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Wednesday, November 30, 2005

Blog Design 101

Everyone is fussed making blogsFYI nowadays. Since this trend started like two years ago, millions of people blogged for purposes ranging from regular daily diary, hobby logging up to corporate news and trends logging. Personally, I have been obsessing taking care of my blog (which will turn two years old this January), writing about topics ranging from personal daily experiences to things that interests me. I make sure that every detail counts from the content I'm writing up to graphic I put on my site. Today, I'm going to share a small tip regarding how I design my blog.



Sample Blog Template


As you see in the picture above, a simple blog is basically made of 3 parts: the header, the body, and the sidebar. Navigation bars and footers are kind of optional. When you sign up for a site that offer blogging services like Blogger here, you are made to select preformatted templates of what your blog will look like. However nowadays, many bloggers opt to have a unique blog design that is truly their own. There are some who "borrow" layout from blog designers. A site for cool layouts can be found at Blogskins.com. There you can find layouts designed by blog skinners, free of use of course as long as you put a link back to the designer's homepage. Again, however if you would like to desgin your own blog layout and theme, you have to have at least significant knowledge about basic web design. To start out you need at least two simple tools to start from scratch. First, you need to know at least basic HTML FYI. HTML is the programming language used for coding web pages. Don't worry cause it's not really a difficult language to understand. Actually it's easier to understand compared to like XML, C++, Java, VB, etc. There are a lot of HTML resources in the web, from simple tutorials up to step-by-step how-to-do books for sale online. You can search just search so,me keywords o nYahoo! or Google and presto! You can access every site, anything about HTML. However, I highly recommend buying a reference book from your local bookstore so that you can study it every time you wish to. There's a an HTML guide at National bookstore which only costs PHP150! Very cheap. Secondly, if you want to a unique and a personal-themed site, you have to design your own graphics. Againm you have to know at least one software to generate your graphics. Personally, I'm using Adobe Photoshop CS and sometimes I incorporate Corel Draw. You may also learn other graphic software such as Paintshop Pro as long as you're comfortable using it. To start with I recommend, you may make a header, 750 to 850 pixels wide (Most users nowadays, use 1024x728 resolution so it would be prudent to make the entire width within this range) and 200-400 pixels high with some picture on the background and splashed across the scene is the title of your blog. Well, it's really depends on your style how you design your header.



Blog - short for web log.
HTML - stands for Hyper Text Mark-Up Language.


So now you have the basic two elements in blog design: HTML and a Graphic software. As you progress, you will discover that a site has to be nice to look at. The elements of a good color combination and neat-looking fonts come into scene. As a beginner, you tend to be very excited to use any color you wish and any fancy fonts (unless you use it for a header graphic) available. Always remember that simplicity is beauty. A blog that looks "unified" in terms of color harmony, graphics, and fonts used is a mark of a good blog. I have seen many blogs bombarded with vividly colored backgrounds, loud-colored graphics, and fonts so big - not to mention, annoying marquees and blinking texts - and they look so irritating to the eyes that you want to close it immediately. You don't want your visitors to leave your site immediately, do you? You may visit Webdeveloper's Notes and look for the link to color combinations. There you can find hundreds of 3-set color combos you can use for your site. For your fonts, I recommend using fonts of type Serif (Times, Arial, Verdana) or Cursive (Comic Sans MS) so that your blog will look nice to the eyes. Be consistent using same font size and color changing only if necessary.



Finally, I do hope you learned something from this simple tip. For your questions you may email me at andy_enero@yahoo.com. So have fun, personally, I have found web designing very rewarding though frustrating and confusing sometimes but it's worth it! Discover the creativity in you and stand out!

Monday, November 28, 2005

You Feel Nervous...

When God leads, you feel nervous. I woke up yesterday, a Sunday, feeling better with my feet less swolen and in quite a cheery mood. As I prepared mmyself to go to church, I can feel God is prompting me to sing in the church... but I brushed the thought aside and go on with my way. When we got to church, I saw the program with the heading, "Be Still and Know I am God". I was excited cause I happen to know a perfect song to go with this heading. So I got my sister along and decided to offer a special number. We practiced a little bit and when our turn came to sing, it was as good as perfect. Of course, when we are spirit-led everything seems to be perfect even if it seems it's not but by God's grace it's made perfect.

