(Un)Happiness

It's pretty hard to tell what does bring happiness. Poverty and wealth have both failed.

If a good friend tells you that he/she's not that happy in life, what would your reaction be?

Most likely your reaction could be shocked, confused, sad, hurt and maybe out of words for a second or two. Then you may assess if the friend is teasing you, or just as serious as can be. He/she could mean both.

If you think you know him/her well, then you will know through the tone of the voice, the expression through the eyes especially the frankness and honesty when the statement had been said.

There's no standard set of criteria in order to be happy.

Happiness depends on the person's expectation and criteria that he/she set in order to say he/she's happy. If the criteria were not met, then those lead to unhappiness/sadness.

Satisfaction/contentment is the road to happiness.

Most often it's the simplest thing or event that makes you happy such as a smile. You can feel a different flow of energy going through you as if your whole body is weightless.

How can you maintain the state of happiness? It's a big challenge in life to answer such question. I may have my answers, but may not be applicable to others. The message of Hawak Kamay may also lead to the road of happiness.

Hawak Kamay (Hold Hands) - Yeng Constantino

(Nice piece of song with guitar accompaniment. Can the message be interpreted as "for better or worse"? hmmm... :D)

Intro: G-Em-C-D

G          Em          C        D
Minsan madarama mo kay bigat ng problema
At times you feel the heavy burden
G          Em               C
Minsan nahihirapan ka at masasabing
At times you will say
D
"di ko na kaya"
"I give up"
Am                  Bm
Tumingin ka lang sa langit
Just look up in the sky
C            D
Baka sakaling may masumpungan
Maybe you'll get inspired
Am            Bm
Di kaya ako'y tawagin
Or you call me up
C             D
Malalaman mong kahit kailan
You'll know any time

Chorus:

   G
Hawak-kamay
Hold hands
  Em             C9
Di kita iiwan sa paglakbay
I won't leave you in this journey
D
Dito sa mundong walang katiyakan
In this uncertain world
   G
Hawak-kamay
Hold hands
  Em             C9
Di kita bibitawan sa paglalakbay
I won't let go in this journey
D
Sa mundo ng kawalan
In this lost world

(same chords lang kanina)

Minsan madarama mo
At times you feel
Ang mundo'y gumuho sa ilalim ng iyong mga paa
That the world crumbles beneath your feet
At ang agos ng problema'y tinatangay ka
And the stream of problems sweep you away
Tumingin ka lang sa langit
Look up in the sky
Baka sakaling may masumpangan
Maybe you'll get inspired
Di kaya ako'y tawagin
Or you call me up
Malalaman mong kahit kailan
You'll know any time

(Repeat Chorus)

Bridge:

Wag mong sabihin nagiisa ka
Don't say you're alone
Laging isipin meron kang kasama
Always think you have a company
Narito ako oh,Narito ako...
I'm here oh, I'm here...

(Rpeat Chorus)

Sa mundo ng kawalan
In this lost world
Hawak-kamay,hawak-kamay
Hold hands, hold hands
Sa mundo ng kawalan
In this lost world

I'll Be There For You (Martin Nievera)

(I like the piano and its arrangement)

When you wake up each morning,
and you feel like calling.
I'll be there for you.
When the road seems uncertain
and you can't stop the hurtin'.
I'll be there for you.

When there's no one beside you
I'll be there to guide you
catch you each time you fall.
When the stars won't shine anymore
I'll be there.

When the world is unkind
and your dreams, they need more time.
I'll be there for you.
If the rules they keep breaking
and the future is fading.
I'll be there for you.

The rainbow will end
in the palm of your hand
don't ever let it go.
When the stars won't shine anymore
I'll be there.

Who knows where we'll go
what will tomorrow bring.
But we have each other, just hold on tight.
We can take to the skies and fly....

I'll be there for you...
I'll be there for you...

The rainbow will end
in the palm of your hand
don't ever let it go.
When the stars won't shine anymore
I'll be there.
The rainbow will end
in the palm of your hand
don't ever let it go.
When the stars won't shine anymore
I'll be there.

I'll be there.

