Twenty Five

As of today, the 27th of April 2008, I have wasted 9,132 days or equivalent to 219,185 worthless hours or 789,067,050 squandered seconds. lol. Yes, today I turned 25. No big deal really. Except that I am now a quarter of a century old and I have approximately 45 years to go before I bite the dust (that is If I maximize the life expectancy of a Filipino male). Haha.

Kidding aside, I'm thankful that I've reached another milestone in my life. It's a special day not just for me but also for my eldest brother. We both share the same birthday with our departed great-grandfather. Happy Birthday, Kuya!

I'm also thankful that I'm in good health, my family is doing okay, I have good friends and even though life is still full of snags and hitches, I think I'm chuggin' along quite alright.

Here's hoping for the best in the next 25 years. Cheers!

***
A huge thanks to the entire USAP Marketing Department - Legazpi for the gifts, and also to Phoebe and Jirl for the birthday posts they wrote in their respective blogs. I'm touched. Hehe. Thank you. :)

Photo credit: xjaemaex

How to Start the New Year Right

By now, the high spirits that came with the New Year have most likely worn off already. Most of us have put behind the celebration and have hunkered down to face the nitty gritty of everyday life. Still, it has only been twelve days since 2008 began and the notion of starting the year right is still relevant.

Besides, the New Year is supposed to be the chance to turn a new leaf and become the productive, healthy and happy person we've always wanted to be, isn't it?

But how does one start the New Year right? Making a list of New Year's resolutions would probably be the quick answer. Unfortunately, this so-called list ends up as nothing but unrealized good intentions and broken self-promises - simply because the eagerness to make changes rapidly fizzles like a wet firecracker as soon as the realization sets in that change is a long, arduous process.

To avoid this, we should skip making a new year's resolutions list that is almost always half-serious wishful thinking. Instead, let us work on making a list of goals - not just any kind of goals, but smart goals. SMART meaning: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time bound. Yes, the SMART project management concept can be used in making our own personal goals for the year.

For every goal you have, apply the S.M.A.R.T. concept. For example, instead of saying 'I have to lose weight this year', it would be more effective to say 'I have to lose 10 lbs. by March 2008 through regular exercise'. Instead of vowing 'I need to save up' you can devote a specific percentage of your income over a specific period of time as savings.

Make sure that your goals are measurable - you have to set down a specific number or amount. This way, you will know if you're on the right track or off the mark. You should also be realistic in setting your goals - know your limitations and work around them. The goals should also be within a specific time frame. Your mindset will be more tuned towards achieving the set goals.

Of course, it doesn't mean that laying down S.M.A.R.T goals is all it takes. It is not easy and there are no shortcuts. A lot of willpower and commitment is still necessary to achieve one's goals. But having S.M.A.R.T goals could be the start of the change we are aiming for. Our goals don’t have to be big and lofty; we can start with small but manageable goals that in turn will help us achieve our bigger goals. Besides, making the change doesn't need to be a single, monumental turnaround. As the Chinese proverb says, we can move mountains by chipping away the small stones.

Personally, I'm still working on my own list of S.M.A.R.T goals for this year. I hope I achieve them all. Indeed, having small but S.M.A.R.T goals could be the best way to start the New Year right.

Happy New Year 2008!

Happy New Year!

* * *

O God of new beginnings and wonderful surprises, thank you for the gift of a new year. May it be a time of grace for me, a time to grow in faith and love, a time to renew my commitment to following Your Son, Jesus. May it be a year of blessing for me, a time to cherish my family and friends, a time to renew my efforts at work, a time to embrace my faith more fully. Walk with me, please, in every day and every hour of this new year, that the light of Christ might shine through me, in spite of my weaknesses and failings. Above all, may I remember this year that I am a pilgrim on the sacred path to You. Amen

Photo by Optical Illusion

Looking Back at 2007

The year 2007 started rather inauspiciously for me - in darkness. Still, despite the absence of electricity to brighten our New Year Media Noche in the physical sense, there was a palpable effort to make the New Year celebration a joyous event despite the odds. For me, that drive to pull through despite the odds was in many ways, the defining point of the entire 2007. This was the year of rebuilding, the year of surviving.

Now as the new year 2008 beckons, I can't help but look back at the past year. I'm thankful that even with many inevitable problems, conflicts, and disillusionment that pockmarked the whole year, it has been a year full of blessings - in the form of new and old friends, a stable job, a loving family that is still together and many more.

