My eBay

It's been exactly 10 days since my last post. Partial reason for this is my current pre-occupation with eBay ph. I was browsing at it and decided that I could do our house a favor by unloading stuffs that we don't use or need anymore. So, I looked around the house and took pictures of the things that I intend to sell. Well, I sold my electric bottle sterilizer last week and now I have a bid for 2 wall frames. Pretty good, I guess. Of course, I do set the price low since it is already pre-owned. Besides, it is better that I sell it a low price and let another person use it than just keep it and let dust accumulate. That, in my opinion, is the very definition of WASTE.

Transacting in eBay is relatively safe. I've been a buyer myself and so far had only good experiences to tell. It's a good place to find reasonably priced items. But not everything sold in eBay is pre-owned. Some are brand new with its tag intact. Sellers are required to describe their product as accurately as they could or they risk being reported to eBay.

So, the next time you need something or looking for a great book, browse eBay. It's worth a try.

Linking Halfway Around the World

Staying connected with friends and family is just a click away. With the boom of technology comes the ease of communication. There's texting, email, chat, Friendster or Myspace, and blogs that comes into mind when you want to connect to basically anyone halfway around the world. Mobile phones are really sticking to their names... mobile. Phone manufacturers are quickly coming up with new models of phones that lets you do other than just talking and texting. Features such as WiFi are now installed that lets you access the Internet and watch television shows anywhere using your phone.

Since my line of work is in the Internet, my laptop is the thing that I can't do without. It's the first thing I open when I wake up. Of course, after the bathroom door, ha, ha... I check my mails and see what's up. Regular errands like paying the bills, making fund transfers, downloading lab results are some of the things I use it for. Aside from this, I check the movie schedule, do research, look for places (thanks, Google Earth) and much more are some of the things that I do. I can go anywhere as long as there is Internet connection and bring my laptop with me.

Speaking of Internet connection, we recently jumped into the wireless thing. Our house is now a WiFi area! I can access the Internet anywhere in the house and not be tied down to a cord. More reasons to do multi-tasking. It's so convenient.

With this fast paced, technology hungry society, can you still imagine life without cellphones and Internet? Ask yourself, when was the last time you went to the post office to mail a letter to a friend or relative? For me, it's been like ages since I last received a letter. Mostly all I get in the mails are bills, solicitations and unwanted advertisements. Besides, why mail a post card when you can just email, chat, view one another through the web cam? All that.... just a double click away.

Of course, not everybody embraces technology the same way that I do. Some would still prefer the good ol' letter since it is much more personal and intimate. And I respect them for their choices. There's no harm in adhering to what was done before. But the world is moving forward, not backward. It's either you keep pace with it or be stuck to where you are. Resiliency is the key word.

So, a life without the World Wide Web? Whew! I can't and I wouldn't want to.

Lost phone

I just realized how my life depended on my mobile phone. I know it’s exaggerated but losing mine last week was very difficult. It’s not much about the phone itself (it’s not the latest model anyhow, got it for free from my network provider and it’s 3 years old already) but the names and contact numbers stored in it are far more important.

I just felt at a total loss knowing that I lost important numbers that would be difficult to retrieve. And it’s totally a drag to input each and everyone’s name and contact details again. It is good that I was able to retain my same number since I have a line otherwise the difficulty would be twice.

You see, I store everything in my mobile no. My doctor’s & dentist’s details are there, the water station where we order our drinking water is in it, names of important clients are there. Golly, even the reservation number of Gateway movies is there.

Funny thing is, I keep on thinking where exactly in Baguio did I lose my phone but I still can’t figure out where. But I guess it would be futile to do so. Anyway, it surely did serve me a lesson.

Black or White

How come some people finds it difficult to say NO outright? They give non-committal replies, makes you hope then in the end bursts the bubble. Are they just too nice to say no or simply can’t make up their minds?

Personally, I would prefer that you refuse outright than be dragged into something you really would not want to get into. Worse, be an expert when it comes to saying yes but leaves people hanging. They would make delays, come up with various reasons but in the end doesn’t do anything.

Whether it’s a simple favor or a really BIG decision, one should commit to a side. Are you going or not going? Are you doing this or not? To an issue, there’s always 2 sides. You can’t be both.

I know it’s not that simple. I know life is not always black & white. There are room for grays and in-betweens, but mind you,... not always. And that is why decisions are not always easy to make.

Mobile Billboards

I've seen Mobile Billboards quite often recently. It seems to be the fad nowadays for advertisers. This makes me wonder if this is a cheaper or costly alternative for fixed billboards? Coverage wise, yes, I think it is more effective since you can reach any part of the city unlike if it is fixed somewhere in a highway. And with the recent clamour of some politicians making a move to remove huge billboards along the main road, this mobile billboard has grown popularity.

Environment wise, this mobile billboard consumes gas, contributes to the vehicle congestion of the city and adds to the traffic. Advertisers should think of alternative ways to drum up their business.

