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4 Pics, 1 Word

18 April 2013
Musings, Personal, Writing
4 Comments

18042013

Unlike most people nowadays, I don’t find popular or top-rated games applications appealing. Would you believe that I haven’t downloaded games nor music into my phone since I had it? All you can find in my phone are a library of eBooks, some photography apps, and a few apps for productivity. That’s until my brothers and I played 4 Pics, 1 Word in Jan’s (my brother’s girlfriend) iPod Touch. I find games involving words more stimulating, so it isn’t much of a surprise that I eventually got hooked on this game.

The answer to the photo above is a no-brainer. You would have guessed this the moment you saw my post in your Reader. This is my take on BLOGGING.

I know many of us have read a lot about blogging: What Makes a Blog Interesting, What Makes a Blog Successful, Tips on Blogging. The list goes on. As mentioned in my About page, I am not a professional writer nor do I have a formal background in writing, but I would like to believe that someday, somehow, I will serve as an inspiration to people from all walks of life. This remains true to this day.

Followers of this blog know very well that I have been slacking off with entries for the past few months. I do have a lot of ideas to write about in most days; you know, thoughts about random things, but I had been caught up between my day job and wedding preparations. When I do find the time, I draft a post, and gradually work on it again the next time I’m free. It isn’t like I make a living out of writing, but since it is my way of sharing my experiences, expressing my thoughts and what-nots, I know I just have to make time for it.

Two weeks ago, I blogged about my deceased friend, Gela, and her long-lost lover, Ralph. Boy, did it earn a lot of likes. I was really overwhelmed that it almost brought me to tears. I know it’s too shallow, but I don’t get that much likes in a post, hence the reaction. No, don’t take pity on me. It’s fine, really. While you’re at it, I gained a couple more followers from that entry, too. Okay, do I get to cry now? Kidding aside, these stats weren’t as dramatic as you would have imagined, but it is a good start.

Below are few of my thoughts on blogging:

  • I don’t have a particular theme for my site, but I write mostly about experiences with family and friends. I realized that I have turned my site into an online journal/diary of some sort. As my fellow blogger friend would put it, my entries oftentimes bear a personal touch.
  • As much as possible, I don’t plague my site with frivolous rants not because I want to kiss my readers’ asses (no pun intended), but for the reason that there are a lot more reasons to focus on sensible things. After all, my aim is to inspire other people, right? How am I supposed to do so if my entries are full of negative thoughts? Don’t get me wrong. It’s just me.
  • I may have this much of followers, but only few them have actually commented/reacted to my entries apart from hitting the “Like” button. More than anything else, I appreciate it when they do drop me a line or two based on what I had posted. Some comments are compliments to how much they enjoyed reading my entry, and some leave me with questions that calls for a good conversation. I can’t really blame those who just settle in liking posts they find interestingly good, and don’t bother leaving a comment because honestly, I do this, too. It isn’t because I have nothing to say at all, but sometimes, I get chickened out thinking what I’m about to say may come off completely ridiculous. I don’t want to be labeled a troll or something else worse. In my case, however, I encourage my readers to speak their minds regardless of what they are going to say.
  • Read. Go out. Meet new people. Get a life. Reminisce. Not in that particular order, but you get the drift. I do these to draw ideas from the unusual things I experience out there. When I’ve organized the pool of thoughts in my head, I put them into writing. It sounds easy, but it takes some work, too.

If you think these are all there is in blogging, you’re wrong. The possibilities are endless. In fact, I dream of being able to do stuff like host blog giveaways, post entries on fashion, share an excerpt from a fictional story I wrote myself, discuss my personal views on politics and encourage constructive criticisms/arguments without lashing out on other people, upload workout videos or make-up tutorials, etc. My fellow blogger friends influence me into believing that I will have the courage and the means to post such entries, too. Someday, someday.

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Coincidence?

24 March 2013
Personal, Writing
4 Comments

I would like to believe that life is not at all complex. Every thing around us are binary: big or small; high or low; black or white; old or new. The list goes on. It is actually men who make things complicated for themselves. Anyway, the one thing I have always believed in is that there are angels—the good and the bad.

