Gofundme Link
We’re praying for one!
I don’t really do this, but hopefully this blog post would gather some attention and help for this little 17-month old girl. She’s been battling for her life ever since she was born.
For whatever it’s worth, I play my small part in the world by donating to charities, but I’d like to ask anyone who would stumble on to this post to send some help (again, details in the link above). I’m sure they will be grateful to your contribution, no matter what it will be.
The page’s description:
17-month old Maya is a brave little fighter who has fought for her life since Day 1. After overcoming the odds of her premature birth and fighting off infections that resulted from it, she was finally able to go home after several weeks in the NICU. In the next few months, Maya steadily caught up to every developmental milestone, and her parents, Abbie and Chico, celebrated each little victory with their little warrior.
But it all came to a halt on September 2015, when Maya, then only 7 months old, started having bleeding episodes–vomiting and pooping significant amount of blood without warning. The initial diagnosis was cow’s milk allergy, but even with both Abbie and Maya being put on a strict hypoallergenic diet, the bleeding episodes continued.This June, Maya was finally old enough and big enough to undergo esophagogastroduodenoscopy. The result showed that she is suffering from multiple esophageal and gastric varices because of extrahepatic portal hypertension and portal hypertensive gastropathy, secondary to portal vein thrombosis. In ordinary speak, a clot or scar in her portal vein, the largest vein in the body that is responsible for transporting blood in the portal area (liver, to be precise), causes high blood pressure in the area.
All treatment options come with significant risk to a child as young and as little as Maya. Aside from that, the financial aspect of the treatment poses as a challenge for the family as the frequent trips to the hospital the past year have taken their toll on their savings.
We created this page to humbly ask for any help and support that you or someone you know can extend to Maya and her family. And most importantly, we ask for your prayers.
My birthday just passed with probably a handful of people only remembering, such as: my officemates (thanks to that damn company calendar), my family, my Ninang, and a few close friends. I always hide on my birthday, not that I’m afraid of treating anyone, but I’m just never comfortable celebrating it, nor have I ever been used to greetings.
Why?
Here’s what I think: During my elementary to high school life, since my birthday falls on June, not a lot greet me because 1) I’m not a known guy in school; 2) If ever I was, I didn’t have a lot of close friends; and 3) if ever I did, the first week of school usually fall on June – hardly anyone really knew anyone in the classroom.
What do I do during my birthday though?
Whenever anyone asks me what I want, as far as I could remember, I’ve always wanted to just eat good food. Maybe I’m a little too picky, that if ever I wanted to receive anything, it should be something I really loved, else I can’t really fake a “thank you, I love the gift!” I’m not a very convincing liar.
My birthdays nowadays are still usually spent just eating. If I wanted anything, I’ll just go get it myself. I still prefer to just eat good food, which on this year’s birthday, I went out to eat at Banri Noodle House – I still prefer their Ramen over any other Japanese Restaurant pending other suggestions.
Who did I greet on my birthday?
My parents. After my mom greeted me, I replied a hearty message for both her and my dad. I told them that the day was for them. I thanked mama for squeezing me out, and to both of them for raising me to be who I am right now. I am a good[citation needed] member of society, I’m not batshit insane, and I function properly (albeit a little awkward) around people.
I think that’s how it should be though. My birthdays never should be about me. During my early years, I didn’t do anything to survive revolutions around the sun. My parents did all the work to keep my alive and well. They put up with my mischievous childhood and my failures, and my damn sickly health. I got hit by a car on my 5th year, suffered a fractured skull, a broken wrist, and I’m sure my parents spent a lot to just help me survive. They taught me values of how to treat other people, to be respectful and kind.
My birthdays are anniversaries – annual reminders of my parents’ hard work in rearing a crazy, spontaneous, headstrong oaf.
Happy Birthday to you, Mama and Papa. You guys are great! I hope to make you proud! I’ll never forget what you’ve done for me.
I’ve had some minor accomplishments in my life: I’ve managed to save a little for some trips here and there; I can pretty much say “no” to agents without any guilt; I’ve managed to use ink on my drawings though still practicing on it; and well, I’m enjoying my writing style right now.
