365 days later... an oddyssey for 2009 and a question for 2010

I haven't made it a habit to make any resolutions, and I never planned to start now. Maybe a story or a question will do. Let's start with 365 days.

365 days. Yes it's that long. Let me tell you about it.

I thought of the perfect present for me for Christmas. Not that I believed that Christ was born on Christmas. Rather, I find that the season is appropriate to give myself a gift. Several people told me that sometimes one should indulge and treat oneself after one heck of a work load. One of those people was me.

Yes, I took the liberty of giving myself a gift. I planned it carefully. I saved up for it actually. It’s something I needed badly so maybe it was as well.

To those who know me, you might have guessed that it was a book. You’ve guessed it right. You really know me. It is a book, a very important one, too. It’s something that I really wanted since graduating. No, I really wanted that book even before I graduated high school. It was around 3rd year or something.

So this was my chance. I waited for a long time.

I wanted a Bible.

Not just any Bible. A Bible from my own blood, sweat and tears, I can identify anyone from our church or any other church who could give me a Bible the moment I asked. But I really wanted something that I would treasure because I bought it. This ought to be the perfect gift for Christmas for me now that I have a job. I waited long enough for this.

I browsed around the bookstores even before December. NBS, Powerbooks, Fully booked, even Booksale. I wanted to find the one that would definitely suit my needs, something really applicable to my current sinful condition – the depressed, and hopeless sinner type.

It’s the perfect gift, isn’t it?

It probably is.

That was last 2008.

Whatever made me hold back on buying a Bible at that time was entirely forgotten. It took 365 days – 381 to be exact for me to get a hold on that elusive Bible. It was like a treasure that took forever.

Shame on me.

In the span of 365 days, I bought a cellphone, an mp4 player, new parts for a desktop computer and many other things – but not a 450pesos worth of a Bible. A real shame, I was able to buy all those expensive things, but never the one thing that would get me at least one step closer to God.

I was able to buy the BIble. At long last, it took a long time. Just before 2010 started, I went out and made a great decision to buy the long sought after BIble. It's nothing grand at all. Just a regular Bible that I could call mine.

The experience made me wonder, how easy it is to make a split second decision to buy gadgets that we coveted and other material things that we wanted – not needed. Yet we forget to forge the strongest link with the person who could give you more than those things many times over.

But what could we humans do? We are sinful as it is. How could we make the decision to strengthen our relationship with God more than the things on this world?

We have another 365 days to think about it and probably change it.

HAPPY 2010!!

The Case of the Smelly Pandan

Two friends messaged me to post another blog. The first one sent the message on facebook. The other one sent it through my nerves. That friend lives between my ears. 

No matter how I try, I seem to find myself starting blogs and losing interest somewhere in the middle. In the end, I don't get any posts done. Don't worry though, it's a different case for eval reports and work related stuff. I also hit the deadlines with church related stuff.

Anyway, these days are really rock. My mind is currently in search for answers. You see, around our house, you could see leaves that look like this:
That's Pandanus or in local terms, pandan. Wikipedia says that it's a genus of monocots with about 600 species. Seriously I didn't know they were this many. The leaves are usually used in weaving mats and the like. Most of us also use pandan to give rice an aroma. Yep, it's that smelly. And of course, who wouldn't know of the all too common buco pandan? It's a delicacy!

So why did we put it around the house? Simple. Someone told us that pandan repels insects especially cockroach. No it doesn't kill roaches, my brother tried hitting the roaches with those leaves and they just scurried away. I didn't know which is really ineffective either the pandan or my brother. I'm betting everything on the latter.

Anyway, so someone did tell us to put pandan in every corner of the house that became home to squatter roaches.
I also placed some in our cabinet where we hang our pants.
Even on my bookshelves.

I was eager to see what would happen after I placed it there. I imagined some aura from the leaves would ward off the cockroaches that seemed to appear at night when our neighbors below us started spraying.

The chance for the pandan to show it's stuff happened last night. Our neighbor sprayed their insecticide in the middle of the night. Two things happened. First, the pandan was able to hold back the roaches from entering our cabinets and corners. Second, since the roaches had nowhere else to go, they went to the sleeping person on the bed which was none other than me!

Conclusion? I had one hell of a night swatting those roaches away. Killed a lot. I learned that pandan works and that my neighbor needed scolding for spraying insecticide in the middle of the night.

Burned.

December 23, 2009, 10:00 AM. All hell broke loose. It is a day to be remembered by more than 500 hundred families in the Makati-Pasay Area. Particularly affected were the shanties along the creek in Barangay Bangkal Makati and Malibay st. in Pasay.

The fire started somewhere in Makati, which ended at around dusk after ravaging the neighboring Pasay Area. According to news reports, around 600 families were burned down. Click <here> and <here> for more details on the blaze.

The news is more or less accurate. I just visited the place today. After helping out in our church’s annual gift giving for the poor, our Adventist Community Services team led by our church pastor went immediately to the site of the fire. We were going to survey the area so as to send in some help from the Adventist Disaster and Relief Agency (ADRA).

As we were traveling along EDSA, signs of the recent catastrophe were imminent. People were taking refuge along the streets and on the over pass. Relief groups were scattered distributing food and clothing to those affected. From a few meters away, you could instantly smell the fumes of smoke. Blackened iron which used to be the roofs of some houses scattered along the streets. Others were piled up on trucks.

The smell of burned things became stronger as we neared the area. Still more scrap metal, blackened by the inferno, were scattered all over the place. We entered a large clearing which used to be the BLTB Bus Station, which burned down several years ago. A long line of men, women and children filing for relief goods from the local government greeted us as we penetrated the affected area. Still more were trying to salvage what scrap metal or objects they needed to rebuild their burnt down houses.

Being one of the two who had a camera, I went straight to the area most affected by the fire and took pictures. Some men were walking in the waist deep waters of the creek, trying to salvage some scrap metal. Other women and children were trying to continue on living. Some were trying to conjure a passable meal for their families with what little they were able to save plus some relief goods from donors. Still others were trying to arrange and safeguard their belongings. Television sets, gas stoves, kettles, pots, pans, and some clothes were the only possessions they saved. All the while, few people still seemed to be in a state of shock, unable to accept the fact that their homes were burned down.

The adage still rang true. It really is better for your things to get stolen than burned.

The sad part was that so many people won’t be celebrating Christmas tonight the way they used to. I hope those people could recover their losses. They may be squatters and the like, it is true. Yet we couldn’t leave these now-homeless people alone while we drown in the merriment of the season. After all, Christmas is for everybody, isn’t it?

At the moment, we’re waiting for the goods that will be delivered soon to be given to these victims. The best thing that we could give to them at this moment is our prayers. Let us not forget them as we pray for blessings this Christmas season.

Distractions

I was on fire last month. My fingers were blazing hot. My hands won’t stop moving. Words streamed endlessly from my head directly to the computer word processor straight to my blog.

It was a spur of the moment thing. I just went home one day feeling tired of playing the usual computer games or reading other people’s posts and rants. I just felt like typing my heart away on the computer. I found myself there sitting in the quiet of the night my head brimming with endless thoughts about various things. Felt like lightning struck. I never felt this way before.

I was what you would call inspired. By what or who I have no idea, but the thoughts seemed to pour out like rain. No time to dilly dally, no time to spend joking around or watching something. It was as if a deadline was drawing near. I was typing like crazy.

I brought my laptop the whole week just to finish the post. I was so engrossed I used my entire spare time including my lunch breaks just to type everything down.

I ended up posting 1-2 posts a week. Everything was about my recent experiences, observations, and feelings. Everything made a career high of 10-15 visit to my blog in a day. Not that I care about the visits though. The number of posts and the endless stream of words coming out of my head was overwhelming. I was on fire.

It lasted for a month.

I dunno how come it ended too soon. The ideas were still brimming inside my head. I guess it’s already a common occurrence for anyone to get an idea several times a day. I did but I had a hard time putting it down unlike the month before. Whatever happened to me?

I was distracted.

I was clearly taken off track by several things that came all at once. It was like getting the whole basketball team to steal the precious ball away from you. There were so many things that came that I simply lost the time to write down the simplest thoughts that could blossom into inspiration. I found myself at a loss for words.

