Merry Christmas People! :)

Haven't been blogging these past few days.. Kinda busy with the season, enjoying the remaining days of 2008 :)

Shout out to my friend Fleda! I also completed 9 night masses plus 1 dawn mass. Hehe. Funny part is I forgot to make a particular wish. Wahaha. but then.. God knows what it is. ;)

I'm simply Grateful :)

I Feel Good! (tenenenenenenen) Haha.

Oh well, It's already 2 in the morning, been to my aunt's house for our Family party.. Yakiniku/Shabu-Shabu style Noche Buena. Hehe.

I'll be posting pictures in my Friendster, Multiply, and Facebook soon! :)
Gotta love parties., more in days to come. YEAH!!

Happy Birthday to the Almighty! :)

Celebrate Life! :)

Fine Line Between Being Honest and Truthful

"What is the difference between honesty and truthfulness?" -Father Elmer Mangalinao asked.

Tita Fe and I looked at each other and was like "Huh?? Isn't it the same?"

Then things ran through my mind about "Pagpapakatotoo" which is I think being stereotyped and is being defined as showing your bad side, or how arrogant you can react to a particular situation and be stubborn enough to say that people should not care since IT WAS YOU that YOU are showing.. take it or leave it they brag. You see how reality T.V. show participants does this,

One of the many examples: Pinoy Big Brother Season 2...that time of Wendy Valdez and Bea Saw conflicts. Wendy would accuse Bea of being safe since Bea doesn't retalliate, a Psychology graduate so maybe she just wants to be rational. The exact oppostie, Wendy would always express her rage.. and next to that she'd always state that she's just being real.

Next example: PBB Teen edition Season 2: Rona and Priscilla. Priscilla stated multiple times that she was just being real. Rona on the other hand, I remember said that "Pagpapakatoo doesn't mean pagiging masama" or something like that.


Then it made me think, "Yeah? why does everybody use the term "Nagpapakatotoo ako" when in fact, they sound like it's as good as saying "I have issues and bad attitudes".. (now wouldn't it be more true?:-P)

And now going back to the mass., according to father Elmer 's explanation, this is how it goes and I think I believe so:

Being HONEST means YOU are true to what you do and say because YOU measure things on how YOU think and feel.. Meaning YOU want to express YOURSELF to others as the raw YOU.

Now being TRUTHFUL, he says, Is much supreme than being honest. because sometimes, being honest doesn't mean you're always truthful. But by being truthful, you are always honest. Because in being truthful, you consider OTHERS. This time you don't measure things on how you think and feel alone but also the people around you and especially the people involved. This does not ask us to be very analytical, just be rational.

This is his example:

HONEST: I'm a married man, I work in an office miles from my wife and home. I've a beautiful and very attractive secretary. She told me she likes me, I told her I'm attracted to her too..who wouldn't with how she looks? and so we had an affair. I'm just being honest. it's what I feel. I've to let it out.

TRUTHFUL: I'm a married man, I work in an office miles from my wife and home. I've a beautiful and very attractive secretary. She told me she likes me, I told her I'm attracted to her too..who wouldn't with how she looks? but then I have a wife and children. They are my Family. I am committed, so my secretary and I shouldn't have an affair.

"Family is not just about your feelings for them. Family is a decision" -father added.

Do you guys get the point?

So then it's crystal clear for me. The people I cited above as examples are for me the perfect manifestations of these. If before I would wonder "Who's really the one who's NAGPAPAKATOTOO??", Now I think I can just determine who's being honest and who's being truthful.

In tagalog it may be a question: Kung ganon, anung tagalog sa pagiging "Honest" at "Truthful"? ano ang right english for "Pagpapakatotoo".. for me, make it a phrase: "Nagpapakatotoo ako sa sarili ko" for HONESTY and "Nagpapakatotoo ako sa lahat" for TRUTHFULNESS. It is sometimes correlated., and sometimes, also different. Naturally, I guess you'll understand by situation.