Completely (Christian Bautista)

How can I tell you what I'm feeling
So you would always remember ooh ooh
What can I do to take this moment
And make it last forever
I know it's been said many times, many ways
But it's never come from a deeper place

Chorus:
For every minute of this life that I am breathing
Until there's nothing in this world I can believe in
As long as there's a single part of you that needs me
I know I am gonna love you, completely

What did I do to get an angel
Lying here beside me ooh ooh
Where did you find all these emotions
I felt deep down inside me
I only know that this world will change
But your hold on my heart will stay the same

Repeat Chorus:

I have no doubt at all
No fear of falling down
Completely,
Be with me,
Believe me,
You will always know

Until there's nothing in this world I can believe in
As long as there's a single part of you that needs me
I know I am gonna to love you
I know I am gonna to love you,
Completely

Sadness

It's a feeling when we are at loss, or experience unhappy events. It's the emotional pain that most of us don't want to experience such feeling. Sadness is even more deeper when a closer relationship has ended, somehow.

We may also experience sadness when we feel the pain of another person that we care or love. Instinctively, we would want to take away that pain from him/her.

Can we take away the pain from our loved one? I don't think so. But if we can take it away, we may also deprived him or her the opportunity to grow.

To help others deal with sadness is to be compassionate, able to share another person's suffering and pain, knowing and understanding what the pain feels like.

Sadness also helps us appreciate happiness.

It's pretty hard to tell what does bring happiness. Poverty and wealth have both failed.

Daydreaming?

An article stated that "Daydreaming seems to be the default setting of the human mind and certain brain regions are devoted to it...".

Daydreaming is good when we have the idle time to spare, or just to have some fantasy on something. We usually do it when we commute, whether inside the bus, train or even taxi.

But have you observed people daydreaming during work hours? The answer is most likely, Yes. You may see or catch your colleague once in a while.

But, it's weird when you see someone seems like daydreaming almost all the time!!! Are these people got nothing to do? Or, simply "bu chap" and just waiting for the payday!!! Or are they just simply staring at the space blankly? It's a million dollar question to me!!!

At the end of the day, we all know that no work has been done at all!!!

I suppose it's none of my business, and it's not my money that was wasted. (Luckily)

I Can Love You Easy (Christian Bautista)

We've been connected all this time
By an invisible string attached
from your heart to mine
We circle the obvious like
satellites that roam around the earth
No. I'm never gonna let you go.

I can love you easy
If you give me the chance
Suddenly we feel so close
And it happens so fast
Let's take tonight
This heart can't lie believe me
Baby I can love you easy.

I hear You speak
And its like a song
The funny thing is
I think we both knew it all along
We circle each other just like
Children on a crowded carousel
Oh, its a story we have to tell.

We got so used to thinking
that one is always far
Love has a way of knowing
exactly where you are.

(Nice Piano and Lyrics)

Patience is a virtue

A Chinese proverb.

I've been trying to finish this pending report to check the accuracy of the figures. Finally, it's done.

That's what I thought!!!

Before I can compare figures, I need to run the process 31 times before I can even take a look at the reports. Damn!!! This machine is damned slow, and it's killing me!!!

Patience is a virtue. That's what they said!!!

I think I can write a lot of things here, and would be out of topics/ideas before I even finish the 31 runs. (it's very frustrating!!!!)

What to do? Heineken said "We'll wait!".

I suppose there's nothing much I can do, but wait. (sigh)

The Ningas* Cogon Mentality

It's nice to see that people are busy having discussion on different projects, its implementation and deadline. Seems that everyone is positive and productive, fueled by adrenaline rush for money to be made, and for sure to lead to great and wonderful things.

All too often, the projects under discussion never get off the ground. This is due to people unwilling to take risk, or don't want to innovate, or they don't know at all!!! (sigh) Or maybe it's just a classic case of having the comfort zone (shaking leg?!!! hmmm....).

In my home country we have an expression/phrase ningas cogon, referring to what happens when you set a blazing fire, only to watch it quickly fizzle out.

Ningas cogon basically means starting out projects with full vigor and interest which abruptly die down, leaving things unfinished.

This mentality I think can be avoided when there is good management, inspired leadership and teamwork.

The main factors here are really the mindset of the people involve.

