Photo Story

Looking at the image ... anybody can arrive at a myriad of interpretations ... one can put meaning to it ... and that depends mostly on one's personal experience ... family or otherwise.

To further evaluate my theory ... I asked friends to comment on WHAT THEY FEEL about the picture, and this is what they said.

1. The puppy is uninvited. He squeezes himself into the family out of nowhere, expecting the same rights and treatment.

2. The puppy is saling-pusa. Too pushy for comfort.

3. Strangers can come anytime in our lives, in the most unexpected times and places. And then competes for our parents' attention.

4. The puppy is an apple in a bowl of oranges. Too different to be considered a part of the family.

5. Have you ever thought that the puppy could be a potential black sheep in the family

6. Kung sino pa ang nakikitira lang ... siya pa ang maldita.

7. Ang puppy can be a home-wrecker. I can see him putting a wedge in every relationship.

8. Kung hindi dumating ang saling-aso na yan ... hindi magkaleche-leche ang buhay namin.

9. The piglets are welcoming. They will soon bond and blend together.

10. The mother pig accepts the puppy as an addition to their family

I can see some hugot lines sa mga responses. May nababasa akong munting mga drama sa buhay nila. Ang aso was just an instrument ... a mirror, and it shows a varied emotional reflection of feelings bordering on hate and disgust.

Imagine ... isang cute na puppy (and lovable at that) ... mirrors some deep dark secrets, resentments and negative feelings sa buhay ng mga kaibigan ko?

Parang "projective psychological drawing test" lang ito na isang requirement if you apply for work. You were required to draw on a piece of paper something about your house and your family. After that, the psychologist analyzes the drawing details to infer aspects of the applicant's personality.

The psychologist can also extract subconscious emotions from the subject. For instance, a large house might suggest satisfaction with home life, while a house drawn very small could indicate unhappiness with family.

Except for numbers 9 and 10 ... lumabas ang mga kinikimkim at nakatagong damdamin - probably REPRESSED or SUPPRESSED because the thought of them .... overwhelms the person.

Hindi man natin kagustohan na mageaves drop sa kanilang mga personal na buhay pero ... lumabas ang tunay na State Of Their Lives Realities - (parang SONA ni BBM ah). Hindi dahil pinapakita ng tao ang kanyang happy facade ... eh maligaya at contented na siya sa buhay.

They are the classic example of people who are laughing on the outside ... but crying on the inside.

Ang akala natin ay eveything is okay in the Western front ... yon pala maraming red flags at alarm signals pala na dapat tutukan at bantayan.

Photo Story

Usad-pagong, Wala pang balita kung may makukulong sa mga AKUSADO at ABUSADO sa mga flood projects scam. 

Sabi nga ni Bob Marley, "you can never get justice in a world where criminals make the rules.

Sa mga hindi nakaintiendi or naguguluhan lang: The phrase means that true justice cannot exist in a society where corrupt or law-breaking individuals hold positions of power and create rules that benefit themselves.

The people hope however that this series of investigations is a step in the right direction ... hindi para amoin lang at suyuin ang galit ng nagtatampong tao. 

To the government, they should make good on this promise, as it is a significant matter to everyone, and any failure will erode their trust in them completely. 

Everyone I spoke to shared almost the same sentiment as Marley.

All they need is to debunk Marley's observations and vow that this will not happen in their watch ... and make a resolve that this will be an exception ... rather than the rule.

Political Meme

I saw this meme today.  At first glance, I did not get what the author meant. Pero Napagtanto ko baka ito ang ibig niyang sabihin.  See if it matches yours.

The phrase "do as I say, not as I do" is the same as "Follow what I say ... and don't follow what I do.  

The message of this meme means that the children have to follow the instructions or advice given by someone, even if her actions contradict what she is telling them to do.

It implies that, while she may not be practicing what she preaches, her words still hold value and should be taken to heart. This phrase is often used in situations where someone acknowledges her own shortcomings or hypocrisy but still wants her instructions followed. 

But the meme above is not what the phrase says. If you look and listen closer, she is more of saying "Do as I say ... and do as I do." 

Or was she just telling the children: "Tingnan ninyo ako ... bakasyon grande ... naglalamierda pero may sueldo."

