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Remember that as a writer, you’re not just a writer.

You’re also a salesman.

Everyone is. And salesmen don’t sell stuff. They sell themselves first.

- Bo Sanchez

Wooh, first post for the year! And I’m talking about “selling” myself. Yeahbah. Nothing much to say, really. I’ve recently retreated to old school media: journals/notebooks/planners for my thoughts & ideas. And of course, there’s Plurk, for my convenience. Lols. I just can’t wait for “things” to come into fruition. Good vibes, possibilties… oh 2010, please be mine.

hiatus

Ho ho ho! I’m still a little wide awake from that tall Starbucks coffee I drank in the afternoon. It’s our last day (at least for the week), and our boss treated us some coffee and sandwich Starbucks lovin’. I always say that I’m contented with Nescafe 3-in-1 but I gotta admit, brewed coffee is a real treat too.

The past few days have been a bit “dizzying” for me (but of course fulfilling), having to advance articles to get us to this most-wanted break (lol) in the wake of a sleepy state. Now that last statement made me dizzy. Haha. Anyway. Everyday I had to down two cups of coffee (except for yesterday, when I downed some black tea for my second cup) to keep me not just awake but sane enough to squeeze decent and creative words out of me. You see, I’m completing the Simbang Gabi. It’s my second time, the first time being back in second year college. [How grateful and happy I was then! Yiheee. The heavens granted my wish.] I go and drag myself out of bed during past couple of days and attend the mass as my way of saying thank you to God for this wonderful, wonderful year. It may be too little a sacrifice as compared to how much I was blessed but I hope God gets it. And I know He does. And of course, I’ve got a wish for next year. Keeping all my fingers crossed that it’ll be granted.

* * * * *

I remember getting a text before from a friend saying: “repeated experiences mean one thing: to teach us what we refuse to learn.” Yeah, maybe I need to experience “similar” things to test myself if I had really learned my lesson. 

* * * * *

Meanings and reasons are relative. But there is only one truth.

* * * * *

Now I’m sleepy. Yey. Gotta hit the sheets. Last day of Simbang Gabi coming in a few hours! And of course, it’s Christmas Eveeeeeeeeeeee! Wooh!!!! \m/

i gotta feeling

IT’S OUR CHRISTMAS PARTY TONIGHT!

Oh well, just killing some time before we go. It’s suppose to start at 6pm, but we’re still here in our office. Haha. I’m not really expecting anything, just wanting to have fun especially coz it’s my first! Woohoo.

Hmmm, so the last time I wrote here was October! Ha! Well, Between October and December a lot of things happened. And it’s not just about how many they are, but what they are and how they have affected my life so far. Always, at the end of the day I always contemplate on how blessed I feel for this year. God has given me so much and I wish I could return all those blessings by getting better as a person. I know I sound like a broken record for saying this, but I never tire. It keeps me in perspective whenever petty things affect me and get me all anxious. I’ll be counting down all my blessings in ink at the end of the year, when I make my year-ender list. 

I’m so thrilled for next year! I hope it would be a good year for pursuing dreams. Nyaks cheesiness. Speaking of that, I’ve realized that spotting opportunities is one thing, but seizing that is another. It’s easy to say, ‘oh i wanna do this or that and I’m gonna make it happen.’ But to do it? It entails a lot of things - resources, efforts, time, money (one of the most crucial especially if you’re like me that has just commenced my career). All I got with me now is faith and the determination that I’d be able to seize that opportunity.

And what a year it has been for the Philippines as well! So many things going on, as if all these catastrophes (natural or not) can’t seem to end. I just hope that things will be better next year, particularly the elections. I pray for justice. Peace. Resolutions. End of corruption. Genuine, righteous, selfless leaders. Less tragedies (because of course natural disasters are inevitable). More vigilant and concerned citizens. More giving, less selfish taking. Prosperity of families. Job opportunities. A self-reliant, resilient country and people.

Good things came as well, and I hope they will keep pouring in on 2010!

the unbearable lightness of wengky

In “The Unbearable Lightness of Being”, Milan Kundera says that we’ll never know if we really made the right decisions unless we repeat our lives and try different kinds of paths. Hence, we feel an “unbearable lightness”, because we only live once, as if our lives are devoid of meaning.

(Oh my, I talk about the book as if I’m through with it. Still a hundred pages away, LOL.)

Well I guess, I’ll never know if I made the right decision, I won’t have another life to test another path, but all I know now is, and I want to believe, that I’m right where I’m supposed to be… destiny, if I may call it.

And I’m happy and I’m grateful for everyday. I just swallow it all in, the good, the bad, the tough, the easy… and it gives me peace. There is no such thing as a perfect place, and knowing that makes me appreciate more where I am. To live everyday and live with my heart’s desire is one of the greatest gifts God has given me. To be able to go home every night and smile a big smile to my Mu and Pu. I want return that blessing by working hard (and smart, I hope). Maybe I wouldn’t really need another life to figure things out, if I did it right or wrong. I wouldn’t need another life to know that I can and I will fulfill my purpose.

