A month has passed

I didn't realize it would be this quick. It's already a month since Bubbles departed for DC. I just have to wait another 11 to see her again.

Meanwhile, I'll get busy watching the flurry of political ads that hound every gap of local primetime TV. From Villar's LSS-infusing jingle, to Gibo's ripoff of a Rivermaya hit, every candidate is starting to spend, spend and spend.

It would be interesting to see how surveys will fluctuate as these politicians go about their usual campaign routine. So far, Noynoy is still at the top of surveys, but Manny Villar is starting to gain on him, while Gibo's popularity is beginning to zoom up. We'll see more of that in he next few weeks.

Also in my list of to do's is to have a few good but cheap travels in the early parts of the year. I really want to experience the cool breeze of Banawe/Sagada and the powdery-white sands of Boracay. I haven't been to both after planning of going there even before Gloria's apology for Hello, Garci! I will try to plan it again, this time I hope it'll push through.

This year will really be interesting. For one, Chinese New Year falls on Kris Aquino's birthday! The Chinese have no choice but to push throught with this since it was set way before she was born. They'll perhaps bombard their backyards with fireworks and dragon dance to prevent themselves from hearing Kris' celebration in the Buzz. :)

Another is Pacquiao's series of great fights this year. Hopefully Floyd Jr. runs out of alibis and finally decides to fight a real man later this year. I still hope the fight of the century will still push through.

Elections this year will be unprecedented. Automation it is. I hope they tested the computers from the Millenium bug and the "I love you" virus.

A lot of sequels will be showing this year as well, one of the biggest being Iron Man's second outing. A lot more adaptations will come like the Thundercats, the A Team, Silverhawks, and Voltron! I hope they also adapt cartoons like Sky Commanders, Bravestarr, Visionaries (Kinghts of the Magical Light), He Man, or top-rating Video Games like Left 4 Dead, Call of Duty, Assasins Creed, or God of War.

I just need to keep myself busy and focus on the true reason for me and my lady's 1-year separation: prepare myself for our big big adventure.

"Wag kang aayaw! Think positive!" --Robin Padila, Revicon

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Trivia: Ateneo's real name in 1859 was Escuela Municipal, when this public school was given management to the Jesuits. It was renamed in 1865 as Ateneo Municipal de Manila when it started offering secondary education.

Chicken Soup-type of an entry...

One incident struck me last night, upon going home from my lady’s abode. I rode in front of a jeep going to Sta. Ana bridge, and accidentally eavesdropped at the conversation between the driver and his backrider (a backrider is a person who rides with the driver, and in charge of collecting fees and calling passengers). They were talking about preparing for their children’s future. I was amazed at how determined the driver was to provide for his children’s education. He told the backrider that he gave his kids a free hand to select the courses they want to take. “Kung gusto nilang mag-Nursing, kakayanin ko ‘yan.” He was ready and willing to finance for them, no matter how expensive their chosen course would take. He even jokingly uttered, “Malakas mangarap ano? Samantalang jeepney driver lang ako.” He seems to take everything lightly and confidently. Not to mention, with full optimism, disregarding the challenges of the difficult times. Let’s just hope he is not into something illegal.

Kidding aside, this exchange between two people with relatively ordinary lives (at least compared to squandering yuppies in Makati and Eastwood) has struck me. All along, people complain of low wages, harder way of life, more difficult times. But this man looked at the world in a totally different perspective. He was taking life in a stride, and was determined that he could bring his children to college, no matter what it takes. It just made me reflect that sometimes, we complain too much at things small things, making us so pessimistic about the current situation. However, just like the jeepney driver, we can always look at the bright side of life and work to face the challenges ahead. Instead of complaining that we have less food, we could always look forward that things will be better in the future. There is always a light in every tunnel. “My children will finish college no matter what.”

On the second thought, baka nga mayaman yung driver. Nagpapalipas oras lang sa pag-dyidyip… Oh well… My reflection stays… hehehe.

With this, I remember a quote with the same theme: “I was complaining I had no shoes, until I saw a man with no feet.”

Despite the hard times, we should never stop dreaming and believing.