intertwining
mistakes
into perfect
lovers’ veins
Six Word Poem: Marriage
Holding hands.
Kissing lips.
Always.
Forever.
Philip Jones Griffiths, Vietnam circa 1980
The war etched in her face, like traces of long routes in a deep forest.
The wrinkles around her eyes are the stories that are yet to surface.
The drooping eyes, a sign of ageing, and a sign of surrender…Surrender to whatever fate has to offer.
Sitting at a corner, contemplating the what-have-beens and could-have-beens.
Her eyes, looking straight ahead, yet they are looking somewhere not here…
This is her hometown. This is where she was born.
The history is history. The past is past.
There’s no turning back.
The only thing to look forward to is of what is left…
or maybe, what she’s been waiting for…
…death.
– The Clumsy Diarist
Mikael Jansson
It is the excruciating boredom that lead me to internet surfing. With internet surfing, I’m talking about viewing portfolios of photographers around the WWW. Fortunately, today, I discovered a photographer named Mikael Jansson. I saw his photos featured in the STATUS magazine and I got intrigued of his mostly black and white photographs.
Since I was young, I am fascinated with black-and-white photography. I love looking at my parents and grandparents’ black-and-white photos. For me, the black-and-white scheme is so to remove the other colors – the distractions – to show the real story behind the photo. Sometimes we have to remove the unnecessaries to be able to see.
As an aspiring photographer, I mostly prefer the black-and-white scheme for my subjects. One of them even won me a Kindle from a photography contest I joined held by the Instituto Cervantes de Manila. Here’s an article that featured my photo. Not bad, huh?
Anyway, as I was saying, you should check out Mikael Jansson’s online portfolio. It captures not only the moment’s serenity, but the melancholy of his subjects as well. Some might say that this is boring stuff viewing another person’s photos when you can look at Vogue, or Status, or Garage even. But, I’m telling you, you just need to try.
My interests in photography are much about
people and emotions and if there is a bit of melancholy added it will make my day.
I also have a big interest in documentary work,
I love to tell a story in my photos and
I enjoy being served a great story in photos,
I can sit for a long time just imagining the set around the photos and the people in it. (Mikael Jansson)
I also tend to be impatient at times, so what I do is, I try to make-up stories of everything that catches my eyes. This is also one of my tricks whenever I go photo-walking and I am so tired from walking all day. I will try to keep ideas flowing despite of my weakening body, just to get the shot, and to not miss any moment.
What should you do if your spirit is willing yet your body is weak? Try imagining the stories of the people in the photographs. Ask yourself, why is that kid laughing? Why does that man’s eyes look sad? Why is that girl standing behind those bars? Try to solve the mystery behind every photograph and I’m telling you, you’ll have a wonderful time just looking at them. And, you’ll be able to develop your imagination.
Cliche as it may seem, this keeps my creative juices streaming in my lazy bloodstream.
“The camera doesn’t make a bit of difference.
All of them can record what you are seeing.
But, you have to SEE.”
– Ernst Haas
On Setting Goals (a real-time post)
Disclaimer: This post is unedited. The author is trying to be a spontaneous writer. Please bear with her.
I have goals in life but I am prioritizing the things in the present before I sail to the end of the world. That’s not bad right? She’s implying that I have a boring and a miserable life but I don’t. I am really happy right now. Jesus is my Savior and my best friend so why should I worry? I mean, He knows the desires of my heart and all I needed to do is to surrender these dreams to Him; to let His will be done in my life; to glorify Him with my life. And I know I will get there wherever I wanted to go. Someday I will travel the world. But not today. Maybe tomorrow or the next day. But at least I know what I want and I know how to get it. I just have to focus on the things and people that God wants me to focus on. Remember the verse in the bible? If you are faithful in little, you will be faithful in much. Now I have little. But my status quo will not stop me from planning and reaching my dreams. People tend to judge me. But they dont know me. They dont know my family. They dont know what training and problems I have been through. I am still standing because of Him. So, all I needed to do is to do my best to whatever I am assigned to do now. I don’t just like people bragging their opinions just because they thought they knew better. But in truth, we all grew in different environments; we have diff. Traditions and beliefs. We have diff. Ways to be where we want to be. We have our own little ways of building our own bridges; of painting our dreams. It will all just take time to manifest but all of these will come true. So all that we needed to do is to be patient; to wait while persevering as we reach our greatest dreams. Let us seize every opportunity with wisdom and respect the value of patience and perseverance. We will all get there.
