The Life we Live

I work in Human Resources.
I work in the graveyard shift.
I help people with their issues and concerns.
I spend most of my weekends going to the mall.
I love playing basketball
I love playing video games
I love watching movies
I love reading books
I love spending time in nice restaurants
I love out-of-town trips
I enjoy occasional drinking
I collect a lot of magazines and comics, trading cards, miniature figurines

… There is so much that we want to do and with so little time.

I want to play airsoft regularly again
I want to create my own website
I want to put up a coffee lounge
Etc, Etc, Etc.

A few days ago I was wondering if being in the industry that I am currently in, and the position I hold is really what I desire. The demands are often high, your are constantly seeking for resolution for issues and concerns thrown at you, and at the end of the day you still have to put on a smile to all those whom you encounter. So I ask myself, is this the job that I want in my life.

Due to the schedules that we have during the work week, the only time you get to spend with your family or loved ones is during weekends. There is hardly even time to relax since you will most likely be out at the malls, movies, bars and out of town road trips. (Unless those activities are your form of relaxation) By Sunday night, all your energy may have been drained already. Then you start your work week in less than 12 hours. So I then asked myself, is this the only time I can spare for my family and/or friends.

Next year I will be joining at least 3 basketball teams for the Alumni League in Ateneo. Basketball has been a big part of my life, and up to this day I would give my all whenever I would play in these tournaments. The challenge here is that the games are only played during weekends, and if I’m unlucky, there would be days when I would have 3 games in one day. So now, the decision has to be made whether to play or spend the time doing something else.

I have collected over 800 DVDs. I even had a large shelf built to hold my collection. And the thing is I still haven’t watched about 200 of them, there are all still sealed. (Not counting the TV series’ which recently I bought the box set of The Pacific. I have issues and issues of Maxim, FHM, UNO, Rogue magazines, and most of them I haven’t opened or read yet. That goes for the dozens of books I bought but are still sealed. Dungeons and Dragons, James Rollins, Lord of the Rings, Narnia Chronicles, Zacharia Sitchin. I have invested in Magic the Gathering trading cards, Mage Knight miniatures, Dungeons and Dragons miniatures, MechWarrior. I bought Airsoft guns that I used like twice only! (And the other time was just because I dressed up as Ghost in Call of Duty for Halloween) And I keep asking myself, do I really need all of these??

I won’t go into detail anymore on the other things that I do. But one can only imagine the things we did, are doing and wish to do in our lives. And it seems that there is not enough time for all of these.

Necessities vs. Luxuries. This is how we may be able to decide. Prioritizing the things we do that are considered necessities rather than luxuries of life...I guess this is the Life that I want to live.

Out of This World Spas - by Conde Nast Traveler

These locations surely beats having those regular home spas...

 Amanfayun Spa, Hangzhou, China

 Anantara Spa, Abu Dhabi, UAE

 Evason Ma'ln Hot Springs and Six Senses Spa, Jordan

 Four Seasons Resort Spa, Mahe, Seychelles

Timeless Spa, Wolgan Valley, Australia

For more information, check out this link: Out-of-this-World Spas

A Week's Vacation

Today I will be embarking on another journey in my Life as I start working for my new company. But before that, I was on vacation for a week. Got some time to rest and bum around;

• I leveled up my profile in Call of Duty Black Ops
• Watched a bunch of DVDs
• Watched the Pacquiao - Margarito fight on pay-per-view

I got Black Ops on it's release date, I just couldn't wait! I really haven't tried the campaign mode or the other multiplayer modes such as the new Wager matches. I pretty much just spent most of my call of duty hours in Team Deathmatches, Domination and Capture the Flag. On November 24th, it will be the release date for Gran Turismo 5! Finally!

I love watching movies especially when they come out on DVDs already. (You will even notice that I posted my most recently watched films on this blog) I don't have a specific genre, as long as the plot is good and of course the cast is good as well. (Doesn't have to be any famous actor/actress that is starring in it) I also find time catching up on the TV series such as the ever classic CSI (Vegas, NY and Miami), I recently finished season 1 of Spartacus, and I actually can't get enough of Friends. I have the boxed set from Season 1 to 10 in my car so whenever traffic hits me on the way home from the office, I just watch a couple of episodes and before I know it, I'm near my house already. I literally have a lot of DVDs and series that I purchased but haven't watched yet.

