Reunion Part 1

"Hello?....  Yeah.... I'm on the way! Give me 20 minutes more. See you"

There were many things I needed to do that I forgot about the time. I was to meet my friends at Starbucks but I left the house an hour late. When I remembered that I was seeing them after weeks, I became excited. I haven’t seen them that much and now we will reunite like the old days. I was smiling when I remembered those days when we would chill at our favorite place, eat our barkada food and just be with each other.  It made me feel good about how my social life was.

Suddenly, I felt butterflies in my stomach. Someone will be there who I haven’t seen in a very long time: a friend who moved to Eurpoe and lived there for 5 years, the person who I was Skyping with for the past 4 months, the person who made me feel like my love life was blooming into something. Her name was Stacy.

Stacy Dominguez was a high school chum who were also friends with my barkada. She was the campus crush and was part of the school’s gymnastics team. She was “The Girl” I thought was for me. Since I was the nerdy Chess club president, we didn’t have much to share in common. She was outgoing, friendly, cute, perky and known. On the other hand, I was the normal guy. Just being behind the scenes was fine with me. Too close to be invisible. But I was fine with my school status before.  Besides, high school wasn’t that bad for me.

As I drove closer to the place I was thinking aloud.

“You don’t have to worry. It will be fine. Just imagine it to be like video calling through Skype.  She will not notice everything you will do. It’s just Stacy. Be cool.”

I parked the car at the rear end of the shop so that I will have time to look through the window on where they were located. As I stopped, I looked at my myself in the rear view mirror and said,

“Don’t worry. Be cool. It’s just Stacy.”

As I stepped out from my car, I can hear my heart beating; slowly gaining a pace that was higher than the normal. As I walked closer, I took a deep breath and opened the shop door; took my sunglasses off and went directly to their group’s table.

“You better give me a good reason why you were late, Jake” said Peter: my best friend. He was the one who called me an hour ago and asked where I was. He sort of saved my ass from forgetting what day was today. He always saves my ass. He was like a brother.  Among the group of 13, he was the closest to me. We went to Med.School together but he decided to take another major.

"Give him a break Peter. I’m sure he didn’t do that on purpose”, said Josie; the group’s resident counselor. “Even hot shot doctors like Jake deserve to be given tardy moments. Right Doc?”

I smiled back and gave her a hug.

Peter reserved a chair for me beside him. I went to the counter to take my order: Caramel Macchiato. This is my favorite coffee. And yes, I’m the type who likes to drink some sweet type of coffee.

I went back to the group with my coffee looking only at the floor. I didn’t really want to scan at the people around. My heart was still pounding with the thought I had while driving. I noticed that some people were not there yet. It could have appeared that I had a question on my face while drinking my coffee because Josie said to me that John, David, Sarah, Michelle and Stacy was still on the way.

I was dumbfounded with her saying that information as I was just having the question in my head. Maybe she could read minds. Then I remembered that she was one of the city’s best Clinical Psychologists.

I smiled back.

“On the way”, I thought to myself.

Since they were still on the way, I was able to convince myself to relax and be calm. I mean, what’s there to be anxious and nervous about? I told myself that there was no reason for me to be jittery.

I slowly drank my coffee while everyone shared some stories and asked about what was new with each other. Then I heard David’s voice from behind me as I was sitting with my back facing the entrance door.

“Whoah! Airport traffic was horrible. Sorry for being late guys!” said David.

“Well, what’s important is that you are already here” said Catherine; the nurse in the group.

I didn’t look back and focused on the coffee I had on my hand. I was sitting calmly on my chair but inside my mind I was telling my body not to move and look at the door.

Then I heard this familiar voice.

“Oh my gosh! I miss these faces!”

 (to be continued)

#AMALAYER - Proper? or Humiliating?

Living and learning the news about my country from abroad is like watching a specimen growing on a petri dish. I come to notice things and see them in a different view. Given that I am a bit exposed to different cultures and practices, I can say that I have matured behaviorally. People have different ways in reacting to stressors and pressures in life. On a daily basis, I come to struggle in public transport with people who do not have manners by standing in the isle, blocking the train door or just stare at people. Somehow, I have come to realize that in moments like these, one has to stand higher than the other and have class. 

In my social media, I have seen a number of videos of people reacting to such stressors and pressures in life and I tell you that some of them are not the nicest of people in the streets. I don't blame them on their reaction but somehow there are limits on how one can adapt to these stresses and pressures. 