Deadends At Deadlines

Dead-ends At Deadlines

A millionaire at 20. First Car at 21. A dream house at 22. That's a tall order... a friend commented.

DEAD-ENDS at DEADLINES?

The accompanying image below (please read it all) asked a fundamental question: Who made these rules? And who the hell imposed these deadlines?

Deadlines in life are often self-imposed. We set DUE DATES ... a TIME FRAME ... TIME LIMITS ... TARGET DATES and CUT-OFF TIME in everything we do. We set personal deadlines to manage our time, stay organized, and achieve goals.

Other deadlines are imposed by our employers (this project comes hell or high water needs to be completed tomorrow), clients (the items I ordered have to arrive next week), our peers (all our classmates are working abroad ... apply ka na), and society (pakasal ka na ... nahuhuli ka na biyahe).

While the arguments and the points on the image are true and acceptable ... let me be the devil's advocate to point out the other side of the coin ... that setting deadlines also has its plus points.

Consider this. Deadlines are putting your planning into action. Without deadlines, a person can procrastinate (it's manana habit dummy) forever.

Without deadlines, work and assignments are not completed on time ... and projects don't hit their due dates. If you don't set deadlines ... there is a possibility that you are oblivious of how much time is available to achieve them.

Deadlines motivate people to achieve their goals. It gives them the incentive to get it done on time. Without a clear-cut set date ... it will take longer than it should. Which means spending more money ... and more days wasted.

Deadlines create psychological push by imposing some sense of urgency (a feeling that a task needs immediate attention and prompt action).

This urgency can be a powerful motivator, pushing individuals and teams to focus and prioritize their tasks.

The pressure of an approaching deadline often leads to increased “doing” and a sense of accomplishment once achieved.

Photo Story - Expectations VS Reality

This is not funny anymore. If your New Year's Resolution in January is to buy a CAR ... it is just infuriating that you settled to buy a CAR-pet instead ... in June.

It is also annoying that your original goal is to save 10,000 pesos... how come the plan splintered in midyear, and you can hardly afford to save a measly 10 pesos?

Your close friend brags she just bought the latest iPhone, so you promised yourself to buy the same PHONE. After too much thought ... the plan evaporated into thin air, and you were content on changing your PHONE CASE to make it look like a new phone? The plan was denigrated!

You're also bent on STARTING YOUR OWN BUSINESS (the venture is a welcome move)... but holy guacamole ... you made a 36-degree turn - and in place ... you opted for MINDING YOUR OWN BUSINESS ... which is a downgrade.

Too many of your plans SUD ... but everything turned out to be a DUD.

So this time you try simple goals so you can easily achieve them... for instance, number 4 in your list- LIVING A HAPPY LIFE.

But a happy life is not that plain and unadorned ... the fact of the matter it is complicated and sometimes elusive.

No wonder in number 4 you crashed out HAPPY LIFE ... you had a change of heart that TO LIVE is doable ... and more achievable than LIVING A HAPPY LIFE. Funny ... but it is true.

Expectations vs reality is the contrast between what one anticipates will happen ... and what actually comes up or crops up.

When REALITY falls short of your EXPECTATION, a rollercoaster of emotions happens, like frustration and disappointment.

But when reality exceeds our expectations, the catharsis and emotional reward range from joy to outright exhilaration.

Definition

The Dunning-Kruger effect, in psychology, is a cognitive bias whereby people with limited knowledge or competence in a given intellectual or social domain greatly overestimate their own knowledge or competence in that domain relative to objective criteria or to the performance of their peers or the general population.

Conversely, those with high ability often underestimate their skills. This effect stems from a lack of metacognition, which is the ability to accurately assess one's own knowledge and skills.

One good example of the Dunning-Kruger effect are individuals who engage in self-medication and self-prescription. 

They think they understand their health and their bodies more than anybody. So what whatever little knowledge they have, they acted like doctors to themselves.  They choose unhealthy or risky behaviors while believing they are taking good care of themselves.

The Dunning-Kruger effect is a defense mechanism, and it acts like a protective force by allowing people to view themselves through a slightly more optimistic lens. This could encourage them to try new things, take risks, and maintain the confidence necessary to improve themselves.

