Small but terrible

Let’s veer away for a moment from the Ondoy tragedy…

The last few months, I have been wanting to buy a digicam again and have been on the lookout for god ones. 

Now, I am not parting with my DSLR. I love it. It takes really good pictures. However, it has some drawbacks, one of which is its weight. Taking it on vacation and lugging it around are really tiring, especially when you love to walk and explore. Wouldn’t a digicam come in handy during those times? Also, my sister is complaining that  the DSLR takes too damn good and clear pictures that she has to go for a natural acne treatment just so her pimples and blemishes would in no way be captured by the DSLR! In fact, she doesn’t want closeups whenever we use the DSLR!

Anyway, for my next digicam, I have my eyes set on this model.

Canon Ixus 980 IS

What can I say? I’m a Canon fanatic!

But I know that with the current situation of our fellow Filipinos, now is not the right time to buy these kinds of stuff, especially when it’s not a necessity. So until I’ve done what I know I can to help our needy fellow Filipinos and I know I can buy it without guilt [not to mention to actually have the budget for it], the only thing I can do is set my eyes on it!

Omnipotence

September 26, 2009, at the height of THE typhoon Ondoy

PW: Mama, does God love us?

KG: Of course!

PW: Then why are there storms? At bakit hindi tumitigil ang ulan?

Somehow, I find it hard to answer. How do you explain to an 8-year-old, in a manner that she would understand, why God “allows” these things to happen. For children, God is Vitamin C, who protects us from sickness and harm, or God is like one of those furnace filters, who will filter all the bad things so they won’t reach us. After all, haven’t we all told the children that “everything” is from God?

And although we as adults somehow understand it a bit, we will never be able to toally comprehend this part of God.

I guess the explanation that I can most relate to comes [surprise, surprise] from the book Angels & Demons.

In a particular scene, the camerlengo and Chartrand [the lieutenant working with Olivetti] were talking about the omnipotence of God.

“Terrible things happen in this world. Human tragedy seems like proof that God could not possibly be both all-powerful and well-meaning. If He loves us and has the power to change our situation, He would prevent our pain, wouldn’t He?”

The camerlengo frowned. “Would He?”

Chartrand felt uneasy. Had he overstepped his bounds? Was this one of those religious questions you just didn’t ask? “Well…if God loves us, and He can protect us, He would have to. It seems He is either omnipotent and uncaring, or benevolent and powerless to help.”

“Do you have children, Lieutenant?”

Chratrand flushed. “No, signore.”

“Imagine you had an eight-year-old son. Would you love him?

“Of course.”

“Would you do everything in your power to prevent pain in his life?”

“Of course.”

“Would you let him skateboard?”

Chartrand did a double-take. The camerlengo always seemed oddly in “in touch” for a clergyman. “Yeah, I guess, Chartrand said. “Sure, I’d let him skateboard, but I’d tell him to be careful.”

“So, as this father’s child, you would give him some basic, good advice and then let him go off and make his own mistakes?”

“I wouldn’t run behind him and mollycoddle him if that’s waht you mean.”

“But what if he fell and skinned his knee?”

“He would learn to be more careful.”

The camerlengo smiled. “So although you have the power to interfere and prevent your child’s pain, you would choose to show your love by letting him learn his own lessons?”

“Of course. Pain is part of growing up. It’s how we learn.”

The camerlengo nodded. “Exactly.”

Surviving the worst

It was the worst in 40 years. 

Yes, typhoon Ondoy was the worst in 40 years…even worse than Millenio or Reming.

This time though, it wasn’t the winds that was the killer, but the rains. To give you an example, I share with you a picture:

See the gate? That’s the gate of our “phase,” around 10 houses away from us. If you look closely, you’ll see the head of our guard, who’s trying to save what he can from our gate.

And just so you’ll know how grave the situation was, in the 30 years we’ve lived in our village, we have NEVER, ever, experienced flood–not even ankle deep. Imagine how shocked we were seeing this when we went outside….our house was dripping on the walls inside, all our floor mats were wet, we couldn’t go out.

And yet we were lucky. Some parts of Metro Manila, Rizal, Laguna, and other provinces are virtual rivers and seas now. Our other kababayans are not so lucky–trapped, hungry, weak, suffering. It is so heart-wrenching. The extent of the damage is not easy to comprehend, and I could not help but offer a prayer every now and then. After all, besides all the things we can do to help [like sending money and donating food, clothes, medicine, blankets, etc], what all can we do but to pray for them?

Let’s all pray that the worst is over.

On the bright side, times like these bring our the best in mankind when you see people helping and taking care of each other. And seeing how other people “forget” themselves is just as touching as the suffering that compelled it in the firstplace. Yes, the worst times bringing out the best in people.

Oh, and one more thing, I got to bathe in the rain again.

Book recommendation: The Last Song

I know I’ve mentioned that I’m having a movie drought for the lack of movies I’ve been able to watch this year. I know I’m bound to be persecuted, but before you cast judgment, let me assure you that there is no need for Seattle personal injury attorneys here, for not all is lost. I may not have watched a lot of movies, but I’ve been reading a lot of books.

So I’m recommending another book, again by Nicholas Sparks [gosh, I’m having Nicholas Sparks overload]:

 Seventeen year-old Veronica “Ronnie” Miller’s life was turned upside-down when her parents divorced and her father moved from New York City to Wilmington, North Carolina. Three years later, she remains angry and alienated from her parents, especially her father… until her mother decides it would be in everyone’s best interest if she spent the summer in Wilmington with him. Ronnie’s father, a former concert pianist and teacher, is living a quiet life in the beach town, immersed in creating a work of art that will become the centerpiece of a local church. The tale that unfolds is an unforgettable story about love in its myriad forms – first love, the love between parents and children – that demonstrates, as only a Nicholas Sparks novel can, the many ways that deeply felt relationships can break our hearts… and heal them.

