Everything is not what it seems to be. This phrase always come to mind whenever I read a thriller-suspense book or watch my favorite action series – 24. Heroes become villains and villains become heroes in no time in the world of fiction. And although sometimes the situations that stories present are unbelievable, they certainly support a not-so-bad idea that we probably could seriously take to heart. Do not judge the book by its cover, how ever a cliché it could be, is a more common way to put the statement we could probably only relate to fiction. Like onions have layers, the personality of man have complexities that certainly not all men have the ability to understand. Sometimes, we even have misconceptions about our own selves! And without doubt, each person has a different opinion about someone else. Perhaps because of the open-minded education that I was blessed to have, I was able to accept that each individual is uniquely made as early as when I was in high school. I underst...

We had just finished our pictionary sessions for that day when Manang startled us with a shocking news. Immanuel, or Iman as what we usually call him, the only nephew we have, was rushed to the hospital earlier that day. We were kind of late for the news as my eldest sister, Grace, only left an offline message to my other sister's (Nanette) yahoo account.  It was not really a cause of alarm for me at first as I knew that Ate is some kind of paranoid sometimes. She worries a lot and I thought that she overestimated the gravity of the situation.  Manang decided to call Ate though it was already around 4am Philippine time. I was only listening, something that I usually do as I'm not good in communicating affection to family members, or to anyone if I may say (but it doesn't mean that I don't care. I do, I really do care.) She first told us about the situation, that Iman was suffering from a disease worse than pneumonia, that his lungs were dirty, and that air could...

Once upon a time, when I was heartbroken and wasn't coping up well, my close friend Delna made me listen to this song. I can no longer remember the conversation that transpired between us but it was something about the purpose of what I was going through then. I opened up to her and she uplifted my spirit. She told me that what I was going through was just a small part of a grander plan; that God will use that experience to point me to the right direction and to the right person. The first time I heard the song, I loved it immediately. The melody and the lyrics were beautiful and its entirety totally described what I believed in. So now, as I had planned months before, I'm singing this song to the one I love. :-) If you want to listen to the song, please click on the play button of the MP3 player at the right. God Blessed the Broken Road Rascal Flatts I set out on a narrow way, many years ago Hoping I would find true love along the broken road But I got lost a tim...

I can still remember my first few weeks in Dubai. Engrossed by the indifference that wrapped my whole being, it took a long time before I finally realized that I would be staying in a faraway place for a relatively long time. And when homesickness finally struck me, there was never a day that I did not wish of being home. The memory is still vivid in my head. I was riding a bus full of strangers where the only female specie was myself. ‘I would remember this day,’ I told myself. ‘When I get home I would remember this very moment, the very first time that I planned to go home’ Though at first it was so hard for me to adjust, I gradually considered this city to be my second home. For a number of reasons, I was able to achieve the peace of mind that I have always wanted. I was free and calm. I was happy even though I was tired. I experienced all kinds of pressures and stress but still I was happy… to the point of not wanting to go back home. At the back of my mind, I knew that I sti...

A boring day at work causes me to do a lot of crazy things. I watch videos, I play poker, I check all my accounts at social networking sites from Twitter to Friendster to Facebook, and even the customized networking sites of the New Covenant Church , New Covenant Church Youth, and the t.g.i.FIREPROOF sites at ning.com. I also attempt to write something for my blog whenever I’m free. Most of the time though, I stop writing after finishing two paragraphs simply because I don’t have an inspiration. I don’t feel contented with what I write. Then one day, I tried to play another game. Just because of sheer boredom, I tried to research about various topics through Google. News, political issues, show business, personalities, weather conditions, history, Biblical prophecies... I’ve tried everything that I could think of. One day, I decided to make a research on some personalities. First I tried my favorite action hero of all time, Jack Bauer played by Kiefer Sutherland. Then I made a ...

I don't know if I would be able to express myself well or if you would comprehend the things that I want to convey. Much as I want to explain myself thoroughly, I'm not sure if the things that I write would be as good, if not better, as if I say them out aloud in person. But I will try nonetheless even if in the end you wouldn't understand me. I wrote this letter to make you have a better understanding of me and to finally put an end to the endless circle that we've been running in. I wrote this to pour everything out so I can finally put the pieces of myself together and forget this frightening nightmare that has been haunting me for long. To be honest, I don't know what to expect. I don't know if you would understand me or if you would reply. I don't know if you would give this letter a small degree of importance or if you wouldn't mind it at all. I don't even know if I want you to read this letter but I'm writing it anyway. But if you are, b...

April 10, 2009 9:59 PM Dubai, United Arab Emirates There has never been a day since I got here that I have never wished of being home. I guess the aloneness that I have always wanted hasn’t really been working out for me. Homesickness, whether I accept it or not, has crept up on me and the most important question that I have asked myself for at least a million times hasn’t been answered yet. I am still wondering why God has allowed me to be here. Being here was my choice and I have to accept the consequences of my decision. But unlike most people have accused me of, I am not here for the money. NO, DEFINITELY NOT! I decided to come here to be alone… to run away… to move on… and to forget the memories that have haunted me for so long. I came here to forgive and be forgiven with the hope that when I go back everything would be alright; that I would be able to completely take away all the hatred that I have been hiding all these years; that I would be able to accept things as they ar...

A hate mail has been circulating in the web right now against Filipinos and Philippines as a country. It is clearly a product of ignorance and I am greatly outraged and that the same time saddened by the contents of the open letter. The letter was written by a man named Art Bell who is reportedly a radio commentator. I don't know where he based his opinions but they are really ridiculous! His letter entitled "Filipinos Make Me Puke" is in blue below. A response to the letter by a fellow Filipino is in green while my own response is in red. Filipinos Make Me Puke By: Art Bell As we've all come to notice, in the past few decades, Filipinos have begun to infest the United States like some sort of disease. Their extensive involvement in the U.S. Armed Forces is proof of the trashy kind of qualities all Filipinos tend to exhibit on a regular basis. You can see this clearly by studying the attitudes and cultural Icons of most Filipino Americans. Origins of Pinoys/Pinays...

This maybe kind of late but I am posting it anyway. While many magazines and websites have been flooded with countdowns of what and who were the hottest of 2008, I am going to reminisce the highlights of one of my most memorable years yet… walking down on memory lane… January I was a little more than a month old in my job then but I was so unhappy. I went to work everyday but I hardly even did anything and it made me extremely uncomfortable. My not so friendly officemates were not helpful and what I wanted to do was just to get out of that place as soon as possible. I found an opportunity to find another job one day. Under the heat of the sunlight, I walked through the roads of Lapulapu City and re-entered the world which I had so dreaded to come back to. I applied as a Call Center Agent. I was hired on that same day and found myself resigning from the job that I was then holding. February Getting hired was just the first step of my new life. I was trained for about two weeks a...

Two of my sisters are in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. One of them has been working in the city for almost three years and the other one for almost two. They earned relatively well which made us able to live quite comfortably. A few months ago, my eldest sister was also dreaming about going to that great Muslim city and tried to persuade me of going there too. When she asked me the ultimate question, I was a little surprised with my response. It was a big NO. "Why?" she asked. For one, I never really dreamed of leaving my comfort zone for anything, especially for money. There was nothing I wanted but to be able to live as comfortably as I can and at the same time be contented with what I have. But that reason was actually not the one that I told my sister. "The Lord's second coming is near," I told her, "and when that time comes, I don't want myself to be surrounded by Arabs." It surprised me and my sister as well. But it was a very truthful an...