The Importance of An Outlet

In this technology-driven world today, an outlet seems to be the most sought for utility known to man. We go to coffee shops and we don't ask for an latte - we ask if there's a free outlet somewhere in the cafe. We get home and we make sure that somewhere in our room is an outlet near our resting couch (or bed) so that we may charge our devices while still getting the chance to use it. Right now, I'm seated beside four - yes, four - outlets, three of which are already being used and the other still waiting for it's user. Truth is, this power outlet seems to be getting ubiquitous everyday - and as with all ubiquitous things, we really only notice them when they're gone.

An outlet exists because we get something out of it - which is necessarily true for gadgets. However, an outlet in the not-physical sense is something we all need, one way or another. We all need one outlet, because getting stuck in your own thoughts without an outlet to take it out can be really sad - and besides, without an outlet I wouldn't be able to type these thoughts out in the first place.

What Games Taught Me About Platforms

Growing up in a time when the status quo of console gaming was just beginning to take shape, one can vividly remember the time when I saw a plumber on screen and was told that a certain "Mario" was me, and I was to control him in order to "win the princess." Much more amazing to me then was that when I pressed a button, that Mario guy would do something! It would jump! At that time, it felt like I was a god that had ultimate power - even though it was only a plumber with no other purpose in life but to get the princess by jumping over and above square bricks.

Fast forward to today's world, and I find myself living in a reality not so distant from my past - the industry of technology. In other words, software is the main thread that binds together most of what I do. The bits and bytes have become ubiquitous, and an internet connection is already something akin to air - you don't notice it when it's around, but when it's gone, you'd think the whole world was conspiring against you. That said, the software in the world basically take up two mantras - the one being the native code, and the other being the platform.

You'll notice this because as widespread a language may be, more often than not there will be platforms available that further the features of the native code. And yes, it's true that they get you places. However, like how Mario can just jump into a brick and break it, so will a platform act the same.

A platform is a platform is a platform - it does help you get to places, but if you build your skills (and ultimately, your career/business) around it, it will eventually fall apart - leaving you to fall to the depths of whatever is down there.

Perhaps this is why I had apprehensions in using platforms so much. However, it's come to my realization that I've been building on platforms for a while now, though I never really realized it as such. Point is, the more specialized, deep, and abstract a platform is, the weaker will it's staying power be.

Now, the decision to use one is a relative one - it's best to weigh the future and present returns before taking a big leap and clicking on "Sign up!".

A Cause For A Shoutout

The act of calling out a particular entity, be it a person, event, random being, is more often than not a pledge to give proper recognition and to raise awareness among one's peers. It is but the modern way of an introduction to the uniformed, at the same time a validation to those already aware of an entity's existence.

During these holiday breaks, the lull time has given me thought about passing on the recognition that many of my peers deserve - yet something still tells me not to do so just yet. This stems from a common perception of fear - fear that in your efforts of recollection and giving praise, you might do more damage by unintentionally leaving out a person who deserves more credit than those you did remember.

Another thing keeping me from giving recognition is the thought that goes like, "do people really need to be put in boxes of recognition?" Come to think of it, it's not that all people were required to go out of their way just to receive a form of validation from their peers. Because giving validation is something entirely relative, and not all people may not give you your proper recognition because they simply do not understand the weight of what you've been doing.

So to put this clearly, starting this day, let it be known that people, no matter how common, weird, or great they may seem, are judged based on a relative scale - something that's not a reliable criteria in the first place. Go ahead and make everyone a bit happier but giving them shoutouts - for being alive, and for being alive on their terms.

Happy Easter y'all :)

boolean unfair = null;

Life is freakin’ unfair. It always has been, always will be. Thing is, that’s not necessarily a bad thing. It largely depends on which side you are on – you can always live a life where “unfair” actually means that you get some advantages over others. Just because something is “unfair” does it always mean that odds are against you – being in front of the pack is just as “unfair” as you being in last place.

You could think of it as something dependent on a choice of perspective, and you could be right. Things can go wrong sometimes, but more often than not, that “wrong” is but something that’s leading you to a greater “right.”

So keep your head up, dream even bigger, and learn how to fly. There’s more to life than looking at rights and wrongs – because in the end, all that matters is how you thought how things went.

Cheers!

