Tai Chi - A Way of Life

For quite some time now, I've been an avid reader of the Dynamic Balancing Tai Chi blog. I discovered the site few years back - just as I surf my way through the lists of blogs in Blogger_Com. Their messages convey the serenely strong and yet simple principles of Tai Chi. I think it's beautiful and will be such a waste not to share with you and explore it with me.

Since I used to be a martial arts enthusiast, that is of course before the bulging tummies, I stopped and read few posts and been a regular visitor since then. I learned that basic principle of the Tai Chi is acceptance and the power to seize an opposing force by means of a peaceful retaliation or better, avoidance. It is pushing the principle that you can not always fight violence with violence but rather use the opposing force against itself. It is I guess the most basic and fundamental of all forms of martial arts.

Like language, Tai Chi becomes a poetry of motion. Not merely a symphony of muscles and bones but is a principle of self-defense. A principle not just against a violent oppressor but against issues implicating one's life. One example is marriage, my old grandparents, they told me when I got married, 'this has been an age old advise for your marriage to work: in cases you and your wife need to argue something, like the river that flows freely towards the ocean, so should both of you accept and listen to each other's heart and work hand in hand towards a resolution.

As Confucius had said, "Like the water that fits itself into the vessel, so should one fits himself into any circumstances".

Allow me to give you a glimpse further into Tai Chi from one of the teacher's 2001 posts:

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Friday, 14 December 2001

Yes

Try being accommodating and receptive for a day. Say "Yes!" to everything: agree, accept, approve, receive. Yield and yield and yield. Let those barriers soften and fade. Be fearless.
(From http://dynamicbalancingtaichi.blogspot.com)

I encourage you to visit the site as well. They might enlighten your thoughts and spirit.

 

Technorati Tags: Tai Chi,Aikido,Way of Life,Life Style,Life Principle

The Power Within Us...

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that frightens us most. We ask ourselves, ‘Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and famous?’ Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that people won’t feel insecure around you. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in all of us. And when we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

I just couldn't resist pulling tag from one of my friend Ludig's blog. This is a famous quote by Nelson Mandela during  his 1994 inaugural speech.

True indeed. While there is nothing wrong with being timid, like a gluttony for food, when it's more than enough, becomes a poison. When we don't react, while our rights to grow as a person or as a nation is hammered, we unconsciously give the other person the permission to use and abuse us.

A lesson learned from my previous company here in Dubai. Nothing really happens to people who are passive and not willing to be heard. Although the change was painful, it is an eye-opener.

Technorati Tags: Blogging,Famous People,Nelson Mandela,Opinions,Patriotism,Roots,Stress-out

Coherence

Because I am lazy, I always missed out coherence in writing sometimes leading to my own confusion. I usually had to reread several times my posted blogs before I will realize my writing is like an uneven painted wall. I always have a habit of firing words and forget nevertheless, I am comfortable doing it that way. It is the coming back that I always feel awful reading it because I knew then I was not doing a good job. But, rather forgetting the discipline of a writer - coherence.

My mistakes too were attributed to not having observed to select the right words for what I meant. I knew selecting the right words for the things I needed to say has to be precise - giving the correct meaning to my thoughts. Why is the English language not so convenient to use sometimes but rather, how do you call it, meticulously necessary?

Coherence is I think the soul of what we are trying to write. While you give your readers a chance to breath through paragraphing, we make sense through it all by observing coherence. Imagine a torso of a man whose spinal chords are weak, they would appear bendy and the threat that they would fall off. All writing must be in harmony with nature. Breathing like a free flowing water.

I've heard this a millionth of times since my school days. Well, I had few literature teachers, having to speak Carabao English most of the time, is very aware of the coherence in writing. I haven't mastered this technique though. And, I continuously committed the mistake of not having to observe this.

So from definition by ANSWERS.COM:

It is the way a writing is logically layed out and connected. If it was an essay, one thing leads on to another, for example one paragraph leads on to another-the main ideas of each paragraph seem to connect but still make sense. this makes the reader feel that your writing is constantly flowing.

