dead keys society

Love One Another As I Have Loved You..

2010-05-02T10:53:00.003-05:00

'Love one another as I have Loved you...', so says the Lord. When you hear or read these words, they seem so easy. But are they? When you start pondering on them, the word love is very complex. Much more when you factor the fact that love comes from God and when God says love one another, you are not just selecting someone you already care for. You are also suppose to love those you don't know and people that have at one time hurt or offended you. Can you really love someone when you know that doing so does not sit well with you?

In 1 John 4:8, it stated that "Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love." It makes a lot of sense but not on our frail human level. God's love is unconditional. We as human beings are capable of understanding only things that are tangible to us. We say we love but we don't really understand the true meaning. But the nice thing is that we have the ability to learn. It is one of the greatest gift that we ever had and it's called free will. The ability to choose.

The passage in 1 Corinthians 13 is a must read. When in doubt, I always come back and read through this passage and somehow it gets me a feeling of being lifted. I may not truly understand what love really is nor would I know what God's plan is for my life but I do know that it is okay to question Him. Ask Him why things are happening in my life and when I can't still comprehend, I go back and ask Him to help me trust Him.

If He is piloting my life, who am I to argue?

Forgiveness

2009-08-27T22:24:00.005-05:00

To forgive means to grant pardon for an offense or a debt. It could also mean to cease feeling resentment against something or someone. It should never be confused with the word forget. A lot of people do. The saying "Forgive and Forget" is not really accurate. One can forgive but can they truly forget? Probably not especially if it was something really traumatic for the offended party. One should never forget. Forgetting opens up for the same situation to happen again. This would turn into a vicious cycle.

Forgiveness is a gift one doesn't give to anyone but to oneself. It is not an emotion but a choice. Dwelling on an issue causes resentment and resentment begets hate. Having all these negative emotions is not healthy for anyone especially to oneself. One goes down the road of loathing and becomes counter-productive.

By forgiving, one makes the conscious decision of letting go of the resentment, hate and all the other negative emotions in oneself. The offending situation or person may not deserve it but as discussed, it is a gift one give to oneself. So for those who are in this situation, one may want to think about this. The heaviness one feels being lifted off one's chest is worth it. Or just the peace of mind that follows.

Remember.. to err is human, to forgive divine.

To forget is just plain foolish.

Risk

2009-08-08T20:12:00.002-05:00

To laugh is to risk appearing the fool.
To weep is to risk being called sentimental.

To reach out to another is to risk involvement.

To expose your feelings is to risk showing your true self.

To place your ideas and dreams before the crowd is to risk being called naive.

To love is to risk not being loved in return.

To live is to risk dying.

To hope is to risk despair, and to try is to risk failure. But risks must be taken, because the greatest risk in life is to risk nothing. The person who risks nothing, does nothing, has nothing, is nothing, and becomes nothing. He may avoid suffering and sorrow, but he simply cannot learn and feel and change and grow and love and live. Chained by his certitudes, he's a slave, he's forfeited his freedom. Only the person who risks is truly free."

- Leo Buscaglia

I found this while trolling the web and thought I'd share this with everyone who stumbles in my little space in the net.

The Serenity Prayer

2009-08-04T01:22:00.001-05:00

"God... Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change;
Courage to change the things I can;
And wisdom to know the difference."

That's how the prayer goes and a lot of variations has been added to it as time goes by. Some of the variations were made to sound funny just to take the seriousness of the prayer but if you read through the verse, the whole thing really is very potent. The prayer is about surrendering to a higher power that life can be overwhelming, asking for help when everything seems lost and knowing when to ask for what.

I know I must have read this prayer a million times but I still feel in awe whenever I do. It humbles me each time I come across this prayer. It makes me realize just how vulnerable I am and that I am only human - prone to errors just like the rest of humanity. And with this knowledge, I understood the trials and pain I encounter as I go on living. That they exist to remind me that I am just like everyone else - a child of the universe.

And so with that, I want to add my variation to this prayer...

"To live one day at a time... To enjoy one moment at a time..
To accept hardships as part of the way to peace and happiness..
To trust that I may be reasonably happy in this life and the next.."

Hope

2009-07-26T09:50:00.001-05:00

Hope is a belief that a positive outcome will come out of a situation or a circumstance. The situation can be an ordinary day to day event or it could be something major. Most often than not, people hope. Or rather people have hope. It's the saving grace that keeps people moving forward to certain circumstances in their lives no matter how traumatic or painful it may seem.

When a person say its hopeless, there is a sign of surrender on their part. But the fact that they still move about in their lives mean that there's a glimmer of hope somewhere deep in their hearts. They won't admit it and may even fail to recognize it, but it is there. It needs a little coaxing to come out and be fully recognized. As long as one breathes, there is hope. No matter what the circumstance is.

Living is hoping.

Love Island

2009-07-19T20:59:00.003-05:00

I was trolling the web the last couple of nights and saw this nice writeup which I'd like to share to everyone. The author of course is unknown but nevertheless, the message hits home.

Love Island
============

Once upon a time there was an island where all the feelings lived; happiness, sadness, knowledge, and all the others, including love.

One day it was announced to all of the feelings that the island was going to sink to the bottom of the ocean. So all the feelings prepared their boats to leave.

Love was the only one that stayed. She wanted to preserve the island paradise until the last possible moment.

When the island was almost totally under, Love decided it was time to leave. She began looking for someone to ask for help. Just then Richness was passing by in a grand boat. Love asked, "Richness, Can I come with you on your boat?" Richness answered, " I'm sorry, but there is a lot of silver and gold on my boat and there would be no room for you anywhere."

Then Love decided to ask Vanity for help who was passing in a beautiful vessel. Love cried out, "Vanity, help me please." "I can't help you", Vanity said, "You are all wet and will damage my beautiful boat."

Next, Love saw Sadness passing by. Love said, "Sadness, please let me go with you." Sadness answered, "Love, I'm sorry, but, I just need to be alone now."

Then, Love saw Happiness. Love cried out, " Happiness, please take me with you." But Happiness was so overjoyed that he didn't hear Love calling to him.

Love began to cry. Then, she heard a voice say, "Come Love, I will take you with me." It was an elder.

Love felt so blessed and overjoyed that she forgot to ask the elder his name.

When they arrived on land the elder went on his way.Love realized how much she owed the elder.

Love then found Knowledge and asked, "Who was it that helped me?"

"It was Time", Knowledge answered. "But why did Time help me when no one else would?", Love asked.

Knowledge smiled and with deep wisdom and sincerity, answered, "Because only Time is capable of understanding how great Love is."

Author Unknown

Smile

2009-07-09T00:00:00.005-05:00

I was feeling a bit depressed today. I dragged myself through the day and thought I could never make it through. But I did and it’s amazing when I recall someone telling me that feeling anxious and being at your lowest point doesn’t kill you. It’s how you react to those emotions that might.

And I thank that person. Gives me hope to think that I made it through one more day and another one is fast coming. Hopefully it would be a lot better. No, I wish it would be a lot better. I hate having have to feel this way and I try my hardest to come out of it but it’s just one of those roller coaster emotions. One time you’ll be okay, the next you’d be feeling like you’re in the dumps.

I visited a website I stumbled upon a couple of nights ago. Beliefnet.com. It has a lot of things that could help anyone having questions on life, faith, health and other things. What drew me was that there was a link to “uplifting quotes for a depressed heart”. Since I’m already down there, I clicked on the link and read through it emotionless until I came upon this passage: “Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy. – by Thich Nhat Hanh”.

Reading that line brought a smile to my face. The first one I had today and brought a tear or two to my eyes. The quote hit a nerve in me and somehow I felt like I knew it would be okay somehow. Not now, maybe not tomorrow, but I know it will be okay.

So for now, I’ll smile though my heart is aching.

Wish Life Is Like A Ball...

2009-06-27T23:58:00.003-05:00

It's been awhile since I updated this blog. Too long really. Since then, there has been a lot of changes that passed though my life's path. I wish it were all good but then again, a little hurt will make you appreciate life more. Or does it make you feel that life really sucks. I can't really figure out the distinction. But the bottom line is that I wish it was more good.

Fast forward to where I'm at today. I'm still here and trying to hold up my side of the bargain which is living God's gift of life and not descending to hell by giving up on the gift. It's not easy but that's just how life is. Everything looks so easy until you get tested first before the lesson is given. That's how funny experience is. Test first before lesson. Do I sound bitter? I hope not.

I used to be sure of the things I do. I think things carefully and make a decision on how to approach it. Nowadays, I second guess myself. I wish I don't have to but I do. I just do and this is in everything that I do. Except when I play soccer. It's like when I'm in the field, nothing else matters. It's just me and the ball.

Don't get me wrong, I don't consider myself a good soccer player but I can hang in the field with anyone. Even if I have to crawl just to be in the field. But during this time when life seems to be uncertain around me, I seem to project a positive image to myself when I'm in the field. What used to be me playing defensively, now adjusts offensively and do a lot of damage to the other team. I'm not saying I'm the only one scoring but am actually calling the plays to make the goals. In the field, it's just me and the ball. I wish it was just like that off the field.

But I have to be off the field sometime. And that's when life starts all over again.

Office Christmas Party

2007-12-18T21:17:00.000-06:00

We had our office Christmas party held last December 14 and I think our HR did a great job with organizing the whole thing. In my years of working for the company, it has been different every time. Last year, it was a show type environment wherein there was Elvis impersonator entertaining us with his rendition of Elvis songs while we were eating lunch from the buffet. Afterwards, there was a hypnotist that did a splendid show of "mind-controlling" a bunch of my colleagues. That was fun.

This year, the theme was Candy Land. HR transformed the office lobby into a candy decorated venue. They said it took about 4000 pieces of edible chocolates and candies to do so on top of the candied apples stren all over the place. Now, that's too much sugar for me. But it was nice. There was no entertainment around but lunch was also good. They had set up the lunch to be in a family type environment wherein everything was on your own table shared with 7 other colleagues.

After lunch, everyone went to the lobby to enjoy the sweets. I only got one piece of chocolate and that was it for me. I guess seeing all those sweet things out there just made me feel full. I wanted to indulge some more but the little man on my shoulder cautioned against it.

We have our own team Christmas Party coming up but that's another tale to tell.

And Again....

2007-12-14T23:02:00.000-06:00

It happened again. The same people that caused the issues to our database environment for the last couple of months did the same mistakes again. Not just for this week but for last week as well. And it's only now that I found out just because some user asked some questions. It's really bad if the questions are raised from the users themselves but they're the best indicator of what's going on. It's their data.

But as I said, the same folks who had caused me and the user community a lot of grief the last couple of months did the same thing all over again at the start of this month. I raised the question to them if this is going to be an ongoing thing every month since there has been no real break for me since the first time it happened. Of course I was being sarcastic but someone just had to voice something out.

The sad part is that management is shielding this group from the enduser community and I'm the one being pounded day in and day out by the users. Like I'm the one to be blamed for the whole mess. Right now, I feel numb on that. Two months of pounding can't really hurt anymore after awhile.

I get an email from Monster.com on job openings everyday and I have to say it's been looking really tempting as the days go by. I hate to start the job hunting process though since I know that I will follow through the whole thing if I start it. Maybe I'll just wait a few more poundings.

I guess you can call me a masochist.

Thanksgiving in Orlando, Florida

2007-12-10T19:55:00.000-06:00

I spent Thanksgiving Day in Orlando, Florida. The office had hold off the rest of my vacation days I have left for the year. I have a total of 7 days left and it's almost the end of the year. Normally, it has to be used this year or end up losing them next year. In my case, it was an exception. They carried it over for next year. On top of that, they gave me the whole week of Thanksgiving to rest.

But it didn't came in that easy. I was recalled to the office on Monday to fix some things for one of our client. But after that it was smooth sailing. I left for Orlando Tuesday night and arrived Wednesday late afternoon. A total of 17 hours driving time. But that gave me a lot of time to ponder on things.

I immediately went to the Universal Studios park that afternoon to check out the rides. I started with the MIB ride which I thought was cool. I did that twice since the line was not that long. I also went to the Jaws ride which was a disaster since they had to close up early due to a technical failure. That's 30 minutes of wait time down the drain.

After dinner, I decided to get the much needed sleep my body has been craving. I slept like a log that night but woke up bright and early to be in line for all the other attractions in the park. The next few days was just awesome as I lost myself to the attraction as well as the expenses incurred.

I drove back Saturday morning and didn't get back home until Sunday afternoon. It was tiresome but was really worth it. With all the new expenses I have to pay, I am more motivated to go back to work again.

All for the wrong reasons.

I Spoke Too Soon

2007-12-05T20:50:00.000-06:00

I spoke too soon. Just when the dust started settling down at the office, another "scheduled" change was implemented over the weekend which had me on the phone last Sunday as I try to provide direction on what needs to be done to what. At least this time, another team has been affected with the change and they are up to their necks holding their fort. Now they know what I have been feeling the last 3 months.

It's the middle of the week and everything seemed to be panning out nicely for me. I have the occasional issues here and there but nothing that I can't handle. Most of these are overflows from the other team and most of what I have to do is to verify that the flow is going in as it should. Unlike before where I had to check the whole process.

The sad part is that this whole exercise will be done again this weekend. The good news is I have a list of those things that I have to watch out for. The only problem now is that if there will be any undocumented issues popping up. I can feel goosebumps on me already.

