Lavender & Coffee Stains

Yesterday, I had watched First Knight via dvd with Dex. Siempre, kinilig ako kasi andun si Papa Richard Gere who portrayed the role of Lancelot.



Mejo na-weirduhan lang ako na matanda si King Arthur doon and engaged to be married na sila ni Guinevere. Wala lang, parang pumait lang ang panlasa ko dun sa movie when the screen focused on them.

Two weeks ago naman, I watched King Arthur via the big screen. The one portraying King Arthur wasn't commanding enough, for me. Another is this young lady who played Guinevere. She does not have the imposing figure befitting the role. Hehehe. Sobra siyang payat, naalala ko tuloy si Legolas. Hehehe.



Kahit na distorted 'yung ibang scenes and events ng both movies, I can somehow say that the 2 movies have its own touching moments.

For people like me who are masochists and who love to test their bodies and brains to the limit by undergoing too much stress, fatigue - you better read this.

Brain health
Posted: 7:01 PM (Manila Time)
Jul. 12, 2004
Inquirer News Service

FOR decades, medical attention focused on the heart and how to keep it healthy. But the new science asks--what about brain health?

Did you know that brain cells are considered even more sensitive (than other cells) to diet? What you eat also determines how the brain will function.

Undoubtedly, the brain is precious being the seat of consciousness and intelligence.

Brain biology
There used to be a myth that you are born with a brain that has been genetically determined to be of a certain size and capacity. Your fate was sealed.

The new science says, however, that brain size doesn't determine your IQ. The brain is alive--growing, expanding and changing. Its potential is dependent on how you nourish and care for it. You can create more brain connections--grow more dendrites, receptors and synapses (neurons or parts of the nerve cell and transmission centers)--at any age.

Bruce Ewan, leading brain researcher at New York's Rockefeller University, says "the most important thing is to realize that the brain is growing and changing at all times."

Nutritional neuroscience
Scientific evidence now reveals that the right foods have natural neuro-chemicals that can enhance mental capabilities. The right diet can improve memory, neutralize stress, help concentration and thinking, and possibly prevent brain aging.

Through vitamins, supplements and certain lifestyle factors, increased brain power is achieved and brain deterioration prevented. The new science is coming up with more fascinating revelations and showing how the human brain can be cared for throughout your lifetime.

Carper says, "Without neurotransmitters, the lights in the brain would go out. They are the biochemical electrification system of your brain. They are the essence of your memory, mood, intelligence and creativity."

He adds, "The type of neurotransmitters your neurons make and release and their ultimate destiny within the brain depend greatly on what you eat."

Caring for the brain should begin before you are born, says Denham Harman, MD, emeritus professor of medicine at the University of Nebraska.

Brain's enemies
The brain is damaged by:

Free radicals--highly active and damaging atoms and chemicals resulting from diseases, radiation, poisons, smoking, etc.

Stress--It does not only cause depression or fatigue but "can cause brain damage," according to Richard Restak, MD, George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Services. Everyday stress such as traffic jams, financial worries, work dissatisfaction, emotional pains can erode your brain.

Unhealthy diet--Brain cells need certain nutrients: tryptophan (an amino acid in foods) to create serotonin, the good mood messenger; choline in egg yolk aids in producing the neurotransmitter acetylcholine needed for memory, tyrosine in high-protein foods makes dopamine for proper motor coordination. Folic acid and fish oil are essential too.

On the other hand, a high-fat diet can stunt brain growth.

No exercise--Tests showed that older people who exercised did better or even scored high in brain tests than non-exercisers.

Stone Age diet
If you like your brain to function at peak power, follow our ancestors' diet.

Stone Age diet: 65 percent fruits, vegetables, nuts, honey; 35 percent lean game, wild fowl, eggs, fish, shellfish

American: 55 percent "new" foods-cereal, gram, milk, sugar, artificial sweeteners, alcohol, separated fats; 28 percent fatty meat, poultry, eggs, fish, shellfish; 17 percent fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts

Dr. Boyd Eaton, Emory University, Atlanta and co-author of the Paleolithic Prescription recommends:

* Fruits and vegetables

* Seafood-a balance of omega 3 and 6 as in the Stone Age diet. Today omega 6 fats (corn oil, margarine, baked goodies) exceed omega 3--a situation unhealthy to cells.