When the service wa almost over, our Youth president announced that we have a circuit Fellowship this afternoon at a church in Matina, Davao. We're going to have presentations for Solo Singing contest, Comical Skit and Interpretative Dance. But the problem is, we don't have anything to present! Sadly, our Youth group is kind of lousy nowadays. No one seemed to care with the activities. Leaders gave up convincing, hard-headed and timid individuals to participate.

Circuit - group of Alliance churches in a particular area. When several circuits combine, it would be called a District which is city-wide


Surprisingly, many were interested attending the fellowship even if we had nothing to present. By 2:30 we got there at the place and the circuit president, Lloyd asked us if we had any participants for the contests. My youthmates started pushing that I join the solo singing contest. The problem is I don't have with me any minus-one tape let alone a song to sing! Again, like some sudden whisper, God seemed to speak to me, "Andy, you have to sing!" so I stopped arguing with Lloyd and prayed to God for some miracle that it will be all right. So I prepared a little bit and told the pianist if he knows to play the song which is the song I sang at our church that morning. Luckily, he does! So I guess everything is okay and when my turn came, I let it all out and it was done. After the contests, the results were announced. The winners will be competing against other circuit winners for this District convention this Dec 27. When my name was called that I won, I was like,

"Huh?" and my youthmates were cheering.


Barkada trip
My Youthmates

Me, holding my award
Me and the HUGE ribbon


They told me to come up the stage to receive my HUGE ribbon. When we got home, everyone was happy especially me. I believe that I have been used by God to inspire my youthmates to attend upcoming youth activities especially this District Conference. Many people signify their plans of attending, yeah to support me, but I guess God had really wonderful plans for our youth group as the year ends.

And this is the song I sang,




"Still" by Hillsong! What a nice nice song!

Saturday, November 26, 2005

Foot Therapy

Hours ago, I just attended the 2nd session for my right foot therapy and every time I go there I can't help feeling relaxed (and sleepy) because of the coziness of the clinic, and the warm accomodation of the PTs (Physical Therapists). I've always thought before that when you say therapy for physical therapy, it would only mean one thing "massage". I remembered asking one church friend what course will she take up in college.

When she said she would take up physical therapy, I replied, "What! You're going to be a masseuse!?"

Of course, now I know several things of what physical therapists do. Of course they do massages, they do therapy (as if it's not obvious) for muscle strengthening, they can also be gym instructors cause they mostly know how musculature works and many other things.


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Cozy, isn't it?


Anyway when I got there, the PT asked me several questions like how did my foot swelled which I tiredly replied over and over when people ask me but anyway since the PT was nice so I told him/herFYI every detail regarding my aching foot.
The PT on my first session is a girl while the second is a guy

So the PT got this electric stimulator and attach electrical nodes from it to different areas of my foot. When the PT turned it on, there was some pricking feeling like needles pressed slightly against your skin. The feeling was so good that I got asleep.


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PT Thingys and my left foot


The PT woke me up and told me he/she will be administering ultrasound to my foot. Woah! I always thought that ultrasound is only used for detecting babies and other things in the inside the body. So he/she got this ultrasound transmission gel which is kind of cold and then he/she ran the ultrasound thingy all over my feet spreading the gel at the same time. It didn't felt anything so we proceeded to the exercises that stretched my muscles to the limit. After the session, my feet felt better though still aching. I still pray that this feet will get better in the upcoming days.

Thursday, November 24, 2005

Love and the Unlovable

Hi. I opened my browser today and one eye-catching picture greeted me. It is a picture of the ugliest dog I've ever seen and he just died recently. I quoted this article from Yahoo! about this amazing creature




SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - Sam, the tiny dog whose hairless body and crooked teeth earned him a reputation as the World's Ugliest Dog, has died.

The pooch died Friday, just short of his 15th birthday, his owner said.

"I don't think there'll ever be another Sam," Susie Lockheed said, adding: "Some people would think that's a good thing."

