Nick Vujicic, No Arms, No Legs, No Worries!

Very inspiring.

"It is a lie to think that you are not good enough..."

Reality Bites

The panda has sonic ears and x-ray vision. He mastered this at age seven by watching Bioman.

While eating at the local Buy One Take One Cheeseburger store a block away from his house, the panda witnessed an old man, probably in his early fifties, talking to the owner of a small restaurant adjacent to where the panda was eating his burger.

He wants a job. He seem to have lost a part of his leg.

"Sige na, kunin  niyo na ako dito sa restaruant niyo, kahit taga deliver lang ako ng pagkain."

"Kaya lang naman ako humihiling sayo na pagbigyan mo ako para may pambili man lang ako ng gamot. Kasi nga meron akong diabetes, naputol nga lang tong paa ko dahil nainfect to nung nakatapak ako dati ng pako. Siyempre pag may diabetis ka hindi mo namaramdaman yung sakit, hanggang sa lumala na nga at kailangan ng putulin sabin ng mga duktor..."

"Parang tulong mo narin sakin 'to... Kung hindi ko man makayanan ang trabaho dito magreresign ako kaagad, pangako."

"Marami ako pera dati, pero naubos na..."

"Pag nagtrabaho ako sayo, parang sampal narin 'ito sa mukha ng pamilya ko, para mapakita ko man lang sila na may pakinabang parin ako."

You can hear by the tone of his voice his hopelessness. He lost everything with his condition. He used to have a life, but now, is begging for a job and is willing to be paid in scraps.

The restaurant owner was just listening to this old man. She was not saying a word. For some reason though, she had to go. The panda did not see what they have agreed upon.

The old man was left sitting there. After a few minutes, finding himself with nothing to do and no one to talk to, he left, limping his way into the sunset.

The panda, for some reason, lost his appetite. The cheeseburger was twice as difficult to swallow compared to his first bite. It is hard to be happy with a yummy food and to witness a sorry old man almost begging for his life at the same time.

Maybe, some people are forsaken. Poor souls with virtually nothing left. They live in desolate perpetual subhuman conditions, torture, and tears.

On the other hand, some people live with silver spoons in their mouth. The world is their oyster.

Some people are fools.

They don't care.

Nor give a shit.

Arf-Arf

Meet panda's friend - "Arf-Arf."

At day, Arf-Arf is your typical attack dog. Vicious and ferocious, he's always ready to defend his master.

He wakes up hot headed, until he can fix himself up with a cup of his favorite Starbucks drink, Caffe Latte!

At night he is a cute and  fluffy diligent student.

He loves modern classics, urban living, and.. Finding Nemo! He has memorized its script by heart.

Life is not always easy for him though, in a lot of places, dogs are not allowed.

But life goes on...

It's the journey, not the destination.

Fighting Cock

Why did the chicken cross the road?

"Because life is too short, to be little."

The Panda's Blog Song

Whenever I hear this song, I feel like I have to blog, write something, anything, anywhere.



This song is gives hope. It is a burning ambition to give  the very last of your breath for a worthy cause. It talks about standing up for what we believe in  - not giving up, even if others take us down. It talks about finding strength in weakness and hope in failure. Our glory is buried in all of us, waiting to be unearthed and be found.

What about you? What is your blog song or writing song, if any? Reasons.

On Suspense

 Keep matters in suspense, like gods who do not show their faces.

Guitars

Look! An infantry of guitars under my command.

Wreck

There is a lot to be thankful for, our family, our friends, our health, the list goes on. But sometimes we take all of those for granted and instead choose to become fools. There is  beauty in humanity and life, yet most lost souls opt to focus on the trivialities.


 WHY IS JESUS RICH?

sirit?  ;)

BECAUSE HE SAVES! 


(got it? money saved - money earned, got the connection?)

That is one of the panda's all time favorite joke. But last night, there is no reason to laugh when at 3:00am, the panda received a message from his friend that two of their other friends met a tragic accident.

They immediately rushed to the accident scene as fast as the could, and this was what they found:

It was indeed a hell of a car wreck.

Thank god the said two friends survived. It was a miracle. They suffered a lot of bruises and pulled muscles but they are OK. They could have been seriously hurt. They could have died.

Since that night  there are only two things that kept running inside the panda's head like a broken record, like a digital loop that would not end.

