Straight Slap

There are things that we usually expect to happen that, although expected, can sometimes hit us so strong in the face that no amount of preparation can compensate due to the suddenness that they occur. Like a strong slap delivered to your proffered cheek - you did offer the left one but the strength of the blow could just be too much.

As of now, I just wish the ones I'm expecting will not come at the same strengths as previous expected events. I did expect those things to happen (and still expecting the next few rounds), but yeah, I was still caught unprepared. But as they say, time to move on now that the burden is off my shoulders.

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A/N: I just had to get this post out of my system so I can continue working on something I should be focusing on. Pardon the numerous times I used the word "expect" and its variants, I just am not in the mood to search for synonyms at the moment.

Long Live

Though not really a fan, I am one with the world in acknowledging that the death of Michael Jackson is a big loss for the music industry. The King of Pop's demise couldn't have been more ill-timed, happening barely a few months before his comeback concert, which die-hards fans are really waiting for. The king is dead, long live the king!

The event underscores a very basic truth: that we are all mortals doomed to cease our breath at the fated time. Nonetheless, it also brings to light a far greater fact that many people seemed to be oblivious to.

That, my dear friends, is the simple truth that along with the snatching of life, death also brings about immortality. Truly, a dead person lives on in the hearts and minds of those whose lives he or she has touched, one way or another. And so long as that memory remains etched into the consciousness, the deceased will remain alive for all eternity.

Note to self

I must adjust this blog's layout. It seems that the current one doesn't look good on widescreen format monitors. XD

Pushing the pen

I'M currently pushing myself to write; I have lots of things to work on, and I think it's about time I exert some effort to get them done. Apparently, my writing skills are at an all time low; I can barely string together two sentences to come up with a paragraph that, hopefully, makes sense.

Setting that aside, though, I allow myself to wallow in pleasant reverie as my actions bring forth fond memories of the days when I had been more proactive, and writing well enough. My "prowess" with the pen is still intact, as evidenced by the several blogs posts that had long been running in my head, although I haven't updated them to cyberspace, yet.

And then again, "yet" is the word. I'm yet to begin drafting that which-must-be-finished-by-tomorrow evening. Nothing to worry about though, I have the whole night to myself. =)

Swine Flu in Town

FOR perhaps the first time in living memory, the grapevine failed to deliver the hottest news to my doorstep. In fact, I had to rely on the national news on TV (delivered via the station located a hundred miles away) to know what's happening in a village a good 2 to 3 kilometers from home. And that dreadful news is that my town is now affected by A(H1N1), AKA the swine flu.

In as much as I would want to, I'd rant about how useless the government's actions are as regards preventing the spread of the disease. However, doing such will go directly against my "limit-the-rants-in-this-blog" directive, so I'd just leave it at that. But I think it's proper that I voice out my opinions, nonetheless. I'll just tone down the rants a bit. =P

For those who still do not know, the village in question is about the remotest in my town. I actually haven't gone to that place, though I have passed one or twice near it when taking an alternate route I'd only take on certain occasions. So that leaves a great mystery as to how the virus got there in the first place. Current theories include a group of people on medical mission, and a foreign national, bringing it to that place.

Solving that mystery isn't top priority though. It's curtailing the spread that is mainly on everyone's minds. And what are people doing about it?

As relayed via the news report (the grapevine seemingly succumbed to the flu already and fails to function as before), government medical personnel are going about handing out vitamins and antiviral drugs. I JUST SINCERELY HOPE THAT THE PEOPLE ARE TOLD NOT TO TAKE THE MEDICINE IF THEY'RE NOT AFFLICTED, to avoid the novel virus from evolving by interacting with an already immune host. I know a person or two will likely down those drugs as soon as it's been handed, and that's worrisome. It'll be catastrophic for the influenza strain to evolve when the cure for the novel one is still not around.

Frankly, I'm no longer assuming that people are really keen on preventing the spread of the disease. The mere fact that it reached my remote town is already proof that not everyone is thinking of avoiding the continuous transfer, and almost imminent mutation, of the virus. What I'm bearing in mind now are ways to avoid contacting it.

But what I'm getting ticked at the most is that the health department seems to be downplaying the disease' effects. Sure I agree that the endemic Dengue fever is far more fatal, however it is but foolish to just put A(H1N1) on second priority due to the lower fatality rate.

At the end of the day, it is a matter of personal crusade against the virus that should be at the heart of everyone. Preventing the spread of the disease through all means possible, even if it means going on self-quarantine for several days, should be what each one of us must bear in mind always.

