rethinking my existence

Year Starter

2012-02-04T20:25:00.001-08:00

Open publication - Free publishing - More 2012

Two.Zero.One.Two

2012-01-19T23:36:00.001-08:00

I was rifling through my notes last year, 2011, in preparation for planning activities this year and found this:

Why Do I write for Tugon

@lividgabo sat infront of his computer at home, not knowing where to end. Several alt+tabs and google searches later, he was still uninspired. He had only till midnight to finish his article. And that is why he writes. The thrill of meeting the deadline and coming up with something apt and beautiful inspires him!

Reading it, I knew that it somehow summarized half of my life and my viewpoint on things. I cram because that breaks out the adrenaline juice. I don't cram as much as I did when I was in College but I still have this notion that things will fall in to place no matter what. If it didn't happen for you, then it's not for you. At the same time I want some semblance of control. Like any walking contradiction, I'm neither here or there; just somewhere in between. And it does not do well for an aching head. Anyhow, the adventure continues. Hold fast but learn when to let go. Because it's going to be a bumpy ride and sometimes the only way to fly is to jump from that diving board.

Happy 2012!

Go figure.

2011-12-30T05:03:00.000-08:00

Asked Siri to send a message for me ,"it's ok I'm still on shift" and she recognizes it as ,"it's ok I'm still on sh*t" . Twice. Smart Aleck.

I Don't Get it

2011-08-26T01:26:00.000-07:00

I Don't Get it.............

when people spit gum in the urinals when the trash can is 5 meters away.

when people cut your lane and try to overtake you but you're both at the same spot when you reach the stop light.

how people who ride big SUVs still manage to throw garbage away in the streets from their vehicles; your SUV suddenly looks like a jeep.

why people still insist on using plastic bags when there is already so much trash in the world.

how people can stand other people cleaning up after them.

why roads are so ugly despite all the taxes.

why people still print their account summary after withdrawing money from the ATM when these can be checked online and they just throw it right away after (all that wasted paper!) - thanks voltaire.

how stores can say that they are on sale when they are not.

how GMA or the Arroyos are still able to sleep at night.

but a speck in this one big plan

2011-08-16T04:59:00.000-07:00

it was a daunting task. and no one seemed to be up for it. as the 9 friends stood on the platform, it seemed impossible for anyone to jump 180 meters away from the canyon and remain unscathed, let alone alive. at the back of my mind, i was already thinking of the other "rides" that would be easier to conquer first. then move on to "the one". kind of like taking the easy questions first in the exam and then going back to the hard ones.

But no. As we got to the hut where the tickets were bought, almost everyone's mind had been set. it was the "plunge" or nothing. it's as if the decision was collective and we were all part of the borg. it didn't make sense to take the less adventurous ones because they were expensive (baka kuripot lang kasi lahat,gusto na masulit kaagad haha)There were 1-2 stragglers but in the end only one of us didn't free fall. I'd have to say that it may have been the best 700php I had to spend.

Lots of questions came racing. Has anyone died plunging? How many times can the rope be used before it snaps? Has anyone hit the canyon yet while swinging? Who the crazy-a**-hell thought of setting up something like this? All the doubts and questions disappear as soon as you plunge through the depths of the canyon and put faith on the 70 meter rope that spelled the difference between life and death. No words can even begin to describe it. Spoiler alert: it's like taking a retreat while adrenalin freely flows. As you swing back and forth among the tree tops and admire the view, you begin to realize how awesome the view is and you're glad to be still in one piece. Feels good to be alive. You realize that you are just a speck in the world. That you can't control everything. Sometimes you just have to let go. and live. and be free. and not think back. I chose to plunge and this is what I get. something awesome and indescribable.

I'd do it all over again.

This is not me but this is how it looks like in video :http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6v5LHodUKdQ. Compared to the gmax , the gmax is still scarier but the plunge is more spiritual ;D

TUGON Fiesta Issue published online!

2011-06-28T09:35:00.000-07:00

Tugon has been around for about 7 years now and we're always trying to find ways to reach out to people, parishioners or not. Publishing it online really tops the cake since people from all over would be able to view it.

Check it out!! Click here.

My preciousssssssss

2011-06-15T03:09:00.000-07:00

Quakes

2011-03-11T01:27:00.000-08:00

Haiti , Australia and now Japan. Can't help but wonder if there's a conspiracy going on. Has someone been able to finally produce an earthquake generating machine? HAARP comes to mind. If yes, then why these three countries?

Rocketeer - Far East Movement ft Ryan Tedder ( Marie Digby Cover )

2011-01-20T03:59:00.000-08:00

like this version.

Weirdreams

2011-01-19T20:37:00.000-08:00

The past three nights were very weird ones. I had three consecutive dreams which didn't sit well with me at all as they don't make sense. The first one consisted of me leaving all of my notes and books for asian civilization (yes, it's a subject in college - not sure if they still offer it) and we had an exam the next day. I felt cold sweat as I haven't studied yet for the said exam. When I woke up, I was on the verge of thinking strategies for a couple of split seconds as to how to cram before the exam before I realized that I was not a student anymore. I was relieved but at the same time irked that the dream stressed me out. The second dream was about me buying a bunch of fertilizer and putting it in the trunk of the car. I passed by a PNP checkpoint and when they opened the trunk, it wasn't fertilizer in there but ammonia (a precursor to fertilizer). And ammonia can be used for making bombs! so they had to detain me and everything. That's when I woke up and the first thought that came to mind upon doing so was how to remove the smell in the car. The images and events were so vivid and seemed so real that I had to check and feel if it was just really a dream. The third dream I couldn't remember. Just as well because I knew it was a bad one too. I wonder what the menu is for tonight? This creativity better stop working at night and do what it's supposed to do and do it in the morning when I'm awake and don't need sleep!

words.

2010-09-23T01:47:00.000-07:00

one look and so many words have already been spoken. do synapses speak? does body language talk?

words express. they form thoughts, actions and ideas. passions translated to a bunch of letters. hate thrown into consonants. periods and exclamation points express entities of beliefs. They've molded pyramids, bridges and fifty foot story buildings. They've maimed,abused and killed the unlucky ones. Such small fonts and if taken in the context of an illiterate, insignificant, and yet it makes the world go around and multiply and grow and expound and get man on the moon. Such is the power of words. and ideas. and dreams. All of which wouldn't materialize without the bunched up curves and circles that come out of our mouths. we are a planet slave to words and its meanings. they've translated to blogs, tweets and facebook posts in this modern age. we are hooked for life.

despite all this.................... why does it take just one look.

We suck at this.

2010-09-16T14:38:00.000-07:00

All I want for Christmas.

2010-09-16T14:27:00.001-07:00

All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth.

http://thehandsomenerd.spreadshirt.com/

Follow Rules Please.

2010-08-17T21:56:00.001-07:00

Pasaway ka Gabo. Bakit ba kasi ang hilig mo mag counterflow? Driving is a privilege, not a right. Driving is a privilege, not a right. Driving is a privilege, not a right. 2nd offense na ito pero buti na lang sa luob lang ng parking. wahahaha. pinagalitan pa din ako ni manong guard. explain explain na lang. Learn from the lessons of your history. Or else chronicles mo puro ganito!

Ride

2010-08-17T08:53:00.001-07:00

Routine. Break from Routine. Excitement. Break from Excitement. Boredom. Break from Boredom. Can't life just be one thrilling ride from start to finish?

Why do I feel like my life's not Indi film material?

Bad Vibes

2010-08-06T18:46:00.001-07:00

Floating around. Prelude to what?

