This Is Thriller, Thriller Night...

In lieu of the season wherein people are celebrating the "Feast of the Dead" during November 1, where in actuality, it should be observed on November 2 which is All Soul's Day. November 1 is a catholic feast of saints (All Saints' Day) but it was instead turned into a celebration remembering our loved ones who passed away. These festivities happened because of the so-called "holiday economics" of certain politicians who people would like to run-over in the streets... but that is a different matter.

Now, back to what I was saying, in lieu of the season, I would like to share a ghost story which I actually experienced and not some stories by a friend of a friend (it is much easier to get those on Facebook. Just click "share"). It happened sometime last year in my own home.

Now, let me make it clear that, I have never seen a ghost in my entire life. Once there was even a time that I challenged a ghost to appear in front of me but none did. Not even a  Casper-like apparition. I always said that I would only believe that ghosts exist if I see one but most people are telling me that I could only see ghosts if I believe they exist. If that is the case, then I will never ever see a ghost.

Back to my story...

It was very late at night back then, as all ghost stories go. I was playing a game on my computer and I was the only one awake in the house. My sister and her son had gone to sleep hours before and so is my daughter. And since I was the only one awake, I turned off all the lights in the house to save on electricity since I won't be needing them while using the computer.

As I was engrossed on the game I was playing, something caught my eye.  I saw a shadow of a child (or I think it was a shadow of a child) running towards the kitchen passing my left side. When I saw it, the first thing that came to my mind was my nephew is up to no good again so I called out his name. When there was no response, I stood up and looked for him in the kitchen but there was no one there. I checked my sister's room and it was closed and I never heard it open. So I thought it was a daughter trying to get something from the fridge so I went to check on her but she was sound asleep. I shrugged my shoulders and went back to the computer. 

After about half an hour (I think it was half an hour), the same shadow running back from outside the kitchen so I called out the name of my nephew and my daughter but still no answer. I shrugged my shoulders and went back to what I was doing thinking that it was just a flash from the computer monitor playing tricks on my eye. then a few minutes passed and the shadow ran back back to the kitchen but this time, I felt the wind brushed my left cheek as if someone tried to slap my face but missed.

Now this time, I stood up and said in a loud, authoritative voice "Tangna, wala naman takutan!!!" (Son of a b... don't frighten me!!!). Then I felt the air becoming cold and my arms having goose bumps. I immediately turned off the computer, closed the doors and went to bed immediately.

Ride Safe and Happy Halloween!!! 

Wait, who is that behind you?

With A Little Help From My Friends...

No man is an island. It's a fact. It's a way of life. It is even written in the Bible. Even the most powerful man in fiction has the Justice League. Simply put, you won't be alone even if you tried.

These days, friendship seems to be very helpful to cope up with the stress of modern living. I am not saying that during the old days, living without a friend was a good idea. It is just that having a friend nowadays would really make a difference in your life. Your friend will serve as your adviser, critic, shock absorber, your personal jester and sometimes your enforcer.

Personally, for most of my life, I have made some really good friends. Some of them I even consider as brothers or sisters. As a saying goes here from where I am from, "You can keep a secret to your family but you can never do that to your true friend." Friendship had been one of the factors of my formative years. If you have chosen good friends, then your all set. Why? Because true friends help each other out. True friends will not let you stray away from the path. Your friends will be one of the foundations of your character. As another saying goes, "Your friends define you."

I consider myself lucky because I found really good friends. And because of them, I learned a lot of things that I may not even have heard of if only by myself. Even in the most drastic time of my life, my friends were there. They may not be the same person on each occasion but they were there. 

Of course, in every human relationship, there would always be conflict. This would be the test of bonds. Those who can't cope with the conflict, may it be shallow or serious, aren't really friends. They are merely acquaintances.

Right now, I am going through some major adjustments in my life and I am really thankful that my friends are there to support me all the way. Even in my most undesirable moment, they stuck with me as some others would just have left me alone. we may all not be the same, but having something in common really builds up the bonds which connects us. 

