ghostwriter

2007-07-20T06:45:00.001-07:00

You Are an Alpha Female

Powerful, confident, and successful - you are definitely a dominant force.
You control social and dating situations. It's clear that you're always in charge.

Are You an Alpha Female?

meg's communcation strategy

2007-07-20T06:39:00.000-07:00

You Communicate With Your Ears

You love conversations, both as a listener and a talker.
What people say is important to you, and you're often most affected by words, not actions.
You love to hear complements from others. And when you're upset, you often talk to yourself.
Music is very important to you. It's difficult to find you without your iPod.

How Do You Communicate?

ON MY ROMANCE WITH RADIO

2007-06-25T16:53:00.000-07:00

I hope you know, I hope you know
That this has nothing to do with you
It's personal, Myself and I
We've got some straightenin' out to do
And I'm gonna miss you like a child misses their blanket
But Ive got to get a move on with my life
Its time to be a big girl now
And big girls don't cry
Don't cry
Don't cry
Don't cry

The path that I'm walking
I must go alone
I must take the baby steps until I'm full grown
Fairytales don't always have a happy ending, do they
And I foresee the dark ahead if I stay

Well be playmates and lovers and share our secret worlds
But its time for me to go home
Its getting late, dark outside
I need to be with myself and center clarity
Peace, Serenity

I hope you know, I hope you know
That this has nothing to do with you
It's personal, Myself and I
We've got some straightenin' out to do
And I'm gonna miss you like a child misses their blanket
But Ive got to get a move on with my life
Its time to be a big girl now
And big girls don't cry
Don't cry
Don't cry
Don't cry

MORE!

2007-06-17T18:29:00.000-07:00

There is more to us than just the jobs we hold.

Each person has a story to tell, a hope to fulfill, a dream to achieve.

your love is extravagant

2007-06-04T16:24:00.000-07:00

evermore

2007-05-30T21:45:00.001-07:00

The Stand- Joel Houston

2007-05-30T21:42:00.000-07:00

My song lineup for June 2's Youth Conference

2007-05-29T17:11:00.000-07:00

FOR ALL YOU’VE DONE

My savior Redeemer
Lifted me from the miry clay
AlmightyForever,
I will never be the same

Cause You came here
From the everlasting
To the world we live
The Father’s only Son

You lived
You died
You rose again on high
You opened the way
for the world to live again
Hallelujah, for all You’ve done

BETTER THAN LIFE

Better than the riches of this world
Better than the sound of my friend's voices
Better than the biggest dreams of my heart
And that's just the start
Better than getting what I say I need
Better than living the life that I want to
Better than the love anyone could give
Your love is

You hold me now in your arms
And never let me go

You oh lord make the sun shine
And the moon light in the nightsky
You give me breath and all your love
I give my heart to you because
I can't stop falling in love with you
I'll never stop falling in love with you
I can't stop falling in love with you
I'll never stop falling in love with you

NOW THAT YOU’RE NEAR

I stand before You, Lord
And give You all my praise
Your love is all I need
Jesus, You're all I need
My life belongs to You
You gave Your life for me
Your grace is all I need
Jesus, You're all I need

Hold me in Your arms
Never let me go
I wanna spend eternity with You

(Chorus)
And now that You're near
Everything is different
Everything's so different, Lord
And I know I'm not the same
My life You've changed
And I wanna be with You
I wanna be with You

And I will sing for You always'
Cause in Your presence God is where I wanna stay

AWESOME IN THIS PLACE

Here in this house of the great King
We come together now to worship Him
This house is built on Christ our Rock
Cannot be shaken
Cannot be shaken

God is awesome in this place
We Sense his presence as we sing His praise

There is power here for miracles
Set the captives free, make the broken whole

God is awesome
He’s so awesome
God is awesome in this place

I’ve found where I belong
I'm a living stone
In this houseI will grow

I CAN ONLY IMAGINE

I can only imagine
What it will be like
When I walk By your side
I can only imagine
What my eyes will see
When your face Is before me
I can only imagine

(Chorus)
Surrounded by Your glory,
what will my heart feel
Will I dance for you Jesus
or in awe of you be still
Will I stand in your presence
or to my knees will I fall
Will I sing hallelujah,
will I be able to speak at all
I can only imagine

I can only imagine
When that day comes
And I find myself
Standing in the Son
I can only imagine
When all I will do
Is forever Forever worship You
I can only imagine

ONE DESIRE

You gave it all for me
My soul desire, my everything
And all I am is devoted to You
How could I fail to see
You are the love that rescued me
And all I am is devoted to You

And oh, how could I not be moved
Lord here with You
So have Your way in me
Cause Lord, there is just one thing
That I will seek

(Chorus)
This is my cry
My one desireIs to be where You are, Lord
Now and forever
Its more than a song
My one desire
Is to be with You
Is to be with You, Jesus

FOR THIS CAUSE

Hope has found its home within me
Now that I've been found in You
Let all that I am be all You want me to be'
Cause all I want is more of You

Let Your presence fall upon us
I want to see You face to face
Let me live forever lost in Your love
Cause all I want is more of You
All I want is more of You

I'm living for this cause
I lay down my life
Into Your hands
I'm living for the truth
The hope of the world
In You I'll stand
'Cause all I want is You

All I want is
All I want is You
Jesus

Way Back Into Love complete lyrics

2007-04-22T20:05:00.000-07:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ce_DxJFdgM4

I've been living with a shadow overhead
I've been sleeping with a cloud above my bed
I've been lonely for so long
Trapped in the past
I just can't seem to move on

I've been hiding all my hopes and dreams away
Just in case I ever need them again someday
I've been setting aside time
To clear a little space in the corners of my mind

All I want to do is find a way back into love
I can't make it through without a way back into love
Oh oh oh

I've been watching but the stars refuse to shine
I've been searching but i just don't see the signs
I know that it's out there
There's got to be something for my soul somewhere

I've been looking for someone to shed some light
Not somebody just to get me through the night
I could use some direction
And I'm open to your suggestions

All I want to do is find a way back into love
I can't make it through without a way back into love
And if I open my heart again
I guess I'm hoping you'll be there for me in the end
Oh oh oh

There are moments when I don't know if it's real
Or if anybody feels the way I feel
I need inspiration
Not just another negotiation

All I want to do is find a way back into love
I can't make it through without a way back into love

And if I open my heart to you
I'm hoping you'll show me what to do
And if you help me to start again
You know that I'll be there for you in the end
Oh oh oh

in the summertime!

2007-04-04T18:33:00.001-07:00

masks

2007-04-04T18:25:00.000-07:00

don't be fooled by me. don't be fooled by the face i wear. for i wear a mask, i wear a thousand masks. masks that i'm afraid to take off and none of them are really me.
pretending is an art that is second nature with me. but dont be fooled for God's sake dont be fooled.

i give you the impression that i am secure, that all is sunny and unruffled with me, that confidence is my name and coolness is my game, and that i need no one, but don't be fooled by me. my surface may seem smooth, but my surface is my mask. beneath the mask is the real me...confused, frightened and alone. but i hide this. i don't want anyone to know it.

i panic at the thought of my weakness and fear being exposed, that's why i create a mask to hide behind a nonchalant, sophisticated facade to help me pretend, to shield me from the glance that knows. i know that such a glance is my salvation. i know that if it is followed by acceptance, if it is followed by love, it is the only thing that will assure me of what i can't assure myself...that i am worth something, that i am lovable.

but i can't tell you this. i don't dare.i'm afraid to. i'm afraid that your glance will not be followed by acceptance and love. i'm afraid that you will think less of me, that you'll laugh at me and your laughter would kill me. i'm afraid that deep down i'm nothing, that i'm nothing, that i'm no good and you will see this and reject me. so i play my desperate game with a mask of assurance on the outside and a trembling child on the inside. and my whole life becomes a mask.

i chatter away with surface talk. i tell you everything that is nothing and nothing of what is everything. but when i go through my routine, don't be fooled by what i am saying, please listen carefully and try to hear what i'm not saying, what i'd like to be able to say, what i need to say but can't.

Hera is my name. Wink wink!**

2007-02-19T16:39:00.000-08:00

I hosted for Ginoo at Binibining Adamson 2007. The theme was Greek. I came wearing this.

alanis morisette's OFFER

2007-02-15T22:29:00.000-08:00

Who
Who am I to be blue
Look at my family and fortune
Look at my friends and my house

Who
Who am I to feel deadend
Who am I to feel spent
Look at my health and my money

And where
Where do I go to feel good
Why do I still look outside me
When clearly I’ve seen it won’t work

Is it my calling to keep on when I’m unable
And is it my job to be selfless extraordinary
And my generosity has me disabled
By this my sense of duty to offer

And why
Why do I feel so ungrateful
Me who is far beyond survival
Me who see life as an oyster

Is it my calling to keep on when I’m unable
And is it my job to be selfless extraodinary
And my generosity has me disabled
By this my sense of duty to offer

And how
How dare I rest on my laurels
How dare I ignore an outstretched hand
How dare I ignore a third world country

Is it my calling to keep on when I’m unable
And is it my job to be selfless extraodinairy
And my generosity has me disabled
By this my sense of duty to offer

Who
Who am I to be woo

In Groups of Three

2007-02-04T16:50:00.000-08:00

Meg's top three fears:

1. the unknown
2. the unconquerable
3. men who intimidate her

Meg's greatest attributes (according to her):

1. her brains
2. her voice
3. her spunk

Meg's most hated qualities in people:

1. tardiness
2. laziness
3. fickle-mindedness

Meg's bestfriends are:

1. loyal
2. smart
3. insurpassable

Meg's lifetime partner (as she dreams he would be):

1. loyal
2. witty
3. funny

Meg loves nature because of:

1. sunsets
2. the smell of newly cut grass
3. the misty smell of the morning

Meg loves music because:

1. the lyrics speak the words her soul longs to say
2. the melody soothes the frowns off people's faces
3. she's found refuge in music since she was old enough to talk

why i dont have a boyfriend

2007-01-22T20:04:00.000-08:00

You Don't Have a Boyfriend Because You are Too Busy

While a relationship sounds nice, you're strapped for timeWhether you're legitimately busy or just making excuses...... You don't give men enough of your time.As nice as "instant love" would be, there's just no such thing.

Why Don't You Have a Boyfriend?

the genre of the my life story

2007-01-22T19:45:00.000-08:00

The Movie Of Your Life Is A Black Comedy

In your life, things are so twisted that you just have to laugh.You may end up insane, but you'll have fun on the way to the asylum.
Your best movie matches: Being John Malkovich, The Royal Tenenbaums, American Psycho

If Your Life Was a Movie, What Genre Would It Be?

how sarcastic is meg gallo?

2007-01-22T19:41:00.000-08:00

You Have Your Sarcastic Moments

While you're not sarcastic at all times, you definitely have a cynical edge.In your opinion, not all people are annoying. Some are dead!And although you do have your genuine moments, you can't help getting your zingers in.Some people might be a little hurt by your sarcasm, but it's more likely they think you're hilarious.

How Sarcastic Are You?

love on the internet

2007-01-16T19:39:00.000-08:00

now, i dont know about you but i have heard of a lot of people who have come into great relationships just by chatting.

initially i felt exasperated by this for i thought no one can be entirely honest online. plus there's the fact that most of the people on the online community go to chat rooms with one thing in mind. sex. and yes they do get it- its artificial by the way.

recently i have been joining chat rooms for the mere reason that i can and i get bored on saturday mornings when i have absolutely nothing to do in the radio station on those days.

of course there were your regular originals- the sexaholics ...the arabics who you try but cant understand.. the kababayans who's rude first question goes "may cam ka?".. the americans who invite you to see their webcams for money...and the indians who try to win you over by highfalutin words even they dont understand.

hey im no racist okay? these are mere observations. and however way they approach me is fine. i try to be as understanding as i can. and i try to be as patient as i can. i also try to never be rude.

anyway in line with this thought, i would recommend that you visit a site called www.rexnfx.com.

its a website by a filipino guy named rex hermogino, who won yahoo's talent contest. he composed, played and sang a song called "Love on the Internet". he has a video of it too. its a song about a guy who "falls in love at first chat". its funny you should listen to it.

post secrets

2007-01-16T19:36:00.000-08:00

i highly recommend for you to visit this site

www.postsecrets.com

the things you find there will strike a chord in your heart and make you realize that there are so many secret lives and thoughts in the world. it will make you realize how much we should value other people.

the stupid (but true) color quiz i took says

2006-12-17T16:36:00.000-08:00

%20border=0%20alt=ColorQuiz.com%20src="

here to read the rest of the results.

bewitched

2006-12-12T19:23:00.000-08:00

its unnatural for you to still have a hold on my heart
you have bewitched it to bend to your every bid
i am stupefied and wrapped in invisible cords
unnable to find the will to stir a muscle and break free

away i must go, away i must fly

it seemed at one time i won my heart back in a battle
but you smiled as if it were you who were victorious
when we threw our swords in truce, i knew
the battle was won but it was i who lost

away i go, away i fly

an antidote i ought to find, a cure of some kind
your potent potion has left me unnerved, unsure
i sway as leaves on branches do when called by the wind
and there is nothing i can do, nothing more i can say so..

away i go, away i fly ..
to you...

2006-11-17T02:04:00.000-08:00

Meg's Top 10s

2006-11-13T17:23:00.000-08:00

Meg Feels Attractive When:

1. ... she has her hair down
2. ... she has no glasses on
3. ... she lets her guard down
4. ... she smiles and laughs a lot
5. ... she sings
6. ... she wears make up
7. ... she's at home cooking
8. ... she wears clothes she only wears to the beach
9. ... she flirts with her brain and mouth
10. ...she allows her sense of humor to conquer the world (or at least her world)

Meg likes:

1. hugs
2. movies
3. to talk
4. to be written to and about
5. to be sung to
6 to be cuddled and to cuddle
7. to be told she did a good job
8. pictures! taking them and being the subject of em
9. funny quotes, romantic stories and poems
10. fairytales

Meg worries:

1. finances
2. family's health
3 her job and how she's doin at it
4. meeting expectations (of self and of others)
5. her future
6. plagues and world crises
7. about her place under the sun
8. finding the man God intended for her
9. her friends and their welfare
10. life in general

Meg is inspired by:

1. Marilou Gallo, Mother extraordinaire
2. Oprah Winfrey, talk show queen
3. Jessica Soho, Peabody winner
4. Maria Ressa, CNN Jakarta Bureau Chief, ABS-CBN Head for News and Current Affairs
5. Christianne Amanpour, CNN Chief International Correspondent
6. Diana Spencer, Princess of Wales
7. Jeanie Derillo, Mass Comm Professor
8. Kristie Lou Stout, CNN Hong Kong Anchor
9. Eyzell Claro- Balbuena, 6th Grade to High School English Teacher
10. Gloria Macapagal- Arroyo, Philippine President

puerto galera 2

2006-10-29T22:46:00.000-08:00

puerto galera 1

2006-10-29T22:25:00.000-08:00

my highschool bestfriends!

2006-10-27T06:49:00.000-07:00

Meg's new question

2006-10-11T18:50:00.000-07:00

What's my passion?

what have i done with my life?

2006-10-09T19:34:00.000-07:00

Instructions: A. Copy this whole list.
B. Highlight the things that are true about you.
C. Whatever you don't touch is false.

01. When I was younger I made some bad decisions
02. I don't watch much TV these days
03. I love psychedelic mushrooms
04. I love sleeping
05. I have loads of books
06. I once slept in a bathroom
07. I love playing video games
08. I adore marijuana
09. I watch porn movies
10. I watch them with my father
11. I like sharks
12. I love spiders
13. I was born without hair and I still have no hair
14. I like George Bush
15. I am cool
16. I have changed a lot mentally over the last year
17. I have a Jacuzzi and a Porsche
18. I have a lot to learn
19. I carry my knife everywhere
20. I can be really really smart
21. I've never broken someone's bones
22. I have a secret
23. I hate snow
25. Punk rock rules
26. I hate Bill Gates!
27. I love Chinese food
28. I would hate to be famous
29. I am so not a morning person
30. I wear glasses
31. I don't need glasses, except sunglasses
32. I have potential
33. I'm pure Japanese
34. My legs are two different sizes
35. I have a twin (!)
36. I wear a padded bra sometimes
37. I can ramble on about absolutely nothing
38. I'm left-handed
39. I hate llamas, but I'm one of them
40. I don't like horror movies
41. I suck at climbing, but I love it anyway
42. People hate me usually
43. I love pop music
44. I hardly ever go to bed before midnight
45. I hate parking fines
46. I know the national anthem of my country by heart
47. I know more than two languages
48. I can spend too much time on the computer
49. I often want to throw out the computer in a window
50. I live on a ground floor
51. I don't like chocolate
52. I'd like to be more original
53. I've lied
54. Cocks are my favorite birds
55. I want to conquer the world
56. I wonder what happens when I die
57. I've read all books about Harry Potter and watched all the movies too
58. I love my dog!
59. I love to exercise
60. I hate chemistry with a passion and math, too!
61. I love to write but I wish I could be as interesting as some people
62. I like changes
63. I hate going to class
64. I am afraid to die
65. I hate dish washing with a passion!
66. My hair is long and incredibly curly
67. My nails are nine inch long
68. My favorite color is black
69. I like to sleep on the floor
70. I am hopeless at cooking
71. I sucked my thumb when I was little
72. I should be doing something else rather than doing this
73. I am online a lot
74. I hate government
75. I don't have a girlfriend/boyfriend
76. I'm too nice for my own good
77. I love to read, I read as much as I can
78. I don't trust newspapers
79. I like debating
80. I live in a wagon
81. I clean my room once a month
82. I'm scared of American fast food
83. I have a third eye
84. I love the beach
85. I don't trust any religion
86. I used to play with Barbies only because all the other girls were doing it
87. I wanted to be a super hero when I was little
88. I like listening to wind chimes
89. I'm very disorganized
90. My hair is long and straight
91. I earn a lot
92. I don't like spicy food
93. I keep a diary
94. I can't do cartwheels
95. I can be very lazy
96. I'm sarcastic more often than not
97. I think my hair can be annoying
98. I could be sensitive
99. I love being "ab-normal

blogthings!

2006-10-05T20:20:00.000-07:00

Your Dominant Intelligence is Linguistic Intelligence

You are excellent with words and language. You explain yourself well.An elegant speaker, you can converse well with anyone on the fly.You are also good at remembering information and convicing someone of your point of view.A master of creative phrasing and unique words, you enjoy expanding your vocabulary.
You would make a fantastic poet, journalist, writer, teacher, lawyer, politician, or translator.

What Kind of Intelligence Do You Have?

2006-09-06T03:37:00.000-07:00

I AM A TEACHER AND A WRITER, AND ALWAYS, ALWAYS- THE BEST TEACHING AND WRITING GETS DONE WHEN "I" AM OUT OF THE PICTURE, AND THERE'S A PROFOUND FOCUS ON THE OTHER PERSON OR THING IN THIS TRANSACTION- THE STUDENT, THE EMPTY PAGE.

Janine Pommy Vega

Teacher and Poet

2006-08-09T01:47:00.000-07:00

what's the point?! i work but not for me. never for me.

astig ang maging Pinoy at magpilit mag Ingles

2006-08-01T06:06:00.000-07:00

> Guys, let's call it tonight!"
> > "All of a suddenly..."
> > "C'mon! Let's get it on with it!"
> > "When it rains, it's four."
> > "Thanks God!"
> > "The nerves!" or "The nerd!"
> > "The idea crossed at the back of my mind."
> > "(name of person), eat your hat out!"
> > "This is our rooster of clients..."
> > "The more the many-er."
> > "It's a no-win-win situation."
> > "Burn the bridge when you get there."
> > "Anulled and void."
> > "Mute and academic."
> > "C'mon let's join us!"
> > "If worse comes to shove."
> > "Are you joking my leg?"
> > "It's not my problem anymore, it's your problem anymore."
> > "What are friends are for?"
> > "You can never can tell."
> > "Well well well. Look do we have here!"
> > "Let's give them a big hand of applause."
> > "Been there, been that."
> > "Forget it about it."
> > "Give him the benefit of the daw."
> > "It's a blessing in the sky."
> > "Right there and right then."
> > "Where'd you came from?"
> > "Take things first at a time."
> > "You're barking at the wrong dog."
> > "You want to have your cake and bake it too."
> > "First and for all"
> > "Now and there."
> > "I'm only human nature."
> > "The sky's the langit."
> > "That's what I'm talking about it."
> > "One of these days is not like the other."
> > "So far, so good, so far."
> > "Time is of the elements."
> > "In the wink of an eye."
> > "The feeling is actual."
> > "For all intense and purposes."
> > "I ran into some errands."
> > "Hi. I'm (state your name), what's yours?"
> > "What is the world is coming to?"
> > "What is the next that is?"
> > "Get the most of both worlds."
> > "Bahala na sila sa mga batman nila."
> > "Whatever you say so."
> > "Base-to-base casis."
> > "My answers have been prayered."
> > "Please me alone!"
> > "It's as brand as new."
> > "So... what's a beautiful girl like you?...."
> > "I can't take it anymore of this!"
> > "Are you sure ka na ba?"
> > "Can't you just cut me some slacks?"
> > "I couldn't care a damn!"
> > "what's your next class before this?"
> > "nothing in this world is perfect except the word
> > change."
> > "Can you repeat that for the second timearound once more from the top?(ulitin natin hanggang mamatay tayo.)
> > "my dad brought home a lot of hand-me-downs!" (translation:daming pasalubong ng tatay ko)
> > "standard & chartered bank"
> > "I'm very iterated! (translation:galit sya!)
> > "I'm sorry, my boss just passed away." (translation: kakadaan lan ng boss nya.)
> > "Hello, my boss is out of town, would you liketo wait?"
> > "What happened after the erection of mayon volcano?"
> > "Don't touch me not!"
> > "Hello,.. for a while, please hang yourself..."
> > "It's spilled milk under the bridge."
> > "Don't change anything! keep it at ease."
> > "Hello mcdo, magiinquire lang ako kung magkano ang kidney meal?"
> > "Out of fit ako these days e..."
> > "Bring down the house down!"

Mythological Dieties

2006-07-26T03:14:00.000-07:00

AGNI- Fire God – Hindu
APOLLO- God of wisdom, music, poetry and medicine – Greek and Roman
ARES- God of war – Greek and Roman
AEOLUS- God of winds - Greek and Roman
AESIR- Principle God of Norse Mythology
AMMON- Ancient Egyptian God – Identified by Greek and Romans with ZEUS
AMON- Ancient Egyptian Deity – later on identified Sun God
AMPHITRITE- Goddess of the sea - Greek and Roman
ARANYANI- Goddess of forests – Hindu
ARTEMIS- Goddess of Moon and Hunting - Greek and Roman – Apollo's twin sister
ASCLEPIUS- God of healing - Greek and Roman
ASGARD- Home of the Gods – Norse
ASHTORETH- Goddess of love and Fertility – Syria
ASHURE- God of War and Empire (ASSYRIA)
ASTARTE-Goddess of fertility and sexual love –(Semetic)
ATE-Goddess personifying criminal folly or reckless ambition - Greek and Roman
ATHENA- Goddess of Wisdom, skills and warfare - Greek and Roman
ATLAS- Titan – Titan holding the heavens on his shoulders - Greek and Roman
AURORA- Goddess of Dawn – Roman
BACHUS- God of wine revelry (Ancient Greek and Roman)
BOREAS- God of the North Wind - Greek and Roman
CHANDRA- God of Moon – Moon God – Hindu
CERES- Goddess of agriculture and Goddess of Corn (Rome)
CRONUS- God of Agriculture - Greek and Roman
CUPID- God of love – Son of Venus – Rome
CYNTHIA- Goddess of Moon
THEMETER- Goddess of agriculture- Greek and Roman
DIANA- Virgin Goddess of moon and Godess of hunting – Roman
DIONYSUS- God of Wine and revelry - Greek and Roman (Bacchus)
DIS- God of the lower world
DOLORES- Goddess of sorrow- Greek and Roman
EOS- Goddess of dawn - Greek and Roman
ERIS- Goddess of strife and discord - Greek and Roman
EROS-God of Love - Greek and Roman
FLORA- Goddess of Flowers - Roman
GAEA-Goddess Earth - Greek and Roman
GRACES-the Three sister Goddesses who control pleasure, charm Elegance and Beauty in human life and in Nature - Greek and Roman
HANUMAN-Monkey God – Hindu
HEBE-Goddess of youth – Goddess who serves nectar - Greek and Roman
HECATE-Goddess of Moon, Earth and Underworld later regarded as the Goddess of Sorcery.
HELIOS-Sun God - Greek and Roman
HEPHAESTUS-God of Fire and Forge - Greek and Roman
HERA-Wife of Zeus - Goddess of Marriage - Greek and Roman
HERCULES-God of Strength - Son of Zeus - Greek and Roman
HERMES-A god who served as messenger of other Gods - Greek and Roman
HYMEN-God of Marriage - Greek and Roman
HESTIA-Goddess of Hearth and Chief Goddess of domestic activity - Greek and Roman
IDA-Goddess of Youth - Old German
INDRA-God of rain, thunder lightening and war – Hindu
ISHTAR-Goddess of love and fertility – Baylonian
ISIS-Goddess of fertility – Egyptian
JANUS-God who was guardian of portals and patron of beginnings and endings. His head is shown with two faces- one in the front and one at the back- Roman
JUNO-Wife of Jupiter - Queen of Gods and Goddesses of marriages –Roman
JUPITER-Chief Roman God identified with Greek God Zeus
KAMA-God of love - Hindu
KARTHIKEYA- God of war – Hindu
LAKSHMI-Goddess of wealth - Hindu
MARA-God of death – Buddhist
MARUTH-God of storms - Hindu
LUNA-Goddess of Moon – Roman
MARS-God of War – Roman
MERCURY-God of Commerce, manual skill, eloquence, and cleverness – Roman
MORPHEUS-God of Dreams - Greek and Roman
MUSE-Any of nine Goddesses of literature, arts and sciences – Greek and Roman
NEMESIS-God of retribution or vengeance - Greek and Roman
NEPTUNE-God of the sea - Roman
NEREUS-Benevolent sea God - Greek and Roman
NIKE-Goddess of victory
NORSE-Any of the three Goddessess of fate.
NYMPH-Any one of the group of minor Goddesses - Greek and Roman
NYX-Goddess of night - Greek and Romans
ODIN-(Norse) –The chief God
OLYMPIAN-Any of the Gods on Mount Olympus
ORMAZD-The Supreme Deity and the Creator of the world. (Zores)
OSIRIS-Ancient Egyptian God of the Lower world
PALLAS-Goddess of wisdom- Greek and Roman
PAN-Goddess of fields - Greek and Roman
PENANTES-The household Gods of the Romans.
PERSOPHONE-Roman Goddess
PHOEBUS-God of Wisdom- Greek and Roman
POSEIDON-God of sea- Greek and Roman
PRIAPUS-God of procreative power –male- Greek and Roman
PROSERPINE-Greek Goddess
PROTEUS-The sea God who can change His own form at his will - Greek and Roman
PSYCHE-Wife of Lord Cupid- Greek and Roman
RA-Sun God and Chief God of ancient Egyptians usually depicted as having the head of a hawk
SARASWATI-Goddess of learning- Hindu
SATURN-God of Agriculture- Roman
THE METER-Goddess of agriculture- Greek and Roman
THETIS-A Sea Goddess
TRITON-Sea God
VENUS-Goddess of love and beauty-Roman
VESTA-Goddess of fire- Roman
ZEPHYRUS-Greek God of the West Winds.

teachers do cry

2006-07-24T03:30:00.000-07:00

I never really thought my favorite teachers ever cried. for me they were strong, bold and aggressive. Never did i think they ever had weak moments.