Buzz

2010-07-16T14:51:00.000-07:00

@Natz and I watched ToyStory I and II on DVD last night and it brought back nostalgic memories. It was fun piecing together which stuff transitioned over from I and II to III and which ones disappeared. It also had a game in it which was really a personality test to tell you which Toy Story character you were. Lalee was a Woody, loyal and dependable. I was a Buzz Lightyear. Go Figure.

You've got a friend in me.

Work.

2010-07-08T05:09:00.001-07:00

a lot of sacrifices had to be made. the transition took some adjusting and i'm still in the process because i keep thinking about friends i've made from my previous work. the work is not as hard but there are days when it can get toxic. the best way to go about it is just to be above it all. just keep thinking that sacrifices have its benefits. if you want something, you've got to work for it. the rewards are great but just can't help and think back sometimes. sentimental idiot. hehe.

Toy Story 3

2010-06-26T11:36:00.000-07:00

Warning: May contain spoilers. Watch the movie first.

When Toy Story (TS) 1 came out, me and my siblings watched it around 6 times. It was that good. First CGI feature-length animation. The story wasn't too bad either. It's your classic tale of the old,faithful and loyal vs. the snazzy,more versatile character. In the end they both came out on top. Woody and Buzz both have very different characters and yet they still manage to be the best of friends. Woody is your loyal guy that will do anything for the sake of friendship. Buzz on the other hand is very objective in everything that he does so much so that everything is a mission for him. The whole ensemble is a contradiction of sorts as Rex is your timid dinosaur, and Mr Potato Head is your all-time-sour-puss. In toy story 3, Barbie is your empowered blonde American Woman. Just like Shrek, TS breaks stereotypes in such a way that you'll laugh about it. Ken was right on the money though. I'd imagine no less of how he was portrayed. Winner part: Mr Glow worm catching Barbie wearing heels and still thinking it's Ken. Tawa lang ako ng tawa. Twas a good break from work. Would like to watch it again 5 more times.

Vindicated.

2010-06-18T01:29:00.000-07:00

And your 2010 NBA Champions ..............................

Ron Artest really did a good job in Game 7. He even did a better job on his post-game interview. Search for it on youtube for a laugh. I didn't realize he was that funny. Or just too drunk.

The black mamba has a handful of them now. How about the other hand?

Caliraya

2010-06-14T03:18:00.000-07:00

Went to Caliraya for an ocular with Natz,Eevo, Che and Addie(short for audacity). Fuel consumption was at 15.3 km/l for 157 km. Not bad for a 4-hour drive(back and forth). The trip meter was really helpful in calculating how much gas we spent for that trip.

The drive was pleasant, save for some motorists who tend to eat up the road. We were treated to a couple of Eevoisms like "blind item" , yung iba hindi na pwede ikwento, etc. hehe. You know how Eevo is. You'll know what I mean. Too bad Jam couldn't come or else we'd be noisier.

Happy Independen day everyone!

audacity

2010-05-12T18:40:00.000-07:00

audaCITY is home.

Finally. After almost a year of planning the City's finally home. Been in love with the car since I saw it last year because of its agressive stance. Its features aren't too bad either. vtec already... aux/usb port for music... adjustable steering wheel for customized driving.... euro 4 emission rating...abs braking system... power everything... theft deterrent immobilizer..... airbags.

Fuel consumption is very good but the fc gauge isn't too accurate (got the 1.3 S M/T). I'm averaging 12.4 km/l according to the gauge but I calculated it myself and I'm only getting 11.4 km/l. Forums also agree. Speaking of forums, I discovered that some GM (codename for the Honda City body frame 2009 and up) owners noticed that their right side bumper had a gap between the tail lights. I checked mine and it also had the gap in the same area. It's an aesthetic flaw but neverthrless you'd expect more from Honda. It doesn't bother me too much because it doesn't affect functionionality but some users on the forums were.

Now itching to buy it new shoes. Priorities livid. Priorities.

UPDATE: I recently discovered how to use the trip meter (thanks manual) and it's easier to check fc depending on the driving style. e.g. in the early morning (when there's no traffic), i got 22 km/l!!! In the afternoon on my way home when there's medium traffic, I only get 13.8 km/l. Not bad still.

browsing

2010-04-28T06:31:00.000-07:00

my phone fascination days are over, i think. after being robbed of several good phones in the last 5 months, i've decided to go bare and just make do with the essentials. i've realized that it's not worth dying for a piece of hardware that amuses me. so i'm going back to the basics. got myself a samsung e1080 and nokia 5030 and surprisingly i'm happy and contented...... just wondering how long this would last.......because along with this goes my phone browsing/surfing...... so that's minus 1 content that I browse online. Some other things would have to be amped up.

The leash between Pino and Me.

2010-03-24T18:32:00.000-07:00

Who is the master and who is the slave?

Pino madness

2010-03-19T02:58:00.000-07:00

At this point in time, goals are clearer and the vision is there. Just need to harness all will power for execution.

I can now say that I'm more mature in my life.

I am now taking care of a puppy.

Which takes intense patience,understanding and sacrifice. Waking up at 10am is now history. I wake up now at 7-8am at her howls and barks. Which are well and good because that means that it's time for her to ooj. But before she goes running to ooj land, she somehow asks for a scratch on the neck or the head first.Sometimes, she wants a semi hug. It's hard to be a surrogate parent for a puppy when you're not a dog. Sometimes I can't match up with her level of playfulness ( Wala pa naman akong kilalang amo na nagpapakagat sa aso niya)...... so we make do with using rags for tug of war and playing tag around the garden. Which aren't really enough for a puppy, especially when they're teething. She'd scratch her teeth against any surface that she can find. Splitting headaches aside, these mornings with my puppy has given me new appreciation for our garden. Her curiosity and interest in all things that crawl and don't are contagious. I also try to clean the garden now so that she won't be playing in too much dirt. I also get to interact now with our help's kids since they play about during these times. My puppy has changed my life somewhat. It's her duty to discover everything that the garden has to offer and she has taken me along for the ride.

Thanks to @Natz, my puppy knows how to "sit" already. We're now working on getting her inside her own cage of her own accord. She's a very smart dog and she already has broken her own leash and collar..... so I can say that she's strong too. On both occassions though, she went inside her cage without my prompting. Also, She doesn't ooj inside her cage too anymore. Planning to teach her how to catch frisbees but need to find out how to do that first.

My puppy's name is Pino (PIg-NOse for the pink pigmentation on his nose). Pino's a girl and he can be whatever he wants to be.

I was robbed

2009-12-08T05:06:00.001-08:00

I didn't think that I'd be blogging about my Carriedo experience in this bad light. I've gone there four times in the course of 2 months and the 4th time was the worst experience yet. I was robbed. All the games, apps and themes on my e71 all gone (I had backed up my messages,calendar entries and contacts around 2 weeks before so that's an "at least").

Ok first, going to nbi carriedo. It's easy. If you're coming from the east, just take lrt line 2 until recto (last station) and then get off the exit where the divisoria jeepneys are waiting. You just need to go straight until you get to the intersection where lrt line 1 passes through. Turn left (cross the street) and then go straight straight. Once you see the end of the road, turn left again. The NBI building should be on the left side. Do not buy cedulas. You won't need it. Also, bring a black ballpen so that you won't have to buy from there.

On my 4th visit, I decided to take the lrt line 1 to get to gil puyat station (buendia). I rode at doroteo jose station and that's when it happened. When I entered the train, a big guy with a backpack blocked my path even if there was still space inside and behind him. I sidestepped to the right and the next thing I know, my left pocket was cellphone free. F**k where the first words out of my mouth. The person who blocked me got off at the next stop but I didn't bother to follow for fear that he might have someone else waiting in the shadows. They had pulled one over me and that really sucked. I started thinking of all the at leasts that I could think of.