* Fish oil capsules

* Lean meat--white meat poultry minus the skin is good

* Nuts and legumes

* Cereals, pasta, bread--at a minimum

* Dairy foods--at a minimum

* Sugar--in limited amounts

* Processed oils like flaxseed, olive and canola

* Potassium and sodium--more potassium, less sodium

* Supplements--multi-vitamins, multi-minerals, antioxidants

Brain boosters
DHA-omega 3 type brain fat from seafood or supplements

EPA-omega 3 type brain fat from fish or fish oil

Linolenic Acid--omega 3 from green leafy vegetables, nuts, flaxseed

Monounsaturated fat like olive oil

Brain busters
Saturated animal fat-meat, whole milk, butter, cheese

Hydrogenated vegetable oils--heck labels of mayonnaise, margarine, processed foods, etc.

Trans fatty acids--margarine, fried fast foods (like French fries), processed foods

Omega 6 overload--vegetable oils like corn, safflower, sunflower.

If you feel a brain overload, sit in a quiet corner. Keep still. Imagine you can, by a mere touch of the hand, transfer your cares from your head to a passing cloud. Watch them float toward the heavens. Feel unburdened. Smile!

It seems like that losing presidential wannabee, FPJ cannot really find in his heart to accept that the presidency is not for him. Over radio yesterday, I heard him asking the Highest Court of the Land for a recount of election votes nationwide. He accused the winning pres, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo of massive fraud.

My goodness! Can you not just leave politics behind? It was never your realm and will never be, unless you run as a barangay tanod in the next election for real! You're too ambitious, man! Just let it be. Let Arroyo do her stuff as she promised the nation. Adding your problem to her concerns does not do this country any good. She has a lot to prove to us, after all those wordy promises. This nation does not need words to be blown away by the wind but we require acts that are worthy of the votes cast on her.

So, you back off! Let this country rise again from the ruins. I am still hoping that we will stand glorious again and hopefully, you have alreay taken a course on how to run a country, a government, an economy, a nation.

Hehehe! The last line does not seem to add up. Go figure. =)

The University of Blogging Presents to Ivan An Honorary Bachelor of Non Sequiturs Majoring in Questionnaires Signed Dr. GoQuiz.com ®

Username:

Blogging Degree
From Go-Quiz.com

1. The emotion I tend 2 hide d most:
-- disappointment. But it still shows in my face.

2.When I'm happy, I need:
-- to share it with someone.

3. When I'm sad, I need:
-- to be left alone.
 
4. When i'm alone, i need:
 -- to go some place to think about things that bothers me.
 
5. When I'm in love, I need:
-- to be hugged and assured.
 
6. I would jump up & down and shout w/joy right now if someone told me:
-- can  I keep this a secret? Right now, it's one thing that I'm really waiting for...

7. The last time I cried was:
-- last weekend. I hate to feel that I am bothering someone.

8. Moment in my life when my emotions froze and I felt absolutely nothing:
-- when I came to my senses after my first heartache. I was a cynic about love, remember?
 
9. People who genuinely make me happy:
-- family, close friends and Dex
 
10. Something that makes me happy:
-- chocolate, french fries, vacation in Baguio.
 
11. Someone or something that made me laugh this week:
-- my brother's shallowness. He texted me a few minutes ago to watch news on tv about a building that collapsed somewhere in his vicinity. He said he might be caught on tv daw! Usisero ng brother ko no! =)
 
