The End of the World?

So, it is the end of the world today huh? I was just informed by an officemate yesterday, so I might as well die today if it is really true then. But no, I am still here, alive and typing! I guess the end of the world is postponed isn’t it? No, Mr. Google told me that today is the Judgement Day, the commencement of the end of the world and on October 31, 2011 is the actual closing stage. I think I am still given more than 5months to repent for my sins. I just hope it’s enough time to accommodate all my sins because as I see it, I should be given a year.

So out of interest, I surf the internet for further information on this very famous proclamation (and maybe additional tips on how will I survive just in case) to know who or what promoted this event. Then I found out that the major voice is a man named Harold Camping, an 89-year-old founder of a radio station in the US called Family Radio Worldwide and who is by the way, has total assets of $120m from the generous donations of his listeners. Considering this, I think I would like to copy his business style. I’ll make people finance a tabloid wherein I’ll announce that the aliens are coming and they’ll live with us after the end of the world – hopefully, desperate people would donate large amount of money for that cause. Probably that would make me rich, how do you see that?

There was also this 60year old man named Robert Fitzpatrick who spent his lifetime savings just to write and self-published a book called “The Doomsday Code” letting us know when the world would end and why. Now, I am a little afraid here. After Nostradamus, why are there more and more people declaring when will be the end of the world? I suppose that this people had a troubled childhood and that they never enjoyed life as much as we did. Maybe this people were either psychotic or they just wanted doomsday by bothering our life with some mathematical analyzation of the events in the Bible.

One more “numerological proofs” handed down by these so called end of the world experts is a verse from the Bible on Genesis 7:4, when God said to Noah: "Seven days from now I will send rain on the earth for forty days and forty nights, and I will wipe from the face of the earth every living creature I have made." They recognize this verse as one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day." The flood occurred in 4990 BC. Seven thousand years later is 2011. If these were all true, then we should just rely on numerological orders to know who’s going to win the American Idol.

If Harold and Richard is just reading this blog, I would like to tell them that their so called “end of the world” fits only to them because they were just struggling, frustrated old men who will die sooner than us young bloods. And we are enjoying the life that God is giving us so we never wished it will end like today. Personally, I don’t like this world to end today because I still have plans of hitting the cinema later on and I don’t want to die trapped inside a very dark cold room with bunch of puffed corns and coke messing over my new hairdo.

Simply put, life could end any time as it could start any day. Let the world end, but don’t try to announce it - nobody has the right to. ONLY GOD KNOWS.

After the Rain

“Tap. Tap. Tap.”

“Tap! Tap! Tap! Tap! Tap!”

That heavy tapping on our galvanized metal sheets roof is now overpowering my hasty typing on my laptop’s keyboard. The rain drops really hard it reminds me of how I love those tiny drops of water from the sky when I was a kid:

·      Stick my tongue out and catch the rain hoping it would quench my thirst.

·      Fill a pail of rainwater then take a bath out of it.

·      Run barefoot under the rain and feel the slippery mud as it tickles my little feet.

When I grew up, things change a little. It’s more than just playing outside under the rain; it’s now about how I interpret the rain in relation to the journey of my life.

Life, for me, WAS unfair. It was when things always turned bad before it gets better. It was when during college that I only have 20 pesos for lunch when all I needed is 200 pesos for my textbook. It was when I chose to walk home to eat leftover lunch to save that 20 pesos to make it 200 soon. Life WAS indeed unfair when somebody you’re age at this time was lavishly living their own.

But that was BEFORE. Before when all I see was the dark sky before the rain and the foggy atmosphere when it pours, that life was UNDERAPPRECIATED. And even when the rainbow comes out after the rain? I was inside the house fallen asleep.  Right now, I was able to make my own realization of how life is very similar to an environmental event like rain:

• Life pours countless problems. It pours until it soaked us out – unless, we bring umbrella and wear raincoat and boots.
• Just in case you were in the middle of an empty field and you were not ready for the coming rain, prepare to bathe yourself. There will come a time in our life that trials will be unpredictable that there’s nothing you can do but to face it with all your grace and bravery.
• If you were about to go out of the house to have picnic with friends and the rain suddenly pours, then just stay inside, and sip a cup of hot cappuccino. If life won’t give you a choice to be able to face the problem, then let it be.  Enjoy that cappuccino and wait for the rain to stop, I am sure it will.
• Because the moment the rain stops, green, lively tree leaves flourish, cool winds surround, the colourful rainbow abounds. There’s a rainbow always after the rain as there is better life after the worst trial.
• Finally, we could change the first statement above: Life pours countless blessings. And when it pours, it will soak us out and we won’t need umbrella and raincoat and boots anymore.

