CHOICES

Where are you headed for today? Before you dressed or finally leave the house, think of this question. It might be good to just look and see. We are already in the second to the last month of the year. So where are we headed? Where is your life taking you? Or where are you taking your one God-given life? When trials come your way, what do you do? Do you complain? Do you find an easy way out to escape the hardship? Do you panic yet pretend you are in control? What happens when you find yourself in a series of unfortunate events? Do you feel cursed or punished? Or do you now become a curse or punishment to the people around you? Times like this, we can easily yield to blaming others, to God and to ourselves. As if the world has ended and there is nothing we can do. Lord, sometimes I feel my life is moving so fast. In the rush and flash of my every day, may I keep track of way. May the paths I take lead me to your way. Deciding for a new path to take is not an easy task to do. I came to a point where I was a really confused on which should I prioritize. So many choices, so many plans but some can't be realized because of so many reasons. Reasons that are unfair and things that can't be done because of the idea that I am being confined just because I am a girl. I've almost thought of  becoming rebellious and to which suicide has already been an option. It made me very mad and hopeless. I got mad to some people who stand against my goals but maybe looking at the bright side of it might be a good idea. If all these trials comes to pass, I just hope that soon enough no one will interfere me and that everything will be okay as planned. Although there can never be short-cuts and that we all dwell to sacrifice or give up things for the sake of someone or something, certainly there will come a time that everything will be okay. I still believe in my dreams and I've planned it for so many times with a humble and reasonable confidence in my own powers. Soon no one will rain on my parade and I will find true happiness, freedom and success.  As long as I don't give up and remain carrying this conviction in myself, in that moment I know that very sooner my plans will become a reality. Nothing is ever hopeless  when we lose our way. God's grace comes to us. His light enters our path and are turned around. I know God will help me all through out.

God is faithful. He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so you can stand up under it. 1st Corinthians 10:13

Lord, thank you so much for your reassuring presence in my life. In moments of fear and doubt, you are my strength. You are by my side. Help me Lord, I want to be faithful to you too. Amidst being confronted with all these vulnerability, as long as I live the journey continues. I will soon be very close to the finish line and I will have the last laugh.

A DRAMA REVIEW: "ZETTAI KARESHI"

Plot: (spoilers!)

Riiko Izawa has never had a boyfriend and she has been rejected by every boy she has ever had a crush on. When she returns a lost cell phone to an oddly dressed salesman, she mentions wanting a boyfriend so to thank her, he directs her to his company's website. When she visits the site, Riiko finds it's a site to create your own lover. Thinking its a game, she customizes and accidentally orders one. The next day, her new lover arrives. Following the instruction manual, she kisses him to wake him up and configure him to be in love with only her. She names him "Night." Three days later, she is shocked to learn that she only had him for a free trial. The salesman, Gaku Namikiri, tells her that she must now pay 100,000,000 yen for Night, or they will waive the fee if she helps them to collect data about how women think and feel to help perfect future models.

 

Riiko must keep Night's true nature of not being human a secret from everyone around her. She also finds herself in a love triangle between Night and her childhood friend Soushi, who declares his love for her out of fear he will lose her. As the series progresses, Night begins to develop real human emotions, enabling him to truly love Riiko but also resulting in system malfunctions. When Riiko almost loses Night due to the malfunctions, she realizes that he is the one she really loves. She apologizes to Soushi, who moves to Spain with his brother. As the series ends, Night begins to grow sleepier and sleepier. The problems developed by his exceeding his abilities eventually causes his machinery to stop working, resulting in his "dying." Before he died, he writes a letter to Soushi to tell him whats happeningand asking him to take care of Riiko. Soushi gives Rikko time to grieve, then returns to Japan to be at her side again.

I SAY:

How awesome could it be if you have a boyfriend who would fetch you right after work or school and gives you a big hug right before he heads home, who delivers you food during lunch time, who cheers for you whenever you feel helpless and vulnerable, whom you consider your handy-man, the one who knows how to cook your favorite dish not to mention being able to have an ideal lover with a model's body, cool attitude, charismatic face and has a brain  of the same size as Einstein's - whatever you ask him he sure knows the answer. The type of boyfriend who completely understands a woman's need, desires and dreams. The type of boyfriend who would want no one but you and just you alone - the sort of one woman man. The kind of boyfriend who lives not only to protect you but who lives only for you. The kind of man who values you and can be miserable without you. Someone who inspires you, who tells you that he cares, so you feel secured and don't have to try to read his mind (guy's heads are hard to crack you know!). A man who does not ask you to do things that will get you in trouble, someone who'll be proud of you no matter what, who'll say "iloveyou" and that you are beautiful every chance he could. Someone who'll never be uncertain of his feelings for you. Huh, without a doubt just fantasizing for a android manufactured boyfriend ups each girl's happiness I bet. 

Yet all those are just too good to be true. And I also doubt if there could still be men like that nowadays. If there are, maybe only a handful of them I suppose. Still, that does not mean there aren't any decent guys out there. If the guy you seem to like has enough traits that you've grown to like other that the larger-than-life characters such as Tamahome, Kenshin, Hotohori or Kakashi, then these ideal dudes won't need to stay onscreen anymore. That guy you happen to like just might be the underappreciated guy all this time. But c'mon, admit it! Most of the time we girls swoon over having that type of boyfriend who does not cheat, flirt or play over our emotions. I for one wished countless times of this already. After watching the Jdorama "Zettai Kareshi (Absolute Boyfriend)" originally written by my all time favorite anime manga writer Yuu Watase, I was amazed and had cried a river after watching the end of the story. (FYI: I don't usually cry over this kind of thing, but this ones an exception.)

Suddenly after watching it, a thought came across my mind. Wouldn't it be cool if it really happened in real life? Being able to purchase a life size machine manufactured perfect boyfriend and be programmed to do whatever you desire for a boyfriend?