12. Ur Good Luck Charm:
-- beads necklaces that I wear everyday.

13. Person You Hate Most:
-- Some dimwits that I know who act like they know everything. Pisses me off.

NAME(s) YOU GO BY:
Fran, Ives

1 NAME YOU GO BY ONLINE:
Phoebe

1 NAME YOU MOST LIKE TO BE CALLED:
Ivan

1 NAME THAT IS FOR EXCLUSIVE USE OF JUST ONE OR A FEW PEOPLE:
hon

1 THING YOU'RE GOOD AT:
writing

1 THING YOU'RE BAD AT:
expressing myself

1 RANDOM PERSON YOU KNOW:
Spike

1 RANDOM THING YOU'D LIKE TO DO TO/WITH THAT PERSON:
see him again and talk about everything

1 FRIEND YOU'D LIKE TO SEE:
Hazel

1 WORD YOU CAN ASSOCIATE WITH SAID FRIEND:
chatty

1 FRIEND FROM THE OPPOSITE SEX:
Ryan Chua

1 REASON WHY THOUGHT OF HIM/HER:
missed the guy's sensibility

1 FOOD YOU CAN EAT FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE:
french fries with thick mayo or ketchup

1 THING YOU'RE AFRAID OF:
death

1 THING YOU LOVE TO DO:
mountainclimbing

1 THING YOU'RE INTERESTED IN:
writing

1 DOMESTIC ANIMAL YOU'D LIKE TO HAVE AS A PET:
i have dogs now so I opt for birds

1 WILD ANIMAL YOU'D LIKE TO HAVE AS A PET:
not really a wild animal but I would love to have a horse

1 GAME YOU LIKE TO PLAY:
will billiards count?

1 COMPUTER, ETC. GAME YOU LIKE TO PLAY:
snood

1 QUOTE YOU LIVE BY:
life is a never-ending process of learning and adventure

1 PERSONAL MOTTO YOU LIVE BY:
live life

1 COLOR YOU LIKE YOUR THINGS TO BE COLORED WITH:
delicate purple

1 COLOR YOU LIKE TO WEAR:
light violet

1 RANDOM NUMBER:
5

1 BOOK YOU'D LIKE TO READ:
The Alchemist

1 BOOK YOU'VE FINISHED AND LIKED:
Omerta by Mario Puzo

1 BOOK YOU'VE FINISHED AND HATED:
an Isaac Asimov sci-fi book

1 MOVIE YOU LOVE:
Pretty Woman

1 MOVIE YOU HATE:
none that I can recall

1 SONG YOU LOVE:
any song by Fra Lippo Lippi

1 SONG YOU HATE:
jologs songs

1 ACTOR YOU'D LIKE TO MEET:
Papa Richard Gere

1 ACTRESS YOU'D LIKE TO MEET:
Julia Roberts

1 REASON WHY YOU'RE STILL ALIVE:
God wills me to

1 REASON WHY YOU BELIEVE/DON'T BELIEVE IN GOD:
He provides answers to my qestions no matter how late they may be =)

1 TITLE YOU'D GIVE YOUR LIFE:
Experience

Let me indulge myself. After an exhausting workweek, let me do something less analytical for a change.

3 movies you like the most:
Pretty Woman
The Day After Tomorrow
Chinese movies (hehehe)

3 things you do when taking exam:
I pray
I analyze
I countercheck

3 foods you ate in the last 12hrs:
chocolate bar for breakfast
pork cutlet with corn soup + siomai
spaghetti

3 songs you heard in the last 24hrs:
Follow Me
Magpaikailan Pa Man
Runaway Train

3 mags/books/newspaper you read recently:
BusinessWorld
Philippine Daily Inquirer
IMF readings

3 dream guys you wanna meet:
ex-Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad
Pablo Neruda
Richard Gere

3 malls you frequently visit/shop:
Glorietta
Landmark
Robinson's Place

3 fastfood/resto you like:
Masas in GBelt
Mangan in Glorietta
McDo or KFC

3 things you will do this week:
take a leave
attend a discussion meeting on Saturday
general cleaning of my room

3 (it's a must) for a date:
rapport with my date
my favorable mood
credit card/money

3 goals in life:
to have a career wherein I will be happy and contented
to study again (get a master's degree)
to travel everywhere
I know it's supposed to be 3 but in case,
-- to get married if God wills it =)

3 things you do when you're alone:
I read books
I write about life and what's around me
I think about where my life is headed to

3 most romantic lines for you:
I'll always be here for you
from the depths of my heart, I love you
I'll be your man =)

So far, this is the fairest commentary I have ever encountered regarding the decision made by Her Excellency in connection to the OFW abduction in Iraq.


A Filipino Retreat
July 19, 2004

Terrorists in Iraq scored a victory when President Gloria Macapagal-
Arroyo of the Philippines decided to accelerate the withdrawal of her
nation's token contingent of troops to spare the life of a Filipino
hostage. A group calling itself the Islamic Army had threatened to
behead Angelo dela Cruz, a truck driver, unless Manila withdrew. To
the dismay of her allies, and possibly even of the kidnappers,
President Arroyo is hastening to comply.

It's hard to imagine the anguishing helplessness felt by a leader —
or someone's relatives — watching such horrifying deadlines come and
pass. The United States, South Korea and possibly Bulgaria have lost
hostages to gruesome beheadings in Iraq.

But President Arroyo deluded herself into thinking she could actually
do something about the situation, and has now allowed the kidnappers
to alter Filipino policy. One can understand the desire to save a
life, but Manila's retreat will only place all other foreign
nationals in Iraq in greater peril.

President Arroyo's decision may play well at home in the short term
because Filipino involvement in Iraq was never all that popular to
begin with, but it could have disastrous longer-term consequences for
her government. The Philippines, after all, faces a number of
terrorist groups on its own territory, and millions of its citizens
work overseas. It is never wise for any government to be blackmailed
by terrorists into abandoning its policies, but it seems especially
ill advised for Manila to be doing so.

