iN My SeArCh FoR HaPPiNeSS...

cLoSiNg cYcLeS

2007-03-15T10:09:00.000-07:00

Here's another e-mail forward from a friend. Hope it enlightens you. Have a great day!

**********************

One always has to know when a stage comes to an end. If we insist on staying longer than the necessary time, we lose the happiness and the meaning of the other stages we have to go through.

Closing cycles, shutting doors, ending chapters whatever name we give it, what matters is to leave in the past the moments of life that have finished.

Did you lose your job? Has a loving relationship come to an end? Did you leave your parents' house? Gone to live abroad? Has a long-lasting friendship ended all of a sudden?
You can spend a long time wondering why this has happened. You can tell yourself you won't take another step until you find out why certain things that were so important and so solid in your life have turned into dust, just like that.

But such an attitude will be awfully stressing for everyone involved: your parents, your husband or wife, your friends, your children, your sister, everyone will be finishing chapters, turning over new leaves, getting on with life, and they will all feel bad seeing you at a standstill.

None of us can be in the present and the past at the same time, not even when we try to understand the things that happen to us. What has passed will not return: we cannot forever be children, late adolescents, sons that feel guilt or rancor towards our parents, lovers who day and night relive an affair with someone who has gone away and has not the least intention of coming back.

Things pass, and the best we can do is to let them really go away. That is why it is so important (however painful it may be!) to destroy souvenirs, move, give lots of things away to orphanages, sell or donate the books you have at home. Everything in this visible world is a manifestation of the invisible world, of what is going on in our hearts and getting rid of certain memories also means making some room for other memories to take their place.

Let things go. Release them. Detach yourself from them. Nobody plays this life with marked cards, so sometimes we win and sometimes we lose. Do not expect anything in return; do not expect your efforts to be appreciated, your genius to be discovered, your love to be understood. Stop turning on your emotional television to watch the same program over and over again, the one that shows how much you suffered from a certain loss: that is only poisoning you, nothing else.

Nothing is more dangerous than not accepting love relationships that are broken off, work that is promised but there is no starting date, decisions that are always put off waiting for the ideal moment. Before a new chapter is begun, the old one has to be finished: tell yourself that what has passed will never come back. Remember that there was a time when you could live without that thing or that person. Nothing is irreplaceable. A habit is not a need. This may sound so obvious, it may even be difficult, but it is very important.

Closing cycles. Not because of pride, incapacity or arrogance, but simply because it no longer fits your life. Shut the door, change the record, clean the house, shake off the dust. Stop being who you were, and change into who you are.

WaYs To ReDuCe StReSS

2007-03-15T08:56:00.000-07:00

(as forwarded by a friend)

An Angel says, "Never borrow from the future. If you worry about what may happen tomorrow and it doesn't happen, you have worried in vain. Even if it does happen, you have to worry twice."

1. Pray
2. Go to bed on time.
3. Get up on time so you can start the day unrushed.
4. Say No to projects that won't fit into your time schedule, or that will compromise your mental health.
5. Delegate tasks to capable others.
6. Simplify and unclutter your life.
7. Less is more. (Although one is often not enough, two are often too many.)
8. Allow extra time to do things and to get to places.
9. Pace yourself. Spread out big changes and difficult projects over time; don't lump the hard things all together.
10. Take one day at a time.
11. Separate worries from concerns. If a situation is a concern, find out what God would have you do and let go of the anxiety. If you can't do anything about a situation, forget it.
12. Live within your budget; don't use credit cards for ordinary purchases.
13. Have backups; an extra car key in your wallet, an extra house key buried in the garden, extra stamps, etc.
14. K.M.S. (Keep Mouth Shut). This single piece of advice can prevent an enormous amount of trouble.
15. Do something for the Kid in You everyday.
16. Carry a Bible with you to read while waiting in line.
17. Get enough rest.
18. Eat right.
19. Get organized so everything has its place.
20. Listen to a tape while driving that can help improve your quality of life.
21. Write down thoughts and inspirations.
22. Every day, find time to be alone.
23. Having problems? Talk to God on the spot. Try to nip small problems in the bud. Don't wait until it's time to go to bed to try and pray.
24. Make friends with Godly people.
25. Keep a folder of favorite scriptures on hand.
26. Remember that the shortest bridge between despair and hope is often a good "Thank you Jesus."
27. Laugh.
28. Laugh some more!
29. Take your work seriously, but not yourself at all.
30. Develop a forgiving attitude (most people are doing the best they can).
31. Be kind to unkind people (they probably need it the most.)
32. Sit on your ego.
33. Talk less; listen more.
34. Slow down.
35. Remind yourself that you are not the general manager of the universe
36. Every night before bed, think of one thing you're grateful for that you've never been grateful for before. GOD HAS A WAY OF TURNING THINGS AROUND FOR YOU. "If God is for us, who can be against us?" (Romans 8:31)

WhAt HurTs...

2007-03-12T14:45:00.000-07:00

(an e-mail forward)

1.) Bringing back the feeling you have learned to forget.

2.) Reminiscing the good times.

3.) Trying to hide what you really feel.

4.) Loving someone who loves another.

5.) Having a commitment with someone that you know wouldn’t last.

6.) Shielding your heart to love somebody.

7.) Loving a person too much.

8.) Having the right love at the wrong time.

9.) Taking risk to fall inlove again.

10.) Accepting that it was never meant to be.

11.) What ifs…

A ChOiCe We MaKe

2007-03-09T12:39:00.000-08:00

Here's a forwarded message that I find inspiring. Have anice read!

A 92-year-old, petite, well-poised and proud man, who is fully dressed each morning by eight o'clock, with his hair fashionably coifed and shaved perfectly, even though he is legally blind, moved to a nursing home today.

His wife of 70 years recently passed away, making the move necessary. After many hours of waiting patiently in the lobby of the nursing home, he smiled sweetly when told his room was ready.

As he maneuvered his walker to the elevator, I provided a visual description of his tiny room, including the eyelet sheets that had been hung on his window."I love it," he stated with the enthusiasm of an eight-year-old having just been presented with a new puppy.

"Mr. Jones, you haven't seen the room; just wait."

"That doesn't have anything to do with it," he replied.

"Happiness is something you decide on ahead of time. Whether I like my room or not doesn't depend on how the furniture is arranged ... it's how I arrange my mind. I already decided to love it. It's a decision I make every morning when I wake up. I have a choice; I can spend the day in bed recounting the difficulty I have with the parts of my body that no longer work, or get out of bed and be thankful for the ones that do."

"Each day is a gift, and as long as my eyes open, I'll focus on the new day and all the happy memories I've stored away. Just for this time in my life. Old age is like a bank account. You withdraw from what you've put in," he said.

So, my advice to you would be to deposit a lot of happiness in the bank account of memories!

Thank you for your part in filling my Memory bank. I am still depositing."

Remember the five simple rules to be happy:
1. Free your heart from hatred.
2. Free your mind from worries.
3. Live simply.
4. Give more.
5. Expect less.

BuDDhA SaYs...

2007-03-08T15:00:00.000-08:00

Buddha says,

"In the end, only three things matter –--

1) how much we loved,

2) how gently we lived,

and 3) how gracefully we let go

of the things not meant for us."

BoyFriEnD Mo?

2007-03-08T14:59:00.000-08:00

Ano ang tawag sa boyfriend na...

mabait,

gwapo,

mapagmahal,

malambing,

hindi seloso,

may magandang trabaho,

masipag,

walang bisyo,

at hindi babaero?

sagot: ------>>> GUNI-GUNI!

BaTo (by Mojofly)

2007-03-06T14:56:00.000-08:00

Patay malisya ka na naman

Pinanganak ka ba tal’gang

walang pakiramdam

Kahit magbulag bulagan ka man

‘Di mapapagkaila sa’kin

mayroon ka ring nararamdaman
Ano ba talaga ang balak mo

Nais mo bang ako’y tuluyang lumayo

Lumalaki na ba ang ulo mo
Hoy bato

Wala na yata ako tal’gang mapapala sa’yo

Hoy bato

Mamundok ka na lamang kaya

Sa’kin ‘wag na lamang magpakita

Bato
Narinig mo na ba ang salitang “kilig”

Sa tanda mong ‘yan mukhang

‘di mo pa yata naranasang umibig

Hoy naman ‘wag kang ganyan

Ako ngayon ang iyong pinahihirapan
Ano ba talaga ang balak mo

Nais mo bang ako’y tuluyang lumayo

Lumalaki na nga ang ulo mo
Hoy bato

Wala na yata ako tal’gang mapapala sa’yo

Hoy bato

Nanghihinayang ako sa iyo

Pagka’t hindi ako laging nandirito
Sampung taon at kalahati na akong

Naghihintay ng mangyayari

Parang lobong lumipad

Ang pangarap ko’y di na matutupad
Hoy bato

Wala na yata ako tal’gang mapapala sa’yo

Hoy bato

Hanggang dito na lamang ako

Gudlak na lang sa iyo

Bakla ka ba?

O sadya lamang

Bato

FaR AwAy (by Nickelback)

2007-03-06T14:20:00.000-08:00

This time,

This place

Misused, Mistakes

Too long, Too late

Who was I to make you wait

Just one chance

Just one breath

Just in case there's just one left

'Cause you know, you know, you know

That I love you

I have loved you all along

And I miss you

Been far away for far too long

I keep dreaming you'll be with me

And you'll never go

Stop breathing if

I don't see you anymore

On my knees, I'll ask

Last chance for one last dance

'Cause with you, I'd withstand

All of hell to hold your hand

I'd give it all

I'd give for us

Give anything but

I won't give up

'Cause you know,

you know, you know

So far away

Been far away for far too long

So far away

Been far away for far too long

But you know,

you know, you know

I wanted

I wanted you to stay

'Cause I needed

I need to hear you say

That I love you

I have loved you all along

And I forgive you

For being away for far too long

So keep breathing

'Cause I'm not leaving

Hold on to me and, never let me go

A TaKe On MoViEs

2007-03-05T17:34:00.000-08:00

Movies that must NOT be translated into Filipino: (A forwarded e-mail that I want to share with you all. Have a good laugh!)

1. black hawk down --- ibong maitim sa ibaba
2. dead man's chest --- dodo ng patay
3. i know what you did last summer --- uyy... aminin!
4. love, actually --- sa totoo lang, pag-ibig
5. million dollar baby --- 50 million pisong sanggol (it depends on the exchange rate of the country)
6. the blair witch project --- ang proyekto ng bruhang si blair
7. mary poppins --- si mariang may putok
8. snakes on a plane --- nag-ahasan sa ere
9. the postman always rings twice --- ang kartero kapag dumutdot laging dalawang beses
10. sum of all fears --- takot mo, takot ko, takot nating lahat
11. swordfish --- talakitok
12. pretty woman --- ganda ng lola mo
13. robin hood, men in tights --- si robin hood at ang mga felix bakat
14. four weddings and a funeral --- kahit 4 na beses ka pang magpakasal, mamamatay ka rin
15. the good, the bad and the ugly --- ako, ikaw, kayong lahat
16. harry potter and the sorcerer's stone --- adik si harry, tumira ng shabu
17. click --- isang pindot ka lang
18. brokeback mountain --- may nawasak sa likod ng bundok ng tralala bumigay sa bundok
19. the day of the dead --- ayaw tumayo ng mga patay
20. waterworld --- basang-basa
21. there's something about mary --- may kwan sa ano ni maria
22. employee of the month --- ang sipsip
23. resident evil --- ang biyenan
24. kill bill --- kilitiin sa bilbil
25. the grudge --- lintik lang ang walang ganti
26. nightmare before christmas --- binangungot sa noche buena
27. never been kissed --- pangit kasi
28. gone in 60 seconds --- 1 round, tulog!
29. the fast and the furious --- ang bitin, galit!
30. too fast, too furious --- kapag sobrang bitin, sobrang galit!
31. dude, where's my car --- dong, anong level ulit tayo nag-park?
32. beauty and the beast --- ang asawa ko at ang nanay nya
33. the lord of the rings - ang alahero

My HeArT HaS a MiNd oF iTs OwN

2007-03-03T14:18:00.000-08:00

Performed by Christian Bautista

People try and tell me that it's crazy
You and I were never meant to be
I don't believe they know, and even if it's so
I've fallen anyway, no matter what they say.

Refrain:
A part of me is taking me by the hand
The world can't see, still they can't understand
Why can't they understand...

Chorus:
My heart has a mind of its own
Right or wrong it's gonna do
Only what it feels is true
I'll follow it wherever it goes
Anywhere it leads me to
My heart has a mind of its own.

Maybe we won't always be together
Maybe this'll last a thousand years
Ain't nobody knows, and even if they did
It wouldn't matter now
I'd love you anyhow.

Repeat Refrain and Chorus

My heart knows what I'm needing
My heart knows what I'm feeling
It knows me better than I know myself
My heart knows just what I'm missin'
All I have to do is listen
And listen well...

LoVe MoVeS iN MyStEriOuS WaYs

2007-03-03T13:44:00.000-08:00

***A heart truly in love never loses hope but always believes in the promise of love... no matter how long the time and how far its distance. A person in love can sacrifice.***

***Always make your absence felt in such a way that somebody misses you. But let not your absence be so long that somebody starts learning to live without you.***

***Sometimes you have to forget the rules, follow your heart and see where it takes you. Never apologize for saying what you feel because that's like saying sorry for being real. Never regret anything you said or did because at some point, it was what you wanted. True strength is being able to hold it all together when everyone else is expecting you to fall apart.***

***The most romantic thing in the world is when you have that truly honest moment with the person you love and you can literally see yourself growing together.***

***Being broken-hearted is like having a broken pair of ribs... on the outside it looks like there's nothing wrong but every breath hurts.***

***The leaves of the trees just keep falling. Lesson? It's not always for us to keep someone forever. Most of the time we have to let them go. Yet, we are still standing.***

***You shouldn't be stupid enough to fall in love with someone who is stupid enough NOT to fall in love with you.***

***Trying to forget someone you love is like trying to remember someone you never knew.***

***There are two greatest days in your life... the day you were born and the day you discovered who you were born for.***

***Some people say that you don't know what you have until you lose it. But it's not like that, you always know what you have, you just never realized that someday you could lose it.***

***One of the reasons why people get so sentimental is because memories are the only things that don't change when everything else does.***

***Isn't it sad? When you have so much pain in your heart and the only person you want to talk to and can make you stop crying is exactly the same person who made you cry.***

***I may not love you in the way you want to be loved but that doesn't mean that I don't love you with all I have.***

***I always thought that love can always melt the pain, no matter how great the pain is. But now I know that pain can also melt the love, no matter how great the love is.***

FiNaLLy!!!

2007-02-26T15:21:00.000-08:00

I'll be moving to the Philippines soon. I have secured my plane ticket and shipped most of my stuff. School awaits me... and I can't contend my excitement right now. I'm looking forward to this new phase in my life.

Life is good! Life is beautiful!

(and that's how I choose to see it)

wHaT a BeAuTiFuL LiFe

2007-02-26T15:16:00.000-08:00

As we grow up, we learn that even the one person that wasn't supposed to ever let you down probably will. You will have your heart broken probably more than once and it's harder every time. You'll break hearts too, so remember how it felt when yours was broken. You'll fight with your best friend. You'll blame a new love for things an old one did. You'll cry because time is passing too fast, and you'll eventually lose someone you love. So take too many pictures, laugh too much, and love like you've never been hurt because every sixty seconds you spend upset is a minute of happiness you'll never get back. Don't be afraid that your life will end, be afraid that it will never begin.
~anonymous~

By MaYa AnGeLoU

2007-02-26T15:02:00.000-08:00

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE
...enough money within her control to move out and rent a place of her own even if she never wants to or needs to.

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE
...something perfect to wear if the employer or date of her dreams wants to see her in an hour.

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE
...a youth she's content to leave behind.

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE
...a past juicy enough that she's looking forward to re-telling it in her old age.

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE
...a set of screwdrivers, a cordless drill, and a black lace bra.

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE
...one friend who always makes her laugh... and one who lets her cry.

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE
...a good piece of furniture not previously owned by anyone else in her family.

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE
...eight matching plates, wine glasses with stems, and a recipe for a meal that will make her guests feel honored.

A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE
...a feeling of control over her destiny.

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW
...how to fall in love without losing herself.
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW
... HOW TO QUIT A JOB, BREAK UP WITH A LOVER, AND CONFRONT A FRIEND WITHOUT RUINING THE FRIENDSHIP.

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW
...when to try harder... and WHEN TO WALK AWAY.
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW
...that she can't change the length of her calves, the width of her hips, or the nature of her parents.
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW
...that her childhood may not have been perfect... but its over.
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW
...what she would and wouldn't do for love or more.
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW
...how to live alone... even if she doesn't like it.
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW
...whom she can trust, whom she can't, and why she shouldn't take it personally.
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW
...where to go... be it to her best friend's kitchen table... or a charming inn in the woods... when her soul needs soothing.
EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW
...what she can and can't accomplish in a day... a month...and a year.