At least I wasn't stabbed.
At least it wasn't my wallet (harder to rebuild)
At least I had my nbi clearance already
At least I didn't have too much personal info on my cellphone
At least I was able to invalidate that line within the first two hours ( I had to ask help from my sister who worked in Taguig). I was also able to change my online accounts' passwords right away.

I had a very long lrt ride to gil puyat, thinking of all the repercussions of losing that phone. But as is my principle in this, detachment is the way to go because these things can be easily replaced. It beats being stuck in the hospital because of a stab wound.

But be warned manong magnanakaw. Next time makita kita na magisa ka lang. Patay ka sa akin. Kulong kung kulong.

good time for a change

2009-11-17T02:22:00.000-08:00

Good times for a change
See, the luck I've had
Can make a good man
Turn bad

So please please please
Let me, let me, let me
Let me get what I want
This time

Haven't had a dream in a long time
See, the life I've had
Can make a good man bad

So for once in my life
Let me get what I want
Lord knows, it would be the first time
Lord knows, it would be the first time

mga inaasam sa pasko

2009-11-11T21:34:00.000-08:00

livid's wishlist:

1. Sonim XP1 / B2100 Explorer/Nokia 3720 or any waterproof and shockproof phone
2. House TV Series DVD (preferrably Season 3 and up)

X. Precision screwdriver set (for opening laptops,etc)
X. 8 gB flashdrive

Stop using plastic / styro

2009-10-25T01:54:00.000-07:00

Dear Mcdo and Jollibee,

I'd like to write a plea for you guys to start using bio degradable material for your take-away ("take-out") meals. It will help the environment a lot - what with all the plastic and waste going around.

To illustrate, kindly see the link below

http://greenliving.lovetoknow.com/Is_Styrofoam_Harmful_for_the_Environment

Ondoy brought it ... and so did we!

2009-10-14T12:27:00.000-07:00

When Manila experienced the most deluge in memory or history ...

When most lost their homes and family members and possessions ...

When a huge population got isolated or stranded or hungry for several hours before help finally came ...

When all hope seemed lost and the government was nowhere to be seen until things settled down...

We stood together.

When everything that floated served as a lifesaver for some...

When neighbors opened up their second floors and roofs for others...

When corporations and businesses contributed huge sums of money for rebuilding...

Our nation stood together.

I've never seen a race more resilient. And I'm sickeningly proud to be a Filipino.

The PVC rule

2009-10-02T09:32:00.000-07:00

With the fast and free flow of information,wrong information tends to spread big time out there. Sending bad info sometimes just takes just two clicks and rectifying that may take more effort than sending it. It irks me to get texts,im's or inet posts that claim that it's the real deal but actually aren't.

Three simple steps that could save you from passing bad info :

1.Process - Is this person making any sense? Sometimes we believe the person right away because they're our friends but the usual situation is that that friend only got it from someone else that's less credible. So ask. Sometimes we have the tendency to just browse a text and forward it right away without absorbing. It's so easy to spread a rumor nowadays.

2.Verify - Ask others if it's true or get a more credible source (news,radio,etc..) As much as possible, get multiple sources.

3.Cite - Cite your source so that the recipient would have the option whether to believe or not - or better yet verify it for themselves.

Remember the PVC rule the next time you get suspicious information out there - Not foolproof but hopefully it'd make us think twice before sending out info that could be the difference between life and death.

How Stuff Works Podcast Wednesday

2009-09-09T09:34:00.001-07:00

Interesting stuff. Swallow with caution.

10 ways to stay sane in your cubicle

2009-08-22T08:57:00.000-07:00

10 ways to stay sane in your cubicle

From tech republic
http://blogs.techrepublic.com.com/10things/?p=947&tag=nl.e101

If you’re stuck in a cube 40 hours a week, you may need a few coping strategies to keep from going crazy. Jack Wallen offers some survival tips to help make your workdays more bearable - and maybe even enjoyable.

So you work in a cube farm, and every day you spend there sucks more and more of your sanity away. You’re pretty sure that any day now you will be taken off in a straightjacket to work in your new padded cell. How can you avoid this? How can you hang onto a semblance of sanity when day in and day out, you spend eight hours sitting in the center of three industrial walls? It’s not as hard as you might think. Here are some suggestions to help you preserve your sanity.

Note: This article is also available as a PDF download.
1: Change it up

When your surroundings do not change, the best way to keep your cool is to change them yourself. A friend of mine has been in the same cube farm for nearly 10 years. During that time, she has made a point to randomly change the decorations in her cubicle. But she doesn’t just add a photo here and a knick-knack there. My chum is a serious Trekkie and makes a point to focus on one character (or race of characters) at a time. So one month will be Cardassian month and the next will be all about Dr. Bashir or Jean-Luc Picard. Not only has this helped her sanity, it has given her quite the reputation around the company and provided plenty to chat about.
2: Take breaklets

Most people work like this:

* Work four hours
* Take a lunch break
* Work four hours

This works for a while, but eventually it will catch up with you. Instead of sticking only to this schedule, you should mix it up. If your company allows it, split your break up into smaller breaks throughout the day. Or better yet, just randomly get up and take a stroll around the company. If you have to, grab a folder or a handful of papers and make like you’re heading for the printer. Just get up and get out of that cubicle throughout the day. Taking strolls around the company won’t just get you out of your cubicle; it will give you a bit of exercise you desperately need. If you’re feeling really daring, skip the elevator and hit the stairs!
3: Crank up the tunes

Music is the food of life. But you will be best served (as will your fellow employees) if you keep that music to yourself. Back when I had an office at TechRepublic, I was notorious for cranking up techno very loud. It didn’t dawn on me that maybe it would have been better if I’d left the volume at a respectable level. And that was with an office — not a cubicle. When you are working in a cubicle, your best bet is headphones. I also recommend that you don’t just bring in your favorite CDs and listen to them over and over. You might as well stare at the same gray-brown walls and listen to the voices developing in your head. Instead, point your PC to a nice Internet radio station. If you use Linux, you may want to open up Streamtuner, as I do, and take in a whole world of music.
4: Turn to Facebook/Youtube/Twitter

I know, it sounds horrible — but I am advocating the use of social networking sites at work. However, I suggest you use them with moderation. Do not plant yourself on Facebook and stay there at the expense of your work. Instead, give yourself social breaks between tasks. Complete a task, update your status. Reconfigure that router, tweet! Or create a social networking site for your fellow workers. With this in place, your social networking will be work related. If you can’t create the site yourself, propose this to your IT staff.
5: Move your office

I don’t mean literally. But if you use a laptop, take it away from your cubicle and move to the break room or a meeting room. Do this once a week or so, and you’ll find that cubicle not nearly as life-stealing. Just make sure you are not breaking any company policies by doing so. And if the weather is nice enough (and your signal strength will reach) take that laptop outside for an al fresco workday. Just remember to have a full battery or an outlet nearby.
6: Socialize

We’ve all done it before — worked in places where we just… couldn’t… stand… the… people… we… worked… with. You can’t get along with everyone, but there should be someone you can at least form some sort of social bond with. Find someone who shares similar interests (like Star Trek, Linux, or mountain biking) so you will at least have SOMETHING to talk about (other than complaining about how you hate your fellow workers).
7: Do an anonymous act of kindness every day

This is all about karma. Do something good for a coworker every day. It doesn’t have to be big. You could pick up someone’s print job for them and deliver it to their cubicle (see number 2) or clean up an area around the office. Just make sure the act is random and anonymous. The anonymity will give you a certain pleasure as you watch others trying to figure out who did the deed.
8: Play hooky

