The Symptoms of Inner Peace

Found this while killing time on the net. I'm sad to note that I'm not as "down" with this condition as I would like to be... but I'm working on it... and shouldn't we all?

A tendency to think and act spontaneously rather than on fears based on past experiences.

An unmistakable ability to enjoy each moment.

A loss of interest in judging other people.

A loss of interest in judging self.

A loss of interest in interpreting the actions of others.

A loss of interest in conflict.

A loss of the ability to worry. (This is a very serious symptom.)

Frequent, overwhelming episodes of appreciation.

Contented feelings of connectedness with others and nature.

Frequent attacks of smiling.

An increasing tendency to let things happen rather than make them happen.

An increased susceptibility to the love extended by others as well as the uncontrollable urge to extend it.

What I've noticed is that there is a common thread running through all of these symptoms. That thread is selflessness. A clear indication that we are at peace with ourselves is when we can stop worrying and start forgetting about ourselves enough to allow us to focus our attention on others: what others want, what others need, what will make others laugh, what will make others better persons, etc. Only when we are completely at peace about who we are, what we have, and what we are able to do can we stop caring about who we are not, what we don't have and what we can't do. Only when we have stopped obsessing about these things and ourselves can we completely give of ourselves--our smiles, our acquiescence, our gratitude, our love--to others.

Lovely Day at Project 7

Hay... just got back home. Spent all day today at the Church of Christ at Project 7. Naglead kami (Praise Theme) ng Praise and Worship Seminar duon this morning and this afternoon. We were only four when we started this morning: ako, si Ate Abbie, Kuya Wayne, and si Jerome. Humabol si Ronald shortly before lunch. Ay, technically pala, i didn't spend all day there kasi from 6-9 pm I checked midterm exams at Starbucks while waiting for the time to meet Nats (and bring him food, he's on duty kasi eh, poor guy).

Anyway, today was a very lovely day... the sun was out and the sky was blue all morning, plus I'm really happiest kapag music and worship ang ginagawa ko :D. The seminar for today was for the worship leaders and vocalists of the church. Most of them were so young! Seeing them participate and take on the responsbility for leading worship in the church is so inspiring to myself who's been in this ministry for so many years already.

I was assigned to lecture on two topics: Singing in Harmony and Music Theory. Singing in Harmony is focused on backup vocalists, providing them some tips and guidelines how to sing harmonies with the lead vocalist or the worship leader. Actually, naging parang disc jockey lang ako dito sa lecture ko kasi most of the time, I had them listen to examples of good back-up singing from CCM artists like Avalon, 4Him, Point of Grace, Mary Mary, etc. Music Theory naman is a crash course on note-reading and understanding musical expressions (a.k.a. what-are-those-italian-words-on-the-choral-pieces) for vocalists.

I realized today that, more than ever, choir members should know how to play the piano, at least on a beginner level. Reading music on music sheets really isn't anything, if you think about. That's just reading, nobody's making any music just yet. It's when the sound of music is heard that music is created, and ergo, enjoyed. There are two ways to do that: either to sing the music or to play it on an instrument. If a choir member wants to know how to create the right sound of music, it's best also to know the more accurate means to do so, and that's through an instrument, the most accessible of which, and most appropriate to teach vocalists new songs, is the piano. Hence my suggestion.

Teaching is really my element, more so for this particular teaching kasi it's about two areas I really am passionate about: singing back-up and reading music. Most singers take these for granted. Sa back-up singing, most of them simply duplicate the melody. My personal opinion is that this is being redundant. Sayang ang pagkaback-up singer mo kung hindi mo ie-enhance ang tunog ng grupo by doing the harmony. Sa music theory naman, if music is a universal language, then the theories of music prescribe the rules on how to use this language--and so all of us who want to "speak" this "language" properly must master these rules.

If we're in the music ministry, our talent comes with responsibility, so the desire for excellence in the musical arts most be stronger kasi it's for our Divine Audience of One.