And they have the Christmas party scheduled next week.

2 Months

2007-11-30T23:18:00.000-06:00

I can't believe it's been that long since I've updated my blog. Not because of laziness mind you but because I was swamped at work. I shouldn't offer any excuse because the bottom line is that I failed to update my blog and that's that. But that's going to change moving forward.

So much has happened since my last entry. There had been a lot of world affair related news, freakish weather, tabloid gossips but there were also good news abound. For me, that's well and good but I'm more focused on what has transpired during my day to day activities since then.

Something major happened in the office that required a lot of my attention and that's an understatement. I was close to resigning after a month but had to hold back and try to see it through considering there was no one else that would be able to manage the issues. I feel that it would be inappropriate for me to leave the company when they needed me. Not to sound like the company really needed me since the company will still exist even if I'm not around. They'll be having a hard time but they will continue to exist.

The bad part was that these issues were caused by another group but I had to do the fix for them. The second month came in and there were still issues abound. Now, it's the third month and I'm beginning to breathe easy. As they say, I can see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Unfortunately, they were headlights of oncoming traffic.

Lazy Sunday

2007-09-30T13:45:00.001-05:00

I'm here just lying in bed and surfing the internet while the TV is blaring. I just finished watching the National Geograpic Channel's show on Monster Fish and it was quite entertaining. Now, this is how Sundays should be spent. Just let the rest of the day roll by without a care in the world. Why shouldn't you do so? Well.. Monday's a few hours away and it's back to the normal daily grind for all of us out there who has to bring home the bacon.

But then again, I love Mondays for the simple fact that the start of the work week is always the hardest one to tackle. I figure that if I can live through Monday, the rest of the week should be a breeze. Easier said than done but it does tend to get easier as the rest of the week rolls on. And even though I love Mondays, I do look forward to the weekends where I get to relax and look back on how my week had been and what to expect for the coming week.

Weekend chores are a welcome treat too. If I slave the whole day at the office whacking away at the keyboard and attending meetings, I want to spend the weekend doing menial work. That's right, I want to not use my mind on the weekends. I usually work on my yard Friday nights if I have the time. Otherwise, its usually on Saturdays. And the funny part is that I love to sweat it out in the yard under the warm heat of the sun. And when all is said and done, I'd go in and take a long hot shower followed by a quick cold shower. I don't know if that's healthy but I enjoy the refreshing feeling brought about by this practice.

I'm going to enjoy the rest of the day now or whatever is left of it.

Apples and Oranges

2007-09-24T18:46:00.000-05:00

You can't compare apples and oranges. That's one of my favorite expressions and I'm sure everyone, if not most people, have heard about this before. But I'm not talking about the expression here. I'm talking about the actual fruit themselves. If you think about it, you really can't. These two items are totally different from each other with both offering their own set of nutrients and flavor.

The apple belongs to the same family as the pears, peaches, loquats, strawberries and interestingly, the rose. There are many apple varieties which makes them identifiable by their color shade as well as their taste. Sweet apples are ready to be eaten as it is and while sour apples can be eaten likewise, they are mainly used for baking. Granny Smith apples are great for baking apple pies.

The orange fruit belongs to the citrus family and is either sweet, sour or bitter. While this fruit can be eaten as it is, the juices are often times extracted from the fruit to be used as a drink. Unlike the apple, the orange is not directly used for baking but rather is jellied or preserved first before being used for baking.

Now, I decided to talk about these two fruits today since I did my grocery yesterday and was in a dilemma trying to decide if I wanted to take the apples or the oranges. I like both of them but if I take both, I may end up with a few of them rotting. I always choose only one fruit a week as I have a week stomach and I didn't want to upset it by having two different ones on the same week.

So there I was scratching my head when I finally decided on bananas. Makes my life easier.

Round Rock Doughnuts and Dried Fish

2007-09-16T10:09:00.000-05:00

Not exactly the combination you want to eat for breakfast but I should say it was interesting. For those who don't know, Round Rock Doughnuts have been ranked on the top ten doughnuts in the good old USA. Dunkin' Doughnuts and Krispy Kreme are both not in that list. I'm not sure if Round Rock Doughnuts are limited only in the Central Texas area but if you get the chance to try them, you should. It has this sourdough texture to them that makes it more appealing to the palate.

But anyway, I woke up early this morning and thought that I'd whip up something for breakfast. I rummaged through the pantry and the refrigerator to see what was available and saw this pack of dried fish I got from an oriental store in Houston last weekend. Together with some longanisa, I fired up the grill to cook outside. The reason for that is I didn't want to cook the dried fish inside the house least it'll stink for the rest of the day. Everyone knows dried fish smells but the pleasure of eating it makes it worthwhile.

So there I was finishing up on cooking the longanisa and dried fish when my neighbor peeked from his side of the fence asking what I was grilling at so early in the morning. I should say it was too early for her to be awake checking out the neighbors too. But we're good neighbors. I told her what it was and even offered some for her but she declined. She did mentioned the longanisa smelled good. I guess that offset the smell of the dried fish.

Hunkering for something sweet, I drove out to get the Round Rock Doughnuts. Took me less than 15 minutes to get some and be back to finish preparing the breakfast feast. I also made some fried rice from last night's leftover rice and had the coffee pot ready. I wanted to prepare some sunny side-up eggs but I think I was already overdoing it. So I stopped.

Then I sat down with some good company to enjoy the morning's feast. Nothing tops a good breakfast, good company and great conversation to begin the day.

Soggy Bottom Boys

2007-09-15T19:16:00.000-05:00

I want to be a Soggy Bottom Boy. If you haven't heard about them, then you need to watch the movie "O Brother Where Art Thou". The movie stars George Clooney and mind you, I'm not a George Clooney fan but I think he played his role in this movie like it was him. The supporting cast also showed a lot of fun in them too.

I didn't watch this movie in the theaters. Rather, I watched it in TV. I seldom go to the movie house anymore. Just because the prices have gone way up over the years. Every now and then, I do go out and watch from the theaters and that's because I think the movie being shown is really worth it. Normally, I would wait for the video to come out especially if it is something I want to watch over and over again.

The movie "O Brother Where Art Thou" borders around fantasy and reality and I think that's what makes the movie appealing. But what I really enjoy in there was the song they did. Wish I could rant more about that song but I could never do justice when it comes to songs. So I would highly recommend that you guys out there watch this.

Hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

I Hurt Myself Today

2007-09-06T22:49:00.000-05:00

That's actually an overstatement. It's more like I ache all over. Maybe it's because the lack of sleep. I know my dreams are missing me but I just can't help it. I have a hard time going to sleep at nights so I would lay there in bed waiting for the sandman to come in and sprinkle me with his dust. Add to that the fact that on times I want to sleep, I would get paged by the office to help out on some of those pesky issues that just pops out of nowhere.

The nice thing though is that the weekend is but a day away. I know one day of rest won't really help in the recuperation process but it's something that I look forward to. Maybe if I'm lucky today I may be able to go to dreamland quickly. Otherwise, I can go back to counting sheep again. Whoever thought of that must have a lot of time in their hands.

I tried counting sheep but after the tenth sheep, I'm thinking of other things to pass the time away. It's an attention deficit disorder. I talked about that once in here too. I think everyone just suffers from it no matter what one might think. It's a proven fact.

Now, where was I on that sheep?

Carpe Diem!

2007-08-29T22:02:00.001-05:00

Seize The Day! I always thought that sounded cool. Anyone that can quote a line made up of Latin words just seemed educated and well-travelled. No matter if its just something that was taken off a poster, a book or even from a cereal box. Often times, the person uttering such words don't even know what they mean. But just the same, they say it like they know it.

I think Latin should be offered more in schools as part of the elective curriculum. Not that it has some major applications in the business world compared to learning Spanish, Chinese Mandarin or Chinese Canton. That's why I'm saying it should be offered as an elective subject so that kids can choose it in lieu of another option.

Learning another language is fun. And when you get the hang of it, you can actually associate words across them. Think of pig-latin. It might prove useful later on when you have kids and you don't want them to know that you are bringing them to the doctor for their regular scheduled shots. I know I would have appreciated that when I was growing up and my mom and dad would spell out words. I just knew I was in for something I know I won't like.

So before I go, let me impart a Latin phrase I love to mutter every now and then. Carpe Burrito! That's right, you read it correct. That will prove useful for you when you are hungry.

Seize The Burrito!

All Is Quiet

2007-08-25T12:36:00.001-05:00

At least in my blogsite it is. It's been a full week and I haven't written anything new. Not for the lack of material anyway. I have tons of things I want to say out here but am keeping it as clean as possible. I know if I let loose, it won't be a pretty sight. And I don't want to lose what's littler of my readers out there.

It has just been a busy week for me since I'm on secondary on-call. That means I'm supporting my on-call collegue. Come Monday, I'm primary and that would mean a lot more busier than this week. I don't really mind it though. It just mean that I wont be able to work on any outstanding project on my plate. Everything I'd be doing will be mostly support.

It's not pure job security since I know a lot of people out there have the capability to do my job. That's why I don't complain. It's part of the job and it pays my bills and brings food to the table. And I got a good secondary on-call to boot. Everything just looks fine and dandy.

I'm hoping to get some vacation time though. The boss told me last week I need to get some time off. I couldn't agree more. Besides, work will still be there when I get back. The only problem though is that she can't let me go for more than two successive days. So until that opportunity arise, I will take one day leaves whenever I can.

If only I could get the approval to do so.

What A Week...

2007-08-18T00:18:00.000-05:00

Yes, it was a week but it felt like a year. It was that busy that I didn't get the chance to update my blog until today. And to top it all, I had something in mind that I wanted to write down but just didn't get the chance to do so. Not even at nights.

Until tonight anyway. I'm just glad the workweek is done though I know it would pretty much be the same scenario next week. I know because I saw my load for next week. But it's okay though. I can deal with that. By the week after next, I'd be on-call again so that means my load would be limited more on issues and not on projects. That's a lot better. (knock on wood)

I was supposed to be in another city this week but that got cancelled. I heard my boss saying the schedule has been moved next week. I don't really mind the travel. At least it gets me out of the office even if it's just for a day. A change of scenery is always a welcome change.

I think I'm going to just stay in bed tomorrow. A couple of hours of sleep is also a welcome respite. Then maybe I'd go for a run for an hour. There's much to do tomorrow. Maybe some grocery shopping too.

I guess I better get some sleep now.

Chocolate Rain

2007-08-11T01:09:00.000-05:00

Wow... what a voice. This video has been getting a lot of hits lately and some people say that he's the next big viral video. If this kid is for real, then great. At least someone is making use of his talent. I know I'll check if ever he releases an album in the future. He's voice is like a combination of James Earl Jones and Nat King Cole.

Desiderata

2007-08-08T18:49:00.000-05:00

Go placidly amid the noise and the haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence.

As far as possible, without surrender, be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even to the dull and the ignorant; they too have their story. Avoid loud and aggressive persons; they are vexatious to the spirit.

If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain or bitter, for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself. Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.

Exercise caution in your business affairs, for the world is full of trickery. But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals, and everywhere life is full of heroism. Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love, for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment, it is as perennial as the grass.

Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth. Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.

Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be. And whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul.

With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.

by Max Ehrmann

Big City

2007-08-05T18:19:00.000-05:00

I was assigned to work at one of our corporate offices in the big city for about a week. That means suitcase living again. At least the hotel was in a good part of the city. That allowed me the luxury of doing my nightly runs out in the streets. Sure, I can run in the threadmill at the hotel's gym but what fun would that be? I do say that soaking in the jacuzzi afterwards just takes away my body's ill.

Meal times are always the issue with me. I just can't seem to get myself to eat if I'm by myself. The good news was that my boss was with me the whole time so the decision on where and when to eat does not fall on my shoulders. Two of the places we frequent is the Genghis Grill and the other is the BJ's Restaurant/Warehouse.

Genghis Grill is a place where you pick your meat (raw), vegetables, sauce, and additional spices from the buffet table and bing it to the kitchen corner where a bunch of cooks work on your meal. Once everything is ready, they bring it back to you so you can enjoy your meal at one of their tables. Personally, I like this place a lot. And that's because I get to prepare what I want to eat. Makes it feel like homecooking without having to stay in front of the stove.

BJ's Restaurant/Brewhouse is another story. It's typically a burger/grill joint where you order off the menu. Since it is a microbrewery, you can order beer from the tap freshly brewed. Most of my collegues love this place for the beer. Me, I don't really drink beer that much so I can't really comment on that. I do know that they have a killer rib plate. Now, that's something I know I won't be able to say no to.

As much as I enjoy big city assignments every now and then, I prefer being back at the home office. Each time I get travelling assignments, all my other projects suffer. And I have to play catch up when I get back. That's the other part that I don't really like.

As they say, you can't serve two masters at the same time.

Evan Almighty

2007-07-28T09:49:00.001-05:00

I finally got around to watching this movie and I have to say I enjoyed it. It wasn't my first choice of movies to watch considering there's a lot of other movies out there this time of year but surprisingly, I think it was a great movie. I think the storyline was a great jump from the original story whose main character was Bruce to Evan who was a minor character in the first movie.

The story evolves around Evan who was a newscaster that joined politics and won a seat as a congressman. That's where the conflict begins as family starts to take a backseat to work which affected parent-kids relationship. I won't delve in there too much as I dont want to spoil the movie for those who haven't watched it yet. I do have to say that Steve Carrell played his role convincingly.

