The Giver

I didn’t know if I was going to put this under ‘blogs’ or ‘reviews’. Just wanted to ramble my thoughts so here it goes...The book “The Giver” ,hit me straight to the heart. It’s a good thing that a few high school students (?) are obliged to read this, since it opens up to a lot of philosophical ideas. And this is one of the statements that struck me (Chapter 13): “We really have to protect people from wrong choices”.

When I was reading this book the first thing that popped into my head was the movie “Pleasantville”. It was all black and white – everything was …well in their terms “perfect”. Everyone had a designated role; responsibilities and expectations were set and everyone had to live up to them; no one can ever feel hungry and everyone was part of a family.

Imagine a world without color. So how do you see the magnificence of a rainbow? How can you actually achieve that feeling of APPRECIATION?

Imagine a world where the word love is forbidden to be used. So what keeps you going each day?

Imagine a world where personal freedom is not practiced, simply because society wants to protect people from making the wrong choices. The community doesn’t want people to experience hurt, pain and suffering. Ideal, huh? Hrrrm...

What I love about this book is how it highlights the concept of freewill. Yup, one of the greatest blessings given to us by the Man up Above. It may result torment. It may cause us that feeling of regret. But I strongly believe that so much beauty can come out of it. Like…

You get to appreciate yourself more and the world around you.

You get to express to someone how much you love them a thousand times over and never get tired of it.

You get to learn your lesson and have the strength to share it with other people (and inspire them!)

You get to save people from their sins just as what the Big Man Above did when He was crucified.

No matter how hard we try to protect each other from different choices and putting ourselves in a cookie cutter world (or stereotyping, eh?) – At the end of the day – the colors will still be vibrant, emotions will still overflow and love will forever remain unconditional.

No one has the right to complain in the world he or she is in now – because the truth is; it’s so wonderful! Savor it. No one can blame anyone but themselves on the choices they make because no matter how long the agony is, no matter how painful – (let me stress it out once again) something good or maybe I should say something GREAT, will always come out of it.

Kudos to Lois Lowry for writing this book, at least I know the next generation will get to appreciate the splendor that life has to offer them.

i miss....

I miss….

Nick Carter & Aj Mclean from the Backstreet Boys

(so one beats up his gf and the other had to go to Rehab)

Stephen Gately from Boyzone

(he finally came out)

Phil Rodell (?) from Code Red

(where is he now?)

Duncan James from Blue

(i think he's the hottest)

Jeff Timmons from 98 degrees

(he already has a baby, right?)

JC Chasez from Nsync

(I blame Tara Reid for your solo career)

Taylor Hanson from the Hansons

(still hot, has like two kids already right?)

Dave Moffatt from the Moffats

(so I heard he’s also gay?!?!)

Scott from 5ive

(err haven't heard anything from him)

Kavana from.... errr yeah

(wasn't there a rumor that he was gay too?)

Bryan Abrams from Color Me Badd

(yes I was 7 during that time and was singing "I wanna sex you up" I didn't even know what it meant!)

I miss Keanu Reeves in the music video "Rush"

(an labo!!!)

This is the reason why I had a very exciting childhood, eh? :P Subscribing to Smash Hits and Bop instead of buying cigarettes and coffee.

Leo, this blog was for you. hahaha!

We all have our own story to tell

After having dinner with my girls last night, I realized that we all have our own story to tell. We all have our weird anecdotes that can make us laugh so hard or lead us all into tears.

• Being betrayed by the people (or that certain person) who we thought loved us the most
• Overcoming your fear and taking risks
• Falling into the trap of unrequited love
• Fighting for something or someone who’s just not worth it
• Being deceived by our dream job
• Having no support from our own family
• Falling in love with the wrong (kind of) person
• Losing your virginity to someone who totally doesn’t deserve it
• Getting reprimanded at home or work for something you didn’t even do in the first place and taking all the shit
• Questioning your sexual preference
• Seeing your photo in the newspaper or watching yourself on tv
• Getting proposed in the most romantic way
• Planning your future ahead of time (wayyyy ahead of time)
• Expecting a baby at such a young age
• Meeting someone who we’ve idolized for the longest time
• Drinking a bottle of Baygon simply because you wanted to
• Feeling lonely when you’re surrounded by a gazillion friends
• A job offer that never even crossed your mind
• Losing a friend and rebuilding the relationship after several years and as if nothing happened
• ten million more situations

At the end of the day, it’s what makes us the person we are today. These stories mold us to be a better person. They make our lives more interesting and colorful. Cliché, right? One of these days, I’d write all these stories and compile it into one book. I’m gonna bring Chicken Soup for the soul to a different level.

