The Forgettable Flood of September '09.

LESS than a week ago, a horrifying storm trashed historic fury on my unsuspecting homeland. It left a trail of wrath unrivaled by any storm before it. And if it weren't for the age of instant communication, I would've been completely clueless and oblivious of the sad plight of friends and relatives from home. Each video and still picture I set my eyes on leaves me helpless. And why not? These are home folks whose sufferings have claims on my heart. Gravely affected unfortunate souls, dead or struggling to stay alive, are everywhere that the mere sight of it all made me feel insensitive saying to friends: "I'm glad you're okay and not among the unlucky ones." How dare me regard the word glad and the harsh reality of it all in one breath? I personally sensed in those words direct association with an awfully callous line from a song which goes "Well, tonight thank God it's them instead of you. [from Do They Know It's Christmas]" Nevertheless, I just hope that Mother Nature can now assure us that she is done showing her worst vindictive side.

No more postscripts. No more sequels.

MJ Overload

IF there were such a term as 'MJ Overload,' then it's the one I am sick of right now. TV shows, local and national news, radio programs, website pages, office chatters, car stereos, music videos and any other gadget out there have all talked about, played, showed, and even glorified anything MJ related. It's not that I want to consciously differ from the fad because I myself agrees to the fact that he's had flashes of greatness here and there that deserve respect and admiration. Maybe what really bugs me is the over-adulation from some avid sectors reaching near hysteria proportion. For me, the Man in The Mirror was undeniably great as a dancer, writer of some of the influential and era-defining songs of the '80s, was instrumental in getting the USA for Africa project off the ground, and was responsible for breaking new grounds in the world of MTV. Other than that, he was just another piece of the puzzle, like everyone else, in this great world we all live in.

I thank him for his contributions to mankind in general. I hope we can all pick and learn from where he left off.

He will be missed for sure.

But let's just stop right there.

Some days are better than the others

I believe in my heart that the sooner we let this maxim sink in our individual heads, the easier we can ease off serious nagging thoughts pulling us down. It has been proven that the mind can sometimes play tricks on us. Its joke may even follow us all the way to our beds at night.

I have to admit that I have had days when I made mountains out of mole hills just because the red lights got me more than once from home-to-work or vice versa. There were also moments of frustrations when I 'thought' I missed on something crucially important because I dragged my feet reaching a decision. Things can become even more alarming when obsession sets in and I start blaming the slightest unsatisfactory result to my lackluster effort. If you see me freaking out then, it is because an edit button was nowhere to be clicked.

But that was then and this is now. I have made amends with the misanthropic-perfectionist in me. I have kept my composure in check by psyching myself down that even seemingly best plans can go awry, but never my original intention. It is about forgiving myself for being human, for being flawed, and for being a work in progress. I even thought life is a lot like playing bowling: Some balls are bound to gravitate towards the gutter. I just have to make good on my next throw.

And that did it for me!

THERE's a great deal of truth that 2009 can be a very tough year given the current pressing economic situation we are all in. But haven't we've been here before? We've all stood before seemingly insurmountable hills and mountains of troubling concerns several times in our lives. There were some that even looked impossible to conquer when they were at their most troublesome period. Yet here we are, still standing because we were able to get past them through careful deliberation of possible solutions. And please don't we forget the sighs of relief and fulfilling joy we felt seeing these troubles all behind us. So isn't it but right to think we are properly equipped with all we need to keep us going in life? I seriously think I am prepared and ready...are you?

So bring it on 2009! We're bigger than whatever doubts and fears you have in store.

from my mail

I got this in the mail from my eldest son. Pictures speak to me and these two are no different. This is their way of saying: "Don't worry about us here...we're having fun!" Yeah!

Go For What You Need

DIFFERENTIATING what we want from what we need in life is not easy. The thin line that separates each part is often times blurry. And so we hear gripes about messed-up priorities, deadend situations, or immature life-changing decisions, all because the difference between the two wasn't properly identified. Now the truth that not one soul was spared of this mistake is just accurate. All of us, one time in our lives, have fallen victim to this human vulnerability. Fortunately when my time to pick a lifetime partner came, my compass pointed me to my true north.

The lady you see in these pictures is who I need to be with the rest of my life. She may not be the super sweetie type you can presume from these pix, but she's definitely more than what meets the eye. Besides her apparent natural charm, other disarming features she has include her being smart, kind-hearted, conscientious, and plucky. She is focused in life, retiring in nature but with an impressively high set of principles, the likes of which one can consider rare these days. She's also an outstanding mom to our son as she is always selfless in her caring ways.

Day in and day out, Dee is a real keeper in its truest sense!

Fly to the Angels, Lola Bayang!

IN life, there are but only a few clan gatherings any proud family member shouldn't miss. When my paternal grandmother, Lola 'Bayang' Maria, turned 97 in May of this year, I knew that's one gathering I should've tried hard to join in and be part of. The sorry feeling felt all the more frustrating when these rare group shots were sent via email to me. What a moment in time to miss!
The frustration later turned to awful hurt when Lola Bayang passed away a few days ago.