tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-232799132024-03-09T01:33:24.847+08:00Leftover Thoughts!Lazarus. Gathering leftover thoughts from whatever source.Lazarushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05568893041141596698noreply@blogger.comBlogger396125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23279913.post-76077549911707900752023-05-28T14:30:00.001+08:002023-05-31T17:33:21.740+08:00Revive That Blog<p>I miss my blogs. I miss reading blogs of my friends. I'd like to blame Facebook, Twitter, Netflix, WeTv and mobile games for that. </p><p>I don't like the idea that we have to reveal ourselves to give credibility to what we write. Though I am a Finance professional, I do not want to write about it. The topic bores me. Give me some spice. Writing about something else is like the adding flavor to life. My <a href="http://left-over-thoughts.blogspot.com/2006/03/i-am-not-bored.html">first post</a> was about boredom though. Ah! I remember what I was doing that time exploring blogspot at my cramped office table. And that was more than 17 years ago.</p><p>How time flies! Some bloggers I used to follow had passed on to eternity. Some are still living yet missing. Maybe we were not close enough to be included in the Facebook circle. How are they now? </p><p>It's like every year I wanted to revive this blog. But I can't seem to do it. The longing was just a longing, never proceeding. Tell me how to revive the passion for blogging.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi45NphQBKy4U5q7DsMOBLisyCsR71bG7asc5cBR9w1xEHCykjflr8BpCPzBuoRmQfQxX-nS7sVfJF1h3hTlDE98R6Lmv7f2zrJA_eQWGHUwR7wXoG7j3052piix9W4wZDImyv2lYcDHY7-OJU2It7LeAt0goxxu_3msa5rf7WfIJV7NgKjag/s1640/blogging(1).png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="924" data-original-width="1640" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi45NphQBKy4U5q7DsMOBLisyCsR71bG7asc5cBR9w1xEHCykjflr8BpCPzBuoRmQfQxX-nS7sVfJF1h3hTlDE98R6Lmv7f2zrJA_eQWGHUwR7wXoG7j3052piix9W4wZDImyv2lYcDHY7-OJU2It7LeAt0goxxu_3msa5rf7WfIJV7NgKjag/w400-h225/blogging(1).png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p>Like a dying tree in a parched land, this is how I describe my passion for blogging. </p><p>But should I 'level up' instead? Leave behind my leftover thoughts and go with the juicy.<br /></p><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Lazarushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05568893041141596698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23279913.post-16252364584341722502022-04-06T17:31:00.001+08:002022-04-06T17:31:10.048+08:00Twenty-Five Twenty-One: Not a Happy Ending Story<p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Beware of this post if you have not seen the movie. Spoilers on the way!</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">To the Gen-X, this is something of a feel good movie that hinges on fantasy and reality. It brought back lots of memories. High school girls crushes on college-age guys, while male classmates would just ask, "What about me?". And then there is this so-called first love - and first break-up. <span style="line-height: 115%;"> </span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Twenty-Five Twenty-One revolves around the story of two young adults, Baek Yi-jin (Nam
Joo-hyuk), a young man whose Chaebol family went bankrupt during the 1998 IMF
crisis in South Korea, and Na Hee-do (Kim Tae-ri), a high school fencing
prodigy, who met in an unusual circumstance, became friends, then lovers.<span> </span>But whether they ended up with each other or
not is untold in the story.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">The drama opened with Na Hee-do's daughter, Kim Min-chae discovering her mother's diary and began reading them. She learned that Na Hee-Do also has a roller coaster relationship with her own mother who seems to disapprove of her fencing passion. She also got to know of her mother's passion for her sport, her inspiration turned rival turned friend and grit and determination to win. Then she reconstructed the story of friendship and love between her mother and Baek Yi-jin.</span></span></span></p><p> <br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSjO0RpjjlUXk_RxfxRhs-6hKTvaeZVXo8sg-asr1yfVPoKTPKzt6JSrzcvCpZZpeaTVFtV6nuiA1ZE6c35xLAKMvwlYecA0UxcBc8EfKyYq1RAIY71P-QkDx9WdYdWFoZedLv0iHEeu_LHNToUihh8rBrhBjNZfJrdLQTE9hKiIbSNRL4Tg/s1620/Twenty-five-twenty-one.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1620" data-original-width="1620" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSjO0RpjjlUXk_RxfxRhs-6hKTvaeZVXo8sg-asr1yfVPoKTPKzt6JSrzcvCpZZpeaTVFtV6nuiA1ZE6c35xLAKMvwlYecA0UxcBc8EfKyYq1RAIY71P-QkDx9WdYdWFoZedLv0iHEeu_LHNToUihh8rBrhBjNZfJrdLQTE9hKiIbSNRL4Tg/w389-h320/Twenty-five-twenty-one.png" width="389" /></a></div><br />It was a bit frustrating at the end. Maybe the writers were rushing towards the finish line. Some said they revised the script. Why can't Yi-jin and Hee-do's love survive the distance? Bummer! There are too many tears wasted, from the actors and from the viewers. <p></p><p>At the end of 16 episodes, we have to idea who Min-chae's father is. The father must have a Kim surname. Where was he in the story? </p><p>What happened after their goodbyes? What about those good times wherein they inspired each other to live life to the fullest? Is it that easy to love and let go? Are thank yous enough? Why can't they be together? Is there a 3rd party involved?<br /></p><p>The reality is, those 35 and above can always relate to this, high school love seldom lasts. Think of your own high school reunions and those love teams in the past. I can say this based on my own observation, but never the experience. </p><p>What can you say of Twenty-Five Twenty-One's ending?<br /></p>Lazarushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05568893041141596698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23279913.post-57284206004124660962022-03-22T18:28:00.000+08:002022-03-22T18:28:07.624+08:00Philippine Election 2022: Stupid Voters<p>"Only stupid voters will choose ______". Fill in the blanks if you wish. Some, sounding high and mighty, would even tell others "You are whom you vote". Others make fun of the "lutang" and "lugaw" of the other candidate. And some even had the gall to call one candidate, "Boguk". These are the familiar scenes and posts of some of my friends in FB. </p><p>Fallacious as they were, but to their minds, they cannot comprehend why people would bring back to power the son of the former President who is known in History to be the most corrupt, brutal and had stolen billions of pesos from the country. I have thought of the same. Why are some of my friends and family members voting for him? Are they stupid voters as well? I must be too full of myself if I judge them based on whom they choose.<br /></p><p>I tried to ask some of them. The older ones mentioned the highlights of Marcos era wherein prices were low and that most of the large companies were owned by the government. Some said that they did not feel any threat during Martial Law period. Many infrastructures still standing today were built during that era. </p><p>The younger ones could not give concrete answers. "Basta". Some would even say that "Wala kasing nagawa mga Dilawan". <br /></p><p>The not so young would say that 36 years should have been enough to convict the Marcoses and recover the funds. That failure, they assume, could mean that the Marcoses were not really guilty at all. I think these are the same lines propagated by Marcos apologists. I heard my brother in law murmuring, and trying to convince her elder sister that the Marcoses had been unfairly treated by the mainstream media.