It IS Making Me Sad

Life is beautiful.
I have been posting and writing this line for quite a period of time now because I truly believe that LIFE is indeed pretty. Prior to my students's exposure at a pyschiatric hospital, a self-analysis exercise was done with them. The objective of this test is for US to achieve self-awareness for how can one proceed to understand other's plight if he/she does not know oneself fairly well. One question I raised was " What is God's most precious gift to you?" Majority of them wrote LIFE as their answer.

I cannot agree further with them.I have two answers though.For me,it is LIFE and LOVE combined.One can't occur without the other.

That is why headlines on TV and broadsheet make me sad. Young people are taking their lives away. :( Suicide is defined as an act of intentionally killing one self. Suicidal ideation(thoughts of attempting to commit suicide) may be manifested by depressed individuals. Psychiatric Nursing is one subject which is of great interest to me. It is exciting in a manner that we can relate with the different disorders one small way or another.Depression is one topic lengthily discussed and suicide comes along with it. Worse,these young kids act as the culprits/killers too. What is happening???

Ten year-olds are supposed to be playing with utmost innocence and pure heart instead of trying to end a classmate's breathing pattern. They should have crayons in their hands to enhance their gift of art instead of pulling a trigger on their teachers. Teenagers are expected to slowly come out of their shell and carefully understand and experience the wonders of this world,make friends who share common good interest with them and NOT giving up the miracle of their birth because of passion.My gosh!! What passion?? Pardon me,I just cannot comprehend it. They barely had the appetizers,main course and sweet desserts are patiently waiting for them.

I can't contain my disappointment. I had to say to my students this week, "Sorry but your generation is sick." Youngsters have very low tolerance to pain and hardships. Say,during our time,we had to buy newspapers and read printed journals for submission of current trend report. We read textbooks to further understand our subjects. Now, they just "Google" it.  This social networking gen easily gets frustrated because there is no release of endorphins,chemicals that can naturally make people happy because their hobbies include computer games and various web sites to gather "friends." Have they ever tried hide and seek,patintero,tumbang preso? Old school yes but worth to try because of real interaction and movement of extremities.

I get to think of my nieces and nephew plus my grandkids. I am thinking of their future.How would it be? I continue to pray that they may grow to be loving and caring individuals. Freud said everything,all that we are and we will be originates from the oral/infancy stage. I cannot disagree. Love,security,care and belongingness start at home, in the family.I hope we don't get to hear the kids say,Where is the love?"

At 33, I am proud to say that I belong to a generation who grew up with no cable,computers,malls yet experienced jackstones,syato and tumbang preso. I didn't have a friend named Google but I had older cousins and brothers whom I turned to for anwers to my queries.I didn't possess Disney dolls,my kuyas never had Power Ranger toys and PSPs but boredom did not manifest. Time was just rightly spaced for plays at the tree house built by Koyang Mark while munching on aratilis and mansanitas,night chats with cousins cramped in a tiny bedroom during sleepovers and make-believe "beauty parlor" with the girls.

Allow me to retract my earlier statement that the youth is sick. I choose HOPE rather than fear.Together with my apos,I toured Fort Santiago. Isn't it, Jose Rizal stated Ang kabataan ang pag-asa ng bayan. Prove him right,please.

Fr.JL's happy at 50!

I play favorites. I am honest about it. I have 3 favorite priests. They are Fr. Tito Ching(an uncle),Fr. Roger Yambao and Fr.Josel,our current parish leader. He celebrated his 50th natal day last month and the churchgoers showed their love for him thru a dinner-party celebration.

 It is sad my plan of a gift for him did not materialize. No present this year.Hopefully,I could make up for it on Yuletide season.My presence was my present.:)

 Father Josel,I call him Among JL is well-liked my many. He is a cool priest. He makes time to listen to stories of others. He plays tennis,that is why he looks fit.He has a ready smile and warm acceptance for all.

 Among JL is one intelligent man. My cousins who are ex-seminarians describe him as someone very brilliant. He studied in Belgium. His homilies are remarkably short yet powerful and practical.

 I am thankful that Among has more than enough patience to withstand my kookiness and eccentricity. He listens to my stories even if at times they're shallow as 1 centimeter only. He laughs at my jokes.In spite of his busy schedule,he replies to my inquiries and requests.

 Most important, I love the fact he prayed for Mamang when she was critically ill. I will never forget that day Among approached me,asked how my mum was and told me to stay strong,he was praying for her. Oh, I love him from that day on. He makes my mum feel special. Each time she invites him over here at home, he'd at all times would give her Yes as an answer.

 The people of Sta.Ana are very blessed to have a parish priest with untarnished integrity and compassionate heart.Beneath his wit and depth,here is a holy man with a great sense of humor that can challenge Vhong and Bossing. His funny lines and antics will never fail to elicit laughter.

 I wish and pray God will gift this son of Him peace,love,happiness and good health.
Thank you for praying for me.
Thank you for everything.:)

yakimix trip

On a nothing-to-do Wednesday, I journeyed to Makati alone with no particular activity on my mind. I just missed traveling alone.:) Oh yeah, I wanted to check Forever 21 at SM Makati and try edible nutrients not found in Pampanga.
I spotted Yakimix at Greenbelt 3. I heard of this place from my cousin Analyn. She says it's a good resto. Curious me went inside and scrupulously surveyed the area and the buffet set. WHAT A VISUAL FEAST for a takaw-mata like me!