Sometimes I think, dapat talaga nag College of Music na lang ako. But as it is, I am also definitely sure that the God who gave me the talent and passion for music is also the God who sent me to the work in the College of Business Administration. And His reasons are always just and, frankly speaking, I am not in a position to question them. Having said that, I am thankful that despite my hectic schedule and gargantuan workload, God still gives me opportunities like this to enjoy His gifts of music, ministry, and fellowship. And even more than that, He makes it very possible for me to participate by giving me the time and the resources to do so--otherwise the opportunity might be there but not the means for me to grab it. In this case, God blessed me with both, and I'm so grateful.

The Praise Theme with the members of the Project 7 Church of Christ. We visited them today to lead a Praise and Worship seminar for their young Worship Team. Today's seminar focused on Worship Leading and Musical Techniques for the Vocalists and is the first of a series of seminars. The next seminar will be two weeks after this and will focus on Musical Techniques for the Instrumentalists and some Disciplines of the Christian Artist. 

finally, blue skies! i have been waiting for blue sky such as this since i got back last june--finally we got it today... and thank God I got a chance to take this picture of the church... the sunshine didn't last, though, medyo dumilim na around 3pm... oh well, at least i got a glimpse of what i've been missing for so long na... thank God pa din! 

Praise Theme skeleton crew at Project 7 COC Praise and Worship Seminar: Ronald (panggulo and tagapicture), Ate Abbie (Vocal Technique), Jerome (Worship Leading, Worship Essentials, Handling Criticism), Aileen (Singing in Harmony, Music Theory)... not in picture: Kuya Wayne (Program Facilitator, Song Selection) 

sarap ng lunch provided by the elders of the church... fellowship with believers in the ministry is always such a joy... i know it's not obvious if you look at my face--but that's ronald's fault, my smirk was his doing 

whatever ronald and jerome were talking about, ate abbie and i weren't buying it... which is the case more often than not--lalo na pag involved si ronald :D 

hindi naman sa wala kaming ginagawa... pero obvious bang wala nang ginagawa si jerome ng mga oras na ito? in fairness to him, turn na ni ate abbie na magsalita by the time ronald took this picture (yes, wala na ding ginagawa si ronald nun) 

jerome's brilliant idea... nagkahawahan na talaga sila ni ronald sa kulit 

the young worship team at Project 7 COC... i'm inspired by their enthusiasm and their eagerness to learn 

Harana

To Nats... kahit sungit-mode ang normal mode mo:

I needed the shelter of someone's arms,

and there you were

I needed someone to understand my ups and downs,

and there you were

With sweet love and devotion

deeply touching my emotion

I want to stop and thank you baby

I want to stop and thank you baby

How sweet it is to be loved by you (feel so fine)

How sweet it is to be loved by you

I close my eyes at night

Wondering where would I be without you in my life

Everything I did was just a bore

Everywhere I went it seems I'd been there before

But you brighten up for me all of my days

With a love so sweet in so many ways

I want to stop and thank you baby

I just want to stop and thank you baby (woah, yeah)

How sweet it is to be loved by you (feel so fine)
How sweet it is to be loved by you

You were better to me than I was to myself

For me, there's you and there ain't nobody else

I want to stop and thank you baby

I just want to stop and thank you baby

How sweet it is to be loved by you (feel so fine)

How sweet it is to be loved by you

Escudero vs. Defensor

In a country full of turncoat politicians, it’s hard to find sincerity in government. However, like diamonds in the sand, there are some who belong to the rare few who actually seem to mean what they say and stand by what they have said. May paninindigan, kumbaga. I don’t like discussing politics but if there’s only one thing I have to say about it, it’s this: I only pay attention to political talk when it’s either Mike Defensor or Cheese Escudero talking. Defensor is pro-administration, Escudero is a figurehead in the opposition, and both are decidedly standing by the sides they have taken. Walang balimbingan between the two of them, and you have to respect them for that.