Sam won the ugliest dog contest at the Sonoma-Marin Fair this summer for the third year in a row. The pedigreed Chinese crested had made appearances on TV in Japan, radio in New Zealand and in Britain's Daily Mirror tabloid. He also had met Donald Trump on a talk show set.

Lockheed said she initially was terrified of Sam when she agreed to take him in as a rescue dog six years ago on a 48-hour trial basis. Although she fell in love with him, his appearance repulsed her then-boyfriend and prompted the man to break up with her.

Later, however, Sam became a matchmaker by bringing together Lockheed and her current beau, who saw a picture of the two on an online dating site.

Lockheed said she had Sam euthanized after she learned Sam's heart was failing.

She said she's felt a little lost ever since, and is sleeping with Sam's favorite toy — a stuffed bear he picked up and carried home.


God loves all creatures even the most unlovable ones

Anyway back to the mainstream, today, I have decided to write an article about LOVE.

Hmmm…

I guess I got you curious now and your mind anticipates what this young man who has never been in a relationship can tell about love. Truthfully, first of all I admit I am not an expert in dealing such a broad topic of love. Everyday I am bombarded with scenes and have been fed with aural and visual information from the media and from the young couples I see on what love or at least and idea of what love is.

They are in love. They have fallen in love. You see them lurk in the corners: hugging, smooching, reciprocating gestures of affection, pledging eternal promises of bliss like there’s no tomorrow – ah this thing called "falling in love", yeah I know is the happiest feeling I know as far as I can remember. But sadly this thing called "falling in love" is but an illusion of what we think of what really love is. After a while or after a period of time it fades and once more we fret and wonder if what has happened has really happened. and we doubt if we really loved the person or just made a very stupid mistake of having fallen in love with the person in the first place.

Friends tell you, "You are not in love. You are just infatuated!".

Whatever, so many terms confuse us nowadays. By the way, I would like to share what M. Scott Peck from his book The Road Less Travel has to say about the problems of "Falling In Love".

Of all the misconceptions about love the most powerful and pervasive is the belief that "falling in love" is love or at least one of the manifestations of love. It is a potent misconception, because falling in love is subjectively experienced in a very powerful fashion as an experience of love. When a person falls in love what he or she certainly feels is "I love him" or "I love her". But two problems are immediately apparent. The first is that the experience of falling in love is specifically a sex-linked erotic experience. We do not fall in love with our children even we may love them very deeply. We do not fall in love with our friends of the same sex – unless we are homosexually oriented – even though we may care for them greatly. We fall in love only when we are consciously or unconsciously sexually motivated. The second problem is that the experience of falling in love is invariably temporary. No matter whom we fall in love with, we sooner or later fall out of love if the relationship continues long enough. This is not to say that we invariably cease loving the person with whom we fell in love. But it is to say that the feeling of ecstatic lovingness that characterizes the experience of falling in love always passes. The honeymoon always ends .The bloom of the romance fades away.


I can see brows raised but admit it or not it’s true!

Therefore the experience of falling in love in not love after all! You ask, "If it’s not love, then what is it"

Dr. Peck further explains that falling in love is an experience of collapse or breaking of ego boundaries.

"Ego Boundaries!?" you say, "It’s some kind of a shrinky word!"

As Scott Peck continues, ego boundaries are the limits of what our physical, mental, emotional and spiritual entities are capable of doing, handling and understanding. The history of ego boundaries is formed as we grow from infancy to adulthood. As infants we feel we are the center of the universe and all things including our parents do not make any distwill do anything on our bidding – of course because we are needy. We need milk, we need care, we need comfortable clothes and with just one loud cry, we send our parents into action to attend to us. But as the infant becomes a toddler, the individual senses that all things does not bow to him. He discovers his body parts and he realizes that he can’t grab a ball by just crying. He has to move and get it. He also realizes that mom doesn’t always obey what he wishes. Mom will say, "No Juan, you can’t do that!" or "Help yourself get it!" . As the child grows, he realizes that he/she can get all things every time he wishes. Sometimes he indulges himself/herself into fantasies of being someone great or some kind of superhero! As the child gets into adolescence the loneliness of being contained inside this ego boundaries are kind of eroticized… and we seek a certain creature or an individual to sooth that loneliness. And at the instant we find this person… Time stops, and we hear ethereal bells tolling our names to eternal happiness. This is the "Close Up" moment (It makes me feel cheesy watching those toothpaste models in TV), and songs with themes like "Ikaw ang Lahat sa Akin" (You Are All To Me) or "I've Finally Found Someone" suddenly become our favorites songs and we don't miss an episode of the soap opera starring John Lloyd Cruz and Bea Alonzo. "Bcuz of You" and "Got to Believe in Magic"FYI become front liners in your VCD/DVD collection... I know you’d agree!

