The Moving Aunne

For a special someone

2021-03-07T00:04:00.007-08:00

Hi,

I know I have been the worst this past year. I know you haven't felt the same way since the pandemic hit and so did I. I thought that giving you space and waiting for you to come around was the right thing for us. I thought that you would become more independent and that you would learn that you are very strong and you can do anything. I thought that giving you the space will help you go back to being with your friends and enjoying your life without me. Most especially, I thought that when you had time to let yourself free a little, I would just be here waiting for you with all the things that you've learned by yourself and having to experience a new you.

I, too, had plans to change over that time. I wanted to enjoy being with my family and experience how it's like to live with them for a longer period of time. We were never in the same house for so long and I wanted to savor that time before I lived away from them. I wanted to make sure they were living ok before I face a new chapter of my life in my 30's. I knew, that when it was time to go outside, I would have to let go of being the spoiled favorite son or grandson for the rest of my life.

I never wanted to leave you hanging. But I thought you wanted to get away from me so bad. I felt you wanted to have a taste of being single for one last time when you went to trips with your friends without me and that I had to leave you be until you came around. I thought that we had to miss each other for a longer time so we could appreciate how much we had together. I really did miss you. I still do miss you. I miss the person I knew. But I know you won't be the same one I would know. I never thought that what I wanted for you will haunt me so much in the end. I am so sorry that I thought it was best for you on my own. I never should have thought of that alone.

Although I missed the old you, I was also looking forward to the new you. I was looking forward to how independent you would be and how much you've enjoyed being with your friends. I was looking forward to the stories you would tell about work and all the new people you met online. I was looking forward to hearing news about your old friends and how their lives have been. I was looking forward to the new stuff you've learned.

Fast forward to today, I guess I was right in many ways and wrong in a lot. I never thought it would come to this but here we are now. I was right that giving you the space you needed was the right would make you realize a lot of things. I was right that you will learn to be independent and that you will find many things you will enjoy with other people other than me. I always knew you would be good with many things and you would be great in many more. You have become an incredible person. Your team loves you and so many people love having you around. Many people reach out to you for advice and you have been great at keeping people company. You also became a very good leader to your teammates. You've had a lot of time to focus on your work and your career has been soaring high. I am very proud of who you've become and I will always be proud that I had a part in pushing you to become the great person you are now. I know you will achieve many more great things and I just hope you remember me when you look back at that list of accomplishments.

I have changed a lot too. Being with my family for a long time has made me realize that I have been dependent on my family for so long. I thought they were the ones that needed me because I payed all the bills and I was the one spending the money. As the weeks went by, I realized I was just there, living. I was in my own room, thinking of things that I wanted to experience with the person I loved the most but she wasn't there. I didn't want to suddenly force myself back into her life while she's focusing on things she wanted to do. And I didn't want to risk the health of my family because I was the only one working and getting sick or getting myself caught because of bad government policies might jeopardize that. I thought I just had to endure having to miss out on so much of her life and it will work out fine because we will have the rest of our lives together.

After that horrible year, I was ready to move on. I was ready to have a life with you no matter where it would take me. I was ready for the future whether it meant moving to a different place or having kids. I thought to myself, "She was right. We should live together for ourselves." I was thinking I'd be all in on all the things you've planned before and all the things you wanted to do. I thought it's worth spending a few more pesos in a month just as long as I could spend the time with you. That's where I was wrong. I always thought you'd be able to do all that. I just never thought you'd want to do it without me.

As much as I love how you've changed, I never thought you would feel miserable with me. We always had a solution to our problems or we always made a compromise. I guess having been away from each other for too long made us lose that. But I never thought the solution was to break up. I never do. I thought maybe since it was a long time before we learned something from being apart, it might take a while for us to being able to come around again. But I never thought the solution was to break up.

I felt that we were out of touch. I felt it the moment we first moved in. I thought six months might be too short of a time to go back to the way things were but I thought six months would be enough time to warrant an extension. We both have changed and I knew it would take long before we could adjust to each other's changes. I just never thought you'd bail after just one month. Being one of the strongest people I know, I thought you wouldn't give up on me that easily. I thought that after living together for six months, we would be able to live anywhere we wanted. I thought, after six months, you would be able to continue your dreams and I will be there to support you wherever you are.

To be honest, I thought it was a sign that someone will be joining my team and be able to do the things I usually do for work. That also means that I can leave now and move to wherever I wanted to go. I loved it. I can learn to live you, I can live away from my family, and I no longer need to be hesitant on leaving my job. Now that I have enough saved, I can be with you wherever you want and not have to worry about what I leave my family with. I started to work on personal projects just so I can refresh my skills and planned on checking my LinkedIn account to see if there were opportunities for me abroad. I even started searching for IETLS mock exams online to see if I also need to review and we can take it together. But then again, that was all me.

I know, right now, you still have this lingering bad feeling whenever I'm around. But for the one month that we have spent here together, I know there's still hope. We still enjoy each other's company. It's just that a lot has been changing and it could be overwhelming. With you having a new job and being emotional with leaving your old job, it's a lot to take in. Add to that the expenses of having to maintain a new place. I think I get it. But it also makes sense to me that we go through what we planned. For me, it's not a waste of time to spend another five months as long as I can see even the slightest spark of hope that we will get through this. I am not willing to give up on someone just because she's changed. I'm not saying that we have to be together all the time. We just have to hold on for five more months and see how it goes. You don't even have to stay every night with me on weekdays. This is as much of a struggle for me as you but just having a place to call our own is enough for now.