Now that makes me a little bit desperate perhaps, don't you think? Haha.. But then again, we can't defy God's creations we just have to accept the fact that nothing is perfect - even if such a robot boyfriend existed such as that in the story. How can you live a normal life with a programmed lover if you can't have kids with him, grow old with him and die with him? He's only a machine Although I really longed for it to happen but it's just a product of Watase's imagination - a woman's desperation to find the perfect boyfriend. Despite that, I still adore most of Watase's master pieces such as Fushigi Yuugi and Ayashi No Ceres. I admire how she does the twists and turns of a story wherein you really get to have a roller-coaster ride that's worth it. I also like her drawings especially the leading men - when I stared at Night's picture, it reminded me of Tamahome of FY and Toya of Ayashi No Ceres. Here in "Zettai Kareshi", it only reflects every woman's wish but it shouldn't let it blind us to the fact that everything is platonic. To say that a perfect boyfriend is possible is an understatement. There can never be an ideal boyfriend in real life. If there is, it will seemingly be a never-ending quest for that perfect man. 

Come to think of it, it would be better that no one has yet invented a "manufactured life size perfect boyfriend." It's funny because it is just like saying men are for sale. Haha.. It is better off that it hasn't been invented because life would be boring and everything is fake, materialistic and superficial. It's better off this way that we live with imperfections for it makes life worth living. Such imperfections like feeling hurt when your boyfriend forgets your monthsary or feeling broken when he cheats on you and all other painful experiences we get from an imperfect boyfriend. It's all okay because from it we learn to be more cautious and stronger. We undergo pain, loss and resentment but each teardrop and heartache teaches us to move forward. As the famous saying goes "From every wound there is a scar, and from every scar there is a story. A story that says you survived." Although the truth is, it still is very tempting to purchase Nightly Series 01 though, that is if I have the money. Haha.. after all each machine has an expiration date, so just to have it temporarily would be okay with me. With only one condition though, to keep it as a secret so that no one will know he's a machine operated boyfriend. Bwahaha.. joke! :)

 Zettai Kareshi TRAILER

 Zettai Kareshi OST

FAKING IT!

No secrets and lies can be kept forever; it’ll always seep out to reveal the truth. Just like the famous movie line “Walang aso na maikukumkom, lalabas at lalabas din ito kahit na anong pigil mo.” It’s a reality check that sooner or later all the whiffs of pretensions and lies will die out and truth lives. No matter how we hide our secrets, no matter how we vindicate it, it’ll always be a fiasco and we will soon come out in the shadows of our stigma. 

Yes, we can try to lie honestly by cloaking ourselves to deception, pretensions and to squirm ourselves for uttering that perfect lie. Just like in the fields of LOVE, no matter how we prevent ourselves from forgetting the feelings that we’ve always wanted to stay forever. But still, we can never ever deny the fact that sadly, not all things workout the way we expect them to be. We try to bury those feelings for that soul who we loved so much but it seems irrelevant since we will never let go of the feeling, especially if we are still expecting something to happen. That we still pretend that that person still loves us when in fact they don’t love us anymore. We still fake ourselves in this idiosyncratic matter when we know that it is time to leave the dream world behind. 

Lying honestly in order for us to forget the love we had for the one who we love the most is the toughest one to fake. Truly, holding on is the better than letting go for holding on comes easily, we don not need to learn it. “Letting go has never been easy, but holding on can be as difficult. Yet strength id not measured not by holding on, but by letting go.” But then again, how to lie honestly is easier than anything else. I mean, yes we can do the pretending circumstance specially when we are in the hot seat already because we have our CANDID FRIENDS to kick the day right. First of all, there will really come a time when a branch of our life ends and it is the perfect moment to move on and grow. For in the middle of the turmoil, there will always be JESUS who will keep our hopes burning still. He will always give us the wake up call that it is time to set free, bask under the sun and to remember that we still have to believe in ourselves for confidence is what we need to have for us to vanquish the universe. 

It is in human nature to fake and to lie for in these instances we gradually move and grow into any dimension in life. Best of all, we change a lot to realize the essence of life as well. We really have to let go of the baggage we carry in our hearts because in the end these things will not matter anyway, especially so if it was not destined to be kept forever. The right way to lie honestly is sometimes the best remedy to patch up our lives again. It is a fact of life that one of these days, all of the people that we know will vanish or change forever and we just don’t know when it will happen and why. We are all ephemeral creatures of God. He is the one who will decide when we will disappear for it is He who knows what is best and that every little thing that happens has a reason. It has and will always be that way. 

Indeed, the choice to let go always and has been difficult where we carry a big responsibility for it is a conscious decision that we have to chose. 

FAKING sometimes is the best way to survive a fiasco. We human beings are all warriors of love and we have to learn how to fake it, how to pretend and how to lie honestly for us to win this fight for survival. And if we FAKE IT then we will know that inch by inch we are over with our broken hearts, fiascos, etc. and we can finally say that it is time for a change even if it started out as a fake one.

An Advice for Girls on the First Date

Ever heard of the saying, “First impression lasts?” 

Well then better get a hold of that for many people believe that first impression is everything. When trying to hitch that perfect-hot bud guy or that long time crush of yours you better need to work out that good impression. That means you have to look your best and avoid doing something that might turn him off. Although first dates sure are nerve-racking, stressful and yes, a little bit intimidating but if you want it all to be perfect and want to end up getting hooked with that deathly gorgeous dude, then bring out that superwoman in you. Remember, confidence is the key here, so play your part well. 

But before going to that first date, try to wear your best. Kick your outfit up a notch in such a way that is not too revealing, but dress appropriately wherein you try to augment much of you’re best features, for instance if you have nice broad shoulders, try wearing a low, off-the-shoulder neckline or better yet if you have a body of a siren then try wearing a formfitting dress. But remember to dress in such a way that it correlates with the location of said date. Dress according to the occasion they say so. Just be sure you balance the proportions of your body well. 

