Today. A Smile.

Busy, was how I had foreseen today would be.

Grocery store errands for tonight (a couple of friends and T are coming for dinner, drinks and most likely, sleepover). Salvia and wildflower seedlings to plant. Glasses to wash (Dan had already washed the others last night). Kitchen rubbish to take out. Make-up shopping for tomorrow's show. Laundry. Kitchen tasks. The hunt f0r the best baguette in town. Phone calls to return. Emails to reply to.

The list could go on. And equipped with my multi-tasking skills, I was pretty sure I could accomplish all of them if I had enough determination.

I still do, but not for all those mundane tasks. I decided, after vacuuming our floor, that I would use that determination to sit still, and be guiltlessly idle. As Paulo Coelho puts it in his reflection, "How To Climb Mountains",

"You must, naturally, always keep in mind your objective-- reaching the top. However, as you climb, the view changes, and there is nothing wrong with stopping now and then to enjoy the vista. With each metre you climb, you can see a little further, so take time to discover things you haven't noticed before."

I decided that the enormous determination that I had today, I would use to do a very herculean task: to be still. I would pull over and watch the world go by. Observe life happen. For just a few hours today, I would stop chasing everything that everyone else is after and rest, so that whatever's there in the Universe that's been chasing me could catch up.

I fixed myself a pot of tea, picked a few wild flowers, sat like a fat, lazy hen on my white couch (the covers of which have just been washed, after eons!), take one last look at my computer, set the music on my iTunes and just be in the moment.

Just as my productively idle moment was ending, I got an sms from T saying:

"Just to remind you, I Aumulu!"

and then a chat window on my Facebook popped. And lo and behold! It was Rems! Yes, Rems on Facebook (using her good friend, Orlan's account). Our chat didn't last long though, because it was her time to meditate.

"Sometimes we encounter things in our path, but because our time has not yet come, they brush past, without touching us, even though they were close enough for us to see them." --Paulo Coelho, "Marked Out To Die"

I'm glad that I decided to do what I did. Otherwise, T's and Rems's messages would have been just one of those little pleasures that brushed past me. They wouldn't have touched me the way they did, like the chirping of the birds and the innocent laughter of the kids from outside my window; or the purple flowers that I picked from the street; or the crisp, chill air that rarely comes and happens only in that short period of transition from winter to spring; or the comforting flavor of my hot pot of Strawberry-Mango infusion; or Loyva's blog entry; or just the miracle of life, and the luxury of time.

I Won't Be A Party Pooper

I imposed a rule upon myself to fulfill memes with which I get more than 3 people tagging me. Ricci Chan was the fourth to tag me on this so I am joining the bandwagon.

1 - Go to "Wikipedia." Hit “Random Article”
or click http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Random
The first random wikipedia article you get is the name of your band.

2 - Go to "Random quotations"
or click http://www.quotationspage.com/random.php3
The last four or five words of the very last quote of the page is the title of your first album.

3 - Go to flickr and click on “explore the last seven days”
or click http://www.flickr.com/explore/interesting/7days
Third picture, no matter what it is, will be your album cover.

4 - Use Photoshop or similar to put it all together

5 - Post it to FB with this text in the "caption" and TAG the friends you want to join in. (you can untag yourself if you don't want this photo up).

That's not too bad.
My first album speaks of empowerment and hope.

MY BAND:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forfeda

MY QUOTE:
"If we must suffer, let's suffer on the heights." -Victor Hugo, "Les Malheureux"

MY PICTURE:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/94177846@N00/3311105286/

On The Road To Recovery

Pink Becky's been acting weird lately.

Yesterday, I finally decided to bring her to specialist, and she was instantly confined.

This morning, I got a call from them informing me that she has to undergo major surgery.

I hope she doesn't suffer from amnesia after the procedure.

I love you, Pink Becky! Be well!

There's Something About Mary

The dancing.

The spirit.

The person.