It also means you are very consistent in your writing. consistently and continuously through your writing you can connect each paragraph some how, that you can consistently write concisely as well. You can also consistently write in formal English. You can express yourself clearly and continuously through your essay for example.

Technorati Tags: philippines,Lingua Franca,IELTS,Blogging,Language,Rant,Work,Opinions,Lingua,Stress-out,English

You Are What You Write!

I come into realization that each blog reflects the people who they really are. It is an activity best to describe and read the person's mind - his aspirations in life, his failures and his success. In a way, it's the best arena to learn and prosper; And yet, many people would just like to exist in seclusion so naive they'd fight back any forms of criticism. I think people like me, for them, is just an add-up burden to their crisis in life.

Blogging can be a lonely habit. We insist to disseminate thoughts however obscure it is. And when people tries touch-down on the written thoughts you got invalidations right away. A bad tail - a stalker. Just because a few curious onlookers read your "online diary" does not mean you are in any position to insult.

This is some sort of arrogant bullshit that makes me feel not to participate anymore but doing so risk my plan of pushing forward plans for learning and hopeful friendly collaboration.

If what becomes of me in blogosphere is just another ill-humored blogger, I'm just another dude bringing mediocrity to blogging community. Thus, pulling it down to a square shaped blogosphere. Question remains, why is the novice one bullies amateurs instead of helping them improve? Why is the culture of bullying persistent even in the blogosphere? To some people, blogosphere is a square planet.

Snakes in Blog Hopping

Most snakes are territorial that is why the writer in a blog is comparable to the animal whose behavior sometimes is passive yet character as that of a poisonous and cobra. The thoughts in writings may be enticing for comments but there have been few times I was struck - neck first.

I admit I am just a newby, a wannabe and an amateur but just now I realized how tough is the blogosphere with some of its inhabitants comparable to that of the real world. I am just a cub toying and hurdling around my way through the blog community looking around for nice experiences and friendship. I am a fly-by. And I see your thoughts beautiful. I should have known there are invincible fences set. And, never did I realize there are snakes in blog hopping.

People blogging are sometimes self-imposing, self-righteous and desperately hides their insecurities which I fear anybody like me might end up just like them. I think blogging for this people now are just an excuse for solving their issues in life face front, their laziness and their arrogance. It is always difficult to hang out with arrogant people. It is always unbearable spending or reading thoughts of this people with arrogant belief that they are the only ones having the rights or anything useful to say in this low trust world.

My Pren!

 

One Pakistani guy was sitting in the ladies section of the bus C2 en-route to Deira today. When the bus made a stop just somewhere near the Muzalla Towers, few ladies rushed in. While there were no more sit for the ladies is available, one lady who has been sitting beside him exclaimed, "my pren, you stay behind!" Hehehe! The guy was point blank. He was I think new in town. Either he does not speak English or he's just dumb clueless. The ladies were staring at him. It took him moments to stood up and went backside. The right remark should have been, "My friend, can you please sit at the back?"

Regardless of what language we speak, we should make an effort to convey what we think as clearly as possible to avoid failure of communication. Even if the guy does not speak English, it's never an excuse just to whack some statement unclear. We speak clearly and directly, some guys might just be able to help us.

This scene so common when one guy is not a so good English speaker having an argument with a local policeman who is seemed having problem speaking or comprehending it too. Anyway, the total dumb and immediate solution to the dispute was the poor guy sent away to jail. "OK Stay there inside bugger!" Hehehe.

Sadly there is this race who just thinks of themselves as high above the others because as they have claimed they speak good English. "O! what a beautiful cobra, taste like chicken!" as my brother jokes it.

Pictures from Home

 

Photos grabbed from my sister Jennifer of Davao, Philippines. Dusk of November 9, 2008. My mother's birthday. No sweeter place like home. Mountain APO shown at hundred miles distance.

My Bus Route 19 Al Muteena

 

Nakita ko sa lumang baul na ilinathala ko nung isang taon na nakalipas. Hindi ko nai-post:

"Sa Bus Pauwi...