Aside from getting that perfect dress, the make-up will also matter. To release your inner temptress, you could try enhancing your best feature, say you have beautiful eyes, and try putting on deep black eyeliner and a stylish twist of dark silver eyeshadow are some of the hot shades this season. Also if you have the lips of Angelina Jolie try puckering up a sexy hue of lipstick that compliments your skin color or better put on some creamy pinch of lipgloss, not goeey but just of the right amount. A little bit of perfume sprayed all over your body, paired with gorgeous accessories, a 1-minute tousled updo and to top it all up a pair of sexy stilettos to give you a flattering look. 

Since dating is all about the “getting to know stage” where both entities try to assess each others compatibility, now having that perfect look must also be paired with an upbeat storyteller. But you must not monopolize the conversation. Just don’t try to talk excessively that might reflect how hysterical you are of getting for a second date. Now if you ace on that there is no doubt that you are going to get a second date for sure. But that doesn’t mean you get all the talking done, how will you get to know your date that way? So, paying attention also is necessary and more than that you need to notice their body language, their eyes and facial expression too for this will tell you if the date is in progress or a failure. Then again, don’t try to overanalyze every detail to such a point that it will ruin the date, just work the basics: be natural, be yourself. 

Other than that, for safety tips though, avoid drinking alcohol for it might lead to hurdles which will impair your judgment eventually you might go overboard which will eliminate the possibility of a second date. You’ll either get yourself in danger such as getting yourself raped by the guy. Just like my brother said as an advice for his little sister, “temptations are very inviting, so be cautious.”

Wishful Thinking

Haay.. another coochie-coo moments, a time to indulge my duper cheesiness of cloud nine memoirs. Today I got the chance to watch yet again a very addictive anime. After 9 years I think I am still in love of the Japanese Anime "Fushigi Yuugi" of Yuu Watase and it feels like an aphrodisiac just like watching "Ghost Fighter" for the third time yet still doesn't fail to amaze me. The inner child in me has awaken as always. Maybe just because I missed Tamahome and Hotohori- sort of! Hahaha .. I am desperately itching for a guy like them in real life. Sad thing is that I only see them in my dreams. I sometimes even wished that I would get married to Tamahome whom I had the biggest crush among all animes I've watched other than Vincent of "Ghost Fighter"or Rukawa of "Slam Dunk" or maybe Hatake Kakashi of "Naruto." Hahah..For 20 years now I still am hunting that guy, a guy who's got the same skills, poise, unassumingness, wackiness, sweetness and spontaneity as Tamahome's or Hotohori's. It seems as though they are an epitome of my ideal kinda guy who I know would be impossible to find unless if that same book Miaka read really did existed. If that's the case, I would defintely find that book, open it, read and become the "Priestess of Suzaku" which is so cool. I get to have 3 wishes granted and be with Tamahome as well as my other 6 ravishing guardians biting to there awesomeness. I would really love him to bits with that raw charm he possess. Damn, Tamahome's so flaring hot. Hehe.. that blue haired dude never fails to make me go gaga. I could still remember how artistic I was way back grade school years just to have sketched those dramatic eyes of all seven guardians of Suzaku especially Tamahome's. Everytime I have snapshots of it on my head, it gave quite a jump in my heart and here we go again - I swoon over my wishful thinking for the nth time. I still laugh about how I fight for my life against my brother holding the remote control just so that I could have the chance to see Tamahome's beautiful face on that big TV screen and go on contemplating every juice of the story. I could still laugh about it today till my sides ache. I am still crossing my fingers up to now - wishing, praying, and hoping that someday I get to meet my own Tamahome too. Seeing him on screen after 9 years sets my heart a - flutter, twisted my stomach and sank my heart. But the thing is, everything in the television is idealized, scripted and planned. Everything is set to perfection and most of the time ends with a happy ending. I confess, I am a big fan of happy endings, who wouldn't? I've read a lot of books (not the law books- I have to take a break from that yet.. I have a handful of novels from science fiction, bibliographies, historical books to mystery) to which each earning its own special place in my heart. A heart that still has that same excitement as a little kiddo longing for her own fairy tale, prince charming and a happy ending. Yet again, snapping back to reality.. I have to say it was quite a ride - another list added on my wishful thinking.

SOUL SEARCHING

Weee! I can't wait for the semestral break to come. Yup, I will surely spend the whole week or so on soul searching and so many stuffs to think over with. These past months it seems like my mind is playing tricks on me. I might opt to take a rest from law school's harshness or maybe travel to a place I can discover and find a job, those sorts of stuffs. I have lots of plans to fulfill and sometimes those plans seems unreachable not because I don't want to but maybe because there are those who don't seem to agree with what I want out of life. Sigh.. I want to go out from Iligan City and find a better job, travel and explore what life has yet to offer me. Iligan City is such a small place for my big dreams. I want to step out from my comfort zone and try to prove something of which others looked down on me just because I can't be any better than them which is not true at all. Iy's just that I want to do things I love while I am still young. I don't want to grow old not having been able to do what I love to do. I don't want to be barred from doing something just because of a hotly contested case that I am JUST a female, I am JUST a Christian or maybe JUST because I am the youngest among 6 broods. Why does it always have to be like that? It's like saying that being a female hinders you from the things you want to do. Time has changed already and gone are the days when a girl's life was spent cleaning, cooking and taking care of the kids. I already belong to an era were women have already been empowered and have already been more successful in all walks of life as compared to some men. In fact, according to the Center for Women's Business Research, a whopping 10.6 million firms all over the world are at least 50% owned by a women. I really hoped that my family would be able to understand my side. Yes, danger and temptations are very inviting but I don't wanna say that women are vulnerable, weak or desperate just because we women can't protect ourselves which is ofcourse not true. And although I get the point that my family only wants to protect me from danger and all those sorts but I just hope that soon enough they'd be able to trust me, listen to me and believe in whatever I want to do. I know what's wrong and what's right because I am of the right age to think for myself already. Although sometimes trying to choose what's wrong and what's right can be a little vague but life's like that. Mistakes, failures, fiascos are part of the journey God planned for us to go through. Usually others are weakened by the existence of such perplexities in life but people like me see it as something that fuels the passion to continue living, to search for happinness, to learn and to savor for contentment. Caution is never wrong but rather it makes you wiser but living in a fear is a waste of what could have been if you had only took the first step. I don't want to regret doing something I want when I grow old. I want to see my true self grow and be not confined of something I loved to do.I want to be free, to teach myself to be independent and be not too clingy. I don't want to hide something I wished to do jus because others have been too narrowminded not to have seen what it can do good to me. They have judged it already without even understanding my side. I really hope that my family will get used to the idea that "You cannot build character and courage by taking away man's initiative and independence- Abraham Lincoln." Thus, for semestral break is a time for soul searching. A time for solitude is a time for guided independence. A time to think straight and to do what's right.  

