Mechanical Engineering September 2012 Board Exam Results

There are no better words I could describe how I feel right now than "in great happiness" for all those who passed the recently concluded board examination for Mechanical Engineering graduates. Moreover, it makes me feel glad because all three of my new friends have passed the examination. They've waited, we'll I'd better say we've all waited for the results and finally after a week and a day, it has been released. It might have later than expected but the great thing is that they passed!. And it was the most important and exciting part! 

It has always been part of my dreams in life to take an Engineering exam and have an Engineering license from PRC because we don't have that opportunity as Computer Engineering graduates. Although, I never regretted being one because I'm happy with where I am right now but it makes me look back when I had the choice of going for Computer or Mechanical Engineering once, what could have been the difference. I can only wonder. Every time a friend of mine passes an Engineering board exam, it always inspires me again to, hopefully, realize that dream of being one someday. But as of now, I share the joy felt by my friends and I wish good luck for my friends who will take the board examination for other Engineering courses.

Congratulations to my friends and to all of those who passed. Good luck in your next journey, for the job hunting!

I also congratulate the passers from my Alma Mater for having a nice performance! It also makes me feel proud to share the joy of your achievement.

This is the link for Mechanical Engineering board examination results:

http://www.prc.gov.ph/uploaded/documents/ME0912se.pdf

World Heart Day - Good For The Heart

One World, One Home, One Heart.

Today is 2012 World Heart Day. This year, the World Heart Federation, in partnership with World Health Organization, continues to promote and widen awareness on cardiovascular diseases prevention among women and children. 

According to WHO, cardiovascular diseases are the world's largest killers claiming more than 17 million (17.3) lives a year. This is the reason for this World Heart Day as the World Heart Foundation urges everyone to save the lives of the women and children that we love.

With the purpose of at least minimize some risks of cardiovascular diseases, these are their quick start tips in order to promote heart-healthy living:

1. Get Active

Even 30 minutes of moderate-intensity activity five times per week reduces the risk of heart disease and stroke.

2. Eat a heart-healthy diet.

A diet rich in fruit and vegetable helps prevent heart disease and stroke.

3. Say "no" to tobacco.

Quitting smoking and avoiding secondhand smoke reduces risk of heart disease and stroke.

4. Know your numbers.

Let's live a HEART-HEALTHY LIFE! 

Sources: http://www.who.int/mediacentre/events/annual/world_heart_day/en/index.html

             http://www.world-heart-federation.org/index.php?id=123

                   http://www.world-heart-federation.org/what-we-do/awareness/world-heart-day/take-action/

Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/worldheartday

Earthquakes and The End of the World

It all seemed like it was a fine, calm night as I was walking on the street going for church. Without any signs of danger except the vehicles on the road, I arrived at the gate. I noticed that on the other side of the street, people are standing and chatting outside of the buildings. I asked my friend, who's also outside the gate, if there is a brawl or any fight that had happened. "No. A strong Earthquake just struck us", he said and I was shocked, not because of the quake, but because how in the world that I had never ever felt it. Was it because I was walking? Maybe, or perhaps I might have been thinking deep of something else while walking.  

Even now, I still am scanning through my memories of that night of how I never noticed that part of a strong 7.6 magnitude earthquake on the night of August 31. And oh my friend was right, that was indeed a strong shake. Well, the funny thing on this serious matter is that I realized couldn't even remember what I was thinking while I was walking at that time. 

Monday came and we're back at work. As I would have expected, different stories of that shake experiences were at the center of our conversation. It started with morning talks about where each one of us was at that night. I listened to each of them as they spoke of the things like going outside the house and looking at the electrical wires in waves motion, or when pushing that turn on button of the computer, the quake started shaking the house as if controlled by that button. As the conversation went interesting, I told them about my calm and quite experience of the quake and quite surprised they were as I was to myself.

In our lunch break, we ended up talking about earthquakes again. We thought what could have our workmates, who were still on duty at that time, felt when the building danced with no music. We had a fun and great conversation while eating at the pantry and then one opened up that he was thinking at that instance that it's like the end of the world.

What do you think you will do if you will know the day world ends? A good question indeed. Have you ever think about it? 

Photo source

People will surely wanna do all the things they wish to which they haven't done yet. Some perhaps might wanna spend all the money they have for all the luxuries they can enjoy while Earth lasts. Some might even wanna try do some 'unlawful things' since they won't be punished anyway, on Earth - maybe yes. But how about what's next in life in this world? Are you preparing for the life after death? Sure you should if you believe in the bible.