Alas saes na ng hapon nang pinili ko'ng sumakay ng Bus Route 19 papuntang Hor Al Anz. Malayo ang iikutan sa papunta sa tinitirhan namin ng kapatid at tatay ko. Pero hindi ko na inisip ang mahabang oras at nakakapagud na biyahe pauwi. Inaaliw ko nalng ang sarili ko sa pag-iisip sa mag-iina ko. Magdadalawang taon na ang bunso ko. Makikilala pa kaya ako nun? nangulila ako sa asawa't mga anak ko.

Nakaka-aliw ang creek na dinadaanan ng bus habang binabaybay ang creek road. Eto na yata ang pinaka 'most pictured spot' ng Dubai.

Mga material na bagay; papuntang Bur Dubai, makikita mo mga naka-display na mga computers, Laptops, CCTVs, Restaurants, magagandang babae, iba-ibang lahi at kung ano ano pa. Sa haba ng biyahe at congested na traffic, makakabuo ka ng pangarap kung di ka mababagot o masusuka sa sangsang ng amoy ng mga tao sa loob ng bus. Minsan, masarap makipag-patayan sa loob sa bigat ng mga problema mo araw-araw sa Dubai at pagkamuhi mo sa amoy nila.

Consuelo ko: Mga bagay na natatandaan ko sa bahay; mga katabing pinoy na nakakakwentuhan. May mga kanya-kanyang istorya ang mga pinoy dito. At madalas ay napupulutan mo ng aral. Pagpasok ng Shindaga, hindi pa tapos ang hassle. Nakaka-stress ang traffic. Dalawang oras mahigit ang biyahe galing Karama papuntang Al Muteena. - (July 2007)"

Sa ngayon, lumipat na kami ng Karama. Lumipat na rin ako ng trabaho sa Deira side ng Dubai. History repeats itself pero medyo relaks na "on the way home".

To Say the Least

Once again I had this rush for posting something about a feeling of helplessness so I said something like this on post to the other blog I had that was quite just an emotional dump site really. So I said, "My thoughts once again or always has been like a river of a never ending first sentences. The words get jammed in the sinkhole until no good phrases is good enough to utter. I'm convinced silence is the best talking which is of course not always an ideal companion.

I always tried to write a story but they either end up like my own life story, which I really don't like talking. They either end up emotional or trying hard to be funny.

10 To Bear Fruits In My Life

 

This is just so I could have a post out of bullet lists. Bullet lists make points, one thing my boss taught me in my career life. So just in life is where it could also be applicable. A picture of my self of what I would reach nor fail to achieve.

1. An educational plan for my children. For them to become doctors or lawyers; The eldest I'd want to work at NASA; the younger one - a Neuro-surgeon; The incoming, probably a boy I wish to become an Aikido Expert but is also an Engineer of some sort. A genetic engineer perhaps.
   
2. A safe, nice and comfortable house. Overlooking the sea and pro-green is a bonus. It should be a house built upon the rock of our Lord of course.
   
3. A second hand family car. It will do - convenience is near necessity nowadays.
   
4. Business/Income. Well, why not? I'd love a farm. This is where my business passion should be. Next, or other business of interest is IT and food export industry.
   
5. A pure, warm and recreationally oriented extended family reunion. A family gathering of some sort, every one collaborating a resolute union of the hearts. A day of forgiveness and rebuilding of trusts.
   
6. A healthy life. Although I'm fond of grilled steaks, I'd love a vegetable and fruit rich diet (One thing my love always want us to have in the dining). I'll try to live more than 70 years of age still vital. Still oozing in sex life. I'm basically an extremely horny creature. Good thing sushi is in the bottom of the must be controlled diets because raw fish in vinegar is a very very favorite.
   
7. A hand-full of hair. Why not? I'd love some make over of myself for my wife.
   
8. Experience New Zealand and its paradise. Well, one place at a time. Let me see what is in store for us there.
   

Rat Raid

 

Brought by the daily struggle to sort things out in life that were neither important to remember due to forewarning events in life, I feel obliged to log this events into this blog.

