THE NEXT ACT

3rd of March 2020: this is the day that I would fulfil a promise. A friend of mine in the church approached me over seven years ago and made a request that I could not refused. He told me that he wanted me to sing in his eulogy when he passed away. I found it awkward. Regardless, I said yes. He told me that he will send the music sheets of the songs that he would like me to sing. He asked my postal address so he can send the sheets. The following day it was in the mailbox. I opened the A4 enveloped and there they were, the sheets and a written letter by him. The first sheet was an American Christian song “Take My Hand, Precious Lord” and the other sheet was Sacred Hymn “Panis Angelicus”. I haven’t been familiar with those songs till that day I received the letter. And so, few of my lazy times, I pulled out those sheets that I kept from the shelves and practiced singing. The sheets stayed in the shelves for over seven years covered with amount of dust when I received a c...

How are you? How was your holiday? How was your weekend? How are you? Fine thank you. And you? Nice Weather. Indeed. Did you have a good weekend? Small Chat. Small chat. Blek! Sometimes i feel that way.  Can we just stop here with the small chat? I just want to get a mug a coffee from the coffee machine and i want to get back quickly to my working space.  I got lots of things to do. Sometimes i don't feel talking and it feels awkward to pretend i am interested with what he is saying and to pretend that I know that he is interested with I am saying. It takes few seconds or minutes to bump with someone and to start a small chat. Is it part of of the norm, culture? Or maybe a lot people get it why they are doing it. Maybe if i would know how I can use small chat to my benefit, it would not be so dreadful about the whole drill. And then I realize small chat is a worthwhile drill. Lol. Good first impression. Small chat can be a good ground to make a good...

Have you ever heard of Monito Monita? It is a traditional game in the Philippines particularly in December approaching Christmas where a group of individuals (friends, classmates, office-mates, etc) agree to give gifts anonymously with each other. Usually, it starts with writing down in a piece of paper each others name, roll it and put in a small box. Each takes turn to pick out a piece of rolled paper in the box. The name in the paper each has picked out is its monito/monita. The simple rule is that no one has to let each other know who the giver is until the revelation day ideally on Christmas day. In the game they will give their monitas/monitas gifts everyday with an agreed price range. There will be different theme in each day of giving such as giving, something soft, something sweet, something long and hard, something green or blue, something round, something you make /cook /bake, something pink, something useful, something wet, something made of wood/fabric, something you c...

Why can't I commit to writing regularly.  It is always something that is getting in the way in order not to dwell in writing.  I know the benefits of writing.  One is that it is a way of exercising the brain.  Another is that it is a way to let out what my soul wants to convey in the open. There is always something getting in the way and I need to face the issue, try to get rid of the what is not necessary.  I am confused sometimes.  Why am I confused.  Maybe there are so many distractions.  The only way to start to reflect and come up with a decent writing to is to get away, to find a quiet spot and spend a quality time.  This does not happen all the time.  But I gotta do it.  I need some time in writing as much I need some time to physical exercise as well. There are so many things that I have deprived myself with in order to feed my body and soul. I find myself deteriorating and the only way to shine from the destructio...

I cannot deny that sometimes I have been frequently falling from the lure of pride.  This is where I found myself all the more not in good situation of finding a solution to an obvious problem.  It is as simple as looking at the matter of how I can get away from the being trapped.  I stayed in the impression of not being affected and crashed.  In the midst of obvious bleeding I am projecting that I am invincible.  Portrayal of being all right is creating my own trapped.  Get out!  My good soul longs to escape. However sometimes pride is not the factor that pushing me to hide the weakness.  It is not pretentious. It is just hiding where my Achilles Heel is so from the demonic hearts that has the intention of putting me down.  I guess it’s just guarding my body and soul that were entrusted to me the one who creates me.  I accept my weakness and sometimes people work with it to my mishap. On the other hand, being showy about how hap...

I deactivated my Facebook account temporarily.  I am now free from its hold and I got more time to do things important to me that I have unheeded doing like blogging most of the time . Back in the days when Facebook hasn't been invented blogging was the forefront of my social media postings. This I realized at the start of writing this blog. I just woke up, grabbed my smart phone which has been always on the side table or just on the bed beside me or under my pillow. My phone serves also as an alarm clock among others like stealing my sleepy mode to end up being wide awake in the middle of the night. Looking at the apps in my phone, now that my Facebook is deactivated what is the fuss on checking the phone? I check twitter and Instagram which do not last long compared to Facebook. And then here I am......blogging.

What is right and what is wrong? A simple question but sometimes hard to answer in certain situations. We have been introduced to so many values in different perspectives and the bottom line is seemed out of reach. Where am I going? Is this really right for me? Sometimes material things is the basis for all of what is right for you. Technology for me is so attractive because it provides me with instant gratifications. Everything is quick. I refrain from walking because I have my car to get me anywhere quick. Texting will relay my information wherever and whenever I am and whatever I am doing in replacement of finding time to have some coffee with someone with quality conversation. What I am getting at is that the world has become advance and very attractive that perhaps it introduces a different set of values that conforms to the way of life in relation to advancement it creates in our day to day living. There are so many of the development that the world had introduced that we cannot ...

