FIVE TIPS FOR A WOMAN….

1. It is important that a man helps you around the house and  has a job.

2. It is important that a man makes you laugh.

3. It is  important to find a man you can count on and doesn't lie to you.

4. It is  important that a man loves you and spoils you.

5. It is important that  these four men don't know each other.

The scum walks a prior viewer.

Someone sent me that note above and asked me to post this in my blogsite. Well, there it is. What now?

:-)

Don't Say "OUR FATHER"

DON’T SAY : “OUR FATHER”                                  
            If you don’t behave like a son everyday,
            If you don’t treat others as your brothers.

DON’T SAY: “IN HEAVEN”
            If you only think about material things.

DON’T SAY: “ HOLY BE YOUR NAME”
            If you neither respect God, nor Honor His name.

DON’T SAY : “YOUR KINGDOM COME”
            If you do not prepare yourself to greet it.

DON’T SAY : “YOUR WILL BE DONE”
            If you don’t accept it when it hurts.

DON’T SAY : “ON EARTH AS IN HEAVEN”
            If you don’t believe that heaven exists and only have faith in material things.

DON’T SAY : “GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD”
If you are not concerned by the hungry, those with no crops, no resources, no  faith…  

DON’T SAY: “FORGIVE US OUR SINS”
            If you bear grudge against your brother,
            If you are not able to tolerate his failings.

DON’T SAY : “AS WE FORGIVE THOSE WHO SIN AGAINST US”
            If you don’t forgive from the bottom of your heart and if you intend to repay 
             evil by evil.

DON’T SAY: DO NOT BRING US TO THE TEST”
            If you have no intention of turning away from evil.

DON’T SAY : “BUT DELIVER US FROM EVIL”
            If you do not take sides against evil.

DON’T SAY : “AMEN”
            If you have not taken “OUR FATHER” seriously

*Found this in my Multiply Account buried deeply over years of inactivity.*

I'm Back!

I thought this blogsite has been sent to the archives! But when I went browsing through websites this morning I saw it alive and still kicking! And it made me think...uh, well! ok...

So, with some clicks and memory scanning (password stuffs and all)...I say...
More post a-coming!...stay tuned...

Rain

There is something about the rain that is therapeutic.

When I was a child, the rainy season was as much an awaited time as the summer. While we frolic during the summer flying kites and catching bats or swimming through the bay while gathering seashells, rainy days then would mean running through the streets half-naked together with most of my neighborhood friends. We’d play those games we used to play during summers until our chins would tremble from hypothermia and our lips turned purple from freezing.

I never got over my special personal affection for the rain. Although, I cannot now run half-naked through the streets for I would risk the displeasure of the whole neighborhood, I still always look forward for the rain to come like when I was a child. Restless as I am, the rain has always the ability to put me on one side not moving for a long time. Like the moon, it can always summon my inner self and enable me to have contact with my soul. Then, I'd stay adrift and came back refreshed.

I T H A C A

Ithaca

When you set out on your journey to Ithaca,
pray that the road is long,
full of adventure, full of knowledge.
The Lestrygonians and the Cyclops,
the angry Poseidon -- do not fear them:
You will never find such as these on your path,
if your thoughts remain lofty, if a fine
emotion touches your spirit and your body.
The Lestrygonians and the Cyclops,
the fierce Poseidon you will never encounter,
if you do not carry them within your soul,
if your soul does not set them up before you.

Pray that the road is long.
That the summer mornings are many, when,
with such pleasure, with such joy
you will enter ports seen for the first time;
stop at Phoenician markets,
and purchase fine merchandise,
mother-of-pearl and coral, amber and ebony,
and sensual perfumes of all kinds,
as many sensual perfumes as you can;
visit many Egyptian cities,
to learn and learn from scholars.

Always keep Ithaca in your mind.
To arrive there is your ultimate goal.
But do not hurry the voyage at all.
It is better to let it last for many years;
and to anchor at the island when you are old,
rich with all you have gained on the way,
not expecting that Ithaca will offer you riches.

