Manny Pacquiao, Philippines Pride

My summer years as a teen usually involves watching my brothers play basketball on street leagues. There are also times when I watched Philippine National Basketball (PBA) live only for free at the ringside. But despite of this, I am simply a supporter, not a real sports enthusiast. Especially for those form of sports which seems brutal, like boxing. But obviously today, I don't have a choice than to sit back and watch Manny Paquiao buying for another world boxing title.

Though Manny is very famous due to several titles won over the past years in boxing, it would be my first time to see how he fights. Talk Asia interview of Manny also says that there is lesser crime in the Philippines during his fights because many of the Filipinos are watching. Meaning, in his own way, he's definitely a superstar or better say, a hero to most of us.

We started watching as early as 11am and need to wait for more than an hour prior the main event, where Manny will fight the champion Ricky Hatton from Britain. Heard from local media that 25,000 Brits flew from UK the other night just to watch the fight. There were also occasional teasing here and there between the Filipino crowd. Oh oh, sounds like a bloody event huh...It also made me laugh when pinoys make fond of the song London Bridge is falling down replacing it instead of Ricky Hatton's falling down...hahaha. Personally though I find British sophisticated, for this time, I will support my own. My very own kababayan (fellowmen).

More tension build-up when Manny and Ricky entered the arena. Brits crowd sang so loudly for Ricky. And thou I didn't hear Filipinos sing when Manny was introduced, there is tremendous screaming. Oh boy, if I was there, I will surely do the same. Screaming and cheering at the top of my lungs for Manny. Manny..Manny...Manny...plus singing pinoy, pinoy ako. Ipakita mo sa mundo. Kung ano ang kaya mo. Iba talaga ang pinoy (Filipino, Filipino, show it to the

world. What you can do?....Manny

As much as I hold my breath, I could see my mother and brother on the same mode while watching the 1st round. Ricky obviously is a tough contender, very aggressive like a bull. But Manny also shows determination facing his opponent with confidence. "That's it, go Manny, go" was what I can hear my mother is saying. Before the first round ends, Ricky was knocked down twice. Whoa!

The second round now becomes more exciting, I was looking now to what kind of strategy Ricky would do in order to recover. It was a real good fight, I almost thought that Manny has lesser points this time. But around 8 secs before the 2nd round end, Manny throw his left punch hitting Ricky so hard leaving him unconscious. Referee signal the end of the fight and paramedics came to administer Ricky. Whoa! that's it, Manny won the event. Manny...Manny....

Silently praying that nothing serious happened to Ricky, I was rejoicing for Manny. Graveh! it's overwhelming...so overwhelming that he gave such glory and pride to our country. Truly, despite the difficulties we had as a nation, there still lots of things to be thanked for and be proud for. Thank you Manny, thank you for making Filipinos proud because of your God given talent. Thank you for making me realize once again to be proud of being a Filipino.

Mabuhay ka Manny!!!

Memoirs of Kaohsiung - Part2

And this post will be Part2 of my previous post.

Since I'm back to Taiwan for visit, I took the chance to take pictures of the spots where I usually spent time either wandering or shopping. Also to eat foods which I'll surely missed a lot.

Night Market. Apologies for the
blurred photo :B This Night Market opens only during Friday and Saturday's and as the word "Night" stands for, shopping starts from 7PM till 12MN. Other Night Markets in Kaohsiung like Downtown runs daily.

Dirty Kitchen. Expats coined this name for the resto just in front of Night Market. Well, the place might be, but the foods are surely delicious. I ate fried rice and clam soup that night.

KRT Houjin Station. 5 minutes away from my apartment. Bike and scooters are the usual means of transportation in Taiwan. This is of course apart from the transient prestigious cars you'll see everywhere.

Downtown. Across the bridge moving forward seats to electronic shops where one could buy the latest e-gadget available in the market.

3C Store. E-gadget stores are commonly called as 3C in Taiwan. Actually, their names varies only with respect to color, which could either be Yellow, Blue or White 3C.

This photo was inside Blue 3C where I bought my laptops cooling pad. 3 months past, the price is quite cheaper. Oh oh, I'd better hurry-up coz it's so tempting to buy :B

Inside the Bus. Well, my trip is done over for the day and thou it'll take me an hour to reach home, I took the bus. It's good I supposed for more reminiscing :B

By the way, buses are named by Numbers. They are all fully air-conditioned. So, if your a newbie, just ask the hotel DO which bus will reach your destination. It's also the same bus that will took you back to your hotel.

Public buses are also operated by the government. How I hope it'll be the same here in the Philippines. Yeah, because drivers don't mind to have passenger's or not. They'll just pass by on-time on their specific terminals. So, no to traffic. For newbies, just be sure you know what time the bus will arrive, otherwise, you'll wait for another 30-45 minutes :B

The last picture was me inside the bus and if your really a keen observer, you'll see something in here. Let's see if you guess it right :B

Have a safe and happy Holy Week to all.