PicK-uP LiNeS

2007-02-26T14:49:00.000-08:00

* some pick-up lines forwarded to me by a friend via e-mail. Enjoy!

1. Minamalat na naman ang puso ko...
*** paano kasi, laging sinisigaw ang pangalan mo.
2. Ikaw ba may-ari ng Crayola??
*** ikaw kasi nagbibigay ng kulay sa buhay ko.
3. Uy picture tayo!!
*** para ma-develop tayo!!
4. Kung ikaw ay bola at ako ang player, ma-isu-shoot ba kita??
*** hinde, para lagi kita mami-miss.
5. Can I take your picture??
*** coz I want to show Santa exactly what I want for Christmas!!
6. Exam ka ba??
*** gustong-gusto na kasi kitang i-take home eh!!
7. Lecture mo ba ako??
*** lab kasi kita.
8. Centrum ka ba??
*** kasi you make my life complete!!
9. Miss pwede ba kita maging driver??
*** para ikaw na magpapatakbo ng buhay ko.
10. Mahilig ka ba sa asukal??
*** ang tamis kasi ng mga ngiti mo.
11. Pinaglihi ka ba sa keyboard??
*** kasi type kita.
12. I hate to say this but... you are like my underwear.
*** coz I can't last a day without you!!
13. Ibibili kita ng salbabida...
*** kasi malulunod ka sa pagmamahal ko.
14. Pwede ba kitang maging side-car??
*** single kasi ako eh.
15. Me lisensya ka ba??
*** coz you're driving me crazy eh.
16. May kilala ka bang gumagawa ng relo??
*** may sira ata relo ko... pag ikaw kasi kasama ko, humihinto ang oras ko.
17. Grabe nakakatawa yung mga pick-up lines noh?? hahaha! May alam ka pa bang iba?? Wala na akongmaisip eh.
*** coz all I ever think of is you.
18. I'm a bee.
*** can you be my honey??
19. Nakakatakot diba ang multo??
*** pero mas nakakatakot kapag nawala ka sa buhay ko.
20. Am I a bad shooter??
*** coz I keep on missing you.
22. Naniniwala ka ba sa love at first sight??
*** O gusto mong dumaan ulit ako??
23. Mabilis ka siguro sa mga puzzle noh??
*** kasi kaka-simula pa lang ng araw ko, pero nabuo mo na agad.
24. Excuse me. Are you a dictionary??
*** because you give meaning to my life.
25. Bangin ka ba??
*** nahuhulog kasi ako sa'yo.
26. Pustiso ka ba??
*** kasi, can't I smile without you.
27. Pagod na pagod ka na noh??
*** maghapon at magdamag kana kasing tumatakbo sa isipan ko eh.
28. Me butas ba puso mo??
*** kasi na-trap na ako sa loob, can't find my way out!!
29. Anung height mo??
*** ha?? pano ka nagkasya sa loob ng puso ko..
30. Hey, did you fart??
*** coz you blew me away!!
31. Sana "T" na lang ako.
*** para I'm always right next to "U"
32. Are you Jamaican??
*** kasi Ja-maican me crazy!!
33. Nde tayo tao...
*** Nde tayo hayop. BAGAY tayo. BAGAY talaga tayo.
34. Ako ay isang exam...
*** kaya sagutin mo na ako.

My favorite is number 22. What's your pick-up line?

TxT ThOtS

2007-01-12T23:34:00.000-08:00

I care but God cares deeper. I can hug you but God hugs you sweeter. You can cry to me but it's God who dries your tears. I can hold you but God can carry you.
Sometimes memories could simply fade away... time makes the mind forget... but I know our friendship will last... because I kept it in a safe place called... HEART.
If you're facing trouble right now, don't ask "why me?" Instead ask, "what do you want me to learn?"Then trust God and keep on doing what's right. Don't give up.
Find a quiet moment tonight and think of all your blessings for this day. It'll be interesting to realize that good always outnumber the bad ones.
Always remember that the longer you stay with the things you don't really enjoy equates to every moment you lose with what could be a happy life.
Sometimes you will feel like you just want to cry the whole day. Collect all the pain that the whole day brought you... fill your heart with anger... internalize every tear that fell in your eyes... and feel numb about it when this happens. Close your eyes and cry as much as you want to and end it with a smile. Life is tough but prove that you're tougher.
Whether you've been throughyour worst time or it is yet to come... always remember that life can only be summed up in three words... "you have me" and that's for life.
If people are talking behind your back, let them indulge themselves. You're two steps ahead of them. Keep in mind that strong minds talk of ideas but weak minds talk about people.
God has a purpose behind every problem. He uses circumstances to develop your character. No one is immune to pain.Not all problems are big, but they are all significant in God's growth process for you. God uses problems to draw you closer to him. It is during suffering that we learn to pray our most authentic, heartfelt, and honest prayers. Problems force us to look up to God, and depend on Him instead of ourselves. When we feel how powerless we are, we realize that God is all we've got.
Somecay, in God's time, whatever you ask for will come true. It may not be what you prayed for and wanted. But it will be what God knows is best for you.
A cute story: "A grandfather was walking through his yard when he heard his granddaughter repeating the alphabet in a tone of voice that sounded like a prayer. He asked her what she was doing. The little girl explained and said, I am praying, but can't think of the exact and right words, so I'm just saying all the letters in the alphabet, and God will put them together for me because He knows what's inside my heart."
Every tear of sadness that we shed for a person we love is a capsule of memory that we have to leave behind. We fall inlove so that we will learn. We get hurt so that we'll become strong. And we cry so that we can let go and find our place in that someone who will love us right.

WiShEs FoR YoU

2007-01-03T15:16:00.000-08:00

These Are My Wishes For You
Sandra Sturtz Hauss

May you find serenity and tranquility
in a world you may not always understand.

May the pain you have known
and the conflict you have experienced
give you the strength to walk through life
facing each new situation with courage and optimism.

Always know that there are those
whose love and understanding will always be there,
even when you feel most alone.

May a kind word,
a reassuring touch,
and a warm smile
be yours every day of your life,
and may you give these gifts
as well as receive them.

May the teachings of those you admire
become part of you,
so that you may call upon them.

Remember, those whose lives you have touched
and who have touched yours
are always a part of you,
even if the encounters were less than you would have wished.
It is the content of the encounter
that is more important than its form.

May you not become too concerned with material matters,
but instead place immeasurable value
on the goodness in your heart.
Find time in each day to see beauty and love
in the world around you.

Realize that what you feel you lack in one regard
you may be more than compensated for in another.
What you feel you lack in the present
may become one of your strengths in the future.
May you see your future as one filled with promise and possibility.
Learn to view everything as a worthwhile experience.

May you find enough inner strength
to determine your own worth by yourself,
and not be dependent
on another's judgment of your accomplishments.

May you always feel loved.

GrEeTiNgS

2007-01-03T15:07:00.000-08:00

"Life is too short to wake up in the morning with regrets. So love the people who treat you right, forget about the ones who don’t, and believe that everything happens for a reason. Know a good thing when you see it, and don’t let it slip away. If you get a chance, take it; if it changes your life, let it. Nobody said it would be easy; they just said it’s worth it."
--- Ruffa Gutierrez-Bektas

from Ricky Lo's Entertainment column,

www. philstar.com, 01/04/07

WiSh

2006-12-24T22:27:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas everyone!

I wish for each of us

to value life,

live life,

and love life,

like today

is the last day

of our lives.

LiVe. LoVe. AnD bE MeRrY.

ChRiStMaS

2006-12-24T14:56:00.000-08:00

Here's Robin Tong's "50 Thoughts For Christmas" as published on Ricky Lo's Christmas 2006 article for the Philippine Star. Hope they inspire and enlighten you.

1. Life isn’t fair, but it’s still good.
2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.
3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
4. Don’t take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
5. Pay off your credit cards every month.
6. You don’t have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
7. Cry with someone. It’s more healing than crying alone.
8. It’s OK to get angry with God. He can take it.
9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.
10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.
11. Make peace with your past so it won’t screw up the present.
12. It’s OK to let your children see you cry.
13. Don’t compare your life with others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn’t be in it.
15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don’t worry; God never blinks.
16. Life is too short for long pity parties. Get busy living, or get busy dying.
17. You can get through anything if you stay put in today.
18. A writer writes. If you want to be a writer, write.
19. It’s never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.
20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don’t take "no" for an answer.
21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don’t save it for a special occasion. Today is special.
22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.
23. Be eccentric now. Don’t wait for old age to wear purple.
24. The most important sex organ is the brain.
25. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words: "In five years, will this matter?"
27. Always choose life.
28. Forgive everyone everything.
29. What other people think of you is none of your business.
30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.
31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
32. Your job won’t take care of you when you are sick. Your family will.
33. Believe in miracles.
34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn’t do.
35. Whatever doesn’t kill you really does make you stronger.
36. Growing old beats the alternative! – dying young.
37. Your children get only one childhood. Make it memorable.
38. Read the Psalms. They cover every human emotion.
39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.
40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else’s, we’d grab ours back.
41. Don’t audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.
42. Get rid of anything that isn’t useful, beautiful or joyful.
43. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.
44. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
45. The best is yet to come.
46. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
47. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.
48. If you don’t ask, you don’t get.
49. Yield.
50. Life isn’t tied with a bow, but it’s still a gift.

SoNgBiRd

2006-12-15T00:21:00.000-08:00

(Performed by Eva Cassidy)

For you, there'll be no more crying,
For you, the sun will be shining,
And I feel that when I'm with you,
It's alright, I know it's right.

To you, I'll give the world
To you, I'll never be cold
'Cause I feel that when I'm with you,
It's alright, I know it's right.

And the songbirds are singing,
Like they know the score,
And I love you, I love you, I love you,
Like never before.

And I wish you all the love in the world,
But most of all, I wish it from myself.

And the songbirds keep singing,
Like they know the score,
And I love you, I love you, I love you,
Like never before, like never before.

sOaKiNg iN ThE SuN

2006-11-09T18:08:00.000-08:00

I'm in the Philippines.

Having a short vacation.

I'll keep you posted soon.

oLd leTTeRs

2006-09-22T00:37:00.000-07:00

I was going through my stuff earlier and found a box full of old letters from friends, past boyfriends, and family. I read some of them and reminisced the good old times, the emotions, and the stories or histories of friendships and past relationships. There were old pictures with people I would love to be with, and people I would rather forget.

Do I keep them because I like holding on to the past or because I cherish the past? Is it time to let go? Maybe it's time to let go.

AnDy RooNeY's ThOuGhT oN LiFe

2006-09-22T00:20:00.000-07:00

I’ve learned that life is like a roll of toilet paper.

The closer it gets to the end, the faster it goes.
I’ve learned that the best classroom in

the world is at the feet of an elderly person.
I’ve learned that when you’re in love, it shows.
I’ve learned that just one person saying to me,

“You’ve made my day!” makes my day.
I’ve learned that having a child

fall asleep in your arms is one

of the most peaceful feelings in the world.
I’ve learned that being kind

is more important than being right.
I’ve learned that you should never

say no to a gift from a child.
I’ve learned that I can always pray for someone

when I don’t have the strength

to help him in some other way.
I’ve learned that no matter

how serious your life requires you to be,

everyone needs a friend to act goofy with.
I’ve learned that sometimes all a person needs

is a hand to hold and a heart to understand.
I’ve learned that simple walks with my father

around the block on summer nights

when I was a child did wonders for me as an adult.
I’ve learned that we should be glad

God doesn’t give us everything we ask for.
I’ve learned that money doesn’t buy class.
I’ve learned that it’s those small daily happenings

that make life so spectacular.
I’ve learned that under everyone’s hard shell

is someone who wants to be appreciated and loved.
I’ve learned that even the Lord

didn’t do it all in one day.

What makes me think I can?
I’ve learned that to ignore the facts

does not change the facts.
I’ve learned that love,

not time, heals all wounds.
I’ve learned that the easiest way for me

to grow as a person is to surround myself

with people smarter than I am.
I’ve learned that everyone you meet

deserves to be greeted with a smile.
I’ve learned that opportunities are never lost;

someone will take the one’s you miss.
I’ve learned that when you harbor bitterness,

happiness will dock elsewhere.
I’ve learned that I wish I could have told my Mom that

I love her one more time before she passed away.
I’ve learned that one should keep

his words both soft and tender,

because tomorrow he may have to eat them.
I’ve learned that a smile is an inexpensive way

to improve your looks.
I’ve learned that I can’t choose how I feel,

but I can choose what I do about it.
I’ve learned that when your newly born grandchild

holds your little finger in his little fist,

that you’re hooked for life.
I’ve learned that everyone

wants to live on top of the mountain,

but all the happiness and growth occurs

while you’re climbing it.
I’ve learned that the less time I have to work with,

the more things I get done.

A TaStE oF WiSdOm

2006-09-22T00:17:00.000-07:00

September 20, 2006

“The only way to discover the limits of the possible is to go beyond them into the impossible.” – Arthur Clarke

“It’s not that ‘today is the first day of the rest of my life,’ but that NOW is ALL there is of my life.” – Hugh Prather

“Chance is the pseudonym God uses when He does not want to sign His name.” – Anatole France

“Don’t be afraid that your life will end; be afraid that it will never begin.” – Grace Hansen

“Follow your bliss and don’t be afraid, and doors will open where you didn’t know they were going to be.” – Joseph Campbell

“You have to leave the city of your comfort and go into the wilderness of your intuition. What you will discover will be wonderful. What you will discover will be yourself.” – Alan Alda

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate; our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond all measure.” – Marianne Williamson

“If you put a small value on yourself, rest assured that the world will not raise your price.” – Anonymous

iSkoLaR nG BaYaN

2006-09-19T17:25:00.000-07:00

REBEL WITHOUT A CLUE
Payback
By Patricia Evangelista
Inquirer
Last updated 05:56am (Mla time) 09/03/2006

Published on page A11 of the September 3, 2006 issue of the
Philippine Daily Inquirer

I HAVE recently learned that I owe a debt of gratitude to Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez. "Some degree of gratitude," must be due to the fact that I spent my college life in the University of the Philippines. I apologize for my omission, and can think of no way more apt than to share what he calls the "world-class education" that I have acquired in the four years I spent in UP. I will attempt to do justice to the underpaid and overworked professors who teach with ancient blackboards where today's lectures are superimposed over diagrams from
three years before. If I cannot, perhaps the good secretary would be interested in taking the class I took in my freshman year-Philo 11: Introduction to Logic.

In a statement just this week, Gonzalez laments the decline in quality of UP graduates. "That school," he thunders, "breeds the destabilizers that haunt the country every year."

In the interest of clarity, let us define the word "destabilizer." A destabilizer, or an obstructionist, is one who deliberately chooses to oppose current norms. They mistrust much of what is claimed, perpetually demand for answers and admit only truths that they believe have basis in fact, logic, theory, precedence or their own personal standards. In the academe, however, they are called neither destabilizers nor obstructionists. The common word for these vile creatures is "scholar."'

The reason students are sent to school is not to learn how to parrot government memoranda, or memorize the capitals of provinces in alphabetical order. Students study to learn how to think-not just to acquire a sheet of printed parchment to post on the wall. The capacity for critical thought is what separates the man from the beast. A dog can be trained how to sit, a monkey can walk across a tightrope, but it is the man who can choose to stand up and speak.

Contrary to what Gonzalez believes, it is not opposition to the government that characterizes the UP scholar. It is the opposition to passive acceptance, and a compulsion for thought. Gonzalez claims that he is not against all UP students, God forbid, because there are some who are "bright and good." I assume he means those of us who do not rally , who do not march, who do not choose to side with the Left. By "bright and good," he means "bright and good to the government of GMA." "It is the people's taxes that is keeping UP alive," he claims. Agreed. "It is the State that is paying for their schooling." Agreed. "I think some degree of gratitude should be there also." Agreed.

There is a difference, however, between the State and Secretary Gonzalez. He is not the State, however much he tries to convince us. Neither is the government of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. The State is the people, the debt is to the people, the gratitude is to those who paid their taxes in the hope that the country's best and brightest will do some good in the future.

The academe, more than anywhere else, is the hotbed of debate, a place where multiple perspectives clash, and every sort of ideology, theory and philosophy has a place. Disagreement is a norm, and is seen as a manifestation of critical thought. That UP breeds destabilizers is not a bad thing-after all, if stability means the kind of government we have today, then I stand for destabilization, too.

All of us agree on our debt to the country-all of us want to pursue the national interest. But because we are scholars, because we are taught to think, the manner we pursue that national interest and the definition of that national interest vary from student to student. The red-shirted activist in Mendiola is no less aware of that debt than the political science student who plans to join government.

