The Wealth Gap

Reading one of the Coconuter’s recent entries, this got me thinking:

“…the flow of money is out of balance today. Just as the trash in the Philippines is no where near of becoming fully recycled as the majority remain littered on the streets and in waterways, the same goes for the Philippine Peso. The wide wealth gap remains as money is stuck in a financial bottleneck with the rich few, unable to channel enough money to the impoverished majority of the Filipino population.”

There are days when I wonder how people like Chuvaness and Bryanboy exist here in our country.  The money they spend on a bag would amount to a common Filipino’s annual salary.  Sometimes I wonder if the Philippines is indeed separated between the Rich and the Poor, with a very deep chasm in between.  If that’s the case then which side am I in?  

After the numerous highs and lows of my life, in most aspects, I’m afraid to answer.
 

One Small Detail

My brother and I found ourselves coaching a grade school girl in her singing the other day.  She was going to compete in a singing contest the next day.  By the end of the 2 hour session, she had proper breathing, had good voice quality and could render the song very well.  The mother was very grateful after the session.  Admittedly, I was also excited to hear how she did.  I was quite sure that she would win, or at least bag a prize.

Today I asked my brother how the girl did in yesterday’s competition.  He said she didn’t win.  Seeing that I was a bit dumbfounded, he continued to explain that it must have been because of the overall impact:  while everyone else was wearing Filipiniana (it was a Linggo ng Wika singing contest), the girl competed wearing a pink tube top.  Details, details…

There goes one of my rare stints as a voice coach.

My Fave Animal as a Shirt: Tulip Country

Knowing all too well that I would love this, my friend Eric took this pic and sent it to me this afternoon.

This Lacoste store is in a place called Passage in Amsterdam.  Eyelavet!

MidnightAnxiety: Paralyzed

Aug 27: 

I somehow fell into a pit of unfeeling.  For a person whose emotions power his skills and focus, becoming dispassionate is paralyzing…

Continued Aug 28:

Another sleepless night.  I’m too weak to go to work.  My brother didn’t bother to wake me.  He knows I haven’t been able to rest all night, I think.  Argh, why does the past continue to haunt me relentlessly.  Finding a weakness in me during the recent turmoil in my life, the shadows didn’t waste time to creep into the cracks of my once formidable walls.  I am still suffering, but somehow tonight I have found enough strength to keep them at bay.

Continued Aug 29:

Still teary-eyed and short of breath, I struggle to get myself back to work this morning.  I can barely keep a bright facade.  Civility is all I can muster for now.

Free WiFi at BK

I just discovered a great thing yesterday.  There’s free WiFi at Burger King Glorietta!

 r

You don’t even need one of those YP cards they give you at Gloria Jeans for every 30Php purchase.  It’s completely free!  I want my WiFi with large onion rings please.

Wandering

I called in sick today and decided to stay under the covers all day.  The ringing in my head could only be explained by the anxiety attacks I have been having all night.  Another sleepless night, this time caused by the episode I experienced yesterday.  Before I continued my slumber I did send out cover letters with my application to about 5 companies.  I’m trying to find extra work, or maybe even full time work on Odesk.com.

I figured that my brother has the right idea:  working from home will lessen the chance of having to deal with co-workers, and all that crab-mentality bullshit.  I can’t believe that I’m looking for another job again.  Maybe I’m just bound to live like the wanderer Cara and her Grandmother.

I’m talking about Bruce Coville’s Unicorn Chronicles.  The Song of the Wanderer is the second book of the series.  In some aspects, I can relate to her.

Midnight Anxiety: Holding My Breath

A pool of negativity is welling up in me.  I am gathering every ounce of good experiences I can muster just to keep it at bay.  It feels like holding my breath really, for fear that releasing my lungs will also cause the tears to flow out of me uncontrollably.  Articulating it right now, at this very height of feeling, helps me somehow – like digging tiny streams to ease the raging river.

I have never felt like this in a long time.  I never thought that a tiff with co-workers would ever trigger such feelings.  Perhaps it’s more than just a tiff, for weeks now seeds of doubt have been sown about the sincerity of some people I work with.  I assure you that I am not imagining it, for empathy is both a gift and a burden that I carry.  The very moment that they had an opportunity to mock me among themselves, I felt that very feeling.  It sickened me that such ill-will could ever be directed towads me.

I never asked for the position to lead.  I am a leader by circumstance, I tell you.