Isolation to the Fifth

It's Day Five. Five freakin' days of isolation, of watching anything on TV, of waiting for the strike of the fourth hour for meds, of being stuck, and of trying to keep myself sane. It hasn't been easy, trust me. But neither will being mad about it make it any better. Go figure.

There's something about being away from society that allows someone to think things through, to have an idea of where things stand. Yes, that's the norm. What isn't normal, though, is how things come to you when you don't even ask for them. Things you normally wouldn't have the chance to come across if you hadn't been subjected to almost a week of not facing anyone outside your family circle. It's these little blessings that can somehow put a smile on anyone's face, much less mine. Sadly, there's a sad side that comes with it.

This thing that's happening, with me being in a place I know I really don't belong to anymore, may have just been pushed to some extent. It's not that I regret anything, but it's just that there's been a good eye-opener today that's leading towards more things that should not have been there in the first place. And I hope I'm f*ckin' wrong.

I'll be back in society sometime soon, there's no question there. But what I'll be going back to will be quite different from when I left. And the change won't only be coming from the people in the society, but from myself as well. Let's be optimistic and say that it isn't really a big deal. But I'd like to think it is. It freakin' is.

To be honest, there's something I've been looking forward to for a while now. From the writing of this post, it's one down, four to go. I sure hope as hell that you would be there too. All of you. 'Coz when it does, we'll all be celebrating something, though it'll be a different reason for everyone. Cheers.

Breaking a Break

It's been a long while since I've written any sort of write-up. Heck, it's also been a long time since I've wanted to, but decided to put it off because writing one's thoughts on-screen can make one vulnerable to emotion - something I admit I've been trying to avoid lately. But here you are. And this is another post. Best we get along with it.

Now that the Lakers are finally through chasing a three-peat, miserably failing to do so in the process, I'm initially left with rooting for the Bulls for the remainder of the playoffs. Bummer. Sad, if you may. But hey, we all go through different stages in our lives, some better than others. Even if it won't be clear at that instant. We'll see where it goes.

Lately though, there's been a lot of things going through my head. Some sad, others quite desperate, but most of the time they're of the future kind. You know, that thing a certain speaker told an audience: creative visualization? Yeah, it sort of sounded quite like that. Only thing, there is a certain level of balance that one has to achieve in order to get the most efficient output. Not claiming here that I do, but I think I may have an idea. And to have that thought in mind is the most likely first step.

I've been wanting to do a lot of things. Take care of this, start that, read these, conquer the world...you know, the usual stuff most of my kind think of. Thing is, I lack some sort of inspiration to be able to carry through these stuff. It's not like looking at a bunny rabbit is enough to make you smile - sometimes, you gotta grab that scene and make it yours. Literally and figuratively. But how do you start? Is there an e-book over on Demonoid  that allows you to do so? I think not, for if there were I would have long found it already. The Missing Manual, it'll likely be called. But who knows for sure, really.

In all honesty, these are all rants. That part's quite obvious. What it isn't is what you ain't reading, and those are found between each and every line you've just read. I'd give a trip to Paris and Rio to the one person who is able to find out what those thoughts between the lines are. Seriously.

To each his own, my friend. To each his own.

Clock work

Imagine a clock that just got smashed by a hammer - bad.

You see all those little pieces scattered all around?

Now imagine, if you had to put all those pieces back together to get the clock working again. Would you?

Time Off

While it is a common cliche that time is gold, there ought to be a standard definition of what 'gold' really stands for. For some, it is the literal - gold just means monetary riches, not necessarily the element that it used to represent. To others, it is more hypothetical. Some would even go as far as philosophical, where knowledge will lead to that concept of 'gold'.

And while I do not disagree with any of those stated above, I believe we are all resigned to the fact that 'gold' can, in one way or another, refer to life itself. It can refer to health, and a good one at that. For what is the use of riches when we can't be there to enjoy it.

Next time you try and stress yourself out with all you're doing, take some time to lean back. Take a break, and take some time off. You might just need it. Who knows, maybe your idle hands might just be what's lacking in your next adventure.

finally

i'm finally getting a blog with the words 'ruffy' and 'heredia' on the URL - for the first time. mark this day for such a wonderful event, 'coz it might lead you to places you've never even dreamed about.

Appreciation For The Many

It's not like everyone was born into this world full of skepticism and hatred. As we were pulled into the society, we then had fresh minds and positive-yet-naive thoughts. Who could have thought that we'd actually consider the sun had two eyes and a mouth that would smile when it was up in the sky? Or that constellations in the sky would actually have lines drawn between points for us to recognize what they were?

