THE NEXT ACT

The first session of the Seminar on Managing Stress is interesting because it directed me to a knowledge of whether I am stressed or not. Symptoms of stress are enumerated and for sure I have a couple of them. Hey! Hang on! Am I really stressed? I can just say to myself that I am not stressed and I am doing fine. Symptoms like these would just give me a wake up call that maybe I am. Regardless of the authenticity of these symptoms, having one or more of these traits would make my performance poorer. Whether I believe that these are authentic symptoms or not, regardless of the identification of the symptoms, I would accept the fact, given the big adjustments and the hang-ups of several changes after I moved in NZ such as culture, language and accents, weather, work relations and styles, that I together with all the pinoy immigrants are prone to stress. The level of stress depends on how you behave with changing circumstances. The enumerated symptoms can be beneficial after all...

While visiting and taking pictures of several of pumping stations and water reservoirs in Ferrymead Zone as part of the data collections in coming up with a water supply model of the zone, I found an interesting subject behind Mt Pleasant Reservoir. This was an accidental art which is worth to take a deeper look. I took a picture and gave a special touch on the image.

While walking from the car park to Christchurch City Council, It has been a frequent practice for me to give a good-morning greeting to Mr. Charlie Chaplin standing on the brick footpath of Tuam Street. The man whose footsteps have been followed by Dolphy, Jackie Chan, Johnny Depp, Robert Downey Jr and hundreds of comedians in the world is always found standing together with his legendary moustache, black baggy suit and cane at the corner of Tuam and High Street. Seeing him standing there with a subtle drollness in the face is sort of bringing me to the black and white movie era. I wish that I would have chance to take a picture of me and Charlie on that very same spot. I thought of bringing a camera and a tripod and making a quick shot during one of those sauntering in the morning. But somehow I was held back by shyness and prudence. I think that it would be less inhibited when I have someone to take the sought-after picture. I need a volunteer!! Charlie is somewhat the welcome doorma...

I won’t tell you how wonderful the movie August Rush is. Many people have reviewed it and they are unison in saying “ IT IS A DARN GREAT MOVIE!”. I was watching it with Claire and she continued crying in every significant moment in the movie. Would she think that it was a remarkable movie? Well yeah. She liked it to the point that she rushed to phone Gemma and to tell her how great the movie was while the ending credits were still rolling in the tele screen. Can you beat that? Though some reviews would say it is just a fiction. For me, it’s not a fiction but a hopeful possibility. Anyone is destined to be great for a special reason. The kid was remarkably gifted and he believed that his special gift would draw him closer to his missing parents. Several touching moments were some of the important ingredients in the movie: Louie chasing Lyla while her father dragged her to his car; teary eyed August while being interviewed in the orphanage; August playing music for the first ...

I had a hang up at first in first walk on the roads after a year of not visiting the city of sails. I got used to the flat surface of the garden city where I permanently settled. Arena Hotel where I checked in is situated in Beach Road and I got to walk a few meters to reach Auckland University for a water modeling seminar. The map told me that it was just transferring from one road to a parallel road and off you go straight to the university. What the map did not tell me is that the trailing road got a few meters higher than Beach Road. Hilly roads were alright and I got no serious rheumatism complaining about it but the realization that I got used to the flat surface of Christchurch made me more and more foreign to other cities of NZ. Seeing Auckland again made me miss it. “Wait till you see the severe undulating surface of Wellington”, mentioned one of my colleagues in the seminar who works in Wellington. Hmmmm. I felt more foreign.

I don’t need to dwell so much on the ill deeds that people has done to me in the past. I don’t need to bring them out always and continue to live with a grudge. Life is happening and if I drag the load of anguish all the time, I am slowing down the pace and I might end out losing the race and not getting the greatness that I deserve. Forgiveness is wonderful healing power. This will just bury the hatchet and continue evolving with what life has to offer. To some people, time is an important factor to heal. Time will heal. Give it some time. But for goodness sake, get out of your bed of bitterness and see the sun rising! Learning from the past is a proactive way to deal with the ordeal. It is a mistake when you let others hurt you. It is stupid when you let others hurt you again. I am moving forward. I want to live a peaceful life. I don’t need that pain. Learning from the past should give me more knowledge to segregate the wheat from the weeds. I have more idea what ki...

Charity begins at home. I got to look after the welfare of my beloved before I take notice of the needs of others. Looking after anyone’s needs requires being equipped with it. Am I strong enough to carry others’ load? Am I knowledgeable enough to answer others’ questions. Am I mature enough to handle certain issues? My son is still small. He has a long way to go. I have to be equipped for a long time. Taking care of my family is taking care of myself physically, emotionally and spiritually. Once the joy has been established at home and its richness surpasses the essentials , the family should be one to dwell on paying forward beyond home.

I have been hibernating and have been doing well with it. I have not been blogging. I have not involved myself with any activity with whatever Filipino Org we have here in Christchurch. I am successful in detaching myself from any association in my pursuit to dedicate myself with my wife, son and career. Mel from Auckland, an old friend way back when we were still in the Ligaya Community tried to catch up with me through email. He asked me if I already have a support group here. I told him none formally. But I have my family and close family friends who get in touch regularly. I told him I am happy with this setup and I told him I don’t intend to complicate myself in getting tied with certain group and be branded as one of those enemies of the other. When I was a kid, I used to play Kampu-kampo with other kids. Kampu-kampo was a game where two groups owning territorial bases compete with each other by capturing enemies and bringing them in their respective bases. It was phys...

