Perspectives

There really are times one can't help to think and ask...

"Why am I here...?"

Philosophical since time immemorial, never failed to baffle the average minds since it made self-consciousness and realization, and so it baffles me.

I come to work, so does the countless others. Who knows how many asks the same question? Who knows how many mindlessly just jump to the day so it would be over soon, so they can go home and have their rest? Who knows how many struggles for significance, trying to prove their worth and to make a difference?

It just depends on the mood, on a sunny morning i just savor the moment -- happy that i am alive; on a gloomy one its different and i am indifferent as well.

And as we move along our lives, we realize the forces strong and formidable to contest, principles we realize we must follow, the consequences if one is to challenge them.

It came to me maybe significance is over rated -- we are here to live, to the fullest, to travel and to be a witness of history unfolding. Because if we know the principles and will not go against them, and best to uphold them -- significance on its own would be realized.

Now, if consequences would just be a little more caring – maybe it will not bite me in the ass.

Geez...

I am really getting old...

Ignore All

I'm ignoring a lot of things right now...
I'm ignoring that my monitor is not working, as it sits lifeless



I'm ignoring the fact that i might not be able to replace the darn thing until December.
I'm ignoring the Disconnection Notice.



I'm even trying to ignore the noisy guy sitting beside me in the LRT, talking loudly to another person over the phone, not caring if he is actually speaking too noisy.

At times ignoring things is a way to cope, that at life you would still make the shot given the odds and actually make both ends meet. But the same draws a very thin line on being lazy, a responsibility placed on hold and oneself spreaded too thinly.

I'm ignoring that i haven't written anything for a while. The same way a haven't reflected about any, that i'm on the last quarter of the year with circumstances almost the same.

Now as i look on things i have ignored, i get to see more the things i have tried to pay attention to. To set views that are crooked, to sight on things that really matters.

It goes with the thought that when you are on a very loud environment, you get to appreciate silence more. Like water to drought, like sanity to madness, like relief to pain, like joy to sadness.

Board Exams: Lessons to Learn

First of all, hindi ako topnotcher Ü, frankly speaking when I were few weeks away from graduation I didn't saw myself passing the Board Exam nor taking it. Pero nung makapasa yung isang kasama ko sa IEEE-UESB na itatago natin sa pangalang Ambo, nag-iba ang pananaw ko, hindi ko minaliit ang board pero nainspire ako sa feat na nagawa nya. Yung mga dean's lister may biase ka na na papasa sila, kaya minsan ang mas mahusay gawing inspirasyon ay yung tipong ka-level lang natin, sakto lang sa talino, nag-eenjoy sa college, sa curriculum na di nakasulat sa papel -- gumawa ng isang mahusay na achievement dahil sa pinagsikapan nya itong mabuti.

Sa pag kuha ko ng Board eto yung mga lessons na nadala ko ng kaunti

1.) Focus and Deadline
-- May timeline ang board exam, kahit matulog ako magaral, maglaro ng video games o magtutuwad siguradong darating ito, and from there, i know i must allocate and budget my most important resource: Time. And with deadlines set, discipline got to be enforced para masunod ang scheds.

2.) Knowing and Understanding what You're Up Against
-- Ga'no ba kaseryoso ang board? Paghahandaan ko ito ng 5-6 months, nung 2004, may tatlong subjects lang: Math, Electronics and Communications, 70 dapat ang average, walang below 50 bagsak isa - bagsak lahat. Gano ko ba ito kagusto? Favorite quote ko nga nun "it's not how good you are, but how bad you want it" Seryoso ang board, bukod sa palamuti sa resumé at lisensyang patigas sa wallet, Its self fulfillment. Its a proof that you can muster the 5years of school. Ga'no mo kagusto ang isang bagay at ga'no kalaki ang kaya mong ibayad para dito.

3.) Decision Making and Decision Management
-- so you decided to go for it, but what comes after that decision plays crucial role. Is that your conviction? After you decided, its time to enact the decision, no looking back, making it happen -- and assesing if you are able to make progress.