I dont know if there is some code for teachers never to show their tears. But i am glad they kept things that way.

Today, my student of three months, Yoon So Hee (Lisa) cancelled her class with me. She is one of my favorite students because she's always ready for a class.

about 10 minutes before my class with Lisa, my manager came to me to alter my schedule since according to her the parents are having problems keeping up with the payments for an ESL class.

This is my first teaching job. i have had students who cancelled for various reasons before- some were too busy to continue, some went off to study in other countries, and some had money problems too. Despite their absence i have been able to continue teaching the other students with out much problems.

But Lisa is different. she has grown on me. we have had many a class with funny and challenging moments. she likes being challenged and when i play real stupid she laughs and understands what im doing with her.. she still answers my questions and tries her best to compose good sentences.

i still called her today though. i called her to say good bye. i told her to continue studying English and to use what she learned from me for as long as she can. i told her good bye and take care and that i was sad to be calling her for the last time. she then said the most beautiful sentence she's ever uttered- "Thank You, teacher." i put down the phone and cried.

i sincerely hope i was able to impart the better part of me to her. i'll surely miss her.

Cheers to you Lisa!

wish on a tiara

2006-07-18T01:25:00.000-07:00

trample on my heart, you do
a bad habit you're used to
pick my heart up, toy with it
a madman who wouldnt quit

round and round i spin for you
at the ready for your cue
pupetmaster hear me cry
enough now! let me just die!

how else would you know the truth?
you stole a portion of my youth

insufferable! insensitive! insignificant fool!
i, i who love and love so deeply
you treat as if a tool.

i wear a tiara to make me feel
at least once in life i can take the wheel

Stay

2006-07-17T03:28:00.000-07:00

i want to bask in this moment with you
with time at a stand still and you so close to me
the world and all its nonsensical issues fade away
all i hear is your voice, your insights, your genius
long has it been since i found a more interesting being
and now that you're here, i've stopped craving for love
for what is love but an expectation?
It is nothing more than a desperate call to end loneliness
i dont love you- i feel more than love for you
i feel overwhelmed when you are around
my heart skips whole beats, my tongue goes on permanent vacation
there is nothing i want to do but stare into your deep brown eyes
would you cringe if i by impulse pull you to an embrace?
or would you be a dreamlover and let me burrow deeper?
I know for a fact you will not stay
the hour glass fills and i dread the day you walk out that door
in the short time we've been together
you have carved yourself into me
so much so that nota moment passes that you dont fill my mind
i crave, long, need you!
If its worth your while, would you stay? for me?

costume party!

2006-07-17T03:18:00.000-07:00

these pictures were taken during Wels Academy's first anniversary on Friday July 14, 2006!

woolah! telephone teachers rock! need i state the obvious?!!!!

Wels First Anniversary!

2006-07-16T15:10:00.000-07:00

proud to be pinoy

2006-06-05T05:56:00.001-07:00

FROM the 1896 Revolution to the first Philippine Republic, the Commonwealth period, the EDSA Revolt, and the tiger cub economy, history marches on. Thankfully, however, some things never change. Like the classics, things irresistibly Pinoy mark us for life. They're the indelible stamp of our identity, the undeniable affinity that binds us like twins. They celebrate the good in us, the best of our culture and the infinite possibilities we are all capable of. Some are so self-explanatory you only need mention them for fellow Pinoys to swoon or drool. Here, from all over this Centennial-crazed country and in no particular order, are a hundred of the best things that make us unmistakably Pinoy.

Merienda. Where else is it normal to eat five times a day?

Sawsawan. Assorted sauces that guarantee freedom of choice, enough room for experimentation and maximum tolerance for diverse tastes. Favorites: toyo't calamansi, suka at sili, patis.

Kuwan, ano. At a loss for words? Try these and marvel at how Pinoys understand exactly what you want.

Pinoy humor and irreverence. If you're api and you know it, crack a joke. Nothing personal, really.

Tingi. Thank goodness for small entrepreneurs. Where else can we buy cigarettes, soap, condiments and life's essentials in small affordable amounts?

Spirituality. Even before the Spaniards came, ethnic tribes had their own anitos, bathalas and assorted deities, pointing to a strong relationship with the Creator, who or whatever it may be.

Po, opo, mano po. Speech suffixes that define courtesy, deference, filial respect--a balm to the spirit in these aggressive times.

Pasalubong. Our way of sharing the vicarious thrills and delights of a trip, and a wonderful excuse to shop without the customary guilt.

Beaches! With 7,000 plus islands, we have miles and miles of shoreline piled high with fine white sand, lapped by warm waters, and nibbled by exotic tropical fish. From the stormy seas of Batanes to the emerald isles of Palawan--over here, life is truly a beach.

Bagoong. Darkly mysterious, this smelly fish or shrimp paste typifies the underlying theme of most ethnic foods: disgustingly unhygienic, unbearably stinky and simply irresistible.

Bayanihan. Yes, the internationally-renowned dance company, but also this habit of pitching in still common in small communities. Just have that cold beer and some pulutan ready for the troops.

The Balikbayan box. Another way of sharing life's bounty, no matter if it seems like we're fleeing Pol Pot every time we head home from anywhere in the globe. The most wonderful part is that, more often than not, the contents are carted home to be distributed.

Pilipino komiks. Not to mention "Hiwaga," "Aliwan," "Tagalog Classics," "Liwayway" and"Bulaklak" magazines. Pulpy publications that gave us Darna, Facifica Falayfay, Lagalag, Kulafu, Kenkoy, Dyesebel, characters of a time both innocent and worldly.

Folk songs. They come unbidden and spring, full blown, like a second language, at the slightest nudge from the too-loud stereo of a passing jeepney or tricycle.

Fiesta. Eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow is just another day, shrugs the poor man who, once a year, honors a patron saint with this sumptuous, no-holds-barred spread. It's a Pinoy celebration at its pious and riotous best.

Aswang, manananggal, kapre. The whole underworld of Filipino lower mythology recalls our uniquely bizarre childhood, that is, before political correctness kicked in. Still, their rich adventures pepper our storytelling.

Jeepneys. Colorful, fast, reckless, a vehicle of postwar Pinoy ingenuity, this Everyman's communal cadillac makes for a cheap, interesting ride. If the driver's a daredevil (as they usually are), hang on to your seat.

Dinuguan. Blood stew, a bloodcurdling idea, until you try it with puto. Best when mined with jalape? peppers. Messy but delicious.

Santacruzan. More than just a beauty contest, this one has religious overtones, a tableau of St. Helena's and Constantine's search for the Cross that seamlessly blends piety, pageantry and ritual. Plus, it's the perfect excuse to show off the prettiest ladies--and the most beautiful gowns.

Balut. Unhatched duck's embryo, another unspeakable ethnic food to outsiders, but oh, to indulge in guilty pleasures! Sprinkle some salt and suck out that soup, with gusto.

Pakidala. A personalized door-to-door remittance and delivery system for overseas Filipino workers who don't trust the banking system, and who expect a family update from the courier, as well.

Choc-nut. Crumbly peanut chocolate bars that defined childhood ecstasy before M & M's and Hershey's.

Kamayan style. To eat with one's hand and eschew spoon, fork and table manners--ah, heaven.

Chicharon. Pork, fish or chicken crackling. There is in the crunch a hint of the extravagant, the decadent and the pedestrian. Perfect with vinegar, sublime with beer.

Pinoy hospitality. Just about everyone gets a hearty "Kain tayo!" invitation to break bread with whoever has food to share, no matter how skimpy or austere it is.

Adobo, kare-kare, sinigang and other lutong bahay stuff. Home-cooked meals that have the stamp of approval from several generations, who swear by closely-guarded cooking secrets and family recipes.

Lola Basyang. The voice one heard spinning tales over the radio, before movies and television curtailed imagination and defined grown-up tastes.

Pambahay. Home is where one can let it all hang out, where clothes do not make a man or woman but rather define their level of comfort.

Tricycle and trisikad, the poor Pinoy's taxicab that delivers you at your doorstep for as little as PHPesos3.00, with a complimentary dusting of polluted air.

Dirty ice cream. Very Pinoy flavors that make up for the risk: munggo, langka, ube, mais, keso, macapuno. Plus there's the colorful cart that recalls jeepney art.

Yayas. The trusted Filipino nanny who, ironically, has become a major Philippine export as overseas contract workers. A good one is almost like a surrogate parent--if you don't mind the accent and the predilection for afternoon soap and movie stars.

Sarsi. Pinoy rootbeer, the enduring taste of childhood. Our grandfathers had them with an egg beaten in.

Pinoy fruits. Atis, guyabano, chesa, mabolo, lanzones, durian, langka, makopa, dalanghita, siniguelas, suha, chico, papaya, singkamas--the possibilities!

Filipino celebrities. Movie stars, broadcasters, beauty queens, public officials, all-around controversial figures: Aurora Pijuan, Cardinal Sin, Carlos P. Romulo, Charito Solis, Cory Aquino, Emilio Aguinaldo, the Eraserheads, Fidel V. Ramos, Francis Magalona, Gloria Diaz, Manuel L. Quezon, Margie Moran, Melanie Marquez, Ninoy Aquino, Nora Aunor, Pitoy Moreno, Ramon Magsysay, Richard Gomez, San Lorenzo Ruiz, Sharon Cuneta, Gemma Cruz, Erap, Tiya Dely, Mel and Jay, Gary V.

World class Pinoys who put us on the global map: Lea Salonga, Paeng Nepomuceno, Eugene Torre, Luisito Espinosa, Lydia de Vega-Mercado, Jocelyn Enriquez, Elma Muros, Onyok Velasco, Efren "Bata" Reyes, Lilia Calderon-Clemente, Loida Nicolas-Lewis, Josie Natori.

Pinoy tastes. A dietitian's nightmare: too sweet, too salty, too fatty, as in burong talangka, itlog na maalat, crab fat (aligue), bokayo, kutchinta, sapin-sapin, halo-halo, pastilyas, palitaw, pulburon, longganisa, tuyo, ensaymada, ube haleya, sweetened macapuno and garbanzos. Remember, we're the guys who put sugar (horrors) in our spaghetti sauce. Yum!

The sights. Banaue Rice Terraces, Boracay, Bohol's Chocolate Hills, Corregidor Island, Fort Santiago, the Hundred Islands, the Las Pi?s Bamboo Organ, Rizal Park, Mt. Banahaw, Mayon Volcano, Taal Volcano. A land of contrasts and ever-changing landscapes.

Gayuma, agimat and anting-anting. Love potions and amulets. How the socially-disadvantaged Pinoy copes.

Barangay Ginebra, Jaworski, PBA, MBA and basketball. How the verticaly-challenged Pinoy compensates, via a national sports obsession that reduces fans to tears and fistfights.

People Power at EDSA. When everyone became a hero and changed Philippine history overnight.

San Miguel Beer and pulutan. "Isa pa nga!" and the Philippines' most popular, world-renowned beer goes well with peanuts, corniks, tapa, chicharon, usa, barbecue, sisig, and all manner of spicy, crunchy and cholesterol-rich chasers.

Resiliency. We've survived 400 years of Spanish rule, the US bases, Marcos, the 1990 earthquake, lahar, lambada, Robin Padilla, and Tamagochi. We'll survive Erap.

Yoyo. Truly Filipino in origin, this hunting tool, weapon, toy and merchandising vehicle remains the best way to "walk the dog" and "rock the baby," using just a piece of string.

Pinoy games: Pabitin, palosebo, basagan ng palayok. A few basic rules make individual cunning and persistence a premium, and guarantee a good time for all.

Ninoy Aquino. For saying that "the Filipino is worth dying for,'' and proving it.

Balagtasan. The verbal joust that brings out rhyme, reason and passion on a public stage.

Tabo. All-powerful, ever-useful, hygienically-triumphant device to scoop water out of a bucket _ and help the true Pinoy answer nature's call. Helps maintain our famously stringent toilet habits.

Pandesal. Despite its shrinking size, still a good buy. Goes well with any filling, best when hot.

Jollibee. Truly Pinoy in taste and sensibility, and a corporate icon that we can be quite proud of. Do you know that it's invaded the Middle East, as well?

The butanding, the dolphins and other creatures in our blessed waters. They're Pinoys, too, and they're here to stay. Now if some folks would just stop turning them into daing.

Pakikisama. It's what makes people stay longer at parties, have another drink, join pals in sickness and health. You can get dead drunk and still make it home.

Sing-a-long. Filipinos love to sing, and thank God a lot of us do it well!

Kayumanggi. Neither pale nor dark, our skin tone is beautifully healthy, the color of a rich earth or a mahogany tree growing towards the sun.

Handwoven cloth and native weaves. Colorful, environment-friendly alternatives to polyester that feature skillful workmanship and a rich indigenous culture behind every thread. From the pinukpok of the north to the malong of the south, it's the fiber of who we are.

Movies. Still the cheapest form of entertainment, especially if you watch the same movie several times.

Bahala na. We cope with uncertainty by embracing it, and are thus enabled to play life by ear.

Papaitan. An offal stew flavored with bile, admittedly an acquired taste, but pointing to our national ability to acquire a taste for almost anything.

English. Whether carabao or Arr-neoww-accented, it doubles our chances in the global marketplace.

The Press. Irresponsible, sensational, often inaccurate, but still the liveliest in Asia. Otherwise, we'd all be glued to TV.

Divisoria. Smelly, crowded, a pickpocket's paradise, but you can get anything here, often at rock-bottom prices. The sensory overload is a bonus.

Barong Tagalog. Enables men to look formal and dignified without having to strangle themselves with a necktie. Worn well, it makes any ordinary Juan look marvelously makisig.

Filipinas. They make the best friends, lovers, wives. Too bad they can't say the same for Filipinos.

Filipinos. So maybe they're bolero and macho with an occasional streak of generic infidelity; they do know how to make a woman feel like one.

Catholicism. What fun would sin be without guilt? Jesus Christ is firmly planted on Philippine soil.

Dolphy. Our favorite, ultra-durable comedian gives the beleaguered Pinoy everyman an odd dignity, even in drag.

Style. Something we often prefer over substance. But every Filipino claims it as a birthright.

Bad taste. Clear plastic covers on the vinyl-upholstered sofa, posters of poker-playing dogs masquerading as art, overaccessorized jeepneys and altars--the list is endless, and wealth only seems to magnify it.

Mangoes. Crisp and tart, or lusciously ripe, they evoke memories of family outings and endless sunshine in a heart-shaped package.Mangoes. Crisp and tart, or lusciously ripe, they evoke memories of family outings and endless sunshine in a heart-shaped package.

Unbridled optimism. Why we rank so low on the suicide scale.

Street food: Barbecue, lugaw, banana-cue, fishballs, IUD (chicken entrails), adidas (chicken feet), warm taho. Forget hepatitis; here's cheap, tasty food with gritty ambience.

The siesta. Snoozing in the middle of the day is smart, not lazy.

Honorifics and courteous titles: Kuya, ate, diko, ditse, ineng, totoy, Ingkong, Aling, Mang, etc. No exact English translation, but these words connote respect, deference and the value placed on kinship.

Heroes and people who stood up for truth and freedom. Lapu-lapu started it all, and other heroes and revolutionaries followed: Diego Silang, Macario Sakay, Jose Rizal, Andres Bonifacio, Apolinario Mabini, Melchora Aquino, Gregorio del Pilar, Gabriela Silang, Miguel Malvar, Francisco Balagtas, Juan Luna, Marcelo H. del Pilar, Panday Pira, Emilio Jacinto, Raha Suliman, Antonio Luna, Gomburza, Emilio Aguinaldo, the heroes of Bataan and Corregidor, Pepe Diokno, Satur Ocampo, Dean Armando Malay, Evelio Javier, Ninoy Aquino, Lola Rosa and other comfort women who spoke up, honest cabbie Emilio Advincula, Rona Mahilum, the women lawyers who didn't let Jalosjos get away with rape.

Flora and fauna. The sea cow (dugong), the tarsier, calamian deer, bearcat, Philippine eagle, sampaguita, ilang-ilang, camia, pandan, the creatures that make our archipelago unique.

Pilipino songs, OPM and composers: "Ama Namin," "Lupang Hinirang," "Gaano Ko Ikaw Kamahal," "Ngayon at Kailanman," "Anak," "Handog,""Hindi Kita Malilimutan," "Ang Pasko ay Sumapit"; Ryan Cayabyab, George Canseco, Restie Umali, Levi Celerio, Manuel Francisco, Freddie Aguilar, and Florante--living examples of our musical gift.

Metro Aides. They started out as Imelda Marcos' groupies, but have gallantly proven their worth. Against all odds, they continuously prove that cleanliness is next to godliness--especially now that those darned candidates' posters have to be scraped off the face of Manila!

Sari-sari store. There's one in every corner, offering everything from bananas and floor wax to Band-Aid and bakya.

Philippine National Red Cross. PAWS. Caritas. Fund drives. They help us help each other.

Favorite TV shows through the years: "Tawag ng Tanghalan," "John and Marsha," "Champoy," "Ryan, Ryan Musikahan," "Kuwarta o Kahon," "Public Forum/Lives," "Student Canteen," "Eat Bulaga." In the age of inane variety shows, they have redeemed Philippine television.

Quirks of language that can drive crazy any tourist listening in: "Bababa ba?" "Bababa!"

"Sayang!" "Naman!" "Kadiri!" "Ano ba!?" "pala." Expressions that defy translation but wring out feelings genuinely Pinoy.

Cockfighting. Filipino men love it more than their wives (sometimes).

Dr. Jose Rizal. A category in himself. Hero, medicine man, genius, athlete, sculptor, fictionist, poet, essayist, husband, lover, samaritan, martyr. Truly someone to emulate and be proud of, anytime, anywhere.

Nora Aunor. Short, dark and homely-looking, she redefined our rigid concept of how leading ladies should look.

Noranian or Vilmanian. Defines the friendly rivalry between Ate Guy Aunor and Ate Vi Santos and for many years, the only way to be for many Filipino fans.

Filipino Christmas. The world's longest holiday season. A perfect excuse to mix our love for feasting, gift-giving and music and wrap it up with a touch of religion.

Relatives and kababayan abroad. The best refuge against loneliness, discrimination and confusion in a foreign place. Distant relatives and fellow Pinoys readily roll out the welcome mat even on the basis of a phone introduction or referral.

Festivals: Sinulog, Ati-atihan, Moriones. Sounds, colors, pagan frenzy and Christian overtones.

Folk dances. Tinikling, pandanggo sa ilaw, kari?sa, kuratsa, itik-itik, alitaptap, rigodon. All the right moves and a distinct rhythm.

Native wear and costumes. Baro't saya, tapis, terno, saya, salakot, bakya. Lovely form and ingenious function in the way we dress.

Sunday family gatherings. Or, close family ties that never get severed. You don't have to win the lotto or be a president to have 10,000 relatives. Everyone's family tree extends all over the archipelago, and it's at its best in times of crisis; notice how food, hostesses, money, and moral support materialize during a wake?

Calesa and karitela. The colorful and leisurely way to negotiate narrow streets when loaded down with a year's provisions.

Quality of life. Where else can an ordinary employee afford a stay-in helper, a yaya, unlimited movies, eat-all-you-can buffets, the latest fashion (Baclaran nga lang), even Viagra in the black market?

All Saints' Day. In honoring our dead, we also prove that we know how to live.

Handicrafts. Shellcraft, rattancraft, abaca novelties, woodcarvings, banig placemats and bags, bamboo windchimes, etc. Portable memories of home. Hindi lang pang-turista, pang-balikbayan pa!

Pinoy greens. Sitaw. Okra. Ampalaya. Gabi. Munggo. Dahon ng Sili. Kangkong. Luya. Talong. Sigarillas. Bataw. Patani. Lutong bahay will never be the same without them.

OCWs. The lengths (and miles) we'd go for a better life for our family, as proven by these modern-day heroes of the economy.

The Filipino artist. From Luna's magnificent "Spoliarium" and Amorsolo's sun-kissed ricefields, to Ang Kiukok's jarring abstractions and Borlongan's haunting ghosts, and everybody else in between. Hang a Filipino painting on your wall, and you're hanging one of Asia's best.

Tagalog soap operas. From "Gulong ng Palad" and "Flor de Luna" to today's incarnations like "Mula sa Puso"--they're the story of our lives, and we feel strongly for them, MariMar notwithstanding.

Midnight madness, weekends sales, bangketas and baratillos. It's retail therapy at its best, with Filipinos braving traffic, crowds, and human deluge to find a bargain.

survey on my blog too? why the heck not?

2006-05-05T05:58:00.000-07:00

1. Something purple within 5 feet of you? --chocolate bar

2. The sexiest item of clothing you own? --underwear i wont describe

3. Last person who pissed you off: -- initials? T.I-B

4. The weirdest thing you've ever heated in themicrowave: --fruit salad- sobrang tigas kasi ehimpatient ako kainin

5. How much Japanese can you speak? --nil

6. Do you look good in yellow? -- = sabi ng friend koyes other say mukha akong cory aquino

7. Do you sing? --why yes

8. Ever danced naked in front of a crowd? -- nevahthen nevah will

9. Do you spit? -- sa cr

10. Least favorite color? --i like all colors

12. Ever had Dippin' Dots? -- Yup!

13. Ever played an instrument? --yes

14. Ever had a massage? -- yes, c/o tita rose or jeje

15. Do you believe in Big Foot? -- nope

16. Ever been to a palm reader? -- yup..sayang langang sampung piso ko! (i was 10 and vulnerable)

17. Last Pez dispenser you had? - - ????

18. Had sex in your current car? -- none of yourbusiness you nosy you

19. Did you have a good weekend? - ngarag peromasaya

20. What are you thinking about right now? --i want to go on a vacation next week.

22. How is today going for you? -- alright i guess, it isafter all a friday and most fridays are good for me.

23. Any plans for tonight? -- im goin to work... haay

24. Have you ever had stitches? -- nope

26. If you could be anywhere right now wherewould you be? - - calmba laguna

27. Do you find Smurfette sexy? -- pwede! hehe

28. Current disappointment: -- sleep deprivation is onthe top of my list

29. Do you have an air freshener in your car? --no car here

30. Do you have plants in your room? --nope

31. If you could drink anything right this second,what would it be? -- cold coffee

32. Last piece of mail opened? --new york timesnews subscription

33. Does anything hurt on your body right now? --my back

34. What city was your last taxi cab ride in? --ortigas

35. Last thing you drank? -- water

36. If someone you hated died, would you laugh andspit on their grave? -- no, doing so would simplyacknowledge how big a hurt that person instilled in me. should that be the case i would be practicallywaving a white flag for that person succeeded in theplan to make me hate him/her

37. What do you want people to remember aboutyou when you die? -- that i was a person who neverbacked down from a challenge or turned back from afriend in need!!!!

