A Cambodian Bind

Me and my friend were stranded in the woods of Wetar one day, waiting for help since our car had a flat tire but had no equipment to change it. There was nothing to do, too much has been said, and a nap is all that is left undone. So as I tried to daze off in the passengers seat, I looked up in to the trees and stroke the fresh cool air I saw my bracelet. Click!

This is my Cambodia bracelet. I got it when I was visited Angkor Wat last year. It was tied on to me by a holy man of the temple complex. It’s a bind of prayer after I got my fortuned told. There should be no worries in my fortune, he says, and his prayers were to assure that.

It’s not a Moslem teaching to believe in fortune telling especially from another religion but for some reason, I kept that bracelet on till today. I believed its prayer, a prayer that will help me into a good life.

But there was a time, exactly a year after this bracelet was bind on to me, I wanted to cut it off. I had a low point in my own believes and I though that getting rid of this item would further me of what I didn’t believe in, hoping it would make me closer to what I did believe in. I almost cut it off. But I didn’t.

I came back to the point where I believe all prayers are good, no matter what religion we’re from. I believe it as I believe that a good deed is a good deed no matter what who did it, from whatever religion, or from those with no religion also.  And a little red band would not define what I believe in.

Now, I keep the bracelet for 2 reasons: as a reminder that I’ve been to Angkor Wat, and as a reminder that I should not symbolize things in totems. Hmm a totem reminding of what totems should not be. Sounds pretty twisted hey?

When the best things in live aren't free...

They say the best things in life are free. Most of the time, it’s true. Things that you can’t value with money are usually the things that fulfill your life. Happiness, love, joy, experience, and even knowledge is priceless when it really teaches you some thing (Do note I didn’t say education).

And anyways, how could you debate a great thing that doesn’t come with a price? Hello??? Freebies…

But when the free stuffs are out, the cheap come second best. Items that you pay less but have priceless value, can exceed any item that is expensive but has ultimate function. This time, I realized, my Ando white sandals are my cheap best thing. It’s been with me a while and it still is till today, where I had to walk the rocky mountain of Lerokis. I realize that it has been with me through so many other hardship.

The tar was from climbing from an LCT to the wooden boat getting to Wetar. And I was so grateful I was wearing these sandals because if I had worn good shoes, they’ll be damaged for sure. The concave are is wear I put my weight in while walking. It’s been like this ever since I started jogging, a change to the usually worn out heel area. They I’ve had them for… hmmm… 4 months at least. And they haven’t let me down yet.

I’ve had other things that are damn cheap but I love so dearly: my torn t-shirts which everybody is bound to have but not all would admit to, my old cotton underwear I keep which I swear I use only under emergency situations, and my pride… which is relatively cheap but the best thing in my life :P

So this entry is the celebration of the pay-less world, an underground world for those that seriously know the great value of a cheap item. Let it be known, that China made items rule!

Learning from the Boys

I've been thinking about guys and girls lately when it comes to relationships. It's nothing new... just enhanced in my mind I guess.

I've been wronged by a guy before. And I'm sure I'm not alone on this. You could see that through my small single or still unmarried clique of girlfriends. I’m not saying that we’re broken angels, we probably did some wrong doing too, but the fact that we aren’t hooked yet might be an indication that we could also be the victims too.

Hanging out with the boys definitely balances my perspective. I’ve been in the mining business for some time and have mingled with boys most of my life, causing me to crossed over to see the other side of things. When it comes to relationships, there is no doubt that men take things lightly. I’m not saying all men are like that, but on this side of the story, most are. No matter how angelic they are at home. If you don’t get caught then they'll underestimate what they have with their spouse. They like new and shiny things. If something is blinking, let say a cute little shawty that just entered the circle, believe me, they would want to have it.

But, it’s balanced. It’s not rare that I’ve heard a guy being wronged by a girl. And harsh! I know guys often feel aggravated, hanging on a thread waiting for a response from his adored one, but girls have it the same. I’m talking on a whole different league. We’re talking about men, left by their wives for other men and could be various, and having it as a public secret. It is men with their paychecks robed, stripped down broke for the sake of shopping while the partners don’t take care of the house, or kids or the women just ran away with it without guilt. It is men separated from their children. I’ve seen it. Women having the time of their lives, walking on air because they know they can sell sex and can get away with anything with their beauty and whisper pleasure. It’s with cases like these I cross over and say, women too are no doubt devils.