FYI:
Close-Up - popular toothpaste brand.
Ikaw and lahat sa akin - a Filipino love song popularized by Martin Nievera.
I've Finally Found Someone - duet by Barbra Streisand and Bryan Adams.
John Lloyd Cruz and Bea Alonzo - Filipino soap actor/actress.
Got to Believe in Magic and Bcuz of You - Filipino teeny-bopper love films.


Falling in love is a magical experience according to a Barry Manilow song and it’s true! It is in these moments that problems seem to go away. Everyday is a sunny day! "I can do anything because I feel so inspired having this person and I’m so enmeshed in bliss having this person around!" This is what Dr Peck refers to as "the collapse of ego boundaries". We feel we care deeply for that person and blurt at the spur of the moment a promise to remain loving forever and ever. But just like any magic – it is but an illusion and it will go away – soon.
As time goes on… the magical feelings start to fade away. The original and individualistic ego boundary reverts back to it’s original shape and we go back to things that are already familiar – our personal private space, our hobbies, our interests, our old friends, our families, etc. Having the other always demanding of our whereabouts and presence all the time becomes annoying and restricting! The time between two lovers becomes ordinary, unexciting and boring. Gestures of affection are less frequent. Fights about small insignificant things and envy are frequent. Finally, when things don’t work out anymore, we sigh and say just like a Kyla song,

"I just have to let you go… when the feeling is gone." What a sad song to end!

The cycle begins as the search for "the" perfect lover begins and sadly some people just don’t grew out of it. They still believe in the deepest recesses of their lonely hearts that the "one" will come again someday to bring them happiness and it will last forever and ever just like in love stories we see in the movies or in TV and sadly many young people believe that lasting love is formed by falling in love and just remains in there.

And now you ask, "How do we then experience a love that lasts forever?" Falling out of love does not necessarily preclude a devastating and sad love story. Luckily some people don’t let go and grow with some maturity that loving a person does not mean having to feel like loving all the time. As Dr Peck continues, real loving relationship begins when the person still cares for the other even when the feeling is gone, when that person desires the other to grow, when the person sacrifices himself/herself for that person, when the person willingly submits himself/herself to be with that person no matter what the consequences are – and that includes understanding the others weaknesses and at times dealing with them. Feelings may resurrect again later but during that time it does not become the barometer if the relationship is loving or not! Things like commitment, understanding, discipline and responsibility become synonymous with love.

I would like to end this lengthy article (The longest I made so far!) about love. I hope this clears our mind and destroys the misconceptions that corrupted our minds of what a loving and lasting relationship is. Always remember that real love comes from God’s love or Jesus’ love for us and we all know that it involved so much pain and sacrifice in order for us to grow and be loving to others in return. God Bless us all!

Tuesday, November 22, 2005

Blessed Right Foot 2

Yesterday afternoon I got my X-ray results and went back to my doctor. Since the X-ray shows that no bone dislocation has been found, he temporarily ruled out I had this "plantar fascia". He explained what it is only to find out it's simply muscle overstretching. He recommended me to see a doctor who will teach me how to exercise my foot and relieve it.

I started today and went to the clinic limping yet feeling much better than yesterday. When I got there, I asked directions from the guard and told me to go the back of the building and ask again another guard who will tell me where the building is. Aren't all guards suppose to know where all the buildings are even if it's not the area where they're stationed?

When I got there, I thought I can relax but when the guard told me the rehab building is still on the other block, I thought I can hear my right foot scream in protest. Anyway, enduring the pain that I have to go through, I pushed myself to the next block. Finally, as I approached the information I felt relieved knowing I can sit down and rest my foot but then I was told that the doctor I'm supposed to be seeing just left for lunch, I thought I would collapse on the floor. The information guy told me that the doctor will be back this 3:30 (It was only 1:30).

