UFO?

It was around 7pm. We were enjoying a good breeze of the air last night outside our house. As usual, the brownouts are back and became more frequent, there are about 6-9 hours each day, every 3 hours. We decided to buy a driftwood set of a table and a bench to be placed outside the freshly landscaped lawn, and while arranging everything, my boy looked up the sky and noticed about 8 to 10 orangey red bright lights. They came from down going up, there were no airplanes at the direction we saw it and since airplanes here only have day flights in our so-called international airport, we shrugged off the idea. It was not a bunch of flares too because they go up and slowly disappeared to the direction of the moon, more of some satellite, but it too can't be because they do not flicker. No, they were not stars as what my boy thought it was because it was really cloudy and we have see no star. And remember, they move. What could those things be? Chinese lanterns? UFO? It's a question we cannot answer.

shakey capture of the strange red lights we saw

I had to google them up, and these are what I read. Strange, and i'm thinking of alien invasion. But whatever they were, I hope they mean no harm. Or am I just paranoid?

One Fine Day with Google and SOCCSKSARGEN Bloggers

I am from General Santos City, and am a member of SOCCSKSARGEN Bloggers.

SOCCSKSARGEN is for South Cotabato, Cotabato City, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani and General Santos, and since we are but a few hours drive from each other, we join each other in a small group we call as such - SOCCSKSARGEN Bloggers.

We have blogger friends from as far as Tacurong, Sultan Kudarat, and in the other direction, Alabel, Sarangani Province. But we meet in Gensan, and make different worthwhile activities. We have been doing this since last year. Spearheaded by Bariles of Gensan, we have made a conscious effort to converge our small group and at times, just to enjoy each other's presence.

The first grand eyeball event we had was during the opening of Robinsons Mall many months ago, but we managed to stay close and at hand with each other, and helping each other grow in our blogging life, and staying as friends.

This time, we were asked by Google to help in the mapping of the precincts for this coming May 10 elections, and this is how we did it!

Armed with our laptops, we converged in Grab a Crab at Robinsons Mall, and leeching their wifi, we managed to plot different precincts in the area as started by Google maps.

It was serious work, but we sure had so much fun, as we were with friends and very good company. Google's gift, a Google Map maker shirt all the more inspired us with the work we had.

Our tummies growled too, but our sponsor, Mr Michael Wee of Grab a Crab and Coffee Club 101 rescued us with delicious coffee and siopao.
And we were back to business. Mapping more than what was required, we even went out of our different areas to map those far-flung places we know of. And this makes our small contribution to this May 10 national election.

Mabuhay SOCCSKSARGEN Bloggers!

Mabuhay Gensan Bloggers!

Meeting a Hunky

Writer's block is a condition, associated with writing as a profession, in which an author loses the ability to produce new work. The condition varies widely in intensity. It can be trivial, a temporary difficulty in dealing with the task in hand. At the other extreme, some "blocked" writers have been unable to work for years on end, and some have even abandoned their careers.

Bagay ba? Hehe, wala kasing ma-post eh. May writer's block ata ako, pero promise, babalik agad ang energy to blog. Enjoy your days!

PS. taken during Robinsons Gensan's Mall Opening. VIP Pass, meet and greet Derek Ramsay.

Lesson of the Five Balls

“Imagine life is a game in which you are juggling five balls.

The balls are called work, family, health, friends and integrity.
And you’re keeping all of them in the air.
But one day, you finally come to understand that work is a rubber ball.
If you drop it, it will bounce back.
The other four balls – family, health, friends, and integrity – are made of glass.
If you drop one of these, it will be irrevocably scuffed, nicked, perhaps even shattered.
And once you truly understand the lesson of the five balls,
you will have the beginnings of balance in your life.”


—James Patterson, Suzanne’s Diary for Nicholas

I just finished reading this book, a very lovely one. It spoke of life and how we must learn to appreciate it and value every day of our lives. It speaks of listening, of understanding, healing, forgiveness, and taking time to allow ourselves to enjoy the people we love. And to always tell them how much you love them, no matter what the odds are.

20 Days More

20 days more and it's May 10, a day of tension for politicians and grappling work for our Comelec and the BEIs. A day of anticipation for all of us, and a day that will determine the future of our children.

It's still a long way to go, 20 more days of prayer, 20 more days of wishful thinking that the Lord will grant us a good, dependable, reliable, responsible and honest president. May he/she be a man of integrity, of fear with the Lord, of honest and clean heart, and with the purest intention for the good of the country.

