resignation letter

it's my second year anniversary here in my current company, below is a copy of the goodbye letter (email) I sent on my last day in my previous company (some information were edited)

reason to be thankful

we had our party with the children from the orphanage which my lodge supports last saturday and during that time, i realized that I have a lot of reason's to be thankful;

... i didn't grew up and raised in an orphanage, I was blessed with my parents

... my kid(s) and nephew/niece are properly cared for because we are capable

... i'm one of the people (and capable of) doing the helping instead of being helped

not just another day at 35

my 35th birthday, it's been a while since I genuinely felt happy on my birthday, the previous ones I felt incomplete, maybe because I was too "ma-drama" and looking for something/someone to complete the day, but this one was different, i think it's true when people say that you say what makes you complete

my new hobby

they say a picture says a thousand words, here are a hundred pictures (and counting), so that's 100,000 words??

http://lifeinpictures.multiply.com/photos

actually, my new hobby will help me with my write my diary, diary of pictures (corny ampotah!)

one year ago today

my father died, and I still miss the man I wanted myself to become

season of heartbreaks

this is about season 71 of my favorite basketball team, i think there is one tagalog word that could best describe their season ... "malas"

... your reigning MVP was injured before the start of the season and was hobbling the rest of the season
... your sixth man got injured before the start of the season as well
... the best point guard got injured midway the first round which lead to
... talented your players being put to the test early on
... your surprise package had an ACL injury and re injured the knee again in the second round
... you blew up a 16 point lead
... a buzzer beater of a tip in

we made other teams look good, life is a vicious cycle, it's our turn to be at the bottom

blood is thicker than water

I watch a college basketball game today with my nephew. The game is between my school and his school.
The game is crucial for both teams, for them to maintain a hold of the top of the standings, and for us to be at least in the middle of the pack
It was a close game, and just like any other game, there can only be one winner. It was them.
I usually feel sad after each loss but this one was different. This time it was different. I wanted to win but I don't want my nephew to feel sad for the lost
It's ok to lose a game, at least my nephew is happy

while driving... did you ever notice?

anyone who delays you is moron while anyone who goes faster than you is a maniac? you're the perfect example of how a driver should be

maturity

i think one of the signs of being matured is that you are able to handle your emotions better

another reason to quit smoking

during one of our fellowship with the brods, the topic was smoking, we were teasing one who was trying to quit, one brod said "why quit smoking? we'll die anyway, let's go out in style. i blurted out, when i was married, i didn't smoke and the brod we were teasing laughed and said, "when i was married, i was smoking, because i didn't have a reason to live, now that i'm not, i have more reason to live"

the cheapest gas

i always buy from the cheapest gas station. why? yes because i'm cheap and more imprtantly, to encourage other businessmen to sell cheap, it's like a reward to those who does, i'll do my share

even if it's just a few centavos, like 12 centavos cheaper is like how much for a 50 liter tank? and 5 pesos? that's about 2 sticks of cigarettes

low iq

i got this while browsing myspace ""i'm the type of Girl who will burst out Laughing in Dead Silence at something that happened Yesterday!!! "

my initial reaction was, "you think that's cool?, that means slow ka hija!!"

one more reason

there is one more reason for me not to vote for a certain individual come election time, and that is, i will not vote for a person who have started campaigning years before the actual election (BF sounds familiar?)

ps - i only exercised my right to vote once, and that was during senatorial election back when i was still in college, lost my appetite for that

migrating

i chatted with an old friend the other night, he's in Canada, he, his wife and together with many of our friends and their love ones migrated there years back. he then asked me if i still had no plans of going there, without blinking an eye i said "no"

there are many reasons why i don't want to leave the country, which for me, is still a lot better. and people who have migrated to other countries would almost always give that perception that it is a lot better there

i'll stay here because i believe and i'm confident that i can make it here

i don't want to come home for funerals, just like what happened to others

i don't really like the feeling of being subjected to racism, experienced it, damn i hated it

here i can still hire house helps, there i have to be filthy rich to be able to do that

i want to be close to my daughter as much as possible, physically at least

i love this country so much that i felt that some has to stay to make things work

i will never leave, well maybe i will if i am forced to become a war refugee (knock on wood)

getting out of a God awful stinking mess

what's the first think you do if you get into a mess? in my case i make sure i cover the basics first

example, when me and ex separated, i lost my job, i have a child to support and i have bills to pay, first order of the day for me then was find a job so i'll have resources to support myself and my child, it lessens the load and covering the basics makes sure that problems does not add up. what do i mean? if i don't have a job and income, then that means my child could get sick and i don't have money for her needs, that's another problem, if i don't have a job then that means debt would sky rocket, that's another problem

get it?