<br /></p><p><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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</xml><![endif]--></p><p class="MsoNormal">Why not Leni? I voted for her in the last elections' VP race. She thrived despite being bullied and not given any chance to shine. I think she's good. I am glad people are supporting her. But am I voting for her?<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">A friend posted in his FB page:"Yes friend, I am stupid! Well, that's what you said in your post about people who vote for the candidate I choose, right?" He must be have been annoyed by the political posts of some in his circle. That couldn't be me because I had no post for the longest time. We even joked around our political choices when we met up for dinner.<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">I cannot say that my highly intellectual Professor was stupid because,
years ago, he chose a known corrupt official for President. "If it's
good for the economy, why not" I remembered him saying. That statement,
I really could not fathom. <br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">Vote wisely, is a cliche. Some churches and groups, had prepared
guidelines on whom to choose without necessarily endorsing someone. But
members rarely follow. Yet there are groups, or alleged cults, whose
leaders endorsed the Jr., had bigger influence on their members. They think they're stupid if they won't follow their leader.<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">Throughout my voting history in the Presidential election, except for PNoy, all of my preferred candidates lost badly. But the Pnoy presidency was a bit of a disappointment. He could have done better. Or at least his men could have done better. Did I regret voting for him? Nope. The others could have done worse. </p><p class="MsoNormal">This 2022 election, I am voting for someone who I think is the best choice, and can run the country well if given the chance. Some may call me stupid for choosing this one and not their preferred candidate. Maybe I am. <br /></p>Lazarushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05568893041141596698noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23279913.post-29923785193863239132022-03-17T16:11:00.001+08:002022-03-17T16:11:58.486+08:00Blogging Thoughts 2022<p>I wonder what it will be like to start all over again in blogging. What will be my first post like? Will it be something like what I wrote way back in 2006? Boredom. It is a sad, sad word. I could not recall what I was doing then 16 years ago. Maybe I was in some crossroads of my young career that I wanted to be doing something else.<br /></p><p>This blog is supposed to be a secret repository of my thoughts - my leftover thoughts. That is why I used a pseudo-name. I wanted to explore the internet, grow in it, like it is my own fantasy world. I had a few short stories and poems posted somewhere in the internet. Everyone else at that time was having fake names. I'm not sure if they wanted a new persona that is different from reality. I don't know their reasons, or maybe it was something like a therapy for them. I am not a recluse though. Promise.<br /></p><p>Time came when some readers (which are mostly bloggers, by the way)
question the authenticity of some other bloggers' posts. People were asking bloggers their credentials. What makes you an authority to write this or that? It was
difficult to distinguish truth from fiction. As for me, I didn't care
if a post is true or just something created from one's imagination. If
it was beautifully written, then go. If the post is sincere, or funny, then go. The search for truth is up to the
reader. And blogs written by anonymous bloggers are not good sources
for it. Entertainment-wise, maybe yes. By the way, I didn't doubt any
of those bloggers whom I connected in the past. I think they were all
sincere and real people.</p><p>Then there was Facebook. Connect here and connect there. Gone are the pseudo-names. It became difficult to hide in the shadows. Why are we hiding anyway? No, there was no malicious reason at all. It was just like a kind of fun to be shrouded in a little mystery. Then there was Twitter. Short puns and plenty of meanings. Who has the time to read lengthy posts when there is microblogging? So every other blogger went to twitter to promote his/her posts. I didn't follow that path. I created another persona in twitter. But then, some fun things never last.<br /></p><p></p><p>Probably it's time to explore blogs once again. I definitely don't want tiktok. Those dancing turn me off. <br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Lazarushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05568893041141596698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23279913.post-60773231913058199672021-03-26T13:34:00.004+08:002021-03-26T13:34:20.843+08:00Blogging Thoughts 2021<p>What is there to blog when you can Vlog? Oh, wow! Vlogging is the new cool.</p><p>Perhaps the pandemic changed the internet landscape in just a year's time. Maybe I have to revive my youtube account and maybe, hmmm...</p><p>Actually, the reason why I updated my site today is just to see if blogger still function as it used too. It may not have the influence as it used to. But nothing changed much really. I just need to make some slight tweaks. Perhaps, a new template. </p><p>Should I write more? I actually laughed at myself trying to answer this question. To my few subscribers out there: Are you still blogging?<br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Lazarushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05568893041141596698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23279913.post-66727507384357562852019-04-25T17:02:00.001+08:002019-04-25T17:02:52.804+08:00Grammar PoliceIn the past, grammar police are all over the blogosphere. They don't bash you for how you look, but at how you write. Trying-hard bloggers would often have sleepless nights trying to edit, and re-edit their own posts. If content is King, then they made sure their content is not badly written. Some even went to the extent of hiring professional editors. Why not?<br />
<br />
For the simpler bloggers like me who didn't dream of stardom, we just write whatever comes to mind. No edit, no headache. Insult to readers? No way. We simply write for ourselves, for our own sanity. Readership is just a bonus.<br />
<br />
But sometimes, in my free time, I reread some of my past posts. Why am I not editing these posts? It's embarrassing to admit, so I just smile at my blunders. If these were Facebook posts, maybe I really have to check and recheck my grammar. Good thing I blog in anonymity. <br />
<br />
So where are the grammar police nowadays? Maybe they are now into some new social media platforms. I don't miss them anyway.<br />
<br />
<br />Lazarushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05568893041141596698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23279913.post-6864192952112325022019-03-15T17:06:00.001+08:002019-03-15T17:06:38.260+08:00What's Up 2019?I am not sure what I am going to write today. Whether someone reads this post or not, it doesn't matter anymore. As you can see, my love for blogging was gone a long time ago. I wrote 321 posts from 2006 to 2009. But for the last 3 years, this is only my 7th post. What's the sudden urge to write now? <br />