So please. Kids, Adults.. Enough of the Bragging like you're REAL for real. Scan through.. Maybe you're just having tantrums.

BOW.

and PEACE.

Misa de Gallo: Paano Ginagawa?

(Photo from the Web)

Last night, it's already the second Simbang gabi in Sto. Niño Church in our subdivison, I wonder why they started on Dec.15? Tsk. Does it mean I'll get an "INC" mark in my "Simbang gabi Card?" Oh well. I'll make a way to make it complete.

Anyway, the homily last night was great. I love the weather, I love it when I go to Church with relatives.

But seeing some people around makes me think:
"Are they all sincere?", "Why are they there??", "Why are they doing that??", "Do they know what this is all about for real??".

It's kind of disappointing, it's not that I get bugged and annoyed by them all the way, it's just that I respect the Church, the mass and I respect God., I just wish they do too.

Then I read this column in a newspaper last night while I was nibbling at midnight:

read and identify yourself if you belong. ;-P

"PAANO KA MAGSIMBANG-GABI?"
-By Lester Gopela Hallig (Pilipino Star Ngayon)

Noong nakaraang araw ay nagsermon ang aming kura paroko hinggil sa mga klase ng taong nagsisimbang-gabi. Walang hindi natawa sa mga tinuran niya. Marahil ay tinamaan sila sa mga kategoryang nabanggit ng pari. Iyung iba naman ay may kilalang ganoon. Bakit hindi natin silipin kung sinu-sino ito? Malay ninyo. Baka iyong katabi o kasambahay ninyo ay ang matatamaan dito. O baka rin anman iakw mismo. Heto, ibabahagi ko sa inyo ang nakaaaliw at napakatunay na obserbasyon ng aming pari:

Nagsisimbang-tango
Wala siyang ginawa kundi tumango nang tumango habang nagmimisa. Hindi dahil sumasang-ayon siya sa sinasabi ng pari, kundi dahil natutulog pal siya, kaya ayun, tatangu-tango sa simbahan. Mayroon akong kaibigang ganyan ang ginagawa tuwing simbang-gabi. Tutulug-tulog sa misa, eh may ugali pa naman siyang napapadapa siya kapag nakakaidlip. Hayun, minsan ganun ang nangyari kaya napasubsob siya sa mga manang ng simbahan. Siyempre, namumula na kaming mga kasama niya sa sobrang pagpipigil ng tawa (at kahihiyan na rin). Parang naiskandalo ang mga manang, may kasama pang matatalim na tingin.
Siguro ang ipapayo ko lang sa mga ganitong tao, kung kaya mong magsimba sa gabi (mayroon sa aming alas otso ng gabi ang misa), doon na lang. At least, gising ka pa at may malay ka pa kung ano na ang nangyayari.

Nagsisimbang-puto
Totoo bang simba talaga ang pinunta mo roon? Baka anman excuse mo lang iyon para makakain ng mga kakanin pagkatapos ng misa. "Ay hindi, misa talaga habol ko!" sabi ng kaibigan namin. Pero papunta pa lang kami sa simbahan, heto ang linya niya, "Uy, mamaya bili ako ng puto bumbong ha. Iparada ninyo sa gilid ang sasakyan at matatagalan pa yung bibingkang lulutuin pa. Siguro pagdating sa simbahan, punta na ko ron para maireserba ang kakanin!"
Minsan nga, hindi mapakali ang kasama namin habang nagmimisa. Paano, nasa bibingkahan na ang isip. Noong isang beses nga, pag homily ng pari, lalabas muna para kumain, Mas maganda sana kung isasaalang-alang muna ang diwa ng simbang gabi, hindi iyong palusot lamang ang pagsisimba.