Reality doesn't stick to unicorns and fairy-tales as much as some of us want them to. Though we have our ideas of what we want, there are always times when most of us think only of our own four walls and forget that the world might actually be a better place if we recognize that there's still a floor and a ceiling, making it six sides in all. You see, no matter what angle you take your picture of life, there will always be more than what you originally thought of.

When you see a classmate get a 98 of 100 score on the latest exam, while you only got a mere 57, you have to recognize that your classmate might have just aimed at getting a perfect score, ultimately falling short of it. To the general public, what he got is a diamond, something far reachable than what the average person can usually get. And perhaps this is what we all should have in our mind - aim high, then hit big. You've already deprived yourself the chance to win it big when you don't even aspire to be there in the first place.

It pays to see the positive side of things. It's a path that's not taken as much as you think it is, and even that is still an unclear proposition. However, learn to appreciate what others do out of service, out of pure initiative, and out of goodwill.

Making black propaganda just for the sake of it only proves one irony that your life is currently experiencing - that you're not doing anything interesting, and you actually want people to care about you. Pathetic.

Refuse To See

There have been a few good times when I sense that some people are portraying the very opposite of what they are inside. These situations have lead me to ponder on the thoughts of someone being able to have the luxury of having to wear a mask and eventually get away with it - and trust me, it's nowhere near being healthy.

Recently, I've been on another roller-coaster ride - one that's involved more than just the usual solo-shotgun ride life usually asks me to be on. This time, the only reason I got involved is because I see the responsibility I have in making someone see things in a better light. It isn't even assured of winning the Right-Thing-To-Do award, but for all it's worth, there's a possibility that continuing with this charade would lead to worse repercussions in the future. Perhaps this is one of the ironies of being an optimist - you pessimistically ask people to be an optimist too.

In your everyday lives and monotonous routines, you may have been privileged enough to notice that the ones who strive to become better than most are usually the ones that delve into their personal worlds more often than the usual. Probably because their outside influence is not coherent with their inner long-term goals, we may never know the real reason for this. However, it becomes such a hindrance whenever they sacrifice the very essence of success and social standing by going into one's own world and constantly be in denial for things that are really right in front of them. Yes, we all go through hell every once in a while - this is something that no one is exempted from. However, how we handle this 'hell' and how we plan on looking forward to reaching nirvana can and will define us - in more ways than one.

People who've gone through [bleep] in their lives know that in everything you do, you will always have a choice. A few follow the saying of "if there's a will, there's a way", or even the simple cliche of "it's never too late". Even more people go ahead and make their own one-liners, albeit these don't really go far from the main point of it all. What's that point, you ask? It's that point that gets shouted out by the genuinely happy people alive, and it is this - happiness is a choice. It always has been, and always will be.

For all the decisions we make in our lives, none has been more important than the decision of which thought to constantly have. Perhaps this is why optimists have an edge over the not-so-positive. They're the ones that already feel like they are in their nirvana, so when it does come, they are more than ready to accept the responsibilities of being there, of being someone who's happy and thankful for everything they have.

Seriously, if you didn't already feel like winning the lottery way before you actually did, would you have been able to properly handle it when it did come?

I didn't think so.

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be nice to the world, and the world will be a lot nicer too.

Investment of a Click

Thank you for taking time to click on the link that brought you here. It won't take you long if you plan on reading the whole post though, I'll just be posting some of my one-liner thoughts here.

"they say that once you decide to become vulnerable, chances are good that you will eventually pay the price for it...

..guess what?


....i did pay the price. big time.






.....but you know what?








......for some unexplainable reason....








.........it was worth every second." :)


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i'll be there.

Lost Chances

While it may be true that the lessons we learned in the past, along with the resolve to do better despite these shortcomings, have a way of improving the present-day 'you', there can always be times where we encounter a situation that just opens our eyes and shouts into our hearts something we've long tried to hide. For some people, this may be some sort of trivial, immature habit that just keeps coming back. For the unfortunate few though, this little comeback may involve matters that affect more than the literal - it also affects the emotional.

Of course, I'm not going to talk about the clique of people that gets cast out in society because they're either too worried, or they're just plain misunderstood. This post will certainly touch the 'emo' side of things though, but to look at it on the general level of 'emo' would be depriving yourselves the chance to relate to a real message hidden between these lines. So here goes.