I, not only think, but believe we should prepare for what's next. Envision what's after the end of this world. Do you believe in the holy land prepared for all those who will be saved? You should. It would have been a great privilege IF we will know when the world ends because we can prepare. But no we won't, the bible stated. Earthquakes are but signs that we are at the ends of this world. There are two ends that will surely come to us but we don't know what comes first or when it will come - our or this world's death. And thus, preparing is an everyday task. Prepare for the judgement day - repent all our sins and do the right things.

Have you ever think about it?
Now I think you should.                                              

A Poem, From An Always A Friend, To You

To God, I'll say my a many thanks, no end;
A gift, He gave to me, a really good friend;
Moments, shared in our friendship, shall stay;
Always, these heartfelt thanks, I'll say.

Journey, in new path you'll take, good luck;
I'm here, an always a friend, at your back;
Guidance, prayed me to God, He'll spread;   
The road, in your journey ahead, He'll lead.

My wish, I'll say in prayer, joy in your heart; 
With you, as always He may stay, won't part;
Blessings, my hope He'll provide, with grace;
This poem, from heart I write, your friend always!   

Annotation: 
This poem was dedicated to a teammate and a mentor as a part of team's farewell token when she chose for a new journey in her career and in her life. Everyone was asked of individual messages and instead of having it in a plain message, I wrote this poem as a sign of my gratitude for the friendship as well as for her being a good mentor while I was still starting my career. 

Thank you for the friendship Ma'am Ging!
I hope you're okay. And I also do hope you can read this post..hehe :)
  

A Learning Thought

Learning has always been essential part of success. From the time we were born until we've become what we wanted, learning is there. It is a very important part of the whole process of our evolution, the technological evolution of human race as an example. From the day we first glimpse of the world and experience life, we then evolved through the things we have learned as we go. As babies, we learn to open our mouth to speak what we have heard, to move our feet and to go where we wanted to and to mimic what we have seen from what others were doing. But that's just a simple way of showing how we grow as we learn. 

Ages ago, people then lived differently - in caves and in a very simple way of life we could only imagine as compared to how complex it is in our times today. They once lived never to have learned about fire, when the carriages of transport are drawn by animals. Much more, never learned and experienced how a simple on/off concept or 1 or 0 could change the world - technically different. That's the digital, technologically advanced world we are now in. 

For a toast of success in whatever single thing that we do, learning is always there. Or I should say, you have well learned it. It is a very crucial part of that whole process. We do things because we learn to do it. From the mere "wish I can do that" or "I want to do that" into "I already know that", learning is there in between. And much more, if you continue learning something beyond normal capability, you will become a master of it. Many might have known a thing but to become a master of it means you go beyond where everybody has reached. 

Gardner theorized multiple intelligence and I believe that the learning styles are anchored to this. For the learning styles are probably different for every person and that it is important to nourish whichever you are good at. 

Knowledge. Learning. They have disruptively changed the world. 

But a fact it remains, it's not enough to just have knowledge and to learn things. This, I realized. Although, they are important because they are the foundation of what you do and how you can improve things.

But in all and one thought, it will come down to how these are used that draws the change.   

"Knowing is not enough, we must apply. Willing is not enough, we must do."

-Johann von Goethe

No "A" in Between, Be Patient.

Time runs fast for those who hurry and slow for those who wait. Indeed. It always seems there is that "challenge of time" for every state a situation brings. Oftentimes, it pays to take on that time defiance to learn its value. And sometimes it is in an everyday and usual event, that we don't even usually care for, that we get to realize something valuable to learn and something great to understand.

And that was the intro but so much for that. 

It was late afternoon. I was in a hurry. It was a race with time. I had to accomplish something important. “I've been in this moment many times before and in the end, I did it”, I thought then. Although, still some of them were completed later than expected. But still, I was positive and hopeful. I went to the office earlier that day just so I could go out early in the afternoon. I needed to reproduce multiple copies of a flyer. We needed them early morning the next day. But having important things to finish at work, I ended up taking an extra hour in the office. I went out an hour late than planned. And I still have to get the additional payment from a friend for it. I had no choice at that time, I didn't have enough money either to pay for it all. Nevertheless, I took the challenge as I would always do. 

