Still entangled...

in the Zentangle fever!!!

Tickled Silly

I nibbled on cold pizza all day at work yesterday and I just realized that when you feed your system with all that cold oily stuff, your Liquor cerebrospinalis seems to thicken as well. It’s just my silly imagination, of course, but yeah, as of this writing I reckon that my CSF from the lumbar region which normally contains 15 to 45 mg/dl protein and 50-80 mg/dl glucose (unless I’m really way off the norm as I am wont to be) is now 80% oily crust, 10% mozzarella, 5% oily mushroom, and 5% apple sauce (don’t barf yet, the latter independently, is what I have to deal with today since it’s the only thing left in my overhead file cabinet survival stash). That, or life just pretty much naturally slowed down today compared to the overdrive I succumbed to yesterday when we were severely short-handed by two people in my department while I had to squeeze in a little bit of paperwork organization for tax purposes – hub’s and mine, plus the monkey biz.  I finished with flying colors last night, with my accountant short of awarding me a cookie, so I’m happy.  Today is the calm after the hurricane. 

Anyway, cold-pizza-brained or not, I’m tickled silly. 

As I just made a little decision to scratch off a lil somethin’ in my humongous bucket list.  I’m going for it on Saturday, the 16 of April.  And I’m giddy and joyful as heck with my tiny secret!

I’m not telling.  Oh I want to tell so bad!  Maybe one day… *wink*

But don’t worry, it’s wholesome and fun and it’s definitely not against the law of God nor the entire universe.  I’m just thrilled at the prospect of feeding my heart with such glee this weekend…with just a little price to pay.  $78!!!  (Actually, times three, since I managed to twist the arms of my dearly supportive hubs, and my sister-in-law who is just as crazy as me! 

What’s in your bucket list?

Point to Ponder today

Compassion and tolerance are not a sign of weakness, but a sign of strength.

 

~The Dalai Lama

10 things to learn from Japan

I got this email from my sister today…

10 things to learn from JAPAN                          

1. THE CALM

Not a single visual of chest-beating or wild grief. Sorrow itself has been elevated.



2. THE DIGNITY

Disciplined queues for water and groceries. Not a rough word or a crude gesture.



3. THE ABILITY

The incredible architects, for instance. Buildings swayed but didn’t fall.



4. THE GRACE

People bought only what they needed for the present, so everybody could get something.



5. THE ORDER

No looting in shops. No honking and no overtaking on the roads. Just understanding.



6. THE SACRIFICE

Fifty workers stayed back to pump sea water in the N-reactors. How will they ever be repaid?



7. THE TENDERNESS

Restaurants cut prices. An unguarded ATM is left alone. The strong cared for the weak.



8. THE TRAINING

The old and the children, everyone knew exactly what to do. And they did just that.



9. THE MEDIA

They showed magnificent restraint in the bulletins. No silly reporters. Only calm reportage.



10. THE CONSCIENCE

When the power went off in a store, people put things back on the shelves and left quietly  

 

"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.

<3

"I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear."

~ Martin Luther King, Jr.

Hmmmm...

One of the greatest victories you can gain over someone is to beat him at politeness.

- Josh Billings
US Humorist (1818 - 1885)

 

Hey Blogsite!

I missed you! I had forgotten that I could conveniently email my entries to you. 

 

I’m back from my long vacay…

 

So I’ll be back blogging soon…

 

….after I get over the jetlag…

….after I sort through all the mail….

….and make sure all bills are paid….

….and return all calls….

….and clean the bathrooms….

…..change the sheets…

…..refill the pantry…

…..wash the dirty vacation laundry….

 

You’ll hear from me next year. 

 

JUST KIDDING.

  

The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz

1. Be Impeccable With Your Word
Speak with integrity. Say only what you mean. Avoid using the word to speak against yourself or to gossip about others. Use the power of your word in the direction of truth and love.

2. Don't Take Anything Personally
Nothing others do is because of you. What others say and do is a projection of their own reality, their own dream. When you are immune to the opinions and actions of others, you won't be the victim of needless suffering.

3. Don't Make Assumptions
Find the courage to ask questions and to express what you really want. Communicate with others as clearly as you can to avoid misunderstandings, sadness and drama. With just this one agreement, you can completely transform your life.

4. Always Do Your Best
Your best is going to change from moment to moment; it will be different when you are healthy as opposed to sick. Under any circumstance, simply do your best, and you will avoid self-judgment, self-abuse and regret."

 

— Miguel Ruiz

What If?

‘What’ and ‘if’ two words as nonthreatening as words come. But put them together side-by-side and they have the power to haunt you for the rest of your life: ‘What if?’…”

 

(Letters to Juliet)

 

Nice Weekend Re-Tweet

RT @DalaiLama: Remember that calmness and compassion are an important part of living a fruitful, positive human life.

Sent from my iPhone

Uh-Oh

Kindle is making me poor.  I’m on a book marathon and now I don’t have to wait to go to the bookstore to pick up a title.  At least Kindle editions come with way more affordable price tags.

 

SELF-CONTROL, my sweet, SELF-CONTROL!!! 

 

 

Aaaaaarrrrrgh!

 

This is harder than staying away from anything that had “calories” in it. 

 

 

Good day....good day

Today turned out to be so wonderful despite the fact that I thought it was going to be otherwise considering that I almost OD'd on self-produced adrenaline running around at work, sifting through paperwork in galactic volumes, beating deadlines hour after hour after hour that could have been more of an orchestrated torture scheme set out to get me by clockwork. It was literally dizzying and I almost fainted twice, I tell yah.