I know you think what you feel right now is unfair for me and it is. But life is never fair. I don't want to love you because it's fair. And I know you want it to be fair because you love me. I'm no longer looking for what's fair. I just want to grow old with you. The past year, I've seen how unfair love is. I've seen my mother give up on the job she loves just to keep our family together. I've seen her endure a lot for our family. I've seen her not give up on my father even when it may be hard sometimes. I've seen myself giving up the person I love most for the sake of the other five people I love most. And now I'm giving myself the chance to live without them but I already gave up so much. I just wish I didn't have to choose.

We all change and we all learn. I love you so much and I don't want to lose hope on the most amazing thing that's ever happened to me. If you give us a chance, we will learn even more new things that we never knew about ourselves. I've started to learn a lot already in just one month. I just wish we could continue it for many months more.

I know I haven't said to you much about my feelings but I just thought I didn't want to overload you with so much emotion while you have been going through a lot. I hope to be better at showing you how I feel and I'm trying. I know we'll get through this eventually if we don't give up now. We just have to be patient.

Soren Kierkegaard said, "The unhappiest man is one trapped in past memory or future hope, incapable of living in the present." In some ways, we made ourselves in to that. We think about the past and how we've changed now and we try to go back to what we once were. We also think about the future and the plans we had and we realize that's not going to happen with all the changes. That makes us unhappy. But now I realize we just have to go through this together. You've changed a lot and I don't want to bring you back to who you once were. I just hope that what we are doing now will lead us to a future that was not what we planned but a future that we will have together. I don't mind the changes that happened while we were apart. What matters is that as long as we still love each other, all these changes that we've rediscovered about ourselves will fall into place once we rediscover what we are together. I love you through all the changes and I will love you for more than that. I have always been loving you.

"Sana all" may not be good at all

2021-02-22T17:56:00.013-08:00

I woke up this morning asking myself, "why are people not contented with what they have?" Why do we always find something we don't have and try to force ourselves that we should have that? In an era full content, why is there so much discontent?

I realized that the phrase "sana all" is a big part of this. We often see this phrase in comments on social media where everyone shares "the good stuff". We see a couple's nice photo and the first comment is "sana all". We see a woman in a bikini on the beach with the caption, "sunkissed", "beach please", or "vitamin sea", and the first comment is "sana all". We see a person's photo in a foreign country with a historical land mark and the first comment is "sana all".

I get it. It's supposed to make the person in the photo feel good about themselves. However, does the person saying it feel any better? "Sana all" is funny at first but as I hear it or see it more, I realize that it is just another deadly sin. It's just a funny way of saying we are envious. Social media is full of these photos and we will see them every day especially when we know so many people. When we scroll through every photo on Instagram and check at each person's daily story, "sana all" becomes an autocomplete on the comment box.

The more we use this phrase, the more we get envious of other people and then we want to post our own photos so that others comment the same phrase to us. We try to check how many likes we got or how many comments were said to feel good about ourselves but does that really make us feel satisfied? Will we ever be satisfied? We will never be satisfied.

And then there are these people we call "influencers" -- these people who share their own opinions and experiences about a subject and people act like these are the experts to follow religiously. These people will always show us what we want and when we see something we think is what we need, we try to follow what they do. Whether it's their travel tips, or the inside drama or the romantic advise we didn't really ask for, we subscribe to that because they make us feel things. We don't realize that these people are just ordinary people who are posting things on social media just like any other friend we have. This is all just content that we all consume.

This is also true for relationships. We see couples on social media showing us how good they look like together. We "stan" or "ship" people because we think they're perfect. We think of our relationships as something that we want to develop into because we see these social media couples and we want what they have. But it's not like that. Not all people are the same. Not everyone has the guts to walk around with a dozen roses to show how sweet he is. Not everyone will understand that what you see in social media is what you want in your life. And not everything you want in social media is what you need in your life.

The reality is that every person is different. On the other hand, virtual reality tells us that we can be anyone or that we can do anything. We then get envious of what we don't have and jokingly comment, "sana all" to those who have it but we do have a lot that others also don't have. If we focus on what we don't have now, we miss out on all the good things happening for us. Whether it's getting out of a toxic work environment, getting that new high-paying job, working from home and being with your family, or even just being able to wake up late.

Right now, I have the luxury of taking a few minutes break from work to write my thoughts for a post that will be content consumed by people on social media. As ironic as it sounds, social media is also a place to put our feelings "out there". It's really why it's there in the first place. It's just that when we put our feelings out there, people might feel other things. It can be a good thing if we try to make it for ourselves and not just for likes and comments.

Wherever this content goes, I hope you see the things that you have now, which you only wished for before, and tell yourselves, "this was my sana all". Have a good day!

How Cebu is producing top-notch students

2019-05-09T11:02:00.000-07:00

When we talk about Cebu, we talk about the food, the tourist attractions, the laid-back lifestyle, and the Sinulog celebration. A common misconception about Cebu is that it is just all that. However, aside from its rich culture, scenic landscapes, and good food, Cebu is also a center for business and development in the south. There is no wonder why Cebuanos sometimes take offense on comments that seem to underestimate our beloved city. Note that when I refer to Cebu, I mostly mean Cebu City and Mandaue City which, for now, are the more developed cities in the province.

Just a few days ago, the results of the Philippine Bar Exams were released. 4 out of the top 10 passers came from Cebu. It was a proud moment for Cebuanos as it showcased academic excellence within the island. Not long after that, some articles and comments spread around social media that seem to question why students from the "provinces" are able to excel in the exam. This led to the Cebuanos taking offence to those comments. I can only imagine how the other "provinces" are feeling after reading those kinds of comments. But as a Cebuano, I may be able to share my opinion on how Cebu is doing well based on my observations.

