"Hipon"

Yesterday, I was waiting for a FX taxi ride along Quezon Avenue. I was nearly pissed off because I was standing there for almost 30 minutes waiting and not a single one passed by. Anyway, a group of nursing students nearby was having a loud conversation. I heard them talking about DotA, a popular pc network game that I’m somewhat familiar with. Suddenly, a very sexy young lady walks in front of us. What can you expect? The lively conversation instantly died down as if there was a holy mass going on. The girl was not really that good-looking but she got a nearly perfect body. I overheard one of the students nearby saying “Pare, Hipon.” Honestly, I really didn’t get what he meant during that time. Later, it came out in my mind that the body of “hipon” or shrimp is the only part gets eaten and the head is discarded. Naughty teenagers!

Life Is A Journey, Not A Destination

The title is quite catchy, isn’t it? Actually, I took the line from a popular song of the band Aerosmith. I don’t really exactly know what’s the songwriter trying to express. I just felt I want my own interpretation about it. You know, I been busy for the past few days and I guess writing this entry would relax and cool my nerves.

To make the point clearer in my mind, I tried to differentiate the word Journey and Destination. Basically, journey in its simplest form doesn’t mean there’s a specific point of destination. But, I guess, in a certain aspect there could be a destination but the route is not specific. But, when we say “destination”, there’s absolutely a certain destination or goal. So, the idea became clearer to me and I somewhat grasped what’s the meaning of it.

In reality, most successful people tend to practice the opposite. You know, most of them had this attitude of doing things only when it will help attain their goal. From birth, they’re living a pre-numbered life and following it religiously. It’s like they’re abiding the notion of “Work Hard Now, Happiness Later.” While, for those who go along with the idea, they tend to live a carefree life. Most of them have no specific goal in life and don’t burden their mind thinking about the future. They are the ones who happily entertained a one-day goal and not really a long-term planner. You know, enjoying everyday of their life just like taking a walk in the park. Of course, most probably they’re not going to be a successful individuals but I bet they’re the ones who will be having a happy and meaningful life. After all, why relies so much on your long-term plan when you don’t know exactly what tomorrow brings?

Farewell Itachi!

***Spoiler Warning for Anime Fans***

The shadow of death is near for Sasuke.
No more chakra left or stamina to defend himself.
Itachi is slowly walking toward him.
Extending his fingers to Sasuke’s eyes.
Sasuke wait in horror…
No more strength left to ward off the living scalpel.
Silence…
Suddenly, Itachi’s mouth started vomiting with blood.
While he slowly succumb to his illness.
He gathers his remaining strength.
And poked his younger brother’s forehead.
Like he used to do when he was young.
Sasuke felt strange when his brother looks into his eyes.
Saying the last word, “Sorry Sasuke. There won’t be a next time…”
Finally, Itachi’s life forfeited itself with a smile.
In favor of his beloved younger brother.
To sacrifice himself dearly.
For a gift he’s too willing to grant his younger brother.
The Mangekyo Sharingan.

I hope you like the way I narrated the conclusion of Itachi and Sasuke fight. After Tobi or Madara revealed the truth to Sasuke, I was sad to learn the truth behind the mysterious life of Itachi. I’m not sure if Madara was telling the truth but deep inside I sensed some truth in it. In this real world, there are so many unfortunate souls, who lived a secretive and dangerous life in the service of greater good. Many died without leaving any footprints of their lives and what they did to make this world a safe and a better place to live with. They had sacrificed dearly without asking any in return or even a simple recognition from us. This is what exactly happened to Itachi. He died and suffered for his beloved Konoha protecting it from the inside of Akatsuki. He took the pain of killing and sacrificing his entire clan for the greater good of protecting his village. Certainly, It’s really hard to be in Itachi’s shoes being a tormented soul until the day he died for what he’d done. Anyway, I was feeling sympathetic to Itachi’s tragic end and I now considered him as one of the top protagonist of the series.

Thank You

I’m asking myself,

Why I’m not been good to you?

You’re too loyal to be treated like that.

I know I’ve been stupid these past few months.

Trying to force myself into someone not destined to be mine.

I’ve realized something.

Something good about you.

That’s so hard to find these days.

I know I’ve been so blind and insensitive.

Not to appreciate your wasted time and effort for me.