My opinion is: we are not entitled to humiliate others when we feel that we are being irritated by them. I think it is proper to step back and breathe, check with the situation and try to count to a million. This way one can relax, calm down and think straight on how to react the proper way (even though there is no proper way). Publicly, there are things that are acceptable and not. And most of us think that humiliating someone in public just because we think this person has offended us, is good. On the contrary, we are dragging ourselves down with this thinking. It's not the best way to deal with such a situation and we tend to judge people in the wrong way. 

The RAINBOW Cup

The Rainbow:

Witnessing a rainbow as a child was a beautiful sight to see. I remember seeing it through glass window blades, a drinking glass with design, after the rain and even from the T.V. The rainbow was something that made me smile of how such a wonderful bow comes out from simple things. Growing up and learning science, a rainbow comes out from a prism. I really don't want to go technical about it but  this would be as far as I want to go (I'm sure you get my point). A very simple bow with colors that make a simple spectacle to see. 

During my school days, I was a bit exposed to the visual arts. My sister was part of the Art Club in school and I can say that she has the skills of a visual artist. I was a witness to some basic and simple art works that she would be making. The club would even hold exhibits of the creations of its members in school. Viewing them like a pro, I would appreciate the creations and how each "artist" would interpret the picture with the shapes, lines and colors it show. 

Then, I noticed one style in making art: the rainbow. It was a very simple style of art but seemed to be very mature, complicated and well-thought-of. The art uses patterns of lines and curves which intersect and form a mesh. Each space between the lines are then filled with colors from the rainbow. Following the R O Y G B I V pattern, the finished creation would look like a stained glass in rainbow color. A very simple but beautiful work of art.  

Many things are represented by a rainbow; one of such is the LGBT social group. I really don't know why the rainbow represents this group but I'm sure that this group bring the same happiness to anyone who sees a rainbow. 

A few days ago, a person asked me about my thoughts on the support the LGBT group gets in the country and how I look at things in terms of social equality. It was a very interesting topic which made me decide to write this blog. 

The LGBT group was never new to me. I have relatives who are members of it and are very much happy with the lives that they live. Today, the party list "Ang Ladlad" asks for the support of many for the group's voice to be heard in congress. They aim for equality, promote and protect the rights of people that belong to the LGBT social group and of course, be a significant voice in a country full of diverse and rich culture.

My stand:

I think it is wonderful to see people unite for a common cause specially if it brings social issues to the table. I have friends who have been discriminated or judged according to their sexual orientation. They have been bullied and not treated equally by people who are close minded and think that being "gay" is taboo. Hearing stories of such would make me feel bad. Gay people are just as the same as everyone. They have the capacity to love and be loved. It is not a sickness nor an abnormality. They are normal people living and surviving life like everyone else.

For me, the groups' aim is just as the same with the others. They want to be heard, respected, supported and be treated like the same way others are. It is amazing to see how the group has united people to fight for a sector that has been in the shadows. It is timely that this has happen and I do support the mission of the group. 

The Cup:

That conversation made me realize that we are all living and surviving on the same world. There are common beliefs and practices that change as the world continues to live. With each change, we adapt to survive. 

The Mantra: "We are all here to take care of each other. If you can't do that, just don't hurt them."

To know more about the Ladlad Partylist, you can visit this link: http://ladladpartylist.blogspot.com/. 

Cyber Freedom - at risk?

Living away from my home country which is 4290 miles far is hard. Lucky for me that I am an OFW in the era where the internet is very important and accessible. Even better that my family and friends has complete access to the same things I have access with. It brought the homesickness to a lower level with the advent of e-mail, video calling and social networks. I must admit that my day won't be complete if I would not check my social network accounts. Lets just say that it somehow grew as part of my routine and life specially here abroad. These networks connect me to my family and friends back home and even to the other parts of the world. 

During the past days, I have noticed that my friends in the Philippines were so into the issue of passing the Cyber Crime law. As what I have read from their posts and social network accounts, the law would somehow violate and stop one's freedom of expression specifically in the world wide web. Other netizens started a movement to protest and even stop the law from being approved by the President. According to them, once it will be approved, everything in the internet will change and freedom will never be achieved. 

In total nohesty,I haven't read the totality of this Republic Act 10175. Although it has been in the news and such, I never had enough information to know what are the Pros and Cons in passing this law. All the information I know comes from the posts, tweets and statuses of my social community. 