This need to check the government, Gonzalez claims, "is degrading the national interest." Who defines national interest? To Gonzalez, certainly not the people, and certainly not those who have been shot, strangled and maimed because of the administration's relentless pursuit of national interest.

Democracy is not the absence of dissent; it is the tolerance of the freedom to dissent, and the awareness that dissent can check the State's enormous power. And still Justice Secretary Gonzales, in all smugness, demands that this "high tolerance to educational freedom," should be raised in the annual budget hearing. I cannot believe I live in a country where education is threatened because it is used.

This is not simply an issue of an old man trying to strut his machismo by aiming potshots at students. It may be hard to believe-as this is the man who, I have a sneaking suspicion, is the opposition's hired gun, the man who "forgave" Susan Roces because she was "too pretty to put in jail," the man who told former President Aquino to first take care of her controversial daughter Kris before she opposes GMA; and the same man who claimed that the only reason he didn't absolve three suspects in the Subic Bay rape case was that he had to "appease the mob." He is the man whose snappy comeback to the impromptu Oblation Run held a week ago was to ask the fraternity men to "take off your masks and run naked."

But irrelevant of the man, his denouncement of UP is an attempt-no matter how moronic, and no matter how laughable-to justify actions that would otherwise be unjustifiable. It is one of the dozens of persistent suggestions that the government is always on the side of right, that to oppose it is treachery and that to question it is to go against all standards of morality, honesty and patriotism. And all this is dangerous, at a time when people are tired of marching in the streets, tired of throwing out one corrupt leader after another, tired of the perpetual struggle for the rights and freedoms that are inexplicably being curtailed.

The government thrusts us b ack into the Dark Ages, where leaders are omnipotent and "the people" do not exist. Right is right, and wrong is wrong, and probing into the nature of the "enemy" is assumed to be support for the enemy. Those who oppose policies are "destabilizers," or "NPA sympathizers" or "oppositionists." To report truth that will compromise government approval ratings is "inciting to sedition," a crime of which Gonzalez once accused the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism. "Why fight the State?" Gonzalez demands, "Why try to bring it down?"

Gonzalez claims that he is proud to say he is from the University of Sto. Tomas, and that it is the reason he is "well-behaved." I offer my sympathies to UST, and since I am also aware that there is much that is "bright and good'" in that school, I believe Gonzalez must be a case where good education has failed in creating an educated man.

If this man is the epitome of what it is to be well-behaved, I'm glad that that's a compliment I've never been paid.

LoVe QuoTeS (an e-mail fwd)

2006-09-14T17:43:00.000-07:00

"Maybe God wants us to meet a few wrong people before meeting the right person so that when we finally meet the right one, we will know how to be grateful for that gift."

"A sad thing in life is when you meet someone who means a lot to you, only to find out in the end that it was never meant to be and you have to let go."

"Giving someone all your love is never an assurance that they’ll love you back! Don’t expect love in return; just wait for it to grow in their hearts, but if it doesn’t, be content that it grew in yours."

"It is easy to fall in love but it’s hard to find someone who will catch you when you fall."

"You’ll know he loves you when he’ll never hurt you no matter how much you hurt him; and you don’t hurt him even if you know you can."

"Love not one, love not two, love the only one who loves you, too. Love not three, love not four, love the one who loves you more. Love not five, love not six, love the one who really sticks. Love not seven, love not eight, love the one who really waits."

"Losing the one you love could be painful yet a blessing, for it just means someone more deserving is yet to come."

"Sometimes the love we are looking for is right in front of us --- too close for the eyes to see. So, close your eyes and let your heart see for itself."

"True love does not have a happy ending. That’s because true love doesn’t have an ending."

"There are things you’d love to hear that you would never hear from the person whom you would like to hear them from, but don’t be so deaf as not to hear it from the one who says it from his heart."

"Never say goodbye if you still want to try --- never give up if you still can go on --- never say you don’t love a person anymore if you can’t let go."

"Don’t go for looks; they can deceive. Don’t go for wealth; even they fade away. Go for someone, who makes you smile because it takes only a smile to make a dark day seem bright. Hope you find the one who makes you smile."

"There are moments in life when you miss someone so much that you just want to pick them for your dreams and hug them for real! Hope you dream of that special someone."

"The beginning of love is to let those we love to be just themselves, and not twist them with our own image --- otherwise, we love only a reflection of our selves we find in them."

"A heart truly in love never loses hope but always believe in the promise of love, no matter how long the time and how far the distance."

"If you really love someone, put a circle around their name not a heart, because a heart can be broken but a circle goes forever."

"Follow your heart. It might not always be right but despite the pain, you’ll have memories that will make you smile even once and every rare while."

"There are so many stars in the sky, only some are radiant enough to be noticed. Among those you choose to ignore is the one, which is willing to shine for you forever even if your glance remains elsewhere."

"In relationships, thank God when you’re hurting or crying. There you are given a chance to measure the importance of the relationship with the other person and of yourself… then you'll grow!"

aLL i WaNt iS u 2DaY

2006-09-14T17:35:00.000-07:00

by South Border,

one of my favorite bands in the Philippines

Some things never change

Some things will remain

And I always hope and pray

That I could change that day

And maybe find a way

To make you come to me and stay ...

Chorus:

Yesterday doesn't matter

Tomorrow we may not ever know

So listen to me now

As I try to say

That all I want is you today ...

If you only knew

What you put me through

You might not have gone away

Have you ever felt

Even for a while

Something's missin' in your life ...

(Repeat Chorus)

All I want is you today

If you don't need me anymore

Don't say it

If you don't love me anymore

Don't show it

Because this life I have is yours

So maybe you could try not to love me again ...

Chorus 2:

Yesterday doesn't matter

Tomorrow I just might be gone

So listen to me now

As I try to say

That all I want is you today ...

All I want is you today ...

So TrUe

2006-09-14T17:32:00.000-07:00

1. There are at least two people in this world that you would die for.
2. At least 15 people in this world love you in some way.
3. The only reason anyone would ever hate you is because they want to be just like you.
4. A smile from you can bring happiness to anyone, even if they don't like you.
5. Every night, SOMEONE thinks about you before they go to sleep.
6. You mean the world to someone.
7. You are special and unique.
8. Someone that you don't even know exists loves you.
9. When you make the biggest mistake ever, something good comes from it.
10. When you think the world has turned its back on you take another look.
11. Always remember the compliments you received. Forget about the rude remarks.

--- an e-mail forward ---

FoUr ThiNgS

2006-08-29T17:23:00.000-07:00

Four things about me you may not have ever known...

A) Four jobs I have had in my life:
1. Assistant Accounts Manager at a UCbookstore
2. CAREgiver for a senior care company
3. Night Audit/Front Desk Clerk at a Santa Barbara Hotel
4. Catering staff for several catering companies in Santa Barbara

B) Four movies I would watch over and over:
1. Titanic
2. The Notebook
3. Life As A House
4. Pretty Woman

C) Four places I have lived:
1. Pampanga, philippines
2. Baguio City, Philippines
3. Vallejo, California
4. Santa Barbara, California

D) Four TV shows I love to watch:
1. Gilmore Girls
2. 24
3. Will And Grace
4. Iron Chef

E) Four websites I visit often:
1. www.philnews.com
2. www.friendster.com
3. www.hotmail.com
4. www.pinoycook.net

F) Four places I have visited:
1. Disneyland, Anaheim
2. Universal Studios, Los Angeles
3. Las Vegas, Nevada
4. Reno, Nevada

G) Four of my favorite foods:
1. Pad-thai
2. Popeye's Chicken & Cajun rice
3. Kare-kare
4. Pork Ribs Sinigang

H) Four places I like to be right now:
1. Hawaii
2. Philippines
3. New York
4. Bora Bora or Fiji

I) Four properties I'd like to own:
1. a house in California
2. a condo unit in Metro Manila, Philippines
3. a vacation house in Tagaytay, Philippines
4. an H2, H3 or an Escalade

ThE mEaNiNg oF LiFe

2006-08-29T16:36:00.000-07:00

--- an e-mail forward from a friend. Hope it enlightens you, too.

A ninety-one year old woman died after living a long dignified life.

When she met God she asked him something that had long bothered her.

If Man was created in God's image, and if all men are created equal, why do people treat each other so badly?

God replied that each person who enters our life has a unique Lesson to teach us. And it is only through these lessons that we learn about life, people, relationships and God.

This confused the woman, so God began to explain.

When someone lies to you, it teaches you that things are not always as they seem. The truth is often far beneath the surface. Look beyond the masks people wear if you want to know their heart. And remove your own masks to let people know yours.

When someone steals from you, it teaches you that nothing is forever. Always appreciate what you have, for you never know when you might lose it. And never, ever take your friends and family for granted because today is the only guarantee you have.

When someone inflicts an injury upon you, it teaches you that the human state is a fragile one. Protect and take care of your body as best as you can, it's the only thing you are sure to have here on earth.

When someone mocks you, it teaches you that no two people are alike. When you encounter people who are different from you, don't judge them by how they look or act; instead base your opinion on the contents of their heart.

When someone breaks your heart, it teaches you that loving someone does not always mean that person will love you back. But don't turn your back on love because when you find the right person, the joy that one person brings will make up for all the past hurts put together. Times ten.

When someone holds a grudge against you, it teaches you that everyone makes mistakes. When you are wronged, the most virtuous thing you can do is forgive the offender without pretense. Forgiving those who have hurt us is the most difficult and courageous thing Man can do.

When a loved one is unfaithful to you, it teaches you that resisting temptation is Man's greatest challenge. Be vigilant in your resistance against all temptation. By doing so you will be rewarded with an enduring sense of satisfaction far greater than the temporary pleasure by which you were tempted.

When someone cheats you, it teaches you that greed is the root of all evil. Aspire to make your dreams come true, no matter how lofty they may be. Do not feel guilty about your success, but never let an obsession with achieving your goals lead you to engage in malevolent activities.

When someone ridicules you, it teaches you that nobody is perfect. Accept people for their merits and be tolerant of their flaws. Do not ever reject someone for imperfections over which they have no control. Upon hearing the Lord's wisdom, the old woman became concerned that there were no lessons to be learned from Man's good deeds.

God replied that Man's capacity to love is the greatest gift he has. At the root of all kindness is love, and each act of love also teaches us a lesson.

The woman's curiosity deepening, God once again began to explain.

When someone loves us, it teaches us that love, kindness, charity, honesty, humility, forgiveness and acceptance can counteract all the evil in the world. For every good deed, there is one less evil deed. Man alone has the power to control the balance between good and evil, but because the lessons of love are not taught often enough, the power is too often abused.

When you enter someone's life, whether by plan, chance or coincidence, consider what your lesson will be. Will you teach love or a harsh lesson of reality? When you die will your life have resulted in more loving or hurting? More comfort or pain? More joy or sadness? Each one of us has power over the balance of love in the world. Use it wisely. Don't miss an opportunity to nudge the world's scale in the right direction.

Pass this lesson of love on to those you love and to those you have hurt. For each person who receives this, there will be a little less evil in the world and a little more love.

-Author Unknown

coNvErSaTiOn WiTh TiMi

2006-08-28T12:05:00.001-07:00

Timi: Ate, why are we going back to the Philippines? A volcano is erupting, Manila is flooded when it rains, it’s very hot and humid, there are rallies and riots almost every day, and the government is a mess.
Cathy: I don’t know. Maybe because the Philippines is home for us and it will always be. It just feels better being home.
Timi: I agree. I am excited to go back there.
Cathy: So am I.

WhAt iS LoVe?

2006-08-28T12:05:00.000-07:00

If I speak in the tongues of mortals and of angels, but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.

And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.

If I give away all my possessions, and if I hand over my body so that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient;
Love is kind;
Love is not envious
or boastful
or arrogant or rude.
It does not insist on its own way;
It is not irritable
or resentful;
It does not rejoice in wrongdoing.
but rejoices in the truth.
It bears all things,
believes all things,
hopes all things,
endures all things.
Love never ends.

And now faith, hope, and love abide these three:

And the greatest of these is LOVE.

1 Corinthians 13:1-8.13 NRSV

BeiNg 29

2006-08-28T11:58:00.000-07:00

August 23, 2006

It’s my 29th birthday today. I am grateful for everything that has come my way. I am grateful for my loving and supportive family, my wonderful friends, my great job, my good health, and all the blessings that He has given me in the 29 years of my life. I will not ask for more, just for what’s best. To God is the glory!

Messages from friends:
-- Irene (via text): Hi malago! Hapi bday… musta date mu? Ninung mapalad na papa na abe mu anyang special day mu? Sana maging masaya ka lagi. Luv u. Miss u.
-- Rachel (via text): Happy birthday! Love and hugs from the accounting staff!
-- Lawrence (via text): Happy Birthday!
-- Tito Fed (via text): Keep your light shining by, holding your heart always close to God. Wishing you good health and happiness. Happy birthday!
-- Rich, Yeng, Richi, & Archi (via text): Hapi birthday! Ur not gettin’ any younger kumare. I know ala naka king kalendaryu. Hope you stay happy always. Happy birthday from us!
-- Adrian & Alvin (via text): Happy bday Ating Cathy… be happy always. May you have many more birthdays to come. We miss you. Take care always.
-- Tito Benny & Tita Tess (via text): Happy, happy birthday to you. More blessings to come.
-- Tita Fhel (via text & call): Today is God’s answer to last night’s prayer; to live another day, to recover wasted chances, to forgive and to be forgiving, and to say “Thank you Lord!” Good morning and have a blessed birthday. (She called, too, from the Philippines)
-- Ish (via text): Happy birthday mahal! Tanda mo na!
-- Alicia (via text): Don’t simply thank God for the blessings you receive but thank Him because He has chosen you to be blessed and be a blessing to others. Happy birthday! God bless you more and more.
-- Lorna (via text): Happy birthday Tale! Musta naka? Miss you na. Happy birthday, matwa naka. Lab u. Mwah!
-- Jules (via text): Happy Birthday!
-- Glenda (via text): 8 rules to be happy: 1. never hate, 2. don’t worry, 3. live simply, 4.expect a little, 5. give a lot, 6. always smile, 7. live with love, and 8. best of all, be with God. Happy b-day Mare. Love u!
-- Janine, Paolo, & Alyssa (via text): Happy birthday Ating Cathy! May you have many more birthdays to come. God bless you and take care.
-- Mary (via greeting card): Happy birthday to my best caregiver ever. Thank you for everything.
-- Ate Rho gave me a foot spa gift set, and we went to dinner with some of our co-workers at Buffet City. The food was great, and we had a wonderful time.
-- George called me from Korea, and I was so surprised. He’s been one of my good friends since high school. I felt very happy to receive a phone call from him. We haven’t seen each other since I visited the Philippines in May 2003.
-- James (via MySpace): Happy Birthday Catherine. Have a wonderful day today. Take care.
-- Lauren (via MySpace): Hey Cathy! I miss you. Happy birthday! I hope it is the best one yet.
-- Rachel (via MySpace): Happy birthday Cathy! Hope you are having an awesome day.
-- Bee (via MySpace): So I saw the little birthday hat under your picture. Happy birthday! Are you working today? You are huh?
-- Jeni (via Friendster): Ating Cath, advance happy birthday. Amiss kuna ing makipag-kwento keka.
-- Jonathan (via Friendster): Belated happy birthday Ating Cathy!
-- Cincin (via Friendster): Hi Cath! Happy birthday! Getting older, are we, okay lang basta young at heart. Anyways, I wish you all the best and good health. Take care.
-- Tet (via Friendster): Happy birthday! Wishing you the best. You deserve it. God bless.
-- Kuya Romeo (via Friendster): Happy birthday!
--Carlo (via Friendster): Happy birthday! Wishing you more blessings and good health.
-- Glenda (via Friendster): Happy, happy 29th birthday! Sana matupad ngan ning wishes mu lalo na king lovelife mu (pwede pakiabe mu kami rin?...hehehehe). Sana din datang ne ing prince mu. Lav u!...mwah!!!
-- Angelo (via E-card): Belated happy birthday... wishing you good health, happiness, and success in life.

-- And the best I have received was from my little sister, Timi (via greeting card): Happy birthday! I want to thank you for everything. I don't think I'll meet anyone as understanding as you. I know I'm a hard person to put up with, so thank you for being patient with me. Tou've been there for my triumphs and failures, to wipe away my tears and laugh with me, but especially to encourage me to do my best. I can't thank you enough. I will do my best to make you and Ma proud. I promise. And I do hope that everything you dream and wish for comes true, because if anyone in this world deserves to be happy, it is you. Thank you for being my best friend and inspiration. Happy birthday. I love you very much. [with her permission].