I have now come to believe that I can do anything as long as I put my mind and heart to it. However, there are things I just can NOT do even if I tried.
I’ve been away from Television for 10 years, News about 5, and Social Media (specifically facebook) for 3. I find that these are still the greatest decisions of my life.
Television
Ever since I’ve moved out from my family, I haven’t really found the need for television because 1) I didn’t start with an amazing salary to buy my own, and 2) actually the salary was pretty okay, but I just didn’t bother. Bottom line: I didn’t bother 10 years and counting.
Chances are, whenever I hold the remote, I just flip to Cartoon Network and ignore the rest of the world. I often hear my dad banter that his 30-plus-year-old son still watches cartoons with his mouth open. I laugh, close my mouth, and just continue watching. I can’t really make out what he says over all the Tom and Jerry reruns.
News
I got over the news a little later. I used to live in a room with an active member of society and when there’s a chance, he’d share about current happenings, and here was Andrew caring, optimistic that world peace was attainable. When he moved out, my care for the world continued thanks to the power of facebook – slacktivism was a thing for me.
Mistakes are truly the best teachers. I realized that engaging in online arguments, signing online petitions, or sharing posts for awareness hardly make any impact no matter how ingeniously written they were. I stopped.
Evening news is where they begin with “Good evening,” and then proceed to tell you why it isn’t.
Pretty much News today make me lose faith in humanity. Sometimes gems come up, but those that catch attention and bring in views are those that are generally bad news so they keep it with just that. Being separated from it has made me see the world around me without the influence of “analysts”. I’ll probably write about this on a different article.
Social Media (specifically facebook)
I deactivated my account on 2013 and have been free from the spread of misguided information, the spams, and the pressure of maintaining a reputation. I found it hard at first. I would look for ways to login back to facebook. Deactivation was just another way of logging out. Still though, after about a couple of months rehabilitating myself, I grew detached.
Truly, among the others, this was the greatest. Pretty much now I live my life knowing no one knows where I am, how I look, what I’m doing, unless someone really cares – which now makes me conclude that NOBODY CARES. I’d like to say “I’m kidding”, but not really.
Maybe it’s because communication and maintaining connections has gone down, nobody calls, or texts, or bothers to find out if I’m still alive and well. I say this as an observer. It’s lonely, but it’s better than dealing with insignificant drama from someone-I-might-have-made-eye-contact-with-and-somehow-found-me-on-facebook-and-now-I’m-too-conscience-driven-to-unfriend.
My point being that I hardly know anything happening in the world, and it’s liberating!
How I keep myself updated
Sometimes the only way I find out anything is happening is when somebody brings it up over lunch or dinner at work, and even then, I still don’t give a crap. Those running for president? I AM SO HAPPY I DON’T HAVE A TV! I don’t have to watch any cancer-inducing campaigns, or read the fear-driving papers.
Though I feel heavy for finding out about crimes, catastrophes, deaths, and wars, it’s just that I am powerless to do anything about those, and I have only enough in me to take care of myself and my surrounding, immediate friends and relatives. I’ll listen to problems; I’ll call when I find out someone’s going through tough times; I’ll text when I miss someone; Pretty much I’m doing what I know is best: and that is to reach out to those I can immediately touch.
What I’ve become
Social media dampened my relationships with others. It made touching others’ lives less meaningful. It made me complacent that people are just an internet message away. I still cared for others while I was online, but I think because I’m too frank, I often seem intrusive, and for that I apologize.
I still attempt to cheer people up with my posts on Instagram, but right now, I’m losing sight of it again. The need for social acceptance online is just not selling well for me now, but we’ll see. We’ll see.
(deactivates Instagram account :P)
There are many things we open and close: Doors, cabinets, refrigerators, windows, jars, eyes, minds, zippers, closets, and many more. However, this blog is about one swiveling cover that may perennially be debated: the toilet. This isn’t about the seat, oh no no no.. It’s the cover – that flap that covers the thing you dump things into. Do you leave it closed or open when not in use?