When stripped down to the basics, just as we were when the year started 12 months ago, one gets to realize that the best things in life really aren't things. I may not have all the riches and material things, but I'm glad I have the 'best things'. Goodbye 2007! Cheers!

Godspeed, Friends

Some of my colleagues will be transferring to a new department at our company's Pasig office. Through the years of shared experiences and countless hours in the office, most of them have become my friends, close friends even.

The workplace will certainly be very different without them even though this isn't the first time that many of our friends and colleagues have left to pursue new horizons. I am hoping that, like with our other friends who have left before them, the bonds of friendship we've forged will not be diminished or broken by distance.

Still, change and moving on is a natural part of our lives. So, as they follow their own paths, I wish them success in their new endeavors. Goodbyes are only temporary. I know we'll meet again some other time. Meanwhile, here's a toast to my fellow web content writers Mydz and Ailene, and our web marketing colleagues Niki, Jinky, Jeremy, Juliet, Art and Frances. We'll miss you. Make us proud!

* * *

Another turning point;
a fork stuck in the road.
Time grabs you by the wrist;
directs you where to go.

So make the best of this test
and don't ask why.
It's not a question
but a lesson learned in time.

It's something unpredictable
but in the end it's right.
I hope you had the time of your life.

So take the photographs
and still frames in your mind.
Hang it on a shelf
In good health and good time.

Tattoos of memories
and dead skin on trial.
For what it's worth,
it was worth all the while.

It's something unpredictable
but in the end it's right.
I hope you had the time of your life.

(Good Riddance) Time of Your Life
Green Day

Maogmang Pasko! Merry Christmas!

Christmas Canon by Trans-Siberian Orchestra

This is one of my favorite Christmas carols. Somehow, it never fails to give me that warm and fuzzy feeling every Christmas. Amidst the revelry and the noise, I hope we all find a quiet time to say a little prayer of thanksgiving for all the blessings and trials, laughter and tears, good times and bad times that came our way this year and pray that He will continue to guide us in the coming year.

May we all have a meaningful and joyous Christmas!

The MBS Tek - Legazpi Christmas Party

Last Friday, the MBS Tek (US Auto Parts) - Legazpi gang momentarily put aside auto parts, web content and search engine optimization, donned their best 'fantasy' costumes and partied like there was no tomorrow. It was indeed a bright time and right time to rock the night away.

Though excitement had been building up over the past few weeks, I didn’t expect it would be such a blast. What a fun way to break the monotony of work and celebrate Christmas. MBS Legazpi peeps definitely know how to party! It was so cool to see everyone come in different costumes and show their talents in the various presentations. (I came as a pharaoh, by the way - a last minute decision, haha).

I didn't know my colleagues would pull out all the stops for this party, but dressed to the hilt, they came. It made me see them from a different perspective, literally and figuratively. LOL.

Even thought it hasn’t really been a smooth path leading to last Friday’s party, with some glitches, conflicts and misunderstanding along the way, I’m happy that the event turned out to be a success. My only regret is that I was too busy preparing for the two presentations we performed, that I had no time to just sit back, relax and take lots of pictures and video footage. Haha. Here are some scenes from the party:

Merry Christmas!!

Update: Check out my Multiply gallery for more pics. Click Here

In Memoriam

November 30 will perhaps be forever etched in the hearts of all Albayanos as a day of immense tragedy and unprecedented destruction. Hundreds of people lost their lives that day, and even more saw their homes either partially or totally destroyed. Billions of pesos worth of property and agricultural crops were laid to waste as Reming swept through the province with 265 kph winds and torrential rains that induced lethal mudflows from Mayon's flanks.

Although our residence is not prone to floods, we also bore the full brunt of that supertyphoon. Our house was in ruins. Extremely strong winds brutally ripped the roof off of almost 1/2 of our house and flung the heavy timber and G.I. sheets a few hundred meters away. As the typhoon raged outside, all seven of us in the family cowered for almost 6 hours inside the bathroom fearing the worst and praying for the storm to end. The horrible, endless roar of the typhoon's raw power is one sound we probably can never forget.

Our living room, the morning after the typhoon

I still get goosebumps whenever I watch the video clips I took that day. Because I know that at the same time I was filming the typhoon's effects on our vicinity with my digital camera, hundreds were either dying or already dead in neighboring villages and towns, trapped under dark raging waters mixed with volcanic sand, boulders and debris.

