booknewb

what am I doing. are we going down this path again?

Today I learned of a Japanese diplomat who saved thousands of Jews out of Nazi occupation, Chiune Sugihara.  Fascinating human being. Much like Oskar Schindler, He did this being in direct disobedience to his in-group, with all the consequences increasingly salient; with all the risks involved. I came to the story through Robert Cialdini's Pre-Suasion, in one chapter which includes Unity. After having researched, and read more and more about the guy, it's clear how awesome the guy is. At the time, Japan had a wartime relationship with Nazi Germany. Knowing this, it would be clear that aiding Jews would be a crime. Even after being rejected by his superiors in issuing Japanese Travel Visa's, he made the necessary documents anyway for refugees. Some sources say he worked 18 hours for days on end, signing documents. Even before closing the consul/embassy, and minutes before his train departed, he was still making documents. and finally, bowing apologetic to the peo...

A video has gone, as the term goes, "viral" recently about travel. The creator cites what probably most travel enthusiasts' nerves got hit on; Work now travel later.  Sure enough, the comments came crashing down and it's a torrent of millennial angst.  It's easy to imagine the backlash with all of people's different interpretations and outlook about travelling. I think it's about intention. It's irresponsible to travel if you're in back-to-back credit card debts, or leave while your sons and daughters are unguided. To travel n eedlessly because of the attention, and the likes and follows, something's not quite right there. So travel, get away, set on your wanderlust but don't forget this is heightened. It's a peak experience.  You still have to find meaning in the daily grind, the day-in and day-out. Not only on the days you're away. You're going to spend more time in the routinary and the non-peak experiences. If you do...

Love is a collaborative work of art Love is an aesthetic experience Love is unpredictable Love is creative It requires communication and discipline It's frustrating and emotionally demanding It involves both joy and pain Each experience of love is different -Mandy Len Catron A bit from Mandy Len Catron's ted talk. I like this version of a metaphor. It implies that love is something you create. It doesn't just happen to you. Contrary to the romantic view of "falling" in love. It will not draw, paint, or sing itself. It's an active decision. One that requires a specific kind of awareness of your own intentions.

Sometime in January I had set the following. 1. Focus on relationships, maintaining, strengthening and creating new ones 2. Get over yourself, Laugh about yourself 3. Do good work 4. Limit fast food 2x a week for lunch until February 5. Mend. Start again 6. Learn values of resilience and overcoming adversity 7. Be respectful, low-key and accessible 8. Get better overall Results: 1. Relationships - Fair, I feel quite content with my relationships right now. 2. Get over yourself - Yes! still work to be done. 3. Do good work - I hope I have 4. Limit fast food - Needs Improvement. 5. Mend. Start again - Yes! 6. Resilience/Overcoming Adversity - Yes, Very insightful year 7. Respectful, low-key, accessible - Yes, Fair, Fair 8. Get better overall - I would say yes.

Dreams do not have a chance to be realized if you don't schedule them. Lesson: Schedule them. The past year, the incoming year and all other years do not owe you anything. Lesson: You are merely a visitor in this time and space. You can't treat a person based solely on how they're treating you. AKA. The Golden Rule on steroids. Lesson: Be kind irregardless. I'm not entirely sure how grammar works for triple negatives, the point is be nice anyway. Lesson pt.2: Put your phone down and talk to your date. If you don't take the responsibility in your hands, If you don't fight back on the things you don't like, then who else will? It has to be you. Said a Serbian political activist. Lesson: Revolutions? Nobody's going to do it for you. Both hope and despair are self-fulfilling prophecies. Said two psychologists. Lesson: Choose your destiny wisely. Self-Love is a good thing. Self-awareness is more important. You have to go ...

I've been around the sun twenty-six times now. I still get dizzy from the spin from time to time. But this is incredible that it's even possible. It's a privilege. Thank you Universe. Thank you God.

Do you ever have these streaks where you listen to one song repeatedly for a period of time? I don't know what it is, but I'm having one of those with Copeland's song: She Changes Your Mind. "It was your Hello that kept me hanging on every word And your Goodbye that keeps me listening for your voice around each corner It keeps me listening for your voice around each corner"

I'm in a really anxious state right now. Going to have a medical operation in the next few days. I dont know what's going to happen. May be too early. I do have a tendency of overthinking things. Now's not an exception.

the sooner you realize that this life isn't about you,  the sooner you actually start living. that what a privilege it is that you get to be alive and wander that you are able to participate in life and be a witness to it

Don't crave novelty. Appreciate it. Don't seek it Be grateful for new things, but don't get upset when you don't get to have them. There's a virtue in the boring. In structure In consistency

i'm not at all fearful at the coming elections. i'm fully aware and i know with certainty that whoever i vote for may not win the elections. that's just a fact. and you can't know for certain. whoever wins, i have faith in people that whoever wins, people are going to stand up and speak up if bad things come up. i'd be more fearful if someone wins and no one questions him/her in anything.