4.) Education is Expensive
-- Hindi biro ang puhunang isinusugal sa pag-aaral, dagdag pa kung di naman sobrang prestihiyoso ng eskuwelahan, dagdag pa kung di naman sobrang taas ng marka, sa kaduluduluhan kailangan talagang maglaan ka ng oras para di lang hirap at pera mo ang masayang. Lam mo ang isa pang magandang bagay sa board? Pag nakuha mo ang lisensya mo, alam mong maari kang mapagiwanan ka sa practical applications, pero di ka naman napag iiwanan sa academics.

5.) Cooperation and Interdependence
-- Puede namang wala kang kasama para pumasa or kung mas kumportable ka na ikaw lang, walang problema. Yun lang nagiging mahalaga kasi yung meron kang kasama hindi lang para mas malawak ang resources at material nyo, kasi nagdadagdag din ito ng motivation, like iron sharpens iron - so does man sharpens another.

6.) Success or Failure is a Process
-- The Board Exam may be two to three days, depending kung anong course mo, pero ang tatlong araw na yun ay resulta nang anim na buwan na pinagsama-sama mo sa isang buhos. Kung natulog ka lang at nanood ng mga series at nag-aksaya ng oras, hindi mo basta basta mababawi sa dalawa o tatlong linggo at dapat ay ginawa mo ng anim buwan. If you really didn't saw it coming you were not paying attention.

7.) Faith
-- Last but not the least, is Faith. Kanino pa ba nanggagaling ang lahat ng kaalaman na ito diba? It can only come from the Greatest Engineer, and we are just but humble borrowers of His creation, might as well ask for His guide.

So there, after the success of the Board Exams? What will be next? It is still a wide horizon, and another one after that. We take jubilation or reflection, and move on.

Yey.

Tita Cory

How will you remember Cory?

With everything said and done, paano nga ba natin maaalala si Tita Cory...

The plain housewife turned widower, that fought and stood against a tyrant, and brought back democracy.

Wow...

Looking at it now, it sounded so simple. But for me Tita Cory, is an example of a person who genuinely thought of her people, of what is good, and the difference she could make.

Lots of "ifs" where thrown and debated, like we could have been better of with Marcos, or even as trivial as if she didn't became the president, then Kris would not have been an actress.

What she have started, i guess haven't gone far enough. Malaki ang nagawa nya oo... Kaso mo, mas malaking negative ang ginagawa natin ngayon... Mas malaki ang withdrawals kaysa sa deposit, kahit pa malaki ang nagawa ni Tita Cory, isang tao lang sya... She have inspired a lot of people, and those people she inspired must live the inspiration and continue inspire.

Moral Revolution, have always been an illusive thought, and will always be not until the Filipinos realize that the small things can go a long way.

Dahil kung tinuloy natin sa ating maliliit na paraan ang mga malalaking bagay na sinimulan nila mas malayo malamang ang ating narating.

with sanitized thoughts...
Wow.. ako mismo =)

Blanks

Ok, eto yung isa sa mga moments na alam mong wala kang maisusulat...

Nakatingin ka sa blanko at malinis na papel pero walang bumababa dito...

...

Ano nga ba...

