Tonight, the Moon Showed Me...

Out of a random spontaneity, I had the urge to walk out of the house at 12 midnight just to feel the cold December dawn. Have you ever gazed up at the vast night sky long enough to wonder about the magnificent mystery that wraps around the face on the moon? It's bizzare.

Looking up, it felt desolate out there. But knowing there's far greater things beyond the universe, hardly made me feel alone despite the stillness of the night.

Looking up I realized, there's far worse things than the feeling of loneliness. There's a sense of unworthiness, or emptiness, helplessness. And all that sort of went inside me as I breathe in the midnight air. It's overwhelmingly sad.

That's why people always want to be around family specially during this time of the year. Tonight, the moon showed me how it's easy to feel alone, but so much easier to feel insignificant in contrast to it's vast magnificence. You'd think you'd get used to anything. But how do you ever get used to the feeling of emptiness.

You look hard enough, there's more than one face on the moon. You'll see smiling faces of your sisters, your brother, your mom, your whole family. Just watching down on you trying to light your way to make sure you're where you need to be going.

But it's a lonely road.

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P75

A man came home from work late, tired and irritated, to find his 5-year old son waiting for him at the door.

SON: "Daddy, may I ask you a question?"
DAD: "Yeah sure, what is it?" replied the man.
SON: "Daddy, how much do you make an hour?"
DAD: "That's none of your business. Why do you ask such a thing?" the man said angrily.
SON: "I just want to know. Please tell me, how much do you make an hour?"
DAD: "If you must know, I make 150 pesos an hour."
SON: "Oh," the little boy replied, with his head down, counting.
SON: "Daddy, may I please borrow 75 pesos?"

The father was furious, "If the only reason you asked that is so you can borrow some money to buy a silly toy or some other nonsense, then you march yourself straight to your room and go to bed. Think about why you are being so selfish. I don't work hard everyday for such childish frivolity's."

The little boy quietly went to his room and shut the door.

The man sat down and started to get even angrier about the little boy's questions. How dare he ask such questions only to get some money? After about an hour or so, the man had calmed down, and started to think: Maybe there was something he really needed to buy with that 75 pesos and he really didn't ask for money very often.

The man went to the door of the little boy's room and opened the door. "Are you asleep, son?" He asked. "No daddy, I'm awake," replied the boy. "I've been thinking, maybe I was too hard on you earlier" said the man. "It's been a long day and I took out my aggravation on you. Here's the 75 pesos you asked for." The little boy sat straight up, smiling. "Oh, thank you daddy!" he exclaimed.

Then, reaching under his pillow he pulled out some crumpled up bills. The man saw that the boy already had money, started to get angry again. The little boy slowly counted out his money, and then looked up at his father. "Why do you want more money if you already have some?" the father grumbled. "Because I didn't have enough, but now I do," the little boy replied.

"Daddy, I have 150 pesos now. Can I buy an hour of your time? Please come home early tomorrow. I would like to have dinner with you."

The father could not say a word. He put his arms around his little son, and he hugged him as tears fell down his face.

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100%

From a strictly mathematical viewpoint, what equals 100%?

What does it mean to give more than 100%?

Ever wonder about those people who say they are giving more than 100% in what they do?

How about achieving 101%?

What equals 100% in life?

If A to Z is represented as

A = 1
B = 2
C = 3

Et cetera until Z = 26,

H – A – R – D – W – O – R – K
8+1+18+4+23+15+18+11 = 98%

K – N – O – W – L – E – D – G – E
11+14+15+23+12+5+4+7+5 = 95%

But,

A – T – T – I – T – U – D – E
1+20+20+9+20+21+4+5 = 100%

It doesn't end there. Look at how much farther you can go.

L – O – V – E       O – F       G – O – D
12+15+22+5      15+6+      7+15+4 = 101%

We can conclude with mathematical certainty, that while hard work and knowledge will get you close, and attitude will get you there, it's the love of God that will put you over the top.

And where do we start? We start of course with ourselves. Like everybody else, you and me, we are never perfect, no one is. So don't pretend to be, you're only fooling yourself. Admit your mistakes so then you can think of ways to make amends. Decide when it's not too late yet. The good news though is, nothing is ever too late in the eyes of God. So even if it's too late in others' eyes, you can still make things right. Begin with a change in attitude as you see right, and include a pocketful of prayers while you're at it, to get to the top 101%.