I think the best part of the whole experience was the positive message it brought to the movie viewers. Act of Random Kindness one at a time. That's what's needed to change the world. And if you think about it, it makes perfect sense. It only takes one step at a time to arrive at a destination, no matter how small the steps may be.

I'm going to do the dance now.

Dinner And A Movie

2007-07-24T22:52:00.000-05:00

I have heard about places where you can eat dinner and watch a movie at the same time but I never thought I'd be in one of those places. Personally, I want my dinner with a good company and a nice conversation. I just think it's better that way that's why I practice it at home too. TV is always turned off during meal time no matter how nice the movie/show is. I figured I can either watch first before eating or eat and watch the show later.

Last week was different. I was assigned to our other corporate office for a few days together with 3 other colleagues and on the last day, everyone decided they wanted to go try a place that serves dinner while a movie was going. It was nice. I enjoyed the ambiance of the place plus the movie was really good too. We picked a slow paced movie which helped.

I admit I enjoyed the experience but it's not something I'm going to make into a permanent lifestyle change for me. I still value a good conversation during meals and I'll stick to that. Besides, the art of conversing seems to be lost nowadays. It's time we bring that practice back.

Plus I want to see what I'm eating under a really good light.

Aristurtle

2007-07-21T22:10:00.001-05:00

I used to have a pet turtle and yes, I named him Aristurtle. This was a couple of year ago. I actually found him on the road so I decided to pick him up and get him out of harm's way. He used to be tiny too.. about 3 inches in diameter and weighs almost a pound. I feed him a cabbage leaf and a carrot which I think he enjoys since he runs out every week. I placed him in a box which I keep near the sink.

Every now and then, I would place him in the sink and let the tap water run until there's enough water for him to just wade through. I kept him for about 5 months until I decided it was time for him to be really free. During which time, he had grown to be around 6-7 inches and weight about 5 pounds. Yes, he'd grown quite a bit.

There was a pond in the subdivision where I used to live. I used to run around there and see some other wildlife like snakes and sometimes, fish. I thought he'd be perfect over there. So one day, I brought him to the pond and got him out of his box. The moment he saw the pond, he just run towards it. And I mean really run. I always thought turtles crawl. But he was really quick. He just edged towards the water and went in. It was a good 5 feet between us and the water.

Once he got in, he disappeared for quite awhile but surfaced a few meters from land. I think he was looking at me. At least that's what I led myself to believe. In some ways, I miss the guy. He was fun to watch as he munch on his carrots. But I believe he is much happier out there in that pond.

Nothing beats true freedom.

A Penny Saved Is A Penny Earned

2007-07-19T23:16:00.001-05:00

A penny saved is not much but overtime it will grow. It will take time but if you just pick them up and save them somewhere like in a water jug or a vase or anything where you can constantly add on to them, one day you can take them to the bank to be changed to a dollar bill.

I'm one of those folks that will pick up pennies lying around and I would store them in a huge water jug I have at home. I would also put in my other loose change in there like quarters, dimes and nickels. Every now and then, I would pop in a dollar bill, a fiver, a ten and sometimes a twenty. It's not going anywhere and I know it'll be there if I need it later on.

I have been doing this for awhile and the last time I had it full and cashed at the bank, I got almost $600 from the change alone. Now I'm back to putting all my loose change again in there. I won't even try to speculate how much I got in there. That would spoil the fun later on.

And I'm still having fun.

Give And Take

2007-07-16T22:11:00.001-05:00

I'm not sure if the title of this one is right but I've been wrong on a lot of things before so one more won't really hurt. I sold some stuff on Ebay last week. I started with 15 sets of graphic novels/comic books and I sold 7 of them. Not bad if you ask me. I got paid $89.00 for them. And I can use this money to fund any other transactions I want to do in Ebay.

I've relisted four of those sets that didn't sell since there were significant activity on them. Of the four, two more sets sold for $30.00. My assumption was that the people that have looked at these items didn't have the chance to come back and bid on them. And I guess I was right. Besides, these are actually great quality comic books.

I saw a couple of trade paperbacks I wanted to get for myself. Only problem though is that the seller of these items are pricing them too high. Guess I'll have to wait until similar items get listed for a lesser value. I always go for "lots" sales wherein items are bundled together.

I'm not a comic book collector. Just someone that enjoys good reading. But I do take care of these items rather well as I hope to put them back in the market when I'm done with them. I keep those that I enjoy too much so I can read them again in the future.

As I said before, one man's trash is another man's treasure.

Runescape - Trading At Varrock

2007-07-13T20:33:00.000-05:00

Varrock is the central location for trading in the Runescape universe. At least in the free world anyway. I have never been a member so I don't know what's it like in the member worlds but I have done most of my trading in this area. One can also trade anywhere else but nothing beats Varrock for competitive prices in busy worlds since this is the place where everyone congregates.

One has to be wary though when they trade over here. There's going to be a lot of scammers abound. Always make sure that when you click on those trade buttons, you are getting what you want for the items you are trading. Some of these scammers are quick on the click which could end up with you not getting anything for your trade.

Trading in Varrock always happen around the vicintiy of the bank near the fountain. Most players would come here to get rid of their excess inventory or to get new inventory. Anything you need will probably be here but to trade really well, you will have to look for a really busy world. That's where the competitive prices are. You can trade almost anything. If you get lucky, sometimes you can get a good item from the store just below the fountain.

For archery items, one will have to check the archery store beside the regular store. Most archers come here to trade rather than around the bank's vicinity. For mage items, try looking at the small room on the right side of the bank. That where most mages go to trade - either buying or selling. Knight's armor and other items will be all over the place around the bank. For miscellaneous items, just do a quick survey around the bank. Chances are there will be people wanting to buy feathers, food, ores, and other things as well as selling them.

Again, be aware of scammers.

Captain America Is Dead

2007-07-11T00:05:00.001-05:00

Here's a character that has a lot of history in him. He had fought the Germans, had himself frozen in ice, became a different character and so forth. But he always comes back to become Captain America. In the Marvel comic world, he is Steve Rogers and was a product of the super soldier serum.

Sometime ago, Marvel decided to shake things up in their universe where heroes ended up fighting other heroes due to the government wanting them to reveal their identities. Iron Man supported the government and led this group while Captain America opposed it and became the opposing group's leader.

At the climax of the story, Captain America surrendered to prevent further bloodshed and was to be taken to the courthouse for judgement. But he never got there. He was assasinated. And they had him buried in Arlington Cemetery.

The Marvel Universe lost a great character. But knowing the comic world, his story will not end here.

Hopefully not.

Buti Pa Siya...

2007-07-07T10:29:00.000-05:00

This is an old one I found in my archives. Thought I'd share it here. Much apologies to my English only readers.

Buti Pa Siya...

Buti pa ang kalendaryo, may date..

Buti pa ang Hershey's, may kisses..

Buti pa ang Probability, may chance..

.. Yung ibang tao, wala.

Buti pa ang exams, sinasagot..

Buti pa ang film, nadedevelop..

Buti pa ang hininga, hinahabol..

.. Yung ibang tao, hindi.

Buti pa ang assignment, naiuuwi..

Buti pa ang baso, nadadampian ng labi..

Buti pa ang unan, katabi at kayakap sa gabi..

.. Yung ibang tao, hindi.

Buti pa ang telepono, hini-"hello"..

Buti pa ang typewriter, natatype-an..

Buti pa ang salamin, minamasdan..

.. Yung ibang tao, hindi.

Buti pa ang panyo, iniiyakan..

Buti pa ang sugat, iniingatan at inaalagaan..

Buti pa ang awit at tugtog, magkasama..

.. Yung ibang tao, hindi.

Buti pa ang tindera, nagpapatawad..

Buti pa ang kamalian, pinapansin..

Buti pa and problema, iniisip..

.. Yung ibang tao, hindi.

Buti pa ang kotse, mahal..

Buti pa ang pera, importante..

Buti pa ang luho, malapit sa puso..

.. Yung ibang tao, hindi.

Buti pa ang bra, sinusuportahan ka..

Buti pa ang panty, sa iyo nakadampi..

Buti pa ang tampoon, feeling safe ka..

.. Yung ibang tao, hindi.

Buti pa ang dough, minamasa..

Buti pa ang mah-jong, sinasalat..

Buti pa ang damo, nadidiligan..

.. Yung ibang tao, hindi.

Buti pa ang susi, naipapapasok..

Buti pa ang bola, nilalaro..

Buti pa ang itlog, binabatil..

.. Yung sa akin, hindi.

Buti pa ang sobre, dinidilaan..

Buti pa ang doorbell, napipindot..

Buti pa ang keyboard, napipinger..

.. Yung sa akin, hindi.

Kanina ka pa nagbabasa..

Mabuti pa magtrabaho ka na..

At baka masisante ka pa.

(Ako pa sisihin mo.)

Murphy's Law

2007-07-05T20:45:00.001-05:00

One of Murphy's Law states the following "If you are feeling good, don't worry as you'll get over it". And I have to agree with that. I talked about feeling good in my last blog and just a day afterwards, I was brought back to earth. Just like that.

I have been working on a project that has been trying my patience for awhile now and there's no one else in the company I can turn for assistance. They guy that used to work on this particular project had been terminated a couple of months back and he had marked this project complete even though it is not.

Now the endusers are asking for the finished product and we don't have anything to show for it. There's not even a code I can use to decipher or reverse engineer. All the knowledge has been lost. So I have to start from scratch on this one.

Since the project has been marked closed, I have ended up working on this as a special interest project with hours being charged to maintenance. I don't like it any better than the next guy but I have to have some time bucket I can log my time to. Otherwise, there'll be a lot of other questions raised.

Talked about cloud nine and the seven gates of hell.

I Feel Good

2007-07-04T22:00:00.000-05:00

I wanted to say that today. Actually, I wanted to sing the song that James Brown had made popular. That's because I had my mid-year evaluation review with my manager yesterday and it was great. But then again, I have always been blessed with great reviews all my life when it comes to my job. Except for that time I had this crazy boss when I worked in Singapore.

A boss is someone who wants to come out as the head honcho and take credit for everything. A manger is someone who will direct traffic and make their constituents take the credit at the end of the day. Big difference there. Although I do call my managers boss anyway. Except for the guy in Singapore. I call him James Wang.

What made this review different from the previous years was that my manager actually wrote something in there that caught my eye just because it wasn't placed on the top portion or in the middle portion. It was hidden from clear sight but you won't miss it before you sign off. And it was about appreciation that came not only from the boss but from some of the other folks in my team as well as the user community.

I came out of the review on cloud nine. At least I feel that my contributions are finally being recognized. I don't really go much for awards though a voucher for a dinner in one of those nice places would be great. A simple pat on the back always hit the spot for me.

That's why I feel good.

And I Thought I've Been Around The Philippines

2007-06-30T18:16:00.000-05:00

My Lakbayan grade is C-!

How much of the Philippines have you visited? Find out at Lakbayan!

Created by Eugene Villar.

-------------------------------------------------

I thought I've been around the Philippines but this just shows I haven't really been around. Mostly the Central Visayas area, a little bit of Luzon and Mindanao. Oh well... maybe in the future I can move around some more.

How about you?

A Good Night's Rest

2007-06-27T18:04:00.001-05:00

It was a stormy night last night. The rain was pouring hard while thunders roared. Over the horizon, it was a magnificent diplay of lightning. It would have been fun to run outside last night and enjoy the refreshing rain as it splashed down. But better be safe than sorry. Who knows where lightning would struck.

All in all, I think it rained 8 inches of water last night. That would help bring the lake levels up a bit plus the free soaking the lawn needs. I seem to notice that the grass grows a lot fuller with rain water than tap water. Must be the checmicals. One thing for sure, I know I will have a hard time mowing the lawn this weekend. The grass looks a lot thicker and it's only Wednesday.

Anyway, I decided to retire early to bed last night but didn't really get to sleep until about 11:30. That's early in my book as I usually fall asleep almost around 1:00 am everyday. Don't get me wrong. I think my body has adjused to that routine that whenever I wake up at 6:00 am everyday, I'm pretty much ready to take on the day.

But it was different this morning when I got up. I just feel so refreshed. Maybe it's because it looked so calm and serene outside. I went to take my morning shower and got dressed for work and I was actually anxious to be in the office. It's like I could take on anything today. And that's just what I did.

Hopefully I'd feel the same tomorrow.

You Can't Fix Stupid

2007-06-20T17:48:00.001-05:00

Okay, I'm not talking about Ron White's show but I would like to borrow his phrase. And that's because I want to talk about someone I work with in the office. Management decided to hire this guy even though he doesn't seem to reflect the right mentality for what he's suppose to be doing plus the fact that he showed some signs that he's going to be a character to work with.

Being a corporate pawn for some time now in the company, I can't say I'm a model employee but I do try to follow corporate policy and enforce company standards on new hires considering I've always been one of the mentors. But this new guy just seem to not get it. He comes in and wants to start changing the world even going to the extent of wanting the company to purchase some software for him. I say that's just too gutsy.

A few weeks have passed now and he's not showing any sign of trying to fit in but rather wants the whole company to fit to his needs. I'm not sure what the company will do but I hope they do something. Feedbacks from almost everyone on the group regarding this person has been bordering on the bad to worse. Hopefully management see the same things being observed by everyone else.

