Cellular phones have begun to be a necessity in day to day lives. Some people really can’t do without them. It’s our easiest way to keep in touch with other people especially those who are dear to us. It seems to be dominating our technology with regards to telecommunications. We used to only have phones and some of the rural areas didn’t even have phones just regular snail mail or telegrams were enough. Then came the pager which can receive messages and tell you to call or meet somewhere. Cellular phones used to be just simple wireless telephones that you can bring anywhere. You will have no problem calling or being called as long as you are within a cell site’s reach. They even found a way of incorporating the pager to a cellphone but this time, you can also send a message through text unlike the old pagers that can only receive text. You can also send and receive images aside from the picture messages. The newer models also has video calling where you are able to see who you are talking to and you can also be seen by the caller.

So much has happened to our cellphones that even some of the capabilities of a computer is somehow included in the phone. You can even surf and do word processing on some phones. I wonder what they will think of next? They have already included an mp3 player and video on some of the phones.

Sometimes I think about the reasons why a person or a family would like to rent or own a condo unit. It does seem like you are in a hotel in some way. Also, you don’t need to thinkabout much of the environment. They have staff that would be concerned about the cleanliness and order of the vicinity. But of course you still have to do your part on keeping the place clean and green so to speak.  They also have security guards around the clock. Sometimes it feels like you’re in a hotel with a big room. Most of the newly built condominiums have their own pool, fitness gym and other amenities that will help you relax and keep fit. It does seem like a cool idea to stay in one.

We went to a theme park last weekend. It was intended for the enjoyment of our little girl but even the adults enjoyed the rides in Enchanted Kingdom. At first we went to the carousel which our little girl liked. She then found a little train she can ride on. After a little while she was asking to ride a roller coaster that was called the roller skater. We were a bit surprised at what she wanted but we still went ahead and lined up to the ride. She didn’t choose the kids’ rides but I guess it was the nearest ride she saw. She actually liked the ride and was all smiles afterwards. She was even braver than her mom who didn’t want to ride it. We even went to a ferris wheel that was so high we saw the whole park beneath us, not to mention the parking lot where our car was parked. I was wondering how this simple ride could be exciting but it kind of makes your heart race a bit when you’re so high above everyone else and just hanging there until you come down again. We all enjoyed the ride especially our little girl, although we were a bit anxious to get back down.

Before our trip ended, it rained hard. When the rain died down a bit, some of us went for a last ride on the Rio Grande. They ended up coming home wet but it was sure an enjoyable trip.

It’s summer again and you can really feel the heat. It’s so hot that you feel like dipping in water and staying there for the whole day. It’s also a cool time to go swimming in beaches or resorts. We went to Pranjetto Hills just recently to relax and have fun. It’s quite a fun drive through the hills to get to the place. There are lots of sceneries you can see and you can also experience the cool mountain air on the way to place. The place is like on the side of a hill. You have to climb down to get to the pool. It’s not really far climbing or going down the steps but quite exhilirating if you don’t have enough exercise.

It was such a hot sunny day but then it rained at about 2 in the afternoon. Some of my friends went back to the pool for another swim while raining. The rain and cold water from the pool helped them relax. Talk about enjoying the water in and out of the pool ’cause it really poured down at that time. Too bad we only planned on staying the whole day. It would have been fun to stay for another day or two. We weren’t able to go out on a short hike to see the natural forests and gardens surrounding the place.

Recently we got a second hand car. It was just too expensive to get a new one. Anyway, the one we got wasn’t really planned. We just thought of an AUV so that it’s not as low as a car. We were thinking of rougher roads than that of the city and some of the floods that we may encounter. We have a mini Wrangler that have served us well throughout the years. It’s still in running condition although it does not have airconditioning and hard top. I guess now that we also have to think about a little one, we had to get something that is more comfortable and cool for the hot summer days. We were looking at different vehicles when we came across a 2 door Pajero. Somehow we just liked it. We were planning on something smaller like a 2 door RAV 4 or Feroza but somehow when we saw this one it made up our minds. Now at least we are not that tired after a drive under the sun. The heat can make you feel so stressed out that you end up coming home without energy left. I’m sure, any of the vehicles would have done the same for us but somehow we got this one and I guess it suits us just fine.

Love is often associated with that blissful, cloud nine-like state of emotion. Just recently, I had an analogy between love and hysteria, and concluded in my mind that both have very similar characteristics.

Well, for one thing, both bring about unusual outbursts of emotions. Both lead a person to an abnormal excitement and ecstatic state of mind. In extreme cases, some are characterized by morbid acts and anxiety.

I think nobody wants none of anxiousness. But inevitably, everybody should have a fair share of each own. Ugh.

 I witnessed this familiar manifestation when I was in a, I’m not sure how to describe it, but it’s like ‘perhaps us, but really not us’ stage of a relationship, it freaked me out I asked my ‘confederate’ with what’s the real deal. I got no response and I felt some strange, overwhelming flow of I-don’t-know-what, but some force that provokes someone to feel something intense.