Childhood games
Guest blogging for JabonggaJosh!
Complete name: Persis Micah Gutierrez Flores
Occupation: Social Media Copywriter…for now.
Ambition (of course, your job right now isn’t the one you answered on that slum book back in
grade school): To be a travel writer and wedding photographer
What keeps you going?: Praying, mostly…and knowing that every single day leads me nearer
to reaching my goals.
Is there anything that would keep you from reaching that goal? : If I stopped from believing
that anything is possible.
The world is a rollercoaster and everyone’s fucked, with that in mind, where do you see
yourself in 10 years? : I will be in Paris, biking under the Eiffel Tower, taking random
photographs of people and foods I’ve eaten, and living my still single life. I’d like to say that I’m
like a balloon which slowly drifts away from its decaying world.
You can read the rest of my answers here 🙂
Who am I?
I am fearfully and wonderfully made by God…but why do I feel like a sh*t on the road?
The question above is what I’ve wondered on most of my yesterday. Depressing, right? Honestly, I’ve been thinking about it more than a few days now. But, asking myself direct, improbable questions makes me feel alive, if not weird, awkward, silly, and lonely (which I am, naturally). So, why the question?
I am fearfully and wonderfully made by God…yes. But, why do I feel like a sh*t on the road? An ice cream that fell from its cone and slowly melting on the floor? An old newspaper now constantly being collected to be the dog-owner’s poo-picker, papier mache, or as a sleeping mat for that poor man living on the street (I prefer the latter)? A disposable spoon, once used, destined to be thrown away, just like any other disposable thing. But, the question is precedent with another question which is, “Who am I?”.
I am fearfully and wonderfully made, but who am I?
I am a girl and the word itself is complicated. But let’s try to drop down the list of who I really am besides the tagged “girl”.
I am simple. I am quiet (most of the time, especially when I’m thinking). I am loving (which is not most of the time since my quietness sends the wrong signal that I am a snob little freak. But I’m not). I am friendly (according to my friends). I am shy (but I curse things in my head). I wear a dress (no, I mean, Chucks). I don’t want attention (but affection, gladly, if you insist). I don’t like girls that wear make-up as if they are off to a photo shoot (unless you are a model, but still). I am striving to be as indifferent as possible, not because I am different, but because I am. I am indifferent, laid-back, and the girl-behind-the-door. I am a wallflower who loves to go to museums to look at paintings for hours and who loves watching plays in theaters instead of movie houses (though I also prefer movies if there’s no other choice). I love reading, painting, drawing, sketching, photography. I love how creating things not only bring out the best in me, but they serve as proofs for my non-existence in this sea of humanity. I love discovering things. I love reading and traveling. I love to dream. I love to sing. I love to dance. I love to run. I love food. I love chocolate and coffee. I love my family. Lastly, I do things not to impress but to express. To express my emotions through my hobbies, my creations, my poems, my writings makes me feel that I am free, and no one has a say on it.
But then again, we have enemies around us (or is it only me?). They are there to trip us, to trick us, to despise us. But I am a born winner. Weak physique, but strong emotional intelligence that my enemies will never fathom how to destroy because I am owned by my Creator.
So, who am I?
I am God’s daughter.
…because I am.
(I feel you, Daria.)
I just realized that even though role models come my way to offer me something that will change me, I still retract to my original self. I am like an elastic band that even though I am flexible, even though you try to stretch me thousands of times, even though I cover up myself with beautiful gowns and thick make-up, I will return to the ‘original me’ over and over again.
I don’t know if this is a comforting thought, though. All I know is that I know who I am. I know myself enough. Though people may suggest to do things to ‘get out of myself’, or ‘to become the better version of me’, or ‘to be the best that I can be’, or worse, ‘to change me’, I am already the ‘best’ that I can become and no one, not even a hair dye or a whitening pill, can change the real me. 🙂
I remembered Tiffany’s angst from the novel turned movie “Silver Linings Playbook”. She said these lines:
“There’s always going to be a part of me that’s sloppy and dirty, but I like that. With all the other parts of myself.”
Get my point? 😉
BLACK, WHITE, AND RED
A random poem written on the spur of the moment…
Why is he wearing red?