Resources

Contrary to what others might think, Cebu is not just a province in the south. It is an urban community with abundance of many different resources as it is located at the center of the Philippines. People in Cebu have access to stable energy and internet access. Cebu is also home to many popular universities where people from the Visayas and Mindanao come to get their education. That means Cebu is not only able to cater to the education of its residents, it can also cater to neighbouring provinces as well. I have had many friends in college who come from different parts of the Philippines and found themselves staying in Cebu.

Moreover, with businesses and developments coming in, it becomes easier for people from neighbouring provinces to find jobs that are more relevant to their line of business. Year after year, more and more buildings are being built in Cebu and the job market is also growing especially in the BPO industry. Although developments are simultaneously happening in provinces like Iloilo and Davao, Cebu might have a more geographical advantage being at the middle of everything. I have also been to different parts of the country like Iloilo, Bacolod, Dumaguete, Bohol, and Cagayan de Oro and they have also been developing and proving that they are not just "the provinces". With the technology that is available in the different parts of the country, the exchange of knowledge is no longer limited to the capital and the north.

Coffee shops

With the increase of BPO companies, there has also been a rise of 24-hour coffee shops. This is because BPO employees who work the night shift try to find that extra jolt of caffeine to wake them up for another busy night at the office. These coffee shops are also the best places for students to study because of the peaceful ambience. Of course, coffee shops can also be found anywhere else in the country and students everywhere study in them. What, I believe, sets Cebu apart is that it has a good balance of being an urban area and also has the calmness during the night. This means that businesses are still open at night while the streets are already calm and no longer able to distract the students as they study. If you go around coffee shops in Cebu during the night, there will always be at least one person reading a book or opening his notes from a mobile device. It also helps that these coffee shops have free wifi for them to google what needs to be researched.

It also helps that the city has opened the public library for 24 hours everyday. This helps students who cannot afford a tall hot Americano from the nearest Starbucks. Now, they also have a place to study too. I even see people studying in the gym sometimes because of the fast internet connection.

Food and Transportation

After hours of studying, students can also find a lot of affordable food everywhere in the city. There is the popular "silogan" where they can buy affordable yet delicious food. There are also mobile vendors who sell different kinds of street food that fill their stomachs. And I'm not even talking about the controversial street food from Netflix. I'm talking about siomai sa Tisa, barbecue sa Larsian, chicken proben, Chinese Ngohiong, and pungko-pungko. So if you're wondering what Cebuano students eat that make them smart, now you know.

Aside from that, transportation is also available even during the late hours of the night. Students are no longer worried of not being able to go home since there is always transportation available. Security is still an issue but, recently, police presence has increased throughout the city. The abundance of habal-habal drivers roaming around the city is also convenient for people who live in areas where there are a few jeepneys during the night.

Night Life

Another side to look at in Cebu is that the nightlife here is different from what it was 5 to 10 years ago. The usual hangout places have changed from bars and clubs to pastry stores and coffee shops. During my college days, people my age were always in bars every weekend. We used to drink beer and "tagay" in our favorite karaoke house outside the school. Now, the popular clubs have closed down over the years leaving only a few which Cebuanos only go to on special occasions. This leads to students having fewer distractions from their studies. Also, students become more inclined to studying because it becomes more fun when they study in big groups. Often times I am critical towards this but it is also hard to ignore that studying in coffee shops is the new "Cool" here in Cebu.

With all the things I have mentioned, ultimately it is up to the students' diligence and capacity to learn that determines the results of these exams. Their training and the guidance of their teachers also play a huge role in their success. However, it definitely helps to have a good peaceful environment where they can focus and also exchange ideas with their peers in studying. While it's annoying to find no vacant tables in the coffee shops, it's comforting to know that the city's or the country's future is in good hands.

The Endgame scene that moved me the most

2019-05-01T06:58:00.002-07:00

By now, most of us have already seen the movie Avengers: Endgame. It's the culmination of all the other Marvel movies that has led to this cinematic masterpiece. For an MCU fan like myself, it's not everything that I had hoped for but it turned out to be the perfect ending to this decade-long series of epics. Warning: spoilers ahead.

The movie was filled with great scenes that will keep the audience's jaws dropping. However, the best scene that amazed me the most was the scene during the final battle where Spiderman was trying to keep the Infinity Gauntlet away from Thanos. He was struggling to keep himself going and out of nowhere, the strong female characters, that Marvel has built up so wonderfully, were behind him to back him up. During that moment in the movie, it showed us that there were more than just the male heroes saving the day. There were strong women behind them all.

It was wonderful seeing that it was not just Captain America, Ironman, or Thor's fight, It was Captain Marvel, Pepper Potts, and Valkyrie's fight too. It showed the audience that the burden of protecting the world from its impending doom is a burden we all share regardless of age and gender. That scene, for me, was a representation that it is not just up to the men to protect their home. It is also up to the women to lead the charge.

This sentiment can very much be relatable to our real lives. Many of us have grown up to believe that the men in our lives are the strong heroes that save the day. However, as all men must strive to be the pillars of strength, we should also remember that we are nothing without the women beside us. I am lucky to be able to say that I am one of those people who grew up around strong women. Not to take away anything from the men around me, but I have to acknowledge that I am nothing without these women. From my grandmother who fed me and took good care of me when I was young, to my mother who worked tirelessly to provide for us and give us a good education, and to my many cousins and friends who protected me and helped me out all my life. I am forever grateful.

I know that women's day or women's month already passed but I think that scene from one of the greatest films ever made should remind us that everyday should be women's day. This world of ours is not just for men to rules, it is for humans to live in.

How my fanboy self is feeling about Avengers: Infinity War

2018-05-06T11:43:00.002-07:00

Just a few weeks ago, Marvel released their biggest production yet. Avengers: Infinity War, as they say, "is the most ambitious crossover ever assembled". And true enough, that ambitious crossover is now a huge success.