39. What is your favourite drink at Starbucks? --mocha frappe

40. What’s your nick name? -- meg, meanne, ronnie,noodle, meggie, me, chicken

Better Days

2006-04-25T23:39:00.000-07:00

i never had a grandma to tell me things like these but i wish i had... read on!

Better Days
Dianne Reeves

Silver gray hair neatly combed in place
There were four generations of love on her face
She was so wise, no surprise passed her eyes
She's seen it all

I was a child, oh, abouot three or four
All day I'd ask questions
At night I'd ask more
But whenever, she never, would ever turn me away
No, no oh woh

I'd say how can I be sure what is right or wrong
And why does what I want always take so long
Please tell me where does God live
And why won't He talk to me

I'd say Grandma what is love
Will I ever find out
Why are we so poor, what is life about
I wanna know the answers before I fall off to sleep
Woh hoh woh hoh

She saw the smile as she tucked me in
Then she pulled up that old rockin' chair once again
But tonight she was slightly, remarkably
Different somehow

Slowly she rocked lookin' half asleep
Grandma yawned as she stretched
Then she started to speak
What she told me, would mold me, and hold me
Together inside
Yeah yeah yeah yeah

She said all the things you ask
You will know someday
But you have got to live in a patient way
God put us here by fate
And by fate that means better days

She said, child we are all moons in the dark of night
Ain't no mornings gonna come 'til the time is right
Can't get no better days lest you make it through the night
You gotta make it through the night, yes you do

You can't get to no, better days
Unless you make it through the night (baby)
Oh hoh, you will see those better days
But you gotta be patient
Be patient, oh baby, be patient

Later that year at the turn of spring
Heaven snet angels down and gave Grandma her wings
Now, she's flyin', and slidin', and glidin'
In better days

And although I'm all grown up
I still get confused
I stumble through the dark
Getting bumped and bruised
When night gets in my way
I could still hear my Grandma say
I can hear her say
I can hear her sayin'

You can't get to no, better days
Unless you make it through the night (baby)
Oh hoh, you will see those better days
But you gotta be patient
Child, do you hear me, yeah
Well, well, well, well
You can't get to no, no better days
Unless you make it, you got to make it
You got to make it through the night

Oh Grandma, oh Grandma
Do you see me now, lady
Oh oh oh oh oh...

to depend or be depended on? that is the question

2006-04-25T06:01:00.001-07:00

i have now taken a second job of six hours in order to augment the finances at home. somehow i feel old for it is practally an acceptance of my new role as provider of the household and head of the family.

some of you who know me might think- c'mon meg, you're working in the media, you ought to be earning more than everybody else thinks. huh! yeah right. people in the media have a vow of poverty. at least some of us lowly ones do.

i guess the reason people feel as if media people earn a lot is because of the limelight we experience day in and day out. the world has a tendency to think of mel tiangco, korina sanchez, mike enriquez or some other big time media personality anytime tv is mentioned. and when people speak of radio, its always the chico and delamar or chinggay or the triggerman that people talk of. but for beginners in the biz like me. well let me just say the people working in the offices in ortigas and makati earn more than we do.

we could have survived soley on my pay at the radio station had we no have had to move into an aparment so suddenly. i found a heap but comfortable and clean apratment just within teh neighborhood ive always lived in so it was not much of a change. but anyway teh finances had to change otherwise we's be up to our necks in debt and would not knwo where to get teh money o pay it.

so i found myself a job teaching koreans how to speak better english on the telephone. it was convenient for the company was looking for an english teacher when i came in. and convenient for me too since it is about ten minutes away from the radio station.

so now i have to endure a 15 hour work day and 3 hour preparation and travel time to and fro. i get about 4 hours of sleep aday from monday to friday. do i mind? no. i can do this. and i will because i need to.

i refuse to make my mother work. she is 55 for crying out loud and the work she does at home is more than enough for her to handle. besides she has never in her life had to work. so why start now? i am able and willing and so i will do teh work.

i am hoping the finances will be better after payday on friday. because to speak truhfully i am scavenging every cenavo i have at teh moment to make me last until then. its stressing me out.
aside from the lack of sleep - when i do get o sleep i dream of people asking m to pay my debt even if in reality i already have.

sometimes i get to thinking im too young to worry about rent payments, or the grocery or the electric bill and the water bill and the numerous expenses at home. but what can i do? no one else can be relied on but me.

ive nw resigned myself to the idea. yes, this time around- its me the world depends on... haaay

what is death again?

2006-04-23T18:22:00.000-07:00

according to Patch Adams it is-

Death. To die. To expire. To pass on. To perish. To peg out. To push up daisies. To push up posies. To become extinct. Curtains, deceased, Demised, departed And defunct. Dead as a doornail. Dead as a herring. Dead as a mutton. Dead as nits. The last breath. Paying a debt to nature. The big sleep. God's way of saying, "Slow down."

Bill Davis: To check out.

Hunter Patch Adams: To shuffle off this mortal coil.

Bill Davis: To head for the happy hunting ground.

Hunter Patch Adams: To blink for an exceptionally long period of time.

Bill Davis: To find oneself without breath.

Hunter Patch Adams: To be the incredible decaying man.

Bill Davis: Worm buffet.

Hunter Patch Adams: Kick the bucket.

Bill Davis: Buy the farm.

Hunter Patch Adams: Take the cab.

Bill Davis: Cash in your chips

meeeeee!

2006-04-13T17:10:00.000-07:00

o sa mga lalaking manhid!

2006-04-03T18:20:00.000-07:00

For those guys who doesn't know how to flirt... here are 10 tips to follow.

Number 10

She keeps glancing overAre her eyes aimed at you every time you look her way? And does she avert her gaze whenever you catch her staring? Then you might have a live here. If she doesn't prolong the eye contact, then she's probably shy and needs a little coaxing from you. Go up to her, introduce yourself, and get her talking. You know you're doing well when…

Number 9

She smiles at you.The smile is the ultimate sign of openness and friendliness, provided it is genuine. Many people force a smile when trying to be polite, but they tend to be fairly obvious about it. If she shows her teeth and has that sparkle in her eye, then you can deduce that she's enjoying your company. Your only job is to keep her smiling by smiling back.

Number 8

She goes out of her way to get you to notice her. If, on her way from point A to point B, she takes an unnecessary detour through point C (you), she might be trying to get your attention. For instance, if she walks by your table "on her way" to the washroom in a coffee shop, but your table is located at the opposite end of the restrooms, she is probably interested. Why else would she be taking the long way? If she smiles at you on her way, consider your job half done.

Number 7

She plays with her hair. Women's hair is a source of power and confidence to them -- why else would they get so devastated after a bad haircut? They tap into its power at key moments, subconsciously unleashing its seductive potential. If you see her twirling her finger through it or throwing it around, like in a shampoo commercial, then you have a potential flirt in your midst. This goes for body language in general. Some women like exposing their necks, prepping their clothes, or placing their arms in front of them in a way that their biceps push their breasts together, augmenting their cleavage. Some magazines tell women to let their shoes dangle at their toes, displaying the curvature of their feet, which men, apparently, associate with their other curves. However, if she's crossing her arms, it means she's distancing herself. Be alert.

Number 6

She initiates the conversation. Taking the first step to initiate a connection with you is a huge sign that she's interested. If she tells you something like "You remind me of someone I know," which begs a response and subsequent conversation, that's a concrete sign. During the conversation, she may further convey her interest by asking you open-ended questions -- watch out fellas, they're starting to use our own weapons against us! She might also whisper "secrets" to you, bringing your faces close together, perhaps letting you get a good whiff of her perfume.

Number 5

She laughs at your jokes. When you relate a funny story, does she throw her head back in riotous laughter or does she just look at you and say, "Is that supposed to be funny?" A big part of flirting involves reactions to the partner, so if she acts captivated by your words, you're in the green. Other reactions that convey approval include asking "really?", "wow" and opening her mouth in amused disbelief.

Number 4

She asks if you like certain activities. Does she ask you about your hobbies? Is she being more specific, and asking you if you like a particular pastime? Although she is not actually asking you for a date, it's an implied way of doing it. She could be leading up to asking you out or paving the ground for you to pop the question instead. If the activity in question is dancing, movies or dinner, then it is almost certain.

Number 3

She pays you a compliment.Women are sparse with compliments, so if she throws one your way, you can pat yourself on the back. This is especially good if it has to do with your physique, as this implies that she is attracted to you. Another way she may demonstrate her interest is by repeating your name, letting you know that you are memorable and establishing a closer, more intimate connection with her.

Number 2

She makes sexual comments. Some women like to put themselves in the mood by talking about things that turn them on. It brings out their frisky side. So if she steers the conversation to sexy topics, she could be trying to pull you into a flirting crescendo that might lead to a veritable verbal foreplay. Most times they will keep it understated and tasteful, so you should do the same. A crass slip-up is a sure-fire way to ruin the rapport.

Number 1

She touches you. When a woman breaks the contact barrier during a conversation, it is almost a sure sign that she's interested. It can be as obvious as touching your arm or knee while making a point, or as faint as having her knees come into contact with yours under the table. But you must make sure that she makes the first skin convergence. A less direct way is if she mirrors your body language, which is something women do subconsciously. When you lean in, she leans in. When you rest your elbows on the table, she does the same. Duplicating your actions is her way of showing you that she's "in-synch" with you.

flirt freely

Since some of the above signals could just be gestures of friendliness on a woman's part, you should count a minimum of four before you conclude that she is, indeed, flirting with you. If she commits five or more, your evening is set. So now you know the theory, but recognizing her signals on the spot takes time, especially when they're too subtle to be detected by the untrained eye. And though you should constantly be alert, don't get yourself into a state of tense vigilance, where you're looking for nothing else but the aforementioned signs. Keep cool, relax and enjoy yourself. In time, women's flirtation techniques will become as clear as traffic signals

what girls should never apologize for

2006-03-21T16:44:00.000-08:00

to all the ladies in the house....

1. Never apologize for pursuing what makes you happy. Even if you need to quit your job, transfer schools, or move across country, always do what you really want.

2. Never apologize for using proper English. Keeping it real doesn't mean > speaking Ebonics.

3. Never apologize for giving your best in a relationship that just didn't work out.

4. Never apologize for being successful. Only haters want to keep you at > their level.

5. Never apologize for crying. Wear waterproof mascara and express yourself.

6. Never apologize for ten pounds you need to lose. People who truly care > about you will accept you as you are.

7. Never apologize for being frugal. Just because you save your money instead of blowing it on the latest fashion emergency doesn't mean you're cheap.

8. Don't apologize for being a single mom. Babies are a blessing.

9. Never apologize for treating yourself to something special. Sometimes you have to show yourself some appreciation.

10. Never apologize for leaving an abusive relationship. Your safety should always be a priority.

11. Never apologize for keeping the ring even if wedding bells won't chime.

12. Never apologize for setting high standards in a relationship. You know what you can tolerate and what simply gets on your nerves.

13. Never apologize for saying NO.

14. Never apologize for asking for what you want in bed. If you don't, then > who will?

15. Never apologize for wearing a weave. You bought it so it's yours.

16. Never apologize to your new friends about old friends. There's a reason she's been your girl from day one.

17. Never apologize for ordering dessert. Or more than one dessert.

18. Never apologize for dating outside your race. Just because you found Mr. Right across the color line doesn't mean you don't love your brothas.

19 . Never apologize for not knowing how to cook. Even if you can't burn like Grandma you know how to order good take out.

20 . Never apologize for your taste in clothes. It's your style.

2 1 . Never apologize for changing your mind

22 . Never apologize for exercising your right to choose. It's your body and your right.

23. Never apologize for making more money than your man, you work hard and you deserve to get paid.

24. Never apologize for being you! "KEEP YOUR HEAD UP AND KEEP MOVING FORWARD"

wane the pain

2006-03-05T17:03:00.000-08:00

someday someone's going to realize what a gem i am
i will be loved for the traits i never knew
he will kiss the tears from my eyes when they fall
he will embrace the sadness right out of my soul
the love he'll make me feel will bridge oceans and plains
and it will never fade, never wane

someday someone's going to comeby and take me from this loneliness
and it will not be because we are just friends
i will be told i am the best for him

i cry and shout now for that love to come
for my strength not to be the reason
i am both desired and despised
i have all my heart to give
yet no one to give it to

try as i might to show how i feel
you just won't have me- why?
it just confirms the notion-
i am unimportant, at least to you

i'm turning away now, i hope you'll miss me
i've run out of excuses to see you anyway
but please know that you'll always be held with regard
in my heart as my one, my special, my baby- - - - - - -.

eurostar

2006-02-23T23:35:00.000-08:00

alipin lyrics by shamrock

2006-02-15T22:29:00.000-08:00

okay guys, due to insistent public demand!
for all those looking for the jeang geum and kapitan song
here it is!

Di ko man maamin
Ikaw ay mahalaga sa akin
Di ko man maisip
Sa pagtulog ikaw ang panaginip
Malabo man ang aking pag-iisip
Sana'y pakinggan mo ang sigaw nitong damdamin

[Chorus:]
ako'y alipin mo kahit hindi batid
aaminin ko minsan ako'y manhid
sana at iyong nariring
sayong yakap ako'y nasasabik...

Ayoko sa iba
Sayo ako ay hindi magsasawa
Ano man ang iyong sabihin
Umasa ka ito ay diringgin
Madalas man na parang aso't pusa
Giliw sa piling mo ako ay masaya

[Chorus:]
ako'y alipin mo kahit hindi batid
aaminin ko minsan ako'y manhid
sana at iyong nariring
sayong yakap ako'y nasasabik...

[Coda:]
Pilit mang abutin ang mga tala
Basta't sa akin wag kang mawawala
Ako'y alipin mo kahit hindi batid
Aaminin ko minsan ako'y manhid
Sana ay iyong naririnig
Sayong yakap ako'y nasasabik
Pagkat ikaw lang ang nais makatabi
Malamig man o mainit ang gabi
Nais ko sana iparating na ikaw lamang
Ang siyang aking iibigin

pa-valentines naman!

2006-02-13T20:39:00.000-08:00

Siyets Pebrero na naman! Fresh blooms will soon line up the streets and red will be the theme > color of every store you'll pass by. Kahit pa yung tulak-tulak na fishball > > stand ni Manang sa Rada may heart na, may nakatusok pang stick sa gitna, > aray.may sauce pa, nilalangaw na Manang! Dreaded na naman ang second week > ng Feb. Kahit san ako lumingon may ka-partner ang sangkatauhan. Kung > makatingin pa sila eh para bang isinumpa ka't dapat > pandirihan dahil nag-iisa ka...alang ka holding hands and ka > swing-swing the arms while walking. Kulang na lang ay makipag-plastikan > ako't lokohin ang sarili kong bumili ng roses para sa ken at ibalandra > habang naglalakad sa Ayala sabay ngiti up to the ears. Para lang > masabi na "uy, may flowers na sya, how sweet naman ng Papa nya!" Gusto ko > na > ngang umabsent ng opisina a-diyes pa lang. Siguradong ang > million-dollar question na naman nyan sa reception sa office pagdating mo > sa umaga eh "san ang date nyo sa valentine's?" Ewan ko ba't tila > napaka-sagrado ng tanong na yan na kapag negatibo ang sagot mo as in "ala > akong date" eh > pandidilatan ka ng mata with mouth hanging open ng mga meron. > Kung swe-swertehin ka ay tatapikin ka lang nila at sasabihing > "darating din yan p're." Kung mamalasin ka nga naman eh hindi ba't tila > nag-enroll > ng isang semester sa UST seminary ang mga loko at mga frustrated na pari > at madre siguro...sesermonan ako ng iba; "ay putsa p're wala?" o kaya > "ano ba kasi ang tagal mo namang magka-boyfriend, nakaka-apat na ko ah!" > (pinapabilang ko?!) o "lungkot naman" (aray ko) "kelan ka ba? Eh anong > gagawin mo sa Valentine's?" (mag-lalaba ng rubber shoes ko). "ano ba > kasing hanap mo sa lalaki, baka napakapihikan mo?" (Teka nga kelan ba > naging > parang isang trabaho ang mga lalaki at dapat hanapin, habul-habulin, > follow-up, may interview at exam) Yung iba naman good samaritan,hihirit ng > "gusto mo ihanap kita? I-set-up kita sa kaibigan ng kapatid ng hipag > ng pinsan ng pamangkin ko..." o kaya "dun sa bestfriend ng girlfriend > ng ex-boyfriend ng ate ng barkada ng inaanak ng Tita ng boyfriend ng > kapatid ng bayaw ko..." Ala akong magawa kundi mapatitig. Anak naman ng > sampung kabayong pumuputak na ipinaglihi sa alagang kalapati ni Tarzan na > nakatira sa ikapitong bundok ng Cotabato na pinagshootingan > ng pelikula ni Pocahontas o!!! I have absolutely nothing against blind > dates except for one undeniably strong personal reason...it's not my > stuff. I don't go for that thing. In short, a-y-o-k-o. Okey lang yun > actually > eh, > exciting nga, pero a-y-o-k-o. I'm not comfortable with the idea of > sitting > down with a smart ass, sophisticated yuppy, wearing a long-sleeve > signature > polo > holding an P18,000 worth cellphone from Finland in front of me, making > tete-a-tete over a cup of steaming Starbucks coffee, puffing prettily > knowing fully well that both of you should make an effort to like each > other. Or have the other like you, magpa-cute at magpa-impress or just > be > yourself and do your best to make a go at it. Because the one who set > you up is expecting to hear a nice story about it in the morning.at > kung > hindi.baka I-set up ka na naman sa kung sinong Tasyo na kilala ni > Tasya > na > gwapo daw sabi ni Tasye...ah ewan! Mas gusto ko ata yung accidental > meeting or so-natural thing na both of you are just talking, walang > pressure. Kasi mas natural na ako ang lumalabas. > Ngayon kung ka-hypocritan ang papairalin ko and wouldn't want pity > slapped > on my face, sasabihin ko na lang na may date kahit wala, pipilitin na > lang > na makipagdate at tanggapin ang yaya ng isang manliligaw na di > ko naman gusto talaga. Ang pangit naman non, unfair don sa guy, wawa > naman > sya. Ngayon kung di ako nahihiya, downright sasabihin ko plainly and > clearly without blinking my eyes "wala akong date dahil wala akong > ka-date." > Sa Valentine's ayoko sanang lumabas ng bahay. Kahit masaya ako by > being > single and available by choice, malulungkot din ako, kahit > magpa-strong > and > unaffected effect kuno ako. Minsan may urge talaga na. alam mo yon, > sometimes it gets really lonely. Naturingang araw ng mga puso pero > hanggang > ngayon kalahati pa rin ang akin...alang > ka-partner... wawa naman. Laging muntik-muntikan sasagutin ko na sana > kaso > something not right comes up, may girlfriend na pala, in love pala sya > sa > bestfriend nya, may hang-up pa sa ex nya, atheist pala, ex-man, mas > bata > sa > ken, > at kung anu-ano pa. > Sarap sanang may ka-embrace sa ilalim ng puno sa UP o kaya sa > Intramuros > Walls overlooking the distant anchored ships in Manila Bay. Sarap sana > yung > somebody would listen about my uneventful day. I want to hold his > hands > and > snuggle close to his chest when a love song plays in the FX's stereo. > I > want to carry a small umbrella during > rainy days para siksikan kami...mas close, sarap sana. I have > memorized > all > the sweet and "oh gosh how heart-melting" lines of romantic movies > I've > seen. I want to say it to him even if I don't have to stand in the > balcony > looking down at him while the moon lights our spot. Sarap sanang mag > check-in sa air conditioned room sa Shangri-La, dimly lit lang > tapos senting kanta sa background. Nakakumot kayo pareho kasi malamig, > e-embrace lang kayo, sweet-nothings, walang sex ha! Sarap sanang > ma-surprise sa valentine's day, may magbibigay sa yo ng love letter or > flowers. > Sarap sanang may ma-babatuk-batukan, aasarin, aawayin kung trip, > pagseselosin minsan, kurut-kurutin, tatadyakan, at papaamuyin ng > medyas. > yun bang lalaking hinde maarte na matilamsikan lang ng putik ang kotse > eh parang sinukluban na ng palda ng isang bading at minimura na ang > buong > earth! Yung lalaking hinde mandidiring maglakad sa putik at > mag-inarteng > lumakad mula yala Ayala hanggang Galleria kung walang masakyan. One > who > knows how to sit still and be quiet. Bottom line nyan, sarap sanang > makasama ang lalaking really meant for you, as in sya yung nawawala > mong > kalahati. Suited talaga kayo from the nicest to the worst na trip nyo > sa > buhay, > Kaso ayan wag daw piliting ma-in love eh. Kung hinde, hinde talaga, > wag > ipilit just for the sake of falling in love kahit fake. Eh di wag, > sabi > ng > mabait kung bestfriend wag daw eh. > Tsaka I'm pining for a lost love, hoping na magkita kami > uli. Kung sakali man, di pa sya nagtatanong, sinasagot ko na sya! To > hell > with Maria Clara. After valentine's day, ayoko pa ring pumasok. > Maririnig > kolang ang mga chikahan nila about their dates. Paka-pathetic siguro > ng > dating > ko sa inyo...pero sorry ka na lang eto ang sentimyento ko...wag mong > pakialaman. This is a free country. Hindi ako bitter, freedom of > expression > to (lumulusot ata ako!!) Haay, asan na ba kasi ang Romeo ko. Where art > thou oh Romeo, my Romeo? (baka nalaglagan ng eroplano? Naipit ng > barko?) > asan ka ba Romeo? > Nag-te-Tekken na naman siguro sa kanto. > tsk-tsk-tsk

*** this post is lifted from a bulletin post on friendster. there was no byline so im just trying to make it clear this is not my writing but i can REALLY relate to it... funny!

re-issue: for valentine's day

2006-02-12T16:20:00.000-08:00

How Do I Love Thee?
By Elizabeth Barret-Browning

How do I love thee?
Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of being and ideal grace.
I love thee to the level of every day's
Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light.
I love thee freely, as men strive for right.
I love thee purely, as they turn from praise.
I love thee with the passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith.
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints.
I love thee with the breath,Smiles, tears, of all my life;
and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death

taekowndo jin deserves to keep her gold

2006-02-02T17:05:00.000-08:00

this piece is posted in support for national athlete esther marie "em-em" singson.

for those not in the know, she tested positive of diuretics NOT performance enhancing drugs. doctors in the sports world say diuretics can be used to mask up steriods in the body. em- em tested negative of steroids beofre the SEAG. now the reason she had diuretics in her system was because she used kankunis a brand of herbal slimming tea weeks before the sea games. she used that to loose weight to make it to her class in the games with no intention at all of cheating. it was an honest mistake and will not make her any less of a champion. she won the gold fair and square against the indonesian. i saw the game myself. she deserves to keep that gold.

2006-01-27T18:24:00.000-08:00

not everything is my fault, not everything is my responsiblity

2006-01-27T18:23:00.000-08:00

the best intentions are wrought with disappointment.

FUND FOR SPORTS DEV'T- P 28M LANG?!!

2006-01-18T16:06:00.000-08:00

ANO BA TO INSULTO?!

read my news item and tell me what you think- because as sweet and aloof as my voice would seem on the air- i am actually INFURIATED with this development. read on please

THE SENATE HAS BRUSHED ASIDE THE 2 HUNDRED 50 MILLION PESO BUDGET RECOMMENDATION OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AND THE 3 HUNDRED 4 MILLION PESOS PROPOSED BY THE PHILIPPINE SPORTS COMMISSION.

THE SENATE COMMITTEE ON FINANCE INSTEAD APPROVED ONLY 28 MILLION PESOS AS ALLOCATION FOR SPORTS DEVELOPMENT FOR YEAR 2006.

THE AMOUNT IS ONLY A MILLION PESOS HIGHER THAN LAST YEAR’S BUDGET.

