Seeking Answers to Life

I learned one vital lesson in life--never be seeking answers to life seriously and you'd see that serious answers just come to you without effort. No kidding (I'm trying to be serious here). The more I enjoy what comes to me, the deeper life insights I get. So I decided, seeking answers to life involves often staying on the lighter side of life.

In short, always finding something funny to laugh about. I remember being in really tight situations in life with my family and I and my wife would huddle together waiting for something funny to think about--which would often come from me. And our two young boys would laugh along. Then something would hit me--I'd find a new meaning in all of it. I'd become wiser. And I'd knew the funny idea came from God.

I've tried to be serious about life. If you'd see me in person you'd find me looking serious and formal most times. But don't let that facade fool you. I'm really a guy who loves to see something funny to laugh about. You see, I discovered that besides being fruitless and boring, taking life too seriously only added to the stress and anxiety that triggered chemical reactions in the body and which led to diseases. My face became used to  assuming a serious impression as a result, but somehow I can now manage to change all that in just a matter time. I can easily think up something funny to laugh about.

And it's become part of my seeking answers to life without meaning to. I seek but I'm not in a hurry for answers. I read lots of books in my quest, and try a lot of new things and talk to different folks, but I just listen--listening takes patience and forever. Only the wise listen, so says the Book of God. Only the wise can afford forever, and invest in forever. Fools are always in a hurry and they're always serious about everything, wanting nothing to talk about but "God" and posting nothing on their FB but bible quotes.

They're not really seekers--they're just exhibitionists proving that they're better and more spiritual, though they always insist that they're not. Seekers are like travelers that just enjoy the scenery they see around as they gradually progress in distance. They know that excessive seriousness does not shorten or lengthen the journey, but fun and a lighter side of life do seem to reduce travel time. More accurately, they amuse you so much that you forget about time.

I love seeking answers to life while enjoying sips of ice-cold fresh fruit drinks sweetened with wild honey. Or try the soya milk shake mixed with melon extracts and black pearls I discovered one afternoon quest in SM North. Or, alone in our dining room or at my desk or in our front porch, God and I talk a lot (and laugh or cry about) life. Sometimes we literally talk, sometimes we just connect mentally, or better we stare at nothing for hours and then suddenly break into laughter. Then something dawns on me and I see everything clearly. I suddenly become wiser like a serpent, and then he cautions me to take a balanced insight so I become innocent as a dove, too.

God gives you both extremes of an issue. Well, at least that's how he deals with me. I'm always given extreme insights into things and then he helps me synthesize that. Or, he allows me to take one of either extreme sides and explore on it and later miraculously end up with a balanced extremity without any effort. He's wonderful. And that's the whole point of seeking answers to life without meaning to.

Life always has questions to present you--profound or trivial. Just let them be asked. Wait. Then answers come as you enjoy the wait. That's how life is. And that's seeking answers to life with wisdom.

Is There Laugh After Dolphy?

Is there laugh after Dolphy? Definitely. And he wanted it that way. In an interview with Arnold Clavio of GMA 7, the ace comedian said he wanted to be remembered and talked about by people with smiles on their faces. Better if they'd LOL, I guess.

The actor-comedian, Rodolfo Vera Quizon, succumbed to multiple organ failure, among other things, at the Makati Med yesterday at around 8.30 pm, several days before his birthday, July 25. He was 83. He left behind 18 children from different partners. As I watched the news on  his demise, images of the teenage Dolphy in his earlier movies ran through my mind. He certainly made me laugh so much and I loved watching him when he was slender and young and very, very funny.

He'd been funny in his later movies, too, but they're nothing compared to his earlier ones. I remember him with Luis Gonzales when they tried to beat each other in a contest of who was worthy for the love of a pretty rustic girl. Dolphy was supposed to come from Spain assisted by his personal servant, Manaloto, who would whistle to the tune of a famous bull-fight music each time Dolphy would make an appearance.