Roots

August 21 was a marked date for us to attend a family reunion on my side. A reunion wherein all six of us siblings are complete seldom happens. Much as we would like to, our geographical locations plus commitment at work hinders us to see each other more often. So, yesterday was really a special day for us.

Packed with our own contributions for a potluck lunch till dinner party, we all headed to my sister's house in Bulacan. Everyone enjoyed the sumptuous feast complete with desserts and a little booze. The little kids played contentedly with one another while the teenagers hanged out watching DVD's and playing guitar. The reunion transpired with a lot of laughter and reminiscing our childhood days and our own dear parents.

It was good to spend the whole day with them. We all updated each other what is going on in our lives, reliving the old jokes and injecting new ones. You could see the changes that transpired in the months that we last saw each other. I'm sure all of us aged physically, with all of them using already reading glasses except for me since I am the youngest or a wisp of white hair now being seen.

There is something about seeing your siblings grow old. And we all grasp its meaning as we remind one another especially our older brothers to keep fit and stay healthy. But most of all, it is the realization that we have to exert more effort to see each other more often because we can not be here forever.

But aside from the physical changes, one could sense a deeper transformation in everybody. What I mean by deeper change is when somebody comes to you and say, "Something's changed about you but I can't pinpoint exactly what it is." Perhaps the change I'm referring to is the change inside all of us.

But mind you, our relationship with one another is not picture perfect. We all had our share of misunderstandings, arguments, fights and cold treatment. Yet, as time passed and we have grown more matured, we have learned to be more forgiving and make allowances for each others shortcomings. Although all of us now have our own families, our childhood memories and our parents bind us together.

As we headed for home at around 9 pm, tired, sleepy but happy, I thanked my parents who patiently raised us and instilled to us that no matter what different paths we take and wherever we may be, we must not forget to come back to our roots.

Undoing that Needs to be Done

After days of continuous rain and classes being suspended, I took the time to catch up on sleep. Yes, that adorable and glorious sleep! The one thing that I dreaded when I was a kid is now a much coveted thing now that I'm an adult.

Going back to rain, the past weeks found the Christian community praying for rain because of the dry spell and seemingly imminent water shortage. Well, God did hear us because we did and still have rain. Funny thing is, God gave us rain but humans create floods.

Most parts of the city are flooded. Noticeably, the areas that were before flood-free are now experiencing flood. As I see parts of the cities affected by the non-stop rain, I can't help but heave a sigh of relief and at the same time sigh with resignation. Relief because we are fortunate that our place is not under water. Resignation because it seems there will never be a solution anymore to the city's drainage system.

Instilling discipline and educating each and every citizen is a must if we want a solution to this lingering flood problem. Residents near rivers or creeks should discard the bad habit of throwing garbage to the water. And I'm not singling out the ones living near rivers, even the regular guy or gal out there should cooperate.

Takes a lot of undoing if you would ask me.

Why I Blog?

According to Wikipedia, " A blog provides commentary or news on a particular subject such as food, politics, or local news. Others function as a personal online diary." With this definition, anybody can make a blog! And why shouldn't you?

I came up with 8 reasons why I should write a blog. Feel free to come up with your own.

1. It is an avenue to express myself. A blog allows me to share my thoughts and feelings in the world wide web. This lets other people know what a regular person like me is thinking. The human element in it makes it more interesting.
2. It will unravel my creativity inside. Initially, I was skeptical about starting a blog thinking that I do not have enough imagination to write a series of posts. Well, after a few weeks of focusing on it, it became easier and easier. Blogging allowed me to discuss various topics and constant writing will fuel that ingenuity.
3. It will improve my writing skills. Writing daily expanded my word selection, sentence construction and so on. When I read my earlier articles or posts, I observed a marked improvement. Just like any other skill, writing takes practice.
4. It links me to the rest of the world. A blog bonds me to other people through the thoughts, comments or opinions that I share. When I read someone else's blog, I know that I am in connection with a human being and not some corporate website.
5. It makes me a considerate writer. Knowing that my articles can be read by anyone who has Internet access, it made me a bit more conscious with my writing being careful not to offend any race, religion or culture by the issues I discuss.
6. It makes me a considerate reader. Having a blog myself enabled me to be understanding and appreciative of other people's views, experiences & knowledge.
7. It keeps a record of events. Writing everyday about the things happening around me serves as a journal that I can read back anytime I want. It may not be significant to me at present but five years from now, I know I will relish reading my posts again.

Well, so far these are what I can think of. How about you? What's your personal reason for blogging? Let me know your thoughts on this.

Rude Drivers

Being the designated driver of my kids during school days, I can't help but shake my head in disbelief over the lack of discipline of our drivers. The usual scenario would be a two lane road becomes three which leaves one wondering what are the lane marks' for? You patiently inch way your though traffic when an arrogant driver would try to get ahead of you by putting his car bumper to bumper to your car. A public vehicle cuts you then suddenly stops in the middle of the road to load or unload passengers. Unbelievable!

