Affection is contagious.

 New generation products of Lubigan’s Lambingan Room:

ANDREA GAYLE a.k.a. Gelay codename Gelangot

CHLOE GAIL a.k.a. Kule codename Kulengot

GIDEON a.k.a. Gido codename Geedoweegz

HORJE MIGUEL a.k.a. Horje codename Horjeweegz

You’re on candid camera.

“I could understand the unlikely impression of others about me, but not you! How could you misconceive my intentions!”

It was more or less the statement of Jen annoyed by some wicked thoughts of her beloved friend: me. We’ve been friends since grade school and we created a bond so lasting up to this point in time that we knew a lot of things about each other.

But some things may quite change as we grow up, like everybody else. Our train of thoughts, by life’s experiences, change and so the way we see the world and the people around us. I doubted our friendship and her intentions, and I threw the bomb to start the sweet and funny warfare between friends last Friday, January 22.

Oh please! This is not a love story. This is a test of genuine friendship.

My Train of Thought

I never want to be considered girl magnet, but I am. I cannot brag a curse, but being gay would not exclude me from ladies’ sexual attraction. My straight guys would almost envy me whenever we hit the night life and some women would entailed themselves approaching to KNOW me.

Some of my high school and college female friends have already confessed their attraction. Some have already past their feelings knowing my circumstances, while some yet have not.

Up to this point, I have unreasonable suspicion of the female human species and their motives whenever they befriend and inject some awkward appreciation toward me.

Jen was no exception. So I need clearance.

Totally Plants vs. Zombies

The atmosphere at the Secret Recipe restaurant in Midtown complemented what would be the fun fight. Set plates of chicken dish were served, alongside fries and green salads. We’ve talked so much about our supposed dinner with Fitness First buddies, Didith, Thez, and Jets, the last night–where she was missing.

“What have you talked about?” She asked.

“You.” I said. After all, it’s quite common in our culture to make the missing person in a gathering the subject of conversation.

I think she knew this was coming. So the litany of thoughts-made-words about her from our buddies was revealed.

I told her how Didith and Thez believed that she is obsessively in love with me. “Look, she even enrolled at Fitness First just to be with you,” someone have said that. “And it looks like she means it whenever she calls you her ‘boyfriend’,” another one justified. I even strengthened their belief by saying, “In Facebook, she loves posting comments consistently on my shoutouts and walls!”

Yes, I spilled everything. Not to mean hurting her, but I guess I was just honest on my doubts about our friendship.  I needed to tell her. And the last thing I wanted were huge onion rings thrown from her end–an answer. Or destructive feedback may be quite good enough.

We have the talents to make our arguments and conflicts dealt with fun and laughter, but I saw it: she was really annoyed.

“How could you misconceive my intentions!” She sweetly brawled with a laugh. She told me that Friendship is the only edge. She perfectly knew my sexual standing and friendship is the only thing she expects. She feels stress-free, blissful, and so much real and protected because she knew I’m the kind of guy who will not think of hitting, just as she expects from other guys she meet.

I should be ashamed, but I felt rather relieved.

I apologized and guaranteed her that I and the rest of the suspicious fitness buddies would never think of her that way again. It may be a huge job for me to clean the mess, but it’s my fault. So I’m ready to start scrubbing.

The Night at the Feast

It was time to go to the Feast Manila. We have fun going there–still talking about the dinner. Jen and I actively listened to the preaching. Coincidentally, Bro. O focused on releasing past guilts. It’s time for me to do so. At the Guilt Board (a big board where one should write any guilty wrong feeling to signify its release to his or her emotional system), I could only think of one. I wrote “DOUBT.”

Look inside your bag.

After one of my gym workouts, I noticed that my bag was a bit heavier that day than any other day before. As I recalled, my bag was so light when I started the very first day at the gym. Then it started to weigh a little more each day.

So I looked inside my bag and noticed every thing inside of it. I usually don’t have lots of stuff before and because of buying continuously of the things I want for my workout, it came to a point where sore shoulders were eminent the day when I carried the heaviest.

I did a little personal experiment afterwards. I calculated the price of every single item and see how far I went in spending for my workouts (regardless of the present value whatsoever).

ITEMS (Description)               PRICE (Rounded-100s)
Running Shoes                     Php   5,500.00
PlayStation Portable                   13,500.00
Mobile Phone                           12,000.00
iPod Nano                               7,900.00
Water Bottle                              900.00
Leather Watch                           6,000.00
Shades (Case Included)*                13,000.00
Victorinox Swiss Cards*                 2,000.00
Ballpens*                               1,900.00
Apparels                               15,000.00
Other Personal Items                   11,000.00
TOTAL                                  88,700.00
*Received

I never thought I spent this much. But their money value would not really account for the physical weight they all bear. I just realized I have to do something to relieve those sore shoulders.