Ithaca has given you the beautiful voyage.
Without her you would have never set out on the road.
She has nothing more to give you.

And if you find her poor, Ithaca has not deceived you.
Wise as you have become, with so much experience,
you must already have understood what Ithacas mean.

Constantine P. Cavafy (1911)

Reality Has An Ugly Face

Recently, my nightlife always begin with an hour or so jog in Baywalk area along Roxas Boulevard. It usually start with me walking briskly as I watch the setting sun out of the corner of my eye. The famous sunset of Manila Bay is not as gorgeous as the sunset of the city by the bay where I grow up. Ours is far beautiful than Manila Bay’s, that is, if the sun would bother to shine at all.


Days of jogging along Baywalk exposed me to different people from all walks of life. I become friendly with the vendors that I always receive a smile of welcome and recognition each time I arrive. I watched with enthusiasm as yatchs come and go. I touched with too much longing the Mercedes’, BMW’s and the jaguars parked outside Manila Yatch Club. Lovers kissing and cuddling each other in full public view without a care in the world is familiar sight. Foreigners bargaining with the pimps are easy to spot like the lunatics who roamed around wandering around Baywalk like it is a paradise. While I envy the lovers and the lunatics who lived in their own paradise, my heart bleeds as a prostitute is lead away after a deal of a glimpse of paradise has been sealed.


I jog until my head aches from lack of oxygen, until my breath whistle as I inhale, until my legs are sore, until my visions blur. Reality has an ugly face.

Do You Know This Man?*

At 31, this man FAILED in business.

At 32, was DEFEATED in a legislature race.

At 34, he FAILED again in business.

At 35, his girlfriend DIED.

At 36, he had NERVOUS BREAKDOWN.

At 43, 46, 48, LOST congressional races.

At 55, LOST a senatorial race.

At 56, FAILED in a bid to become the VP of USA.

At 58, LOST a senatorial race.

At 60, he was ELECTED President of the US.


He is ABRAHAM LINCOLN.


You are never really a failure until you give up trying.


* A text message forwarded by Maria Ninette.

The World In Conspiracy

There was a soft knock at my door one night. When I opened it there lay in Joey’s palm two pieces of Ferrero Rocher chocolates. Joey said it is good for me and my headache(s).

The next day, Imee came knocking at my door with a box of Mister Donuts given by her boylet (translation: husband). She gave me the honor of picking the flavor I like most before she distributed it to the rest of the Piranhas. Of course nothing beats strawberry. I took out 2.

The next day I received one pack of Otap from Cebu courtesy of Syme. We met unexpectedly and the next day she was knocking at my door bringing with her one of Cebu’s most famous delicacy. God, I missed Cebu.

I got one suspicion confirmed. The world is conspiring for me to gain weight. So far the world is winning. But I'm not going down without a fight. Of course, I won't.

Smiley

Arman waited at our gate but for how long I have no idea. It took me an eternity to prepare myself to see him again. I haven’t seen nor communicated with him for ages. He was smiling uneasily when he saw me. Normally at a time like that we would have kissed and hugged each other. But the situation was awkward. We just settled at holding each other’s hands for a long time after we gamely slapped each other’s face.

We talked about how we’ve been. He said he was happy when he learned that I am in town. We talked about a lot of things. His travels, my travels, his lovelife, my lack of it (bwahahaha!), his new job, and my lack of it (grrrr!). But we never talked about what happened the last time we were together.

Funny, I felt awkward calling him with his name while I never heard him mentioned mine. Suddenly the terms of endearment we used to call each other become the hardest word to say.

He convinced me to have dinner with him on Sunday. He said he’d cook for me whatever food I like. I said he better make an adobo squid otherwise the dinner will not be perfect. He is a good cook. He used to cook at my place in Cebu while I always ended up washing the dishes. That is my perpetual role in men’s life. A dish washer.

I hope this dinner on Sunday will bring us an inch back towards where we left off before that unfortunate night happened. I hope so…

After he dropped me off back to my place, he sent me a message:

I’m so happy to see you. I missed you baya….

