1, 2 entries made me a writer (haha!)

Last Thursday, I met up with a writer for a newsletter.

I sent  a special article entry once, then another. I wasn't sure if they featured the 2nd one until last Thursday. The girl gave me a copy of the published write-up for the week, and at the back, my name was written as one of the writers. As in, swoooon. It swept me off my feet but I gave a chuckle and said, "Wow, writer na ako, 1 entry pa lang."

Well, apparently, I was unaware the 2nd one was also featured coz I think I didn't receive confirmation that she got the post. Anyway, it made my day. I think, it even made my year. haha!

Left the place and was trying to read the newsletter while walking along the street then heard a sort of mumble when I passed by a boy & a girl. And he said, "You're one of the writers dba?". I was deeply astounded. I didn't know the words to say. I was more like dumbfounded. hahah!

Anyway, to cut it short, I'm invited to write for the entire year for the special articles section, and it starts January next year. They have monthly themes already but I can choose whatever since special article. hihi!

Thank you Lord. And I'm praying I could inspire people with whatever I write. Like, truly inspirational. haha!

black art of social media

if there's such thing as black magic, then I can just create such thing as the black art of social media. :p

Social Media - the easiest, fastest way to reach end-consumers without having to think much of logistics (warehouse and office rentals, etc) and a whole lot. You can create businesses and market them online and voila! big time winner.

It's the weirdest way of building friendships, sometimes even destroying too. For me, there is what I call..the Black Art of Social Media.

Why is it black art? Well, I guess when social media was created, it was created for a very good reason: helping the people get informed, bridging gaps, etc. But as always, men use freewill differently.

The Black Art of Social Media, as it goes:

1 Virtual Friendships - Sometimes we only create friends online. When we see our virtual friends in reality - along the street or mall or wherever - it's as if we never got to know them, or we never chatted in FB/Instagram, etc. (Well, that's why they're called virtual. haha!)

Virtual friendships are somewhat helpful; in the sense that you have additional friends but sometimes when they're the only people we have, it's quite disturbing. Nothing beats real-life friends. You have to go out of your house, and make real good friends.

2 The Camouflage Effect - A lot of us have different images in social media. We pretend to be the people we're not. We pretend to be happy; all smiles with a bunch of friends we're not really close with actually (but we have bunch of pics with them :p). We just pretend and sometimes we become one with that mask, we just camouflage.

Sometimes we're not aware of this but sometimes we fully are. And that's the more alarming one. When you are conscious of your social media facade, yet you continue to be.

3 Invasion of Privacy - Yes, there's such thing as private settings but there's always a loophole - like friends of friends, or simply, google, or whatever accounts you linked your FB/IG/twitter with. The best way is to keep it real private, no links, no whatever.

4 the Monkey Business - Not all people are well aware of the roundabouts of social media so sometimes when we click sites and all the logos and sorts of licenses are visible there, we believe it's legit. But really, it's not. Sometimes, authentication stuffs are also being mimicked so the only way we can protect ourselves is be cynical/paranoid. :p


Social Media was not created for this. Let's try to give justice to what the brilliant people of these world has created - FB/IG/Twitter Creators, and all sorts.

Be yourself. Be transparent. Respect. Do honest business. I guess that's what a best social media campaign should be.

The Era of mIRC

mIRC began during the ?th generation (that’s not an error you’re seeing, it’s really “?” coz I dunno when it actually started). It has been a good form of communication and networking for a long while, until technology has taken its beat and introduced the new social media. But looking back, mIRC had its limelight, its pinnacle, its golden years.

I, for once was an IRC addict. Yes, a chatter at that. I started early high school and maintained the same craze until I graduated high school. I did hang on to it a few years in college but for some, it remains to be in their system til now. What is really in IRC that got the ? generation so hooked up?

mIRC only opens doors for new friendships, new acquaintances; sustaining them is totally up to you. You can be present in all different channels all at the same time. You can carry one name in a channel (even many names in one channel but you’re a bit psycho already if you do that – well, just my opinion) and other names in other channels. You can be multiple persons all at the same time (sounds psycho again l0l!) but hey, you can seriously be in all different places in one chat session and literally be different persons in all different channels.