First, God is good. 

Second, Jesus saves.

The panda's favorite joke, (on why Jesus has a lot of money) was not funny anymore. 

Miracles do come true. It happens every minute we affirm and count our blessings. In fact, we do not to wait for an accident or a tragedy  before it can be realized. Gratitude, the very moment it is bestowed, gives hope.

Get well soon mga tol. If there is anything the panda can do to help, he is here.

P.S.

"Pare, baba baka sumabog...!"

Regular cars did not explode on a crash. Experiment with gas tank in front of the car was not successful. Frank Doyle and explosives were needed. - MythBusters Car crash episode (Discovery Channel)

Now, that's funny.

On Simplicity

How to Deal With It.

It was a good idea when someone told me  a long long time ago to "Keep it real." It is simple. And it works!

Fish Food Where Are You?

The panda has been scouring for arowana floating fish pellets for weeks now in pet shops everywhere, but it is always out of stock. The arowana gets hungry too, you know. The only thing  the panda can do now is to feed his "other" small pet sword-tail fishes. In other words, the panda is feeding his small pet to his bigger pet. It is not a "nice" feeling.

Imagine feeding your small dog to your big dog!

How much more time should the panda wait until that fish food ceases to be be out of stock? Poor fish, you gonna have to be put on  a forced diet.

***

It Hurts Part 4

It is sad that Ramon (second healthy molar) had to die, too. It was found out during the procedure that Pekto (third impacted molar) is unusually larger than the average impacted wisdom tooth.

You see, according to the dentist,  the biggest and the strongest molar would normally be our first molar - next would be the second molar. The third molar, normally would be the smallest. However, in the panda's case, the third impacted molar was abnormally the biggest of all his molars. That is the reason why the procedure of extracting only Pekto did not push through as originally planned.

Ramon had to go, really. He was the gambit. He was the sacrificial lamb.

The paradoxical wisdom of salvation is that someone must die so that someone can live. For there can be no forgiveness that can exist unless someone capable of forgiving pays the penalty by shedding his blood. It is sad, but that is life. Life and death co-exists in irony.

Menu for tonight? Very soft lugaw with a dash of salt. No chewing, swallow only. The panda slept the whole day, and will probably sleep the whole day again tomorrow. The healing process begins.

It Hurts Part 3

There is nothing funny about the death of Pekto and Ramon.

Panda is so tired to explain anything right now.... can't write.... can't think... Zzzz....

Oh! Thanks to all humans who gave their support and encouragement. Thanks to everyone who told the panda "you can do it!" Thank you to everyone who wished him well! You are all appreciated.

He's fine now. A little bit traumatized. A little bit  shocked from the whole process....

Zzzz....

It Hurts Part 2

Later that day, the panda went to the Dentist and had to wait for his turn. After some minutes, at last, the Dentist was ready to see the panda.

The panda was guided to the dental chair. After explaining to the Dentist the problem, the panda showed her the old photo of Pekto (the name the panda coined for his impacted wisdom tooth). She took a good look at the said tooth.

She explained that the condition was not an easy case. The bone above Pekto is unusually thick. She also said  that the panda's second healthy molar (which the panda named Ramon) will be at risk of being extracted too, depending on how the procedure unfolds. Then, the Dentist prescribed an antibiotic, a pain reliever, and an anti-coagulant drug that have to be taken 1 hour before the procedure.

"Your surgery will be scheduled tomorrow, you have to be well rested, okay?" - She said.  The panda and the Dentist said their goodbyes and well wishes, and the clinic session for that day was over. 

The picture of Pekto's and Ramon's death created a paradoxical sensation. The panda was happy that he will be relieved of his discomfort, but on the other hand, he was also sad because he has to lose Pekto and risk losing Ramon.

When the panda asked Pekto and Ramon how they felt after  receiving officially their death sentences, they told the panda, "Ok lang po boss, walang problema - ready na kami. Our lives were spent serving you with honor and dignity. Okey na kami -- kung baga sa jeepney driver, naka boundery na..."

The panda flashed an optimistic smile and went to treat  the said two molars to their favorite restaurant.

