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I am an excitable person who only understands life lyrically, musically, in whom feelings are much stronger as reason. I am so thirsty for the marvelous that only the marvelous has power over me. Anything I can not transform into something marvelous, I let go. Reality doesn't impress me. I only believe in intoxication, in ecstasy, and when ordinary life shackles me, I escape, one way or another. No more walls.
.Anaïs Nin.
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All art is at once surface and symbol. Those who go beneath the surface do so at their peril. Those who read the symbol do so at their peril. It is the spectator, and not life, that art really mirrors.
.Oscar Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Gray.
********* I beg you...You are so young; you stand before beginnings...have patience with everything that remains unsolved in your heart. Try to love the questions themselves, like locked rooms and like books written in a foreign language. Do not now look for the answers. They cannot now be given to you because you could not live them. It is a question of experiencing everything. At present you need to live the question.
Our family would like to thank everyone who sent their prayers and concern for us during this most difficult time. Your gestures of kindness have helped us more than you'll ever know. We are also extremely grateful to all the people who made Tatay feel happy and loved when he was still alive. He greatly appreciated your thoughtfulness, especially the visits at home, the phone calls, and even the simple regards you passed on. He knew he was loved and appreciated, and that kept him going and lifted his spirits up tremendously. He lived a happy, accomplished, and contented life, and did his best to be strong in the past nine years. We just take a lot of comfort in the fact that he is now in a happier place with our Ma and the good Lord. We greatly miss his physical presence, but in time, I know we will all come to accept his demise peacefully.
Again, our most heartfelt gratitude to everyone. We would've never gone through the entire thing with grace and strength if it weren't for your encouragement and prayers. We just ask that you all continue to pray for our Tatay's soul. God bless us all.
Belated happy Easter everyone! Here's a nice story for you, which I got from my email inbox. Moral of the story didn't come from me, but came with the email. I've heard/read this story before, and it's always nice to remember and hear it again.
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Once upon a mountain top, three little trees stood and dreamed of what they wanted to become when they grew up. The first little tree looked up at the stars and said: " I want to hold treasure. I want to be covered with gold and filled with precious stones. I'll be the most beautiful treasure chest in the world!" The second little tree looked out at the small stream trickling by on it's way to the ocean. " I want to be traveling mighty waters and carrying powerful kings. I'll be the strongest ship in the world! The third little tree looked down into the valley below where busy men and women worked in a busy town. I don't want to leave the mountain top at all. I want to grow so tall that when people stop to look at me they'll raise their eyes to heaven and think of God. I will be the tallest tree in the world
Years, passed. The rain came, the sun shone and the little trees grew tall. One day three wood cutters climbed the mountain. The first wood cutter looked at the first tree and said, "This tree is beautiful. It is perfect for me." With a swoop of his shining ax, the first tree fell. "Now I shall make a beautiful chest, I shall hold wonderful treasure!" the first tree said.
The second wood cutter looked at the second tree and said, "This tree is strong. It's perfect for me." With a swoop of his shining ax, the second tree fell. "Now I shall sail mighty waters!" thought the second tree. " I shall be a strong ship for mighty kings!"
The third tree felt her heart sink when the last wood cutter looked her way. She stood straight and tall and pointed bravely to heaven. But the wood cutter never even looked up. "Any kind of tree will do for me." He muttered. With a swoop of his shining ax, the third tree fell.
The first tree rejoiced when the wood cutter brought her to a carpenter's shop. But the carpenter fashioned the tree into a feed box for animals. The once beautiful tree was not covered with gold, or treasure. She was coated with saw dust and filled with hay for hungry farm animals. The second tree smiled when the wood cutter took her to a shipyard, but no mighty sailing ship was made that day. Instead the once strong tree was hammered and awed into a simple fishing boat. She was too small and too weak to sail to an ocean, or even a river, instead she was taken to a little lake. The third tree was confused when the wood cutter cut her into strong beams and left her in a lumberyard. "What happened?" The once tall tree wondered. " All I ever wanted was to stay on the mountain top and point to God..."
Many days and nights passed. The three trees nearly forgot their dreams. But one night, golden starlight poured over the first tree as a young woman placed her newborn baby in the feed box. "I wish I could make a cradle for him." Her husband whispered. The mother squeezed his hand and smiled as the starlight shone on the smooth and sturdy wood. " This manger is beautiful." She said. And suddenly the first tree knew he was holding the greatest treasure in the world.
One evening a tired traveler and his friends crowded into the old fishing boat. The traveler fell asleep as the second tree quietly sailed out into the lake. Soon a thundering and a thrashing storm arose. The little tree shuddered. She new she did not have the strength to carry so many passengers safely through the wind and the rain. The tired man awoke. He stood up, stretched out his hand, and said, "Peace." The storm stopped as quickly as it had begun. And suddenly the second tree knew he was carrying the king of heaven and earth.