Entitlement is something that's gone from being exclusive, to just plain self-proclaimed. It is this certain two-sided characteristic that allows confusion to come into the picture, and eventually make it's mark on a few good people. How can you really give a clear definition of entitlement? Are mutual feelings good enough to allow you to be secure in a relationship? Can passed-along talk about people and happenings be enough to conclude that something is really happening the way you interpret the situation? These are just some questions that I've come to face the past two days, and quite honestly, I believe they're not healthy at all.

There must have been some reason why I loved being a hibernating caveman for the past summer break - it was only then that I could take some time to think about people, about life, without any outside interference and outside influence. And I was lead to thinking that all would be alright once I stopped being a caveman. But what really happened was that I was more than fortunate to have a blessed group of people that welcomed me back into society. I came to realize that only a few days back, because as I went along the daily college-related chores, I found myself lost again. There were a lot of things I didn't want, a lot of things I wanted to change and improve. What was hard though is that a system is more than capable of eating you up once you delve yourself so deep into it. And boy, did I get to receive a big slap on the face for this.

You can't blame people for overreacting to certain events - some of which have no basis at all and are conjured upon by the most tactless, selfish of all people. This pretty much makes the challenge a tad bit more...challenging. The real test couldn't come any sooner. All those hours of contemplation and resolve will finally get to meet it's better match - and only a fight to the death can prove it's value and show us it's true worth.

I don't want to go into general conclusiveness, but for all the bullshit that I'm going through for it, this must be pretty much worth it.

For something that's got the capability of bringing people to new heights, I just want to get this over with.

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here we go again.

Looking At The Globe, Not The Sun

I hope this doesn't get viewed as a political hotbed of an article.

For the most part of the past few decades, we can always adhere to the fact that indeed, people can connect to one another in more ways than how you can position yourself in bed to sleep. With the advent of mobile phones, easier access to the internet, online video conferencing - and get this, cheaper air fares - there has never been a time when the comfort levels of trying to connect to one another have been this high. It's like a trend, but only in some similarities because trends eventually die out. This thing we're having? Oh, it's growing alright. And it's growing bigger than you think.

Welcome to globalization.

Communication has always been vital to the survival of a race. Animals have their owns ways of communicating, sending signals of warning when they know a predator lurks, or give off scents and smells so as to attract their would-be mates. In the case of the dominant primate walking on two hind legs, our best and most efficient way of communicating has always been words. Whether they be oral or written, morse code or podcasts, shortened text or long text, words have always been the main critical aspect when it comes to proper communication and responsiveness.

Most of us might not know how many words we blurt out from our thoughts in a day, but if we did try to trace it, we'd find ourselves in a rut. You see, the simple act of asking yourself how many words you've spoken are words themselves - you'd be like a dog chasing your own tail and feel exhausted for nothing at all. Words have become so dominant in our lives that due to it's enormity, we fail to recognize it's very power.

The internet has been the main culprit of the Information age - it allows us to do things never thought possible a few centuries back. You got a friend living halfway around the world? You won't have to take a plane just to do something so simple like saying "Hi!" - you can just log-in to your Skype account and start your video calls in just a few clicks. This is ease of use tuned to the personal rhythm. This is the power to spread your message out faster than you can say it. Dangerously, this can also become the New World Order. And surprisingly, this has been the best thing that's happened since birthdays were conceived as a celebration.

Our efforts to connect to people have turned from being a hassle to something that we're drawn to do. The concept of having instant communication regardless of the geographical gaps has endeared many people, and has also been embraced by the general public. Our thoughts become words. Words become conversations. Conversations become brainstorm sessions and moments to cherish. And once we get a hold of the power of words coupled with the benefits of technology, who knows.

The New World Order may just be within our reach.

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life has a way of making us fall in love with it.

A Kid's Game, with Implications

Applicable to almost everything in this life, the best way to handle your approach is to expect the worst, yet still hope for the best. It is this double-edged sword version of how to handle events in your everyday lives that has proven to be the most efficient way to get an acceptable outcome to whatever endeavor you wish to undertake. Surprisingly though, it's also the most boring way of doing things.

