Hang On by Smash Mouth

Enjoy!




Things are getting weird, things are getting tough,
Nothings making sense but you keep on looking up
They tell you to be true, you're trying everyday
To keep it on the real still you got to find a way
To make your mamma happy, to make your papa proud
You'll wanna turn it up and all you hear is tone it down

So gather round I'm here to say
You'll never make everybody's day
But while you're around you might as well, catch the tiger by it's tail

And hang on hang on hang on
Everybody just get on get on get on
Get started and go on go on go on
Everybody just hold on

Sometimes I wanna cry, and throw the towel in
They try to beat me down but i take it on the chin
and everywhere i go the people all the same
and they just wanna know that everything will be ok
when things are getting rough you'll turn it back around
you gotta turn it up when they tell you tone it down.

And hang on hang on hang on
Everybody just get on get on get on
Get started and go on go on go on
Everybody just hold on
Just hang on

Honesty

Yes, honestly, one of the gazillions of reasons I have not been blogging is because I dont think I have much to say these days. Somedays its easier to just write a one-liner thought in my Facebook status than to post a whole blog. So this "Honesty" post is actually a good way of posting on a blog---by answering questions. So guys, its tag time again!

===

Can you fill this out without lying (it's not hard)? You've been tagged, so now you need to answer all the questions HONESTLY. At the end, choose at least 8 people to be tagged. Don't forget to tag me!

To do this, copy this entire message, then go to "notes" under tabs on your profile page, start a new note, paste these instructions in the body of the note, delete my answers, and type yours. Easy!

Next, tag people and list their namesat the bottom. Have fun! :)


1. What was the last thing you put in your mouth?
Home-cooked oatmeal champorado.

2. Where was your profile picture taken?
on a boat in Boracay

3. Can you play the guitar?
Nope

4. Name someone who made you laugh today?
Well, yesterday it was Pastor Peter Tan Chi at church.

5. How late did you stay up last night and why?
11:30pm, ironing clothes.

6. If you could move somewhere else, would you?
Not really...on second thought, that would depend where.

7. Ever been kissed under fireworks?
No(t yet)

8. Which of your friends lives closest to you on Facebook?
Tess, my landlady!

9. Do you believe ex's can be friends?
Yes

10. How do you feel about Dr Pepper?
Not a fan.

11. When was the last time you cried?
a few weeks ago.

12. Who took your profile picture
Myself.

13. Who was the last person you took a picture of?
A group of people in a workshop I conducted.

14. Was yesterday better than today?
About the same

15. Can you live a day without TV?
Yes.

16. Are you upset about anything?
Yes.

17. Do you think relationships are ever really worth it?
Some are, some aren't...

18. Are you a bad influence?
Err....depends.

19. Night out or night in?
Either way, depends on the occasion and the weather.

20. What item(s) could you not go without during the day?
Water, Contact Lenses, Toothbrush, Watch, Cellphone.


22. What does the last text message in your inbox say?
Requesting for prayer for the families devastated by landslide in Baguio. :(

23. How do you feel about your life right now?
Thankful despite circumstances.

24. Do you hate anyone?
No

25. If we were to look in your Email inbox, what would we find most?
E-tickets, messages from friends, and spam..!

26. Say you were given a drug test right now, would you pass?
Yep

27. Has anyone ever called you perfect before?
Yes but I think the person was not meaning me as a person, but something I did.

28. What song is stuck in your head?
Vienna by Billy Joel

billy joel - vienna songs
Download free mp3 | Download free music

29. Someone knocks on your window at 2:00 a.m., who do you want it to be?
Jesus

30. Wanna have grandkids before you're 50?
I dont think so...

31. Name something you have to do tomorrow:
Go to work.

32. Do you think too much or too little?
Too much.

33. Do you smile a lot?
I hope so!

Tagged: Beng, Aleks, Abaniko, Single Guy, Carlotta, Major Tom, Wil, Toe.

Beating the Blues

For the first time in a long time, I am home on a Saturday. Schedule-less. Mind you, that is after emailing out reports and other official what-nots just a moment ago. My prayer partner has family duties to fulfill, so here I am at home, in front of the laptop, listening to online radio. Not one bone in my body desires to go out in this wet rainy day. My stomach is grumbling and I have no inclination to forage my cupboard for food to feed myself.

The past two weeks had been unbelievable and the fact that I managed to get through it with mildly flying colors—according to objective evaluations—surprises me quite a bit. I guess this is just another proof that the One who is at work within me continues to do so, quietly and almost unnoticed until I find time to enjoy the luxury of hindsight, which is today.

Those words from that much-used-to-the-point-of-roll-my-eyes-cliché “Footprints in the Sand” find their reality in my life, especially in the past half year, a difficult season to put it mildly.

