Call Me Freedom

Date my Mom

2012-02-13T21:10:00.000-08:00

It’s the time of the year when everyone takes time to be extra romantic to their special someone. This is sort of a big deal to couples or maybe to girls who are trying their very best not to appear too obvious that they are expecting for a surprise from their partners. From bouquets to a movie date, just name it and everyone will have something to say about the clichés of Valentine’s Day.

Like many other guys I also try my very best to bring out the hopeless-romantic ego in me. I will not forget my first courting experience that I had when I was in grade school because unfortunately I was turned down by this girl. That was not the first and last bad experience that I had though, eventually the bad ones became worst but now I know better.

Of all the women that I should please every day of my life it would be my mother.

She who never quits no matter how many misunderstandings we have, she who never turns down a love being offered to her for she never asks something in return.

She who cares for me like how she carried me on her womb. She whose love never gets old for it’s the happiest feeling that she knows. I know no better love than of Mama’s.

Flowers and a power breakfast for Mama.

The Funeral Song

2012-02-09T19:42:00.000-08:00

Today, a song has taken me back to a place in the past to recollect the memories that has been kept for a while at the back of my mind. It was summer when my family went to a province somewhere in the North where I met a kid who has an obscure name that sounds like “Rititit” or “Ratatat” which I learned later on that it was my brother who gave him that name, for whatever reason until now I don’t know.

He caught me singing the song and with a smile on his face he told me it is the very same song that was played on his brother’s funeral. I can’t help but be sad even though I know that what was left of his brother were happy memories.

I was singing the same song today and suddenly I was there again. One nice afternoon under the trees lying in a hammock, we were there, me and the kid and a lyric that became a sad song.

Happy Birthday Papa

2012-01-01T21:32:00.000-08:00

I will never forget the day when you scold me about not getting a high grade in Mathematics and because of that you have to stay half of the night just to teach me how to solve an equation.

It also made me smile when my high school classmates told me how a cool father you are just because you talked to them as if you are not yet in the thirties.

It makes me laugh and annoys me at the same time whenever we watch something and you bombard me of your endless comments. I can tell you a lot of things but let me summarize them in three words, I Love You.

Thank you for being a disciplinarian because I know that you just want me to be responsible. Thank you for always reminding me to pray because you want me to grow spiritually. Thank you for urging me to work hard because in the end it will pay off. Thank you for making me realize that family should be a priority because at the end of the day no matter what happen they are the one that I can turn to. I can thank you for a lot of things but let me just greet you a Happy Birthday.

Little Drummer Boy

2011-12-23T18:03:00.000-08:00

I will never forget the day when we performed a dance number to the tune of “Little Drummer Boy” in a school Christmas presentation when I was in first grade. Back in the day I am just a six year old boy who really hate this song.

My teacher who was also our choreographer didn't have the least idea about how I really hate the number that she had assigned to my group. It was the choice of song that perfectly embarrassed me that time, and so because the song is kind of slow the dance choreography should also synchronize to the beat itself. I hate the robotic- lazy -ish dance so much, and at the back of my mind I was trying to communicate with her through mental telepathy, asking her to change the song to “I saw mommy kissing Santa Claus” but since it was too impossible to happen I just end up being envious to the group before us.

Those were the days when all my concern was just the beat alone, and not the message of the song which was obviously much better. I was totally childish indeed.

Now that I'm bigger than my instrument and smart enough to learn a song, I will play my drums for You once again and let every pounding endures forevermore.

Happy Christ's Birth everyone!

Six feet below the ground

2011-11-01T06:11:00.000-07:00

What I really like whenever the month of November approaches are not the Halloween parties (which I haven’t tried attending since birth) but the fact that we get to reunite with our relatives and pay a visit to the grave of our family members who already departed. Having a small get together or some kind of picnic in the cemetery during All Soul’s day has been a tradition to Filipinos which on the other hand could appear as an absurd practice to other parts of the world. It is indeed a living proof to the healthy perception that Filipinos have towards death.