Like for example, my house had been raided by rats these few days such that they appear in my dreams. They would appear partying in the kitchen every night. Opening the fridge, grabbing all sorts of consumables around the house, including hair creams.

So, to eradicate, we have to set traps some notorious Actarat on some card boards. The trick was, putting some food in the middle of the cardboard. They will run to it and get pasted to the board. It'd be so hard to get free, so that the more they'll try to get to free, the more they'll get entangled to it. It would cover them completely - helplessly.

These rats were so notorious they climbed up to utensils and eat anything from spices to tooth pastes. The urine just stinks too much that it has become my frequent un-appetizer every morning.

My brother is not just so fond of them but would ran away like a kid. The mouse is one of his not-so-favorite creatures in the house. A fear started when  one day he engulfed a glass of Coca-cola and a cockroach was get caught by it's hair in his mouth so that the roach would now dangle in my brothers face helplessly. It had been a funny day with the roaches since then. And so, all innocent critters of despicable character is now bracketed as a not so exciting creatures of his universe.

So whenever Mickeymouse get caught, I'm always the one who disposes them every night if not my father who is a merciless rodent executioner. An old screw driver is always a convenient tool for his killing. He would pin the head. Ending a little life.

Up until now, I've been looking for ways to at least repel them off my lawn. Like a sensor and frequency bursting device perhaps that would ping radio frequency painful to the rodent's brain. But, until then, we'll have to deal with them with the notorious Actarat.

Pill of Life

 

There's this medicine that came out the news today to help people forget bad experiences in life. A blessing to multitudes of suffering souls that were slaves to their own dark sides, fears that were either self inflicted or caused by another. I, for one should be one inside the bracket because I'm an offender and had caused life miserable to few people and I want to erase the dark side of me. But, I have no right to claim healing because I had caused pain and scars that only life knows. This would be my curse, this would be my ultimate hunger. I used to say I'm a secret book, but I'm no book at all. I'm like the pages soaked from that afternoon rain.

Decay is the ultimate medicine.

Humid Daylight

  

I know why. I myself has to be blamed for yawning several times and falling into sleep while holding the laptop keyboards today. While I lack the discipline, I lack the convenience of going home every day. The climate is overwhelming outside and for people with my built, water is pouring out of me. I don't missed headaches(heat stress)and sticky underarms. Thanks to ever handy Deodorants.

 I always imagined it this way when I was still home. I always imagined the stressful life in this city while I dreamed of putting up my own software outsourcing business back there but I lack the skill of the trade. So what I got to do? I must scope some handful of experience of how to do the business the right way. Who knows? I might tag some people's business along on the way home. But not just yet.

I was walking on my way to my bus stop this afternoon. It seemed like four o'clock still in the afternoon but its not - it's already seven o'clock. This summer heat is just so wearying and tiring. And the humidity is high. I think 37 degrees up in scale.

So today I went home by Bus 19 which routes its way from Al Karama , Bur Dubai and Diera. Went off the office at 6:16PM and arrived home at 9:00 PM. So you can just imagine what I'm going through every day.  The trip with so much traffic is that terrible here. On the way to the office is same as worse.

• Tinawagan n'yo ako this morning, nirecord ko dialog natin with the girls, ngkakagulo at ang sayang-saya nyo.
• On the way outside ng office, treneat ko muna si Humam ng malamig na Mango Juice ng Sendan, nagustuhan ng Iraqui. Nalaman ko na 'man-ga' din pala tawag nila sa mannga doon sa Iraq.
• 'Chemical Ali' Genocidal maniac; underdog of Saddam sentenced to death today.
• Learned new things in programming today.
• Adequate amount of water intake daily, enhances concentration and boosts memory functions.
• Ni-review ko NZ application today, pwde pa dw. Same as tough as before. I'm still dreaming of NZ.

Why This Blog?

