Simpson's OST
Here's a nice primer for all you guys who are waiting for the Simpson's movie. Enjoy! :)
Here's a nice primer for all you guys who are waiting for the Simpson's movie. Enjoy! :)
After two long years of examinations, processings and anxious waiting. The time has finally come. I am going Down Under! I hope life there would be welcoming to new migrant like me. Though I know it may be hard for the first few months, I am prepared to face all the challenges. For what is life without challenges? Though I am leaving all my friends and family behind, they will still be with me in thought and memory. Thank you for all the wonderful memories. The laughters and sorrows we shared for the past 25 years will forever be ingrained in my heart. I could not say enough thank you's to all the people who have been a part of my life. Of course, I also want to thank God for all His blessings unto me. Special thanks to all of my extended family in Bethany church. You guys, have been wonderful to me. I hope God will continue to shower His blessings on Bethany and continue to produce living inspirations to this world.
PS. I shall be starting a new blog when I arrive in Oz. I haven't really thought about the title yet but I will be posting it in a new site. I'll be chronicling all of my ozzie adventures in that blog as I start a new chapter in my life. The link will be provided here soon.
6:02 A.M. - Voice: Are you gonna jog today?
6:05 A.M. - Me: (Thinking) " Its still kinda dark..."
(Switches to another lying position, with eyes half-open.)
6:09 A.M. - Voice: What? You gonna jog or sleep some more?
Me: (mumbles incoherent words and then switches to another side)
6:12 A.M. - Hoosh!!! (Sudden downpour)
Me: (Thinking) Ahh.... The beautiful sound of rain, my ultimate excuse. Zzzzzz......
I found this funny video by Lev Yilmaz in youtube. What I particularly found noteworthy was the unique yet simple way of presenting his animations. Check it out...
Oh by the way, what's up with the frying pan anyway???
The morning of April 16, 2007 was the day that Americans hoped they would never have to wake up to. On this day, occurred the most horrific shooting of US history. A 23-year old South Korean student by the name of Cho Seung-Hui shot and killed 33 (including himself) of his fellow Virginia Tech schoolmates with the use of a 9mm Glock pistol and a 22 caliber handgun. The shooting rampage started at around 7:30 am and ended shortly before 11am. This incident was even worse than what occurred in Columbine, Colorado 8 years ago (April 20,1999, incidentally also in the same month of April). Police and FBI are all still wondering about what triggered this deadly massacre.
While authorities are still investigating for more answers, big media entities like CNN and Fox News are having a heyday broadcasting and re-enacting the event. Though am not an avid fan of American journalism, I must give them credit for the good job they've done on piecing up the bits of information together. They're so good in extemporaneously recreating the scenes. As the viewer, you get glued to the tube, literally. It's close to watching a blockbuster hit, but better coz its reality.
Another thing which these news groups are particularly good at, are creating subplots (stories within the story), whether it be the victim's or the shooter's past life. One interesting subplot, was the life of one of Cho's victims - Liviu Librescu. He was a Romanian-American professor teaching Aeronautic Engineering. He is considered by many of his surviving students to be a hero.
This was what transpired: "My father blocked the doorway with his body and asked the students to flee," Librescu's son, Joe Librescu, said Tuesday in a telephone interview from his home outside Tel Aviv. "Students started opening windows and jumping out."
I just wonder what coursed through his mind upon meeting the shooter face to face. He must've thought: This is it, this is how I'm going to die. What made this subplot really stand out from the rest, was the fact that he was a former Holocaust survivor. He survived the cruelty of the Nazis but ended up being killed by a college student. His sacrifice though was not in vain, because of him all of his students lived to tell the deadly tale. His sacrifice is also being made the totem of heroism across all news channels in America, which is another thing which they (news groups) are really good at - profiting from other people's tragedies.
They say, there's no news like bad news. And this rings true none better than to the media groups. Tragedies increase viewerships, and an increase in viewership ratings boosts investor confidence which in turn increases revenues from sponsorships and advertisements. No wonder I was so hooked up with the news last night. Their news crew (or creative crew in this matter) were instructed to come up with best storylines possible. No wonder its still in the Breaking News Section in CNN and Fox News though the news is already 2 days old. I was right after all, I was indeed watching a blockbuster movie! Enough with the media's shortcomings, they're too many to mention anyway.
I want to focus on another topic which may be relevant to this matter. I want to talk about why people in America (or is it all around the world?) stop and reflect only when something tragic happens? Right after this shooting incident, thousands of university students gathered around their Drill Field to hold a vigil and to show support to one another. They kept on quoting that the Hokie spirit will live on (Hokie being their School moniker). And in fact, one university student confessed: "We needed this."
Just like after 9/11, New Yorkers were greeting each other in the streets. New Yorkers were never famous for their courtesy before. They came together to ground zero to help out in cleaning the debris. They congregated in the streets to show their appreciation to the firemen and policemen who lost their lives. In short, New York became a better place to live after 9/11.
Why does it take death to awaken us from our insensitivities? Why does it take death to unite us? Why does it take death to create changes in this ailing society? Its like death is the key catalyst in this world of living. Without it, no one moves, no one budges, no one gives an inch, no one cares, no one feels, no one matters.
The knowledge of death changes lives. One does not continue to live his old ways knowing that tomorrow he shall die. Death is an important ingredient to life. Without it, life is devoid of its color and flavor.
Sometimes it takes death to break the redundancy of living and appreciate all its trivialities...
I absolutely love this video... this is one of the recipients of the just concluded Youtube Video Awards. It's an animation about a kiwi who... ahhh!!! Why should I explain it to you when you can watch it yourselves. Here it is: (pls don't cry)
Pacquiao vs. Morales III on Nov.18, (Nov.19- Phil. time)
Pundits say that this time Morales is the underdog
People's champion is a favorite at 12:1
Plainly put, a $240 bet on Pacquiao would only collect $100 if he wins, but a $100 bet on Morales would pay a whopping $200 if he wins
Personally, I'm not so much into boxing but I can see the impact of this Pacquiao-fever over the entire country
Pay-per-views are mushrooming all over the city: malls, hotels, restos, and sports complexes
Prices range from as high as P800 to big-screen rates of P100
Plane companies announcing that seats are still available for Las Vegas flights this weekend
Politicians scramble to secure their tickets and ring side seats
President Arroyo might as well join in the fray
People's 'new' initiative: Pacquiao to be announced as Super Featherweight Champion of the World!
Politics and pop culture seem to go hand-in-hand in this country (the infusion of which is called Personality-politics) in fact the
Press has one time asked Pacquiao if he is interested in politics
Pacman answered: " ..konsentrayt lang muna ako sa boksing.."
Pragmatic yet poignant answer coming from the most popular icon in recent Philippine sports history
Probably, doesn't have a reason to enter into dirty politics
Prize money for this fight is slated at the millions, and he just recently
Purchased a shimmering black Mercedes Convertible in the US
Proof of his elevated socio-economic status in this country where
Popularity is the name of the game
Pardon me, but I feel I've got to cut this blog short or I'll be spending an utterly unproductive day or worse I'll be sounding like the ever-famous elementary tongue twister full of P's...