Source: en.wikipedia.org

I was in high school when I learned about birth angels. I was born on a Tuesday, and according to my mother, my birth angel is St. Raphael. St. Raphael is one of seven Archangels who stand before the throne of the Lord. [...] Raphael’s name means “God heals.” This identity came about because of the biblical story which claims that he “healed” the earth when it was defiled by the sins of the fallen angels in the apocryphal book of Enoch. Raphael is also identified as the angel who moved the waters of the healing sheep pool. He is also the patron of the blind, of happy meetings, of nurses, of physicians and of travelers. Aside from a rosary, I remember having always carried a small figure of St. Raphael in my purse wherever I go.

I don’t know if anyone has really seen an angel upfront, but I believe that angels do exist. Let me cite a few personal examples to support my claim here.

When my family and I were at a trying situation, it came to a point that Mom and Dad had exhausted all possible resources. One day, they were both sitting in the couch, thinking. On their own, they prayed for God’s mercy, to just give them a sign on how our family’s going to get through the day. On the other hand, I was on my way home from work when I asked Dad their whereabouts. He said they were at home, wondering what to feed us for dinner. I told them to get ready because we’re going to do the groceries that very same day. Mom and Dad burst into tears upon receiving my message, thinking God has answered their prayers in an instant. Angels come in different forms. Your angel may not necessarily be dressed in ethereal clothing nor has halo and wings, but your angel may be a friend, a neighbor, a family member, or a loved one.

I also believe that our guardian angels work every minute of every day. I know many of us has been stuck in terrible traffic or has missed the bus/train on our way to work. There are also times when we were already halfway through our destination when we realize we left something important at home. Whenever I’m in a similar situation, I don’t think of it as a coincidence. I consider it a work of my angel, saving me from another awful situation such as accidents or something else that depicts danger. In my head, I say a short prayer of gratitude, knowing that I’m being taken care of.

The next time you find yourself inconvenienced for no particular reason, no matter how much in a hurry you are, think of your angel doing you a favor. Relax. He’s just taking orders from God; doing his job to protect you.

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Are You a Touch Typist?

9 March 2013
Personal, Writing
5 Comments

Source: http://www.nafisto.biz

I have been working with the same employer for three years now. Three years and four months to be exact. Graduating with a degree in Industrial Engineering (a.k.a Management Engineering), I took part in a management training program in preparation for the job I was called for.

You may find it weird that my first work experience was in the medical field. I was part of the then-Healthcare Business Unit of the company. The training program had something to do with medical transcription (MT) which is an allied health profession, which deals in the process of transcription, or converting voice-recorded reports as dictated by physicians or other healthcare professionals, into text format.

Industrial Engineering and Medical Transcription? I KNOW, RIGHT?

Well, that was my initial reaction when I learned what the training program was all about. I was only enlightened with the nature of the job during our first day orientation. To put it simply, in order to lead and manage people, one must also learn the core job functions of your staff. Since we were supposed to manage a group of medical transcriptionists, we had to start from the bottom-up.

A few major things expected in our daily classroom-setup training are the following:

  1. Learn the different states in America since our clientele are US-based. Once on-board, the time difference will be a critical element in meeting the expected turnaround time (TAT).
  2. The ability to tell native American speakers from non-native ones.
  3. Wider knowledge and familiarity with common medical terminologies.
  4. SPEED TYPING.

Based on personal experience, the files with non-native American speakers are the most difficult ones to transcribe. Every day, we were expected to transcribe two to three files with minimal errors as practice. It may sound like a piece of cake, but it wasn’t. I have to admit, though, that the third and last items on my list above put me in a better position than my co-trainees.

Source: http://www.thefriendlyblogger.com

Now, onto speed typing. On our first day of training, we had to record our initial typing speed test scores. At the end of every week, we were expected to beat our own personal record. Modesty aside, I scored 55 words per minute (wpm) in my first try, and it fell under the fast/touch typing category. According to Wikipedia, the average typing speed is 35wpm. Most of my co-trainees fell under this category, thus I was referred to as a touch typist. I guess pulling those all-nighters, chatting over Yahoo! Messenger (instead of studying) did me well, too. Just kidding! KIDS, DO NOT LISTEN TO ME!

