Saturday, September 19, 2009

Beautiful Images of the Philippines..

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="542" caption="Pahiyas images from http://my_sarisari_store.typepad.com/"]Pahiyas images from http://my_sarisari_store.typepad.com/[/caption]

 Here's food art, before there is such a thing. This event in the Philippines is inspired by a Catholic (note Catholic) saint during the Spanish regime. The website noted that it is by way of Mexico, no wonder there is a similarity in the culture.

Click on the image to get to the photographer's website.  The pictures are awesome, I am inspired.

Enjoy. Note: I did send the photographer an email asking for permission to link to his pix, but it bounced.

Friday, September 18, 2009

In the cube farm



[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="430" caption="from http://www.sitelead.com/ permission pending"]from site lead[/caption]


As I said before, I have been working like crazy these past months, but look at me; I am unwinding with a puter. Despite that it is a little sad, because we had a few folks who left the firm, voluntary and involuntary, and another one who went to Lordy-that’s another post.



So yes, we had a few separations from the firm this month; three left of their own accord-one to work with the competition and the two to set up their consulting firm, the last and the youngest was a victim of this economy. Because he didn’t have that much experience, he didn’t have that expertise to work on other projects in other locations without a mentor.

The first left after almost 20 years of service, he grew up with the firm from one office to another until he landed in the Bay Area and eventually left. He was a little jaded with the way that the office is heading, not realizing that it is reaction to the evolving market. He asked me, what he needs to change about the way he was at work.  Note that technical people have a different way of looking at things; they are pretty driven into getting the results, expecting more grey matter and less of the people-y issues.

Told him that maybe, it is better to relate more to people, compassion, and respect are important, a happy employee, makes a happy worker therefore a better worker. He realized that we do think alike, told him that it is generational ha ha ha.  He was having mixed feelings not wanting to leave, with the idea that he is leaving his family.

The two who were going to set up shop with their names on the letterhead was a little apprehensive and excited about what lies ahead. They were also sorry to leave-when the bossman said, “it’s business as usual and the two week notice is waived”, they didn’t feel so bad after that. I reacted a little negatively, I would have wanted him to be a little gooey, but no he was worried am sure of the revenue, they were 100% billable, ha ha.

Then the last one sits next to me, we review the day’s events was telling him to hang in there, it will get better.  It didn’t, then, he had to go. He can say, “Better to have it happen, early on in my career.”

Oh, there is another one, a satellite in the North Bay closed, the technical folks can telework but the admin staff has to go and she was even working part time.

I am again being reminded that no matter how much we prepare for tomorrow, His will shall prepare. See, you may have a lot of money in the bank at the wrong turn of the economy it will be gone.

Oh gee, I am just babbling here without a point a forced clobut sing.

Collision Zone Part II

accident arm


A few months back, we figured in a car accident, I have not even completed my insurance claim. The offending car was in a hurry he thought, if he sped up he will make is turn without hitting us. All that to apparently get to a ballgame. We were bruised my friend’s car was totaled, guess it is now with the other clunkers in car heaven.


accident car



We were going to a church meeting and I was carrying a cup of diet coke and a box of donuts, the air bag went off and we were bruised, T who was driving got the cool end of it with a sling and something for her finger. L and her friend had to go for chiropractic sessions. My eyeglasses were broken and grazed my skin, bruised from the air bag impact, and bones aiming to dislodge. I didn’t see my life flash before me, so we were okay. Certain that Lordy is always there protecting us.

Anyway, I figured Lordy wanted us to stop the driver from causing a bigger mess on the road. You know what he said, the driver I mean? He said that it’s normal, that’s what insurances are for. How cold is that? I said, he probably didn’t go to church, and a Sunday at that! Isn’t that disturbing?
The bummer was having to wait for too long to get T checked, I didn’t opt for the ER check, went to my doctor instead for a clean bill of health. It was a drag indeed, but we were able to hang out with another friend who is grieving over the loss of her Mom. L’s friend went ahead with her afternoon tap dance performance.

What’s the point in all these? A reminder that we should be grateful for our lives, that we should be content with what we have for it can disappear in a wink. Most of all a testimony to His greatness that he is always there to protect.

Amen?

Friday, September 11, 2009

Collission zone..

Life is so complex that past and present collide making the future blurry, filled with uncertainty. He was bullied as a kid, even as a grown up, for reasons unknown, maybe he is too gentle for his own good. He does not retaliate, he would have been happy hiding behind me, willing for me to fight his battles. He would have been happy with that, content not following a dream, his dreams would be anchored on mine. I left and it shattered everything, it took him a while to recover, to find his bearings, and realized that he has a life to live. I wondered was he too sheltered, we all were, but behind those closeted existence are darkness of infidelity causing pain a deep wrenching of the heart building distrust and agony. I questioned the reason for that, how can rules be laid down and be disregarded, irreverently neglected to follow a darker life. There is always a cause and effect, I used to say, "read, you will find your answers only through discovery." Now, I say, "have you talked to Lordy about it?"

On the one hand, he didn't get as much discipline as the others, he was the baby, the last born. Life was a little better, as a child he would give in tantrums, to fit of anger. I sensed a tendency to hardhandedness. Unlike his gentle brother, he is more head on, less patient. His uncaring ways led to misguided existence -- married or were they? because of a child, a relationship borne out of necessity, presumably to correct a wrong. Such an overlap didn't change anything but rather put them in a quicksand of misery. Frustrated attempts to change put them in deeper pain, something that I don't have a solution for, but to tell Lordy about it. I reckon maybe you need to pray more, it was never meant to be your battle alone. Lordy is with you just listen to what He is saying.

Whoa, life is indeed so complex. Sometimes I'm not sure why they tell me all this, validation? approval? or they want me to tell Lordy for them, like am the right agent or not :). She left her husbad and children to go to a foreign land for a better future for her children. So that they won't have the kind of life that she had. With nothing but her bravura, she embarked and halfway succeeded. But she fell in love with someone that she shouldn't and had to marry another, keeping her lover on the side. She thinks she is handling it all pretty cool, what is happiness anyway, she countered. I dared say to her that at this point it is exciting but once the novelty is gone, she should be ready to deal with the guilt, the repercussions of emotional entanglement, the questioning look of her innocent children.

Faith interrupted..

I have been so busy with work these past weeks or has it been months, project after project, I am never really able to dwell on things, questions unanswered burning in my head.  What I managed to do was separate my questions from affecting my faith that would have caused it to erode into an unbelievable pit of darkness.

Being a recipient of unexpected meanness, unexpected in the sense that the person dispensing it should be dispensing something more soulful than that.  Words uttered that is embarassing to be repeated even to vent about. I accepted and with head vowed tried to recall that humility is a value that we learned and try to practice as a good human being, as children of God.  But I will be pretentious if I say that I wasn't affected, that I wasn't hurt, so I stayed away glad that I am so preoccupied to be eaten by anger causing me to hate.

It is a gift of grace that I have embraced. A friend was not so lucky, for she was a witness to a failed test. A test of ruined relationships, battered emotions, her faith in God is intact but it will take her a long time to go back and find a church, a community where she can be in fellowship with, a fellowship with open heart. She understood that it is a fact of being human, falling and failing, that it is not for her to judge, it is between the person and God. The difficulty arises when we put someone in a pedestal and decide that being elevated to that level will make them saints and will do no wrong. It is a flawed thought, for why else do we go to such lenghts of proving that a person is saint after death. When they can err no more.