First came the game. I had that tendency to get hooked in video games. It’s an Achilles heel of some sort. That was the reason why I didn’t dare play on facebook. However, it was some evil wind that brought me to possess an NBA Live Game. Until now, it kept on taking away most of my time that instead of tapping away on the word processor,  I was tapping my way to the playoffs.

Next came the manga. It was also my downfall. I kept on reading manga which actually sparked my hunger for sports games. I thought I was already finished until the idea came back to reread some of them. So if I was not playing games, I was reading manga on my computer.

With these two distracters, I have totally forgotten to mind my blogs or even share the wonderful wisdom given to me. However, I seem to be reviving a bit after finding out that I could squeeze some time to write like this one. I hope I could post more in the following days until the holiday break ends.

 

 

Some Things I Wanted To See

I come now to a long period of rest from any activity. I find myself sitting on my bed with a laptop and a cell phone at my disposal with no one to text, call or even chat with. It has been almost a year since I last had this kind of moment. I feel like I could do anything with all the time at my disposal. I could watch anything I’ve missed watching.

Then again, I don’t think I can do that just yet. After all, not all of them are TV programs or movies. So after gathering all of my thoughts and pondering over such things, I have made a list of 10 things that I would really love to see and watch in no particular order. (I have long planned for this post and this is the perfect moment to do this.)

Stage Play – After participating in 4 stage plays (ESTRAGEL 1-4) and watching several others, I find myself missing those moments of practices as well as

Read More <=Click here

BREAK!!!

yey! after several days of waiting, the break I have been waiting for has finally arrived and what better way to greet a well deserved break than by posting one of many blogs to come?

For today, I have finally slept long and deep. Something like 10 or 11 hours of sleep. Now that's really long. I don't know why I was able to rest that long but I did. I wasn't tired or anything.
Sabbaths don't tire you out after all. In fact, you get to stay up from 8am to 7 or 8pm in bonding and fellowship with God and other believers.

Others who never had that chance misses more than half of their lives. But that's really what happens every sabbath. We start off at 8am and end by around 8pm. Of course, that's not pure worship service, there's eating, laughing and goofing around in between and sometimes the goofing part takes up most of the day. It's really a good way to start the break. So much for the sabbath.

So saturday night, I slept soundly and woke up the next day at 10am. Really late than my usual 6am. It's really one long slumber. I really appreciated it. So here's to that great rest!!

I just hope that I wont do that for the next two weeks. That's bound to be one great head ache if it did!

Taking It Further

I found several sheets of paper on the front desk of our clinic last week. On it were the names of all therapists with 3 blanks underneath. On the heading of the first sheet was marked “WISH LIST.” I didn’t know if I should jump for adulation or slump back in worry. Actually the feeling was something I felt whenever I go to buy my own shoes or clothes – clueless.

For a week now, it was a question that really bugged me. What do I really like? What do I wish for? Is world peace an option? How about love?  Or happiness? Or a house and lot and 7 boxing championship belts?

For a limited budget, those things are hard to find. Kidding aside, the more I think about it, the more I’ve realized that a person’s preferences changes over time. Whether it be something abstract as love, friendship or happiness to something more concrete and material as gadgets, cars and houses. Maybe it’s because people tend to get no satisfaction at all. Maybe not. I’m no expert so I can only answer for myself.

So after putting up my wish list for our clinic’s Christmas party, I have decided to take it further and find out what I really wanted. I know it may seem like I’m swinging for the fence, so what if I do? We all get a chance at bat anyway, so just give me my chance to swing for the fence, maybe lady luck would give me a homerun. Here are some of the more tangible items that I wished for in any order:

1.       Book  Collection – I’m starting to build up a collection of books by Robert Fulghum from your friendly neighborhood BOOKSALE. Yet this collection has lots of volumes missing. These don’t cost much, somewhere between 100-500 pesos, if bought from booksale. But that’s not all, I also wanted to build up my own Arnold Arre graphic novel collection priced at around 500 per book, my own CS Lewis Christian volumes collection (500 per book) among others.






2.       Notebook PC– Ok, so I already have a laptop. I even brogged (brag blog? bwahaha) about it last year. But laptops have a short lifespan and with the way I am carrying it, it’s lifetime would most likely be shorter. How did I know? I don’t know but I can feel it. I’m not after the classy notebooks something around PhP 15, 000 is enough for my needs.

3.       Handheld Console – I’m still undecided if it would be a PSP or a NDS. I have tried both and I liked both, but I can’t get both. I like PSP since it’s more cool looking especially the 3D effects. However, it’s bulkier than an NDS. An NDS on the other hand, aside being the only console among the 2 to play Pokemon Diamond, I liked its compact and game boy-like design and the prospect of having dual screens with a touch screen are cool. However, most games look like spawns from cartoons. Both consoles are as much as PhP 10, 000.




4.       Ipod Touch – Maricon, my friend bought one and I found it cool and useful, but her 32GB might be too much for me, 8GB might do the trick. I really have a hard time saving up the 5, 000 to 10, 000 peso Ipod. What really makes me want to get this is it’s wide collection of applications and wifi accessibility which means internet all the time. And from what I heard, it has an application that plays SNES games. woohoo!!





5.       Camera – I used to think that I really didn’t want a DSLR since it’s too bulky or too bothersome for me. Yet after hanging out with the Backlitas (church photogs) I seem to get the photography madness this trio brings to everyone. After some consultation, I found the right tool for me, a canon G10. It’s doesn’t require those expensive lenses but they say it produces great raw shots perfect for a blogger’s use. However, this really means swinging for the fence, it’s price is almost like any SLR at 25, 000 minimum.




6.       House – This is one big dream. And I mean BIG! I have no idea about the location or the prices. I never bothered to look. I just wanted to have one that’s all. It would be cool to own your own house no matter where it is. Personally, I’d still prefer the provincial setting on top of the mountain overlooking the sea. Just a small bungalow would suffice, I guess. If I get to own my house, the next wish will surely follow.




7.       Car – Again another gargantuan dream. Forget about the soaring gas prices, I still think that owning your own vehicle is way too cool. I need something simple and small, something perfect for my needs. I’m not sure what kind though and this is only wishful thinking since I really don’t find it practical. But wait, have I written anything practical on this list so far? I don’t think so.

Boy, this really needs careful planning.But as I said, this is a wish list. Now I could take action and make this a reality or just leave it as a wish. It's all on me. Unless anyone reading this would take pity and give me any one of these.


 

at a loss for words..

It Doesn't Matter

If someone asked you, “how old are you?” How would you respond?

In my current world of yuppies, fancy coffee shops and gadgets, I have often met people who answered that question with a gaze that seemed to say, “Is that even a question?” It’s true. Once a girl I met just stared at me when I asked that question. Another guy guffawed with gusto when I asked his age.

I really couldn’t help but wonder why they tried to avoid such a question as simple as how many earth rotations around the sun you have experienced. Why do people hide their age?

Read more...

That Human Connection

This must have been a very busy sunday.

Or not.

At least for me.

I spent the day feeling lazy and drowsy. Mind the rhymes. Of course, people who knew my insides perfectly well would definitely say, "So, what's new?"

Then again, today is a special case. I slept late after our planning session which ended at 3 in the morning. It was one of those crucial but fun night outs that we do in church. It was a party-business meeting-joke time and everything else rolled into one.

I would have put up an all nighter watching DVDs afterwards like we usually do, but since I have work the next day, I had to sleep even for a few hours.

I actually expected a really busy Sunday. I work only until 12 noon every Sunday and usually spend the rest of the afternoon doing paper works.

Today was different. Not that I don't have any paper works lined up, I actually had a few. It just seemed like today was a really lazy Sunday with nothing to worry about except how to breathe properly and eat properly.

If you think it was a great Sunday. Think again.

It was pretty boring.

I would have preferred to roam around the streets of the metro looking at the strange and fun human activity most people are doing. I would have preferred talking to someone and unearthing the secrets to life.

