What Does Silence Brings?

I felt what I suppose to feel, said what I suppose to say… done what I suppose to do...

Now, what? Well, I believe that the next move is to wait until things will finally come into its place, by being silent.
This is one way of saving one's ego. Rushing over heightened emotions can be damaging to oneself or to the people around. Sometimes, by being silent, one can be enlightened about certain issues. It is also a way of civilly dealing with conflicts. However, this doesn’t work in the long run. So, through implicitness about certain things, it doesn't mean to shun oneself from verbally communicating it to the person concerned. It is just the postponement of one's thoughts and emotions in a particular experience to have a room for introspection. This allows an individual to evaluate and look back from his/her experience. Eventually, the relentless issues will re-emerge and there’s no other means of stopping it from bugging but to deal with it and face it with courage and prudence. If that day comes... when silence becomes a deafening aspect of the relationship's phase, at least one has discerned about the said concerns while any possible areas of it are clarified and explored. Purposely, this is an important process of making a sound judgment. Therefore, it is never wrong to be once in a while silence oneself towards concerns because maybe one might just need a little time to think things over... =)

More Than Just Pictures

I love to take pictures and I usually post these in my cyber social network accounts. These pictures are about the different events and milestones in my life. Parties, gatherings or even “sweet nothings” with friends and relatives are no exemption. No matter how embarrassing it can be, I’m not afraid to show it to anyone that I had experienced pure bliss with those people I care and love. At times, it is nostalgic since it brings back my feelings from that very instant it was taken. Whenever I take a glance of it, my heart leaps with excitement and it seems like retelling the wonderful moments I had from that event.

As a picture bestows delightfulness to my spirit, however, it can also make me feel sad, agitated or even cry for it reminds me of certain individuals and undertakings concerning it. Particularly, if the person in it is someone I don’t like or is involved to certain issues I am facing, it allows my repressed feelings to come into my awareness.

On the other hand, for some people, pictures are used as a medium of art and beauty, a perspective about the world and its surroundings or simply an expression of what they believe of who they really are. I got to see my friend's works and I find it very overwhelming. Each image has its own story to tell, a view to discuss or something to constructively criticize. However, one common element that I could see is passion and photography has taken into a different level.

There are numerous ways on how pictures have become a significant tool for depiction of self and the world. Therefore, I believe that these are not just mere images of people, things or events… these are imprints of the relationship's dynamics, feelings, perspectives and experiences which people are considering as treasures of time.

Music and Me

It’s a usual thing on a Saturday to have a half day of work in the office and the first thing in mind the moment I arrive there is to turn my pc on and sets up the speakers for another music tripping. I like to start my day humming or accompanying my favorite songs as I carry out my tasks. This helps me ease out my mood from a stressful traffic jam before coming to the office.

Most of my song choices are not something really new. I’ve been hearing these for the past 12-15 years on air. The Corrs, Jewel, The Lighthouse, Mariah and Selena are “a must” in my most wanted song list. I also like some local bands such as Mymp, Side A, Rivermaya, E-heads and others even though most of those which I mentioned do not anymore exist nowadays but their music continues to live on. Nina, Sarah, and Leah Salonga are the “divas” whose voices I really admire and I’m trying to mirror them in terms of styles in singing.

Whenever I feel like lonesome, I would listen to classical, instrumental and christian songs such as Jim Brickman’s, Josh Groban’s, Casting Crows, Enya or Gregorian’s chant. I’m also fond of bossa, jazz or country pop which usually appear in my videoke shindigs with my family and friends whenever, wherever. Mariȇ Digby and Colbie Calliat amuse me with their genres while Beyoncȇ, Lady Gaga, Rhianna astonish me with their crazy dance moves in wild pumping beat.

By the way, let me tell you a brief history of this music madness. It’s too long to account everything here so, I might only mention a few details. All of us in the family loves to sing. My parents are both musically inclined. They actually inspired me to love it too. According to them, we came from a clan of musicians and singers particularly at my father side. Some of our relatives are jazz musicians and singers here in Davao. Few of them occassionally plays or sings overseas. I remember in a reunion that all of us sang while my uncle played the piano. Their voices are compared to performers on TV.

When I was young, I would listen to my parents as they croon for Frank Sinatra’s and Matt Monroe’s. My two big brothers are also crazy about new wave. A lot of people don’t know that Manong Micmic’s voice, the eldest among the siblings sounds like a pro. Manong Ian who is next to him is funny and more outgoing so he’s usually the first one to initiate our videoke sessions. He is a die hard fan of Martin Nievera. However, Manang Loving, my only sister likes jazz and mellow songs.

When I was 12, my music teacher urged us in the class to sing or else we’ll fail in his subject for the finals. That was the first time I sang in public. On the other hand, I was too shy to express my interest in music during high school years so, I just sing for my friends or for class activities. In college, I like to hang out with a guitar or with MTV’s during weekends. However, my friends told me to audition for “Carillion”, a glee club in school where I studied and so I did and luckily I got accepted as S2 (Soprano 2). Shortly, I also entered in “Sub-dom 7”, the school chapel’s choir. I believed then that through the involvement in these types of groups it would help me boost my self- confidence and uplift my self-esteem. Well, it’s a typical issue among teenagers. It’s the need to prove something for themselves and for the people around them... in order “to belong”.

My obsession about participating in various singing groups never stop until I joined the “Himig Singers”, a choir group outside the school community that had won a number of awards and recognitions in choir competitions both emerging in local and international affairs. I was one of the two youngest members in the group. Most of them are professionals and would go to the practice after office hours. I would remember having sessions for twice a week and still up until 11:00 pm until 12 :00 midnight just to finish a few pieces. And as far as I could recall, when I started that time, the group was aiming for a competition at Florida, USA in six months time. I never knew how big the group was until I finally got to work with them for a few months. I was with them for barely 5 months due to my class schedules and other personal matters. Hence, from that short period, I learned the value of discipline, commitment and cooperation. No matter how painful or lowly life can become and no matter how you view the impossibility of things, there’s no reason to not to persevere and reach for your goal.

As I looked back, I may have few regrets for not pursuing at “Himig” but what is important now is that it somewhat answered my questions about myself and in life per se. Sometimes, there are life events which give you the “kick” that you need to stay on track. Everyday is a learning day as they say and many of these come with experiences that would surely bring you into a loft. Maybe, it’s for the purpose of showing you a closer picture on the things which you don’t previously understand. Oh how I just love my life… it’s full of rich experiences that brought me to where I am right now and not to anywhere else.

I thank God for giving me the love for music. Without it, life for me is dull and ordinary for sure. Have a nice music tripping day!