Showing pictures is never a requisite. You can totally skip that part if you opt not to show yourself. Again, my most favorite, you can be a different person anytime you want; different personality every time you log in. You can still do this in the new social media (twitter, FB, etc.); pretend someone you’re not; pretend to be living a life you don’t really live up to, etc. but it’s quite a hassle though to make such different accounts, not to mention, it suggests some psychological disorder already if you do make an effort to make multiple accounts just for the purposes I’ve mentioned. mIRC saves all these kind of inconveniences and makes it much simpler for users and so.. the wonder of mIRC unfolds. 

Joining is easy. Being part of a channel is another ‘chicken’ thing. (Is that how ‘sisiw’ is translated? L0l!!!!) Everything is totally easy with mIRC. It’s actually most convenient for people who just want to talk and people who on the other hand, also just want to have someone to talk to or simply just wanna kill time. It’s a totally different thing if you share stories with a real friend you really see face to face with and it’s another if you want to vent on something you don’t really want your real friends to know, well, at least, not just yet. (So I guess you’re now getting the idea why I chat at IRC. :p)

As I said, IRC opens doors for new friendships. It’s not all about pretensions, letting loose of things you don’t really want friends to know, nor is it just about profanities and immoral purposes, as how others use it. It builds unique relationships and networks with other IRC chatters. Some of my interesting talks happened in IRC. I talked to all races, ages, and genders. Although talking to the same gender is quite awkward for me so that’s not quite on my list and it’s rare that same genders feel like mysteriously talking to each other online unless you use a nick common to both guys and girls, like Alex, Toni, Joey, etc (that you’ll surely bump into boys/girls users).

the new social media, IRC helps find love. It even allows you to chat with crushes in school (oh, this I like hahah!), especially if you know your crush’s nick :p. It has quite cool games too. (Do you find trivia games cool? :o I kinda meant that kind of game hahah!) It helps you interact with other online chatters via trivia games hosted by the admins and you get kicked out too if you’re talking too much non-sense or ultimate profane words. (omg, I really feel it’s like mIRC fever all over again l0l! flashbackfridays haha!)

IRC gives you the chance to be the person you want to be, without people having to judge you for your looks because they haven’t really seen a picture of you, yet. Unlike FB, wherein people see you via profile pictures, well, that is if you posted a real picture of you. Let’s face it, there are really some people picky with people they talk too. If they see you and you kind of failed with their expectations of you, they won’t talk to you the next time, or sometimes, at least, no longer that often. With that, I admire the privacy and the freedom IRC gives. The only chances others get to know who you are, are 1) you send them a copy of your picture and 2) eyeball (I don’t know if this is even a term nowadays. Well, I guess it still does exist in the ‘text world’. ). Other than those two, your life remains private unless you have a friend who knows your nick and tells your chatmates who you really are ;) but again, at least you have those 2 options for people quite far from your circle of real life friends.

IRC is such an amazing, soothing and stress-relieving realm. You have the choice to reveal the real you or just be there, be present and socialize. So the next time you wonder why IRC still exists? Try it and you’ll know why. ;) But I guess what my sister’s IRC chatmate told her is also true, ‘IRC will die with its chatters’. ;) And by that, I believe he meant, ‘will die with the generation it was born in’.

real beauty radiates from within

Real beauty comes when one has accepted his/her inferiorities; when one has seen and acknowledged the truth of their limitations, when one has chosen to move forward and embrace the reality of genuine and transparent beauty.

For me, beauty, all the more, means no make-up and with full clothes on. Some girls post a lot of daring almost indecent pictures of them, garnering 10billion likes in IG, FB, tumbler or wherever social media. They post pics of foundation and foundation and concealer and blush-ons and mascaras and eyelash extensions and lypos and nose lifts and all the lifts. That isn't beauty. That's porn and cosmetics.