Nagsisimbang-text
Aminin natin, marami pa ring matitigas ang ulo pagdating sa simbahan. Text dito, text doon. Ano ba naman ang patayin muna ang cell phone ng isang oras, at ibuhos muna ang atensyon sa misa?
Kaya lang may mga ganitong nagsisimba talaga. Ganito kasi iyon. Gusto lang magsimbang-gabi at makakumpleto dahil...wala lang. Hindi taos sa puso ang pagsisimba kundi para masabi lang na kumpleto ang siyam na araw. Pero tanungin mo siya kung anu-ano ang mga naging sermon ng pari ay wala siyang maisasagot.
Dapat kasi, iwan an muna ang cell phone sa bahay. Malaking risk kasi na bitbitin yan sa simbahan. Bukod sa baka mawalapa iyan, eh nakakaistorbo pa. Biruin mo, habang taimtim na nagdadasal ang karamihan ay panay ang text mo. Hindi ba makapaghihintay man lang iyan?

Nagsisimbang-tabi
Isa pa ito. Ang nagsisimbang-tabi ay parating nasa suluk-sulok at gilid-gilid ng simbahan. Minsan sa loob, mas madalas nasa labas. Mas mahalaga pa ang magbarkadahan tuwing simbang gabi. Makikita mo sila sa mga lugar na nabanggit at mapapansin mong mas abala sila sa pagkukuwentuhan, apgtatawanan, at pag-iistambay.
Ang masama pa rito, may ibang tao na walang ginawa kundi magtsismisan. Ano ba yan, isang sagradong okasyon tapos babahiran ng paninira sa kapwa?
Aba, kung tutuusin, medyo effort din ang gumising nang maaga. Pero para tumambay lang? Parang may mali yata run. Kasali rin dito ang mga nagliligawan tuwing misa. Mas busy maghawakan ng kamay o hindi kaya ay maglampungan. Oo nga at nakatutuwang makakita ng mga nagmamahalan pero may lugar para sa mga bagay na iyan. Ang simbang gabi ay para lamang sa Diyos, kaya huwag naman siyang agawan ng atensyon.

Nagsisimbang-taos.
At ito ang dapat tularan. Alam niyang ang pagsisimba ay paghahanda sa pagsilang ng Dakilang Lumikha. Alam niyang ang pagpunta sa misa ay hindi lamang sa pisikl na pagdalo kundi pati sa puso at kaluluwa. Alam niya kung ano ang silbo ng simbang gabi. Alam niyang sakripisyo ito (hindi anman kasi normal sa ibang tao ang gumising nang madilim pa, liban nga lang kung sa call center ka nagtatrabaho--pero ibang usapan na iyan). Alam niyang kailangan niya bigyang-galang ang Panginoon, kaya pinapatay niya ang cell phone nya. hindi siya nakikipagkuwentuhan sa misa, at lalong hindi hinahati ang kanyang pagkatao sa oras na iyon.

Kaya ngayong panahon ng simbang gabi, alin ka kaya sa mga taong ito?

*********
Need I say more?

Celebrate CHRISTmas..

(Diocesan Cathedral of St. Nicolas de Tolentine, Cabanatuan City)

The homily this morning, is about bringing the real essence of Christmas.. the priest asked:

"Ano bang tunay na pinaghahandaan natin? Pasko? o si Kristo?"..

Well what do you expect? people will of course, answer "SI KRISTO" because they know that it is the right answer, but in truth, it's really the occasion that they want to blurt out. Judging aside.. come on.. let's face it. But see I got this confusion of what really is the difference in preparing for Christmas and Preparing for Christ? I'm like "Isn't it Christmas is God's birthday? ergo, we celebrate His day and we celebrate Him? so what's the priest's point?"

Furthermore in his sermon, I finally got the "aaaaaah" expression. We Catholics believe that it is His birthday, so as with birthdays, we give gifts to the celebrator.

"Ano bang magandang maibigay natin kay Kristo?", father asked.

"Ito ay ang pagpapakumbaba (Humility), at paghingi ng tawad sa ating mga kasalanan (ask for the forgiveness of our sins)", He continued.

We used to do Christmas shopping to give our loved ones gifts and fulfill their wishlist, Then so, let's not too, forget to give gifts to the righful celebrator of this very special and wonderful occasion. These gifts won't even cost us a single centavo.