But the winds died down, the rain stopped, and the sun shone again from behind the clouds. Now, one year later, my city and my province are back on their feet and still moving forward, displaying the admirable resilience that makes me proud to be an Albayano.

Here at home, a new glistening Christmas tree now stands in our living room, the same area that was destroyed by the typhoon. It is a symbol of hope and gratitude. After experiencing the worst Christmas ever last year, one appreciates more even simple things such as Christmas lights and tinsels.

I am thankful that we survived that huge calamity (although our favorite pet dog didn't) and I am praying that God's providence will protect us from future harm.

This post is in memory of the almost 1,000 victims of Typhoon Reming. May they find peace, warmth and comfort in the company of our Lord in Heaven.

Four Years Later: Some Thoughts

Today is exactly my 4th year in my current job. As much as I don’t want to wax poetic about it, four years is no joke. And I can’t help but ponder on what has transpired over the course of four years, where I am now and what lies ahead.

This is actually my first job. I don’t know if this is an achievement of some sort, but I think staying for four years in your first job is something. I was one of the first few core members of a team consisting of two web developers (both of whom have gone on to follow other pursuits) and a web marketing officer.

From this small group, our fledgling company grew roots, spread branches, bore fruits and became what it is now. As one of the first few members of this company, I have been with it from the very start, felt its growing pains, stood by it, helped it expand and watched as it steadily flourished.

I actually made a much longer entry for this so-called 4th year anniversary post but I decided that I’d rather keep it to myself. I was a bit surprised that I had quite a lot to say and my mind was practically bursting with stories to tell and rants to vent out. But I don’t want to bore you all so I’d rather focus on probably the most important aspect of my four-year ongoing sojourn in this company: the people I work with.



If there’s one sound from the past four years that will be most memorable to me, it would not be the cacophonous chorus of fingers hammering incessantly into a keyboard while finishing an article. It would be the sweet sound of laughter, guffaws and giggles. Never a day passed when laughter did not reverberate within the walls of our office. One thing I realized while in this company: despite the frustrations, disappointments, hardships and discontent, the workplace becomes a much better place if you are working with friends.

I feel lucky that I have found more than just acquaintances here but friendships that will hopefully last even beyond the portals of the company. These are the people I have come to love as my second family, the people I look forward to seeing every day. These are the bunch of crazies whose idiosyncrasies and quirks not only amuse me but also teach me valuable lessons in dealing with people, in dealing with life.

Many of them have moved on to follow their own paths. And who knows, maybe I’ll also follow them and finally find myself embarking on my own big adventure. Change is inevitable; but while we are still together I would like to say a big thank you to each one of them: for being more than just an officemate, for being a friend, for being a family.

* * *

Now, exactly four years later, what lies ahead? Quo Vadis, Dex? :-)

New Life, New Beginnings

The past week has been quite eventful, and definitely, one of the most important highlights was the beginning of a new life and a new hope, the birth of my new godchild Gaby. This post is a shout-out to her mom, my friend and colleague Phoebe.

Congratulations for having such a beautiful baby. I know that despite the buckets of tears you shed throughout the time you carried your baby in your womb, you remain strong and steadfast. I am happy that you have finally found the courage to stand up on your own and refuse to be trashed by anyone.

Now that you have a new daughter, continue to be strong. Don't be afraid; I think a family is already complete when the love you give is pure and strong that it will fill any void or emptiness. Just have faith, fulfill your duty as a mother and create a beautiful family for your children. I'm sure God will reward you for all the sacrifices.

Your new child is truly a blessing. I wish that with her birth finally comes the happiness that has long been elusive to you.

Epidemic Alert: The 'Bubbles Syndrome'

There is a spreading epidemic of some sort here in our office and it is slowly taking over everyone. The symptoms: temporary loss of awareness of one's surroundings, incessant staring at the computer monitor with glassy eyes, involuntary seizures of the index finger tapping on the left mouse button, adhesion of the hand to the mouse, and sometimes even momentary deafness. The culprit: little globules of bloody red, slimy green, hepatitis yellow, hematoma blue and rash-like purple.

Nobody knows where they came from or who the first victim was. One thing is certain, like a virus, it has spread from one person to another effortlessly. The rapid spreading is attributed to the deceptive nature of this affliction. The globules may look harmless but beware, they are quite nasty.

They do not attack outright, but coax you subconsciously (by way of the victim's curiosity) to surrender yourself to its clutches. Once you succumb to their persuasion, you are likely doomed to a zombie-like mode and before you know it you are one of them - 'people-afflicted-with-bubbles-syndrome'.