Surely, one's beauty is enhanced with cosmetics but real beauty is when you are confident to go out of your house and face people with no hint of make-up at all, touch of powder will do. Real beauty is when you dress-up fully and go out of the house without the eyes of guys ogling on your body parts. It's when others have seen your simplicity and felt your confidence amidst scars and more curves than usual, etc.

When you feel that you're pretty to the maximum level, even sometimes overpowering the reality of maximum threshold, it becomes real beauty, radiating from within.

People can tell that there's so much beauty in you, that you're not just a pretty face. There's more to you than what meets the eye. Because real beauty, it comes from within.

I believe in a beautiful heart. When I see people and they are not so much blessed unlike models who look like friggin' goddesses, and I knew their story, I heard their laughters, felt their scars, saw their happiness, they become the most gorgeous girls I've ever seen.

I have a friend who in the long time of chitchatting and all, I have discovered her real beauty. And now, every time I look at her (parang tomboy lang? l0l!), I see one of the most beautiful people God has created.

Embrace your limits. Show your scars (not literally). Put on that amazing armor of confidence. Walk the runway. Shine like a star. Because real beauty, it will show when you want it to be shown.

Relationships. Commitments.

kristawatzelphotography.com

I value relationships. I value commitments.

I'm not in a perfect one but we're giving our best to manage it.

I'm saddened with stories of voluntary-ruined relationships. Those made through personal choice and sound mind. This post may come across off especially to most friends who experienced the same but I am posting this in light that people will give their best to choose what is supposed to be chosen.

Last night, I was with a friend. Lunch time that day as well, she was disclosing some info I was sad to hear about. I reacted with some sort of joke advice but really, it kinda crippled my heart. She and another friend of mine were casually dating when they were both into relationships with their partners.

I know some have reasons, like it's falling part, blah blah. But you don't get to resolve things with flings or all the more, one night stands. Flings, one-night stands, whatever stuffs, they're just short-time diversions of what the real topic is. You'll forget. You'll feel a little better. But tomorrow, it will still be the same. The issue? Unresolved.

Listening to the story yesterday, there was not much issue in their current relationships at the time. They just felt like, cheating? ......How come it appears so easy?????? You don't love when you cheat. You don't love when you hurt someone. You don't love when you don't love yourself at all.

For me, when people cheat, it's more of personal issue. It's a symbol of insecurity. Like when you put a lot of pillows on your bed, it's because it feels more secure. When you have 10million boyfriends/girlfriends, you've got insecurity issues.

Your current relationship, okay or not should not be the reason for your succeeding actions. There's always choice. There's always freewill. You don't blame your partner. You blame yourself. You are the master of your own action, a master of your own choices. You chose to cheat because of this, that. The point is, you still chose to cheat.

Again, not in a perfect relationship. But as I said, I value it.

When things are really going off the grid, you let go. You don't add insult to injury. You don't fake commitments. You don't pretend to love. You don't pretend to care.

Falling in love is one thing. Keeping it is another.

I hope you're able to choose wisely. And when things have gone berserk, look back and remember how you started. It will paint a smile on your face. Repaint that smile. This time, with brighter colors. Use paint that's invincible. That paint is called, genuine love.

the Catholic practices

I am Catholic by birth, and I chose to stay a Catholic because I want to make that choice.

This is related to 'Faith Within' post, posted 6/28/13.

Most non-Catholics question the Catholic practices. I don't like it. I don't like how people question me, my Faith, or God.

I respect your religion, you respect mine. I respect your faith, you respect mine.

If you ever mock my religion and faith again, I'll.. joke lang heheh

Faith, again, as what I've said before is that ultimate and special bond we have with God. Every person has that different kind of faith, it's always, one of a kind. ;)

With faith comes a lot of things. With faith in the Catholic world, comes with Catholic practices. People often question several paulit-ulit na things which we Catholics always clarify but people never really get us. Why don't you listen to us, once and for all?