SPORTS OFFICIALS ARE LAMENTING THE SENATE DECISION SINCE AFTER ALL THEY SAY THE COUNTRY’S ATHLETES DID BRING THE NATION UNPRECEDENTED HONOR IN THE 23RD SEA GAMES.

lokohan yata to eh. maybe it really is time to scrap the senate and move on to a unicameral - parliamentary form of government.

the childish political opposition block

2006-01-16T17:08:00.000-08:00

im getting tired of the political opposition. i hate it that they, who call themselves leaders and enlightened ones, are such primadonnas about everything. see, its the president whose trying to reach out to them to hear what they have to say and yet they are going to snub the council of state meeting on the 24th of january all because they "do not want to be used in photo-ops".

i guess they would rather take to the streets and cry their lungs out and get wet from water cannons rather than sit down in a diplomatic way and talk their differences with the administration out. it is becoming more and more apparent that they will only do something if they will be the the ones to call the shots.

take deposed president joseph estrada, who is not invited to the council of state meeting if i may clear, for example. he earlier said he will only attend the council if he were the one to preside. who the hell does he think he is?! he's being prosecuted for a capital offense (plunder) for crying out loud!

i also find it childish that the opposition block at the house of represenatatives' usual move to crucial meetings is to boycott them. do they actually think that by not appearing, the issues hounding the whole country will be resolved? what did they do at the height of the impeachment proceedings last year? they walked out of plenary and even threw documents in the air as they laughed heartily like it was all some joke. how do they expect the public to respect them much less follow the laws they pass if they themselves do not exude respectability?

over the weekend, the lakas ruling party held a national directorate meeting, where crucial steps for charter change were discussed. former president ramos, even if he is urging PGMA to resign next year and does not necessarily agree with all the things discussed, was there to hear it out. you may argue that he ought to be there for he is chairman emeritus of lakas. but you would have to give it to him for being a gentleman and facing those who oppose his proposals head on.

the senators also snubbed the lakas meeting last satuday. they gave up their chance to contest speaker jose de venecia's and the administration lawmakers at the house of representatives' proposals. then come monday, they cry out that they dont agree with the proposal of scrapping the senate if the charter is revised? where were they on saturday anyway?

when the proposed changes to the constitution are presented in a plebescite, possibly in the middle of the year, i hear there will be a question there that will ask the public if we agree that politicians who turn their back on their politcal party ought to be sanctioned. my answer to that is an outright YES. why? because, during the campaign period, the public heard them speak their minds out and their stand at that time was what won them a seat in government. now if i, as a voter, cannot rely on my candidate to stay put and defend what i believe in, then my vote will have been put to waste.

i, with my little understanding of the charter change intiative, at the moment agree with the proposal to change the form of government. and since the only way to do that is to make necessary changes in the 1987 constitution, i have a tendency to agree. we have been using the bicameral system, which we have found difficult when looking to enact laws. the presidential form of government meantime continues to leave the potentials of the other regions of this archipelago as last priority. if the opposition argues that we do not need to change the form of government- then why in the world cant we make the present system work?

with a federal form of government officials say it is hoped that we can do away with the manila-centric mentality and pave the way for our other cities and provinces to prosper. its sounds good to me. they say the only way to do that is by giving the local government leaders a direct hand at making reforms in their areas of reponsibility. i tend to agree.

however im caught undecided whether or not to support the WHOLE charter change intiative now that i have heard senator joker arroyo's side. he argues that the people will lose a direct hand in chosing the leader of the land- in the case of the federal form of government, the prime minister. the PM will be chosen by a select few. i have yet to find out who they will be.

it is not right that the media simply give tidbits about the pros and cons of the charter change initiative. beacause we ourselves do not always understand it all. this should be a matter made fully clear because number one its no laughing matter, changing the constitution and the form of government; two- it is going to cost millions in taxpayer money and three- it will affect the entire Philippines!

now if i, who am learned and even in the business of delivering the news am left confused with this whole mess, then what more the common filipino? i want to understand where this nation is heading and with the opposition not cooperating, they are only making matters worse! what we need is for these opposition people to grow up, face the music and tell us their side in full detail so that we can chose for ourselves which side to take. otherwise i am left to believe that the only reason they, except senator joker arroyo, are opposing the move is simply for the sake of opposing.

tunes that soothe the soul

2006-01-04T17:03:00.000-08:00

since i do happen to work at a radio station that plays easy listening music,i thought of posting tidbits of some of the most intimate, the most catchy and the most profound lines of the songs i happen to come accross... if you do know the songs, hum along or sing along- no one's stopppin yah.

> So we’re okay, We’re fine, Baby I’m here to stop your crying, Chase all the ghosts from your head, I’m stronger than the monster beneath your bed, Smarter than the tricks played on your heart, We’ll look at them together then we’ll take them apart, Adding up the total of a love that’s true, Multiply life by the power of two.. POWER OF TWO By the Indigo Girls
- maybe its the enticing tune or perhaps its the sincerity in the lines that make this song so moving, i dont know...

> I remember we were driving driving in your car, The speed so fast I felt like I was drunk, City lights lay out before us, And your arm felt nice wrapped 'round my shoulder, And I had a feeling that I belonged, And I had a feeling I could be someone, be someone, be someone... FAST CAR By Tracy Chapman
- what can beat the feeling that no matter what you'd be safe as long as your with that special person? plus the fact that this person makes you fee you can be the best you can be and he'd be there to not only cheer you on but to trudge through the difficulties as well...

>how do you block the sound of a voice youd know anywhere ......Oh, I really should have known by the time you drove me home by the vagueness in your eyes casual good-byes by the chill in your embrace the expression on your face that told me you might have some advice to give on how to be insensitive.......how do you free your soul after youve found a friend how do you teach your heart its a crime to fall in love again.... INSENSITIVE By Jan Arden -i took out some parts of the lines to emphasize the stronger points she had in the song. its quite true mind, how the mere whisper is distinguishable and the lightness of a touch lets you know how the other feels at any given moment.. like all lights are dim in the world but the spotlight rests solely on that one special person when he's near..damn im such a sucker for this song...

>Down an unknown road, To embrace my fate, Though the road may wander, It will lead me to you, And a thousand years, Would be worth the wait, It may take a lifetime, But somehow I'll see it through, And I won't look back, I can go the distance, And I'll stay on track, No I won't accept defeat, It's an uphill slope But I won't lose hope, Till I go the distance, And my journey is complete... GO THE DISTANCE By Michael Bolton
-talk about determination.. that's the most sincere lines i've ever heard that profoundly encapsulates a person's motivation to reach an elusive goal- whatever it may be.

>The way you touch my lips, Right after every kiss, And softly whisper, That I'm your everything, The way you pray Our love wont die, Every night just before you close your eyes. Baby when you sleep, I watched you breathing, Baby when you dream, I dream with you, Cause everywhere you are is where I wanna be, It's true everything you do, Makes me know how much I love you.... EVERYTHING YOU DO By Christian Bautista
- actually i find this cute and to a certain extent obsessive and possesive. but i guess that's how it should be, right? anything less and it would be passion-less love.

>I'll spread my wings and I'll learn how to fly, I'll do what it takes til' I touch the sky, And I'll make a wish, Take a chance, Make a change, And breakaway, Out of the darkness and into the sun, But I won't forget all the ones that I love, I'll take a risk, Take a chance, Make a change, And breakaway....Wanna feel the warm breeze, Sleep under a palm tree, Feel the rush of the ocean, Get onboard a fast train, Travel on a jet plane, far away (I will)And breakaway... BREAKAWAY By Kelly Clarkson
- don't we just all want to breakaway sometimes.. i myself have never done stuff i can consider breaking away.. it'll probably take an ogre to prod me to get out of my shell. but truth be told- i sure as heck do want to breakaway from it all.. today is no excemption.....okay no need to get preachy

best places...

2006-01-03T17:24:00.000-08:00

the best place to cry is.... in my room, on my bed while i hug my pillow for comfort.

the best place to read is... on the front porch with my feet up on a stool and the sun shining bright on the flower beds.

the best place to eat is... still at the dining table at our house with my mom's scrumptuous meals hot and ready for me to gobble them all up.

the best place to swim is... any beach that is not too crowded and not murky with seaweeds and full of spiny rocks.... or any pool that is not too crowded and not too murky with other people's urine.. echhh.. ( i dont mind how deep the pool is, i can swim after all)

the best place to spend the night doing nothing is... my best friend mitch's house, of course in the company of my high school friends, a bag of chips and some soda.

the best place to watch a movie... on the couch, lying down, with the lights all dim and the remote control at the ready for rewinds ( in case there's a part worth repeating and repeating and repeating - yeh know what i mean!)

the best place to laugh is... anywhere... doesn't matter- its a spontaneous thing so...

the best place to sing is.. at church, where all the voices converge for a single purpose and not to overshadow one another like people tend to do elsewhere.

the best place to run is... around the ynares center in antipolo. one round could take like a whole 30 minutes- and that's doing a sprint!

the best place to feel liberation is.. at a park, lying on the grass and feeling the sunlight on your face as the gentle breeze sweeps your hair here and there.

the best place to talk is... at a coffee shop over a mocha frapp or hot cappuccino.

the best place to write is... inside the classroom, while the teacher is trying to explain some difficult topic you're sure you'd never understand even if you really tried... or while in transit, as the traffic gets clogged so does the pages of your notebook (never mind the shift of gears, the sudden stops and the noise they call music playing on the radio).

the best place to do something adventurous is... still my mind takes me to tanay rizal, where i first did rapel and crawl on mud...

the best place to keep secrets in is ... in my mind where no one can tamper with them however there is a downside to this, as years pass i tend to forget the names, the places, and the events that made all those memories so special... also, my treasure chest of sorts, where old letters from special and not so special people are kept.. where, tickets of concerts, plays and even stupid stuff like candy wrappers are kept..

more to follow on this.. sorry, im not done yet...

aminin mo na!

2005-12-27T14:34:00.000-08:00

NUNG BATA KA:

*kumakain ka ba ng aratilis?

*nagpipitpit ng gumamela para gawing soapy bubbles na hihipanmo sa binilog na tanggkay ng walis tingting?

*pinipilit ka ba matulog ng nanay mo pag hapon atdi ka papayagan maglaro pag di ka natulog?

*marunong ka magpatintero, saksak puso,langit-lupa, teleber-teleber, luksong tinik?

*malupit ka pag meron kang atari, family computeror s-nes?

*alam mo ang silbi ng up, up, down, down, left,right, left, right, a, b, a, b, start?

*may mga damit ka na U.S.E.D., Boy London, Cross Colors, Esprit, Blowing Bubbles at pag nakakakita ka ng Bench na damit eh naalala mo si Richard Gomez?

*addict ka sa rainbow brite, carebears, my little pony,thundercats, bioman, voltes v, mazinger z, daimos, he-man at marami pang cartoons na hindi pa translated sa tagalog?

*nanonood ka ng shaider kasi nabobosohan mo siannie at type na type mo ang puting panty nya?*marunong ka mag wordstar at nakahawak ka natalaga ng 5.25 na floppy disk?

*inaabangan mo lagi ang batibot at akala momagkakatuluyan si kuya bodgie at ate sienna...nung high school ka inaabangan mo lagi beverlyhills 90210?

*gumagamit ka ng AQUANET para pataasin ang bangs mo?

*meron kang blouse na may padding kung babae ka at meron kang sapatos na mighty kid kung lalake ka?

*nangongolekta ka ng paper stationaries at mahiligka magpapirma sa slumbook mo para lang malaman mo kung sino ang crush ng type mo?

*kilala mo si manang bola at ang sitsiritsitgirls? e si luning-ning at luging-ging?

*alam mo ibig sabihin ng time space warp at di mo makakalimutan ang time space warp chant?*idol mo si McGyver at nanonood kang perfectstrangers?

*eto malupet... six digits lang ba ang phonenumber nyo dati?

*nakakatawag ka pa sa pay phone ng 3 bentesingko lang ang dala?

*cute pa si aiza seguerra sa eat bulaga at alam moang song na "eh kasi bata"?

*inabutan mo ba na ang Magnolia Chocolait eh nasa glass bottle pa na ginagawang lalagyan ng tubig ng nanay mo sa ref?

*meron kang pencil case na maraming compartments na pinagyayabang mo sa mga kaklase mo?

*noon mo pa hinahanap kung saan ang Goya Fun Factory?

*alam mo lyrics ng "tinapang bangus" at"alagang-alaga namin si puti"?

*alam mo ang kantang "gloria labandera".. lumusong sya sa tubig ang paa ay nabasa at ang "1, 2, 3, asawa ni marie"... hehehehehe?

*sosyal ka pag may play-doh ka at Lego... atnag-iipon ka ng G.I. Joe action figures at iba paang mukha ni barbie noon?

*inabutan mo pa yung singkong korteng bulaklak atyung diyes na square?

*lumaki kang bobo dahil ang akala mo nangangagattalaga ang alimango sa kantang tong-tong-tong...diba naninipit yun?

*alam mo yung kwento ng pari na binigyan ng perayung batang umakyat ng puno para bumili ngpanty... and shempre, alam mo rin ba kung anobinigay nya sa nanay nung umakyat ng puno?

*meron kang kabisadong kanta ni andrew e na alam mo hanggang ngayon.. aminin?

*laging lampin ang sinasapin sa likod mo pagpinapawisan ka?

*bumibili ka ng tarzan, texas at bazooka bubblegum... tira-tira, at yung kending bilog nasinawsaw sa asukal?

*takot ka dumating ang year 2000 dahil sabi nlamagugunaw daw ang mundo?

KUNG ALAM MO LAHAT DITO LAGPAS KA NA NG 25 YEARS OLD... KAPAG HALOS LAHAT ALAM MO, NASA 23-25 KA...WAG KA NA MAG DENY.. TUMAWA KA NA LANG... DIBA .75 CENTAVOS PA LANG PAMASAHE SA JEEP NUN AT MASMASARAP ANG MELLOW YELLOW KESA MOUNTAIN DEW?

**taken from an email sent to me by my best bud mitch monegas

let us assume you dont know me...

2005-12-14T17:30:00.000-08:00

ito ang mga bagay na di mo alam kinalokohan ko minsan....

LARONG KALYE
- agawan base
- patintero
- langit lupa
- take one
- chinese garter
- tagu-taguan
- monkey- monkey
- roller blades (haha di na yata ako marunong!)
- shato (ikaw lam mo yun?)
- taguan (sa likod ng puno- dati takip pa ako nun!; sa likod ng gate, sa gilid ng kotse, AT sa likod ng taya!)

LARO SA LOOB
- jack stones
- dampa
- scrabble
- boggle
- lego
- taguan (sa cabinet, sa likod ng pinto, sa ilalim ng kama at fave! sa cr!)
- guluhin ang gamit ng mga pinsan!
- dress up... (ateh, why are you wearing mommy's shoes?? sound familiar?)

PE CLASSES
- the best parin and SWIMMING
- soccer (indoor- malupet school namin eh!)
- track (gold ako nung intrams!hehe dati yun!)
- arnis de mano- (sayang isang quarter lang nag-last)

FAVE KO NUNG C.A.T
- kiss the Philippines (sa mud!)
- rapel (free, wall and australian)
- traverse
- guess the taste (naka blind fold)

HATE KO NUNG C.A.T
- champoradong may medyas
- pass the santol from officers to cadets
- smogasbord food sa dahon ng saging... esp pag di luto ung ibang rice at pag may halong cornbeef na nahaluan na ng bicol express.. ewwww.

MGA PALABAS NOON NA DI KO MAKAKALIMUTAN
- wonder years
- sailormoon
- doogie houser m.d (cute nya kse..)
- maskman
- bioman
- shaider
- ultraman
- teenage mutant ninja turtles
- xmen
- ghostfighter
- fushigi yuugi (MIYAKA!!!)

KULANG NA LANG TUMIGIL ANG MUNDO NUNG MA-ADIK AKO SA
- xmen
- baby-sitters club series
- gordon's gin kings ng PBA
- Fushigi Yuugi
- Monica Brava
- Full House
-HARRY POTTER (hmm.. hanggang ngyn poh!)
- meteor garden. (HAHAHAHAH!!! nan yi wanji chu chi jian ni....)
- SEA GAMES 2005

MGA KAHIT KAILAN DI KO NAGUSTUHAN
- spaghetti na matamis
- my chronic sinusitis
- maghugas ng pinggan pag may occassion

MGA KULANG SA BUHAY KO SABI NILA
- relationship (hah? ano yun? paki define!)

GALIT AKO SA
- pusa- (i hate the smell!)
- sa mga late
- (pag) pinipilit ako kausapin kahit nakitang tulog na ako. lalo pag di naman importante. hirap magdrift to sleep hah?
- kay ERAP- until now...
- faulty audio editing equipment

MOST PRIZED POSSESSION
- my education
- my voice
- my guitar

crying my filipino heart out

2005-12-07T22:06:00.000-08:00

i feel like crying now that the SEA Games is over.

once more i will be swept under the rug of my monotonous everyday routine of work-home- work-mall- home.

for 9 whole days the philippines and the lives of us who live here took a standstill as we watched our national athletes win gold after gold and battle after battle. we cheered them to victory if not at the stands of the different venues of the games then at home in front of our televsion screens.

we took in sharp breaths when an athlete fell off her routine in gymnastics. we exhaled with rage when our boxer was seemingly denied the points he so deserved. we fanned ourselves while watching our players send attacks over teh net to the opponents side.

we felt for them.

we were hypnotised.

yes, even politics was at a lull.

i feel proud of what our athletes have achieved in the recently concluded biennial meet. i also feel a sense of identity with the whole opening and closing ceremonies of the tournament. those programs proved that we DO have an identity no matter how much we, who love to debate, keep questioning it.

in fact i am that very sense of pride drove me to compile all the sports pages of the daily newspapaer as a souvenir for when the meet was over- win or lose.

it drove me to research about the athletes with a passion that i last felt back during high school when i too was caught up in the PBA's gordon's gin fever in 1998 and never again felt for sports.

it drove me to post the lyrics of biyahe tayo and posible on this blog as well as post messages on the bulletin board on friendster.

it made me sing the national anthem under my breath as i walked to work early in the morning.

i tried to get my friends to be as enthuisiastic about the SEA Games as i was. unfortunately not all of them were inetersted to check out what i was talking about. they only started to care after the philippines was hailed the over champion.

i now realize, perhaps some deep longing in me was touched throughout that week. a longing to be like our athletes- to also give honor to this great nation despite teh turbulence we experience everyday. i too wanted that chance to prove that the Filipino is worth going the extra mile for, no matter how cynical we are as a people. an opportunity to say to the world- Ito kami! magaling, walang kinatatakutan.

after the parade of honor and the victory party the news about the games and the south east asian region's new found heroes will die down and in a few days it will seem as if nothing happened.

i want to shout out at time to stop so we can all bask in teh glory that is the republic of the philippines, the grandeur that is our athletes and that wonder that is the united Filipino spirit.

but life surely has to move on for all of us. we're all talking about Garci and the wiretaps again, arent we? soon enough we'd be expecting television networks to show images of the meager christmas meal or noche buena that our poverty-stricken kababayans have. but we would blink and celebrate the holidays just the same and welcome the new year and eventually go back to our mundane existence.

i will simply have to enjoy looking at shiela mae perez showing off her 3 gold medals for diving, which at the moment has overruled hogwarts as my desktop theme. i will simply have to continue singing the Posible theme under my breath. i will have to keep opening my mobile phone to see toni rivero's smile, a picture of her i took with the camera phone from the screen of the tv. i will simply have to enjoy it while the hype is in me and until i too move on..

i just wonder, when will it happen again that we can have a lull such as the week of the sea games? when will we again unite? when will we again feel identity an pride in being a Filipino?

siguro masasabi ko na lang- sana malapit na yun. at sana tumagal...

Toni Rivero, my champion

2005-12-04T20:32:00.000-08:00

THE PHILIPPINES HAS WON THE OVER ALL CHAMPIONSHIP OF THE SOUTH EAST ASIAN GAMES!

OOH YEAH!!

MABUHAY ANG PINOY!

the taekwando jin on top is mary antoinette rivero of the Philippines who beat Indonesia's Voppy Trismawanty, ending the third set with a 5-1 win and bagging a gold for the philippines. lupet!

now, for those who do not know her here are a few articles that might help you out....

A Habit of Kicking

Posted:11:16 AM (Manila Time) Jul. 18, 2004

AT 16, any girl would be preoccupied with boy bands, crushes, makeup and clothes. For Antoinette "Toni" Rivero, however, there is little time to spend on such matters. Instead of applying foundation on her face, she is applying a wicked kick on her opponent's mug. Sweet sixteen has never been more formidable.

As the youngest member of the three-man Philippine tae kwon do team to the Athens Olympics, Toni is determined to do something yet to be done. "My goal is to win the gold medal," says Toni.

The quest for that gold medal remains unfulfilled since the country joined the Olympics in 1924. Yet if there's any Pinoy can end the drought, Toni might be the one best equipped to do so.

Like many prodigies, Toni's exposure to sports came early. At 4, Toni tagged along with her brothers Mark and JR to their tae kwon do classes at Virra Mall. She first had to be satisfied watching from the sidelines, as she was too young to participate. "She would just sit there and watch intently for two hours," says Toni's mom Marilou.

There was a pair of 7-year-old boys who enrolled in the class. Since they needed another person of relatively the same size to spar against, the instructor asked Toni to spar against the two newcomers. Toni whipped both of them.

Shocked, yet encouraged by Toni's performance, the instructors invited the girl to regular training even if she was not yet 5, the minimum age requirement.As an 11-year-old, she was beating up 18-year old males.

During the 1st Asian Juniors Tae kwon do Championship, she earned a bronze medal. The next year, she won the silver.

In 2001, Toni made history as the youngest member of the national team at only 13.She bagged the gold in the US Open Last year, Toni displayed tremendous courage as she claimed her biggest victory yet. Taking an early lead in gold medal match in featherweight division of the SEA Games in Vietnam, Toni suddenly felt her right leg cramp up. She could have panicked, but kept her composure and played smart. Playing through pain, Toni survived and went home with the gold.

Like so many athletes, Toni's success came with a price. Juggling school and sports proved tough, and her grades suffered at St. Paul's College Pasig. Her parents decided to pull her out of St. Paul's and enroll her in a home-study program in order not to disrupt her training. "You can always go back to school. The chance to play in the Olympics happens every so often and you're not sure if you'll have another opportunity," remarks Marilou.

Selected by the Philippine Tae kwon do Association for a possible slot in Athens, Toni was in Thailand for the Asian Olympic Qualifier. Toni qualified for the Olympics as she made it to the gold medal match. Though a swollen hand forced her to withdraw, Toni had exceeded expectations and achieved one of her goals.

"I couldn't describe how happy I was," Toni recalls. Part of the reason for Toni's achievements has been her supportive family. Marilou wakes up Toni and JR, who's also a national team member, at 5 a.m. during weekdays then drives them from their house in Pasig to the Rizal Memorial Coliseum in Manila to make the 6 a.m. training session. Mother then brings her kids back to the house and cooks lunch for them. She then drives them back to Rizal for sparing sessions that last until late in the evening. Marilou and her pilot husband Manuel will be in Athens to lend her support to Toni.

Since she spends most of her time at the gym or at home, Toni admitted that she sometimes misses doing the usual things that teenagers do such as go to the movies or the mall with friends, but she understands that she has a mission to accomplish.

With the Olympics weeks away, Toni's training sessions have gone from twice to thrice a day. She's been quartered along with the two other Olympic-bound tae kwon do jins at an undisclosed location. "I thought that everything was happening so fast, but my mom said everything happens for a reason," disclosed Toni.

Toni and the rest of the country might soon find out that reason next month in Athens

and so that what happened at the olympics? read on please....

HURTING TONI RIVERO COMES OUT WINNER DESPITE LOSS
ATHENS

August 30, 2004 (STAR) By Lito A. Tacujan

She fought through the pain and breaks and against a hostile crowd and came so close to winning the country’s first Olympic gold medal but she failed despite a courageous stand.
But Marie Antoinette Rivero left the luxurious blue mat of the Faliro Hall Saturday evening more a victor, particularly to a bunch of Filipino supporters who cheered her on in four rugged matches in the women’s under 67 kg.

The 16-year-old Rivero came within two wins of breaking the country’s 80-year gold medal drought in the Games but she dropped a 2-3 decision to Greece’s Elizavet Mystakidou in the semifinals before a roaring Greek crowd.

"She wanted to do more for the country, she was so close. She’s very young but showed a big fighting heart," said Robert Aventajado, president of the Philippine Taekwondo Association.
Had Rivero not lost to the Greek ,she would have won a silver outright and fought for the gold. She later bowed to Korean Hwang Kyung Sun, 2-6, in the repechage and failed to salvage a bronze.

The other Filipino jin — Donald Geisler III — also missed a crack at the bronze in the men’s under 80kg, dislocating his left ankle and two tendons in the repechage against Tunisia’s Hichem Hamdouni and had to be carried out of the hall on a stretcher.

Geisler, a repeat Olympian, earlier absorbed a verdict by superiority to Turkey’s Bahri Tanrikulu, who later took the silver. But he came out full of fight against Hamdouni, holding his own in a 7-all tie before banging his ankle to the charging Tunisian’s knee.

He crumpled to the mat and doubled up in pain. He struggled to his feet and tried to fight on after getting treatment from Korean coach Kim Tae Hyun but the referee stopped the fight. He was later brought to the Athletes’ Village polyclinic, went through X-ray, CT-Scan and Sonogram.

He now walks on crutches with his injured ankle fitted with a protective boot.
Rivero, the youngest in the RP team first triumphed by superiority over Argentina’s Vanina Beron Sanchez and took a decisive 10-4 win over the Netherlands Charmie Sobers for the semifinals that sent the nation back home all abuzz about a possible Olympic medal.

But Rivero suffered a bruised left thigh in the first encounter, injured her left hand against the Dutch bet and sustained yet another hand injury versus Mystakidou in the semis that had the crowd roaring "Hellas, Hellas‚" (the Greek word for Greece).

"It hurts. I know I could have won, but the breaks went against me. Lahat ng tama niya sa akin sa likod ng hips binilang samantalang ang mga hits ko walang count," she said.

Mystakidou loomed as the Greeks’ lone hope for a gold following the shock loss of sports icon Michailis Mouroutsos, the Sydney Games titlist, in the under 58 kg and evidently put the pressures on the judges as they came in droves for her duel against Rivero.

