About Holding Back...

Sip, instead of gulp…

Browsing, instead of reading…

Just a glance, and not looking intently…

Just touching the water, and not plunging…

Humming, instead of singing…

Cheese, instead of double cheese...

Fingertips, and not the entire hand…

Clear, instead of colored polish…

Drizzle, instead of rain…

Thin crust, instead of thick...

Cologne, instead of perfume…

Asking for the price, but not buying…

Mild, instead of strong…

Matte, instead of glossy…

Silver, instead of gold…

Seldom, not always…

Plain salted, not spicy…

Diet, instead of regular…

Clear, and not tinted…

Unscented, instead of scented

Offline, instead of online…

Brown, instead of blonde…

A pint, in place of a gallon…

A sedan, in place of an SUV…

Cornetto, instead of Magnum…

Keds, instead of Louboutin….

Fries, and not wedges

Taped, and not live…

Bridesmaid, never the bride…

Goodbye, instead of hello...

                       

        So what is holding you back? Time and again, we are reminded by folks that life is too short, and that each one of us is given only one life to cherish. Our fears and doubts must not dissuade us from doing things that will make us happy, and should not cast shadows on our lives. Otherwise, a vault of regrets might float up in our lives later on.  A word of caution though: if things did not make the grade, then we must learn to be accepting of things. Life, after all, isn’t always a bed of roses. If things did not turn out the way you envisioned them in your dreams, then remind yourself that there are things that are simply not meant to be.

So go on with life...

Do what makes you happy...

Do not hold back this time...

~o0o~

MY BLOG JUST TURNED A YEAR OLD: Happy Birthday!

        I did not realize until several days ago that my humble blog has already turned a year old last April 22, 2011. I could not quite believe that I have been blogging for a little over a year already. A year that has seen me haul out creativity, ideas, and sentiments from my thirty-plus year old soul. 

ANO KAYA SASABIHIN NG OFFICE FORMS?

If only office forms could talk, what do you think they will say?

40th Commencement Exercises of World Citi Colleges

        It has been almost a week already since our school held its graduation at the PNP Multi-Purpose Hall. But despite this, I still fondly reminisce on it, most especially when I see wonderful photos of our graduates and the ceremony itself posted on their Facebook. I have always been a part of this major school event since November of 2002, my very first semester at WCC (second semester 2002 to 2003). I vividly remember that on my way home from Greenhills, I got a call from the Department of Student Affairs informing me that I was chosen to be the emcee of that year's graduation, together with a faculty from the Chemistry Department. I could not say no that time – too shy to say it.

MY PERSONAL MUSINGS ABOUT GOD AND RELIGION

         

        Holy week is the most opportune time to reflect on our personal musings about God, religion, and ourselves. A perfect precursor to this was a four-part spiritual leadership seminar which I had the privilege to attend last four Wednesdays of March. It was entitled LIFEBIZ – L for leadership, I for integrity, F for Faith, and E for excellence. I rarely attend activities that border on the “religious”, since I have not yet found that religious glimmer in me. Don’t get me wrong, though. I do believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth…….

P.U.T.S. :)

         

        A tambayan is an area or place where people hang out. We all have our favorite tambayans. It could be any part of the house, a coffee shop, the library, parking lot, and just about place any where we feel at home and most comfortable. Back in college, my friends and I used to hang out at Palma Hall Annex, specifically on the ground floor, below the stairs. If my memory serves me right, there were two wooden benches under the stairs, strategically placed across each other which made the place an ideal tambayan. Very homely and cozy.

MAGNUM PANDEMONIUM !!!

        The internet is ablaze with all sorts of pictures and ponderings about an ice cream brand with a very intriguing name – MAGNUM. Before the introduction of this new product to the market, “magnum” is commonly associated with guns or firearms. But now, we associate it more with ice cream made of Belgian chocolate. I have only consumed not more than five bars of this ice cream product since the start of this Magnum phenomenon. Why? It is simply because convenience stores near our place have ran out of stock! This only shows that Magnum has become a hit to those with sweet tooth, which includes you and me.

        I am not sure if people will side with me with this thought, but is it not the case all chocolate products taste the same? There could be variations in taste, color, and texture, but all of them have a generic taste due to a common ingredient which is chocolate. Following this line of thought, then Selecta’s Magnum could not in any way be different from Magnolia, Arce, Nestle, or Haagen Dazs chocolate flavored ice cream. But what could possibly explain the pandemonium over Magnum?

What makes you blush?

When was the last time you blushed?

        Blushing is that sudden surge of redness on the face. In tagalong, namumula. Last Friday (March 23), while having a much needed sumptuous lunch with two colleagues at a restaurant in front of our workplace, my face turned red after being teased by one of them. And according to her, even my ears turned red! Can you beat that? We really do not see ourselves when we blush since it happens involuntarily and without more ado, unless you always bring a mirror with you and pop it out every time you blush, which is very nonsensical. In most occasions, maybe we are not even aware that we are blushing. We only learn about when somebody teases us about it, uy namumula!

So what makes you blush?

WHAT REALLY IS L-O-V-E ???