But then again, 20 more days is just as fast. We only have 20 more days. So I urge you to use this 20 more days for prayer to a peaceful and orderly elections, and for the whole nation to properly discern who to put in the highest position of the land.

20 more days to prepare yourself. This is a battle, our heart's battle. Let us vote for whatever is good, whatever is right!

Inside the Ward

It's really awful to be there. To be stuck for a day or even more is worse to worst. You cannot see and enjoy the world around you and you will miss being with the people you love. The only consolation you get is that every time you feel pain, you feel secure with your life (or maybe NOT) inside a hospital.

Yesterday, I was in the office and was preparing for a lunch date with officemates when my phone rang. It was my mom. I did not answer her because I was still on the phone talking with a writer. Then I forgot about her call. While lunching, I got another call from a different number, twice. And I have this habit of not answering calls unlisted in my phone's directory. So I ignored it.

And then an SMS came saying my Mom was rushed to the hospital. I was in disbelief because mom and I texted each other that morning and she never mentioned of going to Gensan. She came from Marbel, an hour's drive away from Gensan. She and a friend came over to get their transcript of records from their school where she got her MA.

And so I and hubby rushed to the hospital and found Mom in the ER, hooked with an IV, bp: 220/180. She had a vertigo attack while having snacks in Jollibee.

And so i called home to inform my sisters. They will bring Mom's personal needs and has to take care of other necessary stuffs for Philhealth. No private room available, not even semi-private but ward. Yes, I stayed in the ward for 8 long hours. 8 female patients of different diagnosis, and my mom being the youngest looking of them.

8 long hours and it was terrible. The hospital was okay, clean and ventilated, but the feeling of confinement was just too difficult to deal with. And mom was very aggressive to go home and even wanted to be discharged against medical advice. Maybe because of the uneasy feeling of staying inside a hospital. Different diseases, different people, way too noisy nurses and visitors. Maybe I would have felt relaxed if she was in a private room, but the reason that she is in the ward is the number of patients admitted in the hospital. Way too many. Imagine the money and time lost, and the good things you will miss while being confined.

Hayyyy, take care of your health guys. It's an awful place, the hospital. I am inspired now to really be healthy for me and the family, as I cannot take the lost days spent in a hospital. I am not rich enough to waste my time and money there. Bawal magkasakit, so get a good healthy life!

Chocolates from Jeddah

I am a super big fan of chocolates. And by chocolates, I mean any kind- dark, white, milk, with crispies, hazelnut or coated candies.

Now, what could be more sweet than chocolates? But the thought that it was given to you from the heart.

Weekend was busier for me and the hubby, all the while when we have to time to rest, he suddenly thought of arranging the garage and do the landscaping (much to my delight) of our front lawn. It's been a long overdue task (which details will be posted soon) and has been part of my heart's desire since we moved more than a year ago.

The task was completed after three days of clearing, leveling, landscaping, brick-layering. And now, muscles ache everywhere. And so to reward myself, I went into indulgence: Chocolates!And even nicer that a blogger-friend sent me goodies which included 2 big bags of these. So, what could be sweeter than chocolates from Jeddah, sent with kind thoughts and pure friendship. Ahhhh, chocolate indulgence. Thank you almightydacz!

Summer Awaits, But Then Again...

My Ode to the Sea

And with a stroke of luck I am handed a few extras,
i will surely want to stay for a day or two by the sea,
to be content with only you and me.

The good sea, in all its majesty,
Awaits for me patiently.

But for now it cannot be,
since the 2 of our offsprings, to school they will be.
This June, it's the 2 of them I mind,
I cannot dig up my pocket as deep as I can find.

So the good sea will remain to me, one desire my heart longs for,
But when the kids are fine and God opens the door,
The sea I will conquer and maybe even more.

Days of rest are days of best,
When I am with you, the kids in our nest.

These happy days are here to stay,
and will bring to me the better pay...
You, me, and them...just living, simply happy.

And with the good sea, I mean: 1) Coron, Palawan
2) Bantayan Island, Cebu
3) Boracay Island, Aklan


So, soonest as I hope, i will content myself with Samal Island, Davao. For me, the next best thing to the good sea!

-sHenG-

The Coke Ban

The Holy Week went through unnoticed. It was too fast-paced that we hadn't really experienced a satisfying rest. A lot of unexpected things came, some happy, mostly sad.