"Ako ang binawian, gutom sila sa panalo. I know I can beat her," she said.

Mystakidou, who was not impressive in her first two matches, raced to a two-to-nothing lead in the first two rounds with a side kick and turning back kick. Rivero, carrying the fight throughout, rallied in the third round as she nailed two offensive kicks but the former world No. 3 scored on a counter kick and won at 3-2 with one penalty point.

"The Greek showed her a lot of respect. It was low scoring contest and she was calculating and more cautious against Toni than against the Chinese in the final," said Aventajado.
By the time Rivero fought the Korean, she was hurting all over and bucking rush of fatigue. Mystakidou eventually took the silver, losing to world champion Wei Lou in the final while Hwang won the bronze.

The young Pinay jin then left the hall and broke down in tears.

"When she was fighting she looked to me taller and stronger. On the way home to the village I realized she was just a girl," Aventajado said.

Her heartbreaking loss had given her firm resolve to take a shot at the next Olympics. "I’m more determined now to work harder to earn a slot for Beijing."

Overall, the taekwondo jins made an impact on the RP campaign despite failing to medal in their respective events, Aventajado added, noting that Tshomlee Go made a remarkable stand against Spanish former champion Juan Ramos in the under 58 kg while Geisler had lost only on superiority over Tanrikulu before injuring his ankle in the bout versus Hamdouni.
Hamdouni went on to drop his next match to Yossef Karami who won the bronze while American Steven Lopez retained his title in the event.

"I’m proud of these young men and woman representing our country. I’m happy with their performance for it shows we have the materials but not the breaks," he said.
Philippine Olympic Committee president Celso Dayrit and PSC chair Eric Buhain also praised Rivero’s stirring performance.

"She fought bravely, she gave her best and there’s nothing we could ask for," said Buhain.
With the setback of the taekwondo jins, Team RP closes yet another fruitless campaign for an Olympic medal, the loss more galling with the successes chalked up by its neighbors Thailand, Indonesia and Chinese-Taipei.

The Thais enjoyed a great Olympics with three golds so far. They have won two in women’s weighlifting and one in boxing with another pug still in contention in the final day, the Taiwanese copped two golds in taekwondo while Indonesia won a gold in men’s badminton through Hidayat Taufik.

AND NOW SHE HAS PROVEN HERSELF WITH ANOTHER GOLD IN THE NEWLY CONCLUDED SEA GAMES. .. GALING! MAYBE NEXT TIME IT WOULD BE A GOLD IN THE OLYPICS NA TALAGA..... WE'LL HAVE TO WAIT AND SEE NOW WONT WE?

posible by rivermaya

2005-12-01T20:54:00.000-08:00

Posible kayang labanan
Ang agos ng paghamon
Mabuwal at madapa man
Sabay tayong aahon

Posible kayang mabura
Alinlangan sa sarili
Ang tapang sa loob makikita
Taglay mo ang dugong bayani

Sulong
Laban
Huwag uurong
Pakinggan sa iyong puso
Ang sigaw na dating bulong

Posible!

Posible kayang matikman
Ang isang gintong minimithi
Sa kagat ng bawat laban
Magtatagumpay kang muli

Sulong
Laban
Pilipino!
Pakinggan sa iyong puso
Ang sigaw na dating bulong

Posible!

Biyahe tayo!

2005-12-01T20:31:00.000-08:00

Ikaw ba'y nalulungkot
Naiinip, nababagot?
Ikaw ba'y napapagod
Araw gabi'y puro kayod?

Buhay mo ba'y walang saysay
Walang sigla, walang kulay?
Bawa't araw ba'y pareho
Parang walang pagbabago?

Tara na, biyahe tayo
Kasama ang pamilya
Barkada at buong grupo
Para mag-enjoy nang todo.

Halika, biyahe tayo,
Nang ating makita
Ang ganda ng Pilipinas
Ang galing ng Pilipino.

Napasyal ka na ba
Sa Intramuros at Luneta
Palawan, Vigan at Batanes
Subic, Baguio at Rice Terraces?

Namasdan mo na ba
Ang mga vinta ng Zamboanga
Bulkang Taal, Bulkang Mayon
Beach ng Boracay at La Union?

Tara na, biyahe tayo
Mula Basco hanggang Jolo
Nang makilala ng husto
Ang ating kapwa-Pilipino.

Halika, biyahe tayo,
Nang ating makita
Ang ganda ng Pilipinas
Ang galing ng Pilipino.

From city to city,
Seven thousand and a hundred plus islas
Sa mahal kong Pilipinas
Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao ating puntahan.
Huwag maging dayuhan sa sariling bayan!

Nasubukan mo na bang
Mag-rapids sa Pagsanjan
Mag-diving sa Anilao
Mag-surfing sa Siargao?

Natikman mo na ba
Ang sisig ng Pampanga
Duriang Davao, Bangus Dagupan
Bicol Express at Lechong Balayan?

Tara na, biyahe tayo,
Nang makatulong kahit pano
Sa pag-unlad ng kabuhayan
Ng ating mga kababayan.

Halika, biyahe tayo,
Nang ating makita
Ang ganda ng Pilipinas
Ang galing ng Pilipino.

Nakisaya ka na ba
Sa Pahiyas at Masskara
Moriones at Ati-Atihan
Sinulog at Kadayawan?

Namiesta ka na ba
Sa Peñafrancia sa Naga
Umakyat sa Antipolo
Nagsayaw sa Obando?

Tara na, biyahe tayo
Upang ating matamo
Ligaya at pagkakaibigan
Kaunlaran, kapayapaan.

Halika, biyahe tayo,
Nang ating makita
Ang ganda ng Pilipinas
Ang galing ng Pilipino.

Tara na, biyahe tayo
Upang ating matamo
Ligaya at pagkakaibigan
Kaunlaran, kapayapaan.

Halika, biyahe tayo
Nang ating makita
Ang ganda ng Pilipinas
Ang galing ng Pilipino.

Halika, biyahe tayo...

cool information (at least in my oppinion)

2005-11-10T09:25:00.000-08:00

Disclaimer: Someone sent me this through e-mail. Actually i have no idea if there is an ounce of truth in it. However it sure makes a good read..

LIFE In the 1500's
The next time you are washing your hands and
complain because the water temperature isn't
just how you like it, think about how things used
to be.

Here are some facts about the 1500's:

Most people got married in June, because they
took their yearly bath in May and still smelled
pretty good by June. However, they were
starting to smell, so brides carried a bouquet
of flowers to hide the body odor. Hence the
custom today of carrying a bouquet when
getting married.

Baths consisted of a big tub filled with hot water.
The man of the house had the privilege of the
nice clean water, then all the other sons and
men, then the women and finally the children!
Last of all the water was so dirty you could
actually lose someone in it. Hence the saying,
" Don't throw the baby out with the bath water."

Houses had thatched roofs-thick straw-piled high,
with no wood underneath. It was the only place
for animals to get warm, so all the cats and other
small animals (mice, bugs) lived in the roof. When
it rained it became slippery and sometimes the
animals would slip off the roof. Hence the saying,
"It's raining cats and dogs."

There was nothing to stop things from falling
into the house. This posed a real problem in
the bedroom where bugs and other droppings
could mess up your nice clean bed. Hence,
a bed with big posts and a sheet hung over
the top afforded some protection. That's how
canopy beds came into existence.

The floor was dirt. Only the wealthy had something
other than dirt. Hence the saying "dirt poor." The
wealthy had slate floors that would get slippery in
the winter when wet, so they spread thresh (straw)
on floor to help keep their footing. As the winter
wore on, they added more thresh until when you
opened the door it would all start slipping outside.
A piece of wood was placed in the entranceway.
Hence the saying a "thresh hold."

(Getting quite an education, aren't you?)

In those old days, they cooked in the kitchen
with a big kettle that always hung over the fire.
Every day they lit the fire and added things to
the pot. They ate mostly vegetables and did
not get much meat. They would eat the stew
for dinner, leaving leftovers in the pot to get
cold start over the next day. Sometimes stew
had food in it that had been there for quite a
while. Hence the rhyme, "Peas porridge hot,
peas porridge cold, peas porridge in the pot
nine days old."

Sometimes they could obtain pork, which made
them feel quite special. When visitors came over,
they would hang up their bacon to show off. It
was a sign of wealth that a man could "bring
home the bacon." They would cut off a little to
share with guests and would all sit around and
"chew the fat."

Those with money had plates made of pewter.
Food with high acid content caused some of
the lead to leach onto the food, causing lead
poisoning death. This happened most often
with tomatoes, so for the next 400 years or so,
tomatoes were considered poisonous.

Bread was divided according to status. Workers
got the burnt bottom of the loaf, the family got the
middle, and guests got the top, or "upper crust."

Lead cups were used to drink ale or whisky.
The combination would sometimes knock the
imbibers out for a couple of days. Someone
walking along the road would take them for
dead and prepare them for burial. They were
laid out on the kitchen table for a couple of days
and the family would gather around and eat
and drink and wait and see if they would wake
up. Hence the custom of holding a "wake."

England is old and small and the local folks
started running out of places to bury people.
So they would dig up coffins and would take
the bones to a "bone-house" and reuse the
grave. When reopening these coffins, 1 out
of 25 coffins were found to have scratch marks
on the inside and they realized they had been
burying people alive. So they would tie a string
on the wrist of the corpse, lead it through the
coffin and up through the ground and tie it to
a bell. Someone would have to sit out in the
graveyard all night (the"graveyard shift") to
listen for the bell; thus, someone could be
"saved by the bell" or was considered a
"dead ringer."

And that's the truth ... Now, whoever said that
History was boring?

Hail the proposed Bio-Fuels Act!

2005-11-08T16:37:00.000-08:00

For those concerned about the advocacy campaign for clean energy, this might interest you. I made a news item about it so you guys dont have to read through the dilly dallying of the newspapers and internet news sites...

THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES HAS APPROVED A BILL INTENDED TO REPLACE WITHIN FOUR YEARS A TENTH OF NATIONAL GASOLINE CONSUMPTION WITH CHEAP CLEAN FUEL THAT CAN BE PRODUCED FROM THE LIKES OF CANE AND COCONUT.

BUKIDNON REPRESENTATIVE JUAN MIGUEL ZUBIRI, AUTHOR OF THE PROPOSED BIO-FUELS ACT, SAYS THE APPROVAL OF THE BILL BRINGS THE NATION CLOSER TO THE MASS PRODUCTION OF RENEWABLE ENERGY THAT WILL CREATE JOBS, CLEAN THE ENVIRONMENT AND BOOST THE ECONOMY.

HE ESTIMATES THE COUNTRY COULD SAVE UP TO 32 BILLION PESOS IN OIL IMPORT COSTS IF 10 PERCENT OF THE CONSUMED NATIONAL GAS WERE REPLACED WITH ALCOHOL OR ETHYL ALCOHOL.

ZUBIRI NOTES ETHANOL COULD BE EXTRACTED FROM LOCAL PRODUCTS OR WHAT HE CALLS THE 5 Cs- NAMELY CANE, COCONUT, CORN, CAMOTE AND CASSAVA.

Biofuel bill passed in House (November 9, 2005)

its a start, right? i just hope our leaders don't politicize this one too...

How would she feel? HOW?!!

2005-11-07T22:04:00.000-08:00

how would a little girl feel if a classmate came on to her and physically manhandled her just because he can?

how would a little girl feel if she is constantly being degradingly stared at and humiliated by the boys in her class just beacuse she is developing physically faster than the girls in her fourth grade class?

how would she feel if she found out that the reason the little boys were acting that way towards her was because they thought she was a special child who just transferred to their school to get special attention? and thus special meant they could get away with it..

how would the little girl aged 9 feel after repeatedly being cornered into an empty classroom by two or three boys to touch her breasts in exchange for the answer to the new assignment which she knows nothing about?

what would she do if there were no adults to tell and if there were they were too busy with the politics amongst themselves to even care?

what if she had been brought up to submit completely to what others tell her to do?

what if all the personal insights and thoughts she had since childhood was constantly being shot down by the people she trusted and thought were her mentors?

would she have the courage to break away?

would she forget the times she told her tale but no one listened?

would she even care to tell it again?

would she have a chance at forgiving or would she retreat to a corner and create for herself an invisible wall to keep the 'intruder' out of her private space?

can she even learn to trust again after the friends she had known simply shrugged off her tale that she had been violated?

and what if she grew to be successful?

would anybody consider it a regrettable incident that she had been molested not by someone older than her but by kids her age when she was young?

or would they consider it fortunate because after all the incident became a "challenge" to her?

would people simply consider it child's play even though the girl never forgot the incident and became frigid eventually in life?

pray tell me just how would she feel?!

2005-11-07T21:29:00.000-08:00

These funny human beings are my friends at Jesus First Christian Ministries, TayTay.

we're a mix of the weird, the weirder and the weirdest.. hehe!

my comment about comments on blogger

2005-11-06T18:41:00.000-08:00

i do not understand these online advertisers. it irks me that they check out people's blogs to react to the user's posts and yet the comments make no connection to the post at all. better yet, their statements make no sense at all. and they come all the way from the other side of the planet.

umm, if you advertisers have not noticed yet- you are not my target audience! (or shall i say market?!) STOP posting non-sense comments PLEASE.

is there some type of quota that these people have to meet? ugh!

Rainbows and Songs About Them

2005-11-05T08:00:00.000-08:00

I had the fortunate opportunity yesterday to get a glimpse at a fully arched rainbow. Now, of course i know that there is no pot of gold at either ends of it like they say. But didn't you ever wonder just how fun it could be had it been true?

We would probably be wishing the rain away more often than not.

Anyway, i would like to share one of the very first songs that i memorized as a child and still remember today. If you know it then good for you!

The Rainbow Connection

Why are there so many songs about rainbows
And what's on the other side?
Rainbows are visions, but only illusions,
And rainbows have nothing to hide.

So we've been told and some choose to believe it
I know they're wrong, wait and see.
Someday we'll find it, the rainbow connection,
The lovers, the dreamers and me.

Who said that every wish would be heard and answered
When wished on the morning star?
Somebody thought of that, and someone believed it,
And look what it's done so far.

What's so amazing that keeps us stargazing
And what do we think we might see?
Someday we'll find it, the rainbow connection,
The lovers, the dreamers, and me.

All of us under its spell,
We know that it's probably magic......

Have you been half asleep? And have you heard voices?
I've heard them calling my name....
Is this the sweet sound that calls the young sailors?
The voice might be one and the same

I've heard it too many times to ignore it
It's something that I'm s'posed to be...
Someday we'll find it, the rainbow connection,
The lovers, the dreamers, and me.

Laa, da daa dee da daa daa, La laa la la laa dee daa doo...

haaaay... the age of innocence!!!

on relationships

2005-10-31T17:44:00.000-08:00

i read somewhere that foreigners find it funny how filipinos would always greet one another with "kumain ka na ba?". It does not matter where they meet or what they plan to do that day. it simply stands that the whole lifestyle revolves on food.

in my case, the people in my immediate surroundings seem to have nothing more to ask me these days outside of- "Do you already have a boyfriend?" It's like a person's whole social life has to revolve on the issue of boys. haaay!

I think they, the people who keep inquiring, feel that my life will be complete once i get into a relationship. but looking for and gaining a relationship for the sake of claiming my life is complete is utterly wrong. why should my happiness have to depend on a boy friend? why should my efforts, my thoughts and my existence depend on the foundation (or the lack of) finally finding the one.

hey, don't misread me i DO want a relationship- for the purpose of marrying someday and bringing up a family but dude! as long as im not ready for that, im not about to go looking for it...

sure im not going to meet so called prospects if i continue to maintain my home- work- home-church-home- mall- home routine. but it does not necessarily follow that if i went out and had worldly fun at bars (places i dont like at all) then i would find myself the guy meant for me.

see that's the word MEANT. if he's meant for me, he'll come, rain or shine, from sea through shining sea. he's got to be first and foremost someone i can be myself around. someone who would not be ashamed to raise his hands to pray and praise my Savior. he most definitely must not be the type to lag around at my tail because for sure he's going to be left waaay waaay behind- in other words someone who has found himself already, (if yah know what i mean).

are my standards too high? NO. i've always set these standards for myself to comply with, so why should i compromise them for someone meant to be ONE (as in flesh of my flesh, bone of my bone) with me?

i have had relationships in the past but they did not work. my lack knowledge of self and lack of vision for the future back then may be put to blame. but now that i know where i want to go and what i want to do for the rest of my life (that is submitted for the approval of J.C), then i can keep doing what i want to do until that specified time comes.

there is a promise of better things in waiting. and even if in vain, there is dignity in it.

kbp golden dove awards on RPN 9 on november 5

2005-10-26T20:33:00.000-07:00

The awards night of the KBP Golden Dove Awards was held a few days ago. i did not win and im glad i didnt. why? it would have been pressure for me. i have a feeling that it would create unprecedented drastic changes in my life. im not ready for that. i want to enjoy my work and enjoy being young.

meanwhile, for those of you interested in finding out who did win, you can check out the televised program on RPN 9 on the evening of November 5. i'm just not sure what time they're going to show it. but take note that it won't be a loss to you if you don't get to see it. they just mention my name anyway. i'm also the only nominee (for reasons i do not know) whose sound byte was not played.

i do want to thank however the people who showed so much support for the bid. thanks for believing in me. i love you peeps! yah know who ya'ar.

A CITATION FOR THE KBP GOLDEN DOVE AWARDS IS ENOUGH

2005-10-15T16:26:00.000-07:00

i am a twenty two year old young woman fresh from college and have been working as a newscaster for the last 7 months to date.

who would have thought that my name- a humble Marianne Gallo- would appear right next to the names of veteran newscasters (AM and FM) including but not limited to DEO MACALMA and ANGELO PALMONES?

lost? i'll get to the point then. I have been nominated into the 14th Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas' Golden Dove Awards. My name is under the categories Best Radio Newscaster and Best Radio Newscast.

I represent Home Radio's General Santos Station for my colleague Vanessa Jardeleza, or Geri as she is known on the air, represented the Manila station. (She too by the way is nominated under Best Radio Newscaster). how does that apply? well you see, the Gen San and Iloilo stations have yet to find newscasters for themselves and so we here in Manila support and send them our recorded news items through e-mail. (technology! sighhh!)

My entry had been about how back in June there was a story of two Japanese stragglers in the mountains of Mindanao. Reports had it that 60 years after World War II they were discovered still hanging on to their rifles and refusing to believe the war has ended. imagine! well, long story short- a host of foreign correspondents rushed to the Philippines, Gen San to be exact, to find out the whole story. they had been here for weeks but found nothing. later the "SOURCE", whoever he was for he was not identified, admitted the story was a hoax. hayyy!!! had it been true, it would have been the story of a decade for the Japanese Media.

The other nomination, Best Radio Newscast, is cited still for Gen San and goes under the umbrella program Home Radio News on the Dot, which is what it is called in all the FM stations of Aliw Broadcasting Corp. This nomination goes up against nationwide provincial news programs for both the AM and FM bands.

i am still overwhelmed as it is. however, i refuse to show false humilty by saying i dont deserve the nomination. truth be told i WANT to deserve being a finalist. i want to be proud of this kind of a milestone. who else can be more proud? its a one in a million chance to show that people in their youth can make a difference, can be someone and find their spot on the planet. and im 22 for crying out loud! the people im up against are veterans- they're older than most of my mentors and have been delivering the news since i was in diapers, lampin more like.

why do i want to deserve it? because it is my thanks to all those who sacrificed for me to get this far in life. it is my show of respect for all that i have learned in life's good and bad times. and i believe it would be a disservice if i simply deny my right to acknowledge or claim a citiation this prestigious.

and as a move of gratitude, i let my educators know about it. some of them i informed through text message. others i visited at the other station and thanked in a letter. and for the school where i let all my imagination wander and hope i came to give a copy of the whole KBP memo and phamplet containing my name.

upon graduation college with Magna Cum Laude honors i intended to go back to my high school- Montessori Integrated School of Antipolo. But due to schedule constraints i could not find the time to visit so my mom did that for me. she told the people at the school that with the training i had in MISA i grew an incessant thirst for knowledge. haha, geek am i not? but with this recent development on the Golden Dove Awards, i could not not visit.

so i went. i went back to the high school three days ago, a Friday. i walked through the lonely road leading to the school and on the way there i saw the students clad in the Citezen's Army Training uniform and it brought pleasant memories to mind. later i saw a Technology and Home Economics teacher of mine. He called ne by the nickname and i was so sorry i forgot his name! (Later i asked another teacher- she reminded me his name was Sir Romeo or endearingly- Sir Meo). So i was set to come home to my beloved school.

there, i met up with the ladies at the registrar's office to give them their copy of the phamplet to give to the owner and directress of the school- Mrs. Sylvia Lazo. then i hoped to find my teachers so i walked to the library (which even in the elementary was my place of comfort). fortunately the staff room was relocated beside the library and there i found Ms Eyzell, now the wife of my other teacher and commandant Sir Ruel.

we talked and remembered the past. how our batch was her first advisory class in her teaching career. how she poured all here energies into us and set difficult standards for us to comply with. how back then she encouraged us to become the confident (not overly so i hope!) individuals we are today through the classes we had with her. she had been our English teacher since grade 6 to 4th year high school. plus she taught us speech and drama. i was fortunate enough to further bond with her in high school for i was a member of the theater arts guild which she headed. we remembered how i was always who she tapped to represent the class in all the public speaking contests, be it extemporaneous or impromptu.

then i told her about a time in my 6th year in elementary when she informed the class that 15 of us were graduating with honors. back then i counted and counted. i tried to figure out who was sure to be included in the list. And having known the potential of each classmate i felt i had it in me to get through to that list. i knew i had no line of 7 grade in my report card after all. we were wrong. my eyzell later that week or the monday after i cant remember called my other classmate and i to her to tell us that we had a 79 each in Livelihood Education and since the grade for this subject was halved into the Home Economics subject we could not have known by simply looking at the report cards. they were discovered in the teacher's record book and that was the greater imprimatur. so my classmate and i were disqualified from the honor's list.

it would not have been a big deal had i not have rushed home days before telling my mom my assumptions. it had been sad to eventually tell her i failed her. it was not a simple matter of failing my hopes. it had been a bigger deal that i would have brought her and my dad's memory honor. they had after all brought me up on disney classics and musicals and books and english movies and discovery channel and encyclopedias and quizzes on world trivia in hopes that someday i would be what every parent hopes their child would be. after that failure i vowed it would never happen again that i would fail them.

in all my years of winning this and winning that achieving this and achieving that, i have not been taught to see teh milestones in my life as a means to an end rather an end in intself. so the mere nomination, the mere citation is what i am thankful for at this moment.

i could have chosen to tell the people in my life about the citation after the awards night, which is a week and a half from now. but i chose to reveal it now so that i will be reminded that having my name mentiond alongside the names of the veterans is enough.

most of my mentors do not know just how much they are appreciated. i am nothing without them. and everyday i thank God for their knowledge for their wisdom and for their patience with all their students. and it makes all the more a difference because i know this is just the beginning of a long and fruitful career. i owe it to them to be thankful for the citation. and i owe it to myself to look back and remember all that i would not have been without my teachers.

the world can be very unfair

2005-09-08T17:55:00.000-07:00

the world can be very unfair.

sure, world crises chance upon us without signed- sealed-and delivered warnings.

the tsunami in asia.

the famine in niger, africa.

the incessant terror attacks.

and so much more.

what i cannot fathom is, why is it given more attention when these things happen in the western world?

a week ago the gulf of mexico in the united states saw thousands of americans devastated with the effects and aftermath of Katrina.

the reaction? the most of the world's nations, even those as poor as the Philippines offered help.

in africa MILLIONS were STARVING TO DEATH two months ago.

who reacted? a few european nations who had interests in the huge and national resources-rich continent of africa and the world food program of the united nations? anyone else? only the british broadcasting corporation.

is it because there are more media workers in the US than africa? more cameras mean more public exposure thus more sympathy?

or it is because the human race believes "those in africa are used to not having anything to eat/ drink/ wear anyway"?

heck, crises strip you raw. and people require all the same basic needs.

im not saying the victims of hurricane katrina are at fault or that they should not be offered help. im just crying out loud for the outright bias the "civilized society" has.

what made the difference? perhaps the world couldn't stand to see its so called big brother look not so tough for even a week...

homecoming

2005-09-01T23:33:00.000-07:00

i just made it final and official. i am out of adamson university.

i may have graduated some months back, but it was only two days ago that i surrendered (fianally!) my ID. what can be more official than that right?

it was diffucult going back to the school and thinking well, of course the reality never lives up to the memory...

all but a few friends remain in the school's ivy colored halls.

there are no more calls from accross the street of san marcelino for me to hurry up for i am late for class.

the guards are extremely nice all of a sudden. and they called me "ma'am", which is a first and is especially rare for them.

the vendors from the so called 'stair bucks' were ever so gracious to offer an extra calamansi, would you believe?

i do truly miss the excitement of the academe- the study, the work, the people behind it.

haay.... its another one of those days....

vocabularian

2005-07-31T15:34:00.000-07:00

hey everyone, just like the nerd i am i have been visiting merriam webster online every now and again mainly because i need to check and recheck my pronunciation for broadcast but here are some words i found interesting. they are not really in the dictionary but i think you might find them cool too... read on!