Based on the image above ... did Senator Bato de la Rosa have the Dunning-Kruger effect when he allowed himself (being an impeachment judge) to test the murky waters of lawyering for the embattled VP? 

Although he is aware that he is not a lawyer, he ventured into a domain where he has no knowledge, and he took the job with too much firepower. He was a bundle of nerves and was almost on the verge of a stroke.

I likened his enthusiasm to helping his friend more like entering the twilight zone ... where he doesn't mind getting the flak he is getting now, for as long as he showed his willingness to be the warrior-en-chief for the VP-in-distress. 

And the way he ignores the censure ... the disapproval ... of the way he handled himself when he asked for the dismissal of the impeachment is commendable. 

I commend him for how he made himself the living laughing stock of the Senate and how his temper tantrums fell to pieces to become a modern-day comedy of errors that will long be remembered in the history of impeachments.

The Tale Of Two VP's

 The tale of two VPs on Confidential funds:

Leni Robredo doesn't have confidential funds in her term. She was given a measly budget ... surprisingly, she did MORE with LESS.

Inday Sara was given confidential funds, and she played MORE with MORE: MORE spending  .... MORE travels ... MORE scandals and MORE controversies.

It was a fruitless 2 years in office ...  and a lackluster performance ... LESS projects ... and LESS output.

Photo News

It is not even the rainy season ... but a FLOOD BATH is real in all parts of the country.

In Inday VP's impeachment ... another kind of bath has become the catchword of the day. A BLOOD BATH ... a possibility?

That message is a little bit cryptic. We hope it is just a figurative language ... and not a threat, 

Photo Story

Pagkatapos ng Midterm election ... the next big thing is the impeachment of Inday Sara set pagkatapos ng SONA ng presidente this 2025.

No wonder ang daming naghahanap kay Mary Grace Piattos. "Mama ... mama ... nay kilala ka bang Mary Grace Piattos?

A little birdie says Piattos exist in Davao City ... pero Mary Grace Piattos ba ang pangalan?

As far as the people know, there's no such person as Mary Grace Piattos ... that is just a creation and fabrication of one's fertile imagination ... walanghiya parang linya ito sa issue sa pinag-awayang mga islands ah (pahiram Senator-elect  Marcoleta of the ..." there is no such thing as WPS ... it is a creation by us" fame)

Wala raw makita sa mga birth certificates records ... not even sa mga death certificates.

However dito sa amin meron mga Piattos. If you want to know their exact location ... magtanong lang po sa Savemore ... at sa mga sarisari stores. 

Tutulungan ka nilang mahanap ito.

Photo Story

Observe ... but don't absorb. What a timely phrase.

"Observe but don't absorb" is a mental technique that encourages awareness of what is happening around them, and at the same time prevents the person from getting drawn or controlled by what they see.

It's about being present and noticing what is happening (the sidelights and the lowlights included) without getting caught up in the intensity of feelings or the heart-wrenching drama that goes with it. He should not be emotionally entangled. It's a practice of emotional detachment that allows the person to maintain control and perspective.

Observing without absorbing means knowing every detail of the events that are playing live in real time, and you don't let it affect your equilibrium or emotional well-being.

If the person is weak, observation will take the person to the next step - absorption.

Absorption means that the eyes see, and although the mind may register the event details, the impressions of the event are actually ingested and swallowed into the depths of the mind, on both conscious and subconscious levels.

Just like the image above ... if you are a true blue Catholic... even if you are amid a bevy of Buddhist monks ... you can pretend and act like them, pray with them ... but being a devout Catholic, you manage to be emotionally detached - completely unattached, free and disconnected.

In the last election, the VP's senators, Go, Bato, and Marcoleta) miraculously squeezed in the highly contested Magic 12, and you know what that means - a Battle Royale is looming at the impeachment trial of the beleaguered Inday Sara.

This will be the test of wills ... the Battle between Good and Evil. It is a mammoth tug of war of forces on who among the senators will ACQUIT (because they are friends with Inday) .... and who will CONVICT.