I remember watching him as sidekick to famous leading men in the 50s and 60s, and I clamored more for him than for the leading men. There was this movie, "Kalabog en Bosyo," where Dolphy and Panchito were really hilarious that they made my stomach ache laughing, even becoming almost breathless. Dolphy was especially funny here. 

Is there laugh after Dolphy? Yup. They just have to play and replay his movies, especially the earlier ones. Oh, did you now that his first screen name was Dolay? It was taken from the name of a hardware store I think somewhere in Ascaraga.

Among my favorites then was when Dolphy was partnered with Chiquito, both comedians, where they played top secret agents out to bust a big syndicate. The fight action was superb, with some hints of Karate, and the comedy was tops. I don't remember the two being partnered again in a movie. They were somewhat pitted against each other in comedy in those days.

Accordingly, when asked who among the young comedians today he admired, Dolphy pointed to Michael V first before mentioning several others. Michael V has his flair for comedy in his own unique ways and appears to be the more intellectual among them, always coming up with something different. Is there laugh after Dolphy? With guys like Bitoy, Bossing Vic Sotto, Jose and Wally, and Willy Nepumuceno around, yeah  sure. 

Especially if they're inspired by Dolphy.

No doubt, there would not be another Dolphy. They would have to create themselves differently. Nobody likes a second rate, trying hard, copycat. And I do hope they run a Dolphy movie now and then, so there's no more question like is there laugh after Dolphy?

Yes, of course. Laugh goes on...

It's Been a Loooong...While!

It's been a long while since I lasted visited here. What--two years? Almost. I've been busy with my other blogs (there are about 2 dozens of them), especially my new blogs which you'll find on the sidebar. If you want to help me do my ministry and publish my books, just visit my blogs, read the contents, and explore everything there. Be like a detective like me, always asking questions and finding out the answers.

So much of my time is being taken by my office works but thank God I still can write blog articles. I've been working now as marketing and training consultant of a company selling purple corn products. I also do product presentations now and then to an audience of network marketers. So you see, I'm a networking speaker. And I also sometimes do art works and compose power point presentation. And they say I'm good. Well, suit themselves.

If I have any talent, it's all God's talent. I got nothing.

Anyway, It's good to be back here. And I hope to write at least 2 new articles a week and make this blog rank high with the search engines. Is that good? Course it is.

Blogging to me is first a pleasure and second an extra income generator. I love to blog because you get to publish right after you write. And it's published worldwide. It's lots better than writing and publishing hard-copy books (I have those, too). But don't get me wrong; I love writing and publishing hard-copy books, too.

However, with blogs you can just write as you please and publish--and your article is available at once for readers at large. I just write as I talk, so that often I write what comes to mind. Somehow they all end up with one theme and direction. Well, sometimes, admittedly, it turns out the other way, and the more I have fun. I like readers a bit confused. Fun if you do, fun if you don't.

Blogs and websites to me are like real estate. Get as many prime sites as you can, focus on some and tend the others now and then. The thing is, you got the address and title first before others did. Then build on them gradually. Don't be in too much hurry. They will get developed in time.

12 Things to Avoid in a Christmas Party

Whatever you do in a Christmas party, don't:

1. Take your ant. But do take your ankle. Ankles are more likely to enjoy parties than ants do. Ants mostly just criticize other ants' dresses. Ankles just laugh and have fun.

2. Expect gifts. Gifts are for tots. Expect checks or cash. That's what they should give grownups--if they know what Christmas means.

3. Forget to bring a banana. No, it's not about it being rich in potassium and vitamins and all that stuff. It's about using the skin when you want someone to "accidentally" slip on the floor because he or she looked degradingly at you.

4. Forget to bring raw egg. No, it's not about how rich it is in protein. You see, parties are bound to get wild and rowdy later--people jumping up and down, running here and there, rolling on the floor and ceiling. These are opportune times you can secretly throw a raw egg at your boss and he won't even notice, or know where it came from. ;)

5. Eat and run. People will surely take notice and make you the talk of the town. Rather eat and disappear, if you can--like dust in the wind.