I have the misfortune of banging heads with this guy and he just doesn't seem to get it when the other person is frustrated. It seemed like he wakes up every morning and decides he wants to be stupid to everyone. And he's doing a great job at it too.

You really can't fix stupid. No matter how hard you try.

Buying and Selling Online

2007-06-13T18:36:00.001-05:00

The mere mention of buying and selling items online brings one to think about Ebay. The funny thing though is that Ebay is not the only player in the web right now. There's actually a lot of other websites that allows anyone to sell anything. Among which are Bidville.com, Craigslist.com and some small personal websites not to mention the other product specific buy and sell websites like egghead.com and amazon.com. But Ebay does take a whole lot of the pie considering that it has expanded its services to a lot of other countries, some of which have been successful while others have but a mediocre following.

There's a bunch of nice deals you can see when you visit sites like this and oftentimes, its not just about the price but also the sentiment. Nothing beats the feeling of finding something you have been looking for in a long time. Ebay had done a great job in conveying this message in most of their advertisements. As they say, another man's trash maybe somebody else's treasure.

One has to be careful though and has to exercise good judgment when visiting these sites. Just because an item is in there does not necessarily mean that it's being sold at a good price. Some sellers actually lowball their prices but will hit you in the shipping charges. So one has to be careful when extending an offer to buy. Make sure you ask the seller about the small things like quality, shipping charges and other knick knacks if this information is not clearly defined in the item listing.

If you are selling, make sure you also have the basic information included in your listing. The object of the game is selling and making a profit. You don't want to misled your customers. You want to provide some satisfaction that they are getting a good deal from you which in turn will make them regular patrons who will come back and do more business with you.

So start cleaning out your garage, your attic and your cabinets. Maybe you have what I'm looking for.

Trigger Finger

2007-06-05T23:07:00.000-05:00

No, I'm not talking about guns at all. Rather, I'm talking about a health condition. A trigger finger is a common problem that causes pain and catching. Tendons that help bend the fingers and thumb slide through a snug tunnel. The opening of this tunnel could get smaller due to irritations as the tendons slips into the tunnel or the tendons could thicken making it difficult to pass through the tunnel. When one tries to straighten the finger, the tendon becomes momentarily stuck at the mouth of the tunnel and then pops as the tendons slips past the tight areas. This can cause pain and catching as you try to move the affected finger.

Symptoms usually start without an injury but is very common among people between the ages of 40 to 60 years old and to those people who have certain medical conditions such as diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis. One or more fingers could be involved at any given time. If the symptoms are mild, simply resting the affected finger may be enough. Using a splint would be helpful plus over the counter medication like Tylenol can ease the pain. However, the improvements are usually very temporary.

Another option is to have a steroid injection administered by your doctor to the affected finger. Depending on he severity of the problem, a couple of injections may be required. Since this isn't really a serious condition, a third option can also be considered and that is surgery. Usually, this is done as an outpatient procedure. The third option is highly recommended for severe cases like when the finger is stuck in a bent position in order to prevent permanent stiffness.

I would have loved to talk about guns but I'm more concern about health.

When The Blind Leads The Blind....

2007-05-30T20:06:00.000-05:00

I was tasked to check on an application for one ofour endusers. It's public knowledge that this so-called application is considered orphan since it has never been approved by the company, most of the functions does not really work, and lastly, the person who created it left with all the source codes. All the elements of disaster attached to it yet somehow, this application still end up being place in a semi-production environment and is used by a lot of folks.

Don't get me wrong. The application does work to a certain level. And the comfort level of the people using this application is really high. That's why we have to provide support to it even though there's no documentation nor do we have the ability to maintain it. The logic that's in place for this application was the same as it was when it was built 5 years ago. So much have change then and I think these endusers are just putting band-aids around it so they can still use this application.

A couple of weeks ago, a project was opened to make changes to the application requiring a different data source. This opened up a can of worms. I was able to get the required data in an extract file but loading it to this orphan application is another thing. It's so proprietary that I can't even create a test environment for it. The only way to test and validate the new data source is to load directly to a production environment.

After talking with the enduser on my concerns, we ended up agreeing that we will simulate a one day production update with the new data to authenticate its integrity. If it doesn't look right, we restore the last clean run from the night before. At least we have a plan in place. But it's really uncomfortable delaying the inevitable. One day, a new application will have to be created to replace this one. At least that's what I suggested the first time. For now, we have to work with what we have.

I say, if the blind leads the blind, get out of their way.

Rumpelstiltskin

2007-05-24T01:48:00.000-05:00

The tale of Rumpelstiltskin was part of the collection of the Grimms Brothers who published it in their edition of Children's and Household Tales. The story goes that a miller lied to the king that his daughter can spin gold out of straw. The king then had the miller's daughter locked in the palace's tower so she can spin gold for three days. If she can't she would be executed.

The daughter was resigned to her fate of dying when the dwarf showed up and bartered for her necklace and ring in exchange for spinning gold for the first two nights. On the third night, she has nothing more to trade so the dwarf asked her for her first born child to which she agree out of desperation. The king was so impressed that he ended up marrying the miller's daughter.

A few years passed and the miller's daughter gave birth to her first child. The dwarf soon re-appeared to ask for his payment. Since she's the queen now, she wanted the dwarf to ask for anything else but the dwarf was keen on getting the child. At this time, the dwarf gave the queen 3 days and 3 tries to guess his name. Long story short, someone in the kingdom heard the dwarf singing his name and informed the queen about this. The queen ended up guessing the dwarf's name and keeping the child.

I think this was one of the best fairy tales I've read when I was growing up. Now, that I'm more mature, I sense a lot of trepidation on my part. What was the dwarf thinking asking for a child? Just thinking about all the diapers that has to be changed and the duties associated with caring for a child.

I think it would be funny to see the dwarf returing the child in a couple of hours.

Ebay Song

2007-05-16T20:56:00.000-05:00

Yeah
A used ... pink bathrobe
A rare ... mint snowglobe
A Smurf ... TV tray
I bought on eBay

My house ... is filled with this crap
Shows up in bubble wrap
Most every day
What I bought on eBay

Tell me why (I need another pet rock)
Tell me why (I got that Alf alarm clock)
Tell me why (I bid on Shatner's old toupee)
They had it on eBay

I'll buy ... your knick-knack
Just check ... my feedback
"A++!" they all say
They love me on eBay

Gonna buy (a slightly-damaged golf bag)
Gonna buy (some Beanie Babies, new with tag)
(From some guy) I've never met in Norway
Found him on eBay

I am the type who is liable to snipe you
With two seconds left to go, whoa
Got Paypal or Visa, what erev'll please
As long as I've got the dough

I'll buy ... your tchotchkes
Sell me ... your watch, please
I'll buy (I'll buy, I'll buy, I'll buy ...)
I'm highest bidder now

(Junk keeps arriving in the mail)
(From that worldwide garage sale) (Dukes Of Hazard ashtray)
(Hey! A Dukes Of Hazard ashtray)
Oh yeah ... (I bought it on eBay)

Wanna buy (a PacMan Fever lunchbox)
Wanna buy (a case on vintage tube socks)
Wanna buy (a Kleenex used by Dr. Dre, Dr. Dre)
(Found it on eBay)

Wanna buy (that Farrah Fawcet poster)
(Pez dispensers and a toaster)
(Don't know why ... the kind of stuff you'd throw away)
(I'll buy on eBay)
What I bought on eBay-y-y-y-y-y-y-y-y-y

Runescape - Training in Lumbridge

2007-05-12T09:10:00.000-05:00

New players always start from Lumbridge. This is the place where it all begins after the new player leaves the training island. They have the option of going off and exploring the Runescape world or they can stay close here and earn more experience points by utilizing the safety of this place.

There are a lot of resources outside the Lumbridge castle. There are training assistants that will provide players with training equipment like shields, swords, bows, arrows and runes. There's also a river nearby where one can fish and a lot of trees around. Just across the river is a cow pen where one can earn a lot of points for a lot of different skills. It's a question of what experience points does the player want to work on.

New players have to be wary also of other players scamming them here. Lumbridge is well known for newbies to come in so existing players come in here and try to dupe out new players. So if you're a new player and another high level player wants you to do something in exchange for something, be wary and use your common sense.

If it's too good to be true, it probably is.

Hewlett-Packard Suck!

2007-05-07T18:03:00.000-05:00

I have always avoided HP products until about 5 years ago when I have to get an All-In-One Printer. Against my better judgment, I purchased an OfficeJet G85 printer and have used the product without any issues until a couple of weeks ago where the scanner component started malfunctioning. Turns out that the only 'fix' HP has was to re-install the drivers. Using the HP supplied uninstaller, I was able to uninstall successfully without any hitches but re-installing was another story.

When I tried re-installing the software/driver, the process always end up with a message saying that the software/driver has already been installed yet the whole OfficeJet G85 does not work in any capacity at all. So back to the HP Support website I went and it told me that I need to get the latest driver for the Product from their website. And based on the document they have, I also needed to uninstall any previous software/driver I had in my PC. HP also provided a force uninstaller on their website so I used this to clean up any traces of HP related application/drivers in my PC.

Imagine my shock when the uninstaller not only clean up all HP related applications/software but also half of my hard drive totally unrelated to he problem. Luckily I have all my data in another drive and all my other softwares' installation CDs saved safely away. I can use that to rebuild my PC if ever. So I continued to install the HP application/driver and guess what? The damn printer still wont work.

I decided to give HP support a call to see what's going on and after being passed around among their 'elite' technicians, I was told that basically they cannot provide me a free phone support due to my product being obsolete. Support could still be given though provided that I pay them $30/hour to answer my questions but they won't guarantee that it will fix whatever was going on with my printer.

Now this gets me riled up considering that it was the application from their website that deleted half the contents of my hard drive and it was their instructions that I followed. I would have been willing to pay the support cost if they can guarantee me their product will work which they can't. To top it all, the support person has the audacity to instruct me to trade in the OfficeJet G85 which I paid $245 five years ago for $5 applicable to any new HP printer they have.

What makes them think I'm getting another HP product?

Barbershop

2007-04-26T22:37:00.000-05:00

I haven't had a haircut in awhile so I decided to get one last weekend. I normally go to my favorite salon to have my usual hairstylist work on my head but I felt that I wanted something different this time. It has always been a parlor or a salon for me and I get to select what type of cut I wanted. You can say I was bored.

I drove around town basically just wasting time until I can find an excuse for myself not to get that haircut. I ended up in the older side of town where things are really slow and felt like I took a step back in time. The shops here weren't as glamorous or as big as the newer ones but it has some appeal in them.

I parked my car and went walking around. I visited a thrift shop which I found really interesting. What really caught my attention though was a small barbershop in the corner manned by two old folks. There were only 3 people ahead of me so I decided to come in and try them out. And it was the best decision I made that day. The haircut turned out really well plus all the extras the barber gave like complimentary shave and massage. You don't get that kind of service at the parlors or salons.

That experience brings back some nostalgia. What I thought was a weekend going to be wasted turned out to be really interesting. The barbers shared a lot stories which makes the whole experience feel like you're just at home.

I know I'll be back there in a month again.

Another Day

2007-04-19T20:09:00.000-05:00

It all started out the same way as any ordinary weekday. I got up, showered, shaved, dressed up and went to work. Same ritual every weekday. There were not that many cars in the parking lot when I got in so I got to park in a very good location. I don't normally park close to the door though. I like that early morning walk. The cold wind helps in waking me up some more before I get inside the office.

My desk looks exactly the same way when I left it the day before and it will look the same way again tomorrow. Just one of my peculiarities I guess. I have this clean desk policy I institute on myself that I need to do at least 5 minutes before I leave for the day. It helps me organize and structure how I want to tackle the next day.

First thing I do when I get in is check my emails. That way I can categorize which needs more attention and which ones I can hold off until the later part of the day. So far, that practice has always worked for me. As I said, it all started out the same way as the other days.

But then again, that's how it always does. Only, the middle part of the day changes a lot as well as the end of the day. Schedules are re-made and priorities are re-arranged. Not that I'm complaining. I've gotten so much used to that. Though for once, I would like to keep a steady rhythm on things.

I guess change is always constant.

April Showers

2007-04-07T21:24:00.000-05:00

A very well known saying goes.. 'April showers bring May flowers'. Apparently not today. It's the Saturday before Easter Sunday and there was news early part of this week that there will be a cold snap coming on this weekend. A cold snap is an understatement.

It's snowing in the central part of Texas in April. That means it's also snowing in the upper parts of the lone star state. Not that it bother me since I've lived in a colder place before. It just amuses me that it's already April. I heard of late March snowstorms but this is ridiculous.

I wasn't planning on doing anything today and I guess that kinda worked out to my advantage. I expected some cold wind today and that's about it. Imagine my surprise when at 4:00 in the afternoon, I noticed that it was bright and white outside. So I peered outside and found that it had started snowing.

Hopefully, the snow will be gone by tomorrow. Not that it matters. I'm planning to just stay inside and enjoy the comforts of my bed.

Nothing beats a warm and toasty blanket on a cold Sunday morning.

Shark Meat and Charcoals

2007-03-22T21:42:00.000-05:00

Just because charcoals look black doesn't mean they're not hot. I made that mistake today. I was out in the backyard early this evening preparing the grill when I touched the charcoal on the side of the burning heap to move it closer to the fire. It was an oppps moment and I should have known better but the charcoal I'm talking about didn't even looked chaffed or affected by the fire in any way. It was just sitting there and me being myself, I just reached out to move it.