Re-tracing

There are things I (thought I've) left behind way back the time I decided to grow out of a certain hobby of mine. Like a ghastly shadow silently lurking always but ever so near, however, it managed to resurface and get a firm grip on me that is almost as strongly as before. But it doesn't really matter, though. I have learned how to better control myself now.

Nonetheless, I got hooked (a bit) again; and this time I have to retake all the fundamental steps I have gone through before. And as with every other circumstance when one needs to relearn the ropes, there is always that time when one is able to reminisce of the good times. Yeah, I'm basking on those memories I thought I have already thrown to fly with the winds.

I'm back, and I'll try hard to do what I do best.

Of mobile phones and other company-related matters

Thanks largely to an uncommon twist of (company) events, I had been unfortunate enough to experience another of those-long-work-weeks that I thought I had left behind in team ACeS. For seven straight days, I was running across the province, traveling several hours per day, climbing up hills and down through valleys, and speeding along little oceans of mud. And yeah, the inevitable, driving while using my mobile phone. XD

Don't get me wrong, I'm actually against the use of mobile phones especially if the vehicle we're talking about is a frikkin' motorcycle. Anyway, I've been using the company vehicles yet again, and I had only resorted to answering phones calls while on the move if I couldn't help it.

But that is not the point of this post. I merely stated what I've been through, and that I'm glad I have 2 days of rest starting tomorrow. Or make that one day starting the day after tomorrow. Whatever.

Thing is, I'm beginning to consider the trivial bits of circumstance that some newly-enforced company rules are raising into focus. Sure, I can accept the loss of the TCP. And I certainly can't do anything if we still don't have the salary adjustment, or mid-year bonus.

But the increased likelihood of being denied OT pay just because the company is keeping it to an average of 10%? Or the increasingly rampant requirements for which we can't ask for the appropriate OT pay, for the same aforementioned reason? Truly, I can't stop myself from fearing much worse.

I'm back

There are things I have long given up hope on. But there are those for which I still haven't. And with a renewed passion, I take up my pen and write, write, write again - for nothing can satisfy me more than to share my thoughts and put them in the archives of eternity.

Many things have caused me to slack off and fill my mind with mundane thoughts. Although they are not necessarily what I had yearned for, I still can say that they'll serve their purpose. What is important in the here and now is that I'm resuscitating my blog again.

I'm back. I hope I stay longer this time.

Salvation in Termination

OK, the title isn't so imaginative as it's supposed to be. But at least it's straightforward. Dear readers, this is my mini-review of the film, Terminator Salvation.

A bit of background information is in order, I suppose. For starters, this is already the 4th in the Terminator series, which catapulted (more or less) California Gov. Arnold into stardom, and the movie follows a few years after the time line of the 3rd film, Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines. We see John Connor (portrayed by Christian Bale, aka. Batman), all grown up and fighting with "The Machines" as the story is supposed to be.

And as the story is supposed to be, this is all about keeping Connor and his father, Kyle Reese, alive. And yeah, salvation. The title says salvation, right?

Maybe it's but proper to at least say that when they said 'Salvation', they did mean it. The movie is all about that theme, to the point that things are quite predictable. Apart from the personal salvation of Marcus Wright, and the salvation of the human race by Connor, it is also a salvation of the series from antiquity.

While it is true that viewers will not find anything new in the film, as most of the scenes are done in reference to other elements from the previous movies, there is that cinematographic factor that manages to bring all of those together so as not to make a film that is half-done, or half-raw.

As a matter of fact, I do believe that watching the film on the big screen is worth the more-than-the-usual hassles I encountered. Come to think of it, I've been through sudden changes in work schedule, unfriendly weather, and a vehicular incident all because of my desire to watch it. It IS that good enough that I DO NOT feel any regret in even going to the movie house at a very late time, and under unfavorable premonitions.

Anyway, the gritty details: cinematography is really good, sound effects - quite enough, and special effects are as to be expected of a high-budget film. Bale's acting is, I have to agree with other reviewers, a bit bland and doesn't help the story much. Unless that's how he's supposed to act thing out, which will make the story a bit more terrible when it really isn't.

Basically, the movie is about Connor, Wright, and Reese. If I may add so, it's like you can divide the movie into frames-that-show-either-of-the-three, and frames-that-show-neither-of-them-but-gives-superb-action-sequences-in-lieu-of-the-three-main-characters.

But all in all, I still love it. Given that it provides a wonderful movie experience, the film gets a score of 8.5/10 from me.