Memoirs of Kaohsiung - Part1

Yahoo, after 3 months of silence, I am nearly back to blogging...nearly? Yes, because somehow I think I have collected my thoughts back...he he. Oh oh, does it sound like some screw fell out...he he...Anyways, what I wanted to say is that I missed you and this blog thing and hoping to be a better blogger from now on.

So, before this month ends. Thank God our internet was activated today, thank you. A quick update of my life happenings.

Early this month, I was back to Taiwan to visit friends and finish unsettled business. Can't explain the joy upon arrival, or better say the joy upon my feet setting on the ground. Honestly, I loved this country from the bottom of my heart. And to my surprise, everything looked stunning that even the stingy tofu vendor and it's stinky smell became pleasant. Well, for those oy you people who've walked the streets of China town, I bet you know what I mean. @_@

So, here are some photos of what I can say, Taiwan-Kaohsiung at it's finest memories....hope that you could use it during your visit.

Kaohsiung Railway. There are actually 2 railways now in the downtown area. Early this year they opened KRT (Kaohsiung Rail Transit). It's a subway train and surely runs fast. Right side structure will bring you down to the terminal (almost 4 floors below the ground), and the left side will bring you to the oldest railway .

Splendor Hotel. Kaohsiung's tallest building with 85 floors which caters to offices, stores, restaurant and hotel.

NKMIT. A typical university school structure in Taiwan. Obviously shows the rich culture of the country. This school is just in front of my apartment.

FOODS. One doesn't need to worry with foods, since Taiwan has adopted western culture . You can choose and afford to eat even at the finest cuisine. Of course, it's better to taste their local food. And my favorite if you ask, fried rice and variants of friend foods popularly known as tusok by pinoys.

Promise of new beginning

I had this feeling for sometime now. Why would not I ? after returning from 3 months leave, the office was already full of new and new, yet old faces. It's surprises me thou to see the later because, those people have left the company for sometime and then go back with a continuous length of service. Oh well, where can you find such favor? anyway, I'm pretty sure they do know exactly what they're doing.

I do loved my job, there's no question about that. But with the recent changes of leadership, plus my health being compromised made me to consider resigning after a month. I do understand the employment risk of expats here in Taiwan. In a span of one month, hundreds of Filipino's where laid-off and sent home. Rules also become stringent in the company, say for example: once there's customer complain and mis-operation, the fault person will be automatically terminated. No negotiation, period and this rule applies to either local or foreign.

Despite the uncertain economy, thought of resigning made me think a lot. Perhaps the reason why I'm feeling low these past few weeks. Yet, decision has to be made. So, when I had the chance to talk to my manager, I boldly told him to lay-me off or transfer me to another team rather than suffer more misery later on with my leader. Mind you leader was my close friends before she got promoted, but started to complain favors I got from manager. Indeed, I was blessed to have higher favors.

Manager was good enough allowing my transfer and say good things about me. Why will I knew? he blind copy me on all e-mails sent to dept heads. He said, he can't afford to loose me, but only this crucial timing that need the transfer. Each time I saw it, I can't help not to shed tears. And though I'm trying to hold on for my love with my job, at the back of it, I knew staying isn't the answer.

I am about to go home for Christmas holidays using my 2 weeks force leave. But when I get my ticket yesterday, the HR personnel asked me to go to the meeting room. Oh boy, this must be something really serious, I said to myself. That's it, everything was settled there. I took my stuff back to office accompanied by a security. And thou I have prepared myself should matters gets worse, once you're there, it isn't enough. The blow of events strike me like a knife. I don't know how many hours I cried. What I knew is that my head kills me in pain and weigh so heavy that made me throw up. So once again, I was back to the hospital.

I rush to the clinic or hospital by myself most of the time. But tonight it's different, I have a christian companion with me. The fellowship was an encouragement and a reminder of my situation compared with other people. Certainly, if I will look on deeper, I have more things to be grateful for.

So, when I wake up this morning, I'm not hurrying for work anymore. The good night sleep last night was surprising. It enabled replenishment of God's promises for the new direction I'm going to face. Yes, I am jobless now, but I do believe His preparing better things for me than I had planned for myself. That all these things are connected with one another in order to meet God's ultimate plan for my life. You see, if I resigned earlier I will not get an SLP, it's not much, but it's a good start. Plus my papers update for immigration came-up timely. So what can I ask more, what can I complain in this situation. Nothing I supposed, but to give thanks to God and rejoice!

P.S. This blog will be in hiatus for a while...but I'm still here, talking... @_@

Greeting you in advance.....

A blessed Christmas and a Prosperous New Year

Atypical Monday

It's atypical Monday for work today...hmm, it might be only me as colleagues seems to be in some sort of discussion or pretending to be busy in hitting their laptops keys. Well I think I had fairly done my share for today's need-to-do list and am sure, each one of us had their styles spending those not so very busy days right. Plus, we're still entitled to take break once in a while. So, spare me, I'm not being defensive OK....hahaha

And so, while waiting for the time signaling it's done for today, I browse on my archive mails and found this forwarded mail which made me almost fell out of my chair. It's funny, that I would like to share it with you guys. So enjoy a loud belly laugh as it takes years off your face and does surely makes you fabulous when you laugh.

