Clear your mind Tikboy

Whatever an enemy might do
to an enemy,
or a foe to a foe,
the ill-directed mind
can do to you
even worse.

Whatever a mother, father
or other kinsman
might do for you,
the well-directed mind
can do for you
even better.

-Dhammapada, 3, translated by Thanissaro Bhikkhu

I feel like walking in the rain tonight.

The rhythm of the falling rain
is like a hum of a certain sadness
lurking from the dark
methodically killing me
attacking the recesses of my being.

Let me walk in the dark as the rain drops
let me drip in water to cover the pain
and the endless haunting caused by the past
let me stay out in the cold to numb the pain.

Tonight, unlike any other night
let me walk in the dark.

It is not that anger and desire are inherently evil or that we should feel ashamed when they arise. It is a matter of seeing them as the delusions that they are: distorted conceptions that paint a false picture of reality. They are negative because they lead to unhappiness and confusion.

- Kathleen McDonald, "How to Meditate"

Magic Jack

Last night Tita Lucy and Tita Vangie called me up to tell me that Tita Minda is in the Philippines with the Magic Jack that Tita Lucy bought for my Mom. They were excited about it because with the device we could call them without international charges. It's like calling them here in the US because the assigned number is a US number. Since Tita Lucy got it for Mom, the number is an Ohio number which starts with an area code 567. We were waiting for them to call but I guess my Mom wasn't home yet so I told them that as soon as they called I would text or call them. It was already two in the morning when my Mom called. We talked for 47 minutes. First time we talked that much on the phone. The reception was good. I also included the number in myFaves so that I could receive and take their call anytime of the day without charges. So, how does it work? It is quite simple. It works on VOIP. But it requires that the user should have broadband access and a phone line.


It's easy as 1, 2, 3. Just plug the magic jack into any land line phone. Next step is to plug it in to any USB port in your desktop or laptop computer and voila! You can start receiving and making a call anywhere in the US for free. Errrr.. actually with a minimal cost. Initial year of service costs $39.99. Not bad huh?

Checklist

Things you have done during your lifetime:

( )Gone on a blind date
(x) Skipped school
(x) Watched someone die
( ) Been to Canada
( ) Been to Mexico
( ) Been to Florida
(x) Been to Hawaii
(x) Been on a plane
( ) Been on a helicopter
(x) Been lost
( ) Gone to Washington, DC
(x) Swam in the ocean
(x) Cried yourself to sleep
(x) Played cops and robbers
(x) Recently colored with crayons
(x) Sang Karaoke
( ) Paid for a meal with coins only
( ) Been to the top of the St. Louis Arch.
(x) Done something you told yourself you wouldn't.
(x) Made prank phone calls
( ) Been down Bourbon Street in New Orleans.
( ) Laughed until some kind of beverage came out of your nose
( ) Caught a snowflake on your tongue
(x) Danced in the rain
(x) Written a letter to Santa Claus
( ) Been kissed under the mistletoe
( ) Watched the sunrise with someone
(x) Blown bubbles
(x) Gone ice-skating
(x) Gone to the movies by yourself
( ) Been deep sea fishing
(x) Driven across the United States
( ) Been in a hot air balloon
( ) Been sky diving
( ) Gone snowmobiling
( ) Lived in more than one country
(x) Lay down outside at night and admired the stars while listening to the crickets
(x) Seen a falling star and made a wish
( ) Enjoyed the beauty of Old Faithful Geyser
(x) Seen the Statue of Liberty
( )Gone to the top of Seattle Space Needle
( ) Been on a cruise
(x) Traveled by train
(x) Traveled by motorcycle
(x) Been horse back riding
(x) Ridden on a San Francisco CABLE CAR
(x) Been to Disneyland OR Disney World
(x) Truly believe in the power of prayer
(x) Been in a rain forest
( ) Seen whales in the ocean
( ) Been to Niagara Falls
( ) Ridden or petted an elephant
( ) Swam with dolphins
( ) Been to the Olympics
( ) Walked on the Great Wall of China
( ) Saw and heard a glacier calf
( ) Been spinnaker flying
( ) Been water-skiing
( ) Been snow-skiing
( ) Been to Westminster Abbey
(x) Been to the Louvre
( ) Swam in the Mediterranean
( ) Been to an NBA game
( ) Been to a National Football League game
( ) Been on a TV show
( ) Sang for a meal
( ) Seen Jerusalem
(x) Learned a foreign language
(x) Shot a gun
( ) Kick Boxed
( )Water skied or Gone tubing
(x) Had your heart broken by a failed relationship
( ) Written a book.
(x) Gotten in a fist fight
(x) Driven over 100 MPH
( ) Been arrested
(x) Been in a Car accident
( ) Been to the Desert
(x) Been on a Mountain top
(x) Drunk from a mountain stream
(x) Spoken publicly
(x) Gotten a Tatoo