Let's continue giving him praise and yes, let's all humble ourselves before Him... admit our mistakes, and ask for forgiveness.

Add to that our forgiveness to those who sinned against us. As what one image is saying to my last post: LOVE YOUR ENEMIES...NO EXCEPTION...I know it's not so easy, but giving it a try would make a big difference. and celebrating CHRISTmas will be more meaningful... and I say more meaningful every year.

Eleven days to go! MERRY CHRISTmas everybody!! :) PEACE TO ALL :)

Names

I call myself the Singer-Nurse, an RnB Supahstar. Haha

My friends call me JC, Juan, Yatot, J-Deeg, J, Jhayz :)

My relatives call me Adu/Ado, Abdul, Juancito :)

My parents call me Plong ;)

Now I wonder how God calls me? ;-P

...So many names but one identity. Funny how people that are close to you give their share of baptizing you with another name aside from what is in the national statistics. Names that go with their personal remembrance of you. A name that expands its meaning throughout life, representing you and according to how they perceive you. Names that are sometimes only good to hear from the people who first called you that way, Because it has become a special tag of your relationship with that/those person/s.

See how couples call each other?.. baby, honey, sweetie and other cheesy hubby names that they can ever think of and sometimes spell it the hard, complex way just to get the UNIQUENESS stamp, (e.g., Bhaebeeiy for Baby, Hohnnee for Honey, and so on) ya I know i've been there. hahahaha.
It's like a personal signature brand of clothing..original, high-standard and quality, beautiful, and extra special.

That particular name's representation to the person will remain forever , even if the bonds between them break. Looking back, they'll still remember the reason why they gave that name to that someone, even if at your present, it already went away..a long time ago...

Just like with foes for life, frenemies and other pain in our asses...

We brand them with disgusting, evil and all the worst names we, again, could ever think of. Like its meanings are already the screaming dull words itself and no need to expound more.

And then wheels turn, the world conspires with peace and everything went nice,

foes and frenemies finally became close friends or if not became casual friends., Still, dating back to war times, moments are remembered.. but tagging them the worst way would be funny now even if it has the fugliest explanation why was it spelled/sounded the way it was.

Well.. nothing much here. just want to share.. I just realized that names are forever, not just the legal ones, but also those encrypted, embossed, engraved and all attachment vocabularies applied in the hearts and minds of people that are close, and even those that aren't so close to you. Even if we say "Let's forget about it", see it's actually more like of "Let's just not bring it up again"

So...

This is JC, known with a lot of nick names, but forever be declared a music lover, art fan, simple, happy creature, loving person, full of dreams, and occasionally crazy! ;)

And You? What's Your Name? :)

Step 1 to my USRN license

Surprisingly! just 19 days after I requested for my fingerprint card via internet from the Board of Registered Nursing in Sacramento, California,I have finally received it.

My very first step towards becoming a registered nurse in the United States. I kinda freaked out like it's already my exam date tomorrow! even if I know that it would still take months until I get my eligibility to take it.

For the reason that I haven't decided yet about some major factors: what state should I apply for and that how am I going to fill my application up since I still don't know exactly what to do? Well..I do and I can easily get tips and the "How to's" from my very helpful Friends, but, I think anxiety always get into my nerves whenever I deal with legal and important documents.

There's this fear that I might commit a mistake even with just the personal section of the form and that it may be a reason for my application's invalidation or something like that. The indescribable feeling of submitting the needed pages to be taken care of my school and the Professional Regulation Commission and just everything. Despite that, and as always, I never let my burning positivity lose its flame.
I was expecting the fingerprint card on January but maybe the Board of Nursing wanted to throw a Christmas surprise for me. Hahaha. THANKS! ;)

And...I guess I'll just apply for California.
God it's like a hush fell over my world after I received the letter. Even if this is just the first step and that I still have to undergo processes that are scrutinizing (some are mentioned above), I'm already excited, hoping for my luck and looking forward to my new becoming and the fulfillment of my dreams. As I see clouds clearing up for me in the upcoming year of the Ox.