Let me take this opportunity,

To express my heartfelt thanks to you.

For being so patient and caring all the time.

I can’t really promise to be always there for you.

But, I will always try my very best to make you smile

Nokia E51 Review

Last month, I bought this gadget from a Nokia Store at SM North Cyberzone at a discounted price of P12160. The package includes the handset, USB cable, headset, charger, pc suite CD, and a free 512mb micro SD memory card. As I expected, it’s kind of plain in appearance and nothing’s really outstanding except it is quite thin compared to other smart phones. Actually, there are three colors available to choose from and I picked the masculine black.

Well, this phone is not really designed for the cool-hip-young teenagers out there but for those who are always on the move. The design was focused mainly on connection and mobility. The most notable features includes 3.5G (HSDPA, faster download than 3G), WLAN (free internet while on a WiFi zone), Bluetooth (headset, keyboard, printer, etc.), VoIP (thru WLAN), Symbian OS S60 3rd edition (latest edition), xHTML Web Browser(you can browse most website), one-way video calling(no front camera), Quick Office Viewer(upgradable), up to 4GB expandable memory, voice aid and FM visual radio. As for the downsides, I really detest the small 2” screen and the USB port which is incapable of charging the battery. Likewise, it’s power hungry when browsing the Internet or using it as a modem.

However, I still considered this phone a best buy considering most of its exceptional features outweigh the few downsides. Not to mention, it’s pretty much cheap compared to other smart phones. Besides, I really need an HSPDA phone for my laptop Internet connection when I’m out of town. So, if you’re planning to buy a new smart phone and you’re pretty much on budget, this might be the right one for you.

The Girl In My Dream

Last night, I had this peculiar dream about a girl that I’m familiar with during my days in my hometown. Unfortunately, she’s rather vague in my dream and I can’t get the right picture of her face out of my head. Anyway, that girl, I think, was one of my crushes during my high school days. Well, from what I remembered she’s rather cute and I admired her plain beauty only from a distance. Most of my friends had a crush on her that’s why we frequented Susan Theater watching those Robin Padilla’s flicks. You know, the “bad boy image” era of my not so wonderful teenager’s life sporting such ridiculous long hair, oversized scarf, cowboy boots, boot-cut jeans and white t-shirt.

By the way, She’s working there as store assistant at night during weekdays. Sadly, I didn’t get to know her personally. Because, for crying out loud, I don’t have the guts to strike a conversation with her or even ask her name. What can you expect from a very nervous guy like me, who thought during those times that the best thing in life is just to stay silent and think about all the negative side of everything? Pathetic, isn’t it? For a consolation, I was not the only one who suffered from the same dilemma. Most of us have this invisible twin brother called “inferiority complex” that’s always worrying for us on what other people will say about our actions. Not to mention, the complexity of failure acceptance and the fear of public humiliation.

When I realized these things, I was kind of dejected that I wasted so much time and opportunities dwelling in such an ugly perspective. I asked myself, why on earth I was so worried about what other people will say? When, in fact, I should be more concern about the result of my actions and from there I can tell what’s wrong with it if I screwed up. In the same time, eliminating the “what-if” questions in the future. After all, as human as we are, “Mr. Failure” is always there at our side until the day we say the words “Adios, Patria adorada”. So, if you’re a guy out there who happens to like a girl and you’re too chicken to even talk to her, think about it in the most positive way. Because, if you don’t do anything about it right now, you’ll be an instant loser without even trying and you’ll be sorry for the rest of your life waiting for a girl who have the right attitude to court you.

Acer Aspire 4315 Notebook

This is the most precious gadget in my possession. I bought it at PC Corner Gilmore branch last January 2008 for a bargain price of PHP27000. Anyway, it’s kinda cheap considering its low specs. You know, I’m just a poor guy who doesn’t have enough money to spare for a high-end gadget. So, I just settled down for an Intel Celeron Processor with a CPU clock speed of 1.7GHz (Welcome to the pre-historic era!), 1GB (DDR2) of RAM (A product of long bargaining. Hehehe…), Intel 965GM chipset(Sta. Rosa platform, nice one…), Intel GMA X3100 integrated graphics with up to 128MB shared memory(This caught my attention), 80GB HDD, CDRW+DVD combo(I hated it… need a DVD writer), built-in WLAN, S-Video, approx. 1.5-2 hours battery life, and 14.1” WXGA display. Well, with specs like that, I considered the gadget a best buy for my need. Not to mention, it’s an Acer with an international warranty passport. Unfortunately, I recently noticed a slight problem with a blank white screen occurrence sometimes. I had already contacted the store’s customer service hotline and they instructed me to bring it to them for a unit check-up. Needless to say, I’m still happy with my unit as far as its performance is concern. The graphics is awesome even though it’s just an integrated graphics. You can play some high-end games too like Company of Heroes but with the lowest possible settings. So, if you need a budget notebook, I highly recommend this one or at least the specs listed above except the processor replacing it with a dual-core or core 2 duo processor.