We are not arguing that allies show blind loyalty to the Bush
administration. If anything, President Arroyo's surrender shows the
perils of assembling a coalition of weak allies eager to please
Washington but lacking much conviction in the American cause.
President Arroyo is certainly not helping the Iraqi people with her
decision. Spain and some Latin American countries had every right to
exercise their sovereign judgment that it was best to leave Iraq. But
their decisions, unlike President Arroyo's, were not driven by
terrorist demands.

Thus, the words of Her Excellency, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo as the 17 days of creeping fear and mounting tension over the abduction of OFW Angelo de la Cruz came to an end. In a televised statement to the nation at a quarter past 5 in the afternoon yesterday, the president broke out the relieving news of the release of overseas worker, de la Cruz.

I was happy.
I rejoiced.
I was relieved.

I know everybody will agree with me that even though we do not know who this Angelo de la Cruz is, we are all one in wishing and hoping and praying for his deliverance. That's one thing with us Filipinos, we know how to empathize with our brothers, especially if he or she is in a foreign territory. We basked in the sense that we care for each other; that we are not selfish nor indifferent to the plight of our countrymen.

Courtesy of Philippine Daily Inquirer, here is the order of events the family and nation went through over de la Cruz' abduction in Iraq.


De la Cruz abduction: 17 days of terror
Posted:1:29 AM (Manila Time) Jul. 21, 2004
Inquirer News Service

FOLLOWING is a timeline of events in the abduction in Iraq of Filipino truck driver Angelo de la Cruz:

July 4: De la Cruz is kidnapped near Falluja, west of Baghdad (known lair of extremist Iraqis linked to al-Qaeda) while driving a truckload of fuel for his employers, a Saudi trucking firm in Saudi Arabia; his Iraqi security guard is killed.

July 8 (Manila time): A previously unknown terrorist group shows video of De la Cruz, threatens to kill him in three days if the Philippines does not withdraw its 51-strong peacekeeping force immediately.

July 10: The Philippines is firm, says its contingent will duly leave Aug. 20 as scheduled when its mandate ends. Labor Secretary Patricia Sto. Tomas quotes President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo as saying the hostage has been released and is en route to Baghdad hotel. The following day, Sto. Tomas admits she's to blame for the wrong announcement.

July 11: The kidnappers say they want a sign of Philippine commitment and all its troops must be out by July 20 before De la Cruz is released. After a Cabinet meeting, the Philippines says it is sticking to its Aug. 20 schedule of pullout. Sto Tomas and De la Cruz's wife, Arsenia, leave for Amman, Jordan.

July 12: The kidnappers extend deadline by three hours and say De la Cruz has been moved to a place of execution. Washington says US Secretary of State Colin Powell has called up Ms Arroyo to ensure she is not wavering.

July 13: A Philippine official is quoted as saying RP troops to be withdrawn "as soon as possible." Manila imposes news blackout. Washington seeks explanation and expresses disappointment.

July 14: Manila says it is coordinating the pullout of its forces and the head count of its contingent is already down from 51 to 43. Australia says the rest of the Coalition of the Willing in Iraq will "pay the price" if the Philippines withdraws.

July 15: De la Cruz, in new video, tells his family he will be home soon. The kidnappers say he will be released when the last Filipino peacekeeper is gone by end of July, and another deadline is imposed.

July 16: Manila says 11 more peacekeepers are heading home, headed by the leader of the contingent.

July 17: A Philippine diplomat says Cabinet members are urging Ms Arroyo to withdraw the entire contingent before her State of the Nation Address in Congress on July 26. De la Cruz's wife, Arsenia, tells labor officials: "It's near. We're going home."

July 18: Foreign Secretary Delia Albert says the remaining members of Philippine contingent will pay a farewell call on Monday on their Polish commander before leaving for Kuwait, signifying a complete pullout of Filipino troops from Iraq.

July 19: The Philippine flag flying over Charlie Camp in Hillah, south of Baghdad, since late last year is lowered for the last time. With farewell waves and thumbs-up signs, the last 34 Filipino troops leave Iraq, completing the pullout of the Philippine humanitarian force.

July 20: Kidnappers free De la Cruz in Baghdad.

I have been keeping tabs with this Carlos Celdran since last week. I am interested in the tours he is conducting around the metropolis. As I was skimming through his itinerary for possible damages, I became acquainted with this pay-as-you-want mode of payment. I asked him what it meant and in his own words: "It's exactly what it means. You can pay me five pesos or five hundred depending on how happy you are about the tour." So there! If I am not so satisfied with his efforts, I can pay him what he is worth and vice versa. Isn't that cool?

I asked him why the almost free-lunch? He wordy replied to me that it would be worth his efforts since he is still experimenting the route and sites to be visited. He'll be touring places with guests (some areas only for the first time) and he'll need feedback from people about the difficulties of the journey and what's interesting and what's not. Once the tour is fine-tuned and he is already secure about its points of interest and schedule, he'll include it as part of his regular tour listing. Then that's the time he will be charging 350 pesos.