Is he feeling loved?
Or is it hatred? Regret?
Why is he wearing black?
Is he feeling bland?
Or is it lonely and dark?
Why is he wearing white?
Is he feeling peaceful and bright?
Or is it the moon at night?
The colors of his shirts,
The brightness of his smiles,
The awkwardness of his walk,
The sideway glances, he tries,
Will, unfortunately, always be,
unspoken; undefined…
Drawing 1.0
Drawing 2.0
03:18
At exactly 03:18 AM (yes, my birthday is 03/18 which makes this time very important), I read this random tweet:
(@GODs_Graces) We don’t begin to know what freedom is until we come to a place in our lives where we have no need to impress anybody.
– and you know what? I am actually living in that place of freedom for so long and I didnt even care to notice it. This is really comforting because I thought I have a problem that I am not trying to impress anyone anymore; that I have no motivation to do greater-than-myself things to impress anyone. That I don’t have the passion to be greater than who I am now. Because, what for? I am living according to God’s will and time table and I do not need to hurt myself by not becoming myself if I will spend all my time in the world trying and doing what’s only impressive in the eyes of the enemies – and even in the eyes of the loving people around me. I am who I am today because of Jesus. My issues are mine and no one has any power to tell me how I should be or what should I be doing in this time that I just turned 23. Also, no one has the power and the right to tell me what I must do in certain circumstances. I have my time, talents, and abilities. I am fearfully and wonderfully made by God. I am free knowing that I have my share of pain and joy; I know my strength and weaknesses. I know what I need to do to go where I wanted to. I have the mind and heart of Christ since I accepted Him as my Lord and Savior last 05/18/03. I have God and Jesus is in me. I am being guided by the Holy Spirit. The good part is, this is actually normal, a good sign even, that I am becoming ‘free from myself and from this world’. Knowing that I am free, living in this place called ‘Freedom’, is just awesome! 🙂
I hope you’re free, too. That way, we could be neighbors! 🙂
What Is Life?
Diary | Dtd: January 8, 2011
For centuries, people have been searching for their lives…And, yes, I´m one of those people. I throw questions to God like, ¨What is my purpose in life?¨ ¨Why did You created me?¨ ¨Why me??¨ ¨What shall I do?¨ ¨Is it okay if I have a dream?¨¨Is it okay if sometimes I follow My own will?¨ ¨Why should I experience sadness, when I can experience happiness?¨ and then it came to the point that i asked God, ¨WHO AM I?¨
What is LIFE?
Shall I define it? when generations before me were already asking the same thing?
…is it accumulating something? money? property? assets??? is it accomplishing something? Highest Awards? Education? Marriage? being one of Guiness´ Book of World Records?
A few hours ago, I was standing inside the Light Rail Transit or LRT…I was looking outside the window…looking at Manila´s slum areas. Well, of course, not all of Manila was in ¨slum¨ because it was actually packed with concretes and pollution…but then, the ¨PARTS of Manila¨, were. I saw families, living among the ashes of a few-days-ago two-storey house….i saw a man that has a very long, unwashed hair; wearing clothes that show the effect of living outside your home; living with pollution…
¨Lord, if we are all chasing for LIFE, how can we know that we already have LIFE? because, sometimes, people don´t STOP as if they have to have this thing first before saying ´Now this is LIFE!´ ¨
¨You must have it to the FULLEST to know that it is LIFE…¨
¨But, how can i know that my LIFE is in its FULLEST when i even have no idea what LIFE is…?¨
¨JOHN 10:10 ´I have come that they may have LIFE and have it to the FULL…´ ¨
¨So, Lord, you´re saying that if i have You in my life, I have the FULLEST LIFE?¨
¨Yes.¨
“And, so You are also saying that we can not have the FULLEST LIFE if we don´t have You in our lives?
¨Yes¨
¨How can we don´t have You in our lives? Is it possible?¨
¨Yes…because I came for all of you to have LIFE and have it to the FULL…but, did you welcome Me when I came? I don´t push Myself to be IN your life´s status or situation right now…I just promised you JOHN 10:10, ´I have come that they may have LIFE and have it to the FULLEST.”