BEING PREGNANT WHILE PREGNANT

Today, I had spent enough time browsing the internet since I wasn't able to do so for a week being troubled of the super perplexing exams we had at law school. Suddenly, I was surprised to have gone through a certain article about a woman being pregnant while pregnant. Isn't that supposed to be very far-fetched? It's just like saying getting yourself pregnant while having menstruation which is definitely quite bizzare. It's like a double pregnancy yet it's far different if we say the babies are twins since their not really twins in this case. In superfetation, babies are born a week a part which only happens rarely. Medical experts call this uncommon medical condition as "superfetation" wherein it is the formation of a fetus while another fetus is already present in the uterus. It is said to be very common among animal species such as rodents and marsupials but is extremely rare in humans. It made me remember some cases such as that of Court of Appeals versus Jenny Cagandahan with regards to certain rare medical cases. But this case about double pregnancy is quite strange wherein multiple ovulation takes place. ABC news recently reported that said medical case had only recorded ten cases, dubbed superfetation in human mothers.  This has been one of the many medical issues that have been debated for quite some time now because other medical experts pertain to it as just a mere suggestive case of  twin pregnancy.

Time Magazine just posted an article about a woman named Julia Grovenburg wherein she had discovered that she was carrying two babies that seemed to be of different stages of development to which it prompted the Doctors to suspect that this was a rare case of multiple conceptions or superfetation. Mrs. Grovenburg is expecting two babies but not twins.

In an interview at Greater Baltimore Medical Center at Arkansas Dr. Boyle told ABC News that: "When the woman had her ultrasound initially, they saw one sack, one baby developing, and that baby had a certain gestational age; then they noticed a second heartbeat in a child that was much, much younger developmentally,". But being pregnant with this sort of condition actually endangers the health of the babies more particularly the second conceived baby that might be born prematurely or be exposed of the risks of lung development problems.

This is quite an interesting phenomena wherein it had also questioned some portions of the Bible beginning at Adam and Eve's existence which has something to do with superfetation cases and labeling it as an original sin because sometimes one might question that for a time, the said mother could have engaged on sex with another man bearing another child while already pregnant with another man as well. These things have quite stirred up my curiosity such as questioning the Bible as well. You might find it interesting as well by clicking at: http://www.biblebelievers.org.au/bb940516.htm.

Gees..  although I might say DNA Tests are the best method so as to prove if said child is your very own baby but according to Philippine Jurisprudence, DNA tests are designed to disprove any signs of filiation of the father and child. Thus, using DNA tests can't impugned the legitimacy of the child if that's the case though.  This is quite ironic yet I appreciate having read an interesting article after being tortured of an exam that we had on Constitutional Law to which my professor gave us an examination extracted all from the 2008 Bar Examination. It was really really hard and I couldn't imagine our Professor did that to us. Really, I was a little pissed off since my mind went blank at that instance yet I still tried answering hoping to at least have additional points if so. I only hope all of us will pass. Sigh! 'w'..

How to Save Marriage

Marriage is said to be a social union or a legal contract between individuals who are willing to commit into a relationship for richer or for poorer and in sickness and in health. The law even states that the court does not encourage divorce, annulment or even legal separation for it wants to save the sanctity of the marriage, thus goes the Latin legal maxim “Semper Praesumitur Pro Matrimonio”. 

Beginning a relationship is generally the easy part; it's preserving the connection that gets a little delicate. It can’t be denied that in a relationship it is inevitable not to encounter problems but despite that there are still means to enjoy the roller coaster ride of such a relationship by enjoying the ups and downs of couplehood. Relationships are cyclical, and facing downtime isn't only inevitable, it's necessary. Being able to survive through all these highs and lows you begin to reach the kind of level in a relationship that tests how strong the couples are to endure such. 

So, how can one save a marriage shared between two entities that were once falling in-love with each other and had been together for many years but tragically about to end such a relationship? When you first fall in love, everything you share produces an adrenaline flash - the kind of feeling where everything you felt is all brand-new. The sort of feeling that lefts you smiling for no reason at all and makes you alive in every way. It’s a feeling wherein every moment being with your someone special is miraculous. It is as if you’ve transported yourself in a planet what we call Utopia. But, as you’ve no doubt figured out, amidst being so preoccupied at work, and other series of unfortunate events which settles into more of a routine where you forgot to rekindle the relationship you’ve had with your partner. That’s when the love buzz is in peril of being replaced by means of, well, boredom. 

So how can one really save a marriage? 