I didn’t quite understand why sometimes I’m so bothered when women say men are such pigs.Women insult and put them down in various conversation. Now I know.  Turns out, deep down I knew differently.

Television is Not All Bad

I felt like blogging today. I felt like blogging yesterday. And I felt blogging a month ago. But I never did... until today... when I felt like blogging.

I had a lot on my mind that needed said but... I just didn't have that extra umph to write it down. It's like picking out a cool dress or shoes but it just lacks that 'to buy or regret buying it for a long time' factor. But I had that umph today.

I love to do nothing. And in between I love to watch TV. I don't know why people resent TV so much when you can learn so much and get inspired. I watched 2 things today that lifted my ass to at least blog.

'So You Think You Can Dance'. I'm not sure what season it was. Cat Deely had short hair. Does that help? Anyways... I caught the last dance. It was a couples dance, with Wade Robinson choreographing. I tip my hat after my standing ovation after watching this routine. Wade made a routine with the theme of thieves in Paris and using Jazz dance style. It was so close to original being they were really like thieves and the whole routine tells about their mission to steal some jewels. It was really entertaining and beautiful at the same time. Every move was about stealing and sneaking and jazz dance. And not to forget, the music was so cool! It was flawless. And the dancers executed well. Technically and expression wise. I had goose bumps all over myself. I'm sure there are a lot more inspiring routines but I just got hooked on this one. And what really enlightens me about this routine is that it used something that is uncommon. Salsa, Tango, Ballroom, etc dances are commonly modified but this is a stroy modified in to a dance... I'm just having such a hard time explaining what I mean here. Huff...
Something worth sharing... and I don't kow how to embed things yet so:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fk5reVYChlo

The other thing I watched was NatGeo Adventure channel. I flipped to it accidentally this time. It was showing Video Travel: Ethiopia. It's typical NatGeo Adv show with this couple traveling and having a video blog. The couple was traveling to Lilabela or something like it. They were going through this church that was carved downwards in to a rock. It was an amazing structure and I really want to see it! They only had pocket camera making feel the sufficiency of the Canon D10 that I have to a world class travel. It really is about the man behind the gun. Skill, instincts and feeling are almost every thing!

They did the traveling and had each other as good company making the whole episode an alluring adventure. I'm sure if anyone went there with a narrow mind, would think it was a boring place, just another ruin. But what they saw, what they felt, what pictures they took of was far from what I consider boring. I was inspired.

I was doing a bit of work at the time, but I couldn't take my eyes off the screen. They wrote everything they were thinking and they were great with words. It reminded me why I wanted to travel, what I wanted to experience and why I still should do it. It also inspired me to write everything on the road may be on a piece of tissue and such. I should have done it since when ever but it's never too late, since I plan to do more traveling khihihihi...

So I was inspired by television today. And I think I should have a radio show :)

The Geek in Anyone

I think people should be careful when it comes to geeks. They are sometimes dangerous people. They are stubborn, persistent, knowledgeable people that can use their knowledge at unexpected time. Sure sometimes they appear to be born losers, but that’s just the external part of things. Think about it, all of our science, technologies, and civilization was created by geeks. You might think some geeks are way cool than the nerds that you usually meet, but those that have invented anything are those that had a time of their lives when they didn’t bath nor brush their teeth for the sake of invention! Yes… even Zuckerman that made Facebook!

I’ve just fallen in love with The Big Bang Theory. I love the geek gang that talk like primitive aliens (being too smart for this generation, but to dumb for future intelligence), have unique hobbies, and never leave the house unless it’s for comic book stores symposiums that are similarly primitive to them. They are hilarious! And they have a great cast! Even the ditsy Penny is believable. And while some think it’s easy to play a natural blonde, it’s actually really hard. Who would ever think that Reese Witherspoon could be a believable character after she played in ‘Walk the Line’?