Sometimes, your friends need your advice too. Even though you know that they are have a much stronger personality than you, you try your best to give them the best advice also. The reality of it is that an advice is merely an option of what to do. The more advice you give or take, the more choices you have on how to deal with things. With more choices, you can have the best idea on which one is the most applicable to your situation.

I dedicate this one to all the friends that I have especially to those two "kumags" who are so patient enough to put up with me today.

Many people don't like me. I really don't give a damn. But these people stuck with me. Well, I get by with a little help from my friends.

Ride Safe!

Like you're always stuck in second gear...

Life is uncertain. No one can tell what lies ahead in our lives. I haven't met anyone who can really predict the outcome of whatever decisions they make. Sometimes even the most certain of situations can change in a flick of a finger.

In riding a motorcycle, everything is uncertain. One cannot just think that driving safely can bring him to his destination soundly. However careful you are, if the other drivers are not, you may still end up in a mishap. 

Here are some riding tips (applicable in Philippine roads):

Do the deed, suffer the bleed

• Avoid tailgating vehicles especially jeepneys as they tend to stop abruptly to load or unload passengers. Never expect these vehicles to stop in designated jeepney stops.
• Do not or at least avoid overtaking in the right lane. 
• Do not sandwich yourself in the middle of 2 vehicles.
• Do not be the first one to go when the green light is on. Usually, there are drivers (and riders) who try to beat the red light and these can cause accidents.
• Always be alert for people crossing suddenly. 
• Always be alert for other riders who suddenly cut you off.
• And most importantly, NEVER DRINK AND DRIVE.

Life is a highway...
You can never tell how sure
your journey will be

Uncertainty can be a nuisance. It hinders you from making the proper decisions right away. It keeps you from planning your next move. Sometimes, it blinds of the obvious things if only you are sure of the outcome.

How to avoid uncertainty? Actually, there is no such thing as avoiding uncertainty. What you can avoid is worrying about it. It is usually worrying that keeps you awake at night. Worrying prevents you from thinking straight because it results in fear of the possible outcome. You tend to be afraid of the results of whatever decisions you make because of the risks involved.

As my friends say, just stay calm and try to interpret everything with an open mind. Always see the postive and negative side of things. This can be a really big help.

Now mount your bike and go. Riding makes a point about the uncertainty of life in a cool way.

Ride safe!

Time for a cool change...

While listening to a song of "Little River Band", Cool Change

If there's one thing in my life that's missing

It's the time I spend alone

Sailing on the cool and bright clear water

There have been many changes in my life lately but one thing really has been bothering me. I never really had time to spend on myself to think about things. It is always me and my daughter or me and my friends. I never really had a time off for myself. I think it is because I worry too much that I would be making a mistake. I did not realize that worrying too much is already a mistake itself.

There's lots of those friendly people

And they're showing me ways to go

And I never want to lose their inspiration

I am just beginning to see that people around me, friends and family, are supporting me, directly or indirectly, with or without my knowledge. I had built a wall around me so tall and hard to protect myself without realizing that the same wall was also preventing others to help me. Now I am beginning to tear down that wall so that I could see the world around me.

It's time for a cool change

I know that it's time for a cool change

Now that my life is so prearranged

I know that it's time for a cool change

I felt everything was already paved for me that I don't have any choice but take that road. But now it is gonna be different. I will be taking my step on my own terms at my own pace. Everything has to change. I cannot be caught living in one's shadow anymore. I should not be living in the past. I should face the future.

This ain't about riding but still...
Ride safe!

It Ain't About How Fast I Get There...

People nowadays tend to be so busy. They are now too engrossed on how to do about their work that they forget to slow down a bit and enjoy the scenery. The same goes for me. I tend to think too much about work, my kid, the time. Sometimes, I think going fast-paced is overrated.

