LIFE IN 2011

All of us strive hard to be successful in life... we go through life like it's a rat race but at times, our lifestyles can hold us back from fulfilling our dreams and reaching our goals. Seriously... it can wear us down.

me providing distraction to Bob Sinclar LOL!

Exhaustion

It is energy that is the most precious resource for driven business people like me... It is not time. Today's fast-paced living or lifestyle often depletes our energy and wears us down to the point that it is sometimes difficult to recover from. As I grow older each year, I have moments of having difficulties to better manage my energy to stay healthy.

with my best friend and photography partner Vincent Garrucho

with my best friend Melissa Chua

In this new age of all-access information, we tend to deplete our energy... our life force zapped by partaking in way too many activities which eventually leads us to unhealthy lifestyle practices in order to deal with day to day stress.  

with Jay Server of Time

Time for me is important. Energy is also for me, equally important. Time without enough energy can make this limited for us. I'd like to resolve the thoughts and stories running in my head that are driving me non-stop. It's crazy and it's taking away my focus from being present in the world I live in today with a lifestyle plan and goals that work for me. I don't want to be stuck then leave issues in my life unresolved later on. I got plans... I got dreams... I got ambitions. I don't want heavy lifestyle outpace my ability to take care of myself.

with Domini Primero of Time

With Hidehiko Sato and Youngji Nam of Time

with Jay Server and Pav Parrotte of Time

I'm going to sustain a high quality of life... in the sense of living it right... gaining energy more to make full use of my time in this life. Not by money motivated by envy, greed, lust, or any of the deadly sins will I get my strength to sustain my life and go on living unlike others do. I will get and sustain my high quality of life if I make my mindset work for me and definitely not against me.  

with Capt. Harry Lero of Airgurus Ltd. Co.

It's a Saturday night... I am tempted with the texts and calls for another night out but I'm going to be responsible of myself. 

with Bernard Anacta of Monaco Models International Philippines

with Edda Galoy and Luciano of Monaco Models International Philippines

 
I'm going to relax this night away, gain my energy to keep my companies Airgurus Ltd. Co., Time and Monaco Models International thriving and clients happy.  In return, things will fall into the right places and I will be eventually more happy and powerful to achieve my personal and professional goals. 