<br />
I have not visited any of my friends' blog too. Whether they still exist or not, I am not sure. My blogroll was long gone. If I want to find them, I have to dig deep in my previous posts and their comments.<br />
<br />
Some of them, I followed in twitter. But some have also retired from twitterverse. I hope they're all alive and well.<br />
<br />
As for my blogging existence, I don't exactly know what to do. What am I going to write again? Same leftover thoughts? Same soliloquy? Lazarushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05568893041141596698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23279913.post-22584621675782813962018-01-02T09:43:00.001+08:002018-01-02T09:47:11.145+08:00My Blogging Goal for 2018<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" data-original-height="1211" data-original-width="1600" height="363" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qZj-83HwVrY/WkrchrfNFgI/AAAAAAAAAoQ/nDDlt8aP3-oCywUg7y-FccEhF4_bhvIRACLcBGAs/s320/IMG_1125.JPG" width="480" /></div>
Am I just kidding myself again?<br />
<br />
So many things I want to write. My 2017 is full of stories. I had ups and downs. I had plenty of travels and adventures. I could have written posts every week. But I do not know where to scribble them. I have notebooks and papers everywhere. I have two cellphones with note apps and a laptop where I can type my posts anytime. I have twitter, Instagram, Facebook, blogs, and internet forum membership.<br />
<br />
But sadly, I only have one blogpost in 2017. I haven't written any short story or a poem either. I haven't had any blog or real twitter interaction. I have forgotten about all my blogs.<br />
<br />
How about you? Are you still blogging? Or maybe, like anyone else, Facebook/Twitter/Insta killed your blog.<br />
<br />
Honestly, I like the pre-Facebook era. Content is king rather than the blogger himself. Now, you got to have the face and the credentials behind the blog. Ay, pangit pala blogger na yan. Naks! <br />
<br />
I hope this spot of mine in the blogosphere will stay. Ok na ako with less post. I just backread some of my posts in the past. Nakakatuwa pala. <br />
<br />
And I wish Blogger to survive for a very long time, and not shutdown like the others.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Lazarushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05568893041141596698noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23279913.post-53484261768035329072017-06-08T12:16:00.001+08:002017-06-08T12:18:57.021+08:00My Favorite TeachersCertainly I could not recall all the names of my teachers. Do you? But once in a while in our short life, we ponder and think about the people who molded us into what become today. This is especially when a Facebook message just pop out of your screen announcing the demise of one of your favorite teachers.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Math Teachers</span><br />
<br />
I recalled I wasn't fond of mathematics when I was at the early days of grade 1. I remembered staring blankly at chalkboard. At 5 years old, I was ahead of the rest when it comes to reading and comprehension. But Math, my jaw dropped. A classmate who was probably 9 or 10 (I don't remember the reason why she was still grade 1 at that age), tutored me the basic addition and subtraction. So, the quick learner that I was, I was able to grasp it immediately. I was away from my parents at that time, living with my grandparents, who, while encouraging me to study hard, couldn't do much help in the tutorial. <br />
<br />
In Grade 5, I had what I first called my favorite Teacher. And guess what! He was my Math teacher.<br />
<br />
When you are at the public school and only a few students are serious in their studies, and some are even sycophants, you tend to go with the flow. But this Math Teacher (Mr. G.) was of rare kind. He created a spark, that made me even research about square roots and ratio and proportion, when it wasn't even in our curriculum at that time. He inspired everyone with his stories and life lessons.<br />
<br />
At Grade 6, I thought I'd part ways with Mr. G. He was the class adviser of the other section. Most of his students there are repeaters and the chances of a valedictorian coming out from that section is slim. But fate had it's way. I was switched with another student, who was also vying to become the class valedictorian. The girl was also the favorite of some of our teachers, so her request was granted. I too, easily acceded because Mr G was the adviser of the other section. And Mr G didn't disappoint. I knew I made him proud as well. <br />
<br />
Then came high school. <br />
<br />
Though I was the top student of my elementary class, high school was different. I had the shock of my life when I failed at one of the first year subjects. No, it wasn't Math. Good thing I was able to recover because the replacement teacher, made everything easy for me. <br />
<br />
There were rumors that the math teachers at our third year broke the hearts of many students. I was mentally prepared for her - Madame M. My first impression was that, she was not scary as they first described her. Her instructions were clear and I can easily follow. My only disappointment was that, I didn't study hard enough to get higher grades. Mediocrity got me.<br />
<br />
College came and my course involves lots of Math. There were times when I couldn't help but smile and thank my favorite teachers - Mr. G and Madame, in silence.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Fast forward to present<b> </b></span><br />
<br />
Mr G died many years ago. I wished I knew about it, or even visited him while he was still alive. But I was too distant from my elementary school. My fault.<br />
<br />
Madame M died a few days ago and RIP messages flowed at the group pages and chatrooms. But I can still remember that petite woman, heads up, showing motherly love at the classroom, giving clear and simple instructions, and inspiring everyone to be better not just at Math but also in life as well.<br />
<br />
Rest in peace Mr. G and Madame M, my favorite teachers. Lazarushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05568893041141596698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23279913.post-71049029124005131482016-10-17T13:59:00.001+08:002016-10-17T13:59:47.797+08:00Blogging 101: 2016 VersionHow would you advice a millennial friend who has just started blogging middle of this year? Should I just tell him to forget about blogging and focus his energy on something else?<br />
<br />
What is blogging 101 in 2016 when your contemporaries have either quit blogging or are now blogging gurus? The internet world must be filled with all the recycled tips by now. And I... am back to being a blogging noob.<br />
<br />
So here's my blogging tip to a friend who just started to feel like a blogger. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5rFoNMfLcAs/WARl7kaJcoI/AAAAAAAAAm8/ejusohv7fN885ghbEosdJv_amtJ4Urk2ACLcB/s1600/Blogging%2B101.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="302" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5rFoNMfLcAs/WARl7kaJcoI/AAAAAAAAAm8/ejusohv7fN885ghbEosdJv_amtJ4Urk2ACLcB/s400/Blogging%2B101.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