¨So, You´re saying that it is possible for us to not have the FULL LIFE if we not LET YOU IN our lives?¨
¨Yes. But My Word; My promises will remain…JEREMIAH 29:11 ´ For I know the plans I have for you. Plans to PROSPER you and not to harm you; plans to give you HOPE; and a FUTURE.´ ¨
And yes, I have decided. I want the FULLEST LIFE N.O.W.
Not tomorrow or ¨the next day…¨ but N.O.W. 🙂
The Jesus I Want To Know
Diary | Dtd: February 24, 2011
No book is entitled like that.
I just want to make it like that….haha 😀
THE JESUS I WANT TO KNOW
I want to know Jesus~ more and more and more~ 🙂
Yes, i shared to you a note before about “The Jesus I Never Knew” that mainly talks about mydiscovery and realization that most of us do not “really KNOW Jesus.”
Knowing Jesus is different from “wanting to know Him more.”
It’s more than just knowing His name and His abilities as God…. Actually, after knowing that Jesus came down on earth to die on the cross for our sins, and that He rose from the dead after 3 days, and He is alive again~ Well, there’s more to come, I tell you, after just knowing what He’s done for ALL of us. There are surprises to come after knowing His name and His power as God…But before these surprises, there is this ONE thing we need:
APPLICATION.
If you already know Jesus, you already read the bible (even from the 1st to 2nd page or from cover to cover) and there is no application or willingness from you to APPLY what you’ve been KNOWING (that is what we call “Head Knowledge”), you cannot, EVER, experience God in your life…
But, I’m not scaring you, or anything. I just want to share to you that we must all have the heart to “know more of God.” If you are not experiencing God in your life (you feel uncontented; empty; you name it) it’s fine. We are all human beings who are living in this imperfect world… But, SWITCH NOW your mindset to God. It is either now or never. ’cause time is running out…
Being a Christian is not just a one day commitment. It is an every moment of everyday commitment.
If I may share my habit, before i drink water, i pray for it. Before eating, before going out of our house, before riding public vehicles, and even before reciting in class, i pray. I tell you, God wants to be with you every moment! He loves us THAT much! So, it would be really sad if the time that we only allot for Him is “A few hours of every Sunday”! Come on!!!
But, I also want to tell you that we are the same. It’s just that God gave me this strength to share it with you. Again, it is now or never. Just pray now and accept Jesus as the Lord and Savior of your life. Then, KNOW MORE OF HIM…
I’m not telling you this because I felt what I’ve been doing in life is “all the way RIGHT” or “all i do is perfect” Well, surprise! I am an imperfect person, too! I always fall, i always am clumsy and selfish like a baby, and hungry like a basketball player just got home from practice (and i am frustrated that i’m not getting any fatter! — er, shall i talk about this? haha )
Going back, i just want to tell you that you are NOT alone. we are here! we are alive! and, yes, we may not be sure when our time will be up, but as of now, please KNOW MORE OF JESUS!
Never in my life i experienced this complete contentment and yearning for God when i decided to just focus my mindset on Him…when I let His will be done in my life…when i surrendered my all to Him (school, relationships, work).
I want you to have that JOY in your life, too. Consider this a gift, and just receive this. If this will be bad for you, i won’t be sharing this to you, ever, anyway.
~ it is better to please God than man…It is better to disappoint man, than God.
Run for your lives!
Diary | Dtd: 12 March, 2011
Have you ever seen anyone run for his life?
Besides from the fact that I always have this dialog of ¨Run for your lives!¨ flashing in my mind whenever I’m about to cross a street, I’ve done that for so many times in my life. I run away from troubles, persecutions, and of course, from hard-to-get-along people.
I also once experienced a Christmas eve many years ago and having an empty table (empty, for if you compare it to some other tables which are full of traditional Christmas foods, yes it is empty. Really. Empty.) I want to run away from that poverty. I want to go to my friends and eat with them! Yet, i endured that pain. I actually escaped that poverty. I went to the corner of my bed and tried to recompose myself. I prayed. And yes, after talking with God I suddenly enjoyed eating with my family without worrying if we have food the next day! And yes, that was a great Christmas with my family! A Christmas that is happy because we have each other, even though we have not much food. That´s the power of God working when we prayed! Talk about a ¨great escape!¨
The recent tsunamis and earthquakes that hit Japan were like scenes in our lives which we want to run away from…the unprecedented situations…a happenstance which we think we do not deserve or couldn’t imagine we could even handle…just like a pregnancy of a teenage girl…or a death of a loved one…or even just a rainy evening after a sunny day.