I accept the fact that I cannot stop people from contributing to the fall of mankind. I should stop ranting at people who do bad things to good people. These are people who have so many wicked ways under their sleeves whose mission is to annihilate the good guys specially those who are getting in their way in serving their self-centred ego. In my mind I thought they should not do that and it’s wrong. Now I have a clearer understanding that our minds wired differently. It seems that they don’t care if they are certified a-holes in the site of whoever has the right senses. I guess I was brought up differently valuing more on giving and find happiness in it rather receiving, focusing more on what I can do and how I can harness it and finding achievement in working on a task rather than claiming credits on what I did not work on. People on the opposite extreme of me may not understand my concept of happiness, focus and achievement and may find it odd for the reason that they a...

An Ungrateful man is like a hog under a tree eating acorns, but never looking up to see where they come from. Timothy Dexter Sometimes it’s hard to take it when you have been giving much effort and time to help out someone and still he/she is being ungrateful for the trouble. Yes, there is a good virtue in having the attitude of never expecting something in return on the good deeds you’ve done. Yet, I felt sorry for someone who seldom looks back on the one who’s done him/her a favour because he/she is too preoccupied on how he/she indulges his/her selfish motives. This reminds me a scene in a Rocky V, when retired Rocky disappointedly stared at his protégé who has been caught by too much ego which made him wanting to beat Rocky in a match. You never know what comes up with the human minds and intentions. You were exactly sure in a moment that he deserves your attention. Yet the next moment the wind blows and his attitude is tarnished. Nothing is really certain except God’s love. And ...

We’ve discussed about fish passage in river controlling structures in the meeting.   This one of the free flow permitted activity conditions one should look at in installing dams, culverts and weirs in the river.   As a river management engineer fish passage is one of those I almost neglect in the designing river controlling structures. I am more on the flood control scheme, managing flows, improving hydraulic efficiency, decreasing roughness of the channel. And then I was given a task to come up with public information to be published region wide and online about the awareness of fish passage.   I was given a task to enlighten the community about something I need to be enlightened about as well.   On the brighter side, I begin to know better.   The migration of fish is part of their life cycle.   Culverts, dams and weirs that are not designed the right way would disrupt the life cycle and become hazards to the whole ecology.   I am imagining that ...

Who wants to suffer in the first place? You may say that if it ain't for something good you prefer to have a worry-free, careless, fantastic life.  I would rather lie down on the beach than crawling in the wilderness.  Or I prefer to eat a burger over a plate of mashed carrots.  Or I would rather watch TV than mowing.  But there must be something good behind the pain. Sacrificing is making you suffer for a good cause. A lady colligue of mine shaved her whole head in support for the cure of her bff's cancer. She used to sport a fantastic short blond hair sparkling a flyaway on her back neck.  And she was willing to go bald.  She came over my desk bald and all with a money basket. I who has been used to credits did not have cash at that moment but I promised to go over her desk to donate once I got the cash which I did.  Sweet. I mean who would refuse to give money to someone who has deprived herself from looking good to show that she cares and tha...

I was reading one of the entries of a member of a group of Christian Bloggers about Christians nowadays being underrated for the reason that some of them don’t act what they speak. Looking at it in a cynical angle, it seems that they are just a bunch of charlatans. But hey! Come on. Nobody is perfect. Anyone has its flaws. We are all sinners. We stumble once in while. Don’t be too hard on them. One thing good about Christians is that they have a track to follow. Once they caught getting off balance and swerving a bit as long as they have a clearer vision of their true north and intend to go back, I guess they are still cool. However, we are indeed imperfect but that's not a reason for us not to aim for perfection. I always like the idea that people should always find us faithful. Aiming for perfection does not mean that you got to be a member of all the religious org that you knew or you got be well versed in the bible or you got to be a theologian or you got to be a...

You are much powerful than what I was thinking.   I thought that I would not get it done because I am not that confident.   Yet somehow you have outdone my fear and just conquer it for me.   You overshadowed my fear.   You have shown me that once a provision has set and it has to be done according to Your will, all I need to do is take action no matter what I feel about it.   There seemed at first to have some situation that would say it couldn’t be done, but you have made your way for me to make it and all I need to do is to carry on.  My Faith draws the courage in me.

A smile can come either from outside or inside.   But joy can only come from inside.   You can smile from outside and having no joy in your heart.   Work on what’s giving you joy and the smile will just come naturally from inside.   Joy is a fruit of the spirit.   Joy is the evidence of the presence of God in your life.   You can smile all day but what is it like when you are just by yourself?   A fake smile won’t last long.    A genuine smile carries joy that can  be obtained from having a desire to do the divine will.   The divine will always coincide with how you were made of.  Where is joy in hurting people?   Where is joy in bad talking about people?   And then you smile like an angel in disguise.   Positive outlook comes within.   Positive outlook comes with action.   Positive outlook comes with clear conscience.   How can you obtain a positive outlook when you have a haunting conscience p...