One Friday morning, the third tree was startled when her beams were yanked from the forgotten wood pile. She flinched as she was carried through an angry jeering crowd. She shuddered when soldiers nailed a man's hand to her. She felt ugly and harsh and cruel. But on Sunday morning, when the sun rose and the earth trembled with joy beneath her, the third tree knew that God's love had changed everything. It had made the third tree strong. And every time people thought of the third tree, they would think of God. That was better than being the tallest tree in the world.
The moral of this story is that when things don’t seem to be going your way, always know that God has a plan for you. If you place your trust in Him, He will give you great gifts. Each of the trees got what they wanted, just not in the way they had imagined. We don’t always know what God’s plans are for us. We just know that His ways are not our ways, but His ways are always best.
A summa cum laude graduate of UPLB had a hard time getting a job, and had to work as a stripper?
Come on.
I've nothing against strippers (or pole dancers---hey ladies, you have my fantasy jobs), but MMK really should've done more research. And I know that there are UPLB grads who work at ABS-CBN. They could've asked. Out of the 27 summa cum laudes UPLB has produced, I can only remember my two classmates from my BS Economics days. Heh.
Maybe ABS-CBN just wanted to up the drama by making the lead character a UPLB grad. But I'm wondering how would Ateneo or DLSU react if Angel's character had been portrayed as a grad from their respective schools? Nah, that would've been more unbelievable because the character presumably was poor. Poor people can't study in those schools unless you're a scholar, or have a generous benefactor. So, they made her an Iska. More plausible.
Whaddaya think?
And oh, by the way, Prof. Tirol was one of my committee members during my MS DevCom days ;)
it was a monday, when my lover told me, "never pay the reaper with love only." what could i say to you, except, "i love you." and "i'd give my life for yours."
i know we are we are the lucky ones. i know we are we are the lucky ones. i know we are we are the lucky ones, dear.
the first time we made love, i i wasn't sober. (and you told me you loved me over and over!) how could i ever love another, when i miss you every day
remember the time we made love in the roses? (and you took my picture in all sorts of poses!) how could i ever get over you, when i'd give my life for yours.
i know we are... we are the lucky ones. i know we are... we are the lucky ones. i know we are... we are the lucky ones. i know we are we are the lucky ones, dear.
my dear, It's time to say i thank god for you. i thank god for you in each and every single way. and, i know... i know.. i know.. i know...
it's time to let you know. time to let you know. time to let you know. time to sit here and say:
i know we are... we are the lucky ones. i know we are... we are the lucky ones. i know we are... we are the lucky ones. i know we are we are the lucky ones, dear. we are the lucky ones, dear...
A thousand times I've seen you standing Gravity like a lunar landing You make me want to run till I find you I shut the world away from here I drift to you, you're all I hear As everything we know fades to black
Half the time the world is ending Truth is I am done pretending
I never thought that I Had anymore to give You're pushing me so far Here I am without you Drink to all that we have lost Mistakes we have made Everything will change But love remains the same
I find a place where we escape Take you with me for the space The city buzz sounds just like a fridge I walk the streets through seven bars I have to find just where you are The faces seem to blur They're all the same
Half the time the world is ending Truth is I am done pretending
I never thought that I Had anymore to give You're pushing me so far Here I am without you Drink to all that we have lost Mistakes we have made Everything will change But love remains the same
So much more to say So much to be done Don't you trick me out We shall overcome It's all left still to play
We - should have the sun Could have been inside Instead we're over here
Half the time the world is ending Truth is I am done pretending Too much time too long defending You and I are done pretending
I never thought that I Had anymore to give You're pushing me so far Here I am without you Drink to all that we have lost Mistakes we have made Everything will change Everything will change
I, oh I, I wish this could last forever I, oh I, As if we could last forever
“What are you made of?” From Beijing to Boston, Birmingham to Bangalore, we are asked this question by stars of sport and screen as they peer from billboards and magazines. The luxury watch company TAG Heuer invites us to feel that wearing its brand provides the answer: you are made of something strong, successful, and beautiful. As the need for sustainable consumption grows worldwide, it is time to ask the luxury brands that very same question: “what are you made of?”.
In this report by the WWF, it challenges the foremost luxury brands and their respective celebrity endorsers to redefine "luxury" in this day and age of numerous social and environmental challenges. At the same time, it also encourages consumers to be more responsible and discriminating when it comes to patronizing brands, whether luxury or not.
"Authentic luxury brands are those that provide the greatest positive contributions to all affected by their creation. They identify their consumers as having the means and motivation to respect both people and the planet."