Then one missed call.

I just missed call you to verify if the number you gave me is correct. I know how bad you are @ #s. Di ka kasi nagrreply. I’m in the office now.

His message remained unresponded for three days now.

Sarap kayang mang-okray ng taong guilty… :)

Happy Father's Day, Gregorio!

A high school classmate was killed in an ambush last Monday. Gregorio served in the Philippine Army whose unit was assigned in Panabo, Davao del Sur. While some of his classmates were nursing headaches brought about by hangover from the drinking session the previous night, he must have been engaged in a senseless battle against the rebels whose cause I cannot comprehend and whose sense of idealism is very applicable 50 years ago. He was 32.

He left behind a wife and a child. A wife who from now on will have to do with the meager pension the government will send her every month. The child will eventually grow up with a blurred memory of the heroism of his father and a faint idea on how it is to live and grow up with a father by his side. They are the collateral damage of an idealism that is antiquated and moot and academic.

There never was a leftist blood in my system. I have been a recipient of many invitations to join their cause but I always believed that the streets nor the mountains were not the proper venue to vent out our grievances. This country, if it is to develop and prosper, should adhere to the rule of law and not to misplaced idealism which in reality is in pursuance of self-grandeur and self-interest.

Happy Father’s Day, Gregorio. I know how it is to live without a father. I have seen my own mother suffered trying to make both ends met just to raise her four fatherless children. My heart cried to your little baby and to your darling wife. I hope life will be kind to them the way it is to us. Be their star. Watch over them the way my father has been watching us all these years. Please hug my father for me. Tell him he is sorely missed.
Goodbye, Gregorio.

Coffee Talks

Suddenly I wanted to live to be a hundred. My view from the terrace of the high-rise skyscrapers surrounding the pension house I was staying with Kit made me wish to be somewhere else. I have always wanted to be forever young…

I once had a talk with an intimate soul about us growing old. While the present circumstances prevented us from being together, we thought it would be possible for us to spend the rest of our December years united and one. Fifty years from now or so…

We saw ourselves limping (not walking) by the beach as we hurried to watch one of the last sunsets of our lives. Our aging bones deprived of its vigor and strength will carry us through as we walk hand in hand trying to make up for those times we spent apart. I’d sip my cold coffee as he puffs his nth stick of cigarette of the day while we try to know each other again, noting the changes and what stayed the same. We believe that we’d be surprised to know at how far we have changed while in separation and we will be equally amazed as we discover we never changed a bit after fifty years.

We are two souls meant to be united as one but who chose to live freely from each other. We will glide separately through space and time searching the earth for its beauty and purpose, enriching ourselves with wisdom and experience, completing ourselves for each other in time for our eventual reunion.

Life is worth living when there is something to look forward to. As I drew my last puff, my coffee runs cold…

The Note

I found a hallmark card tucked into my door after I spent a boring, uneventful day yesterday. The cards says:

May the road rise up to meet you,
May the wind be always at your back,
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
And the rains fall soft upon your fields...
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand.

- A TRADITIONAL IRISH BLESSING

At the back of the card was a note:

Dear Ate Iamie,

Our little talks inspire me to persevere.
Thank you. Keep on inspiring others.
Be strong in faith. Fortes in Fide.

Always,
Hannah

Hannah is a neighbor of two weeks. The note reminded me of a resolve I made a long time ago: They can take everything I own. Friends may desert me and become my enemies. Family may disown me. I Just Want To Keep The Faith.

Fortes in Fide... yeah... Be Strong In Faith.

Someone Has To Be

A text message from Aileen came one night:

Do you know what's hard about being too strong?
Nobody might care to ask if you're hurt...