I think the guy is really superb as a tour guide. I have read about the experiences of socialite Bea Zobel, Jr. when she joined Celdran in one of his walking tours in the famous Walled City of Manila.

As promised, I told him I might probably be one of his willing participants in the future.

It was such a buzzing day for me at work today. In fact, I have a deadline to beat tomorrow and I even brought it home. When it comes to work, my style never changes. I always bring it home, no matter what. But the thing is, I do not feel like draining my brain on it tonite. I just feel like blogging. I need a release and as far as I can remember, this blog was created to serve a deeper purpose; that is, to let go off my mental tensions and pretensions.
 
For the past 2 weeks, I have engaged my brain in a battle of analysis. Frankly, my brain was (/is) barraged by a lot of contadicting possibilities and pessimism. Mental and emotional turmoil.
 
Ever since I graduated from the university, I was able to acquaint myself the likelihood of suffering from depression. I thought it was just a mere mood swing but it wasn't. I exhibited (and still do) the symptoms typical of a depression manic.
 
I really tried my best not to give in to this psychological bugger. I don't want to. I can't imagine myself being embraced by this excitement stealer. To relieve myself of this burden, I subjected myself into a lot of things and activities. One good thing about my effort was that it paved the way for me to learn more about myself. A self-discovery. I self-indulged more in climbing. Climbing before was just a show-off. After college, it was something deeper; more like, communing my real self with nature void of affectations. I became fond of balls so you can see me scoring a strike and careening a bowling ball into a canal hit. You can also see me with my boy pals holding cue sticks and aiming for the 9-ball. Aside from those, Timezone has become a playful haven for me as I de-stress myself after an exhausting day at work. For a lasting reliever from physical, mental, emotional drain, I travel. I discover that I love Baguio very much. I always travel alone and for a fact, I always come back to reality feeling refreshed and doused with optimism that good things will come my way. And the last but not the least on my list of therapies, is writing. I always end up at peace with myself and the world around me once I let go off my bothering thoughts with the help of a pen and paper. Whether I am in a coffee shop, a library or even on board a plane off to somewhere or on a long bus trip.
 
You know what I am feeling right now? It's like my life is on hold over something I cannot put my finger on. I am trying to assess if it is my dilemma over my career or something else. But as far as I know, the problem with me is that I want to do all the things I want all at the same time. As a taped answer to that, prioritize. It's easy to do that but point is, which? A number of them are vying for the top gun.
 
Two weeks ago, I was already decided. I will quit in a few months' time. Last week, an offer had been made and I found it attractive BUT with strings attached. My previous decision was directly dribbled in the trash. I tried to weigh things over but the advantages and disadvantages never ceased tumbling on to each other.
 
Before the week ended last week, I had reached a decision. I just wished that it's final. I wanted to. Getting in to that stage was quite easier since some factors had provided access to absolute answers. One, I don't want to be tied up. Second, I cannot imagine myself in that situation for the longest time ever. Third, I am beginning to find the environment too suffocating. I abhor credit-suckers, 'sipsip' and people who are way too 'mapapel'. I totally detest interference to my working style especially if I didn't ask you to. In short, mind your own business and let me do mine!
 
In reference to my personal relationship, I would say that it is becoming irritating for me. In fact, I am hating myself for treating him this and that way. The guy has been persevering, understanding and caring ever since. I may always complain that men are dumb when it comes to reading between the lines and taking everything at face value but as much as I know that for a fact, I would still make the situation far more unpleasant than I had intended to. The situation will go haywire because I started acting like a whiny bitch. But if you only knew how my emotions tumbled inside me, then probably you would comprehend that. Sometimes I hate love because it has a tendency to distort the best of intentions.
 
I am pretty aware of your 'sufferings' in my hands and I really, really apologize for that. I never mean to. It was my overwhelming love for you that's ruining a good day for us. I am basically not oblivious to that. I feel guilty everytime I say things I don't mean.
 
Despite all these, you're still there. Standing by me. Making things easier for me. No guy has ever done that to me. Only you.
 
And for that, I thank you.

May we all offer a small prayer for Roslyn Miranda as she joined Our Creator yesterday morning after a brave battle against leukemia.

May you rest in peace.

My recent visits to the my usual hideaway (read: bookstores) had led me to the world of wicca. My curiosity about this practice has borne in me the desire to study it and learn more about it. But my minute acquired understanding of this stuff has convoluted a weave of perplexing and even revolting ideas. I wish I am wrong.