"Constant mutation of bacterial resistance to antibiotic"
"Incrementing annual forecasts of global temperature"
"Increased awareness of the ill effects of fastfoods and canned goods"
"Unending conflicts in the middle east"
"Seismologist forecast a huge earthquake in California within the next 50 years"
"North Korea launches test missiles"
"100 people dying everyday in Iraq war"
"Implantable verichip now available for identification and purchase"
And i thought David Blaine was otherworldly...
While roaming the ever-increasing-in-popularity video upload sites like YouTube and Metacafe, i chanced upon this mindfreak, Criss Angel.
Does he truly perform the Black Arts? Or is he just utilizing the power of the mind?
I don't know, but it seems that these contemporary street magicians are suggesting that their magic involves both. I am not opposed to the entertainment factor of magic, but they seem to encourage people to exercise the power of their minds by performing in the streets. These innocuous tricks may be of something deeper meaning than mere entertainment. There seems to be an invisible movement towards these forms of arts. What has been taboo in societies before are now widely accepted and even have become popular novels and blockbuster hits. As occultism and wizardry are slowly gaining influence in the media today, we can only ask one thing: "What has the world come to?" Indeed, we should stand steadfast to our faith so as to not cause even more people to befall upon this grand scheme of illusion and deception.
I happen to stumble upon this website while browsing over the net. It's a reality show with complete interactivity. You get to control a pathetic guy's life (Kieran Vogel) for 6 months. Like Big Brother, he is locked up in his house for 6 months, but visitors are allowed inside per voting basis. Everyday, registered users get to vote on what he does, wears, eats, what time he sleeps and wakes up, how he is waked up, who gets to visit him, and who he dates. You could also vote on hot topics like what new hairstyle he should be wearing. Like all reality shows, it gets old really fast after viewing and listening to unintelligent conversations with his visitors. But its cool though to see especially if your vote won 'coz you get to see him the following day, wearing the funny costumes you voted. hehe! This is really more of a comedy than a reality show 'coz the choices of clothes often include some outlandish costumes. If you guys wanna check it out, the site is: www.ourprisoner.com
Miami Heat are the 2006 NBA Champions! Congratulations to the team, to Dwayne Wade (Finals MVP), to Shaq (fourth ring) and most especially to 'Zo Mourning, who finally got a ring after 14 years. He returned to the NBA after undergoing a kidney surgery and is truly a living testament to perseverance and determination. He was relegated to a bench player during his stint with the Nets because people said he was too old and too slow after the surgery. But during Game 6 of the NBA Finals and at what would be his defining moment, 'Zo scored 8 points, grabbed 6 rebounds and rejected 5 shots, the most important one coming in the fourth quarter over Howard, which stymied the Mavs comeback. Now, look at where is now. He's holding the James Naismith trophy, smiling from ear to ear. I can only say one thing: Hardwork truly pays off! Enjoy this one 'Zo, you truly deserve it!
Today is an ominous day in terms of symbolism. It is the 6th day of the 6th month of the 6th year after the second millenia. 6/6/06 indeed has a plethora of symbolism associated with it. For Christians, this number rings a scary bell, for this is the mark of the beast mentioned in the book of Revelations or more popularly known as the number of the Antichrist. Supposedly, nothing in Revelations should be taken literally; (there are verses depicting a red dragon with seven heads, a beast with ten horns and a leopard that had feet of a bear and a mouth of a lion) because it would certainly not be a realistic doomsday scenario, but would look like a movie produced by overly-creative graphic artists that would rival adventure/fantasy flicks such as Lord of the Rings and Narnia. But as it is with human nature and idleness, various events are associated with symbols and abstract contexts. One good example, is this phenomenon called the "Da Vinci Code". This much-hyped but pathetically disappointing movie is the brainchild of infamous fiction author Dan Brown. The story is riddled with misinterpreted symbols and inaccurate historical reviews. Now, I don't want to be another critic of Dan Brown proclaiming his work as blasphemous 'coz its already very much nauseating. I just want to point out the unlimited creativity of the human mind when stimulated with symbolisms. It is amazing how the human mind can correlate a certain symbol to an event. In fact, this is what fictional writers are constantly developing: their imagination. Of course, the end-product of this imaginative odyssey offers a great read. But it should only be utilized as such form of entertainment and not as a basis of principle and spirituality, for when critically examined, an expert can almost certainly find an error in every angle. I want to get back to my topic because I'm sounding like a Dan Brown-critic already. The symbolic sequence of numbers of the date today is seen as a sign of misfortune or bad omen in the Western world. (or the "early Christians" - this includes North Americans, British, and the Europeans because they were among the first to be Christianized, however today it is more of an irony because their culture is starting to accept double-standards in their faiths, resulting to empty pews in their magnificently built Churches.) Today is such an ominous day for Americans that CNN reported a certain mother who induced her labor yesterday just to prevent her son from getting a 666 date for a birthday. People are so afraid of being associated with anything evil, but are unaware of their own shortcomings and notoriety. Anyway, I was really amazed of the mother's decision, that she would do something like that. To think that her baby's life could have been affected. Her actions were certainly drastic even close to desperate. I also saw the trailer for the remake of "The Omen". This movie is about the birth of the Antichrist and Armageddon and had four sequels in the past. The movie could not have been timed more perfectly as the producers decided to release it on this ominous day in this side of the world. As I switched to another channel, I came across the daily evening news of Channel News Asia (Singapore). What an irony indeed! In the other side of the world, people are scrambling to get married to the extent that mass weddings were held. Everybody was rushing to get married in Taiwan, Hongkong and some parts of China. The Chinese view the number 6 as a lucky number and so a date that offers a triple 6 offers more-than-usual luck, happiness and wealth. What a contrast indeed. For such simple symbols as numbers, there are differing even contrasting interpretations for different kinds of people. As I turned off the TV, I realized that in this world, there simply is no clear line between the good and the evil. The protagonist and the antagonist. The Pro's and the Con's. The Left and the Right. There's always two sides in a story. Two sides in an argument. Two sides in life. It all depends on your perspective. It all depends on where you're standing. And most importantly, it all depends on what you believe in. For at the end of the day, we are all the same, we are all humans, we are all imperfect --- erring, naive and arrogant. So choose your side...
"...even the best fall down sometimes,
even the wrong words seem to rhyme,
out of the doubt that fills my mind,
you finally find, you and i collide. "
Praise the Lord! This is the day that the Lord hath made. We will rejoice and be glad in it. Thank you, thank you, thank you Lord! Also, I cannot give out enough "thank you's" to all the people who have been diligently praying for me. You know who you all are. Always remember that the World may be unfair sometimes, but God is good all the time. Just give out your best in everything you do.