Well, damn what I am. Someone has to be. That is, someone has to be damned. ;-)

99 Ways To Avoid Stress

1. Get up 15 minutes earlier.
2. Prepare for the morning the night before.
3. Avoid tight fitting clothes.
4. Don’t rely on memory…write it down.
5. Practice preventive maintenance.
6. Make duplicate keys.
7. Say “NO” more often.
8. Set priorities in life.
9. Avoid negative people. (Very true… – The Bohemian Backpacker)
10. Use time wisely.
11. Simplify meal times.
12. Always make duplicate copies of important documents.
13. Anticipate your needs.
14. Repair things that don’t work properly.
15. Ask for help with jobs that you dislike.
16. Break larger tasks into bite size portions.
17. Look at problems as challenges.
18. S M I L E :)
19. Un-clutter your life.
20. Be prepare for the rain.
21. Tickle a baby.
22. Pet a friendly cat or dog.
23. Don’t know all the answers.
24. Look for the silver lining.
25. Teach a kid fly a kite.
26. Walk in the rain. (Highly recommended by TBB)
27. Schedule a play time into everyday.
28. Take a bubble bath.
29. Say something nice to someone.
30. Be aware of the decisions you make.
31. Believe in yourself.
32. Stop saying negative things to yourself.
33. Visualize yourself winning.
34. Develop your sense of humor. (Yeah, right. – TBB)
35. Stop thinking tomorrow will be a better day.
36. Have goals for yourself.
37. Dance a jig.
38. Say “hello” to strangers.
39. Ask a friend for a hug.
40. Look up at the stars. (Specially the moon! – TBB)
41. Practice breathing slowly.
42. Learn to whistle a tune.
43. Listen to top symphony.
44. Watch a ballet.
45. Read a story curled up in bed.
46. Do a brand new thing.
47. Stop a bad habit.
48. Buy yourself flowers.
49. Take time to smell the flowers.
50. Find support from others.
51. Ask someone to be your “Vent Partner”
52. Do it today.
53. Work at being cheerful and optimistic.
54. Put safety first.
55. Do everything in moderation.
56. Pay attention to your appearance. (Huh?!)
57. Strive for excellence NOT perfection.
58. Stretch your limit a little each day.
59. Look at your work of art.
60. Hum a jingle.
61. Maintain your weight.
62. Plant a tree.
63. Feed the birds.
64. Practice grace under pressure.
65. Stand up and stretch.
66. Always have a “Plan B”.
67. Learn a new doodle.
68. Memorize a joke.
69. Be responsible for your own feelings.
70. Learn to meet your own needs. (Highly advised by TBB)
71. Become a better listener.
72. Tell someone to “Have a good day”.
73. Throw a paper airplane.
74. Exercise everyday.
75. Learn the words of a new song.
76. Get to work early.
77. Clean out one closet.
78. Be out of the closet.
79. Go on a picnic.
80. Take a different route to work.
81. Leave work early (with permission, of course!)
82. Put air freshener in your car.
83. Watch a movie and eat popcorn.
84. Write a note to a far away friend.
85. Go to a ball game and scream for your favorite team.
86. Cook a meal and eat by a candlelight.
87. Remember stress is an attitude.
88. Keep a journal.
89. Practice a monster smile. (Bwahahahaha!)
90. Remember that you always have an option.
91. Have a support network (People, Places or Things)
92. Quit trying to “fix” other people’s lives.
93. Get enough sleep.
94. Talk less and listen more.
95. Freely praise other people.
96. Recognize the importance of unconditional love.
97. Set appointments ahead.
98. Cherish your friends and family and let them know.
99. Relax, remember that you have the rest of you live to live…

Boracay Island - Paradise Indeed! (The Last Chronicles)

Island-hopping lasted almost a day and so we proceeded to our next agenda: to down a bottle of tequila. It was not a difficult task. Everyone started to feel tipsy after a few gulps that we even forgot to do the body-shots! Ahem!

I was between tipsy and drunk as I ran zigzagly towars to shore to wave lovingly to to the sitting sun. I laid back at the sand and slept feeling the rays kissing me my cheeks as I went into slumber. This is paradise because nobody gives a damn.

It was already dark when I woke up and I was horrified when I realized I was sleeping in the sand. The people were walking to and fro and I was comforted with the thought that nobody noticed me.