Manny PacMan totally obliterated Margarito to the point that Margarito needed surgery for his fractured eye socket! This is all the fault of his trainer, you should know better when your fighter has already taken a beating and you risk not just a fracture but probably brain damage! We watched at our uncle's home who got the fight on pay-per-view HD. And of course, when your at The Garage, Johnnie and his friends has to be there;

Johnnie Black and Johnnie Green

and their buddy Absolut Pears



Be Silent and Be Still

"Hear No Evil, Speak No Evil, See No Evil."

Rumors, hearsay, circumstantial information. These ignite speculation and sometimes amusement for us. We hear some juicy rumor about someone, people share with us information that has no basis, and we listen. At some point these pieces of tidbits sometimes are not shared in good faith or are being falsely disseminated, for purposes we can only imagine. Whether the truth is being spoken or not, we still listen. Of course there are occasions where we would not want to get involved, thus either we let it in through one ear and out the other ear, or never speak of it again.

We have to admit, we often deny things that we know of. As mentioned, we either do not want to get involved, or deep down we know there is no truth to it and we would not want to start any rumor mongering. But again, our threshold to contain ourselves and not speak one's mind can often torment us. Itching to lash out that tongue and get the word out. But you have to think of the repercussions before these things are spoken of. Most of us actually seek validation, and as the saying goes, "I have to see it, to believe it."

Some of us have the innate ability to be very observant. We notice a lot of things and is fully aware of our surroundings. May it be the good things or bad things, even though they come unnoticed to others, it captures our attention. But have you ever been a witness and decided to just turn the other way around? Does seeing the truth with your own eyes hurt or give you peace?

And to what purpose do we be Silent and be Still? Deniability? "Haven't heard of it, don't know nothing about it and I haven't seen anything." But what if you have all the good intentions or doing things in good faith. Do you believe that some things should be left unspoken or not acted upon?

One should always uphold integrity as a person, which is based on rules and principles. Things should always be done in good faith. If we bear ill intentions for the words and acts that are bourne out of us, then it would be prudent to just Be Silent and Be Still.

Sunday Musical and The Garage 11.07.10

"I'll miss you, kiss you, take your shoes off and rub your feet.

Need you, feed you, and when we play checkers i'll let you cheat.

So let me do the dishes in our kitchen sink

Put you to bed when you've had too much to drink.

Oh I could be the one who grows old with you.

I wanna grow old with you."

Last Sunday we were witnesses to a hilarious and wonderful musical, The Wedding Singer. One of my very good and long time friends, Lorenz Martinez, portrayed Sammy. (I still can't get over the cart wheels brother, I didn't expect that you could pull it off!)
 
It was a steady Sunday afternoon and after the show, we went to Bugsy's along Julio Vargas. Though we plan on going back there since we made a mistake ordering the wrong entrees but the Absolut Lychee Martini was great.
 
We just capped the night off with a couple of Smirnoff Raspberry on the rocks and a bottle of Lambrusco Emilia.
 

Lambrusco Emilia                   Smirnoff Raspberry

LAYA Experience

LAYA, a dining experience that I look forward to again. The food was spectacular, the view and ambiance was relaxing. A getaway from the city as it is located in Antipolo. We were lucky to actually get a booking since another couple backed out and we got a slot last October 10 to spend lunch at this wonderful villa. (If my memory serves me right, I actually counted only 3 tables for two, 2 tables for four and a long dining table and a breakfast nook.) So it is really hard to book for a table since they are only open during weekends. (If I am not mistaken)

Below is what we had for lunch. (Which every week they have a different set menu or you can order the signature meals for the month.)

