Raaaaaaaaaiiiiiiiinnnnn

If you ask me waaay waaay way back why I love the rain, then I’ll tell you this.. that it feels so good to pour on you during days when you seem down and need to wash all the sorrows away.

Yep. That’s pretty much the answer you’ll get from me.

Back in college, when I was just going out with my girlfriend (who is married to me and now considered as the luckiest gal in the whole world), we were strolling in the park one time and the clouds started to dim, hinting us that it will be raining soon.

I told her that there’s nothing wrong with a little rain. She asked me why. I said “Because when it rains on you, no one will notice that you’re crying.”

Yeppp… that’s pretty much another answer you’ll get from me.

But things have definitely changed. Add a decade and a couple of years,I find it that the rain spoils a lot of things.

If I get caught in the rain, I’ll get sick. If I get sick, I can’t go to work. If i can’t go to work, i won’t finish my project. If I don’t finish my project, I’m wasting my company’s time. If I’m wasting my company’s time, I’m considered a dead weight. If I’m a dead weight, they’ll let me go. If they let me go, I won’t have money to pay bills and buy stuff. If I don’t have money.. ah, shoot! Get the picture?

And I won’t get to play basketball.

Well, things are pretty much different for me now.

Occasionally, I still like the rain, especially when I like to sleep throughout the whole day, or find a reason to eat tuyo.

But for now, I’ll leave Madonna to enjoy the rain.

Whoopsie daisy

It’s bad enough when you go to a meeting and someone talks about something that you’re left out of the loop and you try to bluff your way into it. Let alone leave the president of the US of A uninformed on nationally broadcasted news conference that Mandela is still alive.

I guess the most powerful man on earth is only human.

Knock Me Down

When you stand up for something.. just like Chris Crocker,

expect someone else to knock you down.

You’ll find enemies along the way, as well as friends..

But if you believe in what you stand for, don’t let anyone say otherwise. All I can say is kudos and goodluck.

Destination: Millionaires Club

Years ago, when I was trying to land my first job, I saw this board in a Makati building a listing of gold-plated names with a distinctive group name. It’s called the millionaires club.

Turned out that those people listed in that group are sales people who have reached their goal and contributed more than enough to their company’s growth.

Hence, they’re aptly called members of the prestigious Millionaires Club.

I thought to myself, I’ll set a personal goal that when I reach a certain age, I will be earning my first million and can think of myself as a member of the Millionaires Club.

So I worked hard, I worked smart, I kept myself in check and never let myself grow old to forget this personal goal. But time went by, and though God permitted me to overcome obstacles, still I find that it’s a long way to go for me to reach this goal.

It’s just to early for me to quit on this goal. And reading news like this one, just gives me the fuel to keep up on reaching that million (dollar, at least) spotlight.

At 70, ‘lolo’ trader won’t call it quits

By Margie Quimpo-Espino
Inquirer
Last updated 08:19pm (Mla time) 09/22/2007

MANILA, Philippines — What are 70-year-olds supposed to do?

A lot of people would say they should have stopped working at 65, the official retirement age in the country. (Other firms have earlier retirement age of 55 years.)

[News excerpt from inquirer.net]

Lotsa Kicks

Kicks – n. 1. shoes; 2. new shoes that are ill

Sam: Obviously you are obliviouse to the spectation of my newest shoes, in the hood they would call these “kicks”.

Lotsa kicks these days. Lotsa loving for me. Hell yeah, got lotsa them.

But I’m not one of those kickheads who just grab and buy shoes for the sake of collecting them. No, I actually use them for my other beautiful addiction, basketball (which I’ll tell you about it some other time).

My friends ask me why? Well, why not?

Unlike Imelda Marcos, I don’t think I’m going to drag a whole nation with these shoes o’ mine. It’s just waaaaaaay back then, way back when I was 11yo, a dear friend of mine told me that the thing he likes the most are shoes. Vans and British Knights (BK), actually. He likes shoes more than 501 jeans and watches. He loves wearing different shoes all the time because he says “People can tell a lot about a person by just looking at their shoes.”

And I guess it’s true. So by the time I can afford to buy a decent pair of sneakers, I started to buy more.

True enough, whenever I go out and people notice my shoes, they tend to give a good impression about me.

So that’s the story and explanation in a nutshell. Contrary to the popular belief that I buy sneakers because I sold my one and only decent kicks back in highschool to buy a gift for someone. And that it turned out all wrong, so now I’m buying shoes to make up for that one Nike Air Tech Challenge 2. But no, that’s not the case.

It’s all about image now =)

Honesty Is The Best Politics

With all the hoo-has going on in the Philippine Government, it’s always good to hear something nice once in a while.

A feel good story just like this one..

Honest OFW returns misplaced S$16,000 in Singapore

By Veronica Uy
INQUIRER.net
Last updated 10:46am (Mla time) 09/20/2007

MANILA, Philippines — Marites Perez Galam, 33, head waitress at Imperial Herbal Restaurant in Singapore, found “gold” in a rest room, fought the temptation to keep it, and helped return it to its owner.