Unfortunately, it happened on the time of the day when traffic started to rule on the streets. Late afternoon to early evening traffic and I totally hate it. The sluggish scene of vehicles, blowing horns each and every time just made it even worst. And much more, it seems we're getting all the stops at every traffic light intersection. Being caught in traffic while in a hurry really drains my patience, most of the times. Patience test, that was exactly what I should call it. 

But that was traffic. It was expected but I hate it. 

I finally arrived at my friend's workplace with a substantial amount of time already gone. Time gone, forever. She gave me the additional payment and asked for the printed flyers to be risographed. She wanted to take a look at it but I said it's in my flask drive. “It needs to be printed”, she said, “since that's what will be used for the reproduction”. I didn't know that, it’s actually my first time and I wasn't curious enough to know about it. So she asked for it and said she'd have it printed. She went back to her desk, several floors above, to have it printed and told me to wait at the lobby. 

Unluckily, she sent me an sms that her computer hung up. She waited until she had no choice but to restart it. How unfavorable things could be when you’re in a hurry. I had no choice but to wait. While waiting at the lobby, I found some magazines. They looked interesting to read. I took one and read. The articles were about leadership and I began to read while waiting. It had really nice leadership articles and testimonies of self-transformation into becoming able to lead and talk before a crowd. For a while, I enjoyed reading and was momentarily relieved with all the annoyance I had with the traffic. But I still was aware with time and I would look at my watch each and every time. I still had another appointment at 7pm. Time checked, only more than an hour left. I still have to travel to downtown to look for a copy center. More than a double-digit minutes later, she came back and gave me the printed copy. I thanked her and left. 

That was a stopover. It was unexpected yet needed. 

In a Jeep ride, I found myself annoyed again. As the dark of the night slowly crowds the place, so as the lights of the vehicles trapped in the heavy traffic becomes evident in the streets. The silent of the night, I could never find in a heart of the big city with the horns blowing. I just consoled myself. Though I was becoming all the more impatient, with all the lags I had. I needed to think of something else to relieved myself from all these anxiousness, I said to myself. 

After almost an hour, I arrived at the downtown. As soon as I got off the Jeep, I looked for a copy center nearby. I was really in a hurry. I found a copy center but the operators said they’re already closing. I went to the adjacent center, and lucky, they’re still open but there were a couple of people who are already in a line, four of them. They were students of a nearby universities whose books and handouts are to be photocopied. I was looking at my watch and it was around 10 minutes before 7pm. I’m sure gonna be late with my practice if I’d wait here. I was calculating things out. Looking at the people on the line with the handouts and books they’re bringing, I thought this is gonna be dragging. I was weighing things over if I’d wait or just leave and go to my practice. I am sure gonna be late since I’d still have to travel. I was thinking things out, if I won’t have the flyers reproduced at that time, we won’t be able to distribute it very early morning the next day. I left the copy center and decided to just go to practice but after walking a few meters, I settled for going back and wait until I am done with the flyers. So I went back and waited until I was served. 

And that was two diverging roads. Most of the times, it will come into our life. And then we need to make a stand. 

“And finally, I am done with the flyers”, I sighed. I walked as fast as I could to look for a ride and be able to at least arrive while the practice isn’t over. I looked for a Jeep andl I was able to hop in. 30 minutes was my best estimate considering the traffic at the downtown area. I was the more eager to arrive at the meeting place. 

Minutes later, few more meters and I’m almost there. I can now see my destination. But we’re once again caught up with traffic, moderate traffic. In the opposite lane, one can notice that the traffic was really light. How I wish the we had the same traffic flow in our direction. 

Then a vehicle in siren was coming from the opposite lane, fast and in real hurry. An ambulance just passed us, in the opposite lane, while we are waiting for the go. I wasn’t in a bit surprised, maybe because it seems normal in that road where ambulances often pass. Not a minute later, another one passed us in same hurry. And I was getting anxious since we are still not moving in our direction and I’m almost there. I am excited to get out of the Jeep and be free from all the traffic I had that night, I was all the more in a hurry that time. When a third ambulance passed us, a minute later, I was struck and left thinking of the moment and something I realized. Sometimes it’s okay to not be in a hurry all the time and do things slowly, I thought. Take life slowly and surely. Being in a hurry might sometimes mean it’s almost over. 