When a car tries to squeeze his car in front of mine as I wait in the rush hour traffic, I can't help but be annoyed by this driver's inexcusable behavior. Does it mean that his time is more important than mine that he had to cut his way ahead of others? I don't think so. Being on the road does not give you the right to be rude and arrogant.

Driving by instinct rather than the Right of Way policy would make any foreigner give a quick no when asked if he would want to take the wheel. I believe that the this road discipline thing can only be resolved if the requirements in getting a driver's license would be more rigid. Hmm, I wonder when will this happen?

Topic Hunting

Imagine this. You start typing a few sentences then after that, a complete stop. Nothing follows. The harder you try to finish this, the more difficult it gets. I think every writer's fear is not having something to write about. I, for one, experiences this from time to time. Having days wherein I would feel that I could no longer squeeze any creative juices out of my mind is not new to me.

I observed that I would find it difficult to write when I am jaded by the day-to day events of living. When everything seems to be ordinary and nothing seems to be interesting. What could be worst than staring at your computer screen and nothing comes out? For bloggers like me, it is but essential to update one's blog regularly and doing this would require effort. So, I'd like to share some of the things that I do when hunting for a topic.

• Step out of the computer. This means diverting your energies by doing something else. It could be taking a walk, talking to a friend, playing with my kids or doing household chores.
• Ponder on the day's or coming events. Often, this could be a good kick start for a topic.
• Ask friends for ideas. You can't think of everything so you can seek suggestions from your friends as to what could be a good topic that to dwell on.
• Experience something new. Routine zaps out the creative juices that we have inside us. Now, I don't mean you have to go bungee jumping or skydiving for you to be able to write. Just try to step out of your comfort zone so as to encounter something new. It is through this occurence that one would be able to fertilize that creativity in us needed in writing.
• Read newspapers. This is a good way to know what's going on around you and writing your opinions about current events could be a start.
• Write your ideas. Sometimes, ideas can come to you when you least expect it. If this is the case, having a pen and notebook with you always will enable you to jot down your idea and not forget about it. You can then go back to it later when you are ready to write.
• Be sensitive to inspirations. Inspirations do not always come handed down in a silver platter. You just have to attune your senses to look for it and work with what you have.

Inadequate or so it seems...

"What have you accomplished so far?"

A simple question yet when given much thought is very hard to answer. An innocent question but when asked in the middle of an argument can hurt so much. In a flash, you will re-examine your life and in so doing, whatever accomplishments you may have achieved would make you feel inadequate.

I know it was not the intention of that person to make me feel insufficient. I was just taken aback by the tartness of the question. But what is the true measure of one's accomplishments? Is it through the grandiose of material things that one has acquired, or through the number of plaques you have on your wall or is it through the number of zeroes your bank account has or the number of organizations you are a member of or the wideness of your network activity?

Accomplishments or success can have various meaning depending on the person being asked. We all have taken different paths, different directions in our lives. Through the course of things, we have prioritized what is important to us at that time. For some it may be career, for others it may be further studies or building an empire or starting a family.

What is important is that you do not compare your achievements with someone else's unless you want to be miserable all your life. Just remember that this is your life and it is only you who will be accountable for it.

Simply put, "Life is what we make out of it."

Breezing through May

The month of May passed so quickly that I hardly noticed it. It has been a busy month full of decisions and changes that I'm not even sure if my title would be appropriate. I am a bit dissapointed that I was only able to write a few posts for May. Funny, but I find it hard to start writing again after my unintentional hibernation. Hopefully, I would be able to get back on the track....

Online gaming

I'm writing this in an internet shop and I must admit that it is hard to compose my thoughts with the place being so noisy. An online DOTA game is currently being played by young teenage boys. For non-gamers, Warcraft DOTA , as you know, is one of the most popular online game to ever hit the world of gaming since Counterstrike. DOTA is all about teamwork, tactics and pure fun! They never seem to tire of it and even if there are other online games, they still prefer to play this game.

What is it then about online gaming that makes one play for hours on end? These boys come from middle income families and I am pretty sure that they have their own computers in their own homes. Yet, they still come here and play. They say that playing alone is "corny". There is a different excitement when one plays against each other than playing against a computer. Perhaps it is another form of socialization... similar to going to a party or bar and having some fun with your friends.

Most parents have negative perception of these online gaming trends. They see it as a distraction and see nothing positive about it. But, there are also benefits that one gets from playing these games. As long as it is not too violent, games enhances the mind of the player in such a way that they have to develop a tactic and strategy. Cooperation and teamwork to be able to win is also a must.

Come to think of it, teenagers have various ways of "hanging out" with friends and with the age of technology, playing online games is definitely here to stay.