what's happening with kids today?

i would take my nephew and daughter as examples, i don't think kids today show enough respect to their elders, they are like brats who've been pampered for so long, i was disappointed

i then i asked my mom, "was i like that when I was a kid?", is it payback time?

it's like math

driving is like math, it's about calculation and practice

photography is also like math, it's trial and error and practice as well

i need a cure

what's the cure for laziness? I have so much to do but can't seem to find the motivation

you'll have your share ...

i noticed my nephew staying up late and listening to love songs (emote mode), seems like he's not yet over his first heartache...

my dear nephew, you heart will be broken and you will break hearts, either way it doesn't feel good

it's ok, heartache is a part of life, it makes us stronger

one

i keep one mobile phone so i don't have 2 numbers

i keep one credit card, i don't need more

i keep one car, expensive to maintain more than one, maybe in the future i will

i joined only one fraternity

i will only have one citizenship

in the UAAP I will have loyalty to only one school

and i will keep my faith to only one God

i wish

i wish i had this level of maturity 10 years ago

things i use my phone on...

sending text messages

taking and making calls

the calendar for my schedules

the alarm clock

calculator from time to time

that's the wrong reason bro!

a brother is in distress, his gf, who's a single mom is pregnant... and she wants them to get married, and the brother wants because she pity the girl

you marry someone because you see yourself growing old with that person, not because of pity!

things i look forward to

enrolling in a cooking class...

my own business...

my daughter's 18th birthday...

grandchildren??!!!

success & happiness...


ps - and maybe getting married again :-P

things i want to do (this year)

start a new hobby, photography

go to different place to shoot (with my camera)

throw a very nice birthday party for my daughter...

things i have learned to accept

change.. eventhough i don't enjoy it

that i might grow old alone

that my daughter doesn't show the same affection to me as to her mom

I had another great weekend

my saturdays are more hectic and tiring than that of my weekdays. Last saturday, I had 4 "appointments"
...9am I was playing airsoft until around 3pm
... by 430pm, I attended the 1st birthday of one of my godsons
... 730pm i was relaxing
... 12midnight until around 130pm, had a nightcap with a bottle of sanmig light with my fellow alumnus

it was tiring, but i'm not complaining

College Basketball

I never got tired and I haven't outgrown (I think I'll never will) college basketball. UAAP in particular or any other college league that my school joins. I like it even more than the PBA or even the NBA. I think my love for college basketball (at least in basketball) can only be rivalled by the Philippine team joining international competitions. But the country seldom wins internationally.

Why do I love it? I can think of a number of reasons;

1. I cheer for something I really belong to, not like if you cheer for a pro club but you don't work there or you cheer for a state but you might end up moving. If you graduate from a school, that will never change
2. Players don't get paid (at least that's what I want to believe in), they pay for school pride, they play as if there is no tomorrow and not minding if they get hurt, they give everything, for what? most of the time just pride and bragging rights
3. The passion, the tears and singing your school hymn

Season 71 just started, I got to go, I'll be watching

things that makes me happy

... my daughter
... my family
... my friends
... my brothers
... UST tigers
... bbq and papaitan at country side
... Tucson
... airsoft
.... Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and holidays

things I'm no longer scared of...

... the dark
... dying
... being single
... growing old alone
... the future

things that scare me...

... roaches, spiders, bats, snakes, rats
... global warming
... oil prices
... food crisis
... losing a love one
... violence
... hazing
... having limited choices

things that pisses me off

... meetings that start late
... latecomers
... motorcycle riders counter flowing
... people crossing the streets in front of BIG "no crossing" sign
... government vehicles with "brought to you by name_of_politician" as if they spent their own money on
... government tv advertisement with the president on it or any government official for that matter
... policemen violating traffic rules as if the law doesn't apply to them
... drivers who just cut you
... people who doesn't know how and when to fall in line
... loud cars with loud people
... signs with acronyms like "LIM" Linisin, Ikarangal and Maynila (pwe!)

just to name a few...

i heard this down stairs while smoking

babae: "kapag ako nagtampo matagal, mga 2 to 3 weeks!"

ako: sa isip isip ko lang "sa itsura mong yan, kahit habang buhay"

Politicians... PWE!

I really hate it when politicians use other people or events. Look at this picture for example, see that person between the champ and the interviewer? What business does he have going up the wring? He might have spent his own money but hell! Is he trying to be visible so that people will remember him come election time.
Not only that, when the champ gets home, politicians have arranged awarding ceremonies, motorcades and press conferences. I'm not saying that the champ doesn't deserve it but why does it have to be the politicians?