Remember how good it made you feel back in college to skip a day of class? That feeling can be enough to get you through until the next vacation day. Find a special event or just a perfect day outdoors and call in sick. Yes, it can backfire on you if your boss takes a break and catches you playing Frisbee golf in the park. But then, if your boss catches you in the park, what exactly is he doing there?
9: Employ the Les Nessman cubicle strategy

Who can forget Les Nessman, the award-winning news director from WKRP? One of his many quirks was his belief that a news director should have his own office. Well, he didn’t — so he made do. Les lay down masking tape on the floor to create the outline of the walls of his “office.” He even included a “door” that he mimed opening and closing every time he entered or exited. So what is keeping you from going “Les” on your cubicle? Tape down that fourth wall, include a door, and insist that people “knock” and use the “door” when they need to meet with you.
10: Have a sense of humor

Humor will get you through just about every situation — including cube life. Become a practical jokester, laugh at silly mistakes, let everyone see that you can take just about anything that life throws at you. But as you’re laughing it up and plotting the demise-by-joke of your next victim, always remember your company policies. Make sure your master plan does not go against any company rules, or the HR department will have the last laugh. Above all, have fun, enjoy your workday, and make it more pleasant for everyone around you.
What works for you?

These simple tips will get many people through the tedium of cube life. For others, however, it’s simply not enough. Do you have a tip for getting through the day, week, month, or year while confined to the three walls of hate? If so, share them with your fellow TechRepublic readers.

bye 5500

2009-08-16T19:42:00.000-07:00

Bye 5500! Our memories together were sweet and thrilling. I will never forget the day that I put you in a glass of water twice! (Once should have been enough) and let you to dry for several days before turning you on. we have had a lot of adventures together but now it's time to go. Your next owner would be proud to have you.

already here

2009-08-02T04:55:00.000-07:00

I'm already here but yet I'm there. Somehow sometimes I feel out of it. As much as I want to live the moment, I'm having trouble doing so.

Just got to stay focused I guess. I lack it. Or do I have too much of it on something else that I forget the other things?

I may have been born in the wrong period.

Finals - Game 3

2009-06-10T09:57:00.000-07:00

Game 3 - NBA Finals 2009. You got to hand it to the magic. They played a superb game, shooting 75% in the first half. Skip to my lou did all the right things. Howard defended the paint. Rashard was at his usual 3 point best. And Turkoglu... did what he always did. Pietrus' 18 points and hustle plays down the stretch also were a pain for the Lakers. Despite all that though, they only led by 4 at the end of regulation. They would have led only by 2 if Rashard had insisted on not shooting those last two free throws.

LA all the way . Let's see what happens on Game 4.

Addiction.

2009-06-08T10:14:00.000-07:00

Samurai 7

2009-06-06T11:19:00.001-07:00

Just finished Samurai 7. Finally. Jose downloaded the final parts of the series and finally got to complete it. Worth the wait. Each and every samurai had his own character and role in the whole story - and the action and animation was great.

The seven Samurai were composed of:

Shimada Kambei- your typical leader (calm and calculating)
Katsushiro Okamoto - the apprentice
Gorobei Katayama - the smart entertainer
Shichiroji - the "spears and rope" guy
Kikuchiyo - the muscle in the group
Hayashida Heihachi - demolitions expert
Kyuzo - silent assassin

The emperor (antagonist in the story) himself was rich in character. You could never guess what he was going to do next and his motives were always unclear. What really got this series going was the recruiting part - Kirara was tasked by her village to hire samurai that would help protect their farms against bandits. Each found samurai led to their own stories and motives in the whole scheme of things.

Next stop - The Seven Samurai (the inspiration behind the samurai 7 cartoon series) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_Samurai

Gone Fishing

2009-05-31T20:55:00.000-07:00

Let it shine

2009-05-04T11:47:00.001-07:00

Honda Insight - Let It Shine from Honda on Vimeo.

down to the wire

2009-05-02T08:19:00.000-07:00

chicago bulls in seven. miami heat in seven. this isn't a prediction. i'm just naming favorites XD

It all boils down to this. Who wants it more? Who's willing to go the extra mile, the extra hustle to get things done?

Can't wait.

The stage is set.

shuffle that deck... and deal

2009-04-03T17:28:00.000-07:00

had a long talk with mom earlier. we were talking about crises. we all go through it. i've done with mine - i think - and it just came in very short bursts because the mass of the things i need to do make up for it and keep me busy. mom went through a lot. i guess that's where all the moral and happiness fiber came from. lolo was an unfaithful husband and mom had to go through college losing the things that she was used to. she lost her car, wasn't given money anymore for clothes.. until the point that she didn't get any allowance anymore. my lolo was supporting several other families then that's why there wasn't too much money to go around. it was a good thing that she was a scholar but she also took part time jobs like selling stocks..sometimes, she'd go to meetings during college without eating lunch yet. when her peers would ask if she'd eaten, she'd say "yes". When merienda was served, she'd still have the restraint to eat primly and properly.her mom (my lola) was not in a better state either. she had to get humiliated by other people just to make end's meet (on top of having to deal with the emotional hurt impaled by my lolo). their staple food was galunggong (which is expensive nowadays) and they only got to eat meat on weekends. despite all this, she still gave respect to her parents due them. she did not in anyway badmouth my lolo to my dad (they were still dating then). she still managed to get high grades (magna) and had many friends. she beat the odds. she went against the percentage.

i admire her because she still managed to beat the system despite everything. she was proactive and unwavering all throughout. as i'm going through my life now, i realize that i draw strength from her. it is because of her stories that i don't easily break. because i know that she survived all that.. had five wonderful kids and is now living a simple and yet fruitful life. she showed me that it can be done. that life can all be negative but it all boils down as to what you are going to do about it. We are all born to succeed and be happy as much as we all can potentially fail and be rotten all our life.

So Let's Go. Beat the percentages with me.

a card for the player

2009-04-02T10:40:00.000-07:00

live simply so that others may simply live. this phrase came back to me after I thought of getting myself another pair of shoes (particularly Kobe IV) since I saw the ad along the C5 flyover.Been salivating every time I see it.it looks so lightweight (11.6 ounces). just looking at the material says a lot about it. BUT with its cost, I should be able to send one scholar to school already.

Why is it hardest to make a decision when the answer is most obvious?

i want to make us work.

2009-04-02T10:29:00.000-07:00

let's do this.

apir!

2009-03-31T10:11:00.000-07:00

alright! good job!

what are you looking for

2009-03-27T10:06:00.000-07:00

Vicky showed this to me earlier. True. But I thought it should have facts to back it up. Although some of you would go ahead and agree with it. As Forrest Gump said, "Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're going to get". Life is like a pack of chocnuts - you never know if it's durog or not.

It goes on.

Let's do this.

2009-03-04T09:22:00.000-08:00

No more distractions. Focus. Invest in the goal.

Failure is all about getting up and learning from it

2009-02-03T10:21:00.000-08:00

I've missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I've been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.
-M Jordan

clarion call

2009-01-24T07:38:00.000-08:00

if i'm going to change the world, i must make good in my promise. opportunities are presenting themselves - i just need to answer. there is just so much to do. kids don't belong in the streets doing drugs. i must heed the call one way or another.

brooding ...