Crabstick & Cream Cheese Dumpling with Spicy Mango Sauce;

Shrimp & Chicken Wanton Bag with Thai Sweet Chili;

and Stirfried Kaffir Lime Pork in Lettuce Wrap

-------

Thai Tomato Basil Soup with Shrimp Dumpling and Cilantro Foam

 Pinoy Eggs Benedict:

Crispy Adobo Flakes on Whole Wheat Toast with Fried Quail Egg

--------

Ensaladang Mangga’t Bagoong

Hanging Tender Steak Tapa with Sinangag Rice and

Tomato Cilantro Salsa

-------

Grilled US Hanging Tender Steak with Spiced Crushed Potatoes

 
 

Suman Rolls and Caramelized Mangoes

served with Mantecado Ice Cream and Coco Jam Sauce

-------

Dark Chocolate Tart with Candied Ginger

and Basil-infused Crème Anglaise

-------

Kalamansi and Buko Sorbet

To have that LAYA experience, check out their link: LAYA personal dining

World's Sexiest Beach Hotels - by Josey Miller

Hot spots, warm sunsets, but with a gentle cool breeze...

 ME Cabo, Cabo San Lucas, Mexico

 Four Seasons Resort, Landaa Giraavaru, Maldives

 Anantara, Phuket, Thailand

 The Scarlet, Cornwall, England

Viceroy Anguilla, Anguilla 

For more information click on this link: World's Sexiest Beach Hotels

What I Want, What I Need

A week ago I marveled at the new iPhone 4 of my cousin, already thinking how I can come up with the money to buy one. Then a few days ago, i was amazed by the new iTouch Gen 4 of my other cousin. It has the same exact features of the iPhone without the ability to make phone calls, much cheaper so I thought, ok, this is what I want. But do I really need it?

I've been always in love with electronics gadgets. I even had the Mini Disc player before. But the technology on lasted what, 3 to 4 years, then came out the Mp3 players and the iPod. I also bought a Zire Palm handheld computer, but that didn't last either, since newer mobile phones had the same functions as the Palm. I am not the type of person who goes out buying stuff because it is the "IN" thing, but it is because there is a need for me to have these gadgets for its multi functions. So then if newer versions would come out, I don't really go out and upgrade immediately. If my current gadget can still function well, then even if I Want the new upgrade, I don't really Need it.

Materialistically, this is how we may decide if we buy things or not. Is there really a need for you to purchase it? would you not survive the day or the week, have sleepless nights, if you are not able to get what you Want? It is pretty easy to decide when we are just talking about gadgets, clothes, shoes and the like. These may be the bare necessities for some, and for those who have the money, it is easy to make that decision.

But what about the other things in Life? Things that money can't buy? Work, Love, Friendship? Just the like the Mastercard commercial, "the moments are priceless but for everything else there is Mastercard." Do you really think friendship can be bought? Or the girl loves you for who you are and not for your money?

I came to a crossroad where I had to decide whether I wanted a job that was to my benefit alone or if I needed a job that would be beneficial to my family even if I had to make certain sacrifices such as a pay cut. You see, I wanted to stay at this job but the work load and expectations have taken it's toll on me, despite the fact that I was in my comfort zone and I could do my work with my eyes closed and hands tied behind my back, you reach to a point where you actually get burned out, not by the current workload but an accumulation of all the work you've done in the past, simply put I never slowed down. So do I go for what I Want or do I make the sacrifices to ensure that I get what I Need, and that is to have more work life balance and more quality time spent with the family.Some of you might say that you can actually have both. That is true. But there are certain situations wherein it tends to be a challenge to actually balance it. You might be digging a deeper hole if you look at it in a different perspective.

In Love and Friendship, you hear things like, "if you Want I will be there for you", "whenever you Need me you can just give me a call." It is very easy to accept these if it is offered this way, thus, Love and Friendship is at its simplest form. But of course, you may have heard people say that they will be there for you when they know that you Need them the most. I tried analyzing this but it kept me stumped for a time. You may have asked yourself the questions; When do you actually know when I need you? Do you have a rating scale from 1 to 10, that if my situation rates a 6, that means you know that I don't really need you at that time and I just Want you rather than I Need you?

So what is more important? The Wanting or the Needing? Is it better to have what you Want but don't Need it, rather than to Need it and not have it?

"It is better to appreciate what you have right now than spending most of your time wanting or needing. That way you will know the true value of what you really have."