Back in the last year of my elementary school career, I can still vividly remember me facing a small confusion of interpretations for a single adjective - ambitious. Before I got to that point, I had always thought that ambition was something we all should have. Similar to goal-setting and forward thinking, being this kind of person allowed us to gauge whatever we wanted to do and have a meter for how much we still needed. To me, in my innocent sixth grade train-of-thought, ambition was something that's acceptable to have, maybe even a need-to-have characteristic.

What happened then though was that our religion teacher gave us a group of adjectives that were considered negative, and we had to cross out the ones we didn't want to have. Guess what? The word 'ambitious' was on that cloud of words, and my memory still has that moment of silence and question clearly imprinted as if it happened yesterday. It didn't lead me to start an outrage with my teacher though, but the flood of realizations more than made up for that.

It was here that I started to look into the eyes of duality - that to everything negative, there is always a different point-of-view that would allow us to look into the positive side of things. Similar to that simple questionnaire, it was a simple way of looking at the adjective in the view of the ones who viewed ambition as the cause of selfish endeavor and treachery, or the one where I originally had it - ambition was an inspiration that could be a great factor of getting you to where you want.

Of course, we are taking into account the capability of everyone to have enough respect to recognize the viewpoints of everyone else. While it is a given that the difference between trust and respect is that trust is earned while respect should be given freely without any strings, a lot of people still refuse to open their ears and look into the other side of the glass - they're trapped in looking at a mirror and can't see past that. Instead, all they can see is themselves, and sadly, that won't really get you far in any race. Not even a race where all you're competing against is yourself.

P.S. I've just posted the first article on a new blog site of mine. You can check out Redial Here, and hopefully you'd be following that blog soon when it gains momentum. As of posting though, the server is down, yet if it still is by the time you're reading this, please check back again for your first view of that site. Thanks!

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forever is a many-splendored thing.

On Softs and Sweets

Have you ever experienced working on something so hard, eventually finishing it, and in the end when you're supposed to celebrate, you find it hard to move just because you feel burned out? I just did.

Though to tell you the truth, this is simply something that's purely physical - the joy and excitement is still there deep in the complex networks of nerves we sometimes refer to as the brain. What I may be just pissed about is that without the recognition of such an accomplishment through (at least) a mini-celebration, things seem to be incomplete. You know, those moments where you just get to look back and shout your heart out because you did something. Or a small get-together because you know things are better that way. Then again though, it's been a staple that we rarely bake our cake and eat it too - though I've never believed in that too much. All you need is a little motivation, a bit of an inspiration, and some well-placed thought, and you can play the role of the genie in the lamp and grant your own wishes too.

A few weeks back, I was itching to get my own domain, and get another one for the school community site for a project some of my friends and I are working on. I did the research, calculated the costs, forum-hopped, and even plurked my way to getting the best possible deal out of what I had.

Then came yesterday.

In one day, and for the price of a little over a month's worth of hosting, I got two hosting accounts and two domains. Yes, I did. The first was an account I asked a friend to buy for me, because one hosting site was having a promotion which I jumped on right away. The second one was, shall we say, a blessing.

One of those sites is already up and running, being already indexed by Google in barely just a day and a half of existence. It's an online community portal for the college I go to, and I hope the team we're putting up can keep this site on track with the goals we originally meant for it. You can have a look at the soft launching over at UP Batibot, and get to read my post on the new enrollment procedures while you're there. It's really bare for now, so just check back in a few months once the site would rock your information gathering minds out.

The second one, which I am still disclosing for the moment because it's still under construction, will be a personal niche-ish blog I'm planning to run for a good while - a main site that will hopefully be a nucleus for the other projects I've lined up. I'll keep you posted on that, so I'll greatly appreciate it if you follow me.

It's been a great summer so far. And the sad part of it is that it may just end tonight. Enrollment, along with the rough experiences one goes through, will happen tomorrow. Talk about bittersweet, because I may just not be ready to face society too soon, but yet I have to admit that I do miss people. I'm also excited to meet up with a good old friend tomorrow night, too, a summer long plan we had that's going to be hopefully realized a good number of hours from now.

For a good part of my life, I've always reveled in taking the soft side of things - that way, one could just fit in whatever situation they are brought upon. But as with everything, it has disadvantages. And those disadvantages may have gone too far right now. There's a quote from a crappy movie that's been imprinted on my mind for a while now, and it simply says what simple logic can explain - if a man wants something he's never had before, he's got to do something he's never done before.

