My new year resolutions for 2013

The same old story, but with renewed willingness and hope. Who knows? I just might have the strength to finally do it this year.

1. Eat more vegetable salads and fresh fruits.
2. Maintain half rice at lunch, or none at all.
3. Exercise more frequently (at least three times a week).
4. Read at least one book a month (this is copied from my friend Jason's personal plan).
5. Finish at least two chapters of my book a week.
6. Try more new recipes.
7. Spend less on food (for myself) and more on clothes.
8. Sleep not later than 11pm on work nights and Sundays, and not later than 12mn on Saturdays.
9. Take kids outdoors more often.
10. Blog daily.

My Favorite Pick-up Lines of 2012

Courtesy of 89.9's pickup line contest every Friday, here are some of the smartest pick-up lines from listeners of the radio station in 2012:



Coke ka ba?
Bakit?
Hindi ka lang sakto, ikaw pa ang happiness ko.


Sana ampalaya ka nalang.
Bakit?
Kasi kahit gaano kapait ang hatid mo sa buhay ko, ikaw pa rin ang nagbigay ng sustansya sa puso ko.

Pag namatay ako, wag kang pupunta sa burol ko ha.
Bakit?
Sige ka, pipintig ulit ang puso ko.

Alam mo ba kung bakit naghihirap ang bansang Pilipinas?
Bakit?
Kasi nagmamahalan tayo.

Si Timothy Bradley ka ba?
Bakit?
Yakap mo pa lang, panalo na.

Pikit ka.
Bakit?
Ganyan kadilim ang buhay ko pag wala ka.

Alam mo magkaiba talaga kami ni Jose Rizal?
Bakit?
Si Rizal tinamaan sa likod. Ako tinamaan sayo.

Sana ang pagibig mo hanggang kinsenas lang.
Bakit?
Para wala nang katapusan.

Is your father an alien?
Why?
Because there's no one like you on planet Earth.

Ikaw ba si Bonifacio?
Bakit?
Kasi gusto kita i-Andres.

Ang pagibig ko sayo parang nasa kabilang section.
Bakit?
Ibang klase.

And the best.....

Tae ka ba?
Bakit?
Bukod sa hindi kita kayang paglaruan, pwede ba kita ilabas mamaya?

=)

Happy new year! Here's to more picking up in 2013!

Weak church

I'm reposting here a comment I made on the wall of my friend Melita Eclavea's FB:
 
Wish the church had shown the same indignance over corruption in GMA's administration as it does now over the RH bill. Sadly, it didn't. The priests appear to be more interested in topics about sex than in topics about good governance; in topics that are really more personal in nature than topics that unite a community. And they didn't care that the country's highest officials stole money from their bosses: the people. All they said at that time was: "Lahat naman nandadaya."

It's true, the church is weak when it comes to issues that affect the whole country--and the government itself. I always remember somebody saying that if the church had been more vigilant, more outspoken and took greater risks at the time the Jews were being hunted, there wouldn't have been a "holocaust." 

I'm a bit torn about this RH bill because the major issues that have to be addressed here are never spoken of in the open. Morality is being highlighted, because that's the only discussion point the church can participate in. What do people who have made vows of celibacy know about marriage challenges and intimacy between two legally married people who don't want to have a big family? Why are we listening to the voices of those who are not considered experts in that topic, anyway?

Never mind. Some people use their power to push their opinions into one's face. It isn't always the truth. But then, when will we ever learn?

Connect

I read the blog of my friend Jason today and found his post on Cloud Atlas and the extended trailer. It was posted days ago, but I read it now -- on 12-12-12, and it struck home. Today, we're supposed to blow up and the world will end. Of course, it didn't happen. But what if it did?

If you knew that it would actually happen? What would you have done during the days and hours leading to that moment? I'd probably have resigned from my current job, asked the kids to take leave from school, spend most of the time with the family doing things we've never done before and visiting places we've always wanted to see, and maybe call friends I haven't talked to for a long time.

Connect. That was the word used in the movie. Each one has a connection. And every single day of our lives, we are presented with multiple opportunities to connect. A chance to give someone who is lost directions to her destination. A chance to listen to a colleague who just needed to say some 56,000 words before the end of day, for reasons only he knows. A chance to give your employee the bonus that he deserves (Incidentally, my colleagues received their 13th month pay today. A little too late compared with other companies, but not too late to make it useful this holiday season. Connect.). A chance to tell your subordinate that he has been doing well in his recent writeups and to keep it going.

One chance in a million -- that's all we get, considering the many situation combinations that can happen 24/7. We need to make the most of that one chance and let it help us connect and inspire.

Talking about one chance, I had a half-surprise this morning. I've been telling Mel that we should have breakfast one time before he brings me to work. Since I've gone back to work, we hadn't had a chance (there's that word again) to eat out alone again. He'd say yes but it never happened, because he'd be sleepy by the time we brought the kids to school, and would have just enough strength to drive me to the office and back home before he has to hit the sack again.

This morning, we had a little argument over me not answering his call to my mobile phone when he had to tell me he was stuck in Nagtahan on his way to fetch us girls. So I was silent the entire trip to St. Scholastica. After the girls disembarked, he asked me if we're going straight to my office or if we're supposed to pass by Mama's. I said no, we're not going to Kalayaan, and we're not going to the office. We're eating. He didn't answer and I was kind of guilty, coz I know he's tired and sleepy, so I said "Joke lang. Bumalik ka nalang ng tulog." Then I started closing my eyes, trying to doze off so I wouldn't have to talk to him again.

I was surprised that he parked by Sinangag Express in Kamagong.
Mel: "Ito yun, di ba?"
Me: "Huh?" looking around.
Mel: "Di ba kakain tayo, sabi mo?"
Me: "Kakain tayo?"
Mel: "Di ba?"
Me: (now wide awake) "Sige, kain tayo!"
Mel: "Ok. Bilisan lang natin ha."

Sure!!! And so our long-planned breakfast happened today, on 12-12-12.

One chance. That's what am saying. Who knows when it's gonna happen again? Maybe after another "minor argument".  Take the chance, before it's too late.