Remember the Mandy Moore concert at the fort at the Fort? It was election year and who made an appearance?

Pwe!!!!

cleaning someone else's excrement

here's one for Mike Rowe's dirty jobs

http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/07/14/untouchable.models/index.html

ever thought what's it like when you were born in this world to clean someone else's shit? check out the link, the woman in the story (and many else like her) job is to scoop other people's crap. this is because of the caste system in that country and she belongs to the lowest of the lowest

after watching that story in the news, i wondered, when did that caste system started, and who can be that asshole who thought about it, he's probably in power and had a lot of money for him to get away with it, i mean through out the century, countless people have lived and died scooping crap and people don't complain because that's what they were born into and they accepted

the story made me appreciate the "cultural revolutions" wherein people decided to stop and do away with what they have known all their lives because it's not fair

i hope a revolution hits that country

job interview

Interviewer (boss of the future boss): "what is your greatest achievement?"
Applicant: the asshole being so precise (or at least pretends to be) replied "in terms of what?"
Interviewer: "In terms of work"
Applicant: looks at the ceiling before replying and then said "I can give you at least two names" then smiles
Interviewer: smiles back

blah blah blah blah blah blah

the wise guy got the job :-D

smoking

I've started to cut down smoking (seriously!). my blood pressure rose and I got scared. for 2 days it was at 140/90 and i'm only 34. I can't afford for something to happen to me , I still have a daughter to raise

ps - ever heard the line "tumaas ang high blood ko!"?

oil price

I have added a link to a site that monitors oil prices in my blog. I've been watching the prices very closes. I've been spending so much on gas that I'm considering getting an apartment near the office when the price hits 80PHP to a liter

am i normal?

i usually,
... eat alone
... smoke alone
... do errands by myself
... stay in the office by myself

sometimes i,
... would go to the mall by myself
... even watch a movie by my lonesome

i enjoy,
... long drives by myself
... walking/strolling by myself

at work
... i want to do things by myself
... i hate meetings
... i want to be in total control

at home i would
... stay in my room, read & watch tv
... use the computer for extended hours

when looking for a job

there's only one criteria for me when I'm looking for a job and that is

"i can't get a lot from that job"


it's not limited to compensation and benefits, it includes what you consider as "investments";

... you get to learn & develop new skills
... working for that company or that position makes you marketable
... feeling of security that the skills won't go obsolete or the industry will die

it's not always about the money

life is a vicious cycle

life is just a cycle,


in our times it's like, you're born, raised by your parents, start going to school to learn skills, finish school, develop and use your skill to earn, you start and raise a family, you raise your kids, you retire and you die

during the stone age it's like (at least i think it is), you're born, raised by your parents, you don't go to school but your parents teach you skills (hunt, fish or maybe farm) you develop those skills, you have kids, you educate your kids and then you die


in the future i think it will be high tech but it will follow the same path

thank you lakers

thank you to the lakers... for the free dinner :-D

come to think of it

in third world countries, people die of starvation, famine, malnutrition & other reasons due to lack of food

in other countries, the Philippines included, people die of heart attack, heart diseases, stroke, kidney failures & diabetes, which can be indirectly blamed for over eating :-D

unsolicited advice

I just received an email about an applicant who was given a job offer and now asking, to me, too many questions. like career path, salary increase after regularization etc etc

now, i was a bit peeved, here you have a fresh graduate who has yet to prove anything asking those questions, and he came from the same school and took the same major as i am

here's my advice to you kid

stop asking those questions, worry about you being able to consistently deliver what is expected from you, when you achieve that, start taking on work outside your scope without sacrificing your "normal" work, when that happens, you will not need to worry about career path, because you will not need to apply for a higher position, it will be given to you, and with that comes salary increase and a better compensation, then you start over again


get it?

father's day greeting

the best one I got this year, sent via sms...


"To my boss, friend & dad at work,


Happy Father's day! God bless you, more & more in every ways"

father's day (2008)

how did i spent my 7th (?) father's day?

i woke up late that day, because I came home late the previous night (hehehe) first order of the day was , drive for my mom to go to a wedding, something my dad would do if he is still alive

after the wedding, we went to the cemetery to visit my dad, my older brother and his family met up with us there

i called my princess, who greeted me happy father's day, she seem so polite over the phone and we ended our conversation with "i love yous"

then we had dinner, the clan, supposed to be in a Chinese restaurant but when we got there it's no longer there so we went to a Filipino restaurant instead


celebration of father's day was nothing fabulous, but it was nice

24 Inch gauge

Of all the first three degrees, my favorite is the first degree

Of all the working tools, the 24 inch gauge is my favorite

Why? because I think it teaches us on of the most basic thing in life, time management. It teaches us balance, it teaches us to be complete. It is the most practical.