1. I  don’t bring the shades anymore since I go out in the office by the time the sun sink in the Manila Bay.
2. I gave away one Victorinox Swiss Card to a friend and kept the Lite one. Oh, friendship!
3. I’ll soon sell my PSP. It works well actually–if there’re new games available.
4. I only bring the most useful apparels and other personal items for working out. Denim pants is really not included.

Now my bag is easier to carry and I feel more secure knowing that not everything is kept inside my big gym bag. Only the important things matter.

This new year 2010, I hope that many of us are keeping only the things that matters–to carry with and bring them to fruition this year. Let’s throw away all those trashes inside our emotional bag and start sweeping the rotten away.

Happy new year!

Lead a happy life.

“Next time around, we gonna laugh more,
we gonna love more. We’ll see the world.”
                     – Georgia Byrd (played by Queen Latifa)
                     in the movie, The Holidays.

I do not know if I could still utter this line if I only have one week to live. Unless I it’s only that two-day work suspension, there’ll never be next time, it’s up, I would think.

But there’s been a lot of self-reassessments lately–quite timely. Though, I believe I’ve been doing this many, many times this year. And somehow, I got to manage to extract timely bits of information on my LIFE’S STATUS. I faltered, felt dismayed, and self-planted my face on the ground. And overall, the year 2009 was an adventure.

It boils down to a single realization: It seems that loving and laughing IS like bread and butter. Laugh is good when it’s spread through the heart.

Winning is the result. We have the passion, the dedication, and the love for our craft when we did the Musical competition last May. Not only did it result in winning the trophy, but also in gaining new friends and realizing more God-given talents. That’s a winning streak, so to speak.

More love and blessings flow. There were many days that I was so lucky. And a happy heart seems to perceived everything a blessing. Hardly did I find myself this year in the edge of money lack, for example. My pockets were all that ready to sweetly ooze some doughs for my needs. Everything was abundantly enough.

Laughing can be silent. And it’s the heart that’s shouting for joy in that instance. I am so blessed that Jen had re-opened my faith when she invited me to attend The Feast Manila. Actively participating still, it has helped me rekindled my relationship with God who is the only source of this truly blessed year.

Georgia Byrd was so blessed she had her “next time”. 2010 is ours. Or it just could be.

So laugh more. Love more. See the world.

A HAPPY AND BLESSED NEW YEAR!

Give in stupid ways.

It’s Christmas Day and I am fully aware of misleading ways people–myself include–are doing to celebrate the occasion. I’d like to focus on GIVING.

Philippine Context of Giving

Giving is stained with politics these days. And too bad, no one will admit it, I think.

For example, in our “town” (it may be a corporation sort of), some politicians are the bearded fat guys in red baggy suits “giving” gifts to LESS PRIVILEGED children of all ages. These children will go in packs, altogether with their elders, to Santa’s house–like a storm signal–just to get a miserable amount of money or its unnecessary equivalent. Let’s blame poverty, so that we can justify the work of the foolish Santa Claus-es.

But you know how the story goes: Santa would give “something” in order to get “something” when the 2010 election comes. Sino ba naman daw kasi ang mananalo kung hindi nila gagawin ito. Then, he’ll get more of what he has given! Ahoo!

That may be the reality and it seemed that the less privileged has all the knowledged about this, yet they still hold on to this misery. And it will all boil down to blaming poverty again and again.

The Ordinary Fake Giving

The smallest picture of fake giving has actually all the details. I won’t have to go too far.

Couple of days ago, I was eating succulent dinner in a casual restaurant, when suddenly a teenage girl stood beside my table and handed me a piece of sheet–of paper, that is.

I learned from it that she is deaf and she needed some monetary donations for her study.

I ignored her for a time until she sat in the chair fronting mine, as if waiting–but not begging–for me to give in. What a strategy! I thought to myself. She annoyned me so much I gave in and handed the smallest amount in my wallet.

The Bottom Line…

True giving is stained with love. You can give without loving, but you cannot love without giving. Generosity doesn’t have to be clouded with any smug agenda.  Try to see who’s really the LESS PRIVILEGED (maybe it’s Santa himself) so there’s something you can really GIVE.

The Next Bottom Line…

It’s really hard to say the truth when it’s not applied.

I still have so much to learn.

It lifted my spirit.

Your time is now!

Manny Paquiao is absolutely a sensation.

So is his mom. Take a look.

Want the shirt? Buy it at Happy Days.

Pero sana huwag na kayo bumili para ako lang ang meron nito.

Please! Please! Please!