HOW TO LIVE A LIFE

It is only when we truly know and understand that we have a limited time on earth and that we have no way of knowing when our time is up that we will begin to live each day to the fullest, as if it were the only one we had.

Minsan naiisip ko na paano kung hindi ko maabot ang aking mga pangarap o minimithi sa buhay? Di ko pa nararanasan ang buhay at kakasimula ko palang lumakbay patungo sa totoong buhay. Marami pang mga bagay at pangyayari ang hindi ko nasaksihan at kaunti pa lang ang mga pagkakamali ang aking nagawa. Hanggang sa ngyon at di pa ganun kahirap ang buhay at wla pa akong kasalanang pinagdusahan.Siguro sabi ng iba, sira na ba ang ulo ko or napaka weird ko naman kung gugustuhin at hinihintay ko pang mangyari ang mga bagay na iyon. Pero para sa akin, dito ko lang masusukat kung gaano ako katatag at may natutunan ba ako sa dalawang dekadang paglalakbay ko sa mundong ito.

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Paano kung mamatay na ako ng di man lang ako nakapunta sa Boracay o Dumaguete? Di man lang ako nagkaroon ng isang 3G Phone; nakapunta sa bilanguan; nakasulat ng isang nobela; natapos ang aking Masteral; at marami pang iba.

I decided to go to Greenhills to relax for a stressful day I had yesterday. My problem in Greenhills is that I feel that I am cheated in every transaction that I made to the 'tinderas' because I'm not good in 'tawaran. My initial plan is to buy some shirts for my younger brother but at the end I got 3 shirts and a jacket for myself and nothing for my brother. As I'm hving my dinner, my younger brother called me and informed me that my Lola is in the ICU. Hope she recovers soon. My lola is 84 years old and she has an Alzheimers disease

Friday Home-Buddy
I arrive at around 6:00 in the evening last Friday in Angeles City and went straight to a shopping mall in the community. Met a former classmate outside and my tatayin the grocery store. Bought some groceries and snacks for the weekend and went to my favorite shawarma store in Nepo Mart. In the Shawarma Store, i met my former co-workers who also waits for their orders. Have a little chat bout their work and my life here in Manila. After eating, went to Lola's house and ate spaghetti for dinner. Old friends texted me and told me that they were in Balibago, a nightlife district in Angeles. I decided to stay home and relax with my new CDs and browse all the channels in Television. I really missed watching TV.Got to watch Reunion Special of Survivor Panama, some shows in cable television and friday edition of PBB. I slept around 12:30 and hoping that I would have a nice weekend ahead.

Saturday

I slept almost the whole day. I wake up at around 11 am and a college friend came over to my lola's house in the evening and got a little "kwentuhan" about our lives after college and whats up with the life of our former classmates. Also, I got a new haircut.

Sunday

I wake up at around 10:00 and bought the Sunday newspaper(PDI). Just stayed home and went to church in the afternoon.Also, got a text from Christian, a friend from Parangsae camps, inviting me to trek in Mt Pinatubo crater next weekend. My kuya arrived from Manila and met two friends in my lola's house before going to the bus station.Chad and Forever are my former classmates in college and I really missed hanging out with them. Chad is still working in Clark while Fore is now in Ortigas. Hope that I can meet my former classmates in the next few months. I arrived Quezon Ave at 11:00pm and went to Mc Donalds for the late dinner.

It was a musical weekend for me. I got the copy of Sitti and UpDharmaDown's CD last friday before I went home to Angeles. Sitti, the new babe of Bossa Nova, with her new album,'Cafe Bossa', was as refreshing as her looks. She's not that excellent vocally compared to the older Bossa Nova artists but the new genre presented to Pinoy audience is enough to appreciate her music . Almost all her songs are covers from different foreign Bossa Nova artists and only one song is original and written in Tagalog entitled "Para sa Akin". I got interested to Sitti since I read the feature article last 2 weeks ago in Sunday Inquirer Magazine. She's a UP grad and lounge singer in a Hotel before she was discovered in MTV Supahstar, a singing contest.

The other CD is the UpDharmaDown album. I really like the techno-pop music they have and the African-European mixed voice of the vocalist. I really love their 1st single entitled "Pag-agos". Nice music and nice band, this is what UpDharmaDown is all about.

