Hope

“Don’t worry Prab, everything happens for a reason.”

My mom used to tell me this a lot of times, especially when I was feeling depressed or sad about something. She has this sweet weird way of saying the right things at the right time, and knows how to make me or my siblings appreciate what we have. It’s been a long time since we really got together, she and me. I only see her once a month every year, and it’s been almost forever since we just “hang around.”

I admit, sometimes I’m just too caught up with the days events that I forget to remember what she did for me, and why she’s there. But there are times when little nothings remind me how she cares, such as that phrase above.

Sunday moods…

Found this sitting in my inbox yesterday, and well, it’s an unorthodox way of thinking about stuff. I’m gonna try and provide the transalation after the original text.

————–

Gising, friend.

Tumatanda ka na, friend.

Nasa Friday Magic Madness na yung mga paborito mong kanta. Nakaka-relate ka na sa Classic MTV. Lesbiana na yung kinaaaliwan mong child star dati.

Nanay na lagi ang role ng crush na crush mong matinee idol noon.

Dati, pag may panot na naglalakad, sisigaw ka agad ng “PENDONG!” Ngayon, pag may sumisigaw nun, ikaw na yung napapraning dahil baka ikaw ang pinag-uusapan.

Parang botika na ang cabinet mo. May multivitamins, vitamin E, vitamin C, royal jelly, tsaka ginko biloba.

123…

It’s not everyday that Mark posts a meme, so I thought why not indulge? After all, the meme isn’t that hard. Rules say:

1. Grab the closest book to you.
2. Open to page 123, look down to the 5th sentence.
3. Post the text of the next 3 sentences on your blog.
4. Include the title and the author’s name.
5. Tag 3 people.

Risk is a funny thing; it’s very subjective. Here’s what I mean: Someone may have no trouble plunging off a high tower with a bungee cord attached to his leg, but the same person may regard speaking in front of a group of twenty people as a death-defying risk. To another person, speaking isn’t intimidating at all.

That’s from John Maxwell’s “Failing Forward.” I’ve been needing a little pick-me upper this past week, and what better way to do that than with some positivity. I haven’t finished the book yet, only about halfway there. But even so, it’s still a good old dose of some healing medicine.

Now who to tag? I’m not sure. After all, who knows if this meme has gotten around already? Let’s see. Safe answer would be: Verns, Pining and Annamanila.

Vote? Me?

I was never really an apathetic person. I mean, I was only into my sophomore year when I was thrust into the world of politics in UP. It was a highly political time when I joined the fray, for the first time the University experienced a slash in it’s budget, and people were up in arms against President Estrada.

Heck, I even remember trying to fervently convince my college-mates (let’s face it, if you’re from the College of Engineering you’d more often than not have any cares aside from academics) that the issues we were facing them would affect us one way or another, and it would be ludicrous for us to be quiet about it. Yep, I wasn’t apathetic at all. But, times changed, and even though I still believe in what I stood for then, I rarely see myself doing the same things I did back then.

After watching the news and seeing the Commission on Elections (Comelec) awarding Manny Pacquaio the permit to carry 20 guns with him in spite of the Gun Ban, it just dawned on me that December 31, 2006 was the last day for registration for the upcoming May 2007 elections. Guess what? I didn’t register, so that means I won’t be voting-again. I don’t think I care, and I think lots of people my age don’t care either. Appalling, yes, but that’s the truth.

The Hello Garci issue is still fresh in the minds of many people. The fact that the President seemed to have gotten away with it makes a lot of people don’t care anymore as to what will happen. Sure, the Palace says she’s innocent, but the fact that her allies in Congress just shot down the second impeachment bid, or as I see it a chance for her to explain her side and exonerate herself from the charges of cheating, says otherwise. Oh, and the rampant execution of palace critics, namely activists and journalists doesn’t really make the whole electoral process appealing to people like me.

Even if people start calling me names, I don’t think that would get me to register and vote. Voting doesn’t really do me any good, I’m not really feeling the so-called economic stability of the country, and if I just stand there and wait for the government to take care of my education, or my healthcare, I would be waiting forever. So me, vote? Thanks, but no thanks.

Exhaustion and Withdrawal

I almost forgot how information overload can make you a very exhausted person. It almost feels like a lifetime ago when I last took a Physics or an Organic and Inorganic Chemistry exam back at UP. Sleepless caffeine and nicotine-filled nights, your mind wandering during the day to more “happy thoughts” such as ice cream, cold pizza and beer, or a comfortable bed after a warm soak in the tub. Here I am thinking I was done with that whole lot, turns out it might just get worse.