I'm not really a huge comic book fan and I'm not really familiar with most Marvel characters. However, since the Marvel Cinematic Universe started to take shape, I became really hooked. I have watched almost all the movies and even the TV shows just so I can get even the smallest details that have meaning to the MCU. From Iron man, to Captain America, to Thor, up to the latest episodes Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., I watched them all. Now, this movie puts together these puzzle pieces to form one huge blockbuster hit.

As fans, we get to see who would get the honour of playing our favourite superheroes. We get to see how it would look like when they're not just drawn in comic books or animated cartoons. We get to see these heroes as humans just like us. We all know it's not real but this time, it's the closest to real life as it can get. Much like how science advances human knowledge by experimentation, These kinds of movies advances the human creativity and fantasy. Before, we can only imagine how these characters would look like in real life. Now, we get to see them portrayed by real people.

Avengers: Infinity War is also a proof of hard work and a great deal of planning. This did not just happen overnight. It took years to create this movie and someone to see the big picture before it even came to be. For me, this is what made this so great. We became used to successful movie franchises that had so many sequels where the next one just added up to the other. But this new Avengers movie was more than that. It is not a linear augmentation of a story where we find everything out on the next sequel. It is the interconnection of different stories and attention to detail where we find out that mystery behind one superhero's story is actually connected to another hero's.

Even if you are not really a MCU fan, I still advise you to watch the movie. If you read between the lines, you will realize that story in the movie is not far from what is happening in the world today. And along the way, you will realize that ideologies and the emotional connections in this "ambitious crossover" are undeniably truly human.

Dear future self

2015-12-27T18:42:00.002-08:00

Hi! how are things going there? I hope you're doing well. I hope you're still working on the dreams that I have. But if not, don't be too hard on yourself. If things are going wrong, don't for get that I've already solved a lot before you got there so why would you give up now? Be strong!

Don't forget to reflect on what has happened to you just like what I'm doing now. Don't forget to pray. I don't go to mass on Sundays but I still light a candle almost everyday. That's good enough. Always remember to count your blessings. Always believe in yourself and if you ever doubt yourself, you know a good walk can make you feel better. You'll be alright. I can't say much about you because I haven't known you that much yet but I know whatever happens, you can find a way to smile.

Also, please don't forget about the people you love. Cherish them. Your family, friends, the people you work with and the people you will meet. You will learn from them just like how I've learned from the people our old self has learned. Whatever you're doing, good or bad, keep it up. Eventually you'll learn something and become better.

Dear college self,

2015-12-27T18:33:00.002-08:00

How are you? I'd like to thank you for everything you have done, everything you have sacrificed, and for enduring all of it to bring me to where I am now. I hope you're not too hard on yourself. You might have some pain, heartache, and you might have done a lot of things wrong but don't be to hard on yourself. You know you're not perfect and you know you can still do better.

I'd like to tell you that in my time, things are going great. I've been able to achieve some little things and I'm starting to make those dreams you had come true. Right now, I'm typing this thing on a 13-inch macbook air that you would have never thought you would own. This year, I've been buying a lot of stuff that I think I don't deserve but I know you do. I owe it all to you.

You've had so much to endure in your time. You had to deal with the pressure of being the eldest, the pressure of having failing grades, and all that crap. I hope you should know that things are going to get better. Everything I am now is because of you. Thank you!

Along the way, never forget about your family, friends, the people you work with and the people you meet. They will have a great impact on your life. Keep dreaming and stay humble. Trust in God and He will you lead you here.

How A Dream Came True

2013-03-16T08:22:00.001-07:00

It's always a good feeling to fall in love. I've been there many times over and I know that those who have read my older post could say that I may sound a little bit desperate in searching for "The One". If you have been watching the show "How I Met Your Mother", You might see a little Ted Mosby in me. You would think I'm the guy who's been desperately chasing girls and looking for love and you could be right. I could not deny the fact that I have been a romantic failure. However, almost three months ago, something unexpected happened.

On December 28, 2012, I was tired from work and wanted to relax on my day off. It was Friday and I wanted to start my weekend getting relaxed to relieve me from the stress of a week's work. After work, I decided to get a massage and stretch some muscles after sitting for 8 hours in the office. So I got to a familiar massage place and got a good Swedish Massage.

After the massage, I texted my bro and drinking buddy, Jp, to ask him if he was going somewhere that night. I wanted to have a few drinks and he was always the person I could easily invite when it comes to those things. Luckily, he also wanted to have a drink that night. However, he was going out with his classmates from elementary so I would be out of place. Fortunately, I knew some of his classmates so I wouldn't be so much out of place so I decided to go with them instead. Jp was always a good wingman so I asked him if there were also some girls coming. He said that there were girls and he even said that he would hook me up with one. Excited about meeting new people and much more excited about the drinking, I went to where they were to see what was up.

When I arrived, Jp greeted me and immediately introduced me to his friends. He introduced me especially to the girl he wanted to hook me up with, Aiko. At first, I honestly didn't find our meeting magical or anything of that sort. That night, I just wanted to drink. So the night went on and I had a few drinks. It didn't mean anything at first but as I was talking to Aiko, it seemed like I was just comfortable talking to her. We had a good exchange of thoughts (nothing too personal) but sensible nonetheless. That time, I decided that I should get her number. So when she was about to leave to go home, I went with her to get a cab and just as soon as the cab arrived, I went to ask her number. Unfortunately she was in a hurry to ride the cab so I just asked her if I could get the number from Jp which she said yes and so I did a few days later.