I am checking out this forum in http://www.pinoyexchange.com. Some pexers have formed a study group that focuses on learning about the stuff. I have also checked online what wicca can do. Is it evil? If anyone knows anything about it, please let me know.

To my friends (you know who you are) who share the same faith as I do, please do not be alarmed. I am not throwing the faith I have embraced nor I have the plans to shift to any religious practice. I am just your usual curious, mischievous pal who cannot stop from knowing about the world she lives in.

Aha! So she is the girl pala. I never thought you 2 people are an item when I saw you both in the same restaurant where bf and I had taken our dinner. Funny. I only got the connection when we are exchanging emails today and you squealed it out reminding another friend not to tell who and I wasn't even asking. Hahaha! Kuya Gian, you better treat me out with that long overdue choco sundae I have been asking from you. That request had been made years ago. =)

Somebody's in love *me sings*

This was a favorite song by Bread I used to hear when I was in college. Chummy made me remember somehow.
 
You sheltered me from harm.
Kept me warm, kept me warm
You gave my life to me
Set me free, Set me free
The finest years I ever knew were
all the years I had with you

I would give anything I own,
Give up my life, my heart, my home.
I would give everything I own,
just to have you back again.

You taught me how to love,
What its of, what its of.
You never said too much,
but still you showed the way,
and I knew from watching you.
Nobody else could ever know
the part of me that can't let go.

And I would give anything I own,
Give up my life, my heart, my home.
I would give everything I own
Just to have you back again.

Is there someone you know,
you're loving them so,
but taking them all for granted.
You may lose them one day,
someone takes them away,
and they don't hear the words you long to say

I would give anything I own,
Give up my life, my heart, my home.
I would give everything I own
Just to have you back again,
Just to touch you once again.

It was our neighbor, Indonesia that made it as first ASEAN country to reach the summit of Mt. Everest in 1997. Read on share their pride and experiences.
 
Everest conquerors come down to earth
Edith Hartanto The Jakarta Post

What is it like to be at 8,848 meters on the summit of the world's highest mountain?
 

Adisena/1997 Everest Team
VIVA INDONESIA: Civilian and military members of the 1997 Indonesian National Team to Everest pose at the Everest Base Camp in the South Col at an altitute of 5,300 meters, with Indonesian red-and-white flags and Buddhist flags for mountain blessings above them. 

Battling to breathe in the thin air, dealing with the possibility of snow blindness and temperatures that can suddenly drop to minus 40 degrees Celsius, plus the foretelling numbness of frostbite that pushes the possibilities of amputation from remote to probable.
 
And that is in addition to the prospect that death could be just one step away. All these dangers were experienced by 16 civilian and military climbers of the Indonesian National Expedition Team to Everest, who attempted to scale the world's highest mountain from the northern and southern sides in 1997.
 
The team accomplished their task. Two young soldiers, Asmujiono and Misirin, who approached the summit from the southern side, heroically pulled it together to raise the red-and-white flag and made tropical Indonesia the first Southeast Asian country to reach the peak of Mt. Everest late in the afternoon of April 26, 1997.

The team attempting the ascent from the northern side, however, was forced to begin its descent just 200 meters from the summit due to rough weather, team member Gunawan "Ogun" Achmad, a civilian climber from Bandung-based sports club Wanadri, said.

Had both teams made it, Indonesia would have set a world record by scaling Mt. Everest from two sides in one expedition.

The team was trained and assisted by three world acclaimed high-altitude mountaineers, the late Anatoli Boukreev, known as the "Tiger Woods of the Himalayas", who had scaled 11 of the world's 8,000-meter peaks without the use of supplementary oxygen and had climbed Everest four times; the late Vladimir Bashkirov, a notable adventure cameramen and filmmaker in Russia who on six occasions scaled peaks exceeding 8,000 meters; and Dr. Evgeny Vinogradski, seven-time champion climber in the Soviet Union who is also known as a high-altitude climbing instructor and sports physician.

"I had never seen snow before in my life until the Everest expedition. None of the soldiers in the team had," First Sgt. Asmujiono, then a private, recalled recently.
 

Anatoli Boukreev
Succesful members of the 1997 Indonesian National Everest Expedition with Russian advisors and consultants (left to right): Vladimir Bashkirov, Asmujiono, Misirin, Evgeny Vinogradski and Anatoli Boukreev. The pictures were taken shortly after they scaled 8,848-meter Mt. Everest on April 26, 1997, around 3:30 p.m. the Indonesian team was the first team that climbed Everest in the 1997 mountaineering season.