6. Wear your best. It'll look like you're too desperate for parties. And parties are apt to ruin clothes from spilled drinks, food, cakes and ice creams, and balloon bursts. Wear your best raincoat instead.

7. Slip on the floor. With your weight, the floor might crack and the repair is gonna cost you a lot. And...what a waste of floor tile!

8. Drink too much. Remember, water is bad for alcoholics. Just take a sip or two of water and then load yourself up with liquor.

9. Drink and drive. You're not supposed to be driving your car while in a party, you know. 

10. Forget to bring your own chair. It's a sure winning tactic for Trip to Jerusalem.

11. Forget to bring tissue paper....in case you eat too much.

12. Miss greeting everyone Merry Christmas. Especially if you're the MC--you get it? MC for "Merry Christmas." And well, it's what it's all about. Although in my case, I greet people MC even in summer. 

And oh, there's a 13th rule in Christmas parties for the superstitious who fear anything that falls on the 13th....never believe what you read here. They're supposed to be jokes! ;)

All that Money Just for Gifts?

Where do we get the money we buy gifts with? I don't think it's just from our 13th month and bonuses. I really think we have money printing machines in each of our houses. Either that or some of us have antique magic chest boxes they inherited from our pre-Spanish ancestors, and which can produce money every time they're opened. Or, some of us have fire places where Santa drops sacks of money he got from banks and jewelry stores through underground tunnels he dug.

And not just gifts. Each Christmas you see people buying expensive Christmas lights they fill their houses with. They even put them on their fences and roofs and shrubberies and gates and dog houses---and sometimes on their dogs, too. Do you know how much they cost per yard or meter? And then their electric cost. And that's not enough, they have their houses re-painted and re-furnished and re-paired, if not re-constructed altogether. 

Not to mention the special costly food they have each meal, and that's from December 16 to January 1. Some have them till January 6. Then the outings--they go here and there to treat the whole family. And yes, add to this the super expensive firecrackers for New Year's. 

Mysterious spending spree. And all because of two reasons--it's Christ's supposed birthday, and the year is turning new. And because of these two reasons we pamper each other with gifts. Some insist Christmas should be observed the year round. Think what that would do to inflation. Every month bonus and 13th month?

One day I got bored with celebrations and just opted to stay home and read books. I read the bible. I found nothing about having to celebrate Jesus' birth. I found one on celebrating his death. Well, I also discovered that, if there's one thing needed to celebrate on Christ's birth, it's giving up everything we own and following Jesus all the way, imitating how simply he lived, getting his priorities, values, and mindset. We need to celebrate that---the whole year round.

Water Crisis Solution: Rain?

It seems the more it rains the more we are in a water crisis in Metro Manila. Funny. And sometimes it’s not funny anymore. Especially when there’s not a drop of water from the faucet early in the morning and your digestive system is programmed to detox at 5 am. And your kids are also up early for their morning classes. Even if you have 5 toilets and a hundred faucets they won’t provide any water crisis solution.

But there’s a solution. They’re doing it in Singapore. It’s a new technology of recycling wastewater, treating it through the use of especially developed membranes that make it so clean and safe for drinking. And they’ve wisely invested in it. Experts say the year 2030 would find Asian cities more packed with inhabitants because 60 percent of the world’s population is concentrated in the region. Initial steps for a water crisis solution should be starting now before a worsened situation happens 20 years hence.

The problem in the Philippines is corruption. We’ve been pestered by chronic water problems and yet we have not developed any technological remedy for it—because we lack the funds to do it. Why the lack? Because of corruption. This is not to say that the present water managers are corrupt. It's more due to corruption in general since it started in the country years ago.

Even in the 21^st century our water crisis solution is still to hope for rainy days to fill up our reservoirs. Such a primitive method. We are an archipelago surrounded by water on all sides and yet we have this ubiquitous water crisis annually. We lack the technology to tap waste water and sea water for human consumption—or at least use a molecularly altered version of them or something to that effect, to substitute for fresh water used for laundry, car wash, street or garage cleaning, plant watering, and the like.

