I’m crawling my way through this book A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle.  I don’t know if I’m in the right mindset to start reading this book, having just risen from a very stressful couple of days.  I’ve been asking the Universe for peace and I know that it’s arriving, but the start of this book is quite heavy and stressful.  I’ve been finding it quite impersonal (how it is written) and quite counterproductive to my current quest to clinch back inner peace (at least the first chapter that I’ve been nudging through anyway) but maybe it’s just me being not as receptive to new ideas this week.

Anyway this I picked up from the book so far - our Inherited Dysfunction:

According to Buddha, the human mind in its normal state generates dukkha, which can be translated as suffering, unsatisfactoriness, or just plain misery.

To me, it means that the human mind is full of discontent.  It’s a double-edged sword really, discontent is a catalyst for progress, inventions and the like.  It is also the source of greed, and even progress leaves countless victims in its wake.

—

When I first wrote this entry, the part where I said “I’m crawling my way through this book” I mistyped book for boon.  Proofreading it, I found it interesting because the word boon means “A timely blessing or benefit”.  I’m treating it as a sign, that as much as I dislike this book right now in it’s first few pages, it is a boon for my presently weary mind… a blessing… a cure… a path to finding stillness - where God’s voice resides.

Have you heard of Mandy Moore’s latest album Amanda Leigh?!?

Picked it up today and I’m just loving it.  Very nice, very relaxing…  You can really distinguish how much she matured as an artist…

I’m loving her carrier single -I could break your heart any day of the week

I’ll make this painless.
Try to be sweet.
I could break your heart any day of the week.

Squeeze life out of you.
Wrap you in sheets.
I could break your heart any day of the week.

I could break your heart any day of the week.
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday.
I’ll make you loving.
Thursday, Friday, Saturday.
Do not disturb you.
Sunday rolls around- but that’s another story.
It gets a little boring.

I hold on to you.
You hold on me
I could break your heart any day of the week.

Let the walls talk.
Let the four walls creek.
I could break your heart any day of the week.
Those calendar girls– they got nothing of me.
I could break your heart any day of the week.

I could turn you on.
I could turn the other cheek.
And it would break your heart any day of the week.
And it would break your heart any day of the week.
I could break your heart any day of the week…

All I can say is: Ces, this song… relatable much? hehehe

Do you want to forget your name in the name of a good Hot Coco?  Then try out one of UCC’s breakfasts that comes with one.  Here was my breakfast - French Toast with chocolate and bananas, and a cup of their hot chocolate.

There’s Jaui pouting because she’s not allowed to have hot coco

The drink is not special because of the rich chocolate but because of the hazelnut aftertaste.  The people I was with noticed that I was being very silent as I sipped it.  Ronald exclaimed, “it’s that good huh?” Well yes it’s that good

I always love it when food is served with ritual.  It’s really different when you just get fast food, and eat it quickly.  When there is a bit of a ritual, you get to enjoy the food and the moment.  That’s how I felt here, sipping the drink slowly and just living in the moment.  I left the restaurant feeling like I’m really living the life.  I guess I am

Have a great day everyone!!!

I was missing Paul Cal after quite a long time of not going to that resto (It’s Steph’s fault lol).  So finally I decided to order take away for lunch.  When I entered the place I was surprised by two things

1. They have BTIC at Paul Calvin’s (!!!)
2. My take away was served on porcelain plates.  Very Miranda Priestly hehehe

My smoked sausage and ham pasta, and chicken fingers with mango mustard sauce - on the restaurant’s porcelain plates.  I definitely ended up having a very fancy lunch at the pantry.  Plus the lady there told me to call them to pick up the plates (too good a service!!!), but I brought back the plates to them before riding the van for home, anyway.  One of the owners was there to greet me too.  The food is great and the people are nice - my kind of restaurant.

Do check out the Paul Calvin’s Deli at Unit 111 Forbes Town Center, Rizal dr. Fort Bonifacio Global City,Taguig

Who wants a diamond-encrusted Nokia e71?

Saw this on Continental Mobiles, what a beauty

You won’t be able to text though, because it will definitely cost you an arm - priced at 5999 GBP!!!

I heard on the news that PGMA just ordered the lifting of the taxation imposed by the Department of Finance.  Then I saw this on the blogs

UNESCO objection to tax imposition.

Yey to that but I think somebody should get fired for saying that “books are not educational.”

The best way to predict your future is to create it.

I know that I’m big on horoscopes and such, but really, when it comes down to it, I know that my thoughts become me, my achievements and things.  I trust in a good tomorrow.  Guided by that mantra, I follow my instincts in most of the things I do.  I believe that this little voice inside us is our connection to God.

I am very aggressive in following my dreams, and I also dream big.  As they say

A man is not old until regrets start taking place of dreams.

And I plan to stay young for a very long time

Have a great weekend everyone!!!