My birthday wish: To enjoy life, live well, learn and inspire more, and be able to fall in love with someone who will love me tirelessly, stand by me, and stay with me thru it all. Oh, and yeah, to lose some weight! LoL!

aLmOsT 29

2006-08-28T11:57:00.000-07:00

August 20, 2006

I am turning 29 in 3 days. I have mix feelings about it --- happy, sad, depress, hopeful, stressed-out, excited --- and the list goes on. I know we all get older, as we do every year, but for some reason, I never imagined it coming to me. It's not because I don't want to get older, it's because I always have this feeling of not having done enough or what's best. Sometimes when I look around me, I feel that I have not accomplished as much as I should have for my age. I always have that feeling that I could have done more, looked better, traveled farther, read more, wrote more, etc. Regrets --- there’s always something to regret about in life. But I appreciate the fact that I am blessed. I have always been blessed.

As the wise says, do your best and there will be no room for regrets. We should only compete with ourselves, and no one else. Each one of us goes through a completely different life, and we will never know how to be in somebody else's shoe. We should only look at another person's life to give us inspiration and not to feel inferior or superior to them.

So what do I aspire to do? To always do my best, and become a better person everyday. And most importantly, to always have faith in Him.

Kami nAPO Muna

2006-08-28T11:56:00.000-07:00

August 20, 2006

My favorite CD at the moment is Kami nAPO Muna, Tribute to the APO Hiking Society, performed by our local bands in the Philippines. The APO (Jim, Buboy, & Danny) are a musical genius. They are icons in the Philippine entertainment industry. I have much respect for their talent, their music, but above all, for their contribution to the Philippines, socially and politically. I will always love APO.

My favorite APO songs: Awit Ng Barkada, Panalangin, and Ewan

oN LoVe

2006-08-28T11:53:00.000-07:00

August 10, 2006

From The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran

Love has no other desire but to fulfill itself.
But if you love and must needs have desires,
Let these be your desires;
To melt and be like a running brook
that sings its melody to the night.
To know the pain of too much tenderness.
To be wounded by your own understanding of love;
And to bleed willingly and joyfully.
To wake at dawn with a winged heart
and give thanks for another day of loving.
To rest at the noon hour and
meditate love’s ecstasy;
To return home at eventide with gratitude;
And then to sleep with a prayer for
the beloved in your heart and a song
of praise upon your lips.

FiNd WhAt YoU LoVe

2006-07-19T22:46:00.000-07:00

[This a Commencement address by Steve Jobs, CEO of Apple Computer and of Pixar Animation Studios, delivered on June 12, 2005 at Stanford University. It was forwarded to me by a college friend and I am sharing it with all of you fellow bloggers.]

I am honored to be with you today at your commencement from one of the finest universities in the world. I never graduated from college. Truth be told, this is the closest I've ever gotten to a college graduation. Today I want to tell you three stories from my life. That's it. No big deal. Just three stories.

The first story is about connecting the dots.

I dropped out of Reed College after the first 6 months, but then stayed around as a drop-in for another 18 months or so before I really quit. So why did I drop out?

It started before I was born. My biological mother was a young, unwed college graduate student, and she decided to put me up for adoption. She felt very strongly that I should be adopted by college graduates, so everything was all set for me to be adopted at birth by a lawyer and his wife. Except that when I popped out they decided at the last minute that they really wanted a girl. So my parents, who were on a waiting list, got a call in the middle of the night asking: "We have an unexpected baby boy; do you want him?" They said: "Of course." My biological mother later found out that my mother had never graduated from college and that my father had never graduated from high school. She refused to sign the final adoption papers. She only relented a few months later when my parents promised that I would someday go to college.

And 17 years later I did go to college. But I naively chose a college that was almost as expensive as Stanford, and all of my working-class parents' savings were being spent on my college tuition. After six months, I couldn't see the value in it. I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life and no idea how college was going to help me figure it out. And here I was spending all of the money my parents had saved their entire life. So I decided to drop out and trust that it would all work out OK. It was pretty scary at the time, but looking back it was one of the best decisions I ever made. The minute I dropped out I could stop taking the required classes that didn't interest me, and begin dropping in on the ones that looked interesting.

It wasn't all romantic. I didn't have a dorm room, so I slept on the floor in friends' rooms, I returned coke bottles for the 5¢ deposits to buy food with, and I would walk the 7 miles across town every Sunday night to get one good meal a week at the Hare Krishna temple. I loved it. And much of what I stumbled into by following my curiosity and intuition turned out to be priceless later on. Let me give you one example:

Reed College at that time offered perhaps the best calligraphy instruction in the country. Throughout the campus every poster, every label on every drawer, was beautifully hand calligraphed. Because I had dropped out and didn't have to take the normal classes, I decided to take a calligraphy class to learn how to do this. I learned about serif and san serif type faces, about varying the amount of space between different letter combinations, about what makes great typography great. It was beautiful, historical, artistically subtle in a way that science can't capture, and I found it fascinating.

None of this had even a hope of any practical application in my life. But ten years later, when we were designing the first Macintosh computer, it all came back to me. And we designed it all into the Mac. It was the first computer with beautiful typography. If I had never dropped in on that single course in college, the Mac would have never had multiple typefaces or proportionally spaced fonts. And since Windows just copied the Mac, it's likely that no personal computer would have them. If I had never dropped out, I would have never dropped in on this calligraphy class, and personal computers might not have the wonderful typography that they do. Of course it was impossible to connect the dots looking forward when I was in college. But it was very, very clear looking backwards ten years later.

Again, you can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something *your gut,destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life.

My second story is about love and loss.

I was lucky *I found what I loved to do early in life. Woz and I started Apple in my parent's garage when I was 20. We worked hard, and in 10 years Apple had grown from just the two of us in a garage into a $2 billion company with over 4000 employees. We had just released our finest creation * the Macintosh * a year earlier, and I had just turned 30. And then I got fired. How can you get fired from a company you started? Well, as Apple grew we hired someone who I thought was very talented to run the company with me, and for the first year or so things went well. But then our visions of the future began to diverge and eventually we had a falling out. When we did, our Board of Directors sided with him. So at 30 I was out. And very publicly out. What had been the focus of my entire adult life was gone, and it was devastating.

I really didn't know what to do for a few months. I felt that I had let the previous generation of entrepreneurs down - that I had dropped the baton as it was being passed to me. I met with David Packard and Bob Noyce and tried to apologize for screwing up so badly. I was a very public failure, and I even thought about running away from the valley. But something slowly began to dawn on me * I still loved what I did. The turn of events at Apple had not changed that one bit. I had been rejected, but I was still in love. And so I decided to start over.

I didn't see it then, but it turned out that getting fired from Apple was the best thing that could have ever happened to me. The heaviness of being successful was replaced by the lightness of being a beginner again, less sure about everything. It freed me to enter one of the most creative periods of my life.

During the next five years, I started a company named NeXT, another company named Pixar, and fell in love with an amazing woman who would become my wife. Pixar went on to create the worlds first computer animated feature film, Toy Story, and is now the most successful animation studio in the world. In a remarkable turn of events, Apple bought NeXT, I returned to Apple, and the technology we developed at NeXT is at the heart of Apple's current renaissance. And Laurene and I have a wonderful family together.

I'm pretty sure none of this would have happened if I hadn't been fired from Apple. It was awful tasting medicine, but I guess the patient needed it. Sometimes life hits you in the head with a brick. Don't lose faith. I'm convinced that the only thing that kept me going was that I loved what I did. You've got to find what you love. And that is as true for your work as it is for your lovers. Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle. As with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on. So keep looking until you find it. Don't settle.

My third story is about death.

When I was 17, I read a quote that went something like: "If you live each day as if it was your last, someday you'll most certainly be right." It made an impression on me, and since then, for the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: "If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?" And whenever the answer has been "No" for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something.

Remembering that I'll be dead soon is the most important tool I've ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything *all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure - these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.

About a year ago I was diagnosed with cancer. I had a scan at 7:30 in the morning, and it clearly showed a tumor on my pancreas. I didn't even know what a pancreas was. The doctors told me this was almost certainly a type of cancer that is incurable, and that I should expect to live no longer than three to six months. My doctor advised me to go home and get my affairs in order, which is doctor's code for prepare to die. It means to try to tell your kids everything you thought you'd have the next 10 years to tell them in just a few months. It means to make sure everything is buttoned up so that it will be as easy as possiblefor your family. It means to say your goodbyes.

I lived with that diagnosis all day. Later that evening I had a biopsy, where they stuck an endoscope down my throat, through my stomach and into my intestines, put a needle into my pancreas and got a few cells from the tumor. I was sedated, but my wife, who was there, told me that when they viewed the cells under a microscope the doctors started crying because it turned out to be a very rare form of pancreatic cancer that is curable with surgery. I had the surgery and I'm fine now.

This was the closest I've been to facing death, and I hope its the closest I get for a few more decades. Having lived through it, I can now say this to you with a bit more certainty than when death was a useful but purely intellectual concept:

No one wants to die. Even people who want to go to heaven don't want to die to get there. And yet death is the destination we all share. No one has ever escaped it. And that is as it should be, because Death is very likely the single best invention of Life. It is Life's change agent. It clears out the old to make way for the new. Right now the new is you, but someday not too long from now, you will gradually become the old and be cleared away. Sorry to be so dramatic, but it is quite true.

Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma *which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.

When I was young, there was an amazing publication called The Whole Earth Catalog, which was one of the bibles of my generation. It was created by a fellow named Stewart Brand not far from here in Menlo Park, and he brought it to life with his poetic touch. This was in the late 1960's, before personal computers and desktop publishing, so it was all made with typewriters, scissors, and polaroid cameras. It was sort of like Google in paperback form, 35 years before Google came along: it was idealistic, and overflowing with neat tools and great notions.

Stewart and his team put out several issues of TheWhole Earth Catalog, and then when it had run its course, they put out a final issue. It was the mid-1970s, and I was your age. On the back cover of their final issue was a photograph of an early morning country road, the kind you might find yourself hitchhiking on if you were so adventurous. Beneath it were the words: "Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish." It was their farewell message as they signed off. Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish. And I have always wished that for myself. And now, as you graduate to begin anew, I wish that for you.

Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish.

Thank you all very much.

DoN't... jUsT DoN't

2006-06-26T00:23:00.000-07:00

Don't ever leave

the one you love

for the one you like,

because the one you like

will leave you

for the one they truly love.

-anonymous-

HoW SwEeT iS SaLtY CoFFee?

2006-06-26T00:14:00.000-07:00

***from an e-mail forward from a friend:

He met her on a party. She was so outstanding, many guys chasing after her, while he so normal, nobody paid attention to him. At the end of the party, he invited her to have coffee with him, she was surprised, but due to being polite, she promised. They sat in a nice coffee shop, he was too nervous to say anything, she felt uncomfortable, she thought, "please, let me go home...." suddenly he asked the waiter. "Would you please give me some salt? I'd like to put it in my coffee." Everybody stared at him, so strange! His face turned red, but still, he put the salt in his coffee and drank it. She asked him curiously; "why do you have this hobby?" He replied: "when I was a little boy, I was living near the sea, I like playing in the sea, I could feel the taste of the sea, just like the taste of the salty coffee. Now every time I have the salty coffee, I always think of my childhood, think of my hometown. I miss my hometown so much. I miss my parents who are still living there." While saying that tears filled his eyes. She was deeply touched. That's his true feeling, from the bottom of his heart.

A man who can tell out his homesickness, he must be a man who loves home, cares about home, and has responsibility of home. Then she also started to speak, spoke about her far away hometown, her childhood, her family. That was a really nice talk, also a beautiful beginning of their story. They continued to date. She found that actually he was a man who meets all her demands; he had tolerance, was kind-hearted, warm, and careful. He was such a good person but she almost missed him! Thanks to his salty coffee! Then the story was just like every beautiful love story , the princess married to the prince, then they were living the happy life... And every time she made coffee for him, she put some salt in the coffee, as she knew that's the way he liked it.

After 40 years, he passed away, left her a letter which said: "My dearest, please forgive me, forgive my whole life lie. This was the only lie I said to you--- the salty coffee. Remember the first time we dated? I was so nervous at that time, actually I wanted some sugar, but I said salt. It was hard for me to change so I just went ahead.I never thought that could be the start of our communication! I tried to tell you the truth many times in my life, but I was too afraid to do that, as I have promised not to lie to you for anything. Now I'm dying, I'm afraid of nothing so I'll tell you the truth: I don't like the salty coffee, what a strange bad taste. But I have had the salty coffee for my whole life! Since I knew you, I never feel sorry for anything I do for you. Having you with me is my biggest happiness in my whole life. If I can live for the second time, I still want to know you and have you for my whole life, even though I have to drink the salty coffee again." Her tears made the letter totally wet.

One day, someone asked her: "what's the taste of salty coffee?" "It's sweet." She replied.

LoVe & TiMe (e-mail fwd)

2006-06-25T22:53:00.000-07:00

Once upon a time, there was an island where all the feelings lived:
Happiness, Sadness, Knowledge, and all of the others, including Love.

One day it was announced to the feelings that the island would sink, so all constructed boats and left. Except for Love.

Love was the only one who stayed. Love wanted to hold out until the last possible moment. When the island had almost sunk, Love decided to ask for help.

Richness was passing by Love in a grand boat. Love said, "Richness, can you take me with you?" Richness answered, "No, I can't. There is a lot of gold and silver in my boat. There is no place here for you. "Love decided to ask Vanity who was also passing by in a beautiful vessel. "Vanity, please help me!""I can't help you, Love. You are all wet and might damage my boat," Vanity answered.

Sadness was close by so Love asked, "Sadness, let me go with you.""Oh . . . Love, I am so sad that I need to be by myself! "Happiness passed by Love, too, but she was so happy that she did not even hear when Love called her.

Suddenly, there was a voice, "Come, Love, I will take you." It was an elder. So blessed and overjoyed, Love even forgot to ask the elder where they were going. When they arrived at dry land, the elder went her own way.

Realizing how much was owed the elder, Love asked Knowledge, another elder, "Who Helped me?""It was Time," Knowledge answered."Time?" asked Love. "But why did Time help me?" Knowledge smiled with deep wisdom and answered, "Because only Time is capable of understanding how valuable Love is."

SuRvEy MaNiA #4

2006-05-28T21:12:00.000-07:00

***inspired by Tink

1. In one sentence, explain what ended your last relationship: --- I'm still trying to figure out what happened and why it ended.
2. What made you smile today? --- Some show on TFC.
3. What were you doing this morning at 8 AM? --- Getting ready for work .
4. What were you doing 15 minutes ago? --- Posting entries on my blog.
5. Something that happened to you in 1985? --- I was in 2nd grade.
6. Your prom night? --- Unforgettable.
7. Last thing you said aloud? --- "Maybe tomorrow." (my answer to my sister when she said #8)
8. Last thing someone else said aloud? --- (Timi talking to me) Can we buy mango shake from Chow-king?
9. Worst thing currently on television? --- Calamities everywhere.
10. What was in the mail today? --- No mail today 'coz it's a Sunday.
11. How many different beverages have you drank today? --- Three (Arizona Iced Tea, Diet Coke, and water).
12. What is your favorite part of the day? --- Late afternoon/early evening when it's starting to cool down.
13. Your current To-do list? --- Balance my checkbook, finish my HISC exam booklet, and work out.
18. Least favorite place to shop? --- The "expensive-I can't afford anything they have" stores.
19. Last thing you bought? --- Today's lunch.
20. Last gift you received? --- I can't remember.
21. Funniest thing you heard all day? --- I can't think of any.
22. Favorite mug? --- My UCSB navy blue soup mug.
23. What color is you door? --- Off-white.
24. Beautiful is: --- ME.
25. Describe your keyring: --- Needs new keychains.
26. Where do you keep your change? --- My little chinese coin purse.
27. Say something to your bestfriend: --- Thank you.
29. What was the weather like on your graduation day? --- Very hot.
30. Last ice cream flavor that you ate? --- Vanilla with chocolate syrup.
31. Last rainbow you saw? --- A month ago.
32. Something you are excited about: --- Going back to the Philippines.