2009-01-15T09:36:00.000-08:00

what is wrong with me? am so optimistic I feel like I'm going to burst. am i too positive? or is the world just too dark? i've been there though. seeing all the negative things in life instead of the positive ones. i've moved past that point but sometimes i just can't help it. The thing is, when you think of all the positive things, the negative ones always prop up. there's no denying that life is all based on a balance of both the yin and yang. imagine a movie with a protagonist and no antagonist... that'd be either an art film or the most boring film you could ever watch. we are of the same make. we want the same goal. but sometimes a barrier stands in the way if we don't seek first to understand...

whatta year

2008-12-25T07:05:00.000-08:00

the dust has cleared. the Christmas rush has peaked and gone. Whatta year that was. a very good year that I am almost overwhelmed and surprised. Come 2009, I face big challenges ahead. I only ask for the strength and humility to face all of them. I want to remember that I am but a small microcosm in this big universe of ours and that I only play a small part as to how everything in this world will turn out. so I will do my best and play that part. even if I'm gone, this world will keep on spinning. at the least, i'd like to leave it better.

What kind of world do you want? Let's start today.

New vs Old

2008-12-22T09:22:00.000-08:00

Transitions ...

Kelan

2008-12-19T10:19:00.001-08:00

Kailan mo gagawin kung hindi ngayon? Tao po.

Why

2008-11-29T07:46:00.000-08:00

Why is it that women expect us to be mind readers all the time? And when we become sensitive, they complain. I have to have the right temperature of her tea everytime :S

rule number one

2008-11-26T10:03:00.000-08:00

i want you to hit me as hard as you can. Ivo indulged me and punched me thrice. He surprised me by punching me two times more than what was bargained but i had asked for it so i'm not complaining. it actually felt good. he punched me again before i left the office and that actually hurt. but i still felt good about it. i asked him why he felt the need to punch and he said that it was his way of releasing (his frustrations - i guess)...he sometimes hit walls out of the blue. hobby? i can't blame ivo. i sometimes feel the same way. i have this unexplained aggresion inside of me that i usually take out on objects or sometimes at my siblings he he. which is wrong. it should be taken out in sports activities but i'm not getting any of that because of other commitments so there you go. i guess what i'm trying to say is that there's a fight in all of us. that's why i believe everyone and anyone can relate to fight club. whoever says he can't is in denial.let it go. let go. let the pain numb your senses. and numb you to the world. pain is felt strongly and it's a feeling that's really hard to forget where all else is fleeting and temporary. let out the fight in you. surprise me.

confined.

2008-10-30T20:04:00.000-07:00

Glad to be back. Been confined in a hospital cell the past 4 days because of intestinal flu. the kind that makes you move without your wanting to (Record:12 times) along with chills caused by high fever. my first suspect was that it was the kare kare the day before. but everyone else from the family ate it. I just assumed that I must have eaten something that had already dropped on the table(i don't believe wasting out food to bacteria - but bacteria got me this time).

1st day. I was so weak and feverish that I could barely think, let alone move and type right but I had to refine my PPR and after countless hits on the backspace I had finally gotten it done and sent - it was only later on that I found out that I had made a booboo of a different sort. My dad then decided that it was time to bring me to the hospital. He noticed I wasn't my natural color and that I would need divine intravention (IV) already. So we went. Lals and my sister came along - a good thing too - because the wait at the emergency room was ginormously long. I was too dehydrated to speak and to move. But when they stuck the IV in, I started feeling better. We were talking in the ER for about 2hrs before the hospital finally checked me in. The first night was not too bad except for the chills. But the nurse on duty always checked in to see if I was doing ok.

2nd day.Hospital food sucks.Or at least mine did. mine fell under the BRAC category. Banana Rice Apples Carrots(?)... My dad had another version, BRAT. Banana Rice Apples Tea. At least they served sola. But the hospital version of lugaw.I don't believe they even serve that in prison.It looked and smelled like glue. More like gluegaw. Or as lals would call it, lugawgaw. So I relied on the crackers. I was on crackers and fruits for the next 3 days. This was the day that the doc came by and prescribed an antibiotic already. So those made me feel better. I got to catch an NFL game between the Titans and the Colts. The Titans are just superb this year. They crushed the Colts in that game. Their defense is great and their WR Johnson is just doing wonders for them. QB Collison is not doing bad either. My dad was pushing that I get discharged early because of the CMMA awarding the next day. Lals lent me their "Kite Runner" book.

3rd day. I'd have to miss the awarding as I was nowhere to getting my wastes solidified and I was still having chills. Watched LA vs Portland game and reading kite runner in between ads. It's nice to see how much noise LA is going to make this year. I wasn't a Kobe fan before but I've seen the way he matured over the past few seasons and I'm rooting for them this year. My IV stopped flowing this afternoon. They had to switch the needle to the other hand. It took two tries, two needles and a very patient nurse and patient to get it done. It took a smaller needle too (size 22 as opposed to 20 - don't know why their needles are sized reversely). By the time we were done, I got two unusable hands, one hurting from pain, the other on dextrose. But it was only a matter of time before the other hand was pain free again.

4th day. Finished the kite runner. Sad sad story but I'm glad Amir was able to redeem himself or else I would've hated his character till the end of time.

Talking with my dad, we tried to figure out what it was. What was that one thing that I ate that nobody else did. It turns out that Adrian and I ordered Wendy's for our Iowa upgrade last Saturday. I ordered Chicken Breast Fillet and he ordered Bacon Mushroom melt. Bingo. I remember not looking at what I was eating. Didn't notice if the vegetables were fresh. I just ate. Lesson of the story is, watch what you eat.

My prayer for today.

2008-10-07T18:39:00.000-07:00

Harder.Better.Faster.Stronger. Keep me on my toes. Maintain my vigilance. For it is only when I know that you are there that I can truly feel alive. Somehow, because of all this, my awareness has been heightened and I am beginning to enjoy things that I regret not seeing before. You have opened my eyes. And I am more grateful than ever. You have been prodding me every now and then to look your way. And I always look away, believing that I have something else better. Keep me. I want to give back everyday. Keep me in your grace forever.

Tha that that that cannot kill me, can only make me stronger. I need you right now.

Retreat

2008-10-05T09:26:00.000-07:00

it's difficult to want something that I haven't been accustomed to (the whole year round since my last retreat). For the past year, I haven't been exactly your model catholic.so now,fresh from another retreat this year, I've been rejuvenated with a new resolve. I've forgotten so many things that are based on my faith. Mired in the own pit that I created, I forgot already the inner joy and peace that others feel when they are one with our creator. These are some of the points that I want to remember for the rest of the year until my next retreat:

:: Life of man is happiness and joy, not pleasure. Pleasure is fleeting. Happiness is something external (outside of yourself that you gain). Joy is something within yourself that overflows and are able to communicate with/to others.

::Sanctify your work. Sanctify it by offering it to our Lord.

::We are all born to love God. It is in our nature.

So for a change, I will try to use what I have learned. I'm too tired of becoming selfish. It's time that I loved back.

I'm posting this because I want to be reminded of the things that I learned. Sharing it just in case someone else may learn from it.

drowning.

2008-09-11T09:46:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure if this is what I signed up for. It becomes hard when one really starts comparing. But it's always good to know what else is out there, right? I feel like someone holding a ton of books right now that I can't even free one hand to read one. What do I get in return? More books!! What fun!

.... something is bound to break ....

stand up...

2008-09-07T09:17:00.000-07:00

Fr Sandy brought up a pretty good point earlier. If the government is so concerned with population being the source of our economic woes, why don't they prohibit our muslim brothers from practicing polygamy. That would also bring numbers down. Muslims would take offense ofcourse because the government would be meddling in matters that they believe in. Sames goes for people who are pro-life. We take offense when the government passes into law/ordinance something that is against our belief. Worse, they seem to think that they have the ability now to say what is moral from not. They may be able able to legalize the reproductive health bill/ordinance but they can never make it morally good. What's really sad is that the Catholics themselves are the ones signing these ordinances into law. We can always say that ignorance is part of the problem. Isn't studying what they pass into law part of the job description? No matter how great the pressure is from other sides,it's always good to hold on to something that you believe in and stick by it.