Before the year ended, I decided to text her for the first time. We were texting and as we were talking, we decided to meet the next day. It was New Year's Day. We went to the mall to watch a movie and later that night we went to eat at the "Pungko-pungko". Realizing that she wasn't the typical girl I thought that it would be nice to ask her out again.

So the weeks went by and so we became closer. I was able to meet with her friends and I hung around with her more often than usual. I then decide to pursue her and ask her to be my girlfriend. Unfortunately, she didn't give me a reply right away. Fair enough, things were just going too fast and we had just met each other. So she asked me to wait for her reply and so I did.

On February 14, Valentine's day, among the many guys who wanted to date her, I was the fortunate one who asked her out first. I already asked her out the Sunday before that and she was thinking that I asked her not because of the date but just because it was her day off. So that night, I decided to prepare a little something. I didn't want the usual flowers and dinner and movies because I knew it would just be a boring date. So to make things a little different, I thought of something unusual.

That night I decided to give her an empty box. Yes, you read it right. It was an empty box. I covered the box with white bond paper and wrote something on it. Inside the box was a small piece of paper with a little writing. When she arrived, I gave her the box where on the cover was a note which said "Ingon ani ang life ni Aunne-Rouie Arzadon kung wala siya kaila ni Aiko Sarmiento." ("This is Aunne-Rouie Arzadon's life if he hadn't met Aiko Sarmiento.") I then asked her to open the box and she read the small piece of paper which said "Empty". I wasn't sure if it left a positive impression of the night but still I thought it was a good thing because I didn't see any sign of disappointment in her face. So we went on to my next plan.

For that night, I decided to take her to eat again at a "Pungko-pungko" since it is least one could think of when taking someone on a date. But before that, I showed her a list of rules that we had to follow for that night. To summarize those rules, we were to play games for that night. I would take her to a game and challenge her. For every challenge, the winner gets to have 50 points and the loser gets 30. The person with the highest total points for the night gets to give the loser a dare or let the loser do anything the winner wants. Of course as long as the loser doesn't feels very much uncomfortable and agrees to do it. So the night went on and we had fun playing bowling and billiards. By the end of the night, I ended up winning. I wasn't able to give her a dare yet and up until now I still haven't gotten my reward for that nights game. However, there was something more waiting for me that night. After I walked her home from our date, she gave me a kiss and I was happy with how the night ended. So I took off and went home myself.

As I was walking home, I suddenly received a text from her. In the text message, she wrote that she really had fun and that my long awaited response from her had been answered. She said "Yes". That night she became my girlfriend. She told me before that she wouldn't say it on Valentine's day because it was very cliche and true enough, it wasn't on Valentine's day. It was a few hours after that.

Now it's been a month since that day. Although it's only been a month but I feel like I've known Aiko for so long. What we have is what I've always wanted in a relationship. Every time I'm with her, I feel that falling in love is just so easy. I never give her a hard time; she never gives me a hard time. We just understand each other so much that most of the time, we don't even have to ask - we just know.

In my search for love, this time, things are looking up. I have found a best friend, a sister, a mother, and most especially, a lover all wrapped up in a single person. I don't know what lies ahead for us but I am sure that if we keep up what have so far, we are unbreakable. I trust her and I know that she trusts me and that is important.

Aiko, if you are reading this, know that you are a very important part of my life and that I will always be there for you. Let's face the world together through good times and bad. you will have me to cry on in times when your tears start to fall. You will have me to be there to take care of you in times when your body starts to hurt. And most importantly, you will have me to trust in times when people start to turn their backs on you. You know I'm not perfect but I swear I'm perfect for you. It's been a month. Let's make it four months, or four years, or four decades, or forever and ever and ever. I love you, BB LAB :)

How to be Successful

2013-02-04T07:52:00.001-08:00

So I was asked by my cousin from Canada if I could write about an essay about three topics. One of these three topics was about how to be successful. And when I saw this while we were chatting, it struck me. I was always aiming for success and I was always hoping to be successful but I haven't really thought about how. So I will just write my essay here.

There are so many different ways to define success. Success, for me, is relative to each person. Every person has his or her own definition of success and how to measure it. With that, one thing we should remember in order to know how to be successful is to know and set your goals. This is the very first thing that we should remember to achieve success. We will not be able know that we have succeeded if we do not know what we want to achieve. goals are important since when we attain these goal, we will know that we have succeeded.

The next question is, "Are goals enough?" Of course not! We may have a lot of goals in mind but do these goals keep us going on? Maybe it's enough for some but most of us don't act much on our goals and are contented with our everyday lives. On that note, we should have motivation. Motivation is very important because it keeps us interested in achieving our goals. Some little reward for every milestone that we have achieved could be a big motivating factor.

For sure, we all need to set these things to be successful. aside from that, we should also have a plan on what we have to do and have an alternate plan in case one fails. With that, we should be ready of failure. In this world, you're lucky if you succeed right away. As we go on, we should learn to accept that there are always time when we should fall down. That doesn't mean that we should stop trying. This instead become our opportunity to rise back up and come back stronger. Be optimistic. Never think of failure as a sign of the end. It's always a sign that means there must be another way.

For me, I can't say that I have already succeeded all my goals since I am still very young but I can say I have succeeded many times already. And with that, I have also failed a lot. Hope keeps me pushing forward and for as long as I have strength, I will continue hoping to succeed and asking for more.

Before another year ends.

2012-12-30T22:45:00.001-08:00

It's been a bumpy ride coming this far. It's been one hell of a year. We've all had our ups and downs. We all fought our own battles and climbed our mountains. As this year closes, we should all remember the people we met, the times we shared with them and the memories we made. Some of the people we knew may have been gone and those strangers we met along the way may have been closer to us. with that, we should all be thankful that we had one year to be with them. May we find more friends along the way and make new memories.