Of all the working tools, it is the most widely applied in my life. I make sure I work just the enough hours and make sure that things get done within that span of time. I have time for enough rest and I have enough time for my friends & family

Miami beach

Look at this video, taken by a friend in Miami, I hope that they did something similar in Boracay. If you will notice, from where the tide regularly flows, the hotels are about 300 to 500 meters. This gave enough space for people in the beach, doesn't crowd that much.

Money smoothens the rough edges of life

when you have money (or enough of it), you don't have to worry about the basic needs, like food , clothing, shelter and education

when people have money that means they will be fighting about what car to buy, how big is the house, who gets the inheritance, mistresses and other petty things

isn't that a good problem to have?

Management

My definition of management (bear with me)...


Point A - You were given a goal and the resources to meet your goal
Point B - Realization of the goal

Everything that happens or you do from Point A to reach Point B is management

Get's mo?

Taken in Narita airport, I didn't quite get it

first hug

she hugged me for the first time, without being asked :-) I felt like crying


it was one of those days that we will meet in the mall, purpose this time was to buy her things she would need for school. Bought her a school bag, another small bag just because she wants to, a pair of black shoes, 6 pairs of socks and 6 underwear. We had lunched and she asked if she could play with me upstairs in the 3rd level of the mall. my mom said "sige na, minsan lang kayo magkita" and so we did, that's where it happened, i can't even remember what triggered her hugging me but it felt so good

Du Monastere

Du Monastere, Google it (just a little bit), this place is a restaurant. It's an old monastery which was turned into a fine dining restaurant in Costa Rica. Great view, great food and a great place for wedding reception.

red badge of courage

or at least this airsoft player's version. I have another one, though not as nasty as this one.it's near my right armpit. This one felt like I was punched hard in the face

I got hit about 3 times in the head, one hit my cheek (I have a mask), the second hit my goggles and this is the third. He was about 5 meters away, probably using a .25g BB in a 400++ fps rifle. It bled a little (which is good) and I was dizzy for a while.

We played in ashau valley in Marikina, scenario is "resident evil"

Corporate realities

Reality bites

When it bites it hurts

and it's seldom that you can bite back

smoker friendly country

It's Japan, that's the only country where every gate in the airport has a smoking room with lighters and a vending machine. It's the only country where you can smoke at McDonald's, it's the only country that has a vending machine for cigarettes

one of the many reasons why i love Japan

great week!

it was a great week, mondays through thursday, of course i was at work

friday i was on leave and spent time with the brethren, it was the 15th anniversary of our lodge

saturday, i was playing airsoft the whole day, though some parts of the day i had to attend to work related matters, it's ok, i ended saturday with a couple of bottles with a good friend

sunday, i was again doing the role of a family driver, drove for my mom to visit dad and then to the supermarket, called my princess and end the day relaxing watching tv and maybe some reading and blogging

why not?!

next time, when someone asks you "why?" try replying "why not?!"

other relationships

in the past, when i'm into a relationship, i tend to, what's the right term? take for granted or not spend time or lose sight , the right term has slipped my mind at this time, when i say "other relationship" i mean, my friends (school, office at home) my family & relatives etc. my world tend to revolve around that someone

but more often than not, when a relationship goes bad, it is my friends and family i run to and when i have a new relationship, it happens again and again and again and again

when i realized what's happening, i felt embarrassed

it wont happen again

another one of those de javu thingy

i remember back in high school, i had this friend, his father owns a construction company and his mom works for a TV network. he was the riches in the barkada. a driver drives him and picks him up at school and if we are going somewhere we would always use his car

i remember one time while we were riding his car, i thought to myself, someday i'll be driving my own car

and years later, when i already have my baby (utk 239), i suddenly remember that moment :-)

I hate you

Do you want to know why?

When we were together, it came short of physical, verbal and psychological abuse. It was traumatic. I can't take it that's why I left

And now, 6 years later, I realized that it was a lose-lose situation for me. First you got to keep my princess and second, because you have my princess, she's closer to you

I don't think you how it feels when she does spend time with me but would ask to "come home" to you, or when I would see her hug you. It takes a lot for her to hug me without me asking


I hate you

Good problem to have

How many can say that they have a good problem to have? Many of us complain about things which if we look at it differently, we can say that they are good to have.