It's time to stand up for life.

what's comfortable or unknown...

2008-09-07T09:13:00.000-07:00

it's hard to choose.

simple.

2008-08-29T21:44:00.000-07:00

i realize now that none of this matters as long as I love you. To know, to love and to serve. it's that simple.

sick.

2008-08-26T15:45:00.001-07:00

.... Zzzz ...

the space between

2008-08-19T19:24:00.000-07:00

You cannot quit me so quickly
There's no hope in you for me
No corner you could squeeze me
But I got all the time for you, love

The Space Between
The tears we cry
Is the laughter keeps us coming back for more
The Space Between
The wicked lies we tell
And hope to keep safe from the pain

But will I hold you again?
These fickle, fuddled words confuse me
Like 'Will it rain today?'
Waste the hours with talking, talking
These twisted games we're playing

We're strange allies
With warring hearts
What wild-eyed beast you be
The Space Between
The wicked lies we tell
And hope to keep safe from the pain

Will I hold you again?
Will I hold...

Look at us spinning out in
The madness of a roller coaster
You know you went off like a devil
In a church in the middle of a crowded room
All we can do, my love
Is hope we don't take this ship down

The Space Between
Where you're smiling high
Is where you'll find me if I get to go
The Space Between
The bullets in our firefight
Is where I'll be hiding, waiting for you
The rain that falls
Splash in your heart
Ran like sadness down the window into...
The Space Between
Our wicked lies
Is where we hope to keep safe from pain

Take my hand
'Cause we're walking out of here
Oh, right out of here
Love is all we need here

The Space Between
What's wrong and right
Is where you'll find me hiding, waiting for you
The Space Between
Your heart and mine
Is the space we'll fill with time
The Space Between...

limits.

2008-07-11T08:41:00.000-07:00

took a swim today. to get all the negative vibes out of my body. and I'd have to say that it worked. I should do this more often. The pool is a perfect way to feel the unbearable lightness of being. You can almost move any way you want to. It's almost like one big trampoline wherein you can jump and make poses all day and it really won't matter that you're just going up and down. I did my laps and on the other side of the pool, an 11 or 14 year old girl was being trained by her coach. The coach looked like he doesn't know anything about swimming because he didn't really look that fit. And it really bugged me that he was shouting at the girl, that she wasn't trying hard enough. That she wasn't giving her all. To get that verbal abuse at a young age? I wouldn't want my kid to go through that. I do admit that it could make the girl stronger afterwards. But it could also go the other way. anyhow, the question of the day is, if you're someone who wants to push yourself or someone else to the limits, how good is good enough? and how far is far enough? It's all subjective, i tell you. and either which way, something is bound to break.

bulalo.

2008-06-19T13:03:00.000-07:00

sucking the marrows of life. I don't know where that will take me. but it feels so good. to drink the dregs of the little stuff that life comprises of.

Character

2008-05-19T15:52:00.001-07:00

Western Oregon's Sara Tucholsky is carried around the bases by Central Washington's Liz Wallace and Mallory Holtman after injuring her knee while rounding first base following her first-career home run.

sad realizations

2008-05-10T09:58:00.001-07:00

Some people could be so selfish. It makes my blood boil. What if I said the same thing? "I'm selfish too and I don't want to do anything for you as well. I don't want to help you in any other way because I've got this important thing going on. I won't spare 5 minutes to help you because my stuff is important. The world revolves around me. I don't care about you. I just care about my stuff --- how I'm going to do and how people are going to perceive me. Why should I type this? I was born to speak. I'm not a crummy encoder."

What if all people thought that way? What has humanity boiled down to? It's no wonder the world is like this. And we blame God for it. God has nothing to do with it. We've been messing it out too much on our own that God does not have to add the yang to the yin.

I choose to ...

2008-04-16T11:42:00.000-07:00

"This is where I belong." I told Lals as we were jogging around the baseball field of Meralco, as prerequisite warmup for learning more about ultimate frisbee. I've always felt comfortable in the field. It's a stage wherein you don't have speak to prove how good you are. No pretentions. Just talent and skill and creativity. All you need to do is bring your game and let it speak for yourself. I didn't say I was good in frisbee. There are a lot of people out there that have been playing since it started/became popular and I wouldn't want to compete with that. All I'm saying is that I belong in the field. I belong in the basketball courts. The Power-ups and the gyms. I am most fulfilled when I play. The smell of the green grass. The killer instinct of wanting to win and score. To top it all off, it rained. And I could never feel anymore comfortable than that. To play in the rain. And feel nature playing along with you. I should've been a PE teacher. I should've taken up a physical education course and taught kids how to take care of their body. Instead, I spend 8-12 hours a day infront of the computer and wonder at the end of the day whether I've accomplished anything at all. I've envisioned that if I teach kids, I could inspire them to dream and do what they want to do when they grow up. I could instill in them life lessons that I acquired from my parents and older people. I could have them off drugs and other things that just distract and don't contribute to their growth. That is my dream. This is my vision. I will teach them to compete and value sportsmanship at the same time. I will hone whatever talent they have and increase their potential, giving them lots of opportunities even at such an early age. Best of all, I'll be doing what I love to do. Being out in the open field, learning as much as I can and teaching all that I know.

I choose to.

rejuvenated.

2008-03-11T21:47:00.000-07:00

rejuvenated....

Davao.

2008-02-27T11:52:00.000-08:00

Davao. Here we come. Issues, GO away.

unsatisfied but happy.

2008-02-07T12:20:00.000-08:00

i thought i was going to sleep now but i wasn't. i thought i was going to get satisfied but i'm not. i love what i do. and yet i hate it. a million contradictions all rolled into one. objective as i might want to be, i'm not. who can really say? am i someone looking from the outside at what I'm really supposed to be? or am i someone looking inside, knowing what I really am. what's more surprising is that there's this one person who puts up with all these questions in my head. will i get to the place where i want to go? and if i get there, will i be happy? i'm happy as it is. and yet i still long for that place. there is the fear that if i get there, i will go back to square one of not feeling any satisfaction. life was never easy for me. everything that i have, i worked hard for. and yet, when i get to places and meet people, i am never truly satisfied. how can i gun for that one place, if i know that nothing really satisfies my weird self. i can't say i'm a perfectiontist because i see the beauty in the crudeness and rawness of things. that is why i will have to settle for weird. a million contradictions all rolled into one. why won't sleep come? and deprive me of these ramblings that have no direction whatsoever. but i want to put it here. to remind me. that i am complex. that i am not as simple as i always thought i was. i always thought that i got myself figured out. but in time like these, went you want to sleep and you cannot, you tend to think otherwise. i am unsatisfied but happy. i feel like there is something more... always, that needs to be done. maybe i'm lacking something in one aspect of my life. there is more to work on. i've lots of room for growth. maybe that is why. later. later will be another day. i will start now....

and go to sleep.

16-0. Eyes on the prize now. Go Patriots.

2007-12-31T01:52:00.000-08:00

I've been a Randy Moss fan since his Viking days. I've never seen a wide receiver move with such quickness and versatility the way he does. With Tom Brady as his quarterback, the possibilities are endless. I knew they were going to go far this season. A bit overwhelmed though with what they've acccomplished.