It Hurts Part 1

No one laughs at the fact that mother nature makes useless parts of the body.  Wisdom teeth are good-for-nothing other than to cause pain, trouble, and inconvenience. Because it does not get better, the wisest  thing  to do is, of course, to get those suckers out of there. 


Later this day the panda will have to go to his dentist to have it checked. He has to show the dentist a photo of Pekto (a name he coined for his impacted wisdom tooth). The dentist will have to refer the panda to a dental surgeon who specializes on these kinds of procedures. Dr. Dental Surgeon will have to set the date of the surgery, and come that day - more and more pain! Pekto's days are numbered; the mere thought of "losing" him, hurts. 

Lessons From Learning How to Play the Guitar

I learned how to play the guitar when he was in grade 4, my mom taught him how to. The first time  I heard my mom play "You Are My Sunshine" on a cheap guitar his Dad bought from Cebu, I knew that was the perfect instrument to learn to play.

Looking back,  the I was not even aware that,  in the process of learning how to play the guitar, I was also acquiring the skills of: concentration, creativity, competitiveness, sense of achievement, discipline, and patience - lessons in life which become handy whenever challenges or problems came along.

Wise men say, "Music soothes the savage beast." In the same way, learning to play the guitar enlightened the prudence and taste in me

I miss my  band mates :( Where are they?? :(

Panda's Musical Half

            There are a lot of musicians out there, but there are only few who are blessed to have band-mates that have stood the test of time. There are even fewer who have met their musical halves. She and panda have been loyal band mates since they were first year college. Although as the years go by,  the jamming sessions get more rare and infrequent, no one can take away the fact that they are more than just friends - they are bothers and sisters in music. Their bond is tattooed in their minds and is better than bliss. :)

On Privileged Communication

Can you keep a secret? If you receive an information from the panda by virtue of trust, confidence, fidelity or secrecy - please do not share it. Otherwise, that privileged communication would not make sense anymore. Besides, the panda would not have been told that to you if he had known that the information would be divulged  anyway. Zip the lip. Lie if necessary, but keep it as the last resort. Or, do not lie -- but do not tell the whole truth either.

The Panda's Vote

This is the first time that the panda ever voted in a national election and he is proud of it. Finally, all those hassles in falling in long lines paid off.

Who did you vote for president? The panda voted for a candidate who he thinks the Filipinos can be proud of. He voted for someone who is naturally gifted with skill and intelligence, someone who has a clear platform of governance and reachable goals. Sadly though, this same person the panda voted for is also a member of the wrong party  tainted with corruption, scandals, and controversies.

On Mother's Day

Mother's Day is a day of paying tribute to the handwork and sacrifices of our mothers. It is the day when we remember our mother's contribution in our life by honoring her.

Happy Mother's day to my mother and to your mother. Happy mother's day to all future mothers, too. Happy Mother's day to all women who have the ability to show and share motherly traits of tender care and motherly love.

To My Mama

Dear Mama,

There are no enough words to tell you how much I love you. Thank you so much for your love and care. I know that you have sacrificed so much for us. I will love you now and forever ma. I pray everyday that God will always keep you safe. Happy Mother's day! :)

Your son, Rah.

On Smoking

Today, the panda celebrates the day he decided to quit smoking.  He has not smoked ever since, not a puff. He will never smoke again.

The panda learned to smoke at a young age by modeling his mom.  His first puff of cigarette was a cheap unknown brand of cigarette bought from a sari-sari store. No, actually, his first puff was from a lighted random rolled piece of paper.

He did not care. Inhaling and exhaling that white relaxing smoke was the epitome of coolness that he shares with friends who were on the same boat. Smoking was like a gift from the gods that only few were invited to experience. Smoking was a tunnel to connect with the inner self.

It was not about the addictive nicotine, really.  It was more of the "social cues." Waking up in the morning was a cue to smoke. Being full after a meal was a cue to smoke. Sleepiness was cue to smoke. Drinking in a party was a cue to smoke. Taking a dump was a cue to smoke. Stress was a cue to smoke. It was the cue that was hard to beat. It was an automatic and involuntary command from the brain to light up and the panda was so helpless to do anything about it.

Until one day, the panda realized something that made him quit. This single realization was the key in solving his smoking addiction  mystery. The realization was this:


"It does not get better."