"Destiny is not a matter of chance, it is a matter of choice. It is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved." William Jennings Bryan
As with all abstract writings, I shall try to connect the things I have mentioned in the title. To make it even more challenging, I shall connect these four elements in a single sentence at the end of this blog. Yes, these four are interconnected as far as last night was concerned. Last night was really weird. I got home around 7 pm and noticed that there were gazillions of winged-termites hovering around a halogen bulb outside the premises of our house. (my colleague informed me just as I am typing this blog, that these are actually termites that are in their final stage of life cycle. No wonder they don't last till the following day.) Around three days ago, my acceptance letter for postgraduate studies arrived. It was delivered by DHL all wrapped up in bubble wraps. Oh vanity! What a waste of resources! Imagine enclosing a single envelope containing a single letter inside a brown-envelope sized package with bubble wraps all around. Well who am I to complain, I guess that's part of what you pay for express mail. And the best thing is: I get to pop the bubble wraps after! hehe...
Now for the correlations. My siblings have always been complaining about the lizards and ants in our house. They are all over the place! I was musing that the lizards should have controlled the ants' population (by the way, how do you control lizard population?) but apparently, the ants are simply too much to handle even for this insect-starved gecko-sounding lizards. The lizards though are starting to get annoying. They make this gecko-like sound with the snap of their tails all the time. I mean I've been awaken by this sound during the wee hours of the morning. Talk about a bugging alarm clock. Plus, I always have this bad feeling that these lizards might one day fall off from the ceiling and straight into my face or even worse into my gaping mouth while am sleeping!!! Well last night brought all these elements together. And at last they all made sense. With the end-of-life-cycle-stage termite invasion, I was hard-pressed to find a solution to quickly eradicate them lest they invade our rooms. My good 'ol pop suggested the ancient technique of putting water in a basin and then raising it up near the lights so as to make the termites drown into the water. Well, that technique worked for a while, like 10 seconds, because before long the damn termites were crawling all over my face, arms and body (imagine a scene in fear factor where they have to endure creepy crawlies all over their bodies). I had to rethink my strategy and I had to do it fast coz I had to fax my postgrad application that night and they were all over the office where the fax machine sat. Talk about bad timing. Then I thought of a brilliant idea. Instead of me drawing the water close to them, why not make them draw closer to the water. How? By putting the basin below a low-hanging fluorescent lamp while switching off all the other lights. Waalaaaa!!! And like magic the pestering termites were all concentrated in one area. I was so happy that I was able to conquer a whole battalion of devil-may-care termites that night. As I was watched them dive randomly into the basin of water, I can't help but notice that I wasn't the only one enjoying the scene. Apparently, all the annoying lizards were also feasting on this rare termite buffet. They were all over the walls, crawling and snatching as many termites as possible. So that's what the lizards were for. To wait for this fateful day to happen, and show their worth. Thanks my reptilian friends, for without your help maybe we could not have eliminated the termites that fast. Now lastly the ants. Not all of the termites drowned in the deadly basin of water. Some of them simply fell to the ground. And like an army of coordinated force and strategy, the ants came out marching! They devoured all termites that fell to the ground - with or without wings, dead or alive. Talk about scavenging! Because of the coordinated efforts of the lizards and ants, the pesky winged-termites were easily eliminated and I was finally able to fax my application. But this is not the end of the story as far as my postgrad application is concerned. But this is something I would like to talk about the next time around...
Big blind, small blind and the dealer button. The flop, the turn and the river. And the most important thing of all: the chips. Boy, this game is fast becoming our favorite pastime. This started when Solar Entertainment began airing the Celebrity Poker game. I thought I was the only one hooked to this show, funny thing was all of my friends have been religiously watching the show too! At first, the game was boring, watching 6 players battle it out; winning and losing chips, until only one player remains. But after a while, the game suddenly becomes addicting. All the mind games going on the table, the bluffs, and the different strategies players do just to make their opponents more vulnerable and transparent. Truly, it is not the game per se , but it is the interaction with other players that makes this game so damn entertaining! The false pretenses and the funny faces they make and all their vain efforts just to conceal what really is in their hand. After a few weeks, when enough "watch & learn" episodes had been accomplished, we decided to bring the game to the table! By the suggestion of one of my good buddies, we started playing poker in Gloria Jean's. Thanks to their hospitable staff, they allowed us to play until the wee hours though we were quite raucous and rowdy. The game is really catching on, and soon we have to find a bigger and homier venue for our succeeding games or we may get blacklisted in Gloria Jean's. Til next time poker fans... Shuffle up and deal!!!
We live our lives in such haste that we don't notice the beautiful and essential things that happen in between. We work, sleep, eat and sleep everyday. And yet it seems that people are unwilling to take a minute out of their lives to focus on things that don't involve those routinary tasks. If we can just learn how to live our lives more consciously, I certainly believe that we will be living more meaningfully. So much is happening in between. There are lots of important things left unnoticed or unaccomplished simply because we are too busy or too tired. I have to admit though that the only way to experience this phenomenon is to quit your job. Right now, this is what I'm experiencing. Not that I am brandishly proclaiming my being a bum; once you learn to distance yourself from all those monotonous and unfullfilling tasks, you will view life in a totally different manner. I once consoled myself jokingly that being a bum does have its benefits. I am not advising everyone to quit their jobs, (for those who are enjoying their jobs, I could not be more happier for you) rather take a break from it and try to re-assess your life. Most of us keep on digging on the soil, without noticing that the seasons have already changed four-folds. Where are you going? Has it been fullfilling in anyway? These two questions are very important, for no matter how successful and rich you may be, if you aren't sure how to answer those two questions above, then it was just a waste of time. A waste of precious time where you could have explored other oppurtunities. Oppurtunities which could have afforded you a better lifestyle. Where you could have spent it with your loved ones in a big dinner party. Where you could have used the time to help others who are in dire need. Where you could have done the things in your got-to-do-things-before-i-die list like: sky dive from 30,000 feet above, scuba dive in Tubbatahha reef, climb to the peak of Mt. Apo, surf in the waves of Siargao, visit places with stunning natural landscape beauty like New Zealand (LOTR scenes), Brazil (the Amazon rainforest), and Austria (Swiss Alps). Where you could have lived your life to the fullest. But never mind, regret no more, for the damage has already been done. Those things are indeed only good for imagination. We have to be practical most of the times, work provides us with money for food on the table and clothes to wear. But also keep in mind that life is short. We should learn to live day-to-day, in this way we can start to live it right. See things with more focus and detail. Listen to words with more comprehension. Speak with more sincerity and honesty. And doing things with more passion and enthusiasm. Life is all happening in a flash. Like a Kodak moment, once that moment's gone it's gone forever, but if you capture it in a picture, you can relive it whenever you see the picture. Life is all happening in your midst. But you were unable to notice it because you were doing something. Life is all happening in spite of your hardships, depression, problems, heartbreaks, and failures. It is always happening regardless. It is Life itself that is in-between everything. Don't let it slip away.