"Observe but don't absorb" means even if you are in the middle of a political minefield, if your sanity is your priority, ignore all the pressures. And getting emotionally detached is the best option..

We often absorb what we observe. But here's the thing—learning to observe without absorbing is a skill that can transform your life. It's about being present, understanding what's happening, but not letting it swallow and drown you, and take over your emotional space.

Photo Story

Pera na naging bato pa. Tingnan mo P8000 pala dapat ang ayuda pero napagtanto ng mga alipores ni Sir na mas naappreciate mo kung de lata na lang.

Sad ... but true.

Photo Story

As the cost of running for a Senate seat requires millions, some candidates are jumping onto the election bandwagon with nothing in their pockets except perhaps their names and the service they rendered for the country, which spells honesty, moral correctness, sincerity, and trustworthiness.

But do names ... high ethical standards ... and righteous behavior sell?

Suntok nga sa buwan yan ... pero yan ang pinaghawakan ni Heidi Mendoza.  Wala siyang pera, she doesn't have a political machinery and the grassroots support are hopeless and next to impossibility.

In this era of POGOS and impeachments ... she is running on a campaign slogan that says" Ang kandidatong sure na hindi magnanakaw." The mantra has a name recall and is quite effective ... but will it last? And is it enough?

Heidi Reyes Lloce-Mendoza (born November 3, 1962) is a Filipina auditor, Certified Public Accountant, and former civil servant. She served as Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) from 2015-2019.

She was the commissioner of the Commission On Audit and is an advocate of good governance. Her track record of fighting corruption for decades is proof she has the credentials to be part of the upper chamber.

She doesn't sing and dance to get your vote ... but think guys she is not auditioning for Pilipinas Got Talent ... but the Philippine Senate. Am I making sense?

She is asking you to consider her in the election of 2025. 

She has the goods ... and the good in her is just getting better. Much better than those dancing and singing candidates whose only claim to the senate seat is their popularity ... unschooled, inexperienced ... and who thought of their senate job as just a means to an end ... not because they are good at it.

It breaks my heart to see the image above. Kung sino pa ang knowledgeable at seasoned ... and ready to take the job ... siya pa ang walang pera.

Kung nagbibigay tayo ng chance sa mga iba diyan who make the senate floor their favorite hangout ... often seen as have  nothing to do ... be idle and loafing their time away ... and during hearings have nothing to contribute ... why not Heidi Mendoza in their stead?

Naririnig Ninyo Ba Ang Mga Sarili Ninyo?

Reactions of my friends to this post.  If this is a final exam ... an imaginative teacher will suspect my friends were cheating and copying from each other. 

For one ... the answers were almost identical ... they were exactly alike and the answers had some close resemblance as to be essentially the same. 

Their answers were short ... but you could feel some sense of regret, repentance, and disappointment that this was ... in actuality happening. Here are their open-ended comments

1. Reality Bites ...

2. Reality Sucks ...

3. A Harsh Reality ...

4. Reality Check Please ... 

5. A Taste of Reality ...

I don't blame them ... at all ... if they feel shame or guilt ... and remorseful. So pinag-tagpi-tagpi ko ang mga sagot nila to come up the seering opening salvo for this post.

The last time we had REALITY CHECKED ... was when we found out the HARSH REALITY ... that REALITY BITES and that REALITY SUCKS. When we were given a TASTE OF REALITY ... it was too late to find out that when REALITY HIT US HARD ... a man-made catastrophe again showed its ugly face ... resulting in the loss of so many lives.

We know the evils of deforestation firsthand (and sorry to say this includes illegal logging). It is a known fact that as we move on from our glorious past into the modern present, forests have been balded to make room for modernization and to obtain wood for housing, manufacturing, and fuel. Deforestation completely changed the topography the terrain ... and the landscape of the discussion and debate about its pros and cons have been muffled.

But there are glaring facts that could not just be swept under the rug ... what with the constant barrage of news of floods and landslides on TV. The ill effects of deforestation were placed on the front burner - global warming, disruption of water cycles, biodiversity loss, wildlife extinction, habitat destruction, soil erosion, acidic oceans, greenhouse effect ... and the most important is the thousands of lives lost in floods. fires, avalanches, and mudslides acting as collateral damages because of man's stubbornness ... and their unwillingness to acknowledge their sins of omission and commission.