Many are now using the BLACK BLANK PICTURE as their profile or display photo in their social networking accounts as a sign of protest in passing the law. Some even created pictures that many have shared through the net in support of the protest. What struck me most is the violent, foul and offensive thoughts and words that people are expressing regarding their disgust of this R.A. 10175.  It made me smirk and think about what these people really have in mind regarding the law. It made me recall the etiquette and manners that my parents, school and friends shared whenever some issues would arise. What made them react this way? Are they justified?

With what I know, R.A. 10175 talks about the protection of a citizen against organized crime done using the internet. It covers pornography, large scale swindling, human trafficking and libel. These are the strongest points of the law which for me is very reasonable and useful during this time. The punishment for violating this law can lead to 6-12 years of imprisonment and other fees.  Like I said, I have not read everything about this law and what it covers. I am stating what I know and I stand corrected to any inaccurate information I have mentioned above regarding the law 

As a netizen, I think the law covers a great deal of protection to everyone. In this age of identity-theft, black mail and cyber bullying, R.A. 10175 serves as the ace for those who are abused in the realms of the world wide web; where everything and anything is possible and can be done. 

It's downside: the unclear provisions of the law and the punishment that follows for any specific violation. To what I have read, the Cyber Crime law has a heavier punishment than Sexual Harassment which I think is a bit uneven and made me unsure.

With all these in mind, I still have full confidence to the freedom of all netizens in the Philippines. I am sure that the government will do its best to make this law equal to all. The internet is public domain but still as a citizen, there are limitations and laws to all that freedom, specially to those who know that they are using it the wrong way. 

To my fellow netizens, let us be open and be educated about this R.A. 10175. I am sure that the government is open to talk to us and listen to what we think about this law. She is not deaf and blind. Democracy is forever alive and will never be dead in our country. We have to believe in each other's capacity to push our country upward and live the days that will prove that the Filipino is a great race and our country is a great nation. All the bashing and bad mouthing won't help. The sarcasm, finger-pointing and foul-offensive opinions won't bring us somewhere closer to this "Great Nation" idea. 

Let us all open our ears and eyes on what is really happening to what was once a great nation. We are whining yet unsure if we have done our part of make this nation great. We still have many issues to tackle but have you done your part to lessen corruption? Have you promoted to save our country from pollution? Were you able to purchase and praise the local products that we create? Have you been a very good citizen to fight this law with such foul, offensive and barbaric reactions? Please stop blaming the government for every misfortune that happens to you. I am not clean and I am not a perfect citizen. But is it right to use these reasons to bad mouth the government? To what I believe, the Government is as good as its people; and the people is as good as its Government. 

I don't think our freedom is at risk with this Cyber Crime law. React the right way and say it like a proper Filipino would. I am sure that it would be different but change is inevitable. I know we can adapt to this change. 

Hey, WE ARE FILIPINOS! WE ARE EVER ADAPTIVE AND RESILIENT. WE CAN DO THIS!  

Just take a chill-pill and join me sip a cup of this aromatic, Camomile tea.

:) 

Life's moments

Five hundred twenty five thousand six hundred minutes: a certain span of time in life.

We can do anything within this span but have we done anything worthwhile? Have we made someone smile while going to work? Were we able to give importance to the person who we barely know? Have we made a difference?

We always hear it that we only live once yet we take everything for granted. We focus on things that pass like nothing; things that don’t matter; stuff that we often do that really won’t make a difference. We believe in living for each other but we obviously focus on our own lives and what we can do to improve it. I guess it is justified that we can’t give what we don’t have. But on the contrary, isn’t this just ironic?

Although life won’t be called an adventure without these ironies, it all makes sense when we would try to put ourselves forward. It’s a gamble where everyone wins.

One time, I was eating with a friend at a certain fast food joint. The people were friendly and gave good service. People were busy eating their meals and yes, I also enjoyed mine. Me and my friend talked about a lot of things over our meals and continued as we were getting done. Slowly, I placed each and every piece of wrapper on the tray we had on the next table. Then, I took a tissue and wiped the table where crumbs can be found. In short, I cleaned our table after dining.

My friend noticed it and said that I was a bit “goodie” today while I was cleaning up our table.  Although there was one guy who cleans the tables within the place, I cleaned it myself over a few thoughts within our conversation. Then I said that I was just doing what I thought was right and proper.

My friend smiled and said I had a point.