1. Plan your blog well<br />
2. Start by choosing a well-thought of domain name that will become your brand for a long time<br />
3. Choose your blogging platform and hosting. One that fits the budget and that is easy to maintain and upgrade. The $4-$5 monthly fee suits well for his budget. Majority of the bloggers uses Wordpress, so I suggest he follow suit.<br />
4. Develop a regular schedule for posting. One or twice a week will do, or say, every Monday or Friday. <br />
5. Work on developing great content. If you hate work, what can I do? <br />
6. Use pictures that are easy to load in the internet. If it loads more than 10 seconds, visitors would likely go away and never return.<br />
7. Have a plan to promote your site. There is Facebook and Twitter. I am sure that with his almost 1k friends in Facebook, he can catch the attention of half of them.<br />
8. Join a community of bloggers.<br />
9. Monetize your site. Apply for an adsense account. Explore other options too.<br />
10. Love blogging. It will keep you going, at least for the next 5 years.<br />
<br />
There you go. I guess these are also the advice for myself if I have to redo my blogs.Lazarushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05568893041141596698noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23279913.post-6340530448029981342016-06-20T19:53:00.001+08:002016-06-20T19:56:24.094+08:00Cleveland Cavaliers Win; So are the Fans<br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rx81-Bx5R30/V2fYl1KKSSI/AAAAAAAAAmc/nYCXFoW8y5coMOLwcoH5XI57m2TPqamswCLcB/s1600/NBA-2016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="156" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rx81-Bx5R30/V2fYl1KKSSI/AAAAAAAAAmc/nYCXFoW8y5coMOLwcoH5XI57m2TPqamswCLcB/s400/NBA-2016.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">
</span>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: large;">It</span> wasn’t surprising for my Facebook timeline to be filled with
NBA posts. My friends are very
passionate about this American sport. I could not help but post a few entries myself
just to balance it out because most of them were rooting for the Golden State
Warriors. It’s Game 7 and the Warriors
home court. How could LeBron and his team beat that?</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Today, as I drove to the office, I kept checking the scores
online and posted the FB suggestion. All the write-ups prior to Game 7, and the
betting odds were on the Warriors favour’. Cavs lead 70-63 when I first checked. It changed favour, 76-75, a few minutes
later. I heard it rained treys in that
span of time. As I sat on my desk, I
heard the chatter from the IT boys who were also monitoring the game on their
PC. It’s a seesaw battle they say.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: calibri;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">My boss asked me to join him watch the game on TV. How could I refuse? He already knew that I had an outstanding bet
with another colleague. It’s just a buffet lunch that could cost me my pants
should Cleveland lose. Last 4 minutes and the game was tied at 89-all.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: calibri;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">What I saw next were heart-thumping events: The block by
James, the miss by Curry, the trey of Irving and the bad landing of James. Whew! Stephen Curry, from being the unanimous
season MVP, was brought down to earth by LeBron James. “From unanimous to anonymous MVP” state a
friend on his FB post.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: calibri;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Then all of a sudden, the FB posts of those rooting for the
Cavaliers came rushing. I was all smiles as I read them. Where are the GSW fans now? Probably eating chicken curry.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: calibri;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">During lunch with our company officers, the topic was still
the game 7 results. Those who rooted for
the Cavs were all smiles now coz they won themselves free lunch. It wasn’t really the buffet that I expected but
at least it silenced all the pseudo-analysts of the opposing teams. </span><br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">One officer, who reluctantly rooted for the Cavs earlier in the series, quipped, “Our janitors are wiser
than most of you because they are now collecting their wins. They wisely rooted for the Cavs”. We all had a good laugh.</span></div>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike>Lazarushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05568893041141596698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23279913.post-59672583925806094392016-06-16T15:49:00.002+08:002016-06-16T16:54:53.703+08:00When A Blog is No Longer Interesting<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iO-dSEGawtc/V2JZKa_oCeI/AAAAAAAAAmI/U8oazQY2mMoHNyWQBm9jdphfuRYbvn5XQCLcB/s1600/Sunrise.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iO-dSEGawtc/V2JZKa_oCeI/AAAAAAAAAmI/U8oazQY2mMoHNyWQBm9jdphfuRYbvn5XQCLcB/s400/Sunrise.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">It’s been more than 10 years since I started blogging. If
you look at my archives, my number of posts is dwindling over the last 3-4
years. This is my eighth posts since January 2013. It looks like posting an entry is a semi-annual
thing for me. But hey, where did I lose
the love? </span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><b>Bloggers’ Interaction</b></span><br />
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Since I also deleted my blogroll, I lost touch of all my
blogging friends. If I’ll look for them,
I’ll just go to the comments section of my posts in 2007 or prior. I know some had evolved into some kind of
blogging superstar. Others just went back to hibernation and deleted their
online persona. Perhaps because of
Facebook and Twitter, blogs are no longer interesting. Anonymity in blogging has
died long ago. Most of the interactions
are already in Facebook and no longer at the comment section of a blog. If you don’t have an FB account with a real name,
people just ignore you and count you as a troll. Me, a troll?
Maybe by now you know that my real name is not exactly what this blog
tell you. Please don’t count it against me.</span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">When I happen to interact face to face with another
blogger, (I’m not really that cloaked in anonymity) I’d normally tell them that
I deleted all my blogs. I let the domain
expire and did not renew the hosting plan.
That is true. They know the
feeling because they too, at the height of blogging, had three or four blogs
only to keep one or none at all to last up to this day.</span><br />
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><b>Tip:</b> <i>Get interested in others first before you lead them
to your site</i></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><b>Traffic </b> </span></div>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Thanks to a few of my posts, I still have traffic of about
one unique visitor per day. Very lame! But are these the visits that I want? At
some point, I want those visits converted into cash. But the unfortunate thing is, the blogs that
brought me more dollars are the ones I deleted.