Tonight, my heart is broken for the Japanese people. I can feel their eagerness to escape from that nightmare. Yet, even though they went to their houses´ rooftops to feel secured, they can´t go anywhere for water is all around them…
I remember a scenario from the Bible when the disciples of Jesus were also frantically wanting for escape when the boat they were riding into almost sank from a great storm – just like us when Ondoy hit the most of Metro Manila (we have 2-feet floodwater in our house for two weeks!); just like the Japanese people when that 8.9 magnitude earthquake shook uncontrollably their concrete territories…I remember Jesus was resting when the storm came. While the disciples were shouting, His eyes were closed. He is listening to the worrisome attitudes of the disciples…I remember when Jesus stood up then rebuked the disciples for being faithless and when He hushed the storms and the night turned from turbulence to placid; from calamity to salvation…After witnessing Jesus’ power (He can hush the storm!), the disciples remembered that Jesus is, in fact, the Messiah, the Savior of this world! Talk about forgetting things when worried!
And if you remember, there was also this scenario mentioned in the Bible when Jesus walked on the waters, and the disciples were, yet again, frightened as if they just saw a ghost. Yet, after Jesus said “Do not be afraid”, Peter somehow, in his renewed peace of mind, wanted to try walking on the waters, too, even though he knows he has not much confidence in him that he will really ¨walk on the waters” just by simply “believing”. When Jesus said ¨Come¨, he did got off the boat and walked on the waters and slowly walked and reached for Jesus. Jesus was just waiting for him a few feet away. Yet, when Peter was almost near Jesus, he turned from faithful to doubtful when he felt the strong waves of the waters hit him. And, yes, he sank into the waters and, in |His always perfect time, Jesus helped him to get back up…
And now, we are in the eye of the storm. Yes, it might be an uncontrollable storm. Unexpected? Maybe. But, I just want to tell you, in the book of Revelations, all of these calamities have been prophesied, and, yes, these things will happen, if not ‘already happening’. These things will happen not because God wants to scare or punish us, but He wants us to be ready. He wants us to focus on things that are heavenward, and not on these calamities and temporal things. To be honest, my heart is broken and mourning for the people who died; for the families whose homes have been wrecked and realizing that they have no other choice but to find shelter from the abandoned schools. Yet, I know these were to happen. So, thank God for His word, I didn´t sank into depression for these calamities and other fatalities the devil wants to put in my life…in our lives.
I hope you, too, are ready.
Read His word. Know more of Him. Surrender your life to Him. Live for Him and not for men. Do everything for His glory. Always look upward, even if your boat is already sinking.
Make Jesus known. Make Jesus smile.
~ Much love for you from God. Take care. 🙂
The Help
“I was raised by a colored woman. We love them and they love us
– but they can’t even use the toilets in our houses.”
(Skeeter Phelan)
I realized that this book is like that one lesson in life that I have to reminisce and never forget for it is that helpful, stirring, mind-boggling, and unforgettable.
I heard about this book because of the movie. Then on, I decided that I should read the book first before making any reviews about the movie (and delay itches me endlessly especially when Emma Stone starred this movie! But fortunately, I get on to reading).
I saw the way my mama acted when Miss Woodra brought her home,
all yes Ma’aming, No Ma’aming. I sure do thank you Ma’aming.
Why I got to be like that? I know how to stand up to people.
– Minny Jackson
I read it like I was reading my best friend’s diary and she doesn’t know that I was reading it! The excitement to know the secrets of other people engrossed me to this book for 18 hours (with food, water, and sleep as my three major distractions). I never put this book down since I started.
Anyway, you just have to read this book. This might be Miss Kathryn Stockett’s first novel, but she is the first-ever-bravest person, besides Martin Luther King, to talk about what’s going on in Mississippi – and, even in the world.
“You is kind. You is smart. You is important.”
(Mae Mobley to Aibileen)
We cannot doubt the fact that even here in the Philippines, we have a racial discrimination, too. People don’t give special attention to the people who are much colored that the other Filipinos. It is too awful to watch for me…a classmate of mine being bullied because of his color (darker than many others) and all I can do is talk to him and give my best to try to make him smile and to mind those people no more. Some of them became my friends.