Being busy does not always mean real work. The object of all work is production or accomplishment and to either of these ends there must be forethought, system, planning, intelligence, and honest purpose, as well as perspiration. Seeming to do is not doing.

When I See You Smile (Artist: Bad English)

Just heard it played in the radio station... sometimes it's nice to hear old songs... :D

(VI)
G                               C
Sometimes I wonder how I'd ever make it through,
                          Am           
Through this world without having you, 
               D
I just wouldn't have a clue
G                                           
'Cause sometimes it seems like this world's 
        C
closing in on me,
                     Am              
And there's no way of breaking free, 
                  D
and then I see you reach for me
C                 G                Am       
Sometimes I wanna give up, I wanna give in, 
        D
I wanna quit the fight
C                   Am        D                     
And then I see you, baby, and everything's alright, 
D7
everything's alright


(chorus)
G      D       C                     G         D   
When I see you smile, I can face the world, oh oh, 
         C                 D
you know I can do anything
G      D       C                     G         D   
When I see you smile, I see a ray of light, oh oh, 
         C
I see it shining right

through the rain
      Am                D      
When I see you smile, oh yeah, 
                   G
baby when I see you smile at me

(VII)
G                                             C
Baby there's nothing in this world that could ever do
                    Am            
What a touch of your hand can do, 
                        D
it's like nothing that I ever knew
C                    G                Am       
And when the rain is falling, I don't feel it, 
              D
'cause you're here with me now
C                   Am       D                   
And one look at you baby, is all I'll ever need, 
       D7
you're all I'll ever need

(chorus)

C                 G                Am       
Sometimes I wanna give up, I wanna give in, 
        D
I wanna quit the fight
C                  Am        D                    
And then I see you baby, and everythings alright, 
D7 
everything's alright
G
So right...

(Instrumental break)

G D C D

(The chorus is the same, but two steps higher)
A      E       D                     A         E   
When I see you smile, I can face the world, oh oh, 
         D                 E
you know I can do anything
A      E       D                     A      
When I see you smile, I see a ray of light, 
   E            D   
oh oh, I see it shining right
E
through the rain, yeah
A      E       D                     A      
When I see you smile, I can face the world, 
   E            D                  
oh oh, you know I can do anything
      Bm                E      
When I see you smile, oh yeah, 
                   A    D  Bm       A 
baby when I see you smile,  smile at me

Why Pride?

It's a question hanging in my head while waiting for a bus ride back home. Since waiting time was longer than expected, might as well contemplate the reason behind to "kill" idle times. The test result came out that way, and there must be an explanation somehow. If nobody had asked, then it will be just accepted as it was.

Failing to acknowledge/express what it was, I need to know the definition of pride which may aid finding some answers.

Definition of pride. pride and joy, someone or something cherished, valued, or enjoyed above all others¹⁴

Wikipedia's definition. It's one of the capital sins and considered the original or most serious sin, and the ultimate source of all other sins. It is identified as a desire to be more important or attractive to others, failing to give credit due to others, or excessive love of self.

Eureka!!!

It's standing up to a principle that deem to be against the norm. There's a very thin line between being proud (excessive love of self) and live up with the principle you believe in. Unfortunately, it's the majority that rules.

Could it be stubborness? hmm... It beats me.

Keeping a Promise

The Day After Tomorrow. A movie that depicts end of the world, and people are struggling to survive and understand that was happening.

The action of keeping a promise touched me. It's the father who promised his son to get him out of New York and to make him safe. The son promised his father to stay put at all cost until help arrives. The father went for the journey with his friends and costed him one of their lives to rescue his son.

How many of us can keep a promise at all cost? Even to gamble our own lives just to keep a promise. Does it happen in real world or just in movies? I guess it happen, but I suppose it's rare. It depends on the person's principle in life.

Are you willing sacrifice your life to save others? How can we find these type of persons? I suppose, you can find them when the situation arises. Hopefully... :D

Happy Feet

Happy Feet is a nice animation movie about a penguin who can't sing his "heart song" to attract a soul mate through his vocal chord, but through his feet.

Consequence of environmental damage done by human is depicted in this movie, though it seems that the ending is not really part of the original script. At least that's what I think.