The path of life is no red carpet, but I’ll keep walking (but of course I’ll rest for a while sometimes, we all need to!) until I reach the stage of my dreams.

P.S. Be still, my heart, be still, please.

And mind, stop being such a weakling.

P.S. 2 Recently I created my first “Favorites” playlist in my iTunes. (How delayed of me, as always. LOL) Just wanna share the tracks in it:

These are the songs that I can listen to on constant loop and I won’t ever get tired. Woohoo. I’ll be adding more sometime soon, surely I would! There’s a lot of good stuff out there! \m/

the whip of Ondoy

The sun is shining again. But it’s not shining on the same ground anymore. Coz this ground is a mess, in ruins from the damage wrought by the worst typhoon to hit Philippines in 40 years, typhoon “Ondoy”.

All the images, footages, stories circulating around the media and social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, Plurk, Tumblr are really heartbreaking. All the properties we worked hard for, swept away by the ignorant flood water. But more than the properties, it’s really the lives lost that pierce my heart so much. In the news they reported 7 kids (related as cousins) died together because of the flood. Their bodies were soaked in mud. It made me cry, thinking about their future that can never be fulfilled now, because they were gone too soon. And there are still more.

I felt like a part of me was swept away too when I saw these:

more here. Wah, USTe.

Backtrack:

I was on my way to the office that Saturday (September 26) when early in the morning the rain fell so ragingly. I didn’t make it pass the underpass going to Intramuros because the corner of N. Almeda Lopez was already flooded. I rode a pedicab and tried with all my mighty charm to haggle the fee. Kuya Pedicab was charging me with P40. Too bad I didn’t remember then that when Mu and I went to Seamen’s Hospital (which is just a few steps away from Manila Bulletin) we got a good deal in paying only P40 for the two of us - from Central Terminal station! Nevertheless, in the end he gave in and we met halfway - P35.

In the evening Mu picked me up from the office. Her lower extremities were wet. She told me the area near SM Manila was a like a sea with all these violent waves. The flood was waist-deep. Good thing she brought some clothes. They were meant for me but I told her she needed to change more than I do. So she did. I’m almost in tears listening to what she had gone through, I didn’t want her to get hurt or anything, but I’m just really thankful that she fetched me and we went through it together. Thank you Mu.

We rode the pedicab that Mu rode going to the office. She made a deal with young Kuya Pedicab that he would take us to Carriedo station since traversing to Central Station would be like swimming. He pedaled and pedaled inside Intramuros and there was nothing but darkness and sound of moving water. For that moment I felt as if the world stood still and time held its breath, save for us who were struggling towards our destination. I’ve never seen Manila as quiet, as haunting and as desolate as I did that Saturday evening. I think I only saw a single jeepney, and then some ten people walking along the bridge. 

Mu and I are really grateful for young Kuya Pedicab. He was really nice and did his best - even to the point of lifting his tricycle from one side of the road to next in order to take us to Carriedo. I felt really blessed meeting a person such as him coz it’s rare to find such genuine people who truly care. Along with our payment I also gave him Skyflakes (yes I still do bring snacks at work, you know my metabolism LOL). I hope that helped ease his hunger and exhaustion.

Thank God the flood subsided in Monumento, and thank God that the flood inside our house subsided too (not outside, though. It was only the next morning when it did). Some of our things got wet, and some of them are still in the drying stage. Thank God too, because my friends and acquaintances are safe with their families. 

Came Sunday I took a pedicab from Carriedo to Intramuros because Central Station is still flooded. I even saw a taxi nearing submergence and a bus half-submerged in water. When I went home in the afternoon I had to stand on the seat of the pedicab I rode that will merely take me on the other side (Ate Pedicab removed the cover of her pedicab so I was able stand erect - except I think I was still Kampanerang Kuba LOL). I was like in a motorcade/parade of a festival of flood. 

I decided to ride a jeepney so I could check out the condition of other parts of Manila. Recto was like a sea, too. And kids enjoyed themselves as if it was a resort swimming pool. They didn’t care even though they had wounds on their knees.

Other parts of Metro Manila and beyond are still flooded. There are still thousands of evacuees. But we are Filipinos and Filipinos are resilient. I believe that as long as we’ll help each other in any way we can, big or small, it will make a difference as we rise from this fall. Let’s help each other.

Check out these valuable links to know how you can do your share:

Bianca Gonzales’ Blog (she compiled everything! Super indeed!)

Philippine Red Cross: Ways to Donate

Ondoy on Facebuko: Drop Off Points Map

DON’T UNDERESTIMATE WHATEVER YOU CAN DO! EVEN A LITTLE HELP WILL GO A LONG, LONG WAY! *rock* New days are ahead and we can rebuild what was destroyed.