In my past blog I have said that I began to appreciate small conversation with chatty strangers whom I come across in different places. The reason why small conversations with strangers might turn out to be good is perhaps that there is a minimal amount of knowledge of each other and most likely the topic would be limited to things, events and basic infos.   At least it would start that way until the nasty stuff might kick in such as people bashing. But before it happened, time is running out and both of you need to go on with your own separate ways. And you parted happy. I began to realise that if I would just see the person I am talking with in a perspective of what I see him/her now and not he/she was before or what unreliable others say about him/her, the conversation between us might be interestingly good. The Now is the gauge to measure, not the Then and most likely not the Next. If the Now personality is still as bad as you fairly perceive, bail out before. It is a waste...

While my wife and my son were doing usual stuff in the living room, I thought of going to bedroom for some reason. I sat on the bed and saw the bible in the side shelves. I picked up and open a page. Blessed are those who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of the heavens. Blessed are you when they reproach and persecute you, and while speaking lies, say every evil thing against you because of Me. – Matthew 5: 10-11. O yeah. These verses are what I need to get me going. There is a reason for me to be steadfast in doing good even in the midst of being persecuted at times. The reward is great because I am blessed. And then I prayed and asked God, “Have I done something to harm You or harm anyone?” I stayed quiet for a while. And then I said to myself, “I am ok.” I know that I have been transformed for the better for doing good. And then I went back and joined my family in the living room.

The first time I have learned the story of Joseph, the son of Jacob was when it was adopted as a children story in a magazine and I was the one illustrating it. While reading and understanding the story so as I would know how I would deliver the illustrations, I was amazed of the character of Joseph. This guy is super forgiving-to-the-max-a-hundred-folds. And he knows how to turn around an ill fate to thinking that God has a good plan for him. And the plan unfolds and geared towards his greatness. The story of Joseph sounds too good to be true, doesn’t it? He was sold by his brothers for twenty peaces of silver. He was imprisoned and falsely accused. Yet he obtained his peaceful perception of everything in the midst of painful injustices. He remained faithful and earned the favour of the Pharaoh. And he was exalted to rule Egypt under Pharaoh. He obtained power and used it not to seek vengeance to whoever had wronged him but used it to get back the long lost love of his fami...

I hit the ground running after I was told that they need a design scheme for such and such and councillor needed the design to be presented before the community affected as a proposal by Monday. I was given one week to do it which I know in my normal phase should not be sufficient. I needed to work overtime in my calculation in which I did. What I haven’t calculated was some on the desk request or public enquiries that I needed to accommodate as well as part of my job. I already damped some of the requests while reasoning out that I got an important job for the big boss blah blah blah. I did a bit of time management and a bit of intense facial expression in front of the computer manifesting “i-am-busy-don’t-bother-me” look. To cut it, it was all done on the dot with pat on the back from the big boss and I put smile on my face on way out of the cubicle. Appreciation is such a powerful drive. It is indeed a magic word that gets the giver to push harder to give and give. Do you ev...

What is a coin artist?” asked the Chinese who is trying to learn English for the first time. “I never heard of it”, I replied somewhat puzzled by the question. “What I’ve heard of is a con artist?” “Yeah. That’s the one.” “It is someone who plays tricks on you so that he gets money or anything he wants from you.” “O, Those people on the street.” “Yeah. Yeah” “Street performers” “Noih! They are like robbers who play tricks in order to lure you.” Come to think of it!! Hmmm. They’re not just on the streets. People use people all the time in order to get what they want. They are being extra nice to you in order to win their trust and then “Bammm!” they got something that you’ve lost. There were number of occasions that people have stolen credits from me especially in the past when I was just a bit naive. Posters that I painted, songs that I composed, dances that I choreographed, plays that I have written which I wouldn’t careless if I wouldn’t be recognised because I w...

I first saw the video of Casey fighting back against a bully in school when someone posted it on FB. My first impression would likely that I am more on clinging on the Hero Material of Casey. And then there was the interview with Casey which added up to the image of the boy hero. I have been hesitating on making comments on what I perceived so far till I saw the interview of the bully and his family which is but fair to them who has been demonized a bit from the whole commercialized stories. The network was so descent enough to lay all the cards on the table and let people decide what to pick. The footage shows 12-year-old Richard approaching 16-year-old Casey and then punching him in the face and then 3 or 4 times in the stomach. On the next swing, Casey snapped, grabbed and slammed Richard to the ground like a rag doll. In the interview Casey told that he has been bullied over the past three years. He had once been duct-taped across the eyes and taped to a pole and what have yo...