SuRvEy MaNiA #3

2006-05-28T15:36:00.000-07:00

*** inspired by Caye

[Name 3 schools you went to]
** Holy Rosary Academy
** University of the Philippines
** University of California Santa Barbara

[Name 3 of your dream vacation spots]
** Carribean Islands
** Europe
** Different islands in the Philippines like Bora & Palawan

[Name 3 things in your wallet]
** Checkbook/Checks
** Debit card
** Some IDs

[Name 3 things you always wear]
** Earrings
** Rings
** Contact Lenses

[Name 3+3+3 of your closest friends]
** Irene, Glenda, and Ann (bestfriends)
** Annie, Migs, and Caye
** Mama, Timi, and myself

[Name 3+2+7 favorite songs] lately…
** Stickwitu (Pussycat Dolls), So Sick (Ne-Yo), If You Were Mine (Mario Hernandez)
** Lost Without Your Love, Like We Never Loved At All (Faith Hill)
** Home (Michael Buble), At Last (Etta James), Breath (Faith Hill), Will Of The Wind (J. Photoglo), Everything You Do and The Way You Look At Me (Christian Bautista), and Patience (Guns N Roses)

[Name 3 favorite places to shop]
** Express
** Forever 21
** Bath and Body Works

[Name 3 THINGS you love to do]
** Cook
** Read books
** Sleep

[Name 3 of your favorite color]
** Black
** Red
** Brown

[Name 3 foods you love]
** Pork Ribs Sinigang
** Kare-Kare
** Pad Thai

[Name 3 recent expenses]
** Tons of books
** Some jewelries
** Purses

[Name 3 of your favorite cartoon/fictional character]
** Lara Croft
** Neo
** Harry Potter

[Name 3 goals in 2006]
** Lose weight.
** Save some money for school.
** Visit the Philippines.

[Name 3 plans for next week]
** Look for a better job.
** Go to Pista Sa Nayon in V-town.
** Work out.

[Name 3 things you're going to do in an hour]
** Eat.
** Watch TFC.
** Read & answer my HISC exam for work.

[Name 3 words/phrases you like to use a lot]
** Yeah, right!
** Oh, really?
** Sh*t!

[Name 3 things you didn't like last year]
** I gained weight.
** I hurt someone dear.
** My dad got very sick.

[Name 3 things friends do to u very often]
** Love me.
** Listen to me.
** Communicate as much as they can.

[Name 3 things u do when you're sad]
** Cry buckets of tears to release the pain.
** Sleep to forget it.
** Eat a lot to recover the energy lost. (daw!)

[Name 3 things you do when you're happy]
** Smile 'coz I'm happy.
** Eat out or cook.
** Go to the mall.

SuRvEy MaNiA #2

2006-05-28T15:34:00.000-07:00

* survey inspired by Sai from friendster

THE WHO'S:
Who is in the room with you? --- mY TiMi.
Who was the last person to IM you? --- gLeNdA.
Who did you last talk to on the phone? --- MoM.
Who's house did you last go to? --- MrS. JeWeL's.
Who was the last person you told you love them? --- TiMi.
Who gets on your nerves the most from your school? --- d "RnBs"

THE WHERE'S:
Where do you go to school? --- DoNe WiTh ScHooL FoR NoW.
Where is your phone? --- iN mY PuRsE.
Where is your mom? --- aT wOrK.
Where do you sleep? --- TiMi'S RooM.
Where do you shop the most? --- FoReVeR 21, ExPrEss & RoSS.
Where did you get the shirt you're wearing? --- K-MaRt.
Where did you last take a car ride to? --- MrS. JeWeL's HoMe.
Where in your room are you? --- bY tHe StuDy DeSk.

THE WHAT'S:
What was the last thing you ate? --- SiNiGaNg Na BaNgUs.
What color pants are you wearing? --- DiStReSSeD JeAnS.
What is the closest item near you that is blue? --- TiMi's LiTtLe PrAyiNg DoLL.
What do you like about school? --- LeArNiNg.
What are you wearing on your feet? --- I'm BaReFooT RiGhT nOw.
What instant messaging service do you use? --- YaHoo.
What is your favorite color? --- ReD, bLaCk, & BrOwN.
What is your favorite website? --- My bLog (LoVe YoUr OwN).
What is your favorite shoe brand? --- SkEtChEr'S.
What do you wear more: jeans or skirts? --- BoTh.
What is the last movie watched? --- Da ViNCi CoDe.
What do you currently hear? --- RaTeD K on TFC.

THE WHY'S:
Why do you have a friendster? --- To Re-CoNNeCT WiTh oLd FriEnDs.
Why do we have to go to school? --- To LeArN aNd GrOw.
Why are your best friends your best friends? --- JuSt BeCaUsE.
Why are people labeled (like emo, goth,prep etc.)? --- BeCaUsE iT's iN oUr NaTuRe To StErEoTyPe oThErS.
Why do the people on the news repeat the same stuff over? --- BeCaUsE ThEy WaNt To EmPhASiZe a PoiNt.
Why is everyone obsessed over the Olympics? --- I'm NoT!

THE WHEN'S:
When did you start school? --- 1982. PrEp ScHooL.
When did you meet your best friend? --- SiNcE wE WeRe KiDs bUt We DiDn'T BeCoMe FriEnDs TiLL HiGh ScHooL.
When is your birthday? --- 23rd oF AuGusT.
When did you last go to the mall? --- LaSt WeeK.
When did you last buy a new pair of pants? --- MoNtHs AgO.
When were you last at school? --- 2001.
When did you last see your dad? --- A FeW MiNuTeS aGo.

SuRvEy MaNiA #1

2006-05-28T15:33:00.000-07:00

If you're bored and you know it, clap your hands! (inspired by Patty from Friendster)

1. What kind of first impression do you think people get when they first see you? *** Kind.
2. What's one thing you like to do alone? *** Taking a shower/bath.
3. What is your favorite line to say when you're drunk? *** I don't have one. I am allergic to alcohol and I won't even attempt to get drunk.
4. How many drinks do u need before you get tipsy? *** A sip.
6. What kind of books do you like to read? *** Romantic, inspirational, controversial, and Grisham-like kind reading materials.
7. Do you think you're cute? *** Nope, I am beautiful (o, laban ka!).
8. Do you have a problem changing clothes in front of your friends? *** I don't think so.
9. What do you eat when you raid the fridge at night? *** I don't usually do this but if I do, it will be something light.
10. Describe your bed. *** Comfortable.
11. Spontaneous or planned? *** Both.
12. Do you know how to play poker? *** Not really.
13. What do you carry with you at all time? *** My cellphone, checkbook, ATM, car keys, lipstick, body spray, and a pen.
14. What do you miss most about being a kid? *** Being free (from all earthly stress/desires), innocence, truth, and simpleness.
15. Are you happy with your given name? *** I'm ok with it.
16. What color is your bedroom? *** Off-white.
17. Have you ever been a player? *** Never!
18. Do you like yourself and believe in yourself? *** More often than not.
19. Do you consider yourself to be a nice person? *** Sometimes, too nice for my own good.
20. Do you spend more time with your girlfriend/boyfriend or your friends? *** I am away from both. And I think I am boyfriend-less by now.
21. What's one thing you wish you could do but can't? *** I wish to be in the Philippines right at this very minute but can't.
22. What is your ideal wedding location? *** An old Philippine church with a very long aisle to walk on.
23. What's one instrument you wish you could play? *** Drums.
24. What's one language you want to learn? *** Chinese.
25. Have you ever pierced your body parts? *** Just both ears for single earrings.
26. Do you have any tattoos? *** Never. What if I regret getting one? So, it's a definite no.
27. What's one trait you hate in a person? *** Arrogance.
28. Do you consider yourself materialistic? *** No.
29. What do you cook best? *** Kare-kare, and pot roast.

LosT WiThOuT YoUr LoVe

2006-05-23T22:06:00.000-07:00

originally released by Bread

lost and all alone
i always thought that
i could make it on my own
since you left
i hardly make it through the day
my tears get in the way
and i need you back to stay

i wander through the night
and search the world to find
the words to make it right
all i want is just the way it used to be
with you here close to me
i've got to make you see

that i'm lost without your love
life without you isn't worth the trouble of
i'm as helpless as a ship without a wheel
a touch without a feel
i can't believe it's real...

and someday soon i'll wake
and find my heart won't have to break
yes, i'm lost without your love
life without you isn't worth the trouble of
all i want is just the way it used to be
i need you here with me
oh darlin' can't you see...

if we had love before
we can have it back once more.

JoUrNeY To EvErEsT

2006-05-18T15:15:00.000-07:00

As Herecleo "Leo" Oracion proudly announced it, via satellite radio on May 17, 2006 at 3:30pm Nepal time, "The Philippine eagle has landed at the summit of Everest." At this great hour, Leo Oracion became the first Filipino to reach the highest peak on Earth. And in a matter of 14 hours, our Philippine pride was duplicated, as Erwin "Pastour" Emata, became the second Filipino to reach the summit of Mt. Everest.

Truly, Leo and Pastour are "World-class Filipinos." We, Filipinos, spread around the globe, are very proud of you. We pray in unity for your safe journey back home. God bless you and the rest of the First Philippine Mt. Everest Expedition team. May this inspire more great achievements by Filipinos for our beloved, the Philippines.

**********************

"Everest should be approached with respect.

On Sagarmatha (Nepalese name for Everest),

you do not race against anyone.

It is between you and the mountain.

If she allows you to the summit, you are lucky.

You should never say you will conquer her,

because in the end she will always win."

- Pastour Emata,

lifted from Ninascoops,

published on the www.philstar.com, 05/18/06

************************

In a few days, another Filipino, Romeo Garduce, will hopefully achieve the same feat as Leo and Pastour, as he becomes the third Filipino to reach the summit of Mt. Everest. God bless you, too, Romeo!

Be PoSiTiVe!

2006-05-18T14:33:00.000-07:00

"Our lives are not determined by what happens to us but by how we react to what happens, not by what life brings to us, but by the attitude we bring to life. A positive attitude causes a chain reaction of positive thoughts, events, and outcomes. It is a catalyst, a spark that creates extraordinary results."

-Anon, lifted from Jolie Magazine 2006

MoThErS (e-mail forward)

2006-05-13T15:10:00.000-07:00

This is a truly BEAUTIFUL piece. Please read this at a slow pace, digesting every word and in leisure... do not hurry... this is a treasure.

For those of us lucky to still be blessed with our Mom, this is beautiful. For those who aren't, this is even more beautiful. For those who are moms, you'll love this.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The young mother set her foot on the path of life. "Is this the long way?" she asked. And the guide said: "Yes, and the way is hard. And you will be old before you reach the end of it. But the end will be better than the beginning."

But the young mother was happy, and she would not believe that anything could be better than these years. So she played with her children, and gathered flowers for them along the way, and bathed them in the clear streams; and the sun shone on them, and the young Mother cried, "Nothing will ever be lovelier than this.

Then the night came, and the storm, and the path was dark, and the children shook with fear and cold, and the mother drew them close and covered them with her mantle, and the children said, "Mother, we are not afraid, for you are near, and no harm can come."

And the morning came, and there was a hill ahead, and the children climbed and grew weary, and the mother was weary. But at all times she said to the children, "A little patience and we are there." So the children climbed, and when they reached the top they said, "Mother, we would not have done it without you."

And the mother, when she lay down at night looked up at the stars and said, "This is a better day than the last, for my children have learned fortitude in the face of hardness. Yesterday I gave them courage. Today, I 've given them strength."

And the next day came strange clouds which darkened the earth, clouds of war and hate and evil, and the children groped and stumbled, and the mother said: "Look up. Lift your eyes to the light. " And the children looked and saw above the clouds an everlasting glory, and it guided them beyond the darkness. And that night the Mother said, "This is the best day of all, for I have shown my children God."

And the days went on, and the weeks and the months and the years, and the mother grew old and she was little and bent. But her children were tall and strong, and walked with courage. And when the way was rough, they lifted her, for she was as light as a feather; and at last they came to a hill, and beyond they could see a shining road and golden gates flung wide. And mother said, "I have reached the end of my journey. And now I know the end is better than the beginning, for my children can walk alone, and their children after them."

And the children said, "You will always walk with us, Mother, even when you have gone through the gates." And they stood and watched her as she went on alone, and the gates closed after her. And they said: "We cannot see her but she is with us still. A Mother like ours is more than a memory. She is a living presence."

Your Mother is always with you.... She's the whisper of the leaves as you walk down the street; she's the smell of bleach in your freshly laundered socks; she's the cool hand on your brow when you're not well. Your Mother lives inside your laughter. And she's crystallized in every tear drop. She's the place you came from, your first home; and she's the map you follow with every step you take. She's your first love and your first heartbreak, and nothing on earth can separate you. Not time, not space... not even death!

Happy Mother's Day to all the Moms out there especially to my Ma! Thank you for the unconditional love. You are my hero! I love you with all my heart and soul.

iNsPiRaTiOn: Maya Angelou

2006-05-11T18:11:00.000-07:00

"I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel."
"We may encounter many defeats but we must not be defeated."
"You can only become truly accomplished at something you love. Don't make money your goal. Instead, pursue the things you love doing, and then do them so well that people can't take their eyes off you."
"You may encounter many defeats, but you must not be defeated. In fact, it may be necessary to encounter the defeats, so you can know who you are, what you can rise from, how you can still come out of it."
"My great hope is to laugh as much as I cry; to get my work done and try to love somebody and have the courage to accept the love in return."
"Most people just get older, and they find parking spaces, honor their credit cards, choose personal preferences in drink, have the nerve to get married and have children, and they call that growing up. That's not. That's getting older."
"Nothing will work unless you do."
"There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you."
"All great achievements require time."
"There is nothing so pitiful as a young cynic because he has gone from knowing nothing to believing nothing."
"If you don't like something change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude. Don't complain."
"I don't know if I continue, even today, always liking myself. But what I learned to do many years ago was to forgive myself. It is very important for every human being to forgive herself or himself because if you live, you will make mistakes- it is inevitable. But once you do and you see the mistake, then you forgive yourself and say, 'well, if I'd known better I'd have done better,' that's all. So you say to people who you think you may have injured, 'I'm sorry,' and then you say to yourself, 'I'm sorry.' If we all hold on to the mistake, we can't see our own glory in the mirror because we have the mistake between our faces and the mirror; we can't see what we're capable of being. You can ask forgiveness of others, but in the end the real forgiveness is in one's own self. I think that young men and women are so caught by the way they see themselves. Now mind you. When a larger society sees them as unattractive, as threats, as too black or too white or too poor or too fat or too thin or too sexual or too asexual, that's rough. But you can overcome that. The real difficulty is to overcome how you think about yourself. If we don't have that we never grow, we never learn, and sure as hell we should never teach."
"History, despite its wrenching pain, cannot be unlived, however, if faced with courage, need not be lived again."
"Courage is the most important of all the virtues, because without courage you can't practice any other virtue consistently. You can practice any virtue erratically, but nothing consistently without courage."
"While I know myself as a creation of God, I am also obligated to realize and remember that everyone else and everything else are also God's creation."

~~~ quotes by Maya Angelou ~~~

WiSdOm: Deepak Chopra

2006-05-11T17:55:00.000-07:00

"The less you open your heart to others, the more your heart suffers."
"Human beings are made of body, mind and spirit. Of these, spirit is primary, for it connects us to the source of everything, the eternal field of consciousness."
"With spirit we are all children of the cosmos; Without it we are orphaned and adrift."
"In our imaginations we believe that love is apart from us.Actually there is nothing but love, once we are ready to accept it.When you truly find love, you find yourself."
"To have passion, to have a dream, to have a purpose in life. And there are three components to that purpose, one is to find out who you really are, to discover God, the second is to serve other human beings, because we are here to do that and the third is to express your unique talents and when you are expressing your unique talents you lose track of time."
"You and I are essentially infinite choice-makers. In every moment of our existence, we are in that field of all possibilities where we have access to an infinity of choices."
"The secret of attraction is to love yourself. Attractive people judge neither themselves nor others. They are open to gestures of love. They think about love, and express their love in every action. They know that love is not a mere sentiment, but the ultimate truth at the heart of the universe."
"When you live your life with an appreciation of coincidences and their meanings, you connect with the underlying field of infinite possibilities."
"Tune into the presence of miracles, and in an instant, life can be transformed into a dazzling experience, more wondrous and exciting than we could even imagine. "
"Even when you think you have your life all mapped out, things happen that shape your destiny in ways you might never have imagined."
"In the midst of movement and chaos, keep stillness inside of you."
"You alone are the judge of your worth, and your goal is to discover infinite worth in yourself, no matter what anyone else thinks."
"There is always one moment in childhood when the door opens and lets the future in."
~~quotes by Deepak Chopra~~

WoRdS To LiVe By

2006-05-11T17:05:00.000-07:00

"Happiness is the meaning and the purpose of life, the whole aim and end of human existence." ~~Aristotle
"To find out what one is fitted to do, and to secure an opportunity to do it, is the key to happiness." ~~John Dewey
"Where your pleasure is, there is your treasure; where your treasure, there your heart; where your heart, there your happiness." ~~Saint Augustine
"Paint the walls of your mind with many beautiful pictures." ~~William Lyon Phelps
"The world in which you live is not primarily determinedby outward conditions and circumstances but by the thoughts that habitually occupy your mind." ~~Norman Vincent Peale
"Every generation finds it hard to hear what its children need --- because its chidhood is still ringing in its ears." ~~Ellen Goodman
"Considering life's brevity, we should travel abundantly, with great enthusiasm." ~~Peter Megargee Brown
"What a man thinks of himself, that is what determines, or rather, indicates, his fate." ~~Henry David Thoreau
"What lies in our power to do, it lies in our power not to do." ~~Aristotle
"To live content with small means; to seek elegance rathen than luxury, and refinement rather than fashion; to be worthy, not respectable, and wealthy, not rich; to study hard, think quietly, talk gently, act frankly; to listen to stars and birds, to babes and sages, with open heart; to bear all cheerfully, do all bravely, await occasions, hurry never. In a word, to let the spiritual, unbidden and unconscious, grow up through the common. This is to be my symphony." ~~William Henry Channing
"Blessed is he who expects no gratitude, for he shall not be disappointed." ~~William Bennett
"There is no coming to consciousness without pain." ~~Carl Jung
"People cultivate five thousand roses in a garden... and still they do not find what they seek... and yet what they are seeking may be found in a single rose or a drop of water." ~~Antoine de Saint-Exupery
"A random act of kindness spreads like wildfire because all of us respond to love. Love your life." ~~Blake Foster
"Life is a series of moments. Each moment should be welcomed in joy and relinquished in joy." ~~Deepak Chopra
"You may delay, but time will not." ~~Benjamin Franklin
"Feel the dignity of a child. Do not feel superior to him, for you are not." ~~Robert Henri
"People are like stained-glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in, their true beauty is revealed only if there is a light from within." ~~Elisabeth Kubler-Ross
"Nothing is more revealing than movement. Actions do speak." ~~Ogden Nash
"The most important thing about getting somewhere is starting right where we are." ~~Bruce Barton
"We all find time to do what we really want to do." ~~William Feather
"If you do not express your own original ideas, if you do not listen to your own being, you will have betrayed yourself." ~~Rollo May
"No human being can really understand another, and no one can arrange another's happiness." ~~Graham Greene
"The human spirit is stronger than anything that can happen to it." ~~George C. Scott
"I do not try to dance better than anyone else. I only try to dance better than myself." ~~Mikhail Baryshnikov
"There is an essence of the divine in all living things. And each person is literally a microcosm of the universe." ~~Gloria Steinem
"There is just one life for each of us: our own." ~~Euripides
"You can never step in the same river twice." ~~Heraclitus
"Life is what we make it, always has been, always will be." ~~Grandma Moses
"We should not let our fears hold us back from pursuing our hopes." ~~John F. Kennedy
"You've got one life to live. It's short, at best. It's a wonderful privilege and a terrific opportunity --- and you've been equipped for it. Use your equipment. Give it all you've got." ~~Norman Vincent Peale