In Omnibus Suprema Sapientia Est

These words of power always kept me going, even during times that I feel a little lost.  Even times such as these.  We always need to go back and learn from the people who have passed on.  Their wisdom is a powerful beacon of light amidst the darkness.

In Memoriam

When I went to Glorietta after work last Friday,  I found out that I just lost about 40Php from when I got out of the cab to the restaurant.  I hate losing stuff, it goes against my obsessive compulsive nature.  I even started worry about my memory then.

As soon as I sat down in my room that night, I opened my Web browser and found this article flashed on my screen (sony.aol.com, by browser’s default page).  Coincidence?  I think not! 

—

How to keep good memory 

Excerpted from ‘The Memory Workbook’ by Douglas J. Mason & Michael L. Kohn

• Use it or Lose it.  Your brain is a muscle. Doing puzzles, reading and playing cards or games all exercise your brain strength and build self-confidence. Also, try teaching what you know to others. It’s a great way to enhance your recollections — and bond with younger people.
• Have a Laugh.  Humor goes a long way toward memory improvement. Think of a joke, humorous phrase or silly song and attach it to whatever you need to remember, such as picking up the dry cleaning or shopping for groceries. You’ll not only have a laugh, but you’ll relax more and stay positive.
• Grab a Crutch.  There are so many wireless devices these days that help you remember: cell phones, PalmPilots, MP3 players. These modern conveniences can guide you through your day, allow you to plan ahead and free up space in your mind.
• Get Organized.  Find a central location — or “memory spot” — to place all the things you use every day, such as keys, wallet, purse and cell phones. If you make lists, always keep them all in one place; they can’t help you if you can’t find them.
• Stay Positive.  If you think that you have a poor memory, you might convince yourself into that being the case. Instead, think positively about your memory. And don’t panic if you can’t immediately recall something. Take the time to let it come to you.
• Pay Attention.  Life can sometime be chaotic but try to be attentive to what’s going on around you. “I forgot” is often just another way of saying, “I wasn’t paying attention.”
• Link Memories.  When you have difficulty remembering something, try to reconstruct the time and place associated with that memory. If you want to recall what you got for your birthday last year, for example, picture where you were, what you were wearing and the people around you.
• Focus on your strength.  Challenge your brain by learning something new, but do it in a way that plays to your strengths. Mnemonics, or the art of memorization, is affected by our learning style: visual, auditory, kinesthetic. Understanding is essential to learning and remembering.
   

Care Package

I was sick for a couple of days last week.  I woke up to look for food in the kitchen and found out that my friend from the USA got us this care package.

Among the stuff were Swiss Miss and some of this dark chocolate mixes.

Very sweet, and very good timing too!

Rainy Friday Fix

I found myself spending Friday night alone again.  Oh well, what can you do?  I decided to go to Soup Kitchen and have the best thing to have on a rainy day…

Sobra!  I keep talking about food here.

Larger IN Real-life

I went to TGI Fridays a couple of days ago with a special friend.  At the end of our dinner we decided to share a dessert.  When it finally arrived, I swear, this is so much bigger than the picture in the menu.

Usually it’s the opposite, the picture is bigger than the real thing.  This is at least two tiers bigger than the pic.

Big Boss’ Birthday Bash

Our boss threw a great party at TopGrill last night

TopGrill is located at Jupiter St., right by Lutong Macau.

I sat beside my trigger, Ms. Dinah.  Trigger – this means that when she leaves I will too.

This is me singing You by Basil Valdez.  Who would have thought that after my extensive training at the Center for Pop Music Philippines, I would be reduced to singing in parties and sing-along bars.  Hehe

You may ask, did I have any regrets last night?  My only regret is wearing that grey Lacoste shirt.  It’s specifically my ‘non-gimmick’ shirt, the one that I wear whenever I want to be boring that day.  I totally forgot about the party.

Back On-line

After a few days of problems with my webmaster, finally the website is back up again.  Good thing my new Webmaster’s phone is not published on the web, else they would have heard their scolding of the year.

Let me just settle down here, then I’ll start firing up an entry or two.

Secret Shifters

Nowadays, I keep a secret shifter’s list to keep me in a happy mood.  This is my list, as seen on my Law of Attraction notes:

1.  Tink
2.  Lindsay Lohan
3.  Midnight Anxiety
4.  Jack Spade
5.  LV
6.  Chuvaness
7.  Wealth
8.  J-o-w-a ko! :)

Whenever something negative is around who might influence my mood, I go through this list.  Something in this list is bound to get me back on the good mood train.  Using this technique, by the Law of Attraction I attract only good things.