The rays of happiness, like those of light, are colorless when unbroken.
Henry W. Longfellow

Quote for the Day

We’re conditioned to think that our lives revolve around great moments. But great moments often catch us unaware - beautifully wrapped in what others may consider a small one.
-Kent Nerburn

Thanks Zaney for sharing the story and thanks for the company tonight :) Forever cherished.

There is a way to be good again

There are times when you are emotional - you tend to do the craziest things. Like you’re just extremely happy or in the most terrible pain – you don’t realize that you’ve already neglected your duties, stepped on several people who matter the most or gone against your principles.

You do a toast for your own satisfaction but once your glass touches another – because of the force or your clumsiness – the expensive wine glass breaks.

I can laugh it off and act as if nothing happened OR I can acknowledge the damage, pick the piece up together and clean up the spilled drink.

No matter how embarrassing, painful or difficult your situation is – there is way to be good again. One of the best lines I read from the book, “The Kite Runner” by Khaled Hosseini .

As much as possible – we all want to bury the past but sometimes it has a way to claw itself out but in the end – there will always be redemption.

Funny on my way home, the song “Things will Go my Way” by The Calling played in iPod randomly:

For all the lives
I've tasted
Just looking for the truth
For all the dreams I'm chasing
What am I to do
With everything against me
The answers are all wrong
Open now, I'll find out
It was working all along

The past couple of weeks have been a rollercoaster ride. I know I’ve made a lot of mistakes, I know I’ve misjudged and disappointed a lot of people – I am not perfect but there is always a WAY to be good again – simply because I BELIEVE. I still have my faith to hold on to. It will happen – I’ll be able to clean up my mess and I know it’s not going to be easy to get there but I’ll eventually be the best person I can be. I just have to keep the fire burning. Have that desire to change, have the heart to forgive and the understanding to accept things the way they are.

If you Love Someone, Ask Them For Nothing

If you love someone, ask them for nothing. Don't hold them back from their destiny. Don't keep them from going off in search of their own answers. Don't ask them for commitment. You will know commitment is real when it is something given willingly, and not as something obligatory. Don't ask them for promises. If you are patient, if you have faith, you will know in your heart when the right time for promises has come.

And when that time arrives, then you will see that you have both lost nothing by setting each other free, and have instead gained a richer, fuller life, a wealth of experiences, and a stronger certainty of your desires.

But should they not return to you, then life hasn't cheated you because no promises were broken. Your bitterness will not last long, and you will feel thankful and blessed that at the very least, this beautiful soul has colored your life, that knowing them has already made life infinitely more meaningful.

By setting a person free, you run a risk of them not returning. But always remember that you found them beautiful precisely because they were free. People are like sunlight. You can feel their warmth, and their glow, but you can't hold them in your hand and keep them with you forever. People CHOOSE to stay. But a choice is made more meaningful when it is made despite so many other options. Love has no restrictions and it is through mistakes that sometimes we see the right answer. Because if you love someone, you ask them for nothing and they will come back to you.

I got this for Anniqua! Hehehe Annick actually – thanks dear for sharing this with me :) I will forever cherish our bonding session at KK! :D

Badabing Badaboom!

Uninspired. Lower Part of the Wheel. Demotivated.

Those were the three words that would best describe this weird phase, and then there’s a spark that just shows up in its most unique and unexpected form.

I woke up this morning thinking “SSDD” – same sh*t different day.

So this morning in my usual spot at Figaro, having my first kape and yosi for the day, someone actually introduced himself to me. I’ve been noticing him actually, I always see him around the Makati Area, other coffee shops, crossing the streets etc. He looks like a typical Pinoy but for some weird reason he stands out. He’s hard to miss.

He’s actually in the same industry as I am now. Events, production, pr…all those shenanigans. He’s been in the industry for almost ten years and still makin’ it. I actually enjoyed listening to his adventures and his misadventures. For the first time, I found myself really quiet just listening to his very very colorful life (imagine he worked with Jude Law and Ewan McGregor?!?!)

In other words, I found my spark again. J He even told me about the big booboos he encountoured – loosing 400 thousand pesos but gaining a 10 million project in 3 years.

The truth is, I see myself in this industry for a very long time. There’s no other place or job I can imagine myself with.

A client shared to me that he was meant to see the world. The truth is, with his job, he has seen more than half of the world. So then he asked me “Char, so what do you think are you meant to do?” with a smile, it just came out of my lips effortlessly I said “I’m meant to meet people. All kinds.” (Traveling comes with that I hope?)

For someone as young as 24, I am holding on to that vision. :) For once in my life I am positively sure about something.

So let's see. I'm waiting for my 'badabing badaboom' moment.

Sige nga, in other words. OO NA. He’s CUTE. Even if he’s 10 years older!