Let me tell you about a friend, every payday he would complain that his salary just slipped through his hands. He had to pay his car, his house and he is an expecting father.


But that is all good right? I mean how many people have a good job and is able to pay all that? How many people have started investing in their own house?


I keep telling him every time he gripes, "Pare, that's a good problem to have"

Best compliment I received (so far)

Someone told me that I'm conceited, I'm conceited every time I expect others to be like me

Go to guy

When we were kids we all dreamed big. I mean things like becoming a billionaire, the president, franchise player , a rockstar or maybe even a movie star. But it turns out, most of us will just turn out to be ordinary people who have to go to work everyday and earn a living.



I had my own share of those dreams too. When I was a kid, I wanted to become a rock star or someone like Michael Jordan. I realized early that I don't have musical talent so I accepted the fact that I will never be on stage performing



But being like Michael Jordan? We all know # 23 as a basketball legend, someone who will have the ball when the game is on the line, a go to guy so to speak. So when I was a kid I would play basketball everyday, during summer twice a day, from 8am to 11am and then again from 4 pm until it gets really dark and I can no longer see the ring. But, I'm not athletic, I'm vertically challenged, I can't jump, and when I do my friends call me "palaka" because my legs are like that of a jumping frog. During tournaments I spent more time on the bench, there was even a time when I almost sank the ball at the opponents goal (embarrassing)


So, I didn't get to live out that dream either? I think we should look at it in a different context. This is the part where "magbubuhat ako nang bangko" please excuse me (pagbigyan nyo na minsan lang). So I grew up (and grew old), finished college and started working. During the course of my career, there were occasions where I was asked to handle the difficult tasks. Why? because according to my bosses (or at least one of them) I get things done. But mind you there are also times when I was not able to deliver (just like #23)


You see the connection? I didn't get to become like Michael but to some extent, in certain situations, I was the go to guy.

Toughest Moment - Part 2

Actually it's not part two, it's more like the second most toughest moment for me. Sorry I just have to be consistent with the title of the first one (Part 1)

Happened about six, or close to six years ago. Between the night of December 3 and the morning of the 4th. It was when I was deciding (or decided) to leave. I remember that night, I carried my princess, smelled her, kissed her, because I will surely miss her. On our way home I had to endure the nagging while driving. When we got home, I didn't want to fall asleep, because when the morning comes I'll leave and don't know when I will get to see and hold my princess again. Leaving would also mean not (maybe not yet) realizing my dream of having a family, at least a normal one. That's all I ever wanted.

Morning came, got ready for work and went to the office as if nothing will happen. When I got to my desk I called my mom and ate, told them that I'm leaving. Mom said no, my ate said "bahala ka dito lang kami".

I got up, went out of the office, got into my car, drove back to the apartment with my list of "to dos" and stuff to take with me, and the rest is history.

working on weekends

I'm not a big fan of that, weekends should be spent with the family, or resting, or doing things to relax. but lately I've been finding myself working Sunday nights. You know, doing those little things that should make the week easier, like cleaning up my inbox, replying to emails, planning the week, listing down my to do

it's not good, i don't want work to slowly eat my weekend

my contribution

global warming & high oil prices, two global problems, which you can say, are inter related.

Now, i can not do anything big to solve those problems, only small things which I hope would contribute

... i will plan my trips and routes, avoid traffic and travel at times when traffic is good
... i will turn off the airconditioning of my car whenever possible
... i will, as much as possible, stay home on sundays
... i will unplug all electrical devices whenever possible
... i will turn off the lights whenever i leave the room
... i hope i will be a good example for others

Masonic Thoughts - Working tools of a Petitioner/Candidate

Now brethren, you might find this funny, or you might think that we are not taking masonry seriously, but if you give it some thought, you might agree.

The Bottle opener and the cigarette lighter

The bottle opener is an instrument made use of by masons (and other people) to open bottles of beer during fellowships and the cigarette lighter to light cigarettes. But we as free and accepted masons are thought to make use of them for the more noble and glorious purpose of learning humility. What else is a better way, for a would be mason to let go of all his worldly possessions and achievements and learn to treat his brother as an equal than that of serving his would be brothers

PS - Thank you to Bro Maynard Matammu of Nilad Lodge # 12, he is my co-author of this blog. If there is anyone who does have any recommendations on how we can improve the "working tools for petitioners" please feel free to do so

Random Thought - "why do people say..."

mini cooper? is there a big cooper? or a medium cooper? or an extra large cooper?

ATM machine? automated teller machine machine?

PIN Number? Personal identification number number?