I have a strong feeling that this book is a true account of what’s happened during the 60’s in Jackson Mississippi, and I want to thank Miss Kathryn for going to New York to have a better look on the “situation” in Mississippi…and because she distanced away from there, she turned out to be a very very brave person!
“They say its like true love, good help. You only get one a lifetime.”
(Charlotte Phelan to Skeeter, p. 372)
The Help is a stunning book that you will never be afraid to waste time to read it again; or to drive all the way up north just to share this book with a friend. It will be worth your time, energy, driving, and even shipping costs! Share this good book to everyone and you’ll have a heart wrenching story to tell to your friends and family for ages!
Agape
~~
i’ve been waiting
to see that smile
to hear that voice
to hear that laugh…
~~
i’m missing it
as if missing my train;
my birthday;
my ice cream
turned to liquid…
~~
sitting alone is
horrifying…
even with a
good book;
a good coffee;
a good scenery…
~~
this being
just makes
my boundaries
boundless…
my hopes,
nearing hopeless…
~~
but now, i’ll just give
my solitude
to the sea…
for it to drown
and never
be seen…
~~
Stop. Look. Listen.
I love these people, this experiment they did, and the people who stood up for Josh! People should stand up for every one who needs them. Well, though, sometimes, people tend to remain silent when they thought that their opinion is not needed and they tend to be afraid to those people who “always have the say” and has the power to shut their mouths. My gosh.
Suddenly, after watching this video, and after wiping my tears, I am now decided to take up a master’s degree in special education. I have been planning it since I was kid. That is all I wanted to do in life – to help and teach special kids.
I don’t want to be silent anymore. You shouldn’t be silent anymore. Yes, we have a reputation to keep,
but silence must not overpower reputation that will lead to injustice. That is plainly illogical, inconsiderate, selfish, and non-human. Compassion and apathy is vastly different.
This video reminds me of this verse that says:
Do not withhold good from those who deserve it
when it’s in your power to help them.
If you can help your neighbor now, don’t say,
“Come back tomorrow, and then I’ll help you.”
– Proverbs 3:27-28 –
–
50/50
Have you ever had the feeling of 50/50? Or maybe you have had a 50/50 experience after you’ve undergone an operation; or a very embarrassing moment that you just want to die already; or when you have to choose between the two most important people or event in your life…
Unfortunately, I was just talking about the movie 50/50 – but you can still think about the stuffs I said above just to somehow make an impact to what I’m pointing towards to.
The movie 50/50 is unpredictable.
Unpredictable like cancer.
Unpredictable like your guy or gal has been cheating on you and you haven’t had the clue when he or she started it.
Unpredictable like the sudden occurrence of sadness or happiness.
Unpredictable like a miracle.
I just saw the movie this morning. I actually bought its DVD copy last month because I have read good reviews about it and I was actually surprised to buy it because I’m really not the type of person who watches movies because “somebody important said it is really good” or “the artist in that movie is my crush” and all the possible corny stuffs one could come up with just to have a reason to watch the movie.
Reading the good reviews in Rotten Tomatoes is what got me to watching this movie, though, and also Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Seth Rogen’s surprising duo who are both spontaneous actors, I must say.
Anyway, so, let’s go talk about the movie.
I don’t like how this movie wanted to let the viewers see that this is a very “normal” film – like how it was normal to get “cancer” nowadays; or how normal it was to get laid when one’s drunk; or how it was normal to “get high” with “medicinal marijuana”; and that it is normal to get a dog for a cancer patient who doesn’t appreciate its smell and who couldn’t care less to take care of one when he needs help, too. I don’t appreciate how this movie is trying to “look normal” by doing illegal stuffs like smoking weed. I just don’t buy it because I still believe that a wholesome movie can give a realistic story, like some of the Korean movies My Sassy Girl, BABO, and How To Keep My Love – Okay, I admit that I love Korean movies because they don’t have to do crazy stuffs to engage their viewers on their movie and they can still make you laugh and cry about the simple things like Vaseline (read: BABO).
I hate it when there are characters in a movie who curses in their every dialog – but it helps to give justice to their characters and keeps them on the path of realism to show that this movie is just being realistic. Okay.
I like this movie because it is stirring. I mean, I also have a heart, you know? And this movie was successful to at least give a stir to my almost suspicious and numb feeling about “foul movies with big production costs”. Fortunately, this isn’t a foul movie (but I’m not sure of their production’s cost). I never watched a movie after being fed-up with the usual just go with it movies. I mean, who are they kidding anyway?