He understood that to be able to conquer this bad habit, he must have the strength to control his actions. He must train and discipline himself . He stuck with the goal of quitting until his will power grew stronger and stronger. He fought the battle by the second , by the minute, by the hour, by the day, by the week, and by the month. He fought the battle one party  at a time, one stressful moment at a time. He fought the battle inspired by the support of his girlfriend who stood by him specially at the most difficult times of the process.

It has been almost four months now  since that day the panda decided to quit. It took him this long to finally write about this accomplishment just to be sure that the habit would not regress. Finally, he can say for sure that he is free from  the shackles of that bad habit! No more cravings. His will power to resist smoking is stronger than ever.  He does not have to deal with smoking anymore for the rest of his life. The time and energy spent  for smoking in the past can now be used for things that really matter in life.

On Choices

The panda must choose - and he must do so with artful savvy.

Life is a matter of choice, yet we cannot choose everything. You will surely miss what you did not choose. It is a game of  skill.

Weigh matters carefully and choose what really matters most. Fools do not weigh things; they leave most of their lives to enchantment, everydayness, and slavish taste.

On the Importance of Laws

Laws, order, rules, definition, formulas etc., anyway you want to call it, are attempts to meet destiny halfway. It allows humans to predict and control nature and limit the effects of chance. But mother nature and father time are brutal, selfish, and unforgiving parents.  Sooner or later, they will destroy us all. But for the meantime, the more laws we know, and the more aspects of life we can control and predict, the more chances we get towards a good life. It is probably a good idea to study and learn as much laws as we can and make the most of what we have now. Choose to be happy. Sooner or later mother nature and father time will surely have their last sinister laugh before they annihilate us all.

WordCount Blogathon 2010 participants

The panda joins WordCount Blogathon 2010 by Michelle V. Rafter The Blogathon is an annual event that unites freelance writers from all over in a common commitment to learn more about blogging by posting to their own blogs every day during the month of May. Feel free to check other participants out, too.

WordCount Blogathon 2010 participants

Here is a complete list of the approximately 110 writers and bloggers participating in the 2010 WordCount Blogathon:

     

