Learning From the Calamity

We all need proper education on our basic survival skills during natural disasters. With what happen to last month's fail tsunami scare due to a strong earthquake, it is best to review the earthquake safety drill. Always remember that when staying indoors, taking cover is the initial step. We should understand that during natural disasters like earthquakes, all things are not important. Even saving the expensive argan oil from Morocco is unnecessary. Quickly move to a safe location in the room such as under a strong desk, a strong table, or along an interior wall.   The goal is to protect yourself from falling objects and be located near the structural string points of the room. Avoid taking covers near windows, large mirrors, hanging objects, heavy furniture or heavy appliances. If you are cooking, turn off the stove and take cover. If you are outdoors, move to an open area where falling objects are unlikely to strike you. Move away from buildings, power lines and trees. If you are driving, slow down smoothly and stop on the side of the road. Avoid stopping on or under bridges and overpass, or under power lines, trees and large signs. It is encourage to stay on your car to stay cover.

Thinking of Purple Clouds

You can always create something if you believe. I always have many ideas about the theories of our conception. My mind tells me that before we were born, we already know everything. We know what will happen and will soon to come. We know all the wonders of the earth and the secrets of the universe. We know all the answers to the questions. We are gifted with the knowledge about the sweetness of mango or the healing of a morrocanoil. We are perfect little cherubim. Before being brought to our mother's womb, our angels draw a line and sealed our lips. That makes us forget all these knowledge of the world. Perhaps this is the reason why we experience "deja vu". The feeling where you have already experience a certain situation but doesn't actually went through it in reality. Well, this is just a few fragments of my twisted imagination. My own means of coping up to some things that I cannot fully explain in real sense.

The Challenge

Their is always a contrariety. Great ideas always have great challenges. But these challenges aren't created to provide distractions. Rather, it is their to test one's character and spirit. I am in the process of creating something new. A diaspora that will surely make impact and change the perspectives of the cons. But right now I am being challenged. I am being repressed from setting the camping grill ablaze. I have to be honest to myself and admit that I am afraid and confuse. But I should also listen to my heart that everything is possible if I will just believe in myself that I can do it. I do not know if my plan of rising against this challenge will be effective. What I know is that I must face it with all my might and succumb to its test. I may not come out of it alive, but i am sure that facing it will always make a difference.

Death Toll

Most people are afraid to die. Because man is generally afraid of the unknown, most of us fear death. We tend to escape or prolong the arrival of death. Perhaps this is the reason why youth is very much appreciated and yearn. But old age is inevitable. We grow old everyday in as much as how our hair and nails grow. No matter how hard we try to stop aging by applying argan oil wrinkles solution or the going through age-defying surgical operation, time will always define us. Our hearts and mind may stay young forever but our body gets old. And there is no other way to escape it except for the fountain of youth. But that legendary fountain is a metaphor of acceptance. Because acceptance is only way to conquer the fear of the unknown. If we could only accept that that we do not need to know everything. All we need is to know is that in the end, death is only the beginning.

Reaction to Changes

Pushing for change is a monumental move. Effort to bring about change will meet either resistance or acceptance. A person can either be apprehensive or confident to accept the demands of a fast changing society. Those who have high stakes in maintaining the status quo will have greater difficulties in adopting change. In introducing change,we must consider that most people tend to accept changes from other culture or societies but with some innovation. What fits or is acceptable to that individual's way of life is taken in while others are discarded. Accepting change does not come easy. Even our body can a test to that. It is possible for our body not to feel better when changing to antibiotics in treating eczema from previous natural medicine such as argan oil eczema remedy. The same changing adjustment is true when a person goes  under a physical, emotional, mental, or spiritual spiritual change. Our only refuge in coming out alive from such changes is to face it headstrong with a founded faith in God.

Persistent Dreamer

Many people want to have many things in life. We need to really work hard for it, in order to achieve those things that we aspire. However, there are times that no matter how hard we try  to get the things that we want, the more it becomes vivid. I don't know if we should blame the three dimensional theories of destiny or if we should blame our selves. A goal no matter how simple as losing a ten pounds of body weight or as complicated like an Arizona design build plan, is always possible. To imagine and dream are the first step. The rest is hard work and persistence. The impossible would not exist if we are only persistent. I think in this time of the world only the persistent strong continues. So in order to fulfill all the things that we want in life, I say we all persist to dream. Keeping dreaming and and live.