Of course, it's a special day for the hubs and me and nothing could ruin that!

Plus this glass of Pinot Noir that washed down all the ugly crumbs of the day, reading a new title in my Kindle, trying out our new electric shiatsu back massager...

The list of good stuff goes on.

Life is good.

It makes me cringe at the stuff I've written here about certain characters a few weeks back. Doesn't that happen to you too? Embarrassed of your own words unleashed at the peak of emotional turmoil?

Can't take them all back now. And I won't, by virtue of principles. If there is anything I learned in life, it is to have a spine and make a stand...rather than go down from your battles by not saying anything at all.

But, it's all good now. The facts haven't changed (sadly) but my feelings and opinions have definitely transcended.

From this day forward, I will not listen to what I hear around no matter how they forcefully shove ugly things down my throat. I will be LESS SENSITIVE, LESS REACTIVE and certainly never to be affected again by pettiness that surrounds me.

After all, we are all humans (including the villains in our lives) with our own unique sentiments and thus cannot be judged by hearsay alone.

Just as I do what I do and say what I say because of personally legit reasons, other people are entitled to the same. In God's eyes, we are equally deserving of the same love.

I will let PEACE and WISDOM rule my heart (again) no matter how scarred it had been, and seek to forgive those who've caused me insurmountable heartaches. 

Bless their hearts! But please bless mine too.

I will seek to be the Angel of Peace once more no matter what it takes and unafraid of what it costs me -- for love's direction not to go anywhere but prosper, and definitely for God's greater glory!

I'll focus on how good life is. And be really less reactive. Seriously. It's about time. I'm utterly disappointed with myself at how poorly I've reacted in the past, but hopefully there's a chance to recover.

I will prove that chance.

"Be Proactive". 

#1 of Dr. Covey's Seven Habits of Highly Effective People.  How could I have let that fizzle out?  I think I'm going to adopt it for life. Re-adopt.

Remind me when I falter.

It is good.

It's all good.


Sent from my iPhone

Funny Monday

So I decided to move my trash bin at work to the right side of my desk as part of a year-end cubicle makeover, and put my huge purse down where the bin had been. It hasn't even been an hour into the work day, and so far, I’ve shoved trash on my purse about three times already.

*sigh*

It’s amazing how we humans are wired.  

PS. I'm loving this email function. It makes publishing a breeze!!!

Save the Earth, one cup at a time!

Testing this site's email publishing function 1...2...3!

Today, I officially become a caffeine-free tea drinker & an eco cup user too! (hoping to help save the earth one paper/plastic cup at a time...) If say, 75% of people on Facebook alone sipped from disposables everyday and they all switched to eco cups/ recyclables, imagine what a big help that will be? 375 million cups saved per day!!! (if FB has 500 million users) Even 50%, that's still 250 million!!!

Reality Check for me!

What are you Climbing...Mountains or Molehills?

Thanks, Twitter!!!

Beautiful Skies

I took this shot on my way to work this morning.

(FYI, I drive safe...I was on a stoplight and the light was red, it just turned green the second before I took this LOL)

And then this at the parking lot before coming in to work.



What a sight to behold! The phonecam didn't do it justice. There is a bright glow on top of the clouds as if they were trays of light.

THERE IS AN AWESOME GOD OUT THERE.

Nothing else can explain this wondrous beauty. Some people (and science) just want to take all the credit.

Angels Abound

Hurray!
All my significant memoirs (even the not-so) are finally UNDER ONE ROOF.

HERE!!!

I’ve longed to see them become a major part of the site but never had a chance to realize it sooner because of my always-out-of-whack schedule. (plus I guess I’m more technically-challenged than I dare admit, harhar).
But thanks so much to an angel named Kaye of http://wahmaholic.com who did it for me. She was the one who converted them to XML codes (is that what it is LOL) and was painstakingly importing the posts in batches (maximum allowable per day, on a strict schedule), making sure photos were successfully turned over, and sifting through comments and ensuring they were posted as well (while I lived my normal crazy life).
I’m in the process of purging my online networking sites and my first blog happened to be co-terminus with Friendster, unfortunately the next in line to be axed. So before that happens, I wanted to make sure the 5 years worth of memories/blog posts at “Thoughts at 3am” aka “Til the Crack of Dawn” don’t die with it.
So yippy, the exodus is done. They precede my January 2010 first Sublime Spirit post.

And special thanks really go out to Kaye for doing it all for me! I can’t thank her enough. REALLY!!! You might wonder why it’s that big a deal for me. Well, it is that big a deal. I’m sentimental and waxing nostalgic just being reminded of my journey. And it helps put my thoughts and feelings in perspective.

WHAT A JOURNEY IT HAS BEEN!

ANGELS are strangers/friends who are always willing to lend a helping hand. They are right there in your moment of need. To the rescue!!!

Thank God for real-life angels.

Maybe that’s what angels really are anyway. You, me, him, her… we can all be one for somebody! We just need to be on the lookout for that one perfect opportunity. Or many.

From a Friend

Some people are like angels in disguise. Maybe that's how angels become earth-real, in a way.

Like this one. He posted this on his FB profile and I lurve it! Perfect message, perfect timing.

"People are often unreasonable and self-centered. FORGIVE them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of having ulterior motives. Be KIND anyway.
If you find happiness, they may be jealous. Be HAPPY anyway.
The good you do today people will often forget tomorrow. Do GOOD anyway."

"In the end, it is between you and GOD. It was never between you and them anyway."