to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can
and the wisdom to know the difference.
CHANGE
... negative thoughts and turn them to positive ones so there will be good vibes.
... fears to confidence so I can take the first step to my dream.
... spending habits so I can save more; less on passing fancies and just go for classics and essentials.
... sleeping habits so I won't have a difficulty getting up in the morning.
... eating habits and be like the Thais who eat even raw string beans.
... Virgo ways and be more flexible occasionally.
ACCEPT that
... I don't have a green thumb (my beloved poinsettias didn't get to see the New Year).
... I'm not great at cooking but I can always improve by practice.
... there are people who are better at certain things than you are.
... people think differently, behave differently, believe differently.
... not every wish comes true but I can always have faith that if I believe hard enough, they will.
I was able to travel to several countries for the first time: Laos, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam... I'm almost done with Southeast Asia now except for Burma; hopefully soon. I was able to return to China, a country that still mystifies me.
So this 2009... I usually loathe new year resolutions because I make and break them, but I'll try to:
Save more (it's scary just reading economic predictions for the coming year)
Keep fit (time to be serious on this)
Travel (but not in the tiring pace as 2008)
And just focus on the things that matter: good health, happiness, good food... quality of life does not necessarily mean material things. And I want to realise my life-long dream already... to write a book! There, I said it. It's out in the universe already. So hopefully, that's the first step, to say it out loud. May 2009 be a year for fulfilling dreams!
Akemashite omedetou gozaimasu!
Happy new year!
I've been living in a cave, namely my apartment, the past week and it took my friend An from Texas to alert me to the "golf-ihan" as JV called it at the Valley Golf & Country Club over courtesy on the golf course. Here's the side of the story from the other camp, that happens to be led by a government official whose salary btw is drawn from Filipino taxpayers. I wonder if it's the people's taxes that paid for their membership in that golf club and people's money that made them act so arrogant and violent? Palamunin lang kayo ng taongbayan p*$£@$ ninyo.
I'd like to quote Rina Jimenez David's column on the issue in reacting to this:
An editorial in this paper said the story of the fracas on the golf course involving the De la Paz family and that of the politically influential Pangandamans is a “nightmare for the middle class” of this country.
By and large, the bourgeoisie, the class that ranges from schoolteachers to jeepney drivers, from professionals to employees, from families of overseas Filipino workers to office schleps, is an invisible, silent cohort. We don’t have the teeming numbers that give the poor their power; nor do we have the wealth and influence of the truly rich. All we have are thin margins of security—some savings, a home or an apartment we are renting, a steady income, reasonable good health (for some, a health crisis is enough to drive us south of the poverty line)—and not much else. We are not easily angered, and even while we are seething inside, we rarely get our act together to give vent to our emotions. Our pleasures are simple, including a round of golf on weekends for those in the upper bracket of our class.
Middle-class Filipinos, as with our counterparts elsewhere, fervently wish only to be left alone. We do not aspire for a revolution or to gain more power. We only want sufficient freedom to pursue our professions, make a little money, and live as we please.
But when one can get beaten up in the middle of a golf course, with security guards, receptionists, caddies and officials looking the other way or even warning that it’s unwise to cross the other party because “they have guns,” then even the faint sense of security we aspire to is blown to smithereens.
Nobody has any illusions anymore that we live in a democracy, or in an equitable society. Not when people in power can trample us underfoot. Not when a public official apologizes but refuses to accept responsibility. And not when that official’s boss blithely ignores the scandal.
Can I say, exactly my thoughts?
Sa naunang script kasi, may eksena raw na nasa cockpit ang lalaking bida, kasi nga, piloto raw siya.
Ang gusto raw ng isa sa mga bossing papasok si babaeng bida na flight attendant ang role para kausapin si piloto.
Ang tanong daw ni direk something like ... "Puwede ba iyon?"
Doon nagsimula ang argumento.
At ang ending: Nag walk out si direk... as in hindi lang sa set kundi sa project.
Perhaps these production people should do their research. It doesn't mean that just because they are pouring money into the project (I suspect the boss is that lady executive who loves to play cameos in her movies) they can have their say nevermind if their idea is plain stupid. And they wonder why Philippine movies is on a slump?
(In the original script, there was a cockpit scene since the lead actor was playing a pilot.
One of the bosses wanted the lead actress to enter the cockpit and talk to the pilot.
The director asked: "Is that allowed?"
That's when the argument started with the director walking out, not just from the set, but from the project.)
Especially when you're a journalist and your work and background info are documented for everyone to see. Not that I am ashamed of my work (alas, the Internet is not able to archive all... is that good or bad?) but it is relatively easy for just about anyone to look you up and maybe judge you by the limited information they have on their screen. Aiyoh.
Anyways, for that personalised search engine, go here.
Everytime I look out of my flat and see no traffic, I feel so happy.
People wonder how I can survive two weeks on my own... well, don't. I guess it's borne out of being an only child for 15 years, I was used to being alone, no playmates etc. So I learned how to amuse myself and now I'm an expert in not getting bored even when there's no company. Internet. DVDs. Books. My writing. I cherish these moments I can write when I don't need to worry about getting up early the following morning to get to work. I treasure my solitude in these times too, it makes me reflect on a lot of things. I know no man is an island but sometimes I just need my space.
I went to Gourmet Market at Siam Paragon late this afternoon intending to do some cooking in the coming days. I was hovering by the fresh produce area, contemplating on whether to buy potatoes for sinigang when I noticed that the people around me have come to a standstill. And they were all looking in one direction. The crown princess was in the house! She's a well-loved figure in the Kingdom, next to the king. She doesn't look much different in person but as a colleague said, it was a very rare opportunity to see these people. Am I a royal magnet? Months back, also at Paragon, I was going down the escalator when I noticed a few bodyguards. They were escorting the eldest granddaughter of the king (in short, the eldest daughter of the crown prince). What was striking was how low-key these people were. Except for the bodyguards that is, which I would think is de rigueur.
I found this aromatic pillow while shopping at Gourmet Market in Siam Paragon the other day. Inside are dried pine leaves and natural essential oils; it smells of peppermint. It's a tambon (village) product from Khao Khon Natural Farm. It's a perfect Christmas gift (not even $10 each). Speaking of Christmas gifts, sometimes it's difficult to decide what to give so this year, I stuck to food; it's the safest. Personally, I don't want getting gifts that I won't need so I also want to avoid giving gifts that people don't need nor won't like, just for the sake of giving something. Even if they say it's the thought that counts, sometimes it can end up being thoughtless. But I like the gifts I got so Merry Christmas!!!