Have a nice day ahead everyone!

=========================================================

There are 4 gents who go out to play golf one sunny morning. One is detained in the clubhouse, and the other three are discussing their children while walking to the first tee.

"My son Kent," says one, "has made quite a name for himself in the home-building industry. He began as a carpenter, but now owns his own design and construction firm. He's so successful in fact, in the last year he was able to give a good friend a brand new home as a gift."

The second man, no to be out done, tells how his son began his career as a car salesman, but now owns a multi-line dealership. "Norm's so successful, in fact, in the last six months he gave his friend two brand new cars as a gift."

The third man's son, Greg, has worked his way up through a stock brokerage, and in the last few weeks has given a good friend a large stock portfolio as a gift.

As the fourth man arrives at the tee, another tells him that they have been discussing their progeny and asks what line his son is in.

"To tell the truth, I'm not very pleased with how my son turned out," he replies. "For 15 years, Chico's been a hairdresser, and I've just recently discovered he's gay. However, on the bright side, he must be good at what he does because his last three boyfriends have given him a brand new house, two cars, and a big pile of stock certificates."

Simplicity is beauty

Things aren't really going well recently and apparently, this mayhem has affected me more that expected. If there's something beneficial I see, is to often find myself wanting to post an entry. Perhaps as means to release tension, an escape from this roller coaster ride mix of emotion.

However, if that post would only mean to whine and groan, I would rather discard it. So, I choose to revert on positive thoughts and pray at the same time. Later, I also realized that it's really useless and tiring to feel down on something that is beyond my control. So, why waste this precious time!

While at office, I was able to do blog hopping and fortunate to come across a blog which really encourage me. Like a journal as it is, but what captured me most is the way he shared his beautiful photos. I was really shocked how beautiful the Philippines is. That blogger indeed savor every minute of the places his been with.

Not bragging, but I've been to several countries already and had taken remarkable photos that I could keep as memento of such travels. But what I learned from him is photography. It strike a chord on me to always take the shot on those times that it had taken my breath away, as simple as the sunset, the silhouette, a flower, oh and so much more, much much more. Simple right, my happiness is really simple you know.

"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder"

PS. I hurriedly check the available photos on my computer. It may not be the best, but it's one of those moments, so glad that God created such beautiful sight for free.

Sunset at Chin Ching Lake, Taiwan

On time of crisis (Part2)

Who's paranoid? I guess it's a normal thing nowadays as everyone is asking the latest update of ones status quo. Just like tonight, I bumped into another Filipino folk at work and heard that there were Filipinos sent back home as of today. So, I hurriedly checked the news for authenticity to end up my speculations and here's what I got, courtesy of gmanews.tv

2nd batch of laid-off OFWs arrives from Taiwan
12/02/2008 09:06 PM

MANILA, Philippines — A second batch of overseas Filipino workers who lost their jobs in Taiwan arrived in the country Tuesday evening, a radio report said.

Radio dzBB's Lito Laparan reported that the second batch of 21 Filipinos arrived aboard Philippine Airlines flight PR-899 at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

This developed as Labor Secretary Marianito Roque admitted some 200 Filipino seamen working in a luxury liner had been laid off.

But Roque said it is not a cause for worry, as more Filipinos are still deployed abroad then those who lost their jobs.

Last Monday, militant labor group Migrante said at least 103 OFWs more were to return from Taiwan on Tuesday after being laid off due to the impact of the global financial crisis.

Migrante chairwoman Connie Regalado said the first batch included 82 OFWs while the second included 21.

Regalado said as of November 2007, 720 Filipinos in Taiwan have already lost their jobs after companies there were forced to close down or lay off workers due to the global financial crisis. - GMANews.TV

Appeasing as it seems and an optimistic lover like me, but dropping the word "anxiety" is kinda out of my list now. I've been in the same economic slump down 8 years ago, but this one is quite different. Technically speaking, it's alarming to see that almost everything is smashing down in the economy, accompanied with conflicts happening in other nations like India , Thailand, including Taiwan. Oh yeah, their ex-president has been detained recently facing graft and corruption charges. And from latest news, his on hunger strike behind bars.

With this turn of events, our tendency is to dwell on the problem and not into solution. And so far the effect on me is not wanting to move at all. I became unsure of the challenges I'm facing ahead and I don't like this feeling. If there's only a pause button in this race of life, I have pushed it long time ago. Anyway, it's still a long way to go and how I really wish that it will be resolved soon, as in real soon. And hoping there's be no more tension adderr. I may have been looking on things it differently, was it because of PMS...oh oh, blame it to PMS? toink!!!