Switching On the Sun

We got a dog, a Doxle (crossbreed between a beagle and a dachshund) and named him Bruce. Soon after, things changed… Bruce What’s with “Bruce” anyway, seemingly with an alter ego… Bruce Wayne has a dark (knight) side in him. The very “tame” Bruce Banner turns green and smashes things. For Bruce Lee, it’s a combination of natural instinct and control, his paradigm for “unnatural naturalness or natural unnaturalness”. Bruce Willis, well he’s an actor but he wasn’t acting when he said he’s apolitical but he’s as Republican as he could be. Bruce Jenner is now Caitlyn Jenner. Bruce Almighty took advantage of being ‘The Almighty’. Bruce Springsteen, well, he’s “Johnny B. Goode Born in the USA but You Never Can Tell”. Whereas for Bruce the Doxle, either you’ll love him or hate him. Probably what BAD stands for; Bad As Devil or Bad-Ass Dog… Someone dislikes him so much, things changed. Bruce to Bruised With due respect to every perspective out of different versions, I wouldn’t go into details ...

Don’t be a stranger in your own city... much like how Baguio folks apparently shun away from its biggest festival, the Panagbenga (not to mention, long weekends) ... Attributed to various reasons, quite a degree of pessimism has been insinuated on Baguio City’s seeming suffocating situation. Deteriorating environment, worsening traffic, wavering peace and order, et al. All of which alienate people from the essence of Baguio’s good-natured environs. Most of which are unfortunately imputed to the booming tourism and the local government, corresponding with Baguio’s trade and commerce... By people, it’s from either side of the spectrum. Local folks generalize tourists and outsiders/traders as the unwanted visitors. Whereas among tourists, Baguio isn’t as welcoming as it was (or as they were)... Come on Baguio peeps! It’s the Summer Capital of the Philippines . We can’t take pride how inviting our city is without sharing it. How can we lay claim on such general perception of our Ba...

Like the profound essence of love, this is the previous post, Stop The Hate ’s continuation... A ‘Part 2’ if you will... a sequel, a spin-off, an extension, a supplement, an annex, a growth, a reason, a portion, a plot, a subplot or anything in between, a story, the “spreading” of it and everything else... It could as well be a “prequel”. A “prequel” since ‘love’ has always been the beginning of everything. We’re all here because of love. No matter what and how our coming-into-being’s circumstance maybe, we’re here for a reason . Love is a purpose. To love and be loved is our quintessential objective. An unending affair supposedly, considering letting go is likewise a manifestation of love. Love for one’s self is a primal requisite. Thus, don’t be too hard on yourself and others... Similarly, life’s lessons are love essentials. Love endures. Along the way though, there’ll be trials and heartaches for one to possibly feel the opposite. Hate is as potent in dictating how you’d most...

And spread the love... I could have used “Spread The Love” for a title and the “stop the hate” for an onset instead... However, nowadays, a more intriguing issue leaning on negativity stirs a more engaging traction; when subject is abject. “Vilify and it goes viral; praise and it (apparently) goes to waste...” Also, I could have just merged the two as it should be; given that when you stop the hate, it should correspond with spreading the love. But then, what’s rampant along today’s society is how people would rather pay attention to other people’s “negative attributes” to conjure up prodding against those being maligned instead of focusing on (their) fine qualities that merit compliments. For some, they forego of the possibility of being labeled as “humble brags” which similarly get misinterpreted (probably out of envy) and turn into critical imputations from others. Thus, they turn into the opposite as critics instead and express something else against anyone/thing from...

As somehow a postscript to the real saying “...divided we fall” which means we fundamentally fall apart as a team when we get divided in any/every unifying aspect, “divided, we’re falling” is more like how we are already into a state of dissension by which we’re in the process of disintegrating...  This is basically what’s happening to us now. I thought I’d express my sentiments on the matter in time for the United Nations Day celebration, a commemoration of peace and unity among various races and nationalities given the diverse culture however “peace-loving” being an essential UN membership criterion. Quite timely and fitting, in preparation for the UN Day celebration, my son was given a homework which focuses on unity. He was to fill up a word for an acronym with poem-like sentences relevant to the assigned word and the subject at hand. The word/acronym is HARMONY. And these are what we came up with: H ~ Humanity restores its faith A ~ Amidst differences and hate R ~ Race...

Among Star Wars fans, you'd know that famous line as from that of Darth Vader... It's similarly the same among fathers who have to fight for their rights over their children; not as "Darth Vader" though, but against "Dark Invader". Yet how "dark" could that "invader" be for a father to sacrifice almost everything including giving up the chance to be there for his kids? In a way, it's "Star Wars" when opposing sides respectively claim they're the "star" (of their side of the story) in their custody battle; usually at the expense of who they depict as the "antagonist" as if to justify their act as the right one and 'them' to be the chosen one; perhaps like Anakin who has gone to the dark side... "Anakin'ng pating!!" Have they even asked or considered as to whose expense is it actually; the feelings of the children corresponding with the emotional and mental implications as...

Regardless of where I am, being with my family is what makes me feel at home… There are moments however when you also enjoy the serenity of that personal space’s exclusivity… I (or I believe, we – my family) experienced both in a fitting MOMent along a timely occasion at a suitable retreat – make that SUITE-able haven. The commemoration of Mothers’ Day just last Sunday of which subsequent to it was the national election the next day made it a long weekend. Usually, 3-day off from work is simply spent as a longer period for ‘family time’. What makes it rather extra special is some out-of-the-ordinary indulgence. And far from commonplace indeed, we seized the chance to spend 3 nights and 3 days in a 3-bedroom suite at Azalea Residences Baguio. Markedly, too much 3s there (3-day off, 3 nights/3 days, 3-bedroom suite…) but (and as if to substantiate ‘family man’ as this site’s essence…) the best ‘3’ for me however are the similarly “threefold” reasons: father, mother and kids – Fam...

Dear Joanne, Ane? Or would you prefer “Dear Ms. Fallarme”? Pardon the formality as calling you by what I’m used to would most likely spark off your sarcasm: “Don’t call me ‘Mommy’, I’m not your mother!” While in contrast, beginning this with “Dear Wifey” may well be spontaneous but would seem off. It’s after all a Valentine’s Day letter. Corny as it may sound, I think you rather want to be addressed as any of the more popular terms of endearment (you’re just in denial). Whereas “ Spicy ” as opposed to the usual “sweet” appellations and as I’ve considered you to be, directly aims to be (ironically) sweet; which isn’t the intention behind this. As a matter of fact, you don’t see me that way… or you simply find blandness in how I instinctively substantiate such “lovability”. Anyway, I similarly don’t intend to draw a “What the hell?!” reaction given that it’s not the normal “Awww” (with all the likely emoticons attached to it) kind for such a letter. Thus, this “o...