There are far interesting ways to do so. I believe humans are too intelligent not to find means to help liven up the relationship of husbands and wives. You could find all sorts of help from books such as those of Nancy Van Pelt’s or that of Joshua Harriss’s book, or better yet log on to websites that offer advices on how to renew the romance between you and your partner. 

Try going outdoors or try to file for a one week leave from work and surprise your partner for another second honeymoon to known top lovebird spot such as that of the voluminous Niagara Falls located at the international boarder between the Canadian province of Ontario and the U.S. State of New York. It has been known as the "The Honeymoon Capital of the World,". Thousands continue to gather there every year, and many area hotels recommend romantic packages that include a photographer and limo wherein you get a chance to take a snapshot at the breathtaking scenes surrounding the falls. Sounds so romantic right? But if both of you are not that financially stable to secure for a quixotic escapade then you might as well reserve one day for the whole week as setting up a date the way you two did when you were still dating. Try to go to the beach, do some home-cooked food and add some lighting candles and scattering flower petals and play that old love song you two had way back a long time ago. Then try to initiate an intimate conversation with your partner and talk about each others loopholes and find ways to remedy such. Be more positive than negative, just like sandwiching your negative remark with two positive comments in a subtle way. Try to let your partner come into mutual terms with what you really wanted him or her to know. Try to listen and talk out your grievances in such a way that both of you have been heard and understood. 

For the wives, the old saying holds true: The way to a man's heart is through his stomach. From a hard days work, try to serve your man his favorite dish and cater all the things he need, maybe a little massage on the back or try to compliment him how handsome he looks, those sorts of stuffs. Try it and you man will definitely be glad and might as well treat you to a sexcapade. 

Trying to do both of the couple’s parts to suffice the needs of the family, sometimes both tend to be too busy at work. To help liven up the relationship, one must not close the communication lines. Both have to try to keep in touch a lot. A simple touch, a hug, a kiss, or a call just to say hello is not that easy not to do. 

For husbands, it will be nice if you can send some flowers or something your wife liked to buy but had not find time to do so or something that doesn’t really require too much spending of money. Try to do this even if there isn’t any occasion at all. Try to do it in a surprise because gifts are more appreciated, are more fun and meaningful if they are not expected. Agree? 

Although I am not yet married and still had no plans to do so since I am still young and still need to prove a lot of things prior to settling down. After all, life is a school of probability so we can’t tell what will happen soon if I’ll get tied down, but I make sure that I’ll be married to somebody who loves me, who’ll be with me for forever and who can suffice my needs and the needs of our soon to be children. That is if God permits and in time I’ll reach that stage but as of the moment, I still need to finish law school though. Still, these are just some of the things I believe couples must engage themselves with so as to save their marriage and continue to warm up a dying romance. I sure hope these stuffs I’ve shared will help all married couples and even lovers too.

BATHROOM ETIQUETTE

There are only a few well-sanitized public bathrooms here in the Philippines where you can consider yourself able to gossip or chit-chat for awhile and for one reason that it's not smelly or you could possibly zoom in and out faster or better yet consider doing intimate business because you're comfortable enough since it is clean.

Yet according to research experts, no matter how clean and sanitize a public bathroom may look, they still carry a lot of germs and bacteria that can infect you or make you seriously ill, for bathrooms are considered to be the number one breeding ground for bacteria so definitely when it comes to public bathrooms, taking necessary precautions, staying smart and protected is a must.

Having been able to enroll myself of a public university it can't be denied that public bathrooms are not really as clean and well facilitated as compared to those of hotels or private institutions. I have seen quite the worst and smelliest bathrooms ever. I've seen mushrooming vandalism of every stall - the kind of vandalism (WORD WARS) that's really vexing and sick to read and some other means of dirtying the cubicle. I've also seen quite the kind of bathrooms that lacks water, soap and even failing to repair the locker on each stall which is a danger especially if the person who just flash in to pee and that the person who's already inside the cubicle forgot to lock it - so the scandalous humiliating act happens next.

Also, there are those who don't have conscience or maybe lazy enough to clean their mess or the kind of person who intentionally forgot to flush thoroughly the toilet bowl after using. Eeeew! I could still have snapshots of those huge yellow chunk of stool floating in there. Yack! What a disgusting site. There are also those girls who are careless enough not to throw their sanitary napkins or panty-liners on the trash bin. Gees! What are trashbins for anyway?  And if one learns to throw their wastes properly in the bin, just be sure that nothing obviously used sanitary napkins/ tissue pop out.

Also, since we've already known the health hazards of SARS and that of AH1N1 virus mania, being a healt-freak these days help a lot. Being toilet trained and learning to wash our hands after using the bathroom or after touching the knobs of public bathroom is important. We also need to use clean towel, paper towel or tissue for drying our hands rather than using hand dryers to which according to experts, hand dryers merely circulate the germd existing in the dryers already which will also cause the skin to crack making it more prone to infection.

And this last tip, of which I am really guilty of is to never use alcohol disinfectants as a substitute for washing our hands. It is very important to always wash our hands first with soap and water (hot water) to eliminate any bacteria before applying an alcohol disinfectant or sanitizer. It is because the latter will work best if applied on clean, dry skin. Also try choosing the kind of soap that won't irritate your skin.

These are just some of the bathroom behavior tips I've learned for me to somehow get away with the complicated dieseases we have these days. I sure hope these tips I've just shared will help you.

"How to improve your credit score" ?

A lot of people have perplexities, misconceptions and doubts of how credit scores work, how it can be acquired & how will credit scores be improved. For the benefit of those who don’t have any clue what credit scores are, it is actually a three digit number which identifies an individual's credit merit. It measures your capacity to make payments on time and are designed to facilitate lenders on determining how likely you are to pay back your loan. It is believed that the higher the credit score the better is an individual's credit worthiness. But, many find it convoluted these days to maintain an impressive credit score. So the question remains, “How can one improve his own credit score?”. Fear not my friend, for there are still other means to improve your credit score such as starting to pay for your bills on time.

