let's talk about religion

we're all taught not to talk about two things in life: politics and religion, it's better that we talk about something as mundane as the weather rather than talk about these two things and end up offending someone. a recent faux pas made me ask, why do we not talk about religion?
a friend and i were texting about our work woes and how we absolutely would want to be able to move on to something better. we exchanged ideas and suggestions for each other. the last text i sent her was asking if she prays novenas because i found a novena for those seeking work. she didn't reply but i was so eager to share the novena to her so when i got to work that night i immediately hurried to her cubicle and handed her the leaflet for the novena to saint cajetan, patron saint of those seeking for work. it took her about another hour to tell me through email that she can't use what i gave her because she's not catholic. i was so embarrassed and i felt my face turn red when i read that email. if you live in a country like the philippines where one religion is predominant than any others, one can become presumptuous like me. since my friend didn't reply i thought that she could just be like me, a catholic like a whole lot of filipinos. maybe in certain situations we should talk about religion, politics and whatever else is considered taboo, we all just need to find a balance so as not to offend anyone.

more than a year

i haven't posted anything or tried to write anything except for what is assigned in the company newsletter in ages. i miss writing and how my thoughts can be arranged to form sentences and paragraph that forms a thought and sends a message that hopefully anyone or maybe no one gets to read. i once read in stephen king's memoir, "on writing" that if you want to be a writer you have to spare time everyday to write and have a place where writing can be conducive. i certainly don't have that discipline or that place, i wish i have that though. i mostly just complain about stress or lack of sleep as reasons for lack of inspiration to write. i have a list and i have notes on things i should write in my blog or my journal going as far back as 2008 and i never really am able to cross out some things off my list.

i get too distracted and i let my moods most of the time get in the way. the truth is facebook and twitter has been so tantalizing. a blog can't compete with 140 characters of a tweet and anything posted in facebook could get instant gratification knowing that someone clicking the like button there's an audience on what's on my mind. my mid year resolution should be: to start writing, cross my fingers i should be able to fulfill that.

on my list

interesting books that may make anyone think twice about marriage and these are stories of real people and their marriages.

inspiration

i watched julie and julia two days ago and i was inspired to write again. i have always been a moody writer. it's all about the inspiration for me. whether i am getting paid for writing or writing for pleasure, my output still always depended on my mood. while watching julie and julia i thought i could push myself to write again. there is so much in my head that i could write about. so many books, news articles, movies, instances, incidents, and the little things in life that i could write about that would help me become a better storyteller and a better writer.
in my list of to blog about:
1. my sherlock holmes movie review
2. my julie and julia book review
3. what really happened when i lost my phone
4. my current book wish list
the list i hope goes on.............

What Now, Krista? Unsolicited advice from talent managers and PR pros | Spot.PH

What Now, Krista? Unsolicited advice from talent managers and PR pros | Spot.PH

I can't help but jump on the Krista and Manny rumored love affair. It was hot news last week and I know I'm a bit late but still I think it's worth writing about. I don't know Krista Ranillo that much but I know that their family is related to my maternal grand mother's family. A connection I'm not so proud about and a connection they're not so proud about either and only acknowledge every time Matt Ranillo tries to bid for a political post in Zamboanga del Norte.
Like any thinking and sane Filipino I go for the underdog, in this case Jinkee, the wife. She may be toting LVs and Chanels but still she is the poor and suffering wife. In any culture the "mistress" is always portrayed as the devil incarnate and the temptress. I can't help but wonder why the blame isn't also put towards the guy, Manny in this case. If he had as much discipline with his personal life as he does with his boxing we wouldn't be talking about this affair. His success in the boxing ring and whatever spotlight is being put towards him and thus the Philippines in the process has been eclipsed by this affair. Most times when success gets to your head and one thinks that nothing can destroy his image, I'd like to say "Think Again MANNY". This affair has left us with distaste. A lot of Filipino women are willing to take Jinkee's side and boycott you no matter what pride and glory you bring to the country. Infidelity speaks volumes about a person's character. Cheating on one's wife is unforgivable but to do it in a public arena where part of the path you take in life is to be famous for what you do, is more unforgivable. For being a sports legend comes with responsibility not just on what you choose to do but also with what you do in your personal life.

on the loop

these 2 songs are my current favorites. i don't know how many times i have listened to these 2 songs in the past week. i know i am just like a kid excited in something new i can't let go of my new thing. i am in love with the lyrics and the melody of these songs and when i am not listening i keep repeating them in my head.
leona lewis' "happy" invokes something in me that reminds me to just let go and be happy; to sometimes think that my own happiness should come before consideration of other people or things. my favorite lines from this song is that reminder i am talking about; "so what if it hurts me? so what if i break down? so what if this world throws me off the edge my feet run out off the ground i gotta find myself i wanna hear my sound don't care about other pain in front of me cause i am just trying to be happy." it's almost selfish when i think that i want to put my own happiness before others but it also makes perfect sense how can i share what i don't have right? i need to find my own happiness before i radiate it to the world.
kris allen's "live like we're dying" reminds me again of what's important or rather who. this particular line made me think "who would you call with your last good byes?", i guess my call list would change from time to time but the changes would be so minimal, in my 28 years somehow i know now the people that matters and who should be included on that list.