 

Of course there is no such word that describes everything. Only the desperation inside that needs to know the things that we felt best describes the way we can be happy or happier.

This blog is an inspired creation. A promised personal culture that I'd do to examine my own learning behaviors in life. This is an excerpt of styles that I encountered and believed would fit my need to dump anything of issues in my life; or the lives of others that maybe directly nor indirectly affect my life and that the lives of the people close to me.

This blog is created destined to evolve in careful assimilation of issues and views that should be based on my own biases. But of course welcomes the  views of others in respect to their own opinion as well.

This blog is a promise to the very precious readers of my life and that I dedicate my entries to my young daughters - who in time might even share nor contradict with my own views. For this, I've chosen the title 'A Word for Everything' because Life as I see it, is short and needs some recording in a somewhat hurrying endeavor.

The Internet is full of subjective, biased opinions from people who don't know what they're talking about, and my page is no exception of course. This page is my place to be opinionated and generally talk a lot of rubbish.

As a disclaimer, everything on this page is purely my opinion, and all of it should be taken as if it may very well be and probably is wrong.

Sometimes, my opinions would change. Most of these opinions are old/biased - they don't necessarily reflect my current opinions! 

I Robot, a Balding Robot

I've always spent whole days like this resolving spatial issues that were either so, so perplexed to resolve or as easy like your just only playing lego plastics  with your kid. So tedious and mentally consuming.

I don't care losing every bit of hair anymore. I gave up the struggle of saving a handful of them and welcome Mr. X version of me. I thought of growing beard or mustache instead but so conscious people would think I've got hair crawled down on me to grow on my face instead. So, I'd be that guy - for a while.

I am open to possibilities though - of a surgical repair. After all, it would just feel like repairing a broken knee or sucking fat tissues (liposuction). Except that it'd cost 'round AED 4 to 5k  here in Dubai -Quite affordable, not to brag but still painful pulling out off my pocket. So let it be for a while. For now, my project manager could think, I am either enjoying what I'm doing or struggling to accomplish things.

I realized there have been lots of issues tagging out my very focus in my career lately. My passion is deteriorating - productivity dwindling. Like the weather in this part of the world draining substance out from its inhabitants, the pressures from all sides have become an untiring bombardment of stress.

I've spent perhaps more than a thousand hours of intertwining logics for projects that either went successfully or failure. The sane thing and perhaps encouraging things about this, is the thought of having seen them work after all this years and having to realize those people were still using it (despite the annoyances of bugs). Makes me feel awesome inside - and proud. It's like having had a son somewhere, alive. And the very thought they were walking the earth is because of me. Partly a part of us they call Artificial Intelligence.

Nobody's perfect, Only Subtlety of Self.

Except the Messiah of course! Which He intends us to realize and live our life for. But, it's hard and tough, and the world is just so equipped with the arsenals of making our lives fall down on our knees. Oftentimes, the falling is self infliction and it feels good. Like the flesh gives up its pain from a sucking leeches. It's the impact that could hurt the most because the very people end up hurting is not yourself but those who are purely dearest to you.

Hhhmmm! Forgive my ranting for this is just a forum of my spiraling self.

My mind right now is like a troubled sea also, dancing with the waves. Swayed by the weather. The wind, as erratic as it seemed - reflects my mood. And I am weak - vulnerable at times because I have the solitary tendency. I can almost feel it's clinical already and got got this feeling of detachment from the reality - out of control. Growing like cancer. A plaque in my personality.  

I could hardly talk these past few days partly because of too much personal setbacks and job pressures that were put unto my lap. I observe my learning behavior! I just listen like a guy mute from the worst gingivitis ever in his life. While I choose not to utter, my frailty convinced my being over this madness of pretensions. I'm actually taming a monster in me that is capable of spit-firing insults and mockery. He was awaken over the days he's exposed to demons around him, including himself. I foresee a self-destructive power in it that if untamed, will consume the very person in me. And I don't like sad stories because I been through a lot of sad predicaments lately.