A wise man once said, "When you were born, you cried and the world rejoiced. Live in such a manner than when you die, the world cries and you rejoice!"

And she did just that.



*video posts lifted from Ida Beltran-Lucila's Multiply page. Thanks for sharing, ate Gen!

Inspiration For The Day

*Thanks for sharing, T!

Para Sa Bayan

Revived Ep2 Out Now!

*DKNY totes courtesy of Mai; colored tees courtesy of Julius

Para Sa Bayan
In Commemoration of the EDSA Revolution

Balahura as we may seem, we have a patriotic side too.
Patriotic, but not boring.
Listen up and find out for yourselves.

http://tdrs.mypodcast.com

The News About Mary

Washington Ballet Studio Company dancer Mary Saludares, 20, was killed Friday night when she was struck by a car in Harford County. The ballet company has canceled the remainder of its tour, including its Sunday performances at Howard Community College in Columbia. (photo courtesy Washington Ballet Company/Tony Powell)

Washington Ballet performance here canceled after dancer is killed

20-year-old struck by car in Edgewood; group was to perform at Howard Community College

Posted 2/21/09

Mary Saludares, a 20-year-old member of The Washington Ballet Studio Company, was struck and killed by a car Friday night in Edgewood, State Police said.

The award-winning company was scheduled to perform Sunday at 4 and 7:30 at at Howard Community College's Smith Theater as part of the Candlelight Concert Society's Family Series, but The Washington Ballet announced in a release that it had canceled the remainder of its tour. The release said the group was on tour in Harford County when the accident occurred.

According to the State Police, Saludares was crossing Route 24 at Edgewood Road just after 10 p.m. when she was struck by a southbound silver Chevrolet Impala driven by Robert Kane of Abingdon. Saludares was pronounced dead at Upper Chesapeake Medical Center.

State Police were investigating the accident.

“No words can describe the pain of losing Mary,” said The Washington Ballet Artistic Director Septime Webre. “She was not only a beautiful dancer, but a radiant soul who emitted peace and joy. The entire TWB family mourns her passing and extends its thoughts and prayers to Mary’s family.”

Saludares began dancing at the age of 6 under Sofia Elizalde and Raul Sauz at Steps Dance Studio in Manila, Philippines. In 2006, she received the highest Royal Academy of Dance Award, the Solo Seal. She had the honor of being the first Filipino entry in the 2006 Adeline Genée International Ballet Competition.

In 2004, she received the Luva Adameit Award in the first NAMCYA Ballet Competition in the Philippines. She later attended the School of American Ballet and The Washington School of Ballet's Release Time year-round program. She was selected to join The Washington Ballet Studio Company for its 2008-2009 season, achieving one of her dreams of moving from student to professional.

Saludares is survived by her father, José M. Saludares Jr.; her mother, Marissa S. Saludares; and two brothers, Patrick Vincent Saludares and Bryan Joseph Saludares.

Students and staff are being offered grief counseling services. A memorial service is being planned for early March in Washington to honor Saludares. A private family funeral will be held in the Philippines in the coming days.

-----------------------
*lifted from a Multiply blog; source unspecified.

Is It Ever Timely?

Life is fragile. That's what our teacher, Enrico Labayen, reminded me when he learned the news that Mary had passed away.

Mary was a stunning dancer. Young, passionate, talented, dynamic, ambitious, and full of life. According to her closest friends, she too was very positive, compassionate, humble and generous. Her passing away shocked the Philippine dance world because she was a gem: a dance icon in the making. She died at the very premature age of 20. Very untimely.

But is it ever timely?

If my time is now and I die in my sleep tonight, will my spirit be able to smile and say, "I have lived every single moment of my life without wasting a second to regret and bitterness"?

Will I be thankful for all the pain that came my way that made every joy sweeter?

Will I go satisfied that I have seen enough sunsets and enough daybreaks?

Will I rejoice knowing that I have loved with all my might? And shared everything I could?

