Nuclear World . . .

Weapons of mass destruction is the greatest threat to our human existence. It is the plague that continously infects our human life, it is the threat that destabilizes the world order and it is the the source of insecurity within the region.

If you watch CNN, log on to any network, the news is tainted with fears and panic. Countries are insecure, leaders are threatened, regions are unstable and the world is in total chaos without of course the classic doomsday scenario. Is it peacetime? Or are we at war? In my young life, I have never seen the time when the world was at peace with each other. If it wasn’t the cold war, it was economic turmoil. If it wasn’t rebellion, it was invasion. Yes, this is the world today as we know it. Now, the future looks darker. North Korea has admitted it has developed its nuclear arsenal. Iran has said that it is using its nuclear facility for energy but saying that if it was hit by a military strike, the said attack will not destroy its nuclear capabilities. It has been the same rhetoric, DEFIANCE!

Looking at the world in a different perspective, it has seemed that World War III is looming just around the corner. 9/11 brought in a different realization, terrorism. Iraq has brought in a different realization, NUCLEAR WAR. Is it inevitable? I believe so. With the creation of a new brand known as the “axis of evil”, a feeling of insecurity has mounted over the nations involved in the said branding. Given the fact that the regime of Saddam has fallen, people has a common question, who’s next?

The question seems logical owing to the fact that the first regime has fallen, the basic fear is, can the world economy absorb another war? Lets rephrase it, can the world survive a nuclear war? In this new world order where violence is the latest form of communication and war is the instrument used in signing an agreement, I don’t think so. The nuclear weapons has developed a new planet, a nuclear world. It is scary to imagine that warfare will now have a new tool, a new system and a new killing machine that will annhilate our very existence.
Now that everything seemed to be in a standstill, waiting for one to back down, nations like us should not wait for the outcome of the events. Let us all intervene. Why is there only 7 nations speaking to each other in terms of world security?

There are alot of nations in the world but how come these are the only countries deciding our fate. Are they the only ones affected by this conflict? Everyone will comment the same old banana, they are the most powerful nations in the world. Why? Because they have money. Yes they do. And they have lots of it that is why they can afford these weapons. But in any community, its the strong middle class that can move the society.

I believe we all must do our share. If we cannot contribute something militarily, lets focus on other expertise which we can provide. I am calling on the citizens of this planet to unite against the emergence of a new threat, a threat that will kill humanity as you know it.

I do not want my children to grow up in a nuclear world. I want them to know that we did all we can to prevent the emergence of a nuclear world. I want the countries with nuclear ambitions to dismantle your weapons or otherwise face the consequence of action from the concerned citizens of this planet.

Playing the piano . . . . . .

I have always believed that music is the language of the soul. The alter ego of the mind and the sensitivity of the heart. But I have also believed in this fact, “great pianist are born, never made”. I am writing this blog because yesterday I saw talent. I saw a skill that went beyond the books, the techniques and other musical teaching structure. In short, I saw my cousin.

Similar to my childhood, this cousin of mine is very silent. He is neither talkative nor playful with his cousins in the family. He only had one partner in the clan, but this partner of his migrated to the states. Therefore, during family gatherings, he is either alone or spends the time talking to my dog Franky.

Every weekend my mom and I visit my dad’s mauseleum at Manila Memorial Park. This weekend was different in the sense that, instead of spending 8 hours in the cemetery, we chose to spend half of it with my relatives who just came home from the states. Anyway, as to any family gathering, we were all talking, chatting on how life is now on North America and stuff like that. After some time they wanted me to play the piano but I was not in the mood to do so. Playing the piano is like sex. If you feel like doing it then you will exemplify grace in your music and receive a standing ovulation “este” ovation for your performance. But if not, well, you will just hurt yourself. Your hand will ache and, you know what I am saying. Anyway, my uncle told me that this cousin of mine knew how to play. Even when my relatives especially my mom told me to play something I chose to egg on my cousin and told him to show us his repertoire.

Reluctantly he sat down on the piano and accepted the challenge. As soon as he placed his fingers on the keys, I saw talent! I cannot believe my eyes because this cousin of mine never had any lessons before. My tito and tita were grooming my other cousin for the piano. As the first note was played, I suddenly exclaimed, WOW! Don’t stop, do it again. It was a magnificent show of creativity and expression of emotions in the music that came out of the piano. I cannot believe my ears and eyes knowing that this cousin of mine, no matter how introvert he may seem, he had the potential in the making.

Everyone thought that it was his sister that had the gift of music, no one realized that he had better potential and more to show. I was so happy that instead of playing the piano, I played the part of a listener, sitting in awe of the music that my cousin was playing.

