Lavender & Coffee Stains

Another F2 of the F4...

Heard that another F2 will be coming to town next month. After the riotous F2 concert of Vaness Wu & Ken Zhu, another 2 of the heartthrob Taiwanese group are set to perform at The Fort come November 29.



Jerry Yan & Vic Zhuo will be performing together with Barbie Xu & sister Dee Xu. Local stars like Ai Ai de las Alas, John Prats, Heart Evangelista, The Hunks, John Lloyd Cruz, Bea Alonzo, Vina Morales, Kristine Hermosa, Claudine Barretto.

Sabi, they will be utilizing the services of an interpreter since both of them cannot converse well enough in English. *hmm* I wonder if buying their tickets will be worthwhile. How can you deliver effectively when you cannot personally do it yourself?

Siguro, I would be one of the thousands of teen-crazed fanatics to line up and buy tickets if the performers will be my 2 F4 favorites, Vic Zhuo & Ken Zhu. Ewan ko ba kung bakit dami kinikilig dyan kay Dao Ming Shi. Hindi naman cya muy guapito tulad ni Vic & Ken. Si Vaness naman mukhang naipit ng pison ang mukha. The “flat-ironed” hair does not improve his looks so better have it done wavy. Yuck talaga silang dalawa.

Another thing, if you see the new Bench commercial, Jerry Yan is the new image model. Kadiri talaga!

He will be coming earlier to Manila for a press conference for that. Tapos balik cya with Vic on the 28th for the concert.

For the commercial, he got a whopping $250,000 or if converted to the local currency, mga 14-Million pesoses yun.

Juskufung faynapol!

Some Thoughts to Live By...

YOU ARE WORTH IT!

Do not undermine your worth by comparing yourself with others.
It is because we are different that each of us is special.

Do not set your goals by what other people deem important.
Only you know what is best for you.

Do not take for granted the things closest to your heart.
Cling to them as you would your life,
For without them, life is meaningless.

Do not let your life slip through your fingers by living in the past
Nor in the future.

By living your life one day at a time,
You live all the days of your life.

Do not give up when you still have something to give.
Nothing is really over until the moment you stop trying.

It is a fragile thread that binds us to each other.

Do not be afraid to encounter risks.
It is by taking chances; that we learn how to be brave.

Do not shut love out of your life by saying it is impossible to find.
The quickest way to receive love is to give love;
The fastest way to lose love is to hold it too tightly.

Do not dismiss your dreams.
To be without dreams is to be without hope;
To be without hope is to be without purpose.

Do not run through life so fast
That you forget not only where you have been,
But also where you are going.

Life is not a race, but a journey to be savored each step of the way.


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LIFE IS TOO SHORT TO WASTE TIME HATING PEOPLE

Never be awful to anyone, that person you were awful to may teach you the most.

Always remember...you are a somebody, God didn't take the time to create a nobody.

Always smile, you never know whose day you might be making.

Never 'forget' to say hi to anyone, never miss the chance to laugh or smile, never get
too caught up in yourself that you forget to help others.

Never forget that you aren't the only one with problems, and most of all...never forget
that when you feel like you only have one friend, that friend will remind you of all the others.

If you forget about all the bad things in life, the good will take over.

If fear is staring you in the face, close your eyes so you don't have to look at it.

Be yourself, you can't be anyone else...The best you can be is you!


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WORK TO LIVE, NOT LIVE TO WORK

It's 5:00 o'clock in the morning; the alarm sets off. You get out of bed.
You take a bath. You have your breakfast. You leave the house.
You're ready to face another working day. Or are you?

When I was a kid, I would ask my mom why she and my father had to work.
She would always tell me that they had to, so we could have the money to buy food,
to pay for the bills, to pay for our schooling (we come from a middle income family).
Both my parents worked but I'm really grateful to God; that in spite of that,
we were never lacking in love, time, nor care from our parents.

As a matter of fact, my brothers and I grew up to be responsible individuals
because our parents really took care of us. Although they were at the office
5 days a week from 8:00am to 5:00pm, they still found time to look after us,
and teach us our lessons in the evening.