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Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole

Release Date: September 24, 2010
Studio: Village Roadshow Pictures, Animal Logic
Director: Zack Snyder
Screenwriter: John Orloff, John Collee
Starring: Jim Sturgess, Geoffrey Rush, Emily Barclay, Anthony LaPaglia, David Wenham, Ryan Kwanten, Helen Mirren, Sam Neill, Hugo Weaving
Genre: Adventure, Fantasy
Review Rating: 7.5/10

Plot Summary: Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole is a 2010 computer animated fantasy film loosely based on the first three books (The Capture, The Journey, and The Rescue) of the series Guardians of Ga'Hoole by Kathryn Lasky.

Two owl brothers are kidnapped and taken to the land where the evil owl overlord is building a weapon that somehow magically captures owls and renders them helpless. One of the issues with this film is that the weapon is a complete mystery – it needs tiny little pieces of metal to function, but beyond that it’s quite literally a plot device.

While captured, the good brother vows to escape while the jealous brother finally finds the approval he’s been craving all these years – he’s trained as one of the elite warrior class and has no problem going over to the dark side.

Eventually our hero makes the perilous journey to find the fabled Guardians, where he learns to fly and fight like an owl warrior. Will good triumph over evil?

Where Legends of the Guardians really shines, is in the animation. It is simply breathtaking – the level of quality, the movement of the owls, the design of their world – everything is quite beautiful and excruciatingly detailed. The voice actors did a good job, with some engaging and funny characters and accents that add a bit of charm to them. The 3D is used to great effect and was very well done.

Where it isn’t so strong is in the story – which while pretty basic at its core, has a level of complexity in the details that younger kids will probably get lost. On the other hand, kids will probably be so mesmerized with the look of the film that they won’t mind too much. And speaking of younger audience members, for a PG animated movie some of the battle scenes are pretty intense.

The chief pleasures of the movie are visual: The dark forests and imposing seascapes, modeled on rugged terrain in Tasmania, are richly seductive. The 3D camerawork is dynamic as we soar with the owls through woods and across the ocean to the Guardians' island kingdom. The huge technical team has crafted images that often transcend traditional animation to look at once remarkably lifelike and suitably fantastical. The lush musical score by David Hirschfelder enhances the movie's shifting moods of terror and exaltation.

In the end, I’d say this is worth checking out if you’re a fan of fine CGI animation and are curious what an animated, PG-rated movie from Zack Snyder (300, Watchmen) might be like.

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A Prayer For You

Today Lord, my sister will undergo a knee surgery. I ask that you keep her faith in You stronger than ever. May you lay your healing hands upon her and make her well again. May You continue bestowing blessings upon us and for all, everyday of our lives. This I pray in Your Name.

Amen.

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A Letter to Myself

Dearest Peter Paul,

Aside from the tower fan eerily moving from side to side, everything and everyone else is already fast asleep. It's past 2 a.m. Why did you wake up sweating again?

Are you not going back to sleep? You have work at 7 in the morning.

Oh, so I guess that's it again, huh?

Well, you can't say I wasn't with you all along. Since that time you came back from Manila in March, your self importance and self respect has never been the same. For almost all those times, it had just been you and me. I've seen you get sad, upset until such time you got frustrated, depressed, de-motivated, to now, when you just got too tired to get out of bed in the morning to prepare for work.

For what it's worth, you were there to help build that company from ground zero. You were there to see it lift off successfully. You were there to see it actually do well as a small business. And for some time, that made you happy.

But where are you now? Where has it lead you being always there for your job but your job not being fulfilling for you?

I have lost you.

I barely know you from who you have become.

You became sickly and indolent, pretending to be happy but depressed all these months, bitter. Since when did you become a slave of the job that didn't give you importance and self-respect? Since when did you become so stubborn to stay where you've obviously been so unhappy?

And until when are you going to do this to yourself?