A Typical Afternoon at the Firm

This never happened at my previous firm

nor this

Hehe Makes for a great recruitment ad.  Earn while you play!  Join us now!

Of course, in keeping with tradition, I am posting this entry while at work.  Eyelavet!

A Dash of Irony on a Sleepy Afternoon

I just had a conversation with AJ that went like this:

Me: alam mo ngayon ko lang napansin
Me: dingdong’s hair is receding
AJ: yes, it is
AJ: dati pa
Me: ngayon medyo halata na talaga
Me: as in
AJ: hehe
AJ: oxymoron lang yon

Medyo halata na talaga.  As in! – One of the best examples of an oxymoron.

To Clear the Clutter

I have formulated an ingenius way to clear my clutter.  This method requires a Business Model haha

I’m putting up a new site.  Watch out for further details.

Cryptic, cerebral, intruiging, yet exciting at the same time, isn’t it?

For Sale: Pulse Backpack by Targus

I’m selling my Targus Backpack, which looks like this

Product Details:

Pulse Backpack appeals to today’s mobile professionals with an active lifestyle and a more casual work environment. Combining convenience and comfort with lightweight material, it offers efficient storage for your notebooks with up to 15″ screens and has a security fastener ensuring your notebook stays firmly in place.

Features:

New lightweight designed backpack, weighing under 1kg

Adjustable fasteners on each side of the backpack and mesh padded shoulder straps ensuring improved comfort

Zip-down workstation includes mobile accessory storage, pen loops, business cards holder and key clip.

Main compartment fits notebooks with up to 15″ screens

Constructed of hard-wearing nylon exterior with large zipper

Porthole for headphone cable 

I bought it in Copenhagen 2 years ago, but have rarely used it since I came back to Manila.  It is still in excellent condition.  You can get it from me for 700Php, a fraction of the cost.  I bought it for more than 3x my current selling price.  We can meet at Glorietta to make the exchange.

Why am I selling it?  I have a Samsonite backpack, and I need the space.

My Jack Spade bags come in BIG bags like those.

More to come as I try to clear out my stuff.

—

Update August 8:

There is a growing list for the bag.   Please leave a comment if you want to be included hehehe.

I Believe That…

This

is mine…  And it is on its way!

Gigi, a good friend of mine from my last firm popped me on the net and told me, “Hi!  There’s a You know what store here in Hanoi.  Want me to buy you something?”  My spirit almost jumped out of my body.  I gave her the models that I wanted her to check out for me.  She’s going home from Hanoi tomorrow.

It is definitely the universe paving the way for me to acquire this…  I’m excited!

Not Just a Drizzle

The prayer of the whole nation has been answered.  The heavens finally poured down its graces.  It has also been forecasted that this weather will prevail for the whole week.  I read on chuvaness that the Church has ask all the people to pray for the end of the dry spell last Sunday.  As the saying in the Old Testament, God has heard His people’s cries.

I remember some years ago, my friend Mayeec looked outside the third floor window of Allied Bank Center and said “Ah drizzle lang yan, tara!” (Ah, it’s just a drizzle, let’s go!).  We ended up drenched in the rain that day.  I think she will never be a meteorologist.

—

In core-energy terms, the united prayers of the people is called the Cone of Power.  It is said that when the intent of the group (In this case, the nation itself) is focused on one thing, results are definitely achieved.

Black Midnight

The new look of the site has been implemented, as you can see.

Any comments and suggestions?  I have limited css and php knowhow, but I’ll do my best.

I Googled It

How do you answer back when someone gives you this comment: “Aba, marunong ka pala?!” (Whoa, so you’re intelligent?!).  In some contexts, it might be perceived as a joke.  But even then, the feeling of being insulted tailgates it.  I am concentrating on the fact that it IS just a joke.

It happened when during lunch, the group’s conversation went to how expensive rice was at restaurants.  I added that the most expensive rice I tried was at Hosseins Kebab, their saffron rice.  Adding that it must be because saffron is the most expensive spice in the world, which I was surprised nobody seconded to (I assumed every other person knew that, so statistically someone on that table should have backed me up).  Then I got the retort “Aba, marunong ka pala?!” (Whoa, so you’re intelligent?!).  Not to sound arrogant to these new acquaintances, I took a moment, and said: ”I googled it.” 