Wow! Unbelievable! I'm not an avid fan of Kobe Bryant; in fact I personally find his scoring feats a bit too chauvunistic, but his performance against the Raptors definitely deserves some kudos. Imagine scoring 81 of your team's 122 points? Even MJ during his glory days couldn't pour in such a barrage. I guess this Kobe guy really has it goin' this season. He's scored 40 or more points in 5 straight games this season. He's also scored 62 against Dallas. And now 81! But all this Kobe-mania is not doing the Lakers any good at all come playoff time. Ask any basketball analyst, and he will tell you that no one-man team has ever made it through to the finals. Come playoff time, Kobe's teammates will be like lame ducks if Kobe sticks to his ball-hugging habits. Though the Lakers are doing quite well in the past few weeks, they're still only 7th place in the Western Conference. I know for one that Mr. Phil Jackson is not smiling whenever Kobe scores in such audacity. His much-praised triangle offense will cease to be a factor if Kobe gets to shoot 80% of the time. Sun-Star sports columnist Homer Sayson, who had the privilege to watch the Pacquiao vs Morales rematch at ringside, also got credentialed for this historic game (I envy your job man, I hope someday I can do the things you're doing now.) He commented on Kobe's selfishness and on making the game as boring and dull as a nintendo computer game. Although many didn't exactly like what Kobe did, as sports fans we must give him the respect he deserves. After all, scoring 81 is not child's play. To appreciate this historic basketball game, take a look at the table below on the list of the top ten NBA scoring greats. Bryant's 81 is only behind Chamberlain's magnificent 100, but take note that this feat was done way back in 1962 when the game was still burgeoning.
Bets anyone? The whole country is geared up for the biggest fight of the year tomorrow. Whether you are a boxing fan or not, January 22 will definitely be a Boxing Day for the Philippines. Arguably being one of the most famous sports icon today, Manny Pacquiao has certainly achieved a superstar status in this country and most especially in his hometown of General Santos. His fans come from different walks of life: drivers (of tricycle, trisikad, jeepney, taxi, v-hire, fx, bus and even habal-habal) , fruit vendors, the istambays in your street, workers, and even big bosses and senators are all yearning for the Pacman to win. A few of the ultra-rich like our scum-lying senators, have personally made the trip to Las Vegas (at their own expenses kuno!) to shout out their support. Well whether win or lose, I believe that nobody will go home a loser. Pacquiao will still bag around US$ 2 million of purse aside from the countless endorsements. (did you know that Pacquiao already has his own of clothing line and has just released an album under Star Records) The businessmen will also certainly be happy coz they will be raking in money from the pay-per-view's like the one in SM cinemas all over the country where the tickets are all sold out at P300/piece. As for the Filipino people, what better way of spending a Sunday than staying glued to the tv for some top-rank, hard hitting and high quality boxing. Win or lose, Pacquiao vs Morales dubbed as the Battle, will be a welcome entertainment and a nice respite from the everyday struggles of daily living for the average Filipino. After all, all work and no play is totally missing the point right? So, bets anyone? :)
FYI : Pacquiao is a 120 to 110 favorite over Morales in the betting boards of Vegas.
Fearless Prediction: Morales will win the fight. For Pacquiao to win, he must get lucky with his strong left but I think it's slim. Morales 75%, Pacquiao 25%
Yeah, just got mine extracted a few days ago before New Year's Eve. While the dentist was drilling and cutting away my impacted molar, I kept on thinking to myself: "What on earth is the wisdom tooth for anyway?" If mankind has evolved so much per Darwin's theory of evolution, why hasn't nature blocked the growth of such inutile accesories? One time, a preacher was telling the congregation about the greatness of God's creations, that not one part was created without a particular purpose. He then proceeded to ask the congregation of things which they think has no purpose in life. One man stood up and shouted: the appendix! The preacher smiled and casually explained that the appendix does have a purpose, for when one undergoes appendectomy, he/she can no longer be considered to be an astronaut. He explains that the appendix is concerned somewhat with our equilibrium, without it astronauts in zero gravity space will have a hard balancing act. Then he challenged the congregation again to a useless part of the body. There were many parts/organs shouted out, but all of them were answered. 'Cept for one which a friend of mine shouted, "Wisdom tooth!" Apparently, he also just recently had his extracted. My friends (of around the same ages) were all amused with the suggestion 'coz most probably they also have shared the same dilemma with me now. So what is a wisdom tooth for? My dentist told me after the nerve-wracking procedure that basically the last molars are of no use. So why are they put there, just to be extracted later. Another corollary question could be that how come our parents and grandparents never had to experience such agony. My dentist friend offered one possible solution to my second question, he said that quite possibly because dental care before wasn't that good, people were more prone to dental caries and decay. Therefore, most of them had their second or third molars extracted for decay, leaving space for the wisdom tooth. This answer could possibly be true coz both my parents have quite a number of teeth extracted. (hehe no offense mom and pop) But still, my initial question persists. I'm sure that God meant for all our teeth to be strong, pearly white and decay-free, so why are so many youngsters afficted with this impacted phenomenon? I hope there would be someone out there who could offer me an answer to my question. Anyone who chance upon this blog can simply write your answer in my comments box. Thank you. I'm hoping to hear the answers soon coz I still have another two sets of impacted teeth to be extracted. At least I'll get the answers while I still have 'em.
Another year has come. But realistically, I feel that nothing has changed. Still feels, looks, sounds and even tastes the same as the previous years. Maybe seculars invented this New Year celebration to instill a kind of hope and renewal of strength for the future because it really isn't a new year. The only thing new around this time of year is the calendar, to say the least.
2006 is the year of the FIRE DOG. Astrologers, Feng Shui experts and Tarot card readers are all busy dishing out their "abstract" predictions for the coming year. Yes, very abstract indeed... Quite literally, they dish out predictions which have an array of possible interpretations and outcomes. No wonder all of their predictions come true. Ask any fortune-teller and they would refuse to give out names of people or specific events that would affect the future.
All they do is make generalisations:
That 2006 will be tumultous for the Arroyo administration because of the transition of government and the resiliency of the fragmented oppositions
That 2006 will again be marred by natural disasters but more specifically those with relation to fire and heat like earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and forest fires
That 2006 will be lucky for people under the Pig, Rabbit and Bull signs
That 2006 will be good for industries like real estate, construction and metalworks
That 2006 will witness a lot of showbiz break-up's
That 2006 will be a year of changes and transitions
Ok, now that they have stated their predictions. Here's my 2cents worth on each one of them:
That 2006 will be tumultous for the Arroyo administration because of
the transition of government and the resiliency of the fragmented
oppositions
2c : The Arroyo government has been fazed with tough opposition ever since the start of last year. There's no reason to think that the fragmented opposition will let up in their efforts of inciting the people of the Philippines to another ridiculous uprising. In fact, that's what the Philippines is known for: Unseating a President, and then replacing it with a worse prospect.