At sa aking pagkubli
Hampas ng araw pagdamdam ng gabi
Tulog ang iyong mga kamay
Di nako makapag antay

Isang umaga muling aahon
At sisikat sa mga panahon
Na tayong pang dalawa
Masayang pagsasama

Buong araw ng pag-agos
Kailan ang huling unos
Di alam kung tatakbo
Kusang lalayo sayo

Isang umaga muli ng pag-iisa
Walang mayakap at makasama
Pusong pilit na sinugatan
Landas kong karaniwan

Labels: Music

Im thinking of resigning and finding a new job. I don't have problems with my current work and my colleagues are quite good. But, thinking of a new environment and workload is appealing to me these days. Yesterday, I want to 'restart' my life;Want to 'debug' all the mistakes that i made; I want to 'defragment' my priorities and I want to 'reformat' all the flaws that I have. But thinking all this things, ayaw kong isugal kung anong meron ako ngayon. The opportunities that I have now are enough for me. Got an invitation for interview in Mapua for an IT professional position, an Advertising Company and an International School but I'm still thinking if I will confirm my attendance to them.

Volunteerism 101
I got an email from VSO Bahaginan, a volunteer organization, and told me that they can't process my application since their looking for 25 years old above.They asked me to apply again in the next two to three years. Nowadays, I really want to commit myself in volunteering and helping others. I want to experience life. I want to know other people's lives. "Gusto ko maranasan ang pakikipagkapwa-tao".

Back to School?
My Kuya is asking me to enroll again in my Graduate Studies in UP this coming semester. Ive been on leave since last semester and I don't have plan in going back to school this June. My workload is too bad this coming months and I need to sacrifice Grad School for my work.

Its not easy wearing PinK
I woke up at around 6:45 today and noticed that I don't have clean clothes anymore for work. I got this old Pink Shirt from my younger brother and wore it today in my work. Just walking out of the dormitory to the 'Attendance Clock' station, 3 persons have greeted me a good morning and a 'nice pink shirt comment'. I don't know if that is a compliment from them or it just shows the Pinoy's "why do you wear pink" attitude. In pinoy culture, if a man wears pink, he maybe gay while, when a man wears a 'black rock shirt', he's straight. My sexuality has never been a problem to me but I think it has been for other people. Hope that mentallity will change as time goes by.

Labels: Pisay, Senti Mode

During my college days, I've been a member of our University Student Publication for 3 years. I become a regular staff writer to News Editor in my last year. This is the time where I met different student writers and established writers of the country. Every year, we had our National Writing Workshop sponsored by our publication and this is the time where I met these great writers; National Artist and Magsaysay Awardee for Literature F. Sionil Jose; UP Professor and writer of "Bulaklak ng Maynila" Domingo G. Landicho; One of the greatest poetess of the country Ophelia Alcantara Dimalanta; Rock Band frontman, Lourd De Veyra and others. I'm not a good writer but I can say that I develop the passion of literary writing during that time. This poem was written 2 months after my graduation day. I remember that I wrote this poem because it was a too boring that time in my first job and inspired with my 20 years of living my life.

"Dalawang Dekada"

Sa muling pagbubukang-liwayway
sabay nating ipinta ang mga kalawakan
iguhit ang kapalaran,
ihulma ang magiging buhay,
at lumikha ng makabuluhang karanasan.

Oo, isasabay kita sa aking paglipad.
Makikilakbay sa mga agila sa kagubatan at
at lalandasin ang mga pulo-pulong ulap.

Ating lalanghapin ang simoy ng dagat at
at pakikinggan ang mga halakhak nina Maliari't Sinukuan.

Sana nga.
Sana.

Ngunit sa pagsapit ng dapithapon
sabay naman nating makakalimutan ang mga pangarap
isara ang aklat ng kapalaran,
pansinin ang wasak na buhay,
at waldasin ang mga karanasang walang kabuluhan.

Tama.

Tama, `di kita isasabay habang buhay.
Iiwan kita sa aking paglalakbay sa kagubatan at
at Mag-isa akong lalandas sa mga pulo-pulong ulap.

Sa aking paglanghap sa simoy ng dagat
Sana'y pakinggan nina Maliari't Sinukuan ang mga pangarap at pag-asa.
Sana' ibigay ang kapalaran na ako'y maghihintay ng bagong bukas.