Tomorrow might just be a chance I've been longing for. Hey, you'll never know how cold the water is until you start to dip your toes into it. And when you do, someone might just be there to push you into the water with all your clothes on. Right now, the pool has been found - all I'm waiting for is that trusted friend who'd take a good laugh out of pushing me into the water.

And me learning how cold the water can really be.

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beginnings have always been relative.

Bring In The Olds

The English language has a queer way of giving names and definitions. As what my highschool teacher used to constantly remind us then, the language which you are now using to read this blog post is defined by a lot of rules, adding always that for every rule, there are exceptions to it. Talk about being consistently inconsistent.

There's a current trend that's masking itself as a form of rebellion, of freedom, and of breaking free. You might already have heard some of these making headlines on the news. Even a noontime gameshow has one segment that features the people who follow that trend and pit them against the people who decided to make their lives a little bit more interesting by tracking down and busting the followers of this current trend. However, I'll leave you all to think what you want on that topic, because as it seems today, it can lead to political bickering and mixed emotions. And that's something I do not want to have to deal with.

During the last Cebu Blog Camp, there was a segment by Tonyo Cruz about Citizen Journalism which I took a liking to. I had heard he studied at a UP campus, so there was a big chance I'd be getting his ideas and notions of loving our country and serving our people. There was one part of his talk wherein he polled the audience on whether we still buy a newspaper everyday. I quite remember I was the only one who raised my hand to respond in the affirmative, which then got me a bit thinking.

While it is true that access to the internet has boomed for the past year, and along with that instant access to information and sources, whether it be breaking news or the latest gossip, I still believe in the power of print. All my elementary and secondary schooling years always involved stopping by a newspaper stand on the way to school everyday. It was always me that did the honor of handing the ten-peso coin to our suki in exchange for the local daily. Even if I happened to be falling asleep when we were nearing that place, I'd always scramble to the window just so I could be the first one to get my hands on the newspaper. Trust me, I was that hooked.

It was sort of a routine where I simply went directly to the back portion, where the Sports section was. After reading through each column and article, I then proceeded to the middle part of the daily, where the Entertainment and Tech News were located. After pouring through all these, I took out my ballpen and proceeded on to fill out the crossword puzzle. I was doing this so much that there was a time my dad had to disallow me from being handed the newspaper because I would be too engrossed with it. What can I say - I simply loved reading, even if it meant my head would be spinning after the long ride to school.

Nowadays, I show no mercy when I get my hands on a newspaper. If it were a daily novel, I'd be reading it cover-to-cover and more. However, it saddens me to see that the original classic of distributing news is slowly being eaten up by the advent of the internet. Not that I am against it, because I love the internet and all the benefits and privileges it can give to the people. Mind you, I wouldn't be blogging if I did.

Perhaps this is just a rollover from my past of being someone who treasures people and things a lot (yes, I really hate goodbyes), but the simple newspaper and tabloid have gone through a lot - causing revolutions to start, spreading propaganda for those who knew how to use it, give more life to coffee shop talks, and even be the cause of celebration once a good friend gets featured in the lifestyle section. It's influence has stood out in the best and the worst of times, and honestly, information wouldn't have been as interesting if they used rocks instead of the traditional tree bark.

Part of the reason why I read a lot is the win-win situation it can give - one, being a firm in the belief that you can never have enough knowledge, and second, because we'd be able to improve on proper grammar and spelling. Again, it will be up to you to decide if this goes out to a certain trend today, but all I'm hoping for is that this won't give civilization a need for cleansing once all is said and done. Formality and technicality is something we can all use - it has been the backbone of many successful systems and structures throughout history, and it still continues to be.

Now, can anyone tell me, in the scope of the English language, what you would call news that's old?

I thought so.

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you got me smiling after a long time there.

Wow, A Wii!

Pasttimes are one of those things that can greatly qualify as a dictionary definition of 'ironic'. For something you do a lot, these activities are the ones that are rarely noticed and seldom given attention and recognition. For a lot of us, we have so much free time (or rather, decide to take some time off) that we are able to do hobbies, take a chill, venture into new waters, or even just take an afternoon off to watch the coolest movie at your favorite cinema house. Especially when the summer season comes, we're often faced with the notion of wishing that school days would be as laid-back as these days.