False Alarm

We are all afraid. The mass panic that was cause by a false tsunami alarm last month had brought a bad lime light to my town. I never understood how it all began. Everything just sink in when I saw videos and read trending posts from social networking sites about what happened. During the exact earthquake, I was in bed and had been woken by the shaking motion. I realized then there that it was an earthquake, but since I am adept to such calamities in the place where I had my college, I didn't really made a big deal out of it. I was pretty sure that the magnitude is enough to loosen any household's hobart parts in the kitchen. What I didn't realized is that earthquakes aren't usual in my town hereto caused confusion and panic. Though the tsunami scare and mass panic was an epic failure, I still hope that people wouldn't misjudge the reaction of those people who got confused and scared. After all, ignorance is not something to be laugh about. Instead, it is something that needs understanding and help.

Go Out and See

Going outside is always an opportunity. I love to go beach on weekends, or if their's a good surf then that would be double the fun. I was never a home-buddy. I'd rather go out and have soil on my knees rather than stay home and waste time playing board games or finding cheat on words with friends game. I am not saying that home buddies or those who love board games are boring people. I am just more enthused spending time with people who can go with my adrenaline for the outdoors. The earth has so much to offer. It can teach us both polarities of comfort and discomfort. With the expansion of concrete jungle, it can be hard for an outdoor person like me to live by day to day. Thank God I have an easy and quick access to the beach. At the very least, when all the stress and pain engulf me everyday, I have a quick escape to reconnect with my sanity.

Pressure Cooker

I never claimed I am great. No on is perfect in this world. I am not perfect. But most often, the people around me does not treat me with the same idea. Their expectation of me exceeds to my capacity. It's as if I am walking scrabble word finder or a dictionary who knows everything. I never place my self in a position for them to conceive me as something great. However, being the eldest I get as much pressure as a worked out pressure cooker. I wanted to scream and break free. All I wanted in life is to live simply. I never aspire to be somebody really great. But I always find myself in situations where people misjudge the things that I do. I hope I can get out of this rat race. As much as I wanted to cry, I know that I need a strong head to get out of this alive. I can do it. I must do it.

Saving the Truth

Our children may never see the light of honesty. Honesty may be an endangered value at this time of the century. Most people would rather save themselves from all the earthly troubles rather than check their moral obligations. I am not a perfect predicament of an honest individual, but at the end of the day I don't have more trouble in dealing with my morality than most of the people that I have met. I realized that their are two people in this world. The kind who cheats and the other kind who gets cheated. Either of both type have their own disadvantages. One can simply distinguished to which type a person belongs by observing on how a person deal with simple word games or any other games for that matter.For example some resolve with finding game words with friends cheat just to win. While others are too scared or to naive about what their competitor's strategy. I am almost hopeless in meeting that person with a real honesty virtue.

Catchy Commercials

I enjoy witty humor. Smart and funny advertisements are some of the few things that I look forward too every time I turn on the t.v. The development of advertising antics has greatly progress since the days where Campbell soups are still printed in sepia toned fliers. With the advancement of globalization and technology, it is not impossible to see digitized talking baby apes on punk baby clothes in a 3D TV commercial. It is really amazing that what man used to  imagine is now taking form in the means of film and digital effects. The analog world in the industry of advertising has now remained as a subject of advertising history 101. Since man is mostly persuaded with what they see instead of what was just heard, creative and advance advertisements can really turn out as something catchy. Despite of my dislike in spending too much time watching TV, the current commercials nowadays has not excluded me from its enticing and persuasive antics.

Bending Little

Patience was never an easy word. When do you say that you've had enough? For many years I have always tried to be as understanding and patient to the people that would always run short of sensitivity. My doctor actually told me to stay away from people who are loud and impatient, as these are the common character that would test my tolerance. I take my pills regularly, do enough exercise, and see to it that I'm having enough sleep to condition my heart and brain for another stressful day at work. However, as much as I want to keep quiet and understand others insensitivity, some would still trigger and pound you hard like a hammer. It's as if they are born in this world to annoy people and make other's lives miserable. So again, if you are your life's disc jock and no one's dancing to the music you're playing, when do you pack you vinyl bags and leave the dance floor?