The pauli-ulit na lang:

1) Why do Catholics have idols - Wala nga kasi kaming idols, wla wla wla. ;) Statues are representations. In the same way that a Daniel Padilla poster, is not Daniel Padilla himself. Need I elaborate further? When we use handkerchiefs to wipe a statue or any image, it's the same way as kissing a poster, or a billboard (pano un? haha), a magazine page, etc. The next time I see you going gaga over a celebrity, I'll accuse you of idolatry, is that fair enough?

If you study in a Catholic school, that's the first thing the teachers will tell you. For some who studies in a different school, I don't think they'd elaborate further on that. They'll just teach you the ultimate thing you need to learn and know, God. But I believe it would help a lot, if we always try to guide the young ones in correcting this notion of idolatry with the Catholic Faith.

2) Why do we pray the rosary/have standard prayers (Lord's Prayer, Nicene Creed, etc) - Does your company have a vision? a mission? how about company prayer (we have that in my previous job :D). Or your school, a school hymn? a theme song? a guide?, or when you celebrate the whatever event of your foundation, organization, whatever '-tion', do you have a standard something?

That's our guide. Respect it. And that's not the only thing we pray. We pray a whole lot of things. But you know, when people have this mantra like, 'this is gonna be a great day', or 'this is it', 'I can do this' blahblah, it gets a whole lot powerful? Like the vibe, it's different. Like epic. So let's use the word, mantra. that's our m-a-n-t-r-a. Respect it.

When I'm all lost in delivering a speech, I admire how mentors would guide me, give me tips how to say my intro, even sometimes telling me the entire speech I'm supposed to say, but at the end of the day, I deliver the speech. I make the ad libs, I incorporate that speech guide. And so it is, with prayer.

3) There are priests who are not all-good - We are humans. When you're a Catholic, it doesn't mean you're invincible. Try to listen to yourself every time you say, your pastor is like this, like that, all good, etc. Roman Catholic priests, they undergo thorough theological education plus whatever studies. They even still get lost in guiding us at some point. Why? They're humans.

So I ask you, how long does your pastor do what he's been doing now? How long before he started doing that? Have you seen your pastor, outside the 4 walls of the how-do-you-term-it, prayer room? let's use that. Have you seen them, outside the prayer room? What have they been doing? I don't want to burst your bubble but they're humans too.

For me, priesthood should be a dedicated vocation. It's like being a doctor, a lawyer, an accountant, or whatever profession. Professionals undergo thorough study, masters and masters and who knows what and still they're not perfect, there's always room for growth, improvement..

Tell me, how did your preacher started preaching? Just asking.

There is such thing as God's grace: giving you the gift of discipleship (did I use the term right?); the one when you're smoothly able to invite people to become closer to God. But it's not always the case. Sometimes, it takes practice. Like you want to be a Chef, but you don't have that gift of awesome taste buds, etc so you study Culinary. I hope you get my point.

4) Processions, rituals, etc - When you go to a concert of the band you so want, like EHeads (gosh, I'm telling again my age l0l! but I think Eheads is legendary. It's still in the list with 1D nowadays or Bieber, or Myley, or whoever), you're ready to go crazy with whatever has been set for the night, right? Let's just say, that's how we go crazy about God.

I know not all people meant all the walking during the procession, etc. In the same way, not all people who attend events like fashion or concert or art displays, musical whatever, intend to go to those places. Sometimes they just tagged along with friends so you don't see much of their enthusiasm during the event.

5) Christmas and Holy Week - let go of this issue, puhlease? Let me ask you. Which is better, celebrating the birth of Jesus (which noone really among us knows when, might be Nov 10, or Jan 1 or Feb 14, or baka wala talaga because He's divine and noone among here now got the chance to meet him in person, like in the human flesh in this human world?) or celebrating the foundation of your religion? I'd rather spend Christmas and Holy Week, celebrating about God, remembering what He did for us on the cross than questioning this Catholic practice.