Tapos maririnig na lang natin na nangangarap ang tao to plant trees in Mars ... the same activity that we frown at hindi natin ginagawa sa Earth?

How ironical! And hypocritical!

Photo Story

Pagkatapos mong putulin ang lahat ng puno ... ngayon ikaw ay magtatago at nakikisilong?

Buti nga ... serves you right. Katulad din yan sa laro ng buhay. Kailangan alam mo ang diskarte ... para ikaw ay maka-survive. Bago mo kasi gawin ang isang bagay ... pagisipan mo muna ... bago gawin. At baka habambuhay mo itong pagsisihan.

Kung gusto mong mangutang ... tanongin ang sarili ... marunong ka ba magbayad? Kaya mo bang ikaw ay ma-eskandalo at inaabangan sa kung saan saan ... at kaya mo ba ang buhay na napapraning ka na anytime may dadampot sa iyo ... dahil sa pagiging sugapa mo sa utang? At alam mo bang may sakit ka na?

Kung gusto mo magdruga ... panindigan mong kaya mo. Kasama na riyan yong pagbabago sa katinoan mo ... ang pagbebenta mo ng mga gamit sa bahay ninyo (a Hallmark sign sa mga bagong recruits) ... ang pagwawalanghiya at pagtraidor mo sa mga kaibigan at pamilya mo ... at ang walang katapusang cat and mouse game mo sa mga police.

Kung gusto mong magsigarilyo at mag-inom ... dapat na magexpect ka that anytime soon magka-ulcer ka or magka-lung cancer. It doesn't take a rocket scientist para malaman ito. It is just a matter of time bago lumabas ang mga symptoms. Tapos kung kailan malala ka na ... gusto mo ang ora-oradang lunas? Blame it on yourself ... not anyone else.

Kung gusto mo ang pera by way of deforestation or illegal logging or sa pag-uuling lang ... huwag ka nang magtaka kung bakit bumabaha at may landslides ... kung bakit may climate change ... kung bakit bumubulaga sa atin si El Nino at El Nina ... mga phenomenon na wala naman noon pero taon-taon tayong binibisita.

Kung gusto mo pa rin ang mga maling akala mo in cutting trees ... be sure humanda ka sa mga possibilities katulad ng increase greenhouse gas emissions, fewer crops (di ba nagi-import na tayo ng crops from other countries from rice to onions or garlic)), poor air quality, soil erosion, animal extinction, and undrinkable water. Nakaka-alarma na.

Going back sa image ng taong nagtatago sa lilim ng kahoy ... wala kang karapatan ... you don't deserve the shade.

Photo Story

Ang taong MADISKARTE ... gagawa ng paraan ... hindi pwedeng hanggang dito na lang.

Ang taong may DETERMINASYON ... gagawa ng paraan ... hindi pwedeng hanggang dito na lang.

Ang taong BUO ANG LOOB ... gagawa ng paraan ... hindi pwedeng hanggang dito na lang.

Sa TRAFFIC ng buhay ... hindi pwedeng maiwan ka lang sa daan -hindi makagalaw at nakulong sa gitgitan. 

Kung INIIPIT ka ... dapat marunong ka ring LUMUSOT.  Kung HINAHARANG ka ... abay UMABANTE ka. Kung gusto nila ng KARERA ... buo ang loob mong MAKIPAGGITGITAN. Kung TINUTULAK ka ... MAKIPAGBALYAHAN ka rin.

Sa agos ng buhay matira ang matibay. It is survival of the fittest - simply put in a dog eat dog society ... only the strong wins.

Madiskarte ka ba? May determinasyon? Buo ang loob? Halika sa Quiapo ... para maranasan mo ang aral ng traffic ... at ng laro ng buhay.

Photo Story: Then and Now

THEN

                   As A Teenager                                As A Young Adult                     As A Retired Person

                                                                             And Now

As A Teenager: "Kailangan ko makalaro ng mobile games."

As A Young Adult: "Kailangan ko ng more playing time. Wala akong panahon sa trabaho.