Lots for the history books

::Patriots are the first NFL team since the 1972 Dolphins to win every game on the schedule going 16-0 this season

::Brady has 50 TD passes for the season, breaking Peyton Manning's 2004 record of 49

::Moss now has 23 catches, breaking the mark of Jerry Rice, who did it in 12 games during a strike-marred 1987 season

::Pats have a record 582 points for the season. The old mark was 556 by the 1998 Vikings.

Now, it's not all about Brady and Moss since they have a good supporting cast that keeps their backs covered whenever they need it. Brady's plays couldn't have been made without their defense and his offensive guards and tight ends.

Next stop. the Championship.

Our deepest Fear

2007-12-07T21:47:00.000-08:00

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine as children do. It's not just in some of us; it is in everyone. And as we let our own lights shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others."

-Timo Cruz (Coach Carter movie)

Some people should stop thinking about themselves ...

2007-11-29T07:04:00.000-08:00

man that Trillanes is an idiot and a half. Does he know how much disruption he has caused the Filipinos the whole day? If, I, patient as I am, is really p**sed off with him, I could just imagine all the other Filipinos out there who are too. First off, because of his stupidity, some parts of Ayala got blocked off (causing medium traffic and re routing of public transpos). All these humble FX drivers trying to earn a living waste 1-2 hrs because of the rerouting and I believe they wouldn't be going back to Ayala anytime soon because of all the panic/traffic. They'd have to change their route for the day and pray to God that they make the boundary so that they'd at least earn. I had to walk a couple of blocks and cross Ayala over the fences because the underpass was closed - thanks again to the brilliant trillanes. I got to the office tired. The day was uneventful. Until we heard that a curfew was set (from 12mn to 5am) to deter any further coup/destabilization attempts. So our LNS(Late night shuttles) got scheduled early and we were off to our merry ways. Most of my colleagues had gotten out of the office already when I heard that mine would get delayed (since it'd be coming from Las Pinas) and there was heavy traffic everywhere - from SLEX to EDSA. I ended up deciding that I should stay in the office, as I didn't want to take the taxi at this time of the night and during these precarious times. So instead of getting home by 12mn, I've to stay here in the office until 5am blogging about trillanes' insensitivity.

Did Trillanes even know what he was doing? I don’t think so. As he seemed like he just walked out of his own hearing and acted like a baby. The guy didn’t even have a plan. First Oakwood. Now Manila Peninsula. What’s next? Shangrila. Asked if he knew who he’d recommend if GMA stepped down, the poor guy couldn’t even answer. I wish he’d stop complaining and start doing something else productive. Get a clue. Also, thinking about other people’s welfare wouldn’t hurt at all.

christmas wish list

2007-11-13T10:03:00.001-08:00

i want this! does it come in silver? haha

details ...

it doesn't hurt to dream, right?
***Unfortunately there are no plans to ever produce this model. Instead customers have to make due with the five other versions of the car, none of which come with a supercharger.

complete.

2007-11-04T11:06:00.000-08:00

finally. went out with my cousins last night and it was a relief to get to talk with them again. been busy with work and parish stuff that sometimes I wish I had more time for the other people I care about. i've missed so much that they kept telling me to get out of my cave. haha. been living in one the past few months. it's all been work-sleep-work routine lately. i also miss the things i love doing. my cousins have reminded me that life is not all about overworking-yourself-to-attain-what. They've made me realize that I've to get out of my cave once in a while... my biggest frustration is that I've this ideal life at the back of my head --- wherein I'll just teach people to rock climb all day. and then i'll eat seafood all my life. only if life were that simple.

thinking too much - it's a disease

2007-10-12T00:41:00.000-07:00

we're all going somewhere. this is most prominent early in the morning. at around 5am. wherein the hustle and bustle is very evident. everyone has a place to go to. To accomplish or to attain a certain level of satisfaction for the day. so so short term. will all our daily travels be cumulative to our end goal in life? Me, i just came from a drinking session with friends. my day had come to an end. and all these people were starting theirs. i look at their faces, wondering if they really knew where they were going or if they really know what they want in their lives. I knew where i was going. Home. My hustle and bustle started 12 hrs ago. And I'm finally coming home. It's the best feeling in the world. These are the times that I feel most alive.

to retreat is not to surrender

2007-10-09T10:09:00.000-07:00

back to normal programming ... just came from a three day retreat and everything went swell. i learned a lot and everything seemed enlightening while i was still in the retreat house. but when i got back, it seems that what i have learned would not be enough. it takes a lot to be different. and to be good. Fr Jong never mentioned anything about doing a,b,c when it comes to, say, problem Y. To be in the middle of the world. That is the challenge. To sanctify one's own work and offer it up to God. struggling. coping. I want to be an instrument of your peace. i hope i don't drown in all the wordliness that the world has to offer -- forgive the pun - couldn't help it :)

blessed.

2007-09-23T15:00:00.000-07:00

so blessed to have you in my life, as i wouldn't know where i'd be if you weren't here by my side. you're the only one who can ever put up with my mood shifts and rantings about the world we're living in. you put up with me, despite of my inequities and shortcomings. you've proven, time and again, that your love is unconditional and that whatever happens, I know that you'll still be beside me, cheering me up... cheering me on... being my number 1 fan and best friend at the same time.

so blessed.

Prison Break season 3

2007-09-19T10:45:00.000-07:00

WARNING: possible spoilers

prison break's back with a new season. it's like fight club on steroids. except that somehow at the back of your mind, you're pretty sure that Scofield would live through it all. I know that we're going to go through the whole ordeal of escaping out of prison again. What's fascinating is how each character is going to act this time in a different setting. T-bag's gone the subordinate route. Bellick has gone down to the lowest part of the food chain. And agent Mahone seems like he's taking the big-brother role this time. I just don't like the way that Burrows is handling the whole thing. What Scofield did for him can never compare to what he's doing now.

Call me morbid, but I can't wait to see who's going to fight next ...

uh, ma?

2007-09-08T08:58:00.000-07:00

September pa lang ah... Bakit nakalabas na ang Christmas tree?

5500

2007-09-07T03:32:00.000-07:00

nokia 5500 + lividgabo = happy camper ...

are we too connected?

2007-08-07T09:31:00.000-07:00

do you usually catch yourself reading the e-mail, reading a text message and instant messaging someone else all the same time? worse, you could be talking to the colleague beside you as well. i'm guilty. i've caught myself doing that and sometimes I wonder if we're getting anything accomplished at all (as our attention is spanned over different mediums of communication all at once). We've multiple tabs open in our web browsers. Different applications open on the taskbar. We go over the next bits of news from cnn to businessweek to yahoo (which in some way or another say the same thing). All in the span of a few minutes. Info overload? Communication overload? digest everything and tune in / tune out to what's important or not. easier said than done. this is the age of digital reverie. we all immerse ourselves in spontaneous distractions. Gone are the days when you used to go to the library just to read up on a certain material. When you had to go through indexes just to find a particular book and you always had to have your library card with you. Afterwards, you had to return the book before its due date or else you'd have to pay the fine instead of using the money to buy fishball/quekquek. All that hassle is gone. And all of life's conveniences is (almost) at your fingertips. All kinds of information are spread over the net. I call it the information explosion. Right up there with the big bang theory. We have everything at our disposal viewed at the click of a whim. the redundancy of information is all around. You look at your watch, it tells you the time. Your cellphone and the date and time on the taskbar glares at you as well, telling you the time. everything that's staring at you is all saying the same thing.

The virtuality of the net consume some of the time that we live in reality. and the challenge is to stay focused and not be drowned by all the information around us.
so get up and live the reality of your life. turn off that cellphone. and shutdown your pc. i did. that's why i'm ending this piece.