~~~ lifted from "Things I Want My Daughters To Know" by an inspiring author, Alexandra Stoddard ~~~

LiKe We NeVer LoVeD aT aLL*

2006-05-08T15:13:00.000-07:00

performed by Faith Hill and Tim McGraw

You never looked so good
as you did last night,
underneath the city lights,
there walking with your friend,
laughing at the moon.
I swear you looked right through me.
But I’m still living with your goodbye,
and you’re just going on with your life.

How can you just walk on by
without one tear in your eye?
Don’t you have the slightest feelings left for me?
Maybe that’s just your way
of dealing with the pain,
forgetting everything
between our rise and fall
like we never loved at all.

You, I hear you’re doing fine.
Seems like you’re doing well
as far as I can tell.
Time is leaving us behind,
(time – leaving us behind)
another week has passed
and still I haven’t laughed yet.
So tell me, what your secret is
(I wanna know, I wanna know, I wanna know)
to letting go,
letting go like you did,
like you did.

How can you just walk on by
without one tear in your eye?
Don’t you have the slightest feelings left for me?
Maybe that’s just your way
of dealing with the pain,
forgetting everything
between our rise and fall
like we never loved at all.

Did you forget the magic?
Did you forget the passion?
Oh, and did you ever miss me,
and long to kiss me?
Oh baby, baby.

Maybe that’s just your way
of dealing with the pain,
forgetting everything
between our rise and fall
like we never loved at all...

*Could any other song best describe how I feel right this moment? I think this one sums it all up. A text message I encountered also says what I feel, "Di madali maghintay, di rin biro and magmahal. Minsan akala ko s'ya na, akala ko okay na... pero namalayan ko na lang, dumaan lang pala s'ya sa buhay ko para saktan ako... ng minsan pa."

SpRiNg TiMe iN ThE CiTy

2006-04-30T20:03:00.000-07:00

My sister and I at the Cherry Blossom Festival in San Francisco.

WoRdS oF WiSdOm

2006-04-12T15:02:00.000-07:00

Life shrinks and expands in proportion to one's courage. -Anais Nin
Let me listen to me and not to them. -Gertrude Stein
Our deeds determine us, as much as we determine our deeds. -George Eliot
My favorite thing is to go where I've never been. -Diane Arbus
Life is not easy for any of us. But what of that? We must have perseverance and above all confidence in ourselves. We must believe that we are gifted for something and that this thing must be attained. -Marie Curie
You can't test courage cautiously. -Annie Dillard
Just don't give up trying to do what you really want to do. Where there's love and inspiration, I don't think you can go wrong. -Ella Fitzgerald
From your parents you learn love and laughter and how to put one foot before the other. But when books are opened you discover you have wings. -Helen Hayes
Life can be wildly tragic at times, and I've had my share. But whatever happens to you, you have to keep a slightly comic attitude. In the final analysis, you have got not to forget to laugh. -Katherine Hepburn
Don't compromise yourself. You are all you've got. -Janis Joplin
What we are doing is just a drop in the ocean. But if that drop was not in the ocean, I think the ocean would be less because of that missing drop. -Mother Teresa
Nothing in life is to be feared. It is only to be understood. -Marie Curie
No one can make you feel inferior without your consent. -Eleanor Roosevelt
I am not afraid of storms, for I'm learning how to sail my ship. -Louisa May Alcott
Where there is great love there are always miracles. -Willa Cather

wHaT i'vE LeArNeD

2006-04-12T10:25:00.000-07:00

I have learned that...
... you can never measure your capacity to love. You will always have more to give even after you think you've given your all.
... the simplest things in life are the ones that gives us the greatest of joys.
... poverty is not a reason to feel sorry for one's self, it's a reason and a challenge to move forward and upward.
... it doesn't matter how many friends you have; what matters is the quality of friendship you have with them.
... it's more important to be a friend or a family to someone in times of their need, than in times of their joy.
... no matter how many precautions we get from others, we have to encounter the errors to learn from them. And sometimes, we have to encounter those errors repeatedly before we can completely master a way out or veer away from them.
... there is a goodness in every man, although, at most times, we have to look real deep to discover that.
... all our prayers to God are answered but we don't always know that because we only want the answers the way we want to see them.
... no one can put a limit to what you can accomplish in life. The possibilities are really endless and it's up to you to realize them.
... you can choose to be happy, and your attitude is a choice you've made.
... change is the only thing constant in this world. Every move we make creates or influences it. We can never really hold on to something or someone permanently. In fact, we shouldn't.
... we are all loved, and we can all love. That is our greatest gift in life.

i BeLiEve...

2006-04-12T09:59:00.000-07:00

... that our background and circumstances may have influenced who we are, but we are responsible for who we become.
... that no matter how good a friend is, they're going to hurt you every once in a while and you must forgive them for that.
... that just because someone doesn't love you the way you want them to, doesn't mean they don't love you with all they have.
... that true friendship continues to grow, even over the longest distance. Same goes for true love.
... that it's taking me a long time to become the person I want to be.
... that you should always leave loved ones with loving words. It may be the last time you see them.
... that you can keep going, long after you think you can.
... that we are responsible for what we do, no matter how we feel.
... that either you control your attitude or it controls you.
... that heroes are the people who do what has to be done when it needs to be done, regardless of the consequences.
... that money is a lousy way of keeping score.
... that my bestfriend and I can do anything or nothing and have the best of time.
... that sometimes the people you expect to kick you when you're down will be the ones to help you get back up.
... that sometimes when I am angry I have the right to be angry, but that doesn't give me the right to be cruel.
... that maturity has more to do with what types of experiences you've had and what you've learned from them and less to do with how many birthdays you've celebrated.
... that it isn't always enough to be forgiven by others, sometimes you have to learn to forgive yourself.
... that no matter how bad your heart is broken, the world doesn't stop for your grief.
... that just because two people argue, it doesn't mean they don't love each other. And just because they don't argue, it doesn't mean they do.
... that you shouldn't be so eager to find out a secret. It could change your life forever.
... that two people can look at the exact same things and see something totally different.
... that your life can be changed in a matter of hours by people who don't even know you.
... that even when you think you have no more to give, when a friend cries out to you, you will find the strength to help.
... that credentials on the wall do not make you a decent human being.
... that the people who you care about the most in life, are taken from you much too soon.
... that life is more precious than money will ever be able to be.

--- from an e-mail forward ---

aN iNsPiRaTiOn

2006-04-08T12:55:00.000-07:00

(this is an excerpt from the speech delivered by Manny V. Pangilinan at the Ateneo School of Management and School of Science and Engineering commencement rites on March 24, 2006 and published by the Philippine Star on April 9, 2006 at www.philstar.com)

"Before I close, I’d like to make a personal request.

I’d like to ask each of you a favor. Give me bragging rights. Do something great. Sometime in the future, I want to hear some incredible thing you’ve done. And I’d like to brag that I spoke at your graduation.

In return, I offer you a few more pieces of advice. Keep it real. Stay true to what’s best in yourself, to the best of your experience here at the Ateneo. Trust your instincts. Believe in yourself. Engage in sports, you’ll need it as you age. Make art, or at least, value it.

Be brave. Be bold. Find something that moves you or pisses you off, but do something about it. You have a voice, speak up. Take a stand for what’s right. Make a change. You may not always be popular, but you’ll be part of something larger and greater than yourself. Besides, making history is cool, isn’t it?

But I also want to offer a warning: you will meet people who’ll entice you to compromise your principles. They’ll try to seduce you and distract you with money, power, security and perhaps, most dangerously, a sense of belonging. Don’t let them; it’s not worth it. You can have genuine values and still get that job. You can have a conscience and still make money.

Let me send you off with one final thought.

I was born poor, but poor was not born in me. And it shouldn’t be born in you either. You can make it. Whatever you may wish to do with your future, you can make it. It gets dark sometimes, but morning comes always. Suffering breeds character. Character breeds faith. In the end, faith will not disappoint.

You must not disappoint."

"iN ThE SpiRiT"

2006-03-23T15:16:00.000-08:00

I came across an inspiring column called "In The Spirit" written by Susan Taylor, Editorial Director of Essence, on the said magazine's March 2006 issue. Here's an excerpt of what she wrote (hope it inspires you, too):

"... every crisis is a call from God --- a summons to deep reflection, life-changing decision-making and commitment to spiritual practice... One of the joys in growing older is gaining the wisdom and confidence to heed the call of your soul --- before life slaps you upside the head again and again..."

"... whisper these few promises to your soul in the quiet of each morning --- or create your own affirmations. This will create a sacred space for healing and inner cheering. It will help you honor the perfection God made and find and follow the divine-right path life has prepared for you:

I promise myself to live by the authority of my own soul today and to practice being my own best friend and motivator. I promise to speak to myself kindly and to give myself the attention and nourishment I need. I promise to remember that other's opinions, judgements and deeds can't diminish me. I promise not to hide out or play it safe, but to bring my open heart and Master mind to each moment with confidence. I promise to believe in myself and in the genius of my people.
I promise myself to live this day with joy and enthusiasm, to allow only love and light to flow through me no matter who or what life sends my way. Everywhere I look I will see beauty and possibility, and I let my light shine in service to my people, giving joyfully from a full cup.
I promise myself to remember that every circumstance is a pathway to God, that every crisis is temporary and lasts not a moment longer than it takes for me to surrender it to God and ask for a divine solution.
I promise myself to remain faithfully aware that God is always here, with and within me. That no matter what the question, God is the answer. No matter what the need, God is the fulfillment. I promise myself to remember."

ThiS iS TrUe

2006-03-21T16:01:00.000-08:00

True
by Ryan Cabrera

I won't talk
I won't breathe
I won't move till you finally see
That you belong with me

You might think I don't look
But deep inside
In the corner of my mind
I'm attached to you

I'm weak
It's true
'Coz I'm afraid to know the answer
Do you want me too?
'Coz my heart keeps falling faster

I've waited all my life
To cross this line
To the only thing that's true
So I will not hide
It's time to try
Anything to be with you
All my life I've waited
This is true

You don't know what you do
Everytime you walk into the room
I'm afraid to move
I'm weak
It's true

I'm just scared to know the ending
Do you see me too?
Do you even know you met me?
I've waited all my life
To cross this line
To the only thing that's true
So I will not hide
It's time to try anything to be with you
All my life I've waited
This is true

I know when I go
I'll be on my way to you
The way that's true
I've waited all my life
To cross this line
To the only thing that's true
So I will not hide
It's time to try anything to be with you
All my life I've waited
This is true

ThiNk AboUt iT...

2006-03-19T17:53:00.000-08:00

"We can never judge the lives of others,

because each person knows only

his own pain and renunciation.

It’s one thing to feel that you are on the right path,

but it’s another to think yours is the only path."

- from "The Alchemist" by Paulo Coelho

Stick Wit U (Avant Remix)

2006-03-18T16:52:00.000-08:00

by Pussycat Dolls Featuring Avant

[PCD]
I don't wanna go another day
So I'm telling you exactly what is on my mind
Seems like everybody's breakin' up
They're throwin' their love away
But I know I got a good thing right here
That's why I say... hey

[PCD w/Avant]
Nobody gonna love me better
I'ma stickwitu forever
Nobody gonna take me higher
I'ma stickwitu
You know how to appreciate me
I'ma stickwitu, my baby
Nobody ever made me feel this way,
I'ma stickwitu

[Avant]
Through everything goin' on
We're right here holdin' on
To one another
The reason why I love you
Ya charm and personality
I love your sensitivity
Hmm... let me take a second
Cuz I'll be your love & essence
Only, wanna hear your voice speak
When I feel your body heat
Love every minute of it
You're like the fresh air
When it feels like no one cares
That's why I say...

[PCD (w/Avant)]
Nobody gonna love me better
(Nobody's gonna love me better)
I'ma stickwitu forever
(Ohh No) Nobody gonna take me higher
(Nobody) I'ma stickwitu
(No) You know how to appreciate me
(I know you love me) I'ma stickwitu, my baby
Nobody ever made me feel this way
(Ohh) I'ma stickwitu (Nobody)

[PCD (w/Avant)]
And now,
Ain't nothin else I could need (nothin' else I could need)
And I'm singin' 'cuz you're still so into me
I got you, we'll be making love endlessly
I'm with you (Baby I'm witchu)
Baby you're with me (Baby you're with me)
So don't you worry about
People hangin' around
They ain't bringing us down

[Avant]
Baby talk to me 'cuz all
I'm here to say is
I'll be right here for forever and a day,
Hey...

[PCD (w/Avant)]
Nobody gonna love me better
I'ma stickwitu forever
Nobody gonna take me higher
I'ma stickwitu
(C'mon) You know how to appreciate me
(Nobody, Nobody) I'ma stickwitu, my baby
Nobody ever made me feel this way
I'ma stickwitu

[Avant]
You're a shelter in the storm
[PCD]
I'm right here

[Avant]
Keepin' me away from harm
[PCD]
I'm never gonna leave you

[Avant]
You're a song with beautiful words
[PCD]
I'm your song

[Avant]
Something that I never heard
[PCD]
Yeahh

[PCD (w/Avant)]
You know how to appreciate me
(You know how to appreciate me)
I'ma stickwitu, my baby
(I love you, you're my baby)
Nobody ever made me feel this way
(Ohh), I'ma stickwitu

i crUnCh!

2006-03-18T16:46:00.000-08:00

My new daily workout, in addition to going to the gym, is the FAT BURNING PILATES by Crunch. I want to achieve Ellen Barrett's body. Let's see how far I go. Let's start CrUnChiNg!!!

DeAr MaMa

2006-03-10T09:46:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday to the most beautiful woman, the best mother in the world... my Mama. I don't always put my into words all the love and gratefulness I have for you, but that's only because no words are enough to express them. I love you Ma! I love you with all of my life.

Thank you for sacrificing a lot to keep our family together and for facing all the trials that came in our life with strength, grace, and great faith. Thank you for your unconditional love, and warmth. Thank you for always pushing me to be the best. Thank you for teaching me to be proud of my achievements and to always believe in myself, but most especially, to be grateful for all the blessings and trials that came along with it. I am a better person every day because of you and your love. I will strive to be the best person I can be.

I will always be by your side. Edaka paburen Ma. You are the most important person in my life.