I say, when the going gets tough, the tough gets going. I admire your resilience which some people have obviously abused down to the last beating. I admire the fact that through thick nostrils and countless sleepless nights, you go to work late, but still manage to work 9, 10, 15 hours a day, no extra pay required, to do your part in helping the continued success.

But the time to wake up has come. It is rightful that you woke up very early today.

I understand your excitement and enthusiasm to end all that is evil that got in the workplace that has now made everyone look bad. And like you, I am fervently hoping for a positive outcome so that jobs may be kept, precious people may choose to stay and for your self-respect to regain.

Sincerely,

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The Last Airbender

Release Date: July 1, 2010
Studio: Paramount Pictures
Director: M. Night Shyamalan
Screenwriter: M. Night Shyamalan
Starring: Noah Ringer, Nicola Peltz, Jackson Rathbone, Dev Patel, Jessica Jade Andres, Aasif Mandvi, Shaun Toub, Cliff Curtis, Keong Sim
Genre: Adventure, Fantasy
Official Website:
thelastairbendermovie.com
Review Rating: 8/10
Plot Summary: Based on the hugely successful Nickelodeon animated TV series, the live-action feature film is set in a world where human civilization is divided into four nations: Water, Earth, Air and Fire.

The Fire Nation is waging a ruthless, oppressive war against the other three nations. The film's hero, the reluctant young Aang, is the "Last Airbender" -- the Avatar who, according to prophecy, has the ability to manipulate all of the elements and bring all the nations together. Aided by a protective teenage Waterbender named Katara and her bull-headed brother Sokka, Aang proceeds on a perilous journey to restore balance to their war-torn world.

My Review: This one is the first installment of a proposed trilogy. I've been a huge Avatar fan for many year now. And I'm sure that lots of other big Avatar fans out there would agree if I said that the movie was rushed.

I would not say I'm completely disappointed because although the movie's progression was fast-paced, it really went all out in the special effects department. Appa, Aang's flying Bison was exquisite and just completely blew me away. Aang's abilities were given due credit, justice and honor to the original character of the animated series. However, I was really disappointed of how Katara's and Sokka's characters came out short from what the audience had loved them for in the series. Sokka had always been gullible and lively, Katara always in the rescue whenever they got into trouble. But here, the two supporting characters were hardly recognizable from their original characters in the series.

I felt that the movie is not as good as it could have been because it did not have the ability to create equally strong supporting characters in their animated series counterparts.

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Footprints in the Sand

Though I'm not a very pious person, I fervently believe in the power of God. During the lowest and saddest times, no one should think they're alone.


Footprints in the Sand

Last night I had a dream. I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord. Across the sky flashed scenes from my life. For each scene, I noticed two sets of footprints in the sand: one belonged to me, the other to the Lord.

After the last scene of my life flashed before me, I looked back at the footprints in the sand. I noticed that at many times along the path of my life, especially at the very lowest and saddest times, there was only one set of footprints.

This really troubled me, so I asked the Lord about it. “Lord, you said once I decided to follow you, You’d walk with me all the way. But I noticed that during the saddest and most troublesome times of my life, there was only one set of footprints. I don’t understand why, when I needed You the most, You would leave me.”

The Lord replied, “My son, my precious child, I love you and I would never leave you. During your times of suffering, when you could see only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you.”

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Time

Had it not been for the time track included in my last post, I would not have been able to know the last time I wrote here.

So it's been quite a while. But I am glad I have this time of luxury at work to actually be able to write something down without getting bothered.

I'm sad because I really had been wanting to write down some stuff in here which I had not been able to do for weeks now. I miss blogger and the blogs I read.

There's been some major changes with me but I don't think I'm ready to disclose those stuff right now.

I'm not sure if there's still people reading my blog. But just in case, I hope this finds you well. God bless us all.

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Drought

So it's been a long while since I last posted an entry that makes sense here.

I have some spare time in my hands these days but can't seem to get that "creative juice" spilling.

It's hard to want to try writing things down when the mind and heart is not into it.

Creative writing after all, is a passion; where the heart and mind run parallel and does not contradict each other.

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Super Hot!

I came home from work tonight dripping wet!

When is this heat wave gonna end? God help us!