I see this as an inspiration. a sustaining fuel to my engine. I'm grateful once again. :)

Bibingka is Christmas!

My first bibingka for this season! I bought three last night after attending the mass!

I love bibingka!.. Everytime I buy this rice cake here in Cabanatuan's Plaza Lucero, I always feel like Christmas bells are ringing around and Christmas songs automatically play inside my head.

Seventeen days to go before my most favorite time of the year.
I just wish I got money to burn so I can give my family and friends gifts aside from the love I can give 'em. But then again, due to nursing opportunities here in the Philippines that has been a bee in my bonnet, I am currently in this fix together with the other RN newbies. I ultimately wish us luck..

Nevertheless, it will never be a reason for me to dismay, and frown everyday.
I'll always have my million dollar smile. :D

Since it's the Yuletide season, I'm also excited of the Simbang Gabi with my Grandma and cousins..
I also look forward to my Family's simple Noche Buena, (and other family gatherings with sumptuous meals involved. ;-P) my get together with Friends and other parties that I wish I could attend, and of course, I wouldn't lie, I wish and hope for cash to land in my hands from people who's kind enough to recognize my situation. Hahaha

See? no reason for me not to enjoy the holidays!

I'm feeling it! I love the cool breeze! I will always love Christmas!

and I will always love bibingka, a personal symbol of Christmas for me..
and...I will buy some again, soon..:)

AND! GET READY TO SAY HELLO TO 2009!..
I call it:
"MY JUMP STARTER..."

THREE CHEERS!! :o)

Twilight and My thing about Reading.

Reading is a hobby I would want to learn, but every time I try,.. I fail. hahaha
Thanks to my bookworm friends, I still get updated of what's hot and what's not in the "World Library".

Bunch of thanks to the film industry too, I get to watch what I don't read. :D
though every time I watch a filmed novel with friends who have, prior to that, read the book, I always hear comparisons.
Unknowingly, They'd make me think: "Should I also read the book?"
Well...
NO..I won't.. hihi.
I'll always be fine the way I'd watch the film as if it was not from a novel and that it was the original, raw story, without knowing what has been missing or what was been inserted (you know, sometimes I see how fun it is to be innocent and clueless with something because you get to enjoy just EXACTLY what is served and not minding any strings attached you never knew there was.) unlike some people who, while watching does nothing but to compare the film and the book the entire show, then they would end up a little, if not disappointed big time and would have an eternal cumbersome feeling about the difference of the two.

And talking about a filmed novel, TWILIGHT (Stephenie Meyer) I think is one of the best novel-based movie I've seen.
I have never read it, neither touched the book nor any copy of it. I SWEAR..but i have been hearing stories from friends.

That it is a dark kind of romance fiction involving a mortal and a vampire.
That's all I know until I watched it.

I got hooked with the Cullens, the scenes, the soundtrack, the story, the setting, I love Alice's character, and I'd love to see what will happen next.

So after knowing that the sequel, NEW MOON could possibly be shown in 2010, (courtesy of IMDB) , I thought that it will be like a gruelling 1-2 years time of waiting.. Then I suddenly had the nudge to read,. (again after a long time ago) BUT! since it is a 4-series-novel, (Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, Breaking Dawn), I cannot afford to buy since I want all of those together at hand in one time. :D

As a desperate solution, I searched the net for the PDF file and while i was browsing, I was like, "Oh! wait...why not an AUDIO BOOK??...what a bright idea JC!?" hahaha. With that, my life will be easier, I won't get sleepy out of trying really hard to read. (as it has always been my issue why I never succeeded finishing reading novels/long stories no matter how interesting they are.. ;-P)

At this point of time, uTorrent is still downloading it and i can't wait to "HEAREAD" it ;-)

and so before I end this blog, I will show you how hooked I am with the Cullen Family :)

Here it is:

You see? now I'm one of them! >:D
WANT ME TO BITE YOU?? >:-P