I especially craved for the latter today. I really wanted to talk to someone. My sisters were busy doing school work while my brother's busy reviewing. Everyone was too busy to talk to.

I tried texting people. It was in vain though. I actually assumed that people would respond more on weekends than on weekdays. Actually, it turned out that no one would reply to any messages you send on any day of the week.

I see the real difference a year or two back when I had more than one conversations going on in a day. Everyone seemed to be hyped when receiving a non-sense message. A conversation was easy to get from heart to heart talks to sharing corny jokes and one liners.

Nowadays, people seemed to have forgotten that the small hand-sized gadgets they have are primarily used for communication. Most people tend to have little time to have a conversation with other people.

Okay, I know I'm over generalizing. Maybe I've tried to contact only a few people or maybe I was way off timing. But still, I crave for that time when I could converse with someone and would get reasonable if not logical answers.

Don't mind me, I'm just ranting. It's a lazy sunday anyway.

Hope I'm Right.

I’m still young, I don’t know what to believe.

I firmly believe that the younger generation needs to be taught the values that they would need in life. Not only the do’s and don’ts but the principles that they needed to hold onto so as to live a life with a purpose.

I believe that a life with a purpose would be better realized not through education but through having a firm foundation and value system. With the economic crises that we are experiencing today, what else can we leave for the younger generation?

Like I said, I’m still young. Read more...

My Futile Attempts.

Oh how much I've struggled.

I've tried everything to get to know you more. I tried looking around. I tried asking around. I tried keeping track of you. I kept my eyes and ears open. I kept my mind open as well.

Remember how I've poured out my all. All my frustrations, my rants and my aspirations. You became a witness to it all. I could only repay you by looking out at you. Struggling to keep you updated.

And you know, I never gave up on you. Even though it's hard and the times were though, I still kept you in my mind and hoped that one of these days I could visit you. I still longed to pour it all out.

How long has it been? I could not even remember. Yet my attempts were still futile. My ideas were still limited. My powers to keep you and bring you to the pinnacle of success were set back by mediocrity, lack of talent and technical know how.

I know, my attempts were futile.

I got frustrated.

But that won't stop me from going on. That won't hinder me from learning more and pouring out all my energies.

It's hard I know. There's a lot of things to know.

Yet I will do it all. You just wait. You'll be like others like you.

One of these days, I will know how to manage my wordpress blogs properly and learn what makes you tick. You just wait blog, I'll make you visually entertaining! :-P

What exactly were you thinking? This is about my other blog.

Manipulation and Temptation

“Ayaw!”

She flashed one of her most precious and cutest smile.

I was taken aback. You’d travel a thousand miles before you’d get to see this kind of smile. Anyone could be taken by the small petit frame with the high pitch voice. A small battery of cuteness no one could resist.

She smiled her most precious smile and pointed to a toy she wanted. The more I tried to say no, the more she smiled her heart-melting smile. Before I knew it, I was under her spell.

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YM of the Future

A lot has been said about the recent YM retreat. A lot has been mentioned about the 60 strong who prayed through the storms and was smiled upon by God. The pictures probably could tell what the words from our YM site could not express.

It's all enough and boring readers with details could be overkill.

Yet there's one word that could describe the retreat, it was blessed.

I have come to realize that a silent shifting in the Youth Ministries is brewing like strong hot coffee. Once you partake of it, you'd realize how long it would shock you and keep you awake. As of this writing, I could say that I shiver with excitement with the way things are turning out with me as witness and surveyor of it all. I could only hope and pray for such changes.

I sincerely pray for the coming ministry - a united front of God's children each one serving through and with their own groups. I pray for the merging of talents, hobbies, causes and professions for a continuous conglomeration of ideas. I pray for the breaking of the idea of exclusivity and instead the idea of openness and friendship. I pray for a lot of things and I hope such things could materialize in due time.

A Cinderella Moment

It’s now 1:00AM and I am still up. Probably it’s part of the celebration for the early start of the Halloween break for me. Or probably, it’s something else.

I really think it’s something else.

I had this conversation an hour ago. A cousin. A long lost cousin I was very fond of since childhood. Sometimes you don’t have a choice with this fondness thing because sometimes you get to grow up at the same time and at the same place.

So there she was (yes, a she) and her message. Apparently, she was confused and distraught. Her dilemma: “Do guys really get intimidated when girls are overly conservative and goody goody?”

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the wheels on the bus

I have been singing a song for more than a year now. Actually, it was more than two years now or maybe more. I sang it thousands of times to notice that it comes to me automatically.

If you’re a teacher, you might be familiar with it. If you’re a pre-school teacher, chances are you’ve mastered it. But if you’re a therapist like me, you might have the equivalent of a Ph.D. in knowing this song.

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The Bucket List

Rating:	★★★★★
Category:	Movies
Genre:	Comedy

If you've got only months to live and billions of money, what would you do? Two cancer patients (played by Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman) explored this question in the comedy-drama star-studded film. The story shows Edward Cole (Nicholson), a multi-billionaire, and Carter Chambers (Freeman), a mechanic, sharing a room in a facility owned by Cole. Tension builds up at first that eventually turn into a deep friendship. With only months to live, the two embark on a journey to the skies and around the world all the while crossing out their bucket list. From sky diving to a safari trip to standing on top of the world, the two old men strive to find the fun that they've been missing and at find the meaning of life along the way. But at the heart of it all, nothing beats being in the arms of someone you love: your family.
This film is a must to see.

So I Sit Here... Alone

I'm currently sitting alone in a shop some kilometers from home.

Not that the distance matters. Actually, I kinda enjoy being away from home for a day. Most times, I don't sit down. I walk

I love walking the same way some people I know loved to run or hike. I love walking along the busy streets of Manila. It shows life at its peak. You hear the buzzing of people, and the loud sounds of the shops nearby. Once in a while, a passing car would amaze you or a store would entice you to come in and check its wares.

Walking gives me the pleasure of thought. It allows me to recollect what has happened during the day and how it created an impact in my life.

Today though, I sat down. I hope I didn't. I didn't know that from where I was sitting, a band would be playing a few meters from me. A full band with drums and all. The lead vocals wasn't that good. The song wasn't even familiar and the people weren't even shouting in joy.

I tried walking for 4 hours already while waiting for some people I was supposed to meet. I sat down inside a coffee shop near the entrance of the mall. Apparently they weren't coming. Oh well!

Current Location: The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, SM North EDSA
Currently Listening: Some freaking band sprouting out noise.

Need Cleaning ASAP

Finally, my disorganization has caught up with me.

I hated it.

My music player broke down. It was a minor problem, really, but once under warranty, you'd think twice before opening and tinkering with it. So down to the service center I went.

It was minor alright, but worse part of it was I couldn't find my receipt. I knew I stashed it somewhere safe. I guess I was too careful. It was so safe, even I had trouble remembering where it was.

So as of this writing, my bed is cluttered with dozens of books accumulated within 6 months time. Various papers, pamphlets and handouts of bygone days when studying was a habit and receiving condo unit brochures were common, are scattered around my bed and under it. Boxes big and small are open with its contents all over the floor. 

I realized how messy my room was at the moment. Everything was out of place. Add to the fact that some places it's moist and damp probably from the previous storms. Hope cockroaches haven't moved in yet. I'd get all the fun exterminating them soon.

So just bear with the short post. I just wanted release.

I actually couldn't imagine how one person such as me could make a really huge disaster in a single place. In no more than a few feet, I have wrought havoc over all things I have. Just think, I haven't thrown my clothes all over the place yet, so you could only imagine what one of me could do to a small space as my room. And I am just one person. One entity. A puny human.

Not to horde all the glory of the spoils, but I think there's more than a billion people in the world who are probably better or worse than me. Give or take. Better or worse than me, they too could do a certain degree of disarray in their rooms. They too could cause enough CFCs to float in the air or enough garbage to cover the whole world twice over.

Imagine what little damage a few billion of us could do to a small speck in the Milky Way called Earth.

Maybe it's time we cleaned up our room.

Currently: Searching for missing receipt
Currently listening: music of the rusted electric fan
Location: My room

Things I Don't Understand

I love to watch kittens at play.