The report can be downloaded for free at the site. It's such an eye-opener, and is a good launchpad for further environmental and communication studies.
I watched "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid"when I was in the 4th grade, I think. Those were theBetamaxdays. Yeah, my age is showing. Anyways, I watched it with my Ma, and she said that when she and Tatay were on their honeymoon in Baguio, this was the first movie they watched as husband and wife. Even at 9 years old, I thought Paul Newman and Robert Redford were hot. And both actors have remained married to their respective wives. A rarity nowadays, whether you're in Hollywood or not.
And from the BBC: Once asked if he was ever attracted by the beautiful women with whom he worked Newman famously replied,
"Why go out for a hamburger when you can have steak at home".
WOW. God, gimme a man like that, please.
And oh, I think it was last month that I watched "Cars"on the Disney Channel.
Goodbye Butch Cassidy. Goodbye Doc Hudson. Rest in peace. May God keep you.
Your birth O Virgin Mary, proclaims joy to our world for You gave us
JESUS CHRIST, OUR GOD AND SAVIOUR! He freed us from sin and filled us with holiness, destroyed death, and gave us eternal life! Please continue to intercede for me before your SON JESUS, MY LORD AND SAVIOUR! HAPPY BIRTHDAY MY MOTHER MARY!
****************** Thanks to Gay for the prayer above.
Another good French song. "Mourir Demain", or "Die Tomorrow" in Anglais. Sounds morbid, I know, but read through the English lyrics in the video, and you'll see that it's actually very sweet and romantic. And the video's sexy---what else do you expect from the French? Love the rock and roll vibe of the song.
MOURIR DEMAIN (Pascal Obispo avec Natasha St. Pier)
Il y a ceux qui prendraient un avion D'autres qui s'enfermeraient chez eux les yeux ferms Toi, qu'est-ce que tu ferais ? Toi, qu'est-ce que tu ferais ? Il y en a qui voudrait revoir la mer D'autres qui voudraient encore faire l'amour Une dernire fois Toi, tu ferais quoi ? ... et toi, tu ferais quoi ? Si on devait mourir demain Qu'est-ce qu'on ferait de plus, Qu'est-ce qu'on ferait de moins Si on devait mourir demain Moi, je t'aimerai... moi, je t'aimerai Il y en a qui referaient leur pass Certains qui voudraient boire et faire la fete Jusqu'au matin D'autres qui prieraient... D'autres qui prieraient... Ceux qui s'en fichent et se donneraient du plaisir Et d'autres qui voudraient encore partir Avant la fin Toi, qu'est-ce que tu ferais ? ... et toi, qu'est-ce que tu ferais ? Si on devait mourir demain Qu'est-ce qu'on ferait de plus Qu'est-ce qu'on ferait de moins Si on devait mourir demain Moi, je t'aimerai... moi, je t'aimerai... Je t'aimerai Oh ho oh... Et toi, dis moi, est ce que tu m'aimeras Jusqu' demain et tous les jours d'aprs Que rien, non rien, ne s'arretera jamais Si on devait mourir demain Moi, je t'aimerai... moi, je t'aimerai Est-ce qu'on ferait du mal, du bien Si on avait jusqu' demain Pour vivre tout ce qu'on a rev Si on devait mourir demain Moi, je t'aimerai... moi, je t'aimerai Je t'aimerai... Je t'aimerai
I searched high and low on the internet for a copy of this very cute song, but NADA. If ever you have a copy, kindly give me one, pretty pretty please, with cherry on top???
Enjoy this, it's really cute!
L'amour s'exprime avec des mots comme ça Des mots de tous les jours Des mots tout gris des petits mots de rien Des mots de rien du tout
On dit au saut du lit : "Bonjour, il fait beau, as-tu bien dormi ?" Ces mots si tendres au tendre écho Comme un pur reflet dans l'eau
Ces mots de moins que rien Respirés par toi tissent mille liens Ces mots de moins que rien du tout Echangés de nous à nous
Ces mots qui viennent et coulent au fil des jours Ces mots qui tournent court Tous ces mots qui ne pèsent pas bien lourd Pour moi sont lourds d'amour
On se dit à minuit : "T'as les plis aux yeux dans l'coin quand tu ris - Quand j'ris, mais oui mais oui chéri Et toi quand tu me souris"
Ces mots de moins que rien Respirés par toi tissent mille liens Ces mots de moins que rien du tout Echangés de nous à nous
L'amour s'exprime avec des mots tout chauds Des petits mots bien clos Des mots petits petits tellement petits Qu'ils ne riment que pour moi Qu'ils ne riment que pour toi Qu'ils ne riment que pour nous
[A beautiful Holy Week reflection I got from the mail. Hope you'll like it.] *****************************************************
A Place Beneath the Cross
Many of us have stood beneath the cross. Sometimes it is the cross of disease and death. If you have ever accompanied someone dear who went through medical test after test, succumbing to the ravages of cancer, and watched the dwindling and destruction of his or her body, you have been at the foot of the cross with Mary. If you have ever had to place an aging parent with a debilitating disease in a facility for the infirm, you know what it is to stand beneath the cross. If you have been a parent and had a child die in an unexpected, harsh, or violent way, you have known the heartache of Mary as she watched Jesus die.