I arrived at our practice place an hour late but how lucky I am that the practice didn’t start yet. Later that night I was informed that they were cancelling the distribution of the flyers. Money and time seems wasted nevertheless some lessons were learned along the way. 

Don't hurry. Sometimes, it’s better be a patient. 

photo source

The Cab Ride

It's already past 12 midnight. The dark sky is clear as no rain clouds are there. The moon is magnificently showing its glory, across the sky, with its half shining brightly. And I am here sitting and thinking. This is not a story of a right now and I'm not sitting inside a cab. But within a usual cab ride in a not-so-usual ride atmosphere, I had a fun yet touching story. 

                                             

                                                                           Photo source

It was a typical Saturday afternoon. It was actually just last Saturday. The sun's heat could still be felt as it was slowly setting towards the west. I was waiting for a jeep along Jones Avenue for a ride back into my boarding house. For a couple of minutes, I stayed there standing along the road, waiting. And then on a 16-seater Multi-cab, I found myself riding along with around nine other passengers. I was sitting in the middle part of the left side of the cab. It all seemed like a typical ride I used to have.

I noticed two men talking. I could say they looked like they're in their 50's. They were just wearing casual clothes like they were just in their home. They were seated in the rear part of the cab, near the entrance, seated in front of each other in opposite sides. They seemed to be having fun. Their topic was about their relationship with their wives and they weren't serious. I didn't mean with their relationship but they weren't serious or should I say they were just being humorous. They were just making fun while enjoying the ride on that quite hot afternoon. The man sitting on the other side where I was sitting, was the one cracking the jokes. The other one, just laughing. They were having fun. My attention was attracted to them and I listened to them and glanced at them every once in a while and laughed a little.

One thing fascinated me. They were like teenagers teasing each other while cracking jokes. I think they were really close friends. It's not a usual scene one could see while riding on a Jeep - not, considering their age. Their fun continued until slowly they have grabbed the attention of the rest of the passengers, the driver and the fare collector seated beside the driver.

The man, seated on the other side, was really humorous. And the way he blew his lines, it all were just natural and that made it all really funny and amusing. I didn’t know if he’s a little bit drunk, I didn’t even notice or think of it. But when his brown envelope was unknowingly dropped below the seat, he didn’t seem to notice. I didn’t also notice although at that instance as I was looking at him while he was expressively telling jokes. A guy seated almost in front me told the man that his envelope was dropped, he thanked the guy and said, “Oh, you envelope. Are you drunk?” while he shook and opened it, showed it to us that it’s empty. He laughed and said that it was just for a show, nothing really is inside it.  And we all laughed and that made me think if his not drunk or the way I looked at him - maybe a little. 

And then he suddenly sang a folk song, I never heard of it. He was singing, with his head swaying and hands in beat, while showing us what’s written in the folder and then pointed to it. I think that was the title of the song. I tried to remember that word but I just couldn’t. His voice was good. And then he said he’s a music teacher in a university nearby,he even named it. Then he started telling about his wife and their relationship. He still was humorous while telling that. Parts by parts, he sang their songs and said those were the days when love was so strong. Young as they were, he told her he loved her and that she too felt the same. “The magic and wonder of young love and the strong intense emotions it brings”, he said. And they were happy. But now he said, we’re not together anymore. Their children are already old and each have their own lives. She’s a head nurse in a hospital and he actually mentioned the hospital. "He cares not.", he said and added, "She maybe have money but I do have my pension". And we all laughed. He sound so funny again but then I know there’s emotion there. A serious sad emotion hidden beneath those lines, I have felt it.”And I won’t anymore look for another woman, I’m too old”, he said. “Besides, a woman might just stay with me because of money.”,  he continued. “But mind you, oh I can still manage to make a woman happy”, and we laughed again. The way he throwed those words and his face and actions, he was just so hilarious. Yet I know, there’s a sad story masked behind those jokes. I have really felt it.

“I won’t commit suicide because of that break-up.”, he said laughing. “Then who will benefit my pension?..Her?”, and he kind of smile. “No, I won’t”, he added. “Life is still good and I just have to continue living.”, and we all agreed to him. I don’t know his story as a whole, but whatever it is or the reasons are, I could only agree to him that what he said was true - he should continue his journey. Life is always beautiful.  

Before they reached their destination, he asked the woman, seated beside me, of the man she earlier mentioned. He named the person and asked, “I know him. He’s in military, right?”. And the woman smiled and agreed. “I know him because I’m a Major.”, he said with a little laugh. I thought he said he’s a teacher. I was puzzled and began to wonder.