This is one reason for the infrequent blog posts. No use spreading negativity as there’s already much of that floating around in the real and the web world. I have mentioned to Beng that I am probably better off going on a semi-hiatus with the season I am in.

But will all of my “issues”, I am thankful for lots of stuff that help me cope---oh yeah, and friends, too—can’t leave them out now, can I? :)

So aside from God and friends, how am I managing the blues?

1. Tennis – it’s a great metaphor for life. The best thing is learning from the fighting spirit of my tennis hero and also from all the mini-sagas that the world of tennis churns out.

2. Music – I usually am not into plugging my ears for the sake of music but the past couple of months, this way of commuting has helped me get into a better mood when I go to work.

3. Movies – how great is it to forget your own issues even for a while, laugh at all the zany stuff that happens on screen, have your heart moved by characters on screen who have chosen to redeem their lives in creative inspiring ways or even get yourself all horrified at seeing how life could’ve been much worse than your present situation!

3. Sleep – need I say more?

5. Thai Massage - nothing like it!

6. Sense of Humor – I am truly grateful to God for gifting me with a slightly irreverent, off-the-wall humor which has saved many a blue day for me.

…and many more, how about you, how do you beat the blues?

Love Without Talking

I've been a bit "under the weather" lately--in more ways than one. So nothing much to blog about, til I stumbled on this video. Cute. Thought you guys would like it, too. :)

12 mins Video, No dialog

Mourning for Something More

“Ako’y nagpapasalamat sa inyong lahat at lalong-lalo na sa Panginoong Diyos, na ginawa niya akong isang Pilipino. Talagang karangalan ko iyon, na maging katulad niyo…" – Corazon C. Aquino (1933 – 2009)**

Tita Cory gave me a long-stemmed yellow rose way back in 1986 when she was on that historic presidential campaign trail. Those were the heady days of yellow Fridays, and the subversive Mr. & Ms. magazine.

Those early days, I didn’t know much about politics—but I recognized then, in human form, abstract words like hope, faith, justice—and consequently, other abstract words like despair and injustice. Tita Cory embodied the former—until the day she died.

I feel like I am in a strange time warp as I commute the past few days and see yellow ribbons tied in buses, jeepneys and fluttering from many a lamp post and tree branch. The TV images of confetti-filled skies in Makati and the truck carrying the flag-draped coffin and surrounded with yellow blossoms—all brought back the memories of 1983 and the death of Tita Cory’s husband Ninoy.

The memories are bittersweet—gone now are two iconic figures of Philippine democracy. As the nation goes into mourning, I wonder---are we just mourning for Tita Cory’s passing or are we mourning for something more?

Tita Cory was not just an icon of democracy---but an icon of virtues tragically lacking in the Philippine political landscape: decency, simplicity, integrity, humility, and patriotism. Even the staunchest anti-Cory person can never accuse her of corruption. That she made mistakes during her presidency nobody argues against. But who doesn’t make mistakes? At least with Tita Cory, she did it with the interest of the nation at heart.

Her passing means we have lost something very rare but hopefully, in view of God’s compassion for this suffering land, not irreplaceable.

**"I give thanks to all of you, and most especially to the Lord for making me a Filipino. This is truly an honor for me—to be like all of you…"

O Life, How Cruel Thou Art

Life can be cruel.

In the wee hours of this morning, I was again reminded of this fact—not that it is something we need to be reminded of.

And so, as Roger Federer lifted his record 15th Grand Slam trophy up for all the 15,000 (and more around the world) Wimbledon crowd to behold—everyone, including the champion was keenly aware of the man with the backwards cap, silent, head bowed, lips grim, loosely holding the runner up plate.

After over 4 hours of tightly-contested, nail-biting, cardiac-arrestable tennis, the victor was—the usual suspect. From Fed’s point of view—one could say that he only proved to all and sundry that he is a true champion—one who knew how to fight like there was no tomorrow even when it seemed like doom was inevitable. Alas, some storylines give you all the drama of twists and turns, only to end predictably.

Alas for Roddick. He fought with courage—it was true grit in action. A lesser man would have just thrown in the towel halfway through the 5th set--and be consoled by the fact that he did try his best. But fought he did, with all his might but still he lost.

The problem with tennis is that it is a lot more like life than Hollywood: The brave David-warrior does not always win his war against Goliath-gladiator.

But just like life—tennis is unpredictable. And unpredictability can bring with it, hope.

Oh the drama! No wonder I am in love with tennis.

Disappointment with a capital R

Oh well, disappointments are supposedly to make us not take life's joys for granted.

Sigh.

"...it's unfortunate. I'm sad for him, because it must have been a very difficult decision to make." - RF on Rafa Nadal's withdrawal from Wimbledon due to injury.

Nice to know Roger feels the same way. :)