8 Rounds

Pacman won yet again! Dela Hoya conceded after 8 rounds. I vowed to watch the replay if Pacman losses. I never watched any Pacman fight. See, it's the best time to travel since the city streets are clear of traffic. Besides, I don't have a cable TV to watch it live and watching it on the local TV is frustrating because of long, and I mean SUUUUUUPER LOOOOOOONG commercial breaks. Not to mention spoilers from those who were able to watch the fight in real time.

Filipinos are again "united", well, temporarily. I hate to be antagonistic about this victory but it's just sad how desperate Filipinos are in looking for hope in these trying times. As soon as Pacquiao comes home, I'm sure it's gonna be an endless motorcade with traditional politicians shamelessly taking the opportunity to join Manny and get noticed. Now, that's gonna be traffic!

It's not that I don't want Pacman to win. It's just that I hate all the shebangs that the people puts into it. Can't we just be proud and do away with politicking? Can't we just enjoy the victory without the TV networks fighting over who gets the exclusive coverage of what? Can we just unitedly share in this mighty feat of our fellow Filipino for the sheer joy of just being happy as a nation. I'm done with fleeting unity.

Filipinos should not be overwhelmed with this victory like being high with some drugs. When we wake up the next day, there are important issues that we should be vigilant of. The disappearing funds, political killings, politicking, lies and many lies. Let's face the real issues. Let's face it as a nation.



Whew! I hate it when I rant like that!
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Death Note

I don't wanna die at an old age. Sixty would be okay for me. I have several reasons, yeah, selfish reasons. Watching the local indie movie "100" made me think again about death and dying. Like they always say, there are only two realities in this life -- death and paying taxes.

The movie was about a woman who, in the prime of her life and career, was diagnosed of cancer and has three months left to live. Instead of being sorry, she planned how to spend the last days of her life by making a list of what she (and her loved ones) wants to do -- from resigning in her job, to settling her credits and throwing his credit cards, to breaking up a wrong relationship, to Hong Kong travel, to skinny dipping under the bright moonlight... oopps, too much spoilers. It was poignant as it was funny and you can't help but be drawn to the story. You'll laugh and then you'll cry.

The movie capitalized on good storyline and brilliant casting. The cinematography wasn't flattering but it won't bother you. The acting was superb. Mylene Dizon, the lead actress who played the role of Joyce seemed not to be acting at all. She was so natural. Other casts were as great like Joyce's bestfriend (Eugene Domigo) and her mother (Tessie Tomas).

One line in the movie that I remember was, "If everyone wants to go to heaven, why is everyone afraid to die?". This one is actually true. Many are afraid of dying in the same way that they are not sure if they are going to heaven. While many dismiss heaven and hell, there is an unexplainable longing for every human being that he wants to fill. In the Bible it says that God has put eternity in the heart of every man. That is why man longs for happiness, looks out for goodness and desires contentment. There is a God-shaped vacuum in the heart of every man that only God can fill. He can't find it in anywhere else -- science, relationships, material possessions. Only God can fill it. The sad thing is, man dismisses it because of sin and unbelief. Because believing in God entails that man should let go of his selfishness.

Everyone will soon confront death. And life after death will soon confront the soul of every man. In one part of the movie, Joyce asked her friend, "What if there is no life after death?". Her friend replied, "Well, you won't know anyway. Because if that is true, there's nothing else to know."

I believe that there is life after death and there is a God whom I will be facing when I die. This is faith -- being sure of what I hope for and being certain of what I do not see... and even if others don't believe. One thing I know is God fulfills his promises and His love is ever abundant. Click Here to Read More..

(Still) Mad About Survivor

I first learned about the show in their Amazon season (I'm a late bloomer, I know!), fell in love with it, and never let go ever since. It's their Gabon season and it has never been as exciting!

The latest episode is all about paranoia. This is one of the things I like about survivor. How the people cope with trying situations. This game epitomizes the line I heard, "Situations don't make or break you, they reveal who you truly are" (been reiterating this line for quite several times lately).