It’s unfortunate, however, that after two months, there had been a change in management, and they were forced to discontinue the training program. In effect, I lost my job because the last ones to get in were the first to leave. Well, I’d say it was a blessing in disguise because three weeks later, I was re-employed by the same company for a different business unit. Though the training program ended soon, I still learned a lot from the experience.

Earlier today, I thought of taking the test again (one try only), and this was what I got:

Ha! I never realized that my typing speed has improved this much! Why not try it just for kicks (no cheating!), too? Test your typing speed here, and let me know what you got. Have fun, guys!

P.S. Shout-out to all new followers! I hope you enjoy your stay here. :)

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[30/30] Just Do The Math!

2 November 2012
Musings, Personal, Writing
1 Comment

30-DAY BLOGGING CHALLENGE
DAY 30: A MOTTO OR PHILOSOPHY

Source: http://www.freefunlinks.com

I perceive life’s adversities as mathematical problems. Yes, I’m using these as my inspiration for today’s theme. I don’t know if anyone else has compared their afflictions with mathematics, but I came to this realization from a recent upshot I had to deal with. I won’t get into the details of my misfortune, but I will try to explain [to the best of my ability] why I think this analogy is legit.

Earning an academic degree in engineering meant that I practically breathed and fed on arithmetic a quarter of my existence (that is as of writing, of course); however, it doesn’t take a genius to figure out what I’m really trying to say.

My father was hands-on in anything related to my studies, most especially if it involved mathematics. He would always say that in any complicated mathematical problem, its solution is not limited to one. Just like in life. Our troubles may seem infinite—that the list remains endless—but ways to resolve these are deemed incessant, too. In other words, they are directly proportional. You see, the analogy here is actually simple: there may be one too many ways to solve a problem, but it will arrive to only one answer.

If only most people who are experiencing hardships in life would find this metaphor logical, this world would be a better place. People won’t need to gain something from another person’s loss. Perhaps crime rates will drop to zero percent or war will just be a word in the dictionary. I don’t know. It won’t hurt to dream of these things, right?

•••

And that’s a wrap, folks! Wow, a month went by just like that.
I am happy to have completed this 30-day Blogging Challenge because not only did I share a part of my life, I also introduced you to the people I love the most.
To the friends I have gained through this experience, I humbly express my gratitude.
Shameless plug: I hope you continue visiting my blog like you always have. *winks*

[29/30] Project 365

1 November 2012
Musings, Personal, Writing
10 Comments

30-DAY BLOGGING CHALLENGE
DAY 29: HOPES, DREAMS AND PLANS YOU HAVE FOR THE NEXT 365 DAYS

I cannot begin to imagine that as of today, the 365-day countdown to our Big Day is getting closer. To give you a brief background, Miggy and I got engaged in October 2011. Due to circumstances we had no control of, we agreed to have a long engagement. If I may add, Miggy had to return to the US because of work, thus I will have to do all future communication and personal meetings with potential suppliers myself.

The Big Three

A month since our engagement, we decided to set our wedding day and placed our reservation in the church where the ceremony will be held. We thought we got enough time, so we put most of our wedding preparations off for a while. We were taking down notes, researching online on potential suppliers in between, but we did not really get into these things until we hit the a-year-and-a-half mark.

In August of this year, Miggy and I finally decided to book our reception venue. It was a very tough decision to make since having a hotel wedding reception will consume most of our budget, but the advantages of having an all-in hotel package prevailed.

The recently concluded wedding of my friends led us into setting up a personal meeting with our photographers (and videographers). They were responsible for my friends’ engagement photoshoot and full wedding coverage. Although we find their services a bit expensive, we found their works impressive.

Project 365

In a few weeks, Miggy will be discharged from the US Army. Along with his younger brother, he will drive all the way from Texas to California to bring all his stuff home. Once he’s settled in, he will fly to Manila for an eight-or-so-week-long vacation. Well, aside from the leisure bit, we intend to get more wedding-related stuff done while he’s in town. Looking at our recently updated to-do’s list, we are so going to be busy the moment he sets foot in Manila. It should be a good thing!