The Heart of a Gypsy

Many things come with the sun. When summer strikes, everyone's status updates on social networking sites are trending about the best beaches or their perfect travel safaris. Some are blogging about their amazing charter flights from New York or their quick southeast Asia backpacking. This only has come to prove that humans are initially nomad travelers. I often wonder what it was like back in the old world when the all the earth's continent can be traveled by foot. Imagined doing cross country from Japan to the United States on a sustainable trailer bus. This statuses always reminded me of my curiosity to move and live from one place to another. Home is actually in our hearts, so no matter where we are in the world we could always be home. Snapping back to reality, I am long away from being able to afford such trips and travel. Because of this, I guess I'll have to do traveling through other people's travel updates.

Room Service

I always want to do something productive everyday. I have finished the monthly general cleaning of my room. This is something that benefits me both physically and emotionally. You see cleaning your room is not actually just about tidying things up. It is also about evaluating and looking back at your self for the past months. After collecting a whole rim of assorted papers that deserve paper shredding services, I have realized and discovered things about myself. It is very therapeutic and helpful, because you get to see your life's mess in a month. When I was little the chore of cleaning my room has always been the thing that I hate. But as I grew up I learned to appreciate its value. On a second thought, you could always looked at it as a routine to the gym or your dietitian's check-up. As much as we put effort in detoxifying our body, the same perspective applies to the room cleaning chore. We are what we lived in.

Reap and Sow

Most are never thankful. I have stand along the perspective of always getting what we always do. I cannot understand why people can be very self-fish and self-righteous at the same time despite the goodness that was shown to them by other people. A common example is when one looks for a job but once he or she is hired by certain accommodating companies such as paper shredding companies, given a few months and that person begins to slack off and quit. He or she may reason about many things he or she dislikes about the company. What that person forgets is his or her purpose of applying for a job in the first place. This is a common trait that I see in most of my peers and perhaps most of my country men. Perhaps this is the reason why we remain poor and unsuccessful when in terms to the quality of our lives because of our practice. Again, we always get what we always do in the first place.

Press the Red Button

We all love everything fast. This the world of automatics and we are automatic people. Everything in this world seems to circulate around a press of a button. Automation is thought by many to be their salvation from labor. This has come to a point that work imposing human service as pricey.  We can do everything in an automatic mode. From driving to washing the dishes and paper shredding in the office. But as technology of automation prosper, do we really want it to rule over our capacity as human beings? Automation implies duality because it both free us from labor yet make us dependent to the quickness of all things. As much as we want to make everything fast, the world always need enough, if not, more time. This is the basic concept that has been compromise upon the creation of automation. Because human beings are from the earth and the earth's creation is a product of time, then it is rightful to give a second thought if you'd really want the world to go auto.

Class Ends

Graduation hats are on the air. This is the season of finishing the goal and achieving the conquest. March does not just mean summer for most Filipinos. It is also the month of graduates. May it be from a medicine school, law studies, or training for helicopter cpl, most are graduating this month. My parents once told me that education is the only thing that can never be stolen by anybody. Since I was young, I am always reminded to study hard and finish school. I am never the smartest neither a dumb student but I have always managed to be good at something. On this time of the year I am always reminded of my good old days being a student. This is the time where everything is always a good ending and a good beginning. And because it is already March, I am sure that once again something has to end and a new thing has yet to begin.

Constructive Criticism

Most truths can really bite. We are all entitled to our own opinion. Since the latest tourism slogan "It's more fun in the Philippines", a recent trend in most social networking sites is talking about a video made by independent American film makers expressing their likes and dislikes about the Philippines. In matter of days upon the videos release, it has received heaps of viral critics from fellow Filipinos. As a Filipino, I personally  know the sentiments of my fellow people. What I do not understand is how vulnerable we are to criticism. I have always believe that we are what we do. What the video imply is generally correct and factual. Indeed, it is as clear and pricey as law school personal statement. Instead of being driven by the defensive force, I think that in these situations constructive criticism is more helpful. People react when they care. So how about putting that care at work by thinking of concrete actions rather than defensively whine.