--- Your Ling-ling

WhErEvEr YoU aRe

2006-03-10T09:30:00.000-08:00

By South Border (one of my favorite Filipino bands)

I love to see the ocean's beauty
And the moon that shines above
Alone in the sand lookin' at the stars
Wishing someday I would find true love

Wouldn't be nice to see the morning
With the one you love the most
Wouldn't be nice to say goodnight
To the one you hold so close
To your heart, to your heart...

The wind that blows the dove
Is the wind that blows my love
Hoping to find its way to you
Wherever you are

I love to sit in fields of green
Looking deeply thru the sky
Watching birds as they flap by
Hoping someday faith will bring me true love

Wouldn't be nice to hold someone
So dear, and near your heart
Wouldn't be nice to hear those words
I love you, from the one
That you love, that you love

The wind that blows the dove
Is the wind that blows my love
Hoping to find its way to you
Wherever you are
The wind that blows the dove
Is the wind that blows my love
Hoping to find its way to you
Wherever you are

I love to see myself one day
In the arms of someone
Who will share her life with me
Selflessly, someday you will find your way,
To me . . .

The wind that blows the dove
Is the wind that blows my love
Hoping to find its way to you
Wherever you are
The wind that blows the dove
Is the wind that blows my love
Hoping to find its way to you
Wherever you are,
Wherever you are.

EvErYThiNg YoU Do

2006-02-12T13:25:00.000-08:00

By Christian Bautista
from the album "Complete"

I love the way you smile
When I look in your eyes
I love the way you laugh
When I try to be funny
And how a tear rolls down your face
When I say no one could ever take your place

Baby, when you sleep
I watch you breathing
Baby, when you dream
I dream with you
'Cause everywhere you are is where I wanna be
It's true
Everything you do
Makes me know how much I love you

The way you touch my lips
Right after every kiss
And softly whisper
That I'm your everything
The way you pray
Our love won't die
Every night just before you
Close your eyes

And I believe some things are meant to be
As sure as there is love and yours was meant for me

"One is loved because one is loved... there's no reason for loving." --- from "The Alchemist"

LiFe

2006-01-26T22:58:00.000-08:00

I just thought I'd share this lovely speech by Pulitzer prize winning author Anna Quindlen. It's a commencement speech made at the Villanova University:

I'm a novelist. My work is human nature. Real life is all I know. Don't ever confuse the two, your life and your work.

You will walk out of here this afternoon with only one thing that no one else has. There will be hundreds of people out there with your same degree; there will be thousands of people doing what you want to do for a living. But you will be the only person alive who has sole custody of your life. Your particular life. Your entire life. Not just your life at a desk, or your life on a bus, or in a car, or at the computer. Not just the life of your mind, but the life of your heart. Not just your bank account but your soul.

People don't talk about the soul very much anymore. It's so much easier to write a resume than to craft a spirit. But a resume is cold comfort on a winter night, or when you're sad, or broke, or lonely, or when you've gotten back the test results and they're not so good.

Here is my resume: I am a good mother to three children. I have tried never to let my profession stand in the way of being a good parent. I no longer consider myself the center of the universe. I show up. I listen. I try to laugh. I am a good friend to my husband. I have tried to make my marriage vows mean what they say. I am a good friend to my friends, and they to me. Without them, there would be nothing to say to you today, because I would be a cardboard cutout. But I call them on the phone, and I meet them for lunch. I would be rotten, or at best mediocre at my job, if those other things were not true. You cannot be really first rate at your work if your work is all you are.

So here's what I wanted to tell you today: Get a life. A real life, not a manic pursuit of the next promotion, the bigger pay-check, the larger house. Do you think you'd care so very much about those things if you blew an aneurysm one afternoon, or found a lump in your breast? Get a life in which you notice the smell of salt water pushing itself on a breeze over Seaside Heights, a life in which you stop and watch how a red tailed hawk circles over the water or the way a baby scowls with concentration when she tries to pick up a Cheerio with her thumb and first finger. Get a life in which you are not alone. Find people you love, and who love you. And remember that love is not leisure, it is work. Pick up the phone. Send an e-mail. Write a letter. Get a life in which you are generous. And realize that life is the best thing ever, and that you have no business taking it for granted. Care so deeply about its goodness that you want to spread it around. Take money you would have spent on beers and give it to charity. Work in a soup kitchen. Be a big brother or sister. All of you want to do well. But if you do not do good too, then doing well will never be enough. It is so easy to waste our lives, our days, our hours, our minutes. It is so easy to take for granted the color of our kids' eyes, the way the melody in a symphony rises and falls and disappears and rises again. It is so easy to exist instead of to live. I learned to live many years ago. I learned to love the journey, not the destination. I learned that it is not a dress rehearsal, and that today is the only guarantee you get. I learned to look at all the good in the world and try to give some of it back because I believed in it, completely and utterly. And I tried to do that, in part, by telling others what I had learned.

By telling them this: Consider the lilies of the field. Look at the fuzz on a baby's ear. Read in the backyard with the sun on your face. Learn to be happy. And think of life as a terminal illness, because if you do, you will live it with joy and passion as it ought to be lived.

---- Anna Quindlen ----

PaRa Sa'Yo

2006-01-22T15:20:00.000-08:00

Congratulations Manny "PacMan" Pacquiao!!! You have united our nation in prayers and in hope. You have brought glory and honor to the Filipino people, to the Philippines. May your greatness inspire our nation to aim for a better, and brighter Philippines.

Thank you for the good fight, your great faith, and your determination to claim this victory, not only for yourself, but for the entire nation.

I am very proud of you. I am very proud to be a Filipino.

Long live PacMan!

Long live "The Destroyer"!

Long live Manny Pacquaio!

Long live the Filipinos!

Long live the Philippines!

Mabuhay!!!

ThE iNViTaTiOn

2006-01-19T23:07:00.000-08:00

It doesn't interest me what you do for a living.
I want to know what you ache for,
and if you dare to dream of meeting your heart's longing.

It doesn't interest me how old you are.
I want to know if you will risk looking like a fool for love,
for your dreams, and for the adventures of being alive.

It doesn't interest me what planets are squaring your moon.
I want to know if you have touched the center
of your own sorrow, if you have been opened
by life's betrayals or have become shriveled
and closed from fear and further pain.
I want to know if you can sit with pain, mine or your own,
without moving to hide it or fade it or fix it.

I want to know if you can be with joy, mine or your own,
if you can dance with wildness and let the ecstacy fill you
to the tips of your fingers and toes without cautioning us
to be careful, to be realistic, and
to remember the limitations of being human.

It doesn't interest me of the story you are telling me is true.
I want to know if you can disappoint another
to be true to yourself; if you can bear the accusation
of betrayal and not betray your own soul;
if you can be faithless and therefore trustworthy.

I want to know if you can see beauty,
even when it's not pretty, every day,
and if you can source your own life from its presence.

I want to know if you can live with failure, yours and mine,
and still stand on the edge of the lake
and shout to the silver of the full moon, "Yes!"

It doesn't interest me to know where you live
or how much money you have.
I want to know if you can get up,
after the night of grief and despair,
weary and bruised to the bone,
and do what needs to be done to feed the children.

It doesn't interest me to know
who you know or how you came to be here.
I want to know if you will stand
in the center of the fire with me and not shrink back.

It doesn't interest me where or what
or with whom you have studied.
I want to know what sustains you,
from the inside, when all else falls away.

I want to know if you can be alone with yourself and
if you truly like the company you keep in the empty moments.

--- Oriah Mountain Dreamer ---

HoPeFuL & ThAnKFuL

2006-01-13T21:00:00.000-08:00

It's been a week since I left SB. I have moved back at my parents' in NorCal and started working at my junior college bookstore. Do I miss my life in SB? I do but I have no regrets about the choices I've made in the past months. I'm closer to my family now and we're trying to heal the scars of the past. No amount of money, comfort, or independence, can replace the happiness I'm feeling right now. Maybe the trials we've gone through individually and as a family will be the force that will bring us closer together.

It's nice to be home. It's good to know that at the end of the day, I come home to people who love me. I have misjudged my family before, especially my parents. I moved away thinking that their love for me was conditional. I know better now.

My sister and I have started praying together everyday. And it's good. I look forward to each day. I am hopeful and thankful.

HoW To LiVe LiFe (e-mail FWD)

2006-01-11T14:02:00.000-08:00

be calm... quiet... tranquil...
bloom as often as you can...
stay close to your family...
explore the world around you...
enjoy the relaxing rhythm of the wave...
watch the moon rise...
spread your wings and take off on your own...
then enjoy the comfort of coming home again.

LIFE is SHORT. Please enjoy it while you can. Take time to enjoy all the little pleasures that God has provided for you. If you need some hints... go back and READ THIS AGAIN.

FaReWeLL

2006-01-07T15:33:00.000-08:00

Thank you for everything! My years here in Santa Barbara and the bookstore have been wonderful learning experience for me. I have learned to be independent, to work hard, and to face challenges with strength in my heart. You guys have been my family here, and I will forever be grateful for all that we've shared. I will visit someday and I will definitely keep in touch.

I want to thank Carmen and James for allowing me to grow and for respecting my views and ways of dealing with work. Thank you for the opportunity of working in your departments, and for guiding me in my day-to-day duties here.

Debby, thank you for putting up with me. I know I can be annoying at times but thank you for answering all my questions, and for taking care of me.

Jane, Sylvia, Lauren, Rachel, & Carmen... thank you for being good co-workers here in the department. It's been tough the last few months because we've been short-staffed and the work load just kept growing but we've survived 2005. I know you guys will be fine. Things will definitely get better.

And to the rest, I appreciate all the kindness, the humor, the good food, the day-to-day interaction, the potlucks, and the friday breakfast. I will miss everyone. Take care of each other.

LaSt DaY

2006-01-06T10:45:00.000-08:00

It's my last day here at work, at SB. I wasn't able to sleep last night because I'm so overwhelmed with the changes I am about to embark on. I feel uneasy. I am stressed out. I am scared. I feel like I am about to travel to an unknown ground. I should actually be happy because I will be moving in with my parents, and I can finalize my other plans, but I have this fear that I can't quite fathom. I'm going closer to familiar ground yet I'm uncomfortable.

I must admit, even if a lot of times I feel alone and lonely here in SB, I have made this life part of my comfort zone. I feel safe in my solitude. I feel protected. And as I move away from it, I am setting myself to vulnerability. My dreams are overwhelming me. The future scares me.

ThiNgS I'vE LeArNeD (Kidding!!!)

2006-01-05T10:59:00.000-08:00

I've learned that you cannot make someone love you.
All you can do is stalk them and hope they panic and give in.

I've learned that no matter how much I care,
some people are just a**h***s.

I've learned that it takes years to build up trust,
and it only takes suspicion, not proof, to destroy it.

I've learned that you shouldn't compare yourself to others
--- they are more f***ed up than you think.

I've learned that you can keep puking
long after you think you're finished.

I've learned that we are responsible for what we do,
unless we are celebrities.

I've learned that regardless of how hot and steamy a relationship is at first,
the passion fades, and there had better be a lot of money to take its place.

I've learned that sometimes the people you expect
to kick you when you're down, will be the ones who do so.

I've learned that we don't have to ditch bad friends,
because their dysfunction makes us feel better about ourselves.

I've learned that no matter how you try to protect your children,
they will eventually get arrested and end up in the local paper.

I've learned that the people you care
most about in life are taken from you too soon
and all the less important ones just never go away.

wHaT NoW?

2006-01-05T02:09:00.000-08:00

I've been staying at a friend's house since sunday (1st of Jan) and all I have with me is a small suitcase of clothes that will last me a week. I have moved out of my apartment at the end of last month and I will leave SB by the end of this week. I only have two days left at work yet my desk has never been as busy. I know that I shouldn't stress myself out, and just take it easy but I care about the place, and I care about the people I'll be leaving behind. They will be short-staffed until the position is filled. Honestly, I don't want to leave at this point because of the amount of work that needs to be done, but then again, it's a cycle of assignments and deadlines. If I keep feeling guilty about it, I may never leave. I'll get stuck in this place till I'm old and gray.

It's time to go. It's time to start a new way of life. It's time for change no matter how scared I am. Like what I just told my friend earlier, "Choices in life are unavoidable, and change is inevitable." Such is how life goes, and through the choices we make, we direct our life to the course we want to take.

In all honesty, I am scared shit. We have financial problems at home that are looming, and I have to be there for them. The obstacles to the plans I have set to to do this year just keeps piling up... financial problems at home, not enough savings, some personal issues, bills to pay, etc.

How do I decide on what choice to take? Which choices are right for me? Will I regret any of these choices? What sets me up for failure? Can I make it? Is my mind and spirit ready for the challenges that lies ahead? What is important to me? What will really make me happy?

Where does my life go from here? Sometimes we're so sure of something yet we're not. We want something so bad but we get scared of the things we need to face to accomplish it. We know the goal we want, yet we don't know what road to take to get there. And no one can help us, but ourselves. No amount of advice or wisdom from others can make us understand what we want because we're the only one who knows what's in our heart... and this is our life, and we have to live it. No one can and should live our lives for us, and so can't we live other people's lives for them.

I pray for enlightenment, for courage, for strength, for wisdom, and for peace of mind. And I say the same prayer for all the special people in my life who are also at a crossroad.

ThE KiSS

2006-01-04T12:56:00.000-08:00

"I’ve kissed a guy... I’ve kissed guys.

I just haven’t felt that thing.... that thing...

that moment when you kiss someone

and everything around you becomes hazy,

and the only thing in focus is you and this person.

And you realize that that person is the only person

you’re supposed to kiss for the rest of your life.

And for one moment you get this amazing gift.

And you wanna laugh and you wanna cry,

‘cause you feel so lucky that you’ve found it,

and so scared that it’ll go away all at the same time."

--- Drew Barrymore ---

from the movie "Never Been Kissed"

oN LoVe

2006-01-02T15:13:00.000-08:00

The Prophet on Love

Kahlil Gibran
Then it was said, speak to us of Love.

And the prophet raised his head

and looked upon the people,

and there fell a stillness upon them.

And with a great voice he said:

When love beckons to you, follow him,

though his ways are hard and steep.

And when his wings enfold you,

yield to him, though the sword hidden

among his pinions may wound you.

And when he speaks to you, believe in him,

though his voice may shatter your dreams
as easily as the north wind lays waste the garden.
For even as love crowns you,

so shall he crucify you.

Even as he is for your growth,

so is he for your pruning.

Even as he ascends to your height

and caresses your most tender branches

that quiver in the sun,

so shall he descend to your roots

and shake them in their clinging to the earth.

Like sheaves of corn he gathers you unto himself.

He sifts you free from your husks.

He grinds you to whiteness

and kneads you until you are pliant.

And then he assigns you to his sacred fire,

that you may become bread of the sacred feast.

All these things shall love do unto you

that you may know the secrets of your heart, and in

that knowledge become a fragment of Life’s heart.
Think not you can direct the course of love,

for love, if it finds you worthy, directs your course.

Love give naught but of itself,

and takes naught but from itself.

Love possesses not, nor would it be possessed;

for love is sufficient unto itself.

Love has no other desire but to fulfill itself.
When you love, let these be your desires:

to melt and be like a running brook

that sings its melody, to the night.

To know the pain of too much tenderness.

To be wounded by your own understanding of love;

and bleed willingly and joyfully;

to wake at dawn with a winged heart

and give thanks for another day of loving;

to rest at the noon hour and mediate love’s ecstasy;

to return home at even tide with gratitude;

and then to sleep with a prayer for your beloved

in your heart and a song of praise upon your lips.

Aahh, such is Love...

WeLcOmE 2006!!!

2006-01-01T02:52:00.000-08:00

May God bless you more
with what's truly essential in life:

STRONGER SPIRIT,

BRAVER HEART,

HEALTHIER BODY,

ENDLESS LOVE,

and GOD'S GRACE.

Happy New Year everyone!!!

May 2006 be a better year for all of us.

A CaLL To FiLiPiNoS

2006-01-01T00:50:00.000-08:00

I came across an article by Max Soliven about the kindness a stranger offered him which inspired him to write an article entitled "Faith in Filipino." It turns out that the stranger who helped him was Atty. Alex Lacson who recently wrote the book "12 Little Things Every Filipino Can Do To Help Our Country." I am quoting here the 12 things Mr. Lacson discussed in his book as summarised by Max Soliven from his above mentioned article from the Philippines Star, 12/19/05 issue.

1) Follow traffic rules. Follow the law.

2) Whenever you buy or pay for anything,

always ask for an official receipt.

3) Don't buy smuggled goods.

Buy local. Buy Filipino.

(Or, if you read the book, he suggests: 50-50).

4) When you talk to others, especially foreigners

speak positively about us and our country.

5) Respect your traffic officer,

policeman and soldier.

6) Do not litter.

Dispose your garbage properly.

Segregate. Recycle. Conserve.

7) Support your church.

8) During elections, do your solemn duty.

9) Pay your employees well.

10) Pay your taxes.

