On Holidays and Greetings

A short note to clarify why I do not usually return holiday greetings. . I mean no offense and take no offense to those who have greeted me.

Hi friends,

Thank you for your greetings and well wishes. While I am thankful for another year filled with possibilities, I do not subscribe to any of the traditions and practices commonly associated with ushering in the New Year.

I want to make it clear that it is my personal decision to not celebrate or participate in holidays,traditions and practices that:

1) Have dubious, mysterious or pagan origins (Isaiah 52:11)

and/or

2) Are not Bible-based and have not been practiced by early true Christians and Jesus Christ. (1 Cor 4:6)

and/or

3) Result in excessive spending, revelry and drunkenness (1 Pet 4:3)

and/or

4) May result in discouragement, stumbling, and weakening of others in the physical, emotional, mental and especially in the spiritual sense.

I do attend and like attending parties, bonding activities, get-togethers etc. I respect everyone's decisions and beliefs and I do thank you for respecting mine as well.Hope this clears up everything Hoping we stay in touch one way or anothe

Short Hongkong Stop Over

Best thing about Hong Kong is getting lost."

- Yani the Explorer, Kid, Food Critic

Had to choose just 4 of my favorite HK moments:

-Ate at small restos where the menus are all in Chinese and I just had to point at the food of the customers (yeah kapalan na ang mukha). I found great street food, noodles, and barbecues at a super cheap price! *burp. baboymode

-Walked all around without a map. (from Tsim Sha Tsui to Mongkok).Saw peculiarly dressed people and explored markets everywhere. People stared at me in my dress and boots. Maybe it was because I was singing out loud (di ata uso dun hehe). hehe.

-Rode a tram from end-to-end at the HK Island. Yes. I saw a tram and just got on. (sinumpong nanaman ang bangag explorer within me).When it reached the end, I hopped on another going back. 2 hours of fun atop the 2-decker tram with a big bag of squid strips. I gave some to a cute Chinese baby who tried to grab it away from me.

-Happened upon the HK Science Museum. WOW! at only HKD25, I had a 3 hour interactive experience with everything "sciency". I got to ride simulators, make humongous bubbles and run around the mirror hall. I also made friends with two 10-year old Chinese kids taking a tour of the museum.

So much for a brief stay in HK.

Next stop..........

On Slander and Gossip

Never talk about others in a negative manner. Any information you spread that could tarnish reputations or diminish one's worth must never be a subject of conversation. Sadly, malicious gossip spreads like wildfire because of its sinfully delicious nature (like triple chocolate cake). We often engage in it consciously or otherwise without realizing the repercussions.

Yes. Gossip hurts people. Negativity hurts people. (Thanks Captain Obvious!)

How about those who spread rumors or information with the intent to "destroy"? Why do they do this? Is it because of a past wrongdoing? Is it because of jealousy? Is it because of the twisted happiness they get from thinking that they are much better than their target (e.g. I must be happy. Well at least happier than this guy who is such a miserable dishonest-maniac-ugly-freak!)?

Pathetic. I have witnessed how this kind of behavior destroys everything valuable- friendship, belief, self-esteem, faith and trust. There are no winners. Your target gets hurt. You eventually self-destruct when you realize you destroyed that minuscule ounce of goodness you had just for the taste of dark pleasure you derived from crushing others.

I for one have made a conscious choice to avoid any negative talk. It may be hard to do but I'd rather build someone up than tear someone down.

One important resolve: Do not say anything about someone that you can't say to his/her face

All I need is You

All I need is you 

(Psalms 23:1 , 55:22)

Sometimes I feel defeated and and down

My face perpetually wears a dark frown

Silently I bear no little pain

All I can do is call out Your name

Those I called friends were really untrue

I felt a loneliness that was not new

In those moments when flowing tears are not few

I then see that I have a true friend in You

When I find I have few money and things

I felt unaccomplished, I felt I have nothing

I think and realize I am richer than most

Instead of money, I have much time to boast

I sought many people, things, and pleasures

I found little happiness, but not any treasures

TIll I gave up my burden to you

And You have shown and proven that in life

...All I need is You

Earth to Echo (2014)- short movie review

Plot Summary:

In Relativity's PG summer family adventure movie, Tuck, Munch and Alex are a trio of inseparable friends whose lives are about to change. Their neighborhood is being destroyed by a highway construction project that is forcing their families to move away. But just two days before they must part ways, the boys begin receiving a strange series of signals on their phones. Convinced something bigger is going on, they team up with another school friend, Emma, and set out to look for the source of their phone signals. What they discover is something beyond their wildest imaginations: a small alien who has become stranded on Earth. In need of their help, the four friends come together to protect the alien and help him find his way home. This journey, full of wonder and adventure, is their story, and their secret. (c) Relativity

Movie Specs:

Rating- PG

Sex and Nudity- 0/10 (none)

Language- 0/10 (nothing notable)

Violence- 1/10 (Kidnapping, flying debris)

Drugs-0/10 (no drugs)

Length- 1hr 29 mins

Review:

Earth to Echo is E.T.’s pubescent sibling. It manages to be awkward yet endearing thanks to the brilliant casting of the leads. Halm, Astro, and Hartwig play best friends who find themselves in an adventure the night before they all go their separate ways. The easy flow of their dialogue and expressive faces made everything so believable. I only mourn their lack of character development in the movie. I’ll watch out for these up and coming actors.

The plot is as flat as they come- boys save alien from bad scientists and help him go home. The CGIs were minimal but good.  Echo is adorable. The alien spaceship assembly was amazing. I have conflicting feelings about the movie’s filming style ala Blair Witch project. On one hand, it is not comfortable to watch (motion sickness prone people, be warned). On the other, it had a hand on creating an organic feel to the story.

All in all, it is a good movie for kids and adolescents. Not so much for adults

Fave Character:

Munch (he delivered most of the laugh out loud moments)

Least Liked Character:

Emma (not sure why she was there)

Fave Quote: (NV)

Munch: My mom said I am a bit of an acquired taste. I think the kids at my new school won't acquire it.

Fave Scene:

First 20 minutes of the film