They would run and jump at anything that moves. Then run away, then run back, then run away, then run back. Repeat this cycle a few times more and you get an erratic overly curious kitten.

That’s what they are. Kittens are wondrous examples of fear and curiosity. Maybe it’s fun being a cat. Their curiosity tends to overcome their fear.

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Breaking the Ghost Within

In a few hours time, the axe will fall.

I shudder at the thought of getting executed.

I received the call of my execution two days ago – Monday. No wonder Garfield hated Mondays. I tried to delay the inevitable. I responded a day later. I had no choice but to walk the plank and have a taste of death.

I didn’t know what happened next. Everything seemed blurry. These last few hours mark my return to consciousness. In those spare moments I reflect about various things. I think about how people have been awfully good to me – more awful than good though. I imagine the feeling of those who had their near death experiences – something I doubted until minutes ago. Most of them saw their life pass by like a blur. Every single laugh they shared with their family and friends – those moments that took their breath away. Should I live to see the day again, I’ll tell the tale of going to face death all by myself.

I reflect on how life should end in such a manner – in front of a group of people, questioning you, squeezing out the life from you. I shudder to think about it.

In a few hours time, the guns will fire.

Dr. Jose Rizal, Andres Bonifacio, Gregorio del Pilar Antonio Luna –  all Filipinos who died facing that barrel along with the millions of soldiers who took part in the war – any kind of war. I should be saying about how pointless wars are or how deception among ranks could lead to wasted lives. Yet that would be increasing their fame and putting all those who died – stupidly or otherwise – on top of a high pedestal for all to revere, admire and follow. Not that I mind at all.

I particularly liked the perspective that the dead remain dead. It’s comforting to know that those ghosts and spirits that haunt many places here on earth are not spirits of the dead but something else more evil and ghastly. Imagine seeing the spirit of your dead relative hanging all over the place. I shudder at the thought.

I wonder who injected those concepts into the minds of people. I tried telling a ghost story once, my listeners ended up laughing their hearts out. They all thought it was a joke. I also remembered submitting one story in our high school paper about my scariest moment, I told it as vividly as I can. All I remembered after passing the article was the vivid color of ink on paper inside the trash can. That was when I learned that ghost stories are like jokes in that they are hard to make.

Harder still if you’re the one to tell people of their ghosts in life. You’d end up dead just by breaking the truth to them. We would have fared better not knowing those things.

I only have a few hours left until that panel of people would question me to death. I would have breathed easier if they were asking things like “who’s your crush?” or “were you the one who left the cookie jar open?” or “Did you just eat bagoong this breakfast?”  and not “What’s wrong with this kid?” or “what are we going to do with him?”

Right now I imagine the scenario, I come inside their hall or wherever it is they’re going to put me. And grill me with a lot of questions. The ghost would eventually appear:

Social Worker: So, what do you think? Will the child be able to speak?

I swallowed everything in. Spitting it out would be the hardest.

Me: Well, considering the circumstances of age, cognitive ability and functionality, the child is already a teenager – as you can see. He is able to discern things that his visual and auditory sensations would feed him. His processing may seem to be moderately limited to what is necessarily available…

That’s just a social worker. Imagine if it was a parent. It’s really harder if it was a parent. It always is.

So now, I sympathize with the doctors, nurses and all the other health professionals whose lives are always in complete danger from the patients that they handle. Danger from the patients denial issues, anger issues and depression issues erupting from their ghosts in life.



Simultaneously posted @ manacled.wordpress.com

The Videoke Mania

I am incline to think (which is a very dangerous thing to do) that videoke machines should be placed as one of the items on the prohibited lists.

This ingenious invention was observed to be very addicting. It perfectly fits along the lines of drug abuse, alcohol, smoking, games on facebook, as well as the most highly addictive ones among children such as Spongebob, Barney, Dora and Thomas the Train. Mixing the act of singing in videoke and anyone of these addictive substances and acts could be tantamount to world-wide chaos second only to the Armageddon itself. It’s that devastating.

Speaking from experience, Family KTVs (which rarely contains a family in some areas) or Videoke booths set up within Malls inside video arcades, are similar to the opium dens of the 17^th or 19^th Century. However, what’s different about it, and probably comforting, is the fact that only a select and trusted few are allowed to take part in the session thus casualties are minimal. Most times, among those people within the confines of the said booth, extreme enjoyment and nausea were noted.

Read more.

blog here. not there.

I have been a member of facebook for several months now. I found out that so many people have made it their habit to waste time in front of the screen and play computer games.

I don't do that.
Okay at least not online.

But that what makes facebook so loved by a lot of people. It rolled everything from social interaction to personality quizzes to gaming. It seemed to be the fab right now. Everyone seemed to go gaga over it.

But I just keep coming back to multiply or wordpress.

Sure. They've merged everything. Everything that is except blogging.

I have recently found out that you can actually post some write-ups on facebook via notes. and tag it to those who could read.

Yet the difference is a great leap from multiply. Facebook notes just offers a plain white background view of your blog which could be summed up in one word: boring.

So here I am still at multiply. I don't mind if I get few readers or even if michi's the only one who bothers to comment.

Let's just stick to our preferences shall we?

patience...

“Lee… tsk”

“Wiii… tsk”

The man gave up saying the word in frustration. He resorted to what he tried to do best – writing. So in on the table where we sat, he slowly wrote, his wriggling hands struggling for control. I spoke the letters as he wrote.

“W – I – F – E,” I think I know where this conversation is going. “Do you mean to say ‘Do you have a wife?’ ”

The man smiled his sweetest smile.

I laughed.

Read more...

Survivor: PAC Extreme Ondoy Edition

"Kuya Worthy, tingnan mo, may tumutulo na!" Isay (Atheena Aguilar) pointed to the ceiling from our post at the church's computer. It was the middle of the single communion divine service where Pastor Nepomuceno, the speaker has just begun his sermon. It has been raining since 7 or 8 in the morning.

I immediately looked up to where she was pointing. From our vantage point, I could only look  across towards our Sabbath School Class, Class 7.

That would be impossible, the ceiling has been repaired during the summer, I thought. Yet before I could point that out to her, what we saw was not a dripping ceiling. The ceiling was shimmering.

"Parang swimming pool!" Isay gaped. True enough, on the white ceiling of Pasay Adventist Church was no water stain from a broken roof or ceiling. It was the reflection of water as you would look at a swimming pool. At that moment, I noticed the deacons who closed the side door shut. I looked at the other side door, some deacons were also doing the same. Before I could even ask a question to anyone, my eyes strayed at the floor on the aisle. Something clear and liquid was quickly moving towards the pulpit of the church.

"Kuya bilis, itaas natin ito!" My partner was pointing to the huge UPS that we once used. I quickly grabbed the heavy device with two hands and placed it near the organ. Soon enough, deacons, deaconesses and some of those seated in front were helping out raising the basins for the footwashing on the stairs of the pulpit. Everyone was in distress. Those who were on wheelchairs were already wet.

Outside the anteroom, Pastor Aser Bacdayan saw the flood. Running out in the rain, he immediately removed the covers on the newly constructed drainage system. However, a few minutes later, the drainage gave up.

Inside the church, the water kept rising. The people were confused as to where to go or what to do. Others remained still realizing that nothing would stop the water from entering cracks of the side doors. Later on, I noticed that the side doors were not the only sources of water, bubbles seemed to come out from the floor itself. Small bubbles but it was clear enought that water from somewhere underground, most likely the sewages under the ground, were seeping up. Thus from the toe deep water, the flood rose to the ankles and finally to the calves. At the end of the day, the flood reached the knees.

Pastor Nepumuceno was forced to cut his sermon and move on to the communion service. "For forty years of serving as a Pastor, this is a first time," he said. The solemnity broken by the sudden rush of water, we continued with the foot washing and the partaking of the bread and wine. Most of the people who initially didn't want to partake in the traditions could do nothing but stay at the lobby. Most of them could not go out even with their umbrellas. The water outside the chuch has reached the thighs.

Some of the solemn air still lingered but you could still feel the tension. You could still feel the fear and anxiety the flood has caused. This was the first time for Pasay Adventist Church to experience a flood within the chuch like this one.