Life’s blessings are like the rain. When it rains, it pours. 

ONE, TWO, THREE...say CHEESE!

I love taking photos, but I triple love being photographed too. That is why I think I’m confident that I’ve already mastered facing the camera at my best angle. I know that you would want your Facebook profile to be magical before sharing it but not appearing like it’s been totally masked by photoshop. Try this tested and proven camera trick to have the best possible photograph every time:

·      Find your best possible angle. Rarely do people look good with head straight on. So, when you’re in the bathroom right before you brush your teeth in front of the mirror, look at yourself first. Try tilting your head down right or left and see which side looks better. The side that flatters you more is the side you should pose in front of the camera.

·      Apply make-up heavier than usual. The camera lights are so strong it would make you look pale on photos if you just applied lipgloss and light blush. Whatever you think is your daylight make-up, level it up to give you life.

·      Wear the right color of clothes. Make sure to wear the right outfit that flatters your skintone. Try to hold the fabric against your face, if it makes your face look brighter, then that must be your choice.

·      Do the Close-up commercial smile. When you show your teeth during a smile, make sure you show only the upper teeth extending up to the 3^rd teeth from your molar. NEVER show your gums unless you purposely do it for wacky picture.

·      Hide the flabby arms. If you’re wearing sleeveless and you have chubby, round arms, don’t face your body straight to the camera and don’t press your arms on your body either. Instead, try posing sideways with your shoulder arched ¾ to the front towards your chin.

·      Look slimmer. If you’re not conscious of your arm but bothered with your body frame as a whole, pull your shoulders back slightly, your stomach in, and your butt out. Also, do the beauty queen pose – put one leg in front of the other, and knees a little bent to make it look longer. Don’t lock your feet, it never look good on cam. Then lower your chin slightly.

·      Practice makes perfect. But nobody is perfect, so why practice? No, I’m just kidding. That was an old joke. Keep practicing by taking your own pictures or schedule a photoshoot with a patient friend and take as many photos in different poses as you want. It can be learned.

·      Prep-up. Few days before a photoshoot, sleep 8hours a day to freshen your face. Never sleep with make-up on and do the cleanse, tone, moisturize, and exfoliate once a week routine. This way, you’re a magazine cover beauty minus the photoshop.

Dreams

14years ago, I dreamed of becoming a writer – well, just a plain writer. 8years ago, I dreamed of becoming a lawyer to sue my father for being negligent – well, a famous lawyer though. 2years ago, I went back to my original dream of becoming a writer - and this time, a very famous writer. I wanted to be as famous and influencing as C.S.Lewis, J.K.Rowling, Dan Brown, and Elizabeth Gilbert or the creator of the Supernatural tv series, Erik Kripke. I wanted to move people’s emotions – to make them laugh, cry, happy, concerned, inspired. Certainly, I wanted to be an inspiration.

14years ago, I dreamed of living in a big house atop a beautiful vista. 8years ago, I dreamed of living in concrete bungalow-type house with high tech interior. 2years ago, I dreamed of just having a simple house that my family could call our own. Certainly, I just wanted a house because we never had one.

14years ago, I dreamed of becoming an attractive lady with a very long, shiny, straight hair. 8years ago, I dreamed of becoming a gorgeous long legged lady. 2years ago, I just wanted everything to be just fine as long as I have a flawless skin. I just thought I was so stressed with my physical looks that blemishes on my face break out and slap me like I should be contented with what I have.

If I will do the math, which I am doing right now thru counting with my right fingers, it’s a 6years of dream shifting. I just realized that maybe my maturity date comes every 6years. That my dreams could change in just 6years! It just depends on the state where I don’t have something and I’m eager to have it. Or, the dream may not change but that’s the only thing I’ll ever wish for.  Either way, I want to keep dreaming. I dream that these dreams would come true in due time. These dreams make me whole. These dreams encouraged me to hold on, to be strong. These dreams are for my family who share the same dream with me. I know I have to keep dreaming to stay alive because I simply believe that a man without a dream is like a car without the wheels – made to reach a goal but is too useless to move on.
So, how about you? What are your dreams?

Special Things to Do on Mother's Day

A mother is like a chauffeur, cook, maid and guidance counselor rolled into one. She even can catch a lie as quick as a cop can catch a crook, and also like a backup file, she helps out when things break down. These were just some of the similes you can find on the net when you search for the keyword “mother”. Very true – a mother is a superwoman possessing no special powers but only super strengths and skills to be able to cope with the day to day domestic responsibilities. I see these super things every day with my own Mey (our lazy term for mommy, in case you haven’t read my “Back Home: A Childhood Recollection” post) who plays the computer game Dynomite Deluxe till 11pm and wakes up at 4:30am just to cook for our breakfast, then travels by 8:30am to supervise our small restaurant business. All these things, they do it for FREE! This Mother’s Day, I would like to share some simple yet special things to do for our superwoman on her day based on the answers I’ve gathered from the conversations I had with the mothers I know. These things need not be of grandeur value but it would mean a lot so that she will never forget this day.