Dalawang dekadang pakikibuno sa malalamig mong rehas,
pakikibaka sa liwanag ng kadiliman.

Kailan
Kailan nga ba
masisilayan ang pagbubukang-liwayway
makikisalo sa pagda-dapithapon

Dalawang dekadang
nangarap,
umasam,
umasa.

nabigo.

I really missed writing espescially writing a personal column. Good to powertrip sometimes since you have all the freedom to write what is on your mind. I missed 'column fight' with other college publication writers and the good and bad comments from classmates, teachers and friends.

I went to UP yesterday after a long hours of deciding whether I'm going to UP for jogging or getting an haircut in the mall. With the texts from the people in my my phonebook, 5 out of 6 replied that I must go to UP instead of getting an haircut. So, I proceeded to the plan of jogging in UP area. I arrived at around 6:00 and started the session by stretching in Quezon Hall. I just finished 3 rounds of walking,running, and jogging in the Academic Oval and decided to have my dinner afterwards. My initial plan is to eat in Roddicks (UP Shopping Center) with their famous TapSilog but I noticed a new canteen in front of them. So, I went to this new place and went to the second floor. I ordered a korean spicy chicken, an extra rice and C2 ice tea for my drinks. As Im waiting for my order, I noticed this couple having the 'outburst' of tehir love with each other a.k.a. PDA.heheheh. What a hell,,Im hungry but I was shocked and thrilled(?) with the French Kissing part. Hope that they had a nice evening ahead of them after the 'eating out' part in the canteen.

My problem almost everyday is what to eat during dinner. Living alone here in Manila is very different when i still living with my family. Food then is no problem because you know that there will be one person that will prepare for you. Now, just deciding where and what to eat is a major problem. A typical week for me is...Sunday evening is Mc Donalds in Quezon Ave; Monday evening is either SM North fastfood or foodcourt; Tuesday is Shangrila or Megamall foodcourt(Steak Express usually);Wdenesday is UP Diliman(Roddicks) or Philcoa (Ihawan); Thursday is ALWAYS to be Chowking(Lauriat);Friday will be either Pizza, Barbeque or shawarma in Pampanga.


Yesterday, I went to Ortigas area and decided to eat grilled seafoods. Before going to the Shangrila foodcourt, I went to Powerbooks on the fourth(or fifth)floor just to check out Newsbreak magazine. Unfortunately, the saleslady told me that they don't have that magazine and she added that she don't even know that if there is such kind of magazine in circulation. Went to a stall inside Shangrila and luckily, the seller told me they do have the copy. After the I paid, I proceeded to the foodcourt and passed by Linea Italia/Uomo store since I noticed a big 70% Sale Advertisement. I Bought a Italian made signature polo and I can't believe that I purchased for $%^# pesos. Ater I went out to the store, I realized that how expensive it is eventhough it is less 70% off to the original price. I need to go home at around 9:30 but the most stressful part is riding the MRT because a lot of people is riding the train on that time.(got this pic from this site..it was really a nice camera shot.

Last night, I decided that I will update my blog. Im feeling exhausted for the last weeks thinking about what will happen to my life this year. I turned 23 last few weeks ago and now, im trying to assess what had happen to my life for the past two decades. I can say that I have a successful career compare to my college batchmates. Working in the most prestigious high school in the country is one good accomplishment. It will help me to succeed in my career path in the future. But sometimes, I feel that accomplishemts and achievements are too slow if weight agains the speed of time. The fast paced of life, slow economy and limited opportunities are just few reasons to worry about. I want to be successful and I'm afraid to lose the battle of life. I promised myself that I will do my best to succeed!

Working 7 hours in front of a computer is not a satisfying job. Reading blogs accessed by the students is one of my short break. Reading their life and everyday experiences is somehow an enjoying hobby. Sometimes I see myself with these young people. In their such a young age, problems and shortcomings occur. But as we move on, we learned things and use this ideas in the future. I decided to create a blog site to share my life and hoping that people will enjoy in "how to live a boring life" that I have. Hope that I can share my everyday experience and hoping that someone will read and be inspired(?) to these experiences (that is the essence of a blog actually :-)