Personally, I keep it open. For one thing, living and sharing toilets with my family; then 21 years later sharing with housemates for almost a decade, a closed toilet seat is just a shock waiting to happen. Sometimes particles of war are left, a lingering foreign smell, or just outright unflushed disaster. I play lotto every time I open one, and more often than not I win the jackpot. I prefer to leave it open to “air out” the funk whilst I busy myself with whatever else. I prefer it open so a surprise won’t jump up on me – At least I’d see it just as it happens.
Perhaps some toilet ethics were missed, but I’m not here to discuss about hygiene and how my life is just so much surprise-free now that I’m living alone. I’m here to discuss about what happened this morning when I was taking a bath.
You know how sometimes the bar soap just hits a dry or hairy part of your body – and your hand still moving the same direction – it just slips off and goes on a murderous flight to hit your face, stub your toe, or just, you know, fall? You know what I mean right? I’m just saying that it happened this morning: It missed my face, hit the wall, and plopped right in the toilet. That bar of soap just reached it’s weeksary.
What a waste! Get it? What a waste!
Goodbye soap. You will be missed.
That’s it.
PS: Happy New Year!
Oh yeah~! 9 years!
Credit Cards give you the ease of making purchases without having to shell out cash. It’ll make huge purchases pass like a fart in the breeze but, when the bill comes to you, you’ve realized that you’ve actually shit your pants.
I was at the bank, applying to access my account online, when I was told for the first time “Why not get a credit card, sir?” The banks usual marketing style is somewhere along the lines of “money during emergencies” and that “you can just not use it anyway”.
First-time users have to deal with the problem of balancing between how much they earn, how much they can spend, and how much they can borrow – forgetting that borrowing is similar to spending. However still, because banks can accept staggered payment, your purchasing power is not as heavy as paying for the everything at once. Virtually, if we use our credit card within our means and we pay full every month, we’re okay.
To my readers, I need help. I am looking for a particular song I’ve been searching for the past few years. I have no title, I know the lyrics, but I don’t think it’s the whole song. If any of you have a copy of this song, please share it with me! Please email it to me!
My Memory Tells Me
I remember having this song on my phone as a ring tone. I shared it with my brothers, my friends, I saved it on our computer and on my old MP3 player. The phone, the computer, and the mp3 player are all gone either by getting lost or destroyed. I remember I got it from a friend: Achiabs, but I remember I asked her before but she can’t remember.
I acquired this song around 2007.
The Song
It’s an A Capella parody of the Star Wars – The Imperial March, Darth Vader’s theme.
Bum bum bum bububububum (beat of Imperial March bass)
Buy stuff, buy stuff
Buy stuff from deviantArt
Buy stuff, buy stuff
Buy stuff from deviantArtLook at the shop button!
It’s so cool and I love it!
It’s so amazing
and it has color too!
That’s all
… I can remember only that much. I still pray that I can find an MP3 for this song. For anyone who would stumble upon this post, and have an idea of this song, please tell me.
Thank you!
PS:
I am a member of deviantArt, but this is not an advertisement of any sort. I am genuinely searching for this song.
I received this from a certain Janice 7 years ago. She’s a member of one of the Toastmasters groups here in Cebu. She was really nice to accommodate my emails and answer my questions regarding Toastmasters, and during our exchange, sent me a few emails about self-improvement. Unfortunately, in the end, I had to retract from joining because their meeting days conflicted with my weekly schedule.
After about a month, she stopped sending emails. Though I have not sent her any reply of appreciation, I would really like to thank her for those few emails. They helped form how I see life today, and they were the best ones I’ve received from anyone. I’d like to share this one that I’ve just picked up recently. It’s about The Art Of Contentment. I don’t know who wrote this, but I’m sure it’ll help you out too.
===
The Art of Contentment
For most of us, being single will be more of a phase than a final destination. This is the best place to practice the art of contentment. Someday, I’m sure most of us will fall in love and get married. But the thing is, love will always be tested. Someone more handsome, beautiful, more charming, richer, funnier, sweeter would come along. If you have not practiced the art of contentment as a single person, chances are you would be tempted to want that and not cherish your chosen one.
