Stormed and Flooded, Still Here!

What year is it now? It's been like century if not forever that I haven't updated my blog, I have so many thoughts, but it seems to me that those thoughts can't find their way to blog post. Aside from the repost dito, repost doon, and copying my statuses from my Facebook, I haven't really have a real blog entry.

So awake, and arise and shine! Naks, parang scriptural terms or nakikipagdigmaan. Hehe

After PEBA 2010, there is just too much work to do, and so much things to attend to especially now that my lady is carrying our 2nd child and she is having a hard time with some pregnancy related extra curricular activities! Forgive my terms, I am so out of thoughts with regards to that. Haha

I will be back soon, with my powerful windows mobile phone, I can do blogging even I am at work. 

Someone said, "I guess you are happy in your life." I am? I asked with a smile. How do we define happiness? Really? Sabi ko nga sa Facebook status ko one time,

As I grow older (oh my, I have to admit it! :) I realized fame, learning, beauty or riches doesn't define success and happiness - it's in planning and prioritizing things.

  

I have had a lot of experiences lately, and some of them are not so easy to bear. The Thoughtskoto's been to a lot of challenges and trials and yet we are here surviving, trying our best to endure, because nothing is really over until we stop trying.

I remember we have this really old electric fan back home when I was a teenage boy. The fan was broken and was sewed by  copper wire. The cover bend and straightened. It was a typical small electric fan that was beaten, fall several times, and yet the amazing thing is that - it is still usable! it is still working!

Life is like that. Sometimes we are tried, tempted, beaten, wearied, and yet we endure, we persevere, we hold on because we believe that life is not just about surviving, it is enjoying. There will be times we maybe sad, we maybe down, we may be tempted, we fail,  but it doesn't mean we will give up. We are still around, we may be quiet, but we gather strength and we face the world again with a smile, not minding those failings and bitterness we have had in life.

Anyway, plug-in ko lang po, ang latest ko na entry sa the Kablogs Journal Online Magazine. Hope you will keep reading and contributing sa TKJ. If you want to support, 

please email: thekablogsjournal@gmail.com

"For love is not assuming, it is free of anything. It is giving. It is making other person happy. It is bringing out the best to people. It is inspiring, it doesn’t seek for glory or return, it is without condition, description, or qualification – who and what you are does not matter anymore. What matters is that you are happy, and most importantly the one you love is happy."

Belated happy hearts day sa lahat!

©2010 THOUGHTSKOTO

Life Changing Moments

October 2001, nasa MRT ako, kagagaling ko lang sa pressure na trabaho, maraming phone calls, maraming projects, maraming worries. Galing ako ng North Edsa station papuntang Taft Pasay, and from there take the LRT to Pedro Gil para imemeet ang may-ari ng company namin na noon ay nakacheck in Midtown Hotel, near Robinson's Ermita.

Magulo ang isip ko, mainit pala, dati na magulo. hehe. Hawak hawak ko ang Philippine Daily Inquirer gawa ng pagsunod sa news about sa 9-11 na nangyari sa America. Nakaupo ako't nakapikit ang mata at nagrelax ng huminto ang train sa Boni station. Biglang napuno ang area kung saan ako nakaupo, may isang nanay at tatlong mga anak ages between 7, 5, 3 na pumasok at dahil likas na gentleman, sa dami ng mga gentle dog sa loob ng station na nakamake-up at nakapowder pa ang mga mukha at gagala sa greenbelt at ayala, ako'y tumayo at pinapaupo ang mag-ina. 

Ang mga bata ay makukulit, maiingay at sa sikip ng MRT ay nakuha pang maglaro, maghabulan, at magsisisigaw. Ang nakapgtataka ang ina ay tila walang pakialam. Di ba niya naririnig na ang mga bata ay maiingay? Di ba siya nahihiya sa inaasta ng kanyang mga anak? Nanay ko po, nakakabulahaw ang tili, iyakan at sigawan, at nakakawala sa matinong pag-iisip ang habulan, at muntik pa akong masundot ng lalaking panganay. Gusto kong pasimpleng pingutin or pinch sa kamay yung pangalawa na walang pakialam nakatayo ako sa tapat ng kanyang nanay habang sia ay punta dito't balik sa nanay niya ng walang pakialam. 

Di ako nakapagpigil, sinabihan ko ang nanay. 

"Ale, yung mga anak niyo po, ang iingay, nakakabulahaw po sa mga pasahero, pwede po bang patahimikin niyo?"

Parang walang narinig ang nanay, nakatingin sa malayo, at parang walang pakialam. Kaya inulit ko ng medyo malakas sa gitna ng maraming pasahero.