The epidemic attacks happen at random throughout the day, usually peaking at noon. It's not uncommon to see rows of hapless, glassy-eyed victims who have fallen to the epidemic.

Unfortunately, I am one of them. I am victim too. I thought my defenses were strong and I would never succumb to such an ancient-looking, mind-numbing, pointless, idiotic doodad. But I was dead wrong.

Now I am compelled to spread the affliction even further. Click here and be one of us. Resistance is futile.

Diagnosis: Disillusionment

Disclaimer: Rambling mode is on. If you don't want to read anything emo, pointless, senseless and utterly self-indulgent, just look away.

All around me are familiar faces. Worn out places, worn out faces. Bright and early for their daily races. Going nowhere, going nowhere. And their tears are filling up their glasses. No expression, no expression. Hide my head I want to drown my sorrow. No tomorrow, no tomorrow.

For the past few days I find myself once again weaving in and out of familiar old feelings. It’s like living a non-life. As I wake up in the morning, I can’t find a good enough reason to get up and face the day. And when I do succeed in dragging myself to where I’m supposed to be, there begins another sickening routine where I trudge along, seemingly okay on the outside, but not quite deep inside. The day has barely started and I'm already wishing for it to end.

Something’s just wearing me out and I feel as if I’m worn out too thin. And I know it’s affecting my efficiency (was I ever efficient?) and functions at work (I think I’ve been malfunctioning for months now) negatively. As usual, befuddled old me can’t point a finger to what it is that’s bugging me. I try to be unfazed by it all and I may be succeeding because nobody notices. But as the day ends, I find myself slumping back down into the dumps again.

And I find it kind of funny. I find it kind of sad. The dreams in which I'm dying are the best I've ever had. I find it hard to tell you 'cos I find it hard to take. When people run in circles. It's a very, very Mad World

Maybe I'm just bored. Or maybe I’m just tired of it all: the same places, the same faces, the same things. Or maybe I’m disillusioned, yet again. They say that disillusionment refers to the feeling that arises from the discovery that something is not what it was anticipated to be.

Maybe that’s it – this isn't the life I envisioned I would have five or ten years ago.

But then again, what exactly did I imagine my life would be? Did I consciously will this kind of life into reality or this is exactly what I'm supposed to be living and I can't do anything about it? Where will all this lead, then? Am I taking the right path and at the right direction? Can I get myself out of this rut soon? Am I just wasting my time? And when I finally wake up from this stupor will I be regretting all that lost time?

Art by Vladstudio

Bob Ong's Macarthur

I’ve just finished reading Bob Ong’s sixth opus, the poignant ‘Macarthur’. This is the first book by Bob Ong I’ve read, so I can’t review it within the context of his other books, although it certainly made me want to explore his earlier and more popular works.

Macarthur is a novella – Ong’s first stab at fiction, if my research is correct. It tells the story of four friends, their lost youth, and their struggles amidst the shocking world of poverty and corruption they are born into. As a work of gritty realism, Ong doesn’t mince words describing the filth and squalor of his characters' environment and the situations they find themselves in. The language is vulgar as vulgar can be, though peppered liberally with humor.

In case you don’t know, ‘macarthur’ is a street slang term that refers to feces that keeps bubbling up no matter how many times it is flushed, as if defiantly saying ‘I shall return’.

Macarthur unflinchingly reveals the ugly and sordid details of the ills of our society: poverty, drugs, corruption and abuse – and how these ills have polluted our youth. But the book also provides an intimate glimpse into the hearts and souls of the characters through the use of both humorous and tragic situations. And one can't help but empathize with them, vicariously feeling their laughter, pain, sadness, terror, remorse and hope.

No matter how society has seemingly hardened them outwardly, deep inside they are not unlike any other youth: weak, consumed with fear and uncertainty, desperately longing for anyone to care. And yet no matter how the ills of society has defiled and polluted them and molded them into 'monsters', there is still a faint glimmer of hope. Just like the proverbial ‘macarthur’, even the dregs of society can defiantly refuse to succumb to the cesspool they have been condemned into by the same society that corrupted and wasted them.

If only we start to care and try to correct our collective mistakes as a society. This seems to be a daunting task and it may be a long way before we can succeed. But like all journeys, everything begins with one small step. If we start with ourselves, with our families, with our immediate community, maybe little by little we can eventually change our society for the better. For the youth, there are a few lines in the book that underscores the importance of education. For the rest of us, the entire book reminds us of the realities that many of us choose to ignore.