They made sure that we did our homework. They didn't pressure us to aspire
for honors, but we were motivated enough to study hard so we'd get good grades.
It was our way of repaying our parents who never complained about working.
I guess fate has been really good to my brothers and me because, modesty aside,
all of us managed to land in the top of our respective classes.

My parents taught me that one has to work in order for him to live a good life.
They stressed, however, that this should not be taken as having to live just to work!
They said that work should only be a part of life and it should not occupy one's whole existence.

And they lived this philosophy. At the end of the work day, they would leave all their
work-related problems in the office so that at home they could be devoted to us 100%, no less.

I must say that agree with them. To this day, I still hear their message that work
should be just a part of life and not life itself. I pity those people who have their
way in this game called life. They have forgotten how to really live because they
work too hard.

There' nothing wrong with striving at work, but people must watch out for signs
that they have begun to work themselves to death. Remember that anything in
excess is bad. Maybe, they want to achieve something badly, that's why they work
so hard. But I believe that success in the workplace doesn't always bring happiness.

To be successful means that you have to sacrifice some things and sometimes,
you end up sacrificing your family, your friends, your life;
you achieve your professional goals, but you lose yourself.
Then you wonder if the loss is worth the gain.

Everybody's wish, in this world, is happiness and there are many ways to be happy.
But when we work too hard or worry too much, we often forget that the
simple things in life are those that make us happy --- a call from a friend,
a smile from a stranger, the sight of a lovely flower, a surprise gift,
a filling meal, a pat on the back, etc. It doesn't require much to get these gifts.
These gifts are for free, but they provide immeasurable happiness.

Work to live and not live to work. Find time for yourself, for your family,
for your friends. Keep in mind that your priority is your loved ones,
and not your work. Everybody deserves to be happy and I hope that
everyone grows old without any regret in life.

I hope each of us will have a smile on our faces when we reminisce
the old times, I hope that everyone finds living exciting, wonderful.
It is my wish that we would all find the time to do the things that really matter most.

Let us work hard, not purely for our professional goals, but for a better life.

On Badminton...

Aside from playing bowling, billiards and tennis, I am contemplating in engaging myself in the world of badminton. I think the craze brought by the sport was kinda contagious. Maybe I was already bitten by the so-called "badminton bug."

Actually, I am already in the look-out for a Yonex or Mizuno branded rackets and shuttlecocks. *hmm*

But of course, I have to manage and prioritize my activities first before adding another time-consuming activity to my already-loaded schedules.

Underworld...



Had seen this movie, yes! Despite the once-in-a-while gasps of muffled shouts due to surprises, I found the movie a little lax in the creep-and-chill feel. Basically, this movie is kinda over-emphasized over a simple premise of an ancient tale of love of Romeo and Juliet.

Second, bakit naman parang mala-Matrix ang arrived ng bida? She didn't earn a point from me on that outfit [though it really suits her well].

Lastly, the character of Scott Speedman as Michael didn't score well enough for me. I wonder if he is really good as an actor. I am still trying to decide if he is that good in that teen-age flick Felicity wherein he portrayed the role of Ben.

Quizilla again...

Which UNDERWORLD character are you?


You are SELENE!
Beautiful, vivacious, fierce and seductive,
Selene vowed she would destroy Lycans after
her family was murdered by the werewolves.
So ruthless is she that Selene is a
member of the Death Dealers.
This elite Vampire warrior class's mission
is to make the Lycans extinct.
This 127-year-old "aggressive hunter of the underworld"
combines a mastery of ancient weaponry with modern
pleasures, such as driving Jaguars and using computers.
However, Selene's ambitions are suppressed by Kraven.
She longs for Viktor's reawakening so that he
becomes the Vampire's regent once again.


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Which Mythological Form Are You?


You are Form 8, Demon: The Destroyer.

"And The Demon took advantage of the chaos
and seized civillization. With grace and
style, Demon slit The Goddess's belly and
drowned the world in her blood. The Goddess,
The Demon, and the world were no
more."

Some examples of the Demon Form are Seth (Egyptian)
and The Horsemen of the Apocalypse (Christian).
The Demon is associated with the concept of
destruction, the number 8, and the element of
earth. His sign is the full moon.