Few points to ponder.

Everyone living in this planet is unique and such should be accepted in the society as he is. In this movie, Mumble becomes an outcast because of who he is, and even his father had asked him to leave. Is it not fair?

Another point is that society decides what is good and bad, what is righteous!! People do what the society approves. People who conform to what the society thinks is good are readily accepted in the society. It takes something to happen before perception of people change.

Lastly, self sacrifice and letting go sometimes is a way of showing true love. Mumble tried to send back Gloria to her family, though his words hurt them both. But his actions were the only way to send her back home.

(My special thanks to my friend for lending her DVD for me to "kill" some of my idle time :D)

Genuine Smile

I was making faces with these two little kids looking at me while I was walking towards the bus stop. These two responded with a very sweet smile. Having seen such genuine smiles brighten up my day.

Nowadays, when you need to keep up with the development and stay competitive seems that everybody is so serious, and may have forgotten to smile. (hmm... what a statement!!!) Look around you on the way home inside the bus or MRT. It maybe people are just too tired, and that smile is totally erased from the face.

Do you know the feeling of making people smile? There's a feeling of fulfillment especially when you see a genuine smile and the person seem to forget the sadness and troubles he/she has, at least momentarily.


Smile (Original Artist: Nat King Cole)

Smile, though your heart is aching
Smile, even though it's breaking
When there are clouds in the sky
you'll get by
If you smile through your fear and sorrow
Smile and maybe tomorrow
You'll see the sun come shining through
for you

Light up your face with gladness
Hide every trace of sadness
Although a tear may be ever so near
That's the time you must keep on trying
Smile what's the use of crying
You'll find that life is still worthwhile
If you just Smile

God, Man and Religion

Have you ever wondered and asked what's the relationship between God, man and religion? It seems that even violence you can hear and read from headline news has something to do with religion. Even terrorism, somehow, is associated to religion, or at least it's being implied in the news.

Man as human being wanted to understand everything around him. When something can't be understood, he needs to turn to someone who can explain it. That someone is God. God knows everything and it is His will for all things that happened around us. So man then turns to God for explanation on things beyond his comprehension.

What's in religion? It's the institution that teach certain belief/faith and teach about God. Religion often treated by people as the authority over their actions, and molds the people's mind to determine what is moral or immoral. People act according to religion's teachings on their daily lives.

As we know, everything has an end. Life has also an end, and that is in the form of death. However, human beings believe that there is life after death. In effect, each one of us has to live somewhere after death. People will turn to religion to guide and prepare them for their next life.

It's just ironic that man's quest for all good things, may also be the reason for chaos around us. Problems arise when one religion think that their God is better than others. Or fanatic people are offended when others act not in accordance to what they learn is moral. Within the same teachings, people tend to interpret the teachings differently thus creating some conflicts within.

"Man proposes, God disposes."

Why is the world so unfair?

All men are born equal!

We are taught that all men and women are equal. Is this really true? How come women are clamoring for equality? Why some are poor and others are rich? Why are there good and bad people? Why some are beautiful and others are ugly? And the list goes on and on and on... There won't be enough space and time to write down all these questions...

What would the world be like when the everything is fair? Wouldn't it be nice when everybody is rich, beautiful, good and etc....? Seems like too many questions, but the answers are few.

Why so unfair?!! Sounds familiar? You heard this question when you're still a kid and until now you can hear it everywhere, at work or play. For sure, this question has been asked by anyone at least once, even children, in a lifetime.

Is there really an answer to this question? Sort of. This means that when you're born you have eyes, ears, nose, mouth and skin. Period. Beyond those, it's questionable. Why? Because some are born with defective sight (blind), ears (deaf) or something else. Equality is very very limited.

Fairness/equality also depends on the criteria that we set. It maybe fair to ourselves, but unfair to others. We will be happy, and others will say unfair. Bottom line, the world is still unfair.

Try to imagine if the world is fair. What would it be like!? What if everybody is rich? Would anyone want to do farming? Would anyone want to do the cleaning/sweeping? If nobody does the farming, who and how can you feed the rich? If nobody does the cleaning/sweeping, then environment we are in will be messy. If nobody wants to teach, how can we learn?

