2013

IV-A Get-Together 2012

I must put an explanation why I am using IV-A to refer to my class section in our senior year in our high school life. First, we belonged to the special science class so we were in IV-A to differentiate us from the other student of the school. Second, I am used to use  it but there were other batch who have became IV-A themselves. So when I refer to IV-A, it is our batch in 1995, a batch like no other. A class which are not tired of seeing each other every year without fail or missed. At first it was just gathering but with no particular date of the year. It could be a fiesta in one of my classmate. Or maybe a despidida of my classmate bound for US back then. And beginning in 2004, it was set to happen every after Christmas of each year. The timing is so perfect for our classmates who work abroad since it is in line with their vacation here. I still remember in 2004 when our classmate Oliver Catapang first proposed the yearly tradition to be held in Sawali Restaurant. So I have told to some our classmates that it will be on that place. And unofficially I have become the reunion's organizer ever since. So forget about some venue like we had our reunion on top of Mt Makulot back then. Forget about beach reunion or maybe not but Sawali will just be a de facto venue for meeting and whatever plans that will be proposed there, then it will be pushed through. So years and years come by after 2004 and we always held our get together at Sawali.

Until last year. Some of my classmates think that we should change venue. Some place where we can sing and have more fun than before. So we have chosen F. Baylosis. In there we had the videoke and a room reserved big enough to accommodate us. I have set to begin the reunion at lunch time. As I have said to my classmates, they can bring with them their family, that is their children or their partner. And so some of our classmates brought their extended family with us. And it was really more fun. Jose brought his future wife. Adnel was with her wife too. Helen brought with her, her husband and daughter. And many of us will bring our family by next year. And I guess IV-A is expanding. Expanding to be a bigger family and stronger each year. 

As usual we talked about everything.Almost of our conversations focused of what we have remembered on our high school days. We often laugh at some of our high school's amazing life. It was really a joyful fun ride, our high school life!

And of course we also have this kumustahan or our whereabouts. Most of my classmates are abroad.Some got married so young and some like me are still single. And the funnier side is when we have to talk about someone who does not attend in any reunion or anyone who has no facebook or in short walang pakialam sa amin. Sad to remember them but we still miss them. And we have this one topic that always be the BIG ISSUE; the whereabouts of one of the more popular classmate of ours.Arnold.

So please Arnold please come out of the dark hahaha!! We miss you so much! Or else some issues about you will never die out.

Inay In The US

I really appreciate the phone unit my Kuya Arc had given to us a few years back. With just an internet connection we can call any land-line phone in the US for free. And during the first few years Inay and Ate Michele used to call as often as they wanted to be. And it really reconnect our world to my sister's place on the other side of the Pacific Ocean. It is a wonderful thing and amazing technology that made our life much easier and richer and more connected than ever. We tried sometimes the videoconferencing or video chat via facebook but Ate Michele does not have the privilege of time to engage in facebooking all the time. So we really rely on the good old phone with high tech connectivity.

As of now my mother is on her two-month-long stay in the States. Happy to say that she begins to adjust and enjoy the setting and lifestyle in the land of American Dreams. She no longer talk about some kind of homesickness syndrome but rather talk about the activities that she have in her stay in my sister's home. She no longer worry that much about here in the Philippines as I always assure her that we are and will be doing fine in here. She is adjusting also to the different climate in the California'n state. Though there are no snow in their place but the winter really takes some cold temperature and my mother is not used to it. So she wears mostly those thick clothing whenever they will go for a grocery buying or visiting some friends and relatives near their area.

Thanks also to other persons whether it be our cousins or friends of Inay who are also in the States. In the long day of just staying at home, Inay has plenty of time via phone to speak to Ma'am Josie, her co-teacher, Tita Sol, Tita Sonia, Tyo Timoy, among others that made her feel at home in a distant land of Uncle Sam. They also have time to visit some of our cousins there. And last January 1 on new year celebration they went to Pasadena, a nearby town, to witness the Rose Parade. In the photos as uploaded by Ate Michele on facebook I can see Inay's face with such enthusiasm despite her age and really being amazed by the parade as they visit the place.

And almost everyday I tried to call Inay. Her voice makes me realized that mother's knows best even she is in the far, far away place. Any mothers really are willing to sacrifice for her children's welfare. I miss Inay but I know she is doing fine there.


Monday, January 7, 2013

2013

And I am making my first blog entry for this year.  So much for the year that passed. In summary I can sum it up it one sentence; I have learned a lot.
And I will continue learning. I will continue to grasp the daily signs that show how truly lucky we are that we are still alive. How lucky we are eating and enjoying our day despite the many trials and challenges that we are going through our life everyday. So how about my plans or new year's resolution as they call it. I never make such plan since I do not believe in that gimmick. Or maybe some of my new year's resolutions before just failed before my eyes. I do not know. All I know is to make plan for this year on a large or bigger picture.

On Health - I will continue to go on diet but not limiting myself to indulge sometimes on my favorite foods. I will continue to exercise though seldom I have done a full routine of jogging these past few months.

On Career - I will continue to learn and grow myself through some of my research work which I believe can be of great help on my next move for my career. I hope this will push through. I will try my luck in my other craving to be engaged in some kind of business done primarily online. I have still on planning stage as in infant period as of the moment but this year will be a great start. God bless me in this wonderful journey of mine.

On Relationship - as the pressured mounts I do not know if I could get settled or married or whatever this year. Seriously I will surprise everyone!

On Money - well the use of credit cards should be limited only on a very very urgent matters. I do not want myself to be in such a trap situation when I can no longer move but pay the debts through senseless use of such plastic money.

Such a rough plans. And I know God and my good friends will help me through this year. Again happy new year to all!

It Begins Now

 I am now here in Batangas City. My hometown. My city. That never sleeps. I have myself and my mother. She is 83 now. And I am turning 47 th...