I reached my grandfather during the footwashing. He was my partner by default. As I was washing his feet, he suddenly stood up and decided to go to the CR. I panicked since the side doors were closed and the front entrance was already crowded. We went to the front entrance to see if we could squeeze through amidst the people trying to save their skins from the storm's lashings. But it was to no avail, we still had to go up the already wet pulpit and go out the side door of the ante room. That was how I was able to spend the rest of the communion service on the ante room. My grandfather, after going to the CR was ordered to stay in the ante room for the remaining of the service. Understandably, the flooded floors would be bad for him at his age and state. So I had to stay with him through out the service.

Apparently, we weren't alone, the Aguilar Family as well as Pastor Aser was there too. It was then that I learned that the problem was not with the PAC's drainage system, nor was it due to the construction going on. The real problem was that there was just too much water. It has been raining since the Friday night so most likely the water would over flow. It was, then, an obvious decision that all activities in the afternoon, even the meetings, until the next day were cancelled. Everyone most likely would agree to that.

The moment the communion service ended, more chaos erupted. A lot of people were already hurrying to the front doors to get out of the storm. Most rushed on and tried to beat the flooded streets which was already knee deep. News reached us that all vehicles along buendia were not moving at all. I personally witnessed these vehicles in the afternoon.

As other people tried to push their way out of the church, some were trying to find places to spend the rest of the afternoon. Most of those people tried to stay on the pulpit. It was a good thing that we brought lunches. We shared our lunch with the Rapi Family, Ate Joy, Ate Cor, Pastor Aser and whoever else who would pop up. At the same time, the U Room also opened its doors with its regular lunches as well as the PAC Choir at the YM/Echo Room who were scheduled to have a potluck lunch (we stayed in the ante room).

Not everyone were able to go out of the church after all. After our lunch a lot of people were still by the front doors. Most of them were surely hungry, it was a blessing that all the activities in the afternoon were cancelled, the food for the Angels' Echo practices were distributed to those at the front doors. For others who were not able to eat at all, we tried to get the food from both the URoom and the PAC Choir to see to their needs.

As time wore on, staying on the pulpit seemed endless, I tried to see who were still at the front doors. There were at least 50 more people on the front doors. While walking around the lobby, a sister halted me and asked me for a great favor. She asked me to help them carry her husband who was on a wheel chair to the Buendia area where the flood was not as worse as along Donada.

I felt I had no choice. Fortunately I was wearing shorts and a t.shirt underneath my Sabbath clothes. I immediately removed my pants as well as my shirt and braced myself for the work to be done.

As I stepped on what was once the front steps of the church, I remembered that I was barefoot. I left my shoes the moment the flood kicked in the church. The whole time, I was walking around barefooted and now I was about to go to Buendia with all the flood. I silently breathed a prayer for safety for all of us. The flood with all its dirt and grime was no problem, I was more concerned of getting injured in such a situation, especially since first aid kits were not available at the moment. An injury would be a grave blow to any chance of surviving the flood.

As I said before, the Sabbath was a blessing. We were already past the church gates and nearing the Buendia when we saw some of the boys from NPUM pushing a cart with chairs. They were the ones who led the passage through the flood for the other brethren and it was all for free. We quickly loaded the old brother to the cart. From there I caught a glimpse of the Buendia that wasn't moving at all. All time seemed to have stopped at that point. Nothing was moving on both lanes.

The blessing kept on coming, I made it from Buendia back to church on my own without any scratches. Later on, I found myself running errands to and fro while watching over my grandfather who kept on insisting that he would go against the waters even with his condition. Several times until the evening we have been trying to stop him.

All this time, the lights on the pulpit were on. Steadily we noticed that the water within the church was slowly rising. The computer, that we couldn't save, was already drenched and the plug was centimeters away from getting wet. Someone complained that the water felt like electrically grounded. In an instant, the combined efforts of Bro. Ariel and Bro. Nilo to shut all the power in the church prevented the water from turning into a death pool.

By mid afternoon, a prayer was called on all those who were staying at the pulpit. We had no news of anything happening outside except on the fact that MAMC was also knee deep. I was worried at that time since the Deaf Ministry decided to transfer there. I guess they had an adventure on their own.

We were all hungry. It was already 4pm. We were just sitting around. Others including Ate Cor and Ate Joy all managed to hitch a ride on a side car back to their respective homes (Ate Joy decided to stay with Ate Cor). So those of us left at the ante room, waited for whatever might happen. Manna fell from the sky. At the door of the ante room, Bro. Sam Antonio appeared bringing food for those who were stranded. So it was back to distributing all the food to those on the front doors. It felt like the journey from the pulpit to the front door was a thousand miles.

After the distribution, I was wasted. I was tired. I managed to sleep for an hour at least at the lower pulpit.

When I woke up, it became darker. It was nearly dusk.

We were getting agitated. If we chose to stay here, the church will be all dark, since we can't risk turning on the power for fear of power shortages. But if we chose to move out, where are we going?

The answer was again provided. All of a sudden, Sis. Lyn Dilag appeared. We actually thought that the Dilags have already left sometime ago. In fact, they were staying at the Pasay City Academy. One of the rooms was opened up by the Principal as she too was stranded. Ate Lyn told everyone to go to the Elementary rooms. It was not flooded and food was also being prepared. It was a an answer to our prayers.

By nightfall, there were at least 50 people occupying the Kinder, Grade II and Grade I rooms of the elementary. 10 others decided to stay at the church, including Bro. Ariel and his kids. We brought them food that night. So in all, give or take, we were 60 people stranded.

Yet it never seemed to be a desperate condition at all. During dinner, we seemed to be partying. Food was over flowing in variety and quantity. Everyone was able to stuff their bellies full of food. Brethren from Leveriza who were least affected helped out. Special thanks to Bro. Sam Antonio and Kuya Henry.

We spent the night at the Elementary School. Mats were brought out and distributed to each room by Mrs. Tecson, the elem principal. It was like a sleep over party in that we were able to use the room's aircon. Yet sleep was a struggle considering what lies ahead of us.

By midnight, my parents frequently went out during the night to see if there was any improvement in the traffic. I managed to sleep for a few hours until my Mom woke all of us up and told us that things have improved. The traffic was somehow moving again along buendia, although the areas of Dian, Batangas and Filmore are still knee high. The time then was 5:00am.

By 6am, most of us were ready to go home, at long last.

The aftermath revealed that the storm Ondoy has given the Philippines 341mm rainfall. It topped the highest charted, 334mm, since 1967. A lot of people lost their homes and a lot of people died.

Comparing Notes Poll

I really don't know if this is something to laugh about or be a shamed of...

My sister had this project about conducting a mock survey in our neighborhood regarding the barangay's activities. It was one of those "thesis preparation projects" that would prepare any college student to the real deal. (However, I dare not tell my own story about that, it's just too bloody!)

After sweating through the paper works and brain storming, my sister finally got the questionnaires out. She asked help from our neighbors to distribute the questionnaires since she had school and a part time job to mind. The plan was that at the end of the day, she would go around on her way home to collect all the data she has gathered.

On one of her trips back, she found a very funny sight. Our neighbors were clumped together in front of their compound, most of them were answering the survey. My sister noted that one of the well known old men in our neighborhood was peeking at another person's survey answers. Apparently he was copying it down to the very last letter. In fact, it became more obvious when my sister collected the papers and saw under the heading of SEX/GENDER, he put in F.

Talk about copying - even on a mock poll? Some people just can't shake that habit.

NFS MAKATI

I couldn't believe that I could still be alive to write this post. No kidding. A few minutes ago before settling myself in front of the computer, I have seen the streets of Makati turn into a racing circuit. The rush could have been exhilarating had it not been for the commuters and regular vehicles that were nearly razed by the jeepney I rode today.

I was on my way home from work. I was asked to stop by from a nearby mall. It took me until closing time to get everything I needed to buy plus other items that I found (mostly food). I took the usual MRT to the jeepney terminal that goes straight to our street. It took a while to fill the jeepney. I dozed off for a while. When I woke up to move for some passengers, I kept on hearing the driver ranting about something. Apparently, he seemed to rant the rest of the trip about trifles like asking the passengers to move over.