This movie received huge good reviews because it is the kind of movie that tells you that having an emotional breakdown is normal; that breaking your larynx is pretty good; that being sick happens and can be dealt with; that irritating parents can be appreciated; that cheating girlfriends who are trying to get back to you can be totally erased in your life and that you can get the best girlfriend for once, even though the new girlfriend is your therapist.
This movie has the most sensitive issue with the most funny artists and people love to see them – the drama and comedy – and they will never have a feeling that they wasted their time and money for a trying-hard-to-be-an-important-movie. Good thing is, the story of 50/50 has hilarity despite the sadness that lies beneath the bonnet of Adam – and I am surprisingly buying it.
If you’re going to watch it, don’t expect anything. Accept its unpredictability. But please don’t forget to close your eyes to a certain adult-scene and your ears to some cursing and inappropriate words, blatantly at the beginning of this film…
Anyway, it is 50/50 so just expect the unexpected.
Wondering (A Poem)
It was year 2007. My professor in English Literature told us to write a poem about anything. This is the poem I came up with and I wrote it for just 5 minutes…Hey, I’m not bragging or anything, but after reading it in the class, my professor hugged me! I blushed and didn’t know that he was that touched with what I’ve written…
Having the chance to be understood, to be acknowledged, to be appreciated is a moment that I will never forget…
Here’s the poem and I hope it will touch the innermost parts of you 🙂
Have you ever wondered
Why you were made?
Why are you living
while time is fading?
Why do you have to
see the sunset
-turning yellow into red?
Why do we have to smell the flowers
that make us feel fresh?
Why do we have to hear the birds
singing from their nests?
Why do we have a family
that needs us deeply?
Do you think we´re living
to pray for those who are dying?
Do you think we´ve seen the sunset
to thank for seeing the sun rise?
Do you think we´ve smelled the flowers
to describe it for those who haven´t?
And just to feel the love of God, to us,
was given?
Do you think we´ve heard the singing birds
to let us know that life is
full of songs?
Do you think we have a family
for us to be happy?
That God loves us deeply and
He watches over you and me?
Many things I wonder.
Many answers I ponder.
But it´s because He made us
that made us see
these wonders… 🙂
Under The Tree
what to do
in this
silent
world
*
where a
shadow
is living
alone
*
before
they were
two
*
dancing
and
singing
a
song
*
under
the tree
with
the autumn
leaves
*
even
in the rain
they just
sit
under it
*
waiting
for the sun
to set
into
a rainbow
after it’s
long-day work
*
now
this shadow
is still
waiting
as she sat
alone
*
on this
bench
under
the tree
*
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Thank you for the picture from Shutterstock.com
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Yet, another survey
Just to redeem myself from the extremity of boredom, I decided to answer this Facebook survey.
Rules: Once you’ve been tagged, you are supposed to write a note with 92 Truths about you. At the end, choose 25 people to be tagged. You have to tag the person who tagged you.
(To do this, go to “notes” under tabs on your profile page, copy and paste this note, erase my answers and enter your own, tag people in the right hand corner of the app then click publish.)
THREE NAMES THAT FRIENDS CALL YOU:
1. Mics / Cah 😀
2. Sis 🙂
3. Persis…Micah!!! (hahaha)
THREE MOST IMPORTANT DATES IN YOUR LIFE:
1. March __ – The heavens opened and gave birth to a wonderful daughter – ME (havey ba? :D)
2. May 2003 – I formally received Jesus as my Lord and Savior – My best achievement in life!
3. _________ – this is the day for the confirmation of my calling. It is yet to come so I’ll leave it blank.