I ask you, what do you gain questioning this practice? What happens to us if we do it? Or what will happen to you if you practice them too?

I think I'm gonna stop here. I'm hungry. :p But I guess those are the basic pa-ulit-ulit na lang. ;)

Goodnight.

f.r.i.e.n.d.s.

this ain't about the series.

it's about the word itself, the beautiful meaning that lies with it.

Before we learned what that 'partner' love is, we only knew 'family' love and 'friend' love.

It's amazing how years and years of existence in this world, we have those people whom we never thought we'd be sharing the rest of our life with, like my highschool friends. ;)

I graduated from an Atenean school (by the way, our school doesn't ring much of a bell with the other Ateneo schools, basta, un na un :p), and for 4 years I spent the craziest and happiest memories of my teens with them.

9 yrs, more or less (ugh, that long..tsk2) since hs graduation and we're still together, like forever I guess. Forever doesn't only mean forever with future partner, children-to-be, etc. Forever means that lifetime you spend with people you love, and for me, that includes friends. ;)

Some people forget about friends when they have boyfriends/girlfriends or even sometimes when they finally get married. I suggest, you don't. You keep those ties. It will help keep you whole.

For me, the more you narrow your circle, the more it gets I-can't-think-of-a-word haha! Broaden your circle, revive old friendships, sustaining existing, make new ones. Because friends, like, real-life friends, they will always be there for you.

i'm a big fan of himym (How I Met Your Mother - ted mosby, lily, marshmallow, the robin, legen-wait for it, dary..) and so is my boyfriend. We both believe in the value of friendship. We make time for 'us' and family, and we also make time for friends.

Friends, are life's greatest treasures.

They're life's most precious gems.

Treasure them. Spend time with them. Cherish forever with them, because real friends? They last a lifetime. <3

- kharlanike

Love.

Love, will always seem some kind of fairy tale. It will always seem surreal. Until you transcend the meaning of love, in one that is more than the usual intimacy (actually I don't get what I mean haha!).

Love, it's the most wondrous feeling: to love, and be loved in return. When a crush utters your name, everything goes cloud 9, so when someone you love, loves you back, it's....indescribable. :)

I believe in LOVE IS A CHOICE. It goes far beyond feelings, that feeling of kilig'ness, that temporary infatuation type of feeling. Because true love, you choose to feel it. When you find someone and know the person better, sometimes you discover things you don't like; may be his arrogant attitude or the way he teases you in front of other people becomes way too overrated. There will always be another person who'd appear to be better than the person you are with, may it be physically, emotionally or whatever aspects. The point is, you don't love the person because of his/her traits..you just, love. :)

Few years back, I asked my wu bei (we're not the perfect kinda type but we're managing things quite well well ;) why he loves me, then he can't answer..He just said, he doesn't know. (Well, I don't know if it's for kilig factor or it was real haha!) Point being, you just love..

Years from now, the traits you want with your partner might change. His usual malambing moves might change or his wavy hair might turn to grey or even slowly fall off. Whatever the traits are, those are just temporary. What matters is, what the heart says. (seeey. :p)

You just love, and then love, and love, and love, and looooove even more. ;)

Goodnight. :)

Live life to the full(est).

Presiding priest in today's mass stressed out the value of living life to the fullest. Today is All Souls' Day, in commemoration for those who already left this material world.

What is it really like to live life to the fullest?

Is it getting a full body tattoo? a bungee jump in one of the tallest places in Macau, a skydive in Dubai, an all-day walk at the park/beach with your love one, an all stress-free day, a day of meet-up with friends or a shot at things you've never really tried in your entire life?

I guess it is but subjective.

I cannot tell a 10-year old what it's like for him/her to live his/her life to the fullest. Or a senior citizen or even those who are same batch as mine. Living life to the fullest depends on the amount of happiness we are able to gain in an activity, may it be on our own or with friends or people we love.