That 2006 will again be marred by natural disasters but more
specifically those with relation to fire and heat like earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and
forest fires
2c: Volcanic eruptions, earthquakes and forest fires occur perenially with no specific tendencies. Countries situated near fault lines and the Pacific Ring of Fire regularly experience volcanic eruptions and consequent earthquakes. It would have been clearer if they singled out one specific location for a huge earthquake to occur. Maybe they are reluctant to do so because of the "dilang-anghel" phenomenon. Maybe some of them are silver-tongued? ?
That 2006 will be lucky for people under the Pig, Rabbit and Bull signs
2c: It could not have been more abstract than this. I mean, how many people you know are borne under these signs. Chances are, one of them will indeed get lucky this year. And to make the prediction more abstract, luck is actually viewed differently by different people. What maybe a boon to one maybe a bane to the other.
That 2006 will be good for industries like real estate, construction and metalworks
2c: Mayb this is their single most specific prediction. But who knows? We'll just have to wait and see if real estate and construction will indeed pick up. Metalworks and metallurgy products are predicted to be on the rise next year, so let's keep a close watch on the gold and silver market.
That 2006 will witness a lot of showbiz break-up's
2c: What more can I say?! Watta a prediction! hahaha!!!
That 2006 will be a year of changes and transitions
2c: Another prediction with multifarious interpretations. I believe that nothing in this world is constant but change. To say that this year will be full of changes, is like saying that you're gonna have your hair cut within this year. The probabilities are just too high for it to even qualify as a prediction.
Oh, I almost forgot... They also predicted that this year will be unlucky for people under the Dog sign. I couldn't believe it myself. I thought that people were lucky on the year of their animal signs. Apparently this isn't the case. It is only lucky for those people who have signs which are close or friends with the dog like the rabbit, pig and bull. This is indeed bad news for all dogs out there (that's me included). Generally speaking, these predictions are but logical forecasts of the future. So don't rely on these stuff so much. Life is what you make it. Don't worry dogs, we are going to be lucky this year. Just do your best, make your mark, wag your tail and pee and sh*#t outside the house... hehehe:) As I am writing this blog, I am overhearing the news on the tv.
A huge forest fire has just spread across parts of northern Sydney, Australia and parts of Oklahoma. Uh oh, I think their predictions aren't exactly abstract after all...
Happy New Year to all!
"...every wise man's son doth know, ......., journeys end in lovers' meeting"
- William Shakespeare
The Philippines has now become the unofficial rally capital of the world. Yeah, give it up! Thanks to our prudent and discerning president, rallies are a commonplace now in Manila.
I am quite amazed of our people's resiliency, or is it plain stupidity. Why can't we just follow simple instructions: NO PERMIT, NO RALLY. Its very simple english, in fact even grade schoolers could easily correlate this to their NO ID NO ENTRY rule. But yet, different human rights organizations still press on with their racketeering on the streets. They say that it is freedom of speech and expression, but I say that this is freedom abused. I thought, that the freedom of speech was instilled to nurture a society which would respect the ideas and thoughts of the people FOR the betterment of the whole nation. What good has these rallies brought to our nation? Nil. Instead, it promotes more polarity between party groups. More divisiveness among our government. And more hatred to the people. So what's this freedom of speech for? I do not understand really. But thankfully, there's this almighty invention to stymie these pointless debacles. It is the government's new secret weapon against terror!!! THE INVINCIBLE WATER CANNON!!!!
Wherever there's commotion, you can always rely on the WATER CANNON!!! With its mighty gush of water, it drives the unruly back. Its justice is blind to social and poilitcal standing. It is fair and equal to all. With the WATER CANNON, if you're one of the crowds, then you will get wet. My apologies to the priests and most notably to former Vice-President Guingona. Your theatrical performance was Oscar-award worthy, yet it was not good enough for the blind justice. Therefore, for your excellent performance, I award thee with the dubious distinction of becoming the only vice president dozed off with a WATER CANNON. hehehe... Praises for this wonderful invention. Who could have been the first to use the water cannon as a crowd dispersing medium. He should be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. It is so much more economical than to train a bunch of corrupt policemen. It is so easy to use: just fill it up with water, aim then fire away! It is very efficient, it does what its suppose to do (to disperse) without bloodshed and arguments. Don't ya'll agree it deserves a nomination for a Nobel Peace Prize next year?
The Water Cannon -- a simple solution to a complex problem.
It's a fact of life that when you grow older, you'll meet a lot more people, you'll experience more things and you'll think of a lot more things that had not gone in your head before and then you'll realize in conclusion that life is short. In fact, it's very short. Think about it... We are schooled from prep to college. That's approximately 18 years of life devoted to education. All those education provided was for us to be prepared to face the REAL world. But are we? After schooling, we try our best to find a good job in an economy of rising inflation rates. Well, let's say we did find a good job. So we toil for let's say 5 years. That's a considerable amount of time in a company considering the rapid rate of change the 21st century is now experiencing. Now before you know it, you're already well into your mid-twenties. And now you're faced with a big dilemma. Will you continue working like a horse and continue to sustain yourself with this meager salary, or will you venture out and try the business world for greener pastures? (I forgot to mention in the beginning, that this article is not too applicable to those who have a substantial family heirloom) Eventually, given the state of economic crises we are constantly in, the individual will realize that doing business will ultimately be more reliable and suitable for his current needs and future family life. So now he ventures into the business world. With a limited capital on hand, he searches for the most profitable yet legal business he could find. He will initially enter into a "safe" business in which profits though not that substantial but a certainty. As a Bisayan saying goes: "Bahala'g gamay basta kanunay." So, he will relish in this state for another 5 years given that no other bigger opportunities befall upon him. Well by now, our commoner is already into his thirties. And unless you give yourself up to celibacy, this age is considered as the marrying age. The over-the-calender-age. (For women and some men its much earlier, for some, marriage is just not meant to be; but to make our discussions more general to the common man, we'll take thirty as the standard age for marriage.) This age is where we all have to look for someone besides our dreams. This age is where character will win over beauty. Where housekeeping and child-rearing skills will win over style and fashion. Where compatibility will win over affinity. Where practicality will win over serendipity. And where most importantly, agape love will win over all other loves. Whether we'd face it or not, all our dreams of our ideal partners will not be realized. He/She will remain embedded in our ideals. Embedded in our minds on what a perfect partner should be, but in which one should never attempt to compare his mate to. After a year or two, if both are blessed with fruifulness, a child will be born. Behold! The fruit of your labors and fantasies! The crying of the child as he enters this world signals the start of the most challenging phase of your short life --- Parenthood. Two main reasons why this is a challenging stage: First, you would have to appease and feed the raucous and hungry mouth of your baby each and everyday of his childhood. Not only is this tedious work but also bothersome to say the least. Second, you also have to contend with your supposedly-better-half --- your spouse. Now I'm not a marriage counselor of sorts, but at this point they're bound to be fights. Fights are inevitable in married life. It's also at this point that I would want to reiterate the point I made earlier of needless comparisons. Because familiarity breeds contempt, and as passion and communication wanes, bitter comparisons and caustic words will only do more harm to an already damaged relationship. Now it is important for the preservation of the marriage, to resolve matters as quickly as possibly. Never let the sun set with an unsettled argument. After a long and weary fight, and agreement is at hand, it is always a good idea to make good and passionate love. It strengthens the bond, they say. Regardless of whether a second child will or will not be born, the juggling act between work and family life will render him oblivious to the passing of time. Unknowingly, he is approaching the age of depression and anxiety. His mid-life crisis. The age of forty.