Perfect

Me and my Dad has a special bond. I don't know it started but I just found out one day that I don't hate him as much as I think I did when I was in college. Now, whenever I need to talk sense into me I go to my Dad. He wasn't there for me before. He was busy with work. But now, he always makes himself available. Some would say it's too late because I am way past adolescence. But it's never too late. We never know how are we going to end up in this world - dying young or living old. That's why now that I am far away from my Dad, I cherish the simple things that he does - text me when I send him messages. Answer my calls when I get the chance to call them.

Being the first born (I don't have the luxury of saying first born son but I know he'd beam with pride if I have been one), a lot has been expected of me. Whether or not I fulfilled the expectations is the topic of another blog post. For now, let me just post some exchanges me and my Dad had tonight:

Me: Nasagad pasensiya ko nitong mga huling araw kasi confused na pasyente ko. Napakakulit! Kung pwede ko lang sigawan nasigawan ko na eh! hHnahabaan ko na lang pasensiya ko kasi kailangan.. saka syempre, ito ang trabaho ko eh.. nabalik kasi ako ulit dito sa Newman, dati andun ako sa 808 Byron eh. Magaan lang pasyente ko sa Byron. dito kasi sa Newman anim ulit. tapos wala akong sariling kwarto. hHndi ako prepared nung biglang sinabing dito ako magdu-duty ulit kasi sanay na ako sa 808. Parang bahay ko na kasi un..

Dad: Aba e di congrats sa CHOICE OF ACTION MO. You are near Englightenment = choosing what happens when it happens = FULL ACCEPTANCE. Memory retains but no Pain.

Me: Dinadaan ko na nga lang sa tawa. Kung saan kasi ako ibato, doon ako. Iba na talaga ang magaling!

Dad: Wonderful, yes, SMILE! You see in crisis situation it's not a question of ability but a question of emotional STATE. SMILE takes you into pleasurable STATE.

Me: Oo nga Dad. Tama ka diyan.

Dad: Yan ang anak ko ngek! Namin pala ni Hileng at mas magaling pa kung tutuusin.

Me: Eh kanino pa ba naman ako magmamana kung di sa inyo di ba?

Dad: That's true. You are perfect just as you are! If at times you find conflicts along the way, KNOW that you are perfect just as YOU ARE.

O di ba?

Blackberry as modem for Acer Aspire One

Finally made it work! Yes! Hehehe.. I was out yesterday for three things: first is to send some money to my mom thru bank transfer, second is to get a haircut, which I did and cost me 30 bucks and to get a data cable from the T-Mobile store so that I could surf the web using my Blackberry as modem for my netbook. I was very excited when I got home and started to tinker with my netbook and phone. I did all the necessary configurations settings and I was sure that I got it all right but the thing is the Blackberry Desktop Manager couldn't detect my phone! Darn! I did some repairs, installed a newer version of the software but still, no luck. So I promised myself that I would go to the T-Mobile shop today to let them know that the data cable isn't working. If they couldn't make it work, I am going to return it.

I came prepared. I have my netbook with me with the battery fully charged. I also brough the AC adapter just in case my battery runs low. Bought the data cable with the receipt and my phone. When I came into the store there were two sales reps, one female and the other male. They were still busy entertaining other clients so I looked around. When it was my turn I explained what I did last night and even showed them my netbook. They tinkered with it but couldn't make it work. They bought my phone and the data cable inside their staff room and tried it out in their computer. It worked. So, they said it must be my netbook or the software installed in my netbook. I told them I already upgraded it to version 4.5 from the earlier 4.1 but it still wouldn't work. They tinkered with my netbook, still no luck. Then Ti told them to try to restart the laptop and the phone altogether and see if it will turn out okay. After a few minutes, it worked. Hehehehe!

Now, I am posting this using my netbook and my Blackberry as a modem. I don't need to "beg" for wireless signals from my neighbors. Now I could surf the internet anywhere in the house, everywhere outside the house for as long as I have my phone and my netbook with me. Cool! ;)

Before and after the Big E

with Tito Mar at the Vista Point, Golden Gate Bridge

at Westmoor High School

Golden Gate Bridge with Tita Minda