Sometimes, I envy the children. They don't think too much of what is happening around them. For most of them, a serious problem would be the toy that they would be receiving this Christmas. 

Enjoy the view

For sometime now, I have been riding my bike too fast for my own good. I always feel that if I don't get there fast enough, I will be left behind. And being left behind is one of the things I don't enjoy the most. Sometimes, when riding to certain places, me and my friends tend to go fast, testing the limits of our machines, our nerves and each others. We were going too fast that most of the time, we forget the reason why we travel on our bikes. We forget to slow down our fast-paced lives. We ride to escape the things we normally do from Monday to Friday yet we still do it during our leisure time.

Right now, I am trying to speed up my life's pace but I don't think it is working for my advantage. It makes me feel that I am chasing butterflies... the more I chase them, the farther away they get away from me. It only brings more frustration in me because I am being left behind by the things I am going after. 

I may not be one those successful beings who had caught up with their dreams and now enjoying it. I am also not one of those who are so enthusiastic to chase whatever they are chasing that they forget the most important thing which is the reason why they are doing it in the first place, happiness. Happiness should not be pursued. Happiness is just there, waiting for you to look at it and to enjoy it. 

Smell the flowers

So, the next time you feel like everything passes by in a flash, pause. If everything is going too fast for your comfort, slow down. Try to enjoy the reason why you are doing it in the first place. As the most quoted saying goes, "Stop and smell the flowers." It never fails to enjoy the fruits of your labor. No matter how big or small whatever you are doing, always find time to have a break. No matter haw crazy it is, as long as you are enjoying, then you will find your happiness. It is just there waiting for you to appreciate.

Ride safe!

One Last Call for Alcohol...

I was not able to log in these past few days because I was so busy with work and stuff and I just really did not have the energy to think clearly on what to write. It seems that all the creative juices inside my head dried up. I couldn't come up with a good topic to write about. Everything seemed to be boring me. It is as if nothing is interesting enough to write about.

Yesterday, I saw a friend who went to visit where I work (It was not me who he visited). We talked a bit before we went on our way. It was nice talking to friends. I wish there was some time we could get together and talk about crazy stuff like we did before.

Most friendships start from having a common interest. And when you're in the Philippines, most male friendships start from the most sought after drink second to Coke... Liquor (Lol!) 

With just as much as 50 pesos, you and 2 of your buddies can have the time of your life talking about people, work, sports, love, liberty, justice and the american way. This concoction of fermented grapes can make your ideas flow all night long. There is even a Filipino saying that alcohol makes one a smart one. The more you drink, the smarter you get.

But what makes liquor very attractive to people that they tend to drink so much of it. Well, it is because, when we are with friends, we tend to be shy to speak up and alcohol removes it so everyone is engaged in the conversation making everyone contribute ideas, opinions, and queries that sometimes can help you solve some of the things that have been bothering you. Alcohol is also the thing some men turn to whenever they are experiencing the lowest part of their lives. Some turn to alcohol because they are having trouble sleeping (thanks to call center graveyard shifts and global warming). And to some (read: me and my friends) just like to drink and be merry. We even have a name for our group. Wasalak or as every alcohol-gulping Pinoy may know, is "walang sawa sa alak" (roughly translated as "really likes to drink").

Drinking with friends or family is fun but some people can't seem to control the amount of alcohol they gulp down. It is okay if they are not driving but, sadly, in this country of ours, DUI (driving under the influence) is a traffic violation rarely enforced. Why? Simply because we don't have the knowledge or the equipment to measure how much alcohol percent in the body is safe for driving. Usually, we only find out that the driver is drunk after he hit a lamp post or another vehicle. And when asked if he is drunk, he will immediately say that he is not drunk... he just had a few drinks (like 2 liters of beer... yeah, right...) 