Life begins at forty, they say. I cannot disagree more. I bet this phrase was not meant to be taken literally. In a fast-paced society like the 21st century, people who are go-getters and risk-takers would vehemently reject this idea. This phrase, I believe, was coined to signify that at mid-life, things are much more clearer than before. At forty, you are supposed to be at the peak of your career. You are supposed to be happily married with children. You are supposed to be heading to a constancy stage in life. A stable and mature life. (If you're over forty and reading this blog, and you have not accomplished the things I mentioned above, then fret not. For I believe God has a better plan for you and He wants you to be different among the billions of people who go through the same experience. But I recommend that you stop reading on.) Forty signifies a plateau in a man's life. And where does a plateau eventually lead to? At the end of the plateau, it's all downhill from here baby!!! Now I'm not gonna go until the age of fifty and sixty. Don't worry... I personally don't claim to have experienced all this, for the mere fact that I am only in my twenties. Neither am I claiming to be an expert in human relations nor a guidance counselor. I just want to illustrate the transience of life. Which brings me to my main point of writing this long story. First, let us look at the bright side. Considering our age, we still have a relatively sufficient amount of time before reaching our plateau. With time comes opportunity. And with opportunity comes chances to improve ourselves. Though problems might come to beset us, we must relish the fact that problems are there to serve as training grounds for improvement. Problems provide us a chance to commit mistakes. Mistakes are lessons we can always learn from. As a beautiful quote goes: " There's always something good that comes out of every life experience. Good times become good memories. Bad times become good lessons. You can never lose, you can only gain in life!" Secondly, most of us have the privilege of having the financial support from our parent's hard earned money. I like to view this support as a "fall-back" or an if-all-else-fails fund. But we must use this advantage wisely, for we know that the money is only so much and they could only last so long. Like fetching water while the well runs deep. Lastly, I would like to challenge everyone reading this blog to start something. Anything. May it be in business, charity work, or even in your daily work. Start something for the future. Even in small incremental steps. Because it is a series of small events that lead into a phenomenon. Never let the fear of failure overcome us. Remember, we are our own worst enemies. Do not be afraid to be ambitious because the possibilities are always limitless.
I am in search of the perpetual future which seem to proceed paradoxically with time. Realizing that as time progresses, this futuristic state of idealism is also equally distancing itself farther and farther away from the present. It is my journey into the infinity. Something always greater than what the mind can fathom. The search has been long and arduous, but it has not worn down my spirit. Because deep inside of me, a resplendent and reactive glow of resiliency and determination fuels me into propulsion. Bringing me to new heights. To the space of unknown dimensions. It is pitch black, but I can still see through it with the luminous glow. What caught my eye in the distance, even provided additional stimulus to the propulsion. There, just like a hundred meters away, was the cosmic dream I was searching for. This spectacular sight was enough for me to continue this journey for a hundred more years. Even as it may continue to drift away as I move forward.
No more dictatorship! You have already ruined me. You shall not be obeyed any longer. You shall not be tolerated anymore. Because they are words without meaning. Music without melody. A person without his soul. And Love without its touch. What is good in it? Therefore, I shall cease to be the credulous and apprehensive child I once was. Stopping and asking on every turn. Not knowing that the other doesn't know.
So I shall become a new creature. Unafraid and impassioned of everything! I shall spread my wings and conquer the World. For these wings were given but never used. Gone are the days of apathy and mediocrity. Everything will be put into good use. Every part striving for excellence. And everything will be different... Life will be full of fervor, color and sound. Emotions will abound. Love will be given and received. Life and its beautiful splendour will be everywhere. Life will be beautiful.
Is it just me or everybody else, but I feel that there is a growing tension around people's head to get out of the country. (Just look around and observe at the number of students wearing nursing uniforms, they're increasing exponentially!)
Is it just me or everybody else, but I think that the Arroyo tape recording is blown out of proportion. (Just look at the local news channels, and you'll see how eager they are covering the Congress hearings amidst their futile debates and laughable proceedings. The tape they were playing is even undecipherable to say the least! The heck if she cheated. Like we didn't know that elections were supposed to be like that. Let's get on with our lives please.)
Is it just me or everybody else, but I think that the only job market available for today's fresh graduates is the callcenter. (I'm not against job outsourcing, but what happened to the other professions? And like they are going to make Cebu the ICT sector of the Philippines, boy that will surely diversify the options of incoming college students! I see the future graduates of the next ten years to be either: a nurse or an IT personnel)
Is it just me or everybody else, but I think that I'm putting too much emphasis on things I cannot control. Oh well, I better stop typing now and leave everything as they be. I do believe that oftentimes problems are resolved by themselves.
Recalling long ago, how it must have been
All the imagery and melody, making a beautiful scene
Couldn't believe I was standing and talking to you
It was really too surreal, and yet it was true
If I had known that it was to be the last
I could've done much more and asked what I longed to ask
Why had you come in the first place?
When all of this is going to waste
I have conjured all the possible answers,
But nothing seems to make sense and matter
For now it feels like a distant mem'ry
Your voice an echo, and your face a li'i sketchy
Now you are nowhere to be found
Try as I may to search all around
Used every means to get to you
But it seems that nothing had got through (to you)
I only wish that you'd tell me why
The reason you decided to fly
So that at least I may live my life with resolve
Knowing that you had given me a chance at love.
How short life is... With a sudden turn of events, someone overflowing with youth, energy and laughter can very quickly become incapacitated and then no more. No more. The end for this life. How fragile we are.
Like a straight right from a boxer, you can't see it coming. And then when you're reeling in the canvass, only then will reality slowly set in. By the time you realize it, it's already over.
Today, a friend of mine died. It was very tragic and sorrowful. Still young and full of ambition, her death was certainly far-fetched to say the least. But sadly, it did happen. Her life was only to last until today. And now, she is no more... She was still present in our weekly fellowships the last week. Everything seemed to be just fine. And then suddenly news of her being ill was quickly circulated through text message. They said she was vomiting blood and feeling very weak. Then like a withering flower, her condition worsened by the hour. By then, she was transferred to the ICU. And by that time, my friends had an uneasy and bad feeling that she is slowly losing grip of her life. (Three years ago, I had a friend who also died not long after being admitted in the ICU). The following day, before high noon, she was pronounced dead. And just like that, a beautiful soul has just been taken away from us. Just like that, she now becomes a distant and pleasant memory. Just like that, the world has become an even more ephemeral place than ever before.