Yesterday after my afternoon run I went to the cemetery and visited my great grandfather’s grave before heading home. “I do not know the dignity of his birth but I do know the glory of his death”, the entrance gate greeted me and gave me those chills. That very phrase always reminds me of courageous soldiers who shed their blood for the country. Then I suddenly thanked God that it's not my father whom I'll be visiting on this place and the nineteen soldiers who were ambushed in Mindanao last week flashed back to my memory. God bless their families.

A cemetery full of glowing candles is like a constellation of stars at night. Families everywhere, kids playing and busy food stalls are gathered in that very place to commemorate the death of someone. Truly death doesn’t end a relationship.

After I lit a candle on his grave I immediately left. I keep on saying these phrases on my head last night:

“Death is a sad word that puts an end to someone else’s life but not to those who are still alive.

Death is sorrowful enough to make us feel alone but it brings us much closer to our family, friends and God. Death makes us realize that life is too short to experience being dead every day. “

P.S.

To Anunsacion Forteo, Godofredo Forteo and Moises Bueno.

I love you. Rest in Peace.

100 things to do before I die

2011-08-30T00:09:00.000-07:00

Before I die, I wanna...?

How about you, did you already think about it?

Since I've been inspired with The Buried Life boys I have decided to take the challenge as well. I have come up with 100 epic things that I wanna do before I die. This is not about owning or buying something, this is about experiencing something worth trying.

From diving in a deep blue ocean, walking the whole stretch of EDSA road up to kissing a sexy star, although there are a lot of things to try (and dare not to try but living beyond the possible existence of a human could bring us to priceless happiness and learning that can't be measured by just getting a degree) in the world to just put it down and summarize it in 100 items. You could check out my complete list here.

I do know that it may sound crazy, extra hilarious and perhaps next to impossible when fears, financial constraints and many other hindrances (that a person may reason out) take place but oh boy if you want something to be done you will take time and work for it. I'm done writing down my list and I'm on my way to crossing them out now. Take the challenge now!

Before I die, I wanna LIVE.

How about you?

Gawin mong Light (Take it Easy)

2011-08-26T23:13:00.002-07:00

Let me tell you now that this is not about liquor but surely this has been inspired by one in a way. We are neither going to sing the song nor talk about the bitter taste of it.

For the past few weeks I have been dawned by the fact that I’m only earning enough money that would suffice my needs and supplicate a little portion of the ample amount of my family’s.

These have been flagging my mind for months now or let’s say since I graduated in college. With so little money to earn and so many things to gain my soul gets weaker and then worries made me gradually insane. I have been keeping myself on track, conditioning my heart that I can surpass this and that there’s no doubt with that. Though at the end of the day I'm still at the same point, and I can see that I have never moved.

Then came this day, in just a simple team meeting that was initiated by a small talk brought up some nice words that has comforted not only the cold sleepy senses but moreover to the shaking faith. Let me share to you some nice words from my work supervisor, this I call “Tips for a Successful and Happy Life” by Edmund Cumagun:

1) Have the will. It is indeed the most important point of all the things that he has stated for if we don’t possess this very basic attitude nothing will be done. In short, there will be no accomplishments; so success must start on one’s self first and everything else will follow. Then how could we have the will to get things done?

2) Have an inspiration. “If we are only working for our own selves do you think we are still in this company?” he said. Sleep for a reason and that special reason will wake you up every morning. More of like your purpose why you exist right?

3) Learn, Adopt and Develop. Since change is the only constant thing on earth, one should learn from the own experiences, adjust to changes every now and then and create progress.

4) Ask for Help. No one is an all knowing man, there will be something that we can’t figure out and solve alone. When this point comes don’t ever hesitate, seek for help for that’s how we should be, a support of each and everyone.

5) Take it Easy. If there are some things that we can’t really change and learn even when we have already asked for some help, just simply accept it. “Embrace it and let it go”.

I have absorbed all of these words and one thing in mind I have realized that is for sure, I am not my job, I am not the wage I get every pay day, it’s not what people think and say about me. I am a creation of God and that I must always bear in mind and because I am His child I know that I will not be forsaken or any evil that I may have in mind.