I ended up with a small ice in my hand the whole time. At least it wasn't that bad. Just the tip of my pointing finger. And there's no sign of any blister at all. At least not yet anyway. I'm sure there's going to be one coming out soon but I'm keeping the faith that everything will be okay when I wake up tomorrow.

I grilled shark meat tonight. This was part of the catch I had last time I went deep sea fishing. My very first shark meat and probably my last one too. Too bad I still have about 10 pounds of it in the freezer. Maybe if I change my mind later on I'll try it again. I have always thought that shark meat would end up tasting just like any other fish meat. I guess I was wrong.

It tasted like rubber. I did soak it with milk for about 3 hours. They said that would enhance the taste. I didn't wrap it with bacon when I grilled it though. I just wanted real fish. Maybe I should have wrapped it. But after taking my first bite, it was like cutting a piece of half-cooked beef. At least beef tasted better.

Maybe it's just the thought that this shark may have taken a bite off a person.

All Things Bright and Beautiful

2007-03-15T00:08:00.000-05:00

by: Cecil Frances Alexander

All things bright and beautiful,All creatures great and small,All things wise and wonderful,The Lord God made them all.
Each little flower that opens,Each little bird that sings,He made their glowing colors,He made their tiny wings.
The purple-headed mountain,The river running by,The sunset, and the morning,That brightens up the sky;
The cold wind in the winter,The pleasant summer sun,The ripe fruits in the garden,He made them every one.
He gave us eyes to see them,And lips that we might tell,How great is God Almighty,Who has made all things well.

Runescape - It All Starts In Lumbridge

2007-03-04T23:40:00.000-06:00

Lumbridge or Lumby, as what most players call this place, is the place where it all begins. Technically anyway. A new player always starts at the Training Island and when they are ready to join the game world, this is where they will show up. A word of caution for new players, try to be patient and utilize all the training experience you can get while on the Training Island. It's safer over there. Try to build your experience points to at least a combat level 7 before you leave. That would be enough to at least defend yourself from level 5 goblins or muggers.

Lumby is also where those who died in Runescape go back to. Dying in Runescape comes in different flavors. A player can die in two categories - a. fighting other players in the wilderness or wildy and b. fighting game characters. One thing to note is that if a player attacks another player first in the wildy, the said player gets a skull on top of their heads to mark that they are people killers. This mark will stay for some time and will just go away after awhile. If a player gets this mark and dies, that said player will lose everything they have on their inventory excluding banked items. And they show up in Lumbridge with nothing on except their basic clothes they started the game with.

If a player dies in the game without the skull, they retain the three highest value items they have on their inventory outside of the already banked items. They also show up in Lumby wearing their basic clothes. It's always a good practice to bank items as one plays and try not to carry unnecessary items in your current inventory. That will give the player some fall back plan in case they lose things.

It's also wise not to attack another player first in the Wildy if you are not prepared to lose your current inventory. Unless the said player is only defending himself. A player that gets attacked first in the Wilderness and fights back on the player that attacked will not get the skull mark. That means the player will retain the 3 highest valued items in his current inventory if he dies.

Play safe.

Dreams

2007-02-27T20:15:00.000-06:00

When I close my eyes on some nights, I dream of me flying. Not a care in the world. Just me soaring in the clouds as the wind gently touches my hair. The moisture from the nearby clouds soothes my skin.

I would join the birds when they fly near me. And they don't seem to mind at all too. I guess they are thinking the same thing as me. Freedom. It's something that we take for granted.

The people below look like ants. I can see them running around trying to get their business done. Bound by their daily routines. Chained to their necessities. And there I was enjoying myself as I go in and out of the clouds.

And then it hits me out of nowhere. A flash of light. The knowing sound of thunder. All I feel now is that I'm falling hard and fast. Rain splashes across my face. I get agitated. I know I'm going to hit the ground anytime soon. My freedom taken away from me.

And then I wake up. I have to turn off the alarm clock.

Irony

2007-02-21T22:38:00.000-06:00

I was in one of my Ironmen meetings a few Saturdays ago and the discussion was about reconciliation. It all started about our relationship to God but the talk evolved to our relationship with our family and the people around us. The moderator then divided us into groups in order to make the discussion more audience driven.

So there I was with a group and we had a nice discussion going on about our relationship with family and other people. One of the guys in our group talked about an officemate he was having problems with wherein it was getting hard for him to work with that person. And I talked to him about the same thing that happened to me a long while back in my early life. the bottom line was basically to call on Him up there to give him the patience when dealing with this person and also for the other person to be more patient with him too. And we leave it at that.

Little did I know that the same thing is going to happen to me at work too. And it happened just recently. And that's what I did. I followed the same advice I gave during my last Ironman meeting. Now, I am not a very religious person and I have a lot of growing up to do. And try as I have, I still have issues with my officemate. I'm trying to be as patient as I can be but the bottom line is, my officemate is still a jerk. And the word jerk is the most modest word I can use here in my blog.

$%#^&#$%... That's what I really want to say to this guy.

To Blog Or Not To Blog

2007-02-14T09:04:00.000-06:00

It's halfway through the second month of the new year and I had a lot of things on my mind. One of them is the fact that I haven't touched my blog since the beginning of the year. And I wasn't planning to.

The whole blog thing was supposed to be an experiment to see how long I can last for the whole year, if I would run out of ideas to write and lastly, if I can generate enough readers. The last one was a bit of a question mark but yes, I did get enough readers. I have placed a tracker on my blog and it shows at least a good number of folks hitting my site and some of them actually comes back to visit again. That's good news.

The visitors doesn't really leave comments though but I can live with that. And yes, there were a lot of times when i was left scratching my head trying to think of something to write about. But I admit, I was still having fun.

I lasted for a year and now I'm thinking if I should continue for another year. I think I should. That way, I can rant about things on my mind. Both the good and the bad. It will help me clear my thoughts.

So it begins all over again...

Free Hugs

2006-12-31T14:02:00.000-06:00

I stumbled upon a video in Youtube today called "FreeHugs" and I thought that it must be some kind of joke. I decided to view the said video and I can actually feel the emotion going on in there. The video starts out with a person holding a placard advertising free hugs and you can see the people looking strangely at the said person and some other folks just totally ignores him.

In our world today, public actions like these are common and most are considered as pranks.
But once people started reacting positively to the message, individuals started accepting the free hugs given by this person. I was just watching the video and not in it but I can feel like I'm being hugged. And it's a great feeling.

It's true, we all need a hug. It feels as great to receive them as to give them.

An Apple A Day...

2006-12-07T08:32:00.000-06:00

It's suppose to keep the doctors away. It must be true since that's what I've been doing for some time now and have yet to visit a doctor outside of my normal checkup schedule. I have it for my midday snack as well as a dessert for my lunch. After that, I'm not sure if I can look at another apple again.

There are many varities of apple and I normally pick the Washington or just the big red apples. Occasionally, I'd enjoy a green tart one and I have to stress on the word occasionally. I guess that would have to be an individual preference.

Granny Smith's are great for baking. It can be an apple struddle, a apple cake or just a plain apple pie. Mine would have to be an apple pie. I'd take a slice of that and topit with a scoop of vanilla ice cream with a little chocolate frosting. All these talk is making me hungry.

I haven't been to an apple orchard before. I think I'm going to put that in my list of things to do before I die. Not that I'm going to eat some over there. Well, maybe a couple. And probably get a 5 lb bag while in there too for my supply.

Apples also make great target shooting targets.

Ironmen

2006-12-04T00:00:00.000-06:00

"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another." - Proverbs 27:17

I went to attend my very first ironman breakfast last Saturday and I can honestly say that I enjoyed it. No, I'm not talking about muscle building or stamina enhancing. This is about a group of men coming together to talk about life. The passage above sums it all up. Iron gets sharpened by using iron, so will man know his strength and weaknesses by way of his fellowmen.

It's a common fact that men tend to clam up and hide their feelings just because that's how society dictates it to be. But it doesn't have to be. I'm not saying this gathering is about a group of men showing their emotions. It's farthest from that. But this gathering does give the chance for anyone to understand that everyone has their own failings and that you don't have to go through life by yourself.

I'm not that religious and I will admit that. I do believe in a being higher than me that I talk to for just about anything. Maybe its just me trying to get things off my chest without feeling judged. I know it gets difficult sometimes since there's nothing tangible in front of me but I simply remedied that by getting a small rock and talking to it. Once I'm done, I just throw the rock away and feel that burden somehow lessens. It doesn't go away completely but I know it's something that can be handled.

I think I'll go back next month for that ironman breakfast. The theme last Saturday was about 48 minutes of gametime, an event to remember. The talk was about how decisions in our everyday life will affect our lives forever.

We will deal with the consequences of how we lived life.

Runescape - The Mages

2006-11-28T09:16:00.000-06:00

Another character that can be played in Runescape is that of a magician or most commonly referred to as a mage. An archer or a warrior can switch to this character anytime so long as they have built their skills on maging. One can be a pure mage and can be a dangerous adversary if you happen to face one. Most mages wear long black or blue robes with a matching hat. These are the only available colors in the non-members' world.

The robes actually play an important role for the mages. These help in their atttacks as well as providing defense for them. Anyone can cast a spell but a spell cast by someone wearing a warrior's armor may not be as potent as someone wearing a magician's garb. The same applies to an archer trying to cast a spell.

Casting a spell employs the use of runes which can either be bought, found or made. Certain runes can only be created in the member's worlds. There are a lot of places where these runes respawns but most of them are in the wilderness which can be dangerous for a new mage. The best way to get runes would be to make them and buy those that you can't readily do yourself.

As mages gain more experience, they tend to have an affinity on what kind of attack they want to employ. This is usually shown on the kind of staff they have with them. An all-around mage tend to bring an air staff while others carry fire, water or earth staffs. Some mage also carry a blade weapon and a shield just in case they need to fight hand-to-hand combat.

I have witnessed a group of mages deciminate an opponent in the wilderness and I always think that they are a force to contend with. For new players of this game, this is one character that is really worth exploring.

Day After Thanksgiving

2006-11-24T08:59:00.000-06:00

Today is when people start flocking to the stores as early as they can to avail of certain specials being promoted as on sale. I don't think it's wise to be out there with the crowd even if the crowd is your family. There's going to be much impulse buying and most of these items bought will be returned to the store a few days after. The fact that you will will be spending money does not really mean you saved money. Think about it. You are spending money, not saving. No matter how much discounts are given.

The crowd can get rowdy too. So you're not just being hurt financially but you could get hurt physically too. But that's just me. I guess a lot of people out there likes the adrenalin rush they are getting from all these excitement. I think I'll pass though. I'll have my own adrenalin excitement at the gym burning out the calories I gained from yesterday. We may have slaughtered the turkey but they also have their revenge on us.

For those who didn't have the luxury of preparing their own turkey this year but would want to try their hand on doing it for next year, I leave a recipe and steps on preparing a feast for next year.

Fried Whole Turkey

1 big turkey (Butterball 10 lbs)
Soy sauce (or any marinade)
Injection (the type to put the marinade into the turkey)
Salt
Pepper
Deep Fryer (Make sure you can dip the whole turkey in there)

a. Defrost the turkey.
b. Inject the turkey with the soy sauce or marinade at the focal points (breast, legs, thighs).
c. Rub the turkey skin with some soy sauce, salt and pepper.
d. Place the turkey in a wire to be dipped to the deep fryer.
e. Make sure the the oil is boiling at 450 degrees constant.
f. Dip the whole turkey into the boiling oil and be careful not to burn yourself in the process.
g. Calculate 5 minutes for every pound of turkey (10 lbs = 50 minutes cooking time)
h. Cook the rice while waiting for the turkey to get done.
i. Prepare the table and serve the turkey and rice. Make sure you have some soy sauce mixed with vinegar, salt and chopped onions on the side. Add red hot peppers depending on your taste.
j. Call the neighbors or relatives if you want.
k. Sit down around the table, say graces and dig in.
l. Argue as to who gets to clean the table and the cooking materials.

Hope everyone had a great turkey day. Remember, the turkey that survived yesterday may be the turkey you prepare next year.

Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire

2006-11-22T09:40:00.000-06:00

I know this movie came out last year and I watched it that same week when it came out. I have to say my experience at the movie theater was mediocre. Maybe it's because the movie quality wasn't as sharp as I hope it would be. I told myself there and then that I was going to watch this movie again once it comes out in video.

Maybe it was just the hecticness of work that made me forgot about it all. I haven't been to a movie theater or the mall for a very long time now. Not that I crave for it. I do tend to get satisfied just lounging in the sofa either reading or channel surfing when I have some free time.

Which brings me back to the Harry Potter movie. HBO showed this one last night and I was glued to the tube for the whole duration of the movie. And after which, I recalled that I was suppose to rent it from Blockbuster. This would be one of those cases where inaction sometimes lead to solving the issue itself.

Now, what else did I put off my list?

A Little Darkness..

2006-11-16T11:57:00.000-06:00

Once in a while, a little darkness in our lives is okay. I guess the emphasis is on the term 'once in a while'. I'm not even sure how to discuss this but for the sake of having something to wite, I'm going to try to.

