cyber celebration

The second sunday of May is celebrated around the world as "Mother's Day". But in our small home, this is just another ordinary day. No gretings, streamers, gatherings, flowers nor special foods to commemorate the event.

Indeed, we are a bunch of insensitive, nonsense and thoughtless creeps who doesn't even know how to express feelings and emotions. Oh well, perhaps it  just only me. I remember my older brother years ago giving flowers to my mom, and my youngest sibling greeting her. But that was years ago.

Okay, I am guilty of being insensitive, thoughless and nonsense son. Say it in whatever way but I didn't mean to be that. I love my Mom but I am not a showy person who will greet, kiss and offer gifts to my Mom while all eyes are on me. I find it so cheezy.

This cliche may sound quaint but for me, action is thought conversing than words. Id rather let my Mom feel that I love her than expressing it in words but being a pasaway all year round.

Nay, I know you won't be able to read this but I want to let you know that I Love You so much, and that I am so thankful for having a mother like you. You are the best mom in the world. Forgive me for all my shortcomings.

I regret being like this. I hope I can show you more. I hope I have the guts to say "I Love You" in person. But this is what I am. Just let me love you the best way I know how. This may seem different but love has various language. This is my language of love.

To all moms in the world. Happy Mother's Day!

6-5-1

This seems to be a quite busy week, but I need to stretch out my brain and spill out my thoughts than keep it rotting in stillness. I need an outlet; apparently this is the cheapest that I thought of, so here I go.

Oh before anything else, English speaking people, beware! Forgive me for my lousy grammar.

To my frequent guests, thank you so much. Here’s what you’ve all been requesting, a brand new entry, which I’m hoping to bear some sense. I am trying to be sensible but most of the times I end up looking like an idiot to the highest degree.

So what now?

Three days before the mid-term election and my fearless forecast would be 6-5-1 in favor of the Genuine Opposition. Not that I am inclined to GO but the reality is that they lead in the surveys. In fact I am bias with Team Unity since I really hate having Pareng Erap as GO’s primary endorser. I can see from my fairly dim crystal ball that Legarda, Escudero, Lacson, Cayetano, Villar and Aquino from GO, Zubiri, Angara, Arroyo, Recto, and Defensor from TU and Independent Pangilinan completing the contested senate seats.

My Votes.

I really can’t decide now if I am going to post my choice, but to give you an idea, it is 1-8-3. One GO, eight TU and three independents. I guess I will name them after the election, but I guarantee you that Victor Wood will not be in my list.

Deciding Factors.

The final results of the surveys by different organizations resulted in confusing trends having various results. Come May 14, the Filipino people will finally decide, and the outcome of the election will be the final survey and the voice of the people.

With the surveys out, and with the most expecting the election results to be close to the surveys, I firmly believe that it is the Middle Class who will make the difference. The working class that most of the time stays in the office and staring in front of their monitors, those that aren’t asked during the surveys since they are busy working and adding collectible tax for the government, the silent majority, where I belong. Watch out!

I am keeping my fingers cross so that possibility of cheating will be eased out.

Enough of politics.

Life is indeed unpredictable. To Jomai and Jojo, may your souls dwell in peace. I am sure that the world regrets the lost of two wonderful persons. Thank you for touching many lives.

What’s eating me?

Whoa! What is happening to me?

I already said goodbye. But somewhere in the process of finding solutions to the intricate equations of life, I found my self in front the box who only understands 0's and 1's yet able to create an uninmaginable world of unlimited possibilities.

While I am searching for a place where I can shout my lungs out without anyone looking at my stupidity… I found this place.

Where am I now?

typhoon watch: Super Typhoon REMING (DURIAN) heading to Metro

* DURIAN (REMING) becomes the 7th Super Typhoon of the 2006 Season. This extremely dangerous howler is approaching Catanduanes and Camarines Provinces at Category 5 strength with 1-min. sustained winds of 250 km/hr.

*This system is much stronger than XANGSANE (MILENYO) which crossed almost the same area 2 months ago. All interests in the Northern Samar, Bicol Region & Quezon Provinces should closely monitor the progress of this extremely dangerous typhoon.

+ Forecast Outlook: DURIAN's core (eye & eyewall) is expected to make landfall over Catanduanes Island tomorrow (Thu Nov 30) at approximately 9 AM in the morning and then cross Caramoan Peninsula in Camarines Sur passing over the towns of Caramoan-Garchitorena (12 Noon), Lagonoy-Goa (2 PM), Tinambac-Calabanga (3 PM) and shall move across San Miguel Bay (4-5 PM) with a close distance of approx. 25 km. to the north of Naga City. It shall then cross Basud-Mount Labo area in Camarines Norte around 5-6 PM and passing over Del Gallego, Camarines Sur at around 7-8 PM tomorrow. DURIAN is expected to continue traversing the archipelago passing over Calauag & Lopez Bay late tomorrow night thru the early morning hours of Friday (Dec 1) and shall be over Mauban, Quezon around 2 AM Friday (Dec 1). The core shall be in the vicinity of Metro Manila around 8-9 AM Friday (Dec 1) and shall exit the South China Sea via Subic Bay Friday evening (approx 8-9PM).

+ Effects: DURIAN's Inner Bands is now the Island of Catanduanes and Northern Samar and is now moving towards Camarines Provinces. Strong winds of up to 100 km/hr with moderate to heavy rains can be expected along inner bands as the typhoon continues to move closer to Northern Bicol. Meanwhile, the outer bands of Durian continues to spread across the Quezon, Masbate, Rest of Samar and Masbate. Passing showers with winds of not more than 50 km/hr can be expected. Coastal Storm Surge flooding of more than 18 feet above normal tide levels…along with large and dangerous battering waves can be expected near and to the north of where the center of DURIAN makes a passby in Catanduanes & Camarines Provinces tomorrow.