When the driver revved up his engine, I noticed that he seemed to enjoy the brusque way it made a noise. I guess he was ignorant of the fact that this was manila and it was pointless to rev up your engines that loud.

As expected he turned up his sounds to the extreme before cruising away towards hell. His sounds, still as expected, were heavy metal sounds or rap mixes reminiscent of need for speed - not. I didn't know whether to laugh or to smirk at his unusual taste. They were somewhat weird - soundlike homemade novelty crossed between kundiman and dance hits. I really have no idea where to put his genre, but it sure was not for racing around a race track. It would have really been better if they were the novelty songs frequently repeated on the radio. Apparently, his music from his mp3 player were only hits whenever you got to drunk or to stoned to notice. It was a real bummer my MP4 player ran out of juice. I would have plugged in my headset to block out his weird music.

As the music started, the dreadful began. I'm sure this man was crazy.  He was oblivious to the double parked cars and what not that made the jeepney a perfect fit on the road. As he turned towards the main road, curse after curse followed every vehicle that passed the intersection. Every moment or so, the driver would rev up his engines as if gassing up for another lap.

I wanted to blurt out "Manong! Ayaw pa naming mamatay!!!" but I thought better of it. My voice would either be drowned out by his music or by his engine. Whenever a passenger would ask him to pull over, they would instantly find themselves a two blocks from where they intended to go. The driver was too busy cursing and swerving and overtaking slow moving vehicles to notice that he had passengers who were holding on for dear life. Maybe, he was even busy tapping or humming to the tune of his his homemade hits.

Another thought that occured to me would be to go down the moment another passenger asked him to pull over, but the stops were so abrupt that vehicles behind us nearly collided with the jeepney. I would still be a goner once I tried to get out.  Maybe this driver was thinking that the horns and honks behind him were from fans who were cheering him on his race to death.

A few minutes later (he probably reduced the 20-30 minute drive from the MRT to 15 minutes), I noticed that he was nearing the sidewalk. There, I immediately shouted for him to pull over. It only took one shout, but the stop was abrupt it nearly threw me into the lady sitting beside me (I should have thrown myself sooner though, she was hot!!  ). I guess I was lucky. The area was exactly my stop. The moment I got out, he zoomed away towards the intersection. I think he nearly slammed into a taxi, but I hope not.

MORAL: Never drive like an NFS driver when you're in Makati. Not that it's not safe, its just plain stupid!

BUSY DAYS AND BLESSED DAYS

50 people. Just 50.

That was the initial number of deaf attendees from CAP college for the deaf for the coming sabbath as the Deaf Ministry of our church set to make a report in front of the congregation. I was truly surprised when I learned the day before (friday) that they were coming. My thoughts of moving the report to next week burst like bubbles.

Sabbath day became more busy. The moment I stepped foot at the gates of the church, I was immediately hailed by some of our deaconesses. At 8am, there were already at least 10 deaf visitors who were excited to hear the report and observe our church service for the first time.

Apparently, the deaconesses in charge had no idea how to communicate with them. So, both confused parties were stuck at the church front door. The deaf confused at where they would go. The deaconesses confused and at a loss on how to tell them that they already have seats reserved for them. My arrival was somewhat a relief to the deaconesses but more confusion for the deaf with my almost hilarious sign language. To my surprise they were still able to find their reserved seats after I told them to follow the deaconesses.

I was more pressured when they began asking me to interpret for them. However, with my limited sign language, I couldn't do it yet. God took control. Lychel and Cheard came. They were two of the leaders of the deaf ministry. The former the interpreter, the latter her deaf missionary sister. There's only three of us (out of the five) today and handling 50 people isn't a walk in a park what with all the other responsibilities I had to do that day.

I wasn't able to follow their increase in number as they came in twos or threes but later on, I noticed that they have already filled up 6 or 7 pews. Two regular sabbath school classes were obliterated and was replaced by one hulking class. And, to add to my dismay, I was the one who would be handling that class. Luckily I was used to silence during the Sabbath School class. They weren't as responsive as the usual group we had in church. It was obvious that they were still observing the program. Yet God seemed to be leading us. I was actually at a loss on where to put the topic. I was merely throwing questions in the air. By the time I was finished I was somehow blessed by the turn of events. Cheard suddenly took over from Lychel and me and started sharing. She eventually steered the topic to the application of the lesson.

When the report came, it was amazing. Seeing them with their happy expectant faces made me smile myself. Things rolled on with God's grace. The last minute presentation was somehow a success. It was the reason I slept late the night before and I felt elated by the outcome. When the whole group was recognized, I saw them stood up and imagined the scene when one day we have finally established a haven for them. A whole group of deaf and hearing impaired individuals moving and operating their own community.

Later on, the speaker of the day spoke, it was with fervor and energy that the interpreters' hands were also on fire. Their hand movements seemed as dance moves gracefully performing in front of the crowd. It was amazing and it was making me dizzy.

The end of the service did not really mean the end of our problems. We still had a lunch fellowship. Tons of food were served and still with God's blessing. At the end of the fellowship, we were all full to the brim with leftovers to spare. We ended the day for the visitors with a tour around the neighborhood. The other two churches (PCC and MAMC), the hospital and the Union office were the main attractions. I do hope they enjoyed our company.

With the end of the day still several hours away, the hearing members and volunteers of the deaf ministry (including me) were still on the go. There was still a sign language class to attend. At the end of the class, it was information overload. It wasn't a surprise since the ones who taught us today were the teacher and principal of our deaf visitors, the Andrada couple. It was like hearing the masters as they show us their craft.

Even though if it was tiring and confusing, particularly on how to communicate to them, it was a blessed moment. We were all exhausted, battered, weakened and almost zombies by the time the afternoon turned to dusk. Yet looking back at that day, it was overwhelming. God was moving the day with wonders.

I have seen and felt God's mighty hand. Now I am hoping for more. I guess I don't have to wait long. Up next, PAC-YM Youth Day!!! I can't wait!!

Something I Neglected.

This is somewhat a part two of How I Got the Laptop All to Myself Once Again.

Right now, I had the chance to use the new desktop. I actually thought that everything was going fine with it. There were some problems which still left me clueless. One thing in particular is the sound driver for the motherboard's built-in sound. Since it's a new system, the old one I have downloaded seemed incompatible with the new motherboard. But I'm working on that right now after doing that same driver search countless times before.

Another one is the ethernet adapter problem. It seemed that the built-in one doesn't work that well. However, since the old motherboard doesn't have a built-in device, we were able to purchase a peripheral device. Later on, during my search for the sound driver, I learned that the ethernet adapter problem could also be relate to a missing or out of date driver. Hence, it could be easily resolved through the internet.

Apart from those problems, there was one bigger thing that I have neglected for weeks since purchasing and fixing the desktop. You see, we bought only the motherboard and left everything else intact such as the monitor and the keyboard and mouse. I have known a long time ago that the monitor was somewhat acting out its age. It occasionally blinks or the screen gets dark eventually. It was nothing a smart tap on the monitor couldn't fix. Besides, I plan to save up for an LCD screen for the desktop, so I'll let my siblings endure it for a moment more.

What was really irksome was when I tried sending an email message using the desktop. I found out the biggest and most annoying of all errors: I forgot to check on the condition of the keyboard and mouse. Now, I feel like I'm reaping the consequences of my neglect. The main QWERTY keys work well except for the letter D-button which needs an extra push to work. The worse thing was that all the number and symbol keys as well as the function keys from F1 to F12 were all not working. That's like a handful of keys were working while the rest were broken. The mouse was also acting up. It seemed to refuse to work on certain times or sometimes it would move on its own. Something really is wrong and there's only one way to fix it: replacement.

Replacing would mean buying and I don't have any money at the moment. Oh bummer!!

Studio Ghibli Rocks!!

It all started with Spirited Away. I have heard of the film before as the first animated feature to win an Academy Award. Michi (as with most of the anime I know) showed me the film through her ipod. I didn't get to finish the film at that time since her ipod ran out of juice somewhere in the middle of the film. So, I was forced to download the film to my delight. It was really a great film with simple yet artistic cinematography. I wouldn't deny it its right to win that prestigious award.