Kasing significant nga ba ng malinis na papel ang ginagawa kong trabaho araw-araw? Eh kung gumawa kaya ako ng bagong analogy? Hehe pwede kong inalogy ang pangungulangot sa pakikipagsapalaran sa buhay? Paanong ang mahirap abutin ay hindi mo pala gugustuhin pag nandyan na, nah... Malamang may nakagawa na nun... May nakagawa na kayang magpatay-patayan para lapitan ng mga vultures? Tapos bigla mo silang gugulatin? Ganun din daw minsan manghuli ng peke at plastic na tao -- kunyari helpless ka na, or kunyari hindi mo sila naririnig para malaman mo kung ano ba talaga ang iniisip nila sa'yo, malaman mo kung tunay ba silang kaibigan... Tanong lang kung alam mo ang isang bagay pero hindi yun ang gusto ng karamihan, i-pu-puwersa mo pa rin ba ang alam mo? Sino kaya yung sumulat ng script ng Totoy Bato at nagkanda-leche leche ang kwento nito, nagbato ata yung writer... Bakit ina-sociate ng Korean girl band Wonder Girls ang maganda nilang kantang Nobody sa vowel movement? (may jebs factor na tuloy sa akin yung song). Wrong move din minsan yung ginagawa ng TEN The Evening News yung pag-insert or pagkahalata ng personal biases nila, pero sana mas dumalas po yung Word of the Lourd... Ayoko ko na ng Ako Mismo dog tag--dami nang gumagamit eh... Bakit ba yung kapitbahay ko nagtatanong ng kung ano ang sira ng PC nya kung pangangaralan naman nya ako na gumagana naman ito ng maayos... Matinding dedication pala ang mag-aral ng Photoshop, feasible pa rin kaya magbenta ng personalized t-shirts? Tagal ng bagong episode ng Chuck. Galing ng patama ni Gloria kay Mar Roxas nung SONA, hindi daw pamumulitika yung pagbibigay ni Villar anim n house and lots... Kailan kaya mauunawaan ng mga Filipino na ang boto nila ay higit sa limang daang piso or supot ng bigas, instant noodles at kaunting delata. Meron ba talaga o possible ba talaga ang moral revolution kung tayo ay walang bait at kayang paikutin ng mga nagi-iyak iyakan sa tv? Kung hindi ka politiko, artista o basketball player at susunod bang pinakamadaling paraan para umasenso ay mag abroad? Ano ang dapat itawag sa teacher na hindi pinapayagang pumasok sa klase nya ang isang estudyanteng hindi bumili ng cino-py pasted nyang manual? May gig or nagkaroon kaya ng gig ang Finqwins? 256bit video card kaya ang ire-require ng Modern Warfare 2? May silbi pa kaya ang mga watchers sa 2010 elections? Magbigay ka nga ng cases sa Pilipinas kung saan ang involved ay mataas na tao at napatunayan na nagkasala sya ng graft and corruption, nahatulan at naparusahan dahil dito. May limit ba kung ilang beses lang puede patawarin ang isang tao? Ano ang hiwaga sa galit at inis sa taong wala naman ginagawa sayo pero nababadtrip kang makita sya?

weee!

Magulo ang utak,
Maingay ang isip...

ano nga ba ang gusto kong isulat...

Coffee and Glazed Donuts

I don't usually drink coffee alone...

Yes I do drink coffee...
But not the expensive ones alone.

Such fine coffee goes best with someone, together with a fine conversation, together with good laughter, that fulfilling feeling.

That feeling that in this world, in this dog eats dog world... Everything is still fine, everything will still be ok...

That later to bed, the night will still offer happy sleep, and tomorrow will shine anew.

I miss it... So miss it...

I stopped today to drink coffee alone, watch through the looking glass as people rush through their day... That later i will join them as well, chasing time, chasing deadlines -- chasing urgency.

Thank God for such coffee, for every little things... Even for glazed donuts.

It makes easy the thought...
It makes easy the preview,


of dying alone...

Pretentious Food Names :D

Isa sa masayang part ng pagte-training bukod dun sa bagong learnings that would boost your efficiency and technical know-how eh yung snacks at lunch :D

Ginanap ang aming recent training sa Mandarin Hotel -- the training was nice, and the food was well interesting :)

Here were the courses for lunch...

hmn... interesting how they presented the names :)



Course Names -- ang haba

For Appetizer they presented Tuna Tataki with Garlic Aioli and Mango Salsa
It tasted like umn -- Sashimi?

Tuna Tataki = Sashimi

For the main course Char Grilled Pork Tenderloin, Creamy Mushroom Ragout and Pandan Rice -- but on a nut shell it tasted like Asado :D


Char Grilled Pork -- Asado

and for Desert :) Warm Hazelnut Pudding on Mild Berry Compote and Cinnamon Cream -- which tasted like Carrot Cake; masarap din naman talaga :D


Hazelnut Pudding -- ang galing nung Tribal chocolate Drowing! :D

So eto naman ang ipinangalan namin sa aming Late Afternoon Snack
Tira-tirang TunaTataki na binalot sa Siomai Wrapper at Tirang Croissant with Hipon Salad na Pinalaman sa Tinapay na parang Pusod ng Buntis :D ooteeehh!


Mahabang Names -- mas yummy

Oh Yeah :D

FrancisM

editted image courtesy of 112506 of symbianize.com

Francis Magalona's contribution to the local music scene is undeniable, and he left relatively young.

What i admire the most about Francis is the hope and strentgh he have shown as he battled against a very dreadful illness, his multiply blog is a picture of faith and optimism that is pure faith.