• Rebecca I. Allen – 356 No More, A journey from couch to fit
• Andi, Misadventures with Andi, Merry musings of a feisty foodie slash lit-chickie slash globe-trotting wannabe Frenchie!
• Anjuli – bhulbhulaiyan, a complicated entanglement of zigzag pathways
• Christa Avampato – Christa in New York, Curating a Creative Life
• Joan Lambert Bailey – PopcornHomestead, Gardening, place and my life in Tokyo
• Karen Bannan – Natural as Possible Mom, Because natural isn’t always possible — or easy
• Linda Barnby, TheNEA.org, Taking Entrepreneurs from Where They Are to Where they Want to Be
• t.a. barnhart – Left Coast Foodie, Damn, that’s good: a foodie blog by someone who knows what he’s doing
• June Bell – Enough is enough! Advice and support
• Teresa Bitler – Forty Firsts, A Midlife Crisis in the Making
• Athena l. Borozon – Altar Valley Daily Orb, The Desert Rat Dialogues
• Jane Boursaw* – Film Gecko, Cool movie news and reviews
• Alisa Bowman – Project Happily Ever After, Marriage advice from a recovering divorce daydreamer
• Carson Brackney – Carson Brackney, Consultant, Copywriter, Content Provider, Factotum
• Ben Bradley, Ben’s (Not Quite) First Ever Presence on the Interweb, Blog of an aspiring human being
• Sheena Brockington – Greenhouse Advertising, Cultivating ideas for small businesses
• Danielle Buffardi* – Horrible Sanity, Going into the mind of a mother and freelancer
• Beverly Burmeier – Going on Adventures, Travel stories from near and far
• Diane Calhoun – Violet is My Color, Life just happens, deal with it
• Danielle Carter – Live and Love Life VA, Helping you do more of what you love, and less of what you don’t!
• Fiona Chan – Candy Prison, A typical teenager
• Joy Choquette – One Year. 156 Fears. Life Changing. One woman tackles her fears
• Bernard Chung – Green Tea World, It’s more than just a cup of green tea here
• Caroline Clemmons – A Writer’s Life, Writing tips, interviews and miscellaneous ramblings
• Shelley Clunie – ShelCluzo’s Blog, Healthy, wealthy and wise at 62
• Cocotte – Leaping into Life, Uncommon stories to nurture body, mind & soul
• Christianne Cook – A Day in My Mind, The world through my eyes
• Sue Dickman – Life Divided, Food, garden, books . . . and India
• Jackie Dishner – Bike with Jackie, Using my special brand of BIKE to teach you how to turn obstacles into opportunities
• Tracy Doerr – Tracy Doerr, A chronicle of ideas and things that inspire me
• Ron S. Doyle* – Blog Salad, All the blog that’s fit to eat
• Dana DuGan – Chick with a View, It’s good to live on the edge. The view is better.
• Dan Eldridge – Labor Party, A Young Pioneers Media blog for Creative and Alternative Entrepreneurs
• Cindy Elsberry – Doodle9, Paddling down the stream…of consciousness
• Heather Faesy – Blame it on the Full Moon, My kids, writing and reading
• R. Jill Fink – My Opera, Musings about writing, food, weight loss and other hilarious things
• Jennifer Fink – Blogging Bout Boys, All about boys — raising them, educating them, learning with them
• Damaris Fish – Damaris Fish on Genealogy, Researching my family history and helping others with theirs
• Dylan Fogle – Discordianzen, The map is not the territory
• Katie Foote – Littlefoote’s Lab, A chronicle of what the unemployed girl in NoPo is up to.
• Barb Freda – Babette Feasts, Feast with Me (Food, Wine, Travel and Photos)
• Heather Frendo – Thrifty Knee Socks
• Andrea Genevieve – Andrea Genevieve, Where social medium, technology and higher education meet
• Janet Goldstein – Janet’s Publishing & Strategy Blog, Tips, insight, and inspiration for launching books and ideas
• Alexandra Grabbe – Chezsven’s Blog, Life as a green innkeeper on Outer Cape Cod
• Elyse Grau – My Garden to Table, Growing what you eat, eating what you grow
• Wendy Korn Heppt – Budget Style on a Shoestring, Budget savvy fashion, beauty and related news and ideas
• Katie Hinderer – Write Beyond the Cubicle, A freelance writer’s thoughts on the industry
• Amanda Hirsch – Tastee Pudding, In the search for creative life, the proof is in the Pudding
• Lisa Jaffe Hubbell – Eat, Read and Be Harried, Making it through life one book at a time
• Nancy Mann Jackson – Growing Food and Kids, Gardening, harvesting, cooking and preserving with kids in tow
• Robert Janelle – Without an Apostrophe, Ottawa freelance tech journalist
• Elizabeth King Humphrey – The Write Elizabeth, Writing. Creativity. Play. Life.
• Walter L. Johnson II – Georgia News Beat, An inside look at what’s happening in the state of Georgia
• B.J. Keeton – Professor Beej, Pop culture commentary with an academic slant
• Joey Khuvutlu – Sh*t I Find Worth Sharing
• Amy Kocur – AmyLizK, Maryland/ DC Metro area arts and analysis
• Courtney Koschel – Finding My Muse: A New Writer’s Journey,
• Sara Lancaster – No.2PenBlog, Resource for my clients and others interested in marketing communications
• Bill Lascher – Lascher at Large, A contemplative, pondered and unrushed thought banquet.
• Mary Dixon Lebeau – In the Boom Boom Room, Remember staying out until the street lights came on?
• Pooja Lohana – Brown-eyed Mystic, On writing and more!