(News excerpt from inquirer.net )

It really doesn’t take a lot to return a lost watch, a bag, a necklace, a toy, or even a SG$16,000. You just have to do it. And far as I know, that’s just what Maritess Perez Galam just did. She just returned a lost money. That’s it.

What makes this really really really a big deal is because she did it. She returned the money. Not a lot of people can, but apparently, Maritess did.

Lesson of the story, the only thing that’s standing between being human and greatness is yourself.

So Maritess Perez Galam, God smiles upon you =)

7,107 Flavors

If you happen to be in Singapore and are looking for a treat of Filipino cuisine, come down to 7,107 Flavors at Marina Square.

Just barely half a year old, this Filipino resto has seen many share of reviews. Mostly bad reviews from OFWs here in Singapore who see it as just another marketing ploy to leverage on the growing Filipino population.

So last week, we decided to drop by the resto and see what has been the disappointment was about.And to tell you the truth, it’s not that bad as they say.

The ambiance was nice, the price is just right, and the food was good (although Lucky Plaza can offer you better food with better prices). But that’s not what I personally think, sets this resto apart from the rest.

I guess it’s the packaging. Good food, good service. Nice place to bring the family to and enjoy just being there.

This resto has the potential of being the best Filipino resto here in Singapore. With the backing of DOT, I’m sure they’ll get better in time.

So give it a little bit of room to grow. Besides, being here will just make you realize how great Filipino hospitality really is.

In God We Trust

Remember the movie Troy? Remember when the Trojan council were discussing their odds against the overwhelming Greek force at their bay? The elders said “This morning, I saw an eagle carrying a snake in its claws.. we will win this war.” And all agreed that they will except Hector.

What happened? They got burnt.

Then in the flick 300, Leonidas went to visit the Ephos and the Oracle to seek approval of his strategy, but what did they say “It’s the Carneian festival, dude. You can’t wage war.”

What happened? He can only take 300 Spartans to front their enemies. They eventually died.

Remember William McKinley? Here’s a disputed quotation from him (Benevolent Assimilation):

“The truth is I didn’t want the Philippines, and when they came to us as a gift from the gods, I did not know what to do with them…. I sought counsel from all sides – Democrats as well as Republicans – but got little help. I thought first we would take only Manila; then Luzon; then other islands, perhaps, also. I walked the floor of the White House night after night until midnight; and I am not ashamed to tell you, gentlemen, that I went down on my knees and prayed Almighty God for light and guidance more than one night.” “And one night late it came to me this way – I don’t know how it was, but it came: (1) That we could not give them back to Spain – that would be cowardly and dishonorable; (2) that we could not turn them over to France or Germany – our commercial rivals in the Orient – that would be bad business and discreditable; (3) that we could not leave them to themselves – they were unfit for self-government – and they would soon have anarchy and misrule over there worse than Spain’s was; and (4) that there was nothing left for us to do but to take them all, and to educate the Filipinos, and uplift and civilize and Christianize them, and by God’s grace do the very best we could by them, as our fellow men for whom Christ also died. And then I went to bed and went to sleep and slept soundly.”

(Click here for more)

What happened? In 1899, U.S. forces killed an estimated 200,000 Filipino civilians.

I read this today..

Arroyo to lead nation in prayer as Estrada is judged
By Lira Dalangin-Fernandez
INQUIRER.net
Last updated 05:26pm (Mla time) 09/10/2007
MANILA, Philippines — (UPDATE) As the Sandiganbayan anti-graft court hands down its verdict on the plunder and perjury case against deposed president Joseph Estrada on Wednesday, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will lead the nation in a prayer for peace and reconciliation.

(News excerpt from inquirer.net)

It’s good to trust our wellness in God. I mean, it’s great!

But somehow, shouldn’t we draw a line between religion and politics?

The Smell of Filipino Seamen

Hahaha, this is just so.. so.. so special.

Filipino seamen smell better than others–TESDA 

By Margaux Ortiz
Inquirer
Last updated 10:48pm (Mla time) 09/07/2007

MANILA, Philippines — The Filipinos’ love of baths has been advantageous to the country’s seafarers in terms of employment opportunities, according to a top official of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).

(news excerpt from inquirer.net)

Some folks just have too much time doing studies like this. But if you get paid doing this, I just want to know one thing.. do you have any job openings over there?

I’m pretty sure my friend Mac is laughing his a$$ off right now by just reading the news title.

Oplan Bakal

Manila curfew for minors starts Saturday

By Allison Lopez
Inquirer
Last updated 10:54pm (Mla time) 09/07/2007

MANILA, Philippines — A 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. curfew for minors in Manila will be strictly implemented starting Saturday upon orders of acting city mayor Isko Moreno.

(from inquirer.net)

I’m gonna say I like the idea.. but the problem is, you’re dealing with youth here. And by nature, whenever you tell teens not to do something, they tend to do it.

Goodluck, Mayor Isko Moreno. I got a question though. In this 6 hour period from 10pm-4am, ok pa ba ang “walang tulugan” =)