"Anatoli was patient enough to teach us how to use an ice ax. It was incredible. I had the spirit, but no experience ... I was ready to die for it. It's because of the guidance and the help of our Russian coaches that the team made it and returned safely," said Asmujiono, who ran to embrace the tripod of flags that marks Everest's peak and single-handedly raised the Indonesian flag on the summit after his colleague, then First Sgt. Misirin, collapsed in the snow 30 meters away.

"I only remember calling Asmujiono's name, hearing my voice echoing on the white mountain and Bashkirov slapping my face and shaking me ... after that, everything went black. I suddenly had a terrible headache," said Misirin, a member of the Special Forces, adding that he was told later he had suffered sudden high-altitude mountain sickness.

Desperate to prove that Indonesians had scaled Sagarmatha, the Nepali term for Everest, Asmujiono pulled off his oxygen mask, balaclava and glacier sunglasses. He replaced them with his red Army beret and unfurled the red-and-white flag.

"Some say what I did was dangerous and stupid, but it was necessary. I had to prove that it was us, the Indonesians, who made it to the top. Who would have been able to recognize us in the summit photos if our faces had been completely covered? We only had 10 minutes on the summit before Anatoli told us we had to go before it got dark."

Although the team was feted after the ascension, it seems the prolonged economic crisis and the nation's turbulent politics led to the achievement being forgotten by the public.

"It is such a pity. Our nation was internationally acclaimed for this great achievement, but because of political changes, it seems that history has been forgotten," said Monty Sorongan, liaison officer of the 1997 Everest expedition.

Monty, who has run an adventure business for many years, termed the expedition a "crazy project".

The US$1.5 million expedition, made up of civilian and military climbers from University of Indonesia's Mapala UI nature sports club, Wanadri and members of the Army's Special Forces (Kopassus) only had five months to prepare back in 1996, by running a summit exercise and selection program at 5,928-meter Paldor Peak and 6,189-meter Island Peak in the Himalayas.
"We were under pressure because neighboring countries Malaysia and Thailand had been preparing their teams for the previous two years," he said.

Asmujiono, now 31, has lost the hearing in his right ear and said he suffered chronic health problems after climbing Everest.

"The only thing I regret is that, in my duties as a soldier, I haven't been able to take care of my health. I don't want to be a burden to anyone, I have to strive to put food on the table. With the small salary I earn as a low-ranking soldier, I haven't been able to do much about my health, even though I know my injuries may obstruct my military career, but I thank God that I have survived.

"One of my doctors said that some of my illnesses are due to the rough conditions that I encountered on Everest, and that it may have been because I took off my mask on the summit. I can't do anything about it now, except hope that I will recuperate somehow.

"I am deaf in my right ear and I have been told by my doctors that my brain has been affected. I was also operated on and placed in the intensive care unit of Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital because of blocked arteries in 1997. You name it, I've been through it. I've had various health checks -- MRI, CAD Scan, etc.," said Asmujiono, who is also the father of a two-year-old boy.
A light machine gun carrier at the Kopassus base in Serang, Asmujiono said that his dream is only to get in touch again with Vinogradski, who treated him during the whole Everest expedition.

"He saved my life," the soldier said, with tears in his eyes. 
 

Anatoli Boukreev
Asmujiono holds an Indonesian flag in front of the tripod of poles marking the summit of Everest. He opened his protective balaclava, glacier sunglasses and oxygen mask to put on his red Army beret, an act that may have contributed to his subsequent health problems.

"It was a crazy expedition," recalled Gunawan "Ogun" Achmad, now a consultant for outdoor sports and nature activities.

Ogun remembered how worried the team was when the three Russian coaches, Asmujiono and Misirin, along with team leader, then Second Lt. (now Capt.) Iwan Setiawan, who failed to reach the summit because they ran out of time, had to stay the night at emergency Camp V at an altitude of 8,000 meters on the way down the mountain.

"No members of the Everest team had ever done that. It was crazy but our emergency overnight stay at Camp V turned out to save our lives," Ogun said, adding that the team members cried and vomited and had to endure the acute pain of altitude sickness all night.
Other team members, Mapala UI's Ripto Mulyono and Rudi "Becak" Nurcahyo, said that Everest was a great life experience.

Ripto, who makes his living as an adventure guide, said that he felt he was strong enough to reach the peak.

"But then the coaches decided only three members could go. I got over it because that was their call and the right decision at the time," Ripto said.

The fate of other members of the expedition clearly shows the danger of mountain climbing.
Bashkirov died due to acute mountain sickness at Everest's 8,050-meter high camp on May 26, 1997, only one month after he climbed Everest with the Indonesian team. He died in the arms of his best friend, Anatoli Boukreev. Anatoli died in an avalanche on Christmas Day in 1997, when trying to open a new route up Mt. Annapurna.
 