There is so much to reflect on this part of his life, to reflect what he have realized, that life is transient, cancer or no cancer. We are but passengers...

His songs and passion is admirable, a reminder that in this life, we make mistakes -- we don't stop there, we learn, we cry , we laugh and move on.

That to live fully is to live without regrets... For life in a nutshell is a Happy Battle.

Right to Reply *bow

image from presscouncil.blogspot.com

At first glance -- there seem not any sense on the "Right to Reply", right to reply? Ibig ba sabihin nun pag meron akong tinanong, dapat meron akong sagot? E di dapat "Right to be Replied" yun. What is the fuzz over the said bill?

Senator Nene Pimentel authored the said bill -- in a nut shell ang gusto nitong mangyari eh, kung ang isang form ng media ay may binatikos or tinukoy, binastos or may pinagusapan, ang tao o mga tao na nabanggit ay maaaring sumagot sa parehas na media ng libre.

Libre?! Kung ibinalita na ang isang contractor, kung sino mang private person ay kasali sa anumang anomalya, or scandal -- makakatulong ang "right to reply" sa kanya. Automatically may fighting chance sya kasi magiging karapatan nya na sumagot sa mga alegasyon sa kanya. Hehe ang kulit lang isipin pero diba un mismo ang trabaho ng media? Yung malaman ang kwento ng magkabilang panig?

Imagine the conundrum kung isang politiko ang ibalita... Wow all the drama for free... Sagutang walang hanggan, sa media sila magtitirahan, when supposedly their forum must be a court of law or something more official. Where the findings can be used to them or serve them innocent.

For all its worth, may pro and cons ang right to reply, yun lang ung pro na part eh nakalatag na sana sa free at unbiased media. On the otherhand cons side would self serve figures that would spam our media with their self-cleansing thoughts.

On the first place, those we would like them to hear from are keeping their silence, like the fertilizer scam, the euro generals, the ZTE scam, yung north rail project. Etc etc -- the media i'm sure is more than willing to hear from them as well. But they are i guess they rather use their right against self-incrimination =)

Geez...

Questions of Discipline

Naging roller coaster ride talaga para sa akin ang nakaraang mga buwan.
Talagang halos ang araw-araw parang lumilipas lang na oras.

One must then decide when to pause, stop and reflect.

"Sharpening of the Saw..."

Ano ba ang mga pinaka-epektib para maka-pagunwind?
Eto yung mga pang-unwind na ginamit ko -- yun lang feeling ko parang kung alternator lang ako malamang na sunog na ang coil ko.

Maglaro ng Devil May Cry 4
-- i have played this game for over hundred hours na ngayon, geez pag natatapos ako dito sa laro na to, parang feeling ko parang gusto kong manakit eh parang riot yar!

Mag DVD marathon ng Series
-- Burn Notice, Big Bang Theory, Mythbusters, House, Chuck - every week sinusubaybayan, additional stress na rin sa akin halos ang writers strike sa US. It is a personal debate din sa akin na hindi ko naaapreciate ang local series, i felt that its an obligation that i do, pero bukod sa News at sa "Word of the Lourd" Segment sa TV5 Top Ten (yung News din nila) eh wala naman na akong nasusubaybayan. Geez... hanep sa guilt trip! :D

Matulog
-- ng wala sa oras... ang hirap i-recalibrate ng nawala sa ayos na body clock, matutulog ng 2am at gigising ng 8am, average 6hours sleep pero ang pakiramdam ko drained pa rin ako. nyah!

Mag Browse ng Forums at Manga
-- hehe, naaabusong office resources at nasasayang na time. tempting to do from time to time, but it leaves bad after taste. Sino ba ang ayaw na maraming ma-acomplish diba?

Stare at Blank Space
-- is this even an activity? geez...


And after 3months, i finally get to pause and write another article.
Wow! what a superb comeback! :D

Seriously... I'm bringing back my Reading and Reflecting Habits.
if i keep things unchecked like this -- i will keep on hurting myself and give other people lots of inconvenience, if i keep living in this pace -- i will not be able appreciate and moments will be lost, if i keep living unhealthy -- i might just catch some cardio disease and that can't be good.

Recalibrate Mode.

Ending Hiatus :D

I would like to end my hiatus -- because, one i feel that i'm cramping up when i don't write and second sss i starting to get annoying... geez :D