30. Look back on this last month and talk about it.

This past month has been boring, as has been the past months. We've started reorganizing our theatre group and reorganizing our planned production so I'm looking forward to more interesting next couple of months. I was also in the graveyard shift this last month that made it boring even more. No matter how much sleep I try to get during the day, I still get very sleepy during a graveyard shift. Nothing really beats sleeping at night, that's the way our body clock has been configured by the Almighty.

And by the way, this is the last entry for the latest 30-day challenge, and it was swell. I look forward to finding other challenges online and doing it here again. Haha!

29. If you could be doing the same things you do now, only in your own way, how would a normal day in your life go?

I'd prefer to go to work on my own convenient time. Haha! Aside from that, I'm okay with how my normal day is going presently. I'm working in my most favorite shift - yeah, the least stressful shift and aside from my gums, I'm not feeling any pain or discomfort lately. I'm thinking - seriously contemplating - of going back to the academe soonest, but before that, I just hope to enjoy the rest of the month in this shift.

28. Would you rather someone tell you the truth up front but gently, or be lied to to spare your feelings?

I am a very frank person, I got this from my father. I would rather tell the truth up front, sometimes even not that gently, but if it is person that I love or care about, then it would be difficult. I'm a very complicated individual and it's really not easy to be me.

27. Is there a friend you are worried about? Why do they have you concerned? Do you think they’ll be okay?

I am always concerned about my friends, especially those who are close to me, but through time, I have learned not to really get attached because in the end, it will be me who'll be left alone. A lot of friends have come and gone, and yes, I still consider them as friends. Many of them I have been concerned and worried about, but it was just nothing to them. I was no one to them.

Lesson learned. I care but I have to let people be because they're living their lives.

26. Talk about a moment where you were truly happy. What was happening? Who were you with?

The happiest moment in my life was seeing my daughter for the very first time. It was in ICU because there was a little emergency when her mom gave birth to her, but the moment I saw her, even with IV attached to her foot, and oxygen attached to her tiny nose, I just knew that she will be fine.

I've been hearing the same thing over and over from my friends that they're not ready to become parent/s. What they don't know is that no one is ever ready, and nothing can ever prepare you for that. But that moment when your child arrives in your life and you become a parent, you immediately become prepared for it. That's based on personal experience, an experience that was also the happiest moment of my life.

Image taken from http://www.graphicshunt.com/images/father-8889.htm

25. What do you think it means to be a good parent?

I've been a son for 30 years and a parent for 8 years, yet I still don't know how to be a good parent. I'm learning every single day, and I've also stumbled across an article about the Ten Basic Principles of Good Parenting. 

Here is a quick overview of those ten according to the article:

1. What you do matters.

“Tell yourself that every day. How you treat and respond to your child should come from a knowledgeable, deliberate sense of what you want to accomplish. Always ask yourself: What effect will my decision have on my child?”

2. You cannot be too loving.

“When it comes to genuine expressions of warmth and affection, you cannot love your child too much. It is simply not possible to spoil a child with love. What we often think of as the product of spoiling a child is never the result of showing a child too much love. It is usually the consequence of giving a child things in place of love—things like leniency, lowered expectations or material possessions.”

3. Be involved in your child’s life.

"Being an involved parent takes time and is hard work, and it often means rethinking and rearranging your priorities. It frequently means sacrificing what you want to do for what your child needs you to do. Be there mentally as well as physically.”

4. Adapt your parenting to fit your child.

“Make sure your parenting keeps pace with your child’s development. You may wish you could slow down or freeze-frame your child’s life, but this is the last thing he wants. You may be fighting getting older, but all he wants is to grow up. The same drive for independence that is making your three-year-old say ‘no’ all the time is what’s motivating him to be toilet trained. The same intellectual growth spurt that is making your 13-year-old curious and inquisitive in the classroom also is making her argumentative at the dinner table.”