I actually read this from a Spiderman comic book. I think it was Norman Osborne who muttered it. Norman Osborne is the Green Goblin and is one of Spiderman's toughest enemy. I guess it stems from the fact that both of them knew each other's identity. And somehow that was one of the common bond between them aside from the fact that Norman's son Harry was Spiderman's best friend.

Anyway, Norman muttered those words when he was visiting Harry's tomb and for some reason, he was trying to justify his role in the world as the Green Goblin. Though those words seem to come as a bit deep, it shows Norman's demented reasoning. He has embarked on a life of crime from robbery to murder yet he calls these as 'little darkness'.

I guess 'A little darkness' can be interpreted whichever way by anyone. And for once, I'm befuddled as whether to agree or disagree that it is okay to have a little darkness once in a while. Part of me wants to accept that tenet. The other half is saying the glass is never half empty or half full. It's all or nothing.

A little candle will always shine brightly in a dark room.

Heart and Souls

2006-11-11T07:13:00.000-06:00

I was surfing the channels last night and came upon a channel that was showing 'Heart and Souls'. I know this was an old movie and I probably have watched it for like the nth time but this movie still entertains me. And when I say entertain, I meant it will keep me glued to the tube making sure I don't miss a single scene.

The movie stars Robert Downey Jr. and for me, he's one of the most talented versatile actor out there. If only he doesn't waste himself on drugs and other substance abuse. I'm sure he has cleaned up his act the last couple of years but being in that mainstream place where the temptation to easily fall back to the habit is great, he has to be always wary.

The movie was about how 4 people died the same time the character Robert was playing got born. For some reason, their souls were attached to him. You can say that his upbringing was really interesting considering he's got this 4 people watching over him. Now I can discuss more about the movie in here but I'd rather let you readers have the satisfaction of watching it for yourself. I know you'd be as entertained as I have been.

I'm just going to say though.. walk like a man.

Runescape - The Way Of The Archer

2006-11-05T15:20:00.000-06:00

Another character that can be played in Runescape is that of an archer. Anyone in the game can become one but has to train hard to be able to inflict real damage if one's ultimate goal is to be able to stand up against other players in a duel. The character looks pretty much like Robin Hood and has a variety of armors, bows and arrows for his use.

A first time or new archer will need to work on this particular skill in order to avail of the better armor, bows and arrows that's available in the game. As they say, baby steps. As one brings their archery levels up, more armor that provides better protection becomes available. So will the selection of bows and arrows. Members can also make their own bows and arrows but since most players are from the free world, one has to build up some wealth in order to afford these arsenal of weapons.

A good safe place to train in bringing one's archery experience up will be at the cow ranch south of Falador or North of Port Sarim. Not only will one be able to train safely from behind the fence but one can also bury the bones to bring one's prayer experience up and gather the meat and cowhides. The meat can be used to bring one's cooking experience up while the cowhide can be sold for 100 gold pieces to anyone who's working on bringing their crafting levels up. One could also use the cowhide to work on their own crafting level and sell the finish products afterwards.

One can also train with the chickens just below the cow farm. The same principle applies. Bury the bones, cook the chicken and gather the feathers. Feathers can be sold to member for their arrows or one can use them for fly fishing. Or one can just sell them to other players jsut to gain more gold pieces.

Anyone can be a pure archer. A pure archer is someone that trained only on being an archer and thus can be a lethal opponent. It would be wise though to also bring one's defense levels up before engaging other players in combat.

Try to make loyal friends in the game. There's always strength in numbers.

Sticking To One Topic

2006-10-31T10:31:00.000-06:00

I noticed that my blog gets more hits when I write about Runescape. Considering the age group of the people that plays this game, I'm sure no one reads the other stuff in my blog. I can't really complain though. I'm getting some hits. I do however want some readers to come back and browse to all the other articles in here. I'm sure some of what I write may prove useful to someone out there.

I've been thinking of creating another blog that will talk on nothing but Runescape. That way, I can segregate what topics attract visitors. I'm still deliberating on that. My gut feel says I shouldn't though just because if I do, this current blog may not generate enough hits anymore. Not that it's getting a lot now but that's exactly the point. The end result that I wanted to generate is to garner enough returning readers to come visit my blogsite.

If I start focusing on a singular topic, I will have a following. I'm sure of that. But then I will also lose other potential visitors from visiting my blogsite just because the topics I write about does not appeal to them. Maintaining multiple blogsites, each talking about their own topic would be great but is a hassle to maintain. I am but one man.

So I think I'll stay with this blogsite and continue publishing anything I can talk about under the sun. To all my keyholders out there, please come back and visit. The door to this blogsite will always be open.

Let no dead keys stay dead.

Recognition

2006-10-26T20:02:00.000-05:00

I got my first company related award today. After 18 months in the company, I finally have something tangible that says that I'm doing a great job. It's a welcome treat and it feels good to be recognized for doing something I'm being paid to do anyway. That's a sign of a good company.

A company that values its employees is rare. Sure, a lot of companies say that their best assets are their people but do they take care of them? Most of you will find out sooner or later that companies that truly care for their employees are rare. And if you are in one of them, I heavily suggest you stay there. There's about a million to one odds that you'll find such a company.

But there are a lot of things to consider when one looks for a company to work for. In the long run, a decision has to be made and it all boils down to one question.. are you happy with what you are doing? That's because, you may be paid six digit figures and all the amenities but if you dread waking up each morning and have to drag yourself to get to your job, then it becomes pointless. You are basically torturing yourself. It's better to have an average paying job in a company you love working for than getting a high paying salary working for a job you hate.

I love my job right now. Having a great company is an extended bonus. I can actually see myself with this company for a really long time and that's a good thing.

That's because my take home pay can actually take me home.

A Busy Week

2006-10-23T22:25:00.000-05:00

I had a busy week at the office. Actually, it was not just last week but also the week before and the week before that. I guess it stems from the fact that we have 3 more positions to fill in our team and we just can't seem to get the talent we need. Add to that the fact that not everyone pitches in to help out cut the slack. But that's okay, you can't really force anyone. Things like these have to be voluntary otherwise it will create resentment in their part.

I just wish they would volunteer though. Some of us could really use the help. I know I could. I still have 5 vacation days left for this year and even though I can take it anytime, I'm up to my neck with projects to finish. I know I could leave them and just pick them up when I get back but then, I'll also have other things added to my plate. The pile would just keep on getting higher.

With that, I'd rather spend time getting my plate clean and then take some 1 day vacations as I see fit. That way, I'd get to spend and enjoy my vacation without having had to worry about upcoming projects. That makes the relaxation period really relaxing. Of course I know I'll have to be back the next day to the office to do more work.

I call that job security.

Dr. Rick Rigsby

2006-10-13T09:33:00.000-05:00

We had a motivational speaker visit the office yesterday and I think it was a welcome change from all the daily grind at work. His name was Dr. Rick Rigsby and he was absolutely refreshing. He talked on a lot of things but basically it boils down to what's happening with the generation today. And I have to agree with what he has to say.

One of the things he talked about that really struck me was the fact that today's society is more result oriented than goal oriented. I know it sounds the same but believe me it's not. Result oriented is when you just do something because it has to be done while goal oriented is achieving a purpose and acquiring wisdom. The keyword is wisdom. Case and point, college. Before, people go to college to learn. Today, people go to college to get a degree, See the difference?

Wisdom is earned and is often always coming from unexpected sources. If one learns not to dicriminate another, think of all the ideas that can be exchanged between two people. But being human, it's in our nature to fear change... the unexpected. How we deal with that, defines our character.

Today's society is all about 'Me'. Respect, kindness, and obedience are three traits that are fast becomming extinct. If we don't impart this 'wisdom' to the kids today, what will they teach their next generation when they get to be us?

If you have to do something, do it right.

Runescape - The Knight

2006-10-10T13:42:00.000-05:00

There are three combatant characters one can play in Runescape and one of them is the Knight. This type of combatant relies on heavy battle armor as well as an assortment of weapons. The strategy is simple, hit and hit harder. There are cetain skills one can develop to bring one's experience up and allow him to use a better set of armor and weapons.

The following metals are used in the free world - Bronze, Iron, Steel, Black, Mithril, Adamantium and Rune. As the battle experience goes up, the upper level armors and weapons also becomes available. One can start out with Bronze and Iron. I would recommended to continue training using these armor and weapons until such time that you can use either Mithril or Adamantium. That way, you'll save some gold pieces to spend for something else.

The best place to start training would be on the cows and chicken just south of Falador. If you are on Port Sarim, you're already way past this place. Fighting cows would allow you to bury bones to earn experience on Prayer and cooking the meat helps bring one's cooking level up. And the cowhides are also a great way to bring your crafting level up or you can sell these to those who are building their crafting levels up. the chicken provides meat and feathers. The feathers are used for making arrows as well as fly fishing.

Another great place to train would be further south near Port Sarim near the beach. You can fight the goblins here and bury their bones. If you get lucky, you'd get good drops from the goblins you kill. You can also fish at the beach for food and bring your fishing level up as well as wood cutting. Just make sure you bring a match, axe, and a small net when you're in this area.

Once you gain more experience on your attack or defense, try to explore the surrounding areas to see what's available. The game is about adventure so be an adventurer.

Runescape - Characters To Play

2006-10-05T08:52:00.000-05:00

There are a variety of characters one can play in this game and it also depends on your membership too. There's a variety of characters if you are a paying member however, the free world has it's own charm. I have been a free worlder since I've started and I am still working on getting my statistics up on all my other non-combat skills.

The higher the statistics on a certain skill ensures better execution when using that particular skill. Say for example, fishing. When your fishing level is low, you are limited to fishing for sea-based creatures that is available for your skills level. The more you fish, the more experience you gain thus upping your skills level. With your skills level moving up, more fishing options becomes available to you.

The importance for this is the fact that certain food gives better healing properties and this type of food is only available when your fishing levels allow you to catch these creatures. Of course you can also just buy from other folks but that means you will still need to work on your fishing levels as well as earn enough gold pieces to be able to afford this type of food.

The most famous character being played in this game is that of a combatant. There are 3 combatant characters one can choose from - a knight, an archer or a mage. Each one has their own strengths and their own weaknesses. I will talk individually about these characters in my next blog.

In the meantime, start building your other skills. This game is not just about fighting, but also about strategy.

Lean on Me

2006-09-28T11:30:00.000-05:00

I was on the car yesterday listening to one of my favorite stations and "Lean On Me" was playing. For some reason, it just hit me that this song carries a lot of weight. And I'm not sure if the younger generation ever had the chance to listen to this. The beat itself is nice but the lyrics has much substance in it. Below is the lyrics which I hope people would get around to reading.

Sometimes in our lives we all have pain
We all have sorrow
But if we are wise
We know that there's always tomorrow

Lean on me, when you're not strong
And I'll be your friend
I'll help you carry on
For it won't be long
'Til I'm gonna need
Somebody to lean on

Please swallow your pride
If I have things you need to borrow
For no one can fill those of your needs
That you don't let show

Lean on me, when you're not strong
And I'll be your friend
I'll help you carry on
For it won't be long
'Til I'm gonna need
Somebody to lean on

If there is a load you have to bear
That you can't carry
I'm right up the road
I'll share your load
If you just call me

So just call on me brother, when you need a hand
We all need somebody to lean on
I just might have a problem that you'd understand
We all need somebody to lean on

Lean on me when you're not strong
And I'll be your friend
I'll help you carry on
For it won't be long
Till I'm gonna need
Somebody to lean on

Runescape - A Game Worth Exploring

2006-09-24T22:25:00.000-05:00

I finally had the chance to talk about this online game. I normally don't play on-line games. That's because my hand-eye coordination is not really that good. But the first time I was in this game, it made me feel that I'm at home and have the control of my own destiny. That's a big plus for someone like me.

The game is java based wherein you go to its site and select which world you want to go to. I'll be talking more about worlds and other minute details in my forthcoming blogs but for now, I'd like to stay with a simple overview. As I said, the game is java bsed. Once a player is logged into one of its server, he has the option to be what he wants. The options are so wide and varied and that contributes to the appeal of the game.

One of the downsides of the game though is that it is addicting and can take a player off the real world for quite a bit. So anyone who goes in here needs to be wary about this fact. It is just a game and shouldn't replace what is in the real world.

In the next couple of days, I'm going to talk more about the details of the game in the hopes that it will help new players traverse this game. I wish I had that luxury when I first joined.

But then again, what doesn't kill you makes you stronger.

Coaching U-10 Girls Soccer

2006-09-20T23:39:00.000-05:00

I get to coach a U-10 girls soccer team this season and its not because I have a daughter. I don't have to coach these girls but there's no one that wants to do it. Not even their own parents. And that's because they feel they're not qualified to do so.

These girls are new players. Well, at least in some ways they are. Their previous coach basically just comes in and tells them to kick the ball and that's about it. They never had any basic skills training at all. With that, the league thought that maybe I can come out and help. And without even thinking, I accepted.

I guess it's because I wanted to do some running in the afternoons and this would motivate me to come out and just do that. And these girls deserve some help too. So, it's killing two birds with one stone. The girls have been doing their best during practice and actual games. So far, we have not won one yet. We're predicted to be at the bottom of the rankings.

I love the odds. There's nowhere else for us to go but up.

Outlet Shopping

2006-09-18T08:48:00.000-05:00

We're being duped. Outlet shopping used to be a fun experience usually done as a day trip for the whole family. With high gas prices, it feels more like a pilgrimage. And the fact that the prices at the outlet malls nowadays are much higher compared to the regular mall stores.