As the Philippine team prepares for this risky expedition, may we all pray and wish them the best of luck. After all, their glory is ours, too.
 
Other stories can be found in this link too: http://www.thejakartapost.com/special/os_25B.asp

Career takes center stage this 2004. There will be a general desire to move up the career ladder or shift to a totally new career. Also, you will find yourself working hard to improve financial stability. Family members will be very supportive this year and some may even open doors of opportunity.

Are these the answers that I have been looking for? I am really confused. I am at this crossroad again in my life wherein I am torn to choose between being sensible and practical to being happy and discontented. I know it is easier to decide but taking into consideration my future makes it hard for me to do so.

I need to be enlightened!

In my fervent excitement of an upcoming trip, I recalled this quote scribbled on the wall of a café in Sagada. It sums up the desire I really want for my life to be. The spirit of adventure has dawned in me and I bid its calling. From thereon, my life has taken a course of which I thought would never be what I expected.

“Nothing in life is to be feared, only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less.”

In between my serious monitoring of the business sections of top broadsheets, I got to sneak a few minutes of skimming through the entertainment part. Showbiz!

I was wondering how male starlets are called. *hmm* Oh, just a thought. Ain’t you call them starboys? Hehehe.

I do not think that this showbiz guy I considered as a male starlet can still be considered as such. I was pretty surprised that Yul Servo has 3 acting trophies to his name. His first award was being the Best Actor in Cinemanila 2001 for the film, Batang West Side which was, by the way, his first film. So much for acquiring the first of firsts. From the same film, too, he obtained his second award from Brussels International Film Fest 2002. The 3rd and the last one as of the moment, was from the movie, Laman as credited by Star Awards.

Does that mean that our entertainment industry is being blessed with a good bunch of sensible performers? Unlike the political arena being swarmed with actors, actresses and starlets gunning for a post in the government? Uh, uh.

By the way, Servo is the lead partner of Nora Aunor in the movie Naglalayag, one of the official entries to the recently-held Manila Film Fest.

Your charm gets stronger and new suitors are likely. Your finances will improve. Be sure that you follow proper accounting procedures. But financial responsibilities become more pressing as this period progresses. You and your boss may be at loggerheads with each other, do not have too many expectations. Be willing to compromise.

Ows? My charm gets stronger daw? New suitors are likely? Hmm. Quite interesting. Sino kaya sila? I am curious...hehehe!

This is the bad part. I already know that the last 2 concerns are giving me headaches but I am not expecting them to be so pressing. I can do away with the loggerhead thingie with my boss but finances?! That’s what I cannot live without. I have too many financial concerns for the past 2 months and this projection isn’t helping at all.

I guess I really have to learn how to undo this mess. I know I can. I just need to have some serious self-control.

Just because our National Government is having problems managing its budget, it does not has the right to pass on to the people its burden. To raise more revenues in the national coffers, our beloved government has become an expert in looking for ways and means to solve this problem. Unfortunately, their creative solutions cause more detriment than advantages.

Creative enough, they are now thinking of charging taxes on text messages, increasing excise taxes on alcohol, cigarettes. Even fruit juices, can you believe that?

And now, an additional burden to the Filipino people is the suggestion that an additional 5% increase be added to our usual 10% VAT rate. As everyone knows, VAT is charged on the sale of goods and services, including imports. A 10% tax is collected on gross receipts from the sale of goods and services, and this is usually passed on to consumers. According to them, a 15% VAT rate will definitely raise at least P10-Billion for the government.

Thanks to the suggestion of the International Monetary Fund. As usual, they are practicing this annoying habit of theirs: interfering with a country’s economy.

I think the world is so populated already. Who would ever believe that a guy that I chanced upon in the charming beaches of Puerto Galera was the same person I saw a few months back, playing in a band in a bar in Malate called Unplugged? I was with a group of friends when we went there to hang out. I was telling Chummy that I knew one of the guys but I wasn't sure since he looked quite different the last time I saw him. One thing that convinced me that it was him was this striking white, becoming necklace hanging around his neck. Anyway, as much as I wanted to say hullo, I just couldn't. I was scared of being branded as a flirt.

Two weeks past and I got a call from Chummy that she, too, knew the guy. She said they met through another friend, Maya, who is the guy's friend and officemate. I know Maya, too, because I met her during one of my memorable climbs in Batangas. Maya confirmed that he also saw us but was unsure if it was me and Chummy.

Someties, I just couldn't help but wonder how things seemed to happen. You meet certain people in some places and you will discover that some of the people you know are friends of your friends. The world, our world is really becoming small.