God don’t’ want us to think too much if where can we get the food that we will eat every day, the clothes to wear and the things to share. If the birds seem uncertain if when they will eat and up to where they can fly but have you seen them withered and die? There may be ups and downs but my God is constant and He is there to provide.

I know that my life in Him is always a victory, no hangovers, no vomiting just simply light and easy.

Starting today I’ll just leave it all to Him. God Bless Everyone!

Larong Pinoy (Filipino Games)

2011-08-13T03:29:00.000-07:00

Pardon me if I can't avoid but to compare, I can't avoid but to see it as unfair. We may be new with this kind of sport but I see the problem as old as a folklore that made as to believe that it is fictional for us to win.

What even made it more heartbreaking is that even in just a simple act of support I can't see the nation offering itself towards a greater goal.

Why do our players have to bring home gold medals first before they could have the support of our government. Champions are not born, they are made.

Then a good looking team of half bred players entered the picture, many people shouted, an outstanding support sunk the boat that the others are rowing while the black and white spotted ball is continuous to float. That's the reality, no matter how hard we try to deny we can never avoid the fact that that's how we are. Accept it.

But then again I'm still proud to see that in spite of the absence of the government's support and a few amount of appreciation from the fellow Filipino people, here they are never letting their unceasing love for the country die whether it meant to sacrifice their selfish desires or even compromise their families' lives.

How can we be masters of any kind if rejection of our own crafts are all that we have. It's neither about how we look like when we kick or row nor about being a pure Filipino because it is the heart for the country that matters.

Our players represent our country, for the country are the players itself.

Art of Morality

2011-08-11T02:01:00.000-07:00

Photos by Jirah Ruth Fermin

What is morality? Does it have to be visually appealing to the eyes of the church? It's like seeing Plato once again accusing Jesus because He is outside the norms of the people. The last time I checked, morality is not about religion it is about spirituality.

Each of us be it an organization, a family or set of friends have various sets of moral standards. Most of them might be influenced by their beliefs, culture or hugely by religion. It is a part of the person's identity as we call it. Hence, since we are different in so many aspects we should preserve the respect that we have for our selves and try our best to extend it outwards. On that sense no matter how diverse our differences are, peace and understanding will not be absent between the gaps and spaces of everyone.

On the issue of the controversial artist Mideo Cruz for his Politeismo artwork, honestly I don't see any offending act of all sorts. Like what I've said it depends on our perceptions. If the artist see God's (or his god in any case) stand on that particular issue (Reproductive Health bill) as that, then so be it. Since faith is a personal subject that no one could instill to anybody and it will not be threaten if the foundation is strong enough.

Some say it's freedom of expression, some say it's a religious violation but I say that we have already forgotten our race is not of only a single religion.

Did Mideo Cruz insisted to believe his opinions? I have seen not. Is the church only devoted to their religion that had eventually brought them to the point that they will fight for their god just to protect their faith? However God do not condemn, he never chooses a certain side for He is a God of His children.

Everything was made out of love or scarcity had already taken its toll to everyone that it became obligatory to keep it at one's self instead of sharing it with other hearts.

On the context of questioning Mideo Cruz's piece if it's really considered as an art, as for me albeit I am not an artist of any form however I do assert with my full understanding that it is an art whatever it may look like. For there is no such thing as good or bad art since art is of aesthetic value as people call it.

If that is the case then why still question if it's an art? Beauty is in the eye of its beholder it's on how we appreciate it because we don't have similar set of standards when it comes to defining beauty.

Naked statues/sculptures of the Renaissance period, Pop art and Graffiti of today, art evolves, isn't it about time that we should do the same thing?

Within the walls

2011-03-26T21:04:00.000-07:00

I went to Palacio del Gobernador in Intramuros today to submit my internship requirements then afterwards I stroll around the place for a few minutes, I visited Manila Cathedral, Plaza San Luiz complex, Fort Santiago, Casa Manila and Plaza Roma until I finally decided to go to school because I still have classes to attend to.