I remember changing my lab class schedule way back in college just so I could watch the show. I always dreamed of playing the game and when it had its franchise here in the Philippines, I planned of going to the audition but retreated for several reasons. First, I thought that it's just gonna be one of those talent search/reality show they make and I don't like it because I wanna play the game as what it is, "survival". Second, I doubted about my being fit to play the game. I have been gaining weight lately and I easily get tired. It would cause my early demise, if ever. Lastly, I was on an official trip on the scheduled audition date.

Nevertheless, I still hope that one day... maybe one day, I'll be a castaway. Click Here to Read More..

Templates

I need to make 14 PowerPoint presentations for my boss. She will be a resource person for an APO (Asian Productivity Organization) training to be held in Cambodia next week. This is one of my favorite things to do (I mean doing PowerPoint presentations), especially the part I design the backgrounds myself. Digital editing fascinates me so much. In fact, the day I learned to Photoshop was one of my happiest (I still have a lot to learn though). My Photoshop know-how are very basic and self-taught. I plan to take a short course on multimedia graphics in the future. Later, I will be posting some of my digitally-created/edited artworks. In the mean time, take a look at some of the powerpoint backgrounds I made. I'm open for comments and suggestions.


And I have to take turns doing that and my labwork. Not to mention blogging on the side. Talk about multi-tasking! Click Here to Read More..

Truman Burbank

"This is big! Somebody's filming me 24/7 and my life is being shown in a reality TV show!"

Crazy. A friend told me about Truman Syndrome. It's a psychological disorder where a patient thinks that his life is being played in reality TV.

CNN once reported about a man showing up at a federal building, asking for release from the reality show he was sure was being made of his life. Another patient believed that everything -- the news, his psychiatrists, the drugs they prescribed -- was part of a phony, stage-set world with him as the involuntary star. Yeah, like Jim Carrey's film, The Truman Show.

The syndrome's manifestations are extremes. Few patients take pride in their imagined celebrity, while many are deeply upset at the invasion of their privacy. A postman was profiled in the British Journal of Psychiatry who thought that "he was the eponymous hero in a film". Another patient planned to commit suicide if he couldn't leave his supposed reality show. What is alarming about this syndrome is that it involves not just the patient's circle of influence but the society at large.

This is pop culture has gone out of proportions. Today is a generation of actors. There's YouTube, personal advertisement through social network sites like Facebook, online photo albums (oops, author guilty as charged) and diaries that are open to the public, Big Brother, the list goes on. Everyone wants to be noticed. I can hear Pussy Cat Doll's "when I grow up, I wanna be a star, I wanna be famous..."

Made me think, it'sactually true that our lives are indeed being "filmed". There is not a minute in our lives that God didn't see. We actually have a 24/7 viewer who doesn't only watch us but who also knows what we think and what we feel. It's said in 2 Corinthians 5:10 that everyone will soon appear before the judgment seat Christ where we will receive what is due for all the things we did.

God knows everything. More than the people around us, it should be Him that we should please. He deserves it because He is our God and it is but proper to show our gratefulness to Him whose love for us is so great and unfathomable. Click Here to Read More..

God told me to SMILE

How could I've missed it!

I was browsing my Multiply account and I bumped into one of my friends' blog about what she saw last night. She said that she saw God smiling!

What she saw was similar to the picture above. It's as if God has sent an emoticon to his creations. The bright yellow light on the left is Venus and the blue one on the right is Jupiter and the moon crescent below.

Even if I didn't see it, the picture brought me so much encouragement, especially as I deliver the message about the Second Commandment tonight. The Lord commands His people not to bow down and worship "anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below". Yet He uses His creations to amaze us and tell us that He is ever present and His love and grace is eternally abundant.

When I consider your heavens,the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars,which you have set in place. -Psalm 8:3

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IQ Test, anyone?

IQ or intelligence quotient is an assessment of a person's ability to think and reason (sometimes two of the most arduous task for me). If you wanna know how well you fare, take the test.

Take the test here.

This IQ test is made by PhDs and is scientifically accurate. IQ score will be presented with your intelligence ranking on four unique levels. Click Here to Read More..