Ok, so do I want a post to go viral just to get more traffic? I have a real FB account somewhere and over
1000 friends. What should I do? As if I don’t know. Haha.
Traffic is overrated. And it can
obviously backfire if not properly handled.
Write against a popular figure or a popular opinion, submit it to some
viral sites and you’ll see yourself obliterated and your blog crushed to the
ground. </span><br />
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><b>Tip</b>: <i>Know the traffic that you want and work hard to get
them</i>.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><b>Boring Posts</b></span><br />
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Who would read a boring post? A real fan may, but not a new
visitor. Even your friends will not read
them, because they already know you apart from your site. Your ramblings are
nothing, unless you make them interesting. </span></div>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">At one point, I find some of the blogs I follow as
boring. There was no longer a personal touch
from the blogger as they became mostly shallow reviews of something. There are those who tried to be discreet,
making up stories until a paragraph or two about the review. Funny indeed!
I tried to do the same but failed.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">There are plenty of tips out there how to make your posts
interesting. Post a picture or even a
video. Make funny faces, or crack jokes
good enough to throw me off from my seat. Narrate a story and stuff it with
some figures of speech. Check your
spelling and grammar. Bad writing turns
off the readers. There are bloggers out
there who shun the grammar police but are not really doing enough to improve
their writing. Do not dumb down your readers, but do attempt too much just to
impress us with useless gobbledygook. </span><br />
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><b>Tip</b>: <i>Write simply but
put a little twist</i></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><b>Write for the Love of It</b></span><br />
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Honestly, I lost the love somewhere a few years ago. I was maintaining
lots of sites plus Twitter and Facebook.
A topic keeps running in my head by I struggled to write. I can no
longer type and put hours into it. I
redirected my energies towards things other than blogging.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">But now, maybe I should give myself another chance. Let’s see if I gain a new following and
reclaim the love for writing. This is just my
second post this week and second for the year too. Expect 50 more after this.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><b>Tip</b>: <i>Write for the love of it</i>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">What do you think?</span>Lazarushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05568893041141596698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23279913.post-38848726280750070832016-06-15T18:55:00.001+08:002021-03-26T11:56:38.540+08:00Hypocrisy and the Likes of Us<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.7); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
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<i><br /></i>
In the news a couple of weeks ago, incoming president Duterte spoke against the leaders of the Catholic Church, calling them hypocrites and 'sons of a whore'. He even declared that he's more influential than the bishops because no matter how they campaigned against him, the people just ignored the warnings and voted for him overwhelmingly. Is it a sign of people's silent protest against the Institution?</div>
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<div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0980392); color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.7); font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bOlGU0yiI0A/V2Edn8WMenI/AAAAAAAAAl4/EkINj2rTz-8L5drtr_PHqEzLV4q-E47_ACLcB/s1600/Church.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a>Many had lauded Duterte for his bold (most of the time, brazen) stance to go up against the Church. Opinions had been written in all media agreeing to his viewpoint. People seem to unite against the hypocrisy of these so-called religious leaders. But this is really nothing new. The Bible recorded a lot of instances of hypocrisy. Prophets, upon God's instructions, spoke against leaders, even at the face of death. Jesus himself spoke against the Pharisees, the religious leaders of his time. Yet the Bible also reminded us not to fall to the same pretensions.</div>
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There are people who are quick to equate religiosity with hypocrisy. I can't really blame them. They must have experienced hurts or condemnation by religious people once close to them. I also pity those leaders who are earnest and true to their calling. Are the CBCP leaders really hypocrites? Or maybe they just happen to be on the unpopular side of the issue. Being judgmental is as bad as hypocrisy.<br />
<br />
To those of us who claim to be Christians, let us be discerning and not quick to judge. I know of some people who grew up in Christian churches, who are now religious rebels. First, they rebel against their own parents and relatives accusing them of hypocrisy. When you listen to the parents, they say they were just correcting an aberrant behavior. When we expect love begetting love, it does not always happen. Second, they rebel against their religious leaders. They are quick to listen to gossips and remember only the bad sides of the story. So when they talk about hypocrisy, they have tons of information about leaders who have fallen. Third, they will deny that they are rebelling against God. But their actions speak otherwise. And when you talk about how good God is, they just give you a condescending look. <br />
<br />
There is really this temptation when you go by the tide of public opinion. Who has fully obeyed the ten commandments? Are we actually listening to sermons when we go to church, or just waiting for words tingling our ears? Or maybe we just sit there at the back for the sake of attendance and then look at the Priests or Pastors with suspecting eyes. At the back of our heads we ask, "How many girlfriends does he have? How many boys has he exploited? How much does he earn by using religion?"</div>
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<br />
Shouldn't we look beyond the messenger and focus on the message? Perhaps in these days, moral uprightness is no longer a criteria we look for a political leader, and hypocrisy only applies to the religious. It is a very unfortunate sign of the times! </div>
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Lazarushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05568893041141596698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23279913.post-66191282037287290932015-05-04T10:49:00.000+08:002015-05-04T10:52:00.605+08:00Five Reasons Why Floyd Mayweather Jr. Beat Manny PacquiaoI watched the fight on pay per view paid by my boss. Seated on a corner in a room full of people who were more or less twice my age and were more noisier that I am, I was silently hoping for a knockout to blow the spectators away. What would you expect from a fight called the "Fight of the Century"? I want blood.<br />
<br />
But after twelve rounds, I wanted more. Can they not add a few more rounds to determine the rightful winner? After the announcement, my heart goes out the loser. I couldn't help by write here the five reasons why Floyd Mayweather Jr. beat Manny Pacquiao.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">1. It was Mayweather promoting the fight</span><br />
<br />
Pacquiao was already a step behind. He was underdog and all odds, whether it was betting or the media, were against him. Mayweather controlled everything right from the start. All Pacquiao did was nod and agree. Same with Arum and all the boys surrounding Manny.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">2. Mayweather is the face of American boxing</span><br />
<br />