But I decided to have some refreshments first before I head to the ferry station and so I went inside a convenience store to buy some drinks and snacks.

With a sundae on my hand, I pulled the diaphanous door and started to walk. When I’m about to cross the pedestrian lane there were these five street children and I think they are around six and seven years old.

The one who has a dirt on his face asked for my sundae, with an opened palm which is the same color of the flavor of sundae that I’m licking, waiting and raising it more higher, begging for a cone of melting fudge and not for alms.

When the cone landed on his lucky palm, to him is a precious trophy that will never lose from his grip, “Salamat kuya” (Thank you) he said. With his eyes glistening at the gift that he was given I left him with his friends encircling him, envious of what he has (but I hope that he had shared it with them no matter how small it was).

Then when I’m already away from them someone called for me, though what he only yelled was “Kuya!”. I assumed that it was me anyway, and yes I was never wrong because when I looked behind, the kid was there and he gave me a high-five, after the exchanges of smiles we then parted.

P.S.

Hey kid! Hope to see you again, though I never know your name and I’ve already forgotten your face, I’m more than sure that we’ll meet again. I’ll look for you there when I have my break we’ll share ice cones together with your friends. God bless you kid and take care all the time

Something to be proud of

2011-03-26T20:54:00.001-07:00

Yesterday during our class in Special topics in Policy Management: e-Governance the newcomers were asked by our professor to introduce themselves in front of the class, they have to tell something that the whole class still don’t know about them (yeah we’re a block section that’s why we terribly know each and every one) then they also have to mention their look alikes and it has to be a popular one and lastly they have to showcase their talents.

When Ryan (a classmate) blurted out that the thing we don’t know about him is that he is fond of watching Koreanovelas, we all laughed. Then our professor interrupted us easily and shared something that he had experienced during his stay in New Zealand. He told us that there were these Samoan guys that he had met there, and when they had learned that he is a Filipino they had produced a protruding smile and found them saying something about these Filipino drama shows/telenovelas that they’ve been watching. They even confessed that Filipinoshas very good telenovelas with an awesome story, with good looking actors, beautiful actresses who could also act really well.

Honestly my Professor didn’t have any idea about the actors/actresses and T.V. shows (such as Gulong Palad) that they’ve been talking about, he even have to search them up in the web. He then asked them if how they were able to understand the story given the fact that the language is Filipino, the Samoans said that they are watching every episode thrice a day in order for them to understand it fully.

Wow, as a Filipino even this tiny compliment could make my heart grin.

Kudos to the Samoans for appreciating our crafts! :D

No to smoking, Yes to reading!

2010-10-29T23:54:00.000-07:00

I wish that cigarettes are more expensive than books. It would be acceptable to me if the world market would multiply the price of it by a hundred fold. Cases of lung cancer would be alleviated, then many people would be healthy and strong. Most of all many people would learn and be knowledgeable. That is my dream, to make literature accessible to all, to make the whole world a library overpopulated of books and not of people.

Photo Source: http://www.subvertednation.net/jews-and-their-taxes/

Time is Gold and Life is a Diamond

2010-10-29T23:47:00.000-07:00

Yesterday while I was taking the stairs leading to my school, I happened to bump this man, he’s maybe around forty years old, because he had taken the steps of the stair very fast. Thank God nothing bad happened to that old man, for heaven’s sake the stairs is slippery for it was raining yesterday. When he passed me he managed to mutter “It has to be two steps at a time so we can get there very fast”. It reflected to me that people like for example that old man, always do things very fast so as to finish right away and eventually if they were able to achieve those things, chances are: the outcome would not be that fine or maybe it would be the opposite of what they are expecting.

Nowadays people tend to do things not accordingly to what is planned, to what is desired. People are all in a hurry, things are all in a hurry. There are fast food, instant food, e-mail, crash diets and so on and so forth that offers abrupt relief and refuge to every man’s wants and needs but after it lasted, sickness, disease and other unlikely circumstances take place. Why do we always want to acquire things in a blink of an eye, we always want to have this and that in a jiffy, and thus as a result we miss something or someone special as we skip some of the processes that were laid in front of us.