I think the outlet stores have grown wiser over the years. They used to sell closedout and out of season items for pennies to the dollar. Things that they pulled out from their main stores. These are the things a lot of people actually wait for and want when they go visit the outlets.

These days, the same items in the outlets actually cost the same as if you were buying them during regular season or even when you're at the main store. I think the outlets have figured out that people will still shop and buy things no matter what. I think they need to bring back the old concept. Make the outlet stores sell cheap.

In the meantime, I'm going back to the malls.

Yo Quiero Taco Bell

2006-09-14T11:33:00.000-05:00

I went to eat at Taco Bell the other day. Normally, I won't just because there's a bunch of real Mexican restaurants nearby. But everyone in my group at the office wanted to get something from there. Just because it's cheap and fast. I think they wanted to just grab something and bring it back to the office.

I compromised telling them I'll jon them as long as we eat in there. They relent. I guess y point is that it doesn't matter where we eat as long as it's not in the office. We stay cooped up in our cubes for more than 8 hours a day. A 30 minute break is always a welcome treat.

Anyway, we ended up staying for an hour. The conversation revolved around office stuff. Mostly about projects being worked on. In some ways, it was like an impromptu meeting with a lot of brainstorming. It defeats the purpose of enjoying lunch.

Maybe I should have count those lunch minutes as part of my regular daily shift.

Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head

2006-09-11T09:32:00.000-05:00

It finally rained even though it only did for a day. But that's a welcome treat after months of dry scorching heat. And the days that followed afterwards were awesome too. Much cooler than the usual 100s we get.

Somehow, it felt like summer is gone for this year. The next couple of days will hopefully confirm that. I'd like to see some more rain though. I know we need it. The rivers and lakes are drying up. The fishes have moved to the deeper ends. I should know. I haven't caught one in weeks.

The next time it rains, I'm going to run under it like when I was a small kid growing back in my hometown. It's going to be a refreshing feeling and scary considering I may get struck by lightning. Maybe I'll run for a couple of minutes just to satisfy the little boy in me.

I may have grown older but am still young at heart.

The Ultimate Avengers 2

2006-09-07T08:26:00.000-05:00

I finally had the chance to see this movie and I have mixed feelings about it. I know it's not the typical comic book story and that it's not from the mainstream comic world but somehow seeing heroes die and alienated makes me squirm. I love the thought of re-inventing heroes to fit the world today but there are just some characters that you don't want to mess with.

But I'll give it the benefit of the doubt. Hopefully, they'll come out with another movie. I've been impressed so far so I'm going to continue patronizing this product. Maybe they can introduce a few more characters in the next movie. And hopefully, they'd try to keep them in continuity.

Granted that these characters are from Marvel, I want to see what DC has to offer. So far, the animations that DC had done has been entertaining. Hopefully, they could get some of their stories to stick to comicbook continuity too. That way, it would avoid confusion.

I guess I'm just a stickler to history.

Back And Ready For Business

2006-09-04T08:38:00.000-05:00

Sort of anyway. I finally had my office PC back in my desk and basically, it has been stripped off of many of the applications I have put in place for the last 18 months. Not to mention that I have to go back in and re-configure everything to work as close to how it should have been before it was pulled out.

The PC technical services found a trojan in my PC. McAfee didn't even detect it as it encroach itself on my hard drive. Everything just happened so fast. I was working on a report when all of a sudden, everything just started crawling. Even my mouse pointer took a bit longer to move from point A to point B. Task Manager can't even be invoked.

At first, everyone thought something was wrong with my profile. Until a few virus definitions updates later, they found the trojan. And it was something that can not be removed safely. the only recourse was to format my hard drive. Since it's a 60 Gb harddrive, tech services doesn't have the ability to save it for Ghost puposes. So it's back to square one for me.

Like I have all the time in the world.

Christmas Mug

2006-08-31T09:05:00.000-05:00

So I walked into the break room this morning to get my daily dosage of caffeine and trodding behind me was James who was also getting his own fix. When I turned around, I saw him holding the same exact mug that I have. This mug can easily accomodate 3 cups full of liquid so between him and me, we easily used up the coffee in the breakroom.

The thing about the mugs we were holding though is that we got this last Christmas from the same person. Not that we're complaining since the mugs have proven to be a timesaver not just for me but also for my other teammates. The only drawback is the Christmas design boldly emblazoned around it. And some people keeps reminding us it's not Christmas anymore.

Personally, I don't care. Either way, I still need my coffee fix and I'd rather use a big mug than a small cup. Gives me time to actually work than traverse the hallways to the breakroom. Besides, only 4 more months and it's going to be Christmas once again.

Now, if I can only find my Valentine decored pen so I can bring that to my meetings.

Laughter, The Best Medicine

2006-08-28T10:01:00.000-05:00

Okay.. so I ripped that title off Reader's Digest. But a lot of people does think that laughter is the best medicine. I'm sure there's a study somewhere that somehow proves this statement to be true but for now, I'll take it at face value. Just because that's what I do at this point when so much stress surrounds me.

I don't break easily. Maybe I'm just patronizing myself but I do have a track record of being able to continue on even when things just look so bleak. That's because I try to find the funny aspect in things or situations and laught it off. Laughter can hold stress off for some time but is enough to let me look at things from another perspective.

If all else fails, I look at myself and laugh. Not because I look funny but I remind myself of certain jokes. Okay.. maybe I do look funny. But you have to hand it to me that I can make people laugh by just letting them see me. Now that my friends is pure talent. And looks.

If you can't make fun of yourself today, you wont have anything to look back at and laugh.

Summer Ends

2006-08-24T14:08:00.000-05:00

Last Monday was the last day of summer. For most people, it was just another day. For most kids, it was the beginning of the new school year. You can hear a few groans every now and then but a lot of kids are actually excited to getting back to school. Mostly just to see how old friends have been doing.

It was just another day for me. In fact, it was the start of another busy work week. As they say, another day another dollar. It's hot though. I mean the weather had been hot this whole summer. I normally enjoy a good run outside every afternoon but it gets so hot that it makes it difficult for me to breate. So I've opted to run indoors using the threadmill.

I guess this is my body's normal reaction to aging. What used to be so easy for me to do a couple of years ago now requires some much needed effort. I'm enjoying it. Things like this keep me on my toes. They're what most people call 'the occasional curve ball'.

I enjoy growing old gracefully.

Crash and Burn

2006-08-21T08:42:00.000-05:00

My PC at the office crashed last week. I'm currently working with a loaner for now until the technical support people fix my PC and I'm hoping they get it done this week. I'm actually getting antsy waiting. Call it comfort zone. I call it necessity.

I have a ton of projects lined up and most of these are those that needs to get done as soon as possible. I have been in the company for awhile and all those time, I have configured my PC with all the tools I would need for my trade. Some of the applications in there are not company standard so I may have to get those back in place.

Based on experience, it'll probably take me a full week working fulltime to get my PC back to the same level I want it to be. Right now, I just have to make do with the loaner. I can work with it but I won't be able to do some projects with this machine since I lack the applications for it. I could intall those applications here but by the time I get it up to speed, my real PC may be ready. So it will just wasted effort.

Besides, I have to reconfigure my PC back to the way it was.

Franchising

2006-08-17T08:06:00.000-05:00

I've been reading a lot about franchising lately. A part of me thinks its a great idea worthy of delving into. Owning your own McDonald's or Arby's sounds really lucrative. But the cost of getting a franchise is not something to be taken lightly. It could make or break somebody.

I know there's always a risk involve in getting into a business for yourself. Much more when your business plan is dictated by a mother corporation. Sure it's nice since the business plan has been tested and proven by all the other franchisees but one has to take into account that what may be gold for Mary might not be the same for Moe.

There's a lot of factors to make a business work. Franchise or not, the risks are the same. It will need hard work, patience and a lot of persisitence. I think I can do that. But I'm not sure I can take the risk for now. Maybe a couple more years when my guts feel right.

In the meantime, I'll just patronize these places.

Blog Content and Topics

2006-08-15T08:01:00.000-05:00

I've been reading a lot about how blogs should be written and made myself feel bad knowing that my blogs just talk about everything under the sun. Most documents I've read suggested that for a blog to be successful, it has to have a pattern, or basically a singular topic to evolved on. Like say for example if your blog talks about technology. Once you started on that kind of topic, your blog is supposed to be focused only on that.

I don't buy it though. I guess it does make sense though since having a singular topic will garner you to have a following. People will keep coming back for content from your site just because it helped them in one way or the other. But to look at the bigger picture on focusing on a singular topic or content, you are attracting a singular audience. Eventually your blog will become stale and you will have to keep refreshing with new materials.

If you have started talking about the sun, how long can you keep such a blog content fresh? Eventually, you will have to look for something else to talk about. And I guess i'm just trying to persuade myself that I'm going the right path by keeping my blog content diversified.

Now if only I can get readers to come in.

Woot!

2006-08-10T14:26:00.000-05:00

So I was surfing the web one night trying to find some good deals on a certain electronic product and I chance upon this website that offers one single item each day for a really great price. And I mean really great price. The item they were currently displaying at that time was for a home entertainment system which was way below its current market price. And no, it wasn't refurbished either.

Granted that the products for sale will be on the site for only 24 hours starting at 12:00 midnight and ending at 11:59 pm, that particular item was already sold out. So I came back the next day to see what else is there. And the site just continues to amaze me. Everyday, I'm in there hoping to catch some gold.

I have yet to make my first purchase at this site. Looking at the feedback, everyone seems to be satisfied with their purchases. I think I'm joining the bandwagon sometime soon. As like other bargain sites in the web, one may find the same items somewhere else. So be wary.

Nothing beats budget disasters like impulse buying.

Wizard Magazine

2006-08-08T16:07:00.000-05:00

I finally decided to subscribe to the Wizard Magazine. For most of you readers out there, you probably don't know what the magazine is all about. Well, let me tell you. It's a magazine about comic books. It talks about comic book releases, conventions, comic book character analysis, rumors pertaining to an on-going series as well as comic-to-movie, and most of all, comic book promos.

I was made aware of this magazine way back in the 90s though I have bought only 4 magazines since that time to the present. I finally decided that I should try subscribing for at least a year and if I don't like it, I can always cancel. So far, my first ever issue came in in yesterday's mail and I'm enjoying it.

This magazine actually started out as a newsletter for a small comic book shop created to basically just let the patrons know of comic book statuses. As time passed by, the writer added a few articles here and there as well as news and rumors in comicdom. Most of these news were taken from conventions all over the country.

Humble beginnings. People need to understand that big things come from small things.

August

2006-08-03T08:50:00.000-05:00

I can't believe I've been blogging for 8 months now considering I have an attention span of a fruitfly. Knowing myself, I have abandoned hobbies in a much shorter time but this particular one somehow has kept me coming back. I guess it stems from the fact that I really love to write.

I write a lot of things utilizing different medias. I write on scratch pads, sketch pads, and sometimes on tissues, toilet paper and even on my palms. Most often than not, ideas come to me at weird times which would explain the use of uncommon media. I haven't written on walls yet and hopefully it wont come to that.

I'm a frustrated writer. I say that because I have a couple of short novels that I've been trying to write but could never get to more than the 15th page. The problem is always with the ideas swirling in my mind and on how to incorporate all of them. Maybe if writing is the only thing I'm doing, I'd be able to get at least one book done.

With blogging, I can always write what's on my mind and not worry about how long it would be. It doesn't even have to be a story. Just a rant.

Just like this one.

Pressure

2006-07-31T11:19:00.000-05:00

I used to work for a software development company. My old boss then has always referred to me as one of the coolers. A cooler is someone who gets thrown to irate customers to try to pacify them and hopefully get them to continue dealing with the company. We always call this the pressure cooker just because of the volatility of the situation.

I used to not get it. I've been known to lose my cool on personal situations but I've always maintained professionalism on company situations. It felt horrible knowing I was maintaining two standards on dealing with these issues. At least I have made the change to handle things the same way.

Now, I am more subtle though I still do have my episodes every now and then. And I don't have to deal with a pressure cooker situation anymore. I still get thrown on sensitive projects though and I wouldn't want it any other way.

What can I say.. I thrive under pressure. Besides, I always tell my boss that pressure means nothing to me.

He gives me pressure, I give him nothing.

A Cup Of Joe

2006-07-28T09:23:00.000-05:00

I'm a coffee drinker. Not that there's anything wrong with it. I share the same addiction with almost 3/4 of the world's population. And I have switched to the unleaded version just because the other one has caused me some jitters.

It wasn't obvious at first. But then I noticed I was getting antsy a lot and not being able to concentrate on my things to do. So I sat down and began some analysis. What was going on? And I saw one thing that was constant. It was my coffee. I've been drinking at least 10 cups a day of pure leaded evil. So I stopped. I switched to drinking 10 cups of the lesser known gaining popularity unleaded evil.

And it worked too. I don't get as jittery anymore and I got my stuff done. No complaints there. Though every now and then, I would take a cup of the leaded one. Just as a reminder that at one time I was addicted to it.

I wonder what other things I can get away with.

Spell Checker

2006-07-24T10:14:00.000-05:00

One nice thing about word processors nowadays is that they come with a utility that checks for spelling. That is just great. Now, there is no more excuse for having misspelled words. You'd think everyone would make use of this utility right? Wrong!