Logically, if you pay later for your debts, your credit score will also suffer if you have too many debts. Paying down your debts to a minimum will help raise your credit score. Accordingly, this simple step is one of the easiest ways to boost your credit score. If you are really serious about improving your credit score then start paying with the largest debt you have to maintain the highest score possible.


You also need to deliberately understand where these credit scores come from and how it works so you may find means to improve you’re scoring more and not give the lenders the impression of how much of a credit risk you are. 


Next is that you have to check your credit score frequently per se. You are more likely to notice problems if you check your credit score on a regular basis  for at least once a year and preferably three times a year. Be sure to report it right away if you detect anything odd or anything you don’t identify such as a charge account you did not open. Yet there are some companies which are quick to report deficiencies to the credit companies but take their time removing bad marks from your record. Still it is also up to you to watch this and ensure that your information is kept up to date, confidential and clean.

Although in general, lenders like to see that you are able to handle a whole array of credit types such as credit cards and larger types of credit such as a mortgage or auto loan and paying them off regularly is better than having only one type of credit. But you have to be cautious of credit lines and credit cards you don’t need which makes you appear like a worse credit risk. Also, having lots of accounts you don’t use increases the probability that you will be oblivious about an old account and discontinue making payments on it which results to a lowered credit score. Remember that your primary goal here is to keep up the highest possible scoring, so having fewer accounts will make it easier for you to keep track of your debts and will increase the chances of you having a good credit score.

And lastly, it is but a must to choose the best three-credit-report companies that will ultimately help you in saving your thousands of dollars and facilitate your scoring. So choose well.

Pingan!

“Peace is not only better than war, but infinitely more arduous.”
– George Bernard Shaw

Time and again war has been and is consistently present which is globally affecting many lives & destroying numerous properties.  Undeniably, peace is more preferred over the idea of war, of course who would love to live in a chaotic society where you can see bloodshed every second of the day and seeing your family, friends and everyone else in tumult? Certainly nobody would want that to happen. Yet, many of us do things erroneously whether if we are aware or pretending to be naïve enough to ignore what others feelings and needs are probably because of selfish desires. Before, I also thought that kalinaw or peace is impossible but with the existence of such youth oriented peace organization initiatives such as MTYC - BUC & MyCoP, I have come to realize that if war cannot be eliminated then at least I as a youth can do something to proliferate the principle of peace by first of all attaining peace within myself of which I have learned from the “trauma
healing seminar” that we had last year under Prof. Saturnina “Bebot” Rodil. When I had attained inner solitude within me I then initiated to join such interfaith dialogues within Iligan City & volunteered to help the people especially those who were affected on last year’s confrontation of the MI bandits versus the Philippine Marines at Lapayan, Kauswagan as well as those people who have been seriously distressed of flood. It was an awe-inspiring experience wherein people like me were given an opportunity to have contributed something to at alleviate the people’s sufferings. It felt as though I somehow became an agent of peace-building. It was not only by helping these people that I appreciate much but the thought of which gradually I also had a personal development within myself and having friends of which I am comfortable to call them “brothers” and “sisters” regardless of status, religion and culture . The experiences I had gave me
the kind of feeling wherein I  have expressed happiness and contentment for myself and for the rest of the people that there is still hope to attain a more comprehensive, enduring and true peace for all of us.


Even if I might not be that active always in the organization because of studying law & working at the same time, I am still and will always be willing to lend a hand. After all, the organization taught me to become responsible and to not rely of the thought that responsibility only lies in the hands of the leaders of this country to strengthen peace-building but that by having inner peace within each of ourselves, we can certainly be at peace with those around us.

You might be surprised why the title for this post is Pingan. Since it couldn't be more obvious in front of some of my close friends that I am so in love all about China and it's ancient civilization, it's delicious exotic foods and the great wall plus marshall arts & not to mention Jackie Chan, Donnie Yen, Bruce & Jet Li. I so hoped to visit China sooner for it's in my top list of favorite countries in the whole world. So, you got the clue now ey? hehehe.. Pingan is a Chinese word which connotes Peace. Hmn..nice noh? In any case you've learned another word from me. Hehe.. :)

My Thoughts About 700 Years From Now

Ever since man started to think logically, subsequently industrialization and computer age popped out. Yet, this development led to a disastrous effect on earth as depicted on the movie entitled WALL-E. In the said movie that after 700 years, the human race had abandoned planet earth and made it very cluttered all because of the things we humans consumed as provided to us by these so-called Multi-National Corporations or (MNC’s). Wall-E (Waste Allocation Load Lifter-Earth Class) was fascinated by earth’s history, among all the WALL-E units have failed except one which was left on the polluted planet earth to help clean it up.  

 Suddenly, Wall-E fell in-love with a deathly gorgeous looking and a more advanced robot named Eve which begins to scan the soil as part of her directive to find plant life on Earth. They eventually became friends and when Wall-E presented to her this only living plant left on earth, Eve’s automatic programming initiates, causing her to seize the plant and store it inside her, then activated a homing beacon for her ship, & she eventually shut down. Wall-E is unable to awaken Eve, but goes through enormous lengths just to protect her.  

In doing so, another adventure awaits in their lives and the following events were turned upside down which then caused for the unity among humans and robots to work hand in hand to bring back the life and beauty of the planet that time forgot, a.k.a. planet - earth.