THREE THINGS YOU’VE DONE IN THE LAST 30 MINUTES:
1. Played the keyboard in our church’s service.
2. I downloaded an ebook entitled Israel 101.
3. I am typing this note.
THREE WAYS TO BE HAPPY AT HOME:
1. PRAY for hours and read the Word [times of refreshing, here in Your presence… ❤ ]
2. Read a good book (i.e. Haruki Murakami, Neil Gaiman, Joyce Meyer, M-T-M [many to mention])
3. EAT/Movie marathon w/ the family 🙂
THREE GIFTS YOU WOULD LIKE TO RECEIVE:
(Are you kidding me? If not well…)
1. A book (or a new bible, please, if you insist).
2. DVD/VCD/VHS/BETAMAX (kidding) of:
– an indie/korean/epic film
– music album of my fave band/singer (i.e. Up Dharma Down, Lucy Rose, Julianne Tarroja to name a few)
3. FOOD – I eat anything – from street foods to delicious vittles. Now, you know. ❤
THREE OF YOUR FAVORITE HOBBIES:
1. Reading while listening to jazz/classic/praise songs (walang kokontra!).
2. Listening to sounds (i.e. music, voices, cars, shouts of magba-balot and magbu-buko manongs.)
3. Photographing things that do not get usually noticed.
THREE PLACES YOU WANT TO GO FOR VACATION:
1. Abroad someday (Paris | Italy | Thailand | South Korea (M-T-M))
2. NGOs (Tahanang Walang Hagdanan| Golden Acres | Phil. Nat’l School for the Blind)
3. Provinces (Benguet | Batangas | Baguio (basta malamig at makakapag-hike/jogging)
THREE FAVORITE DRINKS:
1. Tubig 😀
2. Coffee (default)
3. Orange Juice | Sago’t Gulaman | BUKO (Pinoy eh!)
THREE THINGS FOUND IN YOUR BAG:
1. panulat at papel (tissue paper pwede na rin)
2. book (Maya Angelou)
3. lip balm (at gamot)
THREE FAVORITE COLORS:
1. Green
2. Black
3. Purple
TOP THREE HANGOUTS:
1. Mcdonald’s (alam na!)
2. Fully Booked (kupas na carpet nila sakin)
3. Sa bahay ng matalik kong kaibigans (yes, with S) 🙂
TOP THREE U LOVE SO MUCH:
1. God
2. Family
3. Friends
TOP THREE WHO YOU THINK WILL ANSWER THIS SURVEY:
1. Ako?
2. Kelangan ba talaga tatlo….?
3. ….pwedeng WALA? 🙂
TOP THREE “THINGS” SPECIAL TO YOU:
(things only)
1. Bible – from my motha 🙂
2. Journal – from my fatha 🙂
3. Vintage Camera – from Dade [lolo] 🙂
TOP THREE THAT MAKES YOU HAPPY LATELY:
1. Jesus (no other name!)
2. Francesca Batisttelli
3. Haruki Murakami
TOP THREE REASONS WHY YOU ANSWERED THIS SURVEY:
1. Sabi ni Miss Jessa Pelicano (Jess) sagutan daw eh :))
2. …well, technically I’m bored…
3. …and that merely defines it.
Faraway
I wanted to
get drowned…
but I was told to stay
on the shore…
I thought I can swim it…
but suddenly,
the water’s
gushing…
I don’t know
if (what if?)
this is Your will…
’cause why is it still
haunting me?
Is it nonsense,
like this rock on the sand?
Or does it makes sense?
like this beautiful rising sun?
I don’t know if
(what if?)
this is Your will…?
I don’t know…
shall I trust this
to You,
still…?
I know I want to…
I know You know
what to do…
I know I have to trust You.
But i hope
that the seas
will carry me
to some faraway…
…faraway land
where i can forget this…
IF,
(what if?),
this is Your will…
Old Rose
I saw my sister sleeping on our sofa, and her hands resting on the back-rest of it. Then I saw something shimmer. Her nails, painted. Pink? Her favorite, yet not. Rose. Old rose.
Old rose.
It made her hands look matured. I looked at mine. Like an elementary girl’s hands. No cuticles or polish. No long-needed-to-be-trimmed-nails. Just like, maybe, the same as how it looks when I was born. Just…bigger hands of a normal fresh-graduate person. Me, being neat to avoid unsanitary feeling-just like the feeling when I “experimented” to keep them long and let my nails be painted once by a manicurist. Yet, the paint broke off by itself, leaving me guilty and clipping the “excess” nails again. Clean. Again. Just me being real…
…and my sister being; trying to show (by painting her nails? Maybe…) her side of her TRUE self. The Pink Girl.
Yet I felt she was getting, if not passing, ahead of me in some ways I don’t want to think about since there are no evidences present to analyze it…
…or just a little proof was left…or was the only one…
The old rose cuticle painted on her nails…
The Clumsy Diarist 