From then on, I watched Howl's Moving Castle, Princess Mononoke and just today, Tales from Earthsea. Each of these animated films have their own stories. Like Howl's Moving Castle and Tales from Earthsea, which were adopted from novels of the same title, tried to follow the plot on the books they were based on. On the otherhand, Princess Mononoke, as wikipedia put it, was an environmental film portrayed by Japanese mythology. Yet all these films seemed to have the same simplicity in terms of visual effects and artwork. It's not overly digitalize like most animated films of this age, rather, it used the old method of hand-drawn animation with just a few touches of computer CGI to give it flavor. What made them amazing was that they were made by one creator, Miyazaki.But before I start typing reviews for all of these films (which I have been itching to do and I nearly did right now!), I have learned that it was hard to find and acquire each of this films. There's a lot on the list even if I have to just look for Miyazaki's works, I wouldn't be able to get them all. Just today, I came from Makati Cinema Square where I found a complete Studio Ghibli collection (as of 2007) a year ago. With it's thousand peso price back then, it was impossible for me to purchase the collection considering I still had no work then. However, my search today was not as fruitful as it was before, I may have the buying power now, but the collection was gone.


I hope I could find that collection soon.

Howl's Moving Castle

Rating:	★★★★★
Category:	Books
Genre:	Childrens Books
Author:	Dianne Wynne Jones

Move over Harry Potter, Howl is here.

This is one great volume packed with magic, mystery and mayhem. The story starts with Sophie Hatter, whose ultimate destiny seemed to be dull and lifeless until she finds herself living in a 90 year old body, thanks or no thanks to the Wicked Witch of the Wastes, the malevolent antagonist. From then on, endless irony followed which would start with who in their right mind would embark on a journey across hills and valleys when you're more than 90 years old? And who would be in their right mind to clean a castle with her bare hands when you're 90ish let alone try to baffle and trick a full-fledged wizard at that?

Ironic, but really hilarious. The meeting of Sophie and Howl and its twist are really page turners. A cat and dog story like no other, Howl's Moving Castle offers a love story with an eccentric twist as well as a mystery that could drive you mad. How could Sophie be freed from her curse and at the same time, free the fire-demon Calcifer? How could Sophie stir up the adamant and cowardly Howl from facing the Wicked Witch? And why would Calcifer obey only Howl and Howl alone until Sophie came? Who is the turnip headed scarecrow? Where is the Prince and the Wizard Jenkins?

As Jones unravels the answers to this questions, it's non stop laughing and surprise. Personally, I really enjoyed the book. It explores love and destiny in an explosive fashion. Cruel love as expressed by Sophie toward Howl as well as Familial love where Sophie's concern for her sisters made her to keep Howl in check.

This book is simply magical. Just read it to get what I mean.

How I Got the Laptop All to Myself Once Again

I haven't posted a thing for a while. I dunno why. The laptop's virtually mine now. How did that happen?

One sunday, two or three weeks ago, I went home from work (one patient) with plans to sit down post some blogs or just play on the computer. All of a sudden, I saw this screen from across the room. It was black and small, 14 inches. It was an alien contraption in our house. That was the first time I have seen  such a thing in two years. I didn't mean I was deprived by its absence, yet its presence was somewhat surprising considering that we've lived that long without getting even one glimpse from that contraption, the one that you all call television or t-EE-v-EE. I tried to turn it on, but to no avail. It was broken.

Just then, Papa came in the house. He told me his newly bought TV and that it was broken already. He asked me to help him have it replaced. Since I was still wearing my work clothes, I consented. We went to Kalentong. It was the first time I was actually aware of going to that place. I remembered passing it once or twice going to PUP to take their exams back in high school or did I?

Anyway, we tried to get it replaced with the same model. Apparently, the shop owners told us to wait a while since they were observing the unit if it really was broken. So, Papa told me to go to gilmore to check on some computers there. I intended to just survey there since I really didn't brought enough for a computer.

There were a lot of hilarious things that happened when we went there. I was oblivious to our destination, so on one jeepney ride, Papa fell asleep (I'm beginning to think this is a family thing). Since I didn't know where we were going to stop, we missed it by several kilometers that we had to ride the train going back.

Once there, the usual sights and sounds of the computer mecca of Manila greeted me. Affordable laptops and desktops and other computer paraphernalia were there. The whole block was teeming with crowds of geeky and techie-looking people (apparently, including me) going in and out of the shops. We went to one familiar shop and asked for the prices. Some were affordable, others were surplus.

Right then, Papa shoved something to me that looked like a square object wrapped in paper. I opened it and saw that he brought along the processor of our old computer. I understood what he meant. So we asked if there were any available motherboards for that processor. Surprisingly they have one in stock and at a price that suited my pockets. We decided that if it worked, then we'll take it. A few minutes wait and we learned that it was still in good condition. The technician even added that processors could take more than 7 or 8 years before it breaks down.

With that, we immediately purchased the motherboard plus several other things, and went back to pick up the TV. Then, I spent the rest of the day, tinkering with the new motherboard to its new home.

It's been two weeks since the desktop is running. Now I have the laptop all to myself.

I can read some of the signs now. I guess I can converse a little bit, too.

My First Signed Book

I'm not actually that person who would line up to get a book or anything signed by the artist behind it. In fact, I see it pointless to have a signature on a book that I would shelf after reading. Some may say it offers prestige and increases the value of the book, I still find that my interest in the book would eventually diminish as time goes on.

Yet last Sunday, someone gave me his book and signed it and I wouldn't mind shouting it out loud in the world.

I actually dreaded the coming of Sunday. I scheduled an evaluation session for an adult patient. With the way his family contacted me, it gave the impression that they were stern and hard to please. So with a heavy heart, I went up to the steps to the rehab department of MAMC and hoped that at the end of the day, this would all be over.

Then the patient came. I expected someone with a grudge on the world who would snap at anyone coming near him. Most of the adult patients I have experienced before were like that. It turned out that I was wrong. I met a ray of sunshine outside that sitting room. I saw him sit there beside a young woman who turned out to be someone he did not know. Who would do that aside from some missionaries I know? Who would blatantly talk and introduce himself to a woman he does not even know and even give her a book with his autograph?

I felt a slight pressure with the way he approached the woman and gave her the his book. It's either this man was a missionary or some celebrity with a strict family. Apparently, I was right on both counts. He lived the life of following God's mission since he met Him. At the same time, he appeared to be almost a household name among old Seventh-day Adventists families. I was too honored to be with him and probably this is what God wants me to do.

The session began with a lot of laughs from the old guy. He was so enthusiastic and so eager to tell of his life story to everyone he meets. He was the epitome of faith as he ascribes every praise I gave "up there." Although I could not get his words, his gesture of pointing upwards with that thankful look was enough to tell me that he kept a steady faith in God.

I guess it was his ministry to meet all people and share his book. It is this ministry that prompted me to write this post. I stood firmly on the belief that every patient I met is confidential, but I guess if the patient leaves a trace of his life to everyone (no exceptions) he meets, mentioning and writing about him seems like helping him leave his legacy to the world. I also think that as long as I don't mention his name or his condition, it would be alright to share this piece of experience.

So as the session went on, he laughed heartily for most of the session. He smiled at every praise that I gave and kept on pointing up ward with an accompanied unintelligible utterance which sounded a lot like "praise God." It was amazing to see someone so happy amidst turmoil.

At the end of the session, I was not surprised when he didn't immediately stood up and left. He beckoned his daughter to bring out a soft bound book and started to write on the front page. His hands were unsteady but he was able to make his writing clear and legible. He wrote my name, and John 3:16 and then tried to scrawl his signature on the page.

Afterwards, he gently took my hand as well as his daughter's and started to pray. Anyone overhearing his words would never understand a single word he said in his prayer. Even I had a hard time understanding it, but does it really matter? God reads the hearts not the words, doesn't He?