 This is my first time to try buffet alone. Ready,go! I can do this.:) I have my own grill table.:) There were several options to choose from like squid,shrimps,mushrooms of all types,beef,pork,chicken,ham,crab sticks and more.

 All the makis in the dictionary were there to be tried and tasted. I love kimchi. I always have a bottle of it in my fridge. The kimchi in yakimix tasted good.

 Lots of veggies like kimchi and spinach to make for a healthy contribution.Tempura,tempura,I like.

 Ever the "sweet-toothed", my favorite spot on the buffet is the DESSERT section with cakes,ice cream with dips and dots,leche flan,tiramisu,and brownies of all kinds.

 I carefully laid my "strategy" on this game.Hehe! Took my sweet time to enjoy and savor each bite. Dapat sulitin bayad ko.LOL! Facebook and Twitter helped me.

Waaaahhh! Each day, I wish I may have a flat tummy. How can that be when I had two generous servings of ice cream and leche flan. To compensate for the guilt, I picked fruits too.

Imagine how I looked after an hour and a half lunch.Sleepy and dizzily happy. I will see you again, Yakimix.Magpapapayat lang ako ng konte.:)

love thoughts,love lines

Life and love are one and the same thing. If not, then it is worth nothing.

• Sometimes loving could be so painful and difficult, but loving is the simplest reason why you always find yourself smiling.
• Love brings with it the ever-present possibilty of loss. But it's a risk worth taking.
• Love hurts. But true love heals.

Face Time

This early, I say THANK YOU,Apple and Steve Jobs for the gratuity of Face Time.

I have been dreaming and wishing for a Macbook for a very long time now. Kris has been a loyal owner for several years. Other celebrities and personalities have theirs. Carrie Bradshaw too. I wanna have one yet I can't save to buy it. Saka parang di bagay,jeepney rider me toting a Mac in one hand.:) Anywei, I will be glad if my ever generous brothers will surprise me with a Mac soon.Hehe!

Since I think it is not yet the proper time to have a Macbook, I asked my Koyang Miller two years ago to buy me an Ipod touch so I can play Bejeweled and my songs. My Ipod nano which I bought in 2006 ran out of capacity to store my playlists. Di magkaroon ng Mac,I settled for other Apple products which were way cheaper and affordable. Unknownst to me, Itouch can be used to surf the net. I only realized that thru Arlette. A great discovery!

Last July, I purchased an Iphone 4 at Globe Telecom. It was a spur-of-the-moment/well-thought decision combined. I was alright with my myphone coryninoy edition because it's dual sim, I can effortlessly connect with Globe and Sun contacts with just 1 phone.No hassle of having to bring 2 phones all the time. It's been years since I splurged on a mobile device Koyang Miller couldn't imagine I don't have a "high end" one. Here are the reasons I finally finally succumbed to the lure of iphone 4:

• i love taking photos of myself(narcissistic) and people in any given day.
• i am intrigued with Face Time each instance Koyang Miller brags about it.
• i wanted a higher Globe plan to connect anytime with my brothers. In the previous one, I would always be billed beyond my limit.
• sa ganda kong 'to, I have to carry an iphone 4. 'Yan ang humility.LOL!

I still keep my myphone for Sun friends,praying the rosary and as my alarm for duty days.
As for my iphone, I am happy I can take pictures anytime anywhere and post them on Twitter and Facebook. I am delighted with the instagram applications, I edit the photos in not-so-busy- days. I write on Notes each encounter I get to have with my crush or any random thoughts on my mind. Admittedly, social networking is a part of my life,and through mobile surfing, I get to check status updates and timelines at any given hour.

I am satisfied with my iphone to say the least. However, on that day Koyang Miller called me with Face Time, it was not just satisfaction but amazement which swelled in me. To talk with him,Ate Reggie and Jakjak and see them was a joy! Boo was using his Macbook, I was on iphone. Such a great innovation.

On the day after Koyang Miller's cervical spine surgery, we faced time again, this time, Koyang Mark was with him in Texas. I was super happy to see them. It was deeply appreciated that our oldest brother made an effort to be with Boo. Jak showed his guns made of paper board.

Today,I tried for the first instance,to call Koyang Mark's family using Face Time and boy,it worked.Ate Arlyn was amazed with it,just like me.:) My nieces Kadie and Mykee toured me  around their house, Kadie sang Twinkle twinkle and Alphabet song for Lola Mamang. We saw Koyang Mark fixing their faucet, Ate Arlyn was cooking for Mykee's party tomorrow. I super love Kadie's lines:

• Mykee  will have a Dora party. She loves Dora.
• I have a pink school bag. I LOVE PINK!
• Be quiet,Mykee. I'm talking with Ninang Mitzi.
• I love princesses,I like Tinkerbell. Mykee likes Snowhite.
• I don't have school on Sunday and Saturday. I have school on Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday.
• Mommy makes delicious cupcakes.
• I have an ipad,Mommy says I can call it a biggg iphone.

Face time's audio and video are clear.It is better than YM,similarly close with Skype. I am enjoying it. It is one of the latest add-ons to my happy presents. Thank you sooo much, Steve Jobs. You are definitely one of world's most brilliant men. Thank you that before your resignation as Apple CEO, you shared with us iphone and Face Time.

Face Time times with my family who is million miles away are priceless. I won't trade them for anything else at this point,not even chances with my crush. Hmmm,maybe I could have both?:)