Mga araw na lumilipas Saan n apupunta Ang daan na dati tanaw na tanaw Saan napunta Sarili'y nais muling hanapin Saan pupunta Magtiwala ka Maniwala ka Hindi ka nawawala Kung nasaan ka ay nasa lugar kung nasan ka dapat Na sa pagkakataong ito Mas maliwanag ang araw Mas malinaw ang daan Sarili mo'y, kumpleto at sapat

Pinagdarasal ko na sana maging masaya ka. At alam ko, balang araw darating din ang para sa akin.  Naniniwala akong may plano sya, para sa akin at sa taong inaantay din ako.

So back in 2015 I had the following resolutions: 1. Create a financial plan 2. Buy glasses  3. Set a balance on technology use. Limit social media so you have more time on other things  4. See a concert  5. Treat a girl to coffee/dinner once a month  6. Teach someone something for free  7. Exercise more consistently  8. Read more books by Filipino writers  9. Watch more foreign films, specifically Asian stories  In terms of results: 1. Financial Plan - Fair enough 2. Glasses -  Accomplished. Though I use it sporadically 3. Social Media Balance - Below Average 4. See a concert - Accomplished 5. Treat a girl to coffee/dinner once a month - Dinner monthly; No. Treat; I think yes. I lost count around half of the year. 6. Teach someone something for free - Yes 7. Exercise more consistently - Below Average 8. Read more books by Filipino writers - Fair 9. Foreign films, Asian stories - Average So I would assess 2015 as a good...

2015 was a very "full" year. I started out with optimistic, fairly realistic expectations. Some of which I accomplished. Some no.  The middle is now a blur. Like one straight movie montage has flashed. It's like a montage of montages. The latter part of the year was the hardest bit of time I've ever been through. I really let myself out. I was vulnerable. I was desparate. I was weak. I was disheartened. Nevertheless, I'm glad to have to known people I get to call my friends. People who made this period in my life bearable. I can't thank them enough for keeping me afloat. Looking forward, I have not made up my mind yet as to what my resolutions ought to be. Im sure I can think of something up in the next few days. To our creator, Lord, I am forever grateful to you. Thank you for the grace, the blessings, the strength to always carry on. Thank you for my family and friends. Please guide and protect us always.  I'd like to close wit...

There might be a universe where a version of me grows old alone. I'm beginning to think it may be this one. I'm starting to get used to the idea.

I'm around 2 hours away from my 25th birthday. I'm fairly young still. I feel, as human beings at 25, this is the point where we don't have to hurry.  and we don't. we really don't.  There's a small sense of urgency, or simply to not mess up. but you know, No rush. We still have our fair share of wins and disappointments. Or simply put our successes and our lessons. At this point in my life, I am blessed beyond what I can comprehend. I have parents and brothers and sisters, I get to call family. I have friends I get to call "my friends". I have had more opportunities than most people I know. The fact that I am alive and living is amazing. Thank you God.

I had a different view of how this holiday season would hopefully turn out. I guess, that not's going to be the case this time. But you know, that's just how it is. Sometimes you're particularly lucky. Sometimes not. Things don't always go the way we want them to be. And there's nothing wrong with that. We have full volition of how we spend our time. or make our choices. We are not prisoners of outcomes. We are active participants in the scenes we aspire to be in. We are not perfect. We make mistakes. But we also have the capacity to strive for the best versions of our selves. We become weak. We get scared. We get angry. We get lonely. A reminder that we are in fact, humans. The good thing to know is that, we survive. We have the opportunity to stand in courage. To be happy. To join each other in times of our failures and weaknesses.

Paid my last respects to an old friend yesterday. Went to the St. Peter's Parish Shrine of Leaders.  I realized, I've been very near reminders mortality in the last few months.  As scary as the thought of death is, I remembered the first time I had a clear emotion/reaction to it. I was in grade school. It was an afternoon. I guess the teacher was out because I don't remember him/her in this memory. They had distributed this science magazine, a couple pieces of soft printed paper with science-y ideas. I don't remember the exact article but It was something about mortality. I remembered browsing through that magazine. I felt really scared. What's going to happen to me? What about my parents? and people i know etc.  That kind of fizzled out as the days went by. Then yesterday, i realized that death is special. It made me realize that the life we get to have is precious. That there's an end. It made me appreciate more of days we get to have. The mornings and ev...