Whenever I have to say "No" to fast-paced lifestyle sometimes, here's one funny vain line i usually tell my friends that I'd like to share with you.... "WITH GREAT LOOKS, COMES GREAT RESPONSIBILITIES"! LOL!

~~~~~~~~~~~~

To mwro mou...

To my best friends in life...

To my best buddies in photography - Vincent, Norman and EyeQ Media men... 

To Harry Harvey Lero of Airgurus Ltd. Co., my Time partners Jay Server, Domini Primero, Pav Parrotte, Youngji Nam, Ortanez Brothers, and my best friend Bernard Anacta...

"The world has yet to learn that the actual pleasure derived from material things is of low quality on the whole and less even in quantity than it looks to those who have not tried it." Deep? I never acquired you guys through material things... I acquired you through years of friendship, trust and respect and that's how it's gonna stay till the end. I treasure you guys.... Here's to a great 2011! My new year starts today (10 days before the actual Chinese New Year.... Lovelots...  Kung Hei Fat Choi from me and my family!

MORALITY AND VALUES: WHEN THEY LEFT YOU...

I'm basically going to talk about how parents taught us when we were kids, reflects the kind of person we are now as adults.

  
I'm no sinner nor saint... I'm just perhaps one of those that despite the bad elements that constantly surround us, I still stick to what I believe is good and is right, in general. At times, I find myself playing a role to people I know... making them realize that I may not be not a great example but a good warning to those on the verge of losing their moralities and values. 

Bad (not totally) versus bad can sometimes help for others to see what's up while maintaining tact and some respect. I hate that role but it seems that it has to be that way sometimes because I felt I owe it to my own parents.

  
Growing up as a kid, my parents instilled in my mind... morals and values that helped me become polite and respectful although there are times, I have to admit, that I lose it sometimes... especially when push comes to shove. However, my parents did let me know that integrity and trust can go a long way when it comes to good character. They modeled the behavior that they want us, their kids in the family to display... holding us accountable for our actions and value honesty and integrity. They instilled morals that I would say, assisted us to become men and women with strong characters.

Our parents taught us some valuable things in life that I won't ever forget and which I will instill in the minds of my own children someday. I'm very lucky to have such good parents and here are some things I've learned:

• That a person whom others trust and who does what he/she says do earn the respect of others by his actions... integrity and trust can really do come a long way.

• That winning isn't everything...  whether we lose or win a game, what matters most is that we understand the value of good sportsmanship.

• That we are accountable for our own actions.... unwise decisions and improper behavior have future consequences.

• That there are some things in life that can be addicting and has the potentials to take over our lives.

• That others take offense in foul languages.

• That money isn't everything that makes the world go round... It is greed and power... power corrupts peace and harmony.

• That there are some things in life that can't be bought and buy you real happiness... that superficial things can go away faster before you even realize it.

• That we should learn to hold dear what's worth it... like true friendships / relationships... know which one is real and which ones are the fair-weather-friends (people who are there when you have money or things that interest them but those who will not be there to pick you up when you fall).

• That either you get to be outsmarted or be the one to walk away from pathetic things or situations that will go nowhere.

• That unproductive people... people who got used in spoon-feeding... people who just wait for money to come easy and not working hard for it are just a waste of time, money and effort.

• That wealth acquired through an insecure lifestyle and that is marred by uncertainty, instability and excessive efforts is no wealth at all. 

• That it is easy to hate and it is difficult to love.... all good things are difficult to achieve and the bad things are easy to get... just as it is hard to let go of good things but easy to let go of the bad things.

• That we should learn to appreciate, be contented and be thankful for what we have... smiling at the little blessings we get each day. 

• That patience is a virtue.

• That the acts of this life will be the destiny of the next.

   
There are so many things that my parents instilled in my mind. Sometimes I break them, sometimes I don't or, I only realize it later on... which is still good than not having to remember them. I've been through a lot in my life but with what my parents taught me, I remain a good person as a whole. 

Today,  I get it really ...looking at other people how they waste their lives, I realized how important it is for parents to take some time to instill morality and values to the young.  

  
To sum this all up, my parents did raise me well. I have cheated on my fears.... I have broken up with my doubts and got engaged to my faith. Now, with my moralities and values intact, I'm going to marry my dreams.

To mommy and daddy.... I love you both and thank you! Thanks also to Cody, Maxine and Felisa for being such great models for this blog... including myself LOL! 

FAIRY TALES

Once upon a time... happier ever after.

The stories we were told and we tell are the stuff of dreams. Dreams we used to dream of as kids.



As an adult reading this, do fairy tales do come true? For the lucky ones, fairy tales told to us when we were young, happened.

However, what's with the most of us? What happened to our dreams?



Isn't it that the epiphany for most of us is that in reality, life is much stormier? That the reality is much murkier and much scarier?



Life's pains... we all just have to ride it out before we chase our dreams. There are no easy solutions... no easy answers. We just have to breath deep and wait for it to subside.