Tragic events like these make us ponder about our own lives. Our own death. The big question of when always comes to mind. No matter about the how and why, for all of us will die in one way or the other. But the timing is something all of us seem to have a difficult time accepting. Death when anticipated is almost always easier to accept. God though will always have HIS own plans. And we are not in the position to question nor refuse. When we learn to accept this, realizations start to creep into our minds. We realize our insignificance. We realize how transient life is. We realize the things that we were pondering about the other day were not that important after all. We realize that we are running out of time also. We realize that we can only do so much before our time's up. We realize that it is NOW that matters and not tomorrow nor yesterday. We realize that we have to run the race, fight the good fight and spread the WORD because ultimately this is what will only matter in the end.
I have my own personal insights about this tragedy. It is with sad and remorseful heart, to say that I haven't even spoken a single word to this friend of mine. And now, it's all too late. I saw her one time in a restaurant. She approached the same ala carte section where I was standing. I knew it was her the moment I saw her, but I didn't even bother to greet her. I knew that she recognized me. But my coldness and introvert personality won over me. And I just walked away. Looking back, I don't know if I could have made such a difference by greeting her. But who knows? Maybe she was waiting for me to strike up a conversation also. Maybe she was waiting all this time to talk to me also. Maybe I could've made her day brighter by a smiling "hello". Who knows? No one will ever know now... Not me, and obviously not her. Learned this lesson today: Never take anyone or anything for granted. If you want to do something, do it now! If you want to say something, say it now! Seize the day! For tomorrow is too uncertain for today's matters.
It was noontime when I first saw her. The sun was blazing hot, but under a foliage of shadows the sunlight was beautifully highlighting her hair. A gentle zephyr blew into her hair and sensuous body like a harpist playing with his harp ever so delicately. I could feel the cool breeze flow through me also. The smell of her mild cologne was carried with the breeze, and it gave me a wonderful feeling. The elements all played well with her beauty. And I was approaching her closer. My eyes were trying to peer through her long black hair. Trying to comprehend what made me so attracted to this girl. As I pulled out my toothbrush, I couldn't help but sneak a split-second glance at her. She was busy doing her thing also. Not wanting to be rude, I proceeded with my usual routine. Leaving the sink without saying a word to her, I could not help but look at her backside. She was wearing a navy blue skirt with a white jocky-type blouse on top. Looking down, I can see that she wore a mid-high white socks with black leather slip-on's. She doesn't even notice me around and she leaves without looking back. Unaware that someone was looking at her. The next day, at noontime. Again, I saw her. Again I'm dumbfounded. And again I was mute. Days passed until I no longer went to the sink after noontime. It was the stage in life when everything's pointless and unimportant -- college life. Being too busy on myself and my studies made me totally forget about her. Amazing how things can make you so busy that you forget you're living a life. Of course, with a new environment comes new friends and new experiences. All in all college was not that bad when I look back. Fast forward now to two years after graduation, and the scenes of serendipity is starting to take over again. Now in a totally different setting without the sink and the toothbrush. I saw her again. I could not believe it, but it was happening right in front of me. Thankfully, the times had made me stronger and braver. I could now converse with her and even invite her to go out. Wow! Funny how things can change over time. Funny how small the world is and how easily people can come across each other's paths. Never thought of seeing her again in this lifetime or maybe like after 20 years and she's already married to a stupid jerk, and she's holding her children by their hands while yelling at them to stay in line. (Geez, what a sordid image of a married life.. hehe :) ) Well, could it be destiny? Fate? Serendipity? I'm not sure if its any of these. But one thing I'm sure of, I'm glad of that single meeting we had together. Call me shallow, but I believe that if every man has to do something for destiny to take part, I believe I have already done my part. So destiny its all up to you now! She's all yours...
O, Despair what have you become of me?
Your hand came upon so heavily
That nothing but hopelessness now reigns over me.
I am without relief from thee.
Ideas and thoughts relentlessly course through my mind.
A cancer inside my body,
Growing against my volition.
I struggle but still it persists.
From my mind, it spreads down to my whole body
Slowly infecting and paralyzing my faculties.
Its toxicity is felt in every cell in my body.
O, how debilitating the transformation can be.
Before long, the body is now but a crippling figure of its former self.
Stoic and pallid, without much zeal for life,
I lie down indifferent to the passing world around me.
Exhausted from the struggles with Despair,
My mind wanders aimlessly and stares blankly at the inanimate world.
Darkness has now come
It creeps slowly into the scene
I, however couldn't care less.
Now as the darkness becomes encompassing,
Fear should have started to set in,
But fear has not been felt.
Despair has left me devoid of emotions.
Life has become a mere existence, calloused and numb.
I close my eyes and silently beseech for tomorrow's coming.
For tomorrow may come with glimmers of hope and release
Release from this dreadful malady
But not today...
Not today...
She told him, she'd rather fix her make-up, and try to fix what's going on. But the problem keeps on calling even with the celfone gone. She told him that she believes in living, bigger than she's living now. But her world keeps spinning backward and upside down.
Don't say so long and throw your celfone. Don't spend today away, coz today will soon be gone.
Like yesterday is gone. Like history is gone. Just try to prove me wrong. And pretend like your're immortal.
She says, he says live like no tomorrow. Everyday we borrow, brings us one step closer to the edge - infinity. Where's your treasure? Where's your hope? If you get the world and lose your soul. She pretends like she's immortal.
Don't say so long, you're not that far gone. This could be a big chance to make up for today will soon be gone.
Like yesterday is gone. Like history is gone. The world keeps spinning on. You're going going gone... Like summer break is gone. Like Saturday is gone. Just try to prove me wrong. You pretend like you're immortal.
We are not infinite. We are not permanent. Nothing is immediate. Brisk of confidence in our accomplishments. Look at our decadence!
Gone, like Frank Sinatra. Gone, like Elvis and his mom. Like Al Pacino's cash nothing lasts in this life. My high school dreams are gone. My childhood sweets are gone. Life's a day that doesn't last for long.
Life is more than money. Time was never money, time was never cash. Life is still more than girls. Life is more than hundred dollar bills and where the town fills. Life is more than famous rock 'n roll and frills. All the riches of the kings and up in wheels. We got information in the information age, but do we know what life is outside of our convenient Lexus cages.
But Life is still worth living...
"So many people walk around with a 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. Devote yourself to loving others, your community around you and to creating something that gives you purpose and meaning."
BUT HOW DO WE LIVE A MEANINGFUL LIFE?
"Once you learn how to die, you learn how to live."
DON'T BE AFRAID OF DEATH FOR,
"Death ends a life, not a relationship."
AND,
"Love is how you stay alive even after you are gone."
LIFE IS SO CONFUSING BECAUSE...
"Life is a tension of opposites. It 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."
SO WHICH SIDE WINS THE STRUGGLE?