That was how I got my first and probably most treasured signature on a book. A man who seemed demented and bent with age yet still had the vigor and the enthusiasm to reach out to all people. As I flipped through the book and scanned its pages, I knew then how he came out to be this way, he was just living the Old time religion that he has been living out since he met Jesus. I hope we could all be inspired by his story.

Better Sunday

For a long time, I longed to have a single day of staying in my room while reading a book. Most days, I am out at work or at home doing some chores and papers. I needed a break somehow and last sunday seemed to be a good opportunity.

Without planning it, I seemed to have barricaded my self inside my room the whole day. I never left except to eat or go to the bathroom. I was so absorbed in reading my book, I didn't realize that it was already dark outside until I finished the book.

I hope I could do those again. I have never done that for a long time.

Saw the movie trailer of Alice in Wonderland. It's really something to watch out for, but Sherlock Holmes comes first. ehehehe.

Unconcerned

It seems like for the past three weeks, people have become very busy. I for one seemed to find no time in using my own computer. Whenever I get home from work, I find the bed more tempting that tinkering with my laptop. So most times, I just leave it for my siblings who said they were going to work on something important like pet society or farm something. Sometimes I just look at them while working on their games, but never once did it draw me to play as well. I don't know why.

The mornings don't even give me a chance to use the computer either. So far, the longest time for me to stay in front of the computer was less than an hour and that was only to take a peek at my emails for any important messages (which most times didn't contain any important messages lately just updates).

So now my laptop looks battered inside and outside. It needs maintenance work very badly. Apparently those who borrow it from me were not really keen on taking care of it. Just today when I opened it, I didn't hear any sound and the sound device somehow showed signs of wear. Yet I still seem unconcerned. I wonder why.

Daddy's 81st

81. It's not really a high number, but when counting a person's age, you might be thinking about a hospital bed or a likely life on crutches.

Who could have thought they could live this long and still manage to stay as happy and fun loving? I mean, back when I was an intern, most old folks I met at my rotation were all grumpy, miserable and suffering.

But not this guy.


He could smile like there was nothing to worry about. His health problem so far has been his aching leg which he got broken when he was 78 by climbing up a pole. Really jaw dropping.

So even though we've stopped having birthday parties at home, we couldn't let his birthday pass. Really, who would? You don't get the chance to be 81 everyday, right? So last night was one big feast, just some family members and a few of my parent's friends from church. My grandfather was grinning to the ear.

A doctor once told me when I accompanied my grandfather to the doctor that I would have a slim chance to reach his age.

Maybe he's right, maybe not.

But one thing's for certain, my grandfather would still get to live longer than 81 at the rate he is smiling and enjoying life. And I hope I'm right.

Howl's In Two Days

I borrowed Michi's Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones last thursday. Well, actually she lent it to me while waiting for our friends when we went out on my birthday. That was last week.

For those who seem to have heard the title before, it is where the multi-awarded animated film by Hayao Miyazaki of the same title was based. The one that was nominated in the Academy Awards and won several others in Europe and America. It was that famous.

I managed to get hold of the book after aiding Michi to find the it. It took months but I didn't mind at all. I have a long reading list anyway.

I was excited to read about it. I even planned to read it the next day when I called in sick from work. Apparently, I didn't read it for almost a week. I even brought it to work thinking that maybe I would find time when one of my kids couldn't come in. It turned out that some kids didn't come in, but I completely forgot about the book. I even forgot that I brought it until I came home.

Yesterday, I was too lazy to stand up and manipulate anything digital before going to work. I was up early and didn't want to fall asleep again. I grabbed anything that I thought I could do and that was when I came upon the book again. Why not? I thought to myself. I still have five hours till work.

I read the first few pages only to find out that I made it to the middle of the book and that there was still time. When it was time to go to work, I immediately packed it with me. I had the break that I needed and for two hours I was adrift with Howl and Sophie.

After work, I was not looking forward to the mall and instead went straight home. Although it took quite some time because of the torrential rain, I managed to get home earlier than usual where I resumed reading the book.

Funny but the pages seemed to thin out evey minute or so and the adventure seemed to be more exciting. I only realized that I was through with the book this morning when I got the chance to continue reading it till the end. It was fun till it lasted.

Review of the book will be posted sometime.

Old School

I bought an MP4 player last month. It was one of those impulsive buying that racks me up sometimes. But the deed was done, there was no turning back.

Apparently, I did not regret buying it. It saved me from boring-patient-less days or during long trips or during the many occasions I wanted to shut my self from the world. It really replaced my Motorola phone, which was stolen the month before I bought it. It was that incident that triggered the need for an MP4 player.

The player's features were simple. Of course, it can play music and some videos (actually, I was able to load 5 movies in it, hahaha). It also has a camera. It's not really a decent camera, but it can take pictures and record videos, so I'll just leave it at that. It also has an FM radio that I really don't care about. I was never a radio fan. It also has a voice record function that could really be handy if you're an SP. You don't need to take down notes when taking articulation or language samples.

Another feature that really caught me breathless was a working e-book reader. Now, I have an super extra overly extended reading list (notice the superlatives)!! The last few players I got my hands into can't even process e-books. So I was able to load those Maurice LeBlanc novels, ancient legends and tales I downloaded years ago but could not read since my eyes get computer sore with novels. I feel like partying!!

But the really awesome stuff didn't end there. I learned that I could load NES games on the player. Now that's a bargain I wouldn't dare miss.

I remembered when I would only look at a NES and watch other kids play and when I got my first family computer (didn't buy it long story), it was the advent of the gameboy, so I got outdated games.

A month after buying the MP4 player, things seemed to enter a rennaissance era. I rediscoverd Punch Out, Hoops, Super Contra, Final Fantasy (the first one), Megaman (part 1 to 6) and the classic Mario Brothers. My ROM and game finding skills since Pokemon in HS were updated and put into use when I was able to find all those old school games I have never played or heard off. Some seem vaguely familiar. Others were simply original versions of the current games found in your Wii or PSP.

Looking back at those old games, I found myself looking at an era where fun is at its simplest. You don't have to bother with stylish graphics or amazing gameplay, its just shoot and beat em no brainers that really brings the fun out of gaming.

Family Out At MOA

Won't be Sidelined But I Could Be Guttered.

This post should have pictures but nobody who got the camera that day bothered to upload them yet, so bear with the narrative.

July 9 - A day for me... to get sick. I was really feeling bad the moment I woke up. To think that it's supposed to be my birthday, and I felt this way. My coughing spell was already bad last Tuesday and I was already feeling feverish by Wednesday. Come Thursday, I was stuck with the decision if I should go to work.

Bummer.

I had the whole week until the weekend mapped out. I'd go to work, submit some reports that I made yesterday and go out with some friends. So should I just let a fever stop me? Not now. Not today.

With all the strength I could muster (with the aid of medicines as well), I was able to pull myself together. The fever was not so high as last night, but the coughing spell was still there. I was able to control it though and even managed to take a bath and prepare myself for work.

I trudged my way to the jeepney stop. It was an unusually slow pace, I was sweating profusely, which made me feel a little better. By the time I reached the MRT, I was in the optimum condition. I was able to climb the stairs to the northbound side (I never took the MRT elevators). It was as if I wasn't even sick.

The day went on with just a few bouts of headaches and a coughing spell. During lunch, the treat was on me when I ordered lunch for my colleagues and co-therapists. It was fun when you do it once in a blue moon. Make it regular and it's devastating to the pockets.

By afternoon, I thought I was already OK and needed only to battle with the coughing spell. It wasn't until my last session when I felt the cold. The fans were not turned towards me so why am I cold? That was when I felt myself shivering. I immediately took my meds. I later on felt better. I have to be for the next things to come.

Afterwork, I immediately fell asleep on the taxi JM, Con and I took to MOA. It's a bowling night (the new frenzy this season). I woke up refreshed and ready. I felt better.

We met the others: Michi, Mike and Len there. We had dinner at a fastfood restaurant. The boys also put me on the hotseat just for fun (when didn't it?). But it was fun.

It was time for the climax of the night: Bowling. I was actually expecting to be creamed given my condition. I was able to play a good game. I was happy. Michi won the two round but it was no contest, she was more experienced than any of us. So there.