Music Video

One night, I was kind of bored doing nothing but listening to my mp3 player. So, I just decided to watch "Daddy Long-Legs" DVD in my laptop computer. This Korean actress caught my attention, Park Eun Hye, and I really liked her really cute face in the first glance. Yeah, I admit that I'm really physically attracted to Korean beauties. Anyway, an idea came out in my mind that I'm thinking about for a long time. You know, I really wanted to try making a music video just out of curiosity. And here it is... Enjoy...

Credits:

Scenes from the korean movie "Daddy Long-Legs"

Music: "Hurt" by Christina Aguilera

for more info:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daddy_Long-legs_%282005_film%29

The Call Of Solitude

In the verge of a mild depression, I packed my bag and headed to the bus terminal. I climbed the steps of the huge vehicle ready to depart. The scenery along the way slowly faded in my eyes like a dream until I fell asleep. I was awakened by a shout of the conductor. We already arrived at our destination, Ragay, my old hometown. Then, in an instant, the sense of nostalgia rushed into my whole being. How I missed this old rotting town? I can’t express in words but only with a deep sigh savoring the freshness of the early morning breeze. I had lived two decades of simplicity in this town. Naturally, I hated fate when necessity forced me to leave it. Then, reality struck me hard when I realized that I don’t really have any future here. So, I decided to abandon my roots and headed to Manila with the courage of a delusional young boy. However, after decade of unfruitful struggle of city-living I found myself empty in spirit. Now, I’m back again not to permanently stay but to reminisce the past and memories of this town. I know the time will come that I will stay here forever until the day I die. But, not now… my time in the city is not yet up.

As always, the town is the same as I left it. Gloomy, empty and dead but I loved it that way. I rode a tricycle going to Apad, my beloved barrio. I passed by the house of a very special girl who somehow caused this distress. The memories of her flooded into my mind like a distant dream. How sad it happened that way. However, there's nothing I can do but forget it. Then, I saw my mother in her small store, smiling to me with joy in her face and I smiled back without saying anything. My hardworking mother was growing old fast now but with grace in her own way. My siblings were very happy to see me. My nieces and nephews were happy too, even without their usual chocolates. I’m glad also that I’ve realized how I missed them.

The next day, I visited my relatives in the other side of the barrio. I asked my cousin a favor to accompany me to an island we called Ogtoc Point. We rode a motorboat silently watching the scenery magically revealed before us. The burning heat of the sun and the acrid smell of the sea bring back the memory of my childhood. After an hour, we arrived peacefully at my uncle’s fishpond. The old house was still standing as I saw it the last time. Taking a nap in that house really makes me snore like my late father. The sea breeze was really so calming and rejuvenating that will surely send anyone to his/her deepest slumber.

In that afternoon, I strolled around the island alone forgetting the complexity of dwelling in the city. Under the bearable heat of the sun, I wandered in the empty beaches and in the edges of numerous cliffs. After a while, sitting atop a rock silently watching the birds and throwing stones that disturbed the calm sea enjoying my self-appointed solitude. I passed by the dilapidated house of my former classmate. I remembered the happiest moment of my life in that abandoned house. After our high school graduation, we spent there three unforgettable days of summer swimming in the beach, doing childish franks with each other, singing along with guitars around the campfire, and drinking a lot until we passed out. I’m still wondering if somehow my former classmates remembered it too. My reminiscence really absorbed my spirit that I forgot it was time to go home. I saw the sun started to hide itself at the back of the mountain. The red glow shinning in the horizon increases my growing sadness. Then, I heard a familiar sound… the sound of my alarm clock. Ah… I wished I’m not dreaming again…