Reality... is indeed much stormier, much murkier and much scarier that we actually thought or think of.

I have had such a happy solid childhood. I miss Pinky and HH Lero... my first friends and I can't help but wonder... how life treated them. Hope one day, we get to talk about this... One day perhaps...

Thank you Jomi Garrucho for allowing me to post your wonderful photos here :))

ON SECRETS AND FANTASIES

We humans tend to forget how good it feels when we finally are able to set secrets free. Whether it be good or bad, and whether we like it or not, at least they're out in the open.



When our secrets are out in the open, we don't have to hide behind them anymore. The problem with all secrets is... even when we think we are in control, we are not.



When do we learn that fantasy is made to be simple...that the pleasure is good and twice as much pleasure is better? When do we learn that pain is bad, and no pain is better? Reality is entirely different indeed. The reality is that... pain exists to constantly remind us that there's only so much pleasure we can take.



Maybe this is just fine and we just need to deal with it. Deal that maybe, some of our fantasies are only supposed to live in our dreams.

Photography by: Vincent Garrucho
Model: Jodge Ledesma
Thank you, Vince... for my photo collection!!! :))

A CHILD'S DREAM ONCE UPON A TIME

Sometimes reality has a way of sneaking up and biting us in the ass. I dreamed of so many good things in life when I was a child... child dreams for the future that are life changing and ones that really make eternal difference.

The childhood friends I've had used to sit and talk about it whenever we lazily relax after a fun play. I dreamed of being a painter and a writer... traveling to Greece and France to write about ancient history, life and things that fascinated me as a child... stuff that I read in books. My best friend Pinky dreamed of an ultimate dream... being a movie star. Jovic dreamed of being a professional athlete. Harry dreamed of being a pilot like his father. Other kids I grew up with dreamed of ultimate dreams but did those dreams make an eternal difference in our lives now?

30 years later as I look at my Facebook account and scouring over the profile pages of my friends, I realized that all our dreams back then never came true. Perhaps, our dreams did change along the way. I'm sure we all didn’t like the changes and for some time, we feared it... but we just couldn't stop it from coming. We either adapt to change or we leave the dream behind.

My epiphany today:
It really does hurt to grow not having dreams met when one takes time to think about it. Anybody who tells us it doesn’t, is lying. Pinky never made it to be a movie star, Jovic left life a decade ago and Harry, i don't know. So what? The truth is that even if our dreams weren't materialized... the more things change, the more they stay the same especially in our hearts. The dream is not over till my life is. The future is never the way we imagined it to be but against all odds, we evolved.



Big thanks to Vincent Garrucho for the photos.

SEX CAN STILL BE BEAUTIFUL AT 60++

Don't you ever wonder if old people really do have sex and/or still got the drive? I sat staring at my round light in the ceiling for a few moments wondering if they really do.



This thought was brought about when I suddenly remembered a friend's dream of retiring at 60 and traveling the entire Europe on a fully-equipped trailer.

I had a big laughing moment about it because he said his friends thought this is a crazy idea. I thought of it as something great and beautiful that I managed to crack a joke... that he can even have random sex at every single town, city or country he passes by! So, remembering that conversation today, I wondered if people at 60 and ++ really do get the sex drive?

Disclaimer: Please don't throw up by starting to think about wrinkly private parts early this morning. This is a good read for you and well... you never know... you just might remember this article when you reach the golden age.

Recalling my Nursing studies at the University of St. La Salle Bacolod plus reading materials of people's experiences, news, etc., throughout the life of us normal, healthy people, there are ups and downs in our sexual desires. Really! People who are harried, worried or under extreme emotional stress often feel flat or nothing about sex and as we grow older we can still enjoy sex but sometimes the drive is somewhat muted. Various physical factors affect sex drives. There are specialists in the field who can be consulted eventually regarding this. Guidance counselors, sexologists and neurologists have means of assisting those concerned about the problem. At our new age and generation of advance technology, these professionals even have online services about this thus; making it convenient for everyone.

However, I think it is important to note that sex is not the only way to demonstrate love as couples mature. This may often achieve intimacy through other physical contact such as hugging, holding hands or massaging each others' back.

Back in the day, I remember talks that sex is no longer "suitable" for the older age group. I am sure you all have heard poor jokes and negative publicity that were given to "dirty old men" who showed an unseemly interest in copulation.

Today, with advanced studies and of course with the help of medical discoveries, it is understood that the sex drive remains with us almost throughout our lives and is a part of the human makeup at all stages. Nevertheless, there are good physiological reasons why women after menopause may be less turned on than their male partners and it is well that both husbands and wives understand these reasons. Then if there is still a great desire to rejuvenate the fountain of youth, there are experts who can give assistance.

Age need not rule out a satisfying sex life. If I am 60 and I get to talk to Spongebob Squarepants, he will only say one thing... "It's all about IMAGINATION."

Props to Jomi Garrucho for the photo :))