If at all possible, we would like to get most of major suppliers sorted out while he’s here because I really find it difficult to decide on my own. Besides, I really want to involve my fiancé on these things even if he doesn’t understand them; it makes him feel that I value his opinions. One of our main agendas is to attend a Discovery Weekend, like a couple’s retreat, highly recommended by our officiating priest and friends. We feel we need to undergo this seminar in order to understand each other more, especially now that we’re getting ready for our Big Day.

When we’ve accomplished a lot during Miggy’s stay, this will allow me to focus on other minor things when he returns to the US in February. Perhaps he will take a few units in school or get a temporary job while we wait for the next time he’ll fly to Manila a couple of months before our wedding day. Speaking of job, Miggy has been thinking of getting into a specific affiliation (I am not allowed to divulge the details here) since he decided to end his career in the military. I hope he gets into it when everything’s stable and in order.

We are not having an elaborate wedding. We intend to have a very intimate ceremony with only a few family and friends to witness as we exchange our wedding vows. I could wish for stress-free days as we prepare for our Big Day, but that would be superficial. I guess all we’re hoping for is a successful wedding and an even more successful marriage in the near future.

P.S. Take it easy on the rotation, Mother Earth. We are so not in a haste! K, thanks. Bye.

[28/30] A Flaw

31 October 2012
Musings, Personal, Writing
7 Comments

30-DAY BLOGGING CHALLENGE
DAY 28: A SCAR YOU HAVE AND ITS STORY

When I checked the topic for today’s challenge, I couldn’t help but sing a line or two from Papa Roach’s Scars:

But the scars remind us that the past is real
I tear my heart open just to feel

Okay, I know it’s disgustingly cheesy, so I won’t go any further on that note. I’m just annoying myself. Anyway, seriously, I’ve had minor scars—wounds I got from falling off a bicycle or from playing strenuous sports during my childhood years. Most of them can no longer be seen nor traced today. There is, however, one particular scar in my body that remains visible [at least to me] to this day. I will try to recount that day on this post the best way I can.

It was a fine, Sunday noon in June 2002 when it all began. We were having our usual Sunday lunch at home when I complained about my aching tummy. Mom thought I was just hungry or I ate something the other night that cost me an upset stomach; however, I didn’t finish my plate. It’s very unusual of me to not consume my meal, since my parents don’t approve of leftover food, so they thought there could be something else. In effect, my father ordered me to go to my room and lay down to rest.

Perhaps because of fatigue brought about by lack of food, I fell asleep in an instant. Later in the day, however, I woke up screaming to unbearable pain in my abdomen. One of my brothers who came to my aid, instructed me to lift my leg and bend it as if to try to bring my knee to my chest. I tried to do as told and failed. My mother, who saw this, came to the theory that I may be suffering from appendicitis. On this note, they tried to lift me from bed, and rushed me to the hospital.

Every single movement I made was an effort. If I were asked the intensity of pain between the scale of one to ten, I’d give it a 15. The trip to Makati Medical Center was agonizing. I had to lay down in the backseat and endure the pain induced by a moving vehicle. Not to mention that we’re having an emergency. It took us less than 30 minutes to get to the hospital, and I was immediately accommodated in the emergency room by the staff. My mother was asked to fill up a form with my personal details including medical family history. There were several nurses and resident physicians who attended to my care, all of which came to the conclusion that it was, indeed, appendicitis.

I was given oral analgesics to somehow relieve the pain, and eventually put an IV on me. A few hours later, I woke up already in my private room. A medical technologist was there, about to extract blood samples from me for monitoring. Mom was asking me how I feel when the doctor and two of his practitioners walked in. Apparently, the big guy was my surgeon. He was there to check up on me, and explain to my mother what’s about to happen next. I wasn’t hallucinating nor exaggerating when I thought he was Hagrid from the Harry Potter series.

Source: http://www.primesurgicare.com

The entire procedure took hours. I even woke up in the middle of the operation! I saw the clock, it was two in the afternoon, and they were listening to A Horse With No Name by America. Groggily, I tried to lift my fingers. I couldn’t feel anything. I was numb to the core. Oh, my God, I thought to myself. Then I got knocked out again. The next thing I know, I was already in the recovery room. It was about five o’clock. My initially reaction was to look for my Mom. For some reason, I felt emotional and I needed to find comfort in the arms of my mother. 