Mayweather's loss is America's loss. And it is in America where boxing is huge. UFC is a threat alright. But as long as Mayweather is there and unbeaten, there will be a massive business in boxing. Pacquiao is the face of Asia, but business-wise, it's just a fraction of what Las Vegas and Mayweather can produce.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">3. All bets were on Mayweather</span><br />
<br />
"My heart is with Pacquiao but my money is on Mayweather" said my boss. His sentiment is similar to some people I know, like my landlord who was a world title contender during the pre-Pacquiao era. "Mayweather is smarter" he says. What was the odds? I heard that a P1k bet on Mayweather will only win P400. I may not have heard it correctly, but just the same, the bet was on Mayweather to win.<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">4. Mayweather was too scared</span><br />
<br />
He's scared to lose a fight. That is why he handpicked his opponents and controls every aspects from promotion to the actual fight itself, and event the post-fight events. He's too scared that he feints and dances his way out of trouble when Pacquiao cornered him in the ropes. He know full well his reach advantage. A few punches thrown wins him the round. Maybe even his shoulder roll or his frequent hugging were counted as punches.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">5. Pacquiao did not do much damage</span><br />
<br />
We want blood and a ugly-faced Mayweather after 12 rounds. But there was none. Pacquiao thought he won, but that's what many others thought too. If only he bloodied him like De La Hoya, or knocked him down like Hatton, then there would be no question as to who won the fight. <br />
<br />
<br />Lazarushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05568893041141596698noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23279913.post-44692769292486610512015-02-26T19:35:00.000+08:002015-02-26T19:35:33.653+08:00That Thing Called TadhanaI must have been annoyed. Or was it the curiosity that led me to watch the movie "That Thing Called Tadhana"? I saw some people posting something about the movie but I never consulted Google nor read further about it, before I got hold of one copy from the pirates.<br />
<br />
Angelica should be angry at me. But I did sleep well after watching it last night with wifey. My dear sat silently at one corner and I saw her giggle a bit at some scenes. There was a smile somewhere that only I can understand.<br />
<br />
So what was the movie all about? It all started at the airport. The girl, Mace (played by Angelica Panganiban), was bringing lots of stuff and packing them in a large baggage. She must have not known about baggage allowance, or is not really a frequent traveller. Anthony (JM De Guzman), acting like a knight in shining armor, helped the damsel in distress of her excess baggage. Problem solved. Not really. Not yet. <br />
<br />
You have to listen intently to their conversation. Crazy cliches! But it will make you think. Mace is too emotional, while Anthony seems not affected at all. He throws bits of sarcasm every now and then. Mace catches those words like it was all meant for her. "Don't judge me", she says. But I was annoyed at those 'put*ng*na' frequently uttered by her. It somehow diminished her character a bit.<br />
<br />
Familiar story? Probably in real life, if either one was not good looking, there will be no story at all. Anthony admitted the reason why he approached Mace. He finds her attractive, and a little bit scandalous. For her, maybe he was the only suitable companion around for the time being. <br />
<br />
She tells him her story even though she wasn't sure if he was interested at all. Fresh from a failed relationship, she was vulnerable. Imagine she went to Baguio with a man she barely knows. Anthony also acted like he was about to take advantage of it but restrained himself. The Sagada thing could have been his opportunity. But it shows that he was a different kind of animal - a gentleman that is.<br />
<br />
He too was a kind of a hopeless romantic throwing a few lines that will make a girl think if he was wooing her or just helping ease her pain. Mace was too focused on her past and on her hurts. Maybe it did help.<br />
<br />
But the ending.<br />
<br />
There could be another story we don't know about Marco. Or maybe it was there in the words of Anthony when he opened up about his past relationship and why he found it easy to move on. Marco showed up at the ending bringing flowers that made Mace speechless. Was it love resurrected at an instance? There was a little bit inconsistency here. If she was what she was as portrayed at the start of the movie, she wouldn't be speechless. Maybe there could be another scandalous scene of shouting and crying. Or maybe a hugging scene.<br />
<br />
The last last part, which some could mistake as not part of the movie, shows Anthony driving with a book on hand written by Mace and illustrated by him. Did they live happily ever after?<br />
<br />
Wifey left after the credits rolled. I knew she wished for a different ending.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
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<br />Lazarushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05568893041141596698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23279913.post-64119514849457030432014-04-16T12:07:00.000+08:002014-04-16T12:07:42.559+08:00Manny Pacquiao Is Not SupermanI must admit that in every Pacquiao fight, I want him to crush the opponent in 5 or 6 rounds. My friends have the same expectation. In my coworkers betting circle, Manny losing the bout is no longer the question. It is just KO or UD. <br />
<br />
Well, to those of us who followed Pacman's early boxing years, we are used to seeing him flattening his rivals. The KO loss to Marquez in their fourth encounter last December 2012 was a shock to me and everyone else. I remember the people in the crowd I was with that day looking at the big screen speechless. Eery silence, really. "Is Pacquiao dead?" someone whispered.<br />
<br />
April 2014 and we say that Pacquiao is back. He didn't really lose that first fight with Bradley. But the latter couldn't sleep over it because many were saying that the American actually lost that fight. And there was no other viable option for the Pacman. The Rios fight was just a tuneup. Marquez wanted to held on and savor his knockout victory for the longest time. And Mayweather is always ducking the Filipino prizefighter.<br />
<br />
Many online articles I read says that the Pacquiao of old hasn't exactly come back. Well, I think they were referring to the reckless, rapid-firing, stone-fisted Pacquiao that can floor any challenger with one wicked blow. Just like me, they think that Pacquiao is Superman.<br />
<br />
But look at it this way. His opponents now are in their comfortable fighting weight, not their deflated weights. They are also known to have solid chin and can take hard punches. They are not paltry fighters but top-rated warriors. Sometimes, we expect too much from the warrior from Gensan. But I guess he is wiser now. Punishing the opponent for 12 rounds is more cruel that knocking him out in 5 or 6 rounds. <br />
<br />
I am sure Bradley knows what hit him. It wasn't Superman but the Pacman who gobbles up slowly his fighting psyche. Lazarushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05568893041141596698noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23279913.post-54931943371881965972014-04-04T18:42:00.001+08:002014-04-04T18:42:25.798+08:008th YearI can't believe this now neglected blog is already eight years old. How time flies so fast! I remember those days when I just blogged about anything that comes to mind. I made online friends. I earned from paid reviews. I bought domains, paid for hosting, and blogged elsewhere to maximize online earnings.<br />
<br />
After some days of $$$, the well eventually ran dry, and I tried to recover all those things that were lost. But some other things took over. I eventually stopped writing posts when I got hooked into some online game. <br />
<br />
Yes, it was out of boredom that I played those strategy games. Instead of working to earn some money from blogging, I spent my free hours playing. The bad thing is that, I also spent some of my online earnings to pay for some in-game purchases. The money part may not be that much, probably just under $100. But the value of my time wasted is pretty much at the high end. I thought it was only temporary, but imagine it lasted more than 4 years. Wow! <br />