"Love wins. Love always wins."
A little wave was bobbing along in the ocean, having a grand old time. He's enjoying the wind and the fresh air - until he notices the other waves in front of him, crashing against the shore. " ' My God, this is terrible,' the wave says. 'Look what's going to happen to me!' Then along comes another wave. It sees the first wave, looking grim, and it says to him, 'Why do you look so sad?' The first wave says, 'You don't understand! We're all going to crash! All of us waves are going to be nothing! Isn't it terrible?' The second wave says, 'No, you don't understand. You're not a wave, you're a part of the ocean.' "
We are all part of the ocean...
I remembered a dialogue from the HBO series Six Feet Under. It went something like this: "What is it like being dead?" asked the little girl. "Its kinda cool when i think about it.", replied the spirit. "No more work, no more pretending, no more trying to fit in, no more boredom!" No more boredom... Quite an interesting answer, i thought to myself. Somehow I understood what the spirit was implying. Think of your life. How has it been? Many would suggest "boring". Hey, I do not blame people who answer that way. In fact, I would rather hear such an honest answer than a fictitious crap. I, honestly believe that majority of the human race live a very boring life, regardless of his occupation, status, popularity and most of all wealth. A large percentage of suicides are commited by wealthy and influential people. Many would wonder why. After all his fortune, achievements and decorations, why would someone end his life? If you look at Maslow's heirarchy of needs, you will notice that the top most portion of human needs is self-fulfillment. This means that only after man has already acquired the basic needs and wants for normal living, can he start realizing his need for self-fulfillment. So the question to be asked is: "Are they still not fullfilled with their lives?" I too do not fully understand their actions. But I do know one thing for sure. Wealth does not equate to fullfillment. Fame also does not equate to fullfillment. Achievements, honors, women, having a big family with lots of kids, even having a school/hospital/street/holiday named after you, all does not equate to fulfillment. I must continue... Work is also not fulfilling. That's one of the most unfulfilling things man has ever invented. You work for what? Money? Money for what? Food, clothing, shelter, car, stuffs, what else? "There are many things money can't buy, but for everything else there's MasterCard." Quite a paradoxical slogan. This culture of relating money to success has spawned a new kind of philosophy. An alienating philosophy in which the most successful are almost always the most lonely. Money has become such a dominant figure in man's ambition and dreams. We feel its influence even more living in a third world country. Everywhere you feel its power. It fills up the hearts of every man. I can feel the greed with the breath he takes and the words he speak. Its the Eye of Sauron, with its relentless drawing power. And they are like hungry lions out to devour you of your every cent. But people are totally missing the point(.) This is the exact reason why life has become so boring. People just don't care anymore. Its all about the money. It's all about the dum dum dah dee dum dum.. Everyday people are rushing. Walking briskly. The rhythmic sounds of heels tapping on the concrete. Small steps, big steps. Then running to the shortest queue. Small steps, big steps. Then runs to the street to hail an unoccupied cab. So many people in a rush? For what? For all I know, they are rushing towards their own demise. Unknowingly, people are getting sicker everyday. No wonder heart attack is still the number one killer in the world. Everyone's in a rush!!! I am a person who loves to observe in counter-tempo (kontra-tiempo). I feel that by doing this I get to see things you would tend to ignore when riding with the tempo. Especially during stressful times, this technique helps you to relax and think more clearly. I look around at my surroundings and observe the people. What they're doing, how they are behaving and trying to understand what they're talking about. I'm not being a chismoso, but when I'm observing, I feel like unbound to the constraints of this world. As if living in a different dimension, invisible and unaffected by the world. This space and time reticulum. This hectic world of money and gossips. I just stop and then reflect. I reflect on the things that had happened. That the guy in long sleeves who accidentally stepped on my heels, was in such a hurry because of a meeting with his boss. I suppose that he be punctual less he wants to lose his job. Or that the cab driver who earlier led me to a more scenic route was only doing so just to break even with the rental of his cab. It is at this point that I feel most human. I begin to empathize with the people around me. Thinking that I might not have acted so differently from them when facing the same situation. We are all human beings after all, with feelings and emotions. We maybe unique in some ways. But there are things that are universally upheld. Like love and compassion. If people could only take the time to observe, then maybe the world would be a happier place. I guess that's what the people are missing. That's what everybody is wanting all along. Maybe that's the reason why life's such a bore. All these rudeness, cynicism, dishonesty, insincerity and greed is because of the absence of this thing. The reason for our creation. The reason why an awesome and infinite Creator will allow his Son to be mocked, spitted upon, beaten, pierced and then nailed and left to die on a cross. It was, from the very Genesis and will be until the End, all about this thing. The meaning of life. The purpose of life. This thing called LOVE.
It's all about Psychology. The world is now populated with six point something billion people. That's 6,XXX,XXX,XXX... quite a lot of x's dont ya think.. What makes a single person stands out all depends on this simple and yet effective science, Psychology. Just look at everywhere, Psychology is evidently being used from marketing down to simple basic human relationships. When you think about it, it does make sense. We are all human beings, with body, spirit and soul. The soul of each person resides in the mind or more scientifically termed, the brain. The brain as we all know is an amazing organ. Scientists are still quite baffled about how the brain actually works. It is the seat of our consciousness. Everything we do, speak and think goes through our brain. In short, the brain is what makes us ourselves. Now, psychology deals with the study of human behavior. Frankly, I find this definition of psychology rather amusing and improbable, simply because that one just cannot categorize a person's behavior. We are all unique one way or the other. I had read one time in an application form for VISA approval, that no two application forms are the same ever... therefore careful assessment of each application is needed in order to provide correct and accurate evaluation. That just shows how variable this life can be, and so can be the people living in it. We're straining too far from our topic of the powers of Psychology, so I'm gonna dive back into it. It is sad but true that most of what we have studied for the last 21 years in our lives are useless, that is if we don't use Psychology. Forget about being an honor student, grades only reflect in score cards. Forget about being a topnotcher, it is only good while it lasts (around 1 month, the most 3) . When you're in the real world, everything boils down on how you perceive other's thinking and anticipating it. Always think like the enemy. What-would-I-do-if-I-was-the-killer kind of questions. If you can somehow unravel the mysteries of the brain, then you will be king! I am not saying that I have already mastered this art of mind reading. I am still a student of this art as all of us still are. A pilgrim will encounter many obstacles in his journey, as do we encounter different people throughout our lives. If we are to succeed in this so-called life, we have to somehow have a firm grasp of this art. From simple gestures to nuances in words and tone to body language, these are just some of the key areas of the Art. This is supposed to be just a blog not a scientific journal about Psychology so I'm gonna leave it there. All of us have this innate ability of the Art, what we need is only practice. How? You might ask. Simply through experience. And fortunately, that's just what life is generously offering.
*For the reader's information: the writer is not a Psychology graduate. His protagonistic stand on Psychology is the result of quiet observation and deep reflection.
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