Today, ten years later, the scar remains visible. It’s an inch and a half long, but it doesn’t really bother me. I don’t even find it ugly at all. It’s a constant reminder of something I never imagined of experiencing. It’s now a memory from a not-so-distant past. So, this is the story of my scar. I wonder what’s yours.

[27/30] When I Look at You

30 October 2012
Musings, Writing
7 Comments

30-DAY BLOGGING CHALLENGE
DAY 27: A PHYSICAL FEATURE YOU LOVE

The soul, fortunately, has an interpreter—often an unconscious but still a faithful interpreter—in the eye.

—Charlotte Brontë, Jane Eyre

Source: http://www.virginmedia.com

Source: http://www.topbeautysecrets.org

Source: http://www.samyakjainkala.blogspot.com

“And then he gives me a smile that just seems so genuinely sweet with just the right touch of shyness that unexpected warmth rushes through me.”

—Suzanne Collins, The Hunger Games

Source: http://www.funzug.com

Source: http://www.momoftwoandahalfboys.wordpress.com

Source: http://www.sewcando.com

[26/30] Kids at Heart

29 October 2012
Musings, Personal, Writing
8 Comments

30-DAY BLOGGING CHALLENGE
DAY 26: A CHILDHOOD MEMORY

Where we lived 20 years ago, the area wasn’t conducive for playing outdoors, thus I grew up playing in the premises of our home. In effect, I didn’t have childhood friends from the neighborhood. Maybe I had one or two playmates, but I don’t really remember them much today. I was never allowed to play outside with the fear that I might get kidnapped or something else much worse.

As I’ve mentioned in my previous post, I grew up with cousins from my father’s side of the family. We are 12 cousins in the family, the eldest of which will be 30 years old by November. There are only three girls; two of them are sisters, thus making me their only girl cousin! Since most of my cousins are boys, I grew up to their kind of toys, too. Instead of playing Barbie dolls with the girls, I’d rather join my male cousins in shooting toy soldiers or assembling their G.I. Joe‘s or Transformers. I even watch Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Bucky O’Hare because of them. I was definitely one of the boys when I was younger, hence my abhorrence with floral, puff-sleeved dresses. I didn’t mind messing around with them in physical activities, although my father highly disapproved of this. My cousins are my childhood friends, so most of my childhood memories are connected to them.

There was a time when we lit a bonfire across one of my cousins’ house (an open lawn; with adult supervision and assistance, of course). We just gathered together, sitting in large rocks, laughing while grilling hotdogs and marshmallows like we were camping out. And as Halloween comes closer, I am reminded by the nights when we’d talk about ghost stories we heard from our classmates or make up some of them just for kicks (oh, you know how kids are).

It wasn’t always fun. We also had misunderstandings and petty fights back in the day. When these things happen, we would take sides and avoid speaking with the other party or his followers at all cost until they’ve settled their differences. Now that we’re grown-ups, we’d just laugh at the ridiculous thought of our childish ways.

The cousin closest to me is my Kuya Bab. He’s second eldest among cousins and a year older than I am. My parents are his godparents, so we consider ourselves not only cousins, but siblings-from-another-father-and-mother. I look up to him like my older brother because he does act like one. Actually, everyone else does. Since his family moved to Canada in July 2007, we no longer saw our cousins that often; perhaps only twice or thrice a year.

When he came home for a vacation in April 2009, he gathered all of us cousins, and spent an entire day at Enchanted Kingdom. Here are some of the photos from our magical trip:

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It was a noble gesture to take an initiative to make up for the lost times. That was only three years ago, but you can tell that we enjoyed a once-in-a-blue-moon day spent with our cousins. Nowadays, though we haven’t seen each other for months, we still get in touch via Facebook and Twitter. Oh, did I mention that all of us except for one (still in high school) went to the same university in college? Yes, we did! I guess that’s how solid of a family we are. :)

[25/30] A Recipe

28 October 2012
Musings, Writing
6 Comments

30-DAY BLOGGING CHALLENGE
DAY 25: A RECIPE

Just because I’m getting married, doesn’t mean I know how to cook. True story. Of all the things I could have acquired from my mother, the talent or skill in cooking I did not get. Not that I don’t know how to cook at all, but you get what I mean. I can boil an egg, cook rice (on gas stove or rice cooker), fry a few things, but not as good as my mother does. Perhaps the most decent meal I can cook without anyone’s assistance is spaghetti in tomato sauce. For us, my Mom makes mean pasta. In fact, one of her specialties is her famous baked macaroni. For today, I will share with you one of Mom’s basic recipe for spaghetti in tomato sauce. I have only cooked this once or twice in my entire life, so please bear with me.