And then he said, “I’m a Major....Major problem!”. 

We all laughed. And he got me laughing hard with that. I could only wish the cab had a spacious floor. Kidding.

And the period was placed at the end of the sentence.

They both disembarked from the cab, in the intersection going to a military camp and also just near the university he said he was teaching. Coincidence or not, I wonder what does he really do for a living,  a teacher or a military man. At that time, he didn't look like any of those either. I can only guess.

He was still showing that happy and funny face while looking at us, smiling, after he crossed the road. And we were still laughing and fascinated with him.

I don’t know if he was really a teacher but one thing’s sure, I learned some things from him - jokes, life and most importantly, keeping a relationship.

Inspired By That Glass Of Milk

I would like to start having posts like this. It's like storytelling but I think it's more of story sharing. This is about sharing stories, more likely not my work   - until I can write my first story :), but I would just like to share it. As an adage goes, sharing is loving.

This is just one of those wonderful and inspiring stories that have touched my heart. I couldn't anymore remember the first time I have read this one. But on that day, I know in my heart that I've been greatly touched. I have shared this story in one of my former blogs, and I shared it with my workmate. He's been asking me lately about that blog, I had deleted the blog, since he had read all the stories shared there and that this story really have touched his heart. He wanted to read it again. He told me that the time he first read this, it feels like his heart was crumpled. I told him that I'd share it here. 

I don't know if you ever have read this story, but I'm sure this one is famous. You can always search the internet how true this story is. 

But this post is inspired by that glass of milk.

A tribute to goodness and gratitude. 

A Glass of Milk - Paid In Full

One day, a poor boy who was selling goods from door to door to pay his way through school, found he had only one thin dime left, and he was hungry. He decided he would ask for a meal at the next house. However, he lost his nerve when a lovely young woman opened the door. Instead of a meal he asked for a drink of water. She thought he looked hungry so brought him a large glass of milk. He drank it slowly, and then asked, “How much do I owe you?” “You don’t owe me anything,” she replied. “Mother has taught us never to accept pay for a kindness.” He said, “Then I thank you from my heart.”

                                                                Photo source


As Howard Kelly left that house, he not only felt stronger physically, but his faith in God and man was strong also. He had been ready to give up and quit.

Year’s later that young woman became critically ill. The local doctors were baffled. They finally sent her to the big city, where they called in specialists to study her rare disease. Dr. Howard Kelly was called in for the consultation. When he heard the name of the town she came from, a strange light filled his eyes. Immediately he rose and went down the hall of the hospital to her room. Dressed in his doctor’s gown he went in to see her. He recognized her at once. He went back to the consultation room determined to do his best to save her life. From that day he gave special attention to the case.

After a long struggle, the battle was won. Dr. Kelly requested the business office to pass the final bill to him for approval. He looked at it, then wrote something on the edge and the bill was sent to her room. She feared to open it, for she was sure it would take the rest of her life to pay for it all. Finally she looked, and something caught her attention on the side of the bill. She began to read the following words:

“Paid in full with one glass of milk”
Signed, Dr. Howard Kelly.

Like A Plant - Growing

It's been quite a few days since my last post here. Life has given me a quite busy weekend. Though, never did it leave my mind that I will, yes, write about this renewed inspiration to write, to express and tell about life's touching simple details. As soon as I could take time to sit in front of my computer, I'll have to sew the thoughts, the words that will tell the simple tales I have. I've been into some failed attempts at writing, well blogging, the past few years. I'm just good at starting then but as time goes by, momentum slows down just like a bus that's going for a stop. But this time, I won't. No, not this time.

Now, I am starting again but more differently than before. I think I was and am a frustrated blogger. I was in my college years when I first heard about blogging. Although, at first, it never really attracted my interest, so different from what I am having right now. Maybe t'was all because it seems a hard thing for me to do then. It seems hard where or how to start blogging. Thinking then that someone would need to setup a website and then look for some interesting topic to blog. It was then the topic or correct me if I'm wrong - "niche", that I find so hard to choose. Maybe at that time, I have looked far from my own horizon not noticing the ones just steps away. The ones which hold the so-many-things to tell about. And so this personal blog was born.  