This was once a motorcycle

Nowadays, drunk driving is always the reason people think of when a motorcycle is involved in an accident. Either that or the rider is going too fast... faster than the car... faster than the eye can see... faster than a speeding bullet... yeah, right. As there are some who do drink and drive a bike, most of the time they can't go really far from the place where they were drinking because they simply can't. Why? It is due to the fact that to ride a bike, you need balance... a skill which disappears after 2 liters of a very popular malt-liquor. So if you see a hapless fellow involved in a motorcycle accident, think again. Was the rider drunk? Or was it caused by something else.

Ride Safe!

From left:
Boneneng, Ronald, Guard,
Dado, Bigmak 

(This blog is dedicated to Dado, Ronald and Bigmak. GAME NA!!!)

It's a Little Bit Funny...

Have you ever wondered what the hell you are doing inside that office? Have you ever asked yourself if that is what you want to do? Have you ever said to yourself, I'm a graduate of so and so major and yet I am here?

Nowadays, people tend to work as a something yet that is not what they studied for at least 4 years in college. This is a common problem here in the Philippines as the opportunities for a good employment is highly competitive. And for some, they want to look for a job which pays far greater than what they will earn if they follow the path laid out to them after they leave the halls of their school (or the halls of PICC). Others just accept the fact that their major is really not a money earner.

When I was in college, my major was Management Information Systems in one of the popular computer colleges here in Metro Manila. After that, I never did work as a programmer in any software company. I worked as a sales representative in a packaging company. I worked as a loan officer in a bank. I worked as a data encoder. I worked as a call center representative.

The Lesson

Right now, I am working as an ESL Instructor teaching Koreans how to use the English language. The job itself is not difficult. What is difficult with being an language Instructor is the language barrier between the student and the teacher. 

I remembered the time when the Head Teacher of this academy where I am currently working called me up and asked me if I was interested to be interviewed because they are looking for new instructors.  Since I was looking for a job back then, I said yes right away. After asking for the details and directions on how to get to that office, I put down my phone and wondered... can I be really a teacher? Will the students learn anything from me? Would they like me? Will I like them? So many questions instantly flooded my poor, poor brain....

So I went. The school was okay, though it was a little quiet when I first came in. I was wondering how are things done in that school. It was very much different than tutoring one on one (one of the jobs I took to earn some more way back when I was in Indonesia). The head teacher called me and conducted the interview. It was a very casual interview. It was just all about my teaching experiences and she discussed how things are being done there. It was a rather quick interview then I was asked to observe some of the classes. The other instructors there are quite friendly. There was this female instructor who I was asked to observe an it turned out, I was the one being the topic of her class. She and her student, in turns, asked me to talk a bit about myself. It was fun, I admit. I told myself, I think I am going to enjoy working here.

A few after that, I started working there as an ESL Instructor. I was a bit nervous because it was the first time I was going to handle university students... and all of them are Koreans. My first student came in (by the way, I am handling 1-on-1 or, as they call it, man-to-man). She was a bit shy and tensed at first so made her comfortable by making some jokes and talking to her about her interests. So we had a good chemistry and it was good! I did the same thing with my second student and got the same result. Now we are somewhat  close friends. They called me up from Korea on my birthday and I appreciated it very much. I had 5 students at that time, 4 girls and a boy. The boy was kinda close to me too. He ain't that much keen on studying but he does every homework I asked him to do. Now he calls me up from Korea to ask advice on what to do whenever he feels confused about something. The other two was quite close to me too. There was this shy girl who started coming out of her shell a few weeks before she went back to Korea. I just learned that she is the top of her class for two years in a row! And the other one, she is quite a good kid too! Not that much of a talker though but we still chat from time to time. She is currently in Los Angeles enjoying her vacation.

It was a very good experience. I have grown to love what I am doing. The pay is not that high but it teaches me things about myself that I have not discovered before. I may not be doing what I learned in school, but I like what I am doing so far. I don't know for how long but I do enjoy it. It is not always what you intend to do happens. It's a little bit funny that opportunities for discovering your other skills and talents come from the things that you were even thinking of in the first place.

Follow the light

This is not about riding but still... ride safe!