There is so much non-sense on the news these days that it’s giving me writer’s block (and mindgrain, LOL@Louiegirl.  You made us laugh today with this message.) 

It’s all appropriately featured on ZeitGeist - an MSNBC news segment that has the slogan: all the news you can’t use

Let’s just hope that the rest of the people realize that some senators government officials are just using this issue to propel them to the next election.  So unoriginal.  And pile that up with useless issues upon useless issues, sheesh!!!  We have the economy and a pandemic to find solutions for, people!!!

Anyway, to end on a positive note, I just want to send a shout-out to Boo.  Miss you!!!

Back to regular programming.

I just can’t get enough of this.

Check out her first single on Oprah entitled Note to God.

I think this is the Nth time that I listened to it since last night

I love her.  She really makes all of us proud.

If you liked the movie The Devil Wears Prada then I think this article would be very interesting for you.  It’s the interview of Anna Wintour on 60 minutes, the person whose Meryl Streep’s character is based on.

Perfectionist?  Well, I hope I’m not. I try not to be. But I like people who represent the best of what they do and if that turns you into a perfectionist than maybe I am…

Well, we’re here to work. There’s on duty time and off duty time and we’re drawn together by our passion for the magazine. If one comes across sometimes as being cold or brusque, it’s simply because I’m striving for the best

Asked what bores her, Wintour said, Mediocrity. If you see a collection that is that you feel a designer has been lazy or taking inspiration from other designers, it doesn’t as much bore me as anger me.

She’s one to be afraid of but at the same time you’re inspired to perfection by her.

Happy Monday guys!!!

I’ve been swimming in procrastination for the last few weeks, just hiding myself under a rock during the weekends.  I think that’s also one of the reasons why I’ve been feeling saturated at work.  Anyway, I made myself promise to stop the cycle.

I obliged myself to go to the moviehouse yesterday to watch Wolverine and Star Trek, lest I be jokingly called a loser again by my good friend Abbey (Peace Abbey!!!  Hope you’re enjoying Bora!!!).  Yes, it’s been that bad - choosing sleep(/doing nothing) over one of my life’s passions which is being a movie-goer.  I’m so passionate about it that I have my own theory about watching movies earlier because the film is still fresh and undamaged.  Yes, I’m THAT crazy.

Anyway, here’s my verdict:

Loved it

and loved it, but why do I get a feeling that they just invalidated the rest of the star trek series.  I mean, how about the Vulcans on Voyager etc. etc. etc…  I’m thinking too much.  I realized after watching that I’m too much of a Trekkie geek because I kinda got worried about Captain Janeway’s Security Officer, the other Vulcan characters throughout the years notwithstanding…

Saw this on Chico Garcia’s “Top Ten” list on the Morning Rush

Minsan naglalakad ako at bigla akong hinimatay. Ayun, nauso ang term na drop-dead gorgeous.
Minsan napasandal ako sa pinto. Ayun, nauso ang boy-next-door.
Isang araw dumaan ako sa harap ng isang mag-syota. Ayun, nauso ang third party.
Minsan, napa-upo ako sa gitna ng maraming tao. Ayun, nauso ang center of attraction.
Minsan, napanaginipan niya ko. Ayun, nauso ang dreamboy.

Minsan may na-inlove sa yo. Ayun, nauso ang LOVE IS BLIND!

Hope you guys are having fun this weekend

The activities you do should feed yourself, or else you get burned out…

Heard this on Oprah, and I think this is what I need.  I think the work at The Firm has ceased to feed my soul.  But I must say, it’s the people and friends I have that’s food for my spirit

Spend your life in a job that expresses your heart.

I want that, and I’ll have that soon.

Have a great weekend everyone!!!

I finally collected my freebies from Fruit Magic (let’s say that a few times, shall we hehehe)

Been going there almost regularly for about 2 months now to get my sweet drink fix for the day.  I’d much rather have a dose of fresh fruits than iced-blended caffeine nowadays

Anyway, my coming there paid off.  I got a lot of stuff.  Most importantly, discount cards!!!

I’ve been wanting to hang out at some cafe somewhere.  Actually, I only want it when I’m stuck at the office.  Otherwise, I love hanging out at home.  Anyway, I enjoyed the different Coffee Shops in Davao.  Their drinks rival that of Gloria Jeans, meaning it’s way better than Starbucks to be honest.  A big plus is the lightning-speed WiFi and the fact that you can leave you machine on your table when you do your business in the washroom.  Promise (and I’m mentally raising my right hand as I write this), it’s that safe in Davao City.

On my last day during my Davao vacation, I had to do some work so I went to these two shops:  Firenzo and Fagioli.  The ambiance is great… and yes, that is a working antique phone.  Saw that at Fagioli

Discovering nooks of peace in and around unfamiliar cities is a great bonus to traveling, I must say