I stood up shakily when the phone in my pocket vibrated. It was a call from someone who never missed my birthday. The highlight of the call would always be the singing a birthday song from start to finish. She's been doing it since she was still in the Philippines. And she's still been doing it even after she relocated abroad.

This year, however, was different. After she sung my birthday song, she handed the phone to her husband and her husband sung it so seriously from start to finish that it knocked the air out of my lungs! It sent me gasping for breath after I went screaming with glee in the middle of the Boracay island. The best part of it is: nobody gave a damn.

Thank you Genalyn and Vito. The best suprised did came out last. Till next song.....

Boracay Island - Paradise Indeed! (The Last Chronicles)

I spent the rest of the day island-hopping, snorkelling and diving. The islands surrounding Boracay were not exceptional. The coral reefs were almost dead and its not something to brag about. My heart was shattered as I saw the caves altered and modified in favor of commercialism. My birthday wish, therefore, is may the people of Boracay respect more Mother Nature and show more gratitude towards it who provided them with so much wealth they are enjoying right now.

This was the only pain I felt on my birthday.

Boracay Island - Paradise Indeed! (The Last Chronicles)

In a world-class beach like Boracay where only the royalty can afford the expensive foods, a pauper like me eats Andok's for breakfast, Andok's for lunch and Andok's for dinner. Hahahaha! I almost felt that I might smell of chickenshit after my Boracay trip!

So, imagine my ecstacy when I saw a vendor selling "taho"! Believe me, the world is so damn sad without taho.



As I ate my gift with gusto, I could almost feel a pat on my shoulders from someone saying, " I know the desires of thy heart."

Boracay Island - Paradise Indeed! (The Forgotten Adventure)

I read lots of books about Boracay after I decided where to spend my birthday. I was thus surprised when I saw the image of the Holy Virgin, Our Lady of Lourdes in the center-most, beach-front part of Boracay. I never saw it in the books I read but if I did I must have missed it.

I was thrilled as I climbed up the stairs of the Grotto. My Lady never gives up on me, you know? She followed me even in Boracay! From then on I felt safe and spent every sunrise I have in Boracay with Her.

Boracay Island - Paradise Indeed! (The Forgotten Adventure)

I woke up the following morning (my birthday) hoping to get a glimpse of Boracay's sunrise. The sunrise, though, is best viewed at the other side of the island and all I saw were the rays of the rising sun.

It was still dark and I was so excited to take pictures of a sleeping Bora when I noticed a man who has been following me for some distance already. As instinct would have it, I walked slowly sideward so that he could overtake me and I could watch him from a distance. He was almost 5 meters ahead of me when he stopped and smiled at me sweetly. I smiled backed innocently and pretended to put back my camera to its case.

We walked as we talked about the sunrise, the weather and other useless, insignificant forgotten things including the white sands of Bora as if its the first time we've noticed that Bora has powdery white sands! Haller?!

His name is Mark while I am always Christine to strangers. Guys, don't give him credit just because I remembered his name. Its just that his name is the same as that of one of my favorite brothers. I have 3 favorite brothers, you know. Anyway, he is a cutie. No, not him. My brother Mark is a cutie. Hehehehehe!

He must have been upset when my phone couldn't stop ringing but he didn't show it. He waited until I finished taking all my calls from both here and overseas. I supposed they placed a wager on who can call me first. My mama beat them all!

As we started our walk he asked for my number and I gave him the first 10 numbers that came to my mind. A fake name and a non-existing phone number! Sounds fun!

We ended our morning walk with him asking me if he can wait by my resort's gate the following morning so that we can have another sunrise viewing galore. I said, "Yeah, sure. Fine."

N.B. On the morning of my 32nd birthday a prophecy involving the Charmed Ones happened. Many centuries ago it was prophesied that the Charmed Ones will each get involved with 3 different creatures with the same name. While Ionnie is set marry her whitelighter on May 17, 2008 named Mark, Kit's ex-bf who came from the royalty of demons was also known as Mark. Well, I just told you about the human being named Mark I met in Boracay.

Blessed Be.