I'm not going to talk about a noontime show that just did a goodbye segment for one of it's temporary hosts, though watching that show would really qualify as a pasttime. Besides, there are some issues that a lot of people have with that, so I'm gonna play the role of the neutral middleman and leave you to make posts for that. Rather, there's something great about pasttimes that we often disregard. The essence of this might be trivial to some, but I write here in the hopes of making you realize what a great gauge our chosen pasttimes can say about the person it involves - us.

Have you ever taken time off lately, and once you find yourself in a rut of having nothing to do, do you try to notice the things that you are drawn to? More often than not, you'd be doing something you're passionate about - whether it involve school, academics, politics, and most especially hobbies, that line of being idle exposes the things you are willing to do that's out of your own. It can somehow level off on where you stand as a person, and shows the things that you do hold dear deep within.

One of the best professors I had last semester told us a thing or two about democracy and the benefits it should give once properly carried out. One of the best lessons we had was that true democracy allows us to have free time enough to be able to tap into our creativity potential. More commonly referred to as living "the good life" (which is what true democracy should bring), this situation pertains to that time when we don't worry too much about our next meal and the future of our children - and in effect allows us to be like a god and go creative. These are the times when ideas come in like floods on a real heavy storm, and if you've been living in a cave for the past few years, you would know that ideas can only bring about good things to one's life. Whether it be a new brand, a new business venture, or even a new approach to driving people to your blog site, ideas are given the most physical, literal value that's not even physical and material in the first place.

Having pasttimes, or rather the time to be able to do something for the sake of it, gives us the biggest chances of tapping into our creativity potential and bring out the best ideas that we could ever conjure. So next time you find yourself grumbling about nothing to do, look at the positive side of things and you might just get that eureka moment that would allow people to teleport. Now that would be cool.

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unchartered waters can seem like home to some.

Ice

Depending on who you ask, that drink can really taste good.

There's a big chance that once you read this post's title, the first thing that pops out in your head is that alcoholic beverage that's best served cold. I'd also like to comment on the other products from that company brand - there's one that talks of years, and another one wherein you add 60 more - but then again, you can't really criticize something you haven't tasted. And no, I got no plans on doing so anytime soon.

Before you go on your train of thought and think that you'd be getting more information on the latest bars and the coolest cocktails, I might have to disappoint you. The next set of paragraphs would even be lucky to have any of those ideas being mentioned at all. Though I will assure you this - if there's an invite for a drink or two somewhere in the Cebu nightlife scene, call me and I'll be there.

Yesterday was a day gone wild. And by 'wild' I mean things spiraled out of control in the best possible way it could have. You see, as I was riding the local jeep towards the city, I didn't expect to see much of my peers. The plan was to go to school, have a sign-up form be posted for my co-eds, take care of some business-related matters, and go back home to help my mom out. I took care of my medical check-up and tuition bracketing the week before, so if you're a fellow Hugpong from UP Cebu reading this, you won't find me in the college clinic anytime soon.

A sudden vibration somewhere in my pocket opted me to grab my phone and check to see the new message that just arrived. It took a bit of time though, as you can probably relate when you yourself would be riding the local transportation. So here comes the first surprise - a friend from another college asked about where I was. It was quite a while that we hadn't seen each other, so we decided to meet up since she had a bit of an idle time too.

As I finished my business over at school and at a park, I proceeded to our supposed meet-up place and waited. Now comes the second surprise - a fellow UPian who just came from summer classes at Diliman was also there. We talked for a bit, exchanging experiences and thoughts on topics along the way. As we were sitting down though, my phone rang - again. This time, an old friend of mine from highschool - and a really good one, mind you - called me up asking about my whereabouts. When I told him I was at this mall, he reacted positively and told me he'd be on his way to where I was - and along with it, the third surprise.

If I had a choice, I'd rather not use cliches when I can, but this time is just so opportune that I'm going to go ahead and use one - But wait! There's more! As I waiting for people to come to where I was, I noticed someone just next to our table - and the familiarity was there. The first thought that came was that he was my highschool classmate who I haven't seen since..uhh, highschool. But for some reason, I was engrossed in talking that I didn't mind it at first. However, I was wrong - dead wrong. Because as the time passed away and my old friend arrived, I found to my surprise that we all had plans in meeting up. Think of it as a mini-reunion, but whatever you call it, it happened.