11) Adopt a scholar or a poor child.

12) Be a good parent.

Teach your kids to follow the law

and love our country.

If we think about it, these things are very simple rules. They don't require much from each of us. But if we conscientously follow them, our country will surely improve and we can finally see the light. I challenge all Filipinos, including myself, to follow these 12 little rules.

iMpOrTaNt (an e-mail FWD)

2005-12-21T12:46:00.000-08:00

PLEASE NOTE:

CHRISTMAS IS CANCELLED

Apparently, YOU (yes, you!) told Santa

that you have been GOOD (yeah, right!) this year...

poor old man...

HE DIED LAUGHING.

So, yeah, thanks to YOU (but no thanks)!!!

i WiLL FoLLoW YoU iN tHe DaRk

2005-12-21T10:40:00.000-08:00

Everyday I would hear my officemate play this song, and now I've grown to like it, too. The lyrics are not of typical sappy lovesongs but it is a love song. It talks of undying love. The song actually reminds me of the last scene from "The Notebook" when Noah went to Allie's room, slept next to her, hugged her and held her hand... and then they died in their sleep... together till the end of time.

I Will Follow You In The Dark
(By Death Cab For Cutie)

Love of mine some day you will die
But I'll be close behind
I'll follow you into the dark

No blinding light or tunnels to gates of white
Just our hands clasped so tight
Waiting for the hint of a spark
If heaven and hell decide
That they both are satisfied
Illuminate the no's on their vacancy signs

If there's no one beside you
When your soul embarks
Then I'll follow you into the dark

In Catholic school as vicious as Roman rule
I got my knuckles brusied by a lady in black
And I held my toungue as she told me
"Son fear is the heart of love"
So I never went back

If heaven and hell decide
That they both are satisfied
Illuminate the no's on their vacancy signs

If there's no one beside you
When your soul embarks
Then I'll follow you into the dark

You and me have seen everything to see
From Bangkok to Calgary
And the soles of your shoes are all worn down
The time for sleep is now
It's nothing to cry about
Cause we'll hold each other soon
The blackest of rooms

If heaven and hell decide
That they both are satisfied
Illuminate the no's on their vacancy signs

If there's no one beside you
When your soul embarks
Then I'll follow you into the dark
Then I'll follow you into the dark

SoMeBoDy (by Depeche Mode)

2005-12-20T14:00:00.000-08:00

I want somebody to share
Share the rest of my life
Share my innermost thoughts
Know my intimate details
Someone who'll stand by my side
And give me support
And in return
He'll get my support

He will listen to me
When I want to speak
About the world we live in
And life in general

Though my views may be wrong
They may even be perverted
He'll hear me out
And won't easily be converted
To my way of thinking
In fact he'll often disagree
But at the end of it all
He will understand me

I want somebody who cares
For me passionately
With every thought and
With every breath
Someone who'll help me see things
In a different light
All the things I detest
I will almost like

I don't want to be tied
To anyone's strings
I'm carefully trying to steer clear of
Those things

But when I'm asleep
I want somebody
Who will put his arms around me
And kiss me tenderly
Though things like this
Make me sick
In a case like this
I'll get away with it

iT OnLy HuRtS wHeN...

2005-12-16T14:10:00.000-08:00

... I'm Breathing

(by Shania Twain)

Hope life's been good to you

Since you've been gone

I'm doin' fine now

I've finally moved on

It's not so bad

I'm not that sad

~~~~~~~~

I'm not surprised just how well I survived

I'm over the worst, and

I feel so alive

I can't complain

I'm free again
~~~~~~~~

And it only hurts when I'm breathing

My heart only breaks when it's beating

My dreams only die when I'm dreaming

So, I hold my breath to forget

~~~~~~~~

Don't think I'm lyin' 'round cryin' at night

There's no need to worry,

I'm really all right

I've never looked back as a matter of fact

It only hurts when I breathe

~~~~~~~~

Mmm, no, I've never looked back

As a matter fact

~~~~~~~~

Hurts when I'm breathing

Breaks when it's beating

Die when I'm dreaming

It only hurts when I breathe

DiFFeReNt SeAsOnS iN LiFe (a FWD)

2005-12-12T14:16:00.000-08:00

There was a man who had four sons. He wanted his sons to learn not to judge things too quickly. So he sent them each on a quest, in turn, to go and look at a pear tree that was a great distance away. The first son went in the winter, the second in the spring, the third in summer, and the youngest son in the fall. When they had all gone and come back, he called them together to describe what they had seen.

The first son said that the tree was ugly, bent, and twisted. The second son said no; it was covered with green buds and full of promise. The third son disagreed; he said it was laden with blossoms that smelled so sweet and looked so beautiful, it was the most graceful thing he had ever seen.The last son disagreed with all of them; he said it was ripe and drooping with fruit, full of life and fulfillment.

The man then explained to his sons that they were all right, because they had each seen but only one season in the tree's life. He told them that you cannot judge a tree, or a person, by only one season, and that the essence of who they are and the pleasure, joy, and love that come from that life can only be measured at the end, when all the seasons are up.

If you give up when it's winter, you will miss the promise of your spring, the beauty of your summer, fulfillment of your fall.

Moral of the Story:
Don't let the pain of one season destroy the joy of all the rest. Don't judge life by one difficult season. Persevere through the difficult patches and better times are sure to come some time or later.

ThE UnExPeCtEd

2005-12-10T04:35:00.000-08:00

"Remember, love sometimes sneaks up from the most surprising places at the most unexpected time. Let us just make sure that we are able to make sensible decisions when that happens because sometimes it is the love by accident and not the love that was contemplated that takes hold of our hearts and keeps it forever."

- Anonymous

FrOm SoMeOnE i CaLL a FriEnD

2005-12-08T16:59:00.000-08:00

"Sometimes we walk through life, not even knowing where to go, without a destination, or knowing why, or with what kind of purpose. We go through life, looking for something, though we don't know what it is. Suddenly along the way, we meet wonderful people, 'those' who will change our lives, in a way or another, 'those' who will be there for us, to guide us in our way, 'those' who will make life easier, just lending a hand, or a comforting shoulder to lean on. Those people, who will always find a way to make us laugh, even when we see the world falling apart at our feet. They will stand beside us, and will always be willing to cheer us up... 'those' are the ones I call real friends... and YOU are definitely one of them. Thanks for being with me in the most troublesome parts of my life. YOU were just what I was looking for. I'm glad I found you. I count on you. I hope you count on me. From now on... I CALL YOU FRIEND." -- from MCS

to CaYe

2005-12-06T14:23:00.000-08:00

Thank you for being patient in listening to my rumblings about some issues in my life right now. Just talking to you made me feel so much better. I will seriously put your advice to heart. You've always been willing to listen and comfort me, and I will forever be grateful for that. Be assured that I will be here for you when it's your time to vent. I guess when the friends we expect to be there when we're down are not there, the Lord sends us an angel friend, someone we didn't expect to wipe our tears, to be there for us.

I may be upset right now but I am still thankful because if not for times like this, I will not realize who my true friends are. Don't worry about me, I'll be fine. And you don't have to say anything to the people involve, it's not necessary anymore. Manahimik naku mu. I'll be less involve.

WhAt WoMeN wAnT (a FWD)

2005-12-05T11:53:00.003-08:00

Young King Arthur was ambushed and imprisoned by the monarch of a neighboring kingdom. The monarch could have killed him but was moved by Arthur's youth and ideals. So, the monarch offered him his freedom, as long as he could answer a very difficult question. Arthur would have a year to figure out the answer and, if after a year, he still had no answer, he would be put to death.

The question?... What do women really want?

Such a question would perplex even the most knowledgeable man, and to young Arthur, it seemed an impossible query. But, since it was better than death, he accepted the monarch's proposition to have an answer by year's end.

He returned to his kingdom and began to poll everyone: the princess, the priests, the wise men and even the court jester. He spoke with everyone, but no one could give him a satisfactory answer. Many people advised him to consult the old witch, for only she would have the answer. But the price would be high; as the witch was famous throughout the kingdom for the exorbitant prices she charged.

The last day of the year arrived and Arthur had no choice but to talk to the witch. She agreed to answer the question, but he would have to agree to her price first.The old witch wanted to marry Sir Lancelot, the most noble of the Knights of the Round Table and Arthur's closest friend! Young Arthur was horrified. She was hunchbacked and hideous, had only one tooth, smelled like sewage, made obscene noises, etc. He had never encountered such a repugnant creature in all his life. He refused to force his friend to marry her and endure such a terrible burden; but Lancelot, learning of the proposal, spoke with Arthur. He said nothing was too big of a sacrifice compared to Arthur's life and the preservation of the Round Table.

Hence, a wedding was proclaimed and the witch answered Arthur's question thus:

What a woman really wants,

she answered...

is to be in charge of her own life.

Everyone in the kingdom instantly knew that the witch had uttered a great truth and that Arthur's life would be spared. And so it was, the neighboring monarch granted Arthur his freedom and Lancelot and the witch had a wonderful wedding.

The honeymoon hour approached and Lancelot, steeling himself for a horrific experience, entered the bedroom. But, what a sight awaited him. The most beautiful woman he had ever seen lay before him on the bed. The astounded Lancelot asked what had happened. The beauty replied that since he had been so kind to her when she appeared as a witch, she would henceforth, be her horrible deformed self only half the time and the beautiful maiden the other half.

Which would he prefer? Beautiful during the day....or night? Lancelot pondered the predicament. During the day, a beautiful woman to show off to his friends, but at night, in the privacy of his castle, an old witch? Or, would he prefer having a hideous witch during the day, but by night, a beautiful woman for him to enjoy wondrous intimate moments? What would YOU do?

What Lancelot chose is below...

Noble Lancelot said that he would allow HER to make the choice herself. Upon hearing this, she announced that she would be beautiful all the time because he had respected her enough to let her be in charge of her own life.

Now... what is the moral to this story?

The moral is...

If you don't let a woman

have her own way...

Things are going to get ugly!

aOi uSaGi

2005-12-04T09:36:00.000-08:00

Sometime in 1996, I encountered this Japanese soap opera (with English subtitle) on the International channel here in the US. It was one of the best love stories I have ever seen and it has remained one of my favorites up till now. The title is "Heaven's Coins (Hoshi No Kinka)" and it's the story of a deaf and mute girl named Aya, and her undying love for Shuichi. The two of them met and fell in love in a little town where Aya works at a local clinic, and Shuichi, a doctor, came to work when he got disillusioned with his manipulative family. Before Shuichi went back to Tokyo, he promised Aya that he will come back for her and marry her. Unfortunately, he met an accident on his way to Tokyo and lost his memory. After waiting for Shuichi's return for sometime, Aya went to Tokyo in search of him. There he meets Takumi, Shuichi's brother, who saved her from an accident and instantly fell in love with her. Takumi brought Aya to the hospital that his family owns, and there Aya found the love of her life, Shuichi, who was battling amnesia. Aya worked at the hospital as a nurse with Takumi's help, but without his knowledge, Aya only worked there to be close to Shuichi and help him bring back his memory. And the rest is a beautiful, inspiring story about love... true, unconditional, and undying. It showed the many facets of love and loving and the sacrifices that people make to express it.

I so wish that I can find a DVD copy of Heaven's Coins (all 3 seasons) and with English subtitle, of course. Then I would be so happy. I just don't know where to find it.
(UPDATE: I found them on E-bay... finally! I'm so happy)

Here's the love theme from the first season...

performed by Sakai Noriko (Aya).

AOI USAGI

(Japanese Lyrics)

ato dore kurai setsunakunareba

anata no koe ga kikoeru kashira
nanigenai kotoba o hitomi awasete tada shizuka ni

kawaseru dake de ii hoka ni wa nanni mo iranai

aoi usagi zutto matteru hitorikiri de furuenagara

sabishisugite shinde shimau wa haiyaku atatamete hoshii
ato dore kurai kizutsuita nara

anata ni tadoritsukeru no kashira
araitate no shatsu no nioi ni daki sukumeraretara

itami mo kanashimi mo subete ga nagarete kieru wa

aoi usagi naite iru no yo sou anata ni kikoeru you ni

tatoe zutto todokanakute mo eien ni aishite iru wa

aoi usagi sora o kaketeku kokoro terasu hikaru hanachi

ai no hana ni yume o furimaki ashita e to AH...

aoi usagi inori tsuzukeru doko ka ni iru anata no tame

ima no futari sukueru mono wa kitto shinjitsu dake dakara

(English Translation)
I wonder how much more suffering I can take

And still hear your voice
It would be nice if we could exchange

Simple words in silence

With but a glance

I'd want nothing more

This blue bunny has been shivering for so long

While waiting for you all alone

If I get too lonely, I'll die

Won't you hurry and warm me up
I wonder how much more pain I can take

And still keep following after you

When I indulge in the smell

Of your freshly washed shirts

The pain and the sadness

Are all washed away

This blue bunny is crying, you know

Trying to make you hear me

Even if you never realize it

I'll love you forever

This blue bunny is flying

Through the sky towards tomorrow

Radiating a light shining from my heart

And sprinkling dreams on the flowers of love

This blue bunny is somewhere

Still praying for your sake

Because the only thing that can save us now

Is the truth

WiSdOm oF MoRRiE (from "Tuesdays With Morrie")

2005-12-02T15:46:00.000-08:00

ON TRUSTING OTHERS: "Sometimes, you cannot believe what you see, you have to believe what you feel. And if ever you are going to have other people trust you, you must feel that you can trust them, too... even when you're in the dark... even when you're falling."
ON WHAT MAKES US EQUAL: "Maybe death is the great equalizer , the one big thing that can finally make strangers shed a tear for one another."
ON HOPE/LIFE/OR DEATH: "Don't let go too soon, but don't hang on too long."
ON LIFE: "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... a tension of opposites, like a pull on a rubberband and most of us live somewhere in the midddle."
ON WHAT MATTERS: "Everyone is in a hurry... People haven't found meaning in their lives, so they're running all the time looking for it. They think the next car, the next job. They find those things empty, too, and they keep running. Once you start running, it's hard to slow yourself down."
ON HAVING AND RAISING CHILDREN: "There is no experience like having children. That's all. There is no substitute for it. You cannot (find the experience) with a friend. You cannot (find the experience) with a lover. If you want the experience of having complete responsibility for another human being, and learn how to love and bond in the deepest way, then you should have children."
ON SOCIAL STATUS: "...if you try to show off for people at the top, forget it. They will look down at you anyhow. And if you're trying to show off for the people at the bottom, forget it. They will only envy you. Status will get you nowhere. Only an open heart will allow you to float equally between everyone."
ON LIFE'S PURPOSE: "So many people walk with meaningless life. They seem half-asleep, even when they're busy doing things they think are important. This is because they're chasing the wrong things. The way you get meaning into your life is to devote yourself to loving others, devote yourself to your community around you, and devote yourself to creating something that gives you purpose and meaning."
ON EMOTIONS: ... "It doesn't mean you don't let the experience penetrate you. On the contrary, you let it penetrate you fully. That's how you are able to leave it. If you hold back on the emotions--- if you don't allow yourself to go all the way through them--- you can never get to being detached, you're too busy being afraid. You're afraid of the pain, you're afraid of the grief. You're afraid of the vulnerability that LOVING entails. But by throwing yourself into these emotions, by allowing yourself to dive in, all the way, over your head even, you experience them fully and completely. You know what pain is. You know what love is. You know what grief is. And only then you can say, "All right. I have experienced that emotion. I recognize that emotion. Now I need to detach myself from that emotion for a moment."
ON WHAT MATTERS: "The average person is so fogged up by all of this, he has no perspective on what's really important anymore. Wherever I went in my life, I met people wanting to gobble up something new. Gobble up a new car. Gobble up the latest toy. And they want to tell you about it. 'Guess what I got? Guess what I got?' Do you know how I interpreted that? These people were so hungry for love that they were accepting substitutes... They were embracing material things and expecting a sort of a hug back. But it never works."

iT's FiNaL!

2005-12-01T16:08:00.000-08:00

I just finished writing and distributing my letter(s) of resignation to the companies I work for. My resignation from the 3 companies is effective the 6th of January '06. I don't have to write a letter to the other two since I only do seasonal work for them. So, there you go, it's now official! There's no turning back. The choice has been made. The decision made final.

I have mixed emotions at this point...
I am relieved because I've finally made my decision final. I am sad to be leaving a place I love, and people I've worked with for the past seven years. However, I am happy because I have made a step forward into working on my plans. I am stressed out just thinkin' about all the work I have to do with regards to my relocation. Yet, I am excited because I'm so close to being back home, and pursuing a career I've always dreamed of as a child. And I am scared... scared of all the uncertainties the future brings.

With all these emotions, one thing remains certain... I intend to fulfill my dream of being a physician no matter what. I will never give up. I won't lose hope. I will always have faith. (So help me God!)