But for me, living life to the fullest is enjoying the 'now', not thinking about the tomorrow nor the later. It's living for the moment. Death as they call it, is unexpected. You'll never know if after writing this article, I would still have a few more breaths or you wouldn't know if after Christmas or your birthday, you'd still be able to see the sun shine again.

Living life to the fullest is basically cherishing and living for the day. Carpe Diem, as the famous adage goes.

My Carpe Diem, would include a kiss with my wu bei, a laugh with my friends and an intimate bonding with the family. Adventures, yes, they will make a difference with the rest of my usual days, but for me, I can do more adventures in heaven (well, I claim it'll be my destination :p).

Family, friends, love ones - they are temporary; permanent in a sense that they'll always be there for you, but temporary in a sense that like me, they will go to heaven (I pray so ü) eventually. So living life to the fullest for me, is spending as much time with these people. It's taking a cup of tea with them, riding a bike, watching movies, food tripping, strolling in the mall..basically, the smallest of things. Because it's the little things that give us the happiest smile, the most genuine of happiness.

Big things come from small things. So in living life to the fullest, we start with the small things. Simple, innocent things.

Good night world.

Signing off,
randompinay ;)

To Growing Old.

Growing old is a gift. It's a chance to continue coexisting with the other creatures that God has blessed the world with. It's that happy journey of sharing a cup of tea with your love ones, a stroll on the beach with your partner, a run on the park with friends, an unending echo of meaningful laughter with long-time buddies.

It's basically a gift to live, laugh and love even more.

Few days ago, I started becoming anxious as the number of days drew near to my natal day. It's no way similar than the past birthdays. This time I'm going beyond my silver years. hahaha! Yeah, let's term it as that, so it would somehow sound gracefully growing. :)

25 years have passed and where am I right now? I don't know if I'm exactly the person God wants me to be. Jer 29:11. I hold on to that and with that I keep faith that I am becoming that very person.

It took me 9 long months to get over my depression. Yes, that happened to me. I never thought it will. And the scars on my face, remind me that. :) But as I look at the mirror now, I see a much bolder, much fiercer and much stronger person than I was before that 9-month journey.

Noone really knew my story. Of course my family does and Carlo and myself and God. But noone knows the entire me. Even I don't know myself for real. 'Cause sometimes when we wear masks, we become the person we try to be with that mask. We just camouflage, then we become one with it.

I thank the Lord for this; well, for this blog including. For the life ahead of me. For the life that was, and for the life that is. I haven't completely blossomed into one successful executive or a powerful missionary or whatever but I am me. I am. I think therefore I am. (wala panggulo lang hehe)

More or less 10 days from now, I'll get a year older. And yes, I'm no longer afraid. I accept what lies ahead, what goes beyond my 25 years of existence. I accept the challenges that go along the way, the responsibilities that come with it. I accept my mission, not only as an employee but as Christ's warrior.

I've been so much blessed with a lot of things I never really thought of seeking. And each time a prayer of mine is granted, I tell the Lord, 'tapusin  ko lang muna 'to, then I'll serve you'. But life is never-ending. It goes forth and sometimes even back. I cannot tell God I'll secure my life first before helping another because life is a party. Yes, a party. :)

You dance to the beat, jump on your feet, grab a couple of drinks, kisses with friends and the next day it will be another kind of party. So now, I choose to gracefully grow and accept my mission, to bring other people close to God. No, I'm not entering the convent. Well, I got the goosebumps a bit last year when I had a retreat with friends and the place was ran by nuns. But I thought to myself, nuns/priests/prayer warriors/dedicated missionaries, etc, they have their own missions and as for me, I believe it is my mission to reach out first people who I live with, my family, my wu bei and his family, relatives, friends, acquaintances. And when I am ready, I'll help change the world.

Because I am blessed, I am blessing the world. - Bo Sanchez

I know the title of this doesn't really coincide with the entire thing I wrote here but I want that as my title so let it be. :p

10/30/14
kharlanike