TIN Number? Tax identification number number?

relationships ... "current' state of mind

i think this is some sort of a continuation of one of my earlier blogs, i kept thinking about my fruitless search in finding a lifetime partner, and when i hang out with my friends, there are a few things i realized...


i don't think i will (or did) enjoy someone telling me to come home NOW!

i don't think I will (or did) enjoy asking for someones permission

i like hanging out with my friends without worrying about someone will be mad at me if I do

never again will my pay be in the hands of someone else other than me

never again will I argue with someone over petty things, there are more important things like world peace, global warming and high oil prices (nyahahaha!)

so i decided (or at least i think i did) that i will stay single and enjoy, but a friend of mine told me 'don't you want someone taking care of you?" well... I do, but I just can't find that someone

thoughts about death

ok, first of all, this is not a premonition, am not going to die yet, i want to see my daughter finish college and hopefully be able to carry my grandchildren

now, thinking about death...

i would say "not yet please" mainly because of the reasons above. If not for these reasons, I'm ready to face my creator now (or am I really?)

i hope i would go out quickly, not only that i don't want to suffer but i don't want others to suffer as well taking care of my comatose vegetable body

no violent death please, or death by accident, a massive heart attack will do

i want a peaceful death

when i breath my last, i want to be able to say, "mission accomplished"

why is it always at the last place where you look?

of course, because you stop looking

why kobe bryant wears the number # 24

because Jordan wears 23 and he wants to be higher than Jordan

How do you manage your boss?

Or how do you manage a difficult client or anyone higher than you in the corporate jungle? I have two tips;

1) Information Overload. Copy him in emails, forward emails, send him reports, send him updates, ask him questions, answer all his emails
2) Give him things to do. Escalate, escalate, escalate & escalate. Then after escalating, follow up. Get things off your plate and pass it upwards


:-D

Only rule in QA

There is only one rule in QA and that is...

"Make Manny look good" :-P

outside looking in.. now it's inside looking out

have you ever took notice of something, or someone and then dismissed it and some time (or years) after you suddenly find yourself with that someone or you are already part of that something? It's like de javu

I have one...

It was summer of 1997, my dad was confined in Makati Medical center because of accident at work. On weekends I would go and visit him and bring clothes for my kuya and other things they would need in the hospital. Going there I would take the LRT from Monumento in Caloocan and get off at Buendia. On my way there I would pass by a building in Quirino along taft, it has the words "Scottish Rite Temple" then I thought, "ano yun? a religion from Scotland?" Then dismissed the thought

Years (more like decades) later, in 2007, I found my self on the "other side" The picture below is taken from the window of the Scottish Rite Temple in Quirino and guess what the view is? The LRT :-)

Random Thought(s)

Thank you Site


Sa Mcdo ba pwede ka bumili nang happy meal maski malungkot ka?


Wala na bang pagasang maging makulay ang mundo nang isang taong color blind?


Ang lason ba kapag expired na nakakalason pa rin?

the world doesn't stop spinning

don't you find it a bit disheartening? that when you are so happy because something good happens or when you are so sad as if the whole world is on your shoulders the world doesn't stop and either rejoice with you or agonizes with you...



either way, life goes on baby...

she broke my heart

It happened in the intersection of Quirino and Taft Avenue in Manila, it was around 3PM, in my car as I was about to turn left to Taft

I saw it coming, she looked at me straight in the eyes and asked what she needed. I gave her what she asked for, it doesn't really mean anything for me. She looked at me again and our eyes locked, I saw in her eyes that she was so happy with what I gave and was close to tears, that's when she broke my heart...

that's her in the picture, sitting...

You feel awkward sister?

You feel awkward sister? You're in the company of freemasons :-)

The picture was taken during the medical mission sponsored by our Lodge, in the picture are 3 Freemasons, community workers from the parish and a nun from the same parish

It was, in a way, at least in my opinion, an awkward experience for Sister(I didn't get her name), I notice that she was a bit hesitant in approaching us but nevertheless decided to approach us and thanked us for conducting the mission

The Church doesn't like Freemasonry, for reasons I don't know and probably won't understand and accept and I will not care about anyway.