Top picture: Escudero (right) with another congressman, Bottom picture: Defensor

I’m talking about this all of a sudden because on 12am, Friday morning, these two will go head-to-head against each other on Debate on GMA Network. What most people don’t know is that these two are both maroon-blooded UP graduates, all the way from elementary and high school at UPIS to college in UP Diliman. Magkaiba lang ata sila ng course nang nag-college. They were batchmates and friends then and they have kept the friendship until now. Jessica Soho Reports had a special feature on them a couple of weeks back. Jessica Soho had them joking, having coffee and a casual, non-political conversation together. Pwede pa palang maging professional kahit controversial ka sa gobyerno sa Pilipinas. On Debate, I’d like to see how they battle with each other’s opposing views on national TV. I’d like to see this professionalism at work. Sana wag silang mag-bangayan like we usually see kapag may congress or senate hearing coverage on national TV. If my hopeful, idealistic perspective is right, they will debate like gentlemen.

Frankly I’m tired of all the personal attacks and insults a lot of our “honorable” senators and congressmen throw at each other on a daily basis. Parang mga bata. Why can’t they agree to disagree and contend with each other respectably, like the “honorable” public servants they should be? Really, I cringe at the thought of people calling some of the senators and congressmen “honorable” when their behaviors are anything but. That’s why I’m really looking forward to Debate even if it means staying up late for the nth time this month. A televised political debate purely based on views and ideologies, and speaks of “trabaho lang, walang personalan,” is a rare occurrence in this country--and definitely something worth staying out late for. Pictures from Asiaweek.com and Liberal-Philippines.com.

wishful thinking

before i begin, i'd like to say na tama na ang pagdrama sa buhay. life's too unpredictable and difficult enough to waste time worrying about things and regretting things said and done. so tama na yung i spent quite a few hours "wallowing" about what i last wallowed. now i've moved on... with a smile :D

tomorrow, friday, starts a three-day weekend for UP-Diliman. holiday sa lungsod na aking pinaglilingkuran (quezon city day) bukas so all classes and work are suspended. baka nga maging four-day weekend pa because Ninoy Aquino day on sunday, and as we are a counry defined by "holiday economics", baka suspended na din ang work sa monday. whatever. doesn't really matter. whether four-day or three-day weekend makes no difference, either way I STILL HAVE TO CHECK 150 MIDTERM ESSAY EXAMS, ergo, there is no weekend for me to speak of. which makes me think, bakit ko pa nabanggit-banggit dito ang weekend na ito eh sasama lang ang loob ko. oh well...


work i need to be doing... a.k.a. my "social life" this weekend


...what i'd rather do

don't worry about me, though. i am finding ways of amusing myself. lately i've been caught up with a 28-year-old canadian named michael bublé. oh, hindi love affair to ha! naging fan lang po ako. in a span of three weeks i've bought all of his audio CD's plus one VCD. i became a fan of this guy immediately after i heard him for the first time. i "met" michael (uy, first name basis... wish ko lang ano) while waiting for ate abbie at tower records SM north edsa (nag-cutting ako from UP hihihi). i saw this HUGE poster for his new album, It's Time (click here for amazon.com reviews) and thought... hmmm, mapakinggan nga. his first crooning (right into my ear, kasi nakaearphones ako) went like this: "you give your hand to me... and then you said hello..." sighh... pa-gwapuhin ba ang ray charles staple na "you don't know me"????!!! hayyyy.... gosh, i am gushing na ata... okay okay... (composing myself).

so i am a fan. just how much of a fan i am will be tested in the coming months as "bublé" (as his band calls him... how endearing ano) will be COMING TO MANILA (!!!) on october 12 for a one night only gig at the araneta coliseum. i have been so excited about this for the last two days and i am rearing to keep the excitement up were it not for harsh reality of this concert's ticket prices: patron-PhP5220, lower box-PhP2871, upper box A-PhP1827, upper box B-PhP836. ohhhmygulay... definitely not within a UP professor's salary range... puro wishful thinking na lang ang beauty ko and i can only sigh... i wish each sigh gave me P10 as i reckon if this were the case, i think i can muster enough sighs from listening to his albums to buy me a patron ticket by the time october comes around. so for the moment i leave you with.... sigh sigh sigh sigh sigh sigh sigh sigh sigh sigh.

sending out an s.o.s.

this is not so much an s.o.s. as it is a griping session. i just read some emails from friends in the last few minutes and i suddenly realized i'm in a frustrating situation i can't get myself out of and it's just so... arggghh. i've never griped in this blog so forgive me for this first time. i hate it when i'm helpless about situations, when certain influences around me weigh me down. i'm under such a weight now--i've been in this conundrum since i got back from france, so that makes it around two and a half months na of being shackled.