What a lovely bunch of vocabularians (persons who make up new words) you are! Lasterday (refers to any day before today) we squinched (action required to fit something into a space that is slightly too small) a schmiglet (a small unit of measurement) of your awesomtastic (so wonderful the words just meld in your mouth) one-of-a-kind entries into this space in preparation for our Top Ten reveal. With so many chizzy (awesome, super, happening) creations to choose from, we admit to becoming a bit flusterpated (a state of being flustered that's so intense, one's actions and words become bound up) and fahoodled (confused, esp. when trying to think of too many things at once). We craughed (to cry and laugh simultaneously), we troddled (to wander around without knowing of doing so), and finally decided to use the schwack (a large amount) of multiple entries received as the basis for the Top Ten—this is, let's not forget, all about favoritism.

From the thousands of submissions we received, here, then, are the ten words (not in the dictionary) entered the most often:

Top Ten Favorite Words (Not in the Dictionary)
1. ginormous (adj): bigger than gigantic and bigger than enormous
2. confuzzled (adj): confused and puzzled at the same time
3. woot (interj): an exclamation of joy or excitement
4. chillax (v): chill out/relax, hang out with friends
5. cognitive displaysia (n): the feeling you have before you even leave the house that you are going to forget something and not remember it until you're on the highway
6. gription (n): the purchase gained by friction: "My car needs new tires because the old ones have lost their gription."
7. phonecrastinate (v): to put off answering the phone until caller ID displays the incoming name and number
8. slickery (adj): having a surface that is wet and icy
9. snirt (n): snow that is dirty, often seen by the side of roads and parking lots that have been plowed
10. lingweenie (n): a person incapable of producing neologisms

POPULAR CULTURE
ESPN-onage (n): secretly viewing an all-sports network when your wife leaves the room
polkadodge (n): the pseudo dance when two people attempt to pass each other, each moving in the same direction
scrax (n): the waxy coating that must be scratched off an instant lottery ticket

LANGUAGE
dunandunate (v): to overuse a word or phrase that has been recently added to one's vocabulary
lexpionage (n): the sleuthing of new words and phrases
whinese (n) a language spoken by children or spouses on long road trips

WEATHER
slush turtle (n): the snow that collects on your mud flap
spinter (n): the season between winter and spring where everything is drowning in a slush/mud mixture
sprummer (n) when spring and summer can't decide which is going to come first—hot one day, cold the next

PEOPLE
headset jockey (n): a telephone call center worker at the other end of a toll-free number
knitpicker (n): a person who selects your knitted sweaters. Beware the Christmas knitpicker or the put-the-family-in-the-same-sweater-for-the-photo knitpicker.
stealth-geek (n): one that hides nerdy interests while maintaining a normal outward appearance

ANATOMY
fumb (n): the large toe
jimberjaw (n): a protrusive chin
wibble (n): a trembling of the lower lip just shy of actually crying

MENTAL & PHYSICAL CONDITIONS
asphinxiation (n): when you are sick to death of unanswerable riddles
museum head (n): being mentally exhausted, and unable to take in anything more; usu. follows after a full day at the museum
precuperate (v): prepare for the possibility of being ill

TECHNOLOGY & THE INTERNET
shanghaIM (v): Instant Messaging somebody who's in the process of IM-ing somebody else, causing them to inadvertently type (and possibly send) their message to you
vidiot (n): one inept at programming a VCR
wurfing (v): the act of surfing the Internet at work and rationalizing that it is for work purposes

TRANSPORTATION
detroitus (n): car parts found alongside the highway
junkstaposition (n): when two or more immobile vehicles are parked next to each other
pregreening (v): the tendency to creep forward while waiting for a red light to change

FOOD
onionate (v): to overwhelm with post-dining breath
smushables (n): the groceries that must be packed at the top of the bag or separately to avoid being mangled by the time you get home
spatulate (v): remove cake batter or other substances from the side of a mixing bowl with a spatula

MISCELLANEOUS
dringle (n): the ring-shaped stain on wood caused by condensation from a glass of liquid
espacular (adj): especially spectacular
furgle (v): to feel in a pocket or purse for a small object such as a coin or key
hoyle (n): the point at which a genius transcends our reality and becomes a madman
nudenda (n): a nudist's unhidden agenda
optotoxical (adj): of or pertaining to poisonous looks that could kill, esp. from a spouse
parrotise (n): a haven for exotic birds, esp. green ones
quackmire (n): muddy edges of a duck pond
sinspire (v): to compel one to be creatively wicked
sprog (v): to go faster than a jog but slower than a sprint

source: www.m-w.com

at a standstill

2005-07-30T19:09:00.000-07:00

i have been out of school for four months now and i am terribly missing it. i long for the constant mental challenge and spontaniety of it all. funny, i, who would shut myself in the library for hours at a time to avoid the noisy students shouting at one another for no reason, do hereby admit it now- the silence is killing me.

i have been working for the last four months and i have increased in waist size for the mere fact that all i do is sit infront of a computer surfing reuters, cnn, bbc, abs-cbnnews, inq7, and etonline to await the news and re-write it for fm radio adaptability. i like my work but i do not like the weight im putting on because of it. back in the day i had this image of myself losing weight by the time i became a working person. but no, we have free donuts everyday, free coffee and when the people in the program committee have a meeting free pizza or whatever they are having. however, i guess its a choice we make to put on the L-Bs.

i miss running after my dear professors to submit a project/ paper i have fininshed in the last two minutes before deadline (yet again). hey, im a person who works best under pressure and i like the blood rush of running, i used to say. now, the only excercise i get is about a 150 meter walk in total everday.

also, when i was in school, i spent my money to the last drop in everyday that came. that is to make the exception of course if i was saving up to buy something special or go somewhere special, which i would tell myself i deserve for working so hard at school. i used to see mcdonalds, jollibee and several other fast food chains plus starbucks to boot. now? i take a packed lunch to work. i see a fast food chain and think of what would my hundred peso bill buy at the market to take home. i do sometimes give in to a combo one meal but that's once in every fifteeen days. what i spend in a day these days is one third of what i used to spend in a day in college.

i used to see an occasional movie which i did not mind paying. hah! i no longer watch a movie unless its the station's movie premiere of the month which i get to watch for free by the way. we have had batman begins (which i do not recommend by the way), hotel rwanda (which i found very moving), war of the worlds (which i refused to watch precisely because of the whole media blitz about tom and katie prior to the movie- in other words i found the promotions too fishy to attempt watching it. i was not mistaken, the reviews agreed with my view- it was a hurried movie which does not live up to the genius of speilberg.) and of course charlie and the choloate factory (which by the way was FANTASTIC over all- and woah! jhonny depp's portrayal of michael jackson, i mean willy wonka was superb- you cannot tell that he is the same person who did edward siscorhands or captain jack. nobody could hav done it better in my book)

plus, i used to ride an fx taxi to where ever i was going. my excuse then was my allergic rhinitis could get worse if i keep riding the jeep. now i fight to get my fifty centavos of change from the driver or kunduktor of the jeepney and demand for the official tariff released by the land transportation franchising and regulatory board. i simply bring a spare hankerchief to protect my nasal passage from the pollution.

do not get me wrong i earn enough to get an average 22 year old by in a month. in fact i earn more money than many hardworking laborers in this country. i like my job and the whole lot of people i work with. the thing is ms. expenditures has finally learned the value of money.

funny how we as youth were pampered till the age of college where in fact we should have been shoved into the ways of the world at an earlier age. i cannot say i that i have been looking at the world with rose tint glasses for years but i did not view it as cruel either. what im driving at is my world is at a standstill at the moment. i am neither here nor there. i'd give anything to get a bird's eye view of my life right now just to get back to being trh driven, passionate person people know me to be.

it used to be i was driven to move towards the goal of the next examinations, the next term, the next activity. but as of posting time, i am at a loss as to where i am headed. i probably need an outlet- i just do not know what. any ideas?

pgma state of the nation address

2005-07-25T16:12:00.000-07:00

Every year, we meet on this day in this great hall to celebrate democracy and take stock of the nation: the country and its condition; the government and its performance; the people and their well-being.
Ours is a country divided; the story of our nation is a tale of two Philippines; almost, as it were, two countries under the same name.
One is the Philippines whose economy, after long years of cumulative national endeavor, is now poised for take off. The other is the Philippines whose political system, after equally long years of degeneration, has become a hindrance to progress.
As a country on the verge of take off, our storyline would surprise many at home and abroad. The story includes an economy that grew more than 6% last year and that has continued to work in the teeth of the biggest oil price hikes in history, while generating 4 million jobs in the last four years.
The story includes marked improvements in tax collections, infrastructure, housing construction, shelter security for the urban poor and indigenous peoples, and rice productivity.
The story includes 69 million beneficiaries of health care insurance, including 30 million indigents, whose re-enrollment started early this year and is still ongoing.
That same story, over four years, saw the drug menace cut in half, the rash of kidnappings become a thing of the past, and insurgency in the south abated.
This story should work itself out as one about an economy as resilient and full of potential as its people are patient and hardworking, guided by a government – with the executive and the legislative hand-in-hand -- that is able to pass a no-nonsense budget and make tough decisions to put our Fiscal House in order.
I specially refer to our recent titanic struggle to enact the three laws that comprised the biggest fiscal package in our history, the biggest revenue increase in a generation. That will break the vicious cycle of financing development by borrowing and having to borrow again just to service those loans. This is the one reform that will snap the chain that has bound our future to a profligate past and the debt-burdened present. The Filipino's strong sense of family has given Congress a stronger resolve not to pass on today's debt, and bankrupt our children and grandchildren tomorrow. That struggle has done the House and the Senate great honor. Congratulations.
Abroad, the story continues. We’ve worked long and hard to restore our country to the prominent place it once held as co-founder of the United Nations and the free world's first line of defense in the East. We won a seat in the UN Security Council, where we presided over the landmark resolution calling for democracy in Iraq. The Philippines chaired the historic Conference of Interfaith Cooperation for Peace at the UN, the fruit of a bold and creative initiative by your Speaker of the House.
We head the APEC anti-terrorism task force. Our victories in the war on terror have been acknowledged by no less than President Bush before the U.S. National Defense University. The Jemaah Islamiya and the Abu Sayyaf can only pick up the pieces of its broken backbone in Mindanao.
We have worked with the organization of the Islamic conference to forge peace with our Muslim brothers. Eighty percent of our peace talks with them have been completed. Permanent peace in Mindanao is within reach.
Indeed, our story as a country on the verge of take off is real. Analysts need only to look at our stock market, and even the peso-dollar exchange rate, to sense the strong anticipation of significant improvements, if only we would overcome the tendency to be our own worst enemy.
Thus, with investors both here and abroad in mind, I invite you all to join me in sending them a strong message from this great hall: we will not waver in our commitment to economic reform and fiscal discipline, whatever the political cost.
The other message to send is that we will address the burden that the other Philippine story imposes on our anticipated take off. I refer to the story of how our political system has now become a hindrance to our national progress.
Over the years, our political system has degenerated to the extent that it is difficult for anyone to make any headway yet keep his hands clean. To be sure, the system is still capable of achieving great reforms. But, by and large, our political system has betrayed its promise to each new generation of Filipinos, not a few of whom are voting with their feet, going abroad and leaving that system behind.
Perhaps we politicians have done our best; but maybe our best is not enough, given the present system. Perhaps we have strained the present political system to its final limit.
It is time to turn to the people, bring them into government -- and change the way that government is done.
The people want government that works for them at every level. They want good government that begins at their doorstep in the barangay, and does not end before the closed door of a bureaucrat in Metro Manila.
The system clearly needs fundamental change, and the sooner the better. It's time to start the great debate on charter change.
We must address such questions as how much more government is needed for the greater safety and economic security of our people, and how much less government is more conducive to free enterprise and economic progress.
The mode of Charter Change is the exclusive prerogative of Congress. But a Constituent Assembly may well give our people the quickest reforms.
I shall work with Congress, civil society groups and local government executives who are convinced that Charter Changes are needed to enable the country to surmount the unprecedented challenges of the 21st Century.
I take this opportunity to acknowledge the local government executives who have brought about an LGU power revolution through transformative leadership.
The economic progress and social stability of the provinces, along with the increasing self-reliance and efficiency of political developments and public services there, make a compelling case for federalism.
Perhaps it's time to take the power from the center to the countryside that feeds it.
I recognize that our form of government will be the decision of the body constituted to undertake Charter change. But we should consider that legislation could be quickened and laws made more responsive to the people under a Parliamentary system, similar to that of our progressive neighbors in the region.
But even as we make a serious start in Charter change, I hope we can still work together on other initiatives to the lasting benefit of our people.
In the area of education, we've spent our increased resources on better trained teachers in more classrooms, teaching students in more effective ways. We have laid a strong foundation by building almost 30,000 classrooms in the past four years, providing computer access to more than 3,000 high schools, and beginning a "healthy start" breakfast program for our young schoolchildren.
I ask Congress to pass the pre-need code to rehabilitate, reform, and regulate the pre-need educational programs that worked so well in the past as a major vehicle for youth education entitlement.
College education is the great Filipino dream. But in a world of rapid technological change, getting a job or keeping it depends as much on how well one reasons as how well one uses his hands. I have issued E.O. 358 so that hours spent in vocational training can be credited towards a college degree. That will combine job readiness with the dream of a college education while increasing the competitiveness of our nation.
But our competitiveness is greatly endangered by the global oil crisis. I call on Congress to pass legislation encouraging renewable and indigenous energy.
In the area of national security, I urge the swift passage of an anti-terrorism law that will protect rather than subvert, enhance rather than weaken, the rights and liberties that terrorism precisely threatens with extinction.
These examples serve to highlight that there is much work to be done.
Now is not the time for divisiveness, and while there's no avoiding partisan politics, there can be a determined effort by all sides to limit the collateral damage on a country poised for take-off.
Let us call on the Lord to lead us. Let us ask him for the grace to make us worthy of his healing our land.
Alam kong tayong lahat ay naghahangad ng isang makabuluhang pagbabago para sa ating bayan. Tayong lahat ay nagsisikap para matamo ang kapayapaan at kaunlaran. Kung kaya't ako'y nakikiusap na tulungan ninyo ako, para sa kapakanan ng taong bayan.
We may disagree among ourselves but let us never lose sight of that greater battle for one people, one country, one Philippines.
Not the country of this or that president but the Philippines of our shared and passionate affections.
Maraming salamat sa inyong lahat.

I want you to know that i am not about to defend president gloria arroyo to anyone when i post this transcription of the sona. my sole intention is to post it for the people who may have missed the live broadcast. for me, i think there can be no absolute change in anything or anyone in this world- but it does not take away the fact that we must try. i pray for a step by step change to this great nation. masaya parin akong maging pilipino. we all long for a better society. Luli arroyo had said in an interview that unless we are willing to undergo procedures and respect institutions, we do not deserve the society we are aspiring for. i believe her and for me as an individual, if all anyone does is bicker, point at other people and blame the goevrnment and yet he does not do his part for this great country, then he does not have the right to complain. none of us have clean hands. so shut it and lets move on.

Desiderata

2005-07-13T19:07:00.000-07:00

Go placidly amid the noise and haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence.
As far as possible without surrenderbe on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly;
and listen to others,
even the dull and the ignorant;
they too have their story.
Avoid loud and aggressive persons,
they are vexations to the spirit.
If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain and bitter;
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.
Keep interested in your own career,
however humble;
it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.
Exercise caution in your business affairs;
for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals;
and everywhere life is full of heroism.
Be yourself.
Especially, do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love;
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantmentit is as perennial as the grass.
Take kindly the counsel of the years,
gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.
Beyond a wholesome discipline,be gentle with yourself.
You are a child of the universe,
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.
Therefore be at peace with God,
whatever you conceive Him to be,
and whatever your labors and aspirations,
in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul.
With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful.
Strive to be happy.

Max Ehrmann, Desiderata, Copyright 1952.

my fave poems (at least some of em!)

2005-05-21T22:32:00.000-07:00

How Do I Love Thee?
By Elizabeth Barret-Browning

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of being and ideal grace.
I love thee to the level of every day's
Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light.
I love thee freely, as men strive for right.
I love thee purely, as they turn from praise.
I love thee with the passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith.
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints.
I love thee with the breath,Smiles, tears, of all my life;
and, if God choose,I shall but love thee better after death.

O Captain, My Captain
By Walt Whitman

O captain! my captain! our fearful trip is done;
The ship has weathered every rack, the prize we sought is won;
The port is near, the bells I hear, the people all exulting,
While follow eyes the stead keel, the vessel grim and daring.
But O heart! heart! heart!
O the bleeding drops of red!
Where on the deck my captain lies,
Fallen cold and dead.

O captain! my captain! rise up and hear the bells;
Rise up! for you the flag is flung, for you the bugle trills:
For you bouquets and ribboned wreaths, for you the shores a-crowding:
For you they call, the swaying mass, their eager faces turning.
O captain! dear father!
This arm beneath your head;
It is some dream that on the deck
You've fallen cold and dead.

My captain does not answer, his lips are pale and still;
My father does not feel my arm, he has no pulse nor will.
The ship is anchored safe and sound, its voyage closed and done:
From fearful trip the victor ship comes in with object won!
Exult, O abores! and ring, O bells!
But I, with silent tread,
Walk the spot my captain lies
Fallen cold and dead.

Invictus
By William Earnest Henley

Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the Pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.
In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.
Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds, and shall find me, unafraid.
It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate;
I am the captain of my soul.

news and social responsiblity

2005-05-04T17:33:00.000-07:00

i never really counted on getting work before graduation, sure i hoped for it but i never thought to think about what the effects might be to my emotions, my schedule and my over all well being. i know some of you may be thinking, with half of the country worrying about the unemployment rate, what am i complaining about? i guess its just that im feeling really lonely lately and ludicruous as it may sound- i feel im losing confidence in my self.

okay, lets backtrack a moment- newscasting is a very serious job- i mean SERIOUS. its bad enough that im such a boring person, but do i really have to have work that's indicative of my personality? sheesh. i also feel that i came into this vocation prematurely, they had me training for two weeks then i went off to talking on air about united nations secretary generaal kofi annan and the bicameral confrerence committee on the e-vat bill. there are times when my eyes and mind would refuse to understand what im reading on the internet news sites. also, at the moment the production person's hand goes down to signal im on, i sometimes get this big choking feeling between my throat and chest- which i absolutely do not understand why since i've hosted tons of engagements with hundreds of people before me. also, ive been a dj for a year before so that should have me prepared for these one minuter stints every top of the hour.

i have a problem. i think this is the first time im actually admitting this- im bad with criticism and failure. eww, i must sound like a priss. but really, i have this tendency to take a small mistake of mine, repeat it in my head, curse myself for not doing better and instead of getting up from the fall- i wallow in self pity. i know some people who have seen that in me but keep themselves from pointing it out to save me the embarrassment. they just pat my back and say things like "its going to be okay" or "you can do better next time" one time i even heard someone(we are not close) "mahirap pala pag di ka sanay magkamali (it must be hard when you're not used to committing mistakes). the first two remarks i can understand and am really grateful for their loyalty but the second one i'm not sure if it was meant to be comforting or sarcastic.

i'm struggling right now to face my mistakes on air an in the two months that i have been here i have: 1.) i happened to play the wrong gap of commercials during the first sunday morning of my board, it was 5:30 in the morning and since no one else was at the station, i thought i was looking at the 6am page of the commercial log. 2.) i once repeated the closing billboard- i'd already mentioned the sponsor then instead of saying my name already i said the sponsor again, the i said sorry on air- which is like a big no no in newscasting, and said my name so everyone knew that stupid newscaster who committed a mistake on the six o clock evening news (drive time-primetime) 3.) trapik dot com called on teh last two seconds before her slot, so i told her teh commercial gap in which she was to air was over, but that left me with like four minutes short of the top of the hour single, so i had to inject a song, stupid me i chose a song to follow mark mcgrath, so i thought i melt with you would sound good so i put it in the playlist on the computer- uggh! i played the version of modern english which ultimately sounds so eighties it did not make a good segue- what i actually had in mind was jason mraz's version. humph 4.)then last week raymundo punongbayan died in a plane crash- i have great respect for the man by the way, my being a pinatubo survivor and all- i aired that on teh six oclock news again and said PHILVOLCS in a no nonsense way when right after the news somebody called the station- with the government's pcso and pagcor our biggest sponsors- and corrected the boss saying it should have been PHIVOLCS. i cried. the bosses didn't really tongue lash me or gave me a memo or something, actually they were very supportive- they erased the recorded tape of that particular news item. that was when i realized- oo nga pala- we're on the same side, and they're protecting me from losing credibility as a newscaster 5.) just when i was about to go on air i realized i had the wrong sponsor on my news script- uggh - i had like two gaps each two seconds long in between mentioning all three sponsors of that news item. i had forgotten the actual tag line that goes with the real sponsor and that caused me to almost choke with the fear of getting in trouble. eck 6.) i played the wrong time check time- it aired 9:36 when it was actually 10:36- needless to say nescafe called and said i made a mistake on their payed slot. 7.) i said danlex then split second wrong sponsor thought corrected my self and mentioned the real sponsor- dynavit the competing brand.

oh well i called a friend of mine the other day- she works for the first radio station i worked for, she comforted me by saying there are worse things than my mistakes- and that these do not define who i am and what else i can do. i called her because i know for a fact i can count on her and that she being in the same industry would understand what these mistakes mean on the radio. i'm getting a well deserved break this saturday and am going to meet her to hang out probably at the mall or something.

anyway- this post has been cathartic- i hope to do better soon- beginning today im taking no chances and will be doing everything over and over and rechecking and again. i really believe nobody gets to become good in their chosen fields without going through these rights of passage. the big peopel in the media industry at the moment could have most definitely at one time or another coughed on air or said worse things like somebody was dead when they were fighting fro their life at the hospital still, whatever it is they've been through i bet they can look back on and think they've passed the test and am proud of what they've become.

im gald to be in this industry still. not everybody gets the chance to have the metro for their stage to voice and educate what is good and proper and actually be heard. i know the social responsibility that goes with this job- i look at my thesis and know i've proved that any seemingly lame thing that goes out is considered big and sinfluencial. i hope i worthy of my calling. right now i decide to do better and prove just that. i have a very strong poem memorized for the job:

DON'T QUIT
When things go wrong,
as they sometimes will,
When the road you're trudging seems all up hill,
When the funds are low and the debts are high,
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,
When care is pressing you down a bit,
Rest! if you must; but don't you quit.
Life is queer with its twists and turns,
As everyone of us sometimes learns,
And many a failure turns about
When he might have won had he stuck it out;
Don't give up, though the pace seems slow;
You might succeed with another blow.
Often the goal is nearer than
It seems to a faint and faltering man,
Often the struggler has given up
When he might have captured the victor's cup.
And he learned too late, when the night slipped down,
How close he was to the golden crown.
Success is failure turned inside out;
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt;
And you never can tell how close you are,
It may be near when it seems afar;
So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit;
It's when things seem worst that you must not quit!

the MARIANNE GALLOs around the world

2005-04-28T18:54:00.000-07:00

funny, out of a spur of the moment idea, i tried to google my name on the internet.. and guess what i found? i found several MARIANNE GALLOs around the world. of course we don't all have the same initial, but nevertheless, there are quite a few of me out there. well any way read on and see what all the other MEs are up to:

* Western Maine Health will sponsor a free seminar presented by the medical, nursing, social services and activity directors at Market Square Health Care Center on Alzheimer’s Disease. “It’s important for caregivers to recognize that they cannot nor will they be able to handle the disease of a loved one on their own. Many people who are caring for those with Alzheimer’s disease feel very alone, but they must realize that there is help and resources available,” Marianne Gallo, Social Services Director at Market Square, advises. www.wmhcc.org/wmh_about/alzheimers.htm

* Alon: Ode to Marianne B. Gallo (song)
www.npr.org/programs/asc/openmic

* Community and staff members of the site selection and design committees included Linda Abbott...Marianne Gallo
www.ahch.org/mainfrm.cfm?tpid=50
(i'm really not sure if this lady is the same with the first person mentioned)

* Charles is survived by his beloved wife, Marianne Treanor Gallo of Roxbury; and his sons, Philip of Florida and Peter of North Carolina; his sister, Jean Alessio; and eight grandchildren.
www.thedailystar.com/news/community/obits2004/12/0b1207.html

* Jagnaux, Jules Marianne Gallo dec'd wife of (general index of ssuccessions 1805-1946)
http://nutrias.org~nopl/inv/probates/iasj.htm
(now, this is totally weird! imagine- this person lived a century before me!)

* Flying a kite for Mother Earth
By Marianne H. Gallo
www.mobilemediaph.com/escape2004/play/0426.haribonkite.html
(hehe. this is the actual me..an article i wrote for businessworld online during my ojt for them)

* nom de l'epose:GALLO; pre nom de l'epouse:Marianne; nom de l'epoux: CARUANA; pre nom de l'epoux: Louis; paroisse: Ste Croix; annee:1881;repertoire: 44
http://debono.club.fr/mariagestunisie/F31.html.
(sheesh, whatever that means! my common ssense tells me it's a marriage liscence list...)