This 2008 computer-animated- imaginary tale-romance-film ultimately scared me to death upon picturing the status of human life 700 years after. Just a thought of it on how people became so obese & relied too much on technology that ultimo even just by scratching ones head or toes, the humans let the robots do it for them out of laziness. Dang! Humans will definitely maybe get drowned on the said 7 deadly cardinal sins preferably gluttony. I decided that possibly 700 years from now, biblically we are considered illiterate and that perhaps scientifically we go far-flung that perhaps we will have intergalactic diplomatic relations on said aliens from other planets, that there’ll be intergalactic voyage, a more developed means of cloning & there’d be immortality, time machines & other sorts of unimaginable thoughts. The danger brought about as a result of technology is not the science-fiction fright that machines will begin to think like men just like that of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s movie “The Terminators”, but it is that of the more realistic apprehension that men will begin to think like the machines. Thus, I guess being a stereotype will be one of the few little steps that the human race will soon begin to think like machines. Haha..amusing but true indeed and it has been happening ever since time immemorial. It can be a deliberation that is rudely interrupting. Within my circumstances I infer that a scenario like that in the movie mimics a grueling life we will have in the future if we pay no attention to caring for the planet that we live in. Disregarding such an assumption or more like a prophesy torpedoes something really ghastly is soon to happen if we can’t do an immediate remedy on it.  It will be an epitome of remorse later on if we don’t heed to such predictions. After all, nothing substantially insignificant and useless will happen if you will just prepare for the upcoming. There’s no harm done if the purpose is to preserve our planet because I really don’t want something bad will happen & will leave us all in a sobfest panorama. A site like this is as mindboggling as college calculus. This made me believe that if we ignore to take care of earth and that we encourage ourselves to throw garbage everywhere or fail to be cautious just about everything, then it will be too late for all of us to save the only home we have. So, now that we still have time and that we can still be able to lavish the beauty of the planet, it’s best to also love it the way we love ourselves.

“Nazis-the occult conspiracy”

“Nazis-the occult conspiracy” is a very weird and chilling documentary film about Adolf Hitler and how the Nazis or Aryan race made use of occultism or religion to win the trust of billions of people, to re-structure the German society in a new order or what they call “Neuordnung” where pure Aryan blood must rule and to remind the whole world that their race is the best on the planet, the master-race and according to Joachim Fest (1970) in the book “The Face of the Third Reich: Portraits of the Nazi Leadership” that Aryans were the highest image and likeness of the Lord. Such a film like this portray how humans tend to become so crazy and evil and it showed such an example like Adolf Hitler’s tactic which is a belief in ancient mythology as a means to dominate and monopolize a whole nation since he believed in himself that he stands guard against the Jew, he was sent from heaven to defend the handiwork of the Lord and these were the Aryans.

I can definitely say that the movie demonstrated Hitler’s attitude wherein he has no attached value to human life except as an instrument for the satisfaction of his own ambition for power. I was shocked how weird his plans were like the holocaust, the concentration camps, race cult etc. which were far different tactics of other leaders to other parts of the world for them to control a particular society. It seems as though for me Hitler was a crazy man having weird plans and thoughts of himself as Fuhrer, a Lord or someone immortal but still he managed to take over and win the hearts of many people of which to that I credit him for. In fact according to the book “West German Politics by Lewis J. Edringer (1986),” Hitler was a charismatic leader who became the symbol of salvation of millions of Nazis. The movie was really weird because I never thought that even Germans living in an Industrialize nation still attached themselves to the idea of such Ancient matters more like superstitious viewpoints as if developing backwards way back medieval era. But still I accumulated ideas on Hitler’s “Mein Kampf” where those who are stronger, the more able, can survive in a struggle. While those who are less able and weak are highly possible to loose for indeed, struggle is the father of all things and men must be able to preserve themselves solely by means of the most brutal struggle against another race.

Although the movie was really amazing to watch since it was indeed of an odd type and that even if it was a bit long wherein we occupied two hours of watching, still I am caught with how brutal and weird Hitler has given such emphasis on using occultism as an approach. Of course others would also have the exact impression since it was a tactic that was unconstitutional in a way that it had violated other people’s rights such as the right to live and it was a very unethical or deviant type of means to control a society just like that of assaulting millions of Jews and that of the production of thousands of fatherless and motherless German babies so as to procreate more of their superior race to which that as of now those babies still don’t know who their parents are. Yes, it was true that because of this event the Germans were known globally but Adolf Hitler for me, seem to not realize what the consequences were and how many of the Germans’ lives were deeply annihilated. Just being unable to know the parents of those experimental babies are just some of the unimaginable aftermath of his regime.

Indeed, Hitler might be someone brilliant because not everyone can easily convince others to be aligned of what one believes especially using occultism as a means to dominate the social, economic and political aspects of Germany but then again he was not smart enough because he was blinded too much on religion or such pagan lore which eventually put an end to his regime.

CHILL OUT!

I've only got limited time to do all my tasks & I am struggling enough to meet both ends such that I'd be able to read the ever long provisions of the RPC (Revised Penal Code), you know Article 14 of the aggravating circumstances, all those preparations for another set of oral recitation on my political law class, cramming for said case digesting of my legal research class & another set of articles to read under my civil code class as well. And ow..another 23 cases to digest for this upcoming thursday’s oral recitation on political law class as well. Whoa! Gotta rush for requirements. How am I supposed to encapsulate all these readings on my braincells when sometimes I still need to condition myself just so that I can study well (moody-type-me). Will I be able to tolerate all the endless overnights? Gees’! My handwriting is killing me! My hands are already conditioned not to write in a cursive manner it was only in lawschool that I forced my handwriting which is by the way not really that bad (according to me..haha..).