       

        Innumerable things have already been said about the subject matter we excitingly call love. But despite this, the said topic never ceases to startle and intrigue us. It has become an omnipresent topic or theme in literature, music, and movies. In any poem, song, or movie, for example, there will always be that element of love. It could be love for God, love for one’s family, love for country, love for others, love for nature, and the list goes on and on. Love is a topic of which people do not seem to get tired of talking about, and most of all, experiencing. Indeed, love has become an integral part of human existence. A staple food for the human soul. An appetizer, main course, and dessert, in any human conversation.

        Love has taken many taxonomic forms. But if there is one type of love that has intrigued man the most, and that is more than capable of agitating the very core of our being, then it will have to be none other than romantic love, with all of its cheesy trimmings (extreme overload!). This is not meant to disregard, say for example, love for one’s family. The difference though, is that love for our family is somewhat already a given at the start of our existential awareness, some sort of a preconceived formula. This stems from the fact that norms, both religious and societal, would tell us straightforwardly or indirectly, that we have to love our parents, siblings, and other members of our family. Hence, we are predisposed, and consequentially, expected to demonstrate this kind of love.  

        Romantic love is different, in such a manner that we choose a person whom to love. We cannot choose our family and relatives, can we? We are born into this world already complete with a family, society, religion, and even government. It is like buying a house that is already fully furnished. But the person whom we will end up with cannot be explained in such terms. During the course of our life, we stumble upon individuals whom we choose to love, in a romantic sense. What antedates this is a certain kind of attraction which makes you drawn to a person, or stranger if I may reiterate. Why stranger? Primarily because you do not fully know that person yet (then after a break-up, you become strangers again). But despite this, you become starry-eyed, and your heart starts to sing a different tune that makes you blush melodiously. Either you are already in love with that person, or at least, nurturing romantic feelings for that person. This is as if the heavenly bodies in the universe have aligned themselves to spell L-O-V-E. See how intriguing romantic love is? To love another person is not a “given”. To love another person stems from our free will, not totally influenced by religious and societal norms. Just slightly, since we really cannot totally disregard religion and culture as they play a pivotal role in our life. Influenced or not, the final decision emanates from you. It is you who will love whoever that person is, to begin with.

        Love is the bedrock of all desirable human values like compassion, kindness, sympathy, empathy, charity, generosity, and other similar virtues. But in order to define love, it will be necessary to disrobe love of all of its sugar over coatings. What really is love? Love is the initiative to love unconditionally, without expecting anything in return. We must not think of what we will gain from it. Rather, we must think of what we can give, and how much we are willing to give. True love is in the act of giving, and not in the act of receiving. 

        To love is an end in itself. 

WHAT REMINDS YOU OF SUMMER?

        Yesterday afternoon, on my to Robinson’s at Berkeley Square to do some grocery shopping, I noticed how sunny it was. Colors were bursting everywhere which made my surroundings come alive, courtesy of the impressive rays of the sun. While witnessing this spectacle, I came to realize that indeed, it is already summer. And yes, it has been hot as of late. So like what I have read in the papers that day – IT’S OFFICIAL: SUMMER IS HERE.

 

        Summer is the warmest season of the year. It is the perfect time for going to beaches, and going to wintry (okay this is an exaggeration) regions in our country such as Baguio and Tagaytay. But in my opinion, what usually pops into one’s mind when summer is mentioned is going to beaches or pool resorts. This is exactly what Lois Esther Año is reminded of when asked about what reminds her of summer:

SIGNATURE SCENT

        
        During one of our Sunday family lunches at home, I heard an aunt mentioning, in my own words, that it is not a bright idea to give perfume as a present. I think she also mentioned the brand of perfume that she uses or prefers. This instantly gave me an idea or a topic to write about for this humble blog. Unfortunately, it took me this long to make an article about it. Now that I am quite running out of topics, I suddenly remembered this topic which I temporarily shelved.

        People have their signature scent. This stems from the fact that we all have our favorite brands of items or commodities. I am one person who will never start the day without dabbing on myself my favorite scent. Do I have a signature scent? There is none actually. Though I can say that my latest or most recent purchase of bottle usually becomes my signature scent, until such time that I am already tired of it. There are times when I switch scents. For special occasions, I currently rely on my Burberry Summer, given to me as pasalubong from abroad (thanks Omid Irankhah!). For everyday use, I have my bottles bought from Ate Bebs, our ever reliable direct selling agent who frequents my office. Recently I have also been using Guess Suede also given by another generous soul (thanks Tim de Leon!).

Grace Lee and PNOY

Who doesn’t know Grace Lee?

  

        Grace Lee is both a radio and TV personality. Unfortunately, she is yet to achieve mainstream success and popularity, though she did hog the headlines sometime ago when she was linked to Manny Pacquiao and James Yap. According to rumor mills, she is the current apple of the eye of our bachelor President PNOY, after a string of girls that were linked to him in this post-Shalani Era (Liz Uy, Len Lopez, Iza Calzado). Now, her name really rings a bell, and has become popular. In case you do not know her yet as of this time, then you must have been living under a rock.