First off, one precious thing left us, one I cannot disclose here on my blog because I promised my eldest son, none of it will be posted. It hurts him that much.

So during the Holy Thursday and Good Friday, we were just home, having a DVD marathon and playing Uno with the kids. We ate and slept as we decided not to fast, but to feast in order to recover lost stamina during the lengthy days we were working overtime for graduation needs.

Last Saturday, we went home to MIL's place, we stayed there until Sunday but that Saturday night was a nightmare. Tabebs woke up in the middle of the night crying heaps and complaining about a painful chest. I didn't know what to do, she was having mild fever and coughs, but the pain near the chest area was something I did not understand. I had a sleepless Saturday, I took to massaging her chest, applying Vicks, letting her drink water, but the pain remained. I was so clueless as to what could have been the reason, but I had in mind a suspicion as to what could have attacked her.

So that Easter Sunday morning, we brought her to the OPD Clinic of a nearby hospital, had her temperature checked and urine taken for analysis. And when we went back in the afternoon for the result, my suspicion was correct. UTI.

Much to our desire to have a good rest, we earlier had grocery shopping and bought 4 liters of Coke and some junk foods. We did not have much junks though, we even had more fruits, but the Coke, tsk tsk, the Coke.

So that very Easter, hubby and I decided not to ever ever bring Coke to our household (unless for party use).

We have totally banned Coke inside our household. Yes, inside our household. We can still drink Coke outside, as it is almost always part of the package on Jollibee meals and other restos and occasional trips to fastfoods. But never buy Coke anymore for fridge consumption.


We have learned our lesson now. However, as hubby says: Coke gives him power. So yesterday, when he said he needed power, off the two of us went to Robinsons just to drink Coke, but definitely not for the kids. We will never ever have the kids drink this culprit ever again.

Wish me luck friends, as this thing I'm going through is as tempting as can be. So I pray, "Deliver us from this evil."

Between (my) Blinks 1

Good Friday, 2010

I woke up feeling well rested, I felt power. It was only a day of rest, of being with the kids and the whole family, but i felt invigorated by what force I don't know. The kids and husband still asleep, I felt JOY being in their presence.

I grabbed a book "Between Blinks" by Jim Paredes, a gift from a very good friend given just Wednesday, the message to me was this:

For Sheng,

Because you need serenity once in a while.

I thought about the message. For sure he knows I need to connect with myself and need inner peace once in a while. And so my thoughts wandered.

Yes, when I needed money, I prayed. When I needed healing, I prayed. When I needed strength, I prayed. When I needed comfort and peace, I prayed. But when was the last time I prayed just because I needed to talk to HIM and just tell HIM everything going on with my life?

I am thankful that He stays with me in my down times and in my joys, I am so much thankful of the times when I am successful, because I sure know it was HIM who gave me direction. I am happy during times when I finished a project, oh the joy of meeting new friends, the happiness of being invited to a social event, the joy of finally finishing the works of a manuscript. But did I thank HIM enough?

Let me get to my point. I suddenly felt weak because I did not fully listened to God's messages to me. Sure, He answered my every call, my every prayer, but the last time that I came to HIM with just thanksgiving and praises, I cannot even recall.

And just when this is the right time to simply remember HIS death for us on the cross, that is the only time my inner self is being peeled. God, forgive me.

Sometimes, I am so engrossed with work, with the joy of life, with earthly things that I forget the real things I must be thankful for. Sometimes I needed answers, and when there is none, I'd think that it was a sign of God's decline. But I missed the point. I did not get the message.
Now, I already know. Like Jim, my job is to be open and to listen.

And to always seek HIS ways no matter what.

I get back to the songs I sang when I was in my younger years, and I fill my soul with recollection as to how these songs changed me.

"Seek ye first the kingdom of God." "Jesus, what a beautiful name..." With Christ in my vessel, I can smile at the storm." "Create in me a clean heart, O God."

These are the songs which gave a big impact in my life when I was younger and still sing when I am in my troubling times. These I teach the kids when I sleep with them. But I do not remember explaining to them why these songs matter to me. Now, I feel the need to let them understand the value of God's death on the cross for each of us, while they are still young. Until they get God's message for them, too.

Today, I remember my Nanay Connie, she was passionate in reading and telling me stories of how God loves me. Let me reciprocate the act. I hope she will be proud of what I will do. And I hope she is proud of what I have become.

And yes, I must listen.

In the silence of one's soul, he finds peace and sometimes, a message awaits.


My reflection for today, Between (my) Blinks.