"I call upon you to draw from the depths of your being — to prove that we are a human race, to prove that our love outweighs our need to hate, that our compassion is more compelling than our need to blame."

–Elizabeth Taylor (RIP 3/23/11)

Zentangled!

Here’s what I’ve been busy doing the past days:

True to its name, it really relaxes me and helps me focus.  And helps me decorate my house for free too!  LOL.

A Moment of Silence

I won’t blog-a-lot today.

 

My thoughts go out to the victims of the recent earthquake in Japan.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Let’s pray for them… Let’s pray for the whole world. 

 

For all of us.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

 ”For what it’s worth: it’s never too late or, in my case, too early to be whoever you want to be. There’s no time limit, stop whenever you want. You can change or stay the same, there are no rules to this thing. We can make the best or the worst of it. I hope you make the best of it. And I hope you see things that startle you. I hope you feel things you never felt before. I hope you meet people with a different point of view. I hope you live a life you’re proud of. If you find that you’re not, I hope you have the strength to start all over again.”

It's liberating!

It's really really liberating!

I'm off Facebook.  Well, at least for a while until Easter when Lent is over.  I've been contemplating about what to give up. I've been giving up meat for about 22 years now and it has gotten so easy for me (bordering pleasurable because I've already fallen so deep in love with vegetarian dishes that they have become more of a treat for me!) I've also tried abstaining from coffee some years and actually got off for quite a while due to health concerns that sacrificing a cup doesn't even cut it anymore.

And then came top 3 and 4 on my list.  Facebook or Rice.  

Facebook.

Rice.

Facebook.

Rice.

I favored rice to stick with me.  'Nuff said.

Last night, I officially bid Facebook goodbye, albeit temporarily.  Since it has become one of the main contact points for me, I had to post an email address on my status just in case there is something I must not miss.  Just so I will still be in the loop but it is only for practical purposes.

 

(Image courtesy of brakebanzeen.com)

Today is Day 1. I'm not necessarily an addict (maybe) but for a typical audience-hungry human like me (and so are you if there is an opportunity and don't you deny it hehe), I had a little bit of withdrawal symptoms. But what is surprising is the bigger feeling that came with it.  Guess what, I find it so liberating at the same time!  I'm free, I'm free! (aside from more free time to focus and re-channel my energy on other things). I'm free!  It feels good.

I'm sacrificing something and doing this in honor of my love of Christ and His love for me,  in honor of all the unborn children and in fervent prayer that all future mothers will always choose life over abortion, and for my parents' strength and health.  But in effect, God is the one blessing me with this overwhelming feeling of lightness and clarity of mind.  Like I have been relieved of a baggage that was not at all that necessary to begin with.

May I always remember this liberating feeling that I am enjoying immensely even just on the first day without it. It's like crossing over the difficulty of breaking up with someone you have grown so accustomed to and thought you couldn't live without because you just got used to it (or not even thinking about the prospect of breaking up because of that), and all of a sudden discovering the joy that multiplies in exponential proportions once you've finally been released.  All of a sudden, you are not burdened, nor tied down, nor carrying something heavy on your back.  You're dancing, you're doing what you want...you are free!  That's what it feels like for me.  I can cite that example because I've been through a relationship like that in the past. But let's not go that way, tee hee!

I'm coming to the realization and appreciating the fact that it's not all about sharing to the world what you're currently doing (as if it has turned into an addictive responsibility beyond reason) nor sharing to the world what you are capable of doing, though it's helpful for building up a healthy and confident psyche (just don't go overboard). It is also not just about finding out what others are up to all the time, aka being nosy and stalking. It's time to re-evaluate personal relationships and focus more on personal associations. It puts our awareness and perspective to a whole new different level and re-acquaints us with the real meaning of "friendship".

I will still use it for networking and marketing, and I will keep my commitment to post inspirational quotes in the hope of touching someone who needs one at the right moment. Let's face it,  our posts, no matter how trivial sometimes, can benefit others.  That one little soul on your list who needed to see a photo that you've just shown, an idea, a merchandise, a long-lost friend found on another one's list, a quote that strikes stronger than lightning, a wake-up call vicariously acquired from someone's status bar.  

Those are only a few of the pros of social networking, and we can't take that away. 

But no more overloading.  (Which is exactly why I stopped putting in entries for my gratitude journal.  I made a mistake of setting up automatic feeds and I couldn't undo it for the longest time!  I finally did last night.  Another liberating experience, yay!)

Will I go back to Facebooking come Easter? Yes, of course.  My friends and family are there. 

But probably not as much.  Hopefully not as much!

I'm liking this freedom!

It's Friday! I'm outta here!!!

Well…well…

 

I’m supposed to finish write (I haven’t actually started) an article today and lo and behold, I’m here instead and I feel like I’m about to drone on uncontrollably. Blame it on my now once-in-a-blue-moon caffeine fix that I had hoped would stab my monster headache right into the heart and clear out the fuzziness in my head.  FAIL.  Well, not exactly.  The headache scampered away in one dark corner, taking the fuzziness away alright, but being replaced by a monster jitter that left more noise in my head I can’t even hear my thoughts, much less, focus on what I need to write.

 

So I’m here!  Hopefully, to get rid of the dust and eventually get into the zone.  The right zone.  The article is set to be published by March 11^th and that leaves me 632,400 seconds to work on it from this moment.  But I have to pull out at least a working draft from my butt ASAP to make room for my client’s inputs and revisions.  That, plus a handful more deadlines of not-so-important side job articles to submit.  Think think think… Oh, if I can only start the article now instead of solving insignificant mathematical problems!

 

But it’s Friday and all I can think of is:

1. The leftover turbo-broiled tapa (marinated pork) I made for dinner last night. And eating it,  of course.
2. Hanging out with the hubs, chilling out watching TV and pulling off an all-nighter without worrying about having to pay for it the day after.
3. The weekend!!!

 

So, I hope my writing assignment can somehow be squeezed between the “turbo-broiled tapa” and the “all-nighter”.

 

HAVE A FUN WEEKEND, EVERYONE!

 

 

 

 

 

Truth be told..

I don’t know how to come back to blogging.  This might as well be the longest hiatus ever!

Yes, I come by here and there, but there’s not enough substance, not enough heart. Visits here are nothing but dreary in my book and I’m sure you’ll agree. And I don’t want to waste the happiness and tears and everything in between that I have invested in THE blog since 2005.

And so I go on.

And because I want to.

Hopefully I’ll get back into the rhythm of things.  And THOUGHTS, for that matter.  When we’re busy, we tend to lose grasp on the reflective side of things and simply flow on.  But I am reminded that it’s good to pause and hear our heart (and God) speak regularly as I’ve done in the past years.  Reading my old posts make me realize that.  Hopefully, I will be back in no time.

Oh!

I got a message of appreciation from Facebook…Out of the blue, this person shot me a message about the inspiration I bring to the world or something like that (let’s not blush and go through the details). I felt so good.  Who wouldn’t?  But it made me panic just the same.  It was, truthfully, a BIG awakening for me happening on the perfect time when the flames in my heart were burning out.  She was a God-sent FB friend who sent me a message on the right moment when I was starting to feel tired, when my energy was kind of dwindling in NASCAR speed, and when my original desire to serve and inspire was losing the battle to….what is it? A bad case of burnout? Having too much on my plate? Having faced a lot of imperfections about life (read: mean people) recently? 

Anyhoozens…

She’s God-sent and I’m nothing but grateful right now!

And hopeful that this post, albeit long overdue, is the start of something new. 

Let’s give this a shot.

One more time.