Read Bob Ong's Macarthur. :-)

Photo credits: Ron Ryan Aviles and Sidney Snoeck
Thanks to my colleague Yona for lending me her copy

I wish I knew how to...

There are several things I wish I knew how to do, talents and skills I wish I had. Often, when I see other people do stuff that just blows me away, I get stirred up not only with admiration but also with a teensy-weensy bit of envy (ok, maybe a lot actually hehe). Here’s a skill or talent I look up to in other people. I wish I knew how to...

...play the piano, guitar or the violin. If I can I have my way, I’d love to learn how to play any of these three instruments. I guess it might be too late because my fingers are already as stiff as crowbars. Haha. Good pianists, guitarists and violinists start young right? I tried to learn playing guitar but wasn’t really committed to learning, which is a shame because my two older brothers are adept at playing guitar. If I only I put my heart into it, I might have learned.

Meanwhile, if I only knew piano or the violin, I would have loved to play Pachelbel’s Canon in D or maybe a nocturne by Chopin. Too bad…guess I'd have to satisfy myself just by humming along to the music.

Anyway, the only musical instrument I ever learned to play with a respectable degree of skill is… the bamboo flute. Yes, those ubiquitous flutes you can find in almost every mall. It was a pasalubong from my Mom. I actually mastered most of the songs on the booklet that came with the flute. Even if it has been years since I last played a tune on a flute, I think I can still do it.

It's cool but the only problem is that I can never ever, even if I try with all my heart and soul, sing along while playing the flute. Can I? Haha. So, to anyone who can play the piano, the violin or the guitar well, you’re lucky. It’s cool. :-)

Crisis of Faith

I have just finished reading this rather long article about Mother Teresa’s Crisis of Faith and I must say that it is truly an interesting and enlightening piece. It is also quite humbling to know that even someone like Mother Teresa, considered as the most faithful woman in the world, struggled with her faith for years, experiencing relentless doubt and anxiety even to the point of questioning God’s existence.

For all these years, our mental image of Mother Teresa is this little woman bent with age but always smiling and lovingly taking care of the sick, the dying and the ‘poorest of the poor’. She was hailed as ‘the living saint’. Who knew that behind that was a suffering person in agony because of the ‘darkness’ and ‘loneliness’ in her heart and the ‘absence’ of God in her life. For all her successes and all the worldly accolades given to her, Mother Teresa was lonely and felt forsaken by her God, confessing to her superiors how she suffered from ‘spiritual dryness’ even as late as 1995, two years before her death.

Lord, my God, who am I that You should forsake me? The Child of your Love - and now become as the most hated one - the one - You have thrown away as unwanted - unloved. I call, I cling, I want - and there is no One to answer - no One on Whom I can cling - no, No One. - Alone ... Where is my Faith - even deep down right in there is nothing, but emptiness & darkness - My God - how painful is this unknown pain - I have no Faith - I dare not utter the words & thoughts that crowd in my heart - & make me suffer untold agony.


So many unanswered questions live within me afraid to uncover them - because of the blasphemy - If there be God - please forgive me - When I try to raise my thoughts to Heaven - there is such convicting emptiness that those very thoughts return like sharp knives & hurt my very soul. - I am told God loves me - and yet the reality of darkness & coldness & emptiness is so great that nothing touches my soul. Did I make a mistake in surrendering blindly to the Call of the Sacred Heart? - Mother Teresa, addressed to Jesus, at the suggestion of a confessor, undated

I am humbled because I have also found myself wallowing in my own darkness and loneliness, also questioning God’s providence. And yet I am not really the religious type and I confess I would be aptly described as one of the ‘nominal’ Catholics – only by name, but not in actions or convictions. If Mother Teresa suffered countless years of doubts, anxieties, feelings of abandonment and darkness, I realize my own feelings of worthlessness and loneliness are nothing compared to what she must have felt. Then, who am I to complain and question God whenever I feel down and out, or when things don’t turn out right?

Somehow, it is comforting to know that doubt and anxiety are a natural part of everyone’s life, even that of Blessed Teresa of Calcutta. But what is truly inspiring is how Mother Teresa managed to spend more than 50 years of her life dedicated to serving the 'poorest of the poor' in the filthiest and vilest places on Earth. And she did all that while suffering intensely deep within.

She is indeed a Saint.