Anyways… back to the dangers of a geek. I am a bird geek. Not to most, but am to common sense. Yes, I know what a Ficedula is, and how cute the genus Herpactes is. I like bush birds cause they’re so small and cute and sometimes just roam slightly above the ground. Funny little buggers. So how can any geeks be dangerous? Well imagine this, twitchers or super bird geeks that travel all around the world just to see birds have to go to forests and unchartered territory to see what they have to see. Once they see something twitch in the woods, they don’t run… they go after it for the possibility of the bird their looking for! They can easily leave you just because they need to see that 5 cm bird in the tropical forest. At night, if their looking for an owl, once the leaves sounds spontaneous moves, they go after it while others would run and scream ‘ghost’!

And you think divers are not? Think again my fellow divers! Divers are big geeks. They put on gear and dive in to the water for the sake of seeing cute sea creatures. They travel to dive sites just to see the unseen to common mass. The have to know what they saw and they look it up in their encyclopedia. 

Music and movie lovers are not far different. They can name many musicians, recall the history of band, chase a gig for the sake of it, and dwell in lyrics and music arrangements because they think it’s necessary. 

The sequence of finding a bird while birdwatching

After long contemplation, I realize that I’m much of a geek. I like long explanations of things, I like the word ‘why’ and I like finding answers. I don’t like short uninteresting answers and I like to know what I see and know what knowledge I’ve gained. Am I dangerous? Maybe. In the sense you might me caught up in my blabbering because you brought something up. I could constantly persuade to you to my theory thinking that it is right. I would ignore a friend for the sake of reading a blog for research. I have a facebook account, and my social life online is currently as important to my real life. Not to mention, if there is a scatter of leaves, I’d take you with me in to the forest and get lost just to see a bird. Now do I really sound dangerous?

PS: So who isn’t a geek? Someone that does not drown in a certain interest of knowledge or work. A person that merely passes life as life, not knowing that there is more to it. But that’s my humble opinion anyways.

... something borrowed something blue...

I went swiming a few days ago with the Playgroup. Hmm... usually after a swim, I'm really happy... this time, I'm happy with a little thought to balance it.

As I look back on the photos we took these few days of swiming I realized, all of the members were a totally different bunch of people. None of the old Playgroup members were there. 100% new batch. No familiar faces. 

Roy and Valen

It was a bit of a melancholic moment for me, seeing the faces in my digital camera were all new ones. Although that's a good thing considering I'm adding friends, it's a bit sad to think that I'm not with some old ones. Some have resigned, some don't have the same anthusiasm as they use to and I don't have the same amount of energy to persuade them, some... gave up totally. Yet I'm still here.

Which then led me to think, am I the only surivor of this company? Maybe the more appropriate answer is... I'm the surviving spirit of the Playgroup. I denied that I was the leader of the bunch, but now I know I probably am the number 2 person responsible for it (that still sounds like I'm denial ya?). 

Reni getting wet :P

I guess it says a lot about myself. I like to play and I hope that my 'play' spirit lives on even when I get old and wrinkled. This goes along well these demons and ghouls of mining, people that know how to have a good time even though they're in their 40s and 50s and know how to make the most of it. I think everyone should have that side of them that should always remains playful for the sake of... happiness :)

I love my old Playgroup. Not only were they fun, and new bunch are also too, but I relate more to them. They were selfish, opinionated, logical bunch which I understood more hahhahahah... . I was the weakest link among them. So I had less effort to enjoy myself. They were born comedian, people with character!

Speaking of which, reminds me of a video clip I saw yesterday. It was "Charmless Man" by Blur. Love the song, no doubt. I knew what it meant before, but looking at video made me understood more what it's all about. A person can be successfull. Money and riches can be at his palm, but doesn't mean his a great man or a decent man even. No character, no charm, not interesting. He might have a hugo boss suit, but I pick Damon Alba with his leather jacket and sneakers.

Novi and me

Relating back to the Playgroup... I woulds say the old group are charming men, let's see what the new bunch are about :).

A room in the sky...

I sometimes wish I had a room in the sky. Waking up in the morning would be a breath taking experience everyday. And when I had my shower in the vapor of clouds, I'd start the day by saying Hi to the flying birds, and stepping out, jump, and skydive to start my activities. What a great life that would be... now, how would I get back up there? Hmm...

That's why I love sleeping in small planes. Because I wake up to an incredible sight every time.