So where does all the money for water source research go? Why have we not started to invest on an alternative water source long before? As it is, our only "solution" to a water crisis is to announce it when it's here. With the population increasing each year, this "solution" is bound to get us all in serious trouble soon. Add to this the estimates of experts saying some 60 million cubic meters of good water go to waste everyday in most Asian countries due to pipe leaks. Pipe leaks? And if the leaks are remedied 200 million people would be amply supplied with clean water. Wow! So, why aren't they fixed?

How About Deep Wells?

Deep wells no longer provide long-term water crisis solution. In fact, they just worsen the situation with water tables in most places getting deeper, almost depleting underground water resources. Just look at what happens with our real estate boom. They turn rice fields into paved subdivisions. When it rains, the soil loses the ability to absorb water because it is now covered with thick subdivision concrete—compared to when rice fields flourished and took in water that seeped into the ground and into the water tables. Thus, as people put up deep wells, underground water is used up without being replaced.

I wonder why we don’t seriously consider desalination. Sea water is everywhere—literally! The technology may be expensive, but we have to prepare for that glum water supply scenario come 2030. In fact, we don’t have to wait for 2030; the debacle is already here, hinting that we should’ve started looking for a water crisis solution decades ago. Okay, forget about opportunities wasted—we shouldn’t cry over spilled milk. But, shouldn’t we start now? What are we doing aside from waiting for rains to fill up our dams? The picture on the right is a desalination device. Why not make a study of it?

Cloud Seeding?

The problem with this method is that, they seed clouds over water reservoirs but then the winds blow them away and the rains fall in the cities, flooding them instead. It often happens. Thus, notwithstanding the downpour, Metro Manila is still water-less, that is, except for the floods.

Okay, so the seeded clouds burst in the cities, not in dams. Can’t they remedy that? I mean, why not think of a way to channel rain water falling in the cities to the dams? The clogged drainage system and heavily polluted esteros and creeks and rivers prevent this from happening, they would say. Then, isn’t it about time they did something to resolve this once and for all?

Some would say the fault is with the people. They keep throwing their wastes in the river systems. If people do their responsibilities, and are disciplined, we would have more than what we have now. Oh, but that’s overused cliché already. They always put the blame on the people—and that line of reasoning is beginning to be more the solution than a mere remark. They resort to that truism when faced with the problem each year, and then go on with the usual I-hope-it-rains-more-this-year remedy. By the way, the picture on the left is a desalination pack.

However, Filipinos living in other countries are noted to be highly disciplined. They follow rules to the letter, like throwing wastes in proper places. Why is that? Because foreign governments provide the means to express discipline. They don’t just talk of discipline; they provide outlets for it, too. They have proper garbage collection and waste disposal systems. How can you not throw garbage into the river and creeks when no garbage truck comes around to collect them? What do they expect? That you sacrifice your family and keep the garbage in your house so that germs and bacteria breed in there to infect your kids or spread diseases?

There was a TV network that reported on the present water crisis. I was hoping they'd be asking government what concrete steps it is doing to ease the problem. But all they did was to show the extent of the water crisis, showing people getting in long lines waiting for fire trucks to supply them with water. That news coverage didn't help one bit. So, we saw how pitiful people were without water. What then? They should've included interviews with government leaders about specific plans to alleviate the situation, and specifically, how to fill up the Pantabangan with water. If worse comes to worse, what does government plan to do?

So, what’s the water crisis solution? It should begin with the government. They should stop corruption and lead an example conserving water, too. There was once a big water leak in our neighborhood which we reported to the authorities. It took them about a week to respond. Imagine the gallons of water wasted each minute. Experts worldwide say if everyone learns how to save water effectively, there’s no need to look for new sources of potable water. And government should spearhead in this resolve. God is faithful and has been providing what man needs. When we squander His resources, then we have a crisis—often, one we could not remedy ourselves. The picture below is not a fluorescent bulb. It is a sea water RO membrane.