I'm still looking forward, as I think we all should do, but with small, careful steps.  Every once in a while, I'm looking back, reminiscing, and sometimes glancing at my both sides. I don't just leave and forget the past things, the yesterdays, just because they were done or ignore the present because they'll soon pass for they have molded a part of me. And maybe some became a part of who I am - the lessons learned made me better, stronger and wiser. Among them, are those forgotten as time goes by, those which unknowingly remained for years, those which are written to be remembered, those which are wanted to be cherished in memory and those which are wanted to be erased but just can't. 

They're all part of who I have become. The thing is that I think it's all about keeping oneself in the path. And the journey continues. But as it goes on, I realized that sometimes it's not really that "getting there" that matters but "how we get there" that colors the day. I think I don't wanna jump or even fly as I go because I might miss some wonderful things along the way.  

Photo source

Like a plant.

Striving to live.

Almost withered.

Leaves fallen.

Sacrificed to fertile. 

The soil beneath.

Gained sunshine and rain.

Nourished again.

Now growing back.

Each leaf that sprouts.

Tells a new story.

Until all the leaves.

Are turned to book pages.

Or became posts like this.

For like a plant growing again.

Blogger could now also be my name.

Stories and Blogs

                                                                 

It was on my college days when I first heard about blogs. It was then that I was starting to familiarize myself with computers, internet and the whole World Wide Web.

But years before I studied college in the city, I was ignorant of computers and the internet. I even didn't know then how to turn a computer on, even though our school already had computers and we had our computer class during my senior year in high school. I would always ask my classmate, who's familiar with playing computer games, to turn the PC on every time we'd have computer hands-on classes. I was then so afraid I could destroy it with just a single wrong button click. All I know back then was how to open the Microsoft Word and begin typing the famous and widely used "The Quick Brown Fox..." phrase. That is so long as I could remember. And reminiscing those days just makes me smile.  

   Photo source

Back when I was in my elementary years, I started to gain interest in reading stories and in different literary works. I could still clearly remember that in every start of the year, I would always feel that excitement of receiving our new books. I studied in a public elementary school and books for every subject were given to us by our teachers in every subject at the start of the school year. I would always anticipate our new English and Filipino books. It's all because of the excitement I feel wanting to read the stories in it. Although my favorite subject was Mathematics, but I sure do really enjoy reading stories. I read a lot of stories back then and that it gives that inexplicable young joy. The joy that triggers my imagination and curiosity to go beyond the world I know. Reading stories then takes me to a different world - a world where the story itself revolves. It seems to me then that while reading, the events of the stories seems just passing right before my eyes. I seem to be just looking at the characters, just right near them, unnoticed, and just plainly being right there, right at the moment as it happens. It seems that I am part of the moment but not with the story itself. The events seem just happening right in front of me. I could only think and wonder then how powerful imagination is and how it wonderfully wanders. And being young, I truly enjoyed those times. It feels like I’m in an adventure into a new world where everything seems magical, where everything ends in a happy ever after or where in every end of the story, the good side triumphs and lessons are learned.

When I was in high school, that interest in reading stories still remains within me. But then the stories I read were becoming closer to what’s in it in the real world. The stories I mostly read then reflects the different faces of life. Hardships. Struggles. Success. Well, maybe it just shows that there is really growing up. The interest on magical and heroic stories is still there but stories of the real life also started to grab my attention. The drama of someone’s life seems to connect within my own personal story. I think it’s that connection that makes me want to read more about those stories. It made me realized then that stories not just broaden my imagination but also makes us realize plenty of things about life and living it. It is in those years that the stories of love seem to be the center of attention. It seems that those years, the complicated drama of love has taken into my center stage. Those were the early days when real life stories began to influence my life.

Now after all the flashbacks of my life, here I am, living an everyday with computer in front of me and the Internet. My line of work is with computers. A completely different scenario of where I was before. Yet, one thing remains – my love for stories. That feeling I had when I was in my elementary years, still remains. It still lives within me. Though I seldom have those days of reading books but I now have those days of reading blogs and writing my own stories to tell. It is the same joy that I feel, the same inspiration and motivation I get when I read stories. The life stories and experiences I have read are truly amazing, those that seems connected to me. And it is with that same feeling and inspiration that pushes to write mine. I’ve been into blogging lately, though I have multiple failed attempts in the past but now, I wanted more. I wanted to write more about my life, experiences and lessons and those that gives feeling of joy, inspiration and motivation. 