As a member of Form 8, you are a very strong willed
individual. You don't let others' opinions
sway your own and you're usually not afraid to
speak your mind. However, some may see you as
a bit overly passionate but it's just because
you never back down from your values. No
matter what, you always do everything with
style. Demons are the best friends to have
because they will back you up.


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?? Which Of The Greek Gods Are You ??


Hecate

It's TGIF and I am basically, excitedly looking forward to it. Not because I already have some plans for it but I am beginning to see it as an escape from my so-called "monotonous existence" at work.

Anyway, I am going out-of-town tonight even though I do not have any budget. I just hope things will be okay.

Come next week, I will be pretty loaded with schedules.

Monday: to attend a business conference at Dusit Hotel regarding the Free Trade Agreements with the US and Japan. This will surely be an interesting lecture since it will be mostly presided by respectable persons from the academe and the private sector. Keynote speakers will be the Secretaries of the Department of Trade and Industry, Sec. Mar Roxas II and Sec. Cito Lorenzo, Jr., from the Department of Agriculture. Maybe I have to do some reading to equip me somehow from the various information that will surely flood my overworked grey cells.

Tuesday: To accompany a fellow researcher from our Head Office in Tokyo. We will be visiting the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), UP School of Economics and the Philippine Institute for Development Studies. It is a good thing that I did not encounter any difficulty in setting up appointments with these busy homo sapiens. [Really, it is hard to come by with people who are well-regarded because of their brains and tight schedules].

Well, to accompany her will absolutely be gratifying for me but it is not the way it is. It is up for me to listen, ask my own set of questions if ever, comprehend them and make a verbal and written report for the benefit of my superior (and mine, too).

Wednesday: I will be heading to the Embassy to check if my "thingie" is already way past initial verification. I just hope it will be without a hitch since I do not want to go back there anymore and risk a half a day of supposed accomplished task.

Anyway, "it" will be just a few more days and off I go.

My Book List is already overflowing with must-have books. If only I am not so tight with my expenses at the moment, I would have lavished myself for the nth time. I would once again, be a regular in my fave bookshops.

Currently, I am relying on ebooks in searching for my favorites. So far, the new ones aren't online yet. It will take time.

Below are my cravings:

Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown

The Lake House by James Patterson

Blow Fly by Patricia Cornwell

These are my priority books. I wish I can get a copy before the year ends.

I was surfing the net and I came across the Waypoints Gallery. The pictures awakened me a yearning to getaway from the hustle and bustle of the jungle we call city.

Courtesy of the site, I would like to post the pictures of the peaks I would like to climb AGAIN and which that will test my endurance to the utmost limit.

Mt. Pulag in Benguet

Mt. Ugu in Benguet

Mt. Manabu in Batangas

Mt. Batulao in Batangas

Gulugod Baboy in Batangas

At the moment, they are in the top of my list. After my training, I promise myself that I will climb again. But I have already one in mind.

Mt. Pinatubo in Zambales.

I wish the group that I am currently joining will choose this one. If not, I will check my other outdoor clubs.

This particular gallery of the mentioned site offers varied destinations suited to anyone's outdoor interests.

I do not consider myself a poetic freak but I have always been appreciative by the power that poems invoke on people who read them. I may not be so adept in comprehending them nor knowledgeable on who composed them. I just happen to know some poets whom I have admired though time and who have nurtured in me a different kind of passion. Poetry it seems, makes me realize that I am human, too.

often your task will be many,
and more than you think you can do...
often the hills insurmountable, too...
but always remember...
the hills ahead are never as steep as they seem,
and with faith in your heart, start upward
and climb 'til you reach your dream.
for nothing in life that is worthy
is ever too hard to achieve
if you have the faith to believe...
for faith is a force that is greater
than knowledge or power or skill
and many defeats turn to triumph
if you trust in god's wisdom and will...
there is nothing that god cannot do,
so start out today with faith in your heart
and climb 'til your dream comes true.

My Wish for Today: Sana bumabagyo ng malakas ngayong araw na ito para i-declare ng Malacanang na walang pasok. Para mag-issue ng MO at pauwiin lahat; para sa hauz na lang ako mag-work at di pa ko pressured.