Hey there DeLalee

2007-08-02T22:25:00.001-07:00

Hey there Delilah
What's it like in New York City?
I'm a thousand miles away
But girl tonight you look so pretty
Yes you do
Times Square can't shine as bright as you
I swear it's true

Hey there Delilah
Don't you worry about the distance
I'm right there if you get lonely
Give this song another listen
Close your eyes
Listen to my voice it's my disguise
I'm by your side

Oh it's what you do to me
Oh it's what you do to me
Oh it's what you do to me
Oh it's what you do to me
What you do to me

Hey there Delilah
I know times are getting hard
But just believe me girl
Someday I'll pay the bills with this guitar
We'll have it good
We'll have the life we knew we would
My word is good

Hey there Delilah
I've got so much left to say
If every simple song I wrote to you
Would take your breath away
I'd write it all
Even more in love with me you'd fall
We'd have it all

Oh it's what you do to me
Oh it's what you do to me
Oh it's what you do to me
Oh it's what you do to me

A thousand miles seems pretty far
But they've got planes and trains and cars
I'd walk to you if I had no other way
Our friends would all make fun of us
and we'll just laugh along because we know
That none of them have felt this way
Delilah I can promise you
That by the time we get through
The world will never ever be the same
And you're to blame

Hey there Delilah
You be good and don't you miss me
Two more years and you'll be done with school
And I'll be making history like I do
You'll know it's all because of you
We can do whatever we want to
Hey there Delilah here's to you
This ones for you

Oh it's what you do to me
Oh it's what you do to me
Oh it's what you do to me
Oh it's what you do to me
What you do to me.

same same but different

2007-07-08T11:13:00.000-07:00

so many things to look forward to. so many things to dread. missing some people in my life(lola,lolo,cousins). wish i had more time for them. blanche came back from australia (good to have her back even if for a short duration) and she had lots of stories to share. She saw shirts in vietnam which said "same same but different". Doesn't make sense, right? But if you think about it, it does. Okay, forget for a moment that it sounds funny. Forget for a minute that it sounds like it came from a chinese stationary(e.g. Happy friends, forever love together fruits). You will realize that it applies to everything that happens in your life. Everyday you go to the same job/school, ride the same transpo to work/school, and then go home after a grueling day of tests/tasks/meetings. Sometimes you wake up earlier than usual, sometimes you're late. Other times you were up all night. Sometimes you eat shrimp for lunch. Sometimes it's sisig. You get home at different times as well. Same same but different, right? Is it kicking in now? Those shirts spell out the universal truth... that everything is same same but different. The wisdom of our asian brothers. Those shirts come out in variations. Blanche also saw some that said "same same but better". I'm smiling by myself already while I typed that. Sounds funny,right? (or mababaw lang ako ehe) That shirt on the other hand, talks about growth. And I see that with most of the people that I'm close to. Oo na tumatanda na ako. I have the privilege to see the kids younger than me grow up to mature and responsible grownups that they're developing to right now. But when you talk to them, nothing really has changed because they're still the same wacky people when they're with you. Same same but better. Galing di ba? so many things to look forward to. so many things to dread. Same same but different XD.

That's not the end of that. Guess what Yum in vietnam means. wehe.

*Pictures here : http://lividgabo.multiply.com/photos/album/42?mark_read=lividgabo:photos:42

election day

2007-05-17T14:07:00.000-07:00

i spent my birthday as a PPCRV Volunteer. This is my first time. And the experience was fulfilling (even if I knew that somewhere along the way - cheating would still occur). I made new friends (with the other poll watchers) and got to help people looking for their precincts. The heat did not feel as blistering as I knew that my mission for the day was something that i'd be proud of. i was the poll watcher for precinct 96a-98a. And i did my best to make sure that nothing funny was going around. Went home around 4pm to prepare for the bday dinner that I had planned for my friends. we were making tacos (my siblings and I) and it was not an easy task. we had to slice cabbages,tomatoes and onions. On top of that, we had to grate cheese. Good thing Jose was there to do it. I even had to carve chicken (didn't realize that could become exhausting until the third chicken) BUT all's well that ends well. Tita Elsa brought cake and icecream and so did Padz so we didn't have to worry for dessert. Never had I been so tired on my birthday. But I guess that's when I'm most fulfilled... when I've proven to myself that I can withstand anything that life may throw at me (God forbid - don't really want any big tests in the near future :) ). like i keep repeating to myself, it all boils down to a matter of perspective. you will always be able to see the beauty in things if you have a positive outlook from the onset.

release

2007-04-26T09:00:00.000-07:00

i've been meaning to write for the longest time now. i've so much to say that i don't know where to start and i'm afraid that i won't know how to end. i'm at the point in my life wherein i feel numb to any kind of pain or hurt. or do i just cover it up in an attempt to deny what i'm really feeling? i've become a person who does not care what other people think about me (i'm wondering if this would hurt in the long run). the only problem that i see with that is that there is the tendency to hurt back without meaning to. sometimes i find myself in situations that i never wanted to get to in the first place, but somehow because of my nature, i'd find myself in that same pit, trying to claw my way out and at the same time ask why i'd been there in the first place. i want to go back to the place where i try to find meaning in my life and stop my cynicism. i want to find innocence again. i want to keep believing that there is still hope for everyone and everything. i've been jaded i know. but at the same time, i've felt so much goodness in my life that i cannot just tell one side of the story. i feel like a soldier that's killed thousands in the middle of the battlefield, contemplating what he'd really accomplised in the process. he's made some mistakes as well, and is thinking if those consequences would come back to haunt him. i want to find my place in the world. which would require me to put faith in the world (which i have little of as of the moment). time is against all of us. as much as we want to accomplish saving the world --- we are but bound by the things that keep us busy all day, like surviving. as much as we want to go out there and do it all, we have to deal with the system of how it all works. Is it right that we just succumb to the same fate that our ancestors have gone through? Isn't it time that we stood up and changed how it all works? Little by little, I will chip that block. Somehow,someday... I hope to find that place in the world.

what i really want

2007-02-22T14:50:00.000-08:00

what i really want is ...

to spend every waking moment with you.

Save taktak road now

2007-02-05T21:47:00.000-08:00

Would you have this?

Converted to this?

THIS IS WHAT PRESIDENTIAL PROCLAMATION 526 WILL DO TO THE TAKTAK-DAANG BAKAL/VICTORIA VALLEY ROAD.

PROCLAMATION 526 IS BASED ON THE FALSEHOOD THAT IT IS ALREADY THE RESIDENCE OF THE CLAIMANTS

HELP US WORK FOR THE REVOCATION OF PROCLAMATION 526

Write your congressman, your mayor, your governor and all those candidates who will be requesting for your support in the coming elections.

Also, please write the president in order that she will revoke a proclamation that she may have not known was based on falsehood.

law of averages

2007-01-21T14:25:00.000-08:00

One can never go against the law of averages. You shoot some baskets. You miss some baskets. The number of times that you missed the MRT will always even out with the number of times you caught it. In the end, we could only have as much bad days as the good ones. But you can never help feeling that sometimes everything in the world is going against you and all your plans. This is where your friends come in. They always somehow manage to give light to all your problems, no matter how heavy or light. They explain to you that there is something such as the law of averages. That you can never go against the percentage. That you just have to go with the flow and keep on shooting the basketball. Because it will all even out. And even if it does, no regrets would come out of it because you knew that you shot the ball with no hesitation. And that is what life is all about. It's all about shooting the ball and being happy that you did it. Everyday. Every step will lead you to your final goal. Every breathe. Every conversation. Every cup of coffee. So take that ride to the place that you've been meaning to go to. Take that exam. Ask your girl out. Do what you want to do. Do not be afraid. Just remember the law of averages and how it all evens out.