5. Establish and set rules.

“If you don’t manage your child’s behavior when he is young, he will have a hard time learning how to manage himself when he is older and you aren’t around. Any time of the day or night, you should always be able to answer these three questions: Where is my child? Who is with my child? What is my child doing? The rules your child has learned from you are going to shape the rules he applies to himself.”

6. Foster your child’s independence.

“Setting limits helps your child develop a sense of self-control. Encouraging independence helps her develop a sense of self-direction. To be successful in life, she’s going to need both. Accepting that it is normal for children to push for autonomy is absolutely key to effective parenting. Many parents mistakenly equate their child’s independence with rebelliousness or disobedience. Children push for independence because it is part of human nature to want to feel in control rather than to feel controlled by someone else.”

7. Be consistent.

“If your rules vary from day to day in an unpredictable fashion, or if you enforce them only intermittently, your child’s misbehavior is your fault, not his. Your most important disciplinary tool is consistency. Identify your non-negotiables. The more your authority is based on wisdom and not on power, the less your child will challenge it.”

8. Avoid harsh discipline.

“Of all the forms of punishment that parents use, the one with the worst side effects is physical punishment. Children who are spanked, hit or slapped are more prone to fighting with other children. They are more likely to be bullies and more likely to use aggression to solve disputes with others.”

9. Explain your rules and decisions.

“Good parents have expectations they want their child to live up to. Generally, parents overexplain to young children and underexplain to adolescents. What is obvious to you may not be evident to a 12-year-old. He doesn’t have the priorities, judgment or experience that you have.”

10. Treat your child with respect.

“The best way to get respectful treatment from your child is to treat him respectfully. You should give your child the same courtesies you would give to anyone else. Speak to him politely. Respect his opinion. Pay attention when he is speaking to you. Treat him kindly. Try to please him when you can. Children treat others the way their parents treat them. Your relationship with your child is the foundation for her relationships with others.”

24. Are you more social or independent? Why do you think that is?

I am more independent than social because that's how I was brought up by my parents. I was trained not to really rely on anyone else but myself. Growing up, I've tried my best to learn how to play with a team, and yes, I'm a team player now, but I am still independent. I play well with a team but I can also do good even if I'm alone. I've always felt alone in most parts of my life, and that's one of the reasons why I am what I am now.

23. Explain your life plan for the next month, then the next year, then three years, then five years.

We'll be going to Manila next month and though my wife has planned a full itinerary for us, I hope to find time to meet up with friends I've known for so long but haven't met in person yet. I also hope that our rehearsals will go smoothly next month.

I hope to be back in the academe next year, or even this year if possible. And in the next three and five years, I hope to be working still in the academe, with hopefully another son or daughter, and still in theatre. That would be the dream. Yes, I do believe that dreams come true.

22. How do you think people see you? Be a little negative and a little positive.

Some people see me as noisy, annoying at times. Others see me as a shy, no-self-confidence-whatsoever. I know that there are also a few people who see me as talented, maybe a little gifted, but those people are extinct now. 

Before, I used to think that what people think of me is important. Over the years, I've experienced how unfair life is, and how cruel people can be, so as long as the people that matters know the real me and have accepted me for what I am, I can sleep soundly at night (or during the day).

21. Look back. Why did you choose this challenge? Do you think it says anything about you?

I honestly chose this challenge because I felt that I've run out of things to blog about, and I wanted to test myself if I would be able to open up about random things at an instant. Yes, the only time I read about the challenges is on the day itself when I blog about it so right now, I don't have an idea on what tomorrow's challenge is, it adds to the excitement and the challenge itself.

The Acoustic Princess

Get a copy of Princess Velasco's albums and be inspired too. Her latest album is Acoustic Princess which contains 14 beautiful songs. Here's a sample..