It is a Freemason's hope that that will change in the future, and events like this will hopefully, slowly but surely change all that. Because every masons believe that the animosity is baseless. We just don't want to tell you our secrets that's all :-P

On fellowship and community service

This is more like an apology to two people in my life. I have criticized and short of mocked them when they told me that they are going to a community service event or join their community or group in a fellowship

I did join a medical mission by the lodge and I found it fulfilling and made me realize that my problems are nothing compared to others

And the fellowships? It's not just you go out with your friends for a bottle of beer and a nice dinner, it's a chance for you to learn as well

Sorry Miss Cauayan and Iska. I take it all back, you're right and I was wrong

Buy your happiness

Again, another testament that you learn in masonry, even if just over bottles of beer in a fellowship. I was hanging out last night with two brods and we got into a discussion over a topic which I will not elaborate on in this blog. But the lesson I learn from them is, if you can, "buy your happiness"

Let me use a real life example with some assumptions to explain the lesson. We all know that Paul McCartney (the former Beatles), recently got divorced where he had to shell out millions. Now people might think that, Paul have been had right? But maybe Paul is more than willing to pay that amount and maybe even more just to get rid of the bitch and get on with his life, you see where I'm getting?

So, if you can afford it, buy your happiness, because 1) you need to enjoy your money and 2) you need to enjoy life

Panties will surely fall...

... if a guy is good looking (of course)

... if a guy is athletic, or better yet an athlete

... if a guy can play a guitar or drums or is a member of a band

... if a guy can sing

... if a guys can dance

ampotah bad trip

The price of success

We often measure success by how high we've reached in the corporate ladder and by how much money we make

But success has it's price tag. It could mean working long hours, spending too much time in the office, it goes with an expensive lifestyle, making tough decisions, treating people as numbers etc, and when you finally get to go home you still have to work, you could lose your weekend, less hours to rest and sleep. Or worse, you don't have time to enjoy the money you earn

Everything has a price, are we willing to pay the price? If yes then don't complain if no then find another job

Light is faster than sound

...that is why some people appear to be bright until you hear them speak


ps - i can name quite a few

Best coffee in the world

Not Starbucks or any of those from very expensive coffee shops

But the 3 in 1 instant coffee prepared for me by my mom every morning when I wake up

Nothing is sweeter and taste better, filled with love and warmth.

Thank you mommy, i love you

Random Thought - "If I'm not mistaken.."

We often here people say the statement "If I'm not mistaken..." before they make a point.

I say if you are not mistaken then you must be right

You are one of a kind

You are different

You are unique

You are one of a kind

just like everyone else

Asking the right questions

I believe that... it is not always knowing the right answers that is important

There are times that we need to ask the right questions

The right questions will help us see the bigger picture, will help us understand things, will caution us, will cause us to stop and think hard first and lead us to the right answers.

ADDENDUM -->Live each day as if it was your last...

This is an addendum to a previous post.

Definitely, I won't be spending my last day in the office working, who would? That's the most stupid thing you can do in your last day.

So, If I will treat each day as if it was my last... I should stop working right?

Paranoid

I think I'm becoming paranoid, and television is to blame. Lately, I've been watching programs like "an inconvenient truth", the national geographic show which showed what will happen if a comet hits earth. Watching CNN didn't help either, you got the food crisis, shortage of rice which is the staple food for billions of people, oil prices going up, climate change etc, movies like "i am legend" and "cloverleaf". And thanks to tabloids I read about civil wars

... what will happen if there will be rice/food shortage? famine, riots

... what will happen if the price of oil continues to sky rocket? rationing, long lines

... what will happen if sea levels significantly rise? millions of refugees

Too much tv is bad, I should have listened to my mother

One thing is for sure, I'll be ready

Signs

People may find this weird, but I believe in signs (not traffice signs you moron!). I believe it's God's way of communicating with me. Let me give you an example.

One Friday night, after a number of buckets of San Mig light and we were about to call it a night, one of my friends said "one for the road!" He asked me that we should get another round somewhere. I told him I don't have enough cash and I need to withdraw. So me, him plus another guy went to the ATM to get some cash. He was able to withdraw. But I wasn't, I tried the other two machines to no avail. I said "pare, I think we should go home and rest" and we did.

Faith

I believe in the sun, even if it does not shine

I believe in love, even if it is not shown

I believe in God, even if he does not speak

ps - that was found written in the wall in one of the nazi concentration camps when it was liberated by the allies

Busses and trains are out of reach

I guess this is it, things didn't turn out the way I wanted it to be. But I only have good things to say to you and about you. You were nice the whole time, you got class, you got style. Thank you


Bro Eric, tama ka

Silent water runs deep

They say that "silent water runs deep"

They say that "wise men speak because they have something to say and fools speak because they have to say something"

I say that when you don't know shit, keep your mouth shut or take the risk of opening it and everyone will find out that you have shit for brains

ps - Hehehe, I keep quiet most of the time, so I give the impression that I'm "deep" but in reality, I don't know shit

600721

Corporate Realities

... this is not a charitable institution, we are here to make money

... numbers numbers numbers

... dollars dollars dollars

... people are just statistics

... you are here because you are still useful

... dog eats dog

... everyone is expendable, even the owner(s) of the company

... when you leave, you will be missed but you will be replaced on the first day

... when you leave, life goes on, you're just an employee number

Black propaganda

There was a time when I wondered why certain regimes spend much money and effort in propaganda and brainwashing people. I mean, does this people they brainwash have brains and think for themselves? How do they make it work?