i've been thinking of possible reasons why i'm in this situation: i definitely did not put myself here so i can't blame myself. who do i blame then? should i start blaming the people around me? i will NOT blame God and i don't want to ask WHY. that's why i'm griping here: some way to release my frustration so i won't be pushed to blame those that I shouldn't and ask the questions i shouldn't touch even with a ten-foot pole.

here's the gist: i'm being kept from doing what i've always wanted to do, what i feel i've been "called" to do... there are just some things in your life you were "created" to do and it's as if you just know that everything you've been through--all the training you've had, all your failures, all your talents and skills, all your relationships--they've all been seemingly orchestrated to bring you to a certain point in your life at a certain time and for a certain "calling" that will seem to bring all the disjointed trajectories in your life together to pursue one single path: your life's ultimate purpose.

...or something like that. basta i feel that the time has come for me to answer this call. all circumstances have been arranged and it seems the only thing i need to do is say yes and participate except i can't because... i'm not allowed to. what makes things worse is that i don't agree at all with the reason given me why i have to put up with this. i would understand if what i wanted to do is not good for me, or if i'm not fit to the task--but it is good and i am. i can always rebel and stand my ground but doing that will alienate me from people i love the most and hurt them in ways i don't even want to imagine. notwithstanding my respect and love for them, however, i don't agree with their reasons--their arguments are more "grudges" than reasons, in my opinion.

still, i don't want people to hurt so i'll just sigh helplessly in this shackled state and wait. beating my arms flailingly against the wave will only cause me to drown beneath it, so i'll just ride this wave: move along with its crests and troughs and just hope that someday this wave will reach the shore and crash against it, shattering into droplets like it never happened. i still have a little bit of patience left, so notwithstanding this griping session i'll probably act and even feel as if this post never happened. however in me i know there's a feeling of dread: the fear that this wait is not going to end.

(by the way i've finished with my compre exam. i should be celebrating. i will i will... give me a couple more hours to get out of this barrel-bottom and i'll be up and running and pulling arms for people to take me to an after-compre movie or dinner. until then, however, i think i also deserve this after-compre wallowing.)

Ma'am Aileen and the Movies Update

Around a month ago, I gave my BA 191 students a challenge: how to apply IT management principles in the "alternative reality" of selected Sci-Fi films. I posted the assignment in this blog around that time and I promised an update of what my students will come up with... Voila! This is post is that promise fulfilled! Not only have they made interesting presentations with the short time given them (45 minutes), they also made a lot of interesting analogies...

Minority Report for alternative sourcing. John Anderton going to the "virtual reality junkie bar" to get information from the precog to prove his innocence. The frame-up situation disallowed him from getting to the truth in the office and so he looked for "alternative sources". It also helped that he was "well-connected" with different kinds of "suppliers".

Prof X School for communities of practice and selective sourcing. Prof. X used Cerebro to seek common-minded members in the expanding X-Men community, and Jean Grey used as a medium between the supermutants show an emphasis on synergy and communication in the institution. The use of Shi'ar technology-supported training rooms is an example of selective sourcing: my students tell me Shi'ar technologies are from alien beings beyond our galaxy.

Zion and The Matrix for knowledge infrastructure and sensitive sourcing issues. The “jack” as critical component of the knowledge infrastructure where they get “training” through uploadable skills, e.g. kung-fu, flying a helicopter; a sensitive sourcing issue was also observed when Zion people developed their machines and technologies from the enemies (the machines) themselves.

The Jedi Council for knowledge infrastructure and communities of practice. The Jedi is supported by a knowledge infrastructure which includes their holographic version of a galactic-spanning internet. The council is a community of practice with shared belief and knowledge exchange enhanced by holographic modes of communication regardless of time, climate, and uh, planet, and of course, let's not forget, also through the Force.

Star Trek for communities of practice. This is shown as specific roles are performed by each crew member and each member is recognized as "experts" in their own right. Expertise is commonly shared among everyone: the “senior manager” (whether it's the cheeky james kirk or the suave jean luc picard) is often seen consulting his subordinates when situational or environmental elements go beyond his own area of expertise, which is, uh... hmmm... who really knows? Basta ganun...