A Tale of Two Artists

Whenever I find myself lost in the whirlpool of daily life, I try to tune out from all that noise and frenzy, take a step back and listen to some good ol’ music to soothe my weary soul. When feeling down in the dumps, I sometimes find myself instinctively looking for two particular artists in my playlist: Eva Cassidy and Israel Kamakawiwo’ole. You probably may have never heard of their names before but I am sure that you have heard their music at least once.

These two artists were worlds apart, yet they remarkably share many things in common. Israel, also fondly called IZ, is one of Hawaii’s most beloved musicians. He was literally larger than life: standing at a gigantic six-foot-six and weighing over 700 pounds.


Anyone who saw IZ for the first time, he with a small ukulele in hand, surely would have been awed by this man. Never would they think that within that gargantuan frame lay a gift: a smooth and pure voice.

If you have watched the closing scenes of ’50 First Dates’, waited till the credits rolled in ‘Meet Joe Black’, or watched as Dr. Mark Greene passed away in ‘E.R.’, you have already heard IZ’s voice. ‘Somewhere Over the Rainbow’ and ‘What a Wonderful World’ are old classic tunes. Everybody knows them. But IZ gave these two songs his own twist and the result is sublime.

How IZ recorded these songs is legendary. He called up his producer at 2 a.m. saying he wanted to record right at that moment. At the studio, he started with a quick dedication – ‘Kay, this one's for Gabby’- then began gently strumming his ukulele and sang the opening lines of ‘Over the Rainbow’.

Halfway through it, he deftly and seamlessly changes the tune and started singing Louis Armstrong’s ‘What a Wonderful World” then back again to 'Somwehere..'. It is a simple performance but was truly heartfelt. IZ’s version has been described as ‘so sad and poignant, yet full of hope and possibility’.

That was the first and last time he sang those two songs. The record was released and IZ quickly rose to fame. However, it did not last long. IZ died four years later due to a respiratory illness related to his obesity. He was only 38. Hawaii's state flag flew at half staff on the day of his funeral and 10,000 people gathered as is ashes were scattered into the Pacific Ocean.

The other artist is Eva Cassidy. She was a jazz, blues and pop singer from Maryland who lived a fairly simple and quiet life as a singer in Washington DC. She was lavished with accolades, sold over four million copies and was even described as 'one of the greatest voices of her generation’. Sadly, she never saw all of this happen. She died of cancer in 1996. She was only 33.

It was only after her death that recordings of her songs were released. My favorite song by Eva is her rendition of Sting’s ‘Fields of Gold’. It is said that Sting himself was moved to tears when he heard her version. She also sang a mellowed-down version of ‘Time after Time’ which was used in an episode of Smallville.

Remarkably, one of her most famous recordings was of ‘Somewhere over the Rainbow’. In September 1996, with her health rapidly deteriorating that she even needed a walker, she did her final performance in front of an audience of friends. She sang ‘What a Wonderful World'.

Eva and IZ: two different artists who lived thousands of miles away from each other. Yet both of them made beautiful music that lived on even if they both have passed away too soon. Both gave their own rendition of the same two songs. Both became even more famous and sold more records posthumously. And both have captured the hearts of millions of music lovers all over the world including mine.

Listen:

The 'Other' Uses of YM Status Messages

Here in our chaotic office, the omnipresent Yahoo Messenger is more than just communication software. Its custom status message feature is also an all-around, all-purpose bulletin board slash personal blurb slash virtual speech bubble of sorts.

From carefully worded mini-sermons to song lyrics and poetic verses, the status message is used most often to tell the world practically anything that the particular person wants to. Not content with the usual and boring 'Busy' or 'Not at My Desk', the irrepressible resourcefulness of some have made the YM Status Message more than just an update of 'current events'. Even before Twitter, there was YM status message.

Here are some other uses of the YM status message that I have observed over the years.

1. Greeting Card - Is it somebody's birthday today? Did somebody get promoted? Then expect dozens of greetings up on everybody's status messages. This is an easy and no-cost way to greet anyone in the office aside from a direct PM to the person involved. It's become a common practice so much that if you were never greeted on YM status messages ever in your entire existence in our office, you should seriously reflect if you have friends here. Hehe. The YM status message is also an effective tool to coax the celebrator to give a treat to everyone in the office. I guess with more than a handful of very public YM status messages asking for pa-pansit or ice-cream, somebody's going to cave in to that subtle pressure soon. ^_^

2. Instrument of Protest - Is the A/C broken again? Is the salary late again? No more coffee, creamer or sugar at the pantry? Did somebody from the higher-ups shortchange somebody? Then expect righteous indignation, in more than a handful of status messages, aimed with military precision at the powers that be. Sometimes it's amazing how a measly 200+ characters can morph into a concise but venomous missive expressing discontent, disgust and derision over a wide range of office conditions and situations. It takes genius to condense utter hate into a few words. Haha.