Seems like small things that nobody wants to do, but would have greater impact in our lives. We just don't take notice of those little things.

hmmm... Maybe it's just good that the world is unfair!!!

What is it in writing?

I was always scolded for not writing notes especially when I was still in primary and secondary schools. Unless notes were given grades or inspected by the teachers, I preferred not to write.

I hated composition and theme writing activities for then, I didn't knew its purpose and advantage. But since it's part of curriculum, I had no recourse but to endure and did the writing.

Fast forward!!! Information Age. Everybody, children included, can now write anything they wish, then publish and the whole world can read it! Blogging is the name of the game. (hmmm... why do I blog then? for fun i suppose... hehehe)

But, what is it really in writing!? Basically, it's someone expressing himself for the record.

I realized the importance and advantage when I started to work and earn for a living. A person can be one step ahead majority of the pack when he expresses himself clearly.

It just sad to note though, that in the time of information age people can send out messages at any time by way of email and some information can be omitted. Omission may cause some confusion/problem in the future, and the message received can be misinterpreted.

Often people can express themselves verbally, but once you ask them to put what they said in writing most will cringe hearing the request.

If somebody wants to get out of "modern slavery", he better learn communication skills, verbal and writing.

Is "Modern Slavery" a Radical Thinking?

When I went for holiday last Christmas, I saw a book in my friend's place that seems very familiar except that it looks so dilapidated. I thought it's borrowed from the library. I took it and recognized that it was the book I gave few years back as a gift but I never read it.

Somebody told me that it was borrowed for few weeks and appeared to be read by few people. So, that explained the state of the book.

I had to read the book out of curiosity!!!

I realized that my earlier perception of "modern slavery" was well explained by the authors.

Money enslaves most of the people in modern times. Modern slaves work for money, whereas modern masters are those who let the money works for them.

The book: Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki

My Earlier Perception of "Modern Slavery"

I have this notion that there are only few differences between modern aged and earlier civilization slaves.

Earlier civilization slaves. If a person is born slave, then he'll remain slave forever or die when his master dies. He can be sold to another master to be a slave of another person. His life depends on the person who owns him.

Modern slaves. This time of information age, we still can see a lot of slaves. Unfortunately, it's sad to say I'm one of the them. When you work for a company to earn a living, then you can be considered a slave, sort of. People who own the company are your masters. The only advantage of the modern slaves is that they can choose who can be their masters. Bottom line, the person still a slave and depends on them to live (earning a living).

The only escape route out of slavery is to become the master. It's not an easy task though.

To achieve such task, a person must learn the skills of Thick Face, Black Heart.

Back to Reality

I tried to always go back to my home country to unwind during Christmas season even without enough leave credits. So, I have to negotiate for unpaid leave even if it means losing some part of my salary. I guess I have to "reward" myself of a deserving rest.

It's very relaxing to be rid of phone calls, internet access and responding of email messages and other things that need to be completed asap. Just lazying around or reading some books seem to be a bliss... A day was supposedly 24 hours long, but I felt that a day was only an hour long.

hmmm.... Did I enjoy the deserving rest? I think so, otherwise I would have felt a minute was endless.

How I hoped that this bliss will be forever!!!

And suddenly, the day i dreaded most had finally come! Waking up was a drag, and how I wished that my "reward" had just started. I didn't even intend to pack up, and totally forgotten to buy things for "pasalubong". [What is "pasalubong" in English? :( Is it giveaway? I'm not sure... will ask other people when I remember... haha..]

hmm... I also forgot to buy my supply of chewing gums which can't be bought in the country where I work. I felt very miserable!!!

Oops... Time seemed to run faster, and I had to rush to the airport!!! I was caught up in the traffic jam, then reaching to the airport the queues were surprisingly very long!!! The two hours I thought will be eternity zap in a wink of an eye. I didn't even have a minute to buy things in the airport. I even had to run to board the plane... sigh

I realized I'm already back in reality even before I reached my destination. I told myself not to access the net or email until I report to office the following day just to savor the little time left of the bliss I'm yearning again...

Goodbye fantasy world!!! Welcome back to the real world!!!