The "crosses" we stand by may not always mean that the one who hangs there is physically dying. If you have listened and listened and listened to a friend who is journeying back through old wounds, you have been there beneath the cross. If you have lived with someone so depressed that he or she gave up the desire to live, you have stood on the same hill as Mary. If you have watched someone you love become devoured by drugs or alcohol and heard denials and false promises, you have had a place beneath the cross. Any time you have been with another person who is suffering and have been unable to take the pain away, you have been at the cross with Mary.
When love is the motivation, one can wait beneath a cross for a very, very long time.
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I HOPE YOU ALL HAD A BLESSED AND MEANINGFUL HOLY WEEK!
MAY THE GRACES OF THE RISEN CHRIST BE WITH YOU ALWAYS........
1.Be Impeccable With Your Word Speak with integrity. Say only what you mean. Avoid using the word to speak against yourself or to gossip about others. Use the power of your word in the direction of truth and love.
2. Don't Take Anything Personally Nothing others do is because of you. What others say and do is a projection of their own reality, their own dream. When you are immune to the opinions and actions of others, you won't be the victim of needless suffering.
3. Don't Make Assumptions Find the courage to ask questions and to express what you really want. Communicate with others as clearly as you can to avoid misunderstandings, sadness and drama. With just this one agreement, you can completely transform your life.
4. Always Do Your Best Your best is going to change from moment to moment; it will be different when you are healthy as opposed to sick. Under any circumstance, simply do your best, and you will avoid self-judgment, self-abuse and regret.
***************** Some people (I'm including myself here) need to follow the first agreement more. Please. And I should learn the second agreement so that most of my emotional issues will go away. Seriously.
Nobel Peace laureate Wangari Maathai (left) of Kenya and Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg of Norway greeted each other next to "Box 1," the first of many sealed cases containing seeds to be kept in the Svalbard Global Seed Vault. (AP Photo / Hakon Mosvold Larsen)
ASTIG.
Icoy feels so proud of his office, and the fact that that IRRI box is Box #1. I'm mighty proud too, since IRRI is in my beloved town.
More pictures and details about the Doomsday vault HERE.
Below is the BBC's report on it: ******************************************
'Doomsday' vault opens its doors
Leading dignitaries have attended the official opening of a 'doomsday' seed vault built 130m (426ft) inside a mountain on a remote Arctic island.
Norwegian Prime Minister Jen Stoltenberg and Nobel Prize winner Wangari Maathai placed the first seeds in the depository during the ceremony.
The vault, designed to withstand all natural and human disaster, will house samples of all known food crops.
The Svalbard Global Seed Vault took 12 months and cost £5m to construct.
During the ceremony, Mr Stoltenberg unlocked the vault before being joined by environmental campaigner Ms Maathai to place the first consignment of seeds in the -18C (0F) freezer.
European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso was among the 300 guests to attend the event.
"With climate change and other forces threatening the diversity of life that sustains our planet, Norway is proud to be playing a central role in creating a facility capable of protecting what are not just seeds, but the fundamental building blocks of human civilisation," said Mr Stoltenberg.
When full, the vault will hold 4.5m samples - an estimated two billion seeds - from more than 100 countries around the world.
'Fail-safe' facility
The collection and its maintenance is being organised by the Global Crop Diversity Trust, which has responsibility of ensuring the "conservation of crop diversity in perpetuity".
"Crop diversity will soon prove to be our most potent and indispensable resource for addressing climate change, water and energy supply constraints, and for meeting the food needs of a growing population," predicted Cary Fowler, the Trust's executive director.
The vault consists of three secure rooms at the end of a 125m (410ft) tunnel, and four sets of locked doors.
Dr Fowler said the role of the facility was not to replace national seed banks, but to act as insurance by storing duplicates of seeds from national collections.
If seeds are lost, for example as a result of a natural disaster, the collection can be re-established by using samples stored at Svalbard.
The site, 1,000km (621 miles) north of mainland Norway, was chosen because it was geologically stable, remote, and the surrounding permafrost would act as natural refrigeration to keep the facility at the temperature needed to preserve the seeds.
Link: 