Learning the Virtue

I achieve a new set of discipline. As I trod back home earlier, I began to appreciate that life has its own timetable. And I began to see that patience would have to play a significant role in our life if I want to come our of this boot camp life alive and happy. It takes nine months to make a baby, and two decades to make an adult. It takes time to become a good violinist or a uni-cyclist, or a success. The key to everything is actually patience. "You get the chicken by hatching the egg - not by smashing it." Those words by a certain Arnold Glaslow I plan to install in my computer's marquee saver. It is only 18 words. I can read the whole quote in a matter of seconds. But in the computer screen, I'll have to wait for two full minutes to be able to read it. That should remind me of my need to be patient.

Running After

As they say that "patience is a virtue". Like many people, I often times find myself feeling that the world owes me something. More than that I sometimes feel that I'm just too important to be kept waiting for anyone or anything. I'm not too important of course; none of us is. And yet somehow, I often fail to see and accept that the world is mine to enjoy but not made for my convenience. This incapacity to see the fact makes me unable to be more patient with ordinary vicissitudes of life. For instance, when I was inquiring for my phone's warranty, and grumble at the seemingly slow pace of attention of the iphone support representative. My impatience sometimes becomes too evident when I'm within the confines of my workplace or home. It just occurred to me that maybe my impatience may be part due to my fast-paced lifestyle. Perhaps I need to give attention to the stop light and figured out if i should go with being impatience or go with the fast lane.

Reason to be Truthful

Being truthful is a virtue. Truth is gentle, healing sponge that keeps our conscience clean and spotless. This does not mean that we won't have anguish, be tempted, be filled with fear, or even sometimes lose friends - at least people who called themselves as our friends - through telling them the truth. Even though telling the truth is the right way to go, it will definitely challenge us. But in the long run this will also make us feel powerful and clean because we have done the right thing. Truth can make us a better person. It it something that no boarding school or educational institution can teach us. This is because the concept of truth is very subjective. If one would choose to tell lies, the that person will probably begin to choose other wrong directions in life. If, on the other hand, one would choose truth, that means that you are making positive, clean, strong choices that will lead you into a straight but better and happier way of life.

The Deed of Crying

Cry your heart out. Tears promote the health of our eyes. Just like how argan oil skin care protects our skin. But their release also help develop our emotional and social well-being. Children normally cry when afraid or hurt. It has also been a tradition for most societies especially patriarchal group such us ours to make boys ashamed of showing pain or fear. Since crying is considered unmanly, boys tend to repress and deny all kinds of feelings, including tenderness. This impedes their ability to establish a wholesome relationship with family members, friends and fellow workers. When a person experiences fervid emotions such as grief or great joy, we biologically tightened the muscles near the tear glands which produces the copious tear fluids. So when you feel like crying, allow yourself to cry. The tear glands in our body are natural parts of human beings placed for a purpose. They are to protect our eyes and provide us a means of expressing our most intense emotions. That's some truth about tears.

Ending the Day Well

I'm not sure if it's proper to splay it here, but i'd be hypocritical to believe that as far as my parent's marriage is concerned, everything's all sweet and honey. Because to be honest, it's not. The truth is my mom and dad fight. Although many are ashamed to admit it, almost all married people fight. Someone said that a "good" marriage would be between a blind wife and a deaf husband. Well, my mom has a clear eyesight while my dad has an average hearing acuity. Now please understand that my parents seldom fight. They often disagree on many things, from buying pure argan oil for hair to the preferred brand of milk, but they rarely fight. Overall they have a wonderfully satisfying marriage and their love for each other grows everyday. It's just that living together sometimes causes trouble. Sometimes somehow, the peace both of them enjoy  get ruffled at times, and then they fight - really fight. But what I look up the most when my time of marriage comes, is that I'll never go to bed angry. Perhaps this is the secret why my parents had a lasting marriage.

I Do's

The ring is a very perfect symbol of what marriage means. Considering that many marriages today are ending in divorce and separation because of infidelity as well as the broken homes and shattered lives dire to irreconcilable differences, perhaps we would be more sympathetic to the people that are against polygamy. It has been said that all marriages are happy, it is the living together afterwards that's tough. The tendency for marriage partners to drift from a height of bliss into the boredom of routine attitudes come when they begin taking their spouses and relationships for granted. Remember the time when couples were so focused and engrossed in preparing for their wedding, from the little cheap car hire details to the wedding cake? If only couples invested much time and energy in their marriage instead of their wedding, then relationships could get somewhere to success. The world in which we live is largely dominated by emotional impulses and cravings of the carnal flesh. How important that we preserve our matrimonial vows, and make our marriage honorable.