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It's Gonna Make Sense

It's Gonna Make Sense
MLTR

Ah... ah... ah...
Ah... ah... ah... ah...

Life comes in many shapes
You think you know what you got
Until it changes
And life will take you high and low
You gotta learn how to walk
And then which way to go

Every choice you make
When you're lost
Every step you take
Has it's cause

Chorus:
After you clear your eyes
You'll see the light
Somewhere in the darkness
After the rain has gone
You'll feel the sun come
And though it seems your sorrow never ends
Someday it's gonna make sense

Ah... ah... ah... ah...

Tears you shed are all the same
When you laughed 'till you cried
Or broken down in pain

All the hours you have spent in the past
Worrying about
A thing that didn't last

Everything you saw
Played a part
In everything you are
In your heart

Chorus:
After you clear your eyes
You'll see the light
Somewhere in the darkness
After the rain has gone
You'll feel the sun comes
And though it seems your sorrow never ends...

Release:
Someday you're gonna find the answers
To all the things you've become and all they've done
At your expense
Someday it's gonna make sense

Ah... ah... ah...
Ah... ah... ah... ah...

After the rain has gone
You'll feel the sun comes
And though it seems your sorrow never ends

Someday it's gonna make sense
Ah... ah... ah... ah... ah... ah... ah...
Someday it's gonna make sense

After the rain has gone
You'll feel the sun comes
And though it seems your sorrow never ends

Someday it's gonna make sense

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Oh, well..

I feel guilty not being able to write anything for weeks now.

You'd think the craziness at work would mellow down eventually. But it only got worse. Although I am happy to see the company we started out now growing steadily. But it takes a lot out from everybody. We barely have time for anything else other than work.

Good thing now I can steal some time out to open my blogger and actually write somethings down in here after weeks of husling and bustling.

It's been a frustrating month.

It started when mama left again for the U.S. I'm left alone to take care of everything at home. And as if that wasn't enough, I decided to adopt guinea pigs. 3 of them! Just before she left. Poor little darlings didn't survive a month in my care.

It turned out, they need sensitive health care. It was tough losing the 2 boys. But even tougher losing my little sweet Lilo. She was pregrant. She really tried to survive. But after Johnny Bravo died, she started missing her meals. And I got sick with a terrible flu and I guess she got that.

She got sick for a couple of days and just as I was getting well, she got worse. She wouldn't eat anything and sneezed a lot.

I mouth-fed her like how articles in the internet showed. I gave her oral fluids too and it all didn't work. So again, I was just looking at her dying, just like how it was with Stitch and Johnny Bravo when they died.

And then prior that I found out some frustrating stuff at work that completely bothers me until now.

So! That's how my past few weeks had been. How had yours been? Hopefully not as hectic and frustrating?

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Busy Bee

God bless you, mama. I'll see you again soon.
I've been wanting to post an entry for weeks now and I'm sad not having been able to update anything in my blog lately. Been really occupied these past weeks.

Mama has left for the U.S. the other day and once again I have to do all the housekeeping chores by myself.

It's going to get lonely at home with just me and the guinea pigs. But there's always my job to keep me company, and of course facebook, and blogger.

I'm off to lunch. I'll be making more blog entries these days. But until then, take care.

God bless.

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Seasons of Love

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Lilo and Stitch

Lilo and Stitch
I've come into terms that I'd get myself a pet. A puppy was what I really had in mind but guinea pigs have been a strong consideration because they are low maintenance and don't tend to be noisy.

So the other day, while in the mall, as usual I walked and stopped by the local pet store to play with the cute puppies for sale. When I moved by the area where they sell hamsters and rats, I was happy to see they also had guinea pigs this time. I rarely see them sell guinea pigs so I was excited.

I was smitten by their charm and playful disposition that I decided to adopt a pair immediately.

I had intentionally wanted to purchase a male and a female. But after close inspection when I got home, I was surprised to know both of them are females. "That's fine," I thought because I didn't want them getting plenty in a small room.

The black and white one is named, Lilo. She is the dominant female. The white brown and black is Stitch, she's the shy and silent one. The small wheel at the far end corner of the cage is their favorite place to sleep. And Lilo pushes Stitch away everytime she goes near, except when Lilo is distracted like for example here, during her eating time (which is all the time!)