3. Advertising Tool - Who needs ad space when there's YM status message? Micro-entrepreneurs in our midst use the custom status message to advertise their products or services, from cell phone E-load to food. It also works the other way around. If you need anything, you can simply pop it into your status message and wait ‘til somebody PMs you about it. Like later, if my cell phone conks out on me again, I'd probably put up 'Sisay tabi may charger?' (Who has a cell phone charger, please?) on my YM. LOL. It’s also a useful online marketing tool for bloggers or anyone who wants to advertise a particular website. Just provide a link and a mysterious, undecipherable message like ‘click me’. Hehe

4. Online Rebuke – This is related to #2 but is usually aimed towards a colleague or a friend rather than at superiors. Anybody who wants to castigate somebody can easily put a message complete with stinging words of rebuke and criticism. Sometimes this evolves into a sort of weird virtual conversation when the other party answers back, still through YM status message. It’s actually quite ridiculous and foolish but what the heck, its part of the craziness that still remarkably keeps us all sane.

5. Multi-purpose bulletin board – Apparently, the YM status message satisfies the need for self-expression. It becomes a multi-purpose tool where anything from jokes, quotes, movie and TV lines, song lyrics, poem verses, foreign phrases, and a whole lot more can be posted. There’s the usual deep and inspirational message (either in English or Tagalog), the occasional ‘woe-is-me’ blurb, and sometimes, the YM status message version of PDA (public display of affection). Sometimes, reading through other people’s YM status messages can be very entertaining and can enlighten you to the deep mysteries of life. Just Kidding.

So there - just five of the other uses of YM status messages. Most are corny, others are downright pathetic, some are ridiculous and laughable, and a few are actually insightful and useful. These status messages are now more than just a feature of YM but have become another medium of self-expression. Meanwhile, I’m off to check if anybody’s got an interesting status message on right now. Haha.

Ma's Special Day

Today is Ma's special day - her birthday. Hehe. I can remember my sister and I used to make home-made cards from cartolina and some coloring pens.

Well, the cards looked like crap but I hope Ma appreciated the effort and the thought. Hehe.

Happy Birthday Ma. Thanks for everything. Love 'Ya! :-)

The Pleasures of Comfort Food

As I was fixing my blog labels two days ago, I realized I had no post about food yet, which is a shame because I love food. In fact, pigging out is one of my special talents. Hehe. Kidding. So for my first blog post about food, I decided to write about food that everybody loves – comfort food.

What is Comfort Food? As the name implies, comfort food is food that makes you feel better. It is food that reminds you of happy memories. It’s the food that can lighten your mood in an instant and make you feel cozy all over.

It's that particular dish you'd love to come home to after a long and tiring day at work. It may be the stuff that your Mommy or Daddy makes when you were sick back when you were little. It may be the snack your barkada loves to pig out on and constantly reminds you afterwards of all the fun times. It may be that dessert you and your loved one share when on a date. Comfort food mean a whole lot of different things to different people.

But comfort food doesn’t have to be expensive or exotic. Wikipedia defines comfort food as simple, uncomplicated and easy-to-prepare. In fact, the simplest dishes can be comfort food for anyone simply because it is more than just food. It is also about the experiences and memories that are forever associated with it.

As for me, I have a handful of dishes that I can call my comfort food. Here they are:

• Monggo – There’s something about these little green seeds that remind me of my childhood. Whipped up into a creamy, green soup with sprigs of sili leaves, some chopped pork and tinapa flakes, monggo soup for me spells comfort with a capital C. I especially love monggo soup when I’m feeling under the weather. Besides, it’s cool ‘cause its green and its very nutritious. LOL.

• Homemade Chicharon – Picture this sinful scenario: cubes of pork with slivers of fat sautéed in very little oil and salt till all the mantika is extracted from the bits of meat and rind. What’s left are dry, crunchy, salty (and definitely unhealthy) chicharon. But who cares if they're unhealthy. I can munch on these fritters all day long. Homemade chicharon is very different and way better than ordinary chicharon. They are tastier and more robust, often with slivers of meat still attached, unlike the dry and tasteless chicharon morsels sold everywhere. Sometimes, my father uses homemade chicharon as substitute for the pork in his version of Bicol Express. And the result is delish!