"Okay", I said and still smiling despite the slight discomfort of frustration.

The information guy added that the doctor will be needing my X-ray results too.

"WHAT!"

That means I have to go to the 6th floor where my doctor's clinic is and also that means I have to go BACK where the taxi left me - at the entrance of the hospital! Anyway, though sweating and tired and my foot slightly in pain, by God's grace I made it to my doctor's clinic and find his secretary fixing some things. I told her that the rehab doctor needs my X-ray results.

"Oh..." she said, "I just returned your results to the X-ray Department".

Okay, she must've seen the frown lines on my forehead but I knew that's the way it is and being angry doesn't do good so okay... fine I did get my X-ray results. Mission accomplished. I still have 2 hours to wait so I decided to go the net cafe to share what a grueling day I have.


Bear and Cow

Druid and Baal


Well for some entertaining news, my Druid, Andre finally defeated Baal yesterday! He's the last of the 3 devils to defeat. Hurray!!! If you don't have a clue with what I'm talking about, well for 2-3 weeks I have been playing Diablo II. It's a RPG (Role Playing Game). It's about Diablo who disguised as a dark wanderer. He came to earth to release his two other brothers, Mephisto and Baal. When these 3 prime evils unite, no mortal can stop them as they unleash all hell's dark minions. So the objective is, you have to send these 3 evils back to hell before they will push their evil plan! And I'm glad I did.

Finally, I hope you learned something fromn this experience... that even in the storm, you still have to learn to smile! God Bless.

Monday, November 21, 2005

Blessed Right Foot

Last morning, I finished watching "Blessed" and was really satisfied with myself cause I knew the lyrics and I can sing along. After the main feature was a documentary about the making of the "Blessed" project. According to Darlene Zschech, this project was the most relaxed so far (Hillsong had four more projects after Blessed). There was also a girl who sang in the choir interviewed and she said this project just overwhelmed her being used by God for His ministry. What got me more excited was when they showed the choir practices handled by Darlene. Watching, it brought me back memories when I was with my school choir and with the Himig Singers. The feeling was nostalgic, y'know. I felt, wow - I never thought they really sounded that good even without the instruments. They too have their share of late night practices, choir things and stuff, things that I can really relate with. God, I'm desperate to sing in a choir once more.




My foot



After watching, I immediately get dressed to go to the doctor to have my right foot checked. Walking has been very painful... the previous doctor must've thought it's just an ordinary sprain or something. When I got out of the house, I never thought it's really that painful to walk! This was the worst pain in two weeks. By God's grace I got there at Davao Doctors and the doctor made me lie on a bed while he bend and squeeze and press every spot on my foot. It makes me wanna shout! But doc's okay. Well, I have to wait for my X-ray results while writing this thing to you... Be happy always even if you're sick! God bless.

Friday, November 18, 2005

Dark & Thought-Provoking

Two days ago, I, my brother and Bryan watched the special screening of the latest Harry Potter movie, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire at SM. The movie started at 9:30 PM but before that prizes and promo things were given away. Finally we get to see the movie. The first parts all happen like a blur. It happened so fast especially on the scene where the Dark Mark was conjured. It was like a zap and before you know it, students arrive at Hogwarts with the delegates from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang and then it was the first task, 2nd task, 3rd task, the return of Voldemort and end credits.



Life can be lonely at times.


Watching this movie, what it implied to me is how lonely life can be especially when you take risks and accepting responsibities that you are bound to. Harry unwillingly joined the Triwizard Cup. He had to endure jeerings from other students blaming him for a cheat... even his bestrfriend did not believe him. He had to take risks surviving the 3 challenges that might cost him his life. I also remembered a story of a man 2000 years ago who took the lonely path of suffering, carrying his cross on Via Dolorosa. Soldiers and people mock him, his followers deserted him. You can imagine the loneliness this man felt. This loneliness might be even more painful than the physical pain he experienced. This man is Jesus.

Harry Potter might be a sugar-coated story of magic but in its core, it is a story of overcoming the timid self to take risks, accept responsibility, trust people and uphold the truth.

