Can you believe it?! 1/6th of the year is gone! Where did the time go? Again, it amazes me just how quickly the month has passed.
So it's again time for me to revisit my new year's resolutions. I'm already dreading writing this...
1. Lose my holiday weight gain Nope... still no progress on this one. Have been so busy lately that I actually had to stop working out for three weeks. So no weight loss. But no weight gain either... buti nalang.
2. Stop Cursing Did very well on this one! I think I cursed only a couple of times this month... a definite improvement over last month and a major worthy-of-being-proud improvement over last year. There's hope for me yet!
3. Be Less Judgmental about People Can't say I revised my opinion of anyone this month... but I don't recall coming to any snap judgments about anyone either. So I guess this is status quo.
4. Read at least 12 books of the Bible Picked another easy one: 2 Peter. Did you know that some people argued that this wasn't truly written by Peter because the writing style differed so much from 1 Peter? But it eventually got accepted as being officially written by Peter because they explained the difference in writing style by the fact that Silas helped Peter write the first book (Peter mentions it as he closes 1 Peter).
5. Identify 5 friends with whom I've lost touch in 2005 and re-establish contact throughout 2006 Yup! Yup! Am working hard on this one, and to be honest, it is nice to get in touch with friends after a while because there's a lot to talk about! haha!
6. Watch at least one movie in the Theatres Each Month Failed miserably with this one. I didn't watch a single movie in the theatres this month. It's a good thing I watched two movies in January. I was hoping to be able to watch Proof this month, but its run in the theatres ended before I got around to it, unfortunately. :-(
7. Read at least one work of fiction a month Yup! Yup! Got this done. Read The Anubis Gates, by Tim Powers. Really great plotline, interesting characters, compelling scene descriptions, and overall just plain fun. If you like time travel and Indiana Jones, this is a good book for you.
8. Attend a live JaRla event Still none available this month, unfortunately. :(
9. Complete my Christmas Shopping on or before Nov 30. Still haven't started. But at least I still have some time on my hands. :D
I am enjoying this break from my usual humdrum routine. There's nothing like getting away from it all for a while to recharge the batteries... even though this isn't officially a vacation, it's still a break nevertheless.
I'm tired from walking so much the past two days. But it's decent exercise so I'm not complaining too much. Plus it makes spending the night on the couch a lot more bearable when I'm so exhausted by day's end that I don't even care what I'm sleeping on anymore! hahaha!
I'd seen it before but never really tried eating it -- partly because it didn't look appetizing and partly because it was one of those hard candies which I always have trouble eating.
But man, it was yummy! I had to force myself to stop after gulping down two pieces!
I'm looking forward to watching this... although I'm half-expecting to be disappointed. It's hard to live up to the critical acclaim and success of the BBC mini-series version of Jane Austen's much beloved tale.
By all accounts, this new version is also well received by critics and fans alike. I hope it will be in theatres for at least a couple of weeks so I get a chance to watch it.
It amazes me how quickly I manage to accumulate files. I guess a lot of it is because of pictures (which are such diskspace hogs) and audio clips (another space hog).
Keeping all those files around is great. But it's a nightmare when you need to make backups!
I think I'm moving around 5GB of data right now and according to the estimates, it will take over three hours of copying to get it all done. Ayayaay.
Just finished one major document, and I figured I deserve to take a break for a while. So here I am writing this blog entry.
With all the stress I'm feeling this week, I've come to the conclusion that I've lost the ability to pace myself. I used to be good at burning the midnight oil for weeks on end. I could survive on a few hours of sleep. But life has been so cushy and comfortable in the past few months that I now find it so overwhelming be in crunch mode.
But I'm learning my lesson. Little diversions like blog-writing during logical breaks are a great way for the mind to recharge before plunging back into the next big thing.
Even the experts had to give up on my network problem. Looks like it's an operating system incompatibility... because the dratted network card worked like a dream on another laptop! Ayayaay.