Will I be content knowing that I have lived my life climbing the highest of its peaks and down to the depths of its mysteries, through the darkest of its nights, and the brightest of its mornings? Through alleys, roads and rivers?

Will I find pride knowing that I selflessly gave what I could?

Will I be able to say, "I lived"?

When is it ever timely?

And when my time comes, how will I say my final goodbye?

"Sometimes we encounter things in our path, but because our time has not yet come, they brush past us, without touching us, even though they were close enough for us to touch them." --Paulo Coelho

Thank you, Mary. For making this world just a bit better, brighter and enjoyable for some of us. Thank you for inspiring us. And thank you for this moment of reflection. Bouree your way up to heaven, and dance with the angels. The Creator is waiting for your first curtsy in His court.

Let's Play A Game

How many putangina's can you say in 9 minutes? Would you dare try to beat this schizo?

citibank scandal - -

Of Challenges

Exactly a week back, a Wednesday, I saw him for the first time. He was new to this place that has, over time, become my mid-week hangout. He looked unfamiliar not just to me, but to the other denizens as well. But he had a certain charm that drew people to him. At some point, he caught me staring at him. He looked me in the eye and smiled at me. A little bit sly, I thought. Immediately, I knew I could never trust him. I turned away and left.

Yesterday, I was surprised to see him there again. He was stunning and captivating. French. Givenchy. Son nom est Givenchy.

But this time he was no longer alone. He stood there, proud and self-assured with his friends. Three of them. All Italian. Versace, Prada, and Versace.

They locked their gaze on me as soon as I walked into the warm hall. Trying so hard to keep my composure, I pretended not to see them and forced myself to walk fast past them. But I could feel them still. I knew that behind me, they were staring at me, waiting for me to make a move.

I turned around and walked back to were they were. Before I knew it, they were all lined up right in front of me. "We're on sale. What should you do?", Givenchy, their leader, asked me. Challenged me.

We stood there: all five of us, in awkward, difficult silence. My heart was beating fast and my hands were sweating. I was ready to take on the challenge. But not with every one of them. Only one. (Or maybe two, but that would mean I'll have to sacrifice a lot this month. One is safe. That only means I have to postpone a planned purchase till next month.) But which one? I reached inside my pocket for my phone and checked the time. 5:20pm. We'd been standing there for more than 10 minutes. One missed call. T.

I dialled T's number and apologized for missing his call. "I was making a very important decision."

"May I ask what?"

I explained to him the situation and asked for counsel.

"You don't need it. You have sunnies," he said matter-of-factly.

"But they're two years old," I reasoned out.

"And still functioning." T was very clever. He caught cornered me in a cul de sac. "Hard times, Rye. We shouldn't be spending on unnecessary things."

"It's necessary."

"It's a want." He punctuated the discussion.

"What should I do?", I asked him feeling defeated.

"Put them down and walk away."

I was silent.

"Did you hear me, my love?"

"Putting them down." And I started to walk away. "Walking away."

I left Delay No Mall with a heavy heart and million second thoughts running in my head. More than four times, I attempted to go back and give it a second chance. Eventually, I realized I was gonna be late for my dance class if I stayed longer. I gave up.

All throughout my back-to-back classes, images of them four sporadically flashed in my mind. And images of them and me in the sun. In Boracay. In Floatilla. On the train. On the bus. In Cheung Sha. In South Beach. I struggled to forget them. I needed them out of my system before dinner, when I was gonna meet up with T to celebrate our second month. I succeeded somehow.

But I woke up this morning to thoughts of them.

And, through an incident today, I learned a lesson from yesterday's challenge: In shopping, as in life in general, not all challenges are worth spending our energies and resources on. Some challenges serve nothing more than our egos. And it's not bad at all. But other challenges serve our egos and some things else. It is but wiser to save our bullets for these ones that prove to be more worthwhile.

That incident today, I will blog about tomorrow.