Stories

Last year or two years ago  if I am not mistaken we have our "vitalization" in Pagsanjan Falls with my previous company. I remember that I have mentioned in my blog post here about the "bangkero" or boatman who almost carry us literally in their boat all the way to the wonderful site of the Pagsanjan Fall. And we have known that one of our bangkero is doing the same job for 27 or 37 years! Imagine that! And last night  I encountered another old man here in Saudi with the same story. While waiting for the realty agent ( we are looking for a new flat) in Manila Shopping Center in Seiko District, an old man approached us and asked if we want balot. I bought two pieces for 4 Saudi Riyals each. The old man was about 60 I guess and we were right because we had about 5 or 10 minutes conversations with him. He was 62 this year and he was from Rosario Batangas, a kababayan indeed! And not to our surprise he is now on his 23rd year here in Saudi Arabia. He is a simple manan...

After my barber shop session at the Salon de Manila near the Bamboo Kabayan Restaurant, I went to Jarir Bookstore and bought The Time Keeper by Mitch Albom ( where's the photo? - not yet ready!). And now it is there..

Some days are really just fun and exciting and some days are just normal and unexpected things happen. Sometimes we have to be prepared to all circumstances. We must be just like that wires and switch that anytime can be turned off or on depending on a situation in life. But is it really like that in real life? We hope so. A couple of nights ago we went to a hospital here in Dammam to see my friend and elementary classmate Gerry. We have to seek his assistance for a medical check-up of one of my fellow Filipino here in Dammam. Thanks God Gerry was there in that big Mouwasat Hospital. He was a supervisor of general services of that big government hospital here in our place. He almost ran the "show" for all the cleanliness and order of the whole hospital. It was so big we were lost in maze of hallways and floors. The medical check up did not last that long because Gerry made it clear that we will be prioritized. And he did. Then we went to his house just a walk away from...

And today is Ash Wednesday. Traditionally as a Catholic this is the beginning of the Lenten Season. The start of the day that I quit. We quit. We resign ourselves from the flesh and other worldly things. This is the start of our renewal. I quit being online always. I quit on attending to some negative vibes. I quit on judging others. I quit on my former self. A renewed one. A born again. In Catholic's faith. And speaking of Catholicism, the highest designated leader of our Church surprisingly announced yesterday that he will quit. He will retire come the end of this month. A shocking news? Not so. When health is the issue everyone has the obligation and right to quit. How can you serve of  what is expecting of you when your own muscles and bones and brains do not function well? And the Pope chooses his health over the power of continuing the highest position in Catholic Church. In the end he is still human like us capable of vulnerabilities and susceptible to disease. And we ...

"Life is a series of pulls back and forth. You want to do one thing, but you are bound to do something else. Something hurts you, yet you know it shouldn't.   You take certain things for granted, even when you know you should never take anything for granted. Mitch Albom. Tuesdays With Morrie (Kindle Locations 334-336). Wheeler Publishing.  And I am reading from my PC an ebook. I thought that I will not fall into this trap but sometimes I have to go with the flow. I still prefer to read the print version but now I will give it a try the e-book reading. I will not definitely abandon the printed book I will just try this high-tech version of reading. Thanks to our IT, Leonard, for giving me tons of e-books, almost a thousand materials mostly fiction, bestseller books like this one, the book of Mitch Albom. Thanks also to Kindle ( the e-reader) and thanks to its PC version that I am able to read from my computer. Maybe I should buy a tablet, an ipad mini or a kindle its...

And while waiting for my friend's arrival (Rudolf) from Manila I tried to go around the city this morning. I just want to feel the breeze fading away and the cold mornings are being replaced by hot steamy day. I am still waiting and I have my time pass at this computer shop in a local mall. And I check out my Reddit account. Full of forums.And I turn to subreddit askreddit. And I found this thread "what is your life's philosophy?" thing and I answered " please yourself first and everything else will follow" by the late lead vocalist and chief songwriter for Nirvana, Kurt Cobain. And I forget to write the one I have written in my facebook account " I will do it..because it is what I have said..". And Rudolf called and he is still in Mandaluyong. Okay one o'clock. Well my life philosophy is so basic that one should first take care of one's need before it can lend help to others. I know parents will disagree. I am still not a parent. Not...