This wasn't the end though. Another one of my college friends and I were also communicating and decided to meet up too. At the same place where my highschool friends were, no less. Talk about reunions, and it was one great experience yesterday. What added more fun to that meet up was that my college friend brought along another classmate of ours which I hadn't seen all break. Need I say more reunions? Yes, it was that kind of day where surprises get to you, and you love every moment of it. In fact, I was smiling so much I brought them all to a pizza place to have lunch. Days like these don't come often, and it was great to spend time with people like them.

I was treated to more laughs and even more reunions after lunch. The highschool gang was just talking about the most random of stuff, and along with it more and more laughters.We even had a dilemma on what movie to actually watch, only to conclude that the movie that would come out the day after was the best possible choice. After more talks and more reunions with people that came, I decided to go home earlier than them, because of the long trip and because I had things to do at home.

Maybe we didn't have the Ice beverage with a black-and-silver label that day, but we sure did have a lot of fun. And maybe that's all we need to enjoy our time together. I'm looking forward to enrolment, where I assume more meet-ups will happen.

And oh, before I forget. As I was settling in for the night, my mom called me from the store to tell me that I had a visitor. Would you believe this was a college friend who I hadn't seen in a while too? Believe it.

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interest was never a finance-only term.

A Simple Jeepney Ride

I love our country, period. I've always believed there's something good we can all get by helping the Pearl of the Orient get the recognition it deserves, and not mainly because I myself am a Filipino by birth and by blood. Perhaps this is what inspires me so much about activists, and activism as a whole - that with all the things going around the country today, it is always them that have the greatest passion in serving the masses and looking after the welfare of the ones in the lower levels of society. Before this post turns into a political issue though, let me just point out that indeed, our country deserves to be loved.

One of the greatest things I see in the Philippine society today is our fellow countrymen and the great joy they can find in simplicity. From the carenderia setting to the everyday routine of going to work, there's always something that would amaze us in our everyday lives, through the joys and smiles from the people we meet everyday. On paper, our country may not be the richest - yes, we are far from dominating that list. But then again, that list only takes into account the material aspect of things. Not that I'm degrading the value of material wealth. But as it seems, our country has what only a few do - wealth in values, and more importantly, wealth in being able to live a simple life and love it at the same time.

This does not mean to say that most of us Filipinos are simple-minded beings that are contented in being one, because for a fact, we aren't. On the sights we see everyday, this may be true, but the fact behind all of this is a heart of a Filipino wanting to see his and her beloved country get the recognition and value it's supposed to have.

One thing that's really a staple of the amazing Filipino simplicity can be read as the title of this post. Jeepney rides can last a long time, especially when you live in a municipality far away from the city. In this case, you'd be one of the few that's going to last the whole trip, and along the way you'd be riding along different personas and varied groups. It's not really normal to just talk to anybody though, but there can be times when you chance upon someone you do already know and you guys delve into a conversation the whole trip through. Then, there are the short trips, which mostly happens in and around the city and it's different locales. (In the case of the UP Cebu student though, the jeep code 04L would surely ring a lot of memories, but that's only for special cases. Especially when you do laag regularly.)

For the general public, a lot of things can happen during a jeepney ride. Some see it as a time for reflection, where they can go deep into their personal selves while waiting to arrive at their destination. For others, it is mainly a routine that prepares one for the tasks of the day ahead, perhaps even go as far as calling it the calm before the storm on a big day ahead. No matter our situations and backgrounds, every Filipino will always have a jeepney ride story to tell. I've had my own few stories, too. But a great friend of mine deserves more recognition here, simply because he is starting out an entire blog dedicated to the staple of riding a jeep and the amazing things that can happen in one. You should check it out over at Plite Palihug!, as I'm sure there will be a lot more fun and interesting things about to be posted over there.

My personal mind has always been awed by the beauty one can find in simplicity. This "beauty" pertains to both the figurative and the physical, and even the best solutions to the most complex problems tend to be more simple than we originally thought they were. Even through coding a lot of lines this summer, I've come to realize that the more complex functions one has to do in order to achieve something so simple, the better. It's simplicity that allows us to actually live life, and at the same time allows us to recognize the beauty that is life.

Here's a cliche for you - kiss it. No, I don't mean you should do the thing that adds spice to a blooming relationship between a male and a female.

Just keep it sweet and simple. Kiss it.

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jeepney rides can offer the best memories to anyone.