Stories. Blogs. Reading and writing them. All are connected by that same wonderful feeling.

The Cakes I Brought Home

It's been quite a while since the last time I went home, as I'm now working in Cebu, a neighboring island from my home province - Bohol. Exactly 4 months, a date coincidence - I just realized. I’d always feel that different feeling, a mixture of excitement, joy and belongingness, every time I'm going home. That's probably because ever since I was in college, I seldom went home during weekends, that of course excluding vacations. The city, our home province' capital and only city, where I was studying (college) then was almost 84 kilometers away from home which is about 2 and a half hours ride in a bus. My parents knew of the reasons why and I had their understanding. Yet now, here I am, working in another place. A place farther away from home than I was in college and that I'd have to travel across the sea. That's my life now, working away from home with no more long vacations unlike the summer vacation days I used to have when I was still a student. My longest vacation now is usually during year-ends.

As I look back and think of that last time I went home, that was more than a month ago, I can't keep myself from searching for that feeling - wanting to feel it again. It seems unexplainable but it’s seems to be a mixture of mysterious joy, happiness and belongingness. The hidden and unfathomable joy I feel when I see the happy face of my mother, the unrevealed joy I can see from my father, the smiles of my two younger siblings especially my only sister, our youngest. The little bit surprised reactions of my grandparents when I asked for their hand into my forehead saying "Oh, you're here." The excitement of my younger cousins who ran towards me when I was just about to enter through the wooden fence as they welcome me. Then they looked at the things I'm bringing and asking for anything that I might bring for them - a homecoming present. Food perhaps, movies or toys. That's usually the first thing they'd ask me with excited and smiling faces every time I'm arriving home. Bread or sometimes that puff pastry called "utap" is what I usually brought home - my homecoming gift for them. Even I could say that it's nothing really special, except for the "utap", since we could just buy tasty breads in our town's market.

At that time, I never bought anything from Cebu city, where I am currently working, since I was in a hurry then. And so when I arrived at the capital city of my home province, I was thinking of what would I bring home. This is one thing I know I'm not really good at - choosing presents or foods as gifts for others. While walking inside the mall, I came across the Goldilocks station and then something caught my eyes. The cakes. Given the simplicity of how our family lived, I could only remember a few moments that we have shared a home-baked cake at home. As long as I could remember, I don't think we had more than 10 times having locally-bought cakes that we ate on special occasions.

So there I am, looking at the deliciously and well-decorated cakes inside that transparent glass display. And there I stood, spending minutes choosing which to buy. After a few more minutes, I finally made up my mind and lined up then purchased one cake with a sigh.

It’s almost 3 hours and I’m off the bus. As I walked beneath the tall coconut trees, I could clearly see our house; I could hear our dogs already barking. And just as how they usually welcome me, there they are - my younger siblings and cousins welcoming me. My two young cousins were running towards me. I could see the excited faces of my sister and my younger cousins as they saw I'm bringing something - a paper box wrapped with a yellow lace of ribbon. They were surprise and I could tell that by the way they look at that thing I'm bringing. They were asking what was it and I told them. Then they eagerly asked if they could eat it already and I said no because we have to wait for everyone to come home and share the cake - after our dinner. They almost are impatient as they would sneak at the cake placed inside the refrigerator from time to time.

My cousins and my younger sister then had an early dinner. I could sense their excitement for the cake. Right after the dinner, they were asking if they could already eat the cake. The youngest cousin, a first grader, told me he would like to eat since he is already sleepy. His older brother told me that he goes to bed early now and that time, it was already past his sleeping time. My grandfather told to us to let the children eat first since my parents and my other cousins at still not home yet. And so I got the cake from the refrigerator and then sliced it. I took a photo of the cake. A remembrance. Before I sliced the cake, they were even singing the happy birthday song to my youngest cousin even if no one really had a birthday. It was a joyful atmosphere. Even before I could finish slicing it, my cousins and my sister already were so noisy choosing which part they would take. They're so excited to get a taste of it. And finally, they got their slices and so noisy wanting to take additional slices.

After almost an hour, my parents arrived. We had our dinner and then shared our part of the cake. My mother told me that if they hadn’t a son working as an Engineer, then they couldn’t have eaten a cake like that. My smile shows my happiness hearing those words.

And now I am thinking that on that day, I brought home two cakes – that cake we shared and me. They were happy with the cake but I know more that they were happier I went home. 

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