Practicing the Art of Contentment as a single person means that you take what life gives you, good or bad, you’re willing to see it through. It means you don’t walk away everytime things get tough because it builds in you patience, perseverance, understanding and a hundred different virtues that people in a hurry will never have. Being single means you would find how it feels to be alone thus, allowing you to cherish every moment you spend with your chosen one.
The art of contentment means you wouldn’t mind if life had to make you wait for so long to find the love of your life, because you know that the waiting would only make the finding much sweeter.
A Time to Know Yourself Better
Being single is a time of your life when you can get to know yourself better. You can pursue different interest and passions without having to ask another person’s approval. It is a phase when you can keep focus on other things, discover your potentials and talents, and see yourself become more than what you expect to be. Allow yourself to surprise you. Stop wasting precious energy trying to figure out why you’re still romantically unattached. It’s all in the mind. Take the time to go see your friends, spend time with your family, do charity work and you will realize that you are not, and never for one moment, was alone. Try to get to know yourself first before you try to get to know other people. To be truly loved means to be known and accepted for who you are. How do you expect other people to know you and to love you, when you don’t know who and what you really are?
A Choice Between Good and Best
Sometimes the dilemmas we face are not between what is absolutely bad and absolutely good. Sometimes, it’s between good and best. Treat this stage of your life as a phase to evaluate who is good for you and who is best for you. Sometimes, you won’t hear music, or feel magic to know who’s best for you. The heart just knows and it doesn’t need any romantically charged scenario to decide on the matter. Trust in your heart, and trust that time will eventually lead you to, not to the perfect partner, but to the most suitable partner for you. Being single is a phase of life that we need to be thankful for, because being single means our hearts have yet to choose the best one for us.
Take your time, the world will wait. Being married doesn’t guarantee that it will make your life happy. It doesn’t guarantee anything at all. Sometimes, it only brings two miserable people together only to make their life even more miserable. Without the right intention, the emotional maturity, financial security and of course, unwavering love, you’re better off unattached.
Living Life
Don’t put your life on hold for Mr. and Mrs. Right but don’t let it waste away with Mr. or Mrs. Wrong. Life is about things that you do and happen to you everyday. It’s not about the things that could have happened but never did, or things that you think would happen in the future. Live life now. Live it to the fullest and stop beating yourself up, trying to be perfect on a Saturday night date. Allow life to surprise you with its most wonderful blessings. Expect the unexpected.
I’ve lost people dear to me. And like songs that could make and break me, this song expresses best the sorrows and the joys of separation from passing on.
This song, the lyrics in the beginning, they express how I feel right now. I wish I had told him everything I wanted to say, but I know that he’s somewhere safe, and I just hope that I’ll be able to see him again. All I have to do now is to live on, and not let him down.
I won’t be afraid.
I’ll be all right if you help me.
I know you’re looking down from Heaven.
And I won’t let you down.
I’ll be everything you taught me.
And all that I know is that I’ll wait
patiently to see you in Heaven.
The slow start, the strong ending, it’s just so perfect on how it captures how similar we all go through during someone’s passing.
Sorry, Kuya. I never told you everything I wanted to say. You were a father and friend to me.
How do I look from up there?
But this is in English..
I am a Filipino, but for the life of me, I am unable to write in the vernacular. I find it easier to express myself in English. But please don’t get me wrong, I consider Tagalog and Bisaya very poetic, and using them on a daily basis to express random nothings and outpouring of emotions is an art. Unfortunately though, when I use it to write, I fall short and feel like I bring it to shame. I’ve tried! Buuuut, the effect and the release of creative juices is just not as fulfilling as when I would speak in English.
I grew up having English, Tagalog, and Bisaya as my first language – at the same time! Seriously! As a kid, I had the hardest time expressing myself. For me, there was no distinction of language, just a medium wherewith I can express myself. When I wanted to say something, I say it, I don’t care if you don’t understand me. When someone speaks to me, I’ll understand, but I’ll reply with taglishaya. So I usually get these weird awkward pauses of people squinting their eyes trying to parse every word I am saying.
The Oaf 