1. Firework

2. Love the way you lie ( part II )

3. U Smile

4. Just the way you are

5. Dynamite

6. Teenage Dream

 7. Mine

 8. Something bout love

 9. Please don't go

10. DJ got us falling in love again

11. Beautiful Monster

12.Perfectly lonely

13. Don't go

14. Lonely night

Princess Velasco

I had the great honor of meeting Princess Marie Velasco, the Acoustic Princess, last weekend and I was in awe the whole time. I was totally speechless, and that's something that don't happen very often. I learned about her show here from Ate Berns, Shin Shin's PA who was also Princess' PA here. We were texting and Ate Berns asked me to drop by the Ayala Center that afternoon so we can meet up. I told her that I had rehearsals and a gig but I'll try my best. After rehearsals, I went straight to Ayala and told my co-performers that I'll catch up with the gig if I can. I wasn't able to but it was fine because they did a superb job on their own, and I was able to finally see and hear Princess perform live.

Aside from having a very beautiful face and angelic voice, what makes Princess more amazing is her background - educational and work background to be exact. She graduated with degrees in Communication Arts and Advertising Management from De La Salle University, then later earned her Master of Business Administration at the University of the Philippines. She was a marketing executive for a few years, and was assistant professorial lecturer on Marketing and Advertising also at DLSU. She left those to pursue her singing career.

Aside from making me relax while listening to her songs, I am truly inspired by her since like her, I've achieved a lot in my studies, and maybe in my profession, but haven't really fulfilled my dream to become a professional performer. Being one of the youngest to get a Master's degree and a Ph.D. degree doesn't really mean a thing because what I've always wanted was to inspire and touch people through my singing. Besides, I was kinda forced to finish those degrees just because I was a very young professor assisting the President of the university.

Princess Velasco is a real-life, modern day princess and a true inspiration to so many people around the world.

Mabuhay ka, Princess! ♥

20. Again, pick a song that projects the mood of your week or day.

This song doesn't really project my mood for the day or week, but I've been listening to this song a gazillion times this week, Princess Velasco's version of David Cook's Time of my Life. I fell in love with the song the first time I heard it during the David's victory in American Idol 7, and listening to Princess' beautiful fresh take of the song renewed my love for it.

19. If you could be anywhere in the world, but you had to be there for a certain cause, where would you be and why?

There are a lot of places in the world that I'd like to be in, but if I have to choose a place to be in for a certain cause, I'll have to say I would want to stay here in my own country and do what I can to help my countrymen. There are a lot of pain and suffering in a lot of countries right now, and though not as grave as the other countries, there's also much pain and suffering here in the Philippines. I would want to serve my country and fellow Filipinos before going somewhere else to serve others. 

18. Talk about your extended family. Why do you think they are the way they are?

How far are we extending here? Well, my family's always been unique and diverse. Like my cousins and I, we're alike in so many ways, and we're also so much different. I think this is where nature and nurture come in. Nature, like our genes, made us similar in so many ways, but growing up in different environments and with different individuals, the nurture side, made us different.

I am still in awe of the er.. awesomeness of this circle of life so to speak. So much different yet so much alike. Different people but with kindred souls.

17. Who was the last person you kissed? (If you are still with them now, pick the person before them.) What would they say if they saw you now?a

I don't really understand the question well. With the question, "who was the last person I kissed", I'd have to say my daughter. I kissed her last night on the way to work. But there is a follow up question, "If you are still with them now, pick the person before them", which means, if I understand it correctly, that this is a romantic kind of kiss question because of course, I am still with my daughter or she's still with me. Whatever, I answered the main question and disregarding the follow up question.

4 More Episodes

I am in tears watching this teaser, and goosebumps surplus to the highest level..

4 Episodes more and everything will come to an end.. ironically, the end of Smallville means the beginning of a new chapter in Clark's life, to finally become the Hero he's destined to be..