I loved the book because it was engaging and touches the emotional side of people. It will stiry up so many emotions: anger, irritation, kilig, happiness, and sadness. When my sister told me that she cried buckets while reading this book, I told her, “Ang OA mo naman.” When I read the book, I resisted the tears…and failed. It was truly touching…one of the most touching books by Nicholas Sparks. [Perhaps, one of the reasons why I was touched by this book is that one of the things that it tackles is the relationship between a parent and a child.]

On the downside, because I knew before I read the book that it was to become a movie, with Miley Cyrus acting the lead role, I could see her in my head all the time while reading! Not a good thing!

But Miley Cyrus or no Mile Cyrus, this is one of the best books of Nicholas Sparks.

Sleeping in for the weekend

It’s another rainy evening for us. Not that I’m complaining! I don’t eaxctly like rain. But tonight, I’m actually happy because it would be nice to sleep in this weekend! Isn’t it nice to feel the sheets on your skin during a cold day? I love that feeling! In addition, when you get enough sleep, there’s no need for the best eye creams!

Sleeping is one of my favorite things to do in the world. It recharges me!

Have a great weekend everyone!

Movie drought

Yes, I’m having a movie drought ! I’ve been missing out some great movies this year! I can’t believe that I haven’t even watched Angels & Demons and Transformers! I have them only in DVD though, and never mind that I will watch it perhaps on a rackmount lcd despite the fact that these are supposed to be watched on the big screen!

Tops on my list are the two movies:

UP

Kimmy Dora

PS: Good to know that there is a Tagalog movie worth seeing, plus the new movie In My Life [I wonder how the movie went]!

"Batang kalye"

Over the past week, I’ve noticed the increase in the number of children playing on our streets. This brings back some good childhood memories for me, as I had so many “kalaro” [playmates] and consider myself a “batang kalye” [child of the streets]. My friends and I had so much fun!

Wendy has also been spending less time in front of the computer and the TV and much more playing habulan and hide and seek with her friends, which is great because if it keeps up, we have no more need for the one-cup-per-meal diet and for the fitness equipment. In fact, as of this moment, they are playing touch ball [I’m sure some of you know that]. And I’m resisting the urge to join [I feel I badly need the exercise]! As I watch her dodge the ball, I feel happy that the kids are not forgetting that street games are more fun than computer games, and you can quote me on that!

Honestly, I don’t mind if Wendy too becomes a “batang kalye.”

The countdown begins

97 days

 to Christmas!

With all the excitement of travels and birthdays, I almost didn’t notice that it was already the “ber” months! Gosh! Can you believe how fast time flies?

The Husband asks in his post if we have started buying gifts already. My answer? No.

I remember a comment of Oodles of Googles in one of my posts. She said that she and her sister, Maidapaypay, apply one simple rule to gift giving during Christmas: “Give simple gifts to those who can afford and more substantial gifts to those the less privileged.”  Isn’t that great? I will certainly apply that this year!

So to my friends, don’t expect some fancy gifts from me this year [which means that someone won’t be getting that online life insurance from me!!]. In fact, don’t expect anything from me at all! He!He!

But then, isn’t love enough to make Christmas special?

Oohhh….I love Christmas!

Zzzzzz…..

This long weekend, I would temporairly stop finding out how to lose belly fat fast and do one of the things I love to do!!!

Yes, I love to sleep!

I’ve been getting little sleep this past few days that I need to catch up. I’m going back to using Johnson’s Bedtime Bath [thanks Dyanie!] in hopes that I would have a peaceful sleep! The cold weather would help too, I’m sure! Well, gotta go and doze off!

 Happy weekend!

Church’s liabilites

One thing I hate about the church is the hypocrites.

Yes, you know them… those who are always in front during the mass, raising their hands when singing,  closing their eyes in prayer. Those are the people whose rosaries are glued to their hand, whose sentences always include, “Jesus” or “Lord” or “Virgin Mary.” They speak in tongues while praying, with tears streaming down their cheeks.

But they are the ones quickest to judge other people. They are the ones who run out of patience with the person with abnormality. They are the first ones to rebuke a “sinning” person. Oh, yes, I know you know them.

I saw some of these kinds of these people in church this afternoon, when I was eating my merienda of fishball. They preparing for the Penafrancia. There they were, hugging the Mama Mary framed pictures as if it were gold, laughing among themselves and enjoying the “service” they are doing for the church. But when some children from the repressed areas approached [yes, the “madungis” ones], these hypocrites signaled them to go away, as if saying, “You don’t belong here.” Some merely stared at them, hoping that these children would get the message with the dagger looks. And these children did. They sadly walked away. What a pitiful sight.

I wanted to confront the hypocrites and tell them, “Ok kayo ha! Pahughug kayo dyan kay Mama Mary, pero parang nandiri kayo sa mga bata! Yan ba ang turo sa simbahan?”

These hypocrites have a bigger problem than finding the right acne treatment! If truth be told, it is because of these people that I rarely sit in front of the church. I don’t want to be in their midst.

Yes, these seemingly “religious” persons claim to love and adore God, and yet they do not love their fellow human being. They look down on the poor, they judge people because of education, and they are the last to help a person in need. I am not really a religious person, I go to mass only every Sunday. I don’t even claim to be able to pray regularly! But what try to do is love people as much as I can, without prejudice, without judgment, no matter who you are or what you do. In my own little way, I want to share God with others through love and respect, and I hope that this is fine with Papa God.

Sadly, these hypocrites are everywhere. Just look at your own church.