• Sarah E. Ludwig – Parenting by Trial and Error, The learning curve in raising kids
• Jenny Lynes – Welcome to the Good Life, A student environmentalist exploring responsible, cheap, and fun living
• Su-sieee! Mac – This and That. Here and There. Now, Sometimes Then., Rambling about anything and everything that interests me
• Harry Marks – Curious Rat, Chewing at the tech industry’s wires…nom nom nom…
• Joanne Mason – English Idioms, What they mean, how we use them, where they came from
• Kim McNeill – Kim’s Play Place, An active parent trying to make sure my kids are educated
• Teresa Mears – MiamiOntheCheap, Discounts, deals and free events in Miami
• Rose Medlock – RFM, Rose Flores Medlock
• Melanie – 365 days: A different thing everyday in 2010
• Heather Minton – Stumbling into Grace, The adventure of following God and figuring it out in Portland
• Kathy Murray – Out and Employed, News, career advice and job resources for ex-offenders
• Alexis Neely – Life, Business and the Pursuit of Truth, A blog about the intersection
• Charles Newbery – Pine Tree Paradise, The life of a work-at-home writer and father of three
• Andrew Nielsen – A Green Mushroom, My take on the world of gaming
• Eric Novinson – Costing a Green Future, A green business blog
• Tracy O’Connor – I Hate My Message Board, Humor, crankiness, a museum of snack foods and the odd motivational piece
• Andrea Parker – Autism Fundraising Guide, For parents of children with autism
• Lilac Penafiel – What Have You Learned Today, Life lessons learned everyday…
• Tara Phillips – Two Hands and a Road Map
• Jennie Phipps – WalletPop, AOL’s personal finance blog
• Ed Pilolla – Ed Pilolla, What the f*** is love?
• Sue Poremba – I Breathe, Therefore I Write
• Michelle Rafter, WordCount, Freelancing in the digital age
• Rah – The Daily Panda, A panda that goes to school learns things
• Kate Reilly – Polka Dot Suitcase, Family fun through creative living
• Meredith Resnick – The Writer’s [Inner] Journey, Bestselling authors, professional creatives and emerging voices in quirky dialogue about how they write and why it works
• Vanessa Richardson – Way Out West Texas, City girl from California moves to Way Out West Texas, what will happen?
• Rebecca Robinson – Rebecca Robinson, Updates on freelance projects, reflections on journalism innovation in Portland and beyond, and brainstorms from the wee hours
• Carey Rossi – Thank You Everything, Appreciate the little things
• Natasha Rogue – The Writing Blues, Little tips on how I find motivation to get past the difficulties of writing life and the road to publication
• Joe Romano – Blogging Perspectives Daily, Blogging News Tips and Views
• Andrea M. Rotondo – Luxury Cruise Bible, Your source for unbiased luxury cruise reviews
• Melissa Sais – Digital Mom, Raising kids in a digital world
• Lisa Samalonis – Single Parent Savings
• Sami – Stonerpreneur, Stoner antics as they relate to my business and personal growth
• Ovetta Sampson – Musings of a Writing Princess, A Look Inside the Mind of a Professional Griot
• Dina Santorelli – Making Baby Grand, And I thought giving birth to real babies was hard…
• Lacey Savage – Tips and WIPS, Talking about writing fiction
• Lilian Schaer – Food and Farming Canada, A blog about the farming side of food
• Kristie Sloan – mkBeautyZone, Skin care and makeup information training and products
• Matthew Smith – Smidgen PC, Big news about tiny PCs
• Michelle Smith – Law Office of Michelle R. Smith, Because it’s your life, your family and your choice
• Stephanie Suesan Smith – Stephanie Suesan Smith PhD, Information Central
• Christa Sofinowski – Life Being Short, You Should Be Interesting, Documenting my quarterlife crisis
• Claire Splan – Alameda Garden, Gardening issues in the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond
• Margarita Tartakovsky – Self-ish, {Sorta} Sage Advice on Being a Better You
• Thinkingtoohard – Thinking too hard, This is where I empty my head
• Blake Thompson – Black Thompson daht Net, “I’m just saying…”
• Jodi Torpey – Western Gardeners, Your online guide to gardening in the West
• Paul Tullis – Grim Tidings- True/Slant, My rants about politics & policy
• Jan Udlock – Imperfect Mom
• Brandi-Ann Uyemura – Brandi-Ann Uyemura, Rather be freelancing: tips for the beginning writer
• Beth VanHoose – Writing in Sand, My adventures in freelance writing, and other stuff
• Rachel Vidoni – East Coast Musings, A humorous look at kids, family and life
• Jen Walker – My Morning Chocolate, Writing, experiments, culture and adventure in food
• Katie Jett Walls – One per Week, 52 posts on things that matter to me
• Sarah Webb – Webb of Science, Connecting science and life
• Rebecca Weber – Newstilt SAfrica, Dispatches from South Africa
• Susan Weiner – Investment Writing, For investment and wealth managers who want to communicate more effectively with clients and prospects
• Rashida Williams – Really Rashida, Urban lit author blogging about my life and times
• Jennifer Willis – Jennifer Willis, Thoughts on religion, sustainability, media and culture