Sobrang selfish ko no?! Nangdamay pa ako ng iba.

Pagkaalis ko lang in a few days' time, I will be counting a few more months and then I will be leaving this BLOODY boring, suffocating place!

Ang aga-aga sinisira ang araw ko. Bwiset! Magsama kayo! :!@##@#?@!?%$@!!

Iyong isa sobrang talino, yung isa either tamad o nagpapakatalino! The first one is making you look stupid and the other one is pretty plain stupid.

Pasensya na pero gusto ko lang sabihin na: Lech!

My Wish for Today: Sana magka-meeting ang boss ko or may dumating siyang bwisita, este visita.

Hehehe!

Current mood: sleepy, feeling cold, disoriented...

Inaantok ako kasi:
1 - puyat ako;
2 - busog ako dahil nag-lunch ako;
3 - super-lamig dito sa office namin.

:zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz:

Wow!

Once again, Michael Schumacher proved to the world he is still the reigning F1 royal!

You're cordially invited to the -

What: launch of the new Star Trek series "Enterprise" in Philippine TV (RPN9)
Where: @ the Enterprise Center - Ayala Ave. corner Paseo de Roxas
When: today, Friday - October 10, 2003; from 10am to 9pm.

It's mostly an exhibit of Trek stuff like models, toys, books, action figures, etc. with members of the local Trek club (in Enterprise uniforms) there to answer questions about Star Trek, the show, etc. Please come and bring your friends.


Another invitation...

Concert: INSPIRATIONS 2
The Company
Philippine Madrigal Singers
Emmanuel Singers
Papuri Singers
CCC Music Ministry

October 17, 2003 (Friday) @ 630pm

Makati Cinema Square, Makati City

P200 only

Kindly contact Ms. Jenny - 0920-502-2742

I am not really part of this; just helping out some friends.

So, I did ate breakfast this morning at the building's canteen. I devoured a cup of fried rice, meatloaf, well-done egg and a requested 2-piece longganisa. In less than 10 minutes, my plate was as spic and span as the canteen's flooring.

As known to people who knew me, I really do not take breakfast. Five (5) cups of coffee will do me good and make me last till lunchtime. But it seems that my eating habits has been shifting. If before I used not to take breakfast and eat moderately during lunch, it now works otherwise. I go to the office early and have my breakfast at the canteen [I am becoming a regular breakfast-eater there] and while my colleagues are feasting on their packed or bought lunch, I am in my work station - either working my butt off, leisurely reading the Lifestyle and Sports Section of the broadsheets or simply napping away.

I even thought old habits die hard, so the saying goes.

The bad thing about this dining habit shift is that it makes me sleepy and drowsy by the time the clock hits 10 in the morning. And so, the sleepiness attack changed schedules, too. Darn! I used to complain that I feel sleepy when the bundy hits 2. Oh my...

It is lunch time already and I will be staying in this seat till the clock hits 5. I just asked someone to buy me a donut-piece so I can have something to munch on while working. I still have my choco bar inside my bag. Maybe later....

*yawn* *yawn*

Postings

Well, I will just be posting some nice stuff since I cannot do my own blogging...

The Heart of Letting Go!

Why do we have to part ways while the love is there? While the friendship is still bonded? Why do we have to cry when someone bid goodbye? Why do beginning has an end? Why do we have to meet only to lose in end?

There are questions left unanswered, words left unsaid, letters left unread, poems left undone and promises left unfulfilled!

In a relationship or even in friendship one of the hardest things to do is letting go and saying goodbye. It is hard as breaking a crystal, Coz you'll never know when you will be able to pick up the pieces again. More often than not they who go feel not the pain of parting, it is they who stay behind that suffers because they are left with memories of love and friendship...that never was meant to be and never was...

At the beginning and at the end of any relationship we are embarrassed to find ourselves alone, unfair as it may seems, but that's the way how it goes... that's the drama, the bitter, the sweet and risk of a relationship. After all nothing is constant but change, everything will come to its end, without even knowing when, without knowing how, without knowing why and we have to forget not because we want to but because we must...!!!