I had been doing all probable things to condition myself now that I have become a law student. I’ve tried to rearrange my room, bought a new set of study-lampshade, got some energy drink piled in my fridge, went to the grocery store to stack up midnight snacks in my cabinet, bought colorful post-its just that I might be keyed up to remind myself of the daily tasks that I am supposed to do, had to buy new sets of aka THE LAWYER-LOOK-ATTIRE, had to also memorize legal jargons, had to buy a PC with internet, and some other things just so that I might love the status quo of my life at this instance. I am even thankful that there are holidays because it’s an excuse for me to have a day-off from having to do all those readings & case-digesting. But not really though..kinakapos pa rin sa oras. Huhu..Plus I've been facing other ordeals yet through it all it's just so unusual of me because I still find myself smiling amidst all sufferings. Optimistic? Overwhelmed? Pretending to be okay? Hmn.. Am I still sane? Hahaha.. they say some lawstudents couldn’t bare the pressure anymore that’s why others become insane while others resorted to do suicide. It hasn’t come to my mind yet but maybe sooner. Hahaha..Just kidding aside! Maybe if I kept on being so serious & being too hard of myself I wouldn’t really enjoy much of what I have right now.

One of the memorable lines I’ve remembered of the movie Legally Blonde was that when Elle’s father said “Law school is for people who are boring and ugly and serious.” It was scary but I beg to disagree on the ugly part ..nyahaha.. :D So from then on I kept on smiling & meditating although I know law school is indeed sober to be brutally honest though. I just realize that even though studying the so-called jurisprudence is a bit boring and serious but one needs to take a break. Sabi nga nila “chillax, don’t be too hard or else you might end up intentionally killing yourself”. Yeah! Suicide..the willful destruction of oneself for maybe one couldn’t bare such an undesirable situation anymore such as the cy-war torture in lawschool. That’s why I seem to write another entry in my blog while doing case research 3:34 in the morning and how ironic of me to still find myself grateful amidst all the pressure. If I hadn’t “chillax” a bit I wouldn’t have lasted maybe even a week here in law school. Some of my classmates who were already married, some single, some are distinguished doctors who wanted to become lawyers (never really heard of lawyers wanting to become doctors but the rather the opposite of it), some police officers have already surrendered or dropped out from some subjects & some even decided not to continue studying anymore. Humihina loob nila from all the pressure, the pang-iinsulto ng mga attorneys, the on the spot verbatim-kinda-recitation. Kaya nga sabi ko palakasan lang talaga ng loob dito. Survival of the fittest ika nga nila. It’s a pity for those who surrendered so early, all the opportunity, the money & the time wasted. I am just being fortunate that I have my family, my friends & my faith for making me last this long, this very deadly life of a law student. I am glad that they are there to help me withstand more possible challenges in the upcoming. They are the reason & one of my prime motivation to press on! It may be ironic that I still find myself laughing amidst the said nightmare lawschool has brought into my life but I am better-off because this is the only way I see myself to survive.

Well.. gotta press on! I still have lots of stuffs to do especially the 11th hour-mode thingy.
Haha.. still, “chillax!”

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MSU-IIT: GUINNESS WORLD OF RECORDS

       

Here is another reason for all Mindanaons to be really proud about. Yesterday while my Dad & I were very busy looking after our store the radio suddenly announced that IIT recently endeavored to make a mark in history by successfully attempting for a Guinness World of  Records having the most number of people to concurrently sing the National Anthem of the Republic of the Philippines. We the Iliganons, the tri-people & the students of MSU-IIT were attempting to challenge the record for the “most number of people singing the national anthem simultaneously” set by 264 people in Hatikva, Israel on May 7, 2008 wherein the Israeli achievement was meant to bridge linguistic and cultural differences among the Jewish people.  And with the same purpose here which is also to build unity, peace and harmony among the people in Mindanao. Thus, I am very proud that Mindanao represented by Iligan City (my hometown) made an effort of gunning to be a part of the renowned Guinness Book of World Records! Students of my Alma Mater, Mindanao State University- Iligan Institute of Technology (MSU-IIT) from which the Top2 passer of the Bar Exam last 2008 graduated had also brought another honor by participating of said competition particularly with the support bestowed upon by the tri-people consisting of the Christians, Lumads & Muslims. Guinness has processed and issued identification number 250808 on September 01, 2009 for the effort of the MSU-IIT students who were very privileged to wear white shirts & jeans, others with their uniforms & our Lumads & Muslim brothers & sisters who were honored as well to wear their stunning ethnic attires.  The Sultans & Datus of various ethnic tribes in Mindanao have come to participate as well of the event.

Indeed it was a colorful presentation of the beauty of the Culture of different tribes of the Philippines as a whole. It was a day wherein differences were forgotten but rather commonality was strengthened. It’s like identifying ourselves as a whole bunch of family despite the diverse culture.

         
         The organizers of this main event were hoping to gather at least 3,000 people. This event also came about in connection to the so-called Mindanaw Week of Peace Celebration here in Iligan City under the coordination of MTYC-BUC (Mindanao Tripartite Youth Core – Bishops Ulama Conference) which is the organization responsible for the annual celebration of the Month of Peace.  Although I am a student of IIT & a member of MTYC but sad to say I had other important appointments on that particular day but despite that, my appreciation & fortitude had also become a part of completing that said affair. I am so proud of all the Mindanaons especially to all IITians’. And despite the fact that others might not understand what this event is all about or that they may say it’s just a waste of time, they got themselves wronged. For the spirit of oneness among Filipinos of different race, culture & religion were strengthened by means of singing our National Anthem in succession of celebrating the month of Peace. The said event was sponsored by various stakeholders in Iligan City, “the City of Waterfalls”. This was also participated with copious members of the media including the prestigious Philippine Daily Inquirer, Philippine Star, GMA, ABS-CBN and the likes.

 

I am really proud that despite the problems & how other parts of the Philippine Islands consistently labeled Mindanao as a very chaotic part of the Philippines which can only be starred on nationwide news coverage whenever bombings, kidnappings & other muddled issues are tackled. Nevertheless, we remained strong & proved to all that there is still peace and that Mindanao is not as bad as what the news exaggeratingly reports about. To all Mindanaon’s, press on! Aja! =)