We should take the path one at a time, we should experience things gradually so we can enjoy each moment and have something really worthy to cherish. Life is a process which we should undergo every stage.

Don’t waste your time doing things that will make you miss the better one. Life has a lot of blessings in store for each and every one, we only have to take time and reflect.

I have realized that gold will never be a good quality of pure gold if one stage of its step by step process will be missed out. I think and believe, that it is the reason why they have used gold to symbolize time not because time is short that’s why we should do things as fast as we can but because we should always bear in mind that time has also its own timing, its own stages, that people fail to recognize because what they only see is the arms that personifies its continuity, the numbers that never stops every step of the way.

Life is a dance we should never miss a single step. I compare a man to a caterpillar; it will never be a butterfly unless it undergoes every stage of its creation. Take it slow because most of the time, things being done out of perseverance and patience are the ones that last for a lifetime.

We are all a running man, we are set foot on our own lanes, would you rather run fast and never witness the happiness that you could share with the other runners? It is not about the goal after all... it's the experiences. Stop running, breathe, sit down when you need to, then walk.

Time is gold and life is a diamond.

Celebrities read books

2010-10-29T23:38:00.000-07:00

If this is the only way that could convince all the youth to read books. Could all the leaders of the world mandate all the celebrities be it hot guys or hot chicks, Justin Bieber or Lady Gaga to please always carry a book with them and have themselves taken a photo with it by paparazzis. Please.

READ PEOPLE.

Photo Source: http://http//www.robsessedpattinson.com/2009/07/what-does-robert-pattinson-read-update_27.html

1 MIN READING: THE FISHERMAN AND THE BUSINESSMAN

2010-10-29T22:56:00.000-07:00

There was once a businessman who was sitting by the beach in a small Brazilian village.

As he sat, he saw a Brazilian fisherman rowing a small boat towards the shore having caught quite few big fish. The businessman was impressed and asked the fisherman, “How long does it take you to catch so many fish?” The fisherman replied, “Oh, just a short while.” “Then why don’t you stay longer at sea and catch even more?” The businessman was astonished. “This is enough to feed my whole family,” the fisherman said. The businessman then asked, “So, what do you do for the rest of the day?” The fisherman replied, “Well, I usually wake up early in the morning, go out to sea and catch a few fish, then go back and play with my kids. In the afternoon, I take a nap with my wife, and evening comes, I join my buddies in the village for a drink — we play guitar, sing and dance throughout the night.”

The businessman offered a suggestion to the fisherman. “I am a PhD in business management. I could help you to become a more successful person. From now on, you should spend more time at sea and try to catch as many fish as possible. When you have saved enough money, you could buy a bigger boat and catch even more fish. Soon you will be able to afford to buy more boats, set up your own company, your own production plant for canned food and distribution network. By then, you will have moved out of this village and to Sao Paulo, where you can set up HQ to manage your other branches.”

The fisherman continues, “And after that?” The businessman laughs heartily, “After that, you can live like a king in your own house, and when the time is right, you can go public and float your shares in the Stock Exchange, and you will be rich.” The fisherman asks, “And after that?” The businessman says, “After that, you can finally retire, you can move to a house by the fishing village, wake up early in the morning, catch a few fish, then return home to play with kids, have a nice afternoon nap with your wife, and when evening comes, you can join your buddies for a drink, play the guitar, sing and dance throughout the night!” The fisherman was puzzled, “Isn’t that what I am doing now?” Classic Brazilian story, probably also present in other cultures. Someone found the English version, but I could not identify the translato r

Published on September 8, 2010 in 20 SECOND Stories, News and Stories. 385Comments

Source: http://paulocoelhoblog.com/2010/09/08/the-fisherman-and-the-businessman/

I am Freedom

2010-10-29T22:49:00.000-07:00

Photo by Stephy Kaohiai

Go for what the heart asks for, listen to what it says because when there is love there is happiness, and when there is happiness certainly life is also present.