I did something bad and realized how brainwashing works. I'm not going to dwell into the details but if people keep hearing things over and over and the other side will not have the chance to defend themselves, people will actually believe. And the people I "brainwashed" are not stupid uneducated people, these are professionals! Plus of course I got some help from the people I don't like :-)

Emmanuel Gudito 1973 - 20xx

Emmanuel Gudito

1973 - 20xx

consider this as my last will ...

... that's what I want written on my tombstone, my name and the years that I lived

... i want to wear my ring in my right ring finger

... i want to wear my apron

... i want to be buried with an acacia leaf

... i want a masonic a burial

... i want a lot of flowers

... i want everyone to wear white


as for my estate, saka na magpapayaman muna ako :-)

Live each day as if it was your last...

Live each day as if it was your last ... because someday it will!

Funny right? Yes it is, when I heard our guest speaker said that during our leadership seminar, I can't help but laugh

But when I thought about it, " yeah, what will I do on my last day?"

Right now, I can only think of one thing, spend it with my family (mom, siblings nieces/nephews) specially my daughter and try to be a father


What will you be doing on the last day of your life?

Don't you hate movies where...

... one of the leading actors/actress is a singer and you'll be sure that the movie involves the main character winning a singing contest which will launch that person to stardom?

... one of the leading characters is an athlete and you'll be sure that the plot of the movie will evolve around that person being successful in that sport?

... the movie stars a group of dancers and you'll be sure that there will be at least a dance scene in the movie or worse, they will win a dance contest in the movie?


Don't you just hate them?

To the real warriors

Not the ue read warriors or the golden state warriors you moron... I mean the warriors the real warriors.. anyway

Here is a testament to the statement that you get to learn in Masonry and get to appreciate things.. if you look closer

It started as a day of fellowship for my lodge, it will be a monthly even where we will go to alpadi in antipolo and play war games. It was a day of camaraderie for the brethren and of course we will end the day with the mother of all bottles, san mig light

It was just a game, but the more I think about it, it made me appreciate warriors (soldiers etc)...

... games are just 15 minutes long (or even shorter) but it seems like eternity
... adrenalin is skyrocketing, hearts pumping, your sweating barrels of sweat
... it's dirty
... it's hot and humid
... you have to be careful
...keep your head low or you'll get "killed"
... you have to be aware of your surroundings

and it's just a f***ing game! just imagine what warriors go through in battles, and those things go on for hours. I'm thankful that I don't have to go through those things

The whole event made me realize things...

... i'll take it to the next level and get into airsoft
... i've given my respect to the warriors and i think with all the difficulty they go through they respect each other as well
... you learn things in Masonry, even in events considered as fellowship.. just learn how to look closer

ps - I used the term warriors (and not soldiers or other) because, for me a warrior is someone who is professional, a gentleman, educated, respects other people, someone who fights for what they believe in.



.

yelocraft

I just came home from our monthly stated lodge meeting, and as a tradition, we had our dinner in Nakpil then part two of the fellowship will always be a battle of bottles.



We have 3 petitioners who attended the meeting (or more like the fellowship), petitioners is the term we use for men who wants to join masonry. During that stage, petitioners doesn't get to contribute for dinner and the drinking. But as a part of the tradition, they get to serve beer to the members of the lodge until they are raised to the degree of master mason. I think in other fraternities they call it "service'


Now, let me explain this "service" (for a lack of a better term) in masonry, to people outside the circle, this is just another way of bullying the petitioner, but No! In masonry, at least in my experience, you learn something every step of the way, and doing "service" teaches a valuable lesson. Allow me to elaborate...


Freemasonry preaches that all men are equal, ok that's one point, I'll get back to that in a bit.


Masons come from different backgrounds, a lot of us are businessmen, professionals, government officials etc. I guess if you look at history, a lot of masons are prominent people. So if you are someone important in the office, or in the government or in society as a whole, how can you treat someone as an equal if you still "have" all your worldly possessions and accomplishments "attached" to you?


Serving beer during fellowships teaches a very important lesson, and that is Humility. Going through that humbling experience will help you treat your brother as an equal.