...In short, for at least 45 minutes of their life, kin-areer nila to. Nakakatuwang basahin. I can't wait to try this on a high-brow, CEO-facing consulting gig in the future. Baka batuhin ako ng mga PDA nila palabas ng boardroom. Or worse, magpasoli ng bayad for my consulting hours!! Anyways, I myself learned a lot from listening to these less-than-scientific-but-nonetheless-heavy-on-the-insight analogies. So, thanks to my BA 191 students for these flashes of wisdom. Indeed, the Force is strong in all of you. :)

Everything you need to know... Calvin doesn't give a heck about

Am up to my ears cramming for my compre exam... I'm thinking now, what better way to keep my sanity than to... read Calvin & Hobbes?! Here are some favorite "Calvinisms" that made me smile today:

• [Calvin stands behind an upside-down cardboard box with the sign 'A swift kick in the butt: $1.00'] Hobbes: How’s business? Calvin: Terrible. I can’t understand it. Everybody I know needs what I’m selling!
• Nothing I do is my fault. My family is dysfunctional and my parents won’t empower me! Consequently, I am not self-actualized! My behavior is addictive functioning in a disease process to toxic codependency! I need holistic healing and wellness before I’ll accept any responsibility for any actions!...I love the culture of victimhood.
• Why should I have to work for everything? It’s like saying I don’t deserve it!
• Sometimes I think the surest sign that intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe is that none of it has tried to contact us.
• I think grown-ups just act like they know what they’re doing.
• I asked mom if I was a gifted child… she said they certainly wouldn’t have paid for me. You can relate this little story when the reporters ask how I went bad.
• Life’s disappointments are harder to take when you don’t know any swear words.
• Calvin: I don’t understand it, Hobbes. The kids teased me when I didn’t play baseball. Then they yelled at me when I did play. Then the teacher called me a “quitter” when I stopped playing… unless you’re a star, you can’t please anyone.
  Hobbes: In that case, why not just please yourself?
  Calvin: Because mom won’t let me move to Madagascar.
• I don’t like maxims that encourage behavior modification.
• I’ve got more brains than I know what to do with.
• Calvin [talking to the TV]: Oh, great altar of passive entertainment! Bestow upon me thy discordant images at such speed as to render linear thought impossible!
• Nothing spoils fun like finding out it builds character.
• There’s never enough time to do all the nothing you want.
• Life’s a lot more fun if you’re not responsible for your actions.
• Calvin [In a letter to Susie]: Susie, if you want to see your doll again, leave $100 in this envelope by the tree out front. Do not call the police. You cannot trace us. You cannot find us. Sincerely, Calvin.
• In my opinion, we don't devote nearly enough scientific research to finding a cure for jerks.
• That’s one of the remarkable things about life… it’s never so bad that it can’t get worse.
• Golly, I’d hate to have a kid like me.
• When I grow up, I'm not going to read the newspaper and I'm not going to follow complex issues and I'm not going to vote. That way I can complain when the government doesn't represent me. Then, when everything goes down the tubes, I can say the system doesn't work and justify my further lack of participation.
• I don't need to compromise my principles, because they don't have the slightest bearing on what happens to me anyway.
• Saturday is the best day of the week. No demands at all! Perfect freedom. The whole day stretches before us with unlimited opportunity. And what better way to appreciate the opportunity than by squandering it by watching cartoons all day.
• My fall lineup got cancelled. Dad said one TV in the house was bad enough. And he preferred the one with the remote control.
• Hobbes: How did you do on your math quiz?
  Calvin: I flunked it… but only because I ran out of time. The worst part, though, was the Susie Derkins won our bet on who’d get the better score. I had to pay her 25 cents. But get this! I cheated her! I only gave her three dimes! Ha!

I guess when I laugh at Calvin, I laugh at myself too. That's probably why I was laughing so hard and enjoying reading these cartoons so much that I lost track of time again! Oh, well as Calvin would probably say, what the heck--just do tomorrow what you can put off today!

Who are Calvin and Hobbes?