Nun Sense

On his way to the mall, the panda chanced to sit in front a nun. The nun sat near the driver. She would not bother passing other pasajeros pamasahe. That was ok, maybe she was praying, but what was interesting about her was that she was fat - like the stout Buddha. She can barely fit in her habit.

"Why is she fat?" Aren't nuns supposed to practice the Vow of Poverty?

When he got home, he googled  "vow.... of.. poverty.." The answers to his question became clear:

xxx The vow of poverty is not to be interpreted as being for ever poor, but rather to sharing everything in common. Those who embrace a vow of poverty do not claim private ownership of any possessions: everything they have is used for the common good of the Religious Order xxx

Wow! The vow of poverty is a misnomer after all. That explains everything! The nuns' mall strollings, their air-con rooms, their maids, their healthy everyday meals complete with desserts, their new service vans, etc. Pretty much more or less a comfortable community life, one may say.

The new understanding of the "vow" still does not explain why some nuns are fat. Whatever happened to religious fasting? Are they not allowed to exercise? Maybe it is a hormonal thing that  comes with age. Who knows? Vow of poverty and being overweight is hard to reconcile.

"Same Only" Pressures on Who to Love

Humans should be free to choose who to love. No family, culture, religion, or organization should impose that. The panda is against anti-human practices that take away humanistic choices on who to love. Fixed marriage or "same culture only" marriage are some examples of that. Christians should be allowed to marry atheists, feminists should be allowed to marry chauvinists, Juliets should be allowed to marry Romeos, and angels should be allowed to marry devils. Love is not an obligation but a personal choice. Direct or indirect coercion, matchmaking, and pressures to marry are violations of fundamental human rights.

The Panda's Crush

Having a crush is a big deal for the panda because such seldom happens. For a very long time, the panda used to deny the fact that he has a crush on her. He would say, "oh she's not really pretty, oh she's so skinny, oh she's so pa-tweetums, etc..." But sometimes, your crush kinda 'grows in you,' and before you know it, there it goes, the feeling is unstoppable.  The panda confirms, it is official, Taylor Swift is such a darling :)  The panda gets butterflies on his stomach every time he sees a picture of her. He pathetically gets shy around a picture of her. Lastly, he loses his concentration and totally goes crazy @_@ when he watches her sing and play the guitar on You Tube. It can only mean one thing - these are symptoms of mayday! mayday! emergency landing of the heart.

The Panda Reviews The Movie Iron Man 2

Iron Man is a movie about a rich cool party dude refusing to surrender his Iron Man suit invention to the State. He reasons out that it was enough that he was protecting the world. He discovers a glitch in his invention and begins to suck at everything. Until one day, while eating a strawberry, he comes out with an idea to solve the Iron Man suit glitch.

The moral of the story: be cool, try to use your brain, treat each day as if it was your last. This iron robot clad sequel is good enough to rust in the junk. The old movie Robocop is even better.

The movie does not have a real conflict that can keep the story together. There was no build up on the romantic aspect of the story. The special effects were not that special. There was no appeal to the emotions; the audience will not even feel a sense of danger. So, does the panda like it? No. Worth watching anyway? No.


The panda watched the movie in Gateway. The panda hates the Gateway. It is a jologs mall trying hard to be classy. There's even an evidence that its owners are jejemons.

The panda missed Shaider, Ultraman, Mask Rider Black, and Machine Man after watching Iron Man 2.

On Labor Day

Today is labor day. Today we remember the workers and employees, their rights, and their importance to our economy and society. Labor may mean physical toil, work done for wages, or a social class comprising of those who do work for wages. Workers and employees are part of the labor sector and are protected by labor laws.

Labor laws aim to promote full employment, to ensure equal work opportunities, to regulate the relationship of workers and employers. It also aims to protect the rights of workers to self organization, collective bargaining, security of tenure, and just conditions of work.

Labor laws are based on the State's inherent power to regulate rights and liberty for the common good, and to promote people's welfare by adopting  measures to insure economic stability through the maintenance of social and economic equilibrium.

If you think you are a victim of unfair labor practices or has been unjustly terminated - "don't be takot, let's make baka!" Fight for your right.  Labor laws are here to protect our rights. After all, where there is a violated right, the law provides a remedy.