Sunniest and Windiest Typhoon So Far

It all began on the morning of June 13, 2010. The sun was up and shining beautifully while I and several joggers went our routine around the block. After further workout I had some more time with God at the porch, had breakfast, and took a bath. Then the sky darkened and it suddenly rained hard. Well, after all, I thought, it's the rainy season already.

Later, morning classes were suspended. My wife called up to say there's a typhoon coming, and our youngest had better be picked up from school. I said I didn't see anything on any typhoon on the Net (I work home as a web content writer). "It's due to arrive tonight!" she said. Then why suspend classes in the morning? Hmm, this might be a case for Choy’s Blog? I thought. I didn't know that rain had started pouring like crazy on other parts of the Metropolis. 

The evening news said there was a typhoon coming to Aurora Province and Metro Manila was only under signal number 1. The newbie guy from PAGASA reporting on TV seemed nervous about his first on air live appearance. His voice was crackling. Nothing to worry about, I thought. With winds from 120 to 150 kpm, a signal 1 can only be slightly felt, if any. I'm quite familiar with typhoon signals. 

So at 9pm we were in bed. I told my kids to stop wishing for class suspension tomorrow. It was only signal 1--only preschool was affected. The weather was okay, no rain, no wind, nothing. 

However, I woke up at 11 past to the frightening sounds of howling winds. This is signal number 1? I asked myself, still on bed. I heard the roofs of my neighbors banging, like someone was playing on a drum set ceaselessly and wildly. And you could hear the winds whistling sharply. We were on the second floor, and our roof seemed to be crackling as well, but I told God I had nothing to worry about. I remembered Jesus sleeping amidst a crazy lake storm, and the boat was almost capsizing. I didn't want to be rebuked with, "You of little faith!"

The wind lambasted our roofs and trees for about 2 hours. Definitely, this was not signal number 1. Again, the weathermen were wrong, as usual. But who can blame them? Jesus had said, "the wind blows wherever it wills...no one knows where it comes from or where it goes." You just have to rely on God each moment, storm or no storm. I wanted to hear something from the radio people but electricity was out. So, I just decided to sleep. It was cold--a shame if you let that natural air-conditioning go to waste by worrying and not enjoying a cool sleep. 

Finally, the typhoon was gone at about 4 am. All quiet on all sides. Eerily too quiet. Lull of the storm? I didn't think so. The quiet went on till daylight was on. The birds started to sing. Earlier, I had worried about the birds and their nests, next to worrying about people who lived under the bridge or in makeshift quarters. God and I had talked about them as I tried to get some sleep.

My family was up at 7am (we usually rose at 5am). No workout for that day. We stayed in our front porch (the brownout was still on) talking about the night before. Later, other relatives from the compound joined us. It was perfect for a Choy’s Blog entry. We laughed out loud about it all. We had our breakfast of hot Milo, bread, a little rice, sweet potato, eggs, and fish and enjoyed the cloudy view outside. It was a nice, cool, and happy morning. 

A little later, the sun appeared--while typhoon "Bashang" was still punishing parts of Central Luzon. My real estate partner and her husband later came in their van and joined us at our porch. Then we decided to look around for new townhouses for sale in the community. The lights returned in the afternoon, and I and my wife and kids enjoyed FaceBook posting together for a while. We had veggies for supper, saw the evening news (my, what devastation from a signal 1--well, it was later changed to signal 2), and then went to sleep. BTW, the typhoon hit directly at Metro Manila. And those pics above on the right are Typhoon Smartphones.

I'm just wondering---the US Naval satellite and Japanese weather radar were able to pick up the storm from their monitors and trace its path. They warned of a direct hit in Metro Manila. My sister, who works for the US government, says the embassy here has been warned early on July 13 about the direct hit. If PAGASA isn't that equipped yet, then why not coordinate with the US Navy and Japan weather station? Pic above on the right is a Snap Eurofighter Typhoon Minis Kit.

Yup. It was the strongest signal number one ever--sunny, windy, and funny. ;)

Choy’s Blog.