CNN Heroes

i failed to mention this

on my 28th birthday my sister gave me this book. this is a gift from a sister who has had enough and had to intervene on the fact that spinsterhood could be my fate because i still am pinning my hopes on a gay guy. i refuse to mention who he is out of that tiny respect i still have for myself. i haven't read the book but i skimmed through the book and it seemed fun to read.

opinion

i know i have repeatedly been quoted that i won't ever blog about my opinions on public issues that could haunt me at some later time except for my stand in tibet which i posted in my friendster blog. i am known for being straightforward and someone who wears her opinion in her sleeve during conversations or mostly when i am talking, to be honest (with all the pun intended on this phrase), but i have always been careful about what i write in the world wide web because just like the other www that is the wild, wild west the internet is a place where a person can be free to express one's opinion but it does come with the price of being open to ridicule or simply outrage from anyone who comes across what has already been written. i may always have the option to delete what i have posted but deleting doesn't change anything, i still wrote what i wrote so i choose what to write about and mostly i don't comment on social issues and headlines. these topics are raw and bring out emotions to a lot of people, i am a very private person who talks a lot but still a lot of people find me an enigma. my opinions are stuck in my head and i at times ask myself why not blog about after all, i think with all the reading i do i am pretty well informed when i open my mouth. it's a choice just like everything in life.

there is one current issue though that i'd like to talk about. i feel strongly about the issue and i know that a lot of people might not agree with me and i might draw ire from whoever has time to read my blog but i'll write about it anyway. it's about the lavish dinners that pres. macapagal-arroyo had in the u.s. frankly when i heard about it and the overreaction i can't seem to understand all the hoopla. sorry but i do think that a head of state is worthy of such dinner whether she is a head of state of a first world or a third world country. she can have dinner anywhere she wants what i probably would disagree was the sheer number of hangers-on who came with her to that dinner if they have kept the number of people at a certain number the dinner could just have ended in thousands instead of tens of thousands of dollars but anyway no matter how much the tab would have ended up for whoever truly paid for those dinners, she'll still be under scrutiny. it was a no win situation for a person that is the center of all our scrutiny but come on for sure there are people worst than pres. macapagal-arroyo and we're just pinning all of our attention on her because she's the one in the top position. we the masses are being dragged to take sides on personal vendettas of every opposition group that has ever been formed in this country. we get certain headlines played over and over again because someone pushes certain issues into public light and some just get swept under the rug. we are all just taking a roller coaster ride from one breaking news to the other and nothing concrete ever gets done anyway except for a senate inquiry that makes our senate look like csi rather than a legislating body. it's tiring and it has been vicious cycle of issue then senate inquiry then nothing. yesterday i saw a headline about the pres. macapagal-arroyo's trips abroad having overspent around P1.6bn who cares at least those trips bring some investments back to the country unlike a certain president who barely traveled because of the obvious reason that his head was so empty or was he too drunk to have a decent talk with any of his counterparts during his time. let the president have dinner wherever she wants to. for sure if she had dinner at a sabrett hotdog stand in new york we would all be wagging our tongues too about how unbecoming of her.

Missing Bob Blummer

It was about 36 hours after this event that I was able to see this congratulatory notice in my inbox. It's not Discovery Travel and Living's fault, it is entirely my fault that I don't check my emails as often as I used to. I have made a schedule that I only check my personal emails on weekends which is entirely at times useless because there are certain things that needs to be checked in the middle of the week. I have always thought about getting a blackberry but have also thought about my addictive tendencies. I won't discuss that much but lately truth be told I am mostly out of touch whether it's texting or a simple phone call. I guess I'll blame it on the night shift for the mean time or my crazy hormones.

Too bad I am such a big fan of this food and travel shows that Discovery Travel and Living airs. I specifically like Bob Blummer's shows because he's not afraid to look like a fool on the challenges he does for Glutton for Punishment and even if it's trivial I do pick some bits of information from his show. Some bits that might be helpful if I might end in one of the destinations that the show has featured. Who knows?