In letting go sorrow comes not as a single spy but in a battalion, it seems that everywhere you go, everything you do, every song you hear, every turn of your head, every move of your body, every beat of your heart, every blink of your eyes and every breath you take always remind you of him/her.

It's like a stab of a knife, a torture in the night...funny how the whole world becomes populated when only one person is missing. Just imagine there are four billion people on earth yet you feel lonely and empty without the other...

I don't know if it is worth calling an art, but letting go entails special skills, sparkle with a considerable time and space. Time heals all wounds but it takes a little push on our part. Acceptance plays a vital role. Not all wishes come true. Not all love story ends with "And they live happily ever after".

Sometimes we have to part ways because of circumstances beyond our control, we have to suffer if it would mean happiness for another, and we have to cry to temporarily let go of the pain. Every beginning has an end like every dawn has its dark, its something we can't control, and something we have to live up...

Its over he/she is gone, but life has to go on!! Goodbye doesn't mean forever, there will always be a time where questions will be answered, words will be spoken, letters will be read, poems will be recited in the night, songs will be sung in harmony and love will be expressed in solitude, and promises will be fulfilled somewhere, somehow and someday.....!!!!!


The Hug

It was one of those mornings. You know the type. Things are tense. Our infant son had been up all night. My wife's eyes (along with the rest of her) were weary.

My oldest son, the five-year-old, wasn't feeling his best either. He was slow getting ready for school. He understandably didn't feel like going.

It was just one of those mornings. You know the type. As I drove him to school, he was quiet. When parents are tense and tired, the children feel it. They know by word and gesture when their acts and attitudes are less tolerated. After being fussed at, he was sullen.

It was one of those mornings. You know the type. I walked him to his classroom as usual. He walked in, removed his coat and hung it up. I usually give my son a hug before I leave him in class. I knew today he really needed a big hug, and maybe, so did I.

He came forward with his arms outstretched. I bowed down, clasped my arms around him, closed my eyes and hugged him tight. Normally, I would only hug him for two or three seconds but on this morning, I held him tight as the seconds ticked by like dashed lines on the highway.

All of a sudden, I felt him get heavier. Still clinging to my son, I opened my eyes. I understood why he had gotten heavier. His feet were off the ground. He had curled his legs up and his heels were only inches away from his backside.

He clung. I clung.

Sometimes in life no words are needed. The MountainWings Moment is stated in a feel and a fold. As he folded his legs up and trusted his father to carry all of his weight, he didn't get heavier to my spirit.

I actually felt lighter.

It was a ritual repeated countless times through countless years from countless parents to countless children. The touch and embrace between a parent and a child, make them both feel more secure.

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Been a long time ago and yet....

Up to now, I haven't updated this blog of mine. A lot of things had already happened, good ones and not so nice ones. I had been up-to-date with most stuff, heard about rumors and humor and thoughts had been running wild inside my overloaded brain.

I really wonder when can I sit down undisturbed and off from pressure? When can I just have coffee in my favorite, not-so-crowded cafe and with my pen and paper or even an old laptop laid down in a table? When can I unclutter my grey cells of thoughts and ideas bouncing nonstop inside my head? When can I just be oblivious of the world around me, even for just a mere an hour of solitude?

Sometimes, I wonder if I am really born to earn my toil in the corporate world or even if I do, will I still be in the same field? I just wish I can explore other options and be brave enough to take them head-on.

just to lighten up my heavy heart....

Friendship is a strange thing. We find ourselves telling each other the deepest details of our lives ... things we don't even share with the families who raised us. But what is a friend? A confidant? A shoulder to cry on? An ear to listen? A heart to feel? A friend is all these... and more. No matter where we met, no matter how long we've been together...



I call you friend. A word so small, yet so large in feeling, a word filled with emotion, a word overflowing with love. Truly great things come in small packages. Once the package of friendship has been opened, it can never be closed. It is a constant book always waiting...waiting to be read...and enjoyed. We may have our disagreements...we may have our appointments...We may argue...we may have concern for one another...

Friendship is a unique bond that lasts through all tribulations. A part of each of us goes into our friendships...our humor... our experiences...our tears.

Who comes first to your mind?