16. What are you passionate about?

I've always been passionate about music and theatre. I got support from my parents, but they were not really enthusiastic about it before. My friends were not too excited about it either. They lacked understanding before as to how difficult this field is, and I don't think they understand better now. I am glad though that I've found people who became my friends who share my passion. I just hope that we'll be able to do this as long as we can, and I hope that like me, these people are into music and theatre because they love it, and not because of anything else. After all, there's never been money in theatre unless you're Lea Salonga.

15. What do you believe in? And not just God or atheism.

I honestly believe that there is a higher power that's in control, at the same time, giving us the free will to do things that we want to do, and be what we want to be. I call Him my God, others call Him by different names. Yes, I believe in Him, always did, will always do. I am not really religious but my faith is strong. He keeps me strong.

14. When you are stressed, what can you use as an outlet? Why do you think it helps you?

Before, it was DVD's and Plants vs Zombies when I am stressed, but now, I'd rather sleep and recharge. I'm not getting any younger, and I've not had enough rest for years now so instead of continuing to kill myself slowly, I'm starting to sleep often and longer again. It's not easy especially for me. I've always thought that sleeping is a waste of time, and I'd rather do things than sleep. I still believe in that, but at the same time, I'm thinking about the wear and tear of my body, and how young my daughter is. 

It's funny how your perceptions and ideas change instantly when you think of your loved ones.

13. Where do you see your best friend in 10 years?

10 years from now, I see him still in the same institution where he's working right now, holding a much higher position than teaching. He is very intelligent and talented, and has amazing people skills so he's very much capable to hold a high position in the academe. I will be very proud to see him achieve that in 10 years or less.

12. If you could trade places with anyone for one week, who would it be and why?

If I could trade places with anyone for one week, or even for a day, it would be either Zachary Levi or Lebron James. Both are doing the things that I love doing most, and getting paid a LOT of money doing it. Whew, that would be the greatest thing on Earth, doing something that doesn't feel like work and getting paid to do it. 

11. Do you feel protective over someone?

I am VERY PROTECTIVE of my loved ones - my soul sisters can attest to that. But I think I will be most protective of my daughter. It's my nature, and for my daughter's sake, I will try my very best to be protective, but at the same time, give her freedom and responsibility, especially when she grows up. I promise this to myself, and I have this blog entry to remind me of that. Yes, I read my blog entries often, they keep me grounded and remind of the things that I should be thankful for - good and not-so-good things.

10. Did you have a good day or a bad day? Where do you think that defining line was?

It was generally a good day except that our internet at home went down for the first time since we got it installed a little more than a year ago. I'm at an internet cafe right now after a short hike - my usual weekend walk. Defining line? Well, I got to have a long conversation with my dad which didn't end in an argument so yeah, that was one of the highlights of today. 

9. Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

In 10 years, I see myself as a proud parent to my 18 year old daughter who have been everything I dreamed about. I see us in a land far from the Philippines where I don't have to turn the aircon and electric fan at the same time, I'm wearing 3 layers of clothing and I'm not sweating. I see myself as someone who's not rich, but is contented and relatively successful.

8. Write about the first moment that comes to your head when you read the words “childhood memory”

I remember arriving home from school and watching cartoons on our very small TV inside my parents' bedroom which was also my room, with the sun penetrating the window pane. It's funny that I can also remember clearly going to school, the route I always take, the store I stop by to buy something, but I don't remember much about the happenings inside the school. I know I have a very good memory but it's also kinda selective.

100 Truths - Part 2

Firsts:

52. First surgery — Wisdom tooth extraction.

53. First piercing — None.

54. First best friend — Ferdie, Elementary best friend.

55. First sport you joined — Soccer.

56. First vacation — Barili.

57. First kiss — My first girl friend.

58. First pair of trainers — My uncle's old Nike's - lasted 2 weeks.

Right now:

59. Eating — Anything.

60. Drinking — Water, Milo 3-in-1.

61. I’m about to — End my shift and go home to sleep.

62. I’m listening to — Martin Nievera.

63. Waiting for — Our short vacation to Davao.

Your future:

64. Want kids? — Already have one, want some more.

65. Get married? — Been there, done that.

66. Career? — Hoping to go back to the academe.

Which is better…

67. Lips or eyes ? — Eyes.

68. Hugs or kisses ? — Both.

69. Shorter or taller? — Shorter.

70. Older or younger? — Younger.

71. Romantic or spontaneous? — Both.

72. Nice stomach or nice arms? — Doesn't matter.

73. Sensitive or loud? — Sensitive.

74. Hook-up or relationship? — Relationship.

75. Devil or angel? — Angel.

Have you ever…

76. Kissed a stranger? — No.

77. Drunk hard liquor? — No.

78. Lost glasses/contacts? — No.

79. Sex on first date? — No. 

80. Broken someone’s heart? — Yes.

81. Had your heart broken? — Yes.

82. Been arrested? — No.

83. Turned down someone you love? Yes.

84. Fallen for a friend? — Yes.

85. Raison d’ Etre? — To fulfill my mission in life.

Do you believe in…

86. Yourself? — Yes.

87. Miracles? — Yes.

88. Love at first sight? — Yes.

89. Heaven? — Yes.

90. Santa Claus? — In the spirit of Christmas, yes!

91. Kiss on the first date? — It’s not something you plan.

92. Angels? — Yes.

Answer truthfully…

93. Do you still think about past loves? — If something or someone reminds me.

94. Did you start your day with a prayer? – Yes.

95. Did you sing today? — Yes, Kindred Hearts Theme.

96. Who was the one that got away? — Whoever that is, she got away so I can meet my present and future.

97. If you could go back in time, how far would you go, and why? — High school, I would want to be more serious  with my studies and my basketball career.

98. If you could pick a day from last year and relive it, what would it be? — My daughter's birthday, it's the day that she's happiest.

99. Are you afraid of falling in love again? — No. 

100. Posting this as 100 truths? — YES!

7. Think of the last person you hugged. What would you do if they vanished completely?

The last person I hugged was my daughter. I hugged her last night before going to work. She's everything to me and if ever she'll vanish, then my life will vanish with her. It sounds cliche, but she's my life and losing her means losing my life.

100 Truths - Part 1

Last Sunday, Ruffa Gutierrez had a '100 Truths' Interview with Ricky Lo for the Philippine Star, and I found it quite interesting so I'm adapting it here.

What was your…

1. Last beverage — Iced tea.

2. Last phone call — My mom.

3. Last text message — Ritchee, our "Bisaya Lessons".

4. Last song you listened to  — A Moment Like This by Leona Lewis.

5. Last time you cried — Last Tuesday, when I watched 'Tanging Ina Mo, Last na Toh'.

Have you ever…

6. Dated someone twice — Yes.

7. Been cheated on — Yes.

8. Kissed someone and regretted it — Yes.

9. Lost someone special — Many times (Death).

10. Been depressed — Yes.

List three favorite colors:

11. Blue.

12. Green.

13. White.

14. Pink.

This year (2011), have you…

15. Made a new friend — Yes, many.

16. Fallen out of love — No.

17. Laughed until you cried — A lot of times.

18. Met someone who changed you — Not really changed me, more of me changing them.

19. Found out who your true friends were — I already know who my true friends are, didn't learn that this year.

20. Found out someone was talking about you — People talk about me all the time. I’m used to it.

21. Any regrets — None. You can’t turn back the hands of time. I appreciate the person I am now.

General:

22. Prized possession — Old photographs.

23. Hobby — Singing.

24. Do you have any pets? — Dogs, but they're more of family pets, not mine alone.

25. Do you want to change your name? — I like my nickname, but I would want to change my real name.

26. What did you do on your last birthday? — Went to work, then went to a sort of surprise thrown by my Kindred Hearts Family.

27. What time did you wake up today? — 4:30 PM.

28. What were you doing at midnight last night — Tweeting at work.

29. Name something you cannot wait for — To go to Davao and Manila to relax.

30. Last time you saw your mother — Yesterday morning.

31. What is one thing you wish you could change about your life? — My weight, wish I was more disciplined then.

32. What makes you sad? — Hearing tragic news from all over the world.

33. Your happiness — Katrina Alyssa.

34. What’s getting on your nerves right now? — Like right now? My very young over-confident officemate over-teaching our new officemate who's way better and more experienced than him.

35. Most visited webpage — Twitter.

37. Food that I avoid — Really fatty ones and those high in cholesterol.

37. Nicknames — Sonny, Kal, Kuya, Tatay, Alki, Clark.

38. Relationship Status — Happy and Contented.

39. Zodiac sign — Scorpio.

40. What do you wear on a nightout? — Jeans and Dark colored shirt.

41. What do you wear to a casual lunch? — Whatever I can pull out from my closet.

42. What do you wear on a bad day? — Old shirt.

43. Fashion Icon — Not into fashion.

44. Hair color — Would like to try having a few highlights.

45. Favorite brother — Blood brother? I only have one and he's dead.

46. Height — 5'6"

47. Do you have a crush on someone? — Yes.

48. What do you like about yourself? — I know I can do a LOT of things.

49. Workout — Hiking around our village, going up and down the stairs.

50. Tattoos — None.

51. Righty or lefty? — Righty.

To be continued..

6. Talk about a recent experience that has affected you greatly and how.

The recent earthquakes in New Zealand, Japan and other parts of the globe. It's not a personal experience but an experience that affected everyone all over the world. It made me worry about my daughter's future. If those great cities, more advanced than us, fell, then I don't want to imagine what will happen to our own city if (Heaven forbid!) the big one happens.

5. Pick a song that projects the same mood as your day or week and explain.

Will I Survive by Introvoys

This is the first song that comes to mind because pay day is still more than a week away, and aside from work, there are a lot of activities this week that would require my attendance and therefore would need me to spend more than what I can spend for this week.

The lyrics of the song is about love, but the title says it all for me this week. Will I survive?

4. What do you think it means to be in love?

For me, being in love means wanting someone to be happy even if her happiness means you are not a part of it. And contrary to what a lot of people believe, I believe that love sees more and it's willing to see less.

3. Where have you been spending your time lately? Three/Five/Ten years ago would you have expected to be there?

Same with the past 29 years of my life, I've been spending my time at home and at work. Up to my 20th year, I spent my time at home and at school. Yes, my life's boring and it's my fault. There were a lot of opportunities before that would have changed my life, but I was too chicken and didn't have confidence in myself. I still don't, actually.

Years ago, I dreamed to be somewhere else. I am still dreaming that dream today.

2. Who are you? In comparison to who you used to be. What made you change?

I have always been who I am. Maybe now that I'm older, I'm a bit wiser, a bit tougher (the world did this to me), and maybe a bit more confident than before, but still shy, and kinda insecure. I know I am this way because of my parents, that's why I'm trying my best to not do the same to my daughter, and so far, comparing her development from when I was her age, she's way better than me.

What made me change? The world. Society. The people around me. It's a dog eats dog world, and if you don't toughen up, you'll be eaten by other dogs. I know, I have been eaten many times before and left for dead.

1. What happened today? If it was the last day of your life, how satisfied would you be with your final hours?

Today's the first day of the month so I'm starting another challenge, a more difficult than last month, I think.

I tried my best not to be late today, but I still was - 65 minutes! Starting next week, my shift will start at 930 PM, instead of 6 AM last month so I know I won't be as tardy as I was in March.

Nothing much happened today so far, since it's still early. Haha! 


If today's the last day of my life, I would pass to the other side with less burden than before. I have started to appreciate everything, including all the lessons in my life, and if I were to depart this earth soon, I know I will have left a part of me to the few people that matter most to me.