Grand Diamond is their home

Grand Diamond is their home!

That statement, at the time when I first heard it, I had thought, it was a little over the top. But now, I somewhat think it is true. This place is their home. It is us who are the invaders.

I have been in this apartment for a little over a week, to be exact, 9 days counting today. However, this is not the first time that I am here. This is my fourth time here, if my memory serves me well.

In all the four times that I was here, I have not once not seen the world's most hardworking creatures at work! They are just everywhere, all set and ready to get to work. If nothing attracts their interests, their nosiness is enough to drive me crazy.

I am the kind of people who just abhors these creepy crawlies, however hardworking they are. While I can tolerate them tracking down the floor by the sides of the walls, or hiking up the cupboards going to the ceiling, I absolutely have no mercy for those who cross the floors or climb up tables. I just cannot tolerate the sight of these little army marching towards my things or on and over my stuff.

The world is for all of us to live in. Peacefully together. I get the idea. I am a visitor here. I have been here only for 9 days, counting in today. They, and their colonies, have, perhaps lived here their entire lives. It might be that I am the trespasser here, creating more chaos in their already very intruded lives. After all, Grand Diamond is their home.

But how can I be patient when they even set their search team to get a taste of from my cup of unfinished plain water??!

Warning signals

I am still not in full good working condition. I am functioning well, though. I just got back from a marketing trip, spent about half an hour in front of the pool eating slices of watermelon while trying to relax in the windy, noisy city, and had just finished preparing dinner.

Shopping was alright, if I could just ignore the uncomfortable feeling I had in my stomach. I am not sure what was that about but certainly, I was really praying hard that I didn't have to ask the any of the personnels there for directions to the washroom. Luckily, god had mercy on me, I didn't have to.

Walking back, I was feeling a little better. Traffic was same as usual, with never ending jams, whistles blowing by the traffic conductors, cars honking, humans crawling all over the side walks. And of course, not forgetting, the fumes. Exhaust fumes from the tuk-tuk, cars, motorcycles, taxis, buses. It's just bad.

It would seem normal that I was sweating in such condition. I could feel the little beads of perspiration starting to gather all over my forehead. Walked, I did, avoiding tourists awed with the jams and wonderful roadside stalls, cursing when they took pit stops in the middle of narrow paths, jamming up the on-foot traffic behind them.

I had to make a stop to get a slice of melon before heading towards my hole. A moment later, shopping bag in one hand and another holding my watermelon, I headed towards the pool. I would just sit there, long enough to gather myself. There were people there, like me, trying to enjoy the evening breeze. I think they fared better than me. Sitting there, the head was a little fuzzy and the forehead was still perspiring. I was not dripping sweat, but yet I was not dry. I left when the noise from the crowd started to swell.

Something is just not right with me. I am not sure what that is. Right now, typing all these, long after preparing dinner, my forehead is still not dry, my eyes are feeling dry, my head's a little fuzzy, and my stomach is trying to signal something. Even my fingers are not feeling very strong, not even for typing.

These are the warning signals my body is trying to give me, but what about?

Let the world see you again..

Not feeling up the mark is certainly not an excuse to just lay around, wasting time between the sheets, all day long, for two days straight!

It is also not the reason to sit in front of this lappie, watching series and not doing the reading that you are suppose to do.

That is just abusing a condition that was handed down on you, knowing very well that it is something that you can overcome.

Please, while you lay here, moping around, staring into space, emptying your brains and in the process encouraging rust to form in the grey cells, the world still revolves, time still ticks on and before you know it, it's already the day before weekend hits.

Life still goes on, even if you are not feeling well.

Suggestion is, if it's not too much of a pain, waste not more time.

While there is no fresh air to inhale, get some of those muscles moving and also some of those grey cells activating.

Let the world see your pretty face again!

i love you

This article came with one of the many forwarded emails that I would receive from time to time. I thought that it is one that I should share around before it's too late...


Date with a Woman...

After 21 years of marriage, my wife wanted me to take another woman out to dinner and a movie.. She said I love you but I know this other woman loves you and would love to spend some time with you.

The other woman that my wife wanted me to visit was my MOTHER, who has been a widow for 19 years, but the demands of my work and my three children had made it possible to visit her only occasionally.

That night I called to invite her to go out for dinner and a movie.

'What's wrong, are you well?' she asked. My mother is the type of woman who suspects that a late night call or a surprise invitation is a sign of bad news.