We had a not-so-eventful weekend due to a bad weather. Boring? No. I always think that no matter where I am, no matter how limited my resources are, no matter how I end up being in an inescapable situation, it is always my call. Taking charge in the moment would make the moment worthwhile. No I would not admit that I got a boring weekend. I always have my right brain to play around with my random thoughts. Playful mind's eye even when I am sitting on my favourite couch would fill my weekend with excitement. Yes I found my way to have a blast last weekend. Yes I miss a lot of things not being outdoors. However, I thank God that I found what I’ve missed when I was indoors.

I have been blogging in Blogspot for more than a year now. Well! Well! Well!

"Do you wanna ride the Gondola?" Ruth asked me when we were on vacation in Rotorua. For me that was very interesting. When I think of Gondola, what comes to mind is the romantic boat in Venice, Italy. They have them here. Great. Finally I would ride a gondola. And so the Palines Clan and I went to Skyline to ride the Gondola. When we reached skyline I tried to take a look beyond the ticket line and I haven't seen any canal or any small boat. All I could see was the mountain and cable cars. And so I learned that gondolas are cable cars in Rotorua. Take a look at this video! Gondolas or cable cars would bring us on top of Mt Ngogotaha where we had the extensive views of Rotorua City, lake, geothermal activity and surrounding hinterlands. The kids were so excited to ride the Luge which they have been mentioning on our way to the Skyline. What is Luge? The Luge is a fun ride for all ages. A World 'First' proudly designed and built in Rotorua, the Luge is a fun filled ...

I was in Christchurch Airport waiting for flight to Auckland when Brigitta told me that I got a flight scheduled to leave for Taupo this coming Monday. I haven’t recovered yet from the taste of England of Christchurch and here I was having to think of another interview in Taupo District Council. I checked on my email and there it was my electronic ticket to Taupo. I felt bad right away because the flight to Taupo was scheduled at 7:30 am and the flight to Auckland was scheduled at 11:30 am. It lead me to think that I have no ample time to look around. I heard that there are a lot of interesting lakes and falls in Taupo to see. Well! When I arrived in Taupo Airport, I immediately looked for a taxi that will bring me to the council. Just when I was about to go through main door of the building, a Chinese lady with perfect kiwi accent was running to catch me calling my name. She introduced herself by the name of Krissy from HR department of the council. She was the one who would bring me ...

Palm Sunday is celebrated in New Zealand very much the same way we celebrate it back home. The only difference is that you can have palms for free and you can just get them from a box displayed beside the main entrance of the church. And a palm is just a small branch of a cypress.

I went back to the Cathedral Square in front of the Christchurch Cathedral. The flea market was setting up. And then I noticed a crowd watching a street performer within the large area of the square! My God! There are street performers in the Square. Who says Christchurch is a lonely place? They seemed enjoying the funny street performer who calls himself Bruce as he did juggling acts and stunts. I thought that this was interesting and I watched. He was a funny guy because I found myself laughing with the audience. Bruce was a crowd drawer and he even had the talent to convince two guys and a lady to volunteer in some of his acts. Or maybe it does not need talent to summon people here to volunteer because kiwis are such "cowboys". After his last act, he held his hat in front and the crowd just swarmed in and put money inside his hat and even thanked him. For me that was amazing. The crowd may have just enjoyed the show and left. But they just have to approach the guy and show...

I was told that Christchurch is a beautiful place and it is called the Little England of New Zealand. So when I was invited for an interview in Christchurch City Council I became so excited right away. The interview would happen at 10 in the morning of Friday, March 30. So Jovy from Christchurch City Council booked me on flight to the city at 6:30 am. I requested Jovy a flight back to Auckland at 7:10 pm of the same day so that I would have some time to look around. My request was granted. She sounded nice by the phone. I checked my Email at night and there was my electronic ticket. Everything was settled. Great! Christchurch, here I come! I arrived in the Christchurch City Airport 8:30 am. I took a cab going the City Council. I got a good chat with the lady driver who has been a cab driver for twelve years. I fell in love right away with place when I got a glance by the cab window many joggers along the path of the huge North Hagley Park. I got off the cab in front of the Buiding of t...

I flew to Rotorua for a job Interview in the District Council. It went well.Rotorua is small town but very famous in attracting many visitors because of its beautiful lakes, Hot Pools, Redwood Forest and giant geysers.Too bad, I did not get to see a single one of them for I only had an hour interview and I got to fly back to Auckland City.Inside the airport, while waiting for my flight back in Auckland City, I ordered a latte in a coffee shop. I couldn't seem to take a sip because I was enjoying looking at the design the waitress made on the froth of my latte.

The bay is outstandingly beautiful. It attracts people who use to enjoy night life by the sea. Several bars are along the stretch of the coast. In some part, you can take a good look at the Sky Tower.

One more station after New Market Station is the Britomart Station. Getting out of the station would lead you to famous Queen Street which is somewhat like the Ayala in Makati. In front of the station is the West City Mall. The size of it is just as big as a typical Robinson. Walking along Queen Street and just like in Broadway Street in New market, you would see a lot of restaurants, Mcdo, KFC, Burger King, Starbucks, beauty shops, clothing stores, Starmart. Civic Theatre, the Aotea Centre, Art Gallery and the Townhall are also along Queen Street.If you haven't seen the Sky Tower when you are in the City, it's like you haven't been in the city at all. You got to see it. Sky Tower: 328 meters tall, with 360 degree views of the city, 3 viewing platform, glass floor and fronted lifts, 3 restaurants, Sky Jump, Vertigo Climb and a gift shop.When I was there for the first time, I happend to see a parade of graduates of Auckland Institute of Technology.