+ Current Monsoon Intensity: Light to Moderate Northeast Monsoon enhanced by TY DURIAN (REMING) is currently bringing widespread rains and cool winds across Northeastern Luzon (Cagayan, Isabela, Aurora & Northern Quezon).

Time/Date: 11:00 PM Wed November 29
Location of Eye: 13.4º N Lat 125.8º E Lon
Distance 1: 230 km (125 nm) ESE of Virac, Catanduanes
Distance 2: 280 km (150 nm) ENE of Legazpi City
Distance 3: 335 km (180 nm) ESE of Naga City
Distance 4: 380 km (205 nm) ESE of Daet, Cam Norte
Distance 5: 580 km (315 nm) ESE of Metro Manila
Max Sust Winds (1-min avg): 250 kph (135 kts)
Peak Wind Gusts: 305 kph (165 kts)
Saffir-Simpson Scale: Category 5
Central Pressure: 904 millibars (hPa)
Recent Movement: West @ 19 kph (10 kts)
General Direction: Catanduanes-Camarines Area
Size (in Diameter): 665 km (360 nm) / Large
Max Sea Wave Height (near center): 39 ft (11.8 m)
TSR Wind Probabilities: Current to 120 hrs lead

PHILIPPINE STORM SIGNAL # FOUR (4)
In Effect: CATANDUANES, ALBAY & CAMARINES PROVINCES.

PHILIPPINE STORM SIGNAL # THREE (3)
In Effect: SORSOGON, BURIAS IS., QUEZON, POLILLO IS. & MARINDUQUE.

PHILIPPINE STORM WARNING SIGNAL # TWO (2)
In Effect: NORTHERN SAMAR, MASBATE, ROMBLON, ORIENTAL MINDORO, BATANGAS, CAVITE, LAGUNA, RIZAL, BULACAN, AURORA, BATAAN & METRO MANILA. –> Now lowered: CATANDUANES.–>

The above provinces will experience stormy weather tonight and tomorrow (with winds of up to 100 kph for #02 and more than 100 kph for #03 and in excess of 185 kph for #04. Coastal waters will be rough to very rough and extremely dangerous to all types of seacrafts.

PHILIPPINE STORM WARNING SIGNAL # ONE (1)
In Effect: REST OF SAMAR, BILIRAN IS., OCCIDENTAL MINDORO, LUBANG IS., ZAMBALES, PAMPANGA, TARLAC, PANGASINAN, NUEVA VIZCAYA, NUEVA ECIJA, QUIRINO & ISABELA. –> Now lowered: WESTERN PANGASINAN & ZAMBALES. –>

The above areas will have occasional rains and winds of not more than 60 kph tonight & tomorrow. Coastal waters will be moderate to rough.

Residents living in low lying and mountainous areas under Public Storm Warning Signals are alerted against flashfloods and landslides, respectively while those living in coastal areas under Storm Signals 2, 3 and 4 are advised to seek higher grounds due to possible storm surge that could reach a high of more than 18 feet.

Thanks to Michael Padua of T2K (www.typhoon2000.com)

stained glass

Today marks the lowest point of my midlife.  Me and my very best friend for more than five years parted ways and decided to turn our back to each other due to our differences. It was so sad and unfortunate. As if a part of me has died. But we had to do it. I had to do it while bearing all the pain for the sake of respect.

We were the best of friends before, when our definition of friendship was still based on each others presence and fidelity. But as time goes by, the definition changed, to my grief, it weakened to the point that the friendship depended on phonebook entries, namecalls and terms of kind words.

We were binded by years of togetherness, trials, overcoming, duets, laughter and even tears but walled by a nightmare of the past that we were trying to hide. A nightmare that divided the triangulated friendship we once built but are now obliterated. A nightmare that keeps haunting us up to now and finally triumphed to kill the little fire of friendship that were left on each of us.

We were all designed to master imperfections. We all have good sides and bad sides. But I firmly believe that no one was born evil. That each has their own angle where they shine the most. We commit sins… sins that seem unjustifiable but everybody also deserves a chance… chance to change and to prove their worth. And while I resolutely stand by my philosophy… others are not.

Imagine us to be a trio. My other friend committed a sin to the other….a sin I didn’t imagine will happen.  I was caught in the middle… in the crossroad where in the end I will be hit and killed.

I supported the victim but still embrace the enemy. Unknown to the sufferer I purposely maintain the friendship intact with the other party in spite of of his strong warning. I comforted the other while offering my other shoulder to the sinner and eventually letting him prove his own worth and helped him change. I was so proud that it turned to be positive. I was able to create a two separate world out of the two. I was able to let them stand in their own light and shine.

Years of hiding and collecting skeletons, what I all did exploded in my face. The Pandora’s box opened and I was caught unready.  The victim, unwilling to do what I did was hurt of course. In the end, I was judged and named conspirator, traitor, fake and every negative word applicable. I was accused of offenses I am not guilty of. The worst, I cannot defend myself. I cannot say I am right or he is wrong because there is no such when we talk of beliefs and philosophy. In times like this, respect must prevail. I used it, but I lost. But I still respect him.

I tried to be a good friend but I was a big failure. You turned your back on me and I decided to forget that black chapter of my life and move on. I now leave all the memories and will start to rebuild my life. Thanks for all the memories. You are still my best friend.