It's been a while since I've felt as overwhelmed as I feel today.
Hay! Ang hirap talaga to be panic-striken when there's so much stuff that needs to be done. Just when you need to be extra-sharp and focused, the panic wells up from deep inside and short-circuits the thinking process... so instead of gettings things right the first time around, you end up with crappy results which require rework -- and as a result, you've got even less time for everything else that still needs to be done.
* Sigh! *
I knew coming into this week that it would be hell week. Just didn't expect things to get so bad so quickly that I'd be crying by the end of the day. It's been a few hours since my weeping jag and my eyes are still puffy and a bit red, and I've got a terrible headache.
I wish I could expose them for the liars that they are. Especially since their lies influence the impression that other people have of me, of my friends.
But it would seem too much like guilty protestations if I were to do that, or if I were to respond with explanations, or try to present evidence that proves otherwise. I don't want to dignify their lies with a "hearing" -- even though I do have proof that they are lying. I would come across as someone who is making too big a deal out of the situation.
Of course, if they keep it up, I may still lose my temper one of these days. That would not be a very pretty sight.
Oh, it's that time of year again, when all the unattached singles in the world are made to feel less-than-adequate. hehe.
Strangely enough, I don't feel the pressure today. I wonder why, when on the surface it certainly seems like nothing has changed in my life.
Ah, who cares at this point why this year is a breeze? I'm sure the insecurities will come back and hit me again sooner or later. But for now, I will just savor the feeling of being free from society's expectations, however brief that freedom may be.
Played catch-up with my movie backlog this weekend. Watched two movies back to back on DVD on Sunday afternoon:
War of the Worlds. Stars Tom Cruise. Looks expensive what with all the special effects. H. G. Wells has a vivid imagination. The ending was somewhat anti-climactic, but overall it was enjoyable.
Shawshank Redemption. Stephen King's short novel turned movie about a man wrongly convicted of a double murder. Very uplifting even though our hero did become a criminal in the end.
All together a very pleasant way to while away a Sunday afternoon. No wonder it feels like the weekend just whizzed by!
The mother of a friend passed away last weekend due to a sudden illness. During the memorial service, the minister made a remark that struck a cord.
He said -- a happy man is one who knows the answers to three essential questions:
Where does man come from?
What happens to a man after death?
What is a man's purpose while he is alive on earth?
True enough, a person's worldview about the meaning of life -- and the way to live a meaningful life -- is encapsulated in his answers to these three simple questions.
It's the last question that I personally have a lot of trouble with. :(
I finally had some time on my hands and started a mail-athon... or at least, that's what I'm calling it.
I went through my overflowing email inbox and spent over two hours replying to messages that required a decent, personal, thought-out response. Some of these messages are a few days old, while others should have been replied to three months ago. [Yikes]
I used to be so good at personal correspondence. I was reliable to the point of being disciplined in this area. I really made an effort to keep in touch. But that all changed gradually over the course of the past year. Blog-hopping, web surfing, Technorati searching, fan blogging and video uploading have slowly been swallowing up increasingly larger chunks of my time.
While I really enjoy all my online activities, I can't help but wonder now whether or not it was worth all the time and effort I've poured into it. Hmm... maybe that's being overly dramatic, since in reality I don't regret it at this point.
I guess the more precise question is: Should I be re-evaluating how I spend my time? At what point does being online so much become unhealthy?
Yesterday's "alarm clock malfunction" and my out-of-whack sleep cycle are making me rethink my lifestyle a bit. I'm certain that the key lies in finding some kind of happy balance. The problem will be figuring out exactly what that balance is.
I had an "alarm clock malfunction" this morning and woke up at 11am... and of course I spent the rest of the day in a panic with a throbbing headache! That's what I get for staying up late to catch the PBB late night edition.
Hay.... No more late nights for me, I think. My sleep cycle is screwed up enough as it is.
I think I'll go look for a paracetamol tablet now... I think I've had this headache for over 10 hours already and it's really getting to me.