"Ah, Ate, yung mga anak niyo po, sobrang ingay at makulit, pwede po bang sawayin niyo?"

Sagot ng nanay na biglang gulat at napatingin saken, at dun ko lang napansin ang namumugto niyang mga mata.

"Ha? Mama, pagpasensiyahan niyo na po, kagagaling lang namin ng Polymedic Hospital, at kamamatay lang po ng kanilang ama. (Humahagulgol na ng iyak ang nanay, ako naman parang binuhusan ng nagyeyelong tubig) Di ko alam ang gagawin, at di ko alam paano ko sasabihin sa kanila"

Di ko alam ang nangyari saken during that time pero bigla akong nanlamig. Naawa sa nanay, nahiya sa aking sarili, at nakalearn ng isang napakahalagang lesson. 

Be sensitive towards others feelings.

Sometimes in our lives we are focused on what we want and what will comfort us, without regard or without thinking about others. Naiingayan ako, and Im sure yung ibang pasahero din pero ako lang naglaks ng loob magsabi dahil seguro ako lang ang hindi naging sensitive na ang nanay pala ay nagdadalamhati.

Nakakahiya.

Bago ako bumaba ng Taft Avenue, nalaman ko na ang nanay ay taga Cavite, ang asawa ay nagkasakit ng cancer sa brain, at nagtratrabaho sa may Manggahan sa Gen Trias. 

Nag-abot ako ng isandaan bilang abuloy.

©2009 THOUGHTSKOTO

My Attempt na Magblog in EnTa Lengua "Ang Global Crisis"

EnTa - English Tagalog, a combination of Barok English and may pagkabisayang Tagalog.

I am always amused with OFW and Expats Pinoy who make a blog post in Tagalog. It's funny, witty, and yes, it strucks the heart. So now, I am going to attempt to post in English mix mix Tagalog. It's my thoughts anyway, and there are times because of the limited grammar and

 English knowledge ng inyong abang lingkod (naks) ayan na pasimple simple lang, is not conveyed very well kasi nga limited lang. haha Hirap kaya magkukotkot ng kokote kung wala kang makukot, kaya minsan nangangapa ng simpleng English words.

Anyway, I want my blog na maging masaya naman, as well as the readers and visitors that will come. 

Kaninang morning, I was surfing the Thoughtsmoto Kabayan Blogs, ang ganda kasi nito, syempre kasi itong Thoughtskoto and mga Thoughts mo, Thoughts niya, and Thoughts natin lahat pinagsama samang para sa iisang site, mababasa mo na ang snippet or maliit na intro ng mga bagong post ng mga kababayan kahit saang lupalop ng lupa, yelo and mabuhanging disyerto. Kaya naman naisip ko yun kasi nakakapagod magsurf isa isa, kaya kung alin nagustuhan ko, yun na lang muna click ko. Yug iba, gandahan niyo naman title para catchy macliclick ko. Haha

Anyhow (anyway na kasi sa taas, redundant na masyado) sa pagbabasa ko, mukhang iisa ang theme for the day. Kakatakot but true. Lahat apektado ng Global Crisis na nagsimula sa America. Minsan tuloy naisip ko, wala talagang untouchable sa mundo, hangin lang seguro. 

Sa company ko humina muna ang production at walang OT ng ilan buwan kasi nagslow down na din yung Aramco and affiliates nito. A few months back, di mapigil ang pagtaas ng presyo ng langis, ngayon dahil sa over production, bagsak ang presyo, maliban sa pamasahe sa pinakabayan ko.

Read over Gulf Region, mga post ng mga Pinoy tinanggal si ganito, rethrenchment dito, di na nirenew contract ni Kabayan, walang taas ng sahod at increment for this year, naghigpit na sa lahat ng bagay kina Juan, tatlong buwan ng delayed sa sahod sina Pedro, nagsara ng planta kina Jose, nagiisip pa naman ako lumipat ng trabaho magtiyaga na muna tayo.

I was talking to my wife the other night regarding the global crisis and how thankful we are na kahit papaano nakakapagsurvive kami. Then naisip ko ang isang pinakavaluable na lesson in life na minsan I tend to overlook or nafoforget.

Si HF knows everything, and mahal Niya tayo. Alam Niya what we need, and what is right for us. Minsan di natin maintindihan, minsan parang akala natin pinapabayaan Niya tayo. Minsan we feel alone, and fighting our life's struggles and battles alone. Akala lang natin yun, at miminsan lang yun. 

I have live my life and been to a lot, yes, a lot (parang ang tanda ko na). But I am not saying I am better than anybody else. It's just that my challenges and the trials I've been through since I was young helped me become the man I am now. Not the best, not the great, not really rich, not the wisest, but a better man than sa naiisip ko na maging ako if without those challenges.