I lied.  Well, because it would be arrogant but self-fulfilling to say: “Yeah, thank you!”  It’s my first time to meet people who didn’t welcome the thought of learning from somebody.  I mean, even my batchmates from the firm said they liked the fact that they learn new things from me. 

I should have answered, “Yes, thank you!  I am so intelligent that I can even tell you the dynasties that ruled China.”  Seriously, I can do that, thanks to my terror teacher Mrs. Lacanlale from Asian History class way back 1994.  

To set the record straight, my Intelligence Quotient is not a genius level.  It’s only 137.

Random Bad Find

I saw this table on one of my trips to the mall.

It’s supposed to be a buffet table, but without any wheels.  How will that ever work out?  Unless you have aluminum furniture to go with this, it’ll be practically unusable.

Who died and made me a stuck-up interior designer?!

—

Update:

I just realized that it’s a TV stand.  But the make and the color still won’t fit any livingroom in this century, and the metal footing will scrape floors.

Lunch on a Friday…

At TGI Fridays.  Nothing unusual, it’s almost an unbloggable event.  Except that…

This is when I realized that the gift of you know what has arrived.

Now you might ask, who was the trigger?  Parang Cluedo hahaha!!!

Chocolate Frogs

I don’t remember who gave this, but it’s kinda cool.

Especially at this time of the year when Harry Potter just came out.

—

Update August 6:

Kat just reminded me, “ei, you got the Freddo Choc from me!” hahaha Sorry I forgot.  Thanks Kat!

The Universe’s Gift of Understanding

In one of my posts some days ago, I asked for understanding.  God, in his omnipotence that encompasses all time, already gave me signs of his future gift to me.  The sign first came in the form of a cross-stitched picture, a gift for my late mom (by someone I failed to know), that I just had framed a few weeks ago.  The picture had an inscription that said:  Blessed are the peacemakers.  In the same week I received the compound of the sign, when my friend Rach uttered the same phrase.  This was in the middle of our conversation about my Elder brother who is avoiding me.  I took the signs to heart but I didn’t know if I could muster enough willpower to fix it all.

Then I discovered The Law of Attraction and asked for understanding.

Now, the gift has finally been given to me, in more ways than one.  You know when gifts begets other gifts?  Or a string of good luck?  That’s how it came to me.  Something happened to me, or someone did something to me that made me uncomfortable.  It was finally clear to me that this someone, whom I have always put in high regard, has flaws too.  Flaws that I thought were common sense or basic proper decorum.  The mental image I had of this person, once blurred by first impressions, has become clear to me now.  Clarity, another form of understanding, I thought then.

I was so inspired about what I had attracted to me, that I began to think about my estranged brother.  I finally had the drive to talk to him. 

As I put down the phone I knew that it was the right thing to do.  I’m glad I did it.

Aye Aye Captain Janeway

The Star Trek freak in me just came out, when my new friend Jeff handed me this.  Yes, I’m a mutant, with Star Trek trivia powers.

Yipee!

Come on, challenge me to a pop quiz. Ah dare yah!

Black is the New Black

Taking the cue from Google’s Blackle, I am in the process of changing the site’s color scheme to black.  I have asked my webmaster brother Aki to help me with the new look.

The idea is that black uses less to no energy when it is projected into the screen, thereby saving electricity.

Cool Way to Help Mother Earth

Refuse plastic bags!  — That’s what Ms. Cecile said in her latest entry at Chuvaness about the looming doom that Global Warming is bringing to us.  We are seeing the effects of it right now.  The danger of a drought is all over the news. 

For the sake of the environment and aesthetics, I hope furoshiki as bags become hot here.

According to http://www.jun-gifts.com/, the furoshiki is a piece of cloth that japanese people used to carry clothes, toiletries, and just about anything (later on).  I saw an Arirang segment on GemTV about the revival of furoshiki in Japan today.  In this segment, a woman folded and tied the furoshiki into a makeshift basket for the fruits she purchased at a grocery store.

Right now, I’m using this bag to carry stuff I buy.  I plan to buy more of this to give out.

It’s not the best looking thing in the world, but it does the job.  It costs 100Php only, so it’s super replaceable.

Everyone should do their part to help our environment.

—

Update:

I found this guide to furoshiki folding from neosamurai.

Maybe I’ll ask my japanese friend to bring furoshiki cloth for me when he swings by Manila.