Tuesday, November 15, 2005

Guilty Pleasures

My aching right foot is okay today! Thank God... These past few weeks has been a blur. I've kept myself busy with so many things like making up idea for a new blog skin (If you like this skin, please leave a comment in the tagboard), obsessing my way to defeat the three prime evils in Diablo II (I just defeated Mephisto yesterday after 5 hours of staring into the PC), getting my two licenses (driver and PRC), some errands, anticipating Pinoy BigBrother and other personal agenda. I haven't had time with the Lord...

I miss those times when I just close my eyes without saying any word and feel His presence, when I felt some uplifting spirit flowing in every fiber of my being, when tears just flow from my eyes with the unexplained joy I felt inside. I felt at peace. That's one of the reasons I would rather choose to go away, away from the comforts of our home and face the ruthless and uncaring world beyond because I believe that God will always be by my side. So last night, I woke with a start when I heard the baby of our neighbor cried. I tried to go to sleep but I can't. My mind is so full of abstract ideas: things that I'm supposed to do, things that I'm so worried about, so many things I can't even categorize what they are. They fight and jumble in mind leaving traces of colorful blur. In desperation, I prayed God for peace and what started from small phrases become a prayer - like the intimate conversations I had with God before. God reveals my feelings and I affirm it with every word I say. I ended my prayer with thanks and seconds later, I fell asleep.

Friday, November 11, 2005

A Dog Says Farewell



WHITIE aka TUKTING
1996 - 2005
Faithful Dog, Loyal Pet


The vet called around 9:00 AM bringing a bad news that our pet dog, Tukting is dead. The vet told us that by the time she opened the clinic she found Tukting lying and lifeless. I can't believe that he would really die cause just yesterday we heard that he's condition has improved. Although, we can't really deny that he's so weak. He would not even respond to any human stimuli since Wednesday. Well, anyway, Tukting has lived 9 dog years and always in healthy conditions. However weeks ago, he's been eating fur and insides from pigs slaughtered by our neighbors. Sometimes, I'm tempted to point a finger to our maid for not giving him food every lunch time that's why Tukting would scavenge around the neighborhood. But I know it's our first responsibility as owners to prevent our pets from going scavenging. That's the mistake we made on our part. Anyway, may Tukting is now and well and is now in heaven... that is if there is a heaven for dogs. Why not?

Wednesday, November 09, 2005

Druids and Summoned Creatures

I woke up this morning feeling a slight ache in my right foot. Maybe it has worsened but I'm glad I can actually walk better than I think today. I ought to see a doctor today to check on my right foot. However when I called at his office this 9:00, his secretary told me that they don't open for Wedenesdays. Okay, so doctor's appointment was postponed tomorrow.



My strong Druid warrior, Andre

I got to the PC and played the game I'm so hooked nowadays (Although for many, this game is kind of obsolete), Diablo II and I'm a Druid. Right now, I'm going to find Tal Rasha's tomb but the task is so difficult that's why I have my warrior assistant, Kyle and my summoned minions: 2 ravens, a dire wolf and heart of wolverine spirit. Anyway before I could bore you with the game details, it's time to cook for lunch. Last Saturday, my sister and I decided we can cook a pasta recipe we downloaded in the internet and today is the day. We're going to make "Penne in Creamy Tomato Sauce" but we added sausages as our meat. Cooking isn't pretty bad even if our beater was broken or we lacked a significant supply of water cause we made the tastiest sauce I've ever tasted. Well we had lunch and it was so good...



Hmmm... Simmering Penne sauce


Tukting still looks weak.


After lunch, my bro, sis and I decided decided to visit our sick dog in Whippet Vet. When we arrived there, we found Tukting lying on the stand with a fellow dog under him. He still had his dextrose and he looks weak but the vet said that Tukting's condition improved since. There is only a little blood in his urine today and his face had shrunk to it's original form. The vet said, Tukting's a fighter. Even I had doubts that Tukting would make it cause his kidneys already failed but this good news today that his urine was clearer make me think otherwise. Our dog has cheated death before (He was hit by a pick up truck before) and I believe that God will make him cheat death once more.