Source: http://www.notablebistro.com

For this recipe, you will need:

  • garlic
  • onions
  • spaghetti noodles
  • tomato sauce
  • tomato paste
  • ground meat (beef or pork)
  • hotdogs
  • laurel leaf
  • salt
  • pepper
  • sugar
  • water
  • cooking oil

You may be wondering why I didn’t add the measurement for each ingredient. That is because I am not sure myself on the ratio and proportion of these, on how much one cooking will yield. So anyway, here’s how we make our Filipino-style spaghetti:

  1. Cook spaghetti noodles according to package instructions.
  2. Sauté garlic and onions in a sauce pan.
  3. Add ground meat for about ten minutes until it’s rendering fat. At this point, we take out the juice excreted from the meat so it’s less oily. Add the pre-cooked hotdogs.
  4. We then add the tomato sauce, tomato paste, and water. Add laurel leaf, salt, and pepper to taste. Let it simmer for about ten minutes.
  5. Place cooked spaghetti sauce over noodles, top with lots of cheese, and serve.

That’s basically it. I know, I know. You don’t have to tell me how much of a terrible cook I am. I am well aware of that, my friend. I also know that I bored you with this post, thus I’ll leave you with this recipe I found from my old blog:

Totally narcissistic, eh? I’m kidding! At least I made you all laugh in the end. ;)

[24/30] Shed a Single Tear

27 October 2012
Movies, Musings, Writing
4 Comments

30-DAY BLOGGING CHALLENGE
DAY 24: A MOVIE NO ONE WOULD EXPECT YOU TO LOVE

It didn’t take me two seconds to figure out what I’m going to write about today. This post may also be considered a revelation of some sort because I will be sharing with you something I’ve never told anyone. Not that it’s big deal, but just thinking about it makes me giggle. Well, who wouldn’t with Johnny Depp in mind?

I think I was in sixth grade when I first saw the movie, Cry-Baby, starring Johnny Depp, Ricki Lake, and Amy Locane. This movie is a parody of Grease, a musical film, starred by John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John. Johnny Depp plays Wade “Cry-Baby” Walker, while Amy Locane takes the role of Allison Vernon-Williams. The film centers on a group of delinquents that refer to themselves as “drapes” and their interaction with the rest of the town and its other subculture, the “squares”, in 1950s Baltimore, Maryland. “Cry-Baby” Walker, a drape, and Allison, a square, create upheaval and turmoil in their little town of Baltimore by breaking the subculture taboos and falling in love. The film shows what the young couple have to overcome to be together and how their actions affect the rest of the town.

Here’s the official trailer of the movie from way back 1990:

Apart from the reason that I had a huge crush on Johnny Depp when I saw this movie on HBO, I loved it because I found the plot interesting. Wade Walker had a bad-boy image in the movie who wins the heart of Allison, whose boyfriend sets out for revenge. He was called “Cry-Baby” for his ability to shed a single tear; he even had a teardrop tattooed in his face, just below his left eye.

Source: http://www.filmmasterjournal.com

That’s right, Allison. My father was the ‘Alphabet Bomber.’ He may have been crazy, but he was my pop. Only one I ever had.

[to Mrs. Vernon-Williams] I may be a drape, but I love your granddaughter. And if that’s a crime, I’ll stand convicted, ma’am.

—Wade “Cry-Baby” Walker, Cry-Baby (1990)

Some people who’ve seen this movie may find it corny, but not the thirteen-year old version of me. I know that if I watch again, I will still gush like a teenager. I don’t know about you, but there’s something about crying men that melts my heart. :)

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