*CAMP OKIZU GOLF TOURNAMENT & DINNER BENEFIT, may 16 2005
Checks payable to the Dyllon Bonella Coping with Cancer Fund -Donations: Meg Gallo 586-4328
www.okizu.org.twainhartegolf.html
(okay, that is obviously not my number but if any of you want to make donations, try my real number: 0921- you-wish)

there you have it, the marianne gallos around the world. i actually found it fun finding my name is not so orginal as i thought. try looking up your names on the net one of these days, you may be surprised- especially if you have a name like michael cruz or cathy santos or james smith.. goodluck!

all hats off

2005-03-19T16:37:00.000-08:00

this is a tribute to all my college friends, fellow-students and professors

so shall i remember the countless days spent inside the room and out
of all the memorized lines, written and said aloud
there is that of banish and vanish in literature
and also goes the life, liberty and property prose

who can forget the little old lady who spoke of travels abroad
she mentioned spain, rome, paris and mars who knows
the long lost daughter of rizal, she spoke to the wall
dare anyone listen? one or two at most

the history sire was a master who coined names for many
chicken for me, pooh for winnie and placido penitente
he was intrigued to be dating ms i can't name names
ms lovely clothes told us the "just friends" phrase. hmmm

t'was the second year when the block got together
coming from three original groups, heterogenous at start
brought together by projects and spiritual classes
sharing stories, notes and fear of numbers

who would have thought it'd take just a semester
for jm to tear the block sched during enrollment off the board
write it down, write it down! they said
so we can all take it together- one class after all

then we moved to creating videos, shows and films
there were fights but more of laughter and tears
can you remember the breakthrough artist?
she got the dream role- sadako verdadero

think of all the nights and days spent without sleep
how thankful you were for 24 hour stores and coffee
looking back even tough exhausted and haggard
i really think there should have been more!

you know what you'll never forget?
the intolerable smell at the little theater and falcon bridge
taking spearibs for lunch five days a week and smelling like it
goto at stairbucks and gulaman at kiss- king of balls

mr tan and dr manimtim are your favorite administrators
face it, you love the way he says filipino curses
and can't help but wish that your legs would look like hers in 30 years
i wonder where/when can i find more of them in this lifetime

as time passes by i can't help but shed a tearful glance
not at regret , frustrations and i told you sos
but in gratitude of all the time spent on words of wisdom
at the study center, the halls and the media center

if things could rewind and happen again like a video tape
id put the tape in a box, hide it deep in a closet
let whatever things that happened remain in storage
untouched, unmanipulated and constant

this post is not enough to thank the bright mind of mam jen
for exhausting her strength, nobility and love
to allow us a firm grip on the ropes of education and life
no other mentor as of yet has spoken the terms college like a friend

could this be the end of the road? please no
i hope the best in luck, in chance and in God
may you all my friends remember me once in a while
not for my quirks, but for what good we have been through

i'll surely miss you but i will not forget
how happy my college life has been just knowing y'all..........

at work

2005-03-01T16:31:00.000-08:00

well you may be wondering why its been so long since i posted, you can ask mr dividina and he'll tell you all about it. anyway another reason, aside from the play fest is that I now officially have work!!!! Home radio has taken me in to become a newscaster and they want me to start waaaay before graduation- next tuesday that is.... well i've been training and im finding it ia bit hard not to sound too young and create a style of my own that fits the easy listening format of the station.

i would just like to share something i have read from team asia:

Attracting Foreign VisitorsBy Michael Alan HamlinFebruary 21, 2005

For the first time since the Asian Financial Crisis and the election of former president Joseph Estrada, we're seeing a spate of large business conferences taking place. The fact that conference producers are again willing to take the significant financial risks associated with organizing a meeting suggests new optimism in the Philippines in general, the Philippine economy, and, yes, the Philippine government in particular.
You may understandably wonder how this can be so in the aftermath of recent downgrades of the Philippines' credit rating. In fact, Moody's not just downgraded the Philippines, but slapped the country down two notches. But the truth is that credit rating downgrades - like business news - generally trail reality, often by substantial gaps. Paco Sandejas, a venture capitalist, is fond of saying that by the time you read the news in BusinessWeek, it's old news. He was implying that venture capitalists and other investors want to act before an opportunity becomes generally known. Investors want to come in on the ground floor of opportunity.
So do analysts. But they don't. Analysts at rating agencies like Moody's base their analyses on a number of factors. They spend time "on the ground" in the country being evaluated, talking with government officials, economists, bankers, businesspeople, academics, and other influential publics. They sample the sentiment of these publics through formal surveys. They evaluate economic and fiscal indicators of the country's health. And they read reports in the business literature, like BusinessWeek, and they watch CNN.
The problem with all of these sources is that they report history - with varying degrees of accuracy. And on the basis of that history, ratings agencies like Moody's make predictions about the future. The thing to note here is that the present essentially is ignored. It's ignored because no one, in reality, knows what present conditions really are other than in an anecdotal way. So the supposition is that if historical data appears dismal, the present must be more so, and the future, well, it looks bad.
One reason that analysts believe this history, and in the Philippines' case, assume the worst, is that there is no credible information available that suggests otherwise. Senior government officials from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas and the Department of Finance go on road shows and undertake other communications efforts in an attempt to sway analysts' views. But to analysts, these officials have an obvious and natural bias, and therefore lack credibility. Especially given all the negative news that's available.
One way to address such negative perceptions is to push positive information - such as business and investor success stories - to analysts, media, and other influential individuals. Success stories in which foreign investors, for example, discuss how well their organizations are doing in the Philippines, are credible because the source of the good news is not employed by the government. The story becomes even more credible when it is picked up by a credible media outlet, like our favorite business magazine, BusinessWeek.
Is this news any less historic than the other sources of information analysts base their analyses on? No, it's not. But it is positive news.
This is important for obvious reasons. But it is worth remembering that in the absence of news, people assume the worst. And, when all the news is bad, people assume it's going to get even worse. In reality, the Philippines has many, many success stories. In the IT-enabled services sector alone, many of these stories were on display at the e-Services 2005 Exhibit & Conference recently. They included animators, software engineering firms, design engineering, medical transcription, contact centers, and others.
Unfortunately, there were few foreign visitors (Those that were there were very high quality guests, and pleased with what they saw.). And the reason there were few foreign visitors to view and hear these success stories is that perception outside the Philippines of the Philippines is very negative. When one foreign analyst invited to speak at the conference was asked how the Philippines can improve its image, he responded that the country needed to do whatever it took to attract a big brand to invest here.
When it was pointed out that there are many big brands here already, the analyst was stunned. Because it is his business to know what's going on in the Asia Pacific, including the Philippines. But he didn't. The truth is that the Philippines can't sit around waiting to be noticed. It needs to proactively communicate the happy reality that many big brands invest and operate here extremely profitably, as well as local corporations and entrepreneurs.
It will take a strategic, coherent, meaningful, and credible communications program to alter perception of the Philippines. And it won't happen in a day. But it can begin to happen over a six-month period. In a year, perception can be dramatically changed. But not unless the Philippines begins to communicate now.

portraying other people

2005-01-30T14:22:00.000-08:00

we'll be presenting a chamber theater version of why women wash the dishes today and i play the character of maldang the overbearing nagger dominatrix who agrees to a wager suggested by her husband that whoever speaks first will wash the dishes. long story cut short, she eventually ends up doing the work anyway.

i guess all the roles i have ever portrayed since high school have something to do with either being a chismosa neighbor(sa pula sa puti), an old lady(bugso, pasko ni manuel) and a mother (sisa) there are some other presentations- the titles escape me. i understand that there's a built required for the role right. i think im just sourgraping here. i wish i had gotten to try the role of flerida in florante at laura back in high school, but then i was directing the play then.

ang totoo nyan, i'm just killing time this morning since my groupmates have agreed to be in school at 7am today. i came at 6:09am. kulit diba? wala na po akong masabi kaya next time na lang ako magpopost about the things i love about my classmates and friends in college. abangan.......

reading machine

2005-01-20T22:13:00.000-08:00

just yeaterday some of my classmates (oh, i'd say about a dozen of them) commented on the new book i was reading, john grisham's the testament which only a few hours earlier has been mary higgins clark's the second time around. I guess they were quite astonished that i could read so fast whereas they, according to them, would take a whole week to finish a 250-paged paperback. I remember them looking at me like i was some weird book-addict and even went as far as calling me a "reading machine".

i'm not really compelled to explain myself, now am i? but just as well, i will do just that in this post. I started reading at just about the same age many people began reading- age six in first grade. back then reading of course was a bunch of syllabicated words such as ba-by, pa-il, e-le-phant and so on and so forth. My mama, i'm proud to say was a very educated woman, a liscensed chemical engineer, as was my papa- a mechanical engineer employed at the Naval Calibration Laboratory of the US. They had taught me to read through educational tapes that my papa would rent along with his regular bunch of naked gun and disney movies. i asked my mom some time ago about it and she said they figured that since i would eventually be hooked to the television set, then they might as well have me learn from it as well. then we had a house rule that i was allowed to watch tv during weekdays only until 5 in the afternoon and the evenings were devoted to home work. During the nights when there was no homework to be done, they would have me sit at the other end of the dining table reading a one-hundred short stories children's book that they had bought for me while they played poker with my uncles and cousin. once in a while i would come to a word that i'd mispronounce and my papa would correct it on cue. of course there were nights when i would rather have watched television and i'd intentionally drag on my reading and keep mispronouncing words so that my mom would end up reading most of the story to me. then i would let my head droop low and make them see that i was sleepy.haha, next thing i knew theye were waving me off to head on upstairs so i could get to bed.

i remember there was a mall in guam where they offered goody bags to students who made straight As (five As were good enough) and made these very special- looking certificates which had your name printed on them after you've shown your report card. My mom took me there a lot. its the case of the stimulus-response-reinforcement theory. then later on they had a booth that gave other goodies to kids who have read more than a hundred stories. i got a certificate from them too. it felt good for some odd reason. then one day there was a book fair in school and the librarian kept suggesting that if indeed we had plans of exchanging our old books for new ones, we should get those that were authored by judy blume. so i took home are you there god? it's me margaret and superfudge. they were a cool read considering that i was 8 and some of the characters in the books were about the same age.

later on i outgrew judy blume's characters and moved on to ann m. martin's the baby sitters club. i began with one of the mystery selections and when my mom saw that i had finished the book in a day's reading, she took me to a second-hand bookstore in tammuning, guam where the collection of babay sitter's club books sold for 30cents a piece. that was the day i took home about 40 of them and started checking the checklists that were on the covers of the books. how old was i, you ask? 10 years old.

i am proid to say though that i was never a fan of sweet valley high. hmph! all those girls did was chase after boys anyway.. ventually the book list grew and i got to know so many authors i wish i had kept an inventory of them. But i do remember that some of my favorites have been paulo choelo, nicholas sparks, james patterson, mary higgins clark, agatha christie, sidney sheldon, joanne kathleen rowling, amy tan, pearl buck, emily bronte, max lucado, rick warren, and oh i go bonkers trying to remember.

sure i read some romance pocketbooks some time or another, but whenever i do, it just means that i couldn't find anything better to do at that time. i'm fond of judith mcnaught because she like to do lords and not so typical ladies of the court who make fun of the ton. daniel steel i have never really got to read. there a are a lot of harlequin romances that i have read as a teenager , again for the lack of better material, since my maiden aunt had a whole bookshelf of them at the old house. in the past, i have also been through some of those very thin tagalog novels that tell of nothing but probinciana girls meeting rich manilenos having less than modest affairs from cover to cover. blechh..

you ask, have i ever been out to do anything but? why yes of course, but it just always come in handy to have a paper back inside my bag to read when im travelling from home to school and back, or waiting for a prof, or if there isn't anything interesting on tv. besides, i find a sense of connectedness to the characters i read. of course that doesn't mean that i find myself in their shoes but rather that i feel for them.

there are times too that i would not bother to finish a book because it is dragging on with no sense of direction. a separate peace is a book i own that sits on my rack half read, dostoyevski's crime and punishment has been read only up to the fourth page beacuse i cannot seem to remember the right names. there are too many vs and ks.

i relish though the page turners that i have spent reading until two in the morning. sigh! as you well know, harry potter is one of them. . hehe..

anyway i think my love for reading has become somewhat contagious inside the classroom. lui once said that i formed a sidney sheldon cult because all of a sudden, four or five other people were interested in sheldon. later on we moved on to sparks. just last week, we read the wedding. then when i read shopaholic they became interested with it too. joann read 1984 because i told her that's where incubus took the idea for the music vidio of megalomaniac (tedious read though!), then there was of mice and men, and now i'm about to pass on grisham.

i think the reason i'm trying to go through as many books as i can this semester is because in a few months i wouldn't have access to good library anymore... sigh... its so sad... so now i have to go to check out kyoko mori's shizuko's daughter.. tata!

isn't it lucky?

2005-01-09T21:41:00.000-08:00

i spent a lot of time alone this past weekend, alone in my own mind. scary ba? it's just one of those times when you feel like thinking about stuff in your life, revaluate, and check what's up and what's down. as i was leafing through hundreds of my old pictures, i remembered the events that happened behind each photo. tears would suddenly prickle the ends of my lashes just as the usual mush songs play on WRock. There were of course the baby pictures which had me on my belly on the marble floor of our old house, the one of me in front of christmas tree, then a childish naked picture of me on the beach (!), then there was the picture of my first communion where i was missing my two front teeth, a picture of my family's round-the-island tour of guam, picture of my papa when he was alive, a bunch of pictures of my friends from elementary and high school, some pictures of my cousins and their funny antics, the gowns i wore (hehe), the ones from our bivouacs in CAT where i was suspended on a 100 foot rope down a bridge, pictures of my past crushes, pictures WITH my past crushes, so many of those with the LS jocks, adamson friends, and of course, solos....haaaay....... i'd like to think that even if things have been tough in my life, there were even more times that i spent smiling. isn't it lucky?

hear, hear!

2005-01-06T21:02:00.000-08:00

hey everybody! happy new year!!! (my friend lui tried to tap me into getting back on blog all because i think he's the only one who ever checks my blog nowadays. he keeps saying "hey meg, i read your new post!")

so, what's new? well for starters, my waistline has now come to a college-high of 35 and my weight has become an embarrassing 75 kilos. hahahah!! blame it all on the lechon, barbeque and fried chicken, spaghetti, ham, cheese, graham mango float, fruit salad, valenciana, fetuccini, pansit malbon, and flagons of coca cola during the holidays. so who's to say he/ she hasn't grown wider? i think it has also become some sort of tradition to get fat during christmas and then make new year's resolutions on dieting. that is, in hope of being able to get past a month of the (ahem!) diet.

my professor asked us yesterday whether or not we're experiencing graduation jitters yet. some of my mates said no, but it got me to thinking- "is that what i've been going through?" Oh well, if it means that these so called jitters cause a soon to be graduate to keep thinking of - "saan ako pupulutin after college?"; or"when i get a job, im going to buy a whatsits and a thingamabob and ....(the list goes on...)"; or "would i go straight into job hunting or do i want to go on a vacation to pangasinan first?"; or "59 days, 14 hours, 23 minutes and 4 seconds, make that 3 seconds to go before graduation" then yes i have graduation jitters. there is also the bugging idea in my head whether or not i'm gonna make good enough to get a small medallion to wear around my neck for a few hours and then throw it together with the likes of it inside my bottom drawer. i know it might sound concieted (i've been very careful not to be called that again) to even entertain thoughts like that but i can't help but think about it. in a way some people might be able to compare me with hermione granger who professor snape very scathingly calls an insufferable know it all. oh whatever, right? let them pigs come however they want to.

nick says he's coming home next month- february. i'm not sure how i feel about that. sure i'm excited to meet him finally. but then there's still a nagging feeling i don't understand.maybe i'm just nervous about it. i haven't said i'd be his special person yet, i'm waiting to get to know the person and not just the name on my cell phone's screen. however, he's the one who is really excited about my graduation, it kinda slipped that he has a gift for me. i wonder what that is..... hmm... ces thinks it's a ring. please not yet, i think.

SPELLS

2004-11-25T20:55:00.000-08:00

ei, more info on the spells used in harry potter books.......

Accio (summoning charm) - Latin for "to summon."

Avada Kedavra (killing curse) - Aramaic phrase that means "may it be destroyed."

Avis (spell that Ollivander used to make birds fly out of Krum's wand) - Latin for "bird."

Cunjunctivitus Curse (spell that Krum used to "do something" to the eyes of the Chinese Fireball during the first task of the TWT) - Conjunctivitis is the scientific name for pink-eye -- the illness that children often get that makes eyelids crust together.

Cruciatus Curse - "Crucio" is Latin for "to torture."

Deletrius (banishing spell) - Latin for "to erase."

Densuageo (spell that Malfoy used to make Hermione's front teeth grow huge) - "Dens" is Latin for "teeth." "Augeo" is Latin for "to enlarge."

Diffindo (spell Harry used to cause Cedric's bag to split apart) - In Latin, "Diffundo" means "scatter."

Ennervate (used to revive someone who has been stunned) - When spelled with two n's, as ennervate, it actually means to add nerve (daring or strength). With one n, as enervate, it means to weaken. The spell in the books is "ennervate," so it makes perfect sense.

Expelliarmus (disarming spell) - Latin combination "to expel" and "arma" (weapon).

Impedimenta (used to slow down attackers) - "Impedio" is Latin for "to hinder."

Imperius Curse - "Impero" is Latin for "to control" and "imperium" is Latin for "absolute control."

Lumos (used to make a wand emit light) - "Lumen" is Latin for "light" and "luminous" means "emitting light" in English.

Morsmordre (makes the Dark Mark appear in the sky) - Combination between "mors" (Latin for "death") and "modere" (Latin for "to bite"). Death bite? No -- Death Eater.

Nox (cancels out Lumos) - "Nox" is Latin for "darkness."

Orchideous (makes flowers spring out of the tip of a wand) - Orchid is a type of flower.

Patronus (dementor defense spell) - "Patronus" is Latin for "protector."

Quietus (cancels out "Sonorus") - Obviously "quiet" means to be silent, and "quietus" in Latin means to be quiet.

Reducio (shrinking charm) - "Reduce" means "to make smaller" in English.

Riddikulus (spell used to transform a scary Boggart into a humorous shape) - "Ridiculous" means "absurd."

Sonorous (spell used to magnify a voice like a loudspeaker) - "Sonorus" is Latin for "loud."

Stupefy (spell used to make someone unconscious) - "Stupefy" in English means "dull the senses of; daze."

Veritaserum (truth potion) - "Veritas" is Latin for "truth" and a serum is a potion.

VERITASERUM

2004-11-25T20:38:00.000-08:00

ha! since every body knows that im a self-confessed harry potter addict, i decided that i should post some of the cool stuff that i have found out about j.k rowling's masterpiece and thereby help some of our muggle friends understand the wizarding world...
have fun!

NAME ORIGINS
This is a reference as to what some of the names and places in the HP series mean in other languages, what they might be named after, and some stories surrounding them in Mythology that might have to do with the future of the Harry Potter books.

AlASTOR - Greek God who sought revenge on people.

ALBUS - In Latin means white (maybe for white beard). Wisdom. Or.. Governor of Britain at the death of the emperor Pertinax, Decimus Clodius Albinus (Albinus=Albus?) attempted to seize the throne but ended up as Caesar in alliance with another imperial contender, Septimius Severus. After Severus defeated two other rivals (Voldemort and... maybe Slytherin?), the now expendable Albinus was forced into another attempt at usurpation, an attempt that came to an end at the bloody battle of Lyon.

ARAGOG- "Arachnid" means spider.

ARGUS - In Greek mythology, Argus was a monster that had a hundred eyes and was ever-so-watchful.

ARTHUR- Could represent King Arthur. The legend presents Arthur as a leader in ancient times who defeats the Saxons and other enemies. He thereby unites the people of Britain in peace and harmony.

BAGMAN - A person who collects money, as for racketeers.

Beauxbatons - French for "beautiful wands".

Bellatrix - A pale yellow star indicating the left shoulder of the constellation Orion, the Great Hunter. Bellatrix is known as the "Female Warrior."

Bode - To be an omen. Also, a stop or delay.

Boggart - "Baggart" (pronounced the same), an Irish word, means "a threat".

Charlie - A diminutive of Charles, which means manly and strong.

Cho - Japanese for "butterfly"

Colin - Means youth, child, or victor.

Cornelius - See Lucius.

Dolores - lady of sorrows

Draco - Draco is a constellation that looks like a dragon but is a snake. In Latin, Draco means "dragon."

Dumbledore - Means "Bumblebee" in Old English.

Durmstrang - "Sturm und drang" is German phrase meaning storm and stress.

Dursley - A town near J.K. Rowling's birthplace.

Figg, Mrs. Arabella - "Fig" means "not literal" and a fig leaf is something that conceals or camouflages. Hmm...

Filch - To "steal."

Firenze - Italian name for the city of Florence.

Flitwick - A town in England.

Fleur Delacour - Means "Flower of the Court" in French.

Fluffy - "Cerberus" the three-headed dog was the guardian of the underworld in Greek mythology.

Fudge - "Fudge," besides being a delicious chocolate confection, can mean nonsense. As a verb, it means to evade or to falsify. In technological jargon, it means "to perform in an incomplete but marginally acceptable way."

Gilderoy - A highwayman known for being handsome. May also come from the word "gilded," which is defined as having a pleasing, showy appearance, which covers something of little worth. The name "Roy" is old Old French for "regal one" or king.

Ginny - "Ginevra," Italian female, woman of the people.

Hedwig - A saint that lived in Germany in the 13th and 14th centuries Means "refuge in battle."

Hermes - The Greek Messenger.

Hermione - Means well born or stone. Feminine version of Hermes. In Greek Mythology, she was the daughter of Helen of Troy and King Menelaus of Sparta. Hermione is also a character in Shakespeare's A Winter's Tale.

Lily - Pure.

Lockhart - Town in Australia near Wagga Wagga ("Compose a poem about my defeat of the Wagga Wagga Werewolf"?).

Lucius - Similar to Lucifer (the devil).
A Roman General named Lucius Cornelius Sulla was usurped by the people of Rome, but defeated them and seized control as a dictator. After doing so, he removed most of the popular say in the government and returned it to the Senate of Rome, which controlled the people, and founded a firm Republic.

Luna - The Roman goddess of the moon. Also, it is a term for silver in alchemy.

Lupin - Lunar means moon. Lupin means wolf-like. Canis Lupus is the scientific name for wolf.

Malfoy - "Mal foi" means "bad faith" in French. Malfoy has "mal" in it, meaning evil.

Marietta - "Little Bitter."

Minerva - In Roman Mythology was the Goddess of Wisdom. In Greek Mythology she was the Goddess of War. She gave strict punishments.

Mirror of Erised - Erised backwards is desire (as in "you'll see what you desire"). The inscription around the top of the Mirror of Erised, if shown backwards with the spaces rearranged, says: I show not your face but your hearts desire.

Moody - Not in a good mood.

Mundungus - A stinking tobacco.

Nagini - "Naga" is snake in Sanskrit.

Neville - Old French for "from the new farmland."

Nicholas Flamel - Was a real alchemist, and supposedly DID create the Philosopher's Stone not "Sorcerer’s"). The tale was that he had spent decades of his life trying to create the Philosopher's Stone, which could turn any metal in to gold and unlock the secrets to immortality, but could not figure it out.

Nimbus - "Nimbus" means "cloud." Nimbus was also a god in Greek Mythology.

Norris, Mrs. - A character in one of J.K. Rowling's favorite author's (Jane Austen)
books.

Parvati - Parvati is a Hindu Goddess married to Hindu God Shiva the Destroyer. She gave birth to a baby boy named Ganesh, who Siva beheaded, but replaced the old head with an elephant head after Parvati reamed him out. Sister of the Goddess of the Ganges, Padma. "Patel" is a common Indian last-name.

Peeves - "Peeve" means "little devil" or something that gets on your nerves (like a pet peeve).

Percival - One of the legendary Knights of the Round Table. The name itself means "pierces the valley" or "destroyer."

Quibbler - To quibble means to evade the truth or importance of an issue by raising trivial distinctions and objections. A quibble is an archaic term for a pun.

Remus - Brother of Romulus (founder of Rome). They were raised by a female wolf. He was killed by Romulus.

Ron - Interesting when taken in conjunction with Arthur: advisor to the king.

Ronan - An Irish saint.

Severus - Sever means "to cut off". Severe also means cruel, strict. In ancient history, Lucius Septimius Severus restored stability to the Roman empire after the tumultuous reign of the emperor Commodus (See Albus) and the civil wars that erupted in the wake of Commodus' murder (if you watched "Gladiator" then you should know this).

Sibyll - Sibyll comes from the Sibyls, who were famous prophets in ancient mythology.

Sirius - Named after the star Sirius, also known as the Dog Star. Seen during
summer "dog" days.

Skeeter, Rita - "Skeeter" is short for "mosquito." As most people can attest, mosquitoes are among the most annoying life-forms on this planet.