I, for one, am guilty of this. Just check my previous blogs and you'll understand what I'm talking about. I guess some people are just resistant to change or rather just oblivious to the fact that help is just a keystroke away. They say you can't teach old dogs new tricks. Whoever coined that must have been an old dog himself. And I don't blame him. People have always been known to fear the unfamiliar. Why rock the boat when you can sail on calm waters?

And where does it stop? In order to communicate effectively, I need to learn basic sentence construction as well as correct grammar and proper punctuations. I may still be an old dog but it is my responsibility to learn new tricks. Even if it meant barking until the shock collar quites me. When all is said and done, anything that comes out of me reflects me.

And every little bit helps.

Needles

2006-07-17T09:17:00.000-05:00

Plain and simple, I hate needles. I can't stand looking at them without feeling nervous and cringing just being close to one. I think it's because I know these things can hurt. I should know. I'm a regular at the hospital's laboratory for my quarterly blood checkup.

I went there this morning for my regular checkup. I came in 5 minutes before 7:00 am and I have fasted since 7:00 pm the night before. That meant nothing passed between my lips for almost 12 hours now. I'm a bit thirsty and hungry. The receptionist finally called my name around 7:35 and told me that my name was not on the list for those scheduled on that day.

Now this caused me some dilemma. For one, I fasted and am getting hungry and I really wanted to get something to eat. But I also have to be back by Friday for the actual doctor's visit to interpret the results. So after she informed me that I can wait for the scheduling nurse who was due to arrive by 8:00 am to accomodate my request, I decided to wait against my better judgement.

8:15 came and went and still no sign of the nurse and since I've already informed the office that I would be in a bit late, I continued to wait. I was getting really POed and it showed. I was snapping at the receptionist for not giving me some alternatives considering I've been starving for the last couple of hours. And to top that, I was anxiously waiting to get poked by a needle.

The nurse finally came in at 9:00 which was way past the expected time. I did let her know how this whole experience sucked. Hopefully she won't make the same mistake next time.

Maybe my doctor will reschedule my checkups into bi-annual events.

Scammers

2006-07-14T08:56:00.000-05:00

I got an email today from the widow of the deposed ex-president of Nigeria. She mentioned in her email that her husband had some money in the billions left in a bank based in Nigeria and they can't get it out without the help of someone from another country.

That's where I come in. I'm suppose to contact her secretary who would be sending me a check for $10,000 US dollars - $8,000 of which will be for me for all the troubles I have to go through and the $2,000 is supposed to be deposited to the said bank. That would allow me to make transactions for them in that bank and thus transfer those billions somewhere else. The only catch though is that while waiting for the $10,000 check to come to me, I'm suppose to deposit the $2,000 in advance since there is some waiting time attached to this whole process.

Sounds really tempting, doesn't it? Well.. it's just wrong in so many areas. First, if you're a deposed ex-president from a starving nation, you probably dont have that much money and two, you don't deserve it. Third, I'm poor so I can't really afford to give $2,000 out of my pocket so that's not even an option.

But just to give them the benefit of the doubt, I sent the so called widow an email asking her to contact my secretary and do business with her. Maybe she'd get lucky finding her.

Considering I don't have one.

Friends

2006-07-10T12:09:00.000-05:00

"Friends dont have to prove anything to anyone... much more to each other." - Mr. Blue (The Drifters)

I like this book. It was one of those obscure ones that you won't readily see anywhere. In fact, I haven't seen a copy for a very long time. All I know is that I've read this book when I was 13. And I'm now 35. That's 22 years ago yet I can still remember that particular line in that book. Just because it makes sense.

A true friendship exists outside of time and place. We can be far away from friends but knew that you have a friend in a specific place. You may not communicate regularly but knew that if one needs the other, there will always be an ear ready to listen and a hand to help one out. That's true friendship.

Friends will never get in your way unless you're on your way down.

Of Vegetables and Meat

2006-07-06T10:58:00.000-05:00

I worked in a government institution in Singapore way back 1995. The people in my team were Indians and Malays and are practically hands off to pork. Having lunch with these people means having the option of eating either a vegan cuisine or a chicken dish. Since I was with them, we always end up going somewhere where there's meat.

One day, they thought I should try doing their diet since they haven't seen me eat a pure vegetarian meal. I agreed and they ordered a bunch of food from a vegan restaurant to be delivered to our floor for lunch. Lunch time came and they had all these vegan food in front of me.. mostly with yogurt and some stuff that I can't even pronounced.

They were so proud of themselves as I sat among them. They pointed at each dish and described to me what's in it and I would nod my head and ask what's in the next dish. Finally, I settled on something which looks a lot less scary. Okay, I'm exaggerating. I did pick on a dish which I thought would somehow be palatable for me.

I was wrong. That was the worst 10 minutes of my life. All of them were gorging on these dishes which I honestly think looks absolutely fabulous. I'm sure they were tasty too. But not for me. I went down to the cafeteria and got myself some lemon chicken to go and brought it up to our floor so I can eat with them. They laughed and so did I.

I'll never do something like that again. I didn't fight my way on top of the food chain just to eat grass.

4th of July

2006-07-03T08:35:00.000-05:00

I find it interesting talking about the 4th of July. First and foremost, I am an immigrant to the United States but I was born and raised from a foreign land. I moved here at the onslaught of my adult life. 26 years old to be exact. I didn't know what to expect. All I know was that is was a new life. One for me to explore and to shape.

It was scary and it wasn't easy. They say America is the land of milk and honey. What they didn't realize is that in order to get milk, you may get kicked by the cow and to get honey, you will have to be stung by the bees. That's how it was and how it will be. One has to work hard to reap some rewards. Anything that's a product by the sweat of your brows is always sweet. There's no other way I would have wanted it.

Which brings me back to the 4th of July. I will celebrate it. I will honor the men who bravely fought for this country. I hope the future generation will always remember what this date stands for and not just because of the fireworks.

Happy Independence Day!!!

The Slinky

2006-06-30T09:21:00.000-05:00

This toy had been on the market since 1945, two years after it was originally conceived. Nobody thought about the impact it would cause the world. Kids and adults get mesmerized with each movement of a coil. Who would have thought that a simple roll of coils would end up being a center of attraction no matter what the age group of its audience.

I think it's a great device to waste time on. I used to own a couple but every now and then, a friend would ask for it. So I ended up with none until recently. My officemate recently accepted another job opportunity and decided to leave a couple of things behind in her desk. One of which was a slinky which ended up with me. I had it lying in my desk and even when it's not moving, I feel this urge to touch it and move it between my hands. Just watching it move from my hands takes my mind off the things I have to be working on.

It's been a couple of days now and nobody has asked for it. I think I may end up keeping this one for a long time. It's now one of the myriads of toys stuck in my cubicle. I may have to put it somewhere in the back though least it may end up making me unproductive in the coming days.

Not that I care.

Common Sense

2006-06-26T13:55:00.000-05:00

There are two general meanings to the term "common sense". The first one is a sense that is common to the others. The second one is a sense that is common to humanity. Both sounds the same but are entirely different from each other. One can say that the first definition refers to a basic truth and the second one refers to a universal truth.

Either case, I just think that common sense pertains to the basic universal knowledge that a person has. Like knowing that fire is hot and ice is cold. It's that built-in ability within each person to distinguish not just right and wrong but also basic human survival skills.

Not everyone is endowed with this. A good example would be autistic people. Most of them have the basic instinct for survival though some of them lack that ability to distinguish which is which. Most of these common sense are learned from day to day occurence and often times are referred to as experiences.

Experience is what you get if you don't get what you want. I'm not sure everyone understands that paradigm but if you think about it, common sense isn't really that common.

Check the people around you and see for yourself.

Miami Heat Wins

2006-06-21T09:48:00.000-05:00

I watched the NBA game 6 last night sparingly. I'm not a big basketball fan but I do have my own set of players that I like to watch. One of them is Jason Terry. However, I was rooting for Miami to win. I know, it's complicated.

Let me clarify things. Dwayne Wade is phenominal. But he's not part of the reason why I want Miami to win. I don't like Shaq. I think he's overrated. Plus the fact that for someone to be paid so much money, he could have at least practiced on his free throws during the off-season. Growing up, I have been a Laker fan during the time of Magic Johnson, Kareem and Worthy. With Kobe and Shaq in the Lakers team, I abhorred it. It was just overkill. Here's a team that I like but have two superstars that I don't like. Such a dilemma. So I ended up not being a fan of the Lakers for awhile.

Eventually, Shaq was traded to Miami and I think it should have been Kobe that was given that. But what's done is done. I thought to myself that Shaq should show the Lakers that they have let go of the wrong person. And that he did when he won the 2006 NBA championship courtesy of Dwayne Wade. I'm glad this is all over.

Now I can go back rooting for another team to win in the next one. Maybe I'll root for the Dallas Mavericks then.

Rainy Days and Tuesdays

2006-06-20T08:48:00.000-05:00

It's Tuesday and it finally rained. A lot of people were waiting for this break from the usual hot and humid weather that everyone has been having this whole month. The breeze brings a coolness that one would be enticed to stay in bed a little bit longer. Maybe get out of bed to get a cup of coffee and then cuddle up in front of the televeision. If only it's not Tuesday.

I peeked out of the window and enjoyed watching the pitter patter of raindrops as it hits the window and the pavement. I'm almost tempted to go out and walk under the rain. It's not raining that hard but at least there's no lightning too. Nothing beats the feel of cold rain splashing down on you. It's just perfect to go out and enjoy the refreshing rain. If only it's not Tuesday.

The trees outside dance with the wind as the leaves enjoy each drop of rain. If I were outside right now, I'd be like the tree. I'd savor every refreshing feeling for every raindrop that falls on me. I could just stand still out there or maybe prance around like a small kid without a care in the world. If only it's not Tuesday.

I love the rain as much as I enjoy the sun.

If only it's not Tuesday.

Growing Old

2006-06-15T10:53:00.000-05:00

I went out to dinner the other day and I saw a sight that showed me an example of human frailty, loving affection, deep care and friendship. Something that's a rarity nowadays. But it was something that brought a lump to my throat as I witness it unfolding right in front on my eyes.

I was sitting there having gotten my plate and was slowly munching on my food when this elderly couple came in and was walking towards a table right across me. They must have been in their late 70s or 80s. The old lady is bent over probably due to multiple sclerosis. One can see that she's having a tough time trying to get to their table. Beside him is the elderly gentleman. I say gentleman because that's how he came across to me. He held her other hand as she inched slowly towards the table and pulled the chair for her so she can take her seat. She smiled as she sat down. He waited on her side and asked her what she wanted. After a brief exchange with her, he gave her a kiss in the cheek and proceeded to the buffett to gather her food for her.

One can see that he too is having trouble walking but he went to the buffet table to get their food. The waitress offered to help but he declined with a smile that showed he's got things covered. He sat down across the old lady to enjoy their food. They smiled at each other and you can see a twinkle on their eyes when they talk. Like there's not a care in the world.

It was like two eyes, two minds, two hearts beating as one at that one moment. He smiled, she blushed. The world around them began to notice. And they didn't mind at all.

I'm reminded of how fragile life is and how it should it be enjoyed.

Peanut Butter and Guava Jelly Sandwich

2006-06-12T14:56:00.000-05:00

I never noticed this but I have been consuming peanut butter and guava jelly sandwiches for breakfast for quite some time now except over the weekends. It doesn't bother me but it does feel kinda funny knowing that it has been a constant staple in my morning ritual and have just noticed it today. Maybe it's because I needed something to write on my blog.

I always start my day with a big cup of hot black coffee. Ocassionally, I'd throw in a sugar packet or two but oftentimes, it stays black and sugar free. It's an acquired taste though I'm not alone in that preference. After getting my coffee from the breakroom, I would proceed to my cube to enjoy it together with my sandwich.

Considering I come in really early in the morning, the quiteness of the environment is a welcome treat knowing that in a couple of hours, this serenity will be broken. But I do get to brew myself a fresh pot of coffee to enjoy every morning. Sometimes, someone else beats me to that but I don't complain. It's still coffee.

I prefer decaf or what others call 'unleaded'. I used to take the leaded type but I noticed that it makes me jittery for the rest of the morning. Ever since I switched, I don't get as jumpy as before. Actually, I don't get jumpy anymore. Unless I get called to the head honcho's office.

With all that said, I'd rather really want to start my day with a can of ice cold Diet Coke. I need to feel alive in the early morning and as Coke once advertised.. "Coke Adds Life".

Come Ride With Me

2006-06-09T08:31:00.000-05:00

How many people can you carry in a regular motorcycle? Apparently more than two. Just look at the picture over there. I know a lot of people will contest and say that they know or heard of someone who can carry more than what's on the picture and I'm not contesting that. As they say, whatever works.

But is it safe? Personally, I'd say it's not. But who am I to question the driver's skill? I can not and should not. They may be the best in what they do. People around these drivers put their faith on these drivers that they will bring them safely to their destinations. I don't have that much faith though. Besides, I don't think I'll fit in any of those seats. Or rather, I choose not to fit in any of the seats.

One thing I know is that this is a classic example of maximizing profits and resources. Maybe the whole world could learn from this. This also affects pollution. The lesser the trips, the lesser the pollution. No one can argue with that. This may become a big thing in the future.

Don't you know that big things come from small things?