Thought Bunnies

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I’ve been sitting on the dock of this metaphorical bay for what feels like the longest time. This dock is for dissection, you see and I am holding the scalpel against my own brain, my thoughts. It’s morbid imagery and the mental exercise can be taxing sometimes. But the point of the exercise isn’t clarity or any final form of understanding. It’s for reflection.

We need to pause sometimes to think and look back and feel.

So I find myself looking out at the bay I see with my mind’s eye. I need this pause and sometimes, I need one witness, imagined or otherwise. It calms me, I’ve realized, and calm helps.

So starting today I will write for me. I write for you, too.

She was not the end-all, be-all, cure-all. She was all I had. To wish for more is human. To ask would be borne of regret. To demand for more would be selfish of me and cruel for her. She was who I had.

She was enough. More than, maybe. She is.

There are lessons in life and of love one learns from others who may never even realize they were teaching. You’ve taught me so much and to this day, I find myself still learning from you.

Thank you, Ma.

Be yourself.

And you wonder if it’s worth it, this constant consumption of media.

At one point, it must’ve been. The inspiration: the pictures, the text, the simplicity, the opulence, the authenticity (either way), the inspiration was hot air to your balloon of imagination.

Streaming and scrolling down pages and pages, you’d be lost and then found. You would stop just as you were about to burst. Pen to paper. Paint. Shutter. String. Heat. Sound. Sight. Taste. Feel. Share. Create.

You made. This was a good thing.

“Was”, when it still is, will always be. Should.

Now there is no making. All that is left is a visual chase after the endless more.

So stop. Disconnect for awhile. Ponder, pitter and patter. (Whether to show or tell after is for later when there is an after.)

Just make and make things and make them well. Go and do and make.

Keep making.

Then make good.

Yes, YOU.

Merry Christmas!

As has been my irregular holiday tradition (and since we don’t have Thanksgiving Day), let’s give thanks today and make a new tradition.

(But first I had to take a selfie and in the spirit of tradition, my room is as messy as ever. Sorry, not sorry. Moving on…)

I am thankful for this day and for the fact that I was given it. Thank you, God for giving me amazing people who I am lucky to have as friends (on Facebook or otherwise) and as family. I hope everyone has a good time this season, scratch that, all year round. Especially next year because of our reasons. Wait, no, next next year because we might have even better reasons to be thankful for. Either way, let’s all have a fine time just living.

Happy Thankful Thursday, everybody! You have no idea how you’ve helped me up to today and how you’ve taught me to even reach this day. (Char but true.)

I can’t individually thank you because laziness but yeah, I’ll do what I can, I guess.

I dedicate this to you, awesome reading friend.

Now, don’t eat too much lechon. Ang cholesterol and BP ha.

More than a month ago I had a candid conversation with one of my bosses, Patrick. I don’t recall now what exactly we were discussing, but one word stood out.

Problem.

Needless to say, I wasn’t in the best disposition at that time, and our talk started off serious and frankly, a bit grim. A few minutes in, he requested we not use the word “problem” or “issue”, and instead suggested we call it something else. Ever obedient, I consciously began switching terms. Perhaps he thought I was being sarcastic but the truth was it worked.

In fact, the impromptu meeting left me invigorated and optimistic.

You see, a simple shift in your mindset, even the slightest degree can have you start thinking and even feeling differently. It’s called a paradigm shift, according to Stephen Covey. Aside from making you more productive, it also helps in handling stress – among many other things.

If there’s one thing I learned from all my teachers (Covey, included), it’s that words are powerful. So why not empower yourself and wield the right ones?

Match this with a different outlook, a better paradigm, and the world changes, yourself along with it. Think of everything as being as multi-faceted as diamonds, and choose the good face.

Choose to be optimistic.

So what was the word Patrick ask we use during that talk?

Challenge.

That day, that simple shift from “problem” to “challenge” led me down a different path – 

Let us look back.

This day a year ago, I was a fairy:

I kid you not.

Today and forever more, I’m a werewolf*.