Snape - A town in England, also based after a person JKR knew.

Tom Marvolo Riddle - If you rearrange the letters it spells: "I am Lord Voldemort."

Umbridge - Sounds like "umbrage," which is a feeling of anger caused by an offence. While it can also mean "shadow" or "offense," it can also mean "jealous of another, as standing in one's light or way."

Voldemort, Lord - There was a dark wizard in medieval times named Voldermortist. In another language, Voldermortist means "Lord of Evil" or "Dark Lord". Legend has it that Voldermortist once tried to destroy Merlin before the time of King Arthur (Mr. Weasley?), by bewitching good people, and simply bribing those who already were evil. Legend has it that Merlin destroyed Voldermortist by using a simple paralyzing charm (full body bind?), fed him to the many-headed-beast (Fluffy?) of the lake, the Lady of the Lake's pet (Giant Squid?), freed the bewitched people, and destroyed the evil men. That was maybe twelve, thirteen years before Arthur (how long it was from Voldemort's destruction until Harry started Hogwarts). In French means "thief of death" (meaning escaping death).

life is boring at the moment

2004-11-21T22:31:00.000-08:00

are you bored with school? i know i am. I want to get it over and done with. after all there are just four months left

this is the first time i ever felt this in my life. my mom tells me that even as a child i never liked being absent but lately i drag myself out of the house. i don't understand how this came to be. do all graduating students feel this way or is it just me? i used to be enthusiastic in taking down notes and dead crazy in reading all the books i can lay my hands on at the library. but now? sure i go to the library- to browse about subjects i have practically memorized in high school. i keep telling myself that i don't need to go over it again, but for the lack of interest in anything else at the moment i reread it.

i talked to my pastor about it yesterday and he said that i need an outlet. it's a case of burn-out, he says.

maybe i'll go find myself a new author to sink my mind into just as i did with sheldon during the last semester..

meanwhile, i'm gonna have to drag myself to senor escoda's class again...

nick

2004-11-07T22:13:00.000-08:00

sa mga ayaw ng mush, hwag nang magbasa! if you do read on, dont say ididn't tell you so...
nalilito na ako kung ano ba talaga ang gagawin ko sa lalaking ito. para sa mga hindi nakakaalam si nick po ay kaibigan ng kuya ko na seaman din at kasalukuyang nanunuyo sa akin- in short manliligaw. in fairness gwapo naman ciya, mabait, masipag, at may magandang trabaho. ang problema kasi 32 years old na cia at ako ay 21. big deal ika mo. ang totoo kahit napapalagay na ang loob jo sa kanya, dalawang beses ko na ciyang binasted dahil nape-pressure ako sa mga naiisip ko na maaaring mangyari. may namention kasi siya sa akin na sakaling palarin daw siya sa akin, maghahanda na daw siyang pakasal. ????!!!! bata pa ako at alam kong marami pang pwedeng magyari sa buhay ko. Gusto ko muna makagraduate at maka hanap ng fulfilling na trabaho kagaya ng kalahati ng mundo. Gusto ko muna matupad ang mga pangarap ng mama ko para sa akin. Para sa mga nakakakilala sa akin, alam naman ninyo na hindi biro ang pinagdaanan ko sa buhay at alam kong magiging mahirap para sa kanya o sa kahit kaninong lalaki ang intindihin ang mga kaganapan na iyon. Sa kabilang banda, alam kong handa siyang antayin ako. Napakalaki ng pagtitiwala niya sa akin at kahit nga alam kong nasasaktan siya kapag hindi ko sinasagot ang mga text messages niya, tumatawag at nagtetext parin siya mula sa kabilang dulo ng mundo. nakapa-manhid ko naman yatang tao kung ni hindi ko man lang maaapreciate ang mga efforts niya. hindi ako humihingi ng advice. nagpo-post lang ako kasi magdadalawang buwan na akong hindi nagpost..............

Scribbles

2004-09-02T00:26:00.000-07:00

hi, this is just something i wrote for a project in specialized writing... feel free to add a comment. i just hope you don't diss me too much. thanks

Just like any other day when she is out of the house, she keenly places a ring on her left ring finger as well as her right. Worthy of photography, Florian’s fingers are long yet she likes to keep her nails short and unpainted. Her right hand, with a calloused middle finger, is never without a pen and lifts decisively whenever she utters a command. Her elbows are smooth even as memoirs of the bruises show. With pearls and crystals on her earlobes, she turns her head at every bit of unexpected noise. Sleek and strapy are the two-inch sandals on her feet planted flat on the floor. On her neck is a vine of a necklace made of gold and silver that ends with a chain at her nape. Her shoulders, even if high and purposeful are always covered with a jacket. With her back in a straight no-nonsense pose, the chair on which she sits loses all justification. No amount of lipstick could soften the edges of her mouth. Neither could spectacles unsharpen her eyes.

Florian del Mundo is a remodeled closet of armor showing elegant varnish and luster, seeking to keep clandestine what ought not be known.

Flor scans through her palm organizer realizing she has yet to finish tasks she would rather set aside for a month. She has articles to write, people to interview and a new novel to edit. Sighing heavily, Flor switches the palm pilot off. Her mouth spreads to a smile as she sees the post-it attached to the organizer.

MICA and KAYE.

Although the piece of paper is full of scribbles and erasures, Flor decides she will get right to that after this meeting. The note indicates groceries to shop, DVDs to rent, cakes and balloons to order and casseroles to cook.

She impatiently looks at her watch. 10:43.

This is taking too much of my time! I need to be done with this before twelve o’clock.

Again she looks at the watch. 10:51. The watch. It isn’t as beautiful as it was the day it was given to her on her birthday some years back. A present from Ali.

No, don’t even think about it!

It was the first time anyone ever gave importance to that day of the year. Not her parents. They were always busy with the family business to even notice the date. Not Jake to whom she was about to be married to a week from then. Flor had spent the years of her life alone at the mall or in her room. To Jake it was just another ordinary day, which meant he was at the office or at a business conference at the opposite site of the globe. They were of the same feathers. Nothing mattered more to them than money.

Last year was different. Somebody made sure she got everything she ever wanted on her birthday. She met Ali at a friend’s dinner party. A short- haired thirty two year old, he was tall and muscular, smart and easy to talk to. Flor had fun talking to him that night. He seemed to find her attractive as exemplified by the twinkle in his eyes. Ali asked her out and she agreed. They met regularly from then on. They watched movies and dined out. Flor wondered why he was distant. He’s too much of a gentleman. The most memorable time for her was that date exactly five years before.

I remember the flowers, the music, the laughter, and the kiss….

Who would have thought the world she knew could change right after that?

“How could you?! After all that I’ve done for you?!”

Rubbing her face, Flor whispers, “You did nothing for me. The only thing that matters to you is your stupid business, Jake.”

“We’ve already sent out the invitations and made the arrangements- the church, the reception …” Jake was almost hysterical.

“There was never a ‘we’. You arranged that wedding together with mom and dad. Why don’t you go marry them!”

SLAP! She did not see it coming. Jake hit her hard on the face. He was blinded with rage. He shook her shoulders roughly and scared it with his nails. Flor felt the warm blood on her shoulders and fought to break free. Suddenly she was flat on the floor.

Flor was tired of keeping everything she had in mind all to her self. It was time to speak up. All the things that were bottled up inside her were about to explode. She finally got Jake off her. She stood up took the diamond solitaire ring off her finger and threw it at Jake. She rushed to the drawer and got hold of the gun. She aimed straight at Jake.

“Get out!”

She never thought she would have to leave her previous abode. Never have to find a new life. From the shy and timid lapdog that she was, suddenly, Flor had a voice. She knew what she wanted with her life and it certainly was not to be married to a control freak like Jake.

The next thing she knew, Flor was calling up Ali. She told him everything that happened and he consoled her over the phone. When Flor asked if she could come over to his house, Ali hesitated and finally agreed. What will she think of me when she finds out?

Ali gave out his address and tried to fix his house as best he could. He was nervous. For the first time in his life he did not know what to do.

The doorbell rang…. Footsteps were heard… A man’s sing song voice… “I’ll get it!”… He was dressed in very short shorts. He opened the door and smiled at Flor.

“Hi, dear. What can I do for you?” The guy said. This must be his brother. Flor was about to say something when Ali came out from behind the door.

“Hi Florian, this is my partner Alexi.”

Her mind went blank. The world is turning upside down. Lost for words, Flor tried ever so hard to stay on her feet. She finally managed a weak smile and spoke.

“I- I must be at the wrong house.”

She turned her back and walked away. She kept on walking until she had nowhere to go. There was a time when she could walk alone at dusk around her neighborhood greeting all the amiable people walking past. There was a spot just around the corner of the trees that came to a clearing to reveal the view of the world’s most beautiful sunsets. It was “her spot”. It was where she wrote most of her poems and where she spent most of her Sunday afternoons just staring at nothingness. But like everything else, her Sunday soirees would have to end.

Right after she left Ali’s house, she found that she had wandered to her spot. But on that day, she forgot to notice the freshly cut grass along the way. She smiled at none of the amiable people walking past. Flor thought the sunset was the most despicable thing she ever saw. Then it dawned on her. She knew what she wanted to do.

She took all the money she had saved up and moved to Saipan. She was fortunate enough to find a job as a writer at a Micronesian magazine. She never informed her parents about her whereabouts. They wouldn’t notice I had left. They knew where she was but her parents did not go after her.

After a few months, she took another job as an editor at a publishing house. She no longer went on dates. She despised men. Whenever her male co-workers would try talk her into going some where she simply replied- “I’m not interested.” The men never understood why.

She was happy now with her two adopted children, Mica and Kaye. They were going to have a party tonight. It was going to be just the three of them. They were going to celebrate her day.

11:15

She is still waiting for the author of the novel she was editing. The young lad is an hour late. Well this should teach her a lesson on punctuality! Florian picks up her purse and leaves the coffee shop. She has a list to attend to. Flor takes out her shades, puts them on and walks toward a green SUV..

i know

2004-08-26T18:20:00.000-07:00

many times i've heard it said that You are great
That everything i know is marked with the prints of Your mighty hand
I grew up in a world that boasts of knowing You
And yet too many times I stumbled as i saw them fall
Who would have thought Your eyes would rest on little 'ol me?
The same hands that created the heavens would actually hold mine?
Never has man's mind been able to fathom how vast Your powers are
So how did it happen that Your amazing grace was given to a nobody like me?
There are days when i forget to tell You how happy i am
But when troubles come the first word out of my lips is Your name
The fact that You are always beside me escapes me at times
You gently touch me, turn my eyes and i am reminded
I get caught up with the world and its worries too often
They take away my time with You and present shabby substitutes
They call me derranged and i just turn right back to You, my home base
Then I wish the joy and promise You gave me would not be foriegn to them
What can i give back that your hands have not made?
It seems Your standards are high and far-fetched
So for every burnt offering You have provided a lamb
For every gap between islands, a means to cross the bridge
I hope You don't mind that i constantly call upon You
I know i am not the only one whose needs You attend to
It's just that when i talk to You, i can never get enough of Your nearness
I long for the day when i become intoxicated by Your fragrance, swept away by Your love
People come to me to say they like my ways, and ask my secret
I shrugg my shoulders- "I am nobody, I just have a great Dad."
You are my secret, my focus, my way and my first love
They say You are great. I know You're better that great.

best i ever had

2004-08-12T14:10:00.000-07:00

i was surprised by the question my teacher/friend mam jen asked me last night. She asked me what my birthday wish was. i did not have an answer because i could not remember if i ever made one. Perhaps i did, at one point in time- when i was a kid- wish to have the usual toys or a trip to the mall with my parents. even now as i am typing this i cannot think of an answer to the question.

i spent two days celebrating my birthday this year. im actually overwhelmed.. On tuesday my college best buds and i went to sm manila to have lunch at tropical hut at the fourth floor. Its funny because this was the first time each one was present ever since the last time we ate out together which was right after our variety show last december and since the big fight we had over the summer. We laughed as we remembered that december afternoon when we saw the girl beside our table pick at her spaghetti and barely touch her chicken just because she was with a guy who seemed to be trying to impress her with his money (or his parents' money). They were with another girl who must have been a chaperone on their said date. my friends and i figured it was another one of those 'eyebol dates'. We couldn't have cared less about what those people did since we were finishing every strip of chicken there was on our plate. We were very hungry, mind you, after all the work we did on the variety show. Some minutes passed and the chaperoned couple left their table. I got mad at how wasteful the girl was, she just took a piece of skin from her chicken! because of a dare (i cant remember who dared me) i got up from my seat, walked accross to the table beside us, took the chicken from the plate and brought it back to our table. My friends and i laughed as we remembered laughing our hearts out as we shared it with feelings of embarrassment and delight.

I looked at all six faces as we were getting ready to leave our table. I suddenly realized we have barely seven months together as college students. i spend more time with these guys more than ive spent time with my neices at home. These are faces i have memorized and look forward to seeing everyday of the week. i don't ever want to forget these people. i was teary eyed then but i did not want to become all sentimental in front of them, they've seen me cry too many times all ready and that's just for the month of august. so i held back the tears. i put away the tissue paper they had written small notes on for my birthday. i love those guys.

after that we went shopping for shoes because my nanay gave me some money to buy myself a new pair after i showed her that the old pair had holes already. Later we went to the aumacomms office to talk about the general assembly and help out with whatever it was our other friends would have us do. The others were rehearsing for their dance number.

The general assembly was successful and compared with the other assemblies i've attended in the past, this was fun. i hosted the event together with lui, tere and melvin. Actually the four of us only had a short briefing two hours before the program began. A deejay from Love Radio, Chris Tsuper was the speaker for the assembly and he was telling the students how unimportant a mastery of the english language was on radio. i thought- who are you kidding? i couldnt help but think of the difference between all the things mr chris tsuper was saying to the students (some of which were actual aspiring djs)and the things my mentor, John Hendrix, had taught the aircheck student deejays.It was fortunate that i did not commit a mistake of saying 97.1 wlsfm. I guess i was not the only one reacting, Mr Tan the chairman of the department of foreign languages contradicted everything the guy said in his speech. by the way Mr Tan was the highlight of the general assembly, he sang "the greatest love of all".

After the assembly myle and i waited for the other core members to come out of their classes for we had plans of going to luneta to celebrate. We bought some chips and some sodas and spent some hours in front of the DOT. The wind was cold and lapu-lapu's large figure was missing. Everybody missed him. There were kids lurking around asking for our food and one of them was a bully. We were already shooing them away but they seemed to have been trained to pester the people at luneta for whatever they could get their hands on. they were rowdy and annoying but that was not enough to get me out of my happy mood.

Two days spent all because my friends thought it was special. i wish particular people thought of it as special too. if it was possible, i would hold the moment and not allow time to continue. I may never have another birthday such as this one. For the first time i don't have words passionate enough to express my joy. i thank the Lord that He allowed all this to happen through my friends. This was my best birthday ever.

i asked God last night if ever that special person He intended for me would be coming any time soon. i told Him how i would like that person, whoever he might be, to be able to give as much importance to the day i was born as my friends have. Maybe even more. . .

kalakip ng awitin

2004-08-08T19:51:00.000-07:00

kung mayroon lamang akong sanlibong buhay
hindi ipagkakait lahat sayoy ibibigay
gayunpaman saking nagiisang taglay
ilalaan bawat saglit upang ibigin ka ng walang humpay

gaya ng dagat na hindi napapagal sa pagalon
puso ko ay sayo magmamahal sa habang panahon
natatanging karangalan ko'y ikaw ay sambahin
wagas na pag sinata'y iyong dinggin
kalakip ng awitin

JFCM

2004-07-21T04:26:00.001-07:00

for more information on Jesus First Christian Ministries, the church i love so much, check out www.jfcm.org.ph

walk the talk

2004-07-21T03:28:00.001-07:00

Last sunday, our pastor shared a message all about offering. He cited Cain and Abel and continued on to say that not all that we offer to God is pleasing to God. Not to get too preachy, the essence of the message was that we should check ourselves whether what we do still pleases God. I tell you i am not alone in saying that it was one of the most hurtful messages i have heard. I pondered very hard on that thought- "Are you cain or abel?".
Then yesterday, as i was on the way to school, i remembered my pastor and how much work he puts in on God'd kingdom. I take pride in saying things that concern him because i very much admire his perserverance. Ptr Domeng happens to be one of the overseers of the Jesus First Christian Ministries, a church that began in Saudi Arabia believe it or not. Our outreach, JFCM Taytay, is the church he directly handles every sunday but over all he oversees about 11 other provincial churches of JFCM. He's a cool dude even if he's almost 50.. Hehe.. I'm friends with his two older kids Dave and Dyan. Thinking of him yesterday made me smile tearfully and think of that line in the bible that says we should continue to encourage one another. So i picked up my phone and texted him. I told him "wala lang! naalala ko lng po kayo. just want to thank you for your work for God's Kingdom.God's Grace be with you today!". Of course i expected a reply but that of the "ok" types. He replied (not 'reply back' like my friend likes to txt!hehe) saying that i gave confirmation that he was preaching the word of God not of man. I didnt know he was doubting himself already. He said thanks right after.
I rarely get to see my pastor ever since i came into radio last year. Yes it has been a year... I remember when i shared the news of acceptance to the auditions to him. He gave me a half smile reminding me that i should not forget the things that matter most. It is now that we have a cell group in school that i realize how much Ptr Domeng's work and discipleship has poured onto my life. He was there when i had so many questions to ask. He gladly presented the answers to each one no matter if we ended each session of Bible study at 11:30 in the evening. No matter if i had to sleep over night at their house so that the worship team could practice for an upcoming concert till 2 in the morning. No matter if he had to travel to antipolo straight from a meeting in mandaluyong. I never saw him tired or ashamed that he was a pastor "on call". In scholl during cell meetings when i answer trivial questions to my friends, i remember myself asking for help during my time. were it not for ptr domeng or the other workers i hung (past tense) around with I would not be able to answer my cell mates.
Tearfully, i realize i miss church. I miss my friends at church. I miss practicing on saturdays and arguing with our guitarist all because he wants to take the song on a G and i want it on an E because the notes are too high for me on G. I miss goofing around Ptr domeng's house and cooking and eating with the other christian friends including my mom. I miss the fire of worship leading. The last time i sang in church was december of 2003, the only follow up to that was JFCM's anniversary last May. I also miss the manong who sells barbeque at the corner of the church whom i would chat with during breaks. I miss the flood in taytay. I miss the little kids who like to run around the church before sunday service. I miss everything related to God's ministry.
How could I????? How could i exchange that part of my life that brought everything i ever needed? Here comes the question- Can radio be better than God's house. NO. How many times have i sang that song- "Better is one day in Your courts, better is one day in Your house, better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere"?
I have seen what there is to be seen in the life in radio. The internal politics, the greed, the pride, the (excuse me) dirt. I endured it for a year. I was a part of it for a year. with humility, i admit, i was one of them for a year. A year is enough. i have decided. Walk the talk. how can i tell my cell mates to their face that life with God is better than anything in the world if i am a part of a world so in contrast with God's world.
Giving radio up hurts. so much. Why? because i took up mass communications to be in media. Call it a dream. this was to be a stepping stone, like so many people like to call it. But then the world likes to glitter things up to keep you from what matters most. I texted my mentor at the radio station just today, i told him the truth, that i have a ministry to attend to. Funny, God loves to take the things that matter a big deal to you. If it takes you away from God, it's not worth keeping. Do you think Abel was hurt when he gave up his offering?

chest pain anyone?

2004-07-09T02:37:00.001-07:00

For almost every year that i have spent in school, i have always had a teacher that i despised by any of the following reasons: teaching technique, grammatical ignorance,lack of fashion sense, p and h defect, corny jokes, ticket-selling requirement,capricious requirements, unacceptable guesses of the facts on the subject and at times the teacher himself for no reason at all. There were those that i got along with later on in life, but then it is inevitable that i have not been able to come to terms with the rest.
The earliest that my brain can remember (at the moment) myself making fun of a teacher was in third year high school. I did not like the way our world history teacher required us to have the 6th edition of Sonia Zaide's text book on the subject. He wanted it covered in blue art paper and plastic. The class was also to have a notebook covered in the same manner. I unfortunately did not have the resources at that time to buy the book for family bankruptcy problems so i rummaged through my cousin's old school books and found an older edition of the text book by Zaide. It was written by both Gregorio Zaide and his daughter Sonia. So what if it was battered and bruised and the pages were yellow in age and the pages were torn in overuse? It was the book he required was it not? i presented it to him because he gave out "extra points" to those who had books and covered ones at that. He refused to give me extra points because it had the name Gregorio and did not have the word 6th edition on it. So i let it pass because i figured, i can make up for those points another time. Now this teacher of mine passed on the "teaching" to the students through reporting. o i forgot to mention that he was a graduate of Computer Science and that he did not have any authority on the subject History whatsoever.... It came to a point that my classmate was discussing a particular cradle of civilization, i posed a question about the literature of that society and as expected my classmate was not able to answer. He then passed on the question to my teacher who brushed the question aside as irrelevant and that the society in question DID NOT HAVE ANY FORM OF LITERATURE. In my battered book, Gregorio mentioned that that particular group even pioneered a form of literature. So i sneered and i kept testing him all through the year. Obnoxious of me? Yes.
I have had many an encounter with teachers that i disagreed with. I even came to a point of spearheading a minimutiny aginst the deputy directress of my high school concerning jogging pants..(what!!!!!) Bad!
Now recently, i went through a series of dramatical changes in my life concerning my relationship with friends. I figured it was time to give up on the old bad habits and follow a lifestyle acceptable to God once more. I decided I was going to avoid making obnoxious remarks, and discard all negativity and paranoia and move on to a happy last year in college. I realize now old habits do die hard. I was recently (last week) faced with another questionable professor. We were happily(at least i was) discussing cradles of civilization in asian civilization when i objected to some corny remarks from the professor. He said that he and his friends once went to new york and found it very pleasing to see the big ben. i am not sure if my classmates saw the irony in that statement because no one dared to respond except I. I tutted and said Huh? how could that be possible? the big ben is in london not in new york. he laughed and noted that i got the joke. fine then.. Soon after half of the class were transferred to another room with another teacher whom they profess as, and i quote, an incessantly grammatically and politically ignorant teacher. my professor then started to talk about the earth having the shape of an inverted apple. He said the earth was a hollow entity with openings at the north pole and south pole. The core inside the earth was according to him an inner sun not the former. He then supported his arguement by citing the aurora borealis, the pyramids of giza and the bermuda triangle. For the first time in my life i shut my mouth and forced my face not to react.
Needless to say i was frustrated. Angry even.But the Bible says "in your anger do not sin" So i kept quiet. I felt that his arguement or theory if you can call it that was moot. It has been proven by science that the earth is round and not hollow. Was he trying to say that all the things i have learned from preschool up to this day are wrong? Was my education in question? I could not take it a step further but i kept my calm. Then came a severe chest pain that felt like an elephant was on top of my chest. it hurt like hell and i couldnt breathe. The pofessor soon noticed my paleness and tried to massage my palm. I complained that it was not working and that i could not feel my hands which were white as paper. I was accompanied by some friends to the clinic and guess what the she said. Hysteria.
Duh! the medication a good dose of oxygen and water. Cool. I didnt know you could force yourself to get sick even if you dont mean to. But it is indeed amazing how i was able to overcome my bad habit through the Holy spirit. I was amazed. So will you have it? Chest pain anyone?

without faith it is impossible to please god

2004-07-05T21:37:00.001-07:00

i learned a long time ago that prayers are not a bunch of mumbles and amens. It is not about memorizing age old prayers and saying them just to get it over and done with. it is not about looking around as to who can see you as you pray. it saddens me when i find people pray with their focus much on the prayer and not to the One they pray to.
what did Jesus have to say about praying? (Mt 6:6-8 NIV) "But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father who is unseen.... and when you pray do not keep babbling like the pagans because they think they will be heard with their many words...Your Father knows what you need before you ask him." prayers are your calls, your letters and even your text messages (if you may) to God. Just imagine if you wrote a half hearted assignment, would your professor not give you a low grade? What if you wrote a poor letter to your special someone, will he/she not find you uninterested in the relationship? so it goes with God. Hey i'm no theologian, nor am i a bible scholar... but in the times that i have made the mistake of praying not with my heart but with merely my mouth, i felt God keep his distance. The book of Hebrews says "without faith it is impossible to please God."
it is not a matter of whether you know how to compose a prayer that touches your emotions and the emotions of those around you. God cares about your motives.IT IS NOT A MATTER OF WHETHER YOU'VE EXPERIENCED GOD BEFORE. Even as you were in your mother's womb, God knew you and loved you. How can you say that you're not ready? How can you say that yopu would like to experience God before you believe? In His language it is not "to see is to believe" but rather "to believe is to see". Call me a radical christian but you know what? HE IS REAL. HIS NAIL DRIVEN HANDS ARE REAL. AND THE PRICE FOR YOUR SALVATION WAS HIS BLOOD. HOW MUCH MORE REALITY ARE YOU LOOKING FOR????
i'm not angry. i just feel very passionately about this.i've said it before and i'll say it again- you have nothing to lose and everything to gain. God bless you.