I could no longer recall vividly what happened next. I think I have developed a talent of shutting down unpleasant memories, which worked for me. And even if Valentines is all ‘roses are red, violets are blue, tonight I hope to score with you’, it’s really not been a total disaster. It’s an awakening. No, don’t think this is pure sarcasm, I honestly still believe with the felicity that comes with love. But I insist, love and hysteria are synonymous. I know I have a strong argument.

I now rest my case. Oh. Right. It’s Valentine’s day. Or, I mean, it’s still the love month. Belated Happy Valentine’s day!

I had an awful breakfast today, and the other day, and the day before. And I noticed it wasn’t my breakfast nor the weather, but one thing that I have been consistently doing for the last few days-watching the news on TV while eating.

The US congress are debating if they should bail out the once stable and unshakable Big 3 in the automotive industry- General Motors, Ford and Chrysler. And it isn’t just automakers feeling the shockwaves of the economic downturn, many companies also experience bankruptcy, banks are also failing and large companies are cutting their workforce by the thousands. Listening to these news, even if you are someone who’s not into current events in the business world, brings about a downright dreadful impact. This global recession is an exception and makes us remember the Great Depression that happened in the 1930’s.

The financial crisis experienced globally has already deep effects for most people. But instead of wearing the serious meltdown on our faces, it is wiser to take necessary actions to help counteract the effects of the tough times. The government of many countries are also implementing actions to strengthen public investment programs to boost their economy and employment. Their main concern is to focus on the measures that can revive the economy.  And individually, we also must be smart and prepared  in these times, as nothing seems so stable now and could turn around rapidly and unexpectedly.  This is not the time to buy ultra expensive things but to do everything we can to make ourselves resistant to the debt trap. We must also empower ourselves. If you are one who are already laid off from your current job, know that if there are companies closing, new ones will also arise for there will be different needs that should be met. Each of us is not just a drop in the bucket. Now’s the time to be creative and knowledgable which we can all use to contradict the effects of the hard times. 

I’m reminded of what King Solomon said in Ecc. 1:9 “What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done, there is nothing new under the sun.”  Surely, the economic downturn is very difficult. But the people at that time survived the Great Depression too.

Now it’s time for me to turn the TV off.  Sometimes it’s a bliss to be unaware of some things.

Our 3 year old daughter goes to school. Seems early for a child to go to one but we still decided it might be good for her. At least she will learn some new things faster and also be able to meet new friends. We were talking to her one night and eventually found out that she cried at school because her classmates were trying to get her new bag. She pointed to her new bag which was shaped like a fish. We were telling her, they may only be admiring your bag and did not have any intention on taking it from her. It’s okay to show it to them because it will still be returned to her.

The next day, we verified from her teacher of what has happened the day before when she cried. Her classmates did crowd around her because of her new bag and was admiring it but they did not take it by force because she did not want them to touch it and after a while cried as others were also trying to see it. They stopped her from crying and also explained to her what was happening and I guess she understood ’cause the next day it’s as if she was different. She had a new pencil case that has the printing of her favorite cartoon with her and of course her classmates noticed and grouped together with her. She did not mind showing it to them and allowed them to hold it.

That night, she was so proud of herself and actually told her mom that she did not cry that day. She showed her new pencil case and bag to her friends. She’s improving little by little. I guess school did help her not only in education but also developed her personality with interaction.

We have a 3 year old daughter who came with her mom on her Christmas party at her office. Seeing the excitement, she kept playing around the office and of course kept being adored by her mom’s colleagues. The time came for their exhange gift and my little girl was simply watching as the gifts from one person was given to another. She then looked at her mom then said, “where is my gift?” Her mom quickly thought about the gift she received that can also be given to my little girl. My 3 year old smiled, looked at the gift, then looked at the card that was on it. Her smile faded a bit then said to her mom, “this is not mine.” Her mom was going to say that it’s for her when she said that the name of the card is spelled with different letters, her name is not spelled that way. She even spelled the name on the card then spelled her own name. My wife was surprised. Although she didn’t expect that from a 3 year old, she was so proud when she was handed back the gift. She took the card and put the correct name. Her colleagues who also saw what happened smiled and gave her their own gifts but carefully taking out the cards named there. She really didn’t open the ones that had a different name on them.

We went to the beach to relax and have fun. It’s not our little girl’s first time to swim on a beach but it’s her first time on a plane. We had to wait for the plane in the waiting area as usual. The only difference is that this time we were preoccupied with a very hyper 3 year old. She does seem excited to fly but we seem to be more excited to see her fly in a plane. We got to the plane, took some pictures, seated and wore our seatbelts as we took off. At some point we were very high and can see the clouds below us. We pointed outside the window so she can see. She said, “look, the clouds are swimming.” We laughed at her and also imagined the clouds swimming. We were over the clouds and were passing the ocean at that time. It did look like the clouds were swimming.