As A Retired Person: "Ang bilis ng panahon. Kahit wala man akong pera for my retirement ... enjoy naman akong maglaro noong kabataan ko.

A Friend In Need ... Is A Friend Indeed

 “A Friend In Need Is A Friend Indeed” is an old proverb.  If we have to believe how ... and when it begins it dates back around 1450 AD.  But the moral and the lesson that it teaches have their roots and can be traced back to the 400 B.C. work of the ancient Greek playwright Euripides.

The message and lesson of the story espouses true friendship meaning sticking together especially when times are hard and weary.  There was a similar story of two friends who faced a scary bear together. When they got lost in the forest and met the bear, one friend pretended to be dead to protect the other.

Friendships are important in life. Good friends can help us deal when times are down and out. They give us company ...  make us laugh, and give us good advice. The qualities of a good friend are important and some people have a better ability to connect with others. Friends are the ones who are always there to help us through the tough times in life.

Photo Story

People can always see successful people ... but what they fail to see are the behind-the-scenes struggles he has to do and endure to become successful.

Have you ever thought of the hard work, persistence ... criticisms ... risks ... rejections ... time wasted ... and the late-night struggles one has to go through ... undertake ... be subjected to ... or have to put up with ... just to be where he is now today?

Success is the pay-off for the pledge and promise ... of the tireless and indefatigable resolve you have to better yourself.

For somebody to become successful, more often than not the person has to embark on decisions no one has dared before ... or has taken risks ... no one has taken the courage to venture in.

Or it could be that the person has taken more responsibilities ... or has sweated knee-deep more than what ordinary mortals are willing to shoulder. 

I have seen these types of people when I was working abroad. They are tenacious and determined ... unrelenting and tireless. Where other people are satisfied with just a meager income ... some of these types make nighttime their daytime ... just to stretch their waking hours.  Where other people content themselves with a single job ... they search far and wide ... even to the extent of having triple jobs.

I saw them juggle multiple jobs ... and what was heart-rending was they took naps in commuter buses on their way to the next job.

I have a high respect for this type of person. I just find it so amazing how their family back home failed to realize the value of their efforts and how they pummel themselves working twenty four-seven ... in the name of FAMILY.

Photo Story

I don't blame the poor guy. When he says double he means - twice the amount ... the number ... or the size. Can't you tell?

Because of the heat ... he is almost wasted ... wilted ... and limp. He is thirsty for crying out loud ... one wonders what Saharan desert he has been to.

Sahara desert in the Philippines? Seems like ... everywhere you go ... the tourism mantra saying "It is more fun in the Philippines" contradicts the very essence of enjoyment and fun.

Everywhere you go is scorching hot  ... any enjoyment and fun derived from profuse perspiration ... the sticky feeling ... the high humidity ... is bordering on masochistic behaviors where one enjoys being scorched and beaten using solar heat.

Self Doubt

Had there been a time in your life when you thought you had to do something important ... but you backed off because you thought you couldn't... or you thought dealing with it was expensive ... or time-consuming? 

Perhaps you want to finish college ... and you ask yourself: "How can I do it ... I am already a father of two ... I don't have time for these pursuits ... and I am not really sure if I can stomach what my young classmates will say seeing a middle age man in a university class uniform.

Perhaps you want to try and lose weight ... as this has been your perennial promise to yourself every New Year's Eve... And just like the previous years ... your New Year's resolution ends up crumbling down to fragments... because you hate treadmills... and you despise starving yourself ... just because you want to lose unwanted pounds. 

As the image shows above ... wanting to do something of this magnitude is an uphill climb. You feel strongly about dieting and losing weight ... but for some strange reason ... you're doubting yourself if you have 100%  full trust ... if you can make the significant initial stride ... you can make the first move.

The trick is ... from the ghastly "I can't ..." you can go a notch higher when you are willing at least to try.  It is a slow-paced process but when the motivation is great and you say "I might ...: or "I will ...:" and just like any other divine plans ... before you know it... your attitude has been upgraded to "I am".  All you need is a gentle push ... until you reach the top  as you say: "I DID IT!"

Indeed it is a tedious process.   But one thing is sure ... once your left foot makes the initial step ... the right foot follows.