• Arroz Caldo – A steaming bowl of Arroz Caldo with bits of chicken and a garnishing of roasted garlic and chopped scallions is the perfect antidote to fever or colds.
  Just breathing in the fragrance of rice, chicken and spices makes me sigh with contentment. Maybe the reason why I love this dish is because it reminds me of the care and comfort that usually comes with it. My father, and also my Lola, makes Arroz Caldo when someone in the family is sick.
  

• Chicken Soup/Tinola – Simple chicken soup works wonders. It is no wonder that a popular series of books was named after it. It is really food for the weary soul. And Tinola, who doesn’t love sipping this concoction of chicken essence and ginger?

• Chocolate – I think the best way to eat chocolate is to take it in one bite a time, savoring its velvety texture and sweetness with a hint of bitterness - that is what you call indulgence.
  

• Champorado - This dish reminds me of my dearly departed Lola. She used to make the best champorado I ever tasted. My cousins and I, all dirty from playing all day, would wait impatiently as the scent of chocolate and glutinous rice bubbling in a pot wafted from the kitchen on hot and dusty afternoons. And then it's galit-galit muna until the last spoonful of champorado sweetened with some sugar and milk is consumed. Haha.
  

• Ice Cream – Need I say more? Hehe. Choco Ice Cream is a perennial favorite but Cookies and Cream comes in at a close second. But whatever flavor it is, ice cream is always welcome for yours truly, thank you very much.
  

• Gravy – Yes, you read it right. I love gravy! I can spoon a dollop of gravy over steaming white rice and I can already call it a meal. In fact, I usually order an extra serving of gravy at fast food restaurants to satisfy my craving for this salty and flavorful condiment. So don't give me weird looks. Haha
  

There you have it, my list of favorite comfort food – simple, uncomplicated easy-to-prepare and easy-to-find food that I love to eat especially when I’m craving for something or when I need something to make me feel better. Like right now, I have slight fever and colds but the creamy corn soup with halaan I had for lunch made me feel so much better. Of course, being a food-lover at heart, I have lots of other favorite food. But when it comes to simple and uncomplicated comfort food, the above-mentioned are my favorites. Ahh..the pleasures of comfort food.

How about you? What is your Comfort Food? :-)

Choose your own Adventure

Back in grade school, before the world ever knew Harry Potter, some of the most popular books in our library were the ‘Choose Your Own Adventure’ series. These books were probably on the list of the most read and borrowed books from the library right below Enid Blyton’s or the Nancy Drew/Hardy Boys series.

I used to read these ‘Choose Your Own Adventure’ books. If you are unfamiliar with it, these were a series of children’s books where the reader assumes the role of the hero of the story and has to make choices that will determine his/her fate. The reader has to determine the hero’s next course of action by making decisions based on the choices given in the book.

The reader is asked to turn to a page in the book that corresponds to these choices. The plot then unfolds through these choices, leading to more choices and multiple possible endings. Sometimes, if the reader is a bit unlucky, the main character would encounter a rather unfortunate end (like death) because of the choices the reader made. Often, when the protagonist meets an untimely end in the book I was reading, I would cheat and ‘retrace my steps’ back to those ‘choices’ that led the character to his doom. I would then select the other choices, which turned out to be the best ones, and continue reading the story until I get to a satisfactory ending (or maybe until I get bored with the book). LOL.

That’s what I loved about these books. They were interactive even before the internet was as common as it is now.

More mature readers might scoff about this type of story format but, thinking about it now, those books really had some lessons to teach their readers, aside from the possible lessons found in the story itself.

Life is indeed a series of choices. These choices might either be easy or hard to make, but they always have consequences. In real life, as soon as you make a choice and consequences happen as a result of it, you cannot cheat and ‘retrace your steps’ or restart your life story somehow. You just have to suck it all in and have the courage to stand by your decision and face whatever consequences it will bring.

I have also made some decisions that I wish I did not do, or chose to do. Usually these decisions were made out of impulse. Some were made without thinking thoroughly about their consequences. I regret quite a lot of these decisions and spent stressful hours thinking about it. But ultimately, I just had to pick myself up and continue on to the next crossroad, the next set of choices and hope to make the right ones by then. As Eleanor Roosevelt said: One's philosophy is not best expressed in words, it is expressed in the choices one makes ... and the choices we make are ultimately our responsibility'