Just face it. hmmmn, parang Nike, Just do it. 

Just don't compare yourself to others. If you do, truly you will be miserable. 

Live your best to the fullest for who you are, and what you are, and trust HF. 

Ganun kasi ako before, compare ko kakarampot ang sahod ko sa mga kaibigan ko. Tinapa ako kumpara sa tuna nila. Pero natauhan ako. Nasa 30's pa lang ako. Yung mga sumasahod ng ganun kalaki mga kaibigan ko, puti na ang buhok, pero sana di pa pumuputi ang uwak, maayos na ang crisis na ito, may naghihire saken eh doble sa sahod, nahold ako, kasi nga slowdown ang Aramco! Waahhhh :(

This global crisis, naglalaga pa ako, maglaga na muna kayo, kaya tiyaga muna tayo. 

Okay ba post ko? hehe.

©2008 THOUGHTSKOTO

Every day is a Challenge

Everyday is a challenge, I always remind people and my wife about that. I am constantly battling with challenges from work, family, personal and many others I face day by day.

The moment I wake up in the morning, perhaps some of you are deep in to sleep, (4:00AM!) I feel and always reminded by the challenges. Waking itself by the way is a challenge since it's just feel better to sleep specially that winter is coming. Me and my wife will then kneel and pray, as I hurriedly prepare myself and my dearest girlfriend diligently prepares my pack lunch and snacks. 

The moment I step out of the door, 4:50 AM is always a challenge. There are times I will be walking along the streets alone and it's dark, not many people are starting their work too early just like me. Walking for 10 minutes going to the highway where the bus will pick me up is also a challenge, you know some out of mind people might be interested to toy and play with this cute, small, and goodlooking guy. (nyehaha)

The moment you step in the bus, is another challenge. I have tremendous trust with our driver, but how about other drivers who haven't sleep or who went partying all night? Report says KSA was the highest car accident country in the world. If you live outside our cocoon, you won't understand. But if you worked or lived or been to here, you know what I mean. That one thing alone, driving here scares me that during my driving test, the tire on the drivers side touched the white line during parking. (whew! but I am not giving it, and I am going to go again this time till I get my Saudi driving license, back home, I drove and drove till my pick up truck went turtle down...you know? Warning: Don't do this and don't experiment, believe me, you're not as elastic as I am.) Honestly, I run 120 Km/H and my driver's side tire exploded...

When I get to worked, the much harder challenges confront me. Being in charge of the quality of a thriving drinking water business is a challenge. 

When you get home, the moment you step in the door, you'll hear the baby laughs or mumble words or cries, that's another challenge. A toodler will take most of your time, you wont have that much time to post a blog, and your wife can't cook foods or clean the house, but perhaps it is a challenge that bears satisfaction and tremendous joy. Family.

Some of the greatest challenges we have in life are those about our families and those closest to us. David O. Mckay says, 'There is no success that can compensate for failure in the home.' Mitt Romney said "The greatest work you are doing, are the works done within the walls of your home." I believe those two quotes. That's why working for the betterment of our family, the strengthening of our commitment and love to one another, the building of a joyful place called home, and the rearing of children that someday they will become the strength to light on the seemingly dimming world. That is a huge challenge. Sometimes as a young father, it seems insormountable, sometimes, it seems impossible to achieve.

But the smile of a beautiful baby girl, is enough to wipe those fears and doubts and move on and be strong so that the baby girls future will be better. The love of a woman so lovely and kind and caring is enough to make me excited and be inspired, in battling those challenges. The best thing where we can draw strength is not the worldly status we achieve or the material wealth we acquired, but the love of those around us, our families, and friends.

Every challenges we overcome anyway, added strength and experienced to our life, thereby making us more brave and more better the next time.

Thoughtskoto - weblogs about reality and opinions.
Rants and observations and musings about faith, hope as well as life and love.

©2008 THOUGHTSKOTO

We are like Parker pens

Do you know the story of a Parker Pen?

Why it is very expensive and the most famous pen gifts?

From the noblest metal to the most durable one, it uses brass plated gold, silver, platinum as pen body, every Parker pen is crafted meticulously and differently, ensuring quality.

Just making the nib alone will last one week.

Every prototype is tested 200,000 times,

even testing by hands, placing it in the pocket of the shirt several thousand times,

placing it under the freezing temperatures,

the hottest oven, and many other quality test.

We are like Parker pens, made individually and especially by God, tested, tried, and challenged in life to come out the better, or the best.

We are not cheap experiments, in the laboratory of life.

We have eternal destiny, don't lose sight of the greatness and eternal happiness

ahead over a little or simple worries and challenges here on earth.

©2008 THOUGHTSKOTO