<br />
Now here comes 2014. I have rekindled my love for badminton, but not for blogging. This is my first post since June 2013. I have discarded my other sites, planning to restart from scratch. I bought a new domain but still can't think of what to do with it. Will it be for adsense or just for the love of blogging?<br />
<br />
I just cleaned out my sidebar including the blogroll. I wanted to refresh everything. If any of you chance upon this post, please do leave a message and a link to your site if you are a blogger. Tell me how to blog again.<br />
<br />Lazarushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05568893041141596698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23279913.post-11485683823023879642013-06-16T12:16:00.000+08:002013-06-16T12:16:28.310+08:00Fathers' Day ThoughtsI heard a cousin of mine complained that he wasn't loved enough by his father. "Pera, meron kami. Pero pagmamahal, wala".<br />
<br />
I just shook my head in disbelief. I personally heard from his own father, how he loved his son, and how he showered him with things he was deprived of while growing up. Grandpa wasn't the ideal father. He was strict but didn't provide enough for his 9 children. He just let them go their own way while he was busy in his farm and with his friends. From what I heard, it was grandma who inspired them to dream dreams.<br />
<br />
But I never heard my uncle nor his siblings complained against their father. No love, and no money. Yet they respected their father so much.<br />
<br />
Now here comes my cousin badmouthing his father. "It could have been better if di na lang siya nag abroad."<br />
<br />
I asked myself, "Is this the general feeling of the children of OFWs?" Honestly, i sometimes envy them coz they have almost everything. We were not rich financially. But my own Dad, showered us with love while growing up. I cannot ask for more.<br />
<br />
So I shoot this question to my cousin, "How do you want to be loved by yourfather?" I followed it up relating to him about his father's own struggle while growing up and how he achieved the status he reached now. Some fathers could not express love the way we want them. No hugs and kisses. Just allowance and material things. We can not blame them for that. They need our understanding too. If we're hurt, they're hurt too.<br />
<br />
I'm not sure if my cousin understood all that I said. But I hope he did. That conversation was 3 years ago. He's a father now to a bouncy baby boy. And I hoped he patched things up with his own father as well.<br />
Lazarushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05568893041141596698noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23279913.post-25626875995967747592013-01-14T12:24:00.000+08:002013-01-14T12:24:02.796+08:00Insanity<i>Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. </i>
- Albert Einstein<br />
<br />
I don't know if I have this little bit of insanity within my head if I go by with Einstein's definition of the word. Some things I've been doing over and over again knowing the futility of them all. I am not talking about blogging. It is some other things that bothers me right now.<br />
<br />
2013 is here and as always, I hoped for the better. 2012 was somewhat like 'plus 2 minus 3' for me. I thanked God for the unexpected blessings. And there were unexpected challenges too. <br />
<br />
Forgive my shallow understanding of the situation as sometimes my mind circles on the problem. There is a solution to this I know. LORD, help us overcome.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Lazarushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05568893041141596698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23279913.post-39203399494038066472012-11-06T14:56:00.000+08:002012-11-06T16:15:36.275+08:00Not MuchMy blogger stats says that I have a PageRank of 2 and 40,547pageviews. Since March 2006, I have posted 381 entries. The peak of my blogging was in 2006-2008 wherein I wrote around 320 blog posts. Oh well, that's 84% of my total! It was downhill after that. This year, I have written only 5 posts. <br />
<br />
In 2008, I moved on to another site with a dotcom of my own. I did not migrate my posts but started anew. New friends and blog acquaintances came around. Blogging anonymity is no longer the "in" thing unlike in the past. So, I simply sidelined this leftover blog and embraced the light.<br />
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But after a year or two of enjoying the economic and social fruits of blogging, the passion faded the second time around. And my new blogs were again at some point of neglect. I became too lazy to write and was contented with the short lines Twitter offered. The blog posts became tweets of 150 characters. So easy and without hassles! <br />
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Honestly, there is so much to write these days if only I had the passion to write as I used to. But everytime I write a paragraph or two, I simply pause and delete everything. <br />
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Where will I find the inspiration to write again? Tell me, please.<br />
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Lazarushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05568893041141596698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23279913.post-5031379465176552632012-05-13T01:04:00.001+08:002012-05-13T01:04:28.917+08:00Remembering Grandma on Mothers' DayI always remember my maternal grandmother every Mothers' Day. That is because it's very near her birthday. And when I saw my aunt post in Facebook a picture of grandma, I felt nostalgic. Today, May 13 is my grandma's birthday.<br />
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Though she died sixteen years ago, I really miss her.<br />
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I lived with my grandparents in Mindanao when I was six years old. Being their first grandchild, and being with them most of the time, people thought I was the favorite. Nope, it's not what they think. I had my own share of spanking too. She was strict but loving. She never fails to pack my baon before going to school. And when I come home rugged and dirty, it's either her long stick or grandpa's belt that will do the talking. No excuses as the evidence is in my pants. (They make me wear long pants so when I play, crawl and tumble with friends, dirt would stick to my pants).<br />
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This is what my aunt wrote on Facebook a few hours ago in reply to my sister's comment on her profile pic.<br />
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<i><span class="commentBody" data-jsid="text">"day .., ako jud ni gituyo
nga i profile kay kung gimingaw mo ni lola, mas na jud ko, mama is my
best friend, best mother sa buong mundo, wala ng iba.. very supportive
mother, kaya mintras buhi pa ang inyong mama, pahimusli jud ang walang
pag-alinlangan na pagmamahal. missed my mama so much, it's her birthday
tomorrow..."</span></i><br />
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I certainly agree with my auntie. While our mothers are still alive, seize every opportunity to show them love and affection. We only have one mother in this world. <br />
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I know a lot were already thinking of <a href="http://blogcebuworld.com/2012/03/12/cool-mothers-day-gift-ideas-2012/" target="_blank">cool mothers' day gift ideas,</a> as we just noticed in the various malls in the city the other day. But you know what, they don't really care about the gifts, but they appreciate much the time we spend with them.Lazarushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05568893041141596698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23279913.post-8979438284759136622012-05-11T15:15:00.000+08:002012-05-13T00:30:46.170+08:00To Comment or Not To CommentI made a quick round to the blogs of people I used to interact with in the past. I was tempted to comment but I paused a bit. Do they still remember me?<br />
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What if they ask me where I've been for the past 4 or five years when I stopped dropping by their blogs?