My sleep cycle is screwed up once again. I think I need to cut down on coffee. It's too much of a social drink these days.
At least my insomnia has allowed me to finish The Anubis Gates, a fantasy novel by Tim Powers. I can easily understand why it is an award-winning novel. It surprises me that I had not heard of it prior to receiving it as a gift.
I'd love to see it turned into a movie -- the visual imagery can certainly rival the Lord of the Rings in richness of detail.
Based on the size of the crowd, the show is off to a fantastic start! I'm glad!
Anyway, just wanted to post the video of Toni Gonzaga and Sam Milby singing "Sikat ang Pinoy!" -- assuming that's the correct title of the PBB Celebrity Edition theme song.
Am not completely sure about the lyrics, but what the hey...
Sikat ang Pinoy!
VERSE 1 Lagi nang napapansin Pinoy ay may ibang dating Kahit na anong gawin Ay kayang-kaya natin
Iba ?? ng buhay Hanggat kaya'y ibibigay Kitang-kita ang galing Lahat ay kaya ngang gawin
CHORUS Sikat na sikat ang pinoy (Sikat ang pinoy!) Kahit saan mapunta Kitang-kita mo naman ang kagalingan (kagalingan mo)
Iba ang galing ng pinoy (Galing ng pinoy!) Malayong mararating Ipagmalaki mo Na kaya natin
Sikat ang pinoy kahit sa'n mapunta Sasabihin ko Pinoy Ako (Pinoy Ako) Pinoy Tayo! Kaya natin 'to! Sikat ang Pinoy! (Sikat ang Pinoy!) Sikat ang Pinoy!
VERSE 2 Pinoy'y ating maaasahan Kailan ma'y di ka iiwan Handang tumulong sa iyo Ano man ang pagdaanan mo
Lumalaban sa hamon ng buhay Hanggang sa ating tagumpay Mahirap man pagdaraanan Kayang kaya natin 'yan!
REPEAT CHORUS except last line
REFRAIN Sumigaw at sabihin mong "Pinoy Ako!" Ang galing mong angkin Ipakita sa mundo (Ipakita sa mundo)
79 people are dead and over 200 are injured in a stampede this morning at the 1st anniversary celebration of Wowowee outside Ultra in Pasig City.
It is almost incomprehensible how a celebration can turn to tragedy so quickly. But it IS easy to understand how people can heedlessly push their way through a crowd and run over anything in their way if they feel their lives are threatened.
Primal fear quickly strips away whatever veneer of social graces and civility we may have acquired since birth, proving once again that we are all just self-preserving animals at heart.
It's only when logical thought prevails that we regain the ability to focus on the sick, the weak, the injured, the young, and the elderly.
Apparently, non-monogamous relationships have evolved to the point that relationship rules are already in place and well-defined, as shown in the excerpt below:
(1) The Vampire Rule: If they’re both in the same city, they have to make it back by dawn.
(2) The Three-Strikes Rule: All pinch hitters must be interested in befriending both Siege and Katie (and vice versa); however, up to three solo dates are acceptable to warm someone up.
(3) The Postcards Rule: If they’re seeing someone else on their own, they must bring home photographic evidence.
(4) The Woman-Only Rule: Katie is bisexual, Siege is not—thus, for pinch hitters to meet rule No. 2, they must be female.
(5) The Veto Rule: for Katie’s benefit, allowing her to rule out potential home-wreckers.
(6) The Safety Rule: What some couples call “body-fluid monogamy,” i.e., always use condoms when having sex with a third . . . or a fourth . . . or a fifth . . .
I think I was slack-jawed for most of the time I was reading the article. Ayayaay!
And yes, the timing doesn't escape me: this is not exactly the best way to be starting February, the month of love!
Side note: The guy named "Siege" in the excerpt above also happens to be the owner of the blog Operation Eden, which I had found a few months ago filled with hauntingly beautiful photos of post-Katrina destruction.