'I thought that it would be pleasant to be with you,' I responded. 'Just the two of us.'

She thought about it for a moment, and then said, 'I would like that very much...'

That Friday after work, as I drove over to pick her up I was a bit nervous.

When I arrived at her house, I noticed that she, too, seemed to be nervous about our date. She waited at the door with her coat on. She had curled her hair and was wearing the dress that she had worn to celebrate her last wedding anniversary.

She smiled from a face that was as radiant as an angel's.

'I told my friends that I was going to go out with my son, and they were impressed,' she said, as she got into the car. 'They can't wait to hear about our meeting.' We went to a restaurant that, although not elegant, was very nice and cozy. My mother took my arm as if she were the First Lady.

After we sat down, I had to read the menu. Large print. Half way through the entries, I lifted my eyes and saw Mom sitting there staring at me. A nostalgic smile was on her lips.

'It was I who used to have to read the menu when you were small,' she said. 'Then it's time that you relax and let me return the favour,' I responded.

During the dinner, we had an agreeable conversation - nothing extraordinary, but catching up on recent events of each other's life.

We talked so much that we missed the movie..

As we arrived at her house later, she said, 'I'll go out with you again, but only if you let me invite you.' I agreed.

'How was your dinner date?' asked my wife when I got home. 'Very nice. Much more so than I could have imagined,' I answered.

A few days later, my mother died of a massive heart attack. It happened so suddenly that I didn't have time to do anything for her. Some time later, I received an envelope with a copy of a restaurant receipt from the same place mother and I had dined.

An attached note said: 'I paid this bill in advance. I wasn't sure that I could be there; but nevertheless, I paid for two plates - one for you and the other for your wife. You will never know what that night meant for me.

I love you, son.'

At that moment, I understood that importance of saying in time: 'I LOVE YOU!' and to give you loved ones the time that they deserved. Nothing in life is more important than God and your family. Give them the time they deserved, because these things cannot be put off till 'some other time.'

thank you, tremendously

Where I am, I am keeping my one desired project on-hold. I have a plan to get all the messages on cards and notes and gift-wraps from my students here. I was thinking of typing them down, one by one, to the letter and full stop, here so that I may always have them with me, where ever I go to, whenever I am connected.

Couldn't have this done before landing here so definitely I can only carry this out when I am back.

To them, thank you so much for all the opportunities, the patience, the enthusiasm, the support, the smiles, the hugs, the smart retorts, the irritating behaviors, the bright eyes, the help, the suggestions, the warmth, the naughtiness, the reminders, the obedience, the attentiveness, the listening..ALL.

You guys were great to me. I've grown tremendously this year, simply because of all of you. You have sincere thanks from the bottom of my heart.

So, yes, I will have this done for me, for all of you and from me, from all of you!

Blessed lives, y'all!

Facebook-ing, not cool!

Ah, Facebook..the craze of today's wired people. Everyone that I know, somehow has an account or another with on that platform. Well, almost. The exception is my parents.

Even I am not spared from stamping my presence in this maze of connectivity. It's my numbered addiction, though at what step it is I have yet to determine, nonetheless, it is one of my vices these days.

I go for the one game and of course, pictures. The nosy side of me loves seeing pictures, of friends, of fiends, of acquaintances, of food, of good times, of places, and of simply, just pictures. Random shots of everyday lives or powerful shots of expression or intriguing picture compositions and of course, there are the not so random, pretty, beautiful, artistic, weird, funny...you name it, I've seen them.

Aside of from that, it's for keeping in touch, really. The lazy pig of myself method of keeping in touch. Of sending greetings, of wishing, of sending messages. Yes, it used to be done with cards which we can still get from stores. Then, phone calls when I was old enough to handle the phone and have money to spend on them. Phone calls gave way to sms-es, easier and avoids the deafening silence and awkwardness you might face with some. Emails were never my choice. When facebook came along, well, all these took a back seat. Wall posted greetings became my number one choice. It's easy, could be done at my convenience, and I even get references from other posts, if any.

While I dig those, it's really a distraction. I am sure I am not the only one suffering from this addiction. Yes, this is an addiction. I have no one good reason to be log in at all times, yet, I am. There is nothing in particular that I need to check yet I am always there. I end up playing game and getting my head all weird and eyes tired over it.

And the saddest thing is that this addiction, this facebook-ing thing, is keeping me away from here. Not cool!