They both love to eat carrots and some cabbages. Stitch doesn't like the pellets. Only Lilo eat those. But Lilo doesn't like to eat rice grains. Only Stitch eat those. Sometimes, I give them veggies, like in this photo tonight, I gave them carrots, cabbages and string beans.

I had positioned their cage on top of my table where I also have my laptop so I can watch over them when I'm on the computer working.

Shy Stitch, doesn't like the camera.

They are really adorable pets. When I hold them and pet them, gently touching the side of their bellies, they make a low and faint sound which I think means they like it, and they're happy. I leave them at home the entire day and when I come home, open the door and they hear me coming in, they make a louder squeeking sound like they are happy that I'm back home.

Lilo, eating like always.

Do you have a pet that makes you smile too?

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For Stitch

1234
Plaint White T's

1-2-1-2-3-4
Give me more loving than I’ve ever had
Make me feel better when I’m feeling sad
Tell me I’m special even though I know I’m not
Make me feel good when I hurt so bad
Barely getting mad
I’m so glad I found you
I love being around you
You make it easy
Its as easy as 1-2-1-2-3-4
There’s only one thing
To Do
Three words
For you
(I love you) I love you
There’s only one way to say
Those three words
That’s what I’ll do
(I love you) I love you
Give me more loving from the very start
Piece me back together when I fall apart
Tell me things you never even tell your closest friends
Make me feel good when I hurt so bad
You’re the best that I’ve had
And I’m so glad I found you
I love being around you
You make it easy
It’s easy as 1-2-1-2-3-4
There’s only one thing
To Do
Three words
For you
(I love you) I love you
There’s only one way to say
Those three words
That’s what I’ll do
(I love you) I love you
(I love you) I love you
You make it easy
It’s easy as 1 2 1 2 3 4
There’s only one thing
To Do
Three words
For you
(I love you) I love you
There’s only one way to say
Those three words
That’s what I’ll do
(I love you) I love you
(I love you) I love you
1-2-3-4
I love you
(I love you)

I love you

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CUCC 3rd Anniversary/ CU MaxTrans Team Building

It was a great weekend.

A well deserved break from all the hustles and bustles these past weeks. The CUCC 3rd Anniversary/ CU MaxTrans Team Building was held at the Marvilla Beach Resort, Opol, Cagayan de Oro City.

We had organized for about 80+ people to join but I wasn't expecting for a lot of the agents and transcriptionists to come along. Surprisingly, about 50+ attended. So that's a decent number.

The party started a bit late but the ball was kept rolling by Francis and Rey

That's how weekends should be! hehe.. Thanks, you guys. I had a great time. Hope you did too!

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Father's Love Letter

Be reminded.

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Somewhere Over The Rainbow

Somewhere Over The Rainbow
Eva Cassidy

Somewhere over the rainbow- way
up high
in the land
that I heard of once
Once in a lullaby

Somewhere over the rainbow- skies
are blue
and the dreams
that you dare to dream
really do come true

Someday I'll wish upon a star
and wake up
where the clouds are far behind me
Where troubles melt like lemon drops
away above the chimney tops
that's where you'll find me

(Instrumental)

Someday I'll wish upon a star
and wake up
where the clouds are far behind me
Where troubles melt like lemon drops
away above the chimney tops
that's where you'll find me

Somewhere over the rainbow
skies are blue
and the dreams...that you dare to dream
really do come true
If happy little bluebirds fly
above the rainbow, why
Oh, why can't I?

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Dear God,

You've most likely already read my Facebook status tonight which says, "Peter Paul F. Gil wants to vanish in thin air."

I'm having that moment again, when at the end of the day I'd have to face myself and evaluate the things that happened during the past few days that aren't "pleasant" to say the least.

I choose to stay optimistic through tough times. And I guess that attitude gets easily exploited by some. The going gets too tough sometimes and the pain lingers, unless probably if I just vanished and disappear. It's so sad how things are going.

There are still many things to be thankful for. And I guess it's through tough times like these when I most need a clear mind to make good and sound decisions. Please help me stay humble and give me the strength to carry on.

So please help me, God.

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