Monday, November 07, 2005

Cheat Allergic and Bleeding

I just took my written exam for a non-professional driver's license and thanked God,I passed. Last morning, we had a 2-hour review about traffic rules, regulations, violations and appropriate actions for real-life problems in driving and inthe afternoon at 1:30, we had the exam.. The good thing about the exam is that it is "open book". Lucky for me, I bought a book last week about traffic rules and it did helped me a lot in this exam especially with those items containing RA 4136 about licenses, rules, etc. I finished the exam by 2:00, so I decided to loiter around SM while waiting for the results by 4:00. When I got there, I came across with two co-examinees talking to the examiner and I overheard them talking that their actual exams which is suppose to take place anytime between 1:30 and 4:00 PM will be taken care of by some backer inside LTO. See, no wonder why this country is so wretched, cursed and pathetic! When my turn came, I was told to come back anytime within the time slot I've stated above and that I have to bring my own car! Aren't they suppose to have a car for their exams? I'm just wondering how those guys who don't have cars, who are only required to get a license cause it's what their job requires? Anyway, I might "borrow" a car for this actual exam.

Sick Tukting

When I got home for lunch, I saw the vet fixing some needles and behind her is our 9-year old dog, Tukting with a dextrose hovering above him. He's so cute lying there sleeping. I think he's really enjoying the "food" flowing inside his body. Few days ago, my sister found blood on the floor where our dog was lying. Days later, he's conditioned worsened: his gums were bleeding and his eyes were bloodshot, and he doesn't want to eat. We suspected he was poisoned or something. However, the vet told us he was either poisoned or was infected with some deadly bacteria. A sample of his blood was taken and will analyzed before the vet could give her final diagnosis. We just pray that sooner or later, Tukting will get well.

Thursday, November 03, 2005

Hotel Rwanda

Last morning, I watched a movie based on a true story. It's about the abuse of power that brought people into madness, killing everyone who is against them and the whole world doesn't about it. It's "Hotel Rwanda" starred by Don Cheadle who played the role of a manager of a Belgian-owned, 4-star, Hotel Nikulin. To give you a background, the story is set in Kigali, Rwanda, 1994 where the two tribes/parties of the nation, the Hutus and the Tutsis found themselves in war. Rwanda was once a colony of Belgium and the the Belgians, let the Tutsis ran the government. When the Belgians gave Rwanda their independence, the Hutus take over and take revenge on the Tutsis. This revenge turned into madness when these Hutus want to eliminate all Tutsis. Mass killings were everywhere and it was horrible and gory.




Paul Rusesabagina (Don), a Hutu, the hotel manager in Hotel Nikulin came into the story when his house was searched by Hutu armies for Tutsi civilians. He has been hiding his neighbors, Hutu and Tutsi alike since the killings began. He was found guilty and the army decided to kill the Tutsi but Paul found a way to bribe them so his Tutsi neighbors were spared. When he got back to the hotel, the Belgian manager decided to leave his job for his safety and he got Paul in-charge. He hid his family and his neighbors at the hotel. However as few days passed, people were coming into the hotel for refuge: orphans, people whose homes are burned. As days grow darker, more killings appear and the worse came when the Rwandan president was murdered. He called for help from the UN for them to be exiled but only the foreign nationals were exiled from Rwanda. In desperate attmept, he contacted his boss in Belgium to find help. He also urged the refugees to call any relative, friend, acquaintance abroad that might help them get out from Rwanda. The war was nearing their hot zone and Paul can no longer bribe the Hutu general for protection cause he lacked resources. Blessing came when a response came to him and those who the people called extended their help. To make the story short, Paul and his family, along with a lucky few people were exiled from Rwanda. It was said that in July 2004, the killings stopped when the Tutsis pacified the Hutus. The war left millions and millions of corpses.

Watching this movie, it made me realize how people would be driven into madness to the extent of no mercy killing everyone, with indivdual hopes and dreams and it also made me realize how a man can realize what he can become when difficult situations arises. Paul was an ordinary man but he stood up and protect his countrymen and he was considered a hero. Sometimes we wish that situations will be just fine cause we are content on what we are but God sharpens us through the fire of trials to be the best we can be.