Looking back I thought that we are all trying to make a difference in this life. Yes, we do things for our best but we always forget to make the best for each other. For me, we need to look out for each other. It doesn’t demand but I guess it’s just right to do so. It would really make a big difference.

Studies said that people focus on the daily routine of life that they forget to pay attention to the small things that make each day different. Every minute counts for each day; by the minute, we think about a lot of things that cost us something. The question is: have you given something that won’t cost a minute? Maybe a simple smile?

Growing up I was able to read some books that focus on the things that we forget about life. We say a lot of things in a day yet we take for granted or even forget simple phrases that would mean a lot to each other. Simple words that we learned when we were younger and somehow grown out as we continued with life.  It sounds cliché’ but does it feel good to hear a constant “Thank you” from each other? Or humbling to hear or give a sincere “I’m sorry”? And wouldn’t it feel great to hear or feel the words “I love you” from someone you believe is important to you.

Cliché’ as it may sound but it does make a great ripple in each of our lives.

The smile and all those simple phrases that we knew as we grew make an intense impact in our lives and to the people that need them the most.  The best part of it is that it doesn’t cost a thing.

As the clock tick and the day continue, we would have to make a difference in this life. It is hard to start but it won’t hurt. It never will.

What difference have you made today?

:)

Leaving a mark

I was talking to a friend today and our conversation went to our lives in high school. Suddenly, I remembered how me and my friends ruled one part of the hierarchy during those days. I wasn't a sports person, nor the academic achiever. I wasn't even the campus crush. I was part of the group that make the performers guild. I was a performer. I made that mark. 

The stage was part of my daily routine and rehearsals were always on a daily basis. A day without rehearsal would be very weird for all of us; specially for me. I lived just across the street which made me believe that the rehearsals would be the only reason to go home late. Traffic or driving strikes won't pass for a good reason. 

When I graduated, I left that mark: the performer. I didn't give it much thought but it made me someone who seemed to be attracted to the arts. Too bad for me, the art form was not that flourishing during my college years. 

Suddenly, the memories of lights and stage came creeping. It was undeniable that I missed it but I don't know how this would work out for me. 

Thinking about this makes me stand and make a cup of tea. 

What MARK have you made?

Introduction - Mga Kwentong Plastic Cup

Writing has been a good outlet for me to express what I truly feel inside. It can be my thoughts or just simply, a point of view. It has also guided me to make short stories about life, love and anything that would make my heart beat fast as I would type along the keys of my laptop. 

I started to write in my last years of primary education. Then, it sparked my interest in journalism and the elements that make up the press. It was a dream to be journalist but destiny lead me to the paramedical world. I am a nurse by profession and have practiced it for almost 2 years. I can say that I never left writing as I continued to write even when I was journeying through the world of Nursing. 

The Nursing world opened endless knowledge for me which in turn helped me with my writing. Holistically, it lead to paths that respect and take into consideration, all aspects of life in writing. Each being has its own perception about the things in this life. Nursing helped me to understand all of these. 

During my childhood years, everyday was Sesame Street day. I never missed an episode and I would learn new things each day. This was one of the many influences I had growing up. I treated it as the safest and happiest place on Earth which was the street that everyone knows. I grew up to learn English this way. 

I have made some blogs before but I think this one would be very interesting. I even thought about the introduction as my first post in this blog site. The blogs I had before were not viewed by thousands, nor hundreds. It was a humble blog that was read on an average of 2 in a day, sometimes even zero views. Having a "popular,well read blog" was not the goal (although it would be very cool). I was sharing my mind. It is my idea and everyone can read it. And I even hope that others would learn from it. 

Why "Mga Kwentong Plastic Cup"(Stories from a plastic cup)?

I was listening to TV Mass one time and I heard the presiding Priest talk about a plastic cup. For many, its just a cup; an object to use in drinking; a temporary container for trash; a man's garbage and another man's treasure. Then the priest said that someone said to him that the cup represents a person. 

We are all cups in this world.; to be filled with learning and love as we continue to live. Of course, there are challenges that would make the cup spill. But then again, it gets filled right away. 

One would get to know stories with cups: over a cup of coffee, an afternoon date with a cup of fruit juice, a drinking session with a cup of soda as the chaser or just chilling in the bar with a cup of booze. 

A cup is all it takes for stories to be told; for thoughts to be expressed; and for ideas to be shared. 

In this blog, I will share with you my cup of life's never ending tales. I am opening my mind and heart to hear more about life,love and lessons through stories shared with a cup.

Cheers!