·         Treat her for a foot massage. Her feet have been so tired from walking back and forth around the house to fix our garbage - she definitely needs this treat to pump up.

·         Cook your mom’s favourite dish; it is her turn to just wait for the food to be served.

·         Make her the queen for the day; obey whatever she asks you to do no matter how simple.

·         Watch her anticipated movie together and take care for the snacks and drinks.

·         Have her hair coloured to cover the grey hair; believe me she believes she’ll look younger minus the grey hair.

·         Buy her the bag or clothes she’s been dying to have.

·         Send her a simple or personalized Mother’s Day card.

·         Tell her she’s the most amazing and beautiful mom in the world.

·         Have your family dinner at her favourite restaurant.

·         Call her mommy gorgeous for a day.

·         Surprise her with a bouquet of her favourite flowers.

·         Make her a collage or slideshow of her photos to relive the important events in your family; if she tells a very long recollection of her stories, just listen.

·         Say these words, “I love you”.

Meeting Mr. Writer's Block

This introduction was in fact, the last paragraph I wrote while doing this article. The second paragraph was the original one. I just thought I should do some little editing before posting this because you might be confused with whatever I am writing about. This is a transition from having nothing to write (meeting with Mr. Writer’s Block) to gaining an idea later on (conversation with Mr. Writer’s Block). I do hope I made sense here for other bloggers like me who is having the same case and for my readers that expect not garbage but a treasure in reading.

When I started this blog, I was a little reluctant because I am afraid that times like this - when I am completely out of words to say, stories to tell, and inspirations to share - would leave me off guard, LOST. Facing a blank screen with a blank mind is very FRUSTRATING. It is like walking in a vast land without knowing where to go. It is like very NOW, typing any words without real ideas to compose, and deleting that word as soon as I type it.

And before I was able to finish just this line for my next paragraph, I was at pause for about 5minutes. My mind is too busy thinking what to write that it does not want to entertain other ideas if there is any which actually, there is not. The song “Father and Son” is my background music telling me to “...just relax, take it easy...”. Now what? How would I finish this article if all this time, there really is nothing to write? Well, I think I already met Mr. Writer’s Block. Not nice meeting you sir. Oh, Mr. Writer’s Block, I don’t want to meet you but why come?

On second thought, I think I’d love to have a clever discussion with you after all. Could we do it like the way I wrote my drama script for Literature class? So here it goes:

Mr. Writer’s Block: So what should we talk about? I actually have nothing to say?

Me: I know. That is why I am trying to talk to you about anything so that eventually, you will be turned off with me and go.

Mr. W.B.: No, I am not going away until you’ve learned to cope with me. I don’t come as often as you think, but when I come, you surely won’t like it.

Me: Hmm...Could you even give me just a little hint how to avoid you?

Mr. W.B.: Simple. Stop writing and let your mind rest a little. I am not friendly you know, but I do care for your brains. Without them, you won’t recognize me.

Me: But, I’ve been with you for almost a week now, you should leave!

Mr. W.B.: May I ask what did you do for that whole time I’ve been with you?

Me: Well, I went to work, went home, face a blank screen, sleep and do it again the next day.

Mr. W.B.: So there it is! My lady, all you have to do is STOP, LISTEN, and LOOK around. Take a break. Stop cramming. Listen to what your heart is saying. And, look around for inspiration - they might be on the other side of the road, you just need to take a closer look.

Me: I think you are right. Maybe, I was just buried in my own routine that I forgot to discover the very conspicuous inspirations happening around me.

Mr. W.B.: Very good. I think you don’t need me now. If ever I get to come across you again, remember: STOP, LISTEN, and LOOK AROUND.

Inspirational Videos

Surfing the web for some inspirational ideas, I've encountered these videos which put me on the verge of crying (ok, I did cry). Some of you might have watched it already but I suggest watching it again, it's never tiresome in fact, heart-warming.

"Free Hugs in Amsterdam" is really cute it makes you smile. I even thought of making my own documented "Free Hugs in General Santos City".

This video is entitled "Are you going to finish strong?” It's a little funny at first but as you laugh, prepare yourself to cry. It's a story of never giving up.

In doing what you really, really want, Enthusiasm is just your key same as Jason McElwain, the autistic basketball player.

The video itself tell the inspirations to enlighten our day.


And of course, the story of true friendship and love...