What if they call me by the pseudo-name I use here when in fact I already outed myself in the blog events that I joined? Yep, I've meet some bloggers in real life settings. I have also joined a Facebook group of bloggers as me. Anonymity in social media had already lost its flavor. That is already the case this four or five years.<br />
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I am just keeping this blog for sentimental and selfish reasons. And when I leave a comment to other blogs, I now have second thoughts on what name to use and what url to fill in the comment section. Ah!<br />
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At another instance, I followed a tweet by a friend which contained a link to a blogpost on his personal blog. I really wanted to comment on this one but I was thinking, "Will my comment do him any good? Or is he just having one of those emo moments?"<br />
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I wanted to tell him, "Grow up and act like your mid 40's age. The world does not revolve around you anymore". But again, I was thinking that bloggers have all the right to say things on their blogs as long as it does not hurt others. It's just one of his emo moments. I'm sure he has already recovered by now.Lazarushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05568893041141596698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23279913.post-33340095413090822542012-04-16T10:39:00.002+08:002012-04-16T11:19:50.614+08:00Social Networking Etiquette For TeensMy wife is working with kids, teens and young people at Church and she has some sort of following. But they follow me instead because she has no Facebook account of her own.<br /><br />I received friend request here and there and I got to ask her if she knows them. Of course, most these kids know me as well. But I had a hard time matching their names with their faces. Some I knew when they were as young as 8 or 9 at Kid's church, and then now that they're college students and seeing them once in a quarter, I have forgotten many of them.<br /><br />Since we're friends in Facebook, i get to see some of their pics and walls. They certainly have grown. But I have some concerns with a few of them. Some post inappropriate pics and rants like they don't care at all. I've seen a few verbal quarrels as well. I guess these are problems not only common in teens but for other adults too. But it's the kids and teens that I'm concerned the most. They're vulnerable and they need to be guided. <br /><br />I see the need of these kids to be informed on proper social media etiquette. What they post during high school will be there in the internet long enough that it could be used against them in the future. Who knows if they'll suffer the same fate as those graduating kids from STC who weren't able to march with their batch. Or that they'll be cyber-bullied because they think that it's alright to ride a butanding, drown a cat, or pose in a crucifix with sexy shorts. We do a lot of crazy things when we were teens, right? All for the sake of fun, notwithstanding the consequences. <br /><br />Just when I was thinking of coming up with seminar materials for these young people, GMA7 came up with a series of ads "Think Before You Click". Here's the Tween Edition:<br /><br /><object width="500" height="284"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/KwFB-Rr2r4w?version=3&hl=en_US&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/KwFB-Rr2r4w?version=3&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="500" height="284" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object>Lazarushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05568893041141596698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23279913.post-9266136963198411412012-03-23T10:17:00.003+08:002012-04-09T12:58:36.511+08:00Goodbye, American DreamThe other month we ended our dreams of going to America. My wife couldn't control her emotions when she wrote the formal withdrawal letter. She cried. <br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6ouaKi5TcUc/T4JsSZXwpoI/AAAAAAAAAag/OaLkedCSR7g/s1600/NYstatue.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 319px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6ouaKi5TcUc/T4JsSZXwpoI/AAAAAAAAAag/OaLkedCSR7g/s400/NYstatue.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5729260739272681090" border="0" /></a><br /><br />She is one of those nurses who had hoped of immigrating to the US. Her application has been pending for years, and yet we patiently waited. Most of her batchmates and friends are there already and she is one of the few left behind. Our priority date was May 2006 and as per latest visa bulletin, we're only a month away.<br /><br />But passion died years ago, compounded with the expiry of her CG and IELTS. She failed the NCLEX twice and it had dampened her hope and desire. Though the exam can now be taken in Manila, she doesn't want to undergo another excruciating review and pay the expensive exam fees.<br /><br />Also, hospital experience is now a strict requirement which she had none. She had applied at a nursing home which do not require hospital experience. But we heard lots of nursing homes in the US had closed because of their country's financial woes. It used to be that retirement and pension plans pay for the retirees nursing homes expenses. But these were all gone with the economic crisis.<br /><br />We prayed hard for this plan and it seems that the answer was a clear 'NO!'. So today, we'll shift our dreams to somewhere else. I will no longer have to imagine working from home in Texas or driving a school bus in Idaho. We'll rebuild our dreams from where we are right now. Wifey and I have lots of things to do.Lazarushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05568893041141596698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23279913.post-59423167360600916012012-01-24T15:28:00.003+08:002012-01-24T16:10:53.720+08:00No More ChatboxToday, I will delete my chatbox. It has not served it purpose anymore and has become the haven of spammers, and passersby who only want to promote their sites without leaving at least some sensible remarks. <br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WJblp6GK4Zw/Tx5nDPRtg7I/AAAAAAAAAaU/yOrU5qff3O0/s1600/Chatbox.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 317px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WJblp6GK4Zw/Tx5nDPRtg7I/AAAAAAAAAaU/yOrU5qff3O0/s400/Chatbox.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5701107483635712946" /></a><br /><br />In the past, when spammers were fewer and the bloggers were purer, we were not afraid of unwanted visitors. Now, times have changed. And it changed really fast. I think I could still blog without the chatbox. Most blogs don't have chatboxes anymore, and interactions are more on the comment portions.<br /><br />So, if you want to leave a message here, you should know where the comment section is.Lazarushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05568893041141596698noreply@blogger.com2