Sometimes, parents must not look on what they want for their kids. Rather, they should find out what their children’s strengths are. It is evident that God has given us different gifts. No one has it all. God has equally distributed talents in all of us. Playing the piano is one example because not all can pound the keys. Not all can express themselves through music. And certainly not all can shout to the world that I am very good in playing the piano . . . . .

What do you think about love?

Everytime you raise this question, any day you bring up the topic, people will automatically say, “Wow, in love ka noh?” or ask you, “Bakit mo naitanong, in love ka siguro?” Humerous as it may seem, can a couple who have been together for almost 7 years suddenly feel a patented “kilig” sensation in their tummies? What if you just saw her like on a Saturday and when you got home the next day, you suddenly feel like you miss her, is it a corny feeling to have?

Men tends to portray an image of machismo by means of not being expressive. This is the reason why certain questions of ours tend to seem awkward. But really, what do you think about love?

In an intellectual conversation, when the topic is brought up, I always end up saying yawn, yawn, yawn. Alot of people, I’m sorry to say, especially those broken hearted individuals, tend to rationalize love as an ordinary term rather than a feeling. There was one forum I saw on cable T.V that discussed the feeling of love. I immediately turned off the television saying, the topic on that show is a bunch of crap. There are no experts on love. You do not need an academic degree to feel love. You do not even need to have experience in a relationship to know that you are in love.

People say, infatuation and love are commonly mistaken as the same feeling. I say, What the hell is that! To be honest, and this is my opinion about it, love is like a blog. When you talk to a person who knows it, he will have his own definition of it. When you talk to a person who does not know it, he will have different concepts of it. When you talk to a person who is currently using it, he will say I am still learning all of the features.

Bottomline is this, you do not have to ask anyone if you are in love. You just feel it. I am writing this blog because I always feel it. I love my girl. I love her with all of my heart. Corny to some, but for me, this is my blog. And I will do whatever I want with it.
If faced with this question, What do you think about love? All you have to answer is, its like a blog, I can’t explain it.

Wet Friday Morning . . . . . .

For some people, Friday is the best day of the week. Young professionals, students, dad, mom, old people, majority of individuals perceive the last the day of the working week as a time for frolics or fun. Late nights watching T.V, gimmick nights, party nights, date nights or just casually spending time on your favorite couch and drinking a can of beer. Well these are just some of the activites that people loves to do on a Friday night after work.
And I have to admit, I am one of them. I always believe in the fact that there must be a balance between work and play. Unless we recharge and try to enjoy time for ourselves, we will be burnt out for the next week.
In the metropolis, every Friday is a motorist dream come true. I mean, traffic is lighter maybe because people are more relaxed and thinking hey, lets take it slow, its Friday.
Or maybe they feel that, why be on a hurry going to work, its Friday for heavens sake. Deadlines can wait, my back aches, its 7:30 I hope my boss just ate. But this Friday is different. This Friday is special. This is a first for the year 2005. Why? Its Raining, and the day is wet.
I had a different feeling waking up this morning, I felt like I can sleep for hours. I wanted to stay tucked in my bed, covered with my comforter while hugging my pillow. But then I realized, wait, whats wrong with me? I have work. I rushed to the bathroom without doing some stretching exercises, opened the valves of my shower and to my surprise, DAMN THE WATER IS SO COLD! I suddenly stepped out of the shower enclosure and looked outside the window. Wow, heaven is dripping like me. Then I realized, o my Dear Lord, traffic in EDSA will be like a parking lot in Makati, FULL OF CARS! I finished taking a bath even if it is like dipping in the waters of North Pole.
I rushed downstairs, quickly ate my breakfast, placed coffee in a to go mug, called my girl, rushed to the car and off we go to a rainy Friday morning at work.
Traffic was relatively okay, but the Friday fever of taking it slow seemed to be up one notch. Going to work I said to myself, well, cheer up, you love rainy days. Although I hate traffic.
But, off we go to another day at work. Sitting here in my office, writing this blog. Looking at the window, seeing the numerous tiny drops of rain. It is going to be, a lovely, wet Friday.

Coffee . . . . .

There is nothing better in the morning or even at night other than coffee. The soothing feel of coffee on your lips, the aroma of coffee in the morning, and the sound of the coffee maker makes my day right.
When I was a child, I was a milk drinker and was taught that caffeine will make your bones brittle. Then in my young professional career, I was asked a marketing question by the coffee advocate of a coffee company, why don’t you drink coffee? Whats wrong with coffee? I said it has caffeine. So does softdrinks. Have you read any findings regarding the hazardous effects of coffee? Then I said it stains your teeth. He replied so is iced tea? Smart guy.
Well from then on I said lets drink coffee. He has a point. Inspite of being a marketing genius he has the gift of pushing the product. Well, in the field of marketing, that is what we do. We get paid for this stuff.