For all the people we've hurt and the people who have hurt us, may forgiveness reign in our hearts so that we may be able to move on from the storms in our lives. May we all think of it as experiences gained rather than chances lost. May we all prosper in the new year and gain new hope for new beginnings.

I am optimistic about this new year because this is a new start for everyone. May faith, hope and love reign on us all. Since the so called "End of the World" was postponed, let us take this chance to have meaningful lives before our times come.

Have a happy new year everyone!

Prayers

2012-12-19T06:24:00.000-08:00

When I was in elementary and high school, we were asked to pray together before every class starts. There was a different prayer for every period and we were asked to memorize each and every one of them. We all did memorize them but I think some of us never got the meaning of these prayers. For me, I just realized them now but it's never too late, isn't it?

Prayer for Generosity:
"Dearest Lord,
Teach me to be generous.
Teach me to serve you as I should.
To give and not to count the cost.
To fight and not to heed the wounds.
To toil and not to seek for rest.
To labor and not ask for reward.
Save that of knowing that I do your most holy will."

Prayer Before Study or Work:
"Direct I beseech you, O Lord, all my actions by your inspiration, and carry them by your gracious assistance, that every prayer and work of mine may always begin from you and through you be happily ended."

I believe that these prayers are not for God but for us to convince ourselves to be generous and work hard for ourselves and for others. We must not choose whom we are kind to. We must work hard not because we get something back but because the pleasure of helping and serving others is a reward in itself. We must realize that the greatest achievement is from giving and that to love brings you more joy than to be loved.

Perhaps love…

2012-12-10T06:41:00.001-08:00

“is like a resting place, a shelter from the storm..”

It’s a very nice line from the song entitled “Perhaps Love”. I love how it makes you realize how good it is to be loved and how comforting it is to have someone to love. However, people nowadays are taught to love not only with their hearts but also with their minds. Although it may be a good thing, but I believe that's the reason why it's hard to find love in the world today. people are always thinking. Even before they find love, they expect think about the persons they expect to love. And since people change, what they see from their love become different from what they expect. And then they think twice until eventually they give up. They try to convince themselves that there is someone else out there. And the cycle goes on.

I have loved so many times before and it could be possible that I have already found the love of my life or, as they say, “The One”. But maybe it didn’t work because there are certain things that cloud our minds and discouraged us to work things out. I remember seeing the movie “Hitch” and then I thought many people do not find the love of their lives maybe because society dictates us to have standards which lead us to think that since some types of people do not belong to our world, we should not love them. I too may be guilty of such fault. However, what I want to deliver is that we all are people who are capable of loving. So we all should know that when we find love, we do not give up because we THINK it’s not worth fighting for. We fight for it because it is LOVE.

Sincerely,

TheMovingAunne

Appreciation

2012-11-28T04:48:00.001-08:00

It’s always a good feeling to be appreciated for the things that you do have done and for the things that you can do. No matter how small that is, a simple but warm “Thank you” really sounds good to the ears. However, because we live in a material world, we often neglect these two simple worlds because we expect some other things that we deem more satisfying- things that we can grasp with our hands.

Today, I realized the beauty of appreciation. Even the littlest effort for doing something with your own initiative can give you so much satisfaction and inspiration to do more. For the past few weeks, I have been feeling sorry for myself. I have been wondering about what I might have done wrong. Of course, I’ve been wrong a lot of times. However, it’s no longer time for me to regret. I will gain nothing from regret. It is time to be thankful. I should be thankful that I have learned about life and experienced much. There is nothing wrong with being wrong. But we must remember that in these wrongs, there is something right that is hidden and we should be thankful for these “wrongs” when we discover the hidden “right”.

With all these wrongs about me, it’s very pleasing to know that I am still doing some things right. I feel very inspired with every compliment I receive about the talents I posses, or the good shirt I wear, or even a good game when playing sports. It really lifts me up.

I am very happy with how I am doing now and I hope to keep up with how I’m doing. Although not everything in my life is going so well, it helps to think that a part of it is better than the other. I won’t lose hope. Someday, some other part of me will be worse than the other but then again, it just tells me, it’ll all be better soon. And until that time comes, I’ll just learn to appreciate everything else. I’ll just be moving Aunne.

To everyone,

THANK YOU!

To fill a void in my year...

2012-06-11T04:49:00.002-07:00

Hello There!

It's been a while. I haven't posted for a while 'cause honestly, I just wanted to post stuff that might interest people. Thinking that, I didn't know how I could interest others knowing that my life has been in drought of new experiences. And if ever there are new ones, they're not experiences I could be so proud of. Nevertheless, it's been more than a year since my last post so an update may be good. Furthermore, it's my life anyway so whether you're interested or not, I'm not forcing you to read this but I hope you get something out of this post.

Let me start after last year's youth camp experience. Just like before, I went back to school for my second to the last semester of my college life. I thought it would be the same old story only with different new characters. Since my old classmates had already graduated before me, I thought that I would just be sitting in class and going home after class and then finally graduate. But it's not just that. Enrollment period came and I didn't know that I would be taking 2 destined classes that would change my life and how I expected the whole year to be.

I wouldn't talk in detail about how the whole sem went but I will tell you about each class. The first is Socsci 2. this class meant so much to me because it had been a class where I have learned a lot yet nothing about the subject itself. Confused? You'll understand why.

In the first day of classes, I didn't go to class because I got lazy. That's why I decided to go the week later. when I got to the Socsci 2 class the week later, I had been told that there was a homework and stuff to be passed and so the next meeting, I brought all requirements and passed them. The meeting after that, the teacher finally checked our attendance and that was the time I knew that I wasn't part of that class and was part of the class in the next room instead. So the next week came and I went to the right class. They said that there would be a film showing and exam after so as to keep up with the class, I went in. The next meeting came and the exam came. Fortunately, I was able to answer the test thanks to stocked knowledge. When I stood up to pass my paper, I noticed that the person beside me was a girl. So, I took a look at her face out of curiosity. At that moment, as I looked at her face, I knew right then and there, I would someday try to get to know her. Days passed and nothing happened. Until one day, I was assigned to report about Martin Luther. That day would be marked as a turning point of my life.

That day of my report, I didn't know the place that we would meet was changed. Aside from that, I came late. So when I got to the usual room, there were two girls that were also lost. one of them was the girl I had been talking about. so she told us that her friends said that the place was changed and so we went there. I went in and immediately did my report. As soon as I was done, I went to find a vacant seat. all the seats were occupied but there were two seats at the back that were vacant. one seat was beside a friend of mine and the other was beside my crush. Without any hesitation, I went to the seat beside my crush and asked her if I could sit beside her. she didn't mind and from then on, we started talking. We wouldn't see each other for a while after that but when we started to get to know each other more, we started hanging out. And after 5 months of hanging out, she said YES. Now, we've been together for 4 months and I hope it goes on for longer. :)

Now for the 2nd destined class that I took that sem. It was called SP or Special Problem. Each Computer Science student was supposed to take that class which was like a thesis for us. It was supposed to be taken on the 2nd semester but I thought I would take it earlier in order for me to start earlier and just get an INC and finish it on the 2nd sem so as to have a longer time making it. However, I was planning on taking an adviser that I would like. The funny thing is, all the other SP advisers were full and there was one whom most of the people didn't want to be under because he usually gives students a hard time. Just as expected, it took me two semesters to finish my SP. And just as expected I had a hard time with the teacher.

Although I really had a hard time, I never regretted being under that teacher. I was able to learn a lot that I would soon use in the so called "Real World". And I would never forget the teacher who may not have taught me directly in words but has placed the right barriers so that I would not cross the wrong roads.

Now, After 5 semi-enjoyable and semi-depressing years of college, I am officially one of UP Cebu's proud alumni. I did it! my hard work and determination paid off!

Now is where I stop making the blueprints and start building my dreams.

To start, I have entered into Real Estate business. Although I haven't gotten much from it, this is only one of the few things that would help me achieve my dreams. Soon, I will be finding a job that would start my career and from then on, I hope to find more experiences to share.

Thank you very much for reading my thoughts. I hope you learned something from it. If you want to check out my business, you may click the links at the side and contact me for details.

Never give up guys! As long as the world keeps moving, so should you!

God bless you all! :)

Exposed!

2011-04-06T09:03:00.000-07:00

“HELLO THERE!”, This was a common expression I heard during the 4 days of Bradford United Church of Christ, Inc.‘s (Exposed) Youth Camp. It was 4 days of Praise, Worship, Fun, and a whole lot of FORCE! (The G-Force) - This is what our team, the green team, called ourselves. It was 4 days worth of memorable experiences and I Thank God for taking me there.

It all started with a simple invitation and a desire to have a good time for the summer. A friend invited me to join the camp and since I had no other plans, I said yes. Never did I expect that I was about embark on a wonderful experience and meet new friends along the way. Not only that. I was also reminded of someone very important in my life.

The camp was a very wonderful experience. I had a lot of fun with all the games and the activities they made us do during the camp. I also had fun hanging around with new people who were very willing to accept me in the group. I am so happy to be part of that group because not only did I have a good time with them, I was also able to learn a lot of things from them, the kind of things that I never get to have from my point of view. The G-Force was such an amazing group of people who came from different backgrounds and were united with a bond that was blessed by God. The moment I got to meet them, I knew right then and there, I would be having a time of my life.

I also learned a lot of things during the sessions and the talks. I felt like all the questions and the doubts in my mind were all cleared away by one simple answer: Jesus. I learned that no matter how I try to be independent, every person needs help. Every person needs a savior. I know that it’s too early for me to say that I’ve changed. That’s why I won’t say it. Instead, I’m going to tell you that I am saved. Yes! I was saved the moment I accepted Him. I also wouldn’t tell you that I am a righteous man since I know I have made a lot of mistakes in my life. However, the will to change is a decision. I am willing to change not only for my own good but also for His glory. And soon, with this in my heart and mind, I will be able to fulfill my promise. Now, I can say that I am definitely, moving aunne.

Photos of the experience can be found here:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?fbid=10150199594967090&id=786347089&aid=348114&notif_t=photo_album_comment

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=348133&id=786347089

Clear the track! This is THE MOVING AUNNE, breaking free!

Thirsty? Let's Play!

2011-02-06T18:43:00.000-08:00

Hi guys! It's been a long time since I posted something here. There has been a lot of motion going on in my life and I just couldn't find the time to sum them up on a post. So I'll just go straight to the most recent events.

Last weekend was a blast! Events here and there and I what's amazing is that I was able to take part of almost all of them. Last Friday was the start of the annual Thirsty Football Cup. My friends and I were able to watch the matches of the UP Football Club Ladies in the Girls 19 Competition. We had a lot of fun shouting and cheering for them that night. I even took a few pictures from that night. click here to view

The next day, UP had its annual Otaku Fest. where hobbyists all over Cebu gathered and mingled with each other. Many people wore costumes of their favorite anime characters. There were a lot of games and contests and there were bands who performed. People were dancing and singing their favorite anime sound tracks. it was a heck of a day and I got to be one of the people who helped in organizing the event although I had too little to contribute.

After the Otaku Fest, I went straight to the Rizal Museum where the annual Ms. UP Cebu Pageant night was held. The ladies of UP looked gorgeous in their gowns that night. my friends and I were shouting and screaming in awe of the intelligent answers of the candidates. we were overwhelmed during that night. We were not disappointed.

Then Sunday came. The day that I have been waiting for. It was our turn to play in the Thirsty Cup Men's Open Category. It was a good experience because all the players who came were able to play in the pitch and our performance was not bad for a team whose players have less background in playing the sport. It was a good experience since we did not lose although we did not qualify after the elimination since we also did not win. All our games were all draws. After our games, I stayed a little bit longer to watch other games since the next games were where the real action begins. The best teams were playing with each other to get the title. After I got tired I decided to rest and went home.

I guess there would be more of these for the coming days. And I hope I could share them all to you. Until the next time... This has been The Moving Aunne saying, "Why wait? Let's keep moving!"

First Week of Classes

2010-11-13T17:28:00.000-08:00

Yep! It's the first week of classes... I had a lot of fun doing a lot of "whatevers" and some parts in enrollment. My Friends and I did a lot of things like playing Basketball. Hanging out in some other places. Mostly though, everything in school is about late enrollment and meeting up with friends.

As for me, I've starting bringing my Digital Camera to school everyday 'cause I kinda like practicing some photography. I'm a bit too bored since everything that was fun for me before seem like boring now. I want something new in my life so I'm trying out many things not only to keep me busy and entertained but also to learn and hopefully get something out of it.

CLICK HERE for more Photos taken last week

Anyways, I have a new blog where all the fun stuff come out. It's called Istoryang Katok. I hope you check it out.

That will be all for today's post.

Thanks!

MMX

2010-08-14T00:52:00.000-07:00

Hello guys! it's themovingAUNNE again! but today's post isn't about a new place I've been to but a new experience for me. August 13 -14 was Cookout MMX and for me, it was a really nostalgic new experience. Nostalgic because I felt like I went back to becoming a freshman. I never told you that freshman year in college, I joined the sayawan competition and ever since then, I never joined a cookout competion- not until yesterday.

yesterday, I joined three different segments in cookout. First, I joined the kantahan segment where I met new friends and found confidence in myself. kantahan was my favorite part of the night because I was amazed on how my supported me and cheered me on. I really appreciated how they let their voices loose just to scream my name. I found friends that I know would be there for me to support me. thank you guys.

the second segment was the rampahan segment. I wasn't so into it though because I got tired since it was already almost 3:00 when it started and I was hungry. though I enjoyed being a freak at that moment and my friends were still there to cheer me on. Imagine that, people who would stay up that 'early' just so they could cheer you. Wouldn't that make your heart melt? I know mine did.

the last segment was the 30 seconds of 'bulabog'. My friend JP and I embarrassed ourselves by taking off some of our clothes - particularly, our boxers. but it was not an ordinary way of taking them off. we took them off while they were still under our other shorts. you should have seen it. it's a talent only a few men can do.

all in all, I had fun. I had an experience that I would never regret. it was an experience not all could ever have and I had the opportunity to grab it. maybe people see me as unproductive since all I did was that and I haven't even done any schoolwork but for me, I don't regret not doing schoolwork for a while. I needed a break from all the stress and confusion in my life. I needed a way to feel free from all the hassles and last night was a really great way to do that. I saw with my own eyes who were the people that supported me. I saw with my own eyes the people who would be there for me. I saw with my own eyes the people who I wanted to be with. I saw with my own eyes the people who supported me.

Modesty aside, I am quite popular. I am an amazing person. I am a person many people would dream of becoming or having. However, nobody will ever own me...

because I share myself for everyone. That's who I should be. I have so many friends and focusing myself on only one person will only destroy me. Don't get me wrong though. I would love to have someone by my side. and I believe there are only a few people who could understand how my personality works. For some reason, I lost one of them. Although I will not say that I regret it since I've learned things but there also comes a time that they will not understand everything. And this misunderstanding just had a really big consequence. For me to solve this misunderstanding, I too have to completely understand myself. I too need to figure things out. I too have to get myself out of this confusion. And until that happens, I will continue to be...

themovingAUNNE, taking steps one day at a time... 'til next time dudes!

ORIGINS: The origin of "KAMOTE"

2010-07-14T09:28:00.000-07:00

Hello there people!!! today, I was thinking about telling you something informative so here it is:

If you know about the sweet potato, in the Philippines we call it "Kamote." But why is it called Kamote? Here's the story of how it came to be. In the land of promise(Cebu) fiestas were very popular. But during the old days, witchcraft was also one of the common practices. Now in one of the places, there was a farmer. He planted very many crops and had so much abundant harvest. The people of the town were very jealous of him because he had more than they had. He was the richest farmer in town. And because of his bountiful harvest, he was able to prepare a lot of food during fiestas. However, there were rumors in town about the visitors never being seen again. There came a time where there was drought during their fiestas but the farmer still had plenty of harvest. an old lady went to visit the farmer's house. the farmer offered her food and was very hospitable to her. And then the lady became curious as to how the farmer had so much harvest despite the drought. She asked if she could visit the farm and the farmer gave her a tour. She came across this one root crop that she had never seen before. she asked the farmer, "how do you eat this." The farmer got a pot, boiled some water and placed the crop to cook it. and when it was done, the man showed her how to eat it. She found it very delicious. She thought that there must be something in the soil that the man placed because he had good crops despite the drought. Out of curiosity, the woman dug the ground and found a man's body which was chopped in to pieces. then she noticed that there was something missing. With a shivering voice the woman asked,"unsa man diay ni akong gikaon dong?"(what is this that I am eating?) The farmer replied, "KAMOT TE" (kamot- hands, te-a name given to a woman older than you)