Ch-ch-ch-changes....

 Lines on my face care of Brian being better at Tongits than May.

Life this year has been a tremendously adventurous one.   Whereas the previous years have always had their own exciting moments and unexpected twists, this year has been one with life-changing ramifications.

Since it is still too early for a year-recap, lemme just focus instead on some important lessons and reminders that life has chosen to bequeath upon me this year:


1)  Life is more like a bucket of strawberries.  They were all meant to be good and yummy, but you can't help the fact there will always be somethings that won't be.   How you deal with them, however, is always up to you.


One of the key things I have embraced this year is the understanding that there are things beyond one's control that one just has to deal with.  As fantastically fun and love-enriched as my life is now, there still do remain things which I wish could be changed.   Things like having to remain discreet about certain views, joys and concerns I have.  Or like wanting to much to let caution evaporate and proclaim to the whole world how damn happy I truly am, regardless of whose toes I might trample on.

God knows how much I honestly want to declare proudly to the world:

RRRGS, Jr,
You make each and every day of my life an adventure.  
I love you with a love beyond anything I have ever experienced.
I love you with a passion that goes further than anything I could have ever offered before.

In the movie Forrest Gump, we have the quote, "Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're going to get."  For me, however, life is more like a bucket of strawberries.  They were all meant to be good and yummy, but you can't help the fact there will always be somethings that won't be.  And how you deal with them is up to you.  Some people foolishly throw it all away just because of the few moldy ones.  Others eat it, but spend more time complaining about how they have to suffer with the unsightly ones.  You have those who quietly appreciate it, but secretly envy everyone else who gets better buckets.

Which one am I?

Those who know me know the answer to that.
Those who don't are welcome to get to know me more.

Kulang na lang, Vanilla Ice Cream!

And I am very happy to know many have finally chosen to.

2) Choosing your battles makes dissolving bitterness easier.

I have always had a strong personality, and even stronger opinions and expectations.
I hold high regard towards honesty and openness.  Whether it be my own actions, or the actions of my friends, I find anyone who embraces deception or allows such to thrive a stain upon my environment that I should if not deal with, at least be vocally against.  My friends are aware of this.  There have been times a person who has admittedly lied or perpetuated lies finds me abrasive or clearly being merely civil towards him, while being friendly with others.  All this stems from the fact I respect everyone around me who deserves it.  And being on the list of not deserving it is fastest achieved by being manipulative of people I care about.

This year, however, I've begun to learn to temper this attitude somewhat.

Sometimes, it doesn't matter how right one feels about something.  Sometimes, it doesn't matter how wrong one believes another is.  Sometimes, what matters is to at least take steps to move foward in a more positive direction, and maybe during that time, allow the healing to grow.  In my case, I realized choosing my battles came down to a decision to at least be up front about what I detested, and leave the "ball in the other's hands."  Having said my piece and leaving a clear understanding of why my opinion exists, I permit the other to either act upon that understanding, or ignore it and let things eventually unravel once again.  I am not the kind of person who can be superficial about my opinions.  I am however learning I can be a person less aggressive, more supportive and possibly more patiently open-minded.

In many ways, my bitterness was fueled by a feeling that things clearly unacceptable were merely being allowed to thrive.  I have learned now that by clearly airing out what I hated directly to the one involved allowed me to let go of the bitterness.  It allowed me to feel I've done my part in helping bring about the rebirth of some level of respect.  It allowed me to feel like I can leave the ball now in the other court, and focus instead on building much more positive ties.  While I can't say we're now all okay and friends, I can stay it definitely is a start to eventually possibly being such.

3) Being Psycho Somatic Addict Insane ain't the same as being psycho somatic addict insane.

What?  That doesn't make sense?
:-)  I guess you just had to be there.
Or be me.

Yeah.

Who thought I'd ever be this happy?

Hindi naman siguro halatang hung over diba?

Merry Christmas to you all!
And here's hoping we geeks survive the upcoming